Random Daily Banter

[briantrumpet]

Trivial example of why doing the referencing manually is neither easy nor quick. Imagine that I am writing a review on some light scattering method that has now been in use for going on thirty years, and I probably have around 150 papers and 10 or 12 books to discuss. The journal I will be submitting to uses numerical order, each paper is cited in the order it is mentioned. I've written my first draft of the introduction, which starts something like

This super duper method was developed by Weitz and coworkers (1-4) ... blah blah (5). The theoretical basis was developed by Chaikin (6-8) ... blah, blah.... Later development of the approach outlined in 7 lead Schmidt to modify the set up used in 3 and 5 (9).

And create the bibliography as I go along following your suggestion. Now, I realise that Culpeper's theoretical work was a precursor to Chaikin's, and happened before 5 was published. Now all my references 5 and above need to move up by one, and I have to chase through what I have written to make sure that everywhere I was citing the old 5, I am now citing 6 and so on. And this is with only a paragraph and nine papers. Only a masochist would write a 40 page review with 150 references and not use a bibliography management tool.

Spreadsheets are wonderful things for getting things in order. Anyway, I'm not the only dinosaur, which is why the OP deleted their post. Each to his own.

 

[C R]

Spreadsheets are wonderful things for getting things in order. Anyway, I'm not the only dinosaur, which is why the OP deleted their post. Each to his own.

BibTeX and TeX/LaTeX are older than 123.

 

[briantrumpet]

I suppose if you want to persuade people to stand behind the yellow line, this is a winner.

Apparently there was only one made. Surprised it didn't take off.

 

[briantrumpet]

Haha, oops. A pity RJS isn't on here (OK, I know he's an architect rather than a structural engineer, but I think he'd enjoy this.)

 

[briantrumpet]

Haha, thought at first glance that this was a Cold War Steve creation, but it's actually a holiday snap from 1982 by Chris Steele-Perkins (I think that must be the famous trumpeter I've met).

 

[PurplePenguin]

Haha, oops. A pity RJS isn't on here (OK, I know he's an architect rather than a structural engineer, but I think he'd enjoy this.)

View attachment 15706

I read recently that the reason London bus drivers actually enforce the no standing upstairs rule is due to the weight of the extra passengers. All other rules are largely ignored.

 

[Ian H]

Haha, oops. A pity RJS isn't on here

Is that an anagram?

 

[Pross]

Haha, oops. A pity RJS isn't on here (OK, I know he's an architect rather than a structural engineer, but I think he'd enjoy this.)

View attachment 15706

I'm having a hard time buying that the columns weren't always part of the design.

 

[C R]

I'm having a hard time buying that the columns weren't always part of the design.

Or that the design didn't consider occupied load.

 

[BoldonLad]

I'm having a hard time buying that the columns weren't always part of the design.

Yes, even to my untrained eye, I find it hard to believe anyone thought that would stand, without supports.

 

[Beebo]

The funny thing is that it is actually the engineering department building at Southhampton uni.

The other funny thing is that it was built like that originally.

 

[briantrumpet]

I'm having a hard time buying that the columns weren't always part of the design.

I'm on the case, but the OP seems confident... incoming stuff...

https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/photos/item/JLP01/08/054729

 

[briantrumpet]

View: https://www.reddit.com/r/sotonuni/comments/iyt7jr/the_faraday_tower_and_lanchester_building_in_the/

I understand the Faraday Tower has concrete rot on the central structural pillar which is why it is now condemned (and its also probably full of asbestos too which doesn't help!) They've had to empty the building at the bottom of the tower before they can start dismantling the tower and that has taken some time as there was a lot of heavy railway testing kit in there that needed to move up to the new Boldrewood buildings.

The Lanchester building is fine - it's still a functioning lecture theatre. I was told they added the pillars as people didn't trust the cantilever lecture theatre and wouldn't go under it to enter the building. They're just decorative.

 

[briantrumpet]

I'm on the case, but the OP seems confident... incoming stuff...

https://historicengland.org.uk/images-books/photos/item/JLP01/08/054729

OP seems less confident now (and no evidence offered), so the doubters might well be right, even if the building is awaiting demolition because it's structurally unsound.

 

[Pross]

Had the misfortune of having to do a site visit to South Bristol today. Despite having worked in Bristol on and off for nearly 30 years this was the first time I’d been through this particular area (Bishopsworth). There are literally hundreds of flags lining the main roads and, as far as I could tell, many of the side roads.

It’s not a football thing, the flags have plainly been there a while and I checked - they’ve been there at least a year. Not only are there the usual St George’s Cross and Union Flag but also Saltires, Northern Irish flags and, annoyingly for me, Welsh Dragons but most annoying of all are the poppy wreaths and plastic poppies (mounted right at the top of street lights so unlikely to have been done officially).

Absolute shithole of a place too. Probably the worst area I’ve seen in Bristol.