# Happy Easter!!



## Dene (Mar 22, 2008)

Yay!!

For those of us who are Christians out there, this day represents one of the most important days in our history, so make sure it's a good one!


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## jeff081692 (Mar 22, 2008)

lol its tomorrow for me.


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## Leviticus (Mar 23, 2008)

Happy Easter everyone!! Its Sunday here in Perth and its 1.45 PM


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## Hadley4000 (Mar 23, 2008)

For me, it's just a day where places aren't as crowded.


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## ShadenSmith (Mar 23, 2008)

I had 3 friends' birthdays on Easter this year. Just got back from the birthday party. We held a fight club in the basement and I did some cubing for everyone. Loads of fun.


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## badmephisto (Mar 23, 2008)

yea, my religious freak parents are going quite crazy too... for me it's just an occasion to get good food because my mom always cooks huge meal, so WEEEE EASTER!


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## Crazycubemom (Mar 23, 2008)

Happy Easter evryone ,Ton is busy with Gourmet and Maria has bought from Asian food center huges of meal , so lets come to visit us


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## SkateTracker (Mar 23, 2008)

Happy Easter! I'm a Christian so today is a pretty big day for me.


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## Stefan (Mar 23, 2008)

I just returned from the launderette. It was closed! Half an hour of my busy-with-diploma-close-to-deadline time, WASTED for NOTHING! And in two days when I work with my colleagues again, I won't have fresh underwear. F**K easter, F**K all other holidays that interfere with my life, and F**K everybody who keeps them alive, pretending they're good and anything but an unnecessary nuisance.


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## FlowingRiver94 (Mar 23, 2008)

StefanPochmann said:


> I just returned from the launderette. It was closed! Half an hour of my busy-with-diploma-close-to-deadline time, WASTED for NOTHING! And in two days when I work with my colleagues again, I won't have fresh underwear. F**K easter, F**K all other holidays that interfere with my life, and F**K everybody who keeps them alive, pretending they're good and anything but an unnecessary nuisance.



Hey! This is a really important day for Christians, including me. My Easter stinks so far, but you don't see me making rude comments!


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## Stefan (Mar 23, 2008)

FlowingRiver94 said:


> Hey! This is a really important day for Christians, including me. My Easter stinks so far, but you don't see me making rude comments!


You're missing the point. If you mess with your own life, that's your own fault. If others mess with my life, for no good reason, I have the right to be p***ed off. And if you support this bullying, then F you. If you want to have a day off and party or whatever, go for it. Just don't interfere with my life. Especially not if your reason for it is some imaginary bu****it.


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## FlowingRiver94 (Mar 23, 2008)

I personally don't think people need to make such a big deal over Easter either. _I_ have nothing to do with it, I'm just saying you need to stop blaming other people for your problems.


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## Stefan (Mar 23, 2008)

I only blame others for my problems that *they* cause, and I have every right to do so.


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## abbracadiabra (Mar 23, 2008)

Stefan, with all due respect, did you not know that Easter was coming? Did you expect the laundromat to be open on Easter? 

I hope you've got some food to eat. If I remember correctly at Christmas you were frustrated that you had nothing to eat and everything was closed. So this time around I hope you planned well enough in advance to stock up on food. 

I'm Jewish - it's not my holiday either. But I respect everyone else's right to have family time on their special holidays. Since I know those days are coming well in advance, I plan accordingly. 

I'm not much of a holiday celebrator myself. But last year for Passover, my employer (on a surprise basis) not only sent me home for the holiday, but arranged to have a huge meal catered at my house for me and my family. At the time I thought it was a little ridiculous to take the day off from work, but since I was being sent home anyway, I arranged to have my parents over to share the seder with us. It meant the world to my mother - she was thrilled. 

Unbeknownst to me at that time, it would be mother's last Passover seder. She passed away a month and a half later. I will always treasure that wonderful memory of that special holiday we spent together. 

Would you really begrudge someone else that kind of special memory just so you could do laundry whenever you felt like it? Believe it or not, mankind lived for thousands of years before laundromats were invented, and they still managed to wear clean clothes. My suggestion is to hand wash a couple pairs of underwear so you have something clean to wear until the laundromat reopens.


