OOTS #1144 - The Discussion Thread

[Larre Gannd]

You know, I had forgotten about that? I think subconsciously that's what nudged me along these lines.

That actually gives me another analogy: In some models of string theory, black hole singularities aren't truly singular but are dense knots of strings, and as the BH decays via Hawking radiation, the knot sort of unravels. Further, BHs decay at a rate proportional to 1/r, so once past a certain threshold it's "feed or die", but above that threshold they last a really long time (in human terms anyway). So a long-established diety, like the elven gods may be, or a primordial one that has routinely "topped off", like Thor, can last a very long time without feeding. However, a newly established one, even one with a lot of food coming in, might not be able to because they haven't crossed that threshold yet. It also takes time for a BH to absorb its "food", so we could also make an analogy to the souls of the dead, but it's not as nice an analogy since a BH always takes that long: it doesn't get quick bursts per se. It looks like it does, but that's due to Brehmstrahlung radiation, not the mass crossing the event horizon. And now we're getting into College Senior-level physics. :P

I’ve been besieged by science!

[DemonRoach]

Indeed, it's "Dirt Farmer" not Ian orTarquin, and why I feel an affinity for Dirt Farmer should become clear upon reading the old strips.

Sorry that the joke didn't age well.

I got it and found it amusing

[ArcanaGuy]

I'll definitely chime in with the folks who point out that classic Norse mythology *does* strongly suggest that Thor's hair was blond (though his beard may have been red), and that the culture may not have differentiated between yellow and red so strongly... but called gold 'Red' so even references to it being red might have been a blond color. In comparisons to things we know: it was compared favorably to its similarity to fire, to wheat, and to gold.

However, that doesn't mean that this comic isn't right! Because there's a large portion of time in between Norse Myth and Jack Kirby - the reason everyone has this misapprehension that Thor has Red Hair is because once the Christians moved into the area, THAT is when Thor gained red hair - demonizing the local deities, red being associated with Satan.

So yes. Before Jack Kirby wrote Thor, Thor was indeed ginger. And before he was ginger, he was most likely originally blond.

[D.One]

I’ve been besieged by science!

"Science. Science everywhere..."

[Larre Gannd]

"Science. Science everywhere..."

Which is weird, for a fantasy story.

[D.One]

Which is weird, for a fantasy story.

To quote Fyraltari's sig,

"Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced."

Magic is a science, and, for many, science seems like magic.

[Fyraltari]

To quote Fyraltari's sig,

"Any technology distinguishable from magic is insufficiently advanced."

Magic is a science, and, for many, science seems like magic.

I'm only replying so people can see the actual source.

[Grey_Wolf_c]

I'm only replying so people can see the actual source.

I like this display, because it shows the progression of the sentiment:



(source)

Grey Wolf

[Fyraltari]

The third one is just restating the first one though.

[Peelee]

There's always Ambrose Bierce's take on it:

MAGIC, n. An art of converting superstition into coin. There are other arts serving the same high purpose, but the discreet lexicographer does not name them.

One could assume that science is merely a perfection of the art.

[Fyraltari]

The only use science has for superstition is target practice.

[Grey_Wolf_c]

The third one is just restating the first one though.

No. The first implies there are technologies that, not being sufficiently advanced, cannot pass for magic. The latter, that no such line in the sand exists.

Grey Wolf

[Fyraltari]

I'm not sure. "Distinguishable" is relative to the observer. The meaning of the quote has always been "if A come from a society whose technology is sufficiently more advanced than B's, then A's technology will be magic for B".

[Larre Gannd]

I’d like to point out that just because the tech can pass off as magic does not make it magic. It just means people can’t tell the difference. However, with a closer look, one would see that the tech is still obeying the laws of physics, whereas the magic is telling physics to sit down and shut up.

[2D8HP]

I got it and found it amusing

Thank you so very much!