Toadfish Monastery

Open Water => Miscellaneous Discussion => Topic started by: Griffin NoName on January 16, 2010, 12:01:10 AM

Title: Godwin's Law
Post by: Griffin NoName on January 16, 2010, 12:01:10 AM
Nice to see wikipedia keep up to date. Who wants to debate Godwin's Law (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godwins_law)?

QuoteGodwin's Rule (sic) was featured on the Germany episode of QI, on 15 January 2010.


* drat! that was supposed to show posted on 15th. missed it by 1 minute as it is now 16th 00:01:00
Title: Re: Godwin's Law
Post by: Sibling Zono (anon1mat0) on January 16, 2010, 04:52:48 AM
I propose that such law is ridiculous, authoritarian, in fact the kind of thing you would see under the Nazis.
:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:
---
Quote from: wikipedia articleIn October 2007, the "Last Page" columnist in The Smithsonian stated that when an adversary uses an inappropriate Hitler or Nazi comparison, "you have only to say 'Godwin's Law' and a trapdoor falls open, plunging your rival into a pool of hungry crocodiles."
If only such thing could be applied to Faux News...
Title: Re: Godwin's Law
Post by: stellinacadente on January 17, 2010, 07:44:27 PM
INHO... here is a perfect example of mathematicians humor... I had to survive it myself while enduring University...

ex.

"and Jesus said to his disciples y= x2...

here is another parable..."

pleaze  8)
Title: Re: Godwin's Law
Post by: beagle on January 17, 2010, 07:48:49 PM
Quote from: stellinacadente on January 17, 2010, 07:44:27 PM
INHO... here is a perfect example of mathematicians humor... I had to survive it myself while enduring University...

Q.  What's purple and travels on the Northern Line?

A.  An abelian grape.

Well you started it...
Title: Re: Godwin's Law
Post by: Griffin NoName on January 17, 2010, 09:49:52 PM
Looking up abelian was no help:

quote = One of a sect in Africa (4th century), mentioned by St. Augustine, who states that they married, but lived in continence, after the manner, as they pretended, of Abel.
Title: Re: Godwin's Law
Post by: beagle on January 18, 2010, 07:12:49 AM
Commuters use the Northern Line, and abelian groups are commutative.

Now you know why mathematicians don't get invited to the good parties.


I think there's a branch of that sect you found in Surbiton too.
Title: Re: Godwin's Law
Post by: Swatopluk on January 18, 2010, 08:31:57 AM
If 3 people are in a room and 5 leave then 2 people have to enter for the room to be empty.
Title: Re: Godwin's Law
Post by: Griffin NoName on January 18, 2010, 07:17:33 PM
Commuters use the Jubilee line too. And what is so funny about Surbiton? (genuine question, I think it's funny too but never know exactly why..... it could just as well be Crawley, or Lower Norwood.....).

As for the empty room, of course, observing it may well fill it with 60 people.
Title: Re: Godwin's Law
Post by: beagle on January 18, 2010, 09:30:02 PM
Quote from: Griffin NoName on January 18, 2010, 07:17:33 PM
And what is so funny about Surbiton?

Margot Leadbetter lives there. And as she pointed out Weybridge has a chemist called a "drug store" and wife-swapping has already reached Esher.  It's the last redoubt of suburbia (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VCqAjYO3NM).
Title: Re: Godwin's Law
Post by: Aggie on January 19, 2010, 05:17:09 AM
Being from a country that has drug stores rather than chemists, I must say that while having your prescription synthesized to order adds a certain personal touch, it seems to be much more of a bother than simply stocking pre-manufactured drugs. The wait times for some compounds must be atrocious.

Australia is also a rather confusing place, what with the bottle shops. I appreciate the free beer, but the price of the bottles themselves is ridiculous! ;D
Title: Re: Godwin's Law
Post by: beagle on January 19, 2010, 07:29:24 AM
Quote from: Agujjim on January 19, 2010, 05:17:09 AM
Being from a country that has drug stores rather than chemists, I must say that while having your prescription synthesized to order adds a certain personal touch, it seems to be much more of a bother than simply stocking pre-manufactured drugs. The wait times for some compounds must be atrocious.

