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[Babar]

I'm looking for the title and author of a short story that I think was in Esquire Magazine. I remember reading it in a collection of short stories from Esquire Magazine, but googling doesn't seem to help in this case.
What I can remember of it is that it was about a man at the train station, waiting for something, and he just sat there and sat there and sat there, and I think it ended with him saying "I am paralysed" or something like that.

Its very vague, I know, but hopefully someone will recognise it?

[Cassiebsg]

have you tried another browser? If it works there then fiddle around with the settings of your favourite browser. If it doesn't work with another browser your internet it broken

Haven't tried it from another browser in this PC, but they work fine from Chrome in my tablet...
I think it may have to do with blocking images from sites on Firefox options, but I just can't find the option to see what sites are blocked for pictures... I used to be able to block them with the right button of the mouse and choose to block them, but that option has disappeared from newer versions.
This and the recent "discovery" that there's no longer an option in Firefox to "ask me every time" when sites want to sets cookies, is starting to annoy me, and I may soon look for another browser that lets me have control of how I want my internet surfing to be.

Edit: Okay I just managed to solve this problem. I opened a imgur pic on the browser, choose the "view image info" option on the right mouse button, and the I could see that "block images from this site" box was checked and I could unchecked it.  (love it when I manage to solve a puzzle...)

[bicilotti]

This is a 4 hole Ocarina.
These are its fingering instructions (for a major scale).
Let's say our Ocarina is tuned in C.

To produce a "D sound", I would lift my finger off the top-right hole (the small one), hence going form C to D (2 semitones).
To produce a "E sound", I would lift my finger off the bottom-right hole, hence going from C to E (4 semitones).
Now, to produce F it seems I need to lift my finger off both those two holes. F is 5 semitones away from C, but I would say I 'opened air' for 6 semitones (2+4). How is that possible?

Please enlighten me, ASWCH!

[cat]

I can't quite follow you - if it is tuned in C, according to the chart you have to cover all holes for a C (or leave all open).
When you lift the upper right finger, this should be a D (re). Next is E (mi) etc.

Edit: I do feel a sudden urge to buy an ocarina now

[bicilotti]

I can't quite follow you - if it is tuned in C, according to the chart you have to cover all holes for a C (or leave all open).
When you lift the upper right finger, this should be a D (re). Next is E (mi) etc.

Edit: I do feel a sudden urge to buy an ocarina now

Silly me, I messed up the letters (yup, meant to write D and E)! I edited my post, thanks!

[Erenan]

According to Ocarina Forest, the formula for frequency when blowing into an ocarina is this:

f = (speed of sound/(2*pi))*(sqrt(open area on surface of ocarina)/sqrt(volume of inner chamber * length of air column))

We can treat everything but the open area (A) as a constant (we'll call it B), so we get:

f = B * sqrt(A)

If we say A0 is the area when all finger holes are covered, we get:

Do = B * sqrt(A0)

and higher pitches can be represented as:

pitch(x) = B * sqrt(A0 + x)

so...

Re = B * sqrt(A0 + xRe)
Mi = B * sqrt(A0 + xMi)
Fa = B * sqrt(A0 + xFa)
Fi = B * sqrt(A0 + xFi)

Now, in equal temperament,

Re = Do*(2^(1/6))
Mi = Do*(2^(1/3))
Fa = Do*(2^(5/12))
Fi = Do*(2^(1/2))

so...

B * sqrt(A0 + xRe) = B * sqrt(A0) * (2^(1/6))
B * sqrt(A0 + xMi) = B * sqrt(A0) * (2^(1/3))
B * sqrt(A0 + xFa) = B * sqrt(A0) * (2^(5/12))
B * sqrt(A0 + xFi) = B * sqrt(A0) * (2^(1/2))

Doing some algebra, we get...

xRe = (2^(1/3) - 1) * A0 ~= 0.259921 * A0
xMi = (2^(2/3) - 1) * A0 ~= 0.587401 * A0
xFa = (2^(5/6) - 1) * A0 ~= 0.781797 * A0
xFi = A0 (interesting... you have to double the open area to get a pitch a tritone higher)

Now, simultaneously opening the two holes used for Re and Mi increases the area by (xRe + xMi).

xRe + xMi = (0.259921 * A0) + (0.587401 * A0) = 0.847322 * A0

0.847322 * A0 is closer to xFa than to xFi, so while your Fa might sound a bit sharp, it should register as Fa rather than Fi. This is especially true since the mapping of frequency to pitch is exponential rather than linear, so even halfway between xFa and xFi would register closer to Fa than Fi.


