Black Hole
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- Date published:
8:16 am, April 11th, 2019 - 126 comments
Categories: class war, Deep stuff, energy -
Tags: black hole, simon bridges
The first image of a black hole has been released. It’s a composite built by the observations of 8 telescopes and confirms the existence of a massive Eye of Sauron in space.
In short, a black hole is what you get when a star collapses in on itself and creates a feedback loop that entraps everything that comes near it. All substance, all light and all energy disappears into the void, crushed and atomised.
Once you’ve entered the black hole, there is nothing but darkness and no hope of escape.
However, NASA have confirmed that, despite the similarities, there is no truth to the rumour that the black hole is to be named Simon.
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- Further environmental mismanagement on the cardsThe Government’s resource management reforms will add to the heavy and ever-growing burden this Government is loading on to our environment. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: RMA changes will be a disaster for environmentThe Government is making short-sighted changes to the Resource Management Act (RMA) that will take away environmental protection in favour of short-term profits, Labour’s environment spokesperson Rachel Brooking said today. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour supports urgent changes to emergency management systemLabour welcomes the release of the report into the North Island weather events and looks forward to working with the Government to ensure that New Zealand is as prepared as it can be for the next natural disaster. ...2 weeks ago
- Release: Labour calls for New Zealand to recognise PalestineThe Labour Party has called for the New Zealand Government to recognise Palestine, as a material step towards progressing the two-State solution needed to achieve a lasting peace in the region. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Three strikes law political posturing of worst kindThe Government is bringing back a law that has little evidential backing just to look tough, Labour justice spokesperson Duncan Webb said. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Government cuts unbelievably target child exploitation, violent extremism, ports and airpor...Some of our country’s most important work, stopping the sexual exploitation of children and violent extremism could go along with staff on the frontline at ports and airports. ...3 weeks ago
- Three strikes has failed before and will fail againResurrecting the archaic three-strikes legislation is an unwelcome return to a failed American-style approach to justice. ...3 weeks ago
- Release: Environmental protection vital, not ‘onerous’The Government’s Fast Track Approvals Bill will give projects such as new coal mines a ‘get out of jail free’ card to wreak havoc on the environment, Labour Leader Chris Hipkins said today. ...3 weeks ago
- Speech to the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium
Introduction Good morning. It’s a great privilege to be here at the 2024 Infrastructure Symposium. I was extremely happy when the Prime Minister asked me to be his Minister for Infrastructure. It is one of the great barriers holding the New Zealand economy back from achieving its potential. Building high ...5 hours ago - $571 million for Defence pay and projectsDefence Minister Judith Collins today announced the upcoming Budget will include new funding of $571 million for Defence Force pay and projects. “Our servicemen and women do New Zealand proud throughout the world and this funding will help ensure we retain their services and expertise as we navigate an increasingly ...10 hours ago
- Climate change – mitigating the risks and costsNew Zealand’s ability to cope with climate change will be strengthened as part of the Government’s focus to build resilience as we rebuild the economy, Climate Change Minister Simon Watts says. “An enduring and long-term approach is needed to provide New Zealanders and the economy with certainty as the climate ...10 hours ago
- Getting new job seekers on the pathway to workJobseeker beneficiaries who have work obligations must now meet with MSD within two weeks of their benefit starting to determine their next step towards finding a job, Social Development and Employment Minister Louise Upston says. “A key part of the coalition Government’s plan to have 50,000 fewer people on Jobseeker ...1 day ago
- Accelerating Social InvestmentA new standalone Social Investment Agency will power-up the social investment approach, driving positive change for our most vulnerable New Zealanders, Social Investment Minister Nicola Willis says. “Despite the Government currently investing more than $70 billion every year into social services, we are not seeing the outcomes we want for ...1 day ago
- Getting Back on TrackCheck against delivery Good morning. It is a pleasure to be with you to outline the Coalition Government’s approach to our first Budget. Thank you Mark Skelly, President of the Hutt Valley Chamber of Commerce, together with your Board and team, for hosting me. I’d like to acknowledge His Worship ...2 days ago
- NZ – European Union ties more critical than everYour Excellency Ambassador Meredith, Members of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassadors from European Union Member States, Ministerial colleagues, Members of Parliament, and other distinguished guests, Thank you everyone for joining us. Ladies and gentlemen - In diplomacy, we often speak of ‘close’ and ‘long-standing’ relations. ...2 days ago
- Therapeutic Products Act to be repealedThe Therapeutic Products Act (TPA) will be repealed this year so that a better regime can be put in place to provide New Zealanders safe and timely access to medicines, medical devices and health products, Associate Health Minister Casey Costello announced today. “The medicines and products we are talking about ...2 days ago
- Decisions on Wellington City Council’s District PlanThe Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop, today released his decision on twenty recommendations referred to him by the Wellington City Council relating to its Intensification Planning Instrument, after the Council rejected those recommendations of the Independent Hearings Panel and made alternative recommendations. “Wellington notified its District Plan on ...2 days ago
- Rape Awareness Week: Government committed to action on sexual violenceRape Awareness Week (6-10 May) is an important opportunity to acknowledge the continued effort required by government and communities to ensure that all New Zealanders can live free from violence, say Ministers Karen Chhour and Louise Upston. “With 1 in 3 women and 1 in 8 men experiencing sexual violence ...2 days ago
- Smarter lunch programme feeds more, costs lessAssociate Education Minister David Seymour has today announced that the Government will be delivering a more efficient Healthy School Lunches Programme, saving taxpayers approximately $107 million a year compared to how Labour funded it, by embracing innovation and commercial expertise. “We are delivering on our commitment to treat taxpayers’ money ...2 days ago
- Report provides insights into marine recoveryNew research on the impacts of extreme weather on coastal marine habitats in Tairāwhiti and Hawke’s Bay will help fishery managers plan for and respond to any future events, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. A report released today on research by Niwa on behalf of Fisheries New Zealand ...2 days ago
- NZ to send political delegation to the PacificDeputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Winston Peters will lead a broad political delegation on a five-stop Pacific tour next week to strengthen New Zealand’s engagement with the region. The delegation will visit Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Vanuatu, New Caledonia, and Tuvalu. “New Zealand has deep and ...2 days ago
- Low gas production threatens energy securityThere has been a material decline in gas production according to figures released today by the Gas Industry Co. Figures released by the Gas Industry Company show that there was a 12.5 per cent reduction in gas production during 2023, and a 27.8 per cent reduction in gas production in the ...3 days ago
- Defence industry talent, commitment recognisedDefence Minister Judith Collins tonight announced the recipients of the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for Industry, saying they all contribute to New Zealanders’ security and wellbeing. “Congratulations to this year’s recipients, whose innovative products and services play a critical role in the delivery of New Zealand’s defence capabilities, ...3 days ago
- Speech to the Minister of Defence Awards of Excellence for IndustryWelcome to you all - it is a pleasure to be here this evening.I would like to start by thanking Greg Lowe, Chair of the New Zealand Defence Industry Advisory Council, for co-hosting this reception with me. This evening is about recognising businesses from across New Zealand and overseas who in ...3 days ago