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## Stefan (Mar 23, 2008)

I bought food, but the laundromat is different.

1) It's fully automated, there are just the customers and the machines. They'd just have to open the door in the morning and close it in the evening (if the lock isn't automated, too, which I don't know).

2) Stores are closed here on Sunday, the laundromat is usually open every day.

And like I said earlier, party all you want, but leave me alone.


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## Crazycubemom (Mar 23, 2008)

Dear Stefan,

I think everyone knows this weekend is LONGGGGGGGGGGGGG weekend and many stores are closed except in Big City cause many Turkish or Morrocans stores open . and we would like to INVITE you X-mas and EASTER so no more complain from you about those days where most people HAPPY , with us overloaded food like Asian food as your favorite and at the corner of our street there is Turkish baker with their specialist Doner kebab and Ton can good cooks European food and take all your dirty cloths with you cause my wash machine works good.

And... you can cube all day with Rama and Ton

Hope to see you 
Maria Oey


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## abbracadiabra (Mar 23, 2008)

Ok, now I understand why you expected the laundromat to be open, although I'm surprised that the owners don't require an attendant during operating hours. I think if it were my business I'd want an employee there at all times, if not to provide customer service then at least to prevent vandalism and to protect my investment. 

See, the whole thing is it's not possible for everyone to party all they want but leave you alone. We aren't islands - we're all interconnected. Here's an example: In order for your local grocery clerk and gas station attendant to be able to spend the holiday with their family, either a replacement needs to be deprived of the holiday with his family, or the grocery store and gas station need to close for the day. And that deprives you of grocery store and gas station services for the day. So, are you in fact saying that it's ok for everyone else to be inconvenienced as long as it's not you?


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## Stefan (Mar 23, 2008)

abbracadiabra said:


> So, are you in fact saying that it's ok for everyone else to be inconvenienced as long as it's not you?


No. Firstly, the machines don't need a holiday and wouldn't be inconvenienced. Secondly, there must be enough people who like me don't want anything to do with these holidays, and who'd prefer to work and earn some money and just continue a regular life and allow others to do the same. Hmm... good point made by Maria, I think I know a Turkish laundromat, maybe that one is open. Unfortunately it's quite far away and I don't want to try it and be disappointed again.


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## Dene (Mar 23, 2008)

I have a suggestion: buy a washing machine. Or: buy more underwear.
It's actually quite funny, there was some stupid lady on the radio talking about how it should be banned to open anything on Easter in New Zealand, and that anybody that did should be fined a crapload of money plus all their profits etc etc. What a frikin idiot. I'm just like, what the hell? What if other people don't want to celebrate it?
Then my Grandma comes in (she is a hardcore fundamentalist Christian by the way) with a comment like "if they don't celebrate easter then they shouldn't get a holiday." So I reply "yes, that's exactly the point! They don't want a holiday, they just want to work!" And she replies "if they don't want to celebrate easter then they shouldn't get a holiday." And I'm just standing there like, weren't you listening to what I said? It was as though she put up a block against me as soon as I mentioned something "anti-religious" or whatever, and just assumed whatever I was saying, she didn't agree with. I mean, this is the sort of thing that is just plain ignorant. Kind of off topic but, oh well.
I worked yesterday, so, whatever. I don't see why you shouldn't work, just because it's Easter? I mean, I'm a Christian, but it's just another day. It's kind of like, there's no actual reason we give out chocolate, we just do, it's completely irrelevant to the day.


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## abbracadiabra (Mar 23, 2008)

Dene said:


> I have a suggestion: buy a washing machine. Or: buy more underwear.
> 
> It's actually quite funny, there was some stupid lady on the radio talking about how it should be banned to open anything on Easter in New Zealand, and that anybody that did should be fined a crapload of money plus all their profits etc etc.




Dene, he CAN'T buy more underwear today. It's Easter Sunday and all the stores are closed. If he wants clean underwear, he's gonna have to wash it. 

