Indeterminate forms are algebraic expressions obtained when taking a limit. This most often occurs when the limit of dependent variable x approaches either 0 or ∞. However, that is not to say that algebraic expressions in which the dependent variable approaches 0 or ∞ are indeterminate forms.
-----
For example: the limit as x approaches ∞ of 1/x is 0.
You might be thinking, "How does dividing 1 by ∞ make 0?"
Consider the function 1/x and make x increase to ∞.
x = 1 1/x = 1/1 = 1
x = 10 1/x = 1/10 = 0.1
x = 100 1/x = 1/100 = 0.01
x = 1000 1/x = 1/1000 = 0.0001
x = 10000 1/x = 1/10000 = 0.00001
...
Notice as we take x to be sufficiently large, the value of 1/x decreases to 0.
-----
Problems arise when limits of fractions form a type 0/0 or ∞/∞. While the unknowing mathematician would say a/a is 1, he forgets the facts that you cannot divide by 0 and ∞ is more a direction rather than a value or constant, which is why these are limits.
So why does 0/0 or ∞/∞ give us a problem?
Consider 0/0:
If the numerator approaches 0 faster (that is, at a greater rate) than the denominator, then the limit becomes 0 itself.
However, if the denominator approaches 0 faster than the numerator, then the limit becomes ∞.
Two opposite sides of the spectrum.
The concept is the same for ∞ in that if the numerator approaches faster, then the limit is ∞, and if the denominator approaches faster, than the limit is 0.
2011-09-30
[RE] PG&E - One year later
On 2010 September 09 at about 18:00, one of the Pacific Gas & Electric (PG & E) 30 inch diameter gas pipelines exploded into flames. The resulting fire killed eight people and injured dozens more. While I am uncertain of exact numbers, I am sure that a few hundred people had their homes destroyed and required relocation. Even after all the main gas sources were switched off, the fire continued to burn for several hours into the next morning.
After that, PG & E took time to reevaluate the pipeline system and probably increased inspection and laid down firmer enforcement on regulations. Many people were displaced because of the exploded pipeline. And as a consequence, PG & E is now facing many of these people in court.
Damien doesn't think suing PG & E is the best approach:
Is there a numeric or monetary value of a human life? Some value to give to those families to compensate them?
Not only does PG & E have to worry about these cases in court, but I'm sure that government agencies are investigating (or have investigated), too. I wouldn't be surprised if PG & E received fines or penalties for failing to meet certain standards or pass proper inspections. Hopefully this is an example that will continue to remind us that disasters like this can still happen...
After that, PG & E took time to reevaluate the pipeline system and probably increased inspection and laid down firmer enforcement on regulations. Many people were displaced because of the exploded pipeline. And as a consequence, PG & E is now facing many of these people in court.
Damien doesn't think suing PG & E is the best approach:
I see no point in both parties wasting the time, effort, money, and any other resources on going to trial with this, unless the only way these people are able to get compensation is by suing.Damien suggests that instead of making this a political thing and going to court to sue PG & E, why does PE & E not simply compensate victims of the explosion? Maybe "compensation" cannot be as simple. What exactly is the value of a life? What must PG & E compensate to those families of the eight people who perished in the fire?
Is there a numeric or monetary value of a human life? Some value to give to those families to compensate them?
Not only does PG & E have to worry about these cases in court, but I'm sure that government agencies are investigating (or have investigated), too. I wouldn't be surprised if PG & E received fines or penalties for failing to meet certain standards or pass proper inspections. Hopefully this is an example that will continue to remind us that disasters like this can still happen...
[CE] Bad Science?
Ben Goldacre: Battling Bad Science (Video)
Epidemiologist Ben GOLDACRE uses this TED talk to explore the faults of solely relying on popular magazines, newspapers, television commercials, etc. when looking at medications.
A newspaper or health magazine may say, "according to a new study...," but how reliable is that "scientific study?" How can we be sure that all the data presented in this study is unbiased and accurate? I'm guessing that the short answer is: We can't.