- Speech to the Sixth Annual New Zealand Government Data SummitIt is a pleasure to be speaking to you as the Minister for Digitising Government. I would like to thank Akolade for the invitation to address this Summit, and to acknowledge the great effort you are making to grow New Zealand’s digital future. Today, we stand at the cusp of ...3 days ago
- Ceasefire agreement needed now: PetersNew Zealand is urging both Israel and Hamas to agree to an immediate ceasefire to avoid the further humanitarian catastrophe that military action in Rafah would unleash, Foreign Minister Winston Peters says. “The immense suffering in Gaza cannot be allowed to worsen further. Both sides have a responsibility to ...3 days ago
- Daily school attendance data now availableA new online data dashboard released today as part of the Government’s school attendance action plan makes more timely daily attendance data available to the public and parents, says Associate Education Minister David Seymour. The interactive dashboard will be updated once a week to show a national average of how ...3 days ago
- Ambassador to United States appointedForeign Minister Winston Peters has announced Rosemary Banks will be New Zealand’s next Ambassador to the United States of America. “Our relationship with the United States is crucial for New Zealand in strategic, security and economic terms,” Mr Peters says. “New Zealand and the United States have a ...3 days ago
- New permit proposed for recreational gold miningThe Government is considering creating a new tier of minerals permitting that will make it easier for hobby miners to prospect for gold. “New Zealand was built on gold, it’s in our DNA. Our gold deposits, particularly in regions such as Otago and the West Coast have always attracted fortune-hunters. ...3 days ago
- NZ and the UAE launch FTA negotiationsMinister for Trade Todd McClay today announced that New Zealand and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) will commence negotiations on a free trade agreement (FTA). Minister McClay met with his counterpart UAE Trade Minister Dr Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi in Dubai, where they announced the launch of negotiations on a ...4 days ago
- New Zealand Sign Language Week an opportunity for anyone to signNew Zealand Sign Language Week is an excellent opportunity for all Kiwis to give the language a go, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. This week (May 6 to 12) is New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) Week. The theme is “an Aotearoa where anyone can sign anywhere” and aims to ...4 days ago
- Next stop NASA for New Zealand studentsSix tertiary students have been selected to work on NASA projects in the US through a New Zealand Space Scholarship, Space Minister Judith Collins announced today. “This is a fantastic opportunity for these talented students. They will undertake internships at NASA’s Ames Research Center or its Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), where ...4 days ago
- $1.9 billion investment to keep NZ safe from crimeNew Zealanders will be safer because of a $1.9 billion investment in more frontline Corrections officers, more support for offenders to turn away from crime, and more prison capacity, Corrections Minister Mark Mitchell says. “Our Government said we would crack down on crime. We promised to restore law and order, ...4 days ago
- OECD reinforces need to control spendingThe OECD’s latest report on New Zealand reinforces the importance of bringing Government spending under control, Finance Minister Nicola Willis says. The OECD conducts country surveys every two years to review its members’ economic policies. The 2024 New Zealand survey was presented in Wellington today by OECD Chief Economist Clare Lombardelli. ...4 days ago
- Agreement delivers Local Water Done Well for AucklandThe Government has delivered on its election promise to provide a financially sustainable model for Auckland under its Local Water Done Well plan. The plan, which has been unanimously endorsed by Auckland Council’s Governing Body, will see Aucklanders avoid the previously projected 25.8 per cent water rates increases while retaining ...5 days ago
- Gaza and the Pacific on the agenda with GermanyForeign Minister Winston Peters discussed the need for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, and enhanced cooperation in the Pacific with German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock during her first official visit to New Zealand today. "New Zealand and Germany enjoy shared interests and values, including the rule of law, democracy, respect for the international system ...6 days ago
- Decision allows for housing growth in Western Bay of PlentyThe Minister Responsible for RMA Reform, Chris Bishop today released his decision on four recommendations referred to him by the Western Bay of Plenty District Council, opening the door to housing growth in the area. The Council’s Plan Change 92 allows more homes to be built in existing and new ...1 week ago
- Speech to New Zealand China CouncilThank you, John McKinnon and the New Zealand China Council for the invitation to speak to you today. Thank you too, all members of the China Council. Your effort has played an essential role in helping to build, shape, and grow a balanced and resilient relationship between our two ...1 week ago
- Modern insurance law will protect Kiwi householdsThe Government is modernising insurance law to better protect Kiwis and provide security in the event of a disaster, Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly announced today. “These reforms are long overdue. New Zealand’s insurance law is complicated and dated, some of which is more than 100 years old. ...1 week ago
- Government recommits to equal payThe coalition Government is refreshing its approach to supporting pay equity claims as time-limited funding for the Pay Equity Taskforce comes to an end, Public Service Minister Nicola Willis says. “Three years ago, the then-government introduced changes to the Equal Pay Act to support pay equity bargaining. The changes were ...1 week ago
- Transforming how our children learn to readStructured literacy will change the way New Zealand children learn to read - improving achievement and setting students up for success, Education Minister Erica Stanford says. “Being able to read and write is a fundamental life skill that too many young people are missing out on. Recent data shows that ...1 week ago
- NZ not backing down in Canada dairy disputeTrade Minister Todd McClay says Canada’s refusal to comply in full with a CPTPP trade dispute ruling in our favour over dairy trade is cynical and New Zealand has no intention of backing down. Mr McClay said he has asked for urgent legal advice in respect of our ‘next move’ ...1 week ago
- Stronger oversight for our most vulnerable childrenThe rights of our children and young people will be enhanced by changes the coalition Government will make to strengthen oversight of the Oranga Tamariki system, including restoring a single Children’s Commissioner. “The Government is committed to delivering better public services that care for our most at-risk young people and ...1 week ago
- Streamlining Building Consent ChangesThe Government is making it easier for minor changes to be made to a building consent so building a home is easier and more affordable, Building and Construction Minister Chris Penk says. “The coalition Government is focused on making it easier and cheaper to build homes so we can ...1 week ago
- Minister acknowledges passing of Sir Robert Martin (KNZM)New Zealand lost a true legend when internationally renowned disability advocate Sir Robert Martin (KNZM) passed away at his home in Whanganui last night, Disabilities Issues Minister Louise Upston says. “Our Government’s thoughts are with his wife Lynda, family and community, those he has worked with, the disability community in ...1 week ago
- Speech to New Zealand Institute of International Affairs, Parliament – Annual Lecture: Challenges ...Good evening – Before discussing the challenges and opportunities facing New Zealand’s foreign policy, we’d like to first acknowledge the New Zealand Institute of International Affairs. You have contributed to debates about New Zealand foreign policy over a long period of time, and we thank you for hosting us. ...1 week ago
- Accelerating airport security linesFrom today, passengers travelling internationally from Auckland Airport will be able to keep laptops and liquids in their carry-on bags for security screening thanks to new technology, Transport Minister Simeon Brown says. “Creating a more efficient and seamless travel experience is important for holidaymakers and businesses, enabling faster movement through ...1 week ago
- Community hui to talk about kina barrensPeople with an interest in the health of Northland’s marine ecosystems are invited to a public meeting to discuss how to deal with kina barrens, Oceans and Fisheries Minister Shane Jones says. Mr Jones will lead the discussion, which will take place on Friday, 10 May, at Awanui Hotel in ...1 week ago
- High Court dismisses key challenge to indefinite immigration detention. What does it mean?
Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sara Dehm, Senior lecturer, international migration and refugee law, University of Technology Sydney The High Court unanimously ruled today that the Australian government can keep asylum seekers in immigration detention indefinitely in cases where they do not “voluntarily” cooperate with their own ...1 hour ago - A brief history of found footage video art – and where Macklemore’s Hind’s Hall fits inSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Kim Munro, Lecturer, Creative Industries and Digital Media, University of South Australia Twenty-four hours after the release of Macklemore’s pro-Palestine protest song Hind’s Hall on social media on May 7, the video had already notched up over 24 million views. In ...1 hour ago
- Transmission Gully could need new bulider – Infrastructure Commission review
Failing to anticipate the complexity of the consenting system is being cited as the the current builder's shortcomings, an Infrastructure Commission review says. ...1 hour ago - Proposed repeal of Oranga Tamariki Act section 7AA breaches Treaty of Waitangi – TribunalThe government is planning to repeal Treaty obligations from the Oranga Tamariki Act. ...2 hours ago
- Committee Silences Majority Of Submitters On Fast-track Bill
350 Aotearoa is calling the Environment Select Committee’s decision to allow oral submissions from just 40% of individual, unique submitters who asked to speak to the committee ‘a disgraceful blight to democracy’. ...2 hours ago - Sky-high vanity: constructing the world’s tallest buildings creates high emissionsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By James Helal, Assistant Dean (Sustainability), The University of Melbourne Dubai skyline AleksandarPasaric/Pexels Since ancient times, people have built structures that reach for the skies – from the steep spires of medieval towers to the grand domes of ancient cathedrals and mosques. Today ...3 hours ago
- How can we measure the size of Australia’s illegal cannabis market – and the billions in taxes t...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Jenny Williams, Professor of Economics, The University of Melbourne Canna Obscura/Shutterstock At the end of this month, a senate inquiry by the Legal and Constitutional Affairs Legislation Committee is due to hand down its report on a bill to legalise cannabis. ...3 hours ago
- Wearable devices can now harvest our brain data. Australia needs urgent privacy reformsSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Edward Musole, PhD Law Student, University of New England Girts Ragelis/Shutterstock Recent trends show Australians are increasingly buying wearables such as smartwatches and fitness trackers. These electronics track our body movements or vital signs to provide data throughout the day, with ...4 hours ago
- Labour Up, Greens Down But Centre-Right Remains AheadThis is the first time since February that voters have had a net positive view of the country direction. ...4 hours ago
- RNZAF Hercules, NZDF Personnel Arrive In Papua New Guinea To Help Distribute Relief SuppliesPapua New Guinea experienced a significant earthquake on 24 March in East Sepik and there has also been recent flooding there and in surrounding provinces. ...5 hours ago
- Sleep wrinkles are real. Here’s how they leave their markSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Yousuf Mohammed, Dermatology researcher, The University of Queensland Maridav/Shutterstock You wake up, stagger to the bathroom and gaze into the mirror. No, you’re not imagining it. You’ve developed face wrinkles overnight. They’re sleep wrinkles. Sleep wrinkles are temporary. But as your ...5 hours ago
- Week in Politics: Triumph and disaster, but no austerityAnalysis - A big announcement about Auckland's water woes was overshadowed by a chaotic press conference about prisons, Peter Wilson writes. ...5 hours ago
- Community Groups Furious That Government Silencing Hundreds In Fast-Track HearingsThe Environment Select Committee has just announced that 60 percent of individuals who asked to speak at the hearings will not be heard. This equates to almost 700 people who made individual submissions and more than 1000 more who made a form submission. ...5 hours ago
- Review: Swan Lake is a reminder of how much work it takes to look effortless
The Royal New Zealand Ballet is performing Swan Lake around the country. What kind of dream does the ballet sell? Before going to see the Royal New Zealand Ballet perform Swan Lake, I had about as much familiarity with the plot of this ballet as could be expected from having ...6 hours ago - The Friday Poem: ‘High Tide at Local Maxima’ by Eamonn TeeA new poem by Auckland poet Eamonn Tee. High Tide at Local Maxima It is only going to get worse. The streams will be narrow and fickle. The week will bend and buckle like a pot-bellied waist. You will make it to the weekend with one ...6 hours ago
- The plastic-heavy drinks industry is in for a shake-upThe New Zealand entrepreneur behind beauty business Ethique is gearing up to launch a new eco-venture. This is an excerpt from our weekly environmental newsletter Future Proof. Sign up here. Our thirst for a tasty bevvy is insatiable, but it comes with a hefty plastic price for the planet: 580 billion ...6 hours ago
- The Unity Books bestseller chart for the week ending May 10The only published and available best-selling indie book chart in New Zealand is the top 10 sales list recorded every week at Unity Books’ stores in High St, Auckland, and Willis St, Wellington. AUCKLAND 1 James by Percival Everett (Mantle, $38) A retelling of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from ...6 hours ago
- Puna calls for Pacific ‘journalistic vigilance’ in face of climate crisisBy Kamna Kumar in Suva Pacific Islands Forum Secretary-General Henry Puna stressed the importance of media freedom and its link to the climate and environmental crisis at the 2024 World Press Freedom Day event organised by the University of the South Pacific’s journalism programme. Under the theme “A Planet for ...6 hours ago
- Downsizing Of ERO Inconsistent With Govt Priority Of Lifting Student AchievementThe PSA is concerned that Government spending cuts have forced ERO to downsize at a time when student achievement is a significant challenge. ...6 hours ago
- Education Review Office set to cut 13 jobs, union saysThe Education Review Office is set to cut 13 jobs, the Public Service Association says. ...6 hours ago
- Judith Collins announces $571 million Defence spend-upAn extra half a billion dollars is going to Defence in this year's Budget for pay and equipment upgrades, the Defence Minister has announced. ...7 hours ago
- This new TVNZ anthology is Motherhood as you’ve never seen it beforeTara Ward previews a new local TV series offering alternative visions of motherhood. This is an excerpt from our weekly pop culture newsletter Rec Room. Sign up here. A woman is clambering up the side of her two-story house, clinging desperately to a drainpipe. Nearby, her child is perched on the ...8 hours ago
- LGNZ Supportive Of Cross-party Approach To Climate AdaptationLocal Government New Zealand (LGNZ) is supportive of the cross-party approach to climate adaptation announced by the Minister of Climate Change today. ...8 hours ago
- SBC And CLC Welcome Bipartisan Climate Adaptation InquiryThe Sustainable Business Council (SBC) and Climate Leaders Coalition (CLC) welcome today’s announcement from Government around a bipartisan inquiry into an enduring climate adaptation framework for New Zealand. ...8 hours ago
- Another Victory For Free Speech: DIA Abandons Proposals For Online CensorshipThe Free Speech Union welcomes the decision by the Department of Internal Affairs, and Minister Brooke Van Velden, to abandon proposals to further regulate online speech. ...8 hours ago
- Confused or playing for time? 3 possible reasons NZ is taking so long to make a call on AUKUSSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Robert G. Patman, Professor of International Relations, University of Otago Getty Images New Zealand governments have been actively exploring the option of joining pillar two of AUKUS for over a year now. But according to foreign minister Winston Peters, the government ...8 hours ago
- Archives NZ says it has enough space – for nowIts new building in Wellington will not be nearly big enough for all its records, and it has also run out of money to build its new storage facility in Levin. ...9 hours ago
- Consensus WelcomedBusinessNZ is congratulating the Minister of Climate Change for his work in achieving cross-party consensus for a way forward on climate adaptation. ...9 hours ago
- How many lives is that tax cut worth?Recent research reveals the repeal of smokefree measures is not only bad for our health, but also the economy. The Government has repealed various smokefree measures to ensure it keeps collecting $1.2 billion a year in tobacco taxes, in order to pay for tax cuts already being delivered to ...9 hours ago
- How the Phoenix went from wooden spoon favourites to title contendersThe club’s surprisingly good season is built on the desire to prove a random A-League YouTuber wrong… and a few other factors. “There’s no way that Wellington Phoenix play finals this year. I can’t see it happening at all.” Those are the words of Lachlan Raeside, an Australian football content ...9 hours ago
- Ministry cuts will harm Pacific health, wellbeing – unionThe PSA is warning cuts at the Ministry for Pacific Peoples will have severe consequences for the health and wellbeing of Pasifika families. ...10 hours ago
