What's in the news?

[Beorning]

It's roughly 40 light years away (39 and change). So a 4-year journey would require us to develop a means of traveling at 10*C.

Math!

On the other hand, if we master a tech like, say, jump drives, then who knows..!

[TheGlyphstone]

On the other hand, if we master a tech like, say, jump drives, then who knows..!

Even some sort of long-distance matter transmission/teleportation, like a jump drive, is still going to be evaluated in terms of its effective speed - distance-per-jump divided by recharge time, in this case. But that would require violating even more laws of physics-as-we-know-them than ordinary FTL would anyways.

[Kythia]

Even some sort of long-distance matter transmission/teleportation, like a jump drive, is still going to be evaluated in terms of its effective speed - distance-per-jump divided by recharge time, in this case. But that would require violating even more laws of physics-as-we-know-them than ordinary FTL would anyways.

Or just violating the same one but, like, even more.  Super-violating that bad boy.

[Beorning]

Even some sort of long-distance matter transmission/teleportation, like a jump drive, is still going to be evaluated in terms of its effective speed - distance-per-jump divided by recharge time, in this case. But that would require violating even more laws of physics-as-we-know-them than ordinary FTL would anyways.

I know, but if we manage to create jump drives, who knows what kind of limits they would (or would not) have? Maybe they'd powerful enough to make a 40 LY travel last days...

In any case, let me plug the opening to Civilization: Beyond Earth here, as it's deeply fitting for this moment:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yEl9kI2Aluw

[Trigon]

Let's not get too carried away yet. FTL would certainly be nice, but unfortunately there are some technical difficulties (i.e. it is impossible to reach that speed according to Special and General Relativity). And wormholes appear to be too unstable for anything to pass through, plus they have the potential to violate causality.

The Alcubierre Drive might be possible however. Just keep in mind that at the moment, we need to figure out how vastly reduce the amount of 1) exotic matter needed for its construction and 2) energy requirements. 


But even if we don't figure FTL out, there is always the Generation Ship: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Generation_ship

It's slow, but it something that can definitely be built.

[Beorning]

Well, whatever the method used, we do need to get off Earth! So, it's quite okay to be excited about the finding of possible Kobol Earth 2 :) As well as Earth 3, Earth 4 and Earth 5. ;)

[Oniya]

And wormholes appear to be too unstable for anything to pass through, plus they have the potential to violate causality.

Actually, assuming I've followed Dr. Susskind's lectures correctly (I think this and its part-two are the ones I'm remembering, if you have three hours to kill), assuming that you've been able to set up two entangled black holes, and found a way to deal with the insane tidal forces, the best that you can do is meet someone who has entered one of the event horizons by crossing your own event horizon - at which point, both of you are stuck inside.  There's no 'coming out the other side'.

[gaggedLouise]

Actually, assuming I've followed Dr. Susskind's lectures correctly (I think this and its part-two are the ones I'm remembering, if you have three hours to kill), assuming that you've been able to set up two entangled black holes, and found a way to deal with the insane tidal forces, the best that you can do is meet someone who has entered one of the event horizons by crossing your own event horizon - at which point, both of you are stuck inside.  There's no 'coming out the other side'.

You mean like this?

Bold men trapped inside the black hole

Or this guy? (makes the link back to Leonardo's famous drawing even clearer)

:P

[Sara Nilsson]

https://www.yahoo.com/news/white-house-promises-greater-enforcement-211713027.html

WH promises greater enforcement on Recreational Marijuana Laws. Basically claiming it is a federal issue, but things like trans rights are a state issue. You know, because that makes total sense.

Quote from the article:

Earlier in the briefing, Spicer touted the president and the GOP’s commitment to deferring to the states over the federal government on controversial issues.

“We are a states’ rights party,” he said while discussing a reversal of Obama-era guidance on transgender student bathroom use.

[Vekseid]

It's roughly 40 light years away (39 and change). So a 4-year journey would require us to develop a means of traveling at 10*C.

Math!

Unfortunately multiples of c greater than 1 do not make sense.

[Sara Nilsson]

http://www.fox16.com/news/local-news/monumental-battle-at-arkansas-capitol/661299975

Arkansas lawmakers are desperately trying to push for an emergency order to come into effect immediately to halt the Baphomet statue. While this has been going on for some time now it seems the lawmakers are getting desperate in their attempts to stop the Satanic temple from getting their statue. And to think they could easily stop it all by agreeing to NOT put up the ten commandments statue.

[TheGlyphstone]

Unfortunately multiples of c greater than 1 do not make sense.

FTL as a fundamental concept does not make sense, that's why it's the realm of science fiction/theoretical physics. But within that fiction/theory, you need some form of notation to express your effective speed (no matter the specific phlembotinum being used), and it's a lot easier to write in multiples of c than it is to just list absurdly long strings of 0's before your KPH/MPH.

