Writing Tech Brief By HackerNoon

This story was originally published on HackerNoon at: https://hackernoon.com/new-books-and-publications. A readable little periodical, well calculated to amuse the little ones for whom it is intended. Check more stories related to writing at: https://hackernoon.com/c/writing. You can also check exclusive content about #non-fiction, #scientific-and-technical, #hackernoon-books, #project-gutenberg, #books, #various, #scientific-american, #volume-31-no.8-feb.24-1877, and more. This story was written by: @scientificamerican. Learn more about this writer by checking @scientificamerican's about page, and for more stories, please visit hackernoon.com. Archology, Or The Science Of Government. By S.V. Blakeslee. Price $1.25. New York and San Francisco: A. Roman & Co. This book is a very metaphysical treatise on theories of government and the duties of citizens to the law, each other, and themselves. Theoretical politics are little in favor with thinking men of this day; and the social difficulties of our age will have to be solved by practical wisdom founded on experience. The people that knows that a certain course of legislation has destroyed an empire, and that a contrary policy has developed one, will care little as to whether or not "the will controls the feelings by mediate and indirect force." We are unable to find in this book any attempt to apply the finely worded theories stated to practical use and popular instruction in political science. Graphical Analysis Of Roof Trusses, For The Use Of Engineers, Architects, And Builders. By Charles E. Greene, A.M., Professor of Civil Engineering in the University of Michigan. Chicago, Ill: George H. Frost. The author of this work truly says that any designer who fairly tries the graphical method will be pleased with the simplicity and directness of the analysis, even for apparently complex forms. The hindrance to the general use of the method is the want of knowledge of the higher mathematics, which are largely used in most treatises on the subject. Professor Greene has avoided this stumbling block, and given us a treatise which may be understood and appreciated by any one of common school education. We therefore give his work a hearty commendation, and we hope that every carpenter and builder may be induced to analyze the stresses which affect the different parts of structures, which he can readily do by carefully reading this volume.

This story was originally published on HackerNoon at: https://hackernoon.com/the-extension-of-the-plague. Let us hope so; for of all pestilences which have ever scourged humanity, and desolated empires, none approach in magnitude those of the plague. Check more stories related to writing at: https://hackernoon.com/c/writing. You can also check exclusive content about #non-fiction, #scientific-and-technical, #hackernoon-books, #project-gutenberg, #books, #various, #scientific-american, #vol.-17-no.2-july-14-1877, and more. This story was written by: @scientificamerican. Learn more about this writer by checking @scientificamerican's about page, and for more stories, please visit hackernoon.com. Our recent English medical exchanges mention, with undisguised apprehension, the fact that already early this spring authentic observers state that the plague has broken out in Bagdad, and is rapidly increasing there; and information from other sources renders it probable that the disease has shown itself in other places in the vicinity of that city, some of which have not suffered before since the new development of the disease in Mesopotamia, three or four years ago. The progress of the epidemic in and about Bagdad last year shows that each year since its reappearance in that district it has covered a wider area, and it will be remembered that last year it crossed the Turco-Persian frontier, and broke out at Shuster, in Khuzistan. From the phenomena of the epidemic to this period it was feared, especially by the physicians on the spot, that, if it should recur in the present year, it must be expected to extend over a still wider area, and show itself in even a more aggravated form than had yet been observed. This opinion is concurred in by Surgeon-Major Colville, the medical officer attached to the British Embassy at Bagdad, and is expressed in his official report, on the subject of the last and previous year's outbreak.

This story was originally published on HackerNoon at: https://hackernoon.com/warming-and-ventilation-of-railroad-cars. We trust that before this journal concludes its series of articles thus commenced Check more stories related to writing at: https://hackernoon.com/c/writing. You can also check exclusive content about #non-fiction, #scientific-and-technical, #project-gutenberg, #hackernoon-books, #books, #various, #scientific-american, #vol.14-no.12-march-18-1871, and more. This story was written by: @scientificamerican. Learn more about this writer by checking @scientificamerican's about page, and for more stories, please visit hackernoon.com. There has been enough of denunciation against the present general method of warming and ventilating railway cars. It produces no effect on the corporations who could, if they would, adopt appliances that would not burn people to death in cases of accident, nor regularly and persistently poison them with bad air. There is no lack of ways and means; the problem is simple and easily solved; nay—a not very extensive search through the Patent Office records will show that it has been solved already; perhaps not in the most practical and perfect manner, but still solved so well, as, were it not for corporation cupidity, would greatly add to the comfort and safety of passengers. The real problem is how to compel corporations to recognize the fact that the public has rights they are bound to respect. It is the disregard of these rights that fills our cars with smoke, dust, and exhalations, and puts box stoves full of hot coals in the corners, ready to cook the human stew whenever a frisky car shall take a notion to turn a somersault. The invention needed is a conscience for corporations—an invention, by the way, scarcely less difficult than the one advertised for in our last issue, namely, a plan for preventing the sale of intoxicating liquors and tobacco in New Jersey.

