+The Forester Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 Throughout the world, in many languages, political divisions are described as being "left" or "right". Where/when/how/why did that distinction come about? Link to comment
+Seasider Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 Throughout the world, in many languages, political divisions are described as being "left" or "right". Where/when/how/why did that distinction come about? I remember this from my Young Conservative days! It came from the pesky French about the time they chopped the king's head off. It related to the divisions in the French parliament pre revolution when you had the royalists on the one side (right) and the ruffians on the other side (left). Can't remember when the French revolution was but it was somewhere between 1770 and 1805! Cheers! Seasider Link to comment
+The Forester Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 Yup. Correct in every particular. Your go. Link to comment
+Seasider Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 Sticking with politics.... We all remember Mrs T (with varying degrees of fondness ) for being the UK's first female prime minister. However, she was not the world's first female elected PM. The first was a Mrs B but in which country was she elected? And as a bonus which year? Cheers! Seasider Link to comment
+rutson Posted September 25, 2006 Share Posted September 25, 2006 The country was Sri Lanka, no, hang on, maybe Ceylon then? And her name was something like "Bandranake". Early sixties? Link to comment
+Seasider Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 The country was Sri Lanka, no, hang on, maybe Ceylon then? And her name was something like "Bandranake". Early sixties? Yup! Sirimavo Bandaranaike in 1960. Over to our correspondent in China! Cheers! Seasider Link to comment
+rutson Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 Techy question alert: How many bits in a byte? (Some pointers... no one word answers will get a ding. It's not a trick question) Link to comment
NickPick Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 1000 (or one zero zero zero) Link to comment
+The Blorenges Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 (edited) OK, I'll risk not getting the ding but I always beleived 8. That's for data comms. Different I think for memory? Mind you in my teleprinter days of 5 Unit code then 5 would have been the answer, unless you worked on Teletype systems which used an 8 unit code so 8 would be the answer there! But that was so long ago I don't think the word byte had been invented! Have you developed an allergy to Chinese food yet? Chris Whoops took too long to write my answer - beaten to it!! Edited September 26, 2006 by The Blorenges Link to comment
+rutson Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 Nick, like your thinking, reminds me of There are 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who don't but not the answer I'm looking for. Chris, from what little I remember from studying data-comms theory, they tending to use the term "octet" to prevent confusion. In fact, I was thinking about computer storage in my question. I've just checked the comms definition and you're VERY close. But not QUITE close enough, sorry :$ BTW the term was first used in 1957, but in terms of computer storage Link to comment
+Seasider Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 I'll start the multiple of 8 rolling with ... 16 .. who wants 24?! Cheers! Seasider Link to comment
+rutson Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 /me thinks "16" is a one word answer Link to comment
terribletwos Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 OK........... .........How about what I tell my Yr 11's, "There are eight binary digits, or bits, in a byte!" Link to comment
+Seasider Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 /me thinks "16" is a one word answer twenty four... Cheers! Seasider Link to comment
+rutson Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 OK........... .........How about what I tell my Yr 11's, "There are eight binary digits, or bits, in a byte!" Ah, if only life were so simple.... Link to comment
The Royles Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 I thought that a byte was a collection of bits, so you can have 8-bit bytes, 16-bit bytes etc Link to comment
+rutson Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 You certainly can have 8-bit bytes, never come across 16-bit bytes. Link to comment
+The Bongtwashes Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 How about something like 15, 8 data bits and 7 CRC bits Link to comment
+Tiger-Eyes Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 How about an easier question lol anyway the best i can come up with is 66 89 84 69 using ASCII values for the characters of a byte Link to comment
