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From: weemba@brahms.BERKELEY.EDU (Matthew P. Wiener)
Newsgroups: net.physics
Subject: Re: Bogus Physics
Message-ID: <12402@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>
Date: Sat, 15-Mar-86 03:36:54 EST
Article-I.D.: ucbvax.12402
Posted: Sat Mar 15 03:36:54 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 15-Mar-86 22:42:18 EST
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Reply-To: weemba@brahms.UUCP (Matthew P. Wiener)
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>>Misspelling "Lorentz" as "Lorintz", or "Larentz" would suggest that Mr.
>>Dahlke has at least read something about "Lorentz transformations" but
>>couldn't remember the spelling.  Turning it into "Lawrence" suggests he
>>hasn't ever read anything on the subject -- just relying on what he heard
>>on the radio or at a party.
>
>So as I understand it, knowledge that I acquire by word of mouth, ie.:  
>the radio, friends, a lecture by a professor; these sources are all
>"bogus".  So all the stuff that's important is printed, like in books,
>magazines; like National Enquirer, etc.

You don't understand the complaint then .  Knowledge of relativity is not
trivial, and somewhere along the line, if you are going to learn any, you
will have to look in a book somewhere.  "Lawrence" is just too wide of the
mark.
 
>Aside from that, you are still making a conclusion about the poster of the
>article which may or may not have any validity.  In fact, it sounds remark- 
>ably like a put-down.

But it probably is valid and it is a deserved put down.  Passing off as real
knowledge something you don't really understand is annoying to those of us
with real knowledge, and confusing to those of us who are just learning, and
misleading to those of us who are just curious.  Such cocktail party level
knowledge should stay where it comes from.

ucbvax!brahms!weemba	Matthew P Wiener/UCB Math Dept/Berkeley CA 94720