- Power shortages: What's being done to keep the lights on?Officials are looking at better ways of choosing who gets the power during shortages amid relentlessly growing demands. ...10 hours ago
- No more bad accents, stereotypes or cringe: why the rise of multilingual TV is good news for everyon...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By César Albarrán-Torres, Senior Lecturer, Department of Media and Communication, Swinburne University of Technology Apple TV+ As one of billions of bilingual individuals in the world, it disappoints me when a film or TV show with characters of a non-English-speaking background is ...10 hours ago
- It’s time to ditch Berhampore Golf CourseThe under-utilised course is a waste of space, and with a little political will, it could be turned into something better. For the duration of her stay in Wellington, my long-suffering cousin listened to me rant about golf courses. They’re bad for the environment: water intensive and pesticide heavy. They ...11 hours ago
- Women in rich countries are having fewer kids, or none at all. What’s going on?Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Leah Ruppanner, Professor of Sociology and Founding Director of The Future of Work Lab, Podcast at MissPerceived, The University of Melbourne Shutterstock A recent report from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows US fertility rates dropped 2% in ...11 hours ago
- We looked at over 166,000 psychiatric records. Over half showed people were admitted against their w...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Amy Corderoy, Medical doctor and PhD candidate studying involuntary psychiatric treatment, School of Psychiatry, UNSW Sydney shop_py/Shutterstock Picture two people, both suffering from a serious mental illness requiring hospital admission. One was born in Australia, the other in Asia. Hopefully, ...11 hours ago
- Feral horses in Australia’s high country are damaging peatlands, decreasing carbon storesSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Sarah Treby, Postdoctoral Research Fellow, RMIT University P.j.Hickox, Shutterstock Peatlands store more carbon per square metre than any other ecosystem on Earth. These waterlogged, mossy bogs beat even dense rainforests for their ability to act as carbon reservoirs. Under the ...11 hours ago
- Andrew Tate’s extreme views about women are infiltrating Australian schools. We need a zero-tolera...Source: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Stephanie Wescott, Lecturer in Education, Monash University RDNE Stock Project/ Pexels , CC BY Earlier this week, two students were expelled from a Melbourne private school for their involvement in creating a spreadsheet that ranked girls using sexist and violent categories ...11 hours ago
- Yes, spending on health is growing, but new research shows we’re getting more for itSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By John Goss, Adjunct Associate Professor, Health Research Institute, University of Canberra Government spending on health has been growing so rapidly that a decade ago the then health minister Peter Dutton called it “unmanageable” and “unsustainable”. Health spending grew in real terms by ...11 hours ago
- Govt must regulate to smooth EVs and data centres' demand on power grids – VectorNew Zealand's largest electricity distributor is warning the country to hurry up with controls around charging electric vehicles or face unnecessary bills running into the billions. ...12 hours ago
- Could you be about to lose your power?New Zealanders have been asked to conserve energy this morning to combat a possible electricity shortfall, writes Stewart Sowman-Lund in this extract from The Bulletin. To receive The Bulletin in full each weekday, sign up here. A call to conserve power New Zealand is facing a possible electricity shortfall, with people up ...12 hours ago
- What actually are the Ockhams?Writer Rebecca K Reilly breaks down the national book awards. What are the Ockhams? The Ockham New Zealand Book Awards are our annual national awards for books published for adults, and have existed in this form since 2016. There are four categories: Fiction, Poetry, General Non-fiction and Illustrated Non-fiction. There ...15 hours ago
- Selling Wellington Airport would be colossally carelessWellington City Council should keep its 34% ownership share in Wellington International Airport, argue Unions Wellington spokespeople Finn Cordwell and Ashok Jacob. Insanity, as the saying goes, is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Wellington City Council (WCC) is yet again proposing to dispose ...15 hours ago
- Two senior publishers axed at Penguin Random House amid major restructureNew Zealand’s largest book publisher has undergone drastic changes this week, leaving its future role in local publishing uncertain. Two of the most recognisable local publishers in New Zealand are among those restructured out of Penguin Random House, it was announced this week. Head of publishing Claire Murdoch will leave ...15 hours ago
- All trained up and nowhere to write
In 2021 the Public Interest Journalism Fund launched the Te Rito Journalism project, a $2.4 million initiative to boost diversity in New Zealand’s newsrooms. The initiative was in response to the decades-long shortage of Māori and Pacific journalists in the media industry. It was billed as New Zealand’s ...15 hours ago - Daily crossword, Friday 10 MayThe post Daily crossword, Friday 10 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...15 hours ago
- Black Ferns Sevens: The greatest team of allThe Black Ferns Sevens appeared to be a mile behind Australia at the halfway point of the 2023-24 SVNS international circuit. Winless in three tournaments, a cup quarter-final exit in Perth was one of their worst results. To add insult to injury, talismanic skipper Sarah Hirini had been ruled out ...15 hours ago
- Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 10 MayLoading…(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){var ql=document.querySelectorAll('A,DIV,A[data-quiz],DIV[data-quiz]'); if(ql){if(ql.length){for(var k=0;k<ql.length;k++){ql[k].id='quiz-embed-'+k;ql[k].href="javascript:var i=document.getElementById('quiz-embed-"+k+"');try{qz.startQuiz(i)}catch(e){i.start=1;i.style.cursor='wait';i.style.opacity='0.5'};void(0);"}}};i['QP']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){(i[r].q=i[r].q||[]).push(arguments)},i[r].l=1*new Date();a=s.createElement(o),m=s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];a.async=1;a.src=g;m.parentNode.insertBefore(a,m)})(window,document,'script','https://take.quiz-maker.com/3012/CDN/quiz-embed-v1.js','qp'); Got a good quiz question? Send Newsroom your questions. The post Newsroom daily quiz, Friday 10 May appeared first on Newsroom. ...15 hours ago
- Government hypes gas crisis ahead of restarting drillingAnalysis: Solar power is the cheapest form of energy in the Pacific but the Government says NZ’s only choice is gas or coal The post Government hypes gas crisis ahead of restarting drilling appeared first on Newsroom. ...15 hours ago
- NZ sanctions needed to back Myanmar resistance – ministerAn exiled Myanmar politician says NZ must continue to place pressure on the country’s military junta The post NZ sanctions needed to back Myanmar resistance – minister appeared first on Newsroom. ...15 hours ago
- There’s still time to avoid a ‘crime school’ at WaikeriaOpinion: Liam Martin examines the pitfalls of building a mega-prison twice the size of any other in the country in a remote area with few resources The post There’s still time to avoid a ‘crime school’ at Waikeria appeared first on Newsroom. ...15 hours ago
- Government looks for a better way to count MāoriSuccessive governments have tried, and failed, to count Māori. But with the return of social investment, it’s more important than ever to get good data. The post Government looks for a better way to count Māori appeared first on Newsroom. ...15 hours ago
- What will Willis’ social investment fund look like?Experts in financing social investment initiatives say New Zealand is in a prime position to tackle social issues via a social investment approach The post What will Willis’ social investment fund look like? appeared first on Newsroom. ...15 hours ago
- Three waters repeal hitting Far North hard as Auckland signs dealForced to lift rates by 33 percent to fund water infrastructure, a fifth of the Far North’s ratepayers have missed their first payment The post Three waters repeal hitting Far North hard as Auckland signs deal appeared first on Newsroom. ...15 hours ago
- ‘Completely stupid’ – ex-Tuvalu PM plea to NZ to rethink fossil fuel planBy Lydia Lewis, RNZ Pacific journalist A former Tuvalu prime minister says while the New Zealand government’s oil and gas plans show it is concerned about its economy, he is more concerned about the livelihoods and survival of the Tuvalu people. Enele Sopoaga — who still serves as an MP ...20 hours ago
- Grattan on Friday: Like the famous budget tree, Chalmers can change the story to suit the seasonSource: The Conversation (Au and NZ) – By Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra Many people who follow federal budgets know about the magnificent “budget tree” in a parliamentary courtyard, which turns a glorious red in time for the May event. This week Treasurer Jim Chalmers posed by ...21 hours ago
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you mean it was not a hollywood production?
gosh, who would have thought?
Heh.
Perhaps one day when science explains everything religious…
it will be that light is heaven and the black hole is hell
and that will be it.
