Re: [Phys-l] Bermuda Triangle

["John Clement" <clement@hal-pc.org>]

The airplane fits in because the sensationalistic book on the Bermuda
triangle claimed there was funny business with respect to airplanes.
Subsequent research debunked this.  Magicians are experts a spotting fakery
when physicists are still mystified, and Randi specializes in debunking
fakery.  As to specifics about when to sail, I am not a sailor so others
have better information.

I also recommend going to the NOVA on this subject.  The human mind is very
good at spotting correlations, but has a large false positive rate.  We seek
correlations when none exist, so people believe in the Bermuda triangle,
astrology...  There are really enough real mysteries in science to keep us
busy, so we don't have to manufacture things like the Bermuda Triangle.  For
example the idea that critters could live in the deepest oceans was
outlandish until they found them living on effluent from the Earth.  And now
our picture of dinosaurs may be that they had birds sitting on their backs
and ducks paddled around with plesiosaurs.

John M. Clement
Houston, TX

> John Clement wrote:
> > Perhaps this web site has something to say on the subject.
> >
> > http://www.randi.org/encyclopedia/Bermuda%20Triangle.html
> >
> > Randi has worked with physicists to expose hoaxes, and until some
> writers
> > managed to make a killing on the story, nobody considered the Bermuda
> > Triangle to be that much more dangerous than many other areas.  /snip/
> >
> > John M. Clement
> > Houston, TX
> I hate to be put in the position of disagreeing with a stage magician
> but I consider the short passage from Florida to the Carribbean to be
> dangerous, if undertaken lightly. This opinion seems to be shared by
> other sailboat sailors, who will wait at Florida patiently for the wind
> to shift to the southerly quadrants so as to avoid the prospect of ugly
> chop from wind opposing current.    All this despite counter examples
> featuring row-boats, jetskis etc. making the passage .
> (A row-boat has rowed the Atlantic after all...)
>
> I am not at all sure where the airplane losses fit in this discussion.
>
> Brian W
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