THESE FORUMS NOW CLOSED (read only)

  • 28 Mar 2024, 02:20
  • Welcome, Guest
Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length
Advanced search  
Pages: 1 [2] 3   Go Down

Author Topic: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!  (Read 24104 times)

Jackie Blue

  • BANNED
  • Born in a Nalgene bottle
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3,438
  • oh hi
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #50 on: 12 Sep 2008, 11:49 »

It's updating slow, but:

http://www.knoxvillegasprices.com/

The small suburb-town outside of Knoxville I live in apparently doesn't have anyone rushing to their computers to update.  Probably they are waiting in line to get gas.
Logged
Man, this thread really makes me want to suck some cock.

jhocking

  • Methuselah's mentor
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5,267
  • Corruption City USA
    • new|Arteest
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #51 on: 12 Sep 2008, 11:53 »

why the fuck would I have any reason to lie...

Y'know that question would be a great one to ask about lots of bizarre shit people make up for no apparent reason. I'm thinking here of complex conspiracy theories and the like. Two possible answers include:

1. To stir up hysteria.

2. To draw attention to yourself.

Jackie Blue

  • BANNED
  • Born in a Nalgene bottle
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3,438
  • oh hi
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #52 on: 12 Sep 2008, 11:55 »

Yeah, fuck you too.
Logged
Man, this thread really makes me want to suck some cock.

jhocking

  • Methuselah's mentor
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5,267
  • Corruption City USA
    • new|Arteest
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #53 on: 12 Sep 2008, 11:57 »

huh? oh well whatever

jhocking

  • Methuselah's mentor
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 5,267
  • Corruption City USA
    • new|Arteest
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #54 on: 12 Sep 2008, 12:03 »

At that, I was wondering how I could have no idea who zerodrone is when they have nearly 3000 posts. Maybe all in the music forum or something?

öde

  • Vulcan 3-D Chess Master
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3,633
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #55 on: 12 Sep 2008, 12:39 »

Anyone remember that post mods made a while back about not being complete dicks to people? No?
Logged

Nodaisho

  • Vulcan 3-D Chess Master
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3,658
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #56 on: 12 Sep 2008, 13:17 »

In most of those countries though, you either don't have to drive as much, or the wages are higher, so I think it is proportionally balanced.

I have to drive forty miles to get to my job and forty miles back to get home. Usually four or five times a week.

My car is diesel so it adds up to about $80 a week in petrol.
Isn't standard gas in the UK higher octane than the standard gas in the US? Course, diesel could be a different story, and truth be told, I have no idea what higher octane does to mileage. I have heard from people in the UK that you tend to have cars with better mileage over there, though. Or... do you use Imperial gallons for MPG? That could explain some of it.
Logged
I took a duck in the face at two hundred and fifty knots

Barmymoo

  • Mentat
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 9,926
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #57 on: 12 Sep 2008, 13:26 »

I believe, and please don't quote me on this, that we have smaller cars, on average, because we have smaller roads, because we are a smaller country. My knowledge of cars is sketchy but I believe that a smaller car is generally lighter and therefore more economical with fuel.
Logged
There's this really handy "other thing" I'm going to write as a footnote to my abstract that I can probably explore these issues in. I think I'll call it my "dissertation."

ummmkay

  • Curry sauce
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 292
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #58 on: 12 Sep 2008, 13:45 »

I got gas for $3.65 last night. It hadn't changed when I drove to campus this morning, then when I came back around noon it was up to $3.87, and now it's at $4.19. This is the first time I've seen gas over four dollars here. I'm pretty glad I filled up last night.
Logged

Nodaisho

  • Vulcan 3-D Chess Master
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3,658
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #59 on: 12 Sep 2008, 14:02 »

Barmy, you have city cars and the like, but you also have most cars that the U.S. has, and the guy I am specifically thinking about said that his merc was the worst car of his MPG-wise, and it had better than 34 MPG, so he didn't see why in the US people bragged about 30+ being high. Does mercedes-benz make city cars? Well, according to Wikipedia, the U.K. does use Imperial Gallons for MPG, so that does explain some of it.
Logged
I took a duck in the face at two hundred and fifty knots

BankHoldUp

  • Emoticontraindication
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 64
  • Crescent Fresh!
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #60 on: 12 Sep 2008, 15:07 »

I rode my bike past a gas station this morning on my way to work and the price was $3.63 a gallon. On my way to the post office around two pm, I rode past the same gas station and the price had jumped about 15 cents per gallon.

