Comments on: The String Kings http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/ Random samplings from a universe of ideas. Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:45:35 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Not Even Wrong » Blog Archive » String Kings - The Director’s Cut http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/comment-page-1/#comment-23130 Not Even Wrong » Blog Archive » String Kings - The Director’s Cut Fri, 13 Apr 2007 18:36:12 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/#comment-23130 [...] I just learned from Cosmic Variance that a review of the Director’s Cut version of String Kings is now out. It seems that the Director’s Cut version includes more scenes featuring a certain “man on the edge” in New York City… [...] [...] I just learned from Cosmic Variance that a review of the Director’s Cut version of String Kings is now out. It seems that the Director’s Cut version includes more scenes featuring a certain “man on the edge” in New York City… [...]

]]> By: Nuggets | Cosmic Variance http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/comment-page-1/#comment-23129 Nuggets | Cosmic Variance Fri, 13 Apr 2007 17:19:30 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/#comment-23129 [...] Remember the String Kings? Then you’ll love the Director’s Cut, brought to you by Steven Miller. [...] [...] Remember the String Kings? Then you’ll love the Director’s Cut, brought to you by Steven Miller. [...]

]]> By: Chris Oakley http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/comment-page-1/#comment-23128 Chris Oakley Thu, 14 Dec 2006 08:52:07 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/#comment-23128 Jimbo, I don't think that, as far as Lubos is concerned, there is any such thing as bad publicity. On the subject of which, if a String version of "Yellow Submarine" gets made then I would not mind a cameo as a Blue Meanie. Film producers please take note. Jimbo,

I don’t think that, as far as Lubos is concerned, there is any such thing as bad publicity.

On the subject of which, if a String version of “Yellow Submarine” gets made then I would not mind a cameo as a Blue Meanie. Film producers please take note.

]]> By: Jimbo http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/comment-page-1/#comment-23127 Jimbo Thu, 14 Dec 2006 06:24:49 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/#comment-23127 Oakley's rundown of StringKings 2 had me splitting a gut to the point of seeing stars !!! Altho somehow, I don't think Lubos finds any of this humorous.... Oakley’s rundown of StringKings 2 had me splitting a gut to the point of seeing stars !!! Altho somehow, I don’t think Lubos finds any of this humorous….

]]> By: Elliot http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/comment-page-1/#comment-23126 Elliot Thu, 14 Dec 2006 02:25:01 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/#comment-23126 Chris, with all due respect it is not worth a seperate post. Elliot Chris,

with all due respect it is not worth a seperate post.

Elliot

]]> By: Chris W. http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/comment-page-1/#comment-23125 Chris W. Thu, 14 Dec 2006 00:31:32 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/#comment-23125 Off topic, but maybe worth a separate post: Gregg Easterbrook has gone off in his typically muddled way about some recent supernova observations that allegedly undermine the use of supernovas as standard candles in observational cosmology. See this <a href="http://www.radioopensource.org/the-collapse-of-dark-energy/" rel="nofollow">blog post</a> from NPR's <em>Radio Open Source</em>. Off topic, but maybe worth a separate post: Gregg Easterbrook has gone off in his typically muddled way about some recent supernova observations that allegedly undermine the use of supernovas as standard candles in observational cosmology. See this blog post from NPR’s Radio Open Source.

]]> By: CapitalistImperialistPig http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/comment-page-1/#comment-23124 CapitalistImperialistPig Thu, 14 Dec 2006 00:16:29 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/#comment-23124 Steve (or Stevem) didn't care for the Clifford Johnson/Samuel L. Jackson dialogue, but I personally found the Johnson/Jackson rant about "M*****f****** loops on a brane..." to be classic. Another favorite scene for me was the flashback where a then sevenish Lubosh takes down a much older Communist Youth League punk with a couple of well-chosen matrix multiplications and a differentiation under the integral sign. It didn't make it into the theatrical cut of course, but I hope that the scene with Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan as ditzy coeds in Joe Polchinski's class unable to come up with concrete examples of trowser diagrams might be restored in the DVD. Steve (or Stevem) didn’t care for the Clifford Johnson/Samuel L. Jackson dialogue, but I personally found the Johnson/Jackson rant about “M*****f****** loops on a brane…” to be classic.

Another favorite scene for me was the flashback where a then sevenish Lubosh takes down a much older Communist Youth League punk with a couple of well-chosen matrix multiplications and a differentiation under the integral sign.

It didn’t make it into the theatrical cut of course, but I hope that the scene with Britney Spears and Lindsay Lohan as ditzy coeds in Joe Polchinski’s class unable to come up with concrete examples of trowser diagrams might be restored in the DVD.

