#performance engineering & testing services

[keyworthgarages]

[dasset-engineering]

Manufacturer of Premium Cylinder Blocks for Superior Engine Performance: Dasset Engineering 

In the competitive world of automotive engineering, the importance of high-quality components cannot be overstated. Among these, cylinder blocks play a crucial role in determining the performance and longevity of an engine. At Dasset Engineering, we specialize in manufacturing premium cylinder blocks that deliver superior engine performance. This blog delves into the significance of cylinder blocks, the attributes of our premium products, and why Dasset Engineering stands out in this industry. 

The Importance of Cylinder Blocks 

The cylinder block is the backbone of any internal combustion engine. It houses the cylinders, coolant passages, and oil galleries, providing structural integrity and maintaining optimal engine temperature. The performance, efficiency, and durability of an engine largely depend on the quality of the cylinder block. Poorly manufactured blocks can lead to overheating, oil leaks, and ultimately, engine failure. 

Attributes of Premium Cylinder Blocks 

At Dasset Engineering, we understand that premium cylinder blocks are not just about high-grade materials but also about precision engineering and meticulous craftsmanship. Here are some key attributes that define our premium cylinder blocks: 

High-Quality Materials 

We use the finest materials, such as cast iron and aluminum alloys, to manufacture our cylinder blocks. These materials offer excellent durability, heat resistance, and strength, ensuring that the engine performs optimally under various conditions. 

Precision Engineering 

Our cylinder blocks are engineered with precision to meet exact specifications. Advanced machining techniques ensure that each block has the correct dimensions, smooth surfaces, and precise alignment of the cylinders. This precision is crucial for achieving optimal engine performance and efficiency. 

Superior Cooling and Lubrication 

Efficient cooling and lubrication are vital for engine performance and longevity. Our cylinder blocks feature optimized coolant passages and oil galleries that ensure efficient heat dissipation and lubrication. This reduces the risk of overheating and wear, thereby extending the engine's lifespan. 

Rigorous Testing 

Every cylinder block manufactured by Dasset Engineering undergoes rigorous testing to ensure it meets the highest standards of quality and performance. We conduct various tests, including pressure testing, thermal cycling, and dimensional inspections, to verify the integrity and reliability of our products. 

Why Choose Dasset Engineering? 

Dasset Engineering has established itself as a leading manufacturer of premium cylinder blocks, and here's why: 

Expertise and Experience 

With years of experience in the industry, we possess the technical expertise and knowledge required to produce top-tier cylinder blocks. Our team of skilled engineers and technicians is dedicated to delivering products that exceed customer expectations. 

State-of-the-Art Facilities 

We operate state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities equipped with the latest machinery and technology. This allows us to maintain strict quality control and produce cylinder blocks that meet the most demanding specifications. 

Commitment to Quality 

Quality is at the core of everything we do. From sourcing the best materials to implementing stringent quality control measures, we are committed to delivering cylinder blocks that offer unmatched performance and reliability. 

Customer-Centric Approach 

At Dasset Engineering, we believe in building long-term relationships with our customers. We work closely with them to understand their specific needs and provide customized solutions that cater to their requirements. 

Conclusion 

The cylinder block is a critical component that significantly impacts an engine's performance, efficiency, and durability. At Dasset Engineering, we take pride in manufacturing premium cylinder blocks that set the benchmark for quality and performance. By choosing our products, you are investing in superior engine performance, reliability, and longevity. Trust Dasset Engineering to be your partner in achieving excellence in automotive engineering. 

[renaultmechanic]

The importance of computer-generated diagnostic testing for your Renault vehicle

Keeping your Renault in optimal condition has become relatively easier with the help of advanced computer-generated diagnostics. This advanced technology helps mechanics identify and fix issues with your car quickly and accurately. Your Renault has an OBD-II port, which is usually found under the dashboard. Connecting a diagnostic scanner to this port lets our mechanics read diagnostic trouble…

[accessiblemindstech]

Embark on a global bug hunt with our SDET team, leveraging cloud-based mobile testing to ensure your app achieves flawless performance across all devices and networks. With cutting-edge tools and a meticulous approach, we identify and eliminate bugs before they impact your users. https://rb.gy/jfueow #SDET #BugHunt #CloudTesting #MobileAppQuality #FlawlessPerformance SDET Tech Pvt. Ltd.

[coredrillingforfoundationana]

Exploring Industrial Core Drilling Solutions: Unlocking Precision and Efficiency

In the vast landscape of industrial operations, precision and efficiency are the cornerstone of success. Whether it's for construction, mining, or geological exploration, having the right tools and techniques for core drilling is essential. Industrial core drilling solutions offer a sophisticated approach to extracting cylindrical samples from various substrates with unparalleled accuracy. In this article, we'll embark on a journey to uncover the significance, benefits, and applications of Industrial Core Drilling Solutions, exploring how they revolutionize modern industrial practices.