This story was originally published on HackerNoon at: https://hackernoon.com/moneyed-men. Courage has saved many an army, even when ammunition was low; and many a foe has been scattered by one yell of defiance when there was not a cartridge left. Check more stories related to writing at: https://hackernoon.com/c/writing. You can also check exclusive content about #non-fiction, #scientific-and-technical, #hackernoon-books, #project-gutenberg, #books, #various, #scientific-american, #volume-31-no.8-feb.24-1877, and more. This story was written by: @scientificamerican. Learn more about this writer by checking @scientificamerican's about page, and for more stories, please visit hackernoon.com. The Cleveland Herald said, twenty years ago, during a stringency of the times, that moneyed men are the veriest cravens on earth: so timid, that on the least alarm they pull their heads, turtle-like, within their shells, and, snugly housed, hug their glittering treasure until all fear is removed. The consequence is that a few days' disturbance of the monetary atmosphere brings on a perfect dearth of not only the precious metals, but even of paper money, their representative. Moneyed men never adopt the tactics of mutual support; hence, as soon as a shot is fired into the flock, they scatter, each looking out for himself, each distrustful of the other, and each recognizing only the great law of selfishness, which is to take care of number one. Courage has saved many an army, even when ammunition was low; and many a foe has been scattered by one yell of defiance when there was not a cartridge left.

This story was originally published on HackerNoon at: https://hackernoon.com/classification-of-fuels. Gas-house coke is generally softer and more porous than oven coke, ignites more readily, and requires less draft for its combustion. Check more stories related to writing at: https://hackernoon.com/c/writing. You can also check exclusive content about #non-fiction, #engineering-and-technology, #hackernoon-books, #project-gutenberg, #books, #babcock-and-wilcox-company, #ebooks, #steam-its-generation-and-use, and more. This story was written by: @bwco. Learn more about this writer by checking @bwco's about page, and for more stories, please visit hackernoon.com. Fuels for steam boilers may be classified as solid, liquid or gaseous. Of the solid fuels, anthracite and bituminous coals are the most common, but in this class must also be included lignite, peat, wood, bagasse and the refuse from certain industrial processes such as sawdust, shavings, tan bark and the like. Straw, corn and coffee husks are utilized in isolated cases. The class of liquid fuels is represented chiefly by petroleum, though coal tar and water-gas tar are used to a limited extent. Gaseous fuels are limited to natural gas, blast furnace gas and coke oven gas, the first being a natural product and the two latter by-products from industrial processes. Though waste gases from certain processes may be considered as gaseous fuels, inasmuch as the question of combustion does not enter, the methods of utilizing them differ from that for combustible gaseous fuel, and the question will be dealt with separately. Since coal is by far the most generally used of all fuels, this chapter will be devoted entirely to the formation, composition and distribution of the various grades, from anthracite to peat. The other fuels will be discussed in succeeding chapters and their combustion dealt with in connection with their composition.

This story was originally published on HackerNoon at: https://hackernoon.com/the-hercules-beetle. The head, thorax, and legs are shining black; the elytra, or wing-covers, are olive-green, dotted with black spots, and are much wrinkled. Check more stories related to writing at: https://hackernoon.com/c/writing. You can also check exclusive content about #non-fiction, #scientific-and-technical, #project-gutenberg, #hackernoon-books, #books, #various, #scientific-american, #vol.43-no.25-december-18-1880, and more. This story was written by: @scientificamerican. Learn more about this writer by checking @scientificamerican's about page, and for more stories, please visit hackernoon.com. In the handsome engraving herewith are shown the male and female of the Hercules beetle (Dynastes hercules) of Brazil. The family of the Dynastidæ comprises some of the largest and most beautiful of the beetle race, and all of them are remarkable for enormous developments of the thorax and head. They are all large bodied and stout limbed, and by their great strength abundantly justify their generic name, Dynastes, which is from the Greek and signifies powerful. The larvæ of these beetles inhabit and feed upon decaying trees and other rotting vegetable matter, and correspond in size with the mature insects. Most of them inhabit tropical regions, where they perform a valuable service in hastening the destruction of dead or fallen timber. An admirable example of this family of beetles is the one here represented. In the male of the Hercules beetle the upper part of the thorax is prolonged into a single, downward curving horn fully three inches long, the entire length of the insect being about six inches. The head is prolonged into a similar horn, which curves upward, giving the head and thorax the appearance of two enormous jaws, resembling the claw of a lobster. The real jaws of the insect are underneath the lower horn, which projects from the forepart of the head. The under surface of the thorax-horn carries a ridge of stiff, short, golden-yellow hairs, and the under surface and edges of the abdomen are similarly ornamented.

