The Serious Question Thread [Archive]

oily oaf

5th December 2006, 17:16

Oh joy!
We've had the North/ South divide thread in which people who due to an accident of birth were reduced to hurling abuse at one another purely based on their geographical position.
Then we had the "who's got a dodgy accent" masterpiece which resulted in a similar laughter fest and now we have "Let's C*** Off The Yanks Cos They Dont Talk Proper"
Excuse me if I don't join in with the pie throwing willya?

edv

5th December 2006, 17:20

Well, almost every Brit I've spoken with pronounces 'idea' with an 'r' at the end.
What's up with that?

viper_man

5th December 2006, 17:33

Is soccer actually a mispronounciation of the word football?

EuroTroll

5th December 2006, 18:31

I've always wondered why the English mis-spell "jail". :p :

BTCC2

5th December 2006, 18:49

I've always wondered why the English mis-spell "jail". :p :

How is it supposed to be spelled?

EuroTroll

5th December 2006, 19:02

How is it supposed to be spelled?

"Jail", I think. :) Is that how you spell it? I was under the impression that the proper English spelling is "gaol". :s And "gaoler" for the chappy who works there. :s

BTCC2

5th December 2006, 19:04

"Jail", I think. :) Is that how you spell it? I was under the impression that the proper English spelling is "gaol". :s And "gaoler" for the chappy who works there. :s

I spell it Jail.

EuroTroll

5th December 2006, 19:06

I spell it Jail.

Congratulations on having seen the light. :p :

EuroTroll

5th December 2006, 19:08

More importantly, how did anyone here get to be an expert on that word??

I learn it from a book. :bandit:

AndySpeed

5th December 2006, 19:16

I think that 'jail' may be an americanisation. Because old english used to spell it 'gaol', and in Australia that is still the official spelling (and it may be in Britain as well).

On a similar note, lets see who can pick out the adopted American words in this list:

blizzard, blurb, cafeteria, cocktail (drink), electrocute, jazz, radio, stooge, belittle, swamp, snazzy, kissogram, trial (as a verb), unsackable, truish

5th December 2006, 19:43

One thing the Americans have done right, Color!

I can't stand Colour.

LotusElise

5th December 2006, 20:22

EuroTroll

5th December 2006, 20:55

I can't stand Colour.

What about "honour"?

veeten

5th December 2006, 21:28

... or the lack of it. ;) :p :

millencolin

6th December 2006, 00:22

Why do Americans pronounce words incorrectly?

e.g 'Soccer' instead of football

its not just yanks who say that....

but thats not a mispronounciation... what school did you go to? remind me not to send my future kids there

Brown, Jon Brow

6th December 2006, 10:14

its not just yanks who say that....

but thats not a mispronounciation... what school did you go to? remind me not to send my future kids there

Remember that I was/am being educated in the time of a labour government! I don't really stand a chance of being educated properly.

Mp3 Astra

6th December 2006, 16:49

I have a question!!! Why do trucks have hubs at the front that stick out and ones at the back that are indented?

Alexamateo

6th December 2006, 18:55

Is it the color (or colour) "grey" or "gray"? ;)

schmenke

6th December 2006, 19:08

I have a question!!! Why do trucks have hubs at the front that stick out and ones at the back that are indented?

The shape of the hubs is largely designed to accommodate the brakes. The hub has to be "sticking out" :p : for the brake disk/caliper to fit in the wheel. Most trucks have four rear wheels per axle, with two wheel hubs bolted together, inverted, per side. So the inner wheel hub is actually "sticking out" just like the fronts.

Good question though :D

BTCC2

6th December 2006, 19:11

Is it the color (or colour) "grey" or "gray"? ;)

In England it's grey.

Mp3 Astra

6th December 2006, 20:50

The shape of the hubs is largely designed to accommodate the brakes. The hub has to be "sticking out" :p : for the brake disk/caliper to fit in the wheel. Most trucks have four rear wheels per axle, with two wheel hubs bolted together, inverted, per side. So the inner wheel hub is actually "sticking out" just like the fronts.

Good question though :D

I've been wondering about that question all my life and only just figured out I could ask it here. Thanks, another piece of my life is now complete :)

DocF225

6th December 2006, 21:04

I don't mind the alternative vowel sounds really, but there are a couple of Americanisms that do do my head in. The one I'm thinking of now is aloominum for aluminium. There's almost a whole syllable missed out.