Pharmaceutical companies and governments spend billions of dollars researching and developing new medications, vaccines, and health supplements. Then, the manufacturers need to spend a few years to do controlled studies before these medicines can go on market. After so much money is invested in these products, they don't want to present the general public with unconvincing results. While not all companies use biased scientific test practices, it is difficult to prove otherwise.
GOLDACRE mentions the placebo effect and sugar pills. Control groups are used as a benchmark to see what improvement (if any) the medication does. The most common way to control a study is to administer the individuals of part of the study a placebo. In the case of pills, capsules, and tablets, the placebo is a sugar pill - which should have no effect on an individual (unless s/he is diabetic, I guess). For the control, theoretically nothing should happen at all. However, if the placebo responds positively and in the same manner as the medicated subjects (the placebo effect), then the administration of the medication is not any more advantageous than that of a simple sugar pill, in which case the medication has relatively no beneficial properties.
Epidemiologist Ben GOLDACRE uses this TED talk to explore the faults of solely relying on popular magazines, newspapers, television commercials, etc. when looking at medications.
A newspaper or health magazine may say, "according to a new study...," but how reliable is that "scientific study?" How can we be sure that all the data presented in this study is unbiased and accurate? I'm guessing that the short answer is: We can't.
Pharmaceutical companies and governments spend billions of dollars researching and developing new medications, vaccines, and health supplements. Then, the manufacturers need to spend a few years to do controlled studies before these medicines can go on market. After so much money is invested in these products, they don't want to present the general public with unconvincing results. While not all companies use biased scientific test practices, it is difficult to prove otherwise.
GOLDACRE mentions the placebo effect and sugar pills. Control groups are used as a benchmark to see what improvement (if any) the medication does. The most common way to control a study is to administer the individuals of part of the study a placebo. In the case of pills, capsules, and tablets, the placebo is a sugar pill - which should have no effect on an individual (unless s/he is diabetic, I guess). For the control, theoretically nothing should happen at all. However, if the placebo responds positively and in the same manner as the medicated subjects (the placebo effect), then the administration of the medication is not any more advantageous than that of a simple sugar pill, in which case the medication has relatively no beneficial properties.
2011-09-28
[BC] Common Application Draft Essay 01
Because I am in the process of
applying to several colleges that use the Common Application, I decided to
draft the essay required by Common Application for all the colleges which
accept it. Of the six essay topics, I have chosen:
A range of academic interests, personal perspectives,
and life experiences adds much to the educational mix. Given your personal
background, describe an experience that
illustrates what you would bring to the diversity in a college community,
or an encounter that demonstrated the importance of diversity to you.
During the summer of 2011, I enrolled
into Berkeley City College for an eight week chemistry class. I took two
community college classes during prior summers. However this was my first comprehensive
university-level chemistry course, an intense class that many college students
would not endeavor during the summer semester. This class condensed sixteen weeks
of laboratory experiments, reports, lectures, notes, exams, and quizzes into
eight short weeks. While I walked out of the class with an “A,” the laboratory experiments
and formal college setting are invaluable experiences that I will bring to the
diversity in a college community.
The AP Chemistry class teaches the
first two semesters of introductory university chemistry. After taking AP
Chemistry, I gathered this eight week chemistry course would be easy since it
covers only the first semester. A week later, I noticed the expansive lack of laboratory
work incorporated in AP Chemistry. Moreover, the professional laboratory reports
were unlike any assignment completed in high school science classes. Simple
worksheets and packets evolved into complex ten-page reports with extensive
details and calculations. College-level chemistry experiments require the
utmost precision and numerous trials to qualify as a complete experiment. All
these aspects compacted in two- or three-day experiments with up to three
experiments in one week. The amount of laboratory work surpasses any amount of
writing I have completed for a class.
The class structure in college
classes varies greatly from the high school analogs. The entire lecture section
of the class consisted of only lecture; there were no in-class assignments or
group discussions. The time in lecture was spent solely on the professor
lecturing new material or reviewing homework and exam questions. I experienced
a different atmosphere in this college class. The lecture room is different
Student-teacher interactions
What do you think?
