Seemingly trivial things that intrigue you

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  • chris_bass
    chris_bass Posts: 4,913
    slowbike said:

    no one has - or can - prove the universe is infinite.

    I can think of a few that should go and find the edge to prove it. ;)

    that would actually disprove it!
    www.conjunctivitis.com - a site for sore eyes
  • slowbike
    slowbike Posts: 8,498

    slowbike said:

    no one has - or can - prove the universe is infinite.

    I can think of a few that should go and find the edge to prove it. ;)

    that would actually disprove it!
    when they come back with the evidence I'll believe them ;)
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 51,199
    edited November 2019

    slowbike said:

    no one has - or can - prove the universe is infinite.

    I can think of a few that should go and find the edge to prove it. ;)

    that would actually disprove it!
    They can tell us what's the other side of the 'edge'.

    If humans couldn't go very high, you would be convinced the world was flat.
    There's the boundaries of the room you frequent. there's boundaries of the property you inhabit. There's prohibited spaces and places you can't go. There's fences and barriers wherever you go. There's an imaginary boundary at the edge of the county you live in, the shire you live in. There's a boundary around the country you live in, the world is finite (although you can circumnavigate it as many times as you like). There's a limit to breathable air - the boundary of inhabitable, unassisted existence.
    There's a limit to our solar system.
    Beyond that, there's huge distances and only historical light, back ground radiation and historical noise.

    We are born, we live, and we die.

    How on earth can anyone possibly imagine infinity.

    In fact, some mathematician came up with the biggest numerical figure known to man. It was called T47. How can numerical figures be finite?!

    We humans are very capable of constructing questions that we cannot answer.

    Like: 'What is the meaning of life?'.
    Which is a totally erroneous question.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 25,598
    42.
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 27,488
    pinno said:

    slowbike said:

    no one has - or can - prove the universe is infinite.

    I can think of a few that should go and find the edge to prove it. ;)

    that would actually disprove it!
    They can tell us what's the other side of the 'edge'.

    If humans couldn't go very high, you would be convinced the world was flat.
    There's the boundaries of the room you frequent. there's boundaries of the property you inhabit. There's prohibited spaces and places you can't go. There's fences and barriers wherever you go. There's an imaginary boundary at the edge of the county you live in, the shire you live in. There's a boundary around the country you live in, the world is finite (although you can circumnavigate it as many times as you like). There's a limit to breathable air - the boundary of inhabitable, unassisted existence.
    There's a limit to our solar system.
    Beyond that, there's huge distances and only historical light, back ground radiation and historical noise.

    We are born, we live, and we die.

    How on earth can anyone possibly imagine infinity.

    In fact, some mathematician came up with the biggest numerical figure known to man. It was called T47. How can numerical figures be finite?!

    We humans are very capable of constructing questions that we cannot answer.

    Like: 'What is the meaning of life?'.
    Which is a totally erroneous question.
    You are taking concepts developed from our experience of a thin habitable zone of single planet within a narrow range of scales and applying them to things which are utterly different in scale. It's not a surprise that even our language isn't up to the task of describing things entirely outside our experience.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • monkimark
    monkimark Posts: 1,462
    Waterman has invaded my Spotify playlist too!
    Is he trying to start a comeback?

    Spotify's algorithm. I mean what can possibly cause this?



    EHuUGUNW4AIipsU.jpg

  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,218
    The media and people in general getting excited about the 'release' of a Christmas advert. Talk about doing someone's job for them.
  • Tashman
    Tashman Posts: 3,398
    pross said:

    The media and people in general getting excited about the 'release' of a Christmas advert. Talk about doing someone's job for them.

    I know, when did this even really become a thing? Hal;f the time it's not even advertising anything, just trying to become a talking point. On a similar note - Perfume ads? What's the point?
  • elbowloh
    elbowloh Posts: 7,078
    pross said:

    The media and people in general getting excited about the 'release' of a Christmas advert. Talk about doing someone's job for them.

    I don't get this big hoohah over Christmas adverts either. It's like they've become a tradition already.

