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Royston

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Everything posted by Royston

  1. Perhaps you should start another thread, this one's for the experts...which I'm clearly not either, but it won't stop me reading and researching the terminology used and trying to get a slight understanding of the subjects raised...that also can be fun. I think Severian deserves a break from advising people like me all the time.
  2. Done...sorry havn't been with it recently...see my latest post under general medicine.
  3. I'm going to the doctor tomorrow after receiving some heavy blows to my head. Since the accident the hearing in my right ear has been affected. As a musician this is a concern, the problem started a few days ago, then stopped and has now come back again. Anything with a low frequency has excentuated resonance...as though my ear drum is vibrating that little bit longer than in my left ear. So supposing I hear a frequency of around e.g 40hz it will have a longer release than to what my left ear is hearing. I'm sure I'll get a straight answer tomorrow, but I was wondering if anyone could put my mind at rest or tell me if my ear is actually damaged in anyway. Is this just simply a blockage ? I'm also experiencing dizzy spells, mild flu like symptons and localized headaches now and again...any thoughts, advice...I'm in panic mode.
  4. This should answer your question...especially the last paragraph. from... http://www.4to40.com/QA/index.asp?counter=186&category=science It must have been a very intelligent human who looked at a sheep walking past and thought of the use its fleece might have! Although the oldest surviving textile made out of wool is around 3,500 years old, the oldest fine woolen fabric dates to the fifth century BC (about 2,500 years ago) and was found in an ancient Greek colony. Wool was probably the first fiber to be woven into a textile. Because when primitive man stopped hunting and started herding animals, it was his first step from a primitive life to a civilised one. Sheep were sort of a stone age convenience store for the nomadic lifestyle of our primitive ancestors, a walking food supply that required little care. Sheep provided for all the basic needs - meat and milk for food, skin and bones for clothing, shelter and tools. The loose wool was less essential, but as the animals shed their coats each spring, tufts of fleece were gathered and used to soften some of life's harder edges. Slowly, it dawned upon someone that the fleece was the best part of the sheep. Eventually, sheep destined for mutton roasts and sheep destined for fine woven rugs were distinguished, as good eating does not necessarily mean good quality wool. Early wild species of sheep had long, coarse outer hair protecting their short fleece undercoats. It is this under-layer that is desirable for textile use and has been selectively bred into modern sheep. I guess the fleece under the outer hair doesn't shed, and the selective breeding brought about a fleece that grows like the outer hair. That's my take on it...please correct me if I'm wrong.
  5. I was under the impression that the modern sheep was a product of selective breeding (for the reason above)...like the alpaca, which If I remember was a cross breed between a vicuna and a llama. The Incas used the fur for trade and as a sign of wealth or nobility.
  6. Thanks for putting me straight Severian, I suppose I got confused because some people favor string theory over other quantum theories of gravity...time to do some reading.
  7. Jim Henson would turn in his grave, if his workshop conceived of such a thing. It's time to start the music...It's time to light the lights....Jesus turn em off..turn em off.
  8. This is just a stab in the dark, and forgive my lack of knowledge on the subject, but could it is possible to use the string model of gravity alongside quantum mechanics. This way we uphold observational data on particles, and retain a model of gravity that logically (IMO) that compensates for curvature and long distances. Or are the equations that support either theory totally incompatible.
  9. Exactly, they havn't been observed...only the effects of gravity have been observed. I can't help but think that gravity isn't a massless force carrying particle...especially as it acts on long distances, and as Severian pointed out has a direct relation with the curvature of space. It seems to me there is a duality with particles and gravity, that the force of gravity is more underlying than inherent to atomic structure, like a force inbetween atoms maybe.
  10. I think we can safely assume matter does exist (or if it doesn't it makes no difference to us) as it's observable. Maths is used to back up theories posed by physics into credible models. Though I'm sure you realize this...I'm not really sure why you're confused by this. In some instances mathematical equations shape theories in physics ...e.g models for the inside of a black hole. But only for phenomena we cannot observe...they remain theories. Maths isn't really a subset more a tool for explanation and backing a theory. Physics is predominantly along with most disciplines in science based on our observations. I'm under the belief that everything can be equatable...eventually. Maths is just a universal language that can only be questioned by philosophy...as it's a human invention. I guess there has to be an equatable model for everything, otherwise I'm not sure how everything relates to everything else (I believe it has to)...I'm not convinced it would work if there were some major discrepancies.
  11. Exactly...being a long time fan of Chris Morris I love satire. I think the point is that it might as well not be satirical, because this is exactly the type of bull sh*t theory that creationists and the like use as fuel for the faithful. I've been meaning to rant about it for a while, this just set me off.
  12. ROFL...and he made us in his own image ? Something doesn't quite add up here.
  13. I like the 'let's take a look at the evidence' and then goes on to quote the bible...this is actually starting to wind me up. 'There's no such thing as God'...there you go, it's written. Also this statement is current, not a couple of thousand years old, and is based on all the evidence collated that could prove the existence of God...which amounts to zero. You can't refute this statement because you have no observable evidence to refute it. You just have a book that's full of contradictions...(that's reeeally old) this statement has no contradictions. I could go on, but it's Friday night and I'm going to my local church...better know as the pub.
  14. Royston