That's because we're lazy, we shorten words all the time. I was unaware there was a North/South thing over there as well. Thought it was just here. My grandparents never mentioned it.

Of course over here, we spent 4 years at war over it....

Quattroporte

7th December 2006, 00:10

Can fat people go skinny dipping?

jso1985

7th December 2006, 00:22

why if someone from England = English, Spain = Spanish, Japan = Japanese, etc. then Netherlands = Dutch???

viper_man

7th December 2006, 00:44

Is a 'Ghost in the Machine' a random bit of code that comes alive?

EuroTroll

7th December 2006, 04:44

why if someone from England = English, Spain = Spanish, Japan = Japanese, etc. then Netherlands = Dutch???

I guess it's just the way people speak. "Netherlandish" would be too cumbersome.

From the Online Etymology Dictionary (http://www.etymonline.com/index.php?search=dutch&searchmode=none):

Dutch

c.1380, used first of Germans generally, after c.1600 of Hollanders, from M.Du. duutsch, from O.H.G. duit-isc, corresponding to O.E. þeodisc "belonging to the people," used especially of the common language of Germanic people, from þeod "people, race, nation," from P.Gmc. *theudo "popular, national" (see Teutonic), from PIE base *teuta- "people" (cf. O.Ir. tuoth "people," O.Lith. tauta "people," O.Prus. tauto "country," Oscan touto "community"). As a language name, first recorded as L. theodice, 786 C.E. in correspondence between Charlemagne's court and the Pope, in reference to a synodical conference in Mercia; thus it refers to Old English. First reference to the German language (as opposed to a Germanic one) is two years later. The sense was extended from the language to the people who spoke it (in Ger., Diutisklant, ancestor of Deutschland, was in use by 13c.). Sense narrowed to "of the Netherlands" in 17c., after they became a united, independent state and the focus of English attention and rivalry. In Holland, duitsch is used of the people of Germany. The M.E. sense survives in Pennsylvania Dutch, who immigrated from the Rhineland and Switzerland. Since 1608, Dutch (adj.) has been a "pejorative label pinned by English speakers on almost anything they regard as inferior, irregular, or contrary to 'normal' (i.e., their own) practice" [Rawson]. E.g. Dutch treat (1887), Dutch uncle (1838), etc. -- probably exceeded in such usage only by Indian and Irish -- reflecting first British commercial and military rivalry and later heavy Ger. immigration to U.S.

DocF225

7th December 2006, 04:53

If a man speaks in a forest and no woman is around to hear him, is he still wrong?

Brown, Jon Brow

9th December 2006, 16:36

If a man speaks in a forest and no woman is around to hear him, is he still wrong?

I'd guess yes :rolleyes:

Why does mineral water in a bottle have a use by date?

harvick#1

9th December 2006, 16:49

whats even worse JB is why they have a nutrition sheet on a bottle of water?

so here a couple,

why do they call it a TV set when you only get one?
why do we call them apartments when they are all stuck together?
why do we call tehm buildings when we have already done building them?

Brown, Jon Brow

21st January 2007, 20:02

Why does Preston CITY council, operate in Preston TOWN hall ? :s

viper_man

21st January 2007, 20:07

Because its near to the market, so they can get some cheap shopping, and because its near the Guild Hall, so they can watch some snooker loopy

Brown, Jon Brow

21st January 2007, 20:12

Why don't they rename it Preston city hall???

P.S I didn't know that people actually bought things from that market and they no longer have snooker in the guild hall :)

LiamM

21st January 2007, 20:14

I don't mind the alternative vowel sounds really, but there are a couple of Americanisms that do do my head in. The one I'm thinking of now is aloominum for aluminium. There's almost a whole syllable missed out.

According to IUPAC (Internation Union of Pure & Applied Chemistry) - those responsible for naming elements and compounds. Americans now have to officially say Aluminium (the english way), as a trade off the official spelling of Sulphur is now Sulfur. Rather like pluto isn't a planet anymore, things get changed, but the average American will still say it the old way, and the average Brit will still write Sulphur(don't know why he'd want to tho)

Hazell B

21st January 2007, 20:16

Why does Preston CITY council, operate in Preston TOWN hall ? :s

One I know! Yee ha!

