NEW CANON- What['s Up with That?

[Steve]

--- In HPFGU-OTChatter at yahoogroups.com, "Erin" <erinellii at y...> wrote:
> 
> Steve wrote:
> The British don't put Fluoride in their water, so they are notorious
> for having bad teeth. Apparently, like some Americans, they are
> convinced fluoride a great government conspiracy to poison them all,
> even though the discovery of the connection between good teeth and
> fluoride was done in France when a connection was made between
> naturally occurring fluoride in well water and good teeth.
> 
> Erin replies:
> Gaaah! No one likes that question except me! Well, I don't care.
> It's my question, I'm keeping it on there, and I'm asking it. None
> of the rest of you have to. So neener neener neener.
> 

bboy_mn:

It's sort of a running worldwide joke that the English have bad teeth.
I've heard Martin Crane (Fraser's father on the TV show 'Fraser'
starring Kelsey Grammer) make jokes about Daphne's teeth. For the
record, Daphne is British. So, this whole teeth thing is kind of
ingrained in to modern culture. I suspect, more that anyone, the
British themselves are well aware they have notoriously bad teeth.

Also, I wasn't trying to shoot down your question, I was trying to
answer it, or at least give a plausable and likely answer.

But, you are more than free to ask any question you want.




> > Steve:
> >
> > Brooms, Portkeys, Apparation, Floo Network, Owls, and Thestrals -
> > what's up with that?
> 
> 
> Erin:
> Sorry, but I don't quite get what you're asking, ...
> 
>


> Steve:
> Tell me more about Portkeys?
>
> ...edited...
>
> So, what's up with that?

Erin:
LOL, Steve, I know I said "What's up with" a couple times, once for
the teeth and once for the socks. Are you mocking me? 
bboy_mn:


bboy_mn:

Sorry, the 'what's up with that' was mostly my weird sense of humor, I
was mocking but not you specifically. The first question serves as a
prelude to the real questions that followed, and the second 'what's up
with that' was just a attempt at a humorous summation of the Portkey
question.

 
> 
> Erin:
> 
> Okay, so what I'm getting so far is:
> 
> 1.) Are there limits to how far a wizard can be transported by
> apparating, the Floo network, or portkeys? If so, what are the limits?
> 
> 2.) Why are portkeys so tightly controlled by the Ministry and are
> they dangerous if done improperly?
> 
> 3.) What is the top speed of the fastest broom?
> 
> 4.) Messenger owls and Thestrals seem impressively fast. Do they
> travel by magic? And if so, how exactly does that magic work?
> 
> If there's more in there, prune it down for me, okay? Distill it
> down to three lines or less, and I'll add it in the morning. I'm
> going to bed now. Good night.
> 
> Erin

bboy_mn:

Great, if you would include those in your list I would appreciate it.

The reason for the long drawn our explanations for each question, was
because that's how I would like to ask JKR, in a long detailed
conversation over tea, clotted cream, strawberry jam, and scones.

There are deeper issues there, that can't be resolved in quick chat
Q&A answer.

For example, if indeed apparation, portkey travel, Floo travel time
perception is ONE second travel time for every 20 miles traveled, and
that does seem reasonable (and somewhat conservative) based on what we
read in the books, that's approximately 72,000 mph. That's fast!

Even at a preceived travel time of 1 second per 5 traveled miles,
that's 18,000mph, or 80 seconds travel time from Stoadshead Hill to
the Quidditch World Cup. (30 seconds travel time from the Burrow to
London.) I estimate the Thestrals were traveling at over 300mph
(assumes an hour and a half travel time Hogwarts to London).

I can only conclude - IT'S MAGIC.

Also, I thought it might open some general discussion here in the
group on travel in the wizard world. 

Just a few thoughts.

bboy_mn