    Telepathy

    There's only two sides to a coin... I've had a few instances where I've experienced non-direct telepathy (for want of a better word) though I'm construing the experience's as coincidence and familiarity. On a few occasions where I've had to get the essentials when shopping, I've deliberatly not bought certain items thinking my flat mate would buy them and vice versa. Although neither of us have a regular history of forgetting to buy or overstocking on certain items sometimes I buy an item he's forgotten with no communication before hand, and sometimes I'll deliberatly not buy an item only to find it in the fridge when I get back...quite a weak example I know. The funniest one was when I was thinking about buying some of that whitening toothpaste. I played the scenario in my head that it would be good if they had a 'two for one' offer so I could use it for long enough to see if it worked without having to buy anymore. The next day my house mate walked in with two large tubes of the stuff, which were 'on offer'...'two for one'. I had no idea there was an offer on at the time, and we've never bought that type of toothpaste before (though probably has a lot to do with that it's never been on offer). I'm still under the ascertain that this is merely coincidence...I don't think...well I know that brain waves travel a few centimetres outside the skull, so I don't think it's anything telepathic. If you spend a lot of time with someone (familiarity) you're bound to understand how each other thinks...mix that in with coincidence (that's just a word for the situation, I'm not really convinced that coincidence is a real phenomenom...the earths too small for that) and you get these telepathic experiences. However lets clear up what telepathy is...it's hearing each other's thoughts, if someone can display that, then I'll be convinced that it exists. What people have been talking about here is prediction...which is completely different.
  15. I guess some of you guys have already seen this ( I did a quick search and couldn't find anyone posting this link, but if they have...apologies ), but here it is for those of you who havn't had the pleasure... http://www.livejournal.com/users/mcsnee/433748.html
  16. Star Trek TOS...everything else pales in insignificance, if no-one can see why the original is a work of comedy genius then please check out episodes 'I-Mudd' and 'Trouble with Tribbles'. Oh...and X files was watched religiously when I was younger, but I agree that the later episodes were really running out of ideas. It's a conspiracy of a conspiracy of a conspiracy...yawn. The last series was just daft.
  17. Same here, and personally this is the best I've found...there's some true experts in the field and a diverse community which makes for good debate. I've found a lot of forums just boiling topics down to skepticism and philosophy which is fine if you're interested in those subjects, but not if you want to learn anything.
  18. Is this an attempt to get rid of people who are here to learn ? I don't really see the point in that. I've asked what some people may regard as idiotic questions, and yes my first few posts were very dubious, but you had your chance to set me and others straight then, there's no need to churn out abuse again. If people like me who havn't had a background in sciences and what to improve by asking experts on a forum, then you shouldn't make people feel uncomfortable asking, which this kind of thread is going to do. Pseudoscience is just for asking questions that science hasn't answered yet. OK there's some quite hilarious posts in there but like I've said you've already had your chance to pick holes in peoples ideas et.c you don't need to brand these people...if they persist and are being annoying then simply ban them. I very much doubt I'll be using this forum any longer, which is a shame because I've learnt a lot, and have had a lot of fun exchanging ideas and enjoying a lot of the sharp humour...but I think this is just lame, and pointless. I'll be reading any responses (if any) to this, but I can already imagine that it's going to be met with contention, and abuse...so seeya.
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