Reading Erotica
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MathGirl
Cogito
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Thread
Ummm .........
I started a thread with a mistake. The mistake became a dot. Now we are posting to a thread that started with a mistake. What's going on here? Oh, well, it's fun.
Happy New Year from the idiot who started a thread with a dot.
Diane
Ummm .........
I started a thread with a mistake. The mistake became a dot. Now we are posting to a thread that started with a mistake. What's going on here? Oh, well, it's fun.
Happy New Year from the idiot who started a thread with a dot.
Diane
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PaulX35
Really Really Experienced
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dot-sex
MathGirl,
I have a friend who is a mathematician, and I always admire his fabulous skill in narrowing things down to their very essence. This little dot seemed similarly essential to me, so much so that I may have missed the point (pun intended).
Wishing you a pointy 2003 "nonetheless"
Paul
MathGirl,
I have a friend who is a mathematician, and I always admire his fabulous skill in narrowing things down to their very essence. This little dot seemed similarly essential to me, so much so that I may have missed the point (pun intended).
Wishing you a pointy 2003 "nonetheless"
Paul
gauchecritic
When there are grey skies
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All discoveries are a mistake otherwise they wouldn't be covered in the first place.
Einstein was attempting to discover how long a 2h pencil could write for continuously and when he looked up he saw he'd accidentally written out the theory and formula (and it's considerable amount of invented maths) for relativity.
Gauche
Einstein was attempting to discover how long a 2h pencil could write for continuously and when he looked up he saw he'd accidentally written out the theory and formula (and it's considerable amount of invented maths) for relativity.
Gauche
PaulX35
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False Ideas
I think a number of posts here paint a false idea of the way scientific discoveries are made. The sudden and instant brainwave leading to some breakthrough, also called "serendipity", is an extremely rare thing.
Most discoveries are the fruit of laborious logical thinking. Einstein's theory of relativity is no exception. The whole idea of time being "bendable" is essentially a perfectly logical deduction from the fact that the speed of light turns out to be a constant, and the inconsistencies deriving from that.
It subsequently took quite a bit of off-mainstream yet logical thinking to come to the theory - and how off-mainstream a new theory is, is often shown by the degree of initial acceptance of it - but that doesn't mean this was a suddenly hitting brainwave. It very rarely is.
Paul
I think a number of posts here paint a false idea of the way scientific discoveries are made. The sudden and instant brainwave leading to some breakthrough, also called "serendipity", is an extremely rare thing.
Most discoveries are the fruit of laborious logical thinking. Einstein's theory of relativity is no exception. The whole idea of time being "bendable" is essentially a perfectly logical deduction from the fact that the speed of light turns out to be a constant, and the inconsistencies deriving from that.
It subsequently took quite a bit of off-mainstream yet logical thinking to come to the theory - and how off-mainstream a new theory is, is often shown by the degree of initial acceptance of it - but that doesn't mean this was a suddenly hitting brainwave. It very rarely is.
Paul
Octavian
Literotica Guru
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Serendipity
Paul
I don't think anyone here actually believed gauchecritic's explanation about how Einstein might have stumbled across his theory of relativity.
We all know 2h pencils weren't produced until after his death.
He must have used an HB one!
Octavian
Bearer of the Silver Rose
Paul
I don't think anyone here actually believed gauchecritic's explanation about how Einstein might have stumbled across his theory of relativity.
We all know 2h pencils weren't produced until after his death.
He must have used an HB one!
Octavian
Bearer of the Silver Rose
MathGirl
Cogito
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Big Al's pencil
As a physics person, I can give you the definitive information on this. It's an established historical fact that Einstein used an Eberhard Faber yellow #2. The eraser had been chewed off, and the metal thingie had been extensively utilized for earwax removal. Oh, he didn't have a pencil sharpener and used a Buck brand Bowie knife (9 inch blade, 404 stainless steel, walnut grip). I hope this clarifies the matter.
Diane, MSc, not quite PhD
Octavian said:
As a physics person, I can give you the definitive information on this. It's an established historical fact that Einstein used an Eberhard Faber yellow #2. The eraser had been chewed off, and the metal thingie had been extensively utilized for earwax removal. Oh, he didn't have a pencil sharpener and used a Buck brand Bowie knife (9 inch blade, 404 stainless steel, walnut grip). I hope this clarifies the matter.
Diane, MSc, not quite PhD
gauchecritic
When there are grey skies
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Re: Serendipity
Point of order Mr Chairman.
The letter 'h' is a consonant so the sentence should read; 'He must have used a HB one' not 'an HB one'
And before you start yes it IS 'an Unicorn' not 'a Unicorn.'
Yours criticisingly gauche
Gauche
Octavian said:
Point of order Mr Chairman.
The letter 'h' is a consonant so the sentence should read; 'He must have used a HB one' not 'an HB one'
And before you start yes it IS 'an Unicorn' not 'a Unicorn.'
Yours criticisingly gauche
Gauche
MathGirl
Cogito
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#$%^&%^&*()_
Oh, $%^&*)(_. Just what we need around here, an Englishian. Looks like we lowlifes who study math and physics better keep our bow... vowels to ourselves.
Madame Chairman, to you, Bub
p.s. Did anyone notice my new hair style?
<------------------------- it's over there
gauchecritic said:
Oh, $%^&*)(_. Just what we need around here, an Englishian. Looks like we lowlifes who study math and physics better keep our bow... vowels to ourselves.
Madame Chairman, to you, Bub
p.s. Did anyone notice my new hair style?
<------------------------- it's over there
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gauchecritic
When there are grey skies
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Re: #$%^&%^&*()_
Just one question. Why do you yankees study maths in the singular?
Gauche
MathGirl said:
Just one question. Why do you yankees study maths in the singular?
Gauche
gauchecritic
When there are grey skies
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Physics?
Is that Physics or Phys. Eds?
Gauche
Is that Physics or Phys. Eds?
Gauche
gauchecritic
When there are grey skies
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Oh very good, very good.
You'll be using irony next.
Gauche
PS That is a really, really ironic statement.
You'll be using irony next.
Gauche
PS That is a really, really ironic statement.
Octavian
Literotica Guru
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An 'an' before a consonant
Originally posted by Gauchecritic
The letter 'h' is a consonant so the sentence should read; 'He must have used a HB one' not 'an HB one'
Yet another of the idiosyncracies of English grammar is that 'an' is used before an 'aitch' where the aitch is silent.
It is written the same way
eg. It is an honour to meet you. I'll see you in an hour.
And strangely, an hotel.
Because I pronounce the pencil 'aitch-bee' I used 'an'.
MathGirl
See where your full stop lead.
BTW I prefer the avatar without the teeth or the big bottom.
Octavian
Bearer of the Silver Rose
Originally posted by Gauchecritic
The letter 'h' is a consonant so the sentence should read; 'He must have used a HB one' not 'an HB one'
Yet another of the idiosyncracies of English grammar is that 'an' is used before an 'aitch' where the aitch is silent.
It is written the same way
eg. It is an honour to meet you. I'll see you in an hour.
And strangely, an hotel.
Because I pronounce the pencil 'aitch-bee' I used 'an'.
MathGirl
See where your full stop lead.
BTW I prefer the avatar without the teeth or the big bottom.
Octavian
Bearer of the Silver Rose
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