This story was originally published on HackerNoon at: https://hackernoon.com/report-of-the-judges-of-group-1-department-v-of-the-exhibition-of-the-american-institute-for-1870. Moreover, the circumstances under which the trials were respectively performed, render the comparison difficult, if not unfair. Check more stories related to writing at: https://hackernoon.com/c/writing. You can also check exclusive content about #non-fiction, #scientific-and-technical, #hackernoon-books, #project-gutenberg, #books, #various, #scientific-american, #vol.14-no.12-march-18-1871, and more. This story was written by: @scientificamerican. Learn more about this writer by checking @scientificamerican's about page, and for more stories, please visit hackernoon.com. The labors of the judges in this department were much lighter in the last exhibition than in the preceding one, and we are happy to say, were, in our opinion, so far as the award of premiums is concerned, much more fairly performed. The award of two first premiums to two competing engines could scarcely be repeated this time, as there was in reality no competition. The Allen engine was the only important one entered, and of course received the first premium. The engine is, however, one that evidently could have competed favorably with those previously exhibited. We are in receipt of advanced sheets of the judges' report pertaining to the critical examination of this engine, being a record and account of experiments performed under the supervision of Washington Lee, C. E. The experiments were very comprehensive, and comprised approved tests, of each important detail, usually made by expert engineers. The report is too voluminous for reprint or even for condensation in our columns. In looking it through, we are satisfied that the experiments were accurately made, and that the engine exhibited great working efficiency and economy. As the engine has been recently illustrated and described in our columns, we deem it unnecessary to dwell upon the details of its construction. The water test of the previous exhibition was employed, the water being this time measured, with indisputable accuracy, in a tank, instead of by a meter as before.

This story was originally published on HackerNoon at: https://hackernoon.com/self-reliance-necessary-to-success. For want of self-reliance and decision of character, thousands are submerged in their first essays to make the voyage of life. Check more stories related to writing at: https://hackernoon.com/c/writing. You can also check exclusive content about #non-fiction, #scientific-and-technical, #hackernoon-books, #project-gutenberg, #books, #various, #scientific-american, #volume-31-no.8-feb.24-1877, and more. This story was written by: @scientificamerican. Learn more about this writer by checking @scientificamerican's about page, and for more stories, please visit hackernoon.com. Self-reliance, conjoined with promptitude in the execution of our undertakings, is indispensable to success. And yet multitudes live a life of vacillation and consequent failure, because they remain undetermined what to do, or, having decided that, have no confidence in themselves. Such persons need to be assured; but this assurance can be obtained in no other way than by their own successes in whatever they may attempt for themselves. If they lean upon others, they not only become dissatisfied with what they achieve, but the success of one achievement, in which they are entitled to but partial credit, is no guaranty to them that, unaided, they will not fail in their very next experiment. For want of self-reliance and decision of character, thousands are submerged in their first essays to make the voyage of life. Disappointed and chagrined at this, they underestimate their own capacities, and thenceforward, relying on others, they take and keep a subordinate position, from which they rise, when they rise at all, with the utmost difficulty. When a young man attains his majority, it is better for him, as a general rule, to take some independent position of his own, even though the present remuneration be less than he would obtain in the service of others. When at work for himself, in a business which requires and demands foresight, economy, and industry, he will naturally develop the strong points of his character, and become self-reliant.

This story was originally published on HackerNoon at: https://hackernoon.com/combustion-may-be-defined-as-the-rapid-chemical-combination. If less than this amount of air is supplied, the carbon burns to monoxide instead of dioxide and its full heat value is not developed. Check more stories related to writing at: https://hackernoon.com/c/writing. You can also check exclusive content about #non-fiction, #engineering-and-technology, #hackernoon-books, #project-gutenberg, #books, #babcock-and-wilcox-company, #ebooks, #steam-its-generation-and-use, and more. This story was written by: @bwco. Learn more about this writer by checking @bwco's about page, and for more stories, please visit hackernoon.com. Combustion may be defined as the rapid chemical combination of oxygen with carbon, hydrogen and sulphur, accompanied by the diffusion of heat and light. That portion of the substance thus combined with the oxygen is called combustible. As used in steam engineering practice, however, the term combustible is applied to that portion of the fuel which is dry and free from ash, thus including both oxygen and nitrogen which may be constituents of the fuel, though not in the true sense of the term combustible. Combustion is perfect when the combustible unites with the greatest possible amount of oxygen, as when one atom of carbon unites with two atoms of oxygen to form carbon dioxide, CO2. The combustion is imperfect when complete oxidation of the combustible does not occur, or where the combustible does not unite with the maximum amount of oxygen, as when one atom of carbon unites with one atom of oxygen to form carbon monoxide, CO, which may be further burned to carbon dioxide. Kindling Point—Before a combustible can unite with oxygen and combustion takes place, its temperature must first be raised to the ignition or kindling point, and a sufficient time must be allowed for the completion of the combustion before the temperature of the gases is lowered below that point. Table 30, by Stromeyer, gives the approximate kindling temperatures of different fuels.

