It's silicon, not silicone!

[Illusionist]

Arghhh... this is a pet hate of mine! How many times do people talk about silicone when they mean silicon??? Even people I would think would know better. Sometimes, if we are talking about protecting things, it isn't immediately obvious which is intended if the talker gets it wrong.

Silicon = a semiconducting element, common in sand, glass and... electronic components. This is not silicone!

Silicone = A rubbery polymer comprising chains of siloxane, common in breast implants, household gap sealing and encapsulating components. Yes, it contains silicon in the molecule but it is not called silicon! This is the lesser of the two mistakes though, usually it is the first one, saying silicone when silicon is meant.

Ever since silicone fake boobs were invented, many people seem to have forgotten that silicon itself is a thing.

/Saturday's rant.

[SiliconWizard]

OTOH, there's this: https://stemcellbra.com/technology/
 

[Mr. Scram]

OTOH, there's this: https://stemcellbra.com/technology/
 

Thanks SiliconeWizard!

[Illusionist]

I've seen it all now... how long before they apply that idea to male anatomy I wonder.

Fortunately, my wife and I are quite happy with each other's... attributes 

[NiHaoMike]

I've seen it all now... how long before they apply that idea to male anatomy I wonder.

Gadgets that claim to promote the growth of muscle without exercise have existed for many years, no idea if they're actually effective. (And strictly speaking, growing muscle isn't just for guys.)

[Mr. Scram]

I've seen it all now... how long before they apply that idea to male anatomy I wonder.

Fortunately, my wife and I are quite happy with each other's... attributes 

Good for you both learnt to be happy with what you've got instead of what you want, but that's a bit of information nobody wanted to know.

[SiliconWizard]

Indeed.

Anyway, I agree with the annoying misuse of silicon/e.

That said and to be fair, in all the other languages I know (admittedly just a few, but hey), those two words are significantly different, so the fuck-up doesn't happen (unless it comes from less-educated people influenced by the english "silicon" word... for instance well known by almost everyone in the world as in "silicon valley" )

Eg:

For silicon:
French: Silicium
German: Silizium
Italian: Silicio

For silicone:
French: Silicone
German: Silikone
Italian: Siliconi

English: 0

[Tom45]

Something to help remember the difference.

[German_EE]

What doesn't help are people's accents. I have heard many times people talking about "silicone chips".

[Nominal Animal]

For silicon:
Finnish: Pii
(And yes, Silicon Valley is Piilaakso in Finnish.)

For silicone:
Finnish: Silikoni

I keep telling people they only need to switch to Finnish to get rid of all these problems, including gendered pronouns, but they never listen.   

[BravoV]

I keep telling people they only need to switch to Finnish to get rid of all these problems, including gendered pronouns, but they never listen.   

Problem is, some people heard that once all switched, humans will be finished.


... duck & run away ...

[Nominal Animal]

Problem is, some people heard that once all switched, humans will be finished.

My preferred finish is beeswax and food-grade mineral oil mix.  I don't see how that'd be a problem?

[SiliconWizard]

Problem is, some people heard that once all switched, humans will be finished.

My preferred finish is beeswax and food-grade mineral oil mix.  I don't see how that'd be a problem?

I guess you don't like silicone-based coatings. Or do you?

[NiHaoMike]

What doesn't help are people's accents. I have heard many times people talking about "silicone chips".

It doesn't help that high power silicon is often potted in silicone (cohesive gel?) to minimize thermal expansion stress on the bond wires.
http://techno-fandom.org/~hobbit/cars/ginv/i2compon.html

[Nominal Animal]

Problem is, some people heard that once all switched, humans will be finished.

My preferred finish is beeswax and food-grade mineral oil mix.  I don't see how that'd be a problem?

I guess you don't like silicone-based coatings. Or do you?

