Mars causing problems at work

[SRW]

I was helping my boss with her computer and we started talking about Mars. During the conversation she mentioned how astrologist's were making predictions of bad things occurring because of the proximity of Mars to Earth.

I started to make a joke about it when I noticed that she was dead serious.

When I started to explain how unlikely it was that a planet 34 million miles away was going to influence anything, she started to get upset.

How in the would can anyone still believe that astrology is real?

 

[Ratman_tf]

When I started to explain how unlikely it was that a planet 34 million miles away was going to influence anything, she started to get upset.

It influenced you and your boss.

 

[SquishyDave]

You seem to know an awful lot about this for an "innocent bystander" and you seem to have a planet for your avatar.

Are you some sort of secret pro-astrologer infiltrating JREF?

Seriously, I agree, what also gets me is that they get upset when you challenge them, they don't just brush you off or use counter arguments, they actually get quite upset, what can you do when someone does that?

 

[T'ai Chi]

...how unlikely it was that a planet 34 million miles away was going to influence anything,...

Can you please provide evidence for that assertion?

Say there are n objects between Mars and the Earth. The first object is Mars, and the nth object is the Earth. The attraction directly between 1st and nth is super small, however, the attraction directly between the kth and the (k+1)st object is big. So, while there is no direct attraction between the ends, there is attraction all along the middle, so perhaps this chain makes the 1st attracted to the nth.

I'd ask your boss if she can't even operate Windows correctly, how does she know all about the planets and etc. ?

 

[reprise]

A certain celestial body about 93 million miles away certainly manages to influence my general comfort level during December to February each year. Sometimes, its influence even makes my skin turn red and peel off!

 

[MRC_Hans]

Re: Re: Mars causing problems at work

Can you please provide evidence for that assertion?

Say there are n objects between Mars and the Earth. The first object is Mars, and the nth object is the Earth. The attraction directly between 1st and nth is super small, however, the attraction directly between the kth and the (k+1)st object is big. So, while there is no direct attraction between the ends, there is attraction all along the middle, so perhaps this chain makes the 1st attracted to the nth.

*snip*[/B]

However, there are not n objects between Earth and Mars, and even if there were it would not have any influence on the interactions between Earth and Mars.

Lastly, nobody denies that Mars and Earth interact gravitationall (albeit very little), the question is: Why should infintessimal garvity interactions influence our lives? The Moon has a perceptible influence her on Earth, but nobody has yet managed to supply evidence of any influence on human destinies.

Hans

 

[Zep]

Say there are n objects between Mars and the Earth. The first object is Mars, and the nth object is the Earth. The attraction directly between 1st and nth is super small, however, the attraction directly between the kth and the (k+1)st object is big. So, while there is no direct attraction between the ends, there is attraction all along the middle, so perhaps this chain makes the 1st attracted to the nth.

Say what????

The effective change in Mars' orbit can be demonstrated as follows.

1. Stand someplace on a long straight road.

2. Have a friend walk about 2km (1.25 miles) away. From you to them is the "normal" nearest distance from Mars to Earth.

3. Now have the friend step one pace closer to you. That is now the "closest" nearest distance from Mars to Earth, as we are experiencing currently.

Big difference, heh!

Personal note: People at work who obsess about astrology in their lives lose my brownie points when it comes to assessing them for raises or promotions. I cannot have them relying on or being diverted by spurious crap like that to do the work I and my company want them to do. My 2c worth.

 

[Skeptical Greg]

Re: Re: Mars causing problems at work

Can you please provide evidence for that assertion?

Say there are n objects between Mars and the Earth. The first object is Mars, and the nth object is the Earth. The attraction directly between 1st and nth is super small, however, the attraction directly between the kth and the (k+1)st object is big. So, while there is no direct attraction between the ends, there is attraction all along the middle, so perhaps this chain makes the 1st attracted to the nth.

I'd ask your boss if she can't even operate Windows correctly, how does she know all about the planets and etc. ? [/B]

And now that you have fully established your lack of understanding regarding the force of gravity, with respect to the interaction between Earth and Mars, are we to assume you are looking for answers, or making a show of your ignorance?

 

[Paul C. Anagnostopoulos]

Hans said:

However, there are not n objects between Earth and Mars, and even if there were it would not have any influence on the interactions between Earth and Mars.

Now, now, Hans. At any given instant, about half the objects on the surface of the Earth are between Earth and Mars. I'd be okay if it wasn't for all the rest of you being sucked up by Mars!

~~ Paul

 

[Skeptical Greg]

Here's a couple of little problems for you T'ai Chi


Given the following ;

Problem 1:
Mass of earth = 6 x 10²⁴ kg

Mass of mars = 6.43 x 10²³ kg

Distance from earth = 54 x 10⁶ km ( approximate, as of 00:00 GMT this morning )

Problem 2:
Mass of you = ( you will have to provide this )

Mass of bowling ball = 7 kg

Assume the bowling ball is in the room with you, about 3 metres away.

And using the formula;

F₂gravity = Gm₁m₂ / r²

Where;
F= Force in Newtons (N)
G= Gravitational constant = 6.67 x 10^-11 Nm² / kg²
m₁,m₂ = mass of each body in killograms (kg)
r = distance between the two bodies in metres (m)



Compare the attraction between you and the bowling ball and the attraction between Earth and Mars today.. Even more interesting would be the effect of the gravitational attraction between Mars and you ( plug 68 kg ( ~150 lbs ) and 6.43 x 10²³ kg ) into the formula above ).

Then ask yourself: Why Astrologers don't seem to bother asking if there were any bowling balls in the area when you were born, and why they concern themselves with the position of the planets?

 

[Andonyx]

A certain celestial body about 93 million miles away certainly manages to influence my general comfort level during December to February each year. Sometimes, its influence even makes my skin turn red and peel off!

December and February?!?!?!

How do you live in that screwy hemisphere?

You should spend those months making snow-men and roasting chestnuts.

 

[SRW]

You seem to know an awful lot about this for an "innocent bystander" and you seem to have a planet for your avatar.

Are you some sort of secret pro-astrologer infiltrating JREF?

I've been uncovered at last, Oh wait I'm actually a bad amateur astronomer.

 

[Paul C. Anagnostopoulos]

Oh my god, Diogenes, forget the bowling ball! I'm being sucked into the huge antique radio in the corner of my office . . . aaaaarrrrgggh!

~~ Paul

 

[Ratman_tf]

What makes me kind of melancholy is while people are making up astrological crap about the red planet, there's so much cool stuff going on for reals.

Anyone gone to nasa.gov and taken a look at the Hubble shots? Spec-tacular.