+rutson Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 (edited) 00000000h: 4E 6F 70 65 21 ; Nope! Edited September 26, 2006 by rutson Link to comment
+geoffenator Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 Anything between 1 and 16 bits depending on the value in the instruction's byte count. Link to comment
+The Blorenges Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 The answer is any number you like. But to avoid confusion the world standardised on 8 and that's what we use. Chris Link to comment
+rutson Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 Hmmm.... almost nobody has actaully been 'wrong' as such thus far. I suppose I'm looking for a definition. Link to comment
+The Blorenges Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 A carrot is a root vegetable of the family Apiaceae. It varies from white to orange in color and is used a food plant. There you go, a definition...... Chris Link to comment
The Royles Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 Definition: is it the smallest number of bits the processor can address (the data bus width) Link to comment
+Teasel Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 A carrot is a root vegetable of the family Apiaceae. It varies from white to orange in color and is used a food plant. There you go, a definition...... Chris Didn't the EU define the carrot as a fruit, rather than a vegetable, on the grounds that some people use it to make jam -- and everyone knows that jam's made with fruit, not vegetables! Link to comment
+Teasel Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 Definition: is it the smallest number of bits the processor can address (the data bus width) Isn't that a word? Link to comment
+rutson Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 Andy, that would make a byte 32 bits on a Pentium, which it aint Link to comment
+The Forester Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 almost nobody has actually been 'wrong' as such thus far. I suppose I'm looking for a definition. Ohmigawd! The man has spent far too much time in China. Will somebody puhleeze bring him home?" Link to comment
+rutson Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 /me points at his location field: Link to comment
+rutson Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 OK, time for a rephrase: Contrary to popular belief, there are not always eight bits in a byte. Discuss... Link to comment
+badger Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 A carrot is a root vegetable of the family Apiaceae. It varies from white to orange in color and is used a food plant. There you go, a definition...... Chris The traditional colour of a carrot is actually purple, which was bred out of the common farm stocks many many many years ago! Link to comment
+The Forester Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 For those of us who ride Arab horses, there are sickasteen bits in the mouth. Link to comment
+The Golem Posted September 26, 2006 Author Share Posted September 26, 2006 OK, time for a rephrase: Contrary to popular belief, there are not always eight bits in a byte. Discuss... Oi! That's not a question! Link to comment
+rutson Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 FFS! Tell THAT to an examiner. Contrary to popular belief, there are not always eight bits in a byte. Explain why. Link to comment
+It's Spitting! Posted September 26, 2006 Share Posted September 26, 2006 FFS! Tell THAT to an examiner. Contrary to popular belief, there are not always eight bits in a byte. Explain why. In C, a byte is still defined as a storage unit capable of at least being large enough to hold any character of the execution environment, therefore not necessarily 8 bits... Link to comment
+The Blorenges Posted September 27, 2006 Share Posted September 27, 2006 Lets get back to carrots - its more interesting.... so are they purple or orange and is the EU right to classify them as a fruit or should they be a vegetable? To get back to the question in hand... how many BYTES does it take to eat a standard sized carrot and how many BITS get stuck in your teeth.... Chris Link to comment
+rutson Posted September 27, 2006 Share Posted September 27, 2006 OK, I think I'll ding "It's Spitting" that is a possible exception Those interested can see an explanation of other possibilities for non eight bit bytes. Link to comment
+The Golem Posted September 27, 2006 Author Share Posted September 27, 2006 Right - I'm having a go... Can anyone tell me which was the first vegetable to be canned commercially? Link to comment
+It's Spitting! Posted September 27, 2006 Share Posted September 27, 2006 Right - I'm having a go... Can anyone tell me which was the first vegetable to be canned commercially? Hey, my first ding and I've got a good question ready.... Bagsy on next. So is it carrots? Link to comment
