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Archive 2010Beware Radioactive Lenses
p.7 #1Beware Radioactive Lenses
Lotusm50 wrote:
Exactly. except I would modify it this way "(I am speaking of English, not certain regional American sub-dialects)." ;-)
An appropriate modification, indeed. (Yo, wuddup, bro... Git offa ma land 'for I done shoot ya.)
On the other hand, isn't "ain't" actually in your dictionary? How did that happen?
Exactly. except I would modify it this way "(I am speaking of English, not certain regional American sub-dialects)." ;-)
An appropriate modification, indeed. (Yo, wuddup, bro... Git offa ma land 'for I done shoot ya.)
On the other hand, isn't "ain't" actually in your dictionary? How did that happen?
Dec 19, 2010 at 07:49 AM
p.7 #2Beware Radioactive Lenses
alexandre wrote:
Not such a bad thing.
Many English speakers could use a very good dose of this, IMO.Beware Radioactive Paul. 
Ah, I knew some of you would be thinking this.
Writing on the Internet and speaking in person are two very different things (unfortunately?).
cogitech wrote
Haifisch M3 wrote
If you ever watch germans speak in public you will see how they carefully measure their words and speak slowly.Many English speakers could use a very good dose of this, IMO.
Ah, I knew some of you would be thinking this.
Writing on the Internet and speaking in person are two very different things (unfortunately?).
Dec 19, 2010 at 07:53 AM
p.7 #3Beware Radioactive Lenses
Lotusm50 wrote:
Anyone who thinks that modern English is less functional, less expressive, less able to convey one's thoughts and meaning than Old West Germanic Saxon is truly smoking something.
Nope, it's gotta be something else.
Anyone who thinks that modern English is less functional, less expressive, less able to convey one's thoughts and meaning than Old West Germanic Saxon is truly smoking something.
Nope, it's gotta be something else.
Dec 19, 2010 at 07:56 AM
p.7 #4Beware Radioactive Lenses
Haifisch M3 wrote:
The problem is the loaned words from other languages, such as latin and greek.
Swedish: Vi är här
English: We are here
German: Wir sind hier
They do. But not as much as in english.Deutsch_English
Mutter=mother
Vater=father
The German pronounciation (fart-er) is funny to many of us brits as a farter is someone who has flatulence!
Haifisch M3 wrote:
Maus=mouse (sounds the same)
Schwein=swine
Except that Schwein in German= Pig in English...You would never hear British Pig farmers call themselves Schwein farmers!
Haifisch M3 wrote:
once you know German, learning English is a piece of cake
No so the other way round though...We brits dont use masculine, neutral, or feminine terms in our language as most European languages do, and thats the hardest part of learning foreign languages if your British. The fact that the French say everything backward compared to in English does'nt help either. For example, we say "the Eiffle Tower" but the french say the Tower de Eiffel.
Still, thats a mute point as there is no need to learn other languages if your British as English is the number one international language
Makten wrote
If you strip english down to the simplest verbs, pronouns and such where latin is less common; then you will understand that the "base" of the language is very much more like swedish than german.The problem is the loaned words from other languages, such as latin and greek.
Swedish: Vi är här
English: We are here
German: Wir sind hier
Earlier quote
AFAIK neither Swedish Norwegian nor Danish have much Latin in themMutter=mother
Vater=father
The German pronounciation (fart-er) is funny to many of us brits as a farter is someone who has flatulence!
Haifisch M3 wrote:
Maus=mouse (sounds the same)
Schwein=swine
Except that Schwein in German= Pig in English...You would never hear British Pig farmers call themselves Schwein farmers!
Haifisch M3 wrote:
once you know German, learning English is a piece of cake
No so the other way round though...We brits dont use masculine, neutral, or feminine terms in our language as most European languages do, and thats the hardest part of learning foreign languages if your British. The fact that the French say everything backward compared to in English does'nt help either. For example, we say "the Eiffle Tower" but the french say the Tower de Eiffel.
