The Flat Earth model posits that
1. The earth is a flat disc with the north pole at the center of the disc.
2. The coast of Antarctica is distributed along the circumference of the edge of the disk.
3. The entire disk rotates about an axis that is perpendicular to the ground at the north pole.
If that’s true, it necessarily means that
4. No one on Earth can see any part of the sky that is below the plane of the earth’s disc (except for maybe those agents of the international Illuminati/NASA/Freemason/Fluoridated Water black-ops conspiracy who are supposed to be keeping people from visiting Antarctica and doing a poor job of it - but they don't count because they ain't talking).
5. Every observer anywhere on earth, when looking at the sky, will see that
a.) All celestial objects move in a counterclockwise direction, along circles that have the North Star (Polaris) at the center.
b.) No celestial object will move along circles that have a center point other than Polaris, or in a clockwise direction around their center point.
THE CHALLENGE:
We will meet in Guayaquil, Ecuador. I’ve picked Ecuador for the obvious reason that it’s on the equator, and for the less obvious reason that while we’re there I want go to Montecristi to buy a Panama hat and Guayaquil is the closest major airport (for more on this visit
www.brentblack.com to see why you really need to get a good Panama hat).
From Guayaquil we will travel to San Lorenzo, chosen because it’s on the beach and I’ll be in the mood to hang out on the beach in Ecuador in February and eat seafood and stuff. Oh yeah, I forgot – let’s do this in February because Michigan sucks in February unless maybe you’re a deranged downhill skier (which, in fact, I am, but even with that Michigan still sucks in February).
On the beach, at a sufficiently dark location, we will erect a clear dome of some appropriate construction such that it can hold three people and a chair, which will be in the center of the dome. The third person will be a disinterested third party agreed on by both of us (a local priest or nun, perhaps), who is hereinafter called The Observer. After sunset, we will pick three or four bright stars in both the northern and southern hemispheres and mark their locations on the surface of the dome, as seen from The Observer as he sits in the chair. After The Observer indicates the positions of the stars we will each in turn sit in the chair to confirm that we agree with his selection.
The Observer will make observations hourly in this manner until sunup. We will remain awake by drinking caffeinated beverages, eating the weirdest local food we can find, and discussing Life, the Universe, and Everything. The entire event will be streamed live to the web; yes, it will probably be pretty boring for the people watching it but it won't be any more boring than the video that guy made of a bubble level while he flew to Oz.
At dawn, we will inspect the paths of the stars that are recorded on the dome. If the paths are consistent with 5a and 5b given above then the Flat Earth model will have been proven to be true and the Globe Earth model proven false, otherwise the Flat Earth model will have been proven false and the Globe Earth model proven true.
The loser of the challenge will:
1. Admit on live-streamed video that he lost, and that his model has been definitively and finally proven to be false.
2. Solemnly swear to always in the future publicly affirm and teach the proven model, especially when he hears someone espouse the disproven model.
3. Eat (also on video) an entire Cuy Asado (roasted guinea pig) and a serving of Librillo (a local dish made of the stomach of a cow).
4. Travel with the winner to Montecristi, and there purchase for him the finest Panama hat in town.
5. Pay the full cost of the winner’s trip, including travel expenses, lodging, and meals (not including alcoholic beverages) using funds which will have been previously deposited in an escrow account.
Any takers? Obviously, I take the Globe Earth position.
