Ok here is another explaination (although without a chalk board it may be
a bit difficult to explain). First of all since (in theory) the speed of
light is *not* constant, there is NO upper limit of speed travel. Imagine
for example, looking into the base of a cone towards to center with the
base being perpendicular to the plane of sight. Call the peak of the
cone (the furthest point from the point of sight) a source of massive
gravity (not black hole, but close). A beam of light that travels from a
point on the edge of the outer diameter of the base of the cone through
the center is affected so strongly by the massive gravity that it is slowed
dramatically as it finally escapes the forces of attraction from gravity.
However an object that travels around the base of the cone (thus avoiding
the massive gravity) has no noticable reduction in velocity due to
gravity. In essence according to Einsein's theories, the object could
travel at say 99.9% of speed of light (as measured on Earth) and reach the
far side of the base of the cone before the light beam that left the same
place and at the same time.
Therefore, traveling faster than light is possible and blah, blah, blah,
which implies that there is no physical limit to the upper speed of
light, only relative to the amount of gravity present in the measureing
environment. THis argument also leaves open the possiblity of having no
upper bound on the velocities attainable by objects other than light.
However, at any given place in space, the speed of light will always be
the greatest maximum velocity attainable. At least according the
Einstein.
I really don't know why I've embarked on this rather lengthly dissucion
of speed of light except that I wanted to correct a minisucal statement I
thought to be in error about random numbers. Remember this is all theory
and it will probably be a very long time before any of this can be proven
or disproven. Interstingly enough, beacuse of the discontinueties of
gravitiy fields that are present though out the universe, time travel is
possible becasue of these abilities to "exceed" the speed of light. But
all that is another story.
Reguards. :)
_______________________________________________________________________
Mike Wangsmo, Graduate Student wanger@fubar.cs.montana.edu
Dept. of M&IE, MSU http://www.cs.montana.edu/~wanger
Bozeman, MT 59717 (406) 586-0690
"May the Force be with you, always"