h a l f b a k e r yGuitar Hero: 4'33"
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The "glass half full or glass half empty" paradox is one
which has beset mankind ever since he invented glasses
and started to take his drinking seriously.
Fortunately, those awfully nice chaps at MaxCo. have
found a solution.
Let us assume that you encounter a glass of beverage in
which
the liquid level is at the 50% mark. The unknown
factor is whether that level has been reached:
(a) by adding liquid to an initially empty glass (in which
case the glass is clearly half full) or
(b) by removing 50% of the contents from an initially full
glass (in which case the glass is clearly half empty).
Throughout history, and even before, there has been no
reliable way of determining whether a given 50%-
full/empty glass has arrived at that state by process (a) or
(b).
The MaxCo. Half-Full Or Half-Empty Indicator consists of
two parts. One is a pair of beads, joined by a 1" length of
string. The other is a single bead.
Of the pair of conjoined beads, one is made of steel and
the other is made of wood. The solo bead is simply a small
spherical magnet.
The pair of beads is dropped into the glass (regardless of
its current state). The magnetic solo bead is then placed
on the outside of the glass, such that it holds the steel
internal bead through the glass wall of the, ah, glass.
Now, if the glass was initially full, and is drained to the
half-way mark, the wooden internal bead will fall (with
the level of the liquid, on which it floats). Its weight will
drag the steel bead (to which it is tethered) downward.
Therefore, a half-empty glass will have the wooden bead
at the level of the liquid, and the steel bead (and magnet)
1" above it.
If, on the other brachial extremity, the glass was initially
empty and is filled to the half-way mark, the wooden bead
will float (with the rising liquid). It's floatation will drag
the steel bead upward. Therefore, a half-full glass will
have the wooden bead at the level of the liquid, and the
steel bead (and magnet) 1" below it.
Thus, at a glance you will know, without doubt or
uncertainty, whether the glass is half full, or half empty.
Gadulka!
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It seems you are trying to build a kind of hydraulic schmitt trigger. |
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If you accepted that to be half full, liquid has only been poured in, and to be half empty, liquid has been poured out, you could have tubes connected at a few points around the halfheight perimeter joining to a second reservoir, perhaps a double-walled vessel. The second reservoir would be filled if the glass has been at a pouring angle. |
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Ah, but cleaning such a glass would be a bit of a
bugger. |
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This is that level of amazing brilliance/uselessness that I
come
to the Halfbakery for. |
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Yay, now solve chicken vs egg debate. |
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That one is easy. Dinosaurs lay eggs. Fish lay eggs.
Dinosaurs and fish predate chickens. Therefore, egg. |
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//fish predate chickens// |
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Now that's just plain silly. Although many fish are
predatory, they hardly ever encounter chickens,
unless there happens to be a flood near a chicken
farm. |
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You may be thinking of ducks. (In any case, you are
now.) |
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When you drop the conjoined bead pair into the glass the
flotation bead (let's call it so since not all woods float)
marks the level of the liquid while the sink bead rests 1"
beneath the surface, and this is where you place the
magnet. You still have no idea whether liquid is being
added or removed until the level has changed, by which
time you know by simple observation, so the beads have
not helped. |
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BTW - any glass containing 50% of its capacity is neither
half full nor half empty, it's just the wrong size. |
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//You still have no idea whether liquid is being added
or removed until the level has changed, by which
time you know by simple observation, so the beads
have not helped.// |
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Ah, but no. The beads are intended to address the
situation where you happen upon a 50% full/empty
glass without having been aware of its prior state. |
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Clearly the glass simply has a factor of safety of
two. |
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Also this device wouldn't work for half full/empty
glasses of liquid in zero gravity. |
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//Yay, now solve chicken vs egg debate.// |
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Egg. The first chicken came from an egg that was laid by
the last predecessor to the chicken. Although the
differences between the two may have been incremental
over time and very subtle, at some point the line has to
be drawn between primitive cave chicken and modern
chicken. That line would have mother on one side and
chick on the other, the modern chicken coming from a
modern chicken egg laid by a non-chicken, so: egg first,
then chicken. |
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And really? Only 4 buns for this? And a bone to boot? |
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Thought this one would be big. Shows what I know. |
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I thought of another way to do this. You have one of
those heat sensitive glasses where the art on the outside
changes color. So if the top of a glass with half its
contents in it is the same color as the bottom, it's half
empty. If it's not, it's half full owing to the fact that no
liquid has touched the top of the glass. |
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Might work as a bar bet. Tell somebody you can tell if a
glass is half empty or half full just by looking at it from
across the room. Then whip out your heat sensitive glass. |
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//Only 4 buns for this?// I think that's about right,
