Comments on: Astronaut? http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/ Random samplings from a universe of ideas. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 16:48:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: The AstroDyke http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/comment-page-1/#comment-92447 The AstroDyke Fri, 28 Aug 2009 18:52:02 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/#comment-92447 It cheers me that the laser-guided milker has a BIG RED BUTTON, just like a telescope, for an emergency shutdown. You know, just in case the milker goes berserk and threatens Cleveland. It cheers me that the laser-guided milker has a BIG RED BUTTON, just like a telescope, for an emergency shutdown. You know, just in case the milker goes berserk and threatens Cleveland.

]]> By: Eunoia http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/comment-page-1/#comment-91517 Eunoia Fri, 21 Aug 2009 17:09:16 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/#comment-91517 You missed the facts about how the race timing is done for the sailing regattas off the Isle of Wight (UK) . . . . . . . . . . . Lasers @ Cowes ;-) You missed the facts about how the race timing is done for the sailing regattas off the Isle of Wight (UK) .
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Lasers @ Cowes ;-)

]]> By: Chris W. http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/comment-page-1/#comment-91465 Chris W. Fri, 21 Aug 2009 01:44:16 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/#comment-91465 Thanks, Julianne. That did the trick. Of course, I guess that just gives Internet Explorer haters another reason to dump on it. (Maybe IE 8 would do better.) Your browser (Firefox or Chrome?) is probably doing the right thing with the width setting. Thanks, Julianne. That did the trick. Of course, I guess that just gives Internet Explorer haters another reason to dump on it. (Maybe IE 8 would do better.) Your browser (Firefox or Chrome?) is probably doing the right thing with the width setting.

]]> By: Jim http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/comment-page-1/#comment-91395 Jim Thu, 20 Aug 2009 19:25:40 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/#comment-91395 Alternate punchline: "Consider a frictionless spherical cow..." Alternate punchline: “Consider a frictionless spherical cow…”

]]> By: Sarah http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/comment-page-1/#comment-91388 Sarah Thu, 20 Aug 2009 17:48:34 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/#comment-91388 "get lucky with an astronaut" <snorts milk out nose> And yes, the laser light show should include this Floyd: http://anytime.co.jp/rock/_img/Atom_Heart_Mother.jpg “get lucky with an astronaut”

And yes, the laser light show should include this Floyd: http://anytime.co.jp/rock/_img/Atom_Heart_Mother.jpg

]]> By: Spiv http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/comment-page-1/#comment-91381 Spiv Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:34:32 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/#comment-91381 I've got to admit, as a person who does a lot of computer controlled machinery I think this thing sounds awesome. And yes, I would have loved to have put "developed laser guided teat-finder" on my resume. That's the sort of thing that gets you an interview just so they can ask you a question. Alas, I'll have to wait quite some time for the next opportunity to work on such a project. I was soooo close too, I make stuff for astronauts. I just made the mistake of thinking the space program was the right place! I’ve got to admit, as a person who does a lot of computer controlled machinery I think this thing sounds awesome. And yes, I would have loved to have put “developed laser guided teat-finder” on my resume. That’s the sort of thing that gets you an interview just so they can ask you a question. Alas, I’ll have to wait quite some time for the next opportunity to work on such a project.

I was soooo close too, I make stuff for astronauts. I just made the mistake of thinking the space program was the right place!

]]> By: GastroNomalies » Blog Archive » Cows in Space http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/comment-page-1/#comment-91379 GastroNomalies » Blog Archive » Cows in Space Thu, 20 Aug 2009 15:24:49 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/#comment-91379 [...] a futuristic laser guidance system, we now have a new way to MILK COWS. Cows and laser beams, gotta love it. Laser Guided Cow Milking [...] [...] a futuristic laser guidance system, we now have a new way to MILK COWS. Cows and laser beams, gotta love it. Laser Guided Cow Milking [...]

]]> By: Grant Canyon http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/comment-page-1/#comment-91363 Grant Canyon Thu, 20 Aug 2009 13:40:43 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/#comment-91363 "I’m an economics graduate student, and I will certainly save this video for a future introductory course as the best example ever of substituting capital for labour." Great. The big $$ manufacturer gets richer and the poor farm hand who's lost his job is on the public dole and gets poorer. (Oh, but they may offer "job retraining." LMAO.) Wonderful “I’m an economics graduate student, and I will certainly save this video for a future introductory course as the best example ever of substituting capital for labour.”

Great. The big $$ manufacturer gets richer and the poor farm hand who’s lost his job is on the public dole and gets poorer. (Oh, but they may offer “job retraining.” LMAO.) Wonderful

]]> By: aisw http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/comment-page-1/#comment-91338 aisw Thu, 20 Aug 2009 08:06:40 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/#comment-91338 Easier said than done. Easier said than done.