I began to think about how glad I was that I didn't drive, until a motorist drove through a puddle near the side of the road, which soaked me, my backpack and the packages contained within; quickly shaking me from my brief superiority complex.
Logged
Even death is not to be feared by one who has lived wisely - Siddhartha Gautama

RobbieOC

  • Beyond Thunderdome
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 555
  • Whachaw!
    • Facebookfacebookfacebook
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #61 on: 12 Sep 2008, 15:08 »

I got gas last night for $3.29. Fuck yeah, the oil industry runs this city with an iron fist. And they are good masters, indeed.
Logged

pwhodges

  • Admin emeritus
  • Awakened
  • *
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 17,241
  • I'll only say this once...
    • My home page
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #62 on: 12 Sep 2008, 15:55 »

Does mercedes-benz make city cars?

Smart Car - originally made by Mercedes for Smart, but now owned by Mercedes; not to mention the A- and B-series.  

And is anyone surprised we use Imperial Gallons here in the UK?  You know, like for everything, not just mpg.
Logged
"Being human, having your health; that's what's important."  (from: Magical Shopping Arcade Abenobashi )
"As long as we're all living, and as long as we're all having fun, that should do it, right?"  (from: The Eccentric Family )

Johnny C

  • Mentat
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 9,483
  • i wanna be yr slide dog
    • I AM A WHORE FOR MY OWN MUSIC
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #63 on: 12 Sep 2008, 16:06 »

$1.45 a litre at Shell. That's a little under $5 a gallon.

ffffffff
Logged
[02:12] yuniorpocalypse: let's talk about girls
[02:12] Thug In Kitchen: nooo

Liz

  • Older than Moses
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4,483
  • Nuclear Bomb Tits
    • Last.fm
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #64 on: 12 Sep 2008, 16:18 »

Fill up in the states on Tuesday before you go back. Prices in North Dakota are still hovering around the $3.50 mostly.
Logged
Quote from: John
Liz is touching me.
Quote from: Bryan
Fuck you, I want him so bad.

imagist42

  • Bling blang blong blung
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,196
  • more post-coital, less post-rock
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #65 on: 12 Sep 2008, 16:21 »

Out and about in the last couple hours, I noticed a couple of Exxon stations holding at $3.49 while their neighbors were jumping up to $3.56, $3.69, $3.71, even $3.79. It wasn't until I pulled into one to check it out that I noticed why: they were out. I'm willing to bet they were emptied out last night and this morning before they ever had a chance to raise the price (as that's what the price has been for the last few days).
Logged
Hopefully it goes without saying but you should always ask before sticking things in people's butts

Vendetagainst

  • Scrabble hacker
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,250
  • Too orangey for crows
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #66 on: 12 Sep 2008, 18:06 »

Stop being jerks, people.

In other news: Limbaugh's a fucking prick and gas is still fucking expensive.
Logged
Quote from: Sox
I think it's because your 'age' is really only determined by how exasperated you seem when you have to stand up.

