Great one-liners from PF members

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Discussion Overview

This thread invites members to share and discuss humorous or insightful one-liners from Physics Forums, highlighting wit and cleverness in responses related to various topics in physics, mathematics, and science in general. The scope includes pithy remarks, humorous exchanges, and notable quotes from members, as well as some commentary on broader themes in science and reasoning.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Meta-discussion

Main Points Raised

  • Some participants share one-liners that reflect humor in scientific discussions, such as comments on relativity and the limitations of crayons.
  • One participant notes the irony in the assertion that "thinking outside the box" requires understanding what is inside it.
  • Another humorous remark discusses the absurdity of "table/pillow duality" in relation to everyday objects.
  • A quote from a departed member emphasizes that interesting scientific questions often arise amidst conflicting ideas.
  • Several participants share humorous takes on homeopathy, including a quip about overdosing on homeopathic medication.
  • One exchange humorously highlights the redundancy of stating that wood is as strong as wood.
  • A participant reflects on the challenges of estimating forces in a humorous context, suggesting a light-hearted take on serious topics.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally share humorous observations and witty remarks, but there is no consensus on the validity or implications of the statements made, particularly regarding homeopathy and scientific reasoning.

Contextual Notes

Some remarks may rely on specific contexts or definitions that are not fully explored, such as the nature of homeopathic remedies and their purported effects. Additionally, the humor in some exchanges may depend on shared knowledge of prior discussions or scientific concepts.

  • #391
fresh_42 said:
... which is why butter is desperately needed, I guess. Somehow the traditional version of "In case of doubt add bacon (optional: cheese)!"
Now to chase down a buttered pig to put in my parsnips.
 
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  • #392
jbriggs444 said:
Now to chase down a buttered pig to put in my parsnips.
That is mean. I am not a hypocrite, I love all forms of pig.
That would put an animal under unnecessary stress.
 
  • #393
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  • #394
epenguin said:
A bit oldie, used to be a common saying. I don't know how commonly people eat parsnips any more - as I remember nobody really liked them.
I'm quite partial to a roast (unbuttered) parsnip now and then.
 
  • #396
hutchphd said:
With a little olive oil and roasted in the oven until sweet. Yum. Had my first parsnip a age fifty...not popular during my youth
Apparently the "yum" part is quite subjective and seems hard-wired in our genes: https://www.sciencefocus.com/the-human-body/why-do-some-people-hate-brussels-sprouts/
I'm not so fond of brussels sprouts. My favourite vegetable is the leek. The most spectacular is the Romanesco broccoli:

broccoli.jpg
 
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  • #397
Yes. When I first saw it at the market I thought I may have ingested something hallucinogenic. Apparently it was not a big seller as it is no longer available. Pity.
 
  • #398
hutchphd said:
Partially because the future physics is truly unknown. Also because teaching how it fits would require you to understand the subjects you don't yet know and that is not efficient. But, where possible, we agree
Teaching the elementary methods to bright students is particularly difficult because often they use shortcuts to do the simple provblems: "Why do I need to draw a free body analysis when I can just write down answer from my head ?" The method of analysis is what is being taught, not how to play with Atwood Machines. Soon enough the problems will be non-intuitive. You need some faith that these folks understand what they are doing.
Not a one-liner by any means but full of insight. I do remember as a younger student being frustrated at not having immediate overarching perspective/intuition. Things were so easy at the 2000 level that when it came to higher level classes I hit a wall because things were no longer intuitive.

This is exactly what every young student needs to hear. You can’t have overarching perspective before you’ve had many many years of experience and that you have to trust that even though it’s impossible for teachers to confer immediate overarching insight that they do structure their curriculum in such a way that you eventually can glean said insight.

@hutchphd
 
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  • #399
off topic offramp.jpg
 
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  • #400
phinds said:

Yes most of the posts highlighted in the thread are witty one liners. But why not highlight good posts in general? Assuming they aren’t too technical/content heavy.
 
  • #401
PhDeezNutz said:
Yes most of the posts highlighted in the thread are witty one liners. But why not highlight good posts in general? Assuming they aren’t too technical/content heavy.
I was not complaining about your post specifically but all of the last several posts. I feel the thread got off track and no, I don't agree that this is the right thread to celebrate long posts. If you'd like to start a new thread to do that then do so. Let's keep this to one-liners.
 
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  • #402
PhDeezNutz said:
phinds said:
If you'd like to start a new thread to do that then do so.
Please don't! We already have a backup procedure in place.
 
  • #403
fresh_42 said:
Please don't! We already have a backup procedure in place.
1666718245553.png
 
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  • #404
jbriggs444 said:
And don't forget that we use only recycled electrons from natural sources!
 
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  • #405
fresh_42 said:
And don't forget that we use only recycled electrons!
Finest kind!
 
  • #406
BillTre said:
Finest kind!
THAT is a one liner.
 
  • #407
fresh_42 said:
And don't forget that we use only recycled electrons from natural sources!
Give fresh his due. I didn't think Mathematicians cared about that stuff.
 
  • #408
pinball1970 said:
I didn't think Mathematicians cared about that stuff.
Oh, we do. We are idealists, whereas some merely in the Platonic sense, but yes. It is the reality that we usually fail gloriously at. :cool:
 
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  • #409
While discussing yet another incorrect OP circuit in the EE forum, and still trying to be helpful... :smile:

Baluncore said:
Then I applied an "inverse acid-trip transform" to see what clean circuit concepts might have been present in the ancestral circuit, and how they might interrelate.
 
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  • #410
In response to a post trying to use the rubber sheet model to understand gravity.
Ibix said:
It would be like trying to deduce how a steam train works by looking at a child's wooden toy.
 
  • #411
SammyS said:
It's very difficult to counter a valid argument.
 
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  • #412
... not that we wouldn't try!
 
  • #413
fresh_42 said:
... not that we wouldn't try!
There are well known ways of countering valid arguments. "The Big Lie", "Straw man", "Ad hominem", "Equivocation", "Post hoc ergo propter hoc", "Deflect and distract, never give in, never admit fault, lie and attack, lie and attack".

Those of us in the technical disciplines often experience problems dealing effectively with such counters.
 
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  • #414
DaveE said:
There's a reason that the datasheets have lots of writing on them.
 
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  • #415
In a thread asking about a questionable psychological relation...

gleem said:
Just wanted to add that birds of a feather flock together and there aren't a lot of intelligent birds.
 
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  • #416
Hmm. Then what are we all doing here on PF? :oldconfused:
 
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  • #417
strangerep said:
Hmm. Then what are we all doing here on PF? :oldconfused:
Hey, chirp for yourself!
 
  • #418
strangerep said:
Hmm. Then what are we all doing here on PF? :oldconfused:
Caw Caw
 
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  • #419
phinds said:
Caw Caw
Yup!
Playing in the wind.

(Explanation: If you have seen a large field on a breezy day, a row of trees on the downwind side, and Crows; you may have seen them soaring, gliding. and chasing each other in the updraft.)
 
  • #420
berkeman said:
In a thread asking about a questionable psychological relation...
Corvids are highly intelligent.
 

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