From: carl@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU (Carl J Lydick)
Newsgroups: sci.energy
Subject: Re: UN-WISE QUOTES
Date: 14 Dec 1992 17:40:41 GMT
Organization: HST Wide Field/Planetary Camera
Distribution: world
Reply-To: carl@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU
NNTP-Posting-Host: sol1.gps.caltech.edu

In article <1992Dec8.171323.2711@cnsvax.uwec.edu>, mcelwre@cnsvax.uwec.edu writes:

The moron's at it again.

=                                 UN-wise Quotes
=
=               The following three quotations of past "scientists" were 
=          supplied to a "Theoretical Mechanics" class at UW-EC: 
=    
=               "The demonstration that no possible combination of known 
=          substances, known forms of machinery and known forms of 
=          force, can be united in a practical machine by which man 
=          shall fly long distances through the air, seems to the writer 
=          as complete as it is possible for the demonstration of any 
=          physical fact to be."  Simon Newcomb, 1901 

What was unwise about that?  Certainly, if you ignore the phrase "known
substances, known forms of machinery, and known forms of force" the statement
is false, but don't forget that the Wright Brothers needed to take advantage of
that new item known as the internal combustion engine.

=               "The popular mind often pictures gigantic flying 
=          machines speeding across the Atlantic and carrying 
=          innumerable passengers in a way analogous to our modern 
=          steamships...  It seems safe to say that such ideas must be 
=          wholly visionary, and even if a machine could get across with 
=          one or two passengers the expense would be prohibitive to any 
=          but the capitalist who could own his own yacht. 
=               "Another popular fallacy is to expect enormous speed to 
=          be obtained.  It must be remembered that the resistance of 
=          the air increases as the square of the speed and the work as 
=          the cube... If with 30 h.p. we can now attain a speed of 40 
=          m.p.h., then in order to reach a speed of 100 m.p.h. we must 
=          use a motor capable of 470 h.p.... it is clear that with our 
=          present devices there is no hope of competing for racing 
=          speed with either our locomotives or our automobiles."  
=          William H. Pickering, 1905 

Again, you seem to be overlooking the phrase "with our present devices." 
Perhaps you've got a new perpetual motion machine you want to promote, and
you're trying to soften us up with these quotations?


=               "This foolish idea of shooting at the moon is an example 
=          of the absurd length to which vicious specialization will 
=          carry scientists working in thought-tight compartments.  Let 
=          us critically examine the proposal.  For a projectile 
=          entirely to escape the gravitation of the earth, it needs a 
=          velocity of 7 miles a second.  The thermal energy of a gramme 
=          at this speed is 15,180 calories...  The energy of our most 
=          violent explosive - nitroglycerine - is less than 1,500 
=          calories per gramme.  Consequently, even had the explosive 
=          nothing to carry, it has only one-tenth of the energy 
=          necessary to escape the earth...  Hence the proposition 
=          appears to be basically impossible..."  A.W. Bickerton, 1926 

Please note that we do NOT "shoot at the moon."  I.e., we do not simply
detonate the entire mass of fuel and oxygen on the ground and let the
spacecraft coast thereafter.

=               Fortunately, a few SMART inventors and scientists did 
=          NOT take such authoritative pronouncements to be the final 
=          word. 

Why shouldn't they have?  Every one of the above quotes is perfectly accurate.

=               Modern orthodox "scientists" are still saying SIMILAR 
=          things AGAINST UFO Spacecraft, Gravity Neutralization, 
=          Electromagnetic Propulsion, Free-Energy Technologies, 
=          Biological Transmutations, Hollow Earth Theory, Natural Anti-
=          cancer Remedies, Cold Fusion, Radionic/Psionic Devices, 
=          Astrological Influences, etc., ETC.. 

Yup, after misrepresenting the above quotations, you now promote your perpetual
motion machine.  How typical.

Perhaps next time you'll take the trouble to find some statements that actually
turned out to be false.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Carl J Lydick | INTERnet: CARL@SOL1.GPS.CALTECH.EDU | NSI/HEPnet: SOL1::CARL

Disclaimer:  Hey, I understand VAXen and VMS.  That's what I get paid for.  My
understanding of astronomy is purely at the amateur level (or below).  So
unless what I'm saying is directly related to VAX/VMS, don't hold me or my
organization responsible for it.  If it IS related to VAX/VMS, you can try to
hold me responsible for it, but my organization had nothing to do with it.
Newsgroups: sci.energy