Comments on: Cruisin’ http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/09/02/cruisin/ I am an astronomer, writer, and skeptic. I likes reality the way it is, and I aims to keep it that way. My real name is Phil Plait, and I run the Bad Astronomy blog. Sun, 05 Jul 2009 05:53:20 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.1 By: Lurchgs http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/09/02/cruisin/#comment-47884 Lurchgs Thu, 06 Sep 2007 17:22:53 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/09/02/cruisin/#comment-47884 I should have read this days ago.. DrBuzz0 is funny! But, lest some folk think otherwise.. in no particular order: Alaskan water - even "inland" is plenty deep. In fact, typically about as deep as the adjoining mountains are tall. Plenty of room for any modern submarine to maneuver - albeit slowly. Pirates are *very* unlikely in Alaskan waters. 99% of all vessels are well armed (ok, not the vessels themselves, but the crew certainly is) If you fall overboard, don't worry about the ship stopping for you. Oh, it will, but it takes TIME to stop those things. It will be MUCH faster to send a small boat back for you. This time of year, in those waters.. you might have 15-30 minutes of survival time before hypothermia pulls the plug on you. Hugging the shoreline or blowing smoke.. neither is effective at all in the modern era (haven't been for years... munitions can target via radar, thermal, electronic signature...) On the good side, of course, if the ship DOES sink and you don't make it to a lifeboat, the shore is bare miles away at worst. Even better, there are very few sharks to worry about. I should have read this days ago.. DrBuzz0 is funny!

But, lest some folk think otherwise..

in no particular order:

Alaskan water - even “inland” is plenty deep. In fact, typically about as deep as the adjoining mountains are tall. Plenty of room for any modern submarine to maneuver - albeit slowly.

Pirates are *very* unlikely in Alaskan waters. 99% of all vessels are well armed (ok, not the vessels themselves, but the crew certainly is)

If you fall overboard, don’t worry about the ship stopping for you. Oh, it will, but it takes TIME to stop those things. It will be MUCH faster to send a small boat back for you. This time of year, in those waters.. you might have 15-30 minutes of survival time before hypothermia pulls the plug on you.

Hugging the shoreline or blowing smoke.. neither is effective at all in the modern era (haven’t been for years… munitions can target via radar, thermal, electronic signature…)

On the good side, of course, if the ship DOES sink and you don’t make it to a lifeboat, the shore is bare miles away at worst. Even better, there are very few sharks to worry about.

]]> By: KaiYeves http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/09/02/cruisin/#comment-47883 KaiYeves Tue, 04 Sep 2007 13:48:36 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/09/02/cruisin/#comment-47883 Um... INTERESTING advice, drbuzz0. I really doubt that the pirates will know who BA is. And you don't have to worry about him showing off for girls as he's married. Are you by any chance a shipwreck buff? Because I thought I was the only one! (Scientific brain activates) Here's a test: What was Britanic's original name and why was it changed? Um… INTERESTING advice, drbuzz0. I really doubt that the pirates will know who BA is. And you don’t have to worry about him showing off for girls as he’s married. Are you by any chance a shipwreck buff? Because I thought I was the only one! (Scientific brain activates) Here’s a test: What was Britanic’s original name and why was it changed?

]]> By: MouseOnMars http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/09/02/cruisin/#comment-47882 MouseOnMars Tue, 04 Sep 2007 00:13:40 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/09/02/cruisin/#comment-47882 I only have one request. Can you ask Randi of he's ever had a sceptical look at the Pharmaceutical industry and it's Science ? I've seen articles defending Pharma Science in the Skeptical Inquirer, but they always cite the "peer reviewed" nature of Pharma Science. The drug trails that those papers are based on are highly expensive procedures that only the drug companies can afford. Does the "it's been peer reviewed" confirmation pass everything ? Oh, and look at the stars up there.. low light pollution ? MouseOnMars I only have one request. Can you ask Randi of he’s ever had a sceptical look at the Pharmaceutical industry and it’s Science ? I’ve seen articles defending Pharma Science in the Skeptical Inquirer, but they always cite the “peer reviewed” nature of Pharma Science. The drug trails that those papers are based on are highly expensive procedures that only the drug companies can afford. Does the “it’s been peer reviewed” confirmation pass everything ?

Oh, and look at the stars up there.. low light pollution ?

MouseOnMars

]]> By: Sergeant Zim http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/09/02/cruisin/#comment-47881 Sergeant Zim Mon, 03 Sep 2007 23:40:15 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/09/02/cruisin/#comment-47881 Johan, I noticed the last line of the article: "A permanent name has been proposed by the discoverers to the International Astronomical Union, and they are awaiting the decision of this body before announcing the name. Stay Tuned!" Nibiru anyone? *Laughs maniacally* BUWAHAHAHAHAAA! If nothing else, it would give George Noory and the rest of the conspiracy theorists of the world something to talk about for the next 1000 years or so... Johan, I noticed the last line of the article: “A permanent name has been proposed by the discoverers to the International Astronomical Union, and they are awaiting the decision of this body before announcing the name. Stay Tuned!”

Nibiru anyone? *Laughs maniacally* BUWAHAHAHAHAAA!

If nothing else, it would give George Noory and the rest of the conspiracy theorists of the world something to talk about for the next 1000 years or so…

]]> By: Kevin F. http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/09/02/cruisin/#comment-47880 Kevin F. Mon, 03 Sep 2007 23:04:04 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/09/02/cruisin/#comment-47880 ABR, the big question for me now is: in 200 years will it be okay for a children's program to have a character named "General Happybomb the friendly terrorist"? :) ABR, the big question for me now is: in 200 years will it be okay for a children’s program to have a character named “General Happybomb the friendly terrorist”? :)

]]> By: ABR http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/09/02/cruisin/#comment-47879 ABR Mon, 03 Sep 2007 22:39:03 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/09/02/cruisin/#comment-47879 Thanks, Kevin F. Now I'm going to have the Wiggles bouncing around in my head for the rest of the afternoon. Thanks, Kevin F. Now I’m going to have the Wiggles bouncing around in my head for the rest of the afternoon.

]]> By: Kevin F. http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/09/02/cruisin/#comment-47878 Kevin F. Mon, 03 Sep 2007 22:08:56 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/badastronomy/2007/09/02/cruisin/#comment-47878 On the subject of pirates - while we're on it - there's a good article on modern-day pirating in the latest Smithsonian Magazine. Sounds like they're trouble unless it happens to be Captain Feathersword. On the subject of pirates - while we’re on it - there’s a good article on modern-day pirating in the latest Smithsonian Magazine.

Sounds like they’re trouble unless it happens to be Captain Feathersword.

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