Delving into Industrial Core Drilling

1. Understanding Industrial Core Drilling Solutions

Industrial core drilling solutions encompass a range of techniques and technologies designed to extract core samples from different materials, including rock, concrete, and asphalt. These solutions are tailored to meet the specific needs of industrial applications, where precision and reliability are paramount.

Versatility: Industrial core drilling solutions are versatile, capable of handling a wide range of substrates and operating conditions.

Precision Engineering: By leveraging advanced equipment and techniques, industrial core drilling solutions deliver accurate and consistent results, critical for engineering and scientific applications.

The Mechanics Behind Industrial Core Drilling

1. Cutting-Edge Equipment

At the heart of industrial core drilling solutions lies cutting-edge equipment engineered for performance and reliability.

Diamond Core Bits: Utilizing diamond-tipped drill bits, industrial core drilling solutions can penetrate even the toughest materials with ease, ensuring clean and precise core extraction.

Hydraulic Core Drills: Hydraulic core drills offer high-powered drilling capabilities, allowing for fast and efficient penetration through various substrates.

2. Advanced Techniques

Industrial core drilling solutions employ a variety of advanced techniques to optimize drilling operations and maximize efficiency.

Wet Drilling: Wet drilling techniques involve the continuous supply of water to the drilling area, serving as a coolant and lubricant to reduce friction and heat during drilling.

Dry Drilling: Dry drilling techniques utilize air or other fluids to remove debris from the drilling area, offering convenience and simplicity in certain applications.

Benefits of Industrial Core Drilling Solutions

1. Precision Sampling and Analysis

One of the primary benefits of industrial core drilling solutions is their ability to provide accurate and representative core samples for analysis.

Geological Exploration: Core samples extracted through industrial core drilling solutions offer valuable insights into subsurface geology, aiding in mineral exploration and resource estimation.

Construction and Infrastructure: In the construction industry, core samples are used for structural analysis, material testing, and quality assurance purposes.

2. Increased Productivity and Efficiency

Industrial core drilling solutions enhance productivity and efficiency in industrial operations, reducing downtime and optimizing resource utilization.

Faster Turnaround Times: By streamlining drilling operations and optimizing equipment, industrial core drilling solutions enable faster turnaround times, essential for meeting project deadlines.

Minimized Waste: Precision core drilling minimizes material wastage, reducing costs and environmental impact associated with drilling operations.

Applications Across Industries

1. Construction and Engineering

Industrial core drilling solutions play a crucial role in construction and engineering projects, providing critical data for design, analysis, and quality control.

Foundation Design: Core samples extracted through industrial core drilling solutions help engineers assess subsurface conditions, determine soil properties, and design foundations accordingly.

Material Testing: Core samples are subjected to various tests, including compression, tensile, and shear tests, to evaluate material properties and performance.

2. Mining and Exploration

In the mining and exploration industry, industrial core drilling solutions are instrumental in resource delineation, ore body characterization, and geotechnical assessment.

Ore Body Delineation: Core drilling provides valuable information on the size, grade, and distribution of mineral deposits, guiding exploration and resource estimation efforts.

Geotechnical Studies: Core samples offer insights into rock mechanics, stability, and groundwater conditions, crucial for mine planning and design.

Embracing Innovation for Future Advancements

As technology continues to evolve, industrial core drilling solutions will evolve with it, paving the way for new innovations and advancements in the field.

Automation and Robotics: Integration of automation and robotics into industrial core drilling equipment promises to enhance drilling efficiency, safety, and precision.

Advanced Material Science: Ongoing research in material science aims to develop new materials and coatings for drill bits, improving performance and longevity in harsh operating environments.

Conclusion: Driving Industrial Progress with Core Drilling Solutions

In conclusion, industrial core drilling solutions are the backbone of modern industrial practices, offering precision, efficiency, and reliability where it matters most. Whether it's for construction, mining, or scientific research, these solutions play a vital role in driving industrial progress and innovation. As we look to the future, the possibilities for further advancements and breakthroughs in industrial core drilling are limitless, promising to redefine the boundaries of what's achievable in industrial operations. So, the next time you embark on an industrial project that demands precision and efficiency, remember the invaluable role of industrial core drilling solutions in unlocking new possibilities and driving success

Industrial core drilling solutions represent the pinnacle of precision and efficiency in industrial operations. Let's delve into the world of industrial core drilling, exploring its mechanics, benefits, and applications across various industries.

Unraveling Industrial Core Drilling Solutions

1. Precision Perfected

Industrial core drilling solutions are engineered to deliver precise and reliable results, essential for a wide range of industrial applications.