Preston's a new city, so the Town Hall is from it's town days and the council is now representing a City. Can't remember why it was allowed to become a city, though. Bezza might know that bit.

Brown, Jon Brow

21st January 2007, 20:21

I thought that it was because it's population represented that of a city more than a town :s

I can't be that difficult to put a new sign up :rolleyes:

http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=53.75822~-2.697809&style=o&lvl=2&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&scene=7692512
(move right a bit ;) )

Hazell B

21st January 2007, 20:28

Can't get the link to work (my computer's fault, link's probably fine) but from what I remember Preston's the Uks newest city. Perhaps the sign is on order .... it took our new town signs a year to turn up :(

Then they went rusty :p :

Brown, Jon Brow

21st January 2007, 20:32

Is this rollcoaster still the biggest in Europe ?

http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=53.789624~-3.055487&style=o&lvl=1&tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&scene=7590968
(say if you can't get the link to work)

tin-top fan

21st January 2007, 20:36

neither if those links work for me, come up with some kind of search engine instead...

Brown, Jon Brow

21st January 2007, 20:42

Balls!!!! :mad:

It works for me :s

If you were wondering what the links are, it was a 3D map of Preston around the town hall, and the other was a 3D map of Blackpool pleasure beach showing the Big One :)

LiamM

21st January 2007, 21:34

Worked for me!

fandango

21st January 2007, 21:46

McLeagle

21st January 2007, 22:25

Yup, English (American, Canadian, Aussie, etc) is strange. Why just this arvo I was trying to explain all this to a friend of German descent - words like rough and through and dough for example. After a while he just looked at me and said...

"I'm thruff, I've had enoo" and went to the icebox for another lager.

And of course, his Vauxhall has tyres, whereas my Chevy has tires; his motor is under his bonnet and my engine is under the hood. Mind, he has a hood too, because his car is a drophead coupé; but on my convertible, I just put the top down - it folds into a compartment in front of the trunk. His goes in the boot. But a friend of ours drives a 'coop'! :) ... except at work where he drives a truck - a trailer truck, no less (a 'semi' - {sem-eye} - for short). Or is that an articulated lorry? At least it's not a garbage truck ... sorry refuse lorry ... ah.... rubbish...... ;)

And whether it's 'zebbra' or 'zeebra', why the hell is a marimba with wood blocks a xylophone - although I have heard people call it an eggs - eye - low - phone. As someone above said... I have no idee-er!!

Cheerio, tata and all that rot.

LeonBrooke

21st January 2007, 22:38

The one I'm thinking of now is aloominum for aluminium. There's almost a whole syllable missed out.

I hate that one too :s and "nooculer" for nuclear. It can't really be that hard!!!!!

Rollo

21st January 2007, 22:44

so here a couple,
why do they call it a TV set when you only get one?
Because like a cutlery set or tea set, it's made of several components. Although you can buy them seperately if you really want to, you'd probably look a right dill for doing so.

why do we call them apartments when they are all stuck together?
Look at the word silly billy! Apartment: to separate, set apart; all from Latin ad + pars, partis, part etc. Each apartment is a room in a building or a division in a house, separated from others by distinct partitions. They are apart from each other. Otherwise they'd be merely rooms.

why do we call tehm buildings when we have already done building them?
The word Building has two uses; one is a verb the other is a noun. Think about this another way by means of this exercise:
Please explain what the verb catting means?

McLeagle

21st January 2007, 22:51

Then again, I've seen just as many (or perhaps more) Brits write/type 'would of" (could of, should of, might of, and even had of) instead of WOULD HAVE, or would've.

IMO, that's worse than Mr. Bush's ^^ 'noo-cue-ler' (still can't figure out why someone hasn't taken him aside and given him a slap upside the head to straighten him out - he looks so pathetically stoopid ;) when he says it).

Cheers

LeonBrooke

21st January 2007, 23:09

I agree actually. You expect better from Britons but no one expects anything from the president.

Skid Marx

21st January 2007, 23:44

But I'd say the reason us Yanks pronounce so many things differently than the Brits is that we lack the "interesting" dentition so common among the English! :cheese:

Gannex

22nd January 2007, 00:11

Why does Preston CITY council, operate in Preston TOWN hall ? :s

Any Yorkshireman knows this one. It's because Preston is in Lancashire, and Lancastrians always have had a funny way of doing things. This is proof.