Still, thats a mute point as there is no need to learn other languages if your British as English is the number one international language
Dec 19, 2010 at 07:58 AM
p.7 #5Beware Radioactive Lenses
Lotusm50 wrote:
Eh hem. "degenerated"? Really, another word might be more appropriate than one that pejoratively casts aspersions (in almost every sense of the word).
Also this is over simplified if not inaccurate. At the time the Germanic Angles and the Saxons settlers in Britain there were several Germanic languages and dialects. English grew out of Old English which grew out of old West Germanic languages of the Angles and Saxons (not to be confused with East Germanic (Goths, Vandals, etc.) or North Germanic languages). "Old-German" is misleading (which old Germanic language?) if not incorrect because if you mean the precursor of what...Show more →
But before the Romans we had the Celts, Picts, Gaels and several other tribal groups...All of which imparted some of their language into present day English.
Haifisch M3 wrote
English is actually degenerated old-German with lots of latin vocabulary (both Romans and French occupied England) hence the latin influence in the languageAlso this is over simplified if not inaccurate. At the time the Germanic Angles and the Saxons settlers in Britain there were several Germanic languages and dialects. English grew out of Old English which grew out of old West Germanic languages of the Angles and Saxons (not to be confused with East Germanic (Goths, Vandals, etc.) or North Germanic languages). "Old-German" is misleading (which old Germanic language?) if not incorrect because if you mean the precursor of what...Show more →
But before the Romans we had the Celts, Picts, Gaels and several other tribal groups...All of which imparted some of their language into present day English.
Dec 19, 2010 at 08:08 AM
p.7 #6Beware Radioactive Lenses
adamdewilde wrote:
+1
Just because the grammar has been simplified, it does not follow that the language has degenerated. (I am speaking of English, not American )You think "American" is bad, you should hear most Singaporean's speak English.
And again, I speak American, so I'm not really one to talk, but WOW Singlish is pretty bad! And I wouldn't make fun of another culture trying to pickup a foreign language, but English is the primary language here, it's used in schools. My fiance speaks proper English, she's very well spoken and multilingual as well.. How it's lost on some people I don't know?!
On another note, I wish I had a british accent, it really works a crowd of girls over here in SG.
Really?...Singapore is going on my places to visit list
cogitech wrote
Lotusm50 wrote
"Evolved", "simplified", "rationalized", "streamlined", "unencumbered", even "improved" all might be better descriptors than "degenerated".Just because the grammar has been simplified, it does not follow that the language has degenerated. (I am speaking of English, not American
)And again, I speak American, so I'm not really one to talk, but WOW Singlish is pretty bad! And I wouldn't make fun of another culture trying to pickup a foreign language, but English is the primary language here, it's used in schools. My fiance speaks proper English, she's very well spoken and multilingual as well.. How it's lost on some people I don't know?!
On another note, I wish I had a british accent, it really works a crowd of girls over here in SG.
Really?...Singapore is going on my places to visit list
Dec 19, 2010 at 08:13 AM
p.7 #7Beware Radioactive Lenses
Alf Beharie wrote:
Vater=father
The German pronounciation (fart-er) is funny to many of us brits as a farter is someone who has flatulence!
...and that's only because you Brits don't pronounce your bloody "Rs".
To those of us English speakers who actually pronounce the Rs in words, the German "Vater" (fah-tuh) sounds like a Brit saying "farter", which is funny for an entirely different reason.
What I don't get is how the Brits can pronounce an "R" just fine if it comes at the beginning of a word or after another consonant (sometimes), but then just mumble it if it comes anywhere else:
Examples:
BRitish BReakfast
ringer = "ring-ah"
burger = "buh-gah"
So, you folks are capable of making the sound, but just can't be bothered?
Of course, the Germans say "buh-gah" too, and it is their word...
BTW, it should read "Vater=father=Vader"
Vater=father
The German pronounciation (fart-er) is funny to many of us brits as a farter is someone who has flatulence!
...and that's only because you Brits don't pronounce your bloody "Rs".
