MigL

Sorry about the southern state comment, Zapatos. Can I plead ignorance based on the fact that I'm Canadian ?

Most police are very discreet when it comes to public shootings. They always try to hide it. Even a lot of dictatorships try to hide mass killings of their people. Terrorists on the other hand use the public display to instill fear in the general population, i.e. the more public the better. Witness decapitation videos on the internet. Why is that done, and do you see the difference ? As for comparing numbers, whether Hamas kills Palestinians by execution or by using them as shields makes little difference. You certainly don't see Israel march their Palestinian citizens to southern areas as shields where they may be hit by Hamas rockets. As a matter of fact they don't even have to do military service. It is solely shouldered by the jewish citizens. So while one could argue that Israel does more harm ( debatable ) to Palestinians, so does Hamas. And while the Palestinians cannot get rid of Israel, they could certainly improve their lives by getting rid of Hamas.

The point I was trying to make is that if we are reduced to the stone age in the next 200 yrs, we will only have sent out EM signals into space for 300 yrs, no longer. Thats a very small window compared to the ageof the universe.

While I don't doubt for a minute that this incident has some racist causes, this is the american south after all, the stats you put up are misleading, iNow. You could put up stats for male and female incarceration rates and find that the system discriminates against males. Or is it simply that males committ more crimes ? I myself am a firm believer in law and order and would really like to side with the police on this particular incident. However in the past year, even here in ( relatively ) peaceful Canada, a Toronto officer shot and killed a lone ( white ) kid armed with a pocketknife and his d**k in his other hand, on a deserted bus which was surrounded by police. He was shot NINE times and then tasered for good measure. Sometimes ( too often ? ) police go too far, and may well have in the Ferguson incident. Even if the particular officer in the Ferguson incident is a 'nice guy' and not racist, I'm sure quite a few in his department are, and maybe Brown ahd prior experiences with some of them. This could have led him to take the actions he did. My personal feelings are that police officers should be better screened and have a longer probationary period. All too often they are given immense power ( deadly weapons) over the rest of us and they seem to get drunk on this power.They need to realise, even in the southern states, that their job is to serve and protect everyone,even blacks and hispanics, and not be 'cowboys' with a gun.

I really didn't want to get involved in this discussion again... I really do empathize with the Palestinian people, they just can't seem to catch a break. Not only are the Israel armed forces targetting them, but now Hamas has started public executions of alleged ( untried ) collaborators. The Palestinian people are being oppressed by Israel and Hamas ( yes there is a difference, all Hamas are Palestinians, not all Palestinians are Hamas ). Maybe now they'll start realizing who their enemy is, and how they are hurting their chances for peace. And I guess you'll have to agree John C., since shooting people without trial, in a public square, in the back of the head, is an act of terrorism. And you have stated oppression breeds terrorism,haven't you ? .

The 'laws' that physicists deal with arise from certain symmetries inherent to our universe. And I'm sure you realise what a cop-out that is because it just moves the goalpost further back. Now you ask, 'Why are there such symmetries ?'.

All species that we know of, have populations that rise and fall, sometimes yearly. Why are we so arrogant to believe that our civiliation will last for thousands if not millions of years ? Say global warming or nuclear war or even an asteroid, reduces our population back to stone age levels,how much of our knowledge and technology will we be able to preserve? If our technological window for detecting alien transmissions only lasts a couple of hundred years before we 'lose' that capability, how does that affect the contact equation ? Now if the world law that I spoke of in the first paragraph turns out to be universal, i.e. all universal species succumb to cheap energy, destructive weapons or bad luck, such that EVERYONE's ( extra-terrestrials too ) contact window lasts a few hundred years, how does that reduce the chances of contact with aliens ? The universe isn't just very big, it has also existed a long time.

This is ridiculous. Most of the people you are arguing with, PeterJ, can define a wave function and matter, they can also tell you how they behave under most conditions. Can you do the same for conciousness, or even just define it ? Until you can, your metaphysical, Buddhist claptrap doesn't belong in a physics forum or this specific thread. My apologies if I offend.

Don't know what you mean by 'ideal condensate'.and I'm sure, neither does Imatfaal. An 'ideal gas' is simply a gas where certain simplifying assumptions have been made to ease calculations, so what assumptions are you making about an ideal ( B-E ) condensate ? Pauli Exclusion Principle applies to fermions, not bosons. You can stack as many bosons, such as photons, as you wish into the same state. You can also combine fermions, in certain ways and conditions,that their spin ( 1/2 )combine to integer values and they act as bosons. So sure, you could combine individuals in ways and conditions ( torture and brainwashing come to mind ),such that they all think and behave similarily with some form of shared conciousness, although neither I nor Imatfaal believe this belongs in a physics forum. Is that the kind of philosophy you were looking for ?

