All you had to do was Ask

Lately I have been immersed in the mind bending drama of collecting various electrical characterization measurements.

Not only that, but I am collecting them in a thrilling television miniseries, which swings from cool reviews, to hot prime time ratings. My tested parts have free tickets to all of the exciting temperatures.

From the lonely, often fatal Day After Tomorrow of -55 degC...


To a functionally crisp, but still pissed off -40 degC,



To a robust "Get the job done" 0 degC,




To a nominal but comfortable "What? You still want me to work after all that freezing and wiggling?" of 25degC,



To the very spicy, sub-boiling drama of 85degC...


And, of course, the tragically delicious Inconvenient Truth of 125degC.


Yes. It's a semiconductive child, only a mother could love.


So, if you wan't, please ask some questions.

Any topic within reason.

Believe me. I won't mind!

Dear God, I will try to break away from this addictive thrill, to ponder, answer and link.

Answers (Posted as they are generated.):

JimmyB the CUG: How can I sleep at night if I vote for Republicans just because they are not Democrats, even though they are liberal? Am I doomed to vote "less liberal" for the rest of my life, or should I go with someone else on principle?

Insolublog:
Sadly, jimmyb, being a conservative is like being an old aggressive cat.

Most of the ruling party recoils at the thought of petting an animal covered with so many battle scars, that it feels like a bag of unshelled walnuts covered in furry shrink wrap. One of the eyes is half closed. One ear is torn in half, coiled into dry leather. Several teeth are missing. The tail is crooked at a funny angle, maybe two. But the country clubbers say 'nice kitty' and leave out a small dish of Friskies. Why? Because the cat is good at marching out, day and night, howling, scratching and biting enemy cats, while chasing the vermin out of its adopted house.

Now the cat is totally friendly to the people it likes; like fellow conservatives and friendly dogs. It rubs their legs . It purrs. People that see through the exterior, are respected and greeted warmly. They know the cat is doing the right thing. They know it is just as capable of compassion as it is capable of ferocity. They see the value in more than just the cat's rodent hunting skills. The cat leaves those 'special gifts' for friends. It helps out with more than just a vote in the polls.

The key is to rid the house of those people who want the cat euthanized. You know the type. They say it is an act of humane compassion, driven by the goodness of their hearts. Of course this is liberal new-speak. It means... Get rid of that nasty old thing, because we would rather experiment with removing all restrictions on destructive vermin, scampering about the country. The cat should continue to scratch and bite the legs of these people, then scurry off when the animal control officer arrives. It is so satisfying to sit in the woods, laughing, while the liberal trudges off to get rabies shots.

So will you sleep at night? Probably not. Cats don't sleep at night. The cat is independent, and very difficult to control. That's why so many people either love him, or hate his guts. As long as the government never has the power to stick him with sodium pentathol or chop his wontons off (loved that metaphor, Wyatt) he will continue to do his conservative job.

In summary:

Fellow conservative: Purring, gifts and an enthusiastic vote.
Stale RINO Friskies: Aloof, tail in the air, but still chase the mice with a vote.
Democrat liberal with a needle: A nay vote with teeth and claws.

Continue to be belligerent, independent and a general howling pain in the a$$. It's the only way to keep the house clean.

Dr Phat Tony:
My get money quick scheme with Save Jill has only netted $11. Does the party of compassion have no money to spend on a innocent goat, but have money to spend on proping up welfare recipients that are guilty of sloth? Should I use a cuter animal next time?

Insolublog:

If I were to interpret the 'party of compassion' in the sarcastic liberal sense, I would say that that the reason no money was spent to save Jill, was twofold. First, liberals don't spend their own money on the welfare of others. They spend taxpayers money; then they take the credit for the compassion as if they had delivered it from their own pocket. Secondly, they only spend that taxpayer's money, if the pandering will garner votes. Last time I checked, Jill had even less of a right to vote, then the sea of unprocessed illegal aliens, just waiting to become the new liberal victim underclass. When they bitch and cry, on your blog, about how cruel and unusual your Jill policy is, it costs the price of a comment. The commenter can then walk away, without donating, claiming a moral victory, on the cheap.

