[meteorite-list] Since Scale Cubes are a topic today

From: Matthias Bärmann <majbaermann_at_meteoritecentral.com>
Date: Thu, 8 Nov 2007 22:39:21 +0100
Message-ID: <000701c8224f$d349a980$0200a8c0_at_ibmtp23>

Well, Sterling, I'd say: the presence of a first-class precise scale cube in
a photo marks the transition between relative and absolute, measurement and
scale, thing and concept, with other words: it tells us something about
platonic ideas.

best,

matthias baermann


----- Original Message -----
From: "Sterling K. Webb" <sterling_k_webb at sbcglobal.net>
To: "Mike Bandli" <fuzzfoot at comcast.net>; "'Delbert Waterbury'"
<paseclipse at yahoo.com>; <Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
Sent: Thursday, November 08, 2007 10:20 PM
Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Since Scale Cubes are a topic today


> Hi, All
>
> I hate to sound a sour note, but these "artifacts" are
> for SCALE, not measurement. I think it's wonderful
> that folks make them accurate to +/- 0.001 inch or
> millimeter, out of materials with low coefficients of
> expansion, and so forth, but that is purely an exercise
> in personal perfectionism.
>
> Measurement from a photo with a scalecube in it
> is impossible except in the case of a very elaborate
> photo setup designed to make such measurements
> possible and even then, the precision is low. The
> purpose of a scalecube is SCALE ONLY. Scale
> is a measurement so crude that we don't even apply
> the word "measurement" to it.
>
> Originally, they were for use "in the field" only. You
> could carry it in your pocket and drop it on the ground
> for the "in situ" photo. Putting them into a lab photo is
> an affectation and serves only the PR purpose of making
> a photo of a rock look "scientific." (There were people
> who said, "We paid billions to go to the Moon, and this
> is what we get: a picture of a rock?" And you could point
> to the scalecube and say, "Nah! See, it's Science.")
>
> During the scalecube threadflood, Dean Bessey kept
> saying, "Just put a quarter in the photo." Apparently,
> he understands that the purpose of the object is Scale,
> not Measurement! If you see a picture of a rock with
> a featureless white background and there's a quarter
> next to it, you know it's a little rock. If you see a picture
> of a rock with a featureless white background and
> there's me standing next to it, you know it's a big rock.
>
> Making the scalecube artifact with such great care and
> precision is admirable and very enjoyable, but let's apply
> a little perspective to the purpose of the cube. And I DO
> admire the makers' pride in precision. Precision is a fine
> thing (say I, who have ancient Starrett verniers and micro-
> meters in their old wooden boxes, so I understand), but
> precision is NOT the purpose of the cube.
>
>
> Sterling K. Webb
> ----------------------------------------------------------------------
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Mike Bandli" <fuzzfoot at comcast.net>
> To: "'Delbert Waterbury'" <paseclipse at yahoo.com>;
> <Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com>
> Sent: Thursday, November 08, 2007 1:11 PM
> Subject: Re: [meteorite-list] Since Scale Cubes are a topic today
>
>
> http://www.niger-meteorite-recon.de/en/meteorite-scalecube.htm
>
> Best,
> Mike
>
>
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com
> [mailto:meteorite-list-bounces at meteoritecentral.com] On Behalf Of Delbert
> Waterbury
> Sent: Thursday, November 08, 2007 11:04 AM
> To: Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
> Subject: [meteorite-list] Since Scale Cubes are a topic today
>
> I seem to remember a few months back someone posted a
> link that told the story of the Scale Cube. I was
> wondering what that link is so I can read it.
>
> Del
>
> __________________________________________________
>
> ______________________________________________
> Meteorite-list mailing list
> Meteorite-list at meteoritecentral.com
> http://six.pairlist.net/mailman/listinfo/meteorite-list
Received on Thu 08 Nov 2007 04:39:21 PM PST