Check out the rest of Chrystal's cool nerd-branded soaps in the via link below!

Actor Timothy West has died peacefully in his sleep aged 90, "with his friends and family at the end".

I may have bored everyone to death about this topic, but I have my last exam tomorrow, so here is my final thought about what distinguishes science. Most of the descriptions of science that I know of don’t really explain how science progresses without falling into a quaint mythology about approaching some metaphysical truth. Kuhn doesn’t, Popper doesn’t, Pierre Duhem doesn’t, and I myself have neglected to account for it to some extent.

I think the key is that science, at least experimental science, is essentially concerned with predicting the future. Every hypothesis, in essence, is a prediction about the future. What distinguishes science from other forms of prediction is the emphasis on verification, the insistence on framing predictions in such a way that when they are tested they can be decisively answered positively or negatively. In other, the goal is not to not be wrong but to achieve a definitive positive answer. Even a definite negative answer is preferable to none at all.

Some philosophers, like Duhem, claim that individual hypotheses can neither be verified nor falsified, because a whole body of theories and assumptions lies behind, and is implicated in, every hypothesis, and thus one can never be sure just what has been validated or failed. While that’s true, it is also nonetheless true that when the result of an experiment does not match a hypothetical prediction the hypothesis has been proven invalid as it stands. In other words, no matter what went wrong, the body of theories and assumptions that led to the hypothesis do not work as they now stand. Thus, things will have to be changed until they produce accurate predictions. Conversely, if a hypotheis is corroborated with a positive answer, the theories behind it stand validated until a hypothesis receives a negative answer.

In other words, experimentation does not serve to lead by induction to new theories, but rather theories serve to make possible specific predictions about the future which can be verified decisively. This at least is the goal. The goal is not a description which is true or corresponds to the truth, or at least that is not the immediate goal. When the facts or events are given, anyone can interpret them, and the fact that these events are known can mask the relative merits of the theory which interprets them. The idea that theories are validated by their correspondence to experimental results is tautological: the first condition of any theory is that it accounts for the experimental results that gave rise to it. But the only way to determine whether it is simply a theory to fit the facts or whether it is truly generalizable is to test it against unknown facts via prediction. Of course, predictions are almost always only approximately true, so the specific point of acceptability is not provided for by the general concept, but, at least in theory, decisive verification of predictions provides a simple, clear, and immensely useful criterion by which to evaluate theories. In my opinion, this explains much of the evolutionary capacity of science (I mean evolution in the more contemporary sense of diversification and selection rather than the old idea of teleological perfectibility).

If experimental prediction is the mark of science, this leaves the question of whether purely descriptive disciplines like zoology and areas like quantum theory where predictions are inherently statistical and ambiguous are scientific. Zoology and the like I think are, because hypothetical prediction inherently implies classification. In other words, by saying “under these conditions, such an event will happen,” one classifies, in other words sets parameters. The goal of zoology seems to be not simply to describe members of a group but to describe all the characteristics which define the group, set the parameters of the group, which is the first step towards making predictions about the group. So it is an element of science, but incomplete. As for quantum, I avow my profound ignorance of it, so let my opinion be taken in that light. As far as I understand, the stastical laws in that realm allow predictions in aggregate, so I am inclined to view it as still within the domain of science, at least in spirit, but of course the lack of decisiveness of statistical predictions gravely weakens the predictive power of science in this area, and I have already suggested that the rise of relativity and quantum in my view are intimately tied to the waning of the scientific age. Finally, it should be noted that while making correct predictions is the goal of science, that should be qualified by saying that the predictions are intended to answer general questions concerning the nature of things and establish specific knowledge. Optics or engineering, for example, are not science, although they once were, because all the major questions have been answered, and they no longer concern gaining further knowledge of the future and the universe, but rather in applying that knowledge to constructing specific objects.

So the goal and value of science is in predicting, and thus establishing knowledge of, the future, and the scientific method is the means of arriving at correct predictions. This is not to discard my earlier contention about the ideological basis of science, because the efficacy of prediction is based on the relative value of induction, and successful induction relies on the essential regularity and stability of the universe. In other words, in order to draw a general theory from a specific experimental result and vice versa, the universe must be considered as basically the same everywhere and at every time, which in turn implies that it be material, matter being defined as that which cannot change itself and is therefore static. It seems to me that if in quantum theory, for example, phenomena become genuinely dependent on the observeer in ways that are neither generalizable nor predicatable, it cannot continue to remain truly a science. It would seem to me that the branches of physics which are entirely theoretical are for practical purposes basically metaphysics.

This model depends on a linear notion of time. It might seem the opposite, that if the physical laws are eternal and universal time is actually opposed to this insofar as it represents dynamism, change. But in reality the sameness of the universe upon which science is predicated is not a a sameness at any particular moment, but rather a sameness of behavior. In other words, a view of the universe from a materialist perspective at any given moment shows that everything in the univese is different in the sense of being distinct. However, the idea is that under the same conditions all matter (or whatever you call the fundamental substances) will act in the same way. Without the steady march of time, this unity of behavior disappears, and there are simply a million disparate entities. Thus, space (and time) as properties of the universe are essential to science.