    It's just a fecking advert, devised to get you to part with your money. I hate adverts in general (switch over or ff through them if i can).
    Felt F1 2014
    Felt Z6 2012
    Red Arthur Caygill steel frame
    Tall....
    www.seewildlife.co.uk
  • Tashman
    Tashman Posts: 3,398
    elbowloh said:

    pross said:

    The media and people in general getting excited about the 'release' of a Christmas advert. Talk about doing someone's job for them.

    I don't get this big hoohah over Christmas adverts either. It's like they've become a tradition already.

    It's just a fecking advert, devised to get you to part with your money. I hate adverts in general (switch over or ff through them if i can).
    from the Graun today - By now the John Lewis Christmas advert formula has solidified into scripture. There’s a happy song performed in a comically depressed way. There’s a figure that represents the entire concept of agonising heartache. There’s a smattering of Christmas, the thinnest possible veneer of commerce and the lingering sense that we’d all be much better served if the whole thing was simply replaced with a caption reading ‘We sell some clothes and kettles’.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,218
    Tashman said:

    pross said:

    The media and people in general getting excited about the 'release' of a Christmas advert. Talk about doing someone's job for them.

    I know, when did this even really become a thing? Hal;f the time it's not even advertising anything, just trying to become a talking point. On a similar note - Perfume ads? What's the point?
    It's working though. The BBC spent about 10 minutes on Breakfast effectively advertising John Lewis on the basis of their new advert 'dropping' as the kids would say. A few other retailers then got snippets of their adverts shown in the BBC's usual attempts at balance. I then went upstairs where the wife was watching GMB and they were also running the John Lewis advert with a debate about it. Probably 15 minutes of completely free advertising in the course of a 20 minute period!
  • Tashman
    Tashman Posts: 3,398
    pross said:

    Tashman said:

    pross said:

    The media and people in general getting excited about the 'release' of a Christmas advert. Talk about doing someone's job for them.

    I know, when did this even really become a thing? Hal;f the time it's not even advertising anything, just trying to become a talking point. On a similar note - Perfume ads? What's the point?
    It's working though. The BBC spent about 10 minutes on Breakfast effectively advertising John Lewis on the basis of their new advert 'dropping' as the kids would say. A few other retailers then got snippets of their adverts shown in the BBC's usual attempts at balance. I then went upstairs where the wife was watching GMB and they were also running the John Lewis advert with a debate about it. Probably 15 minutes of completely free advertising in the course of a 20 minute period!
    And still doesn't actually advertise anything specific
  • Longshot
    Longshot Posts: 940
    Tashman said:

    pross said:

    Tashman said:

    pross said:

    The media and people in general getting excited about the 'release' of a Christmas advert. Talk about doing someone's job for them.

    I know, when did this even really become a thing? Hal;f the time it's not even advertising anything, just trying to become a talking point. On a similar note - Perfume ads? What's the point?
    It's working though. The BBC spent about 10 minutes on Breakfast effectively advertising John Lewis on the basis of their new advert 'dropping' as the kids would say. A few other retailers then got snippets of their adverts shown in the BBC's usual attempts at balance. I then went upstairs where the wife was watching GMB and they were also running the John Lewis advert with a debate about it. Probably 15 minutes of completely free advertising in the course of a 20 minute period!
    And still doesn't actually advertise anything specific
    I think we're dealing here with brand awareness rather than direct product advertising.
    You can fool some of the people all of the time. Concentrate on those people.
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 27,488
    And now you guys are talking about it, too. The marketing team must be feeling pretty smug.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 25,598
    Just like Tesco and that there Spice Girl. And I am continuing the pitch. 🤔
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • chris_bass
    chris_bass Posts: 4,913
    pinno said:

    slowbike said:

    no one has - or can - prove the universe is infinite.

    I can think of a few that should go and find the edge to prove it. ;)

    that would actually disprove it!
    They can tell us what's the other side of the 'edge'.

    If humans couldn't go very high, you would be convinced the world was flat.
    There's the boundaries of the room you frequent. there's boundaries of the property you inhabit. There's prohibited spaces and places you can't go. There's fences and barriers wherever you go. There's an imaginary boundary at the edge of the county you live in, the shire you live in. There's a boundary around the country you live in, the world is finite (although you can circumnavigate it as many times as you like). There's a limit to breathable air - the boundary of inhabitable, unassisted existence.
    There's a limit to our solar system.
    Beyond that, there's huge distances and only historical light, back ground radiation and historical noise.