Mark in Oshawa

22nd January 2007, 00:21

I say Colour and Honour....and Labour. I figure as a Canadian, Iam always caught in a time warp. I sound like a Yank to you Brits up to a point, but spell like the Brits. Of course, to a Yank they make fun of my "accent". This is huge considering Canadians pretty much have the same accent coast to coast with the exception of a few words in the Maritimes and then the Newfies...geeze....they and the Quebecois butcher the language!!!!!

Gannex

22nd January 2007, 00:38

From: The Department of Pedantry
To: Persons considering living in Yorkshire

Dear Stakeholder,

We are informed that you are considering migrating to Yorkshire. Please be aware that some Yorkshire people, in addition to their strange, borderline incomprehensible accent, also speak in dialect, meaning they use completely different words for things, a lot of things, far more things than you will probably be able to keep track of without. . . .

. . .the "Dep't of Pedantry's Official Yorkshire to English Dictionary". You will not need the "English to Yorkshire" part because all Yorkshire people understand standard English; our Huddersfield office also reports that hearing Southerners try to speak in Yorkshire dialect has, in a few cases, caused nervous breakdown. So please, don't try it. It's not worth the risk.

Gannex

22nd January 2007, 00:45

If power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely, where does that leave God?

Hazell B

22nd January 2007, 09:49

Then again, I've seen just as many (or perhaps more) Brits write/type 'would of" (could of, should of, might of, and even had of) instead of WOULD HAVE, or would've.

There's no excuse, it's because they're idiots who can't work their own language :mark: Much like all the simple English messes we see here every day - they're/there/their, your/you're, capitals in the middle of sentences for no reason at all, etc.

We all make mistakes of course, but some just can't be bothered learning their own grammar :rolleyes:

Brown, Jon Brow

22nd January 2007, 10:10

Any Yorkshireman knows this one. It's because Preston is in Lancashire, and Lancastrians always have had a funny way of doing things. This is proof.

Yeah, well tenchically i'm not a Lancastrian :o

Also, while we are picking faults with different peoples accents, why to people from East Lancashire (around Blackburn) say extra words that are not needed.
E.G "I like that I do me" instead of saying I like that

schmenke

22nd January 2007, 18:54

...the Quebecois butcher the language!!!!!

Whereas Quebecers might feel that the rest of Canadians completely butcher at least one of the official languages ;)

viper_man

22nd January 2007, 19:07

What is a symbian series phone?

What other series' are there?

What series is my phone (SonyE K750i)?

Brown, Jon Brow

23rd January 2007, 10:54

Has anyone had 15 minutes of fame???

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Brown_%28butcher/student%29

Brown, Jon Brow

24th January 2007, 15:33

I've always wanted to know what types of cheese are popular in different parts of the world?

I asume verieties such as Brie, Mozerrella, Edam and Parmesan are popular every where. But do they have Cheddar in America? Wensleydale?, Stilton?

Do thay have Lancashire cheese in South England?

Donney

24th January 2007, 15:37

In Spain it is Manchego you can ask donkey he'll tell you a lot about it :D

schmenke

24th January 2007, 15:46

Chedder is probably the most popular cheese in America :dozey:

Hazell B

24th January 2007, 17:54

Chedder is probably the most popular cheese in America :dozey:

Is that what they put on MacDonalds? :p :

donKey jote

24th January 2007, 20:28

In Spain it is Manchego you can ask donkey he'll tell you a lot about it :D

yep :D

although my favourite is Flor de Esgueva :facelick:

now you made me hungry :s

http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/16/16_3_166.gif

Hazell B

24th January 2007, 22:03

although my favourite is Flor de Esgueva

You do realise the animal fats in it will probably kill you, a herbivore of the ass persuasion? :dozey:
(seriously, a good way to top a real donkey for the insurance money is feed it sausages or cheese!)

Now for my question of the day.

