viterbiSearcher's New Writeups

polyethylene terephthalate (thing)

2003-06-16T06:24:49Z

PET aka Polyethylene Terephthalate aka Polyester aka Mylar is a hydrocarbon based artificial plastic and a member of the Polyester family developed by American chemist Wallace Carothers at Du Pont during the 1920s and 1930s. Post-War improvements were made by British scientists Jon Whinfield and J. T. Dickson.

According to the US Federal Trade Commission is "at least 85% by weight of an ester of a substituted aromatic carboxylic acid, including but not restricted to substituted terephthalic units, p(-R-O-CO- C6H4-CO-O-)x and para substituted hydroxybenzoate units p(-R-O-CO- C6H4-O-)x." The para substituted hydroxybenzoate units in PET are ethylene group (CH2-- CH2).

PET is synthesized by reacting ethylene glycol (C2H6O2) and either terephthalic acid or it's metyl ester with the aid of the an antimony oxide catylyst. The reaction is carried out in a vaccum at high temperatures to achieve high molecular weight. The clear colorless molten…

sexual anorexia (idea)

2003-05-11T01:53:56Z

Pathological self-denial in the sexual arena; refusing sex or sexual overtones even when they are clearly beneficial.

As with conventional anorexia, sexual anorexia is a complex nexus involving cultural expectations, parental pressure, peer pressure and media depictions. Once established it creates (possibly psychosomatic) physical, medical and particularly behavioural reinforcement measures.

As with many conditions (including anorexia) the best chances for recovery are offered by treatment in combination with the love, understanding and emotional support of those in one's life.

I've had some negative feeback about this. The above is not meant to suggest that sex and sexual overtones are automatically bad. I'm not saying that there aren't good reasons for some people not to have sex, merely that pathological self-denial is bad. Look up Pathological.

If you have a penis, this is important information! (idea)

2002-10-21T01:19:36Z

In this neck of the woods, most farm fences are electrified (a electrified wire greatly decreases the propensity of animals to lean on the fence, thus increasing its lifetime).

Never pee on an electric fence. Never even pee on a fence that might be electric.

Fortunately it's unusual to damage oneself in this way.

Social Responsibilities Round Table of the American Library Association (thing)

2002-09-24T10:08:34Z

A part of the American Library Association concerned with social issues. Although less strident than the Progressive Librarian's Guild, they are relatively progressive compared to most of the American Library Association.

To promote African and African American writers they present the Coretta Scott King Award every year.

The SRRT, as they are known, also actively promote the work of small and alternative publishers as well as Feminist, Gay and Environmental issues and access of the poor to library services.

The Social Responsibilities Round Table web page is at:
http://www.libr.org/SRRT/

Otolith (thing)

2002-09-24T10:03:04Z

Otoliths are the bones least likely to be broken by physical trauma in vertebrates. While some animals have similarly sized bones elsewhere in their bodies, these tend to in the extremeties (feet and knuckles in particular) and more exposed to trauma than the otoliths, which are protected by the skull.

The next time someone threatens to break every bone in your body, it may or may not be comforting to realise that they probably don't include your otoliths in this threat.

Interpretations of the lyrics to American Pie (idea)

2002-09-24T08:06:48Z

(E2 note: This document is copyright but contains explicit permission to copy if authorship and credits remain. I've retained authorship and credits, so this copy is legal within E2.)

( January 2000 update: currently being rewritten. )

IMPORTANT: It's come to my attention that there are several copies of this article floating around Usenet/the web that are either (a) really out-of-date or (b) have had fraudulent authorship/copyright information attached to them. I'd appreciate it if those of you who have enjoyed this article would take the time to drop me a line about those when you find them. I already know about the one on the web at www.cris.net, which consists almost entirely of a plagiarized copy of version 1.6 of this article with a few minor changes -- like removing my copyright and authorship plus all the credits -- and I'm trying to get it dealt with.

READ THIS NOTE:

I receive an average of

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