]]> By: Chris http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/comment-page-1/#comment-91331 Chris Thu, 20 Aug 2009 04:11:30 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/#comment-91331 Here's a song by Miriam Makeba that I choose to believe is about cows and lasers. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V74f9eIi9c0 Here’s a song by Miriam Makeba that I choose to believe is about cows and lasers.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V74f9eIi9c0

]]> By: I.P. Freeley http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/comment-page-1/#comment-91329 I.P. Freeley Thu, 20 Aug 2009 03:20:24 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/#comment-91329 It has been a lifelong fantasy of mine to get lucky with an astronaut... It has been a lifelong fantasy of mine to get lucky with an astronaut…

]]> By: Julianne http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/comment-page-1/#comment-91324 Julianne Thu, 20 Aug 2009 01:55:17 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/#comment-91324 Sorry Chris -- Looks fine under my browser. I changed the image width from "100%" to a fixed size, so hopefully that will work better for you. Sorry Chris — Looks fine under my browser. I changed the image width from “100%” to a fixed size, so hopefully that will work better for you.

]]> By: Chris W. http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/comment-page-1/#comment-91316 Chris W. Thu, 20 Aug 2009 00:35:17 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/#comment-91316 Could you replace that gigantic image by something sized more appropriately for the page? I have to slide the horizontal scroll bar halfway to Chicago to see the whole thing, and it makes vertical scrolling kind of sluggish as well. (I'm using IE 7, although I don't think that has any bearing on it.) Could you replace that gigantic image by something sized more appropriately for the page? I have to slide the horizontal scroll bar halfway to Chicago to see the whole thing, and it makes vertical scrolling kind of sluggish as well.

(I’m using IE 7, although I don’t think that has any bearing on it.)

]]> By: Brian http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/comment-page-1/#comment-91315 Brian Thu, 20 Aug 2009 00:20:20 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/#comment-91315 @Jim, Hey, that's not milk (eewwww!!). @Jim,

Hey, that’s not milk (eewwww!!).

]]> By: Jim Harrison http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/comment-page-1/#comment-91311 Jim Harrison Wed, 19 Aug 2009 23:40:10 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/#comment-91311 Yeah, it's all very funny until the first drunk farmhand wanders into the machine and lowers his pants on a bet. Yeah, it’s all very funny until the first drunk farmhand wanders into the machine and lowers his pants on a bet.

]]> By: ARJ http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/comment-page-1/#comment-91307 ARJ Wed, 19 Aug 2009 22:33:51 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/#comment-91307 So I guess one can now say that 'we can invent a computerized laser-guided automatic cow-milking machine but we can't [insert personal pet peeve here]'... So I guess one can now say that ‘we can invent a computerized laser-guided automatic cow-milking machine but we can’t [insert personal pet peeve here]‘…

]]> By: per http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/comment-page-1/#comment-91288 per Wed, 19 Aug 2009 19:53:59 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/#comment-91288 Hm Hm. I wonder if it can talk and cuddle with the cows also.... If not. Bad invention. Hm Hm.

I wonder if it can talk and cuddle with the cows also…. If not. Bad invention.

]]> By: Sili http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/comment-page-1/#comment-91279 Sili Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:56:44 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/#comment-91279 Being of peasant extraction I think this is awesome. The cows decide for themselves when they want to get milked (some of them love it and go back for more - most likely because they get some goodies to chew on while they wait - that's another reason for the nametag - we don't want them to get overfed). And the farmhands don't have to drag around the machines (they're <em>heavy</em>). Being of peasant extraction I think this is awesome.

The cows decide for themselves when they want to get milked (some of them love it and go back for more – most likely because they get some goodies to chew on while they wait – that’s another reason for the nametag – we don’t want them to get overfed). And the farmhands don’t have to drag around the machines (they’re heavy).

]]> By: Julianne http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/comment-page-1/#comment-91277 Julianne Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:51:06 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/#comment-91277 I'm tickled by the thought of the engineers working on this. Somebody had to have a lot of expertise to decide on the proper algorithm for laser-guided teat finding. Maybe it was even a small team, and then there'd be project management meetings -- "Jane, how's the laser-guided teat finding going? Have you solved the short-cow failure mode yet?" I’m tickled by the thought of the engineers working on this. Somebody had to have a lot of expertise to decide on the proper algorithm for laser-guided teat finding. Maybe it was even a small team, and then there’d be project management meetings — “Jane, how’s the laser-guided teat finding going? Have you solved the short-cow failure mode yet?”

]]> By: Trevor http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/comment-page-1/#comment-91275 Trevor Wed, 19 Aug 2009 18:38:34 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2009/08/19/astronaut/#comment-91275 This is absolutely hilarious... and amazing! I'm an economics graduate student, and I will certainly save this video for a future introductory course as the best example ever of substituting capital for labour. .... that is, until Microsoft perfects the MSN Chat Bots and deploys imaginary friends to replace our real ones. This is absolutely hilarious… and amazing! I’m an economics graduate student, and I will certainly save this video for a future introductory course as the best example ever of substituting capital for labour.

…. that is, until Microsoft perfects the MSN Chat Bots and deploys imaginary friends to replace our real ones.

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