The Twin Socks Paradox: Solving the Mystery

[photon]

Nice ring to the titlem, huh?

Anyway, has anyone here had those strange experiences with socks?

Like when you have a few pairs of nice comfortable socks, then you get some new ones, and suddenly the old ones feel itchy and old.
Its just plain weird I say!

Or when you wash your socks, then later you find out some are missing?

 

[Evo]

It is one of those mysteries that will never be solved. You put 6 soxs into the washing machine & only 3 will come out AND not a single one will match!

 

[Hurkyl]

I like the theory that socks mate and reproduce in the wash, thus creating the odd socks!

 

[zoobyshoe]

Chroot and Ambitwistor explained this to my satisfaction once. It has to do with one sock traveling along a longer space-time interval than the other as it travels around in the appliance. Time, therefore, passes at a different rate for each sock. That being the case, only one sock is permitted under General Relitivity, to return to the observers frame of reference.

 

[Evo]

Originally posted by zoobyshoe
Chroot and Ambitwistor explained this to my satisfaction once. It has to do with one sock traveling along a longer space-time interval than the other as it travels around in the appliance. Time, therefore, passes at a different rate for each sock. That being the case, only one sock is permitted under General Relitivity, to return to the observers frame of reference.

That does make sense!

 

[photon]

Sure, the twin sox paradox makes sense, but what about the itchy sock conspiracy?!

I think I got this one. When newer socks go near good comfortable socks, the electomagnetic repulsion causes the old ones to decay faster.

So that means when Pro-spirit, Hanes, and Auro socks are washed together, you get socklear fission!

 

[photon]

Lets not forget sock functions and wave-sock duality.
This way, the harder you look for a sock, the harder it is to find.

 

[photon]

EEEK!
Just found out: My avatar stole my missing sock and is now wearing it as a hat!

geez, I am going to have dreams about sox trying to kill me.

 

[hypnagogue]

Haven't you people ever watched The Family Guy? The answer is that inside the washing machine there is a portal to Narnia where a satyr named Mr. Tumnus steals the socks. sheesh

 

[Tsu]

My mom used to say there were sock-eating gnomes in the washer AND the dryer. That way if the one in the washer didn't get it, the one in the dryer would! Well, that was before Laundry Room Black Holes were discovered. Now I know the truth! (Wise up, hypnagogue! You were the closest to the truth, but aren't you glad that now you ALL know about LRBH's.) (I once tried to save all the dryer lint to plug the hole, but the dryer caught fire, Ivan got a little irate and said "Just buy lots of the same socks so we never KNOW if one has been sucked up by the LRBH." This seems to work just fine...)

 

[Ivan Seeking]

Under the Many Worlds Theory we find that there exist an infinite number of parallel worlds with every possible combination of socks in the washer. When you close the lid you have taken the observer out of the loop [see the Schrodinger's cat paradox]. The system then enters a superposition of eigenstates [there is no unique number of socks present] that may or may not yield the same eigenvalue [the number of socks in the washer] on the next measurement or observation; thus the number of socks may or may not remain constant.

A simple solution is found: Don't close the lid.

 

[Mr. Robin Parsons]

"Stealth Socks" (Patent pending!)

(It's from another sockingly good thread knitted on this same Knotttty (naughty?? huh??) problem...)

 

[Janus]

Originally posted by photon
Sure, the twin sox paradox makes sense, but what about the itchy sock conspiracy?!

I think I got this one. When newer socks go near good comfortable socks, the electomagnetic repulsion causes the old ones to decay faster.

The true reason is thus:

Socks reproduce by budding. When new socks are introduced to a sock herd, this triggers the budding response in the old socks. It is the production of these buds that make the old socks feel itchy.

This, in turn, prompts the sock wearer to throw away the old socks, returning them to the wild where the process can continue to its natural conclusion. (In those cases were the sock wearer holds on to socks through the "itchy" stage, the budding process weakens the sock until actual structual failure (Holes) occur.)

Once the socks have finished reproducing, the new socks are harvested and shipped to the stores. (By harvesting socks before they are fully matured is how we get socks for children.)

 

[jimmy p]

I recently got some new socks, that were all exactly the same size, but NOW some of them are smaller...as if they are a different make...stupid. its not another make, cos all my white sox are the same, the black sox are different.