Since the north polar ice sheet is technically 'floating', its complete melting will not appreaciably raise sea levels ( some of the ice is on land such as northern greenland, etc. ). We will however have plenty of other issues to deal with when that happens !

I am not 'spinning' anything CharonY. Your own link lists ALL the causes of the 1948 exodus. You are the one who is implying the cause you quoted is the only one. Palestinians have become a minority in Israel proper because those that remained after 1948 only increased their numbers by birthrate. And since they have jobs and are more affluent than their stateless counterparts, probably have lower birthrates. Palestinians are not allowed to immigrate into Israel, did you forget that fact ? If you google the demographics of the area, the Jewish population increased roughly tenfold since 1945, and since in 1945 the population consisted of roughly 1/3 Jews to Palestinians, the population of Palestinians has decreased to roughly 70% of 1945 numbers. These numbers are approximate, assume no Palestinian immigration into Israel and of course 2.3 kids to keep a population stable.

Cecilia Payne is very well known. And if her notoriety is limited to her field, it is because she comes from an era when men did the thinking and women only did the calculations and measurements. In some countries, women weren't even allowed to get higher degrees, and if they did, were only allowed to lecture. Emmy Noether of Germany comes to mind.

An electron is not the only quantum particle. Even if an electron's behaviour in the double slit experiment could be explaned by helical trajectories, how do you explain a photon's behaviour ?

I would have to agree with Bignose and Acme also, Enthalpy. The smooth back end of a car experiences large angle flow separation also, but, add a spoiler to induce turbulence, and drag is reduced. Vortex generators such as LERXs ( F-16 and F-18 ) or chines ( F-22, F-35 or even SR-71 ) serve to re-energize the flow over a wing at angles of incidence so as to discurage flow separation. The vortex flow is, in effect, a controlled turbulence.

Quoting one particular example from your wiki link is rather disingenuous CharonY. While I'm sure it happened a better quote would have been 'the whole third paragraph' listing ALL causes of the exodus. Or did you just assume I wouldn't read it ? The actual facts suggest that since there are 1.66 million Palestinian living and having citizenship in Israel ( approx. 21 % of Israel's population ), and since I'm sure they did not immigrate into Israel, they and/or their ancestors must have been there since the beginning of Israeli statehood ( obviously in smaller numbers). Which means that there was NO policy by the state of forcing out Palestinians ( although it was a time of war and I'm sure it happened to some extent as your quote suggests ) I see your ( actually humorous ) point Dimreepr, Israel is the point of the OP. But how many times has the UN chastised Israel for their actions while turning a blind eye to the actions of all the other states I mentioned ? That is the point I was trying to make ( obviously not too well, judging by Ten oz and your responses)

I know of a Russian sub launched torpedo which uses decomposing hydrogen peroxide to encase its outer shell in a layer of oxygen/foam so as to reduce its drag and allow it to travel at higher speeds. I believe the peroxide reacted with the stainless steel containment to overpressurize and explode on the Kirsk ( I believe it was called ) about 15 yrs ago sinking it and its crew. Should be easy enough to goggle the details.

Our society has become ttoo dependant on cheap power which fossil fuels provide. The electrical based alternative uses existing infrasructure, but, does not provide a reliable supply or the required energy density to supply industry, when generated by wind or solar panels. When generated by fission reactors or burning fossil fuels, it defeats the purpose, since fission creates undisposable by-products and fossil fuel burning adds another inefficiency to the process which we are trying to get rid of in the first place. What we need is increased resarch into clen fusion energy generation. Instead of going to the sun to get our energy to convert to electricity, we bring the sun to the earth as the generator. That is the only option going foreward as a species, but don't get me wrong, wind or solar panels can be used as limited ( household ? ) generators for a start or an option.

And again, the fact that the world considers them illegal, as do I incidentally, does not mean that the Palestinians were forced out. There is a difference, John. Really ! Dimreepr and Ten oz, again, in view of similar annexations, why is Israel singled out ? By the way, I especially liked how you rationalized the fact that the world sided with Russia against the Chechens because they are considered terrorists. Tell me, Ten oz, what does the world consider Hamas ? Peaceful protesters like Ghandi and Mandela or terrorists ? Again, double standards.

