fuck science! PRAISE THE LORD!

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Love,
Mayor Danm{

Constants like Plancks, are the approximations I am talking about. [...] Pi is not unknown, it = C/d

Oh. Well hey, if it's ok to define constants in terms of equations (which, btw, it is -- the constant simply makes the ratios come out properly; most constants are determined by measuring the ratio), then Plank's constant is h = E/nv where E is the energy of the system, n is the energy level, and v is its frequency.

It is not for lack of understanding (which planck's constant IS), but lack of inefficiency.

We understand Plank's constant quite well. Most of modern physics is based on it, and it's given us awfully good results. Without it we wouldn't have things like lasers, nuclear power, quantum computers, MRI, and quite a few other things.

the air in veins theory was accepted by physicians, until late 1700s

Funny, then, that Galen -- considered one of the founding fathers of medicine -- disproved this theory circa 170 AD. Read http://www.spaceship-earth.org/Biograph/Galen.htm for more info.

I'm sure there were some nuts who believed otherwise, but I already said that.

The super large scale bits were patched by relativity. The super small scale bits are being patched by quantum physics.
How do you resolve the two? They both can't be right, yet they both work.

Ummm doesn't quantum physics cease to have meaning at macroscopic scales, and relativity doesn't work at the limits of the equations. Mind you I don't buy the std model of point particles either, immeasurably small is fine - no size but with mass seems daft to me.

The super large scale bits were patched by relativity. The super small scale bits are being patched by quantum physics.

How do you resolve the two? They both can't be right, yet they both work.

Sure they can. They're at opposite extremes. At the quantum scale the relativistic effects are zero (or close enough to make no difference at all, which is awfully close to zero given the scale of things) -- things aren't moving fast enough with enough mass. At the relativistic level things are so big and moving so fast that quantum effects are negligible.

There's work on a Quantum Theory of Gravity, as well as an overall theory of gravity to fold the relativistic, conventional, and quantum effects into one. Who knows if we'll ever figure it out.

As a sidenote, global warming 'theory' doesn't even meet the scientific strictures for a hypothesis, let alone a theory-- just like its doom-mongering predecessors

In what way does global warming theory not meet the scientific strictures for a scientific theory? One might like to compare and contrast with string theory.

What Irwin Jnr's getting is a valuable skill that, since he's acquiring it at such an early age, will be instinct rather than thought. And it's one that in his family situation could well save his life.

Irwin himself grew up around Crocodiles and other animals and he's raised his daughter around them. Though he's rather eccentric, he knows his shit when it comes to reptiles. He was actually holding the boy back a bit while standing a little sideways and reaching out to the croc with a piece of meat (big media doesn't like to show this footage, since it actually shows the truth rather than sensationalism). A domesticated crocodile won't try to get past a full grown man to get to a human when there's meat right in front of him. Contrary to what Matt Lauer (who, by the way, doesn't even have a college degree - he failed out of Ohio University's Scripps School of Journalism) would like to think crocodiles can't leap four feet into the air anyway.

As someone who raises turtles as a hobby, I'm rather sick and tired of peoples' ignorance of reptiles. I'm sick of hearing people freak out about domesticated large reptiles, and I'm especially enraged every time I hear an idiot raising a reptile and not taking care of it, as if they're some sort of immortal beings that can be ignored and still remain in health. The world needs more people like Irwin, who devote their lives to educating people on animals, and decreasing the power of Fox's "World's Most Dangerous Animal Car Chases".

Enahs - read and learn, grashopper:

http://www.michaeljnelson.com/home/

http://www.mst3kinfo.com/scan.html

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"There's so much comedy on television. Does that cause comedy in the streets?" -- Dick Cavett
mocking the TV-violence debate

One of the funniest moments on television... *spoiler of old episode*
They are at the prison in their airplaine stair mobile and the guy escapes the wall on the stairs. I couldn't stop laughing at that.

Great show, very very clever writing and characters.

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“The closer you get to being a pro, the closer you can get to the client. The knife, for example, is the last thing you learn. Ok?"

Yes, I'm aware of that, I was just trying to make a point.


"The ability to quote is a serviceable substitute for wit."
- W. Somerset Maugham

Irwin would have died a LONG time ago if he didn't know crock behaviour as well as he does.

Blue - you know what sort of mood the wonder dog's in just by looking at him.

What Irwin Jnr's getting is a valuable skill that, since he's acquiring it at such an early age, will be instinct rather than thought. And it's one that in his family situation could well save his life.

Aside from somewhat questionable fashion sense, I'd say Steve's judgement is pretty solid

I think Stan Hooper (which is on Fox as well) is a better show than Arrested Development.

Btw, who is that George Michael kid and why is he around? I've seen a few episodes and I still don't get why he's there.

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Love,
Mayor Danm{

Arrested Development is hilarious, best show on Fox since Andy Richter. Too bad it'll be cancelled too soon.

I agree 100%. Richter's show and AD are both able to do something that few comedies do; which is surprise me. With most comedies, character 1 sets up the joke then character 2 delivers the obvious punchline - over and over and over. But like most good comedies that rely on knowing the character's personalities, it really helps to watch more than one episode before some of the humor makes full sense.

And yeah I already know that humor, like music and art, are completely subjective - so this is only my opinion and anyone who disagrees with it has every right to be wrong.

(hmmmm... I smell a new sig coming on)

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Please move along people. Nothing to see here.