‘god’ was never anything but physical matters twisted and warped in space.
proving, like dolly the sheep did, that the spiritual is a subset of the physical and not the other way around
Perhaps one day when science explains everything religious
If you reckon ‘science’ could explain any such thing then you do not understand what ‘science’ is…and what it is not…
much ‘religion’ has already been explained, and it is increasing exponentially. Example: the sun
Define ‘religion’ for the context of your comment…
Define ‘explained’…
Genuinely interested in your original comment and the sheep analogy, for which you have use ‘the sun’ as an example of …religion being explained …sun…’god’…I am assuming…
gotta fly but..
if you accept that dolly the sheep had a spirit/soul, then it becomes apparent that that was created by man through physical means. Dolly’s spirit/soul arose from the physical
When you get back, if you feel so inclined…
Perhaps you could have a go at articulating the two definitions I asked about…
Religion
Explained…
So, I’m reading…
1. You accept dolly had a spirit/soul – you see these things as the same..
2. However, because dolly was supposedly a ‘lab creation’…science experiment..
3. That there is no ‘spirituality’ which can exist outside of the physical being body/mind (single entity)…
4. Therefore there is no external ‘spirituality’ ergo no ‘god/religion’…
5. Because ‘science’ says so ….
About right?
Plus or minus…
The spiritual sprung from the physical. The spiritual is an as yet unnamed and undiscovered physical state.
I suspect one day ‘religious features’ will all be described as ‘physical features’. Same example; the sun.
as a tangent – as far as I’m aware no space exploration (by rocket or telescope) to date has discovered any new elements in outer space. Everything found to date out in space is made of materials that are found on earth. Everything…
There is something in that too.
Argh…ok….scientism…
That’s what my presumption was…thanks for the response to affirm…
Do you consider yourself an atheist ?
If I might ask you a question now – assuming you are of a religious view, how then did dolly the sheep acquire the spiritual? From where did it come? (all on the assumption dolly had such)
You’ve not answered the any of the questions…generally speaking…answering the asked question before coming back with some of your own is the sequence…
In a gesture of good faith, I’ll respond to one of yours… ‘where did dolly acquire the spiritual from’…
I am not for or against any religious persuasion…
…and in response to the question…if the ‘science’ you believe in had the answers…then you would not need to ask such a question…because the ‘science’ would already have provided you with an answer…
Which you could then use to confirm internal and external bias…
So …do you consider yourself an atheist ?
“if the ‘science’ you believe in had the answers…then you would not need to ask such a question…because the ‘science’ would already have provided you with an answer…”
This makes no sense in the context of science and its rising position within the world… Science hasn’t been able to describe everything yet – it takes time…
…for examples, plate tectonics were only discovered in the 1950’s. Anthropology is also only a very young science. Black holes were only recently discovered. It has only recently been accepted that it is now a matter of if, not when, life is found elsewhere (only 20 years you would be laughed at in suggesting such).
So imo to suggest that science would have provided the answer already is a nonsense.
To your question as to whether I am an atheist – reserving my position. I suspect that ‘god’ will end up being a physical state/thing somewhere which can be measured and described. Like the sun now can be.
Fair play on ‘reserving your position’ vto…
Measured and described…
The examples you provide are physical world…the belief in identifying measuring and describing the supposed ‘non physical’ … is pure scientism…among other things…cult like belief in ‘the science’…
‘Science’ cannot and will not explain everything…not ‘the science’ you’re refering to…not on an infinite timeline…absolutely not on a human timeline…
If you understood the limitations of ‘science’…then you would have appreciated what I was saying…
Einstein understood limitations…the so called ‘greatest minds’ did…
Many of them were deeply religious…Einstein was…
Perhaps you were not aware…
The examples you provide are physical world…the belief in identifying measuring and describing the supposed ‘non physical’ … is pure scientism…
Oh, the religious things that people just make up can be measured and described alright, just not in a way that the people believing the made-up stuff would find very flattering.
Depends on the definition of made up stuff…
So many examples in ‘science’… is made up stuff…best guess…
You know, milt…those things which ‘science’ leaves gaping holes while explaining…
“The examples you provide are physical world…”
No. The examples were not ‘physical world’. They may be physical world now, because science has measured them, but they were not physical world in the past. The sun was not considered a ‘physical’ – that only came later…
.. which can be applied to the rest of the supposed non-physical today, like a ‘spiritual world’. i.e. they too will get measured… which brings me back to dolly the sheep and any spirit/soul she may have had…
We are not at any end-point one two.
…
and this: “‘Science’ cannot and will not explain everything”
I don’t see how it is possible to say that. Especially on the trajectory of science over the last 200 years, and especially the last 20 years…
Science is explaining more, while religion is explaining less.
Note the tangent referred to previously – no new physical matter has been found in space yet.
BTW, where do you suppose Dolly’s spirit/soul came from? How did it arise? You haven’t answered that yet.
…
As to your limitations point etc, sure I can see how religion and science may converge one day, but imo it will be by way of a scientific proof.. Based on current trajectory that is
they may be physical world now because science has measured them…
Vto..I think I get where you’re coming from…science ia not the apex of anything which your comments indicate you believe it to be…
Unless you’re referring to science as having ‘god like’ status…which again…pure scientism…not science at all…
You’re indicating a faith based belief that ‘science’ …’knows’ all…and what it doesn’t yet ‘know’…doesn’t yet exist…but surely will…because science…
You’re practicing a religion…vto…faith based scientism…not scientific at all..
You keep repeating..’no new physical matter has been found in space…yet…
As if that can at some point on a timeline ever prove that what…pointlessness of religion’…will that prove anything at all…if such a thing could ever be proven…which it can’t…
But …but…just not yet..
You’re practising a form of religious faith…vto…
Why are you still asking about dolly and a soul…I don’t have the answer…neither does ‘science’…and it never will…not as you believe it can…
I’m not an absolutist…except on the cult of scientism…because proving something existential does not exist…
Is impossible vto…think it through…you’ve got some ‘time’…
One Two, you keep putting words in my mouth which aren;t there. Examples;
1- “science ia not the apex of anything which your comments indicate you believe it to be”. Never said that. It is not an apex, but it is certainly pointing towards an apex I think at the moment in the world.
2- “Your indicating a faith based belief that ‘science’ …knows all…and what it doesn’t yet ‘know’…doesn’t yet exist…but surely will…”. No, I am simply extrapolating the last 200 years of scientific advancement. Such extrapolation is of course a ‘forecast’ only, with associated uncertainty and risk.
3-“You’re practicing a religion” No – see above.
4-“still asking about dolly and a soul…I don’t have the answer…neither does ‘science’…and it never will…not as you believe it can…”. Not correct. Science created Dolly. Did Dolly have a soul/spirit? Can science measure a soul/spirit? There are already such suggestions…
You say you are not an absolutist, yet there you are being absolutist.
You need to think about what science has learned, especially in the last 20 years, and even the last 2 years. What science has learned has already debunked countless ‘religious’ matters. It is on an exponential rise.
The problem science has today, are the religious and others amongst us who act like conspiracy theorists and trump supporters in this age of fake news and bullshit… they say “how can you know anything?”… waste of space comment that one.
That is what you are doing.
…………
Finally, the point about no new material yet being discovered in outer space – it seems to flummox you. Come back to me later when thoughts occur about what that might mean..
I’m seeking to interpret your comments, vto…if I am not interpreting as you intend…you can clarify…as you’re trying to do here..
To your numbered points.
1. Your comments indicated enough for me to make the ‘apex’ remark…and you’ve confirmed it with your own words…previously…and again…
certainly pointing towards apex I think in the world…
2. How are you extrapolating…what method are you using…send links…give quantified examples…provide the authors you’re reading etc…
3. You don’t yet understand that you’re practicing a faith based religion…built on ‘forecasts’…extrapolations’…suggestions…
4. Post links to the studies ‘suggesting’ measuring soul/spirit…go right ahead…or are you being suggestive only…
If it is not defined…it can’t be measured…again…provide definitions…your own…not someone else’s…science can’t define the spirit or soul…science can’t measure it…no matter what ‘science’ says…
On the cult of scientism…I am absolutist…I stated exactly that…
As for the remainder of your comment…it reads like you have a long journey ahead…and alot of time to learn and grow…
I wish you all the very best, vto…thanks for the responses…
Both science and religion are models of reality however only one of these models has predictive capability….
