I present to you, after minutes of strenuous research and laboratory testing. My latest scientific discovery:

The Theory of Relative Ease of Balance Among Dimes

It reads as follows:

Science tells us that there is marginal decreasing in the capacity of dimes to balance, negatively correlated to age. Advanced research shows that this correlation is also affected by physical status of the dime. eg: a worn dime from 1969 with tattered edges has an adverse effect on the likelihood of balancing. However, a newly minted dime from 2005 shows no sign of difficulty with regards to wind resistance and gravity, when balanced on a smooth and level surface.

Source: http://www.oscempire.net/misc/balanced.avi

Credit goes to Professor Brian Daniel as well as myself. Please cite both of us for any future research.

That video is awesome!

FIRST LOLOLO!!111oneone

I'd also like to note that though I have tested other coins, large coins (quarters and up) have not been put through the rigors of dimes. Nickels and Pennies have shown little to no resistance to balancing, though the theory seems to hold true even still. Somebody should commit to further research.

I am now preparing for bed. But I have set up an experiment and will post the results in the morning. I have now 6 coins balanced on edge. Two nickels, two pennies, two dimes. When I awake, I will summise how many have remained standing, and compare their position upon falling to the reference shots I have taken already. From this I will derrive clues as to what causes coins to succumb to a phenomenon I'm calling "Spontaneous Loss of Balance Among Coins". A new theory is probably on the horizon. One with what would be HOURS of research (namely a camera set up to record the happenings of the coins in thier journeys). Stay tuned!

hehehehe

Um, different elasticity curves due to different stages of material detereation? I'd imagine it falls to which ever side the materials "tinsel strength", structual itegrity, elasticity curve (or whatever you prefer to call it) is the weakest. This is especially significant with older coins that have corroded due to chemical reactions, such as rust or have experienced even a semi-significant amount of strain (such as someone trying to bend it or excessively tapping it on a desk/table, etc).

How does someone with a degree in physics say something that stupid?

Isn't it tensile strength? I've only taken one physics class in my entire life years ago and I still remember that

I stopped listening to "Rock the Casbah" to watch that. I'm not particularly pleased with my choice.

you're all depressing. it's a simple, funny joke, and you take it seriously and ruin it. your childhood's must have sucked.

My mother beat me with an extension cord everyday.

Well my mother made me EAT an extension cord every day.

(And I just found that picture again, and wanted an excuse to use it. :p)

I love the voice. "Here is a dime. It is balanced. On a table."

You see Dr. Yectiwan, the problem is that your tinsel strength isn't high enough. All your peers told you to buy quality, but you bought your ornaments from a thrift store!

I'm sorry Mr. Spelling Nazi. I didn't mean to upset your OCD.

This is the first and last time I’m going to replay to a lame excuses for an ad homium attack. Emon, everyone knows that you don’t like me (for whatever reason). That doesn’t justify you acting like a total ***, though.

There wasn't any debate going on, I was just pointing out that, despite having a degree and writing a book on physics, you still don't know what you're talking about. Oh, and the thread was a joke. Derr.

Mispelling a word doesn't mean that person doesn't know what they are talking about. It's a reasoning fallacy to believe otherwise (unless the subject matter pertains to the spelling of that word in some type of wierd, nerdish, nazi, spelling debate/argument).

It wasn't ovbious this was a joke either. If it was, I somehow missed the punch line. Some people out there are actually bored enough to do stuff like this (like the snail through the salt maze thing).

"Here is a dime. It is balanced. On a table." ...pretty obvious.

Woah, wait. This thread is a joke?



Everything I know is wrong.

What's funny about that? Sounds more like a statement than a punch line. Unless, of course, you are suggesting that Dimes can't be balanced on a table...

I think he's suggesting that Yectis tone of voice makes it clear that it is a joke...

You remind me of one of my friends that used a similar tone of voice regularly. Funny stuff.

I believe that some form of thin, liquid adhesive was used in the production of this film. I'm calling Jonny Cockrin...you dime balancing fraud!

DINGDINGDING a winner!!

I appreciate you lending your expertise to my awkward (yet somehow scientifically accurate) analysis of the ability of small coins to be balanced though Friend.

It was 3 in the morning, and I happened to place a dime on end with no labor involved (a feat which I have yet to duplicate with such ease). I was amazed and finished by attempting to balance multiple coins. But it was intended to be a joke. I had hoped people would find it funny.