I know the physics establishment is aging, but the lastest
topics on this list are just plain boring. (I) Yeah, I had
some nice calculators until they became obsolete. Yeah, I
can still use a slide rule if necessary. Yeah, I had a
real good light bulb in the kitchen until it burned out!
Come on! (II) Yeah, I know American students didn't do
very well on these tests. Two responses are possible--I
think the most productive would be to try to interact with
our local school divisions to try to improve things. You
also need to realize that in many countries the
college/university preparatory schools are not attended by
many all of the population of youngsters. The schools are
used much more for the selection of the members of a very
small group of students who will go to the university.
(III) Maybe, it doesn't make sense to say that a capacitor
is charged, but it could worse. When I was taking general
physics they were not called capacitors--they were called
condensers--try that on for confusion. After all, what is
condensed. (IV)The cost of textbooks is high. I think
that a part of it is the cost of producing and maketing the
books. I understand that another part is the new tax rules
that penalize publishers for keeping books in print for
very long and lead to the--new edition a month mentality.
I don't know if it is possible to change the tax laws so
that publishers would be able to keep a few more copies in
the inventory and charge less, but we might explore it!
The threads on radiation pressure and apparent weight I
have found interesting, and it seems that there is some
agreement about these matters. I think we should stop
talking about our favorite slide rules and concentrate on
some physics.
Sorry about the sermon. WBN
Barlow Newbolt
Department of Physics and Engineering
Washington and Lee University
Lexington, VA 24450
Telephone and Phone Mail: 540-463-8881
Fax: 540-463-8884
e-mail: NewboltW@madison.acad.wlu.edu
"Prediction is very difficult, especially about the future."