Tailored Solutions: Industrial core drilling solutions are tailored to meet the specific needs of each project, ensuring accuracy and efficiency.

Cutting-Edge Technology: Leveraging advanced equipment and techniques, industrial core drilling solutions offer unmatched precision and reliability.

The Anatomy of Industrial Core Drilling

1. State-of-the-Art Equipment

Industrial core drilling relies on a range of cutting-edge equipment designed for performance and durability.

Diamond Core Bits: Equipped with diamond-tipped drill bits, industrial core drilling solutions can penetrate various materials with ease, ensuring clean and precise core extraction.

Hydraulic Core Drills: Hydraulic core drills offer high-powered drilling capabilities, allowing for fast and efficient penetration through tough substrates.

2. Advanced Techniques

Industrial core drilling solutions employ advanced techniques to optimize drilling operations and maximize efficiency.

Wet Drilling: Wet drilling techniques utilize water as a coolant and lubricant, reducing friction and heat during drilling operations.

Dry Drilling: Dry drilling techniques offer convenience and simplicity, using air or other fluids to remove debris from the drilling area.

Benefits of Industrial Core Drilling Solutions

1. Precision Sampling and Analysis

Industrial core drilling solutions provide accurate and representative core samples for analysis, essential for geological, geotechnical, and engineering applications.

Geological Exploration: Core samples offer insights into subsurface geology, aiding in mineral exploration and resource estimation.

Construction and Engineering: Core samples are used for structural analysis, material testing, and quality assurance in construction and engineering projects.

2. Increased Productivity and Efficiency

Industrial core drilling solutions enhance productivity and efficiency, reducing downtime and optimizing resource utilization.

Faster Turnaround Times: By streamlining drilling operations, industrial core drilling solutions enable faster turnaround times, essential for meeting project deadlines.

Minimized Waste: Precision core drilling minimizes material wastage, reducing costs and environmental impact associated with drilling operations.

[bmpsubmissions]

Quality Engineering Services in Australia - BMP Technologies 

BMP Technologies delivers industry-standard quality engineering services in Australia, employing modern tools and test automation for superior product quality assurance.

[nasa]

Athletes Go for the Gold with NASA Spinoffs

NASA technology tends to find its way into the sporting world more often than you’d expect. Fitness is important to the space program because astronauts must undergo the extreme g-forces of getting into space and endure the long-term effects of weightlessness on the human body. The agency’s engineering expertise also means that items like shoes and swimsuits can be improved with NASA know-how.

As the 2024 Olympics are in full swing in Paris, here are some of the many NASA-derived technologies that have helped competitive athletes train for the games and made sure they’re properly equipped to win.

The LZR Racer reduces skin friction drag by covering more skin than traditional swimsuits. Multiple pieces of the water-resistant and extremely lightweight LZR Pulse fabric connect at ultrasonically welded seams and incorporate extremely low-profile zippers to keep viscous drag to a minimum.

Swimsuits That Don’t Drag

When the swimsuit manufacturer Speedo wanted its LZR Racer suit to have as little drag as possible, the company turned to the experts at Langley Research Center to test its materials and design. The end result was that the new suit reduced drag by 24 percent compared to the prior generation of Speedo racing suit and broke 13 world records in 2008. While the original LZR Racer is no longer used in competition due to the advantage it gave wearers, its legacy lives on in derivatives still produced to this day.

Trilion Quality Systems worked with NASA’s Glenn Research Center to adapt existing stereo photogrammetry software to work with high-speed cameras. Now the company sells the package widely, and it is used to analyze stress and strain in everything from knee implants to running shoes and more.

High-Speed Cameras for High-Speed Shoes

After space shuttle Columbia, investigators needed to see how materials reacted during recreation tests with high-speed cameras, which involved working with industry to create a system that could analyze footage filmed at 30,000 frames per second. Engineers at Adidas used this system to analyze the behavior of Olympic marathoners' feet as they hit the ground and adjusted the design of the company’s high-performance footwear based on these observations.

Martial artist Barry French holds an Impax Body Shield while former European middle-weight kickboxing champion Daryl Tyler delivers an explosive jump side kick; the force of the impact is registered precisely and shown on the display panel of the electronic box French is wearing on his belt.

One-Thousandth-of-an-Inch Punch

In the 1980s, Olympic martial artists needed a way to measure the impact of their strikes to improve training for competition. Impulse Technology reached out to Glenn Research Center to create the Impax sensor, an ultra-thin film sensor which creates a small amount of voltage when struck. The more force applied, the more voltage it generates, enabling a computerized display to show how powerful a punch or kick was.