I was skimming the Internet and I came upon this :
It's one of those questionaires that ask you to rate the statement on a scale 1 to 5, wherein 1 is "I disagree" and 5 is "I totally agree" with the statement.
This isn't intended to be one of my required Blog posts, but for those of you who are following me - or just happen to stumble upon this post - feel free to comment your thoughts or ideas about this. I'd be interested to see what you have to say.
If you feel particularly lazy and just want to post your rating 1 through 5, feel free to do so. I don't mind either way.
No one chooses his or her country of birth, so it's foolish to be proud of it.
It's one of those questionaires that ask you to rate the statement on a scale 1 to 5, wherein 1 is "I disagree" and 5 is "I totally agree" with the statement.
This isn't intended to be one of my required Blog posts, but for those of you who are following me - or just happen to stumble upon this post - feel free to comment your thoughts or ideas about this. I'd be interested to see what you have to say.
If you feel particularly lazy and just want to post your rating 1 through 5, feel free to do so. I don't mind either way.
2011-09-23
[FR] Calculus III: Functions of multivariables and vectors
So this year I am taking four courses in high school and one course at the community college. This special part-time enrollment in a college class is a unique experience that I am happy to take with me to university next year. I have taken several college courses before, but this is the first time I am taking a course during the academic school year.
The class is Calculus III (third semester of calculus, if that wasn't obvious) and it's similar to Calculus I (single variable calculus) with conceptual topics except instead of having a single variable, there are multiple variables.
What does this exactly mean?
The question may be difficult to answer depending on the amount of mathematics experience you have. For those with an Algebra II background (maybe even Algebra I), the function f with respect to x is represented f(x).
This means, for every one input x, there is a respective output, usually y. The dependent variable is responsive to only one independent variable. A simple x, y chart can numerically represent this concept and a graph can visually represent it.
For a function of two variables, a single output (now called z) responds to two independent variables x and y. Instead of f(x), the two variable analog represents a function f with respect to x and y as f(x, y).
Note that the letter f only represents the name of the function. The function can be named any letter (or symbol for that matter), but by convention generic functions are usually named f, g, and h.
For word problems, it may be logical to say the function A represents Area with height h and width w. So f(x, y) becomes A(h, w). This clarifies both clarifies the dependent and independent variables.
So if Calc I finds tangents, derivatives, and integrals in two dimensions, my class Calc III finds tangents, derivatives, and integrals in three dimensions. Instead of finding the area under a 2-space graph, we get to find the area under a 3-space curve. It is quite an interesting class.
The class is Calculus III (third semester of calculus, if that wasn't obvious) and it's similar to Calculus I (single variable calculus) with conceptual topics except instead of having a single variable, there are multiple variables.
What does this exactly mean?
The question may be difficult to answer depending on the amount of mathematics experience you have. For those with an Algebra II background (maybe even Algebra I), the function f with respect to x is represented f(x).
This means, for every one input x, there is a respective output, usually y. The dependent variable is responsive to only one independent variable. A simple x, y chart can numerically represent this concept and a graph can visually represent it.
For a function of two variables, a single output (now called z) responds to two independent variables x and y. Instead of f(x), the two variable analog represents a function f with respect to x and y as f(x, y).
Note that the letter f only represents the name of the function. The function can be named any letter (or symbol for that matter), but by convention generic functions are usually named f, g, and h.
For word problems, it may be logical to say the function A represents Area with height h and width w. So f(x, y) becomes A(h, w). This clarifies both clarifies the dependent and independent variables.
So if Calc I finds tangents, derivatives, and integrals in two dimensions, my class Calc III finds tangents, derivatives, and integrals in three dimensions. Instead of finding the area under a 2-space graph, we get to find the area under a 3-space curve. It is quite an interesting class.
[RE] Google Reader Search: Chemistry
This week,
instead of searching through hundreds of posts my friends publish on their
respective blogs, I decided to use the search feature on Google Reader to find a post which
(might) interest me. Being that I am declaring a chemical engineering major, I
decided to enter chemistry into the
search bar.
