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What Are You Reading?

Started by Arturo, March 15, 2017, 11:02:09 PM

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Recusant

Quote from: Gloucester on March 23, 2017, 10:24:01 AMWith regards to Obamacare: good idea overall but the idea of fining someone because they might be too poor to already have medical cover is just insane! As bad as, in the UK, fining, by denying benefits, those too ill or poor to make it to an interview, with a benefits officer, on time.

Under the ACA (Obamacare) those who were too poor to buy health insurance were supposed to be able to sign up for Medicaid. Because of various political hijinks that didn't always work, but the idea was that fines would be levied on people who could afford health insurance but refused to get it.
"Religion is fundamentally opposed to everything I hold in veneration — courage, clear thinking, honesty, fairness, and above all, love of the truth."
— H. L. Mencken


Dave

Quote from: Recusant on March 23, 2017, 11:33:35 AM
Quote from: Gloucester on March 23, 2017, 10:24:01 AMWith regards to Obamacare: good idea overall but the idea of fining someone because they might be too poor to already have medical cover is just insane! As bad as, in the UK, fining, by denying benefits, those too ill or poor to make it to an interview, with a benefits officer, on time.

Under the ACA (Obamacare) those who were too poor to buy health insurance were supposed to be able to sign up for Medicaid. Because of various political hijinks that didn't always work, but the idea was that fines would be levied on people who could afford health insurance but refused to get it.

Ah. Still not sure that it is a good idea. If those with the means but not the inclination charge them the full cost of all medical aid tgey get, ecen in emergencies.  In the UK I am a fan of charging those who can afford to get drunk for the ambulance and "hotel charges" that the injuries gained through their drinking often need.
Tomorrow is precious, don't ruin it by fouling up today.
Passed Monday 10th Dec 2018 age 74

solidsquid

Quote from: Father Bruno on March 22, 2017, 06:05:35 PM
Quote from: solidsquid on March 21, 2017, 11:02:19 PM
Quote from: Arturo on March 21, 2017, 02:55:37 AM
Quote from: solidsquid on March 20, 2017, 11:16:03 PM
For a class I'm taking this semester.  Text is decent but quite basic, not a lot of detail.  Instructor is very disorganized.  No worries though, I'm switching programs in the fall anyhow.



What exactly is this for? I read some of the wiki, just says it's techniques for process improvement. I assume it's for engineering?

It's a set of "tools" for process improvement of basically any process.  It makes use of various charts and diagrams along with some statistics to make processes less wasteful.  It's often paired with lean management techniques and you'll often see people refer to Lean Six Sigma and the two methods complement each other.

I had to deal with this process often in my job as a manufacturing representative for the automotive field with regards to quality issues, not so much now because I only deal with wheels, but years ago when I was representing different types of DC motors it could be a pain in the ass (Seat and window motors).

It takes constant monitoring and adequate management systems...one of the  management systems that replaced the Total Quality Management (TQM) from the 80's.

I don't deal with it anymore, but I read an article recently I believe from Crain's Detroit Business that suggested process management can drag some organizations down and dampen innovation, so though you may improve efficiency you run the risk if the process management programs are misapplied to areas where you want employees to be innovative.

Maybe you'll get your black belt one day. 8)

A discussion point in my performance consulting course was essentially, "how much is too much?"  The point was that improvement projects can get out of hand and grow to become their own wasteful endeavors.  It becomes a balancing act to try and not waste money by trying to save money from being wasted.

Dave

Quote from: solidsquid on March 23, 2017, 03:10:13 PM
Quote from: Father Bruno on March 22, 2017, 06:05:35 PM
Quote from: solidsquid on March 21, 2017, 11:02:19 PM
Quote from: Arturo on March 21, 2017, 02:55:37 AM
Quote from: solidsquid on March 20, 2017, 11:16:03 PM
For a class I'm taking this semester.  Text is decent but quite basic, not a lot of detail.  Instructor is very disorganized.  No worries though, I'm switching programs in the fall anyhow.



What exactly is this for? I read some of the wiki, just says it's techniques for process improvement. I assume it's for engineering?

It's a set of "tools" for process improvement of basically any process.  It makes use of various charts and diagrams along with some statistics to make processes less wasteful.  It's often paired with lean management techniques and you'll often see people refer to Lean Six Sigma and the two methods complement each other.