To those of us English speakers who actually pronounce the Rs in words, the German "Vater" (fah-tuh) sounds like a Brit saying "farter", which is funny for an entirely different reason.
What I don't get is how the Brits can pronounce an "R" just fine if it comes at the beginning of a word or after another consonant (sometimes), but then just mumble it if it comes anywhere else:
Examples:
BRitish BReakfast
ringer = "ring-ah"
burger = "buh-gah"
So, you folks are capable of making the sound, but just can't be bothered?
Of course, the Germans say "buh-gah" too, and it is their word...
BTW, it should read "Vater=father=Vader"
Dec 19, 2010 at 08:18 AM
p.7 #8Beware Radioactive Lenses
kidtexas wrote:
Alf Beharie wrote
Ever heard of a microwave oven?...There is a reason they use microwaves of a certain frequency because water absorbs the radiation and this heats it up.The human body is mostly water but it also has DNA to worry about and one of the side effects of heating water in the human body is DNA damage...And that can lead to Cancer...This is why the extended use of mobile phones, which TX at microwave frequencies, is becoming a cause of concern to many. Ever wondered why your head feels warm when you have been talking on your mobile phone for a while...Well now you know!
I could rewrite your paragraph like so:
'Ever heard of a laser? Some power visible light lasers can really burn you! We should be wary of all sources of visible light due to possible burn/DNA damage. Only turn on the lights in your house in times of absolute need!'
Ionizing radiation is nasty because more or less EVERY collision can ionize the target. In the case of x-rays, gamma rays, etc., it is true that this is a photon/electromagnetic radiation just like visible light and RF. However, visible light and RF aren't...Show more →
I am a radio ham and so I am fully aware of the dangers of RF, and how the risk increases as the frequency increases and how close you are to the antenna.
Just because we are exposed to RF all the time in our daily lives does not mean its safe to humans.
It all depends on the wavelength of the RF and the wavelength of your body or parts of it, such as your head...The average adult male body is the same height as as a half wavelength at 70mhz (4 metres) and therefore 4m RF is fully absorbed by a standing individual, whereas sitting down and you may fully absorb RF at 145mhz (2 metres). At micowave frequencies (1000ghz and above), as used by mobile phones the wavelength is in the cm range, much like the height of your ear, so your ear will absorb a lot of the RF...and its does'nt matter that the RF output power of the phone may only be 1 watt max, its the close proximity of the phones antenna to your ear that is the problem as it ensures the point of highest field strength is right next to your body.
Worst case senario, RF can ruin your eyesight or even make you go blind by boiling the water in your eyeballs!...Not something to be underestimated and neither is the risk from radioctive lenses IMO.
Dec 19, 2010 at 08:50 AM
p.7 #9Beware Radioactive Lenses
The thing with cellphone radiation is that the long-term effects are not well known, especially the non-thermal effects. The research results on it (some funded by major telecom companies, some not) are contradictory. It's been said that the radiation disturbs the blood-brain barrier.
I'm not particularly concerned with damaging my health in this respect because I hardly ever use a cellphone (I'm not on the road much, so don't need one), but whenever I do, I do get a strange feeling in my head and I'm convinced it's not a placebo effect.
I'm not particularly concerned with damaging my health in this respect because I hardly ever use a cellphone (I'm not on the road much, so don't need one), but whenever I do, I do get a strange feeling in my head and I'm convinced it's not a placebo effect.
Dec 19, 2010 at 09:07 AM
p.7 #10Beware Radioactive Lenses
cogitech wrote:
The German pronounciation (fart-er) is funny to many of us brits as a farter is someone who has flatulence!...and that's only because you Brits don't pronounce your bloody "Rs".
To those of us English speakers who actually pronounce the Rs in words, the German "Vater" (fah-tuh) sounds like a Brit saying "farter", which is funny for an entirely different reason.