The three basal starting points of models of reality (and the philosophy of reality) are:
1. We assume the universe exists.
2. If we assume the universe exists then we can assume that we can learn something about it
3. That which has most predictive power is a better model than that which does not.
Science predicts, religion does not so religion is a defunct model of reality
replying to my own: “Finally, the point about no new material yet being discovered in outer space – it seems to flummox you. Come back to me later when thoughts occur about what that might mean..”
I find this fascinating, though don’t know where it might end up…
What I suspect, in one short sentence, is that this means there is in fact a knowable end point to everything in the universe.
The end.
But wait there’s more… “What I suspect, in one short sentence, is that this means there is in fact a knowable end point to everything in the universe.”
Which would make sense given that we can glean as much about everything from looking down and inwards, as we can looking up and outwards. For example, the riddles of the universe can be solved probably by looking at the atom as much as looking at distant stars. And this ties in with there being nothing new out in space. It is all here right now.
The second end ha ha.
Telescopes probe the universe while the Large Hadron Collider probes the particles
I think in the grand scheme of the universe size is irrelevant and is a human construct
Selway…you returned…to share more of the ‘selway science’…
You made a grandiose exit…twisted up many commemts…your own involvment…and now you’ve flip floped back…
It’s ‘all’ human construct…except you know…the immeasursble volume of what isn’t known…
See if you can ‘selway science’ that….
Third end herewith, sorry;
“this means there is in fact a knowable end point to everything in the universe”
and therein lies God
the convergence is complete
One Two: “It’s ‘all’ human construct”
But if everything out in space is the same as what is on earth, then it is clearly not “all human construct” is it…. It is “all earth construct”
the whole universe is made of the same stuff that earth is made of
humans have nothing to do with it
The tools used to ‘define and measure’…are 100% human constructs…
Aren’t they…
If by “selway science” you mean “mainstream science” then yes.
I’m not sure what else you could be talking about but if you think I have made an error please point it out rather than just puffing out your chest. I will gladly retract any errors I have made if you could be a dear and show them to me.
Basically put up or shut up
Your (selway science) errors were called out…not just by me…and then a short time after you went on an abusive tirade on a different thread with a bunch of others…
You then got on a soapbox and announced you were moving on…seeking to absolve yourself of responsibility…a fewer number of handles corrected your written nonsense…and waved you goodbye…
Lacking of conviction…you’ve decided to come back…or are you someone else ?
Again…off topic…so I’ll leave it at that…
Plate tectonics was ‘described’ well before the 1950s
‘in 1912 the meteorologist Alfred Wegener amply described what he called continental drift, expanded in his 1915 book The Origin of Continents and Oceans’.. wiki
While Selway Science has a nice ring to it I prefer mainstream science. You know, shit that can be demonstrated and repeated.
Mainstream science is shit…you have that right on…
Corporatized, lobbied, corrupted, fraudulant, privarized and paid for…
Sound bites repeated ad nauseum for easy digestion…low cpu cycle requirements…narrow bands of thought…
Explains your pre soapbox commentary ‘I know the scientific method’…et al…
Mainstream ‘shit’ science…selway science…
A symbiotic embrace…
One Two “The tools used to ‘define and measure’…are 100% human constructs…”
Misses the point by a large margin – doesn’t matter whose or what tools are used to describe, the fact is that all the stuff out there is the same as the stuff here on planet earth. Use a martian or some mountain guru to measure it for all I care, it is the same stuff. That was the point, no matter how much you try to pull it back to the current shortcomings of humanity and their uninformed brains.
Humans have nothing to do with it. Perhaps re-read the point.
Vto…you appear to have missed that my response was to selways comment about universe size and human construct…
So in the context of my response…your question and my answer…about tools and definitions…that you are maligned…and off track…
Now…your eagerness to enforce that planet earth is same same…’star dust’…sure…but only to the best of human knowledge using human understanding of physics and maths etc…invented by human beings…
You’re rushing…a little lost…and keen to share your knowledge…that’s great…keep at it…
Will the Martians use science to gain ‘infinite knowlege’…
Or is that a uniquely egoistic human endevour…you reckon…
Hey vto welcome to the one two black hole. Lol – use maximum thrusters NOW before it’s too late man.
One Two, appreciate swapping notes with you but I’m going to stop now as the cry “nobody can ever know anything for sure because human” is a waste of time and can, by its own definition, never get anywhere.
And that has been the sole response from you at each point.
Your view is self-defeating and ever-decreasing-circulary.
See you in outer space one day, if it actually even exists… those stars tonight I guess I am seeing with my human eyes so may not even exist, how would I know, eh ………
Good luck
edit: @marty, heh yeah I think I finally clicked onto that. Have thrustered out now and cruising in my own orbit again …..
Cheers vto…your comments are positive and in good faith…I appreciate that…
The core of your comments as I read them was…science will eventually measure and explain ‘everything’…that is your stated position as I interpreted it…
I simply highlighted where that perspective has gaps in logic…we kept it light…
It reads like you have genuine curiosity which is such a cool trait to have…
Imagination is another amazing power to possess…
Science, will never be able to explain imagination…sure it can tell you which synapses are firing and even claim to be able to read thoughts…
But science will never be so apex,that it can explain imagination, where it comes from…
Nor will science rationally be able to measure or describe human spirit or soul…nor dolly the sheeps…
Cheers again vto…I’ve enjoyed swapping notes too…your style is open and friendly…
Stargazing and stardust…amazing…
@Marty
It’s one hell of a black hole. Lucky for me though following mainstream science is now “Selway Science”. I want a nobel prize now.
Here’s a couple of sites to help you understand the nature of what you’re up against.
http://sebpearce.com/bullshit/
http://wisdomofchopra.com/
Vto has been around this site for some time, and reads as too positive to be interested in joining the ‘angry little mans’ group, Andre…
Vto reads as far more capable than requiring bad advice from your grudge carrying quater…
Selways back…reckon you should sign him up…regardless the numbers in the group…none of you provide any challenge…individually or collectively…
Post some more on OM…you know the stuff I mean…
Meanwhile, back in the shop……
https://twitter.com/Jcrudess/status/1112504855375970306
Yeah – fuck mainstream science!
(Says the guy whose whole life is dependant on the work of mainstream science)
lol me too.
Depending on when the apocalypse hits, a week from when one med runs out I’ll be screaming in agony, and as the others run out various chronic conditions will start clocking off.
I might live another twenty years without them, but those years will totally suck until I have an event that kills me outright (if I’m lucky) or leaves me to starve where I fall if I’m unlucky.
With science… who knows how long I’ll hang around 🙂
Reading through this conversation it becomes apparent at this point that One Two is so named because they like to dance. No straight answers, just manipulation, twisting of words and general shit talk.
Soimon… Is that you?
Is there a black hole deep enough?
“Where the laws of physics break down”
Look, in the center, that’s where real magic happens.
I’ve heard tell you can turn lead into gold. We should send a delegation of investment bankers to investigate.
I feel like you’re all not fully grasping how mind-blowing this image actually is. The light in those images is from 54 million years ago!
When that light started heading toward us, the Himalayan mountain range was still 4 million years away from rapidly (geologically speaking) springing up. The European and North American continents were only just starting to break apart. Almost the entire world from pole to pole was covered in dense forests.
The earliest forms of ‘modern’ mammals (ancestors of elephants, primates, rodents etc) were only just starting to emerge. The earth was not particularly far past having dinosaurs dominate the ecosystem.