[Lustful Bride]

http://www.fox16.com/news/local-news/monumental-battle-at-arkansas-capitol/661299975

Arkansas lawmakers are desperately trying to push for an emergency order to come into effect immediately to halt the Baphomet statue. While this has been going on for some time now it seems the lawmakers are getting desperate in their attempts to stop the Satanic temple from getting their statue. And to think they could easily stop it all by agreeing to NOT put up the ten commandments statue.

I feel like the whole situation is one big waste of time and taxpayer money and both sides of the argument should be ashamed of themselves. That money could be going to public works, hospitals or fire departments, etc. but instead its being used to settle a bitchfit between Christ nuts and atheists in funny hats who just wanna troll people.

[Lustful Bride]

Shortages for IS in manpower causes them to force children and the disabled into suicide cars to attack Iraqui security.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/is-forcing-children-disabled-into-suicide-cars-us-general/ar-AAnh0mM?li=BBnbcA1&ocid=HPCOMMDHP15

Just when I think they cant get more disgusting, they find a new level of cruelty to dig to.

[ShadowFox89]

http://www.avclub.com/article/depeche-mode-tells-lifelong-fan-richard-spencer-fu-250908

[Trigon]

Looks like the GOP is under a lot of heat now by their own constituents: http://www.avclub.com/article/please-enjoy-some-videos-republicans-getting-their-250874


The pitch forks are being raised!

[Cassandra LeMay]

It almost seems a little ironic that a state that's apparently one of the most gun-obsessed ones (From what I gather as an outsider) would get overrun by game. >.<

Okay, I'm two days late to comment on this, but... Germany has tried to cull wild boars by hunting, and it didn't work. The way I remember the studies I heard about, it turned out that a cull of the adult population led to the younger animals becoming sexually active at a younger age than usual. In a way, the pigs tired to make up for the loss of adult population by an increase in what you might call "teenage pregnancies" and apparently kept the population number up with that strategy.

[WhatLiesAbove]

So...a new bill is being introduced in Iowa that would require college professors applying to state colleges to divulge their political affiliation. The bill states that no political affiliation should hold more than a 10% majority in state colleges. This is being introduced because of the asinine thought that colleges are now liberal indoctrination centers. The bill Ismail SF288.

[rekhaiyer]

The word Orwellian has been used too much when the times were good at every mundane thing. I am scared that it has lost it's punch from unnecessary use. This sounds idiotic and I can't believe someone even thought about this seriously.

[Lustful Bride]

Chemical Nerve Agent known as VX is claimed to have been what killed Kim Jong Nam.

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/malaysia-vx-nerve-agent-killed-outcast-north-korean-scion/ar-AAnfmxB?li=BBnbfcL&ocid=HPCOMMDHP15

It almost seems a little ironic that a state that's apparently one of the most gun-obsessed ones (From what I gather as an outsider) would get overrun by game. >.<

I don't see it as ironic, I see it as a sign of just how bad things are. Remember this is an invasive species that is becoming a big problem. The last thing we need is a massive population of hogs killing off other local species and then spreading out to the rest of the country..

[TheGlyphstone]

So...a new bill is being introduced in Iowa that would require college professors applying to state colleges to divulge their political affiliation. The bill states that no political affiliation should hold more than a 10% majority in state colleges. This is being introduced because of the asinine thought that colleges are now liberal indoctrination centers. The bill Ismail SF288.

Not to mention the equally asinine question about what to do with the remaining 80% (well, 70%, once you include Independents). U.S. politics might recognize minority parties on a local level, but there's only two teams you get to sign up for at the national stage.

Heck, for that matter I don't think there are enough real political parties (or people who follow them) to hit that quota even if you include the smaller ones. You've got the Democrats, the Republicans, the Libertarians, the Greens, and I guess the Constitution Party. Now you have to stack your remaining 50% with individuals from the hyper-minority groups, a majority of whom are leftist or liberal in some fashion. If anythign this would increase the liberal slant to colleges.

[Mithlomwen]

Looks like the GOP is under a lot of heat now by their own constituents: http://www.avclub.com/article/please-enjoy-some-videos-republicans-getting-their-250874


The pitch forks are being raised!

Yeah, but according to Mike Pence, those crowds liberal activists.  http://fox6now.com/2017/02/23/mike-pence-blames-liberal-activists-for-townhall-protests-tmwsp/

[Lustful Bride]

Yeah, but according to Mike Pence, those crowds liberal activists.  http://fox6now.com/2017/02/23/mike-pence-blames-liberal-activists-for-townhall-protests-tmwsp/

I hope he keeps doing it and keeps alienating those in his own party. So that they can see the real face of their elected leaders, the two faced liars and cheats that they are.

[WhatLiesAbove]

I hope he keeps doing it and keeps alienating those in his own party. So that they can see the real face of their elected leaders, the two faced liars and cheats that they are.

The problem is the base. They eat up this bullshit. It's why crap like "fake news" is now a thing.

[Missy]

Actually a book review, but interestign nonetheless.

https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/23/books/review/testosterone-rex-myths-of-sex-science-and-society-cordelia-fine.html?smid=tw-nytbooks&smtyp=cur