As for what the value of science is, I’m afraid I can’t generalize about that. From reading my recent posts one can most likely guess at my views, but I will simply say that one’s view of the efficacy of science in making the universe understandable will probably depend on entirely on whether one a) believes that linear time is a real property of the universe and b) if so, whether true induction is possible.

p.s. I should note that Henri Poincaré anticipates me in seeing the epistemological value of science as consisting mainly of its ability to make predictions rather than its descriptive correspondence to reality. However, he also thinks that theories are conventions and definitions of concepts, not true descriptions of physical phenomena based necessarily on experimental results. He thinks the conjunction of these two make theories relatively independent of their experimental bases, which he regards as a good thing because it creates a body of stable principles in which we can trust. I think that that is neither true nor a good value. The emphasis is on predicting correctly, not creating stable beliefs (if you want unchanging beliefs, what not join the Church?), and if generating true predictions is the goal, theories should be more rather than less sensitive to their experimental roots.

p.p.s. Since my exam was about scientific laws and causality, I should add that while scientific activity depends on a belief in time, not all scientific theories do: the law of conservation of energy, for example, I believe is essentially atemporal.

Riley from AAA Spanking is getting double punishment in this screenshot. She’s getting her hands spanked with a heavy leather strap while she’s holding a sudsy bar of soap in her mouth: Presumably she gets a lot more with the leather if she drops the soap. See Also:Mouthsoaped And CryingHer Mouthsoaping Punishment BeginsA Rich Girl […]

Teams in Barrow make a kart relying on only their strength and gravity to get to the finish line.

Boeing overcharged the Air Force nearly $1 million for spare parts on C-17 cargo planes, including an 8,000 percent markup for simple lavatory soap dispensers, according to the Pentagon’s inspector general.

 Like the rest of the series, the new products are constructed with high-quality materials and designed for easy installation and maintenance, making them an ideal choice for busy commercial settings.

The reuse and refill tablets can help reduce plastic bottle waste. 

Conformance of ITU-T H.810 personal health system: Services interface Part 3: SOAP/ATNA: Health & Fitness Service sender

Conformance of ITU-T H.810 personal health system: Services interface Part 4: SOAP/ATNA: Health & Fitness Service receiver

California-based Greatfill makes zero waste easy. With a variety of refillable household products, the company’s focus is on health for the home, humans and the environment.[...]

Title: 7 Surprising Goat Milk Soap Benefits
Category: Health and Living
Created: 8/12/2022 12:00:00 AM
Last Editorial Review: 8/12/2022 12:00:00 AM

Once a ubiquitous beast of burden, the donkey is slowly making its way out of oblivion in Tiruchi as the global beauty industry discovers the benefits of its milk

Chemical educator and Compound Interest blogger Andy Brunning explains the similarities and differences between the two bath products

A new, squeaky clean business venture is helping Calgary’s most vulnerable during the COVID-19 pandemic.

This Metasploit module exploits an unauthenticated remote PHP code execution vulnerability in IBM OpenAdmin Tool included with IBM Informix versions 11.5, 11.7, and 12.1. The 'welcomeServer' SOAP service does not properly validate user input in the 'new_home_page' parameter of the 'saveHomePage' method allowing arbitrary PHP code to be written to the config.php file. The config.php file is executed in most pages within the application, and accessible directly via the web root, resulting in code execution. This Metasploit module has been tested successfully on IBM OpenAdmin Tool 3.14 on Informix 12.10 Developer Edition (SUSE Linux 11) virtual appliance.

Why is a soap company so heavily involved in a food labeling initiative? Knowing a bit about the activist history of the brand explains why.

Researchers have developed a soap made of iron rich salts which could one day safely clean tainted water.

Dr. Bronner's Magic Soaps, the health food store staple with confounding labeling, has been a green home fixture for over 60 years.

University of Minnesota researchers claim to have created a 'perfect' soap molecule that's better for the environment.

John Rooks spoke at TEDxDirigo about the need for businesses to be authentically green. Read more about his ideas and why he loves the state of Maine.

Castile soap can be used to clean a variety of things, including you, your dog and your vegetables.

At long last, Method is set to release the world's first soap container — or any sort of container, for that matter — made partially from plastic trash reco

California joins some hotel chains in banning tiny toiletries.

The Food and Drug Administration has issued a proposal that would require makers of soaps to show that their products really work.

FDA bans 19 ingredients including triclosan and triclocarban found in antibacterial soap and suggests washing with plain soap and water.

Marshall Dostal was using fry grease to fuel his cars before taking it another step to create Further soap.

Somewhere along the line, we became a nation of liquid soap junkies. New research show sales of bar soap are down.

Made from locally harvested plants and barks, this gentle soap leaves skin feeling soft and smooth.

Soap making can be a hobby for people, but it can also turn out to be a very profitable business. Before you go rushing into thinking that you are going to just create this beautiful and profitable soap making business, you had better look at some the important features regarding this business.

