Human Slide Rule 2013-04-19

[Wdot]

Well it depends on a few things. How old are the beings who raised Atsali? I still use the term "ice box" for refrigerator and I've never seen one. I use the term "tape" yet there is no more "tape" in record. Some terms endure. Maybe she reads a lot of old time science fiction.
I was thinking maybe Bud, because she is a part of the MIB. Of course it is nothing more than wild speculation. I don't mind more characters if they are interesting.

[Hansontoons]

If you don't know who Roy is, SHAME ON YOU.

And for those avoiding shame: Roy

I don't think you can really say Shame On You for not knowing a name used once in the second strip. Not everyone follows to that detail. Nor should they have to. Anyway the Roy could be someone else, Whoope-Tie-Ya MF, is an obvious leap for some people to make. Ddn't Scoobie-do use Roy a lot too!

Now that's another good one! My reference was for Matthew Quigley when crazy Cora called him Roy. And I'm really wondering how old most the folks are that frequent this forum, what with all the memories of slide rules (I have a circular still in my possession), early MTV (first time I saw it was in a bar in San Antonio Tx, I was mesmerized!), TV cowboys (I liked The Cisco Kid), and such. But then age can be irrelevant as it's what's in the heart and mind that really counts in my opinion.

And I admit to not knowing/remembering who Roy is! It's been a very long time since I've read that far back in the story. And on top of that my CRS has been acting up a lot here lately so I prolly wouldn't have remembered anyways! My theory on that is that after a certain point your brain gets full so stuff either gets deleted or doesn't stick due to lack of storage room.

[zachariah]

Hell, I'm old enough to remember when MTV used to play music...

Sad to say that a case may be made that MTV never played music. Depends on who is making the point. Since it tries to set the music trends it is always playing what it thinks is hot, or going to be hot. Then it calls everything else ether classic or oldies.

[Jabberwonky]

Yeah, MTV lost it's shine, to me, when it was too obvious that they were trying to set what was cool instead of presenting everything to you to let you decide.
As a friend once noted, "Anything that spend that much time reminding you how cool it is ain't that cool."

@Hansontoons - The Cisco Kid used to be an after school ritual with me.

[illiad]

Yeah, MTV lost it's shine, to me, when it was too obvious that they were trying to set what was cool instead of presenting everything to you to let you decide.

yeah... remember the 'ray cokes' show??? good 'off the wall' fun... until he started hinting that change was coming, the 'suits' wanted to make it 'more respectable'....

Hansontoons, zachariah, Atomic, jwhouk: hey you need more than a first name(that quite often he was not born with!! )
Roy Scheider, Roy Orbison, Siegfried & Roy, Roy Hattersley(British Labour politician)...
and a lot of American sports personalities..

[shadowinthelight]

Then there's Ol' Roy

[DilyV]

Getting back to the question at hand...

"Why are secrets kept from the Library?"

Answer: Because there are some things that the powers that be do not want getting into the hands of someone like, saaayyy... Bia, who may be able to access the Library and use it's information for nefarious purposes. Information like the location of the active Vimana cells or how to circumvent the world grid... or how to use a stargate for that matter.

I'm torn between our mystery guest being either Phix or Brandi... though Jin's mom would not be out of the realm of possibilities... would she?

[zachariah]

Yeah, MTV lost it's shine, to me, when it was too obvious that they were trying to set what was cool instead of presenting everything to you to let you decide.
As a friend once noted, "Anything that spend that much time reminding you how cool it is ain't that cool."

@Hansontoons - The Cisco Kid used to be an after school ritual with me.

That's alright I used to be a Space Patrol fan.

[illiad]

"how to use a stargate" ?? surely that is the library equivalent of "how to use a bus" ?? - they are much the same, they go to limited locations, they dont usually go near your house or even the particular shop or location you want...

"learn how to poit" now there is a dangerous one..

[Atomic]

"how to use a stargate" ?? surely that is the library equivalent of "how to use a bus" ?? - they are much the same, they go to limited locations, they dont usually go near your house or even the particular shop or location you want...