As far as the lady on the radio is concerned, she might make good sense if your country was governed by religious law. That isn't so far-fetched - I can think of several middle eastern countries who are governed by religious law, and once upon a time most of Europe was controlled by the church. 

Here in the United States, and I think in New Zealand, as well, we have seperation of church and state. That means that while religious holidays may be celebrated by a majority of the people, they aren't mandated by the government. Hence, the government would have no right to establish or legislate business operating hours during a religious holiday. 

However...



StefanPochmann said:


> there must be enough people who like me don't want anything to do with these holidays, and who'd prefer to work and earn some money and just continue a regular life and allow others to do the same.




Sadly, there aren't - at least around here. I work in a business that operates 365 days a year, including weekends and holidays. I don't hire anyone without first explaining our operating hours and letting them know that they will be required to work nights, weekends and holidays. Still, everybody begs for Sunday off, and everybody begs for the holidays off. In an effort to be fair, we try to honor their requests on a rotating basis, with preference towards seniority. But we can't let everybody take Sundays and holidays off and still be able to operate our business. I've had employees who just call in sick and leave us short-handed on those days when their request to be scheduled off had been denied. We've had to institute a pretty hard-line policy of disciplinary action (up to and including termination) for employees who take unauthorized days off during holidays unless they are able to provide a doctors note proving that there was a medical emergency. Oh, and by the way, we do pay a premium for holiday work.


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## Hadley4000 (Mar 23, 2008)

Separation of Church and State is thrown around about government stuff. But the reality is, no matter where to go around here, you get Jesus shoved down your throat.


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## Dene (Mar 23, 2008)

abbracadiabra said:


> Dene, he CAN'T buy more underwear today. It's Easter Sunday and all the stores are closed. If he wants clean underwear, he's gonna have to wash it.



He gets 364 days this year to buy more underwear, is that not enough for him? Does he have to do it on the 2 days that he can't?
As for religiously oppressed countries, it is quite insane, yes. It's just brainwashing crap, and is suprisingly abundant even in America (although most Americans would deny it). I'm glad I live in a country that I'm not particularly fond of, I'm free from all that "standard" patriotic crap


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## FlowingRiver94 (Mar 23, 2008)

What kind of world is this where people can start an argument just by saying "Happy Easter"? While we're at it, let's talk about politics, too. Hadley4000, Obama would be the worst president ever!


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## Rama (Mar 23, 2008)

FlowingRiver94 said:


> What kind of world is this where people can start an argument just by saying "Happy Easter"?



Yeah, you are right... Jesus has truly risen from the dead!


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## FlowingRiver94 (Mar 23, 2008)

Rama said:


> FlowingRiver94 said:
> 
> 
> > What kind of world is this where people can start an argument just by saying "Happy Easter"?
> ...



Finally, someone who agrees with me! You weren't being sarcastic, were you?


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## abbracadiabra (Mar 24, 2008)

Hadley4000 said:


> Separation of Church and State is thrown around about government stuff. But the reality is, no matter where to go around here, you get Jesus shoved down your throat.



Hadley, separation of church and state doesn't (_and shouldn't_) prohibit anyone from practicing the religion of their choice and/or expressing themselves regarding their religious beliefs. All it means is that the government can't mandate the means by which you practice your religion.


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## Hadley4000 (Mar 24, 2008)

FlowingRiver94 said:


> What kind of world is this where people can start an argument just by saying "Happy Easter"? While we're at it, let's talk about politics, too. Hadley4000, Obama would be the worst president ever!



Who would you prefer? Hilary? Dear lord no. McCain? 100 more years in Iraq and starting in Iran?
OR. A man who will END the war, get health care to those who cannot afford it, stop those damn tax breaks to the rich, and help get the money to those who need it. A man who will bring the public school system to what it needs to be, and give a $4000 grant to all students going to college. 


I could go on and on and on and on. Don't get me started on Obama unless you are ready for a loooooooooooooooooooong debate. I am more pro Obama than Obama is. And have been since 3 days after he announced his candidacy. Grassroots movement!