Quote from: KharBevNor
PEW PEW PEW FUCK OFF SPACE

yelley

  • The Neighbor of the Beast
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 667
  • i believe in knitting.
    • it's peanut butter yelley time
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #67 on: 12 Sep 2008, 19:33 »

speaking of gas prices and mileage and things...

i am staying at a hotel that offers brekky in the lobby in the mornings and every morning some random person decides to talk to me about something. yesterday a guy was telling me how awesome a deal he got on his ford f-350 diesel truck, and how i was so stupid for paying full MSRP for my toyota yaris. a stranger called me stupid for buying a fuel efficient car at full price that i had to be on a waiting list to purchase instead of buying a ridiculous gas guzzler at 2/3 price. well, really he called me a 'damn fool girl.'
Logged
Quote from: tommy
you do lurk below the surface of the forum, emerging occasionally to pluck a young man from our ranks before plunging back into the murky depths from whence you came
Quote from: J0n
You are pretty totally creepshow, yelley

Blue Kitty

  • WoW gold miner on break
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 6,964
    • Twitter
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #68 on: 12 Sep 2008, 19:37 »

Closest gas station to me reads $3.89, which is like 7 cents more then it was a week ago.
Logged

Katherine

  • The German Chancellory building
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 459
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #69 on: 12 Sep 2008, 19:56 »

I love my Yaris to bits but I would trade it for a Smart in a heartbeat.  Soooo adorable!
Logged

Something Witty

  • 1-800-SCABIES
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 808
  • All roads lead to WAAAGH!
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #70 on: 12 Sep 2008, 22:15 »

OH GOD IT IS GOING TO COST ME LIKE THIRTEEN DOLLARS TO FILL UP MY GAS TANK WHAT THE FUCK
Logged
I see angels on Ariels in leather and chrome, Swooping down from heaven to carry me home.

RedLion

  • Duck attack survivor
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,691
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #71 on: 12 Sep 2008, 22:57 »

Nope, it's well above 5 dollars on the Gulf Coast.

Not across the whole country, but still.

He was right, to an extent. So stop being shitdicks.
Logged
"Death is nothing, but to live defeated is to die daily."
 - Napoleon

Jackie Blue

  • BANNED
  • Born in a Nalgene bottle
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3,438
  • oh hi
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #72 on: 13 Sep 2008, 00:03 »

I love my Yaris to bits

I have a Yaris too.  Her name is Neko.  I love it.

So, just got home from work and about half the gas stations, maybe more, are completely out of gas.  In some cities further East of me, gas is now at $6/gallon - if you can find any.  Also, the manager at the station I stopped at claimed - though I find this hard to believe - that it will be at least 3-4 days before stations in those smaller towns get any more gas at all.

I am really glad I have a nearly full tank and didn't pay over 3.89 for gas all night - two of the major chains, Chevron and BP, kept prices low, I'm assuming they'll be out by morning.
Logged
Man, this thread really makes me want to suck some cock.

CarrionMan

  • Bizarre cantaloupe phobia
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 215
    • The RP Syndicate
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #73 on: 13 Sep 2008, 00:12 »

I believe, and please don't quote me on this, that we have smaller cars, on average, because we have smaller roads, because we are a smaller country. My knowledge of cars is sketchy but I believe that a smaller car is generally lighter and therefore more economical with fuel.
Smaller engine, burns fuel slower. Bigger engine burns fuel faster, but gives more power. That's why trucks, station wagons("cross-overs" and "SUVs"), and sports cars got crap for mileage.
Logged
"I am accusing war. I am accusing man. I am accusing universal stupidity."

tuna ketchup x

  • Guest
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #74 on: 13 Sep 2008, 08:08 »

According to the Internet, it's only $3.59 here in Pittsburgh, but I fully expect it to go up. And just in time for the bus drivers' strike!
Logged

Drill King

  • Duck attack survivor
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,514
  • The Monster of Man
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #75 on: 13 Sep 2008, 08:35 »

I would be lying if I said that I didn't love huge manly masculine cars. Ones that are either 20 years old or the new camaro.

HOWEVER

Even if I could afford these things, and wasn't scared to drive. Gas is around 1.35 here per litre.

..CANADA IS HUGE D: WHY SO EXPENSIVE AUGH
Logged
King of Kings baby.

photoblog tumblr

Vendetagainst

  • Scrabble hacker
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,250
  • Too orangey for crows
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #76 on: 13 Sep 2008, 11:00 »

I would be lying if I said that I didn't love huge manly masculine cars.

