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Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, I often listen to AM radio as I commute. I have noticed that as I approach Provo from the south I pass under high voltage power lines. For about two seconds before I pass under the lines the radio signal deteriorates noticeably, as I am directly under the lines the signal strength jumps to better than the normal strength, and then another two or three seconds of bad reception. Why is this? I took physics 220 (five years ago) so I don't mind a technical answer as long as a quick refresher is included. - No one is particular
ADear not particular, I was a bit puzzled about how the power lines would tie in to this; they don't transmit electricity at anything like the frequency you'd be picking up with your AM radio. I asked a physics professor, though, and here's what he said: It sounds to me like there might be destructive, then constructive, then destructive interference as the car passes under the power line. In order for this to happen, there would have to be a reflected wave from somewhere. It seems unlikely to me that the reflected wave could come from the power line itself since the conductor in the power line is horizontal and the electric field broadcasted from the radio station is vertical. (See for example http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:RadioWaves.jpg to view the radio waves produced by the radio station.) I wonder if there is a possibility that there are vertical conductors nearby, such as metal towers or the support structures that support the power lines. If so, these will feel the electric field from the radio station, and respond allowing their own conductors to move vertically up and down in the vertical supports. As this happens, they will radiate the radio waves outward again. When the re-radiated waves interfere with the wave that comes directly from the radio station, then constructive interference will occur when the difference in the path length directly from the radio station and reflected wave differ by an integer times a wavelength. Destructive interference will occur when the difference in the path length directly from the radio station and reflected wave differ by 0.5, 1.5, 2.5, … wavelengths.Makes sense to me. His point about polarization makes sense. If there are in fact metal towers or supports of some kind, I think we have a winner. Fun question (and thanks to Dr. J for the help!). —Laser Jock Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, Why do societal standards of what is "becoming" and what is "trashy" evolve the way they do? The recent Board swimsuit spat got me thinking that in the early 1800s, plunging decolletage was not only in vogue, it was perfectly respectable, but mothers would be scandalized by their daughters showing their ankles in the way that even the most conservative young women do these days. Codpieces and skin-tight leggings would certainly be considered TMI these days, but were apparently the height of sexiness in the days of Shakespeare. Does it have to do with the taboo? The fashion industry? A cycle of amelioration and pejoration, so to speak (fishnet leggings, anyone?)? ---Portia
ADear Portia, "Amelioration and pejoration" does a pretty good job of describing how cultural standards for dress come about although the terms that are generally used to describe this process are "signified" and "signifier." They belong to a school of philosophy that has impacted almost all of the social sciences called semiotics. The theory is that cultures build a sort of "collective unconscious" of associations around words, symbols, animals, or in this instance clothes, by their use and associations by those in power, and then eventually the rest of the population. For example, imagine a long cylindrical reptile without legs (this is the signified). Now imagine the word "snake." The word "snake" is the signifier even though as a series of letters it doesn’t look like the animal, doesn't do a particularly good job of mimicking what the animal sounds like, and in fact means nothing without the cultural heritage that says "snake" equals that round hissing thing. It was first used by someone in authority who made laws or told stories, or gave spiritual guidance, and eventually branded the word with the animal connotation throughout the populace. Then the masses started using "snake" in their own folktales and proverbs. Now this five-letter word has become the signifier for the long creature, as well as any number of things such as temptation, cunning, the devil, etc. These are then projected onto the creature itself so that it becomes a signifier of these connotations as well. This pattern continues from signified to signifier forming an evolving cluster of associations that happen subconsciously. As a part of our subconscious we falsely assume that they have always been, especially with a thing we are exposed to everyday like clothing. However, fashion also moves from signified to signifier and back to signified, mutating to match a definition of beauty that is also changing. Tan in America, pale in Asia, long heads for the Maya, large lips in Chad. (Bernard Rudofsky created a pretty awesome exhibit for the New York MOMA in 1944 called "Are Clothes Modern?" that showcased how far from natural our sense of fashion really is, as he paired pieces of historical clothing with plaster sculptures or drawings of the fantastical bodies that would actually fill them.) I know that it's hard to believe that modesty can likewise vary so vastly, or be that relative. Especially in the light of LDS belief that holds that truth does not change depending on when or where you live. We place so much significance on what we wear, and rightfully stress modesty and respecting our bodies. I think this often translates into thinking that our For the Strength of Youth definition of modesty is the