]]> By: Plato http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/comment-page-1/#comment-23123 Plato Wed, 13 Dec 2006 20:15:11 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/#comment-23123 #30 must have touched some supersymmetrical existence and information was downloaded through the anomalistic features of the super fluid?:) It was if he stood in the middle of "no where," between the ephemeral and the realistic, waiting for this time to come. ....and then, through "symmetry breaking" dropped from the 22nd century into his compacted brain of reference. The idea was born. :) #30 must have touched some supersymmetrical existence and information was downloaded through the anomalistic features of the super fluid?:)

It was if he stood in the middle of “no where,” between the ephemeral and the realistic, waiting for this time to come.

….and then, through “symmetry breaking” dropped from the 22nd century into his compacted brain of reference. The idea was born. :)

]]> By: Alejandro Rivero http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/comment-page-1/#comment-23122 Alejandro Rivero Wed, 13 Dec 2006 20:07:17 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/#comment-23122 I read Woit telling that the "fine tunning" argument of supersymmetry was devised by Witten in 1981 in Sicily. I read Woit telling that the “fine tunning” argument of supersymmetry was devised by Witten in 1981 in Sicily.

]]> By: Uncle Enzo http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/comment-page-1/#comment-23121 Uncle Enzo Wed, 13 Dec 2006 18:44:41 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/#comment-23121 Sean must have already been tenured. Sean must have already been tenured.

]]> By: Chris Oakley http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/comment-page-1/#comment-23120 Chris Oakley Wed, 13 Dec 2006 17:19:24 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/#comment-23120 What about <i>Yellow Submarine</i>, with Peter W as the chief of the Blue Meanies? I think that that would be more apposite. What about Yellow Submarine, with Peter W as the chief of the Blue Meanies? I think that that would be more apposite.

]]> By: graviton383 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/comment-page-1/#comment-23119 graviton383 Wed, 13 Dec 2006 17:07:45 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/#comment-23119 I like escapism in movies; I'm still waiting for the promised Lord of the Strings trilogy by stevem... I like escapism in movies; I’m still waiting for the promised Lord of the Strings trilogy by stevem…

]]> By: Chris Oakley http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/comment-page-1/#comment-23118 Chris Oakley Wed, 13 Dec 2006 16:18:23 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/#comment-23118 Nigel, I wasn't joking. That piece of script arrived from the future (the future in my frame of reference, at least) through a freak wormhole that opened up in the space-time continuum on account of quantum effects from the compactified dimensions. Nigel,

I wasn’t joking. That piece of script arrived from the future (the future in my frame of reference, at least) through a freak wormhole that opened up in the space-time continuum on account of quantum effects from the compactified dimensions.

]]> By: nc http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/comment-page-1/#comment-23117 nc Wed, 13 Dec 2006 15:40:55 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/#comment-23117 ;-) Just saved Dr Oakley's comment in case someone accidentally deletes it for being <i>too</i> funny. When renormalization due to vacuum polarization phenomena is finally proved mechanistically correct and vital to the further development of QFT, he can take up commedy script writing as a recreation... ;-) Just saved Dr Oakley’s comment in case someone accidentally deletes it for being too funny. When renormalization due to vacuum polarization phenomena is finally proved mechanistically correct and vital to the further development of QFT, he can take up commedy script writing as a recreation…

]]> By: Chris Oakley http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/comment-page-1/#comment-23116 Chris Oakley Wed, 13 Dec 2006 09:05:41 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/#comment-23116 Final scene of "The String Kings, Part 2". Int. Princeton IAS coffee room. Day. The floor is strewn with dead bodies, weapons, broken coffee cups and copies of "Strings 2006". THE BIG BOSS and THE KID are only ones left alive. THE KID hides behind the counter. THE BIG BOSS Come out, you little squirt. Come out. You can't hide any longer. THE KID Who you calling a little squirt? My researchers were bigger than you in your own town. And we have more published on M theory than the whole of the IAS. A lot more. THE BIG BOSS Yeah. Must admit, I underestimated you. Thought you were just some flash-in-the-pan careerist scumbag who'd do anything to get noticed. Really didn't think that you might have a mind of your own. Thought I could control you. Well - looks like I got that wrong. THE KID You just f***ing ignored me! I f***ing worshipped you, and was prepared to do anything for you! Dispose of your enemies, give presentations at major conferences, clean your boots, get you Czech babes and substances, and you just f***ing ignored me! THE BIG BOSS Why should I not ignore you? You're an idiot. A useful idiot, maybe, but an idiot just the same. Having you on my team would have been embarrassing. THE KID [Waving an automatic pistol threateningly] Is this how you show your gratitude? Is it? We do more for M theory than anyone alive, and you just ignore us? THE BIG BOSS [Laughing] M theory! All this about M theory! Just don't get it, do you? M theory was a joke! In this very room, I once said that if I walked off a cliff then hundreds of String Theorists would gladly follow. Langlands didn't believe me, so I challenged him. I said, "OK - come up with a theory. Anything, Doesn't matter how stupid. Come up with it. I'll present at a conference, and I bet you that they'll all be working on it within a week." So he came up with M theory. I asked him what the "M" stood for: he wouldn't tell me, but it didn't matter. I presented it at a con, and sure enough soon everyone was working on it. Of course, no-one knows what M theory is, including me, but the thing I know that they don't is that it doesn't exist - it's a joke! And of course no-one questions it less or tries to promote it more eagerly than The Kid, my eager lapdog! THE KID [With each syllable he fires a bullet at THE BIG BOSS.] You were my f***ing idol! THE KID is then shot by a police marksman outside the building. Sound of broken glass. Camera zooms out. Theme music and credits. Final scene of “The String Kings, Part 2″.