+The Blorenges Posted September 27, 2006 Share Posted September 27, 2006 I believe it was peas - and didn't that explorer chappie who tried for the North West Passage use the first canned products - tins made with loads of lead solder that eventually killed off some of his crew? Chris Link to comment
+The Golem Posted September 27, 2006 Author Share Posted September 27, 2006 Right - I'm having a go... Can anyone tell me which was the first vegetable to be canned commercially? Hey, my first ding and I've got a good question ready.... Bagsy on next. So is it carrots? Ding! Link to comment
+It's Spitting! Posted September 27, 2006 Share Posted September 27, 2006 Right - I'm having a go... Can anyone tell me which was the first vegetable to be canned commercially? Hey, my first ding and I've got a good question ready.... Bagsy on next. So is it carrots? Ding! Ok, here is the question. What was the cause of the disappearing ships and planes in the area called the Bermuda Triangle. The answer isn't connected to ET or any of his mates. Much more down to earth answer. Clue: It is 7 letters. Link to comment
+MartyBartfast Posted September 27, 2006 Share Posted September 27, 2006 Right - I'm having a go... Can anyone tell me which was the first vegetable to be canned commercially? Hey, my first ding and I've got a good question ready.... Bagsy on next. So is it carrots? Ding! Ok, here is the question. What was the cause of the disappearing ships and planes in the area called the Bermuda Triangle. The answer isn't connected to ET or any of his mates. Much more down to earth answer. Clue: It is 7 letters. Gravity. Link to comment
+It's Spitting! Posted September 27, 2006 Share Posted September 27, 2006 Gravity. Nope, although it was involved... Link to comment
+It's Spitting! Posted September 27, 2006 Share Posted September 27, 2006 Bubbles? Nope, but yet again they are involved... Link to comment
+The Golem Posted September 27, 2006 Author Share Posted September 27, 2006 (edited) "Breaking Wind Oceanic flatulence. You read that right. Oceanic flatulence is believed to be the true cause of the disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle. We're not joking. Forget ETs, UFOs, time travel, Atlantis, even plain old boring magnetic forces. The sea bed 'breaking wind' is the latest scientific 'truth'. One suddenly doesn't know what to believe... are reports of the mysterious disappearances just a load of old gas? While studying gas hydrates back in 1984, the late Dr Donald Davidson, a Canadian scientist, proposed the above theory which has gained much ground over the years. Bit of a science lesson now: at enormous pressures and low temperatures (as at the bottom of the ocean), water and gas molecules form gas hydrates. The compounds, it is argued, resemble ice but the water molecules form cages around gas molecules - such as methane. These solid hydrates retain their stability until conditions such as higher temperatures or lower pressures cause them to decompose. When they do decompose, they release enormous amounts of trapped gas. Disappearances of ships and aircraft passing over these 'blowouts' can then be explained. The sea could turn very violent very suddenly, into a mass of froth that could sink any ship in the area. As the methane rises, an airplane flying through the gas would experience engine failure - or worse: a spark from the engine could turn the aircraft into a flying fireball. No one took much notice of these theories until new information concerning blowouts of naturally occurring gas hydrates emerged in 1990. Solving the tantalizing mystery has come no closer - for 'traditional' scientists - than the work done by marine geologists from the University of Wales, Cardiff in 1996. They believed that the results from drilling the ocean floor in the Bermuda region held the answer to the enduring mystery. Following Dr Davidson's theories, they have found evidence of the frozen methane gas." Here's a passage that I Googled (yes I know it's cheating ) but it explains what I wanted to say... Edited September 27, 2006 by The Golem Link to comment
+It's Spitting! Posted September 27, 2006 Share Posted September 27, 2006 "Breaking Wind Oceanic flatulence. You read that right. Oceanic flatulence is believed to be the true cause of the disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle. We're not joking. Forget ETs, UFOs, time travel, Atlantis, even plain old boring magnetic forces. The sea bed 'breaking wind' is the latest scientific 'truth'. One suddenly doesn't know what to believe... are reports of the mysterious disappearances just a load of old gas? While studying gas hydrates back in 1984, the late Dr Donald Davidson, a Canadian scientist, proposed the above theory which has gained much ground over the years. Bit of a science lesson now: at enormous pressures and low temperatures (as at the bottom of the ocean), water and gas molecules form gas hydrates. The compounds, it is argued, resemble ice but the