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## Dene (Mar 24, 2008)

I would also love for Obama to get presidency, but the problem is, is America ready for a black president? It would be such a drastic change, and would mark a huge changing point in American history. But America is still a very racist country. The thing that Clinton has is experience. We all know who wears the pants in her marraige, so she has effectively already been the president. What America really needs, is someone to follow on the dream of Edward Bellamy, and to have a 100% pure Communist country, with no government or state, and a cashless society..... who wants to make it happen?


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## badmephisto (Mar 24, 2008)

oh god... two absolutely WORST things to talk about, Faith and Politics, combined in ONE thread! Awesome.


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## Hadley4000 (Mar 24, 2008)

Dene said:


> I would also love for Obama to get presidency, but the problem is, is America ready for a black president? It would be such a drastic change, and would mark a huge changing point in American history. But America is still a very racist country. The thing that Clinton has is experience. We all know who wears the pants in her marraige, so she has effectively already been the president. What America really needs, is someone to follow on the dream of Edward Bellamy, and to have a 100% pure Communist country, with no government or state, and a cashless society..... who wants to make it happen?



But look at some of her "Experience." She voted yes on the war. She was majorly in favor of NAFTA.

Also. A lot of her "Experience" was from her as a first lady. During that time, she gives herself credit for the good things that happened, but the bad stuff she overlooks. Also. Look at some people who lack "Experience." Lincoln, JFK. Neither had experience.

PLUS. There is a different between "Experience" and resume. Obama has tons of experience working in the streets with the PEOPLE. That's a big thing that it boils down to. Hilary went to the big business wallstreet stuff. Obama fought for the people as a civil rights lawyer. 

Also. Yes, parts of America can be racist. But, they would prefer Obama over Hitlery. I mean Hilary


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## MAHTI-ANSSI (Mar 24, 2008)

Vote for Jimi Hendrix Experience!


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## Dene (Mar 24, 2008)

Well perhaps, but you need someone to run the country, not to be a "fan-favourite". I mean, with the war, it just isn't going to continue. As soon as that poo-head who's currently running your country is out, the war will be over. No one would be stupid enough to continue with it, it's too unpopular. But getting into the war here is probably not appropriate (lol, because, you know, everything else is  ). As I said, I would love for Obama to get it, but it seems unlikely that, on the day, people will turn up for him. He's relying a lot on the fact that people are going to turn up on the day, which as we know, doesn't happen in America.
As for Hitler, he was an extremely intelligent man and a great leader, he just had a few problems with facism. I shouldn't go into that either, I think there are a few Germans on the forums >.<


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## Stefan (Mar 24, 2008)

Dene said:


> He gets 364 days this year to buy more underwear


Not quite. More like 300. Don't forget that stores are closed on Sunday and holidays, as required by federal law. Have a look at this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ladenschlussgesetz

Notice that's the *English* article and it uses the *German* word as title, as apparently this is unknown in the English-speaking world? I find this hilarious and pathetic at the same time.


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## Joël (Mar 24, 2008)

Firstly, I must say I kinda understand Stefans point about holidays. They interfere with lives of people who don't want to have anything to do with these holidays.

On the other hand, Stefan should also realise that he's not alone in this world. If large groups of people want to have it their way, you just have to deal with it, Stefan.


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## Stefan (Mar 24, 2008)

Hadley4000 said:


> Hilary went to the big business wallstreet stuff. Obama fought for the people as a civil rights lawyer.


Hmm, if one is good with rich people and the other is good with poor/average people, why don't they share the job?


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## ExoCorsair (Mar 24, 2008)

Rama said:


> FlowingRiver94 said:
> 
> 
> > What kind of world is this where people can start an argument just by saying "Happy Easter"?
> ...





badmephisto said:


> oh god... two absolutely WORST things to talk about, Faith and Politics, combined in ONE thread! Awesome.



What they said.

Regarding politics, none of the candidates are/were worth anything this election; Clinton, Obama, Edwards, Richardson, Gravel, Kucinich, McCain, Romney, Huckabee, Paul... Terrible candidates.

I have to get out of here.


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## Hadley4000 (Mar 24, 2008)

StefanPochmann said:


> Hadley4000 said:
> 
> 
> > Hilary went to the big business wallstreet stuff. Obama fought for the people as a civil rights lawyer.
> ...