Int. Princeton IAS coffee room. Day.

The floor is strewn with dead bodies, weapons, broken coffee cups and copies of “Strings 2006″. THE BIG BOSS and THE KID are only ones left alive. THE KID hides behind the counter.

THE BIG BOSS

Come out, you little squirt. Come out. You can’t hide any longer.

THE KID

Who you calling a little squirt? My researchers were bigger than you in your own town. And we have more published on M theory than the whole of the IAS. A lot more.

THE BIG BOSS

Yeah. Must admit, I underestimated you. Thought you were just some flash-in-the-pan careerist scumbag who’d do anything to get noticed. Really didn’t think that you might have a mind of your own. Thought I could control you. Well – looks like I got that wrong.

THE KID

You just f***ing ignored me! I f***ing worshipped you, and was prepared to do anything for you! Dispose of your enemies, give presentations at major conferences, clean your boots, get you Czech babes and substances, and you just f***ing ignored me!

THE BIG BOSS

Why should I not ignore you? You’re an idiot. A useful idiot, maybe, but an idiot just the same. Having you on my team would have been embarrassing.

THE KID [Waving an automatic pistol threateningly]

Is this how you show your gratitude? Is it? We do more for M theory than anyone alive, and you just ignore us?

THE BIG BOSS

[Laughing] M theory! All this about M theory! Just don’t get it, do you? M theory was a joke! In this very room, I once said that if I walked off a cliff then hundreds of String Theorists would gladly follow. Langlands didn’t believe me, so I challenged him. I said, “OK – come up with a theory. Anything, Doesn’t matter how stupid. Come up with it. I’ll present at a conference, and I bet you that they’ll all be working on it within a week.” So he came up with M theory. I asked him what the “M” stood for: he wouldn’t tell me, but it didn’t matter. I presented it at a con, and sure enough soon everyone was working on it. Of course, no-one knows what M theory is, including me, but the thing I know that they don’t is that it doesn’t exist – it’s a joke! And of course no-one questions it less or tries to promote it more eagerly than The Kid, my eager lapdog!

THE KID [With each syllable he fires a bullet at THE BIG BOSS.]

You were my f***ing idol!

THE KID is then shot by a police marksman outside the building. Sound of broken glass. Camera zooms out. Theme music and credits.

]]> By: Jack of Physics http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/comment-page-1/#comment-23115 Jack of Physics Wed, 13 Dec 2006 06:47:49 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/#comment-23115 Great movie concept, I couldn't wait until it hit theatres so I made a DVD cover! http://www.jacksofscience.com/?p=26 Cheers! Great movie concept, I couldn’t wait until it hit theatres so I made a DVD cover!
http://www.jacksofscience.com/?p=26

Cheers!

]]> By: Jacks of Science » You can get further with an M-Theory equation and a gun than you can with just an M-Theory equation http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/comment-page-1/#comment-23114 Jacks of Science » You can get further with an M-Theory equation and a gun than you can with just an M-Theory equation Wed, 13 Dec 2006 06:40:42 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/#comment-23114 [...] [...] [...] [...]

]]> By: JoAnne http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/comment-page-1/#comment-23113 JoAnne Wed, 13 Dec 2006 04:54:10 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/#comment-23113 I like the musical idea! I can just hear a sub-plot love-tune about a <em>Fling with Strings in Spring...</em> I like the musical idea! I can just hear a sub-plot love-tune about a Fling with Strings in Spring…

]]> By: Elliot http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/comment-page-1/#comment-23112 Elliot Wed, 13 Dec 2006 04:20:42 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/#comment-23112 Would the musical include "Stringtime for Hitler" ? Would the musical include “Stringtime for Hitler” ?

]]> By: CapitalistImperialistPig http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/comment-page-1/#comment-23111 CapitalistImperialistPig Wed, 13 Dec 2006 01:36:29 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/cosmicvariance/2006/12/12/the-string-kings/#comment-23111 I think this one has the stuff to be a big Broadway musical. I think this one has the stuff to be a big Broadway musical.

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