If the 'party of compassion' was a reference to compassionate conservatism, conservatives reject the idea that able bodied welfare recipients collecting government checks, or abusing the voluntarity charity of others. The American dream is about opportunity. It is not just about the money, but the thrill of playing the game. How many new and exciting ways, here in the land of opportunity, can you think of, to separate a fool, and their disposable income? Have you tried E-Bay?

In my humble opinion, The American dream is about a hand up, not a hand out. In Jill's case, a hand up into a braising vessel, with a generous portion of fresh potatoes, sweet onions, thinly sliced celery, young cute baby carrots and a spicy cracked black pepper rub down.

Jill can best serve her country by being served.

You know, I was thinking... for about $11, I bet you could buy all of those adjunct ingredients, at the nearest Wal-Mart super center. Wouldn't that be supreme irony? I also believe it would be completely legal, under the Jill charter.

Perhaps you should use a less delicious and succulent animal next time.

Wyatt Earp:

I am a so-called racist cop (naturally) who likes NASCAR, 80's punk rock/new wave music, ice hockey, and world history. Is there a woman out there for me? And if not, do I have ANY redeeming qualities?

Insolublog:

You are (naturally) soliciting match making advice from someone who hasn't found that perfect mate himself. But that shouldn't stop anyone who is not entirely and undeniably unlike Dear Abby from dispensing such advice.

So let's Google the following:

women who like racist cops, NASCAR, 80's punk rock/new wave music, ice hockey and world history





Hmmm. 25 pretty lame and fruitless hits, Apparently, the geeks who created Google are about as adept at match-making as yours truly.




Let's broaden our vista's by searching for:

women who love racist cops





There's the hit we were looking for, at the bottom of the page.

Woman Tasered by Cops
It looks like the audience gives this novel mate capturing technique four out of five stars for effectiveness.

Sheesh. I'm really bombing on this one. When I find the woman who loves me for my attachment to football, world history, blogging and political triangulation, I will be far better equipped to render a decision.

Now as for the if not, do I have ANY redeeming qualities part...

It's always fun to point out at least one redeeming quality, by probing its hypothetical absence. In this regard, it is your taste in women, specifically those with guns. If you were crippled in your masculinity, you might find this sexy.



Being a reader of your blog, I have to tell you, there is nothing wrong with your taste in gun toting women. Why you would need redemption, in either the religious or economic sense, is beyond me. Keep window shopping. When you find the right store, right in all respects, I would enjoy the heads up.

RT:

How can I be a Christian and a conservative and still be a teacher?

And..if Wyatt is married, why is he asking for advice on women? Wouldn't his wife be a little unhappy about it?

Insolublog:

That is a no-brainer. Work for a private Christian school.

Seeing that you are from New Jersey and are asking me this question, I can only assume that that last sentence does not apply to you. Even if you are working for a public school in New Jersey, it is quite easy to be a Christian conservative. Why? Because it is highly unlikely that you engage in behavior which will get you into trouble. Being a conservative probably means you practice a moral civilized brand of teaching, where the kids get to stay kids, while learning about reading, writing and arithmetic.

Liberals are the ones who can't help themselves, in their pursuit to mold the future. Instead of getting the basics, the kids wind up studying each other's budding sexuality, while reading excerpts from Trotsky, Mao and Karl Marx.

Here in Lexington MA, they send homework back with the kids, describing the virtues of having two mommies or two daddies. They might send the children home with an assignment to write anti-war hate mail to President Bush.

The fact that they are the ones who bring their atheism and politics into the classroom, along with the fact that they know it is wrong, along with the high probability that they are smoking a really potent marijuana blend, fills them with the petrified paranoia that conservative Christians just might do the same. They also know the minds of children are the best canvas to paint their insanity on, since it is not coated with the Teflon or wax of rational thought, which is capable of sloughing off that paint.

Now... If you want to wiggle the trigger of the bear trap, you could try sending an assignment home, to write support letters to injured soldiers, or heaven forbid, president Bush. In America past, when we had an institutional sense of national pride, that activity would have been encouraged. Today? Well, just remember Insolublog does not provide any expressed or implied warranty of merchantability, on fitness of his advice, for any purpose whatsoever.

