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Carpal Tunnel
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OP
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A long time ago I had a lot of fun building electronic gadgets. There were many articles about
building all sorts of fun things, up to and including computers. I had a lot of fun assembling
Heathkit stuff. My first Heathkit computer had an awesome 30 MB hard disk. Most of the kits
they were selling at the time had only two small floppies.
Disappointing that there is so little about hobby electronics on the Internet.
What started me off on this rant was getting up in the dark, and having triac controlled light switch
because of hysteresis coming on bright enough to be unpleasant to my dark-adapted eyes.
I'll bet few members know what a triac is, or what hysteresis is. The dictionary isn't much help,
it doesn't even list "triac", and its definition of hysteresis doesn't help in understanding the
problem with the light. And I've forgotten too much to explain it well, even if I had ability to draw
diagrqram in this post.
hysteresis
n.
5ModL < Gr hystercsis, a deficiency < hysterein, to be behind, come short < hysteros, later, behind < IE *udteros, compar. of base *ud3, up > OUT6 Physics a lag of effect when the forces acting on a body are changed, as a lag in magnetization (magnetic hysteresis) of a ferromagnetic substance when the magnetizing force is changed
hys#ter[et$ic 73et4ik8
adj.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Carpal Tunnel
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One year we had a young woman who was getting a singing group together for the Ithaca Festival. She picked up singers from many local groups, but, since she didn't want female tenors, she had to make the female tenors into altos. This left her with a fairly small tenor section, so she had some of us baritones switch to tenor. I was one of her ad hoc tenors but I had to switch to falsetto for some of the higher passages. In the process I noticed that my crossover point was higher on the way up than it was on the way down. That is, while I could sing up to (say) a middle C in chest voice before I had to switch to falsetto, if I were in falsetto, I could make it down to maybe an A below middle C before I had to switch back to chest voice. I commented to her that I had hysteresis in my voice. When she said that she didn't understand what I meant (I am used to this which is why I indulge so often in exegesis) someone else commented that I meant that when I was singing my throat heated up.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Dear Faldage: at least it wasn't your "womb wandering" which was ancient theory of
causation of "hysteria" in emotionally disturbed women.
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Yeah, I was trying to figure out where uteruses came into this. I still can't figure out the connection between hysteresis and wombs. Apropos of hysteria, I suggested to my sister that if women could be described as hysterical, with that particular organ being to blame, then perhaps men who are being unreasonable (they can be, you know. I have one at home and have to deal with this) can be described as testical.
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old hand
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old hand
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I'm sure I could comment on hysteresis under normal circumstances (since it's an oft-used word in physics) but I've now realized the whole "how to write the number one" discussion on Q&A has about worn-out my explaining circuits for the day. Maybe tomorrow, if no one else can help you out, Dr. Bill.
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Carpal Tunnel
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testical.
Or either scrotal, one. Or testy?
I went bartlebying after the relation betwixt hysteresis and hysteria and it seems it ain't there. The Greek words are husteros and hustera, respectively. The one means late and the other womb.
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Carpal Tunnel
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Dear b8rdfeed: men may be irritable and impatient = "testy" but that seems to be a problem
with their "tête" not their testicles.
Dear Bean: I'm sure you could explain the problem with the dimmer switch better than I could.
testy
adj.
3ti[er, 3ti[est 5ME testif < Anglo-Fr < OFr teste, the head < L testa: see TEST16 irritable; touchy; peevish
tes4ti[ly
adv.
tes4ti[ness
n.
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addict
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addict
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Disappointing that there is so little about hobby electronics on the Internet.You surprise me, Dr. Bill. I found several hundred pages on various subjects of electrics and electronics. Here's but one of them: http://www.amasci.com/amateur/elehob.htmlSeveral Universities have educational web pages on basic through advanced electronics. Most of the necessary components can be bought easily or rehashed from old household items. I look forward to my retirement in 2033 when I can find the time to try some of this out....
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Carpal Tunnel
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WW, I love your mind! 
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