Straighter
- ROU Killing Time
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Straighter
The straighteners worked without end.
On the sub-atomic plane they would flatten probabilities to a linear distribution.
They moved on to the realms of geometry.
Triangle was ripped wide and bent to one hundred and eighty degrees.
Circle was pierced, torn, and drawn taut.
Mighty Hexagon was crushed.
They came to the macro universe and found more curves than they ever imagined could exist.
They were appalled, but delighted at the work ahead of them.
To honor his work in fractals, they chose Mandelbrot to start their task of straightening our world.
They straightened his muscles.
They straightened his bones.
On the sub-atomic plane they would flatten probabilities to a linear distribution.
They moved on to the realms of geometry.
Triangle was ripped wide and bent to one hundred and eighty degrees.
Circle was pierced, torn, and drawn taut.
Mighty Hexagon was crushed.
They came to the macro universe and found more curves than they ever imagined could exist.
They were appalled, but delighted at the work ahead of them.
To honor his work in fractals, they chose Mandelbrot to start their task of straightening our world.
They straightened his muscles.
They straightened his bones.
"Never fuck with The Culture"
Sublime In Peace Iain M. Banks.
Sublime In Peace Iain M. Banks.
Re: Straighter
This one was a bit too subtle for me... I had to wikipedia the pay-off.
Although I was pleasingly reminded of the Doozers.
Although I was pleasingly reminded of the Doozers.
- Algernon Sydney is Dead
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Re: Straighter
They would have to stop right there. If they could "flatten probabilities", that alone would destroy the known universe! Atomic matter would be impossible (or at least have a very short half-life). Depending on which theory you used, even subatomic matter and gravity would be completely alien to us. Light would probably be unchanged (at least below gamma energies).ROU Killing Time wrote:The straighteners worked without end.
On the sub-atomic plane they would flatten probabilities to a linear distribution.
Mandelbrot could not be straightened. He would have been poisoned to death by radiation from his own body -- in the nanoseconds before it disintegrated.
- eric_marsh
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Re: Straighter
I like the references to science and fractals.
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Re: Straighter
It all works out, ASID. They got hired to fill some openings at the University of East Anglia
Never judge anyone until you have biopsied their brain.
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Re: Straighter
I really like this section allot. It connects with me on a some higher level then most of the stuff that I read.ROU Killing Time wrote:
They moved on to the realms of geometry.
Triangle was ripped wide and bent to one hundred and eighty degrees.
Circle was pierced, torn, and drawn taut.
Mighty Hexagon was crushed.
They came to the macro universe and found more curves than they ever imagined could exist.
They were appalled, but delighted at the work ahead of them.
“I’m not TheJebi because I like the hum of a lightsaber in my hand… and I’m not TheJebi because I like being TheJebi. I’m TheJebi because the Galaxy needs me to be TheJebi.”
- ROU Killing Time
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Re: Straighter
Well, I'll deflect Algernon's dragging silly things like "logic" into this by pleading a genre of fantasy/horror.
Phenopath may be correct that the payoff is aimed at too small an audience. Perhaps changing it to "Mandelbrot" instead of "Benoit" would clear it up for a wider number of readers.
Thx Jebi. I was going for a "monster from the abstract" feel here.
Phenopath may be correct that the payoff is aimed at too small an audience. Perhaps changing it to "Mandelbrot" instead of "Benoit" would clear it up for a wider number of readers.
Thx Jebi. I was going for a "monster from the abstract" feel here.
"Never fuck with The Culture"
Sublime In Peace Iain M. Banks.
Sublime In Peace Iain M. Banks.
- Algernon Sydney is Dead
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Re: Straighter
Sorry, but that genre is reserved for politics, the IPCC, and the Oprah Winfrey show.ROU Killing Time wrote:Well, I'll deflect Algernon's dragging silly things like "logic" into this by pleading a genre of fantasy/horror.

Re: Straighter
That section is perfect for the horror genre. Reminds me of Stephen King's "Thinner".ROU Killing Time wrote:They straightened his muscles.
They straightened his bones.
Re: Straighter
I don't believe you have to preface it is Fantasy/Horror because you already did.ROU Killing Time wrote:Well, I'll deflect Algernon's dragging silly things like "logic" into this by pleading a genre of fantasy/horror.
It would be similar for me to say i was the ruler of the realms of cheese where the Blue cheese Elves live and sang Bree songs. I also thing Alegrnon's right about logic...in general.ROU Killing Time wrote:They moved on to the realms of geometry.
Maybe dedicate this to the Hadron Collider (that is almost up and working) and your realms of geometry may be proven.
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- normsherman
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Re: Straighter
Agree this was a kickass drabble, but the payoff comes to those who get it.
The first part of this story could be a great murder mystery simply about "angle-murder." geometry suspense--- now that's a genre that will sell.
fun nucleii here
The first part of this story could be a great murder mystery simply about "angle-murder." geometry suspense--- now that's a genre that will sell.
fun nucleii here
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- tbaker2500
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Re: Straighter
Benoit was a presenter at this years Ig Nobel awards. Very fun.
Rou- fun stuff.
ASID- You're being too pedantic.
Rou- fun stuff.
ASID- You're being too pedantic.
You're my quasi-ichthian angel, you're my half-amphibian queen...
The Dribblecast, we don't care if you sound like an idiot.
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- ROU Killing Time
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Re: Straighter
Norm, good to see you down in the drabble-dungeon. Have a cookienormsherman wrote:Agree this was a kickass drabble, but the payoff comes to those who get it.
The first part of this story could be a great murder mystery simply about "angle-murder." geometry suspense--- now that's a genre that will sell.
fun nucleii here
Personally, I kind of liked the simple language surrounding the geometric atrocities that occurred.
I was also thinking there might be a short in there. My first thought wasn't "murder mystery" as much as a potential for a frontier lawman in a geometric wild west, huntin down a madobject that's intent on tryin to 'straighten-up' all of them good folkshapes of Geome Vale..
(western gives a great opportunity for a horrid "stringem-up" pun at the end of the story too...)
"Never fuck with The Culture"
Sublime In Peace Iain M. Banks.
Sublime In Peace Iain M. Banks.
- mrgoldenbrown
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Re: Straighter
I like the fractal punchline. Nice one.