Comments on: Science Etcetera, Marsday 20080701

By: ClintJCL

ClintJCL — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 18:51:20 +0000

Indeed, saving pickle jars comes in handy sometimes.

By: Carolyn

Carolyn — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 03:02:43 +0000

I didn’t remember buying sauerkraut by the bag and keeping it in jars when I lived with you, but Clint refreshed my memory.

We have a bag of sauerkraut in our fridge now. Just need a jar…

By: DJ Nicko

DJ Nicko — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 03:12:47 +0000

I had milk in bags in like, kindergarden. Or preschool. Whenever I lived in texas, that is what we got at the school lunch. Mmm, just stab a straw in and go crazy.

By: ideonexus

ideonexus — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 02:56:38 +0000

Vicky,

This reminds me of Clint and Carolyn buying Saurkraut by the bag in college, and then keeping it in jars for costs savings. That’s stuck with me because now I wish everything came in bags instead of plastic cases. Much more environmentally sound and less costly. Milk in a bag rocks! (Hypothetically, since I’ve never been able to purchase it in person)

By: ideonexus

ideonexus — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 01:31:11 +0000

Thanks Clint! My comment should read “1,600″ not “16,000.”

: )

By: Chriggy

Chriggy — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 03:45:37 +0000

As far as Occam’s razor goes, I can’t believe how many managers don’t believe in Occam’s razor.

My point of view(Occam’s razor): “We have six systems out there. Five of them work. One of them doesn’t. They’re identical. It must be something on the vehicle or the computer”

Manager’s point of view: “It must be the software. If it’s not we need to spend more money to prove that its the computer to justify buying a new computer”(even though the man hours spent trying to do that will cost more than the computer)

FRUSTRATING!

By: Vicky

Vicky — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 03:15:17 +0000

Re: Milk in a jug– Up in Wisconsin and Minnesota, Kwik Trip convenience stores sell milk in a bag (with a complimentary pitcher). If I recall correctly, they’ve been doing it for decades.

I think they still have to ship that milk in the plastic crates (like mentioned in the Wal-mart article), but supposedly the “bag technology costs 10 to 15% less than jugs or cartons” and they are more environmentally friendly.

By: ideonexus

ideonexus — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 01:00:58 +0000

Dave,

Sweet! Thanks for finding those. Totally creepy, just like the article describes.

By: ideonexus

ideonexus — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:59:56 +0000

Spugrab,

Thanks for the first-person account! I haven’t seen these new milk jugs in person yet.

By: ideonexus

ideonexus — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:59:05 +0000

I understand your skepticism Nicko. As Clint pointed out, since 42,000 people died in car accidents in 2005, that 16,000 number is probably an estimate based on the decline of people flying after 9/11. I'm certain the number is a rough estimate, but it does make the point that people will run from a perceived threat into an unperceived one. In this case, many people chose driving over flying, which is much more dangerous, but those 42k fatalities don't make the news.

By: ClintJCL

ClintJCL — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 23:51:35 +0000

Well I’ll give you that — Occam’s Razor is more of a rule of thumb to me. And as a rule of thumb, rules of thumb are only correct 80% of the time. (As a rule of thumb.)

By: DJ Nicko

DJ Nicko — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 23:28:49 +0000

Also Ryan! The 10th and final Y: The Last Man book was released today, I read it already, because it is more interesting than studying for a test. So, I would think that the whole collection in 1 book form may be out in a year from now.

Good stuff though.

By: DJ Nicko

DJ Nicko — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 22:47:43 +0000

(I take back my earliest dislike for the article/book on the account of I had no idea the number of people who died in automobiles per year. I can now assume cause they only say 1600, that some sort of research was behind that number).

But still, not sure if Occam’s Razor is the best argument thing. A lot of reasons for not wanting to fly could be equally possible in 2002, not just afraid of terrorists. So, wouldn’t say it is the simplest answer.

By: ClintJCL

ClintJCL — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 21:17:14 +0000

That’s a lot of what ifs. You ever heard of Occam’s Razor?

And it never claimed “killed all people who died in an accident”. Accidents are something like 40,000 a year, not 1600.

More drive + less fly = they drove because they didn’t want to fly. Maybe not 100%, but definitely as a rule of thumb.