universal definition of modesty. (To clarify, for all intents and purposes as active members of the LDS Church, the counsel of the Prophet is in fact "the Definition" of whatever he sets as the standard in our day. I am solely suggesting that knee-length is not an eternal principle.) Our doctrine doesn't change, but our policy does. I think the universal, innate, "Light of Christ" understanding of what is becoming is to avoid being seductive in our dress, and what is seductive is defined by the culture we live in. Indian dress often bares bellies, shoulders are left uncovered in Polynesia, without cheapening the wearer, yet the same skin is exposed by Hollywood starlets without the same result. Our culture dictates what we expect with certain clothes, and that expectation determines whether it is trashy or becoming. -Ineffable Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, What is your philosophy on staying friends with your exes? How good of friends? What if you are married? - Anonymous
ADear Anonymous, I have tried staying friends with some exes, but whenever I went back to talk with them I felt really bitter, and only wanted to say rude things to hurt them a little. It is possible I was just a little vengeful, but I do not think it is really possible to stay friends with an ex, as long as you two had been very close or serious during the relationship. If you are married, then trying to stay friends with an ex has the potential to put a real strain on the marriage. Some people will say it depends on the maturity, but I think it equally has to do with what kind of relationship you and your ex had, and where you both are in your lives. If the ex is not married, and not dating anyone, then it may be harder than if you had both gone in new directions. -Mico ADear Anonymous, Despite what everyone says, it's totally possible to stay friends. I've stayed friends, at least for a while, with all of my exes (I've also had exceptionally good break-ups, so maybe that had something to do with it). I've also drifted out of touch with most of them, but that happens with friends anyway. Of all of my (few) exes, I have best maintained the relationship with my first boyfriend from high school (who is now also married). Sauron and I had the chance to spend some time with him a few months ago while he was visiting Utah, and Sauron told me later, "He's more fun than I thought he would be." That being said, we're not close. We don't share secrets, we don't flirt, and we don't make contact on a regular basis. And I would never spend time with him (or any other male) one-on-one now that I'm married. And I wouldn't have it any other way. Be careful, Waldorf (and Sauron) ADear Anonymous, I think that it's possible to stay friends, and in some cases really good friends. I dated three different people within a group I was involved with on campus. I literally saw these people every day. I think that we were able to remain friends not just in spite of our proximity, but because of it. Knowing that I had to see them made us deal with what could have been much more awkward. I only think that staying friends, especially staying really good friends, can be confusing for one or both of the parties ("Does she want to get back together? Why does she keep wanting to hang out if she doesn't want to date me?"). If you can be clear about your intentions you can make it work. As far as being friends when you are married, I think that it's better to be more cautious than not. Even if you are open and honest with your spouse, I think you should be even more so about any communication you have with an ex. This is my personal opinion, but I don't think emails, texts, Facebook messages or instant messages are a good idea at all. The only time I have felt comfortable chatting online with an ex is if my wife is right there next to me, and even then I will still tell my wife what we talked about, how the ex is doing, etc. My wife trusts me completely, but I never want there to be any reason for her to wonder what my intentions are. - Rating Pending (who knows some very sad stories of people who weren't cautious and weren't honest about this sort of thing) ADear Anonymous, It's definitely possible. Of my four ex-girlfriends, I remain friends with three of them. I'm not extremely close to any of them; I probably talk to them roughly once a month. My wife and I did a weekly dinner group with one of them for a few months, and that was fine. I don't think we'd have any problem being closer friends with any of them; it's just a matter of us being busy. To my knowledge, my wife feels no threat from any of those three. I don't do anything with any of them unless she's present, so there's no "sneaking behind the back." Frankly, I don't see why people think you can't remain friends after a break-up. I don't understand the vengefulness Mico talks about. I mean, presumably you were dating for more than just kissing, right? If you were friends before (and during), there's no reason you can't be friends afterward. I've never understood the general feeling that dating must necessarily lead to either marriage or a complete severance of communication. There's room for friendship in this world. What about my fourth ex? Well, I'd love to say that we're still friends, but she won't talk to me. I really don't know why—one day we were friends, the next she stopped returning calls, etc. I've thought about this a lot, actually; I don't believe I did anything to provoke the wall of silence, but I also believe she feels she has a good reason for it. She's not a spiteful person. I assume there are reasons for it. Maybe she started dating someone and he was jealous over any contact with me. Maybe she was having trouble letting go of the relationship, needed to move on, and felt that breaking contact was the only way to acheive that. Maybe I did do something that offended or hurt her. I have no way of knowing. So this