Funny
enough, I found two of the first
five search results were posts that I had published. To my dismay, the majority of "chemistry" posts did not quite talk about the chemical science. A few posts talked about chemistry as in interaction between people or mutual attraction toward people. Others talked about their chemistry classes - like how they failed a test or quiz, or switching around classes to enroll in HP. Not exactly the type of posts I am neither interested in reading nor responding.
Needless to say, I did find a post to respond. Titled "My dream job," Justin Guan shares his dream of becoming a marine biologist. He seems highly educated about the processes of studying to be a marine biologist.
To be a marine biologist, [sic] I have to take basic biology, zoology, chemistry, physics, biometrics, mathematics, and statistics [...]He lists a dozen different programs, colleges, and universities to enroll which would provide him with the education he needs to study marine biology. Naturally, all of these institutions are located either near the coast or have installed some form of artificial fishery to study marine life. They have locations all over the US, from California to New York.
For a degree, I would need a bachelor for a starting degree, and then I would later on need a PhD.I'm glad to see that Justin has already planned to pursue a PhD - a difficult endeavor, for sure.
While Justin doesn't mention any specific interest in which branch of marine biology he likes best (be it plants, mammals, fish, plankton, reptiles, fungi, or whatnot), it is obvious that he has high hopes to study in the oceans.
[CE] Nuclear Radiation in Fukushima
Japan's Fukushima 'worst in history' (Video)
Two weeks ago on 2011 September 11 was not only the 10-year anniversary of the September 11 Terrorist Attack but the 6-month anniversary of the 2011 Tōhoku Earthquake and the following tsunami. My current event post of last week focused on this tsunami - one of the worst events Mother Nature has poured upon us.
Unfortunately, the 15,000 casualties caused by the powerful wall of crashing water isn't the end. Nuclear plants are emitting dangerous radiation into the atmosphere. So what happened exactly? The short answer: the tsunami damaged diesel fuel generators that help cool the nuclear reactors that operate the cooling system. Heat builds up in the cylinder which eventually pressurizes due to the expanding, boiling water. This video can hopefully better explain the basics of this dangerous situation.
As this second video says, one solution is to release the steam through controlled releases; however, background radiation is also released in this process. This small radiation release is a small sacrifice for the amount of radioactive material that would evolve from a complete nuclear meltdown.
Over the past six months, the "controlled" radiation has spread throughout Japan. Nuclear analysts calculate the concentration of radiation that has dispersed to the Japanese capital of Tokyo nears those recorded during the Chernobyl disaster. Scientists disagree whether the levels of radiation are safe enough for people to remain in the city. With the capital city housing more than 13 million citizens and millions more in the surrounding areas, it is impractical to evacuate them all.
One thing on which scientists can agree is that high levels of radiation are particularly more harmful for the elderly, children, and pregnant women. Of course, it takes no scientist to understand that concentrated radiation contact for pregnant women or breastfeeding mothers leads to birth defects, genetic mutation, and unhealthy development.
Millions of citizens surrounding the nuclear plants are asked to evacuate or relocate. Sadly, many do not have the financial means to do so. The best they can do is to avoid going outdoors and avoid eating local, radiation infested foods.
Two weeks ago on 2011 September 11 was not only the 10-year anniversary of the September 11 Terrorist Attack but the 6-month anniversary of the 2011 Tōhoku Earthquake and the following tsunami. My current event post of last week focused on this tsunami - one of the worst events Mother Nature has poured upon us.
Unfortunately, the 15,000 casualties caused by the powerful wall of crashing water isn't the end. Nuclear plants are emitting dangerous radiation into the atmosphere. So what happened exactly? The short answer: the tsunami damaged diesel fuel generators that help cool the nuclear reactors that operate the cooling system. Heat builds up in the cylinder which eventually pressurizes due to the expanding, boiling water. This video can hopefully better explain the basics of this dangerous situation.
As this second video says, one solution is to release the steam through controlled releases; however, background radiation is also released in this process. This small radiation release is a small sacrifice for the amount of radioactive material that would evolve from a complete nuclear meltdown.