Anyhoo...

About Wyatt. Remember that window shopping comment I mentioned? That's something married guys do all the time. As long as you don't walk into the store and order takeout, it's Ok. Of course, I am a bachelor, so it's easy to be liberal (wince) with my comments in this area. As for Wyatt's wife, maybe she encourages the existence of his steam valve. Stranger truths are in evidence, in this wonderful world of ours.

fmragtops:

Am I too late to ask a question of Insolublog the Omniscient?

If not, what form of ritual suicide should be employed if the Democrats take the house and senate? Seppuku? Hara-Kari? Jim Jones flavored Kool-Aid?

Insolublog:It is never too late, fm, when I am being preoccupied with the ritual of collecting automated test data. That suicide thing is sounding good about now, but for the alleviation of petrifying boredom.

Speaking of gathering data, I think that would be the approach to take, should moonbats take the House and Senate. Even if they win the political battle, they do not have the entire battlefield of opinion anymore. They will never get it back; unless they try to legislate it out of existence.

That would be a dark day.

That would require serious consequences.

There is no honor, in the liberal land of moral sin, gin and political spin. This enemy does not play the field with honor. They do not treat their foes with honor. Ritual suicide is not on the table, under these circumstances. Where would the honor be, in killing oneself, in full Japanese regalia, under the spreading cherry blossoms for a dishonorable, unwashed, unprincipled moonbat? All they would do is laugh and tell their media manequins to put your obituary amidst the personal ads of the NYT, on page sixty-something.

In this case, you treat the political situation like a chess game. They took the Queen. They took the rook. They think they have you. They put those dark shades of arrogance over their eyes.



Then you quietly move your pawn into the backfield. You do it, while they are gyrating, in the popular emotional rant. You do it when they are too stupid to see you position it. Then, you have your Queen back; maybe several, along with a gleaming, razor edged Katana of sound bites and hypocrisy, which you bring down with a stealthy, visceral slash of bloodletting victory.

Republican warlords would not be in this weakened position, had they not dulled that graceful blade, with rampant pork barrel spending, illegal pandering and general Democrat like behavior.

A loss would be a harsh lesson. Bring back the contract. Of course, while you suffer the slings and arrows of their outrageous world view, you might also suffer death by entitlement, or terrorist attack. At least you can go down fighting, with honor.

fmragtops:

Weel, since it's never too late, what impact, if any, do you think the election of Calderon in Mexico will have on illegal immigration? Well, he is officially the "president elect," so I'm guessing he's the next president, but then again this is Mexico.

Insolublog:If by impact, you mean reduction, I do not think any Mexican candidate will take any action to reduce the illegal problem. The whole situation is a win for Mexico. As long as we do nothing, Mexicans get tax free jobs, free health care, free education and free beer. They may even collect social security. Their money just flows back to the home country, since they are not experiencing any real assimilation pressure here in Amurca. Left wing activists tell them that we are just a long lost extension of Mexico anyway. Improving the conditions in Mexico would require money and work. There is no pressure on the Mexican bureaucratic elites to lift a finger whatsoever.

An Obrador election would have made the exodus of illegals far worse. Socialism tends to bankrupt countries. Communism destroys them. A totally business hostile Mexico would make the scent of American prosperity irresistible.

In summary, the overall impact looks like more of the same.

TylerD:

Does a Wifi signal operate at the same wavelength as say a, 2.4GHz cordless phone?

Insolublog:

Well.

It looks like cordless phones share the 2.4GHz-2.4835GHz band with computer Wifi standards 802.11b and 802.11g, which are the popular frequencies used by the public. Cordless phones also share the 5.725GHz to 5.850GHz range with the computer Wifi standard 802.11a.

Computer Wi-fi

Most people use Wireless-G (802.11g) for computer networking. 802.11b is slowly losing popularity for its lower data rate. Several modulation protocols can be used to transmit your data, but OFDM (Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing) is used for the high data rates. It is a mouthful.

This method would be impossible to achieve with the old transmitter technology grandpa used to use in his ham radio shack.



Modern digital signal processing makes this possible, by using a special computer processor to calculate the rates, timing and intensity of the many simultaneous carrier signals.

