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Flat Earth Community / Re: Brainstorming Community Tests of FE

« Last post by edby on Today at 08:04:45 AM »

For UA, the best test that could be done would be to test the scale experiment in a vaccum chamber.

That would be an interesting test. Can you clarify what result would be consistent with UA? I.e. are you expecting that the observed freefall acceleration would be different at different latitudes, or the same?

What other possibilities are there for a test of FE?

A fairly cheap test would be to determine the length of a degree of latitude. I believe you are in California. Route 5 has a number of stretches which are nearly North-South. Then (i) check the driving distance between two points 111km apart and (ii) determine the altititude of Polaris at each point. Then see if if the difference is 1 degree, as RE models predict. Repeat the experiment across the continent with different volunteers. The only equipment required would be a sextant, about $100.

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Philosophy, Religion & Society / Re: Trump

« Last post by Lord Dave on Today at 06:46:02 AM »

Tom... Jesus did not charge for curing people nor did it cost him anything.  It was literally free.

Now, answer the question.

What question?

Exactly which conservative views translate to religion again?

That one.

Your point was that free health care was better and the current system we want to keep is immoral.

Incorrect.  My EXAMPLE was that religious ideals are often not shown in conservative political views and platforms.

I am waiting to hear you show me examples of how they align.

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Flat Earth Community / Brainstorming Community Tests of FE

« Last post by Tom Bishop on Today at 06:29:47 AM »

I think the theoretical work in the wiki has gone as far as it could go based on mainstream sources. The next step is to think of experiments which could fill in a gap of knowledge. Since we are not funded it would need to be something low cost or reasonable, so geographical explorations are probably out. It is possible that collaborative tests can be made at some time in the future after all details have been worked out.

Electromagnetic Acceleration

https://wiki.tfes.org/Electromagnetic_Acceleration
https://wiki.tfes.org/Celestial_Sphere
https://wiki.tfes.org/Moon_Tilt_Illusion

If you read these pages we find that EA predicts various curving phenomena with celestial phenomena. On the Celestial Sphere page we see various astronomers who describe curving phenomena and the Moon Tilt Illusion page has an observation of an astrophotographer seeing the tilted Moon in the same frame as the Sun simultaneously, which should not be possible if the explanation is due to a perspective effect.

Better evidence of these curving effects could be gathered of we had a rectilinear wide angle lens which can capture very wide angle shots in a single frame while keeping straight lines straight. It should be possible to capture the Sun and Moon in the same frame simultaneously and see that the illuminated portion of the Moon  does not point at the sun. It should also be possible to take pictures of curving phenomena on the celestial sphere such as aurora, meteors, milky way, or timelapses of moon trails.

For confidence we could send this camera and lens to different members, or find a public figure such as a physics teacher or something of that nature.

Universal Acceleration

For UA, the best test that could be done would be to test the scale experiment in a vaccum chamber.

https://wiki.tfes.org/Weight_Variation_by_Latitude

On this one some type of device would need to be constructed with a scale in a vaccum chamber. This may be more difficult as the vaccum may adversely affect components In a precision scale to be unreliable when the chamber fills and evacuates. If resolved such an experiment can be tested against a precision scale not in a vaccum chamber.

Again, it can be sent to different people at different latitudes for confidence.

What other possibilities are there for a test of FE?

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Arts & Entertainment / An open letter to Christopher Nolan

« Last post by honk on Today at 03:28:58 AM »

Christopher,

I've been a long time fan of yours ever since having my fragile brain pounded into submission by Memento. Since then, you have made my mouth drop in awe on dozens of occasions with your ability to mix spectacle and thought provoking subject matter.

You made your stamp on blockbuster filmmaking with The Dark Knight, and now every film you make seems to be a next-step toward some grander and greater experience. You've taken us into dreams and out to the furthest reaches of outer-space and beyond, so what else is there to cover? Fantasy? Horror? War?

I used to think it would be great to see you reign in your scope for your next outing: like an indie flick, but...I don't want to see that. I want to see you take your ambitions even further.

Chris, I want you to do the live-action adaptation of Akira. Everything you've done so far has shown me that you might be the only director remotely capable to handle the story and SCOPE that Akira would need to be made. One more important thing, you can swing your weight around, and we all know it which will mean the budget would be...just great. The large-scale destruction in Dark Knight Rises. The mind-bending tricks in Inception. The battle of ideas in The Dark Knight and finally the awe-inspiring visuals of space and beyond in Interstellar show just how perfect you'd be to do this.

