How Low Can You Go? Yet another 'I'm Back' topic...
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Law Bringer
Member # 2984
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written Saturday, September 11 2004 11:25
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I don't know if anyone noticed my absence (nor do I particularly care, seeing as quite a lot who did notice were probably quite happy with it :P ). So, all you people, here's another opportunity for you to post. Say you don't know who the hell I am but welcome back anyway. So, here's the thing: I've started an apprenticeship for 'MATA' (Mathematical&Technical Assistant) about two weeks ago, which is basically a combined math and programming course over three years. First two weeks are Java, then two weeks of linear algebra, and so on. It's wonderful, interesting, it includes completing a pre-diploma in Technomathematics, and if that weren't enough, I get paid for it! So you might say I'm a little ecstatic right now. Of course, to such a marvelous things, there must be downsides. The place where I do this is over 100 km from my home, so I had to move into a room there. Needless to say, I couldn't take my PC with me, since it doubles as a RAID server for my dad's files. So I had to wait until now for a laptop, and on Monday, I can finally arrange for a connection from my room (I'm posting this from home right now, not from my new PC). So that's why you got two whole weeks of a break from me. Or, to put it in blunter terms, "IVE BEEN GONE! BUT NOW IM BACK! YAY LOL OMG WTF!!!11" -------------------- The Encyclopaedia Ermariana <-- Now a Wiki! "Polaris leers down from the black vault, winking hideously like an insane watching eye which strives to convey some strange message, yet recalls nothing save that it once had a message to convey." --- HP Lovecraft. "Really, Spiderweb is just a big, steaming pool of estrogen." --- Robin Posts: 8752 | Registered: Wednesday, May 14 2003 07:00 |
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Warrior
Member # 4778
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written Saturday, September 11 2004 11:56
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Welcome back. Even if I don't know you. I'm waiting for someone to ask what 100km are in miles... -------------------- www.bigblue.de.gg BoA graphics and more Posts: 188 | Registered: Monday, July 26 2004 07:00 |
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Agent
Member # 618
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written Saturday, September 11 2004 12:19
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About 62.5 miles. :D It's also not a good thing to spam by merely saying "hi, whoever you are. w00t! Post count +1!" :rolleyes: I will therefore mention that, actually, I really hadn't noticed you were gone. :confused: However, have fun on your apprentiship and get a net hook-up! According to your wishes though; hi, whoever you are. w00t! Post count +1! :D -------------------- Aut Tace Aut Loquere Meliora Silencio Posts: 1487 | Registered: Sunday, February 10 2002 08:00 |
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Warrior
Member # 4778
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written Saturday, September 11 2004 12:24
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quote:Hm, I got 62,1372737 miles exactly. I will never understand how anyone could use this crude system. -------------------- www.bigblue.de.gg BoA graphics and more Posts: 188 | Registered: Monday, July 26 2004 07:00 |
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Agent
Member # 1993
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written Saturday, September 11 2004 12:32
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Ah ... for that reason the boards have been so empty recently ... Indeed, I just found out, that I missed you. Welcome back Aran and congrats to your MATA apprenticeship. ^_^ But be careful with welcome-back-topics. Draconian Drakey and other mods started a tough purge of General board and don't hesitate, to fling randomly with cans. -------------------- ^ö^ I was a cannibal for twenty-five years. For the rest I have been a vegetarian. George Bernard Shaw Posts: 1420 | Registered: Wednesday, October 2 2002 07:00 |
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Agent
Member # 618
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written Saturday, September 11 2004 12:44
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I can certainly attest to that one. Ah lament! *laments* *and again* *and some more* Ah lament! *struggles to remember what lament actually means, then decides that the effort is too great and scurries off* :D Lament! EDIT: *gets back from referring to dictionary. Decides that self is covered both ways* Lament! :) [ Saturday, September 11, 2004 12:48: Message edited by: FatBatMonkey ] -------------------- Aut Tace Aut Loquere Meliora Silencio Posts: 1487 | Registered: Sunday, February 10 2002 08:00 |
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Law Bringer
Member # 2984
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written Saturday, September 11 2004 13:12