If all snowflakes are really totally different shapes, why? I mean, why are they all different? What's the reason, the point and how in hell did anyone discover it?
I know nature's a wonderful thing, but isn't she just making work for herself with the snowflake thing? :confused:

Donney

25th January 2007, 11:35

yep :D

although my favourite is Flor de Esgueva :facelick:

now you made me hungry :s

http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/16/16_3_166.gif

I remember a delicious Flor de Esgueva we had at home this Christmas.... now it's all great memories. :D

Drew

25th January 2007, 14:53

Is Portuguese just medieval Spanish?

donKey jote

25th January 2007, 22:26

That's a bit like asking are humans just million year old chimps :p :

Brown, Jon Brow

26th January 2007, 20:52

Which would win in a dogfight?

a) Spitfire versus Mustang

http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/types/uk/supermarine/spitfireI-III/spitfire.jpg
http://www.mustangsmustangs.net/p-51/p51shows/chino2006/ww2/H.ww2.jpg

fight b) Eurofighter versus F-22

http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/el/programmes/systems/graphics/eurofighter.jpg
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/f-22_2.jpg

LeonBrooke

28th January 2007, 06:56

Spitfire, beats every other plane.

Except the Eurofighter.

Which is beaten by a Ferrari F2004 ;)

Donney

28th January 2007, 13:13

Is Portuguese just medieval Spanish?

No it isn't it is a different language with the same origin. Having said that it is fairly easy for both nations to understand each other language.

jso1985

28th January 2007, 21:07

like English and American :p :

Mp3 Astra

28th January 2007, 21:14

I have another couple of important questions.
1. Why do most trains and buses have vertical fronts? Surely if they were streamlined they'd be a lot more efficient!
2. Why, when you fall over, do you cut yourself but not make a hole in your clothes?

I need to know :D

Gannex

28th January 2007, 21:38

1. Because the designers considered that the gain in fuel efficiency is not worth the loss of interior cabin space.
2. Because your clothes themselves, by scraping against your skin under pressure, inflict the injury.

Mp3 Astra

28th January 2007, 21:46

1. Because the designers considered that the gain in fuel efficiency is not worth the loss of interior cabin space.
2. Because your clothes themselves by scraping against your skin under pressure, inflict the injury.

Thanks very much. I know it makes me sound stupid but hey, that's what this thread is all about!
It's a shame that the answer to question 1 is true, I mean they didn't give planes flat, vertical fronts now did they? :p :

Brown, Jon Brow

28th January 2007, 21:53

It's a shame that the answer to question 1 is true, I mean they didn't give planes flat, vertical fronts now did they? :p :

That could be because no matter how cost effective it is, if you put a flat front on an aeroplane it won't fly ;)

Some trains habe streamlined fronts, Bullet Train, TGV, Pendalinno's even Mallard!!

http://www.burnsall.n-yorks.sch.uk/images/yorkshire/Mallard%20train%20in%20Doncaster%20Plant%20Works%2 02003%20(4).jpg

P.S What is better?
i) Spitfire v Mustang
ii)Eurofighter Typhoon v F-22 Raptor

Gannex

28th January 2007, 21:57

Thanks very much. I know it makes me sound stupid but hey, that's what this thread is all about!
It's a shame that the answer to question 1 is true, I mean they didn't give planes flat, vertical fronts now did they? :p :

Not exactly, no, but they do offer aircraft with varying degrees of slope to the front. For example, Cessna make a model 172, with a fairly upright windscreen, and also make a model 177, with the same engine, but a more sloping windscreen. The relatively flat-fronted 172 sells better, because, although its top speed and fuel efficiency are worse than the 177's, the cabin is more spacious. Buyers prefer the 172's space over the 177's efficiency and speed.

Every design is a compromise.

Mp3 Astra

28th January 2007, 22:04

Some trains have streamlined fronts, Bullet Train, TGV, Pendalinno's even Mallard!!

It's the long-distance trains that have streamlining, so I guess it must be viable for them to lose the cabin space. (ie fast trains on OneRail, but not the ones that stop at every station) Of course for the Mallard, it doesn't really make a difference since they sat right at the back of that great engine. :D

Every design is a compromise.
Yes, that summarises pretty much every machine in the entire world. It just always seemed strange to me.

Gannex

29th January 2007, 00:16

It's the long-distance trains that have streamlining, so I guess it must be viable for them to lose the cabin space.
The long-distance trains are streamlined because they are faster than the commuter trains. The faster the vehicle, the more benefit you get from streamlining. Remember that drag increases with the square of the speed. That's why buses can be like bricks; they're designed to go slow. Hence the balance: drag reduction benefits (small) outweighed by cabin increase (significant). Compromise agreed!