This story was originally published on HackerNoon at: https://hackernoon.com/alexander-bain-electrician. Photographs of him by Mayall were recently presented to the Society of Telegraph Engineers and the American Society of Telegraphers at Philadelphia. Check more stories related to writing at: https://hackernoon.com/c/writing. You can also check exclusive content about #non-fiction, #scientific-and-technical, #hackernoon-books, #project-gutenberg, #books, #various, #scientific-american, and more. This story was written by: @scientificamerican. Learn more about this writer by checking @scientificamerican's about page, and for more stories, please visit hackernoon.com. This ingenious man, whose inventions in connection with the electric telegraph entitle his name to be held in grateful remembrance, died in January last at the new Home for Incurables at Broomhill, Kirkintilloch, near Glasgow, Scotland, and on Saturday his remains were interred in the burying ground in the neighborhood of that town known as the Old Aisle Cemetery. Mr. Bain, who was about sixty-six years of age, was a native of Thurso. He was the inventor of the electro-chemical printing telegraph, the electro-magnetic clock, and of perforated paper for automatic transmission of messages, and was author of a number of books and pamphlets relating to these subjects. Sir William Thomson, in his address to the Mathematical Section of the British Association at its meeting in Glasgow last year, said: "In the United States Telegraphic Department of the Great Exhibition at Philadelphia, I saw Edison's automatic telegraph delivering 1,015 words in 57 seconds. This was done by the long neglected electro-chemical method of Bain, long ago condemned in England to the helot work of recording from a relay, and turned adrift as needlessly delicate for that." Mr. Bain was stricken by paralysis, and suffered from complete loss of power in the lower limbs. For some time he had received a pension from the government, obtained for him, we believe, through the instrumentality of Sir William Thomson. Mr. Bain was a widower, and has left a son and daughter, the former of whom is in America, and the latter at present on the Continent. Photographs of him by Mayall were recently presented to the Society of Telegraph Engineers and the American Society of Telegraphers at Philadelphia.—The Engineer.

This story was originally published on HackerNoon at: https://hackernoon.com/test-for-sulphur-in-organic-compounds. The substance to be tested is heated in a solution of caustic lime and oxide of lead in glycerin. Check more stories related to writing at: https://hackernoon.com/c/writing. You can also check exclusive content about #non-fiction, #scientific-and-technical, #hackernoon-books, #project-gutenberg, #books, #various, #scientific-american, #vol.-17-no.2-july-14-1877, and more. This story was written by: @scientificamerican. Learn more about this writer by checking @scientificamerican's about page, and for more stories, please visit hackernoon.com. H. Vohl recommends the following as the best method of detecting sulphur in organic compounds: The substance to be tested is heated in a solution of caustic lime and oxide of lead in glycerin. The latter is prepared as follows: One volume of distilled water is mixed with 2 volumes of pure glycerin and heated to boiling; freshly prepared slaked lime is added, little by little, until it is saturated. Freshly precipitated hydrated oxide of lead, or moist litharge, is added in excess, and the liquid allowed to boil gently for a few minutes, then tightly corked and left to cool, after which the clear liquid is decanted from the sediment into a glass vessel that can be tightly corked. If into this solution be introduced and heated any organic which contains sulphur, like hair, feathers, horn, albumen, and the like, it will at once turn black from the formation of sulphide of lead. The great delicacy of this test is evident from the fact that, when pure wheat bread is boiled with this reagent, it turns yellow at first and then dark gray in consequence of the presence of sulphur in the gluten of the bread.

This story was originally published on HackerNoon at: https://hackernoon.com/transmission-of-pressure-in-fluids. The three manometers are filled to the same level with mercury, the quantity being adjusted by means of a pipette. Check more stories related to writing at: https://hackernoon.com/c/writing. You can also check exclusive content about #non-fiction, #scientific-and-technical, #hackernoon-books, #project-gutenberg, #books, #various, #scientific-american-supplement, #no.-711-august-17-1889, and more. This story was written by: @scientificamerican. Learn more about this writer by checking @scientificamerican's about page, and for more stories, please visit hackernoon.com. The young student of physics occasionally has difficulty in grasping the laws of pressure in fluids. His every day experience has taught him that a push against a solid body causes it to push in the same direction, and he often receives with some doubt the statement that pressure applied to a fluid is transmitted equally in every direction. The experiments ordinarily shown in illustration of this principle prove that pressure is transmitted in all directions, but do not prove the equality of transmission, and in spite of all the text books may tell him, the student is apt to cling to the idea that a downward pressure applied to a liquid is more apt to burst the bottom than the side of the containing vessel.