If somehow you could be at the 'edge' of the observable universe 156 billion light years away as postulated from Earth right 'now' the universe would still appear to be 156 billion light years wide from there. That's what it means for everywhere to be the 'center' of the universe. It's infinite yet bounded like the surface of a sphere.
I agree, there is no time dimension (except on graphs;)). Time is change. No change, no time. How much time does a photon 'experience' after leaving an excited atom in the star Alpha Centuri until it interacts with an atom in my eye? Four years? No, it travels at the speed of light and hence no time has past for it. Photons (gluons, gravitons, etc.) are a convenient way of understanding the instantaneous transmission of change in systems not always in close physical proximity. The speed of light is the rate at which change appears to propagate in the universe.
Planck's research in quantum physics put a lower limit on time as well as space intervals. Infinitely divisible reality has been provably discredited in modern physics. The world does seem to come in discrete 'bits.' However these can only be defined by reference to the the other bits they interact with. There are no 'things' only 'processes.' At scales much larger than the Planck scale, these processes take on the appearance of normal objects, at least to our coarse powers of everyday observation.
Relativity (simply!;)) shows that no universal background can exist to judge place or time. All is 'relative,' hence nothing exists without reference to everything else. The world is 'self-referential.' There are no 'observers outside our universe,' an oxymoron exemplar.
For those interested in a more 'accredited' view on these subjects may I recommend an excellent book on the near current state of affairs in theoretical physics: The Three Roads to Quantum Gravity by Lee Smolin.
Greg Egan is one of the latest authors that takes the latest ideas in the sciences and makes coherent believable stories that bring them to life. "Diaspora" is an amazing novel that treats us to a view of a post human world with a view of universes beyond ours, still based in coherent extrapolations of current bleeding edge physics. A must read for extropian buffs.;)
Wish I may, wish I might,
change occurs at the speed of light.
Light and time they are the same,
change occurs, the only game.
If I would, then I could,
the arrow of time of scalar wood.
Change, its reverse but more the same,
one arrow of time, forward the game.
Quanta,
bits that bite
one another's flesh,
defined by change,
a rational guess.
Space itself
is formed thus,
a spin
network to knots,
not ashes nor dust.
Photon and gluon
agents of change,
notwithstanding
a difference in range.
Birth equals death,
time on the fly,
relative equivalence;
one instance goodbye.
Web of relationships
masquerading as things,
permanence illusion,
change defines being.
No future or past
far star to retina,
bosons gauge alterations,
light bulb to paper.
Simultaneous connections
world does work,
singularity to horizon,
entropy is felt.
Spooky
action at a distance
a puzzle not,
one event timeless connected,
reach notwithstanding.
It's not just a good idea,
it's the law.
"ID papers, travel permits, tickets, please!" Germany in WW2? The old Soviet Union? No, Logan Airport and South Station. The War on Terror will be just as successful as the War on Drugs. Kill 'em to save 'em. Control society to save Freedom. An open ended mandate with no realistically achievable goal, accomplishing the exact opposite results intended but protected from criticism by a form of right-wing political correctness. You gotta love it.
I have the same problem with IE on OSX. Very annoying, having to keep clicking around text on a page to try and make it visible and have other parts of the text blink out of existence. I haven't seen this addressed anywhere, either. Anyone have any info on this?
The first time I heard this album I knew I was listening to the future of pop music for the pissed off. My friends hated that album but I told them that some day it would sound like middle of the road FM music. Just listen to any of the so called 'alternative' radio playlists today and see if that hasn't happened. Examples: Disturbed, Godsmack, Saliva, System of a Down. Commercial concept from the beginning? What a surprise! Some people just see the trends eariler. Capitalism does the rest. I liked it then and still enjoy the angry alienated co-opted sound today. Let off steam as you drive to work. Irony rules and you can mosh to it too!;) Keep on Rockin' in the 'Free' World! Far from equilibrium stability rules!;)
Good one! If the moderators had read Footfall (by Niven & Pournelle) it would of at least reated 'Funny.' That launch scene was the emotional equivalent of 'D-Day' in terms to the novel. Very cool.
Check out Kim Stanley Robinsons scifi California trilogy novels in which he looks at three versions of Californias future, one bad (some unspecified disaster has occured), one good (cooperation and ecoscience has prevalied), one ugly (McDonalds and the Gap wins).
Sci Fi issue movies never seem to make these lists. What about George Lucas' student film remake THX1138? More ideas in that than all the Star Wars movies combined. Does anyone remember Colossus: The Forbin Project? Great subject, corny movie but well done for the time. To leave Metropolis, Forbidden Planet or Dr Strangelove off just shows that this list was not made by a thoughtful sci fi fan. Sleeper is a very funny SATIRE but not really a sci fi movie!
Slashdot Mirror
If somehow you could be at the 'edge' of the observable universe 156 billion light years away as postulated from Earth right 'now' the universe would still appear to be 156 billion light years wide from there. That's what it means for everywhere to be the 'center' of the universe. It's infinite yet bounded like the surface of a sphere.
