The problems with bendy light

If bendy light exists, what bends it? 

If it is the atmosphere that bends the light why isn't laser light affected equally? 

If bendy light exists, Rowbotham would have never seen the ship in the distance in his experiments as the light from the ship would have bent away before reaching him.

If bendy light exists then light that never reaches the ground but bends back into space would allow someone in a plane to look at the ground and see the sun.

Quote from: digitalartist on September 19, 2011, 01:36:15 PM

If bendy light exists, what bends it? 

If it is the atmosphere that bends the light why isn't laser light affected equally? 

If bendy light exists, Rowbotham would have never seen the ship in the distance in his experiments as the light from the ship would have bent away before reaching him.

If bendy light exists then light that never reaches the ground but bends back into space would allow someone in a plane to look at the ground and see the sun.

That's why we prefer the explanation of atmospheric distortion.

Quote from: Tausami on September 19, 2011, 02:11:02 PM

Quote from: digitalartist on September 19, 2011, 01:36:15 PM

If bendy light exists, what bends it? 

If it is the atmosphere that bends the light why isn't laser light affected equally? 

If bendy light exists, Rowbotham would have never seen the ship in the distance in his experiments as the light from the ship would have bent away before reaching him.

If bendy light exists then light that never reaches the ground but bends back into space would allow someone in a plane to look at the ground and see the sun.

That's why we prefer the explanation of atmospheric distortion.

So I ask again why isn't laser light affected?

But, the people who believe in the round earth never change their theories and, as of yet, I have seen little evidence (other than conjecture) to prove that this theory is wrong.

People come here claiming that toilets flush in the opposite direction in the Southern Hemisphere, and when we show them the Snopes page, they change their tune.

People come here claiming that gravity is proven and is caused by a curvature of space time, and when we point out the fact that scientists don't know whether gravity is a bending of space or a subatomic particle called the graviton, they change their tune.

People come here claiming that Christopher Columbus proved that the world was round, and when we point out that he did no such thing, they change their tune.

People come here claiming that the earth is round because raindrops are round, and when we point out that raindrops are actually flat, and that it's a bad analogy anyway because raindrops are held together by surface tension and the earth is not, they change their tune.

What an idiotic comparison.

Quote

People come here claiming that toilets flush in the opposite direction in the Southern Hemisphere, and when we show them the Snopes page, they change their tune.

The Coriolis Effect is a documented phenomenon caused by the rotation of the Earth. It is used all of the time, for example, in meteorology.
Examples:
http://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/everyday-myths/rotation-earth-toilet-baseball4.htm
http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/fw/crls.rxml
The fact that there is a common misconception regarding the rotation  of water in a toilet bowl is irrelevant and, as usual, you are using it here as a straw man.

Quote

People come here claiming that gravity is proven and is caused by a curvature of space time, and when we point out the fact that scientists don't know whether gravity is a bending of space or a subatomic particle called the graviton, they change their tune.

Whether it is due to the bending of space time or a subatomic particle is irrelevant. The fact that gravity exists is not disputed. How it works is a constantly evolving theory in physics, i.e. Newtonian gravity, Einstein's Relativity, etc.

Quote

People come here claiming that Christopher Columbus proved that the world was round, and when we point out that he did no such thing, they change their tune.

Columbus only sailed as far as America. It was Magellan who circumnavigated the globe. Disproving claims that Columbus proved the Earth was round is trivial.
Here's where you claim that Magellan sailed in a circle on a flat surface. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof.

Quote from: flat_earth_really? on October 03, 2011, 02:06:23 AM

What an idiotic comparison.

Quote

People come here claiming that toilets flush in the opposite direction in the Southern Hemisphere, and when we show them the Snopes page, they change their tune.

The Coriolis Effect is a documented phenomenon caused by the rotation of the Earth. It is used all of the time, for example, in meteorology.
Examples:
http://science.howstuffworks.com/science-vs-myth/everyday-myths/rotation-earth-toilet-baseball4.htm
http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/fw/crls.rxml
The fact that there is a common misconception regarding the rotation  of water in a toilet bowl is irrelevant and, as usual, you are using it here as a straw man.

Quote

People come here claiming that gravity is proven and is caused by a curvature of space time, and when we point out the fact that scientists don't know whether gravity is a bending of space or a subatomic particle called the graviton, they change their tune.

Whether it is due to the bending of space time or a subatomic particle is irrelevant. The fact that gravity exists is not disputed. How it works is a constantly evolving theory in physics, i.e. Newtonian gravity, Einstein's Relativity, etc.

Quote

People come here claiming that Christopher Columbus proved that the world was round, and when we point out that he did no such thing, they change their tune.