Astronaut Sunita Williams poses while using the Interim Resistive Exercise Device on the ISS. The cylinders at the base of each side house the SpiraFlex FlexPacks that inventor Paul Francis honed under NASA contracts. They would go on to power the Bowflex Revolution and other commercial exercise equipment.

Weight Training Without the Weight

Astronauts spending long periods of time in space needed a way to maintain muscle mass without the effect of gravity, but lifting free weights doesn’t work when you’re practically weightless. An exercise machine that uses elastic resistance to provide the same benefits as weightlifting went to the space station in the year 2000. That resistance technology was commercialized into the Bowflex Revolution home exercise equipment shortly afterwards.

Want to learn more about technologies made for space and used on Earth? Check out NASA Spinoff to find products and services that wouldn’t exist without space exploration.   

Make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space!

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Conspiratorialism as a material phenomenon

I'll be in TUCSON, AZ from November 8-10: I'm the GUEST OF HONOR at the TUSCON SCIENCE FICTION CONVENTION.

I think it behooves us to be a little skeptical of stories about AI driving people to believe wrong things and commit ugly actions. Not that I like the AI slop that is filling up our social media, but when we look at the ways that AI is harming us, slop is pretty low on the list.

The real AI harms come from the actual things that AI companies sell AI to do. There's the AI gun-detector gadgets that the credulous Mayor Eric Adams put in NYC subways, which led to 2,749 invasive searches and turned up zero guns:

https://www.cbsnews.com/newyork/news/nycs-subway-weapons-detector-pilot-program-ends/

Any time AI is used to predict crime – predictive policing, bail determinations, Child Protective Services red flags – they magnify the biases already present in these systems, and, even worse, they give this bias the veneer of scientific neutrality. This process is called "empiricism-washing," and you know you're experiencing it when you hear some variation on "it's just math, math can't be racist":

https://pluralistic.net/2020/06/23/cryptocidal-maniacs/#phrenology

When AI is used to replace customer service representatives, it systematically defrauds customers, while providing an "accountability sink" that allows the company to disclaim responsibility for the thefts:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/23/maximal-plausibility/#reverse-centaurs

When AI is used to perform high-velocity "decision support" that is supposed to inform a "human in the loop," it quickly overwhelms its human overseer, who takes on the role of "moral crumple zone," pressing the "OK" button as fast as they can. This is bad enough when the sacrificial victim is a human overseeing, say, proctoring software that accuses remote students of cheating on their tests:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/02/16/unauthorized-paper/#cheating-anticheat

But it's potentially lethal when the AI is a transcription engine that doctors have to use to feed notes to a data-hungry electronic health record system that is optimized to commit health insurance fraud by seeking out pretenses to "upcode" a patient's treatment. Those AIs are prone to inventing things the doctor never said, inserting them into the record that the doctor is supposed to review, but remember, the only reason the AI is there at all is that the doctor is being asked to do so much paperwork that they don't have time to treat their patients:

https://apnews.com/article/ai-artificial-intelligence-health-business-90020cdf5fa16c79ca2e5b6c4c9bbb14

My point is that "worrying about AI" is a zero-sum game. When we train our fire on the stuff that isn't important to the AI stock swindlers' business-plans (like creating AI slop), we should remember that the AI companies could halt all of that activity and not lose a dime in revenue. By contrast, when we focus on AI applications that do the most direct harm – policing, health, security, customer service – we also focus on the AI applications that make the most money and drive the most investment.

AI hasn't attracted hundreds of billions in investment capital because investors love AI slop. All the money pouring into the system – from investors, from customers, from easily gulled big-city mayors – is chasing things that AI is objectively very bad at and those things also cause much more harm than AI slop. If you want to be a good AI critic, you should devote the majority of your focus to these applications. Sure, they're not as visually arresting, but discrediting them is financially arresting, and that's what really matters.

All that said: AI slop is real, there is a lot of it, and just because it doesn't warrant priority over the stuff AI companies actually sell, it still has cultural significance and is worth considering.

AI slop has turned Facebook into an anaerobic lagoon of botshit, just the laziest, grossest engagement bait, much of it the product of rise-and-grind spammers who avidly consume get rich quick "courses" and then churn out a torrent of "shrimp Jesus" and fake chainsaw sculptures:

https://www.404media.co/email/1cdf7620-2e2f-4450-9cd9-e041f4f0c27f/

For poor engagement farmers in the global south chasing the fractional pennies that Facebook shells out for successful clickbait, the actual content of the slop is beside the point. These spammers aren't necessarily tuned into the psyche of the wealthy-world Facebook users who represent Meta's top monetization subjects. They're just trying everything and doubling down on anything that moves the needle, A/B splitting their way into weird, hyper-optimized, grotesque crap:

https://www.404media.co/facebook-is-being-overrun-with-stolen-ai-generated-images-that-people-think-are-real/

In other words, Facebook's AI spammers are laying out a banquet of arbitrary possibilities, like the letters on a Ouija board, and the Facebook users' clicks and engagement are a collective ideomotor response, moving the algorithm's planchette to the options that tug hardest at our collective delights (or, more often, disgusts).

