I have a book lurking somewhere on the shelves here in the Pleasure Dome (my office) called How to Lie with Statistics by Darrell Huff. Although this is only a slim volume, it packs a punch.
It certainly made an impression on me when I first read it sometime around 40 years ago. It’s amazing to me that this was first published in 1954 and it’s still going strong (4.5 stars on Amazon with 1,864 ratings -- we should all be so lucky).
The reason I mention this here is that my chum Matt Pulzer, who is Editor and Publisher of Practical Electronics magazine in the UK, just sent me an email saying, “One of the best openings in a book.” This was accompanied by a scan of the first page of a book that reads as follows:
Chapter 1
THERMODYNAMICS AND STATISTICAL MECHANICS1.1 Introduction: Thermodynamics and Statistical Mechanics of the Perfect Gas
Ludwig Boltzmann, who spent much of his life studying statistical mechanics, died in 1906, by his own hand. Paul Ehrenfest, carrying on the work, died similarly in 1933. Now it is our turn to study statistical mechanics...
A quick Google suggests that this is the opening to States of Matter by David L Goodstein. I don’t know about you, but my gut feeling is that I like his sense of humor and I would love to take a class if he was the lecturer.
Meanwhile, on a totally unrelated subject, I also received an email from my chum Charles Pfeil who suggested I look at this video explaining how differential steering works.
Believe it or not, this little rascal was created in 1937. Although the quality of the video and the way it was produced reflect its age, the content is extraordinarily good -- this should be used as a teaching tool to show people who want to post “how to” and “how it works” videos on YouTube how things should be done.
For those who are interested in learning more, Charles also found this video that offers a more modern explanation using sumptuous 3D graphics and animations.
Although I do like the modern implementation, I feel strangely drawn to the 1937 video. How about you? Which format gets your vote?
I have a tendency to think that brilliant mechanical engineering didn’t start until around 1950. Duh. The invention of the differential certainly proves me wrong. As I have said previously, “I am an expert in my field and well learned in other areas, but in the context of all possible knowledge, my ignorance is infinite.”
I don’t like to be outdone, so I bet I’m more ignorant than you!
I didn’t know that.
I bet you did, deep down 🙂
I preferred the 1937 one because it started at first principles, even without the motorcycle riders. I started to think if the pin explanation followed the thought process during invention or whether it was a good explanation after the fact. The differential is a passive device yet it compensates for the differential wheel speeds perfectly.. It is such a great device it got me thinking that I had never heard of its inventor. Of course I Googled it. Well Max, put down that baguette and hold onto your beret, it was a Frenchman with the stupendous name of Onésiphore Pecqueur, way back in 1827.
As Henry Crun might have said,”Min, they don’t write names like that anymore!” (For all you Goon show fans.)
“Onésiphore Pecqueur” — wow — that’s a mouthful — now I want to know more about him — but that raises the question — what did he need the differential for back in 1827?
According to Brittanica it was developed for steam powered vehicles
https://www.britannica.com/technology/differential-gear
As I recall, you used to, and maybe still do, memorize poems and soliloquies, to pass the time when you were driving IIRC. The poem Ozymandias comes to mind. Anyway, perhaps you could add OP’s name to your repertoire.
You have a good memory — In addition to Ozymandias by Percy Shelley, thus far I’ve also memorized Ozymandias by Horace Smith, A Dream Within a Dream by Edgar Allan Poe, If by Rudyard Kipling, The Road Not Taken by Robert Frost,To a Poet a Thousand Years Hence by James Elroy Flecker, Desiderata by Max Ehrmann, and Albert and the Vindaloo by Roger Merry. I’ve toyed with the idea of trying to memorize the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, but there are so many different versions, so which one should I go for?