    We are born, we live, and we die.

    How on earth can anyone possibly imagine infinity.

    In fact, some mathematician came up with the biggest numerical figure known to man. It was called T47. How can numerical figures be finite?!

    We humans are very capable of constructing questions that we cannot answer.

    Like: 'What is the meaning of life?'.
    Which is a totally erroneous question.
    what are you waffling on about?

    you know we knew the earth was not flat long before we could "go very high"! there are lots of different ways to know the earth is curved - you just need two wells as one example.

    for someone who seems to think the study of the universe is a pointless exercise you spend a lot of time moaning about it!

    ps - all light we see is historical, just some more in the past than others! ;)
    www.conjunctivitis.com - a site for sore eyes
  • Tashman
    Tashman Posts: 3,398
    rjsterry said:

    And now you guys are talking about it, too. The marketing team must be feeling pretty smug.

    Still not inclining me to go and buy anything with them though. i don't even know what they sell!
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 27,488
    Tashman said:

    rjsterry said:

    And now you guys are talking about it, too. The marketing team must be feeling pretty smug.

    Still not inclining me to go and buy anything with them though. i don't even know what they sell!
    John Lewis? It's a department store, so lots of stuff.
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 72,245
    If you're watching programmes that discuss TV adverts, may I suggest not watching those programmes?
  • chris_bass
    chris_bass Posts: 4,913

    If you're watching programmes that discuss TV adverts, may I suggest not watching those programmes?

    is watching programmes discussing tv adverts better or worse than reading forum posts discussing programmes discussing tv adverts?
    www.conjunctivitis.com - a site for sore eyes
  • monkimark said:

    Waterman has invaded my Spotify playlist too!
    Is he trying to start a comeback?


    Spotify's algorithm. I mean what can possibly cause this?



    EHuUGUNW4AIipsU.jpg

    Spotify recommended The Wurzels to me this week.
  • orraloon
    orraloon Posts: 12,614

    monkimark said:

    Waterman has invaded my Spotify playlist too!
    Is he trying to start a comeback?


    Spotify's algorithm. I mean what can possibly cause this?



    EHuUGUNW4AIipsU.jpg

    Spotify recommended The Wurzels to me this week.
    There is a recent radio Comedy of the Week episode 'Little Brexit' by Walliams and Lucas featuring all the old favourite characters inc Mr Waterman wanting to "write the theme toon, sing the theme toon, ...". I wonder if that was enough to get the algorithms pushing him up the visibility scale?
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,218

    If you're watching programmes that discuss TV adverts, may I suggest not watching those programmes?

    I sit eating breakfast whilst watching Breakfast on the BBC to catch up with overnight news (or more commonly these days, announcements about what announcements politicians will be making today). This morning they were covering the JL advert which seems bizarre considering the BBC's position on advertising.
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 51,199

    pinno said:

    slowbike said:

    no one has - or can - prove the universe is infinite.

    I can think of a few that should go and find the edge to prove it. ;)

    that would actually disprove it!
    They can tell us what's the other side of the 'edge'.

    If humans couldn't go very high, you would be convinced the world was flat.
    There's the boundaries of the room you frequent. there's boundaries of the property you inhabit. There's prohibited spaces and places you can't go. There's fences and barriers wherever you go. There's an imaginary boundary at the edge of the county you live in, the shire you live in. There's a boundary around the country you live in, the world is finite (although you can circumnavigate it as many times as you like). There's a limit to breathable air - the boundary of inhabitable, unassisted existence.
    There's a limit to our solar system.
    Beyond that, there's huge distances and only historical light, back ground radiation and historical noise.

    We are born, we live, and we die.

    How on earth can anyone possibly imagine infinity.

    In fact, some mathematician came up with the biggest numerical figure known to man. It was called T47. How can numerical figures be finite?!

    We humans are very capable of constructing questions that we cannot answer.

