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Wednesday, September 2, 2009

Shirley's Bottom #4

by Whabby

Last week, owls, I left you with a burning question. You’re trying to measure the duration of an event, the journey of a pulse of light up and down the shaft of your spacecraft. You yourself are stationary, looking up from the ground, while your spacecraft, which I’ve decided to call “Shirley”, is traveling at a speed of one kilometer per second along the line formed by your outstretched right arm. You and George (who, by popular demand, is naked) start your stopwatches at the same time. George starts his when he toggles the searchlight on and off, and you start yours right then and there because you immediately see the flash of light coming from the searchlight through the floor. But, do you and George still measure the same amount of time for the light flash to travel up to the ceiling and back?


To answer that question, we have to deal with an obvious problem that arises now that Shirley is moving and you are stationary. Since it takes the flash two seconds to travel up and down Shirley’s shaft, when the flash gets back to the floor, Shirley is no longer directly above you; she’s two kilometers down the line to your right. That’s no problem for George; being inside Shirley, he still sees the flash just as he always has. But you, being far away, can no longer see the flash when it passes through the floor, so you don’t have any signal on which to stop your stopwatch.


To deal with that little complication, I’d like to take some poetic license with Shirley’s glass bottom. Let’s assume that her bottom is programmed to automatically rotate (angle itself) just precisely enough that the light flash, when it hits the floor (and is seen by naked George), is reflected at just the right angle to travel directly back to your eyes. That way, both you and George see the return flash of light, and you both have an event to base the stopping of your stopwatches on.



Physically, the situation is illustrated in the figure above. From George’s perspective, the light goes straight up to the ceiling and straight back down, just like it would if he was shining a flashlight on the ceiling from the floor of a moving train. Meanwhile, from your perspective, Shirley is moving at one kilometer a second. In the second it takes the light pulse to reach the ceiling, Shirley has moved one kilometer away; while the light’s reflection comes back down, she has an opportunity to move another kilometer away. When the flash finally reaches the floor, it is reflected immediately along the straight dotted line right back to you. In this way, you continue to see the flash, too.



OK, now, what are the results? Still pretty disappointing, I’m afraid. Light takes only a tiny amount of extra time, 1/150,000 of a second to be exact, to cross the two kilometers that separate Shirley’s bottom from you. Although the flash is reaching you just a teensy, tiny bit later than it reaches George, the difference is far too tiny to show up with a measuring device as crude as you hitting a stopwatch.


Still, you’re not satisfied. You know that, compared to George, the light had to travel two additional kilometers. Since you know this distance precisely, you decide to simply program your stopwatch to, not only automatically subtract your brain processing time, but also automatically subtract the additional time required for the light flash to travel back from Shirley to you.


As I said, with Shirley just two kilometers away, that extra time is so negligible that you won’t notice it. You and George continue to measure the same two-second duration for the event. It would appear that Einstein has still not shown up to the party!


Still, something about this entire setup is beginning to bother you. The figure above provides a strong hint that there’s a geometric complication to this situation. Now that the spacecraft is moving, there’s something about the path that the light has to take from your perspective that’s different from the path it takes from naked George’s perspective (which is just straight up and down).


What is that something, owls? Just Lin zeroed in on it in last Wednesday’s comment section, and even figured out what it means as far as the duration of the event is concerned. Feel free to speculate about it yourself in today’s comments. Why? Well, the more you “stay ahead” of our little thought experiment, the less disruptive it’s going to be later on when Einstein finally makes his grand entrance!


76 comments:

DeeDee said...

BAM!! 1

DeeDee said...

Buenos Dias Cletas!!

DeeDee said...

Bell Rang!! Take your seats!!

DeeDee said...

I am not the class monitor...but as soon as she (tina) gets here.....she will tattle on who ever is late for Dr. Whabbears first period!! sssssh! You didn't hear it from me!

DeeDee said...

I have #2 pencils for lease....anyone?

DeeDee said...

I knew these donuts would be a waste of cook's time!! One word....TARDY!!

DeeDee said...

Oh! And theres no toilet tissue in the restroom....I have 10 sheet bundles for $1.00 each.....anyone. I figure 3 to 4 bundless for anyone who needs to make.....

DeeDee said...

No rustling of paper during class....its distracting......and all gum to the front.....anyone need a tissue bundle for their gum??

Tina~in_ut said...

lmbo!!!!~

Tina~in_ut said...

I D I O T !!!!~ :)~

Zona said...

Mornin' All!

DEEDEE: Congrats on FIRST..and thanks for bringing the #2's and bundles of Charmin'... ;)

BEAR's first period?? You don't say..imagine.. ;)

Hi TINA!

Ok time to delve into today's lesson..

Zona said...

Ok..George is now inside Shirley..this is getting interesting.. ;)

Zona said...

BEAR: I'm going to have to read this a couple more times to kind of get it..I'm not giving up though..and I can always copy from J/LIN's paper.. :)

goldie said...

Good Morning Hooters!

Way to go on 1st Dee Dee and thanks for the necessary supplies. I'll be sure to give you my I.O.U.