myself... |
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Oh good lord - people are overdoing it now. |
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I would have thought the implied titular question could be answered
by close inspection of the miniscus. |
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Because this idea is so long-winded and I didn't read it
thoroughly, I shouldn't be making any comments on it. But
as I have dyed my hair blonde, being an automatic free-pass
to act stupid and say stupid things, I will say that "What if
someone laid a straw down the side / inside of the glass and
poured liquid through said straw, so as not to disturb the
beads, and then it was filled again?" |
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//What if someone...// Is that likely to happen? |
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Well, yes...I would do it! |
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Well then, clearly we would not sell you one of our
indicators. |
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Brief ones, in my experience. |
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You mean to try to fecking SELL these things? I think they
don't work and can be sabotaged by any blonde female. |
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Sales are doing very nicely, thankyouverymuch. |
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Anything that attacks out of fear can be classed as a 'chicken' which, back in the day, was a fair few organisms. This may indicate that chickens are first. |
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Fiddly beads on a vessel meant to be used in a sozzled state, hmm... I recommend that a sippy cup lid be amended to the invention to prevent accidental ingestion of measurement devices. |
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Au contraire, [Sgt]. Accidental bead ingestion is
perfectly safe. Continued use of the device can be
insured in either of two ways: |
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(a) By purchasing a new one or |
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Can the magnetic bead come as a ring , to be worn on your drinking hand? Every time I pick up the glass with string attached, I'll be able check my changing fluid state. |
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Well now [MB], that gives me an ancillary idea for materials reclamation, perhaps involving a sieve-like structure of environmentally-friendly coprophagic organisms living in a commode. |
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Unless you meant 'theft', as the second choice. |
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Just tip the glass diagonally. If the answer to the "glass half empty or
half full question" (which is a yes-or-no question) is yes, then there's
an angle at which the top surface of the liquid touches both the rim of
the glass and the edge of the bottom of the glass. |
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...assuming a rotationally symmetrical glass, and a non-pedantic interlocutor, yes. |
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Well, this idea seemed much more exciting when the
dyslexic part of my brain held strongly to the idea of a
floating pair of beards plus solo magnetic beard being used
in all beverages across the world! |
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The sudden swap from beards to beads has emptied 50% of
the joy. |
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This is a high-tech answer to the question. My wife would tell you. She knows everything. She will explain to you that 'There is hardly any wine in the f***ing glass'. |
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Philosophical point notwithstanding, I object to the glass's current half-status being dependent on its prior status. It ought not matter the previous state, or the intentions of the actor who/what caused the current state. Consider the glass's role, perhaps it is too big, else the glass would be full given the same amount of liquid, it might be necessary to remove some in order to fill the glass under abstract circumstances such as a glass 150% full. I consider that half-full and half-empty are functionally identical terms and equal values, and that the distinction is unnecessary, and seeks to divert attention from the fact that the glass contains urine. |
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I have to disagree, [tatter]. The terms "empty"
and "full" are used as nöeözegeumas (or, if you
prefer, nöeözegeumatically). Thusfore, "half full"
implies (ad ipso per ipsos) that the process of
filling has been interrupted, and left half
complete. Conversely, "half empty" implies (again,
ad ipso per
ipsos) that the process of emptying has been
interrupted, and left half complete. |
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Consider the analogous situation. You are in a
train that runs between Bastardo, in Umbria, and
Gubbio, also in Umbria. If you find yourself half
way from Bastardo to Gubbio, this implies that in
due course you will find yourself in Gubbio. If,
conversely, you find yourself at the exact same
spot, but half way from Gubbio to Bastardo, then
it is likely that you will ultimately arrive in
Bastardo. Same instantaneous situation, but
different outcome. |
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The photograph taken midway between the two locations needs no further description. It exists at midpoint without qualification, the direction of travel is an entirely other question. Observing the glass of liquid does not presuppose the outcome. It is not a rate of change indication, indeed the glass may contain precisely the correct amount. |
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I should disclose there is less whisky in the glass to my left than there was earlier, so my judgment may have been influenced. |
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At the midpoint of the journey you are "halfway"
regardless of direction. I think there is no English
language equivalent for glass liquid level, and
assume this is something to do with the the
intoxication of the drinkers. |
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I was disappointed to discover I had already bunned this idea. |
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