What I don't get is how the Brits can pronounce an "R" just fine if it comes at the beginning of a word or after another consonant (sometimes), but then just mumble it if it comes anywhere else:
Examples:
BRitish BReakfast
ringer = "ring-ah"
burger = "buh-gah"
So, you folks are capable of making the sound, but just...Show more →
Its not that simple as just saying "us Brits" because the pronounciation of certain words depends on where in the country you come from (eg: regional accents/dialects) too...Someone from Birmingham for example, will add a "g" or "geh" sound onto the end of words ending with the letters "in"...For example: "Thin" is pronounced thing-geh. Go to Newcastle and "down" is pronounced "doon" and "town" as "toon" etc Go to East London and they "drop their h's", so "hairy" is pronounced "airy" and someone named Harry would be called "arry" etc.
I come from Middlesex so I have no accent and I always pronounce fings perfekly
Alf Beharie wrote
Vater=fatherThe German pronounciation (fart-er) is funny to many of us brits as a farter is someone who has flatulence!
To those of us English speakers who actually pronounce the Rs in words, the German "Vater" (fah-tuh) sounds like a Brit saying "farter", which is funny for an entirely different reason.
What I don't get is how the Brits can pronounce an "R" just fine if it comes at the beginning of a word or after another consonant (sometimes), but then just mumble it if it comes anywhere else:
Examples:
BRitish BReakfast
ringer = "ring-ah"
burger = "buh-gah"
So, you folks are capable of making the sound, but just...Show more →
Its not that simple as just saying "us Brits" because the pronounciation of certain words depends on where in the country you come from (eg: regional accents/dialects) too...Someone from Birmingham for example, will add a "g" or "geh" sound onto the end of words ending with the letters "in"...For example: "Thin" is pronounced thing-geh. Go to Newcastle and "down" is pronounced "doon" and "town" as "toon" etc Go to East London and they "drop their h's", so "hairy" is pronounced "airy" and someone named Harry would be called "arry" etc.
I come from Middlesex so I have no accent and I always pronounce fings perfekly
Dec 19, 2010 at 09:09 AM
p.7 #11Beware Radioactive Lenses
AhamB wrote:
The thing with cellphone radiation is that the long-term effects are not well known, especially the non-thermal effects. The research results on it (some funded by major telecom companies, some not) are contradictory. It's been said that the radiation disturbs the blood-brain barrier.
Virtually all phones now have a speakerphone setting built in, allowing you to hold the phone at a safe distance from your head whilst still being able to make the call...However your hand is still holding the phone and therefore its right next to the antenna where it can absorb most RF. A hands free kit would eliviate this problem but unless your hands free kit contains a way to pipe the RF to an external antenna via a coax connector in the phone holder then you will still be absorbing RF from the phone.
AhamB wrote:
I'm not particularly concerned with damaging my health in this respect because I hardly ever use a cellphone (I'm not on the road much, so don't need one), but whenever I do, I do get a strange feeling in my head and I'm convinced it's not a placebo effect.
I know exactly what you mean...A bit like a mild headache but with slightly naucious overtones...That is your head absorbing the RF.
The thing with cellphone radiation is that the long-term effects are not well known, especially the non-thermal effects. The research results on it (some funded by major telecom companies, some not) are contradictory. It's been said that the radiation disturbs the blood-brain barrier.
Virtually all phones now have a speakerphone setting built in, allowing you to hold the phone at a safe distance from your head whilst still being able to make the call...However your hand is still holding the phone and therefore its right next to the antenna where it can absorb most RF. A hands free kit would eliviate this problem but unless your hands free kit contains a way to pipe the RF to an external antenna via a coax connector in the phone holder then you will still be absorbing RF from the phone.
AhamB wrote:
I'm not particularly concerned with damaging my health in this respect because I hardly ever use a cellphone (I'm not on the road much, so don't need one), but whenever I do, I do get a strange feeling in my head and I'm convinced it's not a placebo effect.
I know exactly what you mean...A bit like a mild headache but with slightly naucious overtones...That is your head absorbing the RF.
Dec 19, 2010 at 09:20 AM
p.7 #12Beware Radioactive Lenses
cogitech wrote:
Not such a bad thing.
