[2012-Jul-21] Give or take a thousand.

[ChaoticBrain]

http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?db ... 2679#comic

So, is the joke here supposed to be that physics professors are morons? Because I'm pretty sure that to get a degree in that field you have to be not that.

[Salacious Schoolmate]

The joke is that they round numbers a lot.

I don't know, it's pretty good.

[ChaoticBrain]

The joke is that they round numbers a lot.

I don't know, it's pretty good.

There's a difference between rounding numbers and not even getting them right to within one significant digit.

But hey, maybe I'm just being pedantic.

[Gila Monster]

It's almost as if he was exaggerating a stereotype for additional humorous effect.

[jesuschristyoucanttakeajoke]

This is like countless other jokes about physicists.

Other common punchlines involve approximating obviously nonspherical things as spheres, and getting things right to "within a few orders of magnitude." This is based off of - you guessed it - physicists approximating a bunch of stuff as spheres to make it simple, and either rounding numbers heavily or just not giving shits about entire orders of magnitude in equations and such. Note that this doesn't happen in articles and legitimate research, only in instruction or fast-paced calculations (as in briefly checking your answer to make sure its right, or at least within reason of being right).

Anyways, it was entertaining. Also, hyperbole, it exists.

[Jesus Christ]

I can so take a joke.

[Guest1]

If you don't understand the joke, it's not funny.
If someone explains the joke, it's not funny.
It's why I prefer poop humor.

[Sentient AI]

Why did Tigger look in the toilet?
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He was looking for Pooooh.

Get it? Get it? Because Pooh is an homophone with Poo! As in feces! And feces is funny!
Therefore Pooh is funny! I just have to explain this to you just in case. Hehe.

[Guest1]

Fuck you. -- Too tired to think of a proper response.

[Lethal Interjection]

Why did Tigger look in the toilet?
.
..
...
....
.....
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He was looking for Pooooh.

Get it? Get it? Because Pooh is an homophone with Poo! As in feces! And feces is funny!
Therefore Pooh is funny! I just have to explain this to you just in case. Hehe.

Are you sure that is why it is funny? I personally laughed at the dementia Tigger is clearly presenting in the joke. Impaired mental faculties are hilarious.

[Gila Monster]

I don't quite follow. Assuming "toilet" is referring to a bathroom, how is Tigger displaying any signs of dementia or similar mental illnesses by checking to see if perhaps his friend is located in that particular room?

[Salacious Schoolmate]

Also people can fall into the toilet, when they are small like a toy bear.

[Lethal Interjection]

I don't quite follow. Assuming "toilet" is referring to a bathroom, how is Tigger displaying any signs of dementia or similar mental illnesses by checking to see if perhaps his friend is located in that particular room?

I don't understand why that would be a proper assumption.

[Enlong]

What, does Pooh never have to use the bathroom? He eats (oh boy does he EVER eat), so, logically...

Also: http://www.smbc-comics.com/index.php?db ... 2529#comic

[Apocalyptus]

I don't quite follow. Assuming "toilet" is referring to a bathroom, how is Tigger displaying any signs of dementia or similar mental illnesses by checking to see if perhaps his friend is located in that particular room?

I don't understand why that would be a proper assumption.

Yes, one would imagine that the proper assumption would be that 'toilet' refers to an actual toilet.