Intermittent Black Holes - Rant

[syzygy]

Over the years I have been convinced that black holes form intermittently in my living areas. These do not appear to be normal black holes in the sense that they target only certain objects.

In my experience, all surface mount devices are vulnerable to several black holes in the carpeting in my work room. All such diodes and resistors are extremely susceptible. Furthermore, the greater the personal need for the object (e.g., I only have one of this value), the more susceptible they are to being transported.

Small pieces of fastening hardware are also affected. This morning, I was adjusting a top pivot bracket on one of those terribly designed bi-fold doors. I loosened the screw and it immediately flew out of the socket and disappeared into a black hole underneath a fixture. Even my DIY trans-dimensional retrieval device (pictured below) was unable to locate and retrieve this screw, which is assumed to be lost forever, necessitating a trip to Home Depot on a Saturday - which is special kind of hell.



I think someone should do something about this problem.

 

[DougM]

It's funny you should mention this, one of the most important skills a craftsman can ever have is to visually track the path of an object as it drops.

When I was a kid I worked in a grocery store sorting recycled cans and bottles. It was a horrible job but it gave me one skill that I've used my entire life, and that is to stick my foot out and deflect things as they are falling to the floor. specifically things that are likely to shatter.

My other skill, developed much later, is to very carefully watch where the dropped screw goes as it bounces across the floor.

Sometimes it works.

 

[syzygy]

My other skill, developed much later, is to very carefully watch where the dropped screw goes as it bounces across the floor.

Spoken like someone with better eyes than I have....but back in the day...

 

[Hugo Holden]

Stephen Hawking made this remark about black holes among many other remarks:

From the outside, you can't tell what is inside a black hole. You can throw television sets, diamond rings, or even your worst enemies into a black hole, and all the black hole will remember, is the total mass, and the state of rotation. John Wheeler called this, A Black Hole Has No Hair. To the French, this just confirmed their suspicions.

I once noticed what happened when a Horologist dropped a small part from a watch he was repairing onto the floor. Firstly the floor was smooth, no carpet in sight and he had a small brush & shovel and brushed up the entire area, sure enough the small part was in the shovel. He also taught me watch & clock repairs.

 

[Drayson]

Oh boy, I almost lost a screw to my Commodore 64 once. I somehow ended up finding it eventually, which is a miracle considering how messy my room is and the things I've taken apart in the past

 

[konc]

It was a horrible job but it gave me one skill that I've used my entire life, and that is to stick my foot out and deflect things as they are falling to the floor. specifically things that are likely to shatter.

I hope the reflex doesn't kick in with falling knives!

 

[hard_fault]

Those black holes are indeed real. I found that I'm much more likely to summon their appearance if I remove 4 screws from something; it's almost a guarantee that when I go to reinstall those 4 screws, I will only have 3 screws to install..

 

[Ruud]

The day before yesterday I removed an 8 mm nut from the generator of my BMW motor cycle using wrench with socket. I turned the socket to drop the nut in my hand.... nothing. I looked to the sheet that I put under the engine just in case I dropped something.... nothing. Where did that little nut go ???

 

[Plasma]

Those black holes are indeed real. I found that I'm much more likely to summon their appearance if I remove 4 screws from something; it's almost a guarantee that when I go to reinstall those 4 screws, I will only have 3 screws to install..

Maybe it's a wormhole. Extra screws appear on my workbench.

 

[DougM]

The day before yesterday I removed an 8 mm nut from the generator of my BMW motor cycle using wrench with socket. I turned the socket to drop the nut in my hand.... nothing. I looked to the sheet that I put under the engine just in case I dropped something.... nothing. Where did that little nut go ???

When I was in high school I spent a lot of time working on cars. The problem was that our driveway, and even our carport, was gravel.

Curse you whoever made nuts the same color as rocks!