water molecules form cages around gas molecules - such as methane. These solid hydrates retain their stability until conditions such as higher temperatures or lower pressures cause them to decompose. When they do decompose, they release enormous amounts of trapped gas. Disappearances of ships and aircraft passing over these 'blowouts' can then be explained. The sea could turn very violent very suddenly, into a mass of froth that could sink any ship in the area. As the methane rises, an airplane flying through the gas would experience engine failure - or worse: a spark from the engine could turn the aircraft into a flying fireball. No one took much notice of these theories until new information concerning blowouts of naturally occurring gas hydrates emerged in 1990. Solving the tantalizing mystery has come no closer - for 'traditional' scientists - than the work done by marine geologists from the University of Wales, Cardiff in 1996. They believed that the results from drilling the ocean floor in the Bermuda region held the answer to the enduring mystery. Following Dr Davidson's theories, they have found evidence of the frozen methane gas." Here's a passage that I Googled (yes I know it's cheating ) but it explains what I wanted to say... Yep, the 7 letter answer is Methane! Horizon did a great reconstuction of this using some huge water tanks and scale models of the ships. As soon as the methane is released the sea 'foams' and the surface viscosity changes dramatically and the ship sinks in seconds - no time to radio for help. The huge gas cloud then goes into to air and the low flying WW2 fighters (a whole squadron went missing) explode as they fly though it. Both the ships and the plane debris then sink to the sea bed and get completely covered by the chured-up sea bed. Suddendly no trace of either ship or planes.... Now then, as you used Google do I get another go? Link to comment
+It's Spitting! Posted September 27, 2006 Share Posted September 27, 2006 "Breaking Wind Oceanic flatulence. You read that right. Oceanic flatulence is believed to be the true cause of the disappearances in the Bermuda Triangle. We're not joking. Forget ETs, UFOs, time travel, Atlantis, even plain old boring magnetic forces. The sea bed 'breaking wind' is the latest scientific 'truth'. One suddenly doesn't know what to believe... are reports of the mysterious disappearances just a load of old gas? While studying gas hydrates back in 1984, the late Dr Donald Davidson, a Canadian scientist, proposed the above theory which has gained much ground over the years. Bit of a science lesson now: at enormous pressures and low temperatures (as at the bottom of the ocean), water and gas molecules form gas hydrates. The compounds, it is argued, resemble ice but the water molecules form cages around gas molecules - such as methane. These solid hydrates retain their stability until conditions such as higher temperatures or lower pressures cause them to decompose. When they do decompose, they release enormous amounts of trapped gas. Disappearances of ships and aircraft passing over these 'blowouts' can then be explained. The sea could turn very violent very suddenly, into a mass of froth that could sink any ship in the area. As the methane rises, an airplane flying through the gas would experience engine failure - or worse: a spark from the engine could turn the aircraft into a flying fireball. No one took much notice of these theories until new information concerning blowouts of naturally occurring gas hydrates emerged in 1990. Solving the tantalizing mystery has come no closer - for 'traditional' scientists - than the work done by marine geologists from the University of Wales, Cardiff in 1996. They believed that the results from drilling the ocean floor in the Bermuda region held the answer to the enduring mystery. Following Dr Davidson's theories, they have found evidence of the frozen methane gas." Here's a passage that I Googled (yes I know it's cheating ) but it explains what I wanted to say... Yep, the 7 letter answer is Methane! Horizon did a great reconstuction of this using some huge water tanks and scale models of the ships. As soon as the methane is released the sea 'foams' and the surface viscosity changes dramatically and the ship sinks in seconds - no time to radio for help. The huge gas cloud then goes into to air and the low flying WW2 fighters (a whole squadron went missing) explode as they fly though it. Both the ships and the plane debris then sink to the sea bed and get completely covered by the chured-up sea bed. Suddendly no trace of either ship or planes.... Now then, as you used Google do I get another go? Forgot to mention that Horizon also had some film evidence taken from a boat as it approached and then managed to avoid this "boiling water" effect on the surface of the sea... Link to comment
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