On 2/6/2026 at 3:54 PM, Otto Kretschmer said:

Today I learned that I didn't learn anything new today.

Don't speak too soon ...

5 hours ago, Genady said:

  5 hours ago, Otto Kretschmer said:

Who was he? The name does ring some bells but nothing specific.

Georg Cantor | Biography, Contributions, Books, & Facts | Britannica

See ... You did learn something !

13 hours ago, Genady said:

Today I learned that there is an entire international subculture of ignorant jerks bent on refuting Cantor.

Every theory that has ever been has eventually come up against its limits.

And every one (from Archimedes on) seems to have a bunch of those hangers on who wish to use those limits to discredit that whole theory,

1 hour ago, studiot said:

Every theory that has ever been has eventually come up against its limits.

And every one (from Archimedes on) seems to have a bunch of those hangers on who wish to use those limits to discredit that whole theory,

I'm talking about people who say, for example, that the real number defined in the Cantor's diagonal argument is counted for in the last row of the list.

Today I was the “cantor” at Sunday mass for the Ave Regina Caelorum…..and learned we can call on a new guest soprano to help out from time to time, a pretty young woman by the name of Liberty, with a lovely (and clearly trained) voice. I had no idea this could be a girl’s name. I rather like it - and her - I must say.

22 minutes ago, exchemist said:

Today I was the “cantor” at Sunday mass for the Ave Regina Caelorum…..and learned we can call on a new guest soprano to help out from time to time, a pretty young woman by the name of Liberty, with a lovely (and clearly trained) voice. I had no idea this could be a girl’s name. I rather like it - and her - I must say.

Could be a tongue twister.

"Can a candid cantor.....?"

(Can't seem to finish it off .."chant a kurie","carry a candle"?)

3 hours ago, studiot said:

Every theory that has ever been has eventually come up against its limits.

But Cantor's concept of infinity has no 'limits' 😄 .

On 2/6/2026 at 3:21 AM, exchemist said:

Oh so you actually went to see it? We didn't. We just laughed at the posters for it on the Underground, on our way to and from school.

Here is your chance 😄

1968 Krakatoa East of Java - Full movie | Popular Film

Today I learned that the fake snow, used on the set of 'The Wizard Of Oz' was actually fluffy Asbestos fibers.

Veritasium just dropped another video on the history, use, dangers, and attempts to regulate the use of Asbestos.
These are my favorite kinds of videos produced by Veritasium.

Turns out the spray-on insulation protecting the steel structure of the World Trade Center buildings was impregnated with Asbestos, which was then pulverized in those huge dust clouds, as the buildings came down.
To this date, more than twice as many people have died from 'asbestosis' ( pulmonary fibrosis related to Asbestos exposure ) and related cancers, than in the original event, from simply breathing the resulting dust.

Today I learned that Protestant Christianity has split into over 45,000 denominations since the 1500s.

That's a lot of splitting - the number of Trotskyist parties looks tiny by comparison.

On 2/17/2026 at 10:44 PM, MigL said:

Today I learned that the fake snow, used on the set of 'The Wizard Of Oz' was actually fluffy Asbestos fibers.

Veritasium just dropped another video on the history, use, dangers, and attempts to regulate the use of Asbestos.
These are my favorite kinds of videos produced by Veritasium.

Turns out the spray-on insulation protecting the steel structure of the World Trade Center buildings was impregnated with Asbestos, which was then pulverized in those huge dust clouds, as the buildings came down.
To this date, more than twice as many people have died from 'asbestosis' ( pulmonary fibrosis related to Asbestos exposure ) and related cancers, than in the original event, from simply breathing the resulting dust.

In the early days, we were oblivious to the effects of many harmful substances. Now, in present day, America has a president who wants to eliminate our protection from similarly harmful substances in the air we breathe and return us to our early days of oblivion...shameful!

On 2/17/2026 at 8:44 PM, MigL said:

Today I learned that the fake snow, used on the set of 'The Wizard Of Oz' was actually fluffy Asbestos fibers.

Veritasium just dropped another video on the history, use, dangers, and attempts to regulate the use of Asbestos.
These are my favorite kinds of videos produced by Veritasium.

Turns out the spray-on insulation protecting the steel structure of the World Trade Center buildings was impregnated with Asbestos, which was then pulverized in those huge dust clouds, as the buildings came down.
To this date, more than twice as many people have died from 'asbestosis' ( pulmonary fibrosis related to Asbestos exposure ) and related cancers, than in the original event, from simply breathing the resulting dust.

Veritasium has provided me some TIL moments, too. Will look for that vid, as I am interested in building materials, and what to watch out for. I recall finding some black mastic under some old floor tiles while doing a reno, and learning that stuff sometimes had asbestos. (I couldn't be sure if it did, but I handled the sealing process as if it could)

2 hours ago, DrmDoc said:

. Now, in present day, America has a president who wants to eliminate our protection from similarly harmful substances in the air we breathe and return us to our early days of oblivion...shameful!

our health is being sacrificed on the altar of profits for billionaires.

8 hours ago, TheVat said:

Veritasium has provided me some TIL moments, too. Will look for that vid, as I am interested in building materials, and what to watch out for. I recall finding some black mastic under some old floor tiles while doing a reno, and learning that stuff sometimes had asbestos. (I couldn't be sure if it did, but I handled the sealing process as if it could)

My understanding is that it is the free fibres that are the problem. With mastic, I would imagine they are all stuck down pretty firmly and won't come free and float in the air. But one might wear gloves, I suppose.

4 hours ago, exchemist said:

My understanding is that it is the free fibres that are the problem. With mastic, I would imagine they are all stuck down pretty firmly and won't come free and float in the air. But one might wear gloves, I suppose.

Usually not a problem, given it's nonfriable asbestos, but black mastic in old houses would be applied to floorboards and then get dry and brittle over the decades. When renovators pry up the tiles and find mastic, they are tempted to try scraping or even sanding the boards (if they they want to restore a wood floor). This sort of action can break up the now brittle matrix and release some fibers. So remodeling experts advise either putting on a sealant (then painting), or adding a new layer of flooring.

Or, as I did once when the exposed boards proved to be in wretched condition, pull up the whole floor and nail down a new one. Which sounds more fun than it actually is.

1 hour ago, TheVat said:

Usually not a problem, given it's nonfriable asbestos, but black mastic in old houses would be applied to floorboards and then get dry and brittle over the decades. When renovators pry up the tiles and find mastic, they are tempted to try scraping or even sanding the boards (if they they want to restore a wood floor). This sort of action can break up the now brittle matrix and release some fibers. So remodeling experts advise either putting on a sealant (then painting), or adding a new layer of flooring.

Or, as I did once when the exposed boards proved to be in wretched condition, pull up the whole floor and nail down a new one. Which sounds more fun than it actually is.

Oh I see, yes sanding would definitely release airborne fibres.

On 2/17/2026 at 9:44 PM, MigL said:

Today I learned that the fake snow, used on the set of 'The Wizard Of Oz' was actually fluffy Asbestos fibers.

When I learned that (not today) I also learned about the abuse Judy Garland suffered starting as a child actor (including groping and repeated solicitation for sex from executives). Between asbestos and the abuse stories, one might start to think that Hollywood might not have been a healthy environment, especially for kids.