In summary: Change in pitch as a function of open surface area is a square root function. Mapping of frequency to perceived change in pitch is exponential. Both mathematical quirks combine in such a way that the sum of the additional areas needed to produce Re (2 semitones) and Mi (4 semitones) only amount to a little over Fa (5 semitones) rather than Fi (6 semitones).

[bicilotti]

[...]

Quite an explanation, thanks! And great to see you back to the boards!

[Grim]

I have a question regarding a game puzzle (I promise it's not something I would ever do in real life, I just need this for the story/puzzle to make sense).

Imagine a big basement furnace used for heating a house, something like the one in Saw II, or Nightmare On Elm Street films. Now, imagine a small animal with a metal object inside it. Let's say- a key. Finally, let's assume the furnace gets accidentally switched on and the animal dies burned to a crisp (or would it be ashes?...) The question is - will that metal object remain usable when it's retrieved from the body or will it melt/deform completely, rendering it useless?

[Slasher]

will that metal object remain usable when it's retrieved from the body or will it melt/deform completely, rendering it useless?

Considering the heat, even next to the furnace, I've been there, is very hot indeed.

If its a small furnace there may be a chance if the rat is only close to and not inside the furnace. The key could survive almost intact.

If the rat's body has been destroyed, as you say: burnt to a crisp, this would leave the key exposed and I expect it to have melted in some way or just disfigured. I think it depends if it,s in the furnace or near it.. Remember, some furnaces are designed to melt metal....

Just my thought...

[Grim]

Well, it's definitely got to be in the furnace, not near it. The animal would just run away if it's wasn't locked inside.

And it's not the kind of furnace that's designed to melt metal- it's just for burning wood/coal for heating. Not some super-high temperature one.

Thanks for your help Slasher, but I'm still not sure... Any more ideas? - I tried to google it up but only found fat burning diets and gold melting tips...

[Slasher]

If it's just a woodburner then I guess, because it does not reach a very high temperature like industrial furnaces, then I guess the key would survive, if a little tarnished... Put a metal fork on a bonfire and when the fire has died you will find the fork, a little black but usable...

[Gribbler]

Most keys are made of brass which has a melting point of approx. 900C. Temperature in a typical woodburner is around 500-600C. So I guess your key would survive. Not sure thought, you might wanna google those temperatures yourself.

[frenzykitty]

Is this another key in another cat Grim? :O

[Nikolas]

Yes, my guess is also that the key would survive... :-/ The body burns rather easily, compared to metals...

If I may ask your opinion about something, please, in the meantime.

I plan on publishing (B&W) a work for piano, with computer game themes. As such I'd hope to have illustrations that remind a computer game, ergo pixel art.

Do you think that pixel art would look good printed in paper in greyscale?

Examples of other scores with illustrations that I've published:
http://www.musica-ferrum.com/shop_files/images/slyorig_b3071b8286af34079d88a9ed6d34f1e0.png
http://www.musica-ferrum.com/shop_files/images/slyorig_a07f8615b546d07e8ab4533dd172a375.png
http://www.musica-ferrum.com/shop_files/images/slyorig_b293f49cd00a5d64f630cdd8c0c0a1d4.png

[Erenan]

You might consider asking some pixel artists. I mean there are lots here already so some might come along and answer your question, but I'd imagine someone over at Pixelation would have a really solid answer for you too.

[Ghost]

I have an NVidea GeForce GT 220- basic vanilla retail graphics card. When I purchased it, driver version was 1.4. And for some reason each time I try to update it, the graphics card goes into regular crashes afterwards. Screen flickers, there is a short pause, then the screen comes up again and Windows displays "Display driver stopped working and was reset." It also displays a file related to the driver (kernel???.dll)
I wonder if someone knows more about this and if there is a way to get the latest drivers to work. Several games I own on Steam refuse to work with the old driver but DO run with the new one (I tried- but it's really not worth having your screen flicker up every few minutes).