I had to deal with this process often in my job as a manufacturing representative for the automotive field with regards to quality issues, not so much now because I only deal with wheels, but years ago when I was representing different types of DC motors it could be a pain in the ass (Seat and window motors).

It takes constant monitoring and adequate management systems...one of the  management systems that replaced the Total Quality Management (TQM) from the 80's.

I don't deal with it anymore, but I read an article recently I believe from Crain's Detroit Business that suggested process management can drag some organizations down and dampen innovation, so though you may improve efficiency you run the risk if the process management programs are misapplied to areas where you want employees to be innovative.

Maybe you'll get your black belt one day. 8)

A discussion point in my performance consulting course was essentially, "how much is too much?"  The point was that improvement projects can get out of hand and grow to become their own wasteful endeavors.  It becomes a balancing act to try and not waste money by trying to save money from being wasted.
OK, I'll just stop gilding this lily then . . .
Tomorrow is precious, don't ruin it by fouling up today.
Passed Monday 10th Dec 2018 age 74

solidsquid

I had never heard that expression before, had to Google it...quite fitting once I knew what the heck you were talking about   ;D

Guardian85

Was in the specialty book store in Tromsø a few weeks ago, looking for something to read. But before getting to the stack of old "Conan the Barbarian" comics i happened past the shelf containing works of Terry Pratchett. I remembered hearing that his books were quite good from someone on this forum (I believe I was likened to a character at one point) and decided to give it a go.

Now, five books later I'm hooked!


"If scientist means 'not the dumbest motherfucker in the room,' I guess I'm a scientist, then."
-Unknown Smartass-

Tank

Quote from: Guardian85 on May 22, 2017, 10:04:16 PM
Was in the specialty book store in Tromsø a few weeks ago, looking for something to read. But before getting to the stack of old "Conan the Barbarian" comics i happened past the shelf containing works of Terry Pratchett. I remembered hearing that his books were quite good from someone on this forum (I believe I was likened to a character at one point) and decided to give it a go.

Now, five books later I'm hooked!
35 to go :)
If religions were TV channels atheism is turning the TV off.
"Religion is a culture of faith; science is a culture of doubt." ― Richard P. Feynman
'It is said that your life flashes before your eyes just before you die. That is true, it's called Life.' - Terry Pratchett
Remember, your inability to grasp science is not a valid argument against it.

Icarus

Highly recommended for the politically observant types: Not a Scientist: How politicians mistake, misrepresent, and utterly mangle science.  By Dave Levitan   A non fiction book about that which the subtitle implies.  A most illustrative read of the chicanery, whether intentional or not, of our representatives and senators.   A most relevant book to digest and to then regret that our typical American, non reader, public, will never even get a sniff of the reality of political games playing.

I strongly suspect that the general descriptions within the texts will also fit the political scenarios of other nations.

Arturo

Quote from: Icarus on June 24, 2017, 11:44:35 PM
Highly recommended for the politically observant types: Not a Scientist: How politicians mistake, misrepresent, and utterly mangle science.  By Dave Levitan   A non fiction book about that which the subtitle implies.  A most illustrative read of the chicanery, whether intentional or not, of our representatives and senators.   A most relevant book to digest and to then regret that our typical American, non reader, public, will never even get a sniff of the reality of political games playing.

I strongly suspect that the general descriptions within the texts will also fit the political scenarios of other nations.

I'll pick that up
It's Okay To Say You're Welcome
     Just let people be themselves.
     Arturo The1  リ壱

Velma

At the moment, I'm only reading one book, Nemesis by Jo Nesbo. It is the forth in a series of Norwegian crime novels featuring the surly, reclusive Harry Hole. Friday I finished up The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde and Silence of the Grave by Arnaldur Indridason.
Life is but a momentary glimpse of the wonder of the astonishing universe, and it is sad to see so many dreaming it away on spiritual fantasy.~Carl Sagan

Sandra Craft

I just finished "On the Move: a life" by Oliver Sacks.  Not my favorite of his books (enjoyed what he wrote about his work more than anything else), but I did like it. 

Halfway thru "The Simple Art of Murder" by Raymond Chandler.  Starts off with a short but every entertaining essay by the same name, and then a collection of short stories.
Sandy

  

"Life is short, and it is up to you to make it sweet."  Sarah Louise Delany

Tom62

I'm reading Neal Asher's "The Technician" (2011), which is closely linked to "Dark Intelligence" (2015).

QuoteThe Theocracy has been dead for twenty years, and the Polity rules on Masada – but it is an order that the rebels of the Tidy Squad cannot accept, and the iconic Jeremiah Tombs is top of their hitlist.