This would also be a calculated risk for you due to the incredibly dark subject matter and the sheer scope of visual effects. Could you stick with your brand of practical effects heavy film-making or would have have to concede to a more digital approach? How would you deal with the terrifying, monstrous incarnations of Tetsuo's final form?

I don't want to see you reign it in Chris, I want to see you going bigger and bolder with every single film you make. Do Akira Chris. You know it would be fucking incredible.

If you don't want to do that however, could you please just do Metal Gear? The main Metal Gear from PS1 not the old ones or the ones in the Jungle. I really can't be more specific about that Chris. Really can't.

Your's sincerely.

Some guy.

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Philosophy, Religion & Society / Re: Trump

« Last post by garygreen on August 08, 2020, 10:23:46 PM »

What do Liberals point to for their moral base?

i can only speak for myself, but my moral code is exceedingly simple.

i think cruelty and suffering are the greatest moral evils. i think freedom and autonomy are the greatest moral goods. i do not require a separate/external moral authority to justify those axioms.

to give you an apropos example of why this makes me prefer leftist policies, i'll speak to my believe in universal/nationalized health care. i believe it has two effects: 1) it reduces the suffering of people who cannot otherwise afford health care, and 2) it enhances the freedom of the entire population when the entire population is healthy and productive (i.e., being healthy necessarily gives you more freedom than being sick).

yes, it is the case that the taxes used to pay for such policies count as a decrease in liberty. but to me, liberty is just one component of freedom. living in anarchy would certainly enhance my liberty, but there's clearly more to being free than simply not being bound by laws (or not having to pay taxes).

you probably disagree with my decision calculus, but at least be wise enough to note that my support of policies like these are not because i hate america or hate freedom or hate people or whatever other polemic you choose to throw at leftists. i have a decision calculus. it's probably not dissimilar from your own. i imagine you also value freedom and devalue suffering. we merely weigh the competing values differently.

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Philosophy, Religion & Society / Re: Trump

« Last post by Tom Bishop on August 08, 2020, 10:01:06 PM »

Tom... Jesus did not charge for curing people nor did it cost him anything.  It was literally free.

Now, answer the question.

What question? Your point was that free health care was better and the current system we want to keep is immoral. We already have free health care for people who need it. We are already doing it in the current system.

I don't think Jesus in the Jesus story went around performing services for rich people who could afford it. He made bread for the hungry. He didn't make bread for the rich and higher class. I must have missed that part.

Perhaps intelligent people and government planners have already thought about this, have put the best and most appropriate and balanced system in place, and we don't need you socialists butting in with your new radical health care ideas. We do spend millions of dollars just to think about and analyze this sort of stuff, you know.

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Philosophy, Religion & Society / Re: Trump

« Last post by Lord Dave on August 08, 2020, 09:58:49 PM »

Tom... Jesus did not charge for curing people nor did it cost him anything.  It was literally free.

Now, answer the question.

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Philosophy, Religion & Society / Re: Trump

« Last post by Tom Bishop on August 08, 2020, 09:37:05 PM »

Nice job of not answering Dave’s question.

If Dave, or you, want to argue for Free Health Care and how it is morally fair or better then you guys should probably address the fact that there are already socialized programs for the old and disabled and poor and explain how free-healthcare-for-all fixes anything, or gives us more health options.

The fact is that your arguments are weak and you  cannot appropriately defend your views. Some sort of 'everything should be freeeeeee' thinking that can't adequately show us how it is better than the current system.

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Philosophy, Religion & Society / Re: Trump

« Last post by Lord Dave on August 08, 2020, 09:36:09 PM »

Nice job of not answering Dave’s question.

This.

Seriously Tom, I asked you what coservative views are in line with Religious views.  (lets go with Christianity since most of America is Christian).  But instead you went on a rant about health care and why having a hybrid system is somehow morally better than if everyone was on one insurance system, paid for via taxes. 

I was fully expecting you to throw up Abortion but nope.  Not even the easy one.  Sheesh, you're slipping.




In other Trump news, Trump did something good.
https://www.npr.org/2020/08/08/900516854/in-executive-actions-trump-extends-unemployment-benefits

He then made promises he can't possibly keep (keeping the tax cut if elected) nor did he seem to understand that he's deferring the payroll tax, not forgiving it.  In essence, if he wins or loses, businesses will need to pay that tax and its gonna hurt when the bill comes due.

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Philosophy, Religion & Society / Re: Trump

« Last post by Rama Set on August 08, 2020, 09:29:52 PM »

Nice job of not answering Dave’s question.