 

[Tsu]

Originally posted by jimmy p
I recently got some new socks, that were all exactly the same size, but NOW some of them are smaller...as if they are a different make...stupid. its not another make, cos all my white sox are the same, the black sox are different.

Chopnik! You're a SOCK RACIST??

 

[Mr. Robin Parsons]

Originally posted by Tsunami
Chopnik! You're a SOCK RACIST??

Tsunami! You didn't know? ( )

 

[jimmy p]

LOL...im also soxist. nah what i mean is that the black ones are thin (DOH DOH DOH) and the white SOCKS are sports sox.

 

[Mr. Robin Parsons]

Yes, but are they budding?...

 

[jimmy p]

they are bobbling...does that count?

 

[Mr. Robin Parsons]

Originally posted by jimmy p
they are bobbling...does that count?

Don't know, ask Chroot...it's his assertion...me, I thought that they would be more like a 'Mantis', or a 'Black Widow', you know, "eating the other one, (the sexual partner) right after mating", hence only one sock comes out of the dryer...cheese! I thought everyone knew that one...

 

[Evo]

Hmmmm, after reading Janus' explanation, I'm leading toward the budding theory now. It does seem to explain "everything".

 

[Tsu]

Originally posted by jimmy p
LOL...im also soxist. nah what i mean is that the black ones are thin (DOH DOH DOH) and the white SOCKS are sports sox.

Shouldn't the black ones be the sports sox? (Sorry - me bad. )
What's 'bobbling' Chopnik? Is that a Brit term?

 

[jimmy p]

lol...bobbling is when u wash something and u get the little circular raised bits...like bobbles. usually happens when the clothes are washed too regularily or have crappy conditioner.

 

[Tsu]

Photon, after much contemplation on this matter, I'm beginning to think that my childhood flannel pajamas are related in some way to your socks! They would do the same dang thing to me any time I got a pair of new ones. They (the old ones) would grow these little itchy 'pills' all over them. Good grief! Inter-breeding of socks and pajamas. What's this world coming to?

 

[Tsu]

Originally posted by jimmy p
lol...bobbling is when u wash something and u get the little circular raised bits...like bobbles. usually happens when the clothes are washed too regularily or have crappy conditioner.

Ah! Like my pajamas! My mom called them 'pills'. If they got too bad, she would sometimes take my dad's razor and shave them off! It worked pretty well! 'Course my dad would come out of his shower and shave with little nicks all over his face wonderding what the heck happened to his brand new blade he just put in yesterday... We never said a word! We'd just say 'musta been a lemon blade, dad'...(we need a 'snicker' smilie?)

 

[Monique]

http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung0903/grinser/grinning-smiley-021.gif

 

[Tsu]

Originally posted by Monique
http://www.click-smilies.de/sammlung0903/grinser/grinning-smiley-021.gif

Perfect! Thanks Niek! (did I spell that right?)

 

[Artman]

Originally posted by Tsunami
Photon, after much contemplation on this matter, I'm beginning to think that my childhood flannel pajamas are related in some way to your socks! They would do the same dang thing to me any time I got a pair of new ones. They (the old ones) would grow these little itchy 'pills' all over them. Good grief! Inter-breeding of socks and pajamas. What's this world coming to?

Yes, there is some inter-breeding that happens. Sometimes when I take a flannel garment out of the wash the socks are still clinging to it (it's quite embarrasing).

In fact, I believe that some of the socks try to stay with the flannel garment, but the flannel breaks the relationship with the socks leaving them lying wherever the mood takes them.

So next time you see a lone sock lying beside the road, have pity. The poor thing has been jilted by some two-timing flannel shirt after a hot fling in the drier. Sad really.

 

[Monique]

Originally posted by Tsunami
Perfect! Thanks Niek! (did I spell that right?)

Actually you did

 

[Artman]

A little more insight on the sock saga.

When the sock's relationship with the flannel grows static, they get clingy, but there's just not enough of an attraction to keep them from pulling apart.

Sparks really fly when they separate. Shocking really.

 

[pace]

You have to be a little sensible here, It's quite simple.
The socks are obviously hiding, succumbed into the other clothers.
Ever felt your sweater was suddenly warmer? Or that your jeans were too tight?
The old itchy socks are probably those who fall off again.