"Stephen" <mcavoys_AT_aolDOT.com> wrote:
> "Bill Pragnell" <bil### [at] hotmailcom> wrote:
> > Stephen <mca### [at] aolcom> wrote:
> > > Fair point Bill. But Ed said "It should spin in about 12 hours or 24
> > > hours or so."
> >
> > Which is not fast enough for significant centrifugal effects -
>
> Are you sure, are my calculations wrong?

Um, I didn't check. Quick calculation of my own, assuming a torus minor diameter
the same as the earth, which gives a major radius of about 6 earths (~77,000km),
spinning once per 12 hours, I get a centripetal acceleration of about 1.6
ms-2... ok, a bit more significant than I thought, that's about 1/6th of a g
more on the inner surface and less on the outer surface.

Athletes from the inner provinces would trounce their opponents from the outer
lands :)

> > > Personally I prefer the Culture Orbitals. ;-)
> >
> > Me too. Mostly for the amenities :)
>
> And the snappy repartee. ;-)

and let's not forget the parties!

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