No, I'm not a physicist either, though occasionally I pretend to be one. I do have some background in it and try to keep current, but I'm definitely no more than a layman when it comes to understanding stuff like quantum mechanics.

I might have misinterpreted your first comment to mycroft. I thought what you were saying is that while it might be mathematically interesting, it doesn't necessarily have any connection to reality. Afaik, the mathematical framework of String Theory is able to account for everything General Relativity and the Stanard Model predict. But GR is also a mathematical model. The comment about gumbo recipes was a philosophical one. The difference between a recipe for gumbo and a bowl of gumbo is that I can't actually eat the former. The recipe may be an accurate description, but it's not "real" in the sense of being able to fill my belly. So, if I have two recipes for gumbo, my only preference for one over the other is personal taste.

It's not the best analogy. And in some sense, String Theory would be like a recipe that you can't actually cook. String Theory predicts a number of things which apparently can't be tested (currently? or maybe ever?). So, I guess the question is, do you like okra in your gumbo?

In reply to this comment by snoozedoctor:
Jonny,
I'm not a physicist and don't pretend to be one. I worked my ass off to get through introduction to calculus. Conceptually, as I interpreted what I've read about the strings, it seems like trying to squeeze a square peg thru a round hole. If we mathematically cut off the corners we can make it fit. Though, no doubt, theorists scored big last century. But, I'm just skeptical on this one. Are you in physics as well?

Interestingly enough, from one visit down to NC last year to my grandparents and getting a taste of Southern food, I occasionally crave it. Not really the fried stuff though.

In reply to this comment by blankfist:
Well, fried okra is pretty spectacular.

In reply to this comment by JAPR:
Hehe, I'm just teasing, don't worry. My grandparents actually are transplants, but I do have a lot of Southern friends, they just like to make jokes about the stereotypes (stereotypes are fun as long as you don't really take them seriously, etc.). My grandparents live near Charlotte, though I can't for the life of me remember the name of the town right now.

In reply to this comment by blankfist:
I was born and raised in North Carolina, so taking from my personal experience I'd have to disagree with you. It's a retarded stereotype, and I'm shocked your friends from the South would say, "...as a general rule, Southerners don't know shit beyond fried food." Unless, of course, they're transplants, which would make perfect sense.

What part of NC does your grandparents live?

In reply to this comment by JAPR:
My grandparents live in North Carolina and I have a few friends that live in the South. They agree with me that, as a general rule, Southerners don't know shit beyond fried food.

In reply to this comment by blankfist:
Nah, she's just a Southerner.

I bet you've never even been to the south.

Well, fried okra is pretty spectacular.

In reply to this comment by JAPR:
Hehe, I'm just teasing, don't worry. My grandparents actually are transplants, but I do have a lot of Southern friends, they just like to make jokes about the stereotypes (stereotypes are fun as long as you don't really take them seriously, etc.). My grandparents live near Charlotte, though I can't for the life of me remember the name of the town right now.

In reply to this comment by blankfist:
I was born and raised in North Carolina, so taking from my personal experience I'd have to disagree with you. It's a retarded stereotype, and I'm shocked your friends from the South would say, "...as a general rule, Southerners don't know shit beyond fried food." Unless, of course, they're transplants, which would make perfect sense.

What part of NC does your grandparents live?

In reply to this comment by JAPR:
My grandparents live in North Carolina and I have a few friends that live in the South. They agree with me that, as a general rule, Southerners don't know shit beyond fried food.

In reply to this comment by blankfist:
Nah, she's just a Southerner.

I bet you've never even been to the south.

what a dumb example.. were we meant to eat primarily bananas? How about Corn? Or Okra? They are a pain in the ass to clean and eat. What about meat? How come the animals don't run up and jump in my pan?