No John, the Israelis did not chase out the Palestinians. In 1947 the UN recommended that a Jewish state be set up since the British, having tabled the Balfour Declaration, were limiting the numbers of Jews coming in as it interfered with their economic interests at the time ( the Suez canal and trade with its colonies depended on good relations with the arabs ). It was mostly the surrounding Arab states that reacted violently in Dec 1947 and forced the Arab-Israeli war of 1948. This led to a mass exodus of Palestinians from the area as they rightly or wrongly feared for their safety in a war zone controlled by the enemy of their people. Well it turns out that after 'their people' lost the war, they didn't want the Palestinians either, and they've been without a state ever since. And ten oz, is population density the new criteria for determining whether a population is displaced from their homeland or not ? And granted, US- Mexico is an old example, but what about more recent ones like Chechnian independance from Russia ? Why did the world and the UN side with the Russians and not the Chechnian terrorists ? Why is Israel always treated differently ?

I'm just going off the 'top of my head' here and haven't done the required research so correct me if I'm wrong. Three major wars were fought between Israel and her Arab neighbours, in 1948, 1967 and 1973. In the last one Egypt and Syria were defeated by the Israelies and Egypt actually entered into a peace treaty with Israel shortly thereafter. Israel returned all captured lands such as the Sinai peninsula and the Golan heights. They have returned the west bank and Gaza to the palestinians, and even displaced their settlements in gaza to do do so. You are right, however, their settlements have grown in other areas and show no sign of letting up. I do fault them for this, but with the caveat that most palestinians in Israeli settled lands receive excellent treatment and only leave by their own choice. There is way less violence in the co-habited areas than in the separated areas like Gaza. During the last century Americans, with their 'manifest destiny' mantra expanded into the south-west and settled in parts of Texas and California, parts of Mexico at the time. The Mexicans tried to retake Texas by armed force and were defeated, at which point the US annexed both states ( to be fair they may have bought parts of them from Spain, not Mexico ). They have never given these areas back, and even put up a fence, or wall if you wish, along the border to prevent the passage of Mexicans into their own former lands. Does this sound familiar ? Is the US an aparthaid state as Israel is accused of being ? But at least the US has learned its lesson this century and does not keep any territory gained in war any more. What about Germany with the French territories of Alsace and Lorrane after the war of 1870 ? What about the French occupation of the Rhineland after WW1 ? What about the Italians and the Tyrrol region and Trieste they took from Austria-Hungary after WW1 ? What about the Russians and their occupation of the whole eastern block and East Germany after WW2 ? What about China and Tibet ? Or all the people displaced from their homes during the wars in the former Yugoslavia, or the Congo ? Why is no one clamoring for the return of these lands to their former people as Israel is being asked to ?

Of course you can be 'more' or 'less' pregnant John. If you're gonna have twins, you're more pregnant, and triplets makes you even more pregnant.

Where is 'here' Enthalpy ? I've personally never seen higher than 94 for pump gasoline. Octane booster or AV gas are usually 98 to 104.

Small carrier based aircraft take off upslope, usually 12 deg, as this helps with rotation to a more favourable angle of incidence ( much more beneficial than incident wind speed ). See the Invincible class UK carriers, as well as the Italian carrier G. Garibaldi ( also Spanish, Brasilian and Indian carriers ). It is done to get increased range for Harriers in STOL mode. This is opposite what you propose, so I don't understand your reasoning. Note that large carriers ( only US has them ) use steam or EM catapults. Carrier based landings are done on the flat, using strengthened undercarriage to absorb high sink rates and arrestor hooks.

Holy crap, Ophiolite... OUTHOUSES ?!?! Just how old are you and Moontanman ? See, whimsical juxtaposition amuses me too.

This will be my last comment on this matter Acme. I relise you are the OP and set the rules of engagement, and unless you get your way, you will 'take your ball and go home'. Great way to win a discussion, stifle opposing views. I didn't read your linked study because I can't even stomach its title. I find it offensive ( but hey, no law against being offensive ) and bordering on hateful against almost half the american population. It seems to me you want left wing idealogues to discuss a leftwing study that calls people with opposing views insane. And as I've stated before, I'm Canadian where even our Conservatives are more left wing than your Democrats, however, I like some conservative principles as well as some liberal principles. I especially like the one about tolerance and keeping an open mind to other people's ideas. I guess that means I don't have a 'highly compartmentalized mind'. I also have a university degree in Physics, so I don't think I can be accused of illogical thinking ( check me out on the Physics forum ). As for ethnocentrism, I am an immigrant to Canada,having been born and lived some of my childhood elsewhere. But hey, maybe your studies only apply to American Conservatives ( although other countries have been mentioned ). It seems to me , hoever,that if democrats had announced English courses, help obtaining diplomas and health checkups to Hispanics, one of the most disadvantaged demographics in the US, you would have fallen all over yourself congratulating them on a job well done. But since its Republicans doing it,they must have some ulterior motive,as if both parties don't try to court voters. I believe that's covered by double standards, hypocrisy, blindness to yourself and even some profound ethocentrism.