Doh! Clueless one! An astronaut can't 'drop' something off a table in freefall orbit... everyone knows there are no tables in space. ;)
I agree, there is no time dimension (except on graphs ;)). Time is change. No change, no time. How much time does a photon 'experience' after leaving an excited atom in the star Alpha Centuri until it interacts with an atom in my eye? Four years? No, it travels at the speed of light and hence no time has past for it. Photons (gluons, gravitons, etc.) are a convenient way of understanding the instantaneous transmission of change in systems not always in close physical proximity. The speed of light is the rate at which change appears to propagate in the universe.
;)) shows that no universal background can exist to judge place or time. All is 'relative,' hence nothing exists without reference to everything else. The world is 'self-referential.' There are no 'observers outside our universe,' an oxymoron exemplar.
Planck's research in quantum physics put a lower limit on time as well as space intervals. Infinitely divisible reality has been provably discredited in modern physics. The world does seem to come in discrete 'bits.' However these can only be defined by reference to the the other bits they interact with. There are no 'things' only 'processes.' At scales much larger than the Planck scale, these processes take on the appearance of normal objects, at least to our coarse powers of everyday observation.
Relativity (simply!
For those interested in a more 'accredited' view on these subjects may I recommend an excellent book on the near current state of affairs in theoretical physics: The Three Roads to Quantum Gravity by Lee Smolin.
Greg Egan is one of the latest authors that takes the latest ideas in the sciences and makes coherent believable stories that bring them to life. "Diaspora" is an amazing novel that treats us to a view of a post human world with a view of universes beyond ours, still based in coherent extrapolations of current bleeding edge physics. A must read for extropian buffs. ;)
Wish I may, wish I might, change occurs at the speed of light. Light and time they are the same, change occurs, the only game. If I would, then I could, the arrow of time of scalar wood. Change, its reverse but more the same, one arrow of time, forward the game. Quanta, bits that bite one another's flesh, defined by change, a rational guess. Space itself is formed thus, a spin network to knots, not ashes nor dust. Photon and gluon agents of change, notwithstanding a difference in range. Birth equals death, time on the fly, relative equivalence; one instance goodbye. Web of relationships masquerading as things, permanence illusion, change defines being. No future or past far star to retina, bosons gauge alterations, light bulb to paper. Simultaneous connections world does work, singularity to horizon, entropy is felt. Spooky action at a distance a puzzle not, one event timeless connected, reach notwithstanding. It's not just a good idea, it's the law.
"ID papers, travel permits, tickets, please!" Germany in WW2? The old Soviet Union? No, Logan Airport and South Station. The War on Terror will be just as successful as the War on Drugs. Kill 'em to save 'em. Control society to save Freedom. An open ended mandate with no realistically achievable goal, accomplishing the exact opposite results intended but protected from criticism by a form of right-wing political correctness. You gotta love it.
I have the same problem with IE on OSX. Very annoying, having to keep clicking around text on a page to try and make it visible and have other parts of the text blink out of existence. I haven't seen this addressed anywhere, either. Anyone have any info on this?
"Politics and music should be kept entirely separate..." ::grabs chest, agog:: 'I'm having the big one...' (apologies to Redd Foxx)
The first time I heard this album I knew I was listening to the future of pop music for the pissed off. My friends hated that album but I told them that some day it would sound like middle of the road FM music. Just listen to any of the so called 'alternative' radio playlists today and see if that hasn't happened. Examples: Disturbed, Godsmack, Saliva, System of a Down. Commercial concept from the beginning? What a surprise! Some people just see the trends eariler. Capitalism does the rest. I liked it then and still enjoy the angry alienated co-opted sound today. Let off steam as you drive to work. Irony rules and you can mosh to it too! ;) Keep on Rockin' in the 'Free' World! Far from equilibrium stability rules! ;)
Good one! If the moderators had read Footfall (by Niven & Pournelle) it would of at least reated 'Funny.' That launch scene was the emotional equivalent of 'D-Day' in terms to the novel. Very cool.
Check out Kim Stanley Robinsons scifi California trilogy novels in which he looks at three versions of Californias future, one bad (some unspecified disaster has occured), one good (cooperation and ecoscience has prevalied), one ugly (McDonalds and the Gap wins).
If Echelon works as promised then Akmed's trigger word laden post will certainly be a source of amusement over at the watchers coffee station.
Sci Fi issue movies never seem to make these lists. What about George Lucas' student film remake THX1138? More ideas in that than all the Star Wars movies combined. Does anyone remember Colossus: The Forbin Project? Great subject, corny movie but well done for the time. To leave Metropolis, Forbidden Planet or Dr Strangelove off just shows that this list was not made by a thoughtful sci fi fan. Sleeper is a very funny SATIRE but not really a sci fi movie!