That was an issue talked about for a long long long long LONG time here.

Hitlery. I mean Hilary, talked about possibly picking Obama as her running mate. BUT. She is constantly on him about how he doesn;t have what it takes to be a leader, and needs to be worn in a littl emore.

So what she means. He isn't experienced enough to be elected. And if HE gets it, he still won't be. But if SHE gets it, magically he will AFTER she gets it.


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## Stefan (Mar 24, 2008)

Your repeated use of "Hitlery" is a really cheap shot, do you think you have to sink that low because your other arguments are too weak or why?


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## Bryan (Mar 24, 2008)

StefanPochmann said:


> Dene said:
> 
> 
> > He gets 364 days this year to buy more underwear
> ...



In the US, these would be referred to as "Blue laws" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_law

I remember growing up that Wal-Mart and K-Mart couldn't be opened on Sundays, and the toy aisle in the grocery store would be blocked off. They've now been relaxed a bit so that stores can't open before noon on Sundays, and you can buy any item in the store. So the Wal-Mart in my hometown is open 24/7 except from midnight Sunday (1 minute after 11:59 PM Saturday) to noon on Sunday.

In Minnesota, car dealershipts aren't opened on Sunday.


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## Hadley4000 (Mar 24, 2008)

StefanPochmann said:


> Your repeated use of "Hitlery" is a really cheap shot, do you think you have to sink that low because your other arguments are too weak or why?



It's just a joke. I have a joking nickname for every person who has been in the race.

I also hate her more than any non-republican out there, and she is running the most unethical campaign out there now.

PS. If you want to discuss more politics with me AIM/MSN/PM me. I am backing of a bit on the forums, as I don't want to tick anyone off or make any enemies.


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## Dene (Mar 24, 2008)

StefanPochmann said:


> Dene said:
> 
> 
> > He gets 364 days this year to buy more underwear
> ...



What do you mean "unknown"? As in we don't have a word for it? In such a case, you can't forget that English is still a very "young" language. It is extremely under-developed, and cannot be compared to such an "old" language as German. I couldn't give any numbers, but I'd be prepared to estimate that you have twice as many words in German than we do in English, or, at least words that we use in English (most of which aren't even English at all).
Or else, if you mean, it doesn't happen in the English world, well I don't know about that, but it doesn't happen here. I agree it is rude, but is it really done for religious reasons? Is Germany such a strongly religious country? That seems a bit weird considering the whole World War 1/World War 2 thing. Although, come to think of it, the Pope is German >.<


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## AvGalen (Mar 25, 2008)

OK, time to lighten up a little. Easter is over, most people have probably enjoyed the free time (I know I have) and if Stefan still has an underwear emergency I can highly recommend "going commando"


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## Dene (Mar 25, 2008)

Lol, is it over already? I am still on a day off  (not quite sure why. However having 6 days off Uni really sucks  ).


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## Stefan (Mar 25, 2008)

Didn't mean it's bad that English doesn't know it, I meant it's bad that German does. Also, you guys might use our "kindergarten", but we use your "computer", "motherboard", etc. We even call mobile phones "handy" (which no English people do, as far as I know, someone probably just thought it sounds cool). And I'm writing my diploma thesis in English, not just to make it readable for more people, but also because I would have a really hard time writing it in German without using a lot of English words or awkward translations.

I ended up finding and wearing non-standard socks for today so that turned out kinda alright (I once bought many uniform socks, underpants and t-shirts, so that I don't feel an urge to sort or to choose).

Before I forget it, let me apologize for being a little rude. I can get pretty angry and emotional if I make a plan and then something out of my control gets in the way. So, sorry for that. But I still want holidays abolished.