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Oh, but I would never *complain* about being canned, which takes half the fun out of canning, no? (I hope). You and Zephyr, however, have been perfect canning material. You don't cease whining about it. :) bigblue: I don't understand it either. But hey, it's your decision to stick to it, not mine. :P The boards have been emptier without me? I've got mixed feelings about that: On one hand, I didn't miss out that much. On the other, it means I'm responsible for a lot of traffic here... should I feel guilty for that, or guilty for not keeping it up recently? [ Saturday, September 11, 2004 13:14: Message edited by: Also rather a nutcase. ] -------------------- The Encyclopaedia Ermariana <-- Now a Wiki! "Polaris leers down from the black vault, winking hideously like an insane watching eye which strives to convey some strange message, yet recalls nothing save that it once had a message to convey." --- HP Lovecraft. "Really, Spiderweb is just a big, steaming pool of estrogen." --- Robin Posts: 8752 | Registered: Wednesday, May 14 2003 07:00 |
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Warrior
Member # 4778
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written Saturday, September 11 2004 13:25
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quote:Hey, I'm not using this crude system with miles, inches and whatever. I had to consult my dictionary to find out the conversion factor for miles/km! -------------------- www.bigblue.de.gg BoA graphics and more Posts: 188 | Registered: Monday, July 26 2004 07:00 |
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Shock Trooper
Member # 2123
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written Saturday, September 11 2004 14:35
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quote:Why do people mix 1 with !? Also, I will never understan how people can use anything but miles. This might have to do with the fact I find anything else hard to understand. -------------------- With his last breath he took in more power then any Guardian could hold, then with a scream of pain and furry he unleashed it all to form a barrier betwen the Mantia and the Darkness. Posts: 228 | Registered: Monday, October 21 2002 07:00 |
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Agent
Member # 1993
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written Saturday, September 11 2004 14:56
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quote:If somebody posts frequent like you, it's surely a loss when he leaves. Feel guilty to have left us and atone for it with a new, interesting topic about the electional system for mods on SW or such :) Edit: Miles are better for rhyming than metres: Mile, isle, vale, jail, tile, hail, nail, wiles, pile, wail, rail, and so on. [ Saturday, September 11, 2004 15:28: Message edited by: spy.there ] -------------------- ^ö^ I was a cannibal for twenty-five years. For the rest I have been a vegetarian. George Bernard Shaw Posts: 1420 | Registered: Wednesday, October 2 2002 07:00 |
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Agent
Member # 618
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written Saturday, September 11 2004 14:58
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I assume by that, Aran, you've read up. Fine. Personally, my canning doesn't affect me that much. Nor do most peoples' opinion's on the matter. It's old news. However, I really do not like your attitude towards Zephyr, in this. Sure, most times, when he posts (which is not often), he mentions that he has a desire to be un-canned. And dammit, I agree. It has been months upon months since he was canned. He learnt his lesson. He does not spam. And yet, Drakey, appears to require him to perform some "notable good deeds". How many people in the community, outside of the scenario developers, can honestly say that they have performed "good deeds" here? Not many. Some may note someone who often provides help and clarification to those who need it. Others, may consider the people who took part in the two PPPs. Bottom line; I've run out of possible "good deeds" already. This may have something to do with me getting very little sleep recently, combined with a time of 00:54. Nonetheless, un-can Zephyr dang it. You expect too much from a community of this size. /blather. Grrr to ye who tl, dr. -------------------- Aut Tace Aut Loquere Meliora Silencio Posts: 1487 | Registered: Sunday, February 10 2002 08:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 73
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written Saturday, September 11 2004 15:25
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quote:BCUZ!!!11!1!!11!one!11!! quote:Everyone else finds miles harder to understand. Why, you ask? Think about it. 10 milimeters = 1 centimeter 10 centimeters = 1 decimeter 10 decimeters = 1 meter 1000 meters = 1 kilometer Etc. Notice how it matches our base-10 number system. Now look at the system we use: 12 inches = 1 foot 3 feet = 1 yard 1760 yards = 1 mile Notice anything odd about that? Like the fact that it's completely random? Then there's the Fahrenheit system, as opposed to the Celsius and Kelvin systems. The Celsius, or Centigrade, system is based on a substance constantly used by humans - Water. 0 degrees is the freezing point of water, and 100 degrees is the boiling point. This is useful for everyday use. The Kelvin scale's 0 degrees is absolute zero, or no heat at all. There are no negative numbers in this system. While not terribly useful for an average person, it's incredibly useful for scientists. Then, there's Fahrenheit. This is what my Chemistry teacher told me last year, so I can't be sure it's true, but it seems pretty likely. A scientist decided he wanted to come up with a scale for temperature. So for 0 degrees, he got mercury in a tube at as low a temperature as he could in his laboratory and marked the tube. Then he needed a 100 degree mark. He couldn't find anything, until he looked out the window and saw a cow. In conclusion, the Fahrenheit scale is based on a completely random number and the temperature of a cow's anus. I really don't understand why we still use these systems. -------------------- The Lyceum - The Headquarters of the Blades designing community The Louvre - The Blades of Avernum graphics database Alexandria - The Blades of Exile Scenario database BoE Webring - Self explanatory Polaris - Free porn here Odd Todd - Fun for the unemployed (and everyone else too) Famous Last Words - A local pop-punk band They Might Be Giants - Four websites for one of the greatest bands in existance -------------------- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Posts: 2957 | Registered: Thursday, October 4 2001 07:00 |