Minus the camaro part, that's pretty awful.



It just started fucking pouring here, out of no where. I mean literally, it went from slightly humid to fucking buckets in less than two seconds. I imagine it's the whole hurricane thing getting sent out from the south, so I can only imagine what it's like down there.
Logged
Quote from: Sox
I think it's because your 'age' is really only determined by how exasperated you seem when you have to stand up.

Quote from: KharBevNor
PEW PEW PEW FUCK OFF SPACE

CarrionMan

  • Bizarre cantaloupe phobia
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 215
    • The RP Syndicate
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #77 on: 13 Sep 2008, 11:01 »

Hell on wheels. Texas got another one of those "Get out or die!" warnings from the govt. Awesome. The surge is so powerful, the news described it as a tsunami, but they barely covered that(there was a train wreck with almost 20 dead, so that got more coverage because it was local).
Logged
"I am accusing war. I am accusing man. I am accusing universal stupidity."

imagist42

  • Bling blang blong blung
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,196
  • more post-coital, less post-rock
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #78 on: 13 Sep 2008, 11:29 »

It's only really Houston an surrounding coastal areas that are getting the brunt of it. In Austin, we haven't even gotten rain. The trees are just blowing around a little more than usual.
Logged
Hopefully it goes without saying but you should always ask before sticking things in people's butts

Barmymoo

  • Mentat
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 9,926
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #79 on: 13 Sep 2008, 14:06 »

I really want a Chrysler (preferably a Cruiser) because they are the sexy version of a VW Beetle, but I would look pretty silly driving it and also moneyzzzz.
Logged
There's this really handy "other thing" I'm going to write as a footnote to my abstract that I can probably explore these issues in. I think I'll call it my "dissertation."

RobbieOC

  • Beyond Thunderdome
  • ****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 555
  • Whachaw!
    • Facebookfacebookfacebook
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #80 on: 13 Sep 2008, 14:16 »

Imagist, we've been getting tons of rain in OKC. It's strange you wouldn't be getting any in Austin! Do you know why? Out of curiosity.

And prices here have risen about $.20 in the last few days. So, now it's about $3.50. But, it's still pretty much nothing comparatively. My cousins in California said it was around $5 out there.
Logged

calenlass

  • Born in a Nalgene bottle
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3,076
  • queefcicle!
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #81 on: 13 Sep 2008, 14:18 »

I did and while it took like four minutes to load, I do appreciate SOMEBODY actually backing something up.


Man, Jon, stop being such a dick to everyone. It isn't funny when you are actually an asshole.


I just had two friends get home from work. One works in Roswell, about 30 minutes' drive from here, and the other works in Forest Park, about 45 minutes away. Both said that they passed gas station after station where there were lines of cars 50+ long to get premium gas (the only thing left) at $5.35/gallon, and the rest of the stations were entirely sold out. I have $20 to my name, so I have to wait a few days to fill up my completely-empty tank (probably to half full, at best), because right now it would not even buy my 4 gallons, and my tank takes 16.
« Last Edit: 13 Sep 2008, 14:20 by calenlass »
Logged
Hey everyone, I need to buy some new bookshelves. When I get back from Ikea and put them together you're all invited to the bookshelf launch party.

0bsessions

  • Born in a Nalgene bottle
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3,242
  • Change Is Taking the Seventh Dick
    • Quiki
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #82 on: 13 Sep 2008, 14:36 »

Wait, what the fuck? I was thanking the guy.

Christ.
Logged
I've decided to give up psychology and become a peacock
Quote from: Tommydski in Gabbly
JON MADE ME GAY

calenlass

  • Born in a Nalgene bottle
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3,076
  • queefcicle!
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #83 on: 13 Sep 2008, 14:44 »

I stopped reading towards the top of this page because you were being a dick.
Logged
Hey everyone, I need to buy some new bookshelves. When I get back from Ikea and put them together you're all invited to the bookshelf launch party.

imagist42

  • Bling blang blong blung
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,196
  • more post-coital, less post-rock
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #84 on: 13 Sep 2008, 15:32 »

Imagist, we've been getting tons of rain in OKC. It's strange you wouldn't be getting any in Austin! Do you know why? Out of curiosity.