LeonBrooke

29th January 2007, 04:25

P.S What is better?
i) Spitfire v Mustang
ii)Eurofighter Typhoon v F-22 Raptor

i) Spitfire
ii) Eurofighter

janneppi

29th January 2007, 08:45

What is a symbian series phone?

What other series' are there?

What series is my phone (SonyE K750i)?
Symbian is a operating system mainly for cell phones.
There are
series 40 which is your basic phone
series 60, your basic smartphones,
series 80, Nokia Communicators
series 90, Nokia touch screen phones

SonyEricsons seems to be using it's own operating system.

Brown, Jon Brow

11th April 2007, 14:49

janneppi

11th April 2007, 15:02

Perhaps. :)

viper_man

11th April 2007, 15:58

If I went back in time and killed my grandfather, would that mean I wouldn't be born, so I couldn't kill my him, but then he would live, so I would be born, and I could kill him, so I wouldn't be born................................... :confused: :erm:

Time travel is impossible. Dont ask me to explain why, as its a massive discussion Ive had too many times and dont want to go into it now.

But ya cannae do it captain

Brown, Jon Brow

11th April 2007, 19:28

It is possible to go fowards in time, because at speed time goes faster. So if you went on a space probe at close to the speed of light, 1 year to you would be several years on Earth. ;)

Erki

11th April 2007, 19:31

Jonny, you're a young fella, don't worry about time travel and stuff. Live in the present moment. :)

I actually had a question too.

Is it allowed (in law) to shoot to air with a gun? What if the bullet hits a plane? A para/hangglider? A bird? NASA's newest space shuttle?

Brown, Jon Brow

11th April 2007, 19:36

There is quite a lot of sky to aim for the chances of hitting something are quite small.

It will depend on the law of the country you are in :dozey:

Erki

11th April 2007, 19:44

But it doesn't matter that much on which country I am in as I can shoot the bullet far enough that it crosses the border.

Brown, Jon Brow

11th April 2007, 19:46

The country that you shoot into will retaliate and invade YOU. ;)

LotusElise

11th April 2007, 21:19

Laws will be more likely to relate to guns of the power you'd need to hit an aircraft or another country's airspace, I think.

jso1985

12th April 2007, 00:17

but does the bullets explodes in the air? otherwise it coul hurt someone back in the gorund

Alexamateo

12th April 2007, 02:31

but does the bullets explodes in the air? otherwise it coul hurt someone back in the gorund

What goes up must come down, including bullets. I was in Mexico for New Year's a couple of years ago and people there like to shoot off guns at midnight. You could hear the bullets bouncing off roofs when they fell back to earth. Now imagine that were your head. :eek:

With regards to law, that's left up to the local municipalities in the United States. THe short answer is in town, it's illegal, outside the city limits, anything goes.

donKey jote

12th April 2007, 21:40

It is possible to go fowards in time, because at speed time goes faster. So if you went on a space probe at close to the speed of light, 1 year to you would be several years on Earth. ;)

But to you it would still be 1 year, so you wouldn't have gone forwards in your time :uhoh:

LotusElise

12th April 2007, 21:42

but does the bullets explodes in the air? otherwise it coul hurt someone back in the gorund

I referee at clay pigeon shoots and sometimes I have to move my seat to dodge the shot falling out of the sky.

Quattroporte

13th April 2007, 01:16

But to you it would still be 1 year, so you wouldn't have gone forwards in your time :uhoh:

I would like to refer you to Einsteins relativity theory. A good thing to read is "A short History of Nearly everything" By Bill Bryson. Explains it very well in chapter 9. :)

CharlieJ

13th April 2007, 08:25

We are all constantly travelling in one direction through the fourth dimension - time. ;)

Brown, Jon Brow

13th April 2007, 10:02

I would like to refer you to Einsteins relativity theory. A good thing to read is "A short History of Nearly everything" By Bill Bryson. Explains it very well in chapter 9. :)

donKey jote can't read :confused:

donKey jote

13th April 2007, 20:27

and you lot can't interpret :uhoh: smilies :dozey:

It's been donkeys since I studied basic relativity theory - can't remember whether it was in school or in 1st year physics-, but rest assured that human time travel is for all practical purposes ( like getting yourself a life :p : ) impossible, and will remain so unless your friend Einstein missed something we don't yet know about. :)

Brown, Jon Brow

13th April 2007, 20:32

donKey jote

13th April 2007, 20:45

sure, so now use your formulae to work out how many days he'd have to spend on mir to rejuvenate some practical amount :)

viper_man

14th April 2007, 02:05

Laws will be more likely to relate to guns of the power you'd need to hit an aircraft or another country's airspace, I think.