Over the past six months, the "controlled" radiation has spread throughout Japan. Nuclear analysts calculate the concentration of radiation that has dispersed to the Japanese capital of Tokyo nears those recorded during the Chernobyl disaster. Scientists disagree whether the levels of radiation are safe enough for people to remain in the city. With the capital city housing more than 13 million citizens and millions more in the surrounding areas, it is impractical to evacuate them all.
One thing on which scientists can agree is that high levels of radiation are particularly more harmful for the elderly, children, and pregnant women. Of course, it takes no scientist to understand that concentrated radiation contact for pregnant women or breastfeeding mothers leads to birth defects, genetic mutation, and unhealthy development.
Millions of citizens surrounding the nuclear plants are asked to evacuate or relocate. Sadly, many do not have the financial means to do so. The best they can do is to avoid going outdoors and avoid eating local, radiation infested foods.
2011-09-16
[FR] Welcome School Year of 2012
[This post probably should have been the
second post on this Blog…. However, the timing didn’t work out so well, so now
this is Post № 07. Had this been done as scheduled, I’m sure it would have
answered some of the questions I’ve received.]
Two years
ago I was introduced to the world of Blogging. Had I not been in Mr. Sutherland's
English 2(P) course, I would most likely be void of the Blogging world today.
Now, after a one year hiatus from Alameda High, Sutherland has returned and I
am lucky enough to be enrolled in his English 4(P) course.
For a new
year, I have decided to clear the then-Rare Finds blog
to make room for this upcoming year's assignments/posts. I think I
appropriately matched the blog title "Prof. Christopher's Lecture Notes"
with the URL. You may find former posts from Rare Finds at Uncle's Rare Finds <http://uncleclam.blogspot.com>
(Jackie Chan Adventures reference) This blog (I assume) will
remain untouched. It is meant to be like an old archive – a preservation of the
historical posts of 2009 and 2010. I want to start this year with a clean
slate, literally, by starting with a clean blog.
I hope that
my writing has improved since my first post in
2009 September and will continue to develop as this year progresses. As I’ve
written many times before: writing is a form of communicating, and
communication is invaluable; without communication, sharing ideas and thoughts
would be virtually impossible.
I guess some
of the stuff about the clean slate isn’t quite as true since six posts have
already been published. However, I hope the analogy still has the same effect.
[RE] TB or not TB
Al Jazeera English
is one of the first news channels headquartered in the Middle East. It aims to
give a global perspective on world news that domestic television news stations
fail to present. Its audience is intended to give an alternate view from the
news that FOX, NBC and CBS provide. Sadly, I (and Damien) find many
videos and news coverage on global affairs and war/fighting amongst outlying
articles on international political ‘stuff.’
I was just scrolling through the Al Jazeera posts because all of the stuff looked really uninteresting to me. Things about winning crucial votes, sex abuse, and arms smuggling don’t really interest me much. -Damien
And I can
agree. It’s not to say these things aren’t important and the public shouldn’t
have the opportunity to be informed. These particular topics, though, are just
not my cup of tea. Furthermore, I can agree with Damien upon the subject of
science. I love the sciences and mathematics. Chemistry, in particular, amazes
me. I love going to the laboratory and experimenting with all sorts of chemical
reactions and products.
So what’s
going on in Europe? Specifically, tuberculosis (TB) is apparently spreading
throughout London. I haven’t read the article
from which Damien is reading, but he mentions how modern medical technology should prevent the spread of disease –
especially TB which (while highly contagious) has vaccinations and medicinal
treatment available. Moreover, several tests are available to detect the
presence of TB.
The world of
science is always evolving: biologically and technologically. Biomedical
technicians are finding new ways to fight, cure, and detect diseases. But that
demand is only as necessary as the imposing threat of evolving diseases. A
single bacterium can reproduce and multiply in the millions in a few weeks time.
There is a lot of opportunity for
genetic variation and mutation, and engineers have to keep up with the “fight”
for survival.
[CE] Tsunami still attacks six months later
Japan marks six months since disasters (Video)
On 2011 March 11 at 14:46
Japanese Standard Time, a 9.0 magnitude earthquake hit undersea in the
western Pacific Ocean about 70 kilometers off the coast of the Oshika
Peninsula. What soon followed was a massive tsunami which produced waves up to 40
meters in height that swept over eastern Japan.