Yesterday's OotB has 50 comments and so did this one. It had to be unbalanced.

~Steve

Halsy, the answer might lie in String Theory or Quantum Loop Gravity

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http://www.geocities.com/athlonseven

Jedi Luke, Crichton, in that same article said that DDT was harmless (I do agree that it does not cause cancer, however) and that secondhand smoke is a myth. He also wails on the life expectancies of humans being so bad in the past, and how miserable life was and so forth. Well, he is right on the savages, but what is life? Is it really THAT much better nowadays? I think not. Again, he is thinking human-centric. We need to think universally. Crichton is right in saying that environmentalism has reached a near-religious state in people, just look at ELA! However, that is the exception rather than the rule, and it is only viewed that way by people lacking in education, intelligence, or reason.

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http://www.geocities.com/athlonseven

It's an alright show but I'd rather watch Law & Order. I watch it when they show it during the week sometimes. I've seen funnier shows though

They should have called the show Law & Boredom. Everytime I visit my Mom's house she watches it at night. Luckily she's got 6 other TVs in the house for me to watch. I guess to each his (or her) own, because she finds the shows I watch on Discovery channel to be boring.

any theory related to it is an OPINION.

No it's not. A theory is a theory, an opinion is something else entirely. And just as not all opinions are equally weighty, neither are theories. The fact that there is no complete knowledge does not make all incomplete knowledge equally correct.

~Steve

The super large scale bits were patched by relativity. The super small scale bits are being patched by quantum physics.

How do you resolve the two? They both can't be right, yet they both work.

"The ability to quote is a serviceable substitute for wit."
- W. Somerset Maugham

1, 1, and 2, are known constants, and in an equation such as that one, with no variables, constants are fine. Constants like Plancks, are the approximations I am talking about. Get a clue, you are the one who was bitching about science, and method etc. Pi is not unknown, it = C/d (circumference/diameter). We use an approximation for that because, for most purposes, calculating an exact (or close to it, say, to a million points) Pi does not affect the outcome of an equation, or work based on it. It is not for lack of understanding (which planck's constant IS), but lack of inefficiency.
I don't claim there is or is no anti-gravity, that was a joke - meant to illustrate we do not understand gravity, DESPITE A MATHEMATICAL MODEL WHICH COMES CLOSE. That is to say, that since our current knowledge of gravity is incomplete, any theory related to it is an OPINION. There are opinions which make much more sense than others, but they all remain opinions anyway. Math does not rule out opinion.
Actually, the air in veins theory was accepted by physicians, until late 1700s.. .I don't rememberhis name, but the first scientist who proposed there was blood in our veins was hung for that theory. He was a witch.
I was being obtuse. Math and physics are close, but e=mc2 is all physics,
The Chrichton quip was not intended for you BTW, that is something we agree with (entertaining, but BS).

All of our gravity calculations rely on constants, which means they are all approximations. Approximations are not explanations - we would call them explanations if they were

Uh... right. Which is why 1+1=2 is an approximation -- it relies upon two constants to come up with a third constant. Those constants are, by your definition, approximations. If they weren't then they'd be called "explanations". Righto.

Just because we don't have the exact value of a constant doesn't mean that we don't understand it. Or do you not believe C=2*pi*r ? After all, pi is (as best we know) an irrational number and cannot be expressed fully. That doesn't make the formula invalid.

Our approximations for gravity, for example, do not work on super large scale, or super small scale applications

The super large scale bits were patched by relativity. The super small scale bits are being patched by quantum physics.

If we understood gravity, cars would be fucking flying

There is no reason to believe there is any such force as anti-gravity, which is what would be required by your assertation. Not even all quantum physics models require anti-gravity. Newtonian and Einsteinian physics do not allow for it.

E=mc^2 is a fundamental formula of mathematics, is it?

For Einsteinian physics (relativity) it is. The wording in the original post may have been misleading. If you wanted to be obtuse that is.

hey even used to calculate the mass of the air flowing through our veins

Maybe some scientific quacks did, but nobody serious. Please. Any amount of dissection on animals or humans shows that to be untrue. A few quacks may've believed it, but you can be assured that nobody else did. Of course, that's what we're talking about here -- quackery.

But, I will point out, you have not shown me an unbiased blind study delving into homeopathic drugs; even upon seeing one, I'd still trust my own experience more

Shrug. So be it. As in all things, it comes down to personal experience. Oh, and if you want a study, try http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=PubMed&cmd=Retrieve&list_uids=11146347&dopt=Abstract or http://www.pdrhealth.com/drug_info/nmdrugprofiles/nutsupdrugs/arn_0025.shtml .

For someone who seems ohhh soooo smart (I mean, he reads Michael Chriton!!!) you seem quick to jump onto the antihomeopathy boat

I wasn't the one who said to read Crichton (nice sarcasm there btw. I personally find most of his work to be crap... often entertaining, but crap nonetheless). And I did come down too heavily on homeopathy. Aspirin is a naturally occurring substance, and we knew of its pain reducing effects for a couple hundred years before it could be mass produced. Take a look at penicillin for another naturally occuring wonder drug. The issue with homeopathy is that a lot of the "doctors" preaching it make outlandish claims that fly in the face of medical testing, common sense, and science. When that happens, you've got yourself a quack.

This comment was edited on Jan 5, 16:41.