The body wash you never knew you've always wanted!

A full mens soap company. Did you know that more than 87% of men use their Partners, Brothers, Roommates, Sons, Dads, Wife's products in the shower? Its time to get your own.

Working from home has been a boon to the attention economy, but understand that it will not last.

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

All our underlying assumptions about what makes consumers tick need to be pressure-tested.

Please visit Marketing Land for the full article.

An elongated segmented soap bar is segmented longitudinally into a plurality of soap bodies separate and discrete from one another. Adjacent soap bodies are movable with respect to one another between at least two different configurations including at least an arc configuration with the plurality of soap bodies disposed in an arc. At least one coupler couples the plurality of soap bodies together to allow the adjacent soap bodies to move with respect to one another between the at least two different configurations.

A structured soap composition contains, based on 100 parts by weight of said composition, (i) from greater than 0 to about 27 parts by weight of a neutralized fatty acid,(ii) from greater than 0 to about 18 parts by weight of one or more structurant selected from alkanolamide surfactants, fatty alcohols, alkoxylated fatty alcohols, fatty acids, and fatty acid esters,(iii) from 0 to about 15 parts by weight of one or more compounds selected from amphoteric surfactants and zwitterionic surfactants, provided that the total amount of components (i), (ii), and (iii) is greater than or equal to 5 parts by weight, (iv) an amount of electrolyte effective to, in combination with components (i), (ii), and (iii) provide a structured soap composition having an opaque visual appearance and exhibiting a yield strength of greater than 0 Pascals, and(v) water.

A surfactant film viewing apparatus having a chassis, film wand, and film wand positioning means. The chassis is opaque and has a magnifying lens and a light aperture to allow ambient light into the interior of the chassis. The chassis, with the exception of the light aperture and the magnifying lens, forms an substantially closed surface. The film wand has a hoop suitable for supporting a surfactant film across its span. The apparatus includes a means for positioning of said hoop in said interior of said chassis such that the position of said hoop relative to the magnifying lens is stable but manually adjustable so the surfactant film can be positioned for viewing by said magnifying lens. The apparatus may include a reservoir for the surfactant/water mixture, and the means for positioning may also include a means for dipping the hoop in the surfactant/water mixture. In an alternate embodiment the wand has multiple hoops each of which is capable of supporting a surfactant film, rotation of the wand bringing the surfactant films sequentially into view.

Simon Rakoff and Sean Cullen offer their dinner-most thoughts when they compare plates to bowls. Then, Michelle Shaughnessy and Deborah Kimmett offer bold and beautiful arguments in their debate on soap operas.

A team of WA Police officers will be deployed to Japan as part of a revived investigation into former trade commissioner Craig Peacock, accused of misusing his position to pocket $540,000 in taxpayer funds.

Distributed By The Digital Soapbox Network, The Hype Magazine “Live Session” Podcast Is Available Via Some Of The Biggest Streaming Platforms In The Digital Space

What’s inside? Here are the questions answered in today’s reader mailbag, boiled down to summaries of five or fewer words. Click on the number to jump straight down to the question. 1. Using my stimulus check 2. Gas prices and hybrid cars 3. Worried about returning to work 4. Wedding planning suggestions? 5. Safely storing cash at home 6. CSA and safety 7. Financial success and self-worth 8. Figuring out break-even point 9. What’s the plan after unemployment? 10. Castile […]

The post Questions About Weddings, Windfalls, Castile Soap, Hybrid Cars, CSAs and More appeared first on The Simple Dollar.

Freezing soap bubbles look like snow globes. This whimsical effect could help us improve biological freezing techniques—and is incredibly fun to watch.

Contrary to viral videos, the FDA says to not use dish soap to wash fruits and vegetables because soap is not meant for human consumption and could make you sick.

Ironic toxic masculinity is in fashion! The Duke Cannon Naval Supremacy Big Brick of Bar Soap for Men [Amazon] promises that those thusly-soaped will smell of "naval supremacy", "productivity" or other humorously-abstract scents. (More traditionally "manly" odors such as tobacco, leather, burned vegetation, etc. are also available).

The veil of humor is threadbare -- "get clean and smell good without using feminine shower gels and accessories" -- but I'll admit that I do bathe in warm turpentine and it really helps.

Are you ready for images of the best “soap but for MEN” product you’ve ever seen? pic.twitter.com/kVAWb57UlF

— Shayna Moon, Unity Lich (@qorquiq) May 8, 2020

UPDATE: Here's a balding treatment called "Lethal Uprising", spotted by Greg Sideyr.

I'll see your Naval Supremacy, and raise you pic.twitter.com/UJE9wxeRvp

— ????Greg | Applied Eschatology ???? (@Greg_Sideyr) May 8, 2020

Looking forward to Internecine Violence Toothpaste, Shambolic Venezeulan Coup Ice Cream, and Silently Endure Prison Abuse Hemmorhoid Cream with Aloe Vera. Read the rest

The app would need to be paired with more than 100,000 daily tests in order to have effect. And far more than 60 percent of the population will need to use the app in order for it to be effective.