Not really as coatings; they're a bitch to clean up.  I am, however, looking for really soft silicone to be used for bumpers and vibration dampeners; the softer the better.  I often use gasket silicone (slightly softer than typical caulking silicone -- and before you ask, yes, my gaskets are fine, haven't blown any) but it is too firm for vibration isolation for really quiet fans.  I'd like to find some really soft silicone that cures solid, but as soft as possible.  I prefer platinum curing ones over acid curing ones, obviously.  Any hints?

[Illusionist]

Sikasil WS-290 is very low modulus. If that's still too firm, the silicone gel used in keyboard and mouse wrist rests is really soft - maybe investigate what they use.

[maginnovision]

OTOH, there's this: https://stemcellbra.com/technology/
 

I used to be involved with this.

https://www.verywellhealth.com/is-brava-nonsurgical-breast-enlargement-system-a-winner-3520531

Not really my thing but where there is a market, there is a product.

[Illusionist]

On a semi-serious, related note, I used to be into serious strength/body building. As in, trained three times a day, six days a week. I'm well qualified in it too and was a personal trainer specializing in athletic and martial arts specific training. That was all in a previous life, these days I'm fat and lazy*.

I used to use a technique called visualization, augmented with static tensioning/flexing and, well, just 'feeling' myself. Visualization is a fancy way of saying, "imagine your biceps are really big, and the body will respond and grow them more". It's a bit more than just imagining, but you get the point.

You might be skeptical, but I'm convinced that it worked, enough that I did it for several years. I'm certainly not one to believe in 'quack' theories or wasting my time. I could actually measure the difference, and I hadn't changed my weight training routines.

A similar technique could be applied to anything the body can grow, I think. Breast tissue included. It does take persistence and faith though.

*Fat and lazy even though I do still own my own Versaclimber LX, possibly one of the most intense combined cardio/muscular exercise machines ever devised. It's currently in the front room, being used to hang hats on.

[ebastler]

You might be skeptical, but I'm convinced that it worked, enough that I did it for several years.

The three-times-a-day physical training might also have influenced the outcome? 

[Jacon]

Polish translation for Nominal Animal's post:

For silicon:
Polish: Krzem
(And yes, Silicon Valley is Dolina Krzemowa in Polish.)

For silicone:
Polish: Silikon

[Falkra]

And here is a silly cone :

[tooki]

Indeed.

Anyway, I agree with the annoying misuse of silicon/e.

That said and to be fair, in all the other languages I know (admittedly just a few, but hey), those two words are significantly different, so the fuck-up doesn't happen (unless it comes from less-educated people influenced by the english "silicon" word... for instance well known by almost everyone in the world as in "silicon valley" )

Eg:

For silicon:
French: Silicium
German: Silizium
Italian: Silicio

For silicone:
French: Silicone
German: Silikone
Italian: Siliconi

English: 0

For silicone, you’ve confused singulars and plurals.

English: silicone/silicones
French: silicone/silicones
German: Silikon/Silikone
Italian: silicone/siliconi

I deliberately eliminated the initial capital to show German’s capitalization of nouns.

[Gromitt]

In Swedish:

Silicon = Kisel (Silicon Valley = Kiseldalen in Swedish)

Silicone = Silikon

[tooki]

In Swedish:

Silicon = Kisel (Silicon Valley = Kiseldalen in Swedish)

Silicone = Silikon

Yep, this is cognate to the German root Kiesel, an archaic word for silicon. (It lives on in words like Kieselgur 'diatomaceous earth'.) Kiesel itself is related to the modern German word Kies 'gravel'.

[ebastler]

Yep, this is cognate to the German root Kiesel, an archaic word for silicon. (It lives on in words like Kieselgur 'diatomaceous earth'.) Kiesel itself is related to the modern German word Kies 'gravel'.

We still have the word "Kiesel" in modern German as well; it denotes a single, small, rounded stone. "Kieselstein" is used synonymously. "Kiesel" on its own might be more prevalent in Northern Germany?