Well, more like microwaves than light. The EHT detects 1.3mm wavelengths, which is roughly 230 GHz.
https://eventhorizontelescope.org/
Impossible to get one’s head around but still truly remarkable.
So, that image was reality 54 million years ago! What is the likely reality today?
Cue discussion of relativity and what “today” means in terms of information travelling vast distances etc etc.
In terms of what we are likely to observe from earth in 54 Million years’ time, I suspect the answer is “not much different to what we observe today”. 54 million years really isn’t much in terms of the lifetimes of galaxies, stars, black holes. It might be a bit brighter if it manages to snarf down a few more stars in the meantime, or maybe a bit dimmer if our observation now isn’t long after it’s had a snack.
But if you want some real eyes-glazed-over stuff, here’s a goodie about the life and times of supermassive black holes.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4561239/
Thanks Andre. I suspected as much.
I will check out the link later. Too early still….
That’ll teach all the Fundies’ mumbo jumbo claims that God made heaven and earth (presumably with his bare hands) in ten days around 12,000 years ago. 😈
often overlooked is the formidable mathematical theory on black holes formulated by NZ Roy Kerr.
“Nobel laureate S. Chandrasekhar, who said that in his entire scientific life, “the most shattering experience has been the realization that [the Kerr metric] provides the absolutely exact representation of untold numbers of massive black holes that populate the Universe.”
https://physics.aps.org/articles/v7/18
And the Bald wig wearing black holes.
https://astrobites.org/2017/07/27/bald-black-holes-wearing-wigs/
often overlooked is the formidable mathematical theory on black holes formulated by NZ Roy Kerr.
He was given full recognition on both TV1 and TV3 this evening. Such a humble person too.
“That’ll teach all the Fundies’ mumbo jumbo claims that God made heaven and earth (presumably with his bare hands) in ten days around 12,000 years ago.”
You’d think so, right, but if common sense, carbon dated fossils and some brilliant scientific minds can’t break the grip of the 6,000 year old earth lie, sadly, a fuzzy photo of space aint got a hope.
I should have added a (sarc).
Quite agree but then Fundies sit on the lowest bar of the human IQ range.
No surprise most of them live in the US.
https://twitter.com/dakami/status/1114829101167079426
My late Dad was saying the same sort of thing as far back as the 60s and 70s but nowhere near as eloquently as Carl Sagan.
I knew where you were coming from so no need for a (sarc).
My personal opinion isn’t generally favourable to religions or the religious, but the really stupid ones, well they’re like flat earthers, anti vaxers and all the other weirdo conspiracists rolled into one giant nutbar.
That aussie meat head rugby player being a prime example.
Also remember Al1en something I read somewhere the other day, could have been on here
“Flat earthers have nothing to fear but sphere itself.”
Well I laughed
Good stuff.
I like the Neil deGrasse Tyson tweet – “A lunar eclipse flat – Earthers have never seen”
https://twitter.com/neiltyson/status/934906611088359426
In using dismissive comments, abusive language, terminologies and pejoratives…
You are exhibiting many of the most negative personality traits…
How many can you list ?
Make a start, and I will continue the list for you…
I don’t give a flying f*ck what point you’re failing to make.
Though if you want to make a case for religion, 5g mind melting, flat earthers, anti vaxers and all the other weirdo conspiracists rolled into one giant nutbar, you go for it.
It’s you’re right to make a laughing stock of yourself.
I thought I had made it simple enough that you could understand…
Use of insults and other dismissive language serves only to illustrate the negative traits of the user…
All highly transparent…and separate from any specific subject matter…
Unsurprising you’d rather seek to deflect/project…using more abusive language…
This is getting off topic, so I’ll leave it at that..
Thanks for stopping by on your way to your next ill fated cause de jour.
It’s still your* right to make a laughing stock of yourself.
*Misspelling corrected from above.
immediately followed by
lols
What a fucking tool
“Make a start, and I will continue the list for you…”
1 1,2.. are you related to 3,5, n
2 if so would you be a bunny?
“You are exhibiting many of the most negative personality traits…
How many can you list ?
Make a start, and I will continue the list for you…”
wow that is sad that you’d want to list out someones negative personality traits – pretty cruel shit that. Your commentary has really changed over the last few months – you seem really angry and nit-picky and judgmental and on some kind of mission. WTF is going on with you?
Give it up marty…your weak attempts to project onto my comments are transparent…are you trawling comments looking for something you latch onto…
Alien handed over the negative traits…maybe take it up at the source…or more likely the aggressive swearing style appeals to you on a visceral level…and as a tacit endorsement of TA’s ‘style…you’ve tried to hang it on me…its not worked…you’re not able to pull that off marty…not with me…
You’re looking for something from me…you need to find things for yourself…stop talking your internal BS so openly…stop needing to apologize…stop promising to vaccinate your kids and hold someone else responsible…and then ignore repeated requests to show the certs…or admit you were simply mouthing off..again…
How many times have you apologized to me recently…and to others here for your angry foul mouthed insults…plenty…
And you are deluded enough to pass judgement on my comments…using a poorly thought out approach…
Move along marty…I’m not the target you should keep engaging with…it’s pointless for you…
I wouldn’t worry about it MM. You, like most here, know what 12 is like.
Don’t waste your time with bitter game players. Stick to knowledgeable debate and good conversation with those open to both.
Just an observation, 1-2; yours is a fairly demanding comment (@11:04 pm), quite poetic in its own way.
come on The Al1en – turn that shit into a hit – you got the skills – I’ve listened to your shit. There you go mate a bit more lyric for ya lol
I do remember doing ‘Link Whore’ for the original Phil. 😆
mumbo jumbo claims that God made heaven and earth
Whatever last vestiges of religion remained in my brain from Catholic schooling, they were wiped away when I read Sagan’s “Cosmos”.
My local Presbyterian minister (long since passed this mortal coil) was always running down the Catholic Church and by inference anyone who was a Catholic. Around 17 years of age I started to realise he was talking a load of codswallop. That got me to thinking about all the rest of the stuff and I came to the conclusion it was all a load of cods…….. 😉
Having said that, I have known over the years some truly good people who were/are devout Christians and were representative of all the Christian denominations.
At 17 years old I was just jealous of my catholic mate who went to a catholic school because the parties put on by his schoolmates were much rowdier and raunchier than the ones put on by my secular schoolmates.
Cosmos is one of my favourite books (and Sagan my favourite popular scientist. Tyson can fuck right off….Sagan is king)
More interesting info
“The iconic image offers humanity its first glimpse at the gas and debris that swirl around its event horizon, the point beyond which material disappears forever. A favorite object of science fiction has finally been made real on screen.
Their target was a nearby galaxy dubbed M87 and its supermassive black hole, which packs the mass of six and half billion suns. Despite its size, the black hole is so far from Earth – 53 million light-years – that capturing the image took a telescope the size of the planet.”
http://www.astronomy.com/news/2019/04/event-horizon-telescope-releases-first-ever-black-hole-image
Theres a massive black hole at the centre of our universe , the Milky Way, too.
“oday’s image is just the first astronomers expect EHT to produce. The observatory’s other main target is the black hole at the center of the Milky Way, Sagittarius A*. While it sits 1,000 times closer than M87, it’s also roughly 1,000 times smaller, so it takes the same amount of observing power. But because it’s smaller, the material swirling around its event horizon moves much faster, completing one circuit every few minutes, as opposed to a few days to circle M87”
Too much data even for the internet for the M87 telescopes
“Another complication is just the logistics of moving around so much data. Each station takes data over a range of wavelengths, resulting in massive amounts of information, as much as 5,000 hours of mp3 music files – too much to transmit. For instance, to transport data back from the South Pole Telescope, scientists had to wait until Antarctic spring when the planes finally started flying out again. A shipping pallet packed with the hard drives had to be sent back to the Northern Hemisphere, where data analysis was done ..” Astronomy.com
Yeah I’ve just been marvelling at the science in that article – who knew you could weigh a black hole – mindblowing.
weight ain’t mass 😉
It’s one of the nice things about science and astronomy in particular that great efforts often rest on a rather elegant application of basic physical laws. As soon as you can lock down one or two values (like an orbital trajectory and distance from the body being orbited) the rest of the math fall into place and a schoolkid can do it.
