A Curious Statistical Anomaly

Finally some finished objects. I finished the William Street Socks that I started. And I finally wove in the ends on the Conwy Socks I’d made from Nancy Bush’s Knitting on the Road. You can really see the difference between socks for keeping the toes warm without shoes in the house and those to be worn with shoes and on the go. Of course the Wm. Street socks are acrylic and the Conwy socks are wool so the warmth should be about the same due to the thickness but there’s something about bulky socks that just seem warmer when you’re in the house in stocking feet.

William Street Socks on the left — Conwy on the right. I know I’ve only got one of each on but I really did finish the other sock of each pair — honest, I did — no second sock syndrome this time.

For my next sock project, I’m working on the Honecomb Socks by Katie Himmelberg for the Fall Interweave Knits. Don’t they look nice and comfy — I think so too. I usually make my mother a pair of around the house socks/sleep in socks for cold nights (she’s in Maine) and these are going to be the pair (she also doesn’t have an Internet connection so no telling). I’m using the same Lion Brand Vanna White acrylic yarn.

Of course, I’m still working on the Kauni Cardigan — decided to make it an inch longer before doing the armhole decrease and pick up of steek stitches. Also, bought some yarn for Christmas gifts — more about that later.

As we approach Halloween, thoughts often turn to those things that go bump in the night. Well, maybe not you but I tend to think of such things and evidently so do many other people. Today there was an article in CIO online called Paranormal Investigations and Technology: Where Ghosts and Gadgets Meet. The reporter talked with Auerbach and Wilson who have been investigating strange phenomena for quite a while and they discuss the tools of the trade and some of their experiences. The most useful tools: coffee (for those late night stakeouts) and a Digital SLR to document. The article was interesting and handled without prejudiced.

In another article I read today, it was found in an AP poll and reported in CNN’s online living section that 1/3 of people polled believe in ghosts. On CNN’s main page there a poll asking if you believe in ghosts and there the figure is 46% believe in ghosts.

Do I believe? My SO says while he doesn’t believe, that’s not the same thing as not believing. He’s withholding opinion, but siding on the skeptical side for now. As for me, I really don’t know. I’ve had some really strange things happen to me in my life and whether they’re from a bit of undigested beef or actual paranormal occurrences — I really don’t know. Perhaps, I should say that when I was getting my degree in psychology I did a lot of reading in paranormal research and actually did a small research project of my own for a class paper. What I do know is that researchers into the paranormal don’t get a lot of respect from their colleagues. And in fact, even those investigators who think they are fair and just asking for such research to meet acceptable standards — tend not to notice that they are in actuality raising the bar for paranormal research. I’ve seen methodologies for clinical trials, that I think are totally unacceptable, be thought to be fine, while methodologies that are far stricter in requiring double blinds are thought to be way too loose to be acceptable. There seems to be a double standard; one for normal science and another stricter (and usually unreachable) standard for paranormal research.

Nevertheless, I’ll withhold judgment since I need to see more evidence than what passes for prime time coverage or Hollywood super FX thriller. I do believe that there’s more to it than simply wishful thinking but what that is and how it manifests as ghosts, ESP, or other phenomena — that I don’t know. What do you believe?

Every now and then, in my daily search to avoid actual work, I come across something that I think is really and truly worthy of being spread far and wide. Today, I managed to bump into the results of a contest where people were asked to make a video explaining String Theory in two minutes or less. The contest was judged by Brian Greene, a Columbia University physicist. His choice was String Ducky by Sandy Chase (Yes, the yellow bathtub duck. I knew those guys were up to something with all the quarking around.)

Discover Magazine online has the winners and also rans (which are also excellent) along with an introduction by Brian Greene about why he chose String Ducky. Check it out.

After watching all the videos, I really have to say I agree with Greene’s choice of String Ducky. However, my runner ups were Einstein’s Unfinished Symphony (great background music and link to the theory) and Mass Through Strings (visually beautiful).