Tombs, meanwhile, has escaped his sanatorium. His insanity must be cured, because the near-mythical hooder, called 'the Technician', that attacked him all those years ago, did something to his mind even the AIs fail to understand. Tombs might possess information about the suicide of an entire alien race. It's up to the war drone Amistad to discover this information, with the help of an ex-rebel Commander, the black AI Penny Royal and the amphidapt Chanter.

Meanwhile, in deep space, the mechanism the Atheter used to reduce themselves to animals stirs from slumber and begins to power-up its weapons . . .
The universe never did make sense; I suspect it was built on government contract.
Robert A. Heinlein

Icarus

Checked out a library book whose title looked interesting: Goldilocks and the Water Bears.... By Louisa Preston.
This random selection turned out to be one of the most interesting and informative books that have cometo my attention in a long time.  Ms Preston is an Astrobiologist and planetary geologist at Birkbeck, University of London. She is a UK Space Agency Aurora Research fellow. Her research focuses on places on earth in which life is able to survive despite extreme conditions. Such habitats provide clues on what alien life forms might look like and where we should search for them.

The author brilliantly explains some complexities in such a way that they are easily understood. An example is her easy explanation of how the Periodic table is constructed. She gets into some super duper biological concepts and makes them seem both logical and simple enough to understand.

Ms Preston is quite taken with Water Bears, which are actually Tardigrades. It seems that the water bears are the most durable critters imaginable. They are able to survive in conditions that would spell destruction for most other life forms. They have survived laboratory exposure to temperatures ranging from minus 450 F to plus 300F. Durable little dudes one could say. Preston talks about Prokaryotes ans Eukaryotes and cyanobacteria and ediacaran fauna and plenty of other strange things without confusing the reader. She is very good at explanations of complex technologies.

The word Goldilocks, in the title, of course refers to other worlds where life forms are more nearly possible or even probable. Not too hot, not too cold, just right.  ISBN 978-1-4729-2009-6 also available as E-book. 978-1-4729-2008-9

Dave

Quote from: Icarus on June 28, 2017, 07:33:29 PM
Checked out a library book whose title looked interesting: Goldilocks and the Water Bears.... By Louisa Preston.
This random selection turned out to be one of the most interesting and informative books that have cometo my attention in a long time.  Ms Preston is an Astrobiologist and planetary geologist at Birkbeck, University of London. She is a UK Space Agency Aurora Research fellow. Her research focuses on places on earth in which life is able to survive despite extreme conditions. Such habitats provide clues on what alien life forms might look like and where we should search for them.

The author brilliantly explains some complexities in such a way that they are easily understood. An example is her easy explanation of how the Periodic table is constructed. She gets into some super duper biological concepts and makes them seem both logical and simple enough to understand.

Ms Preston is quite taken with Water Bears, which are actually Tardigrades. It seems that the water bears are the most durable critters imaginable. They are able to survive in conditions that would spell destruction for most other life forms. They have survived laboratory exposure to temperatures ranging from minus 450 F to plus 300F. Durable little dudes one could say. Preston talks about Prokaryotes ans Eukaryotes and cyanobacteria and ediacaran fauna and plenty of other strange things without confusing the reader. She is very good at explanations of complex technologies.

The word Goldilocks, in the title, of course refers to other worlds where life forms are more nearly possible or even probable. Not too hot, not too cold, just right.  ISBN 978-1-4729-2009-6 also available as E-book. 978-1-4729-2008-9

But, as I am sure the lady mentioned the definition of "not too hot or too cold" has changed a bit. Goldilocks is a bit broader than she once was! Not sure if there has been any change in the need for liquid water, IIRC there are many bugs that hsppily live on ice, if slowly. Then there nematodes that live literally miles (well, at least a couple) below Earth's surface in pretty harsh conditions. Plus bactetia even deeper.

Think I may look for that book, thanks, Icarus.
Tomorrow is precious, don't ruin it by fouling up today.
Passed Monday 10th Dec 2018 age 74

Sandra Craft

Just started "Hillbilly Elegy" by JD Vance.  Enjoying it more than I thought I would -- I was half expecting a sulky, "me first" type rant to crop up every now and then but I'm in chp 4 and so far it's been entirely reasonable and self-aware.
Sandy

  

"Life is short, and it is up to you to make it sweet."  Sarah Louise Delany