    Like: 'What is the meaning of life?'.
    Which is a totally erroneous question.
    what are you waffling on about?

    you know we knew the earth was not flat long before we could "go very high"! there are lots of different ways to know the earth is curved - you just need two wells as one example.

    for someone who seems to think the study of the universe is a pointless exercise you spend a lot of time moaning about it!

    ps - all light we see is historical, just some more in the past than others! ;)
    What's got your goat?!
    I never said it was a pointless exercise.
    I did say that making up theories about it is both spurious and arrogant.
    We have yet to discover the depths of the deepest seas but we have theories of 'how it all began'. What a crock of bollox.

    Yes, they thought Christopher Columbus was going to fall off the edge of the earth going across the sea. So despite the evidence, many people still thought that the world was flat 2100 years later.
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 27,488
    pinno said:

    pinno said:

    slowbike said:

    no one has - or can - prove the universe is infinite.

    I can think of a few that should go and find the edge to prove it. ;)

    that would actually disprove it!
    They can tell us what's the other side of the 'edge'.

    If humans couldn't go very high, you would be convinced the world was flat.
    There's the boundaries of the room you frequent. there's boundaries of the property you inhabit. There's prohibited spaces and places you can't go. There's fences and barriers wherever you go. There's an imaginary boundary at the edge of the county you live in, the shire you live in. There's a boundary around the country you live in, the world is finite (although you can circumnavigate it as many times as you like). There's a limit to breathable air - the boundary of inhabitable, unassisted existence.
    There's a limit to our solar system.
    Beyond that, there's huge distances and only historical light, back ground radiation and historical noise.

    We are born, we live, and we die.

    How on earth can anyone possibly imagine infinity.

    In fact, some mathematician came up with the biggest numerical figure known to man. It was called T47. How can numerical figures be finite?!

    We humans are very capable of constructing questions that we cannot answer.

    Like: 'What is the meaning of life?'.
    Which is a totally erroneous question.
    what are you waffling on about?

    you know we knew the earth was not flat long before we could "go very high"! there are lots of different ways to know the earth is curved - you just need two wells as one example.

    for someone who seems to think the study of the universe is a pointless exercise you spend a lot of time moaning about it!

    ps - all light we see is historical, just some more in the past than others! ;)
    What's got your goat?!
    I never said it was a pointless exercise.
    I did say that making up theories about it is both spurious and arrogant.
    We have yet to discover the depths of the deepest seas but we have theories of 'how it all began'. What a crock of bollox.

    Yes, they thought Christopher Columbus was going to fall off the edge of the earth going across the sea. So despite the evidence, many people still thought that the world was flat 2100 years later.
    No they didn't. Think about why he set off westwards to reach India. Also we have visited the Mariana Trench (and found plastic 😞) Where on earth do you dig up this stuff?
    1985 Mercian King of Mercia - work in progress (Hah! Who am I kidding?)
    Pinnacle Monzonite

    Part of the anti-growth coalition
  • pblakeney
    pblakeney Posts: 25,598
    That we have "discovered" less than 5% of the oceans.

    https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/exploration.html
    The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
    I am not sure. You have no chance.
    Veronese68 wrote:
    PB is the most sensible person on here.
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 51,199
    edited November 2019
    pblakeney said:

    That we have "discovered" less than 5% of the oceans.

    https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/exploration.html

    Thank you for that re-iteration of the fact.

    @ RJST: Columbus set off, probably, because he knew he would hit land.

    A good read for you RJST:

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/1421-Year-China-Discovered-World/dp/0553815229

    It's compelling.

    Within the book was the story of Magellan steering his ship through the Tierra Del Fuego and his crew were convinced they were going to die.
    No mariner in his right mind would have attempted this, miles from safety, without prior knowledge. Same as Columbus.

    "...the Reichsapfel was used in 1191 at the coronation of emperor Henry VI. However the word 'orbis' means 'circle' and there is no record of a globe as a representation of the Earth since ancient times in the west until that of Martin Behaim in 1492...."

    "...A recent study of medieval concepts of the sphericity of the Earth noted that "since the eighth century, no cosmographer worthy of note has called into question the sphericity of the Earth".[120] However, the work of these intellectuals may not have had significant influence on public opinion, and it is difficult to tell what the wider population may have thought of the shape of the Earth, if they considered the question at all..."