Writing about science in a clear, concise manner that is factually accurate and entertaining is probably one of the most difficult things a writer can do. The String Theory in 2 Minutes or Less has definitely shown that it can be done visually as well as texturally. All these participants did a wonderful jobs of explaining a very difficult concept in simple language and visuals. These videos are obviously labors of love — love of science and a desire to share knowledge with others. Guess I’ll have to search for more science explanations in 2 minutes or less.

It started raining last night — in fits and starts. All day today there’d be misty rain followed by overcast skies and then maybe more rain. Maryland was in a drought — 34 days without rain, with temperatures most days in the mid-70s to high 80s. I’m enjoying the sound and the smell of rain. It’s very pleasant to have not just rain, but the slow drippy kind that soaks into the soil and down through to wherever the wetness goes to help wells and water tables.

On the other hand, Southern California is having another day of fires sweeping through the canyons and destroying homes as well as trees, brush, and the creatures that live hidden from view. The winds are driving the fires — the news today said hundreds of thousands of people have been evacuated from the burning areas. I feel almost guilty enjoying the rainy end to our drought  when these people are losing their homes. Especially since people I know live very near those areas. None have had to suffer from anything more that soot and smoke, but they’re still living with the threat, while I sit back drinking coffee and enjoying the rain.

To make matter worse, I heard that some of the more recent fires are arson. You really have to wonder about the thought processes that someone has to have gone through to decide that it’s a good idea setting fires in an area that’s already in flames, with firefighters stretched thin and exhausted. Maybe they don’t think at all. Shouldn’t arsonists all just line up to see the beautiful display of fire that nature is displaying rather than setting fires of their own? I can’t come up with a motivation for this behavior — nope, can’t think why a sentient being would do such a thing — maybe they aren’t sentient — they just look the part.

I have a cell phone — well, in this day and age nearly everyone does but mine is a basic model — no camera, no Internet access, just your stripped down model. What it does seem to have is a very accurate Important Event Detector (IED). For those of you who haven’t realized that this piece of technology is built-in to every piece of equipment you own — well, you’ve been lucky. An IED is what makes the cell phone, laptop, PDA, calculator, whatever misbehave just when you need it most. So, if you charged your cell phone just last night, took it off the charger this morning and then need to make an emergency phone call because you’re stuck in traffic — well the IED snaps into action and your cell phone will be dead and needing a charge. Have an important paper due at work and figure you’ll print it out when you get there — IED strikes again — the laptop will be dead or the wireless network on the fritz, or the file will suddenly corrupt and you’re dead in the water. It has taken me years of tracking these small incidents but I’ve finally figured out that the IED exists.

I use to get really annoyed at authors of books that have their protagonist’s cell phones, tasers, etc., fail  just when they needed them the most. I figured this was just a clumsy plot device. But now, I can see that these authors knew something I either didn’t know, or simply didn’t want to admit. Yes, it’s the IED that gets us, and all these amateur detectives, into so much trouble.

Now if we could only find out who makes and it and what it’s true purpose is….

We recycle. We separate out the cans, plastic and glass to one bucket, newspapers in a stack, then cardboard and other paper in a third container. Since we live in the country we don’t have town/city trash pick up. So, we pay a local man to come and pick up the trash once a week. However, he doesn’t do recycling so that we take to the recycle center ourselves.  It’s only a little out of our way, so it’s a very minor inconvenience.

Now, I don’t have a problem with recycling — although I threw my back out last night helping to load the car so my husband could stop after work and drop everything off at the center. What bothers me is the people who take their stuff to the recycle center but then can’t be bothered to put the newspaper in the newspaper bin, the cardboard/mixed paper in that bin, etc. I mean why bother to do it and truck it all the way there and then just throw it in the first bin you get to?  They’ve already committed 99% of the effort just being there, but can’t be bothered to take that one final step.

The other thing is there’s an actual household trash area so those people who don’t have pick up of household trash can drop off their bagged garbage.   You know this is coming don’t you…why do people dump their garbage either in with the recycle stuff or into the proper bin, but not bagged.  Again, what’s the thinking on this.

