250 Feet Closer to the Sun

[bozothedeathmachine]

So, I'm getting my daily dose of infotainment this morning watching "Today". They're talking about the heatwave hitting the northeast and the nitwit commentator shows a construction site in Boston where some guys are climbing a tower/crane and says something along the lines of how terribly it must be up there "...two hundred and fifty feet closer to the sun!" . Before my head completely explodes, am I wrong in thinking it would be cooler up there? One is far from the concrete/asphalt trapping all of the heat and wind is unobstructed. I guess the people who climb Everest don't really die from exposure to cold, but from the heat...silly me.

 

[Just thinking]

I wonder just what kind of results we would see if TV commentators took some basic science and math tests.

OK -- I really don't have to wonder.

 

[Overman]

HA! Well, If you went about 500 miles closer to the sun, and didn't die somehow from asphyxiation, you would freeze to death.

But I bet those commentators know a lot more about hairspray than us.

 

[H'ethetheth]

HA! Well, If you went about 500 miles closer to the sun, and didn't die somehow from asphyxiation, you would freeze to death.

Ha! Well, it would depend entirely on your clothing. If you dress like some satellites you might even get nice and warm. You would however get fairly dry fairly soon, and possibly bored, or agoraphobic, or die a fiery death in the upper atmosphere if you hadn't bothered to start moving fast enough parallel to the ground.

But I bet those commentators know a lot more about hairspray than us.

Yes.

 

[Cuddles]

I have it on good authority that wings made of wax melt if you fly towards the sun, so presumably it does get hotter higher up. Those ancient Greeks were clever after all, they could even understand Greek.

 

[H'ethetheth]

... Those ancient Greeks were clever after all, they could even understand Greek.

Something I've never managed, despite trying. Smug bastards.

 

[grayman]

I have it on good authority that wings made of wax melt if you fly towards the sun, so presumably it does get hotter higher up. Those ancient Greeks were clever after all, they could even understand Greek.

That is probably the extent of the TV commentator's scientific knowledge.

 

[NoZed Avenger]

That is probably the extent of the TV commentator's scientific knowledge.

Do you honestly think that the announcer heard of Icarus?

Really?

 

[Skeptical Greg]

Someone needs to tell them we are all about 3 million miles closer to the Sun in January ...


Think it might elicit a journalistic ' whatever '... ?

 

[alfaniner]

Someone needs to tell them we are all about 3 million miles closer to the Sun in January ...

Give or take about 8,000...

 

[grayman]

Do you honestly think that the announcer heard of Icarus?

Really?

Now that you mention it...

 

[bob_kark]

Do you honestly think that the announcer heard of Icarus?

Really?

Of course they have!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kid_Icarus

Now, they just need to make a sequel!

 

[NoZed Avenger]

Of course they have!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kid_Icarus

Now, they just need to make a sequel!

I stand corrected.

 

[malaka]

Too bad they didn't have someone nearby in a deep hole to compare against.

 

[Darat]

Do you honestly think that the announcer heard of Icarus?

Really?

Of course - that's the trendy new wine bar that's just opened...

 

[kevin]

Those ancient Greeks were clever after all, they could even understand Greek.

Are you sure? My understanding was that it was all Greek to them.

 

[Angus McPresley]

... Those ancient Greeks were clever after all, they could even understand Greek.

Something I've never managed, despite trying. Smug bastards.

Hell, even their children could understand it. Most of ours can only speak English.

 

[Yelper]

Do you honestly think that the announcer heard of Icarus?

Really?

You're going to see a lot more of that sort of thing in the picture. I don't want to say too much, don't want to spoil it. I'll just say one word: 'Icarus'. If you get it, great. If you don't, that's fine too. But you should probably read more.

From 24 hour party people, a film about Tony Wilson, founder of Factory Records and news host for a regional news show here in Britain

No, nothing to do with anything, just the mention of Icarus reminded me of the quote. Think I'll go and watch the film again. Its quite good, really.

 

[jstro]

They're talking about the heatwave hitting the northeast and the nitwit commentator shows a construction site in Boston where some guys are climbing a tower/crane and says something along the lines of how terribly it must be up there "...two hundred and fifty feet closer to the sun!" .

Oh no, that commentator had to be joking. Right? I mean, even boneheaded science-illiterate people couldn't make that mistake. Everyone has had the experience of standing on a balcony, tall building, big hill, etc., and feeling the air temperature. Experience alone tells us that there is no big heat buildup a few hundred feet above the ground. Please, let it be a joke.

 

[Ladewig]

Oh no, that commentator had to be joking. Right? I mean, even boneheaded science-illiterate people couldn't make that mistake. Everyone has had the experience of standing on a balcony, tall building, big hill, etc., and feeling the air temperature. Experience alone tells us that there is no big heat buildup a few hundred feet above the ground. Please, let it be a joke.

I have my doubts as to it being a joke. Remember: the joke about the difference between genius and stupidity is not really a joke.



Edited to correct a stupid spelling of stupid.