It just takes someone really smart to lock down, with a decent model, experimental evidence, and the ability to explain their reasoning, those initial few values.
But marty didn’t say “weight”, he said “weigh”. Using the verb “weigh” as a shorter version of “determine the mass of” seems just fine to me.
Hmmmm
I’m not sure I agree with you, but it’s a fair point. I might have over-smartarsed myself 🙂
I will say I created the sentence to try and get people to read the article
And it should be noted the article did use “weight” incorrectly at least once to refer to a black hole’s mass.
National’s new logo design.
New National Party logo.
+1000
Has my vote 😀
Better logo for the minister of statistics.As physical information that enters a black hole is lost for ever.
Haha, nicely done Te Reo.
The parallels between black holes and National are interesting to say the least – A massive gassy ball of energy that isn’t sustainable and eventually runs out of fuel and implodes. What’s left is the void, a great gaping vortex of nothingness that’s infinitely dense. In this dying phase a black hole emits Hawking radiation affecting hapless particles that get too close to its event horizon – kinda like what we see with National ATM.
This topic is fine fuel for poetry 🙂
Death of a Gassy Giant
Do black holes grieve as Nats
for lost days of blazed trails
and spiraling companions.
Are they stained by death as Nats
now left to hawking their wares
to woeful passerby’s;
the lack of which
keeps Simon in the cold,
or will they learn as others have
that greatness isn’t girth.
I like it.
Stardust sprinkled sky
Simon aims for the moon
falls in the black hole
Ohhh haiku challenge! Yuss!
You had me at infinitely dense.
“You know of what I speak, Gandalf — a great Eye… lidless… wreathed in flame.”
The universe is so strange and has no discernible purpose.
So how then do we conduct ourselves?
The rain has cleared from the south and I am watching a kingfisher on the fence.
We try, in general, to not be dicks.
The abscence of an overarching meaning to the universe doesn’t have to result in a vicious, abusive society, any more than being asocial means one has to become a predatory wolf rather than a protecting sheepdog.
As social animals, we try to get along with each other, and we tend to ostracise the abusers. So from an enlightened self interest point of view, it’s usually best to try to avoid being a dick.
As social animals, we enjoy helping each other, being of service. We tend, to greater and lesser degrees, to avoid wanting to be dicks to others.
And if the dinosaur bones, laws of physics, and black holes are all just god playing hard to get, then as long as we’re not too much of a dick, we’ll probably be okay in the eyes of god, anyway. So not being a dick hedges the bet against the existence of an afterlife. And if not, then god’s a bit of a dick, too.
Yeah – that’ll do for now. Thanks McFlock.
Mcflock, you’re a self proclaimed bit of a dick…and certainly abusive through your comments on this blog site…following the bouncing ball…you’re contributing to an abusive society…
Through being a bit of a dick…
Enlightenment via self awareness …?
Hypocrisy?
Nobody’s perfect.
The vast bulk of your comments consist of belittling others while pretending to be working at some “higher level” than everyone else. Is that really any less dickish than calling someone a “fucking tool”?
At least I’m honest about my imperfections, dick.
Nobody is perfect…absolutely agree…we’re all a work in progress…
The rest of your musing is, as I have expressed to you before…flawed interpretations of my comments…but you can’t or won’t accept that…
You’re threatened in some way…and like others with a long archive of abusive history on this site…you go looking for ways to make the abuse sound as it it was somehow warranted or deserved…
If you were being even slightly honest with yourself…you’d have managed away from posting abuse on this site (your handle goes back a very long way…little change)…anonymous or not…it is a part of your contribution to society…
You prefer to write three paragraphs belittling another commenter and telling them how to live their lives.
I prefer to say “fuck off, you fucking tool”.
Potayto, potahto.
One Two is not only a wifi nut, but anti-vax & probably a bible banger as well, but too scared to admit it. He suffers from a writing affliction where he can’t finish his sentences …….
Thinks it makes him look superior to everyone else when he is none too bright. As for The claim that Einstein was deeply religious, what a load of bollocks. But he provides good entertainment for this website that can be a tad serious at times.
Didn’t Einstein shag his cousin? that’s pretty biblical…
Albert Einstein may have been a genius but his brother Frank was a monster
ugh 🙂
… and both of them were cheap drunks, getting hammered on one german mug of beer apiece.
Einstein walks into a bar and says to the bartender, “I’ll take a beer, and a beer for my friend, Heisenberg.”
The bartender looks around and asks, “Is your friend here?”
“Well,” says Einstein, “he is and he isn’t.”
Enrico Fermi walks into a bar, looks around, and says “where the bloody hell is everybody?”
Two hydrogen atoms walk into a bar.
One says, “I think I’ve lost an electron.”
The other says, “Are you sure?”
The first replies, “Yes, I’m positive…”
And finally
A neutron walks into a bar and orders a drink. Upon being asked the price, the bartender responded, “For you? No charge.”
She was his first and second cousin. Family games indeed.
Katie Bouman, lady nerd de jour.
https://twitter.com/Miss604/status/1116071474786234368
It’s been a big day for science. And an even bigger day for women scientists.
On Wednesday, we Earthlings got our first direct look at a black hole, thanks to the Event Horizon Telescope, an array of eight radio telescopes around the world working together to create the image. But in the midst of making jokes about how that photo kinda sorta looks the eye of Sauron and wondering how this newfound information could impact Albert Einstein’s theories of gravity, social media focused on making sure one of the women behind the project gets credit for her contributions.
Katie Bouman, an MIT grad, helped develop a computer program while still in school. Along with others, it helped create the image of the black hole. She also led testing to verify the images.
https://www.cnet.com/news/katie-bouman-was-key-to-that-black-hole-photo-and-the-internet-loves-her/
Thank you Joe. This woman deserves recognition for her fine work.
“….but kinda underwhelming….”
WTF? I know I said I wasn’t going to post here again but after reading that…WTF?
It’s a picture of a Black Hole! That, by definition, cannot be underwhelming!
Lovely to see you back commenting, John. I agree entirely about the awesomeness of the black hole. However the ‘kinda underwhelming’ line needs to be read in context of the post, particularly the last word 😉
I left for awhile because of the abuse really. People who seemed to think disagreement/fact checking claims etc = YOU’RE A RWNJ!
(I’m far from Right-Wing).
Sometimes it is a distracting and overwhelmingly negative. Particularly when people who say such things won’t back it up, just believing that shouting it loudly at someone makes it true.
Anyway – this is a great day for humans and a great day for scientific advancement.
If I contributed to you going in any way – my apologies. I do recall butting heads over the usefulness of meta-analysis. It was not important. What is important (for me) is owning my own foibles and screw ups.
We might disagree again, but I will TRY not to be such a dick.
Apologies.
I can handle butting heads – its all good.
It was people like Muttonbird (who repeatedly called me an RWNJ just because I disagreed with him/her) and One Two he resorts to ad homs instead of any real argument
Yes, life is too short for some people’s nonsense.
But if you’re in the right mood for it, it can be very entertaining nonsense.
#notallnonsense
I like space but that photo didnt get me fizzing at all . Looks like a soft focus pic of the top of an apple.
Yeah, you would’ve thought they’d have got in focus, eh bagthorn!
So its a black hole,… so is this.
The Black Picture – YouTube
They photoshopped out the Starship Enterprise, didn’t they?
An interesting explainer of the image.
https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2019/4/11/18306110/first-image-black-hole-eht-event-horizon-singularity