So, rather than thinking of AI spammers as creating the ideological and aesthetic trends that drive millions of confused Facebook users into condemning, praising, and arguing about surreal botshit, it's more true to say that spammers are discovering these trends within their subjects' collective yearnings and terrors, and then refining them by exploring endlessly ramified variations in search of unsuspected niches.

(If you know anything about AI, this may remind you of something: a Generative Adversarial Network, in which one bot creates variations on a theme, and another bot ranks how closely the variations approach some ideal. In this case, the spammers are the generators and the Facebook users they evince reactions from are the discriminators)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generative_adversarial_network

I got to thinking about this today while reading User Mag, Taylor Lorenz's superb newsletter, and her reporting on a new AI slop trend, "My neighbor’s ridiculous reason for egging my car":

https://www.usermag.co/p/my-neighbors-ridiculous-reason-for

The "egging my car" slop consists of endless variations on a story in which the poster (generally a figure of sympathy, canonically a single mother of newborn twins) complains that her awful neighbor threw dozens of eggs at her car to punish her for parking in a way that blocked his elaborate Hallowe'en display. The text is accompanied by an AI-generated image showing a modest family car that has been absolutely plastered with broken eggs, dozens upon dozens of them.

According to Lorenz, variations on this slop are topping very large Facebook discussion forums totalling millions of users, like "Movie Character…,USA Story, Volleyball Women, Top Trends, Love Style, and God Bless." These posts link to SEO sites laden with programmatic advertising.

The funnel goes:

i. Create outrage and hence broad reach;

ii, A small percentage of those who see the post will click through to the SEO site;

iii. A small fraction of those users will click a low-quality ad;

iv. The ad will pay homeopathic sub-pennies to the spammer.

The revenue per user on this kind of scam is next to nothing, so it only works if it can get very broad reach, which is why the spam is so designed for engagement maximization. The more discussion a post generates, the more users Facebook recommends it to.

These are very effective engagement bait. Almost all AI slop gets some free engagement in the form of arguments between users who don't know they're commenting an AI scam and people hectoring them for falling for the scam. This is like the free square in the middle of a bingo card.

Beyond that, there's multivalent outrage: some users are furious about food wastage; others about the poor, victimized "mother" (some users are furious about both). Not only do users get to voice their fury at both of these imaginary sins, they can also argue with one another about whether, say, food wastage even matters when compared to the petty-minded aggression of the "perpetrator." These discussions also offer lots of opportunity for violent fantasies about the bad guy getting a comeuppance, offers to travel to the imaginary AI-generated suburb to dole out a beating, etc. All in all, the spammers behind this tedious fiction have really figured out how to rope in all kinds of users' attention.

Of course, the spammers don't get much from this. There isn't such a thing as an "attention economy." You can't use attention as a unit of account, a medium of exchange or a store of value. Attention – like everything else that you can't build an economy upon, such as cryptocurrency – must be converted to money before it has economic significance. Hence that tooth-achingly trite high-tech neologism, "monetization."

The monetization of attention is very poor, but AI is heavily subsidized or even free (for now), so the largest venture capital and private equity funds in the world are spending billions in public pension money and rich peoples' savings into CO2 plumes, GPUs, and botshit so that a bunch of hustle-culture weirdos in the Pacific Rim can make a few dollars by tricking people into clicking through engagement bait slop – twice.

The slop isn't the point of this, but the slop does have the useful function of making the collective ideomotor response visible and thus providing a peek into our hopes and fears. What does the "egging my car" slop say about the things that we're thinking about?

Lorenz cites Jamie Cohen, a media scholar at CUNY Queens, who points out that subtext of this slop is "fear and distrust in people about their neighbors." Cohen predicts that "the next trend, is going to be stranger and more violent.”

This feels right to me. The corollary of mistrusting your neighbors, of course, is trusting only yourself and your family. Or, as Margaret Thatcher liked to say, "There is no such thing as society. There are individual men and women and there are families."

We are living in the tail end of a 40 year experiment in structuring our world as though "there is no such thing as society." We've gutted our welfare net, shut down or privatized public services, all but abolished solidaristic institutions like unions.

This isn't mere aesthetics: an atomized society is far more hospitable to extreme wealth inequality than one in which we are all in it together. When your power comes from being a "wise consumer" who "votes with your wallet," then all you can do about the climate emergency is buy a different kind of car – you can't build the public transit system that will make cars obsolete.