    We have to be careful to not apply our modern knowledge and the accumulation of that know;edge to historical perceptions.
    Flawed historical relativity?


    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • awavey
    awavey Posts: 2,368
    pblakeney said:

    That we have "discovered" less than 5% of the oceans.

    https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/exploration.html

    well exactly, alot of that search for the missing Malaysia airplane involved mapping sections of the ocean, nobody had ever looked at before
  • pinno
    pinno Posts: 51,199
    pblakeney said:

    That we have "discovered" less than 5% of the oceans.

    https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/exploration.html

    hank you for re-iterating the point.

    A compelling read RJS:

    https://www.amazon.co.uk/1421-Year-China-Discovered-World/dp/0553815229

    Intriguing was Magellan steering his ship through the Tierra del Fuego and his crew were convinced that that were going to perish.
    No mariner in his right mind would have risked his ship so far from safety.
    So, like Columbus, Magellan had some prior knowledge.

    "the Reichsapfel was used in 1191 at the coronation of emperor Henry VI. However the word 'orbis' means 'circle' and there is no record of a globe as a representation of the Earth since ancient times in the west until that of Martin Behaim in 1492..."

    "...no cosmographer worthy of note has called into question the sphericity of the Earth".[120] However, the work of these intellectuals may not have had significant influence on public opinion, and it is difficult to tell what the wider population may have thought of the shape of the Earth, if they considered the question at all.."

    So we must be careful not to apply our knowledge and the accumulation of that knowledge thus far to historical perceptions.
    Flawed Historical relativity?
    seanoconn - gruagach craic!
  • chris_bass
    chris_bass Posts: 4,913
    pinno said:

    pinno said:

    slowbike said:

    no one has - or can - prove the universe is infinite.

    I can think of a few that should go and find the edge to prove it. ;)

    that would actually disprove it!
    They can tell us what's the other side of the 'edge'.

    If humans couldn't go very high, you would be convinced the world was flat.
    There's the boundaries of the room you frequent. there's boundaries of the property you inhabit. There's prohibited spaces and places you can't go. There's fences and barriers wherever you go. There's an imaginary boundary at the edge of the county you live in, the shire you live in. There's a boundary around the country you live in, the world is finite (although you can circumnavigate it as many times as you like). There's a limit to breathable air - the boundary of inhabitable, unassisted existence.
    There's a limit to our solar system.
    Beyond that, there's huge distances and only historical light, back ground radiation and historical noise.

    We are born, we live, and we die.

    How on earth can anyone possibly imagine infinity.

    In fact, some mathematician came up with the biggest numerical figure known to man. It was called T47. How can numerical figures be finite?!

    We humans are very capable of constructing questions that we cannot answer.

    Like: 'What is the meaning of life?'.
    Which is a totally erroneous question.
    what are you waffling on about?

    you know we knew the earth was not flat long before we could "go very high"! there are lots of different ways to know the earth is curved - you just need two wells as one example.

    for someone who seems to think the study of the universe is a pointless exercise you spend a lot of time moaning about it!

    ps - all light we see is historical, just some more in the past than others! ;)
    What's got your goat?!
    I never said it was a pointless exercise.
    I did say that making up theories about it is both spurious and arrogant.
    We have yet to discover the depths of the deepest seas but we have theories of 'how it all began'. What a crock of bollox.

    Yes, they thought Christopher Columbus was going to fall off the edge of the earth going across the sea. So despite the evidence, many people still thought that the world was flat 2100 years later.
    nothings got my goat - i like the universe and theories about it - you seem to be the one who's goat has been gotten by something?

    why do you think a cosmologist would want to study the ocean? anymore than anyone else would - all scientists aren't the same.

    they knew long before Columbus the earth was not flat and they didn't think he was going to fall off the edge

    why is it arrogant to try and come up with ways in which the universe could have come about? is it arrogant to come up with theories about evolution and gravity too? or anything in science for that matter - science doesn't prove anything true just makes hypothesise and tests it to see if the assumptions hold true - if not change the hypothesis.
    www.conjunctivitis.com - a site for sore eyes