trick
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Actually I don't think proving that better cakes exist is that hard really, since we all know that eating the same thing over and over again makes us get used to the taste and maybe not appreciate it as much as we once used to do in times of yore. A new cake will then almost always be better, since it brings a new and exciting taste to your dull grey life. Similar to how the grass is always greener on the other side, though of course that's not quite right since the atmosphere is usually more of a blueish colour. You could say it's more cyan, perhaps. This obviously also means that the bluer a cake is, the better it will taste.

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[Last edited by trick at 09-17-2007 02:45 PM]

Krishh
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You see, the problem is, the video is actually metaphysics, not physics, which was fine by me as long as people don't treat it as physics and as long as he didn't mention string theory. Seriously, I won't pretend to understand string theory, but this video more or less just uses it to justify the number of dimensions it uses in it's own hypothesis, and to sound more scientific through the use of important-sounding buzzwords. I mean, it's usage of the term dimension barely even relates to the way string theory uses it.

In fact, making stuff up is easy, but throughly rebuking made-up gibberish requires a lot of work, which is the main problem with this sort of thing. And you can just make up more and more of your fantasy cake, and keep asking the other guy to keep up with his real cake.

I guess my point is, you can't expect an actual explanation of string theory (since that is what this pretends to be a part of) to be as easy to understand as "Dude, what if, like, the fifth dimension was choice?"

zonhin
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Mattcrampy wrote:
Hey there negative Nellie, why don't you do better? I'm sure there's an audience for how to think of higher dimensions.

Sorry I offended you.


Anyway, first of all, with my incredibly limited knowlege of string theory, I think that the dimensions described in it are spacial. Don't quote me on it though. Look, it calls choice a dimension. I wish I lived in such a human-centered world.

Now, back to cool links.

____________________________
I looked at the world through apple eyes
And cut myself a slice of sunshine pie
I danced with the peanut butterflies
Till time went and told me to say hello but wave goodbye

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[Last edited by zonhin at 09-17-2007 03:36 PM]

Mattcrampy
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Jatopian wrote:
While I agree with you, Matt, I would point out that this is a highly fallacious way to try and disprove something. To borrow an example from Banjooie, I am not terribly skilled at making delicious cakes, but I can taste cakes and tell quite accurately whether they are delicious, despite my difficulty in doing better.

Admittedly, part of my frustration here is that I see absolutely no value whatsoever in empty criticism - there's absolutely no indication what about the video is incorrect, and this verdict is delivered in as smug a way as possible. To extend the metaphor too far, it is like dismissing a cake as being terrible for the benefit of someone who cannot taste the cake but figures that if you eat enough cake maybe you'll start to appreciate it. So it's really not like cake at all.

Regarding smug: There seems to be about three different people who are trying to fill the snark hole that Banj left when really that hole can stay unfilled, or be filled with whipped cream or something. It's disrespectful (which I suspect is the point) and entirely unnecessary.

Regarding string theory: there's an old joke that two scientists are talking and one says to the other: "I've just had this crazy idea that might connect gravity to electromagnetism! Imagine if, instead of a point, everything was actually a tiny string."
"Huh. What would that imply?"
"I have no idea."
I doubt this video is seriously attempting to explain dimensions as they relate to string theory.

Regarding choice as a dimension: I think that's the anthropic principle leaking through in the explanation, but perhaps the argument is that probabilities map to movement in the fifth dimension? So a percentage of the dimension is one outcome, and another percentage is another.

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What do you call an elephant at the North Pole?

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[Last edited by Mattcrampy at 09-17-2007 03:50 PM]

zonhin
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Mattcrampy wrote:
Regarding smug: There seems to be about three different people who are trying to fill the snark hole that Banj left when really that hole can stay unfilled, or be filled with whipped cream or something. It's disrespectful (which I suspect is the point) and entirely unnecessary.

Hmm... I never intended to fill any holes left by Banj, but I can see how it might get on someones nerves. Just know I never really intended to fill in anything. I'll try to cut down on it a bit.

____________________________
I looked at the world through apple eyes
And cut myself a slice of sunshine pie
I danced with the peanut butterflies
Till time went and told me to say hello but wave goodbye

Mattcrampy
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zonhin wrote:
I'll try to cut down on it a bit.

Excellent. It'll be easier to work on some of the more, er, shall we say enthusiastic, members without the rising hostility that misplaced, er, enthusiasm, engenders.

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What do you call an elephant at the North Pole?

Ezlo
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I just thought the video was interesting as it was trying to explain stuff that you couldn't explain. Sorry it caused an argument.

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Call me Citrus.

Dex Stewart
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Now now... arguments are good and healthy.
Although it wouldn't be bad if everybody would be fair and we would be able to live in perfect communism.

silver
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his only real mention of string theory is to say, paraphrased, "this isn't the view of dimensions presented by string theory, but coincidentally has the same number of dimensions." he doesn't seem to try to use string theory to lend credibility to his position.

but in the end, the only measure of scientific theory is whether it makes good, testable predictions that later turn out to be accurate. he doesn't seem to be there, so this remains an interesting idle curiosity.


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calamarain
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If you want a pop science source that explains multiple dimensions well, there's a book called "Hyperspace" by Michio Kaku. Yes, ten dimensions worth. The full title is Hyperspace: A Scientific Odyssey Through Parallel Universes, Time Warps and the Tenth Dimension

But in the meantime, I present a rather cool link, a little online toy to play with - Hell of Sand

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My Holds

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[Last edited by calamarain at 09-17-2007 08:06 PM]

zonhin
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http://siebn.de/

And then I one-up you.