Read the blog but have not let it sink in yet- have to read it again and I'm busy at work this morning! Damn office gets in the way of my computer time. lol

Have a good day everyone.

Lynn D said...

Morning Glories!

DeeDee at first Again! Buenos Nachos to you to!

Ok read this twice and it is Pi that is missing! I want Blackberry please with vanilla ice cream!

On second thought is the light bending to keep up with the speed of Shirley? Or is it the speed with which it enters George's shaft?

Really I have no idea what I am talking about!

Lynn D said...

I want to thank everyone for their wonderful posts yesterday! It makes me feel less alone and floating on this island of uncertainty about damn health care.

I have to toodle off at the speed of light this morning! ((((Hugs)))) everyone!

DeeDee said...

Does the refractive index of glass have anything to do with how fast you see the flash....?

I also have some peppermint chapstick with sparkles.........anyone??

Tina~in_ut said...

How come I'm picturing Shirley's ass flashing, which it taking away from George in all his splender? And why do I picture an orgy once Einstein gets here?

Tina~in_ut said...

Bear~ what are we going to do with this skinny triangle?

MEK in AZ said...

Happy Wednesday with Whabby!!

good morning..

DeeDee, Zona, Tina, Lynn, GOldie, and all who land!!

I hope everyone has an excellent day!!
:-)

MEK in AZ said...

21

MEK in AZ said...

22

whabbear said...

Tina: Kudos on the skinny triangle! That's in next week's installment!

MEK in AZ said...

23

MEK in AZ said...

25

MEK in AZ said...

shirley - write that down!!

:-)

MEK in AZ said...

morning, Whabby!!!

Birdee said...

Good Morning/Afternoon Everyone!!!

Congrat's on 1st DeeDee!

I know 2 + 2 = 4!!! Do I get an A+ for knowing that, Whabby!!??? LOL
You are way too smart for me! ;o)

Hope you all are having a good day.

I'm watching the tree trimmer's take down a bunch of tree's in the property behind us. They are in the way of the power line's...hopefully after this, we won't lose power as much. It look's so much better, too.
Other than that, not much happening in my neck of the wood's.

Carol, I meant to ask the other day...how are your mom's hand's?

LynnD, I'm glad you wrote that blog yesterday! Def not alone on that topic. ;o)

Mo, Congrat's on getting the QOTD!!

Tina, LOL @ I D I O T!! I think that has become my favorite word this year!! ;o)

Tink, I hope you're feeling a little better and you're getting some answer's on how to manage your pain. xo

J/L, Thank's for nekkie comment this morning! My butt should look so good! LOL

Waving at you all and everyone that flies in later!

gonna go back out at look at the CUTE tree trimmer's!!! It's a good day!!! ha ha ha

East Bay J said...

OK in the second paragraph you said that Shirley has a shaft...

I should not have been drinking my coffee at the very second I read that! Choke, choke.

Isn't George the one with the shaft?? lol

I must re-read the blog and finish coffee then I will be back!

Congrats on 1st today DeeDee!

whabbear said...

Hi, Mary Ellen!

Birdee: This stuff took me six months to understand! Not that smart...

Just_Lin said...

Hello, everyone. I just got here. Had one of several scheduled dentist appointments today. Do I need a note from my mother?

DeeDee Congrats on being first and bringing so many supplies for us students. Do I have to stay after class because I was tardy?

Tina I think you got the gold star this morning. From our perspective, the light would travel up and away, then down and away, then back towards us, effectively making the shape of a triangle. Yay!

Shirley George is laying on your bottom. I'd be careful if I was you. Oh, and be careful you don't get a butt cramp.

Bear Is Einstein going to be naked too? I heard he was a horny old bastard. Bwahahaha! Maybe DeeDee would want to take him on. ;)

DeeDee said...

ok....J/L!!?

you weren't going to have to stay after class...but in light of that Einstein remark....I'm afraid you will be here for awhile.....the very idea! An old man with "crazy" hair!!!

HUMPHT!

Maureen said...

I got it...George is in SHIRLEY with his up turned shaft and SHIRLEY has a glass ass.

DID I WIN??????????

Bebbilane said...

Hi All, I saw the traveling necklace on an advertisement for nutrisystems..on one of the people in the commercial..keep an eye out for it.

Whabby..Your blogs are very deep.

DeeDee - Way to go on Numero UNO!

Hope everyone's Wednesday was fabulous.

Just_Lin said...

DeeDee Well, hell, you were talking about cleaning up homeless guys. I figure you could introduce Einstein to some good hair care products. :)

MO LMAO!!!

Bebbi Hi! Are we talking a print ad or on TV?

whabbear said...

'weenie: Sounds like you're a weiner to me! :)

Maureen said...

WHABBY...that was bun-ny!! Get it? Bun for the weinie!!

Time to go. see y'all later tonight!

Oh yeah, DEE DEE grats on BAM!

Bebbilane said...

J/L: On television. One of the ladies has it around her neck when they advertise nutri-systems. I recognized it right away. She was really pretty too, it must have been iteach..she was the last one that had it right? ;)

Maureen said...

Where is everyone tonight??

BEBBI...where have you been?

Just_Lin said...