A very stripped down argument for vector orthogonality can be seen on the axes of a graph. You can carefully vary X only, with no effect on Y. You can carefully vary Y, with no effect on X. X and Y must be orthogonal (perpendicular) and independent. If this is true, you can simultaneously send data out on both X and Y without affecting each other. Now, multiply the number of signals to dozens or more. It might be hard, if not impossible for us to visualize this in more than two or three dimensions, but not to the math, or the computer that is putting it all together.



There are also wireless G-phones that use computer wifi directly and Voip (Voice over IP) to talk over a computer network.

Freq Hopping Spread Spectrum

If you use Bluetooth devices, they also share the 2.4GHz band. Bluetooth is somewhat more robust in it's immunity to interference. It uses frequency hopping spread sprectrum.

A very stripped down argument for this is that noise is random. If you generate a modulated data signal that 'looks' like noise, using a random function to spread your data over the frequency band, to everything but another device that knows precisely where the carrier frequencies will be, you can use the band efficiently. This can be achieved, while making the instrument immune to interference from other sources.

A good cordless phone with Spread Spectrum will also be more immune to interference.

A Busy Band

The news is even more interesting. Garage door openers and microwaves also operate at 2.45GHz, and are probably noisy beasts, without good shielding. There is a lot of stuff on this unlicensed FCC band.

You too, can build a canntena for your neighbor, to boost 802.11g wifi.

Gee. Maybe I don't need to kill myself out of boredom.

linda:

What is the meaning of life? And should we trust people who say they hate cats?

Insolublog:I always love simple, meticulously crafted questions. The answer to this one depends on your view of the metaphysical world. Most people adopt a complex blend of the possibilities. So, I will summarize a few of the purebreds.

If you are a solid, unyielding atheist, you might believe that life is the universe's way of neatly stitching fine Belgian lace between the boundaries of physical extremes. After all, look how fragile we are. We live in a very tight range of temperature tolerance. The universe starts at close to zero Kelvin and ends at millions of degrees. If there wasn't somebody playing basketball between Heat miser and Jack Frost, life would just be an asphalt driveway. So, we take low entropy energy and convert it to high entropy energy, by dribbling molecular reactions, sticking our noses into the molecular reactions of people we like and hate and then bitching about how that reaction over there didn't react like we wanted it to. Then we collapse with a sigh and a huff, giving our molecules back to the pagan god Calgon, which takes us away. Eventually life will burn up all the low entropy Orange Tang in the universe, and it will all end in a glorious pool of unenthusiastic grey goo.

If you are a Christian, you might believe in God and all his glory. You might believe that the meaning of life is to discover how your place on this earth serves the will of God. You might believe in a destiny and soul. You might feel a need to place a stake in the ground, serving the enrichment of humanity, by helping yourself and your fellow man.

If you are an Islamic terrorist, the meaning of life is... well... Can we talk about death instead?

If you are a Buddhist, you might believe that life is a chain of reincarnated life experiences, vectored to the pursuit of a God free state of personal perfection. You get there, by studying and experiencing the suffering of the universe, in all its physical, philisophical and biological incarnations.

The list could go on, but the life in my fingers is getting mean.

The meaning of life just might be to learn how to read the book of creation. It is a book, written in the substance of the universe. This is the one thing all these guys can agree on. The universe is a marvelous place, whether you were placed here by an act of God or and act of probabilistic atomic gamesmanship. As you learn how to read that book, you use the knowledge to improve your life and the lives of the people around you. This frees up more precious time for sports, shopping, theatre, procreation and, of course, reading more of that awesome book.

You are here. You are capable of observation. You can't help it. Your curiosity can never be fully sated. Of course the goal of learning how to read that book, changes with every new discovery. Every new discovery, is another enormous set of unanswered questions; more fuel for that hungry curiosity about all things, physical and metaphysical. The answers to those questions become more difficult and challenging, every time. If we ever turn that last turn on the big Rubik's cube, well... we might just have to commit suicide, plant the American flag, salute and perhaps walk into the embrace of a creator.

Cats are people too...

They like Guinness. (It's a Google harvest. So, no PETArds need cry)



They like hot tubs.




So you either trust them or you don't.

.