Re: grat barier reef dying, silted and over fertilised and suffering from occasional fevers

["Denver Fletcher" <denver@paradise.net.nz>]

Tim Scrivens wrote in message <9g0okf$4eg$1@hermes.nz.eds.com>...
>"Denver Fletcher" <denver@paradise.net.nz> wrote in message
>9fq1nr$1skj$1@raewyn.paradise.net.nz">news:9fq1nr$1skj$1@raewyn.paradise.net.nz...
>> Tim Scrivens wrote in message <9foumq$4sl$1@hermes.nz.eds.com>...
>> >There are rock paintings in Australia dated to 45k years old, and the
>> paint
>> >is water soluble.  Difficult to paint if they are 200 m underwater.
>>
>>
>> Yes, and I've seen them, complete with perspex covers "to protect them
>> from the rain".
>>
>> While I find many of jp's ideas decidedly odd myself, you haven't said
>> anything here.
>>
>> There are well-known variables in carbon and other decay based dating
>> techniques. I am sure an expert like yourself will be familiar with
them.
>
>Yes, there are variables.  If you use the standard tables, worked out
from
>the bristlecone pines and things, most of the variables can be coped
with.
>Or are U saying that there is a sufficient difference that jps timeframe
can
>be defended, even though there is a 10-fold difference.



And here you illustrate (I think) one of the major objections: Ar you
actually suggesting that we can verifiably date a fossil based on its
carbon date, which is in turn verified by a fossil date?

You see the problem . . . . .  I am sure.

I don't know enough about what jp actually means to have an opinion on
its likely validity.

I do know that other sources have observed that geological change is
measurably faster than previously assumed, and have therefore reworked
the backward extrapolations to derive markedly lower (yes, even several
orders of magnitude) differences.

In either case (whether you believe the earth is 12 billion or 12
thousand years old or any number in betweeen) it is a statistical
nonsense. Given the sample time we have available to us there is no way
you can extrapolate over 12 billion years. Even 12 thousand demands
generous initial assumptions.

IMO.