We recycle because of our belief that we’re using up our resources too quickly and it’s bad for the environment.  We feel that helping to recycle is a very minor thing that we can do that might just actually help.  We follow up the recycling by buying products that use recycled materials as part of their product whether that be the container, packaging, or actually the recycled material itself (some yarn is made of recycled plastic bottles). So, I’m totally at a loss to understand the people who go through all the effort to bring their trash there, and then just dump their garbage at the recycle center for others to clean up.

Today after my dentist appointment, we decided a treat was in order and set out to check out the 2007 Solar Decathalon being held on the National Mall in Washington, DC. The Solar Decathalon has been held several times since we’ve lived in Maryland but this is the first time we’ve actually made it. Solar houses are built by teams of students and they compete in ten contests: architecture, engineering, market viability, communications, comfort zone, appliances, hot water, lighting, energy balance, and getting around (usually electric cars).

It was a beautiful day and sunny. All the houses have to use solar for everything. We didn’t get to look in every house but we did see a few. Of the houses that we got to tour we liked the Team Montreal house and the UMR house.

None of the houses were actually liveable but these two came the closest to being a house that actual people could live in. All of the other houses that we saw seemed to believe that no storage was required for clothing, books, or the other clutter of life (even pared down to House Beautiful levels of nearly empty rooms). One house had a closet about 7 feet high and 2 1/2 wide, most of the others had none at all.

Kitchens were horrible except in the two we liked. Most had kitchens that could reheat frozen dinners or take-out but not to actually cook meals for a couple for a week. Part of the contest is they need to cook a large meal and for one meal you could do it. The appliances were there but if you had a set of dishes (plates, bowls, dessert plate…), silverware, glassware, coffee pot and cups — well you’d fill up 90% of the kitchen cabinets and have no where to store staples like flour, sugar, spices, boxes of this and that, cans of whatever (just think of what you pick up for a month of meals that doesn’t go in the fridge). There was a nice bottom freezer fridge in all the homes we visited.

It has to be remembered that all the houses were designed to meet the contest rules and criteria and thus some design considerations were made that might not have been made if people had to live in it rather than the house being on display. Even as display houses they do show that you don’t have to give up anything to live solar — most homes had a place for an office, full bath, all the usual kitchen appliances and felt open and spacious. For many visiting the houses that may be enough but when I look at a house — I start to think of it as a home and wonder where would you put bookcases, my spinning wheel, my craft supplies, etc. None of the houses seemed like they could actually be homes except for the Montreal and UMR houses. There was another house by the University of Colorado that we liked the appearance of but the line to tour was so long that we couldn’t get near it. But here’s a photo of the outside:

All in all, it was well worth taking the time to visit the mall to see these solar homes. Keep your eyes out for tours of solar homes near you area — we should all be trying to reduce our carbon footprints and these homes do show that you don’t have to rough it to use solar energy, energy efficient appliances, and live comfortably — once the designs switch from winning a contest to using solar and being a home people can live in.

While mulling over the advisability of continuing my Kauni Cardigan (After a short test of sizing — see yesterday’s comments, it looks like a go), I started socks. The pattern is William Street Socks by Lisa Shroyer published by Interweave Knits magazine. The pattern, with lots of cables looked like a nice cuddly sock for those cold days. Knit from the toe up, it’s easy to try it on now and then while working on it. The toe was done using the Eastern wrap method and actually was easy to do. Previously, I’d made up something similar but this was the method I’d have used for toe up socks if I’d known it existed prior to this pattern naming and using it. Here’s a sock in process:

I love to go barefoot in the house. We’ve got engineered wood floors so all summer it’s nice and cool on the toes and makes it seem a bit cooler when it’s over 100 degrees outside. However, in winter it’s another story for the poor toes. My body temperature runs a bit lower than 98.6 so my feet get really, really cold — and I still like to be sans shoes. So, I make a lot of socks with heavier yarn. This pair is being knit with Vanna’s Choice in purple — a nice deep eggplant-purple. For purists, yes, I know this is 100% acrylic but the color is just beautiful and the stitch definition is very nice. I’ll have to remember to post again after they’ve been through the wash 20 or 30 times to report on the yarn’s lasting power.

I turned the heel last night and it looks a bit weird but it seems okay. I’ll try it on when I get a bit more done.