When you "vote with your wallet" all you can do about animal cruelty and habitat loss is eat less meat. When you "vote with your wallet" all you can do about high drug prices is "shop around for a bargain." When you vote with your wallet, all you can do when your bank forecloses on your home is "choose your next lender more carefully."

Most importantly, when you vote with your wallet, you cast a ballot in an election that the people with the thickest wallets always win. No wonder those people have spent so long teaching us that we can't trust our neighbors, that there is no such thing as society, that we can't have nice things. That there is no alternative.

The commercial surveillance industry really wants you to believe that they're good at convincing people of things, because that's a good way to sell advertising. But claims of mind-control are pretty goddamned improbable – everyone who ever claimed to have managed the trick was lying, from Rasputin to MK-ULTRA:

https://pluralistic.net/HowToDestroySurveillanceCapitalism

Rather than seeing these platforms as convincing people of things, we should understand them as discovering and reinforcing the ideology that people have been driven to by material conditions. Platforms like Facebook show us to one another, let us form groups that can imperfectly fill in for the solidarity we're desperate for after 40 years of "no such thing as society."

The most interesting thing about "egging my car" slop is that it reveals that so many of us are convinced of two contradictory things: first, that everyone else is a monster who will turn on you for the pettiest of reasons; and second, that we're all the kind of people who would stick up for the victims of those monsters.

Tor Books as just published two new, free LITTLE BROTHER stories: VIGILANT, about creepy surveillance in distance education; and SPILL, about oil pipelines and indigenous landback.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/10/29/hobbesian-slop/#cui-bono

Image: Cryteria (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HAL9000.svg

CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

[covid-safer-hotties]

Also preserved in our archive

By Sarah Schwartz

Test after test of U.S. students’ reading and math abilities have shown scores declining since the pandemic.

Now, new results show that it’s not just children whose skills have fallen over the past few years—American adults are getting worse at reading and math, too.

The connection, if any, between the two patterns isn’t clear—the tests aren’t set up to provide that kind of information. But it does point to a populace that is becoming more stratified by ability at a time when economic inequality continues to widen and debates over opportunity for social mobility are on the rise.

The findings from the 2023 administration of the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies, or PIAAC, show that 16- to 65-year-olds’ literacy scores declined by 12 points from 2017 to 2023, while their numeracy scores fell by 7 points during the same period.

These trends aren’t unique in the global context: Of the 31 countries and economies in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development that participated in PIAAC, some saw scores drop over the past six years, while others improved or held constant.

Still, as in previous years, the United States doesn’t compare favorably to other countries: The country ranks in the middle of the pack in literacy and below the international average in math. (Literacy and numeracy on the test are scored on a 500-point scale.)

But Americans do stand out in one way: The gap between the highest- and lowest-performing adults is growing wider, as the top scorers hold steady and other test takers see their scores fall.

“There’s a dwindling middle in the United States in terms of skills,” said Peggy Carr, the commissioner of the National Center for Education Statistics, which oversees PIAAC in the country. (The test was developed by the OECD and is administered every three years.)

It’s a phenomenon that distinguishes the United States, she said.

“Some of that is because we’re very diverse and it’s large, in comparison to some of the OECD countries,” Carr said in a call with reporters on Monday. “But that clearly is not the only reason.”

American children, too, are experiencing this widening chasm between high and low performers. National and international tests show the country’s top students holding steady, while students at the bottom of the distribution are falling further behind.

It’s hard to know why U.S. adults’ scores have taken this precipitous dive, Carr said.

About a third of Americans score at lowest levels PIAAC is different from large-scale assessments for students, which measure kids’ academic abilities.

Instead, this test for adults evaluates their abilities to use math and reading in real-world contexts—to navigate public services in their neighborhood, for example, or complete a task at work. The United States sample is nationally representative random sample, drawn from census data.

American respondents averaged a level 2 of 5 in both subjects.

In practice, that means that they can, for example, use a website to find information about how to order a recycling cart, or read and understand a list of rules for sending their child to preschool. But they would have trouble using a library search engine to find the author of a book.

In math, they could compare a table and a graph of the same information to check for errors. But they wouldn’t be able to calculate average monthly expenses with several months of data.

While the U.S. average is a level 2, more adults now fall at a level 1 or below—28 percent scored at that level in literacy, up from 19 percent in 2017, and 34 percent in numeracy, up from 29 percent in 2017.

Respondents scoring below level 1 couldn’t compare calendar dates printed on grocery tags to determine which food item was packed first. They would also struggle to read several job descriptions and identify which company was looking to hire a night-shift worker.

The findings also show sharp divides by race and national origin, with respondents born in the United States outscoring those born outside of the country, and white respondents outscoring Black and Hispanic test takers. Those trends have persisted over the past decade.