Id say a Railgun would be the best bet, however they are still in development.

viper_man

14th April 2007, 02:06

Cosmonaut Sergei Avdeyev spent a total of 748 days on the Russian space station Mir during three separate missions. Because Mir was moving relative to Earth, it was also a time machine. Avdeyev is 0.02 seconds younger than he would have been had he never traveled in space.

http://www.amnh.org/exhibitions/einstein/time/exploring.php

Or you could say he traveled roughly 0.02 seconds (20 milliseconds) into the future.

As a formula

http://upload.wikimedia.org/math/1/6/9/169107ac7a028562af7b142c88215f47.png

Good point, although do time zones affect the Mir when its orbiting the earth? If so his 'time travel' could be put down to the amount of times he has crossed different time zones from the place the Mir was when he got on and where it was when he got off

Erki

14th April 2007, 09:05

I think MIR and other sattelites are always in the same place relative to the earth. At least the ones that make the GPS happen have to be.

tony_yeboah

14th April 2007, 19:05

What goes up must come down, including bullets. I was in Mexico for New Year's a couple of years ago and people there like to shoot off guns at midnight. You could hear the bullets bouncing off roofs when they fell back to earth. Now imagine that were your head. :eek:

With regards to law, that's left up to the local municipalities in the United States. THe short answer is in town, it's illegal, outside the city limits, anything goes.

that happened in the film 'the mexican', a guy who brad pitt was with suddently died, and when he looked at him he saw a bullet had fallen from the sky and went straight right in the middle on his skull...nice.

tony_yeboah

14th April 2007, 19:12

It is possible to go fowards in time, because at speed time goes faster. So if you went on a space probe at close to the speed of light, 1 year to you would be several years on Earth. ;)

ok...this is a scenario which shows its impossible to travel forward in time.

Lets say YOU (here and now) decided you wanted to ask yourself a question in 5 years. So you travel 5 years forward where you meet the 5 years on you. So you ask a question, it doesnt matter what the question was.

But here is where it becomes complicated. did the YOU IN 5 YEARS know that you were going to come and ask you that question? the you in 5 years would know this was going to happen as he had asked it 5 years ago, because he is YOU.

Lets go back to the original here and now you. So you've travelled 5 years and asked that question, great...nice one. So you carry on with the rest of your life. In 5 years, you'll know that you'll get a visit from the 5 years younger version of you (as you travelled originally to the older, which is who you are in 5 years).

To conclude this ridiculously complicated scenario, if you travelled forward in time, you will be created a parallel universe infinity times over. who knows what would happen if that happened.

tony_yeboah

14th April 2007, 19:15

a further note, myself and viperman once spent until the early hours, about 4am discussing this whole predicament, forwards backwards, stopping time all of this philosophical stuff.

We got baffled, but we didnt come up with scenarios to prove that it is all impossible. a typical student night you might say

tony_yeboah

14th April 2007, 19:30

Why do Americans pronounce words incorrectly?

e.g 'vIytamin' instead of vitamin
'Zeeebra' instead of zebra
'Soccer' instead of football
'gas' instead of petrol
'windshield' instead of windscreen

i work with a swedish bloke who comes out with all the american trash talk

sidewalk, the mall, cops, gas, parking lot, convenience store, cell phone and many many more.

we like to laugh :)

Erki

14th April 2007, 19:45

With English being so widespread language you can't expect everyone to speak the proper queen English. :) Many cultures have spoken it long enough too to develop their own dialects and make some changes. Obviously they felt them needed...

I personally couldn't care less about the petrol/gas etc thing. instead, I would like Americans to pronounce stuff more clearly. So often I hear an American speak only half understandably and usually very fast. So please, open your mouth more and slow down a little bit.

CharlieJ

15th April 2007, 09:10

You guys think American English is different.....?

Try going to Ashington (Northumberland, UK).