[Theme]

This may or may not be related to your problem.
https://forums.geforce.com/default/topic/550032/geforce-500-400-series/nvidia-driver-320-49-whql-freezing-my-pc/
http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/nvidia-freezes.html
Basicly, try using 314.22 drivers. Lastest good drive before crashing and freezing in windows 7.

[Ghost]

Interesting, thanks a lot; I'll try that out.

[Gurkenbier]

Hello ladies and gents!
I hope this is the right Thread for my little problem...
I'm a german guy who loves Adventures (MM-Style) and try to translate a german AGS-Adventure into an english version.
I've the trs-file and it's looking good to translate the standard phrases.
But I have a problem to translate three definite math-riddles to the right (my math-grades were always bad.)
I try it but I don't know what I'm doing with the translator prog.
Is it right or is it wrong
In this case someone can help me?

Here's the 1st riddle in German:

Auf dem Schild steht ein Zahlenrätsel.
Es lautet ...Gesucht wird eine achtstellige Zahl, die 2 Einsen, 2 Zweien, 2 Dreien und 2 Vieren enthält.
Die Einsen in dieser Zahl sind durch eine Zahl voneinander getrennt, ...
... die Zweien durch zwei Stellen, die Dreien durch drei und die Vieren durch vier Stellen.
Wie lautet die Zahl?
Zuletzt müssen die Ziffern der Zahl addiert werden.

my loose translation with no end is:

On the sign there is written a numeric riddle:
A number with eight digits is searched, which encloses two of 1, two of 2, two of 3 and two of 4.
...

The 2nd riddle:

Du hast wenig Geld und gehst in ein Casino. Beim Spielen konntest du dein Geld verdoppeln.
Dann kaufst du dir für 16 Euro einen Drink. Du spielst weiter und verdoppelst wieder dein Geld.
Und wieder gönnst du dir für 16 Euro einen Drink. Dein Restgeld konntest du beim Weiterspielen wieder verdoppeln.
Und natürlich gibt es danach wieder einen 16 Euro Drink. Dann gehst du völlig pleite aus dem Casino.
Wie viel Geld hattest du bei dir, als du das Casino betreten hast?

and my translation:

You 're low of cash and goes to the casino. After playing you were able to double your money.
Then you buy a drink for 16 euro. You keep on playing and double your money again.
You begrudge a drink for 16 euro again. The residue could you double by playing again.
You buy a drink for 16 euro again. Then you go entirely skint out of the casino.
How much money you has owned when you are going in the casino the first time?

And now th 3rd:

Der hundertste Teil einer Zahl X ergibt das Neunfache des Kehrwertes der Zahl X.
Der Betrag von X sind die letzten Ziffern vom Türcode.

my translation:

The hundredth part of a number X results the ninefold of the reciprocal of X.
The absolute value of X are the last two numbers of the code.

I hope someone can help, correct or comlete my translation quotes. I'm thanksfull for every help!

Thanks a lot...
Gurkenbier

[Ghost]

Well, it's definitely got to be in the furnace, not near it. The animal would just run away if it's wasn't locked inside.
Thanks for your help Slasher, but I'm still not sure... Any more ideas? - I tried to google it up but only found fat burning diets and gold melting tips...

I asked my cousin, who is a firefighter, and he mentioned that sometimes they find even an animal's collar with the tags still in identifiable shape (these rather cheap metal tags). A fire is hot but even in a small controlled hot area you get pockets of air where the temperature is considerably lower, and a chimney fire that burns flesh can leave metal unimpressed. Many room-installed fireplaces ARE made of metal.
His view: It is POSSIBLE for a key to remain at least useable after being in a chimney fire. It's not GUARANTEED though. But the "willing suspension of disbelief" should be on your side at least.

Two additional things:
The metal will be hot, and one could not easily pick it up and store it comfortably. It would have to cool.
Rapid cooling could result in additional "warping" of the metal. A key is a rather precise thing and needs to be a certain shape in order to fit its lock. THIS is what may actually cause more breaking of willing suspension.