Fun Open Thread

chainsaw_metal1

chainsaw_metal1

Member: Rank 8
Doctor Omega said:
Rifting and break-up

Animation of the rifting of Pangaea
There were three major phases in the break-up of Pangaea. The first phase began in the Early-Middle Jurassic (about 175 Ma), when Pangaea began to rift from the Tethys Ocean in the east to the Pacific in the west. The rifting that took place between North America and Africa produced multiple failed rifts. One rift resulted in a new ocean, the North Atlantic Ocean.[22]

The Atlantic Ocean did not open uniformly; rifting began in the north-central Atlantic. The South Atlantic did not open until the Cretaceous when Laurasia started to rotate clockwise and moved northward with North America to the north, and Eurasia to the south. The clockwise motion of Laurasia led much later to the closing of the Tethys Ocean and the widening of the "Sinus Borealis", which later became the Arctic Ocean. Meanwhile, on the other side of Africa and along the adjacent margins of east Africa, Antarctica and Madagascar, new rifts were forming that would lead to the formation of the southwestern Indian Ocean that would open up in the Cretaceous.

The second major phase in the break-up of Pangaea began in the Early Cretaceous (150–140 Ma), when the minor supercontinent of Gondwana separated into multiple continents (Africa, South America, India, Antarctica, and Australia). The subduction at Tethyan Trenchprobably caused Africa, India and Australia to move northward, causing the opening of a "South Indian Ocean". In the Early Cretaceous, Atlantica, today's South America and Africa, finally separated from eastern Gondwana (Antarctica, India and Australia). Then in the Middle Cretaceous, Gondwana fragmented to open up the South Atlantic Ocean as South America started to move westward away from Africa. The South Atlantic did not develop uniformly; rather, it rifted from south to north.

Also, at the same time, Madagascar and India began to separate from Antarctica and moved northward, opening up the Indian Ocean. Madagascar and India separated from each other 100–90 Ma in the Late Cretaceous. India continued to move northward toward Eurasia at 15 centimeters (6 in) a year (a plate tectonic record), closing the eastern Tethys Ocean, while Madagascar stopped and became locked to the African Plate. New Zealand, New Caledonia and the rest of Zealandia began to separate from Australia, moving eastward toward the Pacific and opening the Coral Sea and Tasman Sea.

The third major and final phase of the break-up of Pangaea occurred in the early Cenozoic (Paleocene to Oligocene). Laurasia split when North America/Greenland (also called Laurentia) broke free from Eurasia, opening the Norwegian Sea about 60–55 Ma. The Atlantic and Indian Oceans continued to expand, closing the Tethys Ocean.

Meanwhile, Australia split from Antarctica and moved quickly northward, just as India had done more than 40 million years before. Australia is currently on a collision course with eastern Asia. Both Australia and India are currently moving northeast at 5–6 centimeters (2–3 in) a year. Antarctica has been near or at the South Pole since the formation of Pangaea about 280 Ma. India started to collide with Asia beginning about 35 Ma, forming the Himalayan orogeny, and also finally closing the Tethys Seaway; this collision continues today. The African Plate started to change directions, from west to northwest toward Europe, and South America began to move in a northward direction, separating it from Antarctica and allowing complete oceanic circulation around Antarctica for the first time. This motion, together with decreasing atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, caused a rapid cooling of Antarctica and allowed glaciers to form. This glaciation eventually coalesced into the kilometers-thick ice sheets seen today.[23] Other major events took place during the Cenozoic, including the opening of the Gulf of California, the uplift of the Alps, and the opening of the Sea of Japan. The break-up of Pangaea continues today in the Red Sea Riftand East African Rift.


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My junior high/high school science teacher was an anomaly. He used to go on long rants about how the continents never shifted, and the Earth has always looked this way. He also used to whine about how the "man" "forced" him to teach about evolution. He used to have us take notes as he wrote on an overhead projector, and when it came time to talk about the origin of man, he would real quick write "Creationism", and briefly say that "some people believed in it, but he wasn't allowed to teach that it happened". And every time, I rolled my eyes, groaned loudly, and refused to write it in my notebook. He knew better than to bait me, because I was that asshole kid who would go tell my overbearing liberal mom about it, and no one at that school was real thrilled when she came down to bitch about something.
 
M

Mad_Monster_Party

Sandbox Chief Commissioner
Even though there is still a week or so until 2019, Here’s hoping that everyone has had a good year!

And let’s hope that everyone has a good year next year!!
 
M

Mad_Monster_Party

Sandbox Chief Commissioner
chainsaw_metal1 said:
And the same to you, MMP! And here's a reminder that the Iowa primary isn't too far off! :emoji_grin:
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Thank you!

And you’re right about Iowa, I mean it’s barely a year away now. Another one is New Hampshire. The interesting thing about New Hampshire is that they have some of the most laid back rules for Write in candidates in the country, so that could help out a lot!
 
Hunter28

Hunter28

Member: Rank 3
Mad_Monster_Party said:
Thank you!

And you’re right about Iowa, I mean it’s barely a year away now. Another one is New Hampshire. The interesting thing about New Hampshire is that they have some of the most laid back rules for Write in candidates in the country, so that could help out a lot!
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Mad_Monster_Party I was wondering about you. You probably don't remember but I wanted to be your campaign manager but on the old IMDb boards. Hope you are doing well and you still have my vote!
 
chainsaw_metal1

chainsaw_metal1

Member: Rank 8
The Seeker said:
Hulu doesn’t have Soylent Green, and you have to pay for it on that ripoff service Amazon Prime.
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Like I said, it's terrible trying to find anything resembling classic film on the streaming services, unless you pay for one that specializes in them. I think Criterion is setting up or has set up a service to stream movies in their collection (would be worth it for the Kurosawa films alone), but I don't have the cash. And while I agree that Amazon Prime is a ripoff, I do like the opportunity to purchase or rent movies or shows on their that aren't on their Prime list. I'm looking into getting Brit Box on there. I think you can also get Shudder through them, for cheaper than you would pay for the service otherwise (so much horror...).
 
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