The hurricane took a northern track compared to what they initially thought. Everybody was panicking here and in Corpus Christi until Wedensday, and on Thursday morning it all shifted to Houston and everything on the new path. In fact, it's bright and sunny with minimal tree motion right now.
Logged
Hopefully it goes without saying but you should always ask before sticking things in people's butts

johnny5

  • FIGHT YOU
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 412
  • pug pug pug
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #85 on: 13 Sep 2008, 15:37 »

it's still been the same here...about 3.70-3.80 reg
Logged

RedLion

  • Duck attack survivor
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,691
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #86 on: 13 Sep 2008, 18:20 »

Why the hell is gas back up to 3.90 in Janesville WISCONSIN.
Logged
"Death is nothing, but to live defeated is to die daily."
 - Napoleon

Social Bacon

  • FIGHT YOU
  • ***
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 399
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #87 on: 13 Sep 2008, 22:48 »

Reliance on Texan refineries.
Logged

Storm Rider

  • Older than Moses
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 4,075
  • Twelve stories high, made of radiation
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #88 on: 13 Sep 2008, 23:29 »

I got more gas today for 3.83 per gallon. It is also the last time I will have to pay for gas for the next nine months!
Logged
Quote
[22:06] Shane: We only had sex once
[22:06] Shane: and she was wicked just...lay there

CarrionMan

  • Bizarre cantaloupe phobia
  • **
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 215
    • The RP Syndicate
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #89 on: 13 Sep 2008, 23:39 »

I think we paid $4.02 at a gas station on the mountain for me.

My mum paid $3.83 at a Costco for premium in LA, however. Damn mountain and its expensive gas.
Logged
"I am accusing war. I am accusing man. I am accusing universal stupidity."

Nodaisho

  • Vulcan 3-D Chess Master
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3,658
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #90 on: 15 Sep 2008, 20:26 »

Does mercedes-benz make city cars?

Smart Car - originally made by Mercedes for Smart, but now owned by Mercedes; not to mention the A- and B-series.  

And is anyone surprised we use Imperial Gallons here in the UK?  You know, like for everything, not just mpg.
I think some people don't know that the US uses different gallons. I didn't until a few years ago, then again, the knowledge of a junior-high kid shouldn't be a target to aspire to.

Carrion, that isn't all there is to it, though, with regards to MPG. You could hypothetically run a big old van (15-seater) on a 2 liter 4-cylinder, but it would have to rev higher to pull itself along, using more gas. A smaller, lighter car on the same engine can run at lower revs, which is why, just grabbing a random year and brand, an '00 ford using the same engine (4.6 v8) can have different mileage. The mustang with it and a 5-speed manual has 15 city, 23 highway, while an F-150 with a 5-speed manual has 13 city, 19 highway.

Also, using 4WD takes more gas, which is why subarus don't have stellar MPG, even with 2.5 flat 4, as to why it takes more, I can't tell you, maybe it is that driving four wheels takes more, even though they are splitting the effort, that makes sense, since you are spinning more weight, but it isn't my area of expertise.

Oh, and I just gassed up for 3.57 a gallon, makes sense, Cheyenne has a lot of refineries, so local stations probably get it from there.
« Last Edit: 15 Sep 2008, 20:29 by Nodaisho »
Logged
I took a duck in the face at two hundred and fifty knots

ViolentDove

  • Scrabble hacker
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,396
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #91 on: 15 Sep 2008, 20:57 »

Jesus Christ guys, get a metric system already.

(I ride a push-bike everywhere, I cannot participate constructively in this conversation. Sorry.)

Logged
With cake ownership set to C and cake consumption set to K, then C + K = 0.  So indeed as one consumes a cake, one simultaneously deprives oneself of cake ownership. 