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Master
Member # 1046
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written Saturday, September 11 2004 15:33
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even with Aran's absence, he will soon surpass my post rate. however, i'm more of a lurker now, so meh. EDIT: on second thought, he HAS surpassed my post rate. [ Saturday, September 11, 2004 15:33: Message edited by: Wisemanism: the Religion ] -------------------- Polaris - Weather balloons, ninjas, and your big daddy Wise Man. What more could you want? Undead Theories - Don't Ask, Don't Tell Posts: 3323 | Registered: Thursday, April 25 2002 07:00 |
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Master
Member # 4614
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written Saturday, September 11 2004 15:54
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We use them because their American systems, we're American, so that obviously infers that Americans have the brains to understand a system that doesn't just measure in plain old tens (er, oops, no offense, foreigners ;) ). But the metric system is much more understandable, mostly because we know what each unit of measure comes from. For example, the meter was made upon a 10-millionth of the distance between the poles (or some such thing), the gram is the weight of one cubic centimeter of water, and the liter is exactly 1,000 mL. Actually, the US has given some thought (subtle, but still some) about discarding the American Standard System and adopting the metric. However, we've been doing it this way for years and years, so I don't really see any reason we should stop. However, it would be kind of fun to be driving along the freeway with a speed limit of 120 (or maybe I'm wrong; what is it Rosy or Creator or whoever?). Anyway, I consider our system of measurement a part of our American pride, and therefore, if asked, I would be against the adoption of the metric system. But if it happens, there's really nothing I can do about it. -------------------- -ben4808 For those who love to spam: CSM Forums RIFQ Posts: 3360 | Registered: Friday, June 25 2004 07:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 4256
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written Saturday, September 11 2004 16:03
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Hey- Just to let you know- The American system of measurments has been the cause of a lot of problems. For instance some of the parts of the Challenger were made in a country using IS units and the technicians "forgot" to convert their units. :( I don't think that stupidity like this should be a symbol of national pride. At least I feel no pride in using such an old system. At least our monetary system is better than Englands. That makes almost no sense to me. And no it isn't because I've never seen the conversion factors but just because there are so many of them! Posts: 564 | Registered: Wednesday, April 14 2004 07:00 |
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...b10010b...
Member # 869
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written Saturday, September 11 2004 16:11
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quote:Actually, 0 degrees Fahrenheit was the freezing point of a concentrated salt solution and 100 degrees was (supposedly) the human body temperature. Of course, Fahrenheit was off by a little in measuring the human body temperature; most people's is a little lower than that. Why switch from the metric system? Well, for one thing, because it's already caused a 200-million-dollar accident. One of the Mars probes was lost because of errors in metric/imperial conversion. -------------------- My BoE Page Bandwagons are fun! Roots Hunted! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
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Master
Member # 4614
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written Saturday, September 11 2004 16:21
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And the primary mirror of the Hubble Space Telescope, though one of the most perfectly ground in history, still produced blurry images because of the failure to convert units. Fortunately, this was easily corrected by the addition of an extra lens. macrsp-The metric system screws up just as many things as the American System does. [ Saturday, September 11, 2004 16:22: Message edited by: burglar ben ] -------------------- -ben4808 For those who love to spam: CSM Forums RIFQ Posts: 3360 | Registered: Friday, June 25 2004 07:00 |
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Babelicious
Member # 3149
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written Saturday, September 11 2004 16:23
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Do you have any actual examples, or is this just typical national pride crap? -------------------- I've got a pyg in a poke. Posts: 999 | Registered: Friday, June 27 2003 07:00 |
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...b10010b...