____________________________
I looked at the world through apple eyes
And cut myself a slice of sunshine pie
I danced with the peanut butterflies
Till time went and told me to say hello but wave goodbye

DiMono
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Yep, I have another website - ChrisWins.com.

The point of this site is to motivate people to set goals and accomplish them (meaning winning) by presenting stories of other people succeeding; leading by example. So far the victory stories are all my own, but I want to include stories from other people more than my own, so please use the contact me page to send me any stories you have of you (or anyone you know or know of) setting a significant goal and reaching it, and I'll more than likely put it up. And be sure to share it with your friends, to help motivate them too!

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Deploy the... I think it's a yellow button... it's usually flashing... it makes the engines go... WHOOSH!

NoahT
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Wheel of Fortune morons:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2mQQ2MET2Y

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zg4AlOCoAJI

-Noah

____________________________
And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.

My stuff:

Mattcrampy
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One of the things I've always wondered about with Wheel of Fortune is that solving the puzzle is not always the best strategy. Considering that who wins is determined by dollar amounts, there's actually less incentive to solve the puzzle, other than the small prize they give you, than to solve the puzzle by spinning and taking each vowel at a time.

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What do you call an elephant at the North Pole?

Briareos
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Mattcrampy wrote:
solve the puzzle by spinning and taking each vowel at a time.

You sure about that?

np: Luke Vibert - Comfycozy (Chicago, Detroit, Redruth)

____________________________
"I'm not anti-anything, I'm anti-everything, it fits better." - Sole
R.I.P. Robert Feldhoff (1962-2009)

silver
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that's where it becomes a gambling strategy decision. solving the puzzle freezes your assets and denies the next guy profits from your work. spinning the wheel might end your turn and let the next guy fill in the consonants for greater profit. I think only the person who solves the puzzle gets money for it, but I only ever watched once or twice and don't remember the rules that clearly.


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[Last edited by silver at 09-18-2007 06:29 PM]

calamarain
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I recognise that people might be hesitant about saying things they're not sure of on live TV.

I also recognise that some people may not know about some subjects. But there is a limit. The... sheer amount of uneducated ignorance and stupidity burns me in this clip!

The View

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NoahT
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A conservative constitutional lawyer calls for the impeachment of Dick Cheney.

-Noah

____________________________
And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make.

My stuff:

zonhin
Level: Delver

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Registered: 10-18-2005
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Rice boy.

http://riceboy.jho-tan.com/

____________________________
I looked at the world through apple eyes
And cut myself a slice of sunshine pie
I danced with the peanut butterflies
Till time went and told me to say hello but wave goodbye

calamarain
Level: Smitemaster

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zonhin wrote:
Rice boy.

http://riceboy.jho-tan.com/

Very cool. I've got it bookmarked on my daily comics now.

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My Holds

aztcg7
Level: Master Delver

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Look, it's Dr. Tran!

Just so you know, this isn't safe for work.

____________________________
In other news, is a considerably more stylish way to express sarcasm than , because everybody uses and I am /indie/. INDIE, I TELL YOU.

golfrman
Level: Master Delver

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Yugioh the abridged series is super special awesome!

In america!

____________________________
Jesus is Lord and Messiah!

Mattcrampy
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golfrman wrote:
Yugioh the abridged series is super special awesome!

In america!

For the cynical among us, I'll second this, although I'm pretty sure it's been posted.

____________________________
What do you call an elephant at the North Pole?

Dex Stewart
Level: Smiter
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How to destroy the Earth

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[Last edited by Dex Stewart at 09-24-2007 09:35 PM]

DiMono
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Halo takes over the world

____________________________
Deploy the... I think it's a yellow button... it's usually flashing... it makes the engines go... WHOOSH!

calamarain
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Here's a rather amusing one, especially if you do any D&D/LARP kind of stuff.

You can just picture the scenarios that lead to these rules being created.

1,001 things Mr. Welch can no longer do during an RPG

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My Holds

Znirk
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Along the same lines, 213 things Skippy is no longer allowed to do in the U.S. Army

zonhin
Level: Delver

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http://badwebcomics.blogspot.com/

Your Webcomic is Bad and You Should Feel Bad.

Updates every friday.

____________________________
I looked at the world through apple eyes
And cut myself a slice of sunshine pie
I danced with the peanut butterflies
Till time went and told me to say hello but wave goodbye

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[Last edited by zonhin at 09-29-2007 06:02 PM]

zonhin
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Half joking Indian pop music. Need I say more?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=c7f8rZv_mUE

____________________________
I looked at the world through apple eyes
And cut myself a slice of sunshine pie
I danced with the peanut butterflies
Till time went and told me to say hello but wave goodbye

BDR
Level: Master Delver

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zonhin wrote:
http://badwebcomics.blogspot.com/

Your Webcomic is Bad and You Should Feel Bad.

Updates every friday.

Someone who trashes popular webcomics to try and get a rise out of the fanbase isn't what I'd call worth my time to read.

Speaking of which, has he done Sluggy Freelance yet? I'll be interested to see if he fails there the same way he failed at getting Shortpacked! and CRFH fans/authors to rise in anger.