Many English speakers could use a very good dose of this, IMO.Beware Radioactive Paul. Ah, I knew some of you would be thinking this.
Writing on the Internet and speaking in person are two very different things (unfortunately?).
Speaking in person is always the best.
And, just for the record, I like to write 'radioactive way' as well. This does not mean anything negative IMO. Don't worry!
alexandre wrote
cogitech wrote
Haifisch M3 wrote
If you ever watch germans speak in public you will see how they carefully measure their words and speak slowly.Many English speakers could use a very good dose of this, IMO.
Writing on the Internet and speaking in person are two very different things (unfortunately?).
Speaking in person is always the best.
And, just for the record, I like to write 'radioactive way' as well. This does not mean anything negative IMO. Don't worry!
Dec 19, 2010 at 09:30 AM
p.7 #13Beware Radioactive Lenses
Alf Beharie wrote:
But before the Romans we had the Celts, Picts, Gaels and several other tribal groups...All of which imparted some of their language into present day English.
I actually mentioned the Celtic languages (added emphasis in my quote above). Even though Celtic is perhaps the most "indigenous" language to Britain (and we can now all argue over the appropriateness and exact meaning of that word), it's influence on English is seen to be smaller than the French and Norse influences. While we can all pick out a few Celtic words in common use modern English ("Pet", "Bog", "Smidgen", and others more clearly associated as loan words, like "Loch"), the number is relatively small. The Celtic influence on English is seen to be mainly in the area of syntax.
Lotusm50 wrote
So, to make a very long story short, rather than English degenerating from Old German, it is perhaps more accurate and more appropriate to say that English developed and grew out a branch of the West Germanic languages spoke by the Saxons, Angles (and Frisians, for that matter) and broadly assimilated and adopted linguistic influences from the North German/Norse (Eastern and Western varieties) and French languages, not to mention the Celtic languages. In a very real way the language "grew" rather than "degenerated" from it's linguistic predecessor.I actually mentioned the Celtic languages (added emphasis in my quote above). Even though Celtic is perhaps the most "indigenous" language to Britain (and we can now all argue over the appropriateness and exact meaning of that word), it's influence on English is seen to be smaller than the French and Norse influences. While we can all pick out a few Celtic words in common use modern English ("Pet", "Bog", "Smidgen", and others more clearly associated as loan words, like "Loch"), the number is relatively small. The Celtic influence on English is seen to be mainly in the area of syntax.
Dec 19, 2010 at 09:54 AM
p.7 #14Beware Radioactive Lenses
cogitech wrote:
[What I don't get is how the Brits can pronounce an "R" just fine if it comes at the beginning of a word or after another consonant (sometimes), but then just mumble it if it comes anywhere else:
Examples:
burger = "buh-gah"
Of course, in British English there is also "bug-ah"
;-)
[What I don't get is how the Brits can pronounce an "R" just fine if it comes at the beginning of a word or after another consonant (sometimes), but then just mumble it if it comes anywhere else:
Examples:
burger = "buh-gah"
Of course, in British English there is also "bug-ah"
;-)
Dec 19, 2010 at 09:56 AM
p.7 #15Beware Radioactive Lenses
AhamB wrote:
I'm not particularly concerned with damaging my health in this respect because I hardly ever use a cellphone (I'm not on the road much, so don't need one), but whenever I do, I do get a strange feeling in my head and I'm convinced it's not a placebo effect.
it wouldn't be the placebo effect if you weren't.
it's amazing how suggestible we all are (not commenting on whether it is or isn't the placebo effect).
I'm not particularly concerned with damaging my health in this respect because I hardly ever use a cellphone (I'm not on the road much, so don't need one), but whenever I do, I do get a strange feeling in my head and I'm convinced it's not a placebo effect.
it wouldn't be the placebo effect if you weren't.
it's amazing how suggestible we all are (not commenting on whether it is or isn't the placebo effect).
