Brits: Repeal the Laws of Thermodynamics

[Liar]

From Slashdot:

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"As we noted, the new Tory UK government has launched a website asking its subjects which laws they'd most like repealed. There are proposals up for repeal of the Laws of Thermodynamics: Second, Third, and all (discussion thread on this one closed by a moderator). One comment on the Third [now apparently deleted] elucidated: 'Without the Third Law of Thermodynamics, it would be possible to build machines that would last forever and provide an endless source of cheap energy. thus solving both potential crises in energy supply as well as solving the greenhouse gas problem in one step... simples... eh?'"

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Awesomeness.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

For once a government asks a perfectly reasonable question and what do they get in response? Oh, the humanity!

 

[Liar]

It's the quite understandable "Yeah sure, as if you're actually gonna read any of this, so I might as well take the piss" response.

 

[R. Richard]

Actually, Helium II appears to violate the second law of thermodynamics, via a Rollin Film (he said, coldly.)

Before people just go and abolish the second law of thermodynamics, they need to first study how Helium II does its thing.

 

[TE999]

It's unclear at which point a law or a governmental regulation ceases to be the solution to a problem, then becomes a part of it...and then becomes the entire problem. The old aphorism 'The road to Hell is paved with good intentions' is particularly apropros regarding government meddling in the affairs of money lending, investing and commerce.

Trying to shape America into the progressivist image of a working class utopia isn't going over well either.

 

[manyeyedhydra]

I dunno, that kind of smartassery annoys me a little. The last labour government forced a number of anti-personal freedom laws through including a truly wretched internet bill at the last minute that was pretty much bought by the major record labels and delivered by a guy that wasn't even properly elected (Mandelson).

Joking and fooling around implies people don't care and if people don't care the governments will continue to get away with passing laws that shaft them.

 

[Liar]

Yeah well, there are 60 million brits.

Give that many people an open, well publicised forum, and the probability for smartassness approaches 1 faster than you can say spotted dick.

That's not a law of thermodynamics, but nearly as universal.

 

[Handley_Page]

The last labour government forced a number of anti-personal freedom laws through including a truly wretched internet bill at the last minute that was pretty much bought by the major record labels and delivered by a guy that wasn't even properly elected (Mandelson).

.

Here here.
And the Home Secretary's introduction of stupid 'surveillance' (and going power to local authorities) was little short of criminal.

Fortunately, she did not get re-elected and was last seen crying into her beer whilst watching an "adult" film obtained by (suspected) fraudulent means by her husband.

 

[oggbashan]

Repeal!

Murphy's Law

Parkinson's Law

Og

 

[MagicaPractica]

Repeal!

Murphy's Law

Parkinson's Law

Og

I had never heard of Parkinson's Law so I looked it up. I just don't buy it. In my experience, work doesn't expand to fill the time, it expands to overflow it.

 

[SeaCat]

Repeal!

Murphy's Law

Parkinson's Law

Og

You forgot the laws of Gravitation.

Cat

 

[Carnevil9]

While we're at it, let's pass a law that Pi = 3.000. That will make math a lot easier. Of course, all circles will become hexagons, but I think we can live with that.......Carney

 

[Handley_Page]

While we're at it, let's pass a law that Pi = 3.000. That will make math a lot easier. Of course, all circles will become hexagons, but I think we can live with that.......Carney

It would make for an exciting bicycle ride if nothing else.

Come to think of it, I read somewhere that one State had tried to impose Pi=3. Never heard anything about what happened.

 

[Tio_Narratore]

WHy don't they repeal the Law of the Jungle? I think it's about time the Jungles were lawless again.

 

[dr_mabeuse]

It would make for an exciting bicycle ride if nothing else.

Come to think of it, I read somewhere that one State had tried to impose Pi=3. Never heard anything about what happened.

That would be Indiana back around the turn of the century. The story is that the legislature, refusing to believe the Almighty would create the world using such imperfect things as irrational numbers like Pi, introduced a bill that would define Pi as equal to exactly 3.

That's not really what happened though.

What actually happened was that a physician and amateur mathematician thought he'd solved the ancient problem of squaring the circle, and was so excited that he convinced a member of the Indiana legislature to pass a bill lauding his accomplishment and proposing that this new discovery be taught in all the state schools.

The physician was wrong, of course. He hadn't solved the problem, and one of the corollaries of his proof was that Pi must be equal to either 3.2 or 4 depending on which of his example you used. Had the bill been passed, Indiana would have in effect mandated the value of Pi to be either of these numbers.

Another corollary of his "proof" was that the diameter of a circle is not related to its area, and this was the part that jumped out at a Professor of Mathematics from Purdue University who happened to be in the capital at that time to collect his funding for the Indiana Mathematical Society (that government research again!) and was shown the bill. He pointed out the error to some legislator and the bill was promptly dropped.

 

[voluptuary_manque]

That would be Indiana back around the turn of the century. The story is that the legislature, refusing to believe the Almighty would create the world using such imperfect things as irrational numbers like Pi, introduced a bill that would define Pi as equal to exactly 3.

That's not really what happened though.

What actually happened was that a physician and amateur mathematician thought he'd solved the ancient problem of squaring the circle, and was so excited that he convinced a member of the Indiana legislature to pass a bill lauding his accomplishment and proposing that this new discovery be taught in all the state schools.

The physician was wrong, of course. He hadn't solved the problem, and one of the corollaries of his proof was that Pi must be equal to either 3.2 or 4 depending on which of his example you used. Had the bill been passed, Indiana would have in effect mandated the value of Pi to be either of these numbers.

Another corollary of his "proof" was that the diameter of a circle is not related to its area, and this was the part that jumped out at a Professor of Mathematics from Purdue University who happened to be in the capital at that time to collect his funding for the Indiana Mathematical Society (that government research again!) and was shown the bill. He pointed out the error to some legislator and the bill was promptly dropped.

And so dies another urban myth. Pity . . .