is my plea. If your ex wants to be friends and you're not comfortable with it, that's fine. People have their own reasons. But please let your ex know why you don't want to be friends. Without knowing what she's thinking, I'm left assuming the worst: that I offended her and have no way to apologize for it. It really bothers me to think that someone was hurt by my actions. Even a brief email would help immensely. Even if it's something like "I'm sorry, but I really just don't feel comfortable around you right now. Thinking of how things ended between us makes me really angry, and I think it's best if we just not talk." Even that would be better than nothing. I realize that last paragraph probably doesn't apply to you, but hopefully I'll save someone out there some heartache. And now I'll get off my "personal experiences" soapbox. -Yellow ADear, Though it can be done, and many people enjoy friendship with their exes and swear by it, I don't really choose to do it. I am friendly with my exes, but of the three, there's only one I think I could be normal friends with again fairly painlessly, and we only lasted a week and a half, with the easiest breakup in the history of mankind. Friends are nice, but in my book, it's not worth the awkwardness and the inevitable heartache that you'd have to go through before you got to the point of being friends again. Plus, it's easier to second-guess yourself if they're still around, and I've made it a personal rule not to get back together with an ex. (Well, at least, not with any of my exes, so far. There were good reasons for all of those, and they're not likely to be fixed soon.) So, when the choice is between the unholy trio of self-doubt, angst, and awkwardness, or learning to find your need for friendship fulfilled in new or old friends, I'll pick the second. I think it's easier to heal that way, even if going cold turkey seems more painful at first. And though it's a pity to lose a friend who was so close, I'm not hurting for other friends, and making new ones isn't so difficult, either. I think a lot of people think it's the moral thing to do, to stay friends, but I think a lot of people beat themselves up emotionally by doing it, and it's completely needless. -songs of inexperience Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, My good friend and I are living in separate states right now and want to keep in touch. . .creatively! We want to do an online photo scavenger hunt–that is, we have a list of things to find and take a picture with in our respective locales and then we send the pictures to each other. Can you please suggest a good list of quirky/creative/fun things (landmarks, people, signs, etc. etc.) that we can use that we can find in both of our locations? Thanks! - Cassiel und Damiel
ADear Cassiel und Damiel, Sweet, another list. ⋯Anomalous' List of Things to Find in a Photo Scavenger Hunt
I've seen 2/3 of these in the past week, ⋯Anomalous ADear, Graffitti. The restaurant you'll take your friend to when they're in town. A sunset. Your favorite page of your favorite book. Something that reminds you of them. Something to remind them of you. Kids playing at a park. The view from the top of the nearest mountain. Funny shapes in clouds. Plastic army men exploring a perilous landscape. A reflection of something cool. Bad modern art or street art. Good modern art or street art. Weird faces pulled by siblings. Underneath a cool tree, looking up. A closeup of an everyday object that's hard to identify from so close. The highlight of your day. Movie listings. A completed puzzle. (And maybe the pieces to the puzzle, too.) The gift that will be coming in their next package. Someone doing something you'd like to do with your friend. An intriguing shadow. All your shoes, carefully organized. Trees on a hill, taken so the ground looks level, and the trees look like they're leaning. A good spot for a picnic. Something you plan to do this month. Mementos from your childhood. Unusual weather. The same spot in different weather, lighting, or times of day. A couch cushion and blankets fort you built in your living room. The cake you baked. Before and after shots of your redecorated room. The best article in the newspaper. Periodic photos of a growing plant. Perhaps each gives the other a seed, and you see how well it does? -Uffish Thought Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, If the sensors on an elevator door were broken, would it actually close with enough force to squish someone? They look like they close so gently, like maybe they would just trap you but not actually hurt you. I've heard of gruesome elevator injuries, but I think those have usually been when the person gets trapped partway in the elevator, not from the force of the doors themselves. - Mustard
ADear Mustard, It's extremely unlikely that someone would be crushed by an elevator door of any kind. The closing mechanism of the door (which is described in detail here) functions to keep the door from opening at the wrong time (while the elevator is moving or in between floors), not to close no matter what is in its way. In that way, it's similar to the doors of subway trains, which people get caught in all the time. It would probably pinch, and there would be some pressure, but it wouldn't take your arm off. More importantly, it would keep the elevator from moving while the door is open. - Rating Pending (who has always been skeptical of action heroes who are able to pry open elevator doors. Firefighters with the right tools, yes. Bruce Willis with his bare hands, no.) Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, I was just looking at a map of the bottom floor of the library and realized that a very large area behind special collections and beneath periodicals is designated as "closed storage area". Exactly what kind of mysteries are held in that mysterious labrynth and who has access to it? - searching for adventure!