I live a few miles down the road and I don't understand a word they say :eek: !!! ;)

Brown, Jon Brow

21st September 2007, 10:44

What's the best way to cook a sausage?

Drew

21st September 2007, 12:37

In what way do you mean best?

Taste, health, texture?

Personally for me the best way is on a BBQ.

LeonBrooke

23rd September 2007, 08:06

I think a frying pan and a bit of oil :)

rah

24th September 2007, 00:09

Yanks can't pronounce "herbs" either.

Mp3 Astra

6th February 2008, 23:42

I have a very serious question! I think I have a sort-of answer in my head, but I'm interested to see what you guys think:

Why do different energy companies charge different amounts for electricity and gas etc. Surely if you change suppliers, it's the same gas, it's the same electrons carrying charge to your home... So why don't we all just sign up for the cheapest energy?

anthonyvop

7th February 2008, 00:48

Which would win in a dogfight?

a) Spitfire versus Mustang

http://www.aeroflight.co.uk/types/uk/supermarine/spitfireI-III/spitfire.jpg
http://www.mustangsmustangs.net/p-51/p51shows/chino2006/ww2/H.ww2.jpg

Mustang would win. Faster, Better range, better turn radius and more Fire Power.

fight b) Eurofighter versus F-22

http://www.lboro.ac.uk/departments/el/programmes/systems/graphics/eurofighter.jpg
http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/ac/f-22_2.jpg

Not even close. The Typhoon would be a a plume of smoke smoldering from a scotish hillside and it's pilot would have never seen the F-22 that shot it down.
The F-22 is a whole generation ahead of anything out there it is almost unfair.

Camelopard

7th February 2008, 04:24

How about the f-22 against this:

http://www.crazyaviation.com/movies/CA_SU-30.wmv

Cool video.

Russian SU-30MK Stunning,
Total Air Superiority Fighter
2-26-7
SU-30MK
On Fri, 05 Jan 2007 14:34:09 -0800, MGEN Hank Stelling USAF Ret wrote: "This is for those of you who will understand how remarkable this really is. Any way you slice it, pretty impressive. Great camera work. This remarkable aircraft and its pilot demonstrate what I thought impossible for a high speed jet fighter. In the SU-30MK, Russian aviation has surpassed that of the US and its NATO allies. This truly impressive fighter can stall from high speed flight to stop in less than a second. It can fall back on its tail, without compressor stall, and go into a flat spin and recover in less than a minute. There is no aircraft in any country's inventory that could stand up to it in a dog fight."

edv

7th February 2008, 04:54

Why do we all say 'Zed' except in the US, where they say 'Zeee'?

I reckon it's down to the slimy marketers, who exploit it for sales pitches like 'E-Z terms available', etc.

Camelopard

7th February 2008, 05:46

Why do we all say "going to the toilet" except in North America where they say "going to the bathroom"?

maxu05

7th February 2008, 10:03

Perhaps it's considered uncooth or gutteral to say toilet in North America. I just say that I'm going for a pee, solves the problem ;)

Camelopard

7th February 2008, 10:18

Perhaps it's considered uncooth or gutteral to say toilet in North America. I just say that I'm going for a pee, solves the problem ;)

How can saying you are going to the toilet be "uncouth"?

What are you going to do in the bathroom, have a bath?

:rolleyes: War is good for big business, I'm glad I've got shares in Halliburton and KBR :rolleyes:

maxu05

7th February 2008, 13:45

How can saying you are going to the toilet be "uncouth"?

What are you going to do in the bathroom, have a bath?

:rolleyes: War is good for big business, I'm glad I've got shares in Halliburton and KBR :rolleyes:

I think some parts of the world, you don't blow your nose at the dinner table for example, just as you never mention toilet in front of people. It's just that some people are squeamish about these sorts of things. Bunch of wusses if you ask me, but that's the way it is.

Brown, Jon Brow

7th February 2008, 13:57

Mustang would win. Faster, Better range, better turn radius and more Fire Power.

But the Spitfire was prettier :cool:

Not even close. The Typhoon would be a a plume of smoke smoldering from a scotish hillside and it's pilot would have never seen the F-22 that shot it down.
The F-22 is a whole generation ahead of anything out there it is almost unfair.

But the the F-22 doesn't work if it goes over the international dateline ;)