Talk:Phail

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Well as the forum thread that this topic was derived from has returned to it's original topic (Timeline of the LRR universe), this discussion page will be used for further discussion, hypothesizing, and theorizing on the mysterious substance known as Phail. I've recopied the last few comments below so we have something to discuss.

Master Gunner I just thought of a way for Phailparticles to both increase and decrease entropy at the same time. It decreases and/or reverses entropy within a localized area, but that is counteracted by increased chaos (that is not proportional to the amount entropy was decreased by according to any known formula. Basically the chaos is increased by e^x, where "e" is the amount of change in entropy, and "x" is completely random). The question is where and how this vastly increased entropy is manifested and how. It is possible that it is forced along the temporal axis (so the chaos exists in the past. How that effects us depends on whether you use a single-timeline, or infinite world model of time travel, or one made up on the spot by the Phail), or it ups the rate of the increase in entropy everywhere in the universe at once outside of the bubble of Pp. Either way, excessive use of Phail will likely result in drastically shortening the remaining lifespan of of the universe. Or cause the timeline to unravel, destroying the universe instantly (effectively the same thing).

Dutch Guy I suggest then to add the following section to the Phail Wiki: "There is some evidence that Paul is suffering a slowly worsening case of Phail Radiation Poisoning as a result of carrying around the Phailinite ring given to him in "A sacred duty". This evidence however is still circumstantial and as of yet there is not enough evidence to draw a definitive conclusion" Entropy decreasing while chaos increases is not a possibility as Entropy is basically a direct measurement for the amount of chaos within a system boundry (That boundry depends on what you are measuring but it is purely hypothetical just to give a volume)

Wonko How about "2008: Graham discovers the Phailhaüs, a natural source of Phail. This begins his PRP, culminating in the events of "A Sacred Duty"."

Master Gunner I know, and I was saying that Entropy/Chaos does increase, just not inside a bubble of phailparticles, and that the entropy increase elsewhere is far greater that what you'd expect in a non-phail model of physics, in comparison to the decrease of entropy in the bubble. This of course violates the second law of thermodynamics, but it wouldn't be unexpected giving the nature of Phailparticles.

So what other ideas do my fellow Phailogists have about this truly fascinating substance? --Master Gunner 19:24, 3 September 2008 (CDT)

Particle theories

Should we add these here too? There's a handful, and they're pretty darn large in most cases. Also, we should probably offer a lamen's explanation with each, since I doubt many of the LRR community are physics literate. --User:Lyinginbedmon 23:13, 4 September 2008 (GMT)

If we include the Particle Theories, we should keep the description down to 2-3 lines at most, and in layman's terms. The originator of each theory obviously has naming rights. If this section grows large enough, we can add a second article just for the PhailParticles and theories associated with them.--Master Gunner 18:05, 4 September 2008 (CDT)

• 2-3 lines is a very small amount though, it'll be tricky to fit in the details and still keep it lamen if only have 3 lines at most to work with. --Lyinginbedmon 00:42, 5 September 2008 (GMT)

I would also think that 2 to 3 lines is a little short to fit all theories in laymen's terms. I agree on trying to get some of them into a format that could fit onto the wiki. I'll try to get my own theorie written down coherently this weekend.--Dutch Guy 19:19, 4 September 2008 (CDT)

• Any advance on this? --Lyinginbedmon 16:53, 15 September 2008 (CDT)

On reflection, I agree. We'll stick to a couple of paragraphs each, and then see what we need to do based on how many are written up and added. Also, feel free to shorten mine up. I have a tendency to go on at length about minor details when dealing with scientific subjects. Sadly I lack this ability in English class. I'll try to clean it up when I'm not so tired. --Master Gunner 19:42, 4 September 2008 (CDT)

• I've given it a shot at reducing the explanation (The mentioning of Heisenberg's theory didn't seem to lead to anything so I removed it, the elaboration on entropy as well was unnecessary, etc.), though I'm not sure whether to remove the statement regarding thermodynamics. If the energy manifests elsewhere, then the only thing faulting the second law is that it manifests at a different period in the timeline, thus giving the universe extra/less energy at a given point. If we say the energy manifests elsewhere in the universe, rather than in time (Moving along the spacial axis rather than the temporal & spacial axis), then wouldn't the law be preserved? --User:Lyinginbedmon 22:54, 6 September 2008 (GMT)
• Thanks, now it makes slightly more sense. I have a few odd notes on what I was trying to say, but I have a lot of homework and a cold to deal with. I'll fix up the rest of it as soon as I can figure out what I was thinking.

Phail capacitor/addiction

Master Gunner It is possible that Paul's beard acts as a Phail capacitor (Phailpacitor?), which builds up a store of Phail particles, allowing him to lend the ring out to Matt and maintain his abilities.

This would also explain how most of his madness comes in spurts, as when his beard builds up to a full phail-charge, it must be discharged. So his regular wackiness is caused by him slowly releasing phail-particles from his beard, and when he forgets, or it builds up too quickly, it causes severe phail-overdose. This would explain some of the difference between super-crazy Paul (Installation Anxiety), and mildly-crazy Paul (All The Little People (I know, it's not conclusively linked to Phail, but bear with me).

So having the ring allows a certain level of abilities (teleportation, anti-douchebaggery), but without some way of building up and directing a concentrated phail-burst, the ring alone will not allow Matt to match some of Paul's craziest endeavors.

This goes well with how Paul would have to "cool off" from prolonged exposure, and how he was able to appear in this video without having the ring: he was expending the last of the Phail-build-up in his beard.

Lyinginbedmon How do we explain Paul's beard functioning as a Phailpacitor though? If it's based purely on facial hair, why just facial hair? All hair on the body is pretty much identical, so in theory Geoff with his rocker hair could out-Phail store Paul.

I personally view the waxing and waning of his madness bouts in reverse to you. I think he gets cured of PRP and then it slowly builds up again, making him crazier and crazier until it is again PRP, he is again cured, and again it builds up.

The Phailinite Ring is constant, Paul's madness is cyclic. I think it's the Phailinite Ring that allows his Phail abilities as normal, but the exposure to it yields his madness, as his brain is exposed over time he grows more mad until we hit PRP stage again. That's the simplest and most rational explanation.

Master Gunner That works too, I just like Paul's beard, so I rationalized that the reason only that mass of hair functioned as a phailpacitor was because it happened to be Paul's Beard, not some other guy's beard.

With any luck though, we shall not have to find out the truth of it (*shudders at the thought of beardless Paul*)

Dutch Guy OR, What if Phail Radiation is actually addicting after long exposures, and the extreme-wacky bits are withdrawal symptoms

Zombie Paul's Intellect

According to Field Guide to Homo Mortuus, zombies are slow, shambolic, and weak-minded, whilst Paul, a zombie as of The Aftermath, moves at a regular pace and is fully-minded to the point of remaining the crew's de facto scientist.

So what separates Paul from any other zombie? The Phailinite Ring!

It's fairly easy to assume the ring is what's keeping him "normal" despite being undead, but what makes me think then is the possibility of losing it. When the source of Pp is removed and the Pp dissipate, the physics forces restore their own equilibrium, so Paul would in theory become a regular zombie.

Now after the years of exposure he's had, it's reasonable to assume he'd have maybe a few days or a couple weeks of gradually deteriorating ability and could then probably be restored with more Phail from the ring.

On the additional segment of that, what if the ring were to find its way into the hands of another zombie? --Lyinginbedmon 08:35, 20 October 2008 (UTC)