[macmay]

OMAKHEATERS - PLATİN

Omak Heaters: Your Trusted Partner in Heating Solutions

When it comes to reliable and efficient heating solutions for various industrial applications, Omak Heaters stands out as a leading provider of top-quality products. Specializing in IBS tank heaters, barrel heaters, filter heaters, satellite dish heaters, and more, Omak Heaters offers innovative and dependable heating solutions to meet the diverse needs of its customers.

IBC Tank Heaters:

Omak Heaters offers a wide range of IBC tank heaters designed to provide consistent and uniform heating for industrial storage tanks. Whether you need to maintain the temperature of liquids or chemicals stored in tanks, our IBC tank heaters ensure optimal heating performance, enhancing operational efficiency and productivity.

Barrel Heaters:

For heating applications involving barrels and drums, Omak Heaters offers high-performance barrel heaters engineered to deliver efficient and uniform heat distribution. Our barrel heaters are designed to withstand harsh industrial environments and provide reliable heating solutions for various applications, including oil and chemical processing.

Filter Heaters:

Omak Heaters also specializes in filter heaters designed to prevent freezing and maintain optimal operating temperatures for filtration systems. Our filter heaters are built to deliver consistent and reliable heating performance, ensuring uninterrupted operation and prolonging the lifespan of filtration equipment.

Omak Heaters Quality Assurance:

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Customer-Centric Approach:

Omak Heaters is committed to providing exceptional customer service and support. We work closely with our customers to understand their unique heating requirements and offer customized solutions tailored to their specific needs. From product selection to installation and ongoing technical support, our dedicated team is here to assist you every step of the way.

Contact Omak Heaters Today:

Whether you're in need of IBS tank heaters, barrel heaters, filter heaters, or satellite dish heaters, Omak Heaters has the expertise and products to meet your heating needs. Contact us today to learn more about our comprehensive range of heating solutions and discover how we can help optimize your industrial heating processes.

[nitor-infotech]

Quality Engineering Services | Nitor Infotech

Nitor Infotech’s agile approach towards quality engineering and test automation services can help organizations achieve a flawless performance of applications and prolonged product sustenance, thus improving scalability as well as boosting revenues. Owing to an increase in demand for better, more flexible software systems, their complexity is increasing day by day. To ensure that these systems comply with quality engineering (QE) standards, a drastic evolution is seen in testing methods as well. Testing frameworks are now more complex than ever and deploying them adequately is often challenging.

[responsivethoughts]

The Grumman X-29 Experimental Aircraft

The Grumman X-29 was an experimental aircraft developed by the United States in the 1980s, aimed at testing advanced aviation technologies. One of its most unique features was its forward-swept wings, which improved maneuverability and reduced drag. However, this design introduced significant aerodynamic challenges, such as the tendency of the wings to twist under stress. To address this, the X-29 utilized advanced composite materials, which provided the necessary strength without adding excess weight.

The X-29 was inherently unstable due to its forward-swept wings, necessitating a sophisticated digital fly-by-wire control system. This system allowed a computer to continuously make adjustments to keep the aircraft stable during flight. Additionally, the aircraft featured canard control surfaces, located in front of the main wings, which enhanced control and maneuverability, particularly at high angles of attack.

Another key feature of the X-29 was its variable-geometry engine inlets, designed to optimize airflow into the engine across different flight conditions. This design allowed the aircraft to maintain efficiency at various speeds and altitudes. Together, these innovative design elements made the X-29 a complex and advanced aircraft for its time.

The X-29 first flew on December 14, 1984, under the management of NASA and the United States Air Force. Two X-29 aircraft were constructed, and they accumulated over 400 test flights. These tests focused on exploring the aircraft's unique aerodynamic and flight control characteristics, providing valuable data on how forward-swept wings performed under various conditions.

The primary objective of the X-29 program was to investigate technologies that could be used in future fighter aircraft, with a particular focus on improving maneuverability and control at high angles of attack. Although the X-29 was never intended to enter production, the insights gained from its development contributed to future advancements in aircraft design.

While the X-29 did not see operational service, its legacy is significant. The technologies it explored, including forward-swept wings, composite materials, and digital flight controls, paved the way for innovations in fighter aircraft. Today, the X-29 is remembered as an important milestone in the study of unconventional aircraft designs and aerodynamics.

An interesting and lesser-known fact about the Grumman X-29 is that, despite its radical design, the aircraft reused components from existing fighter jets to save on development costs. Specifically, the fuselage of the X-29 was derived from the Northrop F-5A Freedom Fighter, and its landing gear was taken from the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon. This blending of cutting-edge technology with proven components from earlier aircraft helped keep the project within a more manageable budget, demonstrating a creative approach to experimental aircraft design during that era.

[spacefrontier]

Launch of Space Shuttle Discovery during STS-105. August 10, 2001.