Yes, where is everyone? It's been very quiet around here lately.

Bebbilane said...

Mo: I got kidnapped by aliens and have finally fought my way back home. I had to build a machine that would travel at the speed of light (thank you Whabby, because if not for you, I would never have made it back).....


or......

Maybe I have been playing too much Mafia Wars, working too hard and getting my daughter back to BG for WKU.

Bebbilane said...

School back in session, you know...too much stuff going on.

BTW, for old times sake..I got 23,486 steps today.ha!

whabbear said...

Bebbi: :)

J/L: It's OK. I'm sure the comments will be back up to their usual count... tomorrow.

Sniff, sniff! LOL!

Bebbilane said...

Okay off to beddy bye for the bebbi bie...take care and happy evening to all and to all a good night.

Just_Lin said...

Bear I'm sure it's nothing personal. Maybe everyone forgot to bring their #2 pencils. LOL

Bebbi Good job on the steps! Sweet dreams.

Maureen said...

Oops, I fell asleep. I hope that doesn't mean I am up till 4 now!

JUST LIN...thanks for QOTD!!

SHIRLEY...how'd it go getting the kids off to college? And how about them stats?

Mary/MI said...

Hi everyone. I had a "cloudy" day today. I had to get my eyes checked and dilated. I drove to Lansing alone. I didn't think it would take 3 hrs for my eyes to be clear enough to drive. I tried, but it was a little scary I could see up close, but not in the distance,soooo, I went shopping lol!

Whabby, S o far all I am getting out of your blogs is ....horney!!

Sorry teach, I will try to pay closer attention. I just can't get Shirley's ass and George being inside of her out of my vision!

Just_Lin said...

MO You're welcome. :)

Maureen said...

MARY...with your dilated pupils, did George's shaft look bigger??

Just_Lin said...

50

night.owls.sb said...

Hi Everybody!!!!

Dee.. Congrats on 1..

Birdee.. My mom hands are much better, thanks for asking about her..
♥♥

Just_Lin said...

MO ROFLMAO!!!!!

night.owls.sb said...

Mary..

I hate that cloudy feeling in my eyes, they did that to my eyes last year.. and the whole day they bothered me.. Glad you went shopping tho.. thats always fun.. :O)

Just_Lin said...

I don't think Shirley knows how much fun she was having with George today.

night.owls.sb said...

I am very interested in the skinny
triangle.. :O)

Maureen said...

There goes CAROL and her porn talk again ;)~

night.owls.sb said...

Ok.. I read the blog 72hundred times, and all I can think about is my friend Dave's cat, his cat is named Shirley and she is very mischievous, she gets into everything. So, I am thinking Shirley the cat is quicker than naked George, because Shirley is like a speed of light!

and thats all I got.. :O)

night.owls.sb said...

Mo..

To my defense.. the skinny
triangle is very intriguing...

night.owls.sb said...

Mo..

to Mary.. LOL!!!

night.owls.sb said...

Bebbi..

Congrats on all your steps.. glad you were able to come back to earth..LOL

night.owls.sb said...

Birdee..

Wow... I did not know birds can count.. good job! :O)

night.owls.sb said...

I was watching the news tonight actually nightline, they had a segment on that awful man who held that girl for 18yrs.. they named three times that he was visited my police at this house, and each time, the police left in minutes.. Just awful..

night.owls.sb said...

Mek...

New Carrie Underwood song.. her album comes out in November..

click here for you tube vid of her new song

Maureen said...

CAROL...they also ran a printing business out of their home and no one noticed anything??

night.owls.sb said...

Mo..

I know I read that as well, I am dumbfounded how this all went unnoticed...

Maureen said...

Off to bed.

Have a terrific thong Thursday!

night.owls.sb said...

I am off to bed as well..

nite!

:O)

night.owls.sb said...

Crap... can't leave that open

night.owls.sb said...

Nope.. just gotta do it..

night.owls.sb said...

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh

now I can go to bed..

:O)

night.owls.sb said...

I crack myself up.. even when I am alone, I mess everything up.. so my Ahhhhhh was 70.. and the one before it was 69..

:O)

Maureen said...

CAROL...here's another one to make you shake your head and go "huh?"

Did you read about the guy shopping in WalMart and there was a 2 year old crying. He told the mother to shut the kid up or he will. The son of a bitch then slapped the kid 4 times and said he told her he would shut the kid up. How dare he lay a hand on that kid??? Move to another aisle for criminues sake. Can you imagine how he treated his own kids if he had any. Disgusting.

Mary/MI said...

Carol, I almost humped your 69!!
I told you I was horney lol!!

Mo,In my foggiest, I can see his long shaft :)

I am heading to bed with visions of George penetrating Shirley! I am going to have to rewrite this scenario. Sorry Shirley but I am taking over the ship, shaft and all!lol!

Good night all and sweet lurkers!

Just_Lin said...

Mary I have a feeling you're going to have some really good dreams tonight. LOL

Carol You did that march just right.

Just_Lin said...

Sweet dreams, HOoters!

whabbear said...

Mary: Glad to hear you got excited! I know Shirley's going to be pleased, too.

Not sure about George. I've never met him.