Are there really that many stupid people? (Please don't answer that.)
WARNING: THIS POST MAY CAUSE IRREPERABLE MENTAL HARM TO PHYSICS MAJORS
Whenever I'm in my car, I often listen to the radio or my MP3 player. But, I am SO SICK of the state of radio these days - two really crappy songs they played just an hour ago followed by twenty minutes of commercials - that I don't listen to actual MUSIC on the radio much. So, I end up listening to talk radio, particularly on the drive to work.
On the way to work in the morning, I usually listen to The Neal Boortz Show. The guy gets so animated about stuff, its hilarious. But, there are times that he is a good meter for the state of public opinion. One such situation occurred this morning.
There apparently has been a discussion going on about how if you put an airplane on a massive treadmill and run the treadmill at the stall speed of the aircraft (usually ~60 MPH), the plane will not be able to take off. Neal unequivocably says, and rightfully so, that this is a load of BS.
PEOPLE STILL BELIEVE THIS!!! This isn't like one or two ignorant-as-hell trouser stains who don't understand basic concepts of physics, there are people sending this talk radio host HATE MAIL because he tells them that a plane on a treadmill will still be able to take off! He read just ONE of these e-mails about how someone is "explaining" to him how the motion relative to the ground prevents the plane from taking off.
Part of me doesn't want to believe there are a significant number of people who are this stupid. Then again, the standards of our national education system keep slipping year by year, so I'm not terribly surprised.
Whenever I'm in my car, I often listen to the radio or my MP3 player. But, I am SO SICK of the state of radio these days - two really crappy songs they played just an hour ago followed by twenty minutes of commercials - that I don't listen to actual MUSIC on the radio much. So, I end up listening to talk radio, particularly on the drive to work.
On the way to work in the morning, I usually listen to The Neal Boortz Show. The guy gets so animated about stuff, its hilarious. But, there are times that he is a good meter for the state of public opinion. One such situation occurred this morning.
There apparently has been a discussion going on about how if you put an airplane on a massive treadmill and run the treadmill at the stall speed of the aircraft (usually ~60 MPH), the plane will not be able to take off. Neal unequivocably says, and rightfully so, that this is a load of BS.
PEOPLE STILL BELIEVE THIS!!! This isn't like one or two ignorant-as-hell trouser stains who don't understand basic concepts of physics, there are people sending this talk radio host HATE MAIL because he tells them that a plane on a treadmill will still be able to take off! He read just ONE of these e-mails about how someone is "explaining" to him how the motion relative to the ground prevents the plane from taking off.
Part of me doesn't want to believe there are a significant number of people who are this stupid. Then again, the standards of our national education system keep slipping year by year, so I'm not terribly surprised.