Six months later, people
return to cities and villages that were swept away by the tsunami to mourn for their
loved ones and visit their former homes. Much of the debris has been cleared
from the streets, but no amount of cleaning and clearing can pick up the
memories of the over 15,000 people who died in the hands of Mother Nature that
day.
The earthquake itself is measured
to be one of the most powerful with modern scientific record-keeping.
Earthquakes of such large magnitude have numerous aftershocks that dissipate
over time. However, the rate and magnitude of those shocks reciprocate with
respect to the length of the quake. In the past six months, over eight hundred
of magnitude 4.5 or greater has rumbled throughout the ocean floor. Calculations
predict thousands of minor mini-shocks to occur through the following five years.
The relief act has been
extensive. Thousands have been relocated into permanent housing, but still the
quake has left many without their homes and without their loved ones. The
tsunami is categorized as one of the worst natural disasters, surpassing
Hurricane Katrina in almost every aspect imaginable: property damage, people
displacement, monetary impact, and cultural significance. To think that people
are still recovering from Katrina, how long will it take for the people of
Japan to rest peacefully at night?
2011-09-14
[BC] Draft Essay
I was taught at a young
age to get good grades and study hard. Unlike some students, who have no joy
for school and see it as a waste of time, I enjoy studying and furthering my
education. Since third grade, I have taken academic enrichment courses during
the summer break. While my friends were out vacationing with their families, participating
in sports, hanging out with friends, and playing with video games, I was in a
classroom with many intellectuals studying a wide array of subjects from
English to Web design.
During the summers of
elementary and middle school I participated in the Summer Enrichment Programs
at Head Royce School. For four weeks each summer, I participated in four
sections of classes. Subjects included study skills, English, Spanish,
mathematics, science, and computer applications. These enrichment courses
encouraged me to become active in learning and educating myself – and even have
a joy for the challenges. Because I did not attend Head Royce during the
academic school year, I had the additional hurdle of making friends and
interacting with strangers. It helped me build my social skills and improve my personal
interactions with others.
For the summer of ninth
grade, I decided to take a different challenge: complete a high-school level
Algebra II course. This fast-paced class condensed a whole thirty-week high
school class into eight short weeks. It was a difficult endeavor to take notes
and participate in same class for four hours, five days a week. I was the
youngest student in the class. Dissimilar to the previous enrichment classes, Algebra
II was strictly new. I successfully completed the class and realized how
intense the material is. However, this experience opened up my interest in condensed,
comprehensive summer classes.
The following summers,
I enrolled in Beginning Chemistry and Calculus I at Laney College. The chemistry
college course had both a lecture and laboratory component and the calculus
course offered insight on this new branch of mathematics. After six weeks of spending
time in the lab and lecture halls, I was confident to say I found my passion
for mathematics and chemistry.
This essay is still incomplete and is a
large work-in-progress. I will spend time later to collect some more thoughts.
I would appreciate your insights.
2011-09-10
[CE] Al Jazeera English: La Niña is back
La Nina is back (Article and Video)
The surface of Earth is 70% water - so it is no surprise that changes in the oceanic ecosystem adversely affect the environment in which we live.
La Niña (Span. "the girl") and its counterpart El Niño (Span. "the boy") are the names given to naturally occurring phenomena that take place over the oceans.
La Niña consists of cold water in the Pacific Ocean that rises to the surface along the coast of South America. Likewise, El Niño is the unusual rise of warm water in the Pacific that runs along the coast of S. America. So what does this mean for us terrestrial beings?
El Niño and La Niña generally cycle in and out at a (generally) regular pattern, or so we thought.
Climate change (also called "global warming") from the burning of fossil fuels and excessive release of greenhouse gases has altered temperature of the air. For the most part, the average temperature of the world is increasing and as a consequence, polar ice caps are melting.
Obviously, the melting of polar ice caps changes the thermal characteristics of oceans. More cold water is being added to oceans and it is forming an artificially stimulated La Niña.
