Science versus English

I was covering a Science class the other day, and the kids were doing a few problems about velocity. One of the questions asked to calculate the velocity of a car braking down an exit ramp. The question was phrased using the word "acceleration."

A few of the students said the question should have used the word "deceleration" instead of "acceleration" as the answer is a decrease of speed. I reminded them that the definition of "acceleration" is a change of velocity and that change can be an increase or decrease in velocity, so the term "acceleration" is correct in its usage in the question, and "deceleration" is not a term regularly used in the physics world and by educated scientists.

The students then asked why we have the word "deceleration." I told them it is a word made up by English majors to justify their existence.

HBM and Beard Update

About a year ago I stopped shaving to get a jump on No Shave November. It was an experiment to see if I could grow a beard along with maintaining my handlebar mustache.

At the end of the November, I decided that it was going well and I would extend it out to the end of the year. This led to winter and I opted to keep it through the frosty months, of course by now it was getting thick and St. Paddy's Day was upon us, so it stayed.

By now I was into the early signs of spring and it was going well and I didn't have the heart to shave and ruin what I had going. Before I knew it, summer was approaching and I wanted to see if it was going to be hot and bothersome in the heat of the summer. Turns out that being bearded is not that bad in the heat.

So now I am at the one year mark and like the 'stache, I have grown attached (literally) to being fur faced. Now it is how long I can tolerate and winter is coming...

{The beard has been trimmed and shaped several times, but the length is getting there, not ZZTop length, yet}

A Question About Voter ID

There are many in this country that believe huge amounts of voter fraud are committed in this country every election. Even to the extent that they want to bring Jim Crow laws back to help curb election shenanigans (I think that voter laws are the true fraud, but anyway).

So many states now require ID in a number of forms for proof of residency. Here in lies the dilemma, as everyone becomes part of (actually pushed to) a paperless society, how are we going to produce the required documentation. I know we can just pull out our "smart phones" and produce our utility bills, but who now confirms that that is a legitimate and valid address? No longer do the utility companies get a returned post for being undeliverable.

As we move away from snail mail, we lose that confirmation. Will the loss of this verification, open the door to more fraud at the polls. Everyone clamors for documented citizens, but with a paperless world how is that going to work?

<BTW I believe in an environmentally sound world>