ADear searching for adventure!, Unfortunately for you, the vaults of Special Collections is not the kind of place where you want to be sneaking around. There are thousands and thousands of items in Special Collections, which would explain why the storage area would have to be so vast. Basically, you have to be an employee of the HBLL with some pretty high connections if you want to tour the vaults. It is the most secure place on campus and houses priceless treasures. For more details, please see Board Question #10792 and Board Question #19229. And on a slightly related note, the first floor isn't actually the "bottom" floor of the HBLL. There is a ground floor beneath the first floor, for which you need special access as well. But it really isn't all that exciting down there. -Sky Bones ADear searching for adventure! Sky Bones gave a good answer and some good references, but should you ever foolishly consider exploring it, consider this: I guard it. That is all you need know. +The Sentry+ Back to top QDear 100 Hour Board, How do you get star rankings in Mario Kart Wii? We've read lots of different things online, but nothing definitive. We know it's not just time; if you look at the world records for time, most of them still only have A rankings. So, how do I get stars? - Lady Bug
ADear Lady Bug, My husband and I messed around with the game for a while to see what we could figure out, and we have some good news and some bad news for you. The good news is, from a combination of our own experiences and reading a thousand comments online, we discovered the premises upon which a star ranking depends. The bad news is living in Japan doesn't automatically make you an amazing video gamer. No, just kidding. What I meant was unfortunately, we don't know exactly what all of those premises are because they depend on a few different things. You're absolutely right that time isn't the only factor taken into account. It's not enough to just get first place on each of the four races. You have to be in first place for a certain amount of time throughout the entire race. Exactly how much time, I can't say for sure. You also can't fall off the edges more than a certain amount. Exactly how many times, again I can't say for sure. It also seems to help if you properly and frequently use the jumps/tricks and turbo boosters, and are smart with your items. So, turns out that star rankings require an excellent performance throughout the entire race. You have to do more than just get first place. You basically have to be the most amazing racer in the game. Well, good luck. -Sky Bones Back to top CDear 100 Hour Board, Regarding board question 53426, concerning zip codes and city names, and talking about Holladay, Salt Lake City, Shoreline WA, Seattle WA, and other points, the Postal Service usually calls all the various areas within a metro area by one name, but allows for the individual city names. As such, anything with a zip code that starts with 841, for example, is to the postal service "Salt Lake City UT", even if it's Holladay or Taylorsville, or whatever, but if you write "Holladay UT" it's still acceptable. You can look up the acceptable cities for a zip code at http://zip4.usps.com/zip4/city.... So, if you look up the zip code for "Shoreline WA", as noted in the original response, and then look up the resulting zip code in the URL above, you'll find the "actual city name" according to the postal service is Seattle, although Shoreline is acceptable. It's hard to say why the Postal Service does things the way they do -- but they're pretty upfront about them, and pretty tolerant of people doing things incorrectly, for the most part. If you understand a little about the way they do things, you can speed up your mail with little effort. A letter mailed to Salt Lake City from Orem, for example, will often get to SLC a day earlier than if it's mailed from Provo. -- Daryl Gibson
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