House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi found herself walking in Sarah Palins shoes* on Wednesday.
While discussing the 10 U.S. soldiers captured by Iran, the California congresswoman told CNNs Chris Cuomo that she had been to Bahrain and looked right across the Persian Gulf to Iran. Everything is very close there, which is just not true.
The distance spanning the Persian Gulf at its narrowest point the strait of Hormuz is 53 miles.
Additionally, the distance from Bahrain to Dayyer, Iran is actually 150 miles.
According to science, the horizon is 2.9 miles away from a person standing on the ground. For someone standing 100 feet in the air, the horizon appears at a distance of 12.2 miles.
So, while Nancy Pelosi might have been to Bahrain and looked across the Persian Gulf, she most certainly didnt actually see Iran.
*Sarah Palin never actually said the infamous line, I can see Russia from my house. Palins actual quote was you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska, which was distilled into nonsense by comedian Tina Fey while impersonating Palin in an SNL skit.
According to science, the horizon is 2.9 miles away from a person standing on the ground. For someone standing 100 feet in the air, the horizon appears at a distance of 12.2 miles.
I am not sure, the main obstacle to see Zagros mountains (much higher than highest Bahrain elevation above 400 feet or tallest buildings above 800 feet) might be quality of the air.
I am not sure, the main obstacle to see Zagros mountains (much higher than highest Bahrain elevation above 400 feet or tallest buildings above 800 feet) might be quality of the air.
The parts of the Zagros that are higher than 10,000 feet in elevation are over 300 miles from Bahrain. In order for her to have seen them from the top of highest building (850 feet) they'd need to be above 47,000 feet in elevation.
"In order for her to have seen them from the top of highest building (850 feet) they'd need to be above 47,000 feet in elevation."
Ignore the building. According to the author's formula, the distance is 3.57 times the square root of the height of the mountains. If the mountains are 15,000 feet high, the square root is 122. Times 3.57 equals 437 miles.
So, using a mountain height of 4,600 meters you get 242 km or 145 miles. In an 850 foot building, add 35 miles.
The 4000 meter mountains are around 300 miles away. This Horizon calculator - radar / visual works pretty well. The highest point in the Dena sub-range is roughly 14,500 feet, which gives a visual horizon of about 180 miles. However they are about 300 miles from Bahrain, Nancy would need need to move them about 120 miles closer.
"If the mountain won't come to Muhammad, then Muhammed must go to the mountain." For Nancy it is easier to move the mountain.
The parts of the Zagros that are higher than 10,000 feet in elevation are over 300 miles from Bahrain. In order for her to have seen them from the top of highest building (850 feet) they'd need to be above 47,000 feet in elevation.
The Mount Drang is about 150 miles away, so 14,000 feet would be enough. But it is less than 4,000 feet.
So yes, Pelosi could not see it. Still, I did not like that the journalist talked about 100 feet and 12 miles. He either did not do his homework or wanted to exaggerate difference.
100 feet = 30.5 meters. Square root of 30.5 meters = 5.5. 5.5 times 3.57 = 19.72 km 19.72 km = 12.25 miles romm at
No, he is not. On Iran's costs there is Mount Drang 3600 feet high and Pelosi could be in the fancy conference room at 800 feet.
Still it is not enough, but this journalist is a manipulator and I do not like him. Iran coast is not flat and Pelosi did not have to be at 100 feet tower. Use your brains.
"Iran coast is not flat and Pelosi did not have to be at 100 feet tower."
I believe the 100 feet was merely an example of the math. I didn't take it to mean that the author was saying Pelosi was at 100 feet when she made her claim.
It could have been a clear day, someone handed Pelosi some binoculars and told her, "See those mountains? That's Iran."
I believe the 100 feet was merely an example of the math. I didn't take it to mean that the author was saying Pelosi was at 100 feet when she made her claim.
The majority of readers is incapable of such subtlety, they will absorb these 12,9 mile and run with that.
That is why mass media are able to brainwash so many people.
BTW, the majority cannot point Bahrain or Iran on the map or do the trigonometry.
It could have been a clear day, someone handed Pelosi some binoculars and told her, "See those mountains? That's Iran."