<<
Chip, you know a @$£@% of a lot more physics than me, probably than most of
us - but I have to say that on this occasion it really sounds to me more like
it is your argument which is specious and inappropriate, not Jim's. Smoke
signals may not be the best analogy, but nevertheless Jim has a good point.
Richard >>
Again, the argument is specious. There is no basic physics of (interstellar)
communication which has not been known for at least 50 years.
I am always surprised by the naivity of the 'gee--look how much we learned in
100 years; guess we'll learn so much more in 100'. Of course that's true in
selected fields. Not in mature ones like telecommuncations propagation.
Forget the time issue. Think BODIES. Think how many SCIENTISTS have considered
the issue,not how many YEARS. The time-exponential-extraploation is really a
'how many scientists have there been around thinking about this' problem, not
a years one.
Savor what we know; don't pretend we are as ignorant as this bogus time-line
argument wants us to BELIEVE.
73
Chip N1IR