I don't think it was the mechanics of drug preparation that annoyed Margo (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Good_Life_(1975_TV_series)#Margo_Leadbetter) .  She was a teeny bit snobbish and not too keen on Americanisms. Or Labour. Or Unions. Or hippies.

Apart from the anti-American bit she may have been an early prototype for a cross between Cartman and Bree from Desperate Housewives. Search for "The Good Life" on You Tube if interested. 
It's always being repeated here (a sort of British "I Love Lucy").

I don't think many chemists make their own drugs these days (not legit ones outside episodes of Poirot anyway), it's just a name thing.
Title: Re: Godwin's Law
Post by: Griffin NoName on January 19, 2010, 06:17:45 PM

I forgot about Margot !
Title: Re: Godwin's Law
Post by: Aggie on January 20, 2010, 06:39:06 AM
Was being facetious about the chemists (and the bottle shops), because I do think the NA version is more accurate if less charming.

Speaking of early prototypes of Cartman, listen to this, starting at about 1:50, but especially 2:15....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GssGstMvpdU

I've been listening to way too much Ween lately, but this album preceded South Park. Had to be an influence.
Title: Re: Godwin's Law
Post by: beagle on January 20, 2010, 07:16:59 AM
They're on the soundtrack album so seems likely. (The early one, there have probably been several by now...).
Title: Re: Godwin's Law
Post by: stellinacadente on January 22, 2010, 12:33:02 AM
Quote from: beagle on January 18, 2010, 07:12:49 AM

Now you know why mathematicians don't get invited to the good parties.



ROTFL....  on the abelian too... I personally rather forget that kind of humor...I  think it is tragic if you actually get it !!!! LOL LOL
Title: Re: Godwin's Law
Post by: beagle on January 22, 2010, 07:35:25 AM
Quote from: stellinacadente on January 22, 2010, 12:33:02 AM
I personally rather forget that kind of humor...I  think it is tragic if you actually get it

Yep. Very few of us have successfully combined mastery of finite group theory with a second career as rock gods. Appeals to completely different sets of groupies for one thing. Or is it classes of groupies? You see how complicated it gets...


Title: Re: Godwin's Law
Post by: Swatopluk on January 22, 2010, 09:35:19 AM
At least there is the Pi song
Title: Re: Godwin's Law
Post by: Bob in a quantum-state-of-faith on January 22, 2010, 07:55:06 PM
Quote from: Swatopluk on January 22, 2010, 09:35:19 AM
At least there is the Pi song

Pi song?  One of my personal favorites...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mfr7xG6smhU (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mfr7xG6smhU)

Especially the chorus.... pi.... in harmony, no less.

:)

The first chorus starts at a fraction after 1:17 in.   The second chorus (longer-- more digits) is at 2:43 and goes to the end.

At the least?  Listen to one of those...

Update:  Here's a pair of college girls with too much time on their hands, who (almost-- well the one on the right does) sing along with the entire final chorus:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gnjs8YUqZY4&feature=related (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gnjs8YUqZY4&feature=related)
Title: Re: Godwin's Law
Post by: Griffin NoName on January 24, 2010, 06:35:37 AM
Quote from: beagle on January 22, 2010, 07:35:25 AM
Very few of us have successfully combined mastery of finite group theory with a second career as rock gods.

Actually I know a physicist turned successful rock god and heard of at least one other.
Title: Re: Godwin's Law
Post by: beagle on January 24, 2010, 07:37:36 PM
I can only think of Brian May.
Title: Re: Godwin's Law
Post by: Griffin NoName on January 26, 2010, 06:52:45 AM
Richard Vranch (http://richardvranch.com/)

Are we approaching Godwin's Law yet?