Nodaisho

  • Vulcan 3-D Chess Master
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3,658
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #92 on: 15 Sep 2008, 22:28 »

Why should we? If base 10 is so awesome, why do computers use base 16? Base 10 is only used due to humans having 10 fingers.
Logged
I took a duck in the face at two hundred and fifty knots

imagist42

  • Bling blang blong blung
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,196
  • more post-coital, less post-rock
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #93 on: 15 Sep 2008, 22:34 »

Why should we? If base 10 is so awesome, why do computers use base 16? Base 10 is only used due to humans having 10 fingers.

Computers use base 2. As in, binary. And that is only because of the nature of the electrical components, which are either "on" or "off." Does that mean it is any less convenient?

Also, our non-metric systems of measurement aren't base anything. They're completely arbitrary, and therefore completely confusing. How many ounces in a pound again?...
Logged
Hopefully it goes without saying but you should always ask before sticking things in people's butts

ViolentDove

  • Scrabble hacker
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,396
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #94 on: 15 Sep 2008, 23:01 »

My automotive device can travel two furlongs per seven mutckins of petroleum.
Logged
With cake ownership set to C and cake consumption set to K, then C + K = 0.  So indeed as one consumes a cake, one simultaneously deprives oneself of cake ownership. 

celticgeek

  • GET ON THE NIGHT TRAIN
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 2,697
  • Linux Geek
    • The Celtic Geek
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #95 on: 15 Sep 2008, 23:10 »

Come on, use real units.  My automobile gets 3DAB16 furlongs per firkin.  Or 11110110101112 furlongs per firkin, if you prefer. 
Logged
a 'dèanamh nan saighdean airson cinneadh MacLeòid
We Wear Woad When We Write Code
Ní féidir liom labhairt na Gaeilge.
Seachd reultan, agus seachd clachan, agus aon chraobh geal.

ViolentDove

  • Scrabble hacker
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,396
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #96 on: 15 Sep 2008, 23:21 »

Apparently a mutckin is 3/4s of an imperial pint.
Logged
With cake ownership set to C and cake consumption set to K, then C + K = 0.  So indeed as one consumes a cake, one simultaneously deprives oneself of cake ownership. 

Nodaisho

  • Vulcan 3-D Chess Master
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 3,658
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #97 on: 16 Sep 2008, 00:36 »

Why should we? If base 10 is so awesome, why do computers use base 16? Base 10 is only used due to humans having 10 fingers.

Computers use base 2. As in, binary. And that is only because of the nature of the electrical components, which are either "on" or "off." Does that mean it is any less convenient?

Also, our non-metric systems of measurement aren't base anything. They're completely arbitrary, and therefore completely confusing. How many ounces in a pound again?...
Computers use base two like our brains use... I don't know enough neurology to finish the metaphor, someone help me out here? The very basic of how our brains work, I would say our brains use binary, in that either a connection has electricity travelling on it or it doesn't, but for all I know, that is bull. Windows, at least, uses hexadecimal, base 16, and I think most OSs do so as well, though I could be wrong. There has to be a reason behind that, anyone know history of computers well enough to tell me what it is? Did one of the original computer guys lose a couple fingers?

The imperial system tends to use multiples of two to go up in terms. It makes some sense, when you think about it, people usually get one or two things, not one or ten. I knew a guy that made a whole long post on the subject, he really knew his stuff, or at least was good enough to make it sound like he did. I'll see if I can find it, if you want to read it. Interesting stuff.

16 ounces in a pound, 8 fluid ounces in a cup, 2 cups to a pint (which makes you wonder why they don't just say cup rather than half-pint, maybe ambiguity between the cup object and the cup measurement?), 2 pints to a quart, 4 quarts to a gallon. Not consistent, but always either doubling, quadrupling, or octupling. I imagine that there is an intermediate step between quarts and gallons, I mean a real name, not just half-gallon, like there are decimeters but you never hear anyone using them. Maybe the same with ounces to cup. The yard is the only exception to the even number tendency I can think of off the top of my head. I believe the foot measurement was based off of the tread of a marching legionnaire, and other measurements were based off of how far an army could march in a certain amount of time (mile seems a bit short, but then again, hoplites carried armor, spears, shields, swords, and walked long distances. Most were shorter than the average person today as well, and probably not as well nourished).

