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OT: Speed of light [was Re: Why not a Python compiler?]

Grant Edwards grante at visi.com
Mon Feb 11 21:26:27 EST 2008 
On 2008-02-12, Jeff Schwab <jeff at schwabcenter.com> wrote:
> Erik Max Francis wrote:
>> Jeff Schwab wrote:
>> 
>>> So what's the "double mistake?"  My understanding was (1) the misuse 
>>> (ok, vernacular use) of the term "free fall," and (2) the association 
>>> of weight with free-fall velocity ("If I tie an elephant's tail to a 
>>> mouse's, and drop them both into free fall, will the mouse slow the 
>>> elephant down?")
>> 
>> I presume his point was that physicists have a specialized meaning of 
>> "free fall" and, in that context, the answer is wrong.
>> 
>> My point was, and still is, that if this question without further 
>> context is posed to a generally educated laymen, the supposedly wrong
>> answer that was given is actually _correct_.  After all, 
>> [...]

> Fair enough!

Dear me, what's Usenet coming to these days...

-- 
Grant Edwards                   grante             Yow!  Yow! Are we in the
                                  at               perfect mood?
                               visi.com
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