Sep 08 2011

Good timing

Categories:

What do you know…I just got back from a morning spent lecturing on the historical evidence for an old earth, and James Kakalios has a post on the contemporary evidence for an old earth. We all agree! The earth is very, very old! And we’ve known this for at least two centuries.

Could someone get the word to Rick Perry? They might need to do it on horseback with a missive written on parchment using a quill, because I don’t think he believes in anything newer. Other than cameras.

(Also on Sb)

This post has no tag

29 comments

Skip to comment form ↓

1

The Lorax

8 September 2011 at 11:29 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Ohhhh.

PZ, you definitely need to start using the word “missive” more often. That’s a great word. We should bring it back.

And “parchment”.

“Quick, someone fetch me some computer parchment. I need to print a missive!”

*squirms happily*
2

Gord O'Mitey

8 September 2011 at 11:33 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Of course the Earth is old. I created it before creating the Sun & the Moon, didn’t I? And that really fecks up your sciences of cosmology & geology, eh!
3

GenghisFaun

8 September 2011 at 11:43 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

We’d better chisel the missive on stone tablets and deliver them in an Ark of the Covenant replica, just for good measure.
4

Larry

8 September 2011 at 11:56 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Won’t help to notify Perry. He’ll just dismiss it with a remark about geologists toeing the line on an ancient earth in order to keep that sweet, sweet research money flowing in, making them wealthy beyond their dreams.

Just like all scientists.
5

Glen Davidson

8 September 2011 at 12:23 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

because I don’t think he believes in anything newer. Other than cameras.

He certainly believes in a newer earth than you do.

It’s just that new-fangled crap they call “knowledge” that is clearly a conspiracy against God and Mom.

Glen Davidson
6

MoonShark

8 September 2011 at 12:28 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

That would be awfully funny though if someone actually collected enough money to do that (parchment missive on horseback to Perry). I’d donate just to see it on cable news.
7

harry

8 September 2011 at 12:53 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

It’s cute how Kakalios thinks he can pin down Perry on an issue through the framing of the question. Dollars to doughnuts Perry’s response would be, ““I’m not sure anyone knows really completely know how old it is,” and then promptly turn to the next photo-op.
8

Margaret

8 September 2011 at 12:57 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Other than cameras.

And microphones.
9

Rich Woods

8 September 2011 at 1:00 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Perry is full to the brim of cognitive dissonance.

And crap.
10

robro

8 September 2011 at 1:39 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Can Scary Perry read? I’m doubtful. Maybe he gets one of his assistance to do that and then tell him about it, if he needs to know. In any case, for minds that are completely belief based, no amount of evidence is going to change them. Perry should be relegated to the dust bin of stupidity.
11

PlayMp1

8 September 2011 at 1:45 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

“Quick, someone fetch me some computer parchment. I need to print a missive!”

Parchment is a specific type of paper made from animal hide… not just paper in general. Sorry, man.
12

Blondin

8 September 2011 at 1:55 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

I thought parchment was a condition achieved by not drinking for a long period.

I am parched – I am in a state of parchment.
13

Glen Davidson

8 September 2011 at 2:11 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Parchment is a specific type of paper made from animal hide… not just paper in general. Sorry, man.

Or, um, parchment isn’t paper at all, although it is a writing medium.

Unless you’re talking about “parchment paper,” which is just a kind of paper.

Lorax, otoh, was just joking around.

Glen Davidson
14

CompulsoryAccount7746

8 September 2011 at 2:13 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

That SciAm link was… underwhelming.

Here’s the really short version of the definitive book “The Age of the Earth” by Dalrymple, of the U.S. Geological Survey.
http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/dalrymple/how_old_earth.html

The key term is isochron dating. IIRC: Besides telling you how long it’s been since a collection of samples were last molten together, it tells you how clean your data was (scattering points from an ideal line if the samples were contaminated, unrelated, or independently remelted). When the rocks are iffy, the method’ll tend to safely break rather than return misleading results.
.
Here are the paperback and hardcover editions.
http://www.amazon.com/Age-Earth-G-Brent-Dalrymple/dp/0804723311
http://www.amazon.com/Age-Earth-G-Brent-Dalrymple/dp/0804715696
15

CompulsoryAccount7746

8 September 2011 at 2:15 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

That link was… underwhelming.

Here’s the really short version of the definitive book “The Age of the Earth” by Dalrymple, of the U.S. Geological Survey.
http://www.talkorigins.org/faqs/dalrymple/how_old_earth.html

The key term is isochron dating. IIRC: Besides telling you how long it’s been since a collection of samples were last molten together, it tells you how clean your data was (scattering points from an ideal line if the samples were contaminated, unrelated, or independently remelted). When the rocks are iffy, the method’ll tend to safely break rather than return misleading results.
.
Here are the paperback and hardcover editions.
http://www.amazon.com/Age-Earth-G-Brent-Dalrymple/dp/0804723311
http://www.amazon.com/Age-Earth-G-Brent-Dalrymple/dp/0804715696
16

kingvdubs

8 September 2011 at 2:24 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Stage something more elaborate, like a Jesus impersonater walking on water with said parchment. Then Perry might buy it.
17

Pierce R. Butler

8 September 2011 at 3:46 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

We all agree!