And would someone please tell me what kind of animal has fur that stretches out for an eighth of a mile? I need to shoot me one of those, lifetime's supply of leather right there, unless you are Rob Halford.
Logged
I took a duck in the face at two hundred and fifty knots

imagist42

  • Bling blang blong blung
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,196
  • more post-coital, less post-rock
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #98 on: 16 Sep 2008, 09:22 »

Man, it's all well and good to "explain" where these absolutely arbitrary measurements come from (mile? WTF?), but do you realize how many people have no idea how to convert between these units? It makes conversions for, say, mathematical calculations (which already use decimal units, why not continue that trend!) so much more of a pain than necessary. And besides, how relevant are any of those measurements now? None of them have any meaning to an average person beyond the fact that they are ingrained into our memory from an early age. The only arguments against switching is it would be difficult to change things that are already established, like highway markers, and harder on people who are already used to this terrible, terrible system, but it would make everything ever so much easier, in the long run. Oh, and our system is also probably easier on cooks, but they already use their own ridiculous measurements like dashes and pinches, so whatever.

RE: Computers: Hexadecimal was convenient for early computers because they were built on 16-bit architecture: a memory address was usually 16 binary digits (16-bit address space), and the information at any given address was also 16 digits long (16-bit addressability). So, instead of having to write out a sequence of 16 ones and zeros, computers could simply use hexadecimal digits to represent groups of four digits (2^4 = 16). This doesn't necessarily make anything easier, as when a computer is executing some instruction in memory it still has to expand into binary to parse the opcode, operands, etc., and even doing simple calculations it's often easier to use binary, as it simplfies the arithmetic (especially given two's complement calculations with negative numbers; at least, I find binary easier to understand in that case). So computers only really "use" base-16 numbers for input/output related things, as it's easier to report a long binary number in this kind of hexadecimal shorthand. Interestingly, it's not much harder to convert from binary to decimal than it is from binary to hexadecimal. At least, the logic behind the algorithms is pretty similar.

As far as Windows using hexadecimal, that's not quite true anymore. The x86 architecture, on which most processors for the last many years of computing have been based, is actually a 32-bit processor: 32-bit address space, 32-bit addressability. So mostly it works with larger numbers, but still in the way I outlined above. Eight hexadecimal digits per binary word instead of four. In recent years they've been developing stuff like the x86-64 architecture, which is 64-bit in contrast. This is why you have had 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Windows' latest OSs, and why programs designed for one aren't necessarily compatible with the other (if you're trying to read from one memory location to the next in a 32-bit program, that same program, depending on how it's designed, may instead read the first half of one location, then the second half, and so on).

Logged
Hopefully it goes without saying but you should always ask before sticking things in people's butts

redglasscurls

  • Duck attack survivor
  • *****
  • Offline Offline
  • Posts: 1,614
Re: ATTN: Americans: Bend over!
« Reply #99 on: 16 Sep 2008, 09:54 »

You guys really are being kind of assholes to this guy. I understand you don't care much for him, but really he's done nothing wrong in this thread and you're not encouraging good forum behavior when you jump on him just as much when he hasn't done anything here (vs in the fashion thread).

 The more remote you are, the prices rise much faster than in urban areas where people have more options about which station they go to. I am right on the border to DC and gas reached $3.85 this morning. Gas in my hometown tends to be 25-30 cents more a gallon than here. So I am really not all that incredulous that wherever he is has manged to reach $5.
Oh and last time gas prices got high, stations around here ran out of gas. I believe him.
Logged
Denn Du Bist, Was Du Isst   (you are what you eat)
also, related to burning stuff: a friend threw up on a hot water heater once, the vomit steam burned her face. awesome!
Pages: 1 [2] 3   Go Up