Member # 869
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written Saturday, September 11 2004 16:29
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quote:The British switched to decimal currency years ago. 100 pence in a pound. Sorry to burst your bubble. They use the metric system too; how's that for irony? [ Saturday, September 11, 2004 16:30: Message edited by: Thuryl ] -------------------- My BoE Page Bandwagons are fun! Roots Hunted! Posts: 9973 | Registered: Saturday, March 30 2002 08:00 |
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Shaper
Member # 73
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written Saturday, September 11 2004 16:57
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quote:You love that logic, don't you? Too bad it's a load of crap. -------------------- The Lyceum - The Headquarters of the Blades designing community The Louvre - The Blades of Avernum graphics database Alexandria - The Blades of Exile Scenario database BoE Webring - Self explanatory Polaris - Free porn here Odd Todd - Fun for the unemployed (and everyone else too) Famous Last Words - A local pop-punk band They Might Be Giants - Four websites for one of the greatest bands in existance -------------------- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 Posts: 2957 | Registered: Thursday, October 4 2001 07:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 4256
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written Saturday, September 11 2004 17:24
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quote::( Pardon my lack of current info- but at least the historic British system seems rather confusing, but then again it's simpler say than the "historic" system of "I'll give you 5 bushels of wheat for 2 rolls of cloth" I did know about the metric system there though, which is why I didn't include it. What other countries use the units the USA does? Posts: 564 | Registered: Wednesday, April 14 2004 07:00 |
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Babelicious
Member # 3149
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written Saturday, September 11 2004 17:38
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None, except Britons tend to measure people in feet and pounds (stone, to be more precise). And I think Canada and Mexico still sometimes use a few imperial units for the sake of dealing with the US. -------------------- I've got a pyg in a poke. Posts: 999 | Registered: Friday, June 27 2003 07:00 |
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Infiltrator
Member # 4389
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written Saturday, September 11 2004 17:41
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Damn skippy. We use miles in school, for god's sake. They all want us to grow up to be in shipping/politics/economics, I tell you. EDIT: Oh, I do realize I just used "damn skippy". I also do want to have a gun shoved down my throat. I'm a teen masochist. *preens* [ Saturday, September 11, 2004 17:47: Message edited by: Magic Hunter Gurrrrl ] -------------------- fame fame fatal fame it can play hideous tricks on the brain Posts: 407 | Registered: Friday, May 14 2004 07:00 |
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Master
Member # 1046
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written Saturday, September 11 2004 20:29
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metric system is a lot better for calculations IMHO... i mean, it's all base 10, and since i'm not (yet another) American, it's kind of hard to memorize all the conversions for the units in the imperial system. i mean, miles to feet is obviously not the same as pound to ounce. hell, even the terms are confusing. [/rant] -------------------- Polaris - Weather balloons, ninjas, and your big daddy Wise Man. What more could you want? Undead Theories - Don't Ask, Don't Tell Posts: 3323 | Registered: Thursday, April 25 2002 07:00 |
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By Committee
Member # 4233
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written Saturday, September 11 2004 21:41
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Ben, I believe they're actually English units of measurement. Your ignorance continues to astound me, and I hope you're hunted down by a clockwork Nazi someday. Two comments: 1.) Both systems are pretty silly when taking time into consideration 2.) The English system basis for comparing weight and volume seems much cooler to me. I like that a pint of water is one pound. When I was cutting weight for crew in college, it was an easy way to keep track of how much I was taking in. Metric volumes just seem a bit stodgy in comparison. Oh, also - whoever created the mole as a basis for measuring molecules should be shot. 6.02*10^23 - where'd he pull that from? [ Saturday, September 11, 2004 21:42: Message edited by: Andrew Miller ] Posts: 2242 | Registered: Saturday, April 10 2004 07:00 |