This isn't good news. The unpredictability of these oceanic changes will most likely interfere with marine animals - as some use temperature to gauge their relative location during migration routes.
Not only that, but La Niña has caused extensive flooding in many parts of the world - some of the worst damage caused by flooding. Colombian President Santos said that it has been the "worst natural disaster."
Hurricane season in the United States has seen a sharp increase of the number of hurricanes formed over the Gulf of Mexico.
Barometric pressure affected by the oceans leave many parts of Asia suck with more severe and longer winters. South Korea alone reported snowfall up to 31.5 inches (80 cm) and average temperatures far below the climate average on any given day.
Countries usually unaffected by La Niña, such as Sri Lanka, had notable signs of weather change. So much so that an evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people was mandated by the government.
On the flip side of the scale, La Niña gave farmlands in the southern US less rain and severe drought. No doubt this turn in weather affected crop production in all states.
Al Jazeera finishes this article with:
The surface of Earth is 70% water - so it is no surprise that changes in the oceanic ecosystem adversely affect the environment in which we live.
La Niña (Span. "the girl") and its counterpart El Niño (Span. "the boy") are the names given to naturally occurring phenomena that take place over the oceans.
La Niña consists of cold water in the Pacific Ocean that rises to the surface along the coast of South America. Likewise, El Niño is the unusual rise of warm water in the Pacific that runs along the coast of S. America. So what does this mean for us terrestrial beings?
El Niño and La Niña generally cycle in and out at a (generally) regular pattern, or so we thought.
Climate change (also called "global warming") from the burning of fossil fuels and excessive release of greenhouse gases has altered temperature of the air. For the most part, the average temperature of the world is increasing and as a consequence, polar ice caps are melting.
Obviously, the melting of polar ice caps changes the thermal characteristics of oceans. More cold water is being added to oceans and it is forming an artificially stimulated La Niña.
This isn't good news. The unpredictability of these oceanic changes will most likely interfere with marine animals - as some use temperature to gauge their relative location during migration routes.
Not only that, but La Niña has caused extensive flooding in many parts of the world - some of the worst damage caused by flooding. Colombian President Santos said that it has been the "worst natural disaster."
Hurricane season in the United States has seen a sharp increase of the number of hurricanes formed over the Gulf of Mexico.
Barometric pressure affected by the oceans leave many parts of Asia suck with more severe and longer winters. South Korea alone reported snowfall up to 31.5 inches (80 cm) and average temperatures far below the climate average on any given day.
Countries usually unaffected by La Niña, such as Sri Lanka, had notable signs of weather change. So much so that an evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people was mandated by the government.
On the flip side of the scale, La Niña gave farmlands in the southern US less rain and severe drought. No doubt this turn in weather affected crop production in all states.
Al Jazeera finishes this article with:
However, perhaps most devastating are the consequences for eastern Africa. With La Nina steadily strengthening, the November rains are likely to fail once more.A continent already busy with it's own issues doesn't need this dramatic weather change to interfere. However, Mother Nature has her own ideas, and that's the sad truth.
This would have dire consequences for the millions of people who live in the region, many of whom are already struggling to survive.
2011-09-09
[RE] From Locks to Passwords: Internet Security and Hacking
The advancement of technology is moving faster than it has ever moved before. And with that, the Internet had become popular in doing many tasks - from sending e-mails to paying bills. For that end, there has been an increased need for higher Internet security.
Many bank transactions can be done simply via one's smartphone and checks can be deposited with a picture of the check and a few clicks of a button. How secure is this process? Can the Internet be trusted with all this confidential information, such as credit card account numbers and bank transactions?
Companies suffer millions of dollars in information leaks due to hackers. Would you like it if your information possibly leaked out due to a company's lack of updated computer security measures? Most likely not...
The question now stands: What can you do on this side of the computer screen to prevent hacking of your personal information?
Steven Lee of period 06 writes the following:
On this side, the computer users have the opportunity to prevent hacking by following several basic guidelines. Again, Steven suggests:
Many bank transactions can be done simply via one's smartphone and checks can be deposited with a picture of the check and a few clicks of a button. How secure is this process? Can the Internet be trusted with all this confidential information, such as credit card account numbers and bank transactions?