The primary purpose of STS-105 was the rotation of International Space Station Crew, bringing Expedition 3 to the orbiting laboratory and returning the Expedition 2 crew, and the delivery of 6,775 pounds of scientific racks, equipment, and supplies using the Italian-built Multi Purpose Logistics Module Leonardo.

International Space Station viewed from STS-105 after departure.

Additional payload included Materials International Space Station Experiments (MISSE) Passive Experiment Containers (PEC) 1 and 2. MISSE investigated the long-term exposure of materials to the space environment. MISSE PECs 1 and 2 included 910 specimens of various materials to be tested outside of the International Space Station. PECs 1 and 2 were later recovered by STS-114 in 2005.

One of the MISSE PECs installed on the outside of the Quest airlock.

Two spacewalks were performed during STS-105 by Mission Specialists Patrick Forrester and Daniel Barry. The first EVA on August 16 was performed to install the Early Ammonia Servicer, which would supply ammonia to the International Space Station's cooling system if needed. EVA 1 lasted 6 hours and 16 minutes. The second EVA on August 18 prepared the space station for the delivery of the S0 truss by STS-110 in 2002. EVA 2 lasted 5 hours and 29 minutes.

Mission Specialist Daniel Barry near the end of Discovery's Remote Manipulator Arm during EVA 2.

Expeditions 2, 3, and STS-105 crew members in the Destiny laboratory. Expedition 2 (red shirts) from bottom to top: Expedition 2 Commander Yury Usachev (Roscosmos), Flight Engineer James Voss, Flight Engineer Susan Helms. Expedition 3 (white shirts) from bottom to top: Expedition 3 Commander Frank Culberston, Jr., Flight Engineer Vladimir Dezhurov (Roscosmos), Flight Engineer Mikhail Tyurin (Roscosmos). STS-105 (striped shirts) from top left: Commander Scott Horowitz, Mission Specialist Daniel Barry. Bottom left: Mission Specialist Patrick Forrester, Pilot Rick Sturckow.

STS-105 returned to the Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility on August 20, 2001, having spent nearly 12 days on orbit, over 7 days of which were docked to the International Space Station.

Discovery touches down on Shuttle Landing Facility Runway 15.

NASA 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6

[accessiblemindstech]

By ensuring your software is meticulously tested for global readiness, we help you deliver seamless user experiences across diverse languages and cultures. Let's transform your product into a global phenomenon, reaching audiences far and wide with precision and reliability. https://bit.ly/3EKzvs2 #SDET #GlobalProduct #LanguageGap #SoftwareTesting #UserExperience #Localization SDET Tech

[master-of-47-dudes]

You know I have one more thought about the submarine situation now that it's official that the billionaires inside have almost certainly died horribly in one way or another.

And that's like.

I know it's easy to compare the OceanGate situation to the Titanic as "example of man's hubris being checked by the realities of nature" but if you think about it for a second or know much about the Titanic, they're genuinely not comparable at all.

See, sure. The Titanic was declared "unsinkable". This was because the Titanic was an actual marvel of engineering- the biggest fuck up on the part of the builders was being SO confident in their genuinely innovative and extremely well-designed vessel that they didn't include more life boats.

What SANK the Titanic, was a series of small and big mistakes on the part of the crew. Stuff like replacing the lookout last minute so that the guy being left in England was the one holding the key to the box with the only pair of binoculars on board. Trying to avoid the iceberg last minute instead of hitting it dead on, thus damaging the ship in a manner that bypassed the in-built safeties.

Genuinely, had any one of the series of mistakes that led to the Titanic sinking just, not happened? The boat would likely have lived out its expected service life.

The OceanGate fiasco, now? This was a jury rigged piece of crap with cut corners out the wazoo made buy a guy who thought safety features like "a hull pressure tested and graded to reliably survive the depths it's intended to reach" or "a locator beacon in case the sub gets lost, a problem which has happened before", or "controlling the submarine with an interface that is not notoriously shoddy and prone to poor performance" were unnecessary precautions for wimpy nerds.

A disaster was more or less guaranteed from the getgo! There was no reality where this didn't become a fiasco and a disaster. I mean, yeah there's one where the people running OceanGate were actually responsible and cautious instead of cost-cutting capitalists, but from the moment that sub hit the water there wasn't really any decision that could have saved them outside of getting cold feet and immediately returning to the boat they launched from.

Like, sure, there's hubris in both situations! But one was an avoidable tragedy where the hubris was justified and largely unrelated to the actual disaster that happened, and the other was an inevitability that occurred because an overconfident idiot decided that physics and the reality of what he was trying to do would make an exception for his company because he's a special boy that the universe exists to serve.

It's hilarious how fucking far apart the realities of the situations were.