Well, conspirators generally do.
18

cicely, Inadvertent Phytocidal Maniac

8 September 2011 at 4:14 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

They might need to do it on horseback with a missive written on parchment using a quill, because I don’t think he believes in anything newer.

I applaud this suggestion!

Maybe the Horses would eat him.

Oh. Wait. He’s doing Their work. They’d probably just eat the messenger.
-
19

Chris Booth

8 September 2011 at 5:19 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Yes, cameras and microphones. And hairspray. And CFCs, because hairspray works so much better with them as propellants. (Those “climate scientists” simply want to rain on his hair-parade….Ozone layer! Pfffft! Did you ever see it?)

And this drought is clearly the work of an evil climate scientist evolutionist bent on revenge on him.
20

Makoto

8 September 2011 at 5:39 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Wait, wait.. how many horses will you be using to bring your parchment missive to Our Lord Savior Perry? Would it be.. 4 horses?

And not those awesome horses that Paul Revere used to warn both the Americans and the British (and maybe others.. let’s wait until Palin has decided on her next speech and Wikipedia is updated properly to be sure who all was warned back then). I’m talking Apocalypse Horses, of course. Or maybe Apocalypse Ponies.

But either way! We all know you’re up to no good with your parchment missives of.. truth!
21

I'mthegenie!Icandoanything!

8 September 2011 at 5:43 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

His response, ala Stalin, “The Truth? How many ‘Republican’ votes does it have?”

The USA likely wouldn’t survive a Romney pResidency, but by the third year of a Perry Administration there will be daily street violence in response to a permanently-broken government and economy.

And Obama and his advisors seem determined to make it happen.

Voting for the B. Obama of today feels like voting for a Nixon who didn’t congenitally have to lie and scheme (if such can be imagined).

How I fear for and despise my country today!
22

mikeg

8 September 2011 at 5:45 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Ugh, young earthers. So recently I came into contact with one and his argument as you can see here (in comments):

http://spinozasbicycle.blogspot.com/2011/09/for-yungn.html

is that we only know the age of the earth by the elements we find in the geologic column. We then use those elements to date the earth. Thus; science uses circular reasoning.

He also completely denies that RID is accurate- for reasons I cannot understand. To his credit, I have not even heard these arguments before; probably because even Dr. Dino thinks they suck that bad.
23

mikeg

8 September 2011 at 5:47 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Damn,

Ignore that link. That wasn’t the comment I was looking for. (Though isn’t that a precious little nugget?)I think what I was referencing was part of an email exchange we had. No matter- it racks my brain to think of it. The stupid. It hurts.
24

CompulsoryAccount7746

8 September 2011 at 10:31 pm (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Here’s a shorter, more lay-friendly article by Dalrymple at NCSE defending radiometric dating.
http://ncse.com/rncse/20/3/radiometeric-dating-does-work
25

Kriss

9 September 2011 at 7:55 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

So this lady thinks the science supposedly proving man made climate change is in the same ballpark as the science proving the earth is significantly older than 6000 years? Strange.
26

mikeg

9 September 2011 at 9:54 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Compulsory:

Awesome! I like that very, very much. In fact. I will use it in my bloggin’ one day.
27

Ing: Od Wet Rust

9 September 2011 at 9:59 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

So this lady thinks the science supposedly proving man made climate change is in the same ballpark as the science proving the earth is significantly older than 6000 years? Strange.

If the land fill was full and I said it was because we filled it with garbage would that sound absurd to you? What about someone who said there was no WAY it could be due to our dumping?

We put gases we know are greenhouse gasses into the environment and insist that it has no effect. WTF?
28

What a Maroon

9 September 2011 at 10:15 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

If the land fill was full and I said it was because we filled it with garbage would that sound absurd to you? What about someone who said there was no WAY it could be due to our dumping?

How do you know the landfill is full? Anyway, we’ve had full landfills before, and we’ve learned to adapt. Also, I’ve got a chart right here that shows that landfills fullness varies with sunspot activities. And how can you believe landfill scientists when they can’t even predict how many people will litter in Wilkes-Barre tomorrow? Also, a landfill scientist once made a wrong prediction, and another one said something nasty one time, so clearly they’re all full of shit. (The scientists, not the landfills.)

You landfill scaremongers won’t be happy till you control everyone’s trash.
29

mikeg

9 September 2011 at 11:22 am (UTC -5) Link to this comment

Meh. Shameless self promotion :(

http://spinozasbicycle.blogspot.com/2011/09/im-back-and-this-is-for-you.html