All posts by Rand Simberg

Tidal Asymmetry

This post set off a discussion in which I pointed out that tidal forces are asymmetric. Carl Pham expressed skepticism at this, asking if I was saying that the tide rose higher on the side of the earth closer to the moon. I hadn’t previously thought about this before, but since I do believe that tidal forces are asymmetric, this probably followed. Or at least it followed that they were different.

One attempt was made by Ilya to prove it, but I thought it flawed and oversimplified for reasons I pointed out in comments there, because one has to consider both centripetal effects and gravitational effects when analyzing tides.

Here’s my attempt. Caution, math to follow:

Continue reading Tidal Asymmetry

The Socialist Paradise

…of Zimbabwe:

Zimbabwe, once the breadbasket of southern Africa, is crippled by foreign currency and fuel shortages, unemployment of over 80 percent and the highest rate of inflation in the world.

“Year-on-year inflation, which stood at 1,072.2 percent in October last year, rose to 1,281.1 in December and has risen to 2,200 percent by March,” Gono said in a televised statement.

Emphasis mine. It doesn’t take long for socialist thugs to destroy breadbaskets. The Venezuelans may be on the verge of learning the same lesson.

But hey, what’s the problem? Just print more money!

Seriously, this is a tragedy, in which the neighbors, particularly South Africa, are culpable, in their unwillingness to isolate and denounce Mugabe, who is vying to become one of the worst leaders in the world.