Dec 19, 2010 at 09:57 AM
p.7 #16Beware Radioactive Lenses
AhamB wrote:
I'm not particularly concerned with damaging my health in this respect because I hardly ever use a cellphone (I'm not on the road much, so don't need one), but whenever I do, I do get a strange feeling in my head and I'm convinced it's not a placebo effect.
Some of us are more sensitive to it than others. I swear I can "hear" the radio waves emitted from my wireless access point. It is in my daughters' room on the other side of the wall from where I sleep. If I turn it off, I can't hear it, but when it is on, it is like a mild case of tinnitus but I can actually "hear" the various tones of the "data" flowing. It creeps me out a bit, although I only hear it when the house is otherwise silent, just before I fall asleep.
I'm not particularly concerned with damaging my health in this respect because I hardly ever use a cellphone (I'm not on the road much, so don't need one), but whenever I do, I do get a strange feeling in my head and I'm convinced it's not a placebo effect.
Some of us are more sensitive to it than others. I swear I can "hear" the radio waves emitted from my wireless access point. It is in my daughters' room on the other side of the wall from where I sleep. If I turn it off, I can't hear it, but when it is on, it is like a mild case of tinnitus but I can actually "hear" the various tones of the "data" flowing. It creeps me out a bit, although I only hear it when the house is otherwise silent, just before I fall asleep.
Dec 19, 2010 at 10:16 AM
p.7 #17Beware Radioactive Lenses
Alf Beharie wrote:
I know exactly what you mean...A bit like a mild headache but with slightly naucious overtones...That is your head absorbing the RF.
That's a pretty good description.
I know exactly what you mean...A bit like a mild headache but with slightly naucious overtones...That is your head absorbing the RF.
That's a pretty good description.
Dec 19, 2010 at 10:55 AM
p.7 #18Beware Radioactive Lenses
Alf Beharie wrote:
We brits dont use masculine, neutral, or feminine terms in our language as most European languages do, and thats the hardest part of learning foreign languages if your British.
Coming from anywhere else in Europe doesn't help. Example:
La lune, le soleil.
Der Mond, Die Sonne!
We brits dont use masculine, neutral, or feminine terms in our language as most European languages do, and thats the hardest part of learning foreign languages if your British.
Coming from anywhere else in Europe doesn't help. Example:
La lune, le soleil.
Der Mond, Die Sonne!
Dec 19, 2010 at 11:11 AM
p.7 #19Beware Radioactive Lenses
cogitech wrote:
...and that's only because you Brits don't pronounce your bloody "Rs".
To those of us English speakers who actually pronounce the Rs in words, the German "Vater" (fah-tuh) sounds like a Brit saying "farter", which is funny for an entirely different reason.
Substituting a soft throat noise doesn't count as an R!
No Luke, I am your farter.
...and that's only because you Brits don't pronounce your bloody "Rs".
To those of us English speakers who actually pronounce the Rs in words, the German "Vater" (fah-tuh) sounds like a Brit saying "farter", which is funny for an entirely different reason.
Substituting a soft throat noise doesn't count as an R!
No Luke, I am your farter.
Dec 19, 2010 at 11:13 AM
p.7 #20Beware Radioactive Lenses
cogitech wrote:
Some of us are more sensitive to it than others. I swear I can "hear" the radio waves emitted from my wireless access point. It is in my daughters' room on the other side of the wall from where I sleep. If I turn it off, I can't hear it, but when it is on, it is like a mild case of tinnitus but I can actually "hear" the various tones of the "data" flowing. It creeps me out a bit, although I only hear it when the house is otherwise silent, just before I fall asleep.
Ever done a blind test? Because you know when it's on and when it's off. That will influence your hearing.
AhamB wrote
I'm not particularly concerned with damaging my health in this respect because I hardly ever use a cellphone (I'm not on the road much, so don't need one), but whenever I do, I do get a strange feeling in my head and I'm convinced it's not a placebo effect.Ever done a blind test? Because you know when it's on and when it's off. That will influence your hearing.
Dec 19, 2010 at 11:14 AM