There is a *great* group here in Tucson, AZ which is aimed at getting girls, especially ones from at-risk backgrounds, into chess:

"Audio engineers started worrying about this back in the days of analog recording when tape noise—the inherent noise embedded in magnetic recording—was a big problem. Today, with digital recording, it's pretty much irrelevant."

@Effin' Eh: "Loudness" is perceptual, whereas decibels measure the physical intensity of the sound wave (which is proportional to the square of the sound pressure). A 10db increase is ten times the sound pressure, but is perceived by the human auditory system as something like a doubling of loudness. (most human…

@pdubs1087: One more reason vinyl is a lousy reproduction format.

Do these guys know that the trees we make paper from are planted crops, like corn and wheat are? This is kind of like saying "eat spaghetti sauce without the spaghetti, save a wheat field". And that a lot of printer paper is made from recycled stuff as well? I'm a big tree lover, but this sort of thing makes me…

@OmegaVader: Hmm. Well, how about you try this: next time you fly, go through security, then buy a pint of colored liquid (Moutain Dew, perhaps) and pour it down your front, let it soak into your shirt, underwear, and pants, and then see how easy it is to "clean up". Even if he had a change of clothes and time to…

@CaptainJack: It doesn't really even come in metric in Europe. For example, a sheet of plywood in Europe (which would be a 4x8 foot sheet here) is 2400mm x 1200mm. This reflects the fact that the Imperial units are based on ergonomic, i.e. human-sized, proportions and sizes. I.e. more natural than the deliberately…

@d_r_e: Heh. Vinyl may sound nice due to its "euphonic distortion", but vinyl is not audio fidelity (look the term "fidelity" up).

@Con Seannery is back by popular demand: The laser turntables are interesting, but apparently don't work as well as they seem they should.

@Con Seannery is back by popular demand: "Exploding" is a bit of exaggeration. Vinyl is a very, very small niche format, and has grown somewhat in the last 3-5 years compared to the almost infinitesimal sales it had in the prior decade.

@Thus Spake Kate is a Goth Detective: No need to apologize. I in turn misinterpreted you... I think.

@twisted_martini: "Let's be a bit more thoughtful with our language, yes?". By all means. I looked "stupid" up in the OED, and discovered its first and second definitions, as well as its oldest usages, have to do with temporary states (like being stunned, amazed, etc.). Mrs. Thomas appears to be in her state of…

@Thus Spake Kate is a Goth Detective: I am very puzzled by your comment to my post. the OP made a (possibly in jest) remark that no one should use the word "stupid"; that was followed by your first post, which seemed to suggest you shared my (and Otis Galoway, youthinkyouknow, and imjustnotthtintoyou) opinion.

@Thus Spake Kate is a Goth Detective: Dumb? Dim-witted? Bovine? Blockheaded. A chowderhead. A halfwit? Doltish! Brainwise inert.

Creepy/ yep (article in LA Times):

@Hana Maru: I believe the fundamentalist polygamous marriages have a quite high (compared to the general population) reliance on welfare and other tax-supported systems, partially because all the wives but the most senior can (or do) claim to be single mothers with dependent children.

@leGodt: No kidding. For example (updated version of what I have):

Isn't the very lower ground clearance going to be a bit of a problem?

It's "Sir Terry", not "Sir Pratchett".

This is not a new discovery — what's really weird is that other stuff we've shot into space undergoes the same slowdown. [discovermagazine.com] and http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/features/print/2353/magical-mystery-tour-pioneer-anomaly