[Pincho (OP)]

...isn't the title of the thread!

The title of the thread is...

A forum isn't the place to change opinions

I want you to watch this video, and imagine that Richard Feynman is talking directly to you...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v3pYRn5j7oI

What you might have noticed is the pleasure in his face as he discusses science, and physics. The pleasure of a person comes across in a video, but not on a forum. If you were talking to Richard Feynman, and he spoke of something that you thought was wrong, and you say "I don't think that is quite correct."  his facial expression then changes to a more questionable look, and you know that you are going to have to give him a good explanation...

My explanation to Richard Feynman...
You were speaking of water tension like the bodies were all pushing to get in, and this creates the curve in a drop of water. But what I imagine is that Gravity has a downward force + air pressure, and water has sideways pressure because of the way it is elongated around the Earth. If you combine a sideways pressure, and a gravitational/ air pressure the total of these pressures puts a diagonal area through the water that is the area of least resistance. So this diagonal area can bend the most, and create the curve in the water droplet. And I also think that you can see these pressures in the shapes of marine life. The fish squashed from the sideways pressure with fins through the diagonal area of least resistance.

... then he replies. And it is up to you to imagine his reply.

But now my reply is written on a forum. There are no facial expressions from my reply, no hand gestures, my enthusiasm is all missing. You missed the part where I passed him a beer halfway through my reply...

My reply on a forum is written in stone. And any following response from me will always have my reply written above it. So backing down, means that I am seen to back down with a reply still written in stone up above.

Let's just test that. Richard Feynman for example says to my argument...

Richard Feynman's reply...
Evolution makes the shape of the fish so that they will pass through the water more easily, it has nothing to do with a sideways pressure.

And then my reply...
I was wrong I see your point.

Ok so what you read here is how I back down. But I back down because Feynman is more fun when he is all jolly, and excited, and currently he is getting serious. I want us to have an entertaining evening.

The interactions on a forum are always written in stone, and have no body language, and enthusiasm is missing. Going back on your opinion lasts forever in the thread.

So the title of the thread was an example of an unlikely scenario in a forum. I probably stuns some people who read it for the first time. That was the idea.. to show how unlikely it is to change opinions on a forum. You actually feel that something amazing has happened... somebody has admitted that they were wrong.

But if you can imagine Richard Feynman speaking enthusiastically instead of me...
I imagine that Gravity has a downward force + air pressure, and water has sideways pressure because of the way it is elongated around the Earth. If you combine a sideways pressure, and a gravitational/ air pressure the total of these pressures puts a diagonal area through the water that is the area of least resistance. So this diagonal area can bend the most, and create the curve in the water droplet. And I also think that you can see these pressures in the shapes of marine life. The fish squashed from the sideways pressure with fins through the diagonal area of least resistance.

So if he used my own reply, and you can imagine his enthusiasm.. does it seem like a much better explanation?

I think it probably sounds better from him with his enthusiasm.

[Ethos_]

I think it probably sounds better from him with his enthusiasm.

Make no mistake Pincho, I for one am profoundly aware of your enthusiasm.