Companies suffer millions of dollars in information leaks due to hackers. Would you like it if your information possibly leaked out due to a company's lack of updated computer security measures? Most likely not...
The question now stands: What can you do on this side of the computer screen to prevent hacking of your personal information?
Steven Lee of period 06 writes the following:
(Bad hackers) might steal personal information and destroy important files. [...] [H]acking that was done was a few weeks ago on the Bart website. This time hackers posted peoples personal information like where they live and their phone numbers.Unfortunately, in situations wherein companies lose this information due to hacking (such as the BART database system), the general public has no control. Your personal information rests in the hands of the company.
On this side, the computer users have the opportunity to prevent hacking by following several basic guidelines. Again, Steven suggests:
[D]on't click on links that are suspicious and change password every month or so and don't save your password on a public computer. Having good common sense can help you not get hack so easily.
Simple enough, right? Common sense
So what's preventing us from experiencing 100% safe internet protocol? Fact of the matter is that many people don't do most of the aforementioned.
Let me ask you, when was the last time you changed your password? Have you been prone to "accidentally" clicking on an intriguing advertisement? Do you remember to log out of all the websites on public computers before closing the web browser?
I, personally, go out of my way to delete internet history on most public computers if I am unfamiliar with their security levels. Finally, avoid choosing certain pass codes:
- Birthdays
- Names
- 1234
- password
- qwerty
- Phone numbers
- etc
2011-09-07
[FR] Welcome to Prof. Christopher's Lecture Notes!
It's a new year and again the time has come to start blogging again. I have completely changed the layout of this blog and customized it as much as possible - making it unique in almost all the aspects Blogger has provided me.
Like the fish that swim around in the left side column? There are ten of them, do you see them all? Go ahead and click away to feed the fish. I can’t do it all the time...you know you want to.
Post № 01. I know right now you’re looking at this blog and see nothing special. Actually, there is nothing really to look at right now. But as this year progresses, my hope is that this blog will transform to an informative blog with a bounty of posts that range from science to current events.
Pimentel Hall at UC Berkeley is pictured at the heading. Named after George C. Pimentel, the inventor of the chemical laser and alumnus of UC Berkeley and UCLA, the lecture hall is UC Berkely’s main chemistry lecture theaters. Pimentel was a professor at the institution for 40 years until his death in 1989.
On the left side bar, there is a second picture of a lecture hall at Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA. Bloch lecture hall is located in Stanford’s Hewlett Teaching Center in the Science and Engineering Quad. It houses a rotating lecture stage so lecturers can prepare white board presentations on the reverse while another class is in session on the obverse side. The ‘stage’ then rotates 180 degrees to display the prepared reverse-side of the white board.
Finally, the background of Prof. Christopher’s Lecture Notes is a combination of calculus formulas in single- and multivariable forms.
I hope you enjoy the content this blog will have to offer.
Like the fish that swim around in the left side column? There are ten of them, do you see them all? Go ahead and click away to feed the fish. I can’t do it all the time...you know you want to.
Post № 01. I know right now you’re looking at this blog and see nothing special. Actually, there is nothing really to look at right now. But as this year progresses, my hope is that this blog will transform to an informative blog with a bounty of posts that range from science to current events.
Pimentel Hall at UC Berkeley is pictured at the heading. Named after George C. Pimentel, the inventor of the chemical laser and alumnus of UC Berkeley and UCLA, the lecture hall is UC Berkely’s main chemistry lecture theaters. Pimentel was a professor at the institution for 40 years until his death in 1989.
On the left side bar, there is a second picture of a lecture hall at Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA. Bloch lecture hall is located in Stanford’s Hewlett Teaching Center in the Science and Engineering Quad. It houses a rotating lecture stage so lecturers can prepare white board presentations on the reverse while another class is in session on the obverse side. The ‘stage’ then rotates 180 degrees to display the prepared reverse-side of the white board.
Finally, the background of Prof. Christopher’s Lecture Notes is a combination of calculus formulas in single- and multivariable forms.
I hope you enjoy the content this blog will have to offer.
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