"learn how to poit" now there is a dangerous one..

So would be "Planetary Destruction and World Domination for Dummies."

[zachariah]

"how to use a stargate" ?? surely that is the library equivalent of "how to use a bus" ?? - they are much the same, they go to limited locations, they dont usually go near your house or even the particular shop or location you want...

"learn how to poit" now there is a dangerous one..

So would be "Planetary Destruction and World Domination for Dummies."

How about "Detailed Specifications and Code for Library Storage and Operation using Mulch-dimensional Math." by I.M. Wong.

[Radical_Knight]

Not only why, but by whom or what!

[Dave]

Then there's Ol' Roy

... wondering whether Ol' Roy is the brand name, the name of the consumer, or the entree ...

[illiad]

How about "Detailed Specifications and Code for Library Storage and Operation using Mulch-dimensional Math." by I.M. Wong.

"feh, ANY L-space schoolkid knows how to do *that*.... {yawn} "

"but hey, I heard this hacker once, said he could depolarise space in a small area... of course the superadmin stomped on it pretty quickly, but I had a look at his specs... fairly standard stuff, but there would be NOOO way he could get any of the ingredients whithout causing a major alarm or atomising himself in the process!!! making it up as he goes along, most likley!!"

[zachariah]

How about "Detailed Specifications and Code for Library Storage and Operation using Mulch-dimensional Math." by I.M. Wong.

"feh, ANY L-space schoolkid knows how to do *that*.... {yawn} "

"but hey, I heard this hacker once, said he could depolarise space in a small area... of course the superadmin stomped on it pretty quickly, but I had a look at his specs... fairly standard stuff, but there would be NOOO way he could get any of the ingredients whithout causing a major alarm or atomising himself in the process!!! making it up as he goes along, most likley!!"

Anyone can depolarize space.It isn't polarized in the first place, it just is. Unless your space is at one of the poles. Then you just have to warm it up or move it away from that location.

[bmonk]

How about "Detailed Specifications and Code for Library Storage and Operation using Mulch-dimensional Math." by I.M. Wong.

"feh, ANY L-space schoolkid knows how to do *that*.... {yawn} "

"but hey, I heard this hacker once, said he could depolarise space in a small area... of course the superadmin stomped on it pretty quickly, but I had a look at his specs... fairly standard stuff, but there would be NOOO way he could get any of the ingredients whithout causing a major alarm or atomising himself in the process!!! making it up as he goes along, most likley!!"

Anyone can depolarize space.It isn't polarized in the first place, it just is. Unless your space is at one of the poles. Then you just have to warm it up or move it away from that location.

I hope this line of thought doesn't polarize the forum.

[drops a couple of monopoles of opposite magnetic charge into the pun jar, just to watch the fireworks]

[Atomic]

Anyone can depolarize space.It isn't polarized in the first place, it just is. Unless your space is at one of the poles. Then you just have to warm it up or move it away from that location.

I hope this line of thought doesn't polarize the forum.

[drops a couple of monopoles of opposite magnetic charge into the pun jar, just to watch the fireworks]

Now you did it -- the Bose-Einstein condensate has clogged up the jar neck. We'll just have to wait till it warms up, unless someone has a quantum plunger.

You and your monopoles. Really, you should know better!

[Opus the Poet]

We never really had a nickname for the circular ones, though, but now that i'm older and -er, less agile - 'slip-disk' comes to mind....

We pilots just called 'em E6B's.

[Fairportfan]

Talking of slide rules -

I was in high school before the widespread use of calculators - those available were expensive, usually only '4-bangers' (+-x/), and used odd entry logic (Reverse Polish Notation is a demon successfully vanquished today). $400 for a four function calculator? Yep.

Actually, the RPN/$400 calculator was the HP35, and it was rather more than a four-function device. In fact, it was basically an electronic slide rule.

RPN is annoying, but ...

(A guy in my Freshman Chem class at Georgia Tech had the first one in Atlanta.)

[Fairportfan]

Then there's Ol' Roy

... wondering whether Ol' Roy is the brand name, the name of the consumer, or the entree ...

yes