UK General Election 2024

[Asmodean]

Until we have a proven theory of quantum gravity we don't even know if anything at all exists.
Not even the earth.

That is untrue prima facie. A theory of quantum gravity would make it easier to connect certain other theories and unify our understanding of reality. It does not, however, need to be unified to exist in a workable state.

According to Carlo Rovelli, nothing exists apart from quantum waves.

Sounds like reductionist nonsense. "Carrots are made of atoms, therefore nothing but atoms exists." It's a "meaningless" observation because while technically true, it's the particular combinations of said atoms that set their structures apart.

Might expain in part why we never feel the motion of the earth.

It's quite simply too big for us to feel the centripetal acceleration. The rest of it is more or less to a dot as described in my car example. You do not feel constant motion within a system because you do not move or have inertial differences versus that system. Standing still for you means moving at the same velocity as the real estate you occupy - be it your room, a airplane or a car. Had the Earth been much smaller or rotated much faster, you would have felt the centripetal acceleration from being on a curved surface. Because of its size, however, you can consider your bit of said surface to be flat.

[zorkan]

Reason why you don't feel the motion of a plane flying at 500 mph or a car at 50 mph is because the object that started the journey is not the same one that finishes it.
Suggest you read Julian Barbour on that one.
The ancient Greeks also knew it, and it might have occurred to Galileo.

[Asmodean]

The reason you don't feel the motion of a airplane flying is quite simply that the sum total of forces acting on your body is -1G. (The floor is "pressing up" on the soles of your feet with the force of the Earth's gravity. There are some variations there, but in general, they are too small to notice or to remain noticable once you've gotten used to it.)

You do usually feel the plane accelerating or decelerating when performing "larger" manoeuvers. The relative magnitude of those changes is often great enough for that.

Barbour has an occasional interesting thought, as did them Greeks. That is, however, irrelevant so long as their models of reality remain inferior to other common models.

[zorkan]

The reason you don't feel the motion of a airplane flying is quite simply that the sum total of forces acting on your body is -1G. (The floor is "pressing up" on the soles of your feet with the force of the Earth's gravity. There are some variations there, but in general, they are too small to notice or to remain noticable once you've gotten used to it.)

Rubbish.

You do usually feel the plane accelerating or decelerating when performing "larger" manoeuvers. The relative magnitude of those changes is often great enough for that.

Whut?

Barbour has an occasional interesting thought, as did them Greeks. That is, however, irrelevant so long as their models of reality remain inferior to other common models.

Then you tell him that.
http://www.platonia.com/contact.html

[Asmodean]

Rubbish.

Workable rubbish, however. Useful for predicting behaviour of objects with a generally adequate degree of precision. To put it thusly, when Newton is enough, you don't have to use Einstein.

Whut?

You get squeezed into your chair on takeof because the airplanes acceleration is great enough for you to notice the effects of your own body's inertia. Similarly, you may feel pulled to the left or the right during steep banking due to centripetal acceleration. (The plane is moving in an ark, while your body "wants" to carry on linear motion)

Then you tell him that.
http://www.platonia.com/contact.html

What on Earth for? He's not here spewing nonsense, now is he?

[zorkan]

He's living at a farm in South Newington near Banbury which recently made headlines for rainfall.
You should visit the medieval church there.
He even ran for parliament once or twice.
His most recent book is The Janus Point;  A New Theory of Time.

I like his ideas about parallel worlds to explain time, motion and energy.

[Asmodean]

Well, as I said, the hypotheses are interesting enough. Whether or not they can or will "go anywhere," however... Currently, I'd say "probably not," but that is of course subject to change with the way our understanding of reality changes ang improves. At present though, there is little reason to think that Barbour's hypothesis is a better representation of reality than what we have to work with "on the daily."

That said, however, it may well be that his thinking has progressed and evolved - the last I've read was probably around mid-naughties-to-early-teens. Back then... Nah. Kinda-pointless.

I do like myself-self some Medieval architecture though, so... Is it St. Mary's? Looks highly visit-worthy, indeed, judging by the photos.

[zorkan]

It's St Peter ad Vincula but not the only medieval church with amazing wall paintings.

https://www.britainexpress.com/counties/oxfordshire/churches/south-newington.htm

Kempley in Gloucestershire is also good.

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/st-marys-church-kempley/history/

When you're in Herefordshire - Kilpeck is a must.

https://www.herefordtimes.com/news/19494566.pictures-rude-hereford-church-carving-gone-viral/

If you have time.
https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/from-here-to-eternity-02

[Asmodean]

Quality advice right there.

I'm contemplating a "history crawl" come summer - perhaps in England. If so, I shall certainly visit some of those locations.

I'm generally more interested in architecture, but wall paintings, carvings and decoration techniques have a different sort of appeal.

[zorkan]

How's he going to do it?
Can't just be a donation.

https://www.politico.eu/article/elon-musk-is-right-behind-us-boasts-nigel-farage-reform-uk/

[zorkan]

I know we're now in 2025, but 2024 still lives on.
P.M. Keir Starmer will be lucky to survive the year, especially now Musk is after him.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2kxe344wp7o
Starmer was head of the Crown Prosecution Service (2008-13) when appalling events were being largely ignored.

Warning: Very distressing content.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telford_child_sexual_exploitation_scandal