Columbus only sailed as far as America. It was Magellan who circumnavigated the globe. Disproving claims that Columbus proved the Earth was round is trivial.
Here's where you claim that Magellan sailed in a circle on a flat surface. Extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof.

He'd have had a job circumnavigating the globe, for two reasons. One, the earth is not a globe; and two, he was dead for half the way.

Being dead is somewhat worse than splitting hairs.    Magellan's goal did not include circumnavigation of the earth.  The decision to continue west was made after his death.  That free dictionary site of yours will, upon being asked to define disc, will give you in one definition like "the sun's disc."  It agrees with James.

Being dead is somewhat worse than splitting hairs.    Magellan's goal did not include circumnavigation of the earth.  The decision to continue west was made after his death. 

Quote from: Mrs. Peach on October 03, 2011, 01:56:11 PM

Being dead is somewhat worse than splitting hairs.    Magellan's goal did not include circumnavigation of the earth.  The decision to continue west was made after his death. 

Are you saying that no one else, in the history of man, has claimed to circumnavigate the globe? 
...

Quote from: jroa on October 03, 2011, 04:07:01 PM

Quote from: Mrs. Peach on October 03, 2011, 01:56:11 PM

Being dead is somewhat worse than splitting hairs.    Magellan's goal did not include circumnavigation of the earth.  The decision to continue west was made after his death. 

Are you saying that no one else, in the history of man, has claimed to circumnavigate the globe? 
...

No.  Where did you come up with that?

Quote from: Mrs. Peach on October 03, 2011, 04:14:35 PM

Quote from: jroa on October 03, 2011, 04:07:01 PM

Quote from: Mrs. Peach on October 03, 2011, 01:56:11 PM

Being dead is somewhat worse than splitting hairs.    Magellan's goal did not include circumnavigation of the earth.  The decision to continue west was made after his death. 

Are you saying that no one else, in the history of man, has claimed to circumnavigate the globe? 
...

No.  Where did you come up with that?

Try to keep up, please.  The post I quoted claimed that the Magellan journey was not valid because the decission to continue was made after he was dead.  This, to me, means that the whole journey can not be used as proof of a circumnavigatable earth.

I was stating that, because many people have claimed to have circumnavigated the globe, are all of their journeys invalid for the same reason?  The post I quoted has no relevance to the discussion.

Quote from: jroa on October 03, 2011, 04:22:56 PM

Try to keep up, please.  The post I quoted claimed that the Magellan journey was not valid because the decision to continue was made after he was dead.  This, to me, means that the whole journey can not be used as proof of a circumnavigatable earth.

I was stating that, because many people have claimed to have circumnavigated the globe, are all of their journeys invalid for the same reason?  The post I quoted has no relevance to the discussion.

Actually, he was just nitpicking to get you angry. I suppose it worked.

No, I disagree.  I am not angry at all.  I was asking if the same disproof can be used on all supposedly circumnavigation journeys, or if this one deserves its own disproof because of special circumstances.

Come to think of it, I suppose I was I was making light at the attempt to disprove the journey due to the fact that the leader died.  The quote appeared to me to say this.

Quote from: jroa on October 03, 2011, 04:37:53 PM

No, I disagree.  I am not angry at all.  I was asking if the same disproof can be used on all supposedly circumnavigation journeys, or if this one deserves its own disproof because of special circumstances.

Come to think of it, I suppose I was I was making light at the attempt to disprove the journey due to the fact that the leader died.  The quote appeared to me to say this.

No. I don't think Magellan being dead had much to do with Drake's voyage, if that's what you're saying.  Why would it?

Being dead is somewhat worse than splitting hairs. 

Quote from: Mrs. Peach on October 03, 2011, 01:56:11 PM

Being dead is somewhat worse than splitting hairs. 

The main problem I have with bendy light, or atmospheric distortion, or whatever people feel like calling it currently, is that there's nothing to support it. The only reason flat Earth supporters think there's something bending the light rays is because it's the only thing they've come up with to explain what's seen if you assume that the Earth is flat. There's nothing that suggests that the air is frequently denser at the point you're looking at in the distance than it is where you are observing from.

Magellan's goal did not include circumnavigation of the earth.  The decision to continue west was made after his death. 

That free dictionary site of yours will, upon being asked to define disc, will give you in one definition like "the sun's disc."  It agrees with James.

the people who believe in the round earth never change their theories

Quote from: jroa on September 21, 2011, 11:01:57 AM

the people who believe in the round earth never change their theories

I guess that's exactly why you guys have no working model of gravitation and are actively pursuing a new one.