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## AvGalen (Mar 25, 2008)

StefanPochmann said:


> Didn't mean it's bad that English doesn't know it, I meant it's bad that German does. Also, you guys might use our "kindergarten", but we use your "computer", "motherboard", etc. We even call mobile phones "handy" (which no English people do, as far as I know, someone probably just thought it sounds cool). And I'm writing my diploma thesis in English, not just to make it readable for more people, but also because I would have a really hard time writing it in German without using a lot of English words or awkward translations.
> 
> I ended up finding and wearing non-standard socks for today so that turned out kinda alright (I once bought many uniform socks, underpants and t-shirts, so that I don't feel an urge to sort or to choose).
> 
> Before I forget it, let me apologize for being a little rude. I can get pretty angry and emotional if I make a plan and then something out of my control gets in the way. So, sorry for that. But I still want holidays abolished.


Everyone should write english, pay in Euros, use 20080323155219.0123456789 as date/time format, drive on the right side, use the metric system, open there shops everyday because weekends and holidays (or just religious holidays?) should be abandoned and converted to choosable free days and browsers should simply render everything perfectly.

Before that happens I will try to remember to contact Stefan before passover and maybe he can put http://www.phys.uu.nl/~vgent/easter/easter_text2a.htm or something simular in an alarmsystem


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## abbracadiabra (Mar 25, 2008)

Sorry to sound ignorant, but since I believe the stupidist question is the one that remains unasked, what date does 20080323155219.0123456789 refer to?


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## Karthik (Mar 25, 2008)

abbracadiabra said:


> Sorry to sound ignorant, but since I believe the stupidist question is the one that remains unasked, what date does 20080323155219.0123456789 refer to?


I think he meant Date:23 March 2008 Time:15:52:19.0123456789

Am I right?


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## Johannes91 (Mar 25, 2008)

Y10K


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## shelley (Mar 25, 2008)

StefanPochmann said:


> We even call mobile phones "handy" (which no English people do, as far as I know, someone probably just thought it sounds cool).



Random fact: the Chinese term for mobile phones translates to "hand device" in English.


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## AvGalen (Mar 25, 2008)

Year 2008
Month 03 (march)
Day 23
Hour 15
Minute 52
Second 19
Miliseconds 0123456789

This is by far the best way (humanly understandable/readable) to notate date/times because it follows the numeric rule for "biggest unit first" and because partial searches can be done really quick. A search for "in the afternoon" would just be a search for > ????????120000 and < ????????180000


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## Dene (Mar 25, 2008)

AvGalen said:


> Everyone should write english, pay in Euros, use 20080323155219.0123456789 as date/time format, drive on the right side, use the metric system, open there shops everyday because weekends and holidays (or just religious holidays?) should be abandoned and converted to choosable free days and browsers should simply render everything perfectly.
> 
> Before that happens I will try to remember to contact Stefan before passover and maybe he can put http://www.phys.uu.nl/~vgent/easter/easter_text2a.htm or something simular in an alarmsystem



Let's break this down a bit.

Yes, everyone should use English, it is easily the most malleable language we have.

I don't agree that everyone should pay in Euros, in fact I don't agree that there should be a currency at all, only credit (for more information on a cashless society read _Looking Backward_ by Edward Bellamy!!)

For date time format, I disagree. If we are using English, then the logical format goes: Time/Day/Month/Year, eg. 4:31pm/17/April/4007. I don't get the whole stupid American thing with backwards month and day, it just doesn't make any logical sense, do they do it just to be different or something?

Driving on the left side>driving on the right side. Nobody drives on the right side these days except Americans, and wannabe-Americans.

I'm ok with using the metric system.

I agree with the closed days, there shouldn't be any compulsory times when anything should be closed.

As for the last part, well... no comment.

Mr. Pochmann, I now understand what you mean, and it makes a lot more sense lol >.< . As for your angry and emotional thing, you should try taking a leaf out of my book, and just don't let anything get to you. I just don't get angry (or emotional). I just don't see any reason. If something bugs you just ignore it. Or else laugh in its face. As for emotions, I take great pride in my having rid myself of my emotional responsiveness.
Lol, yea, I'm a pretty neutral guy


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## watermelon (Mar 25, 2008)

Dene said:


> Driving on the left side>driving on the right side. Nobody drives on the right side these days except Americans, and wannabe-Americans.



I beg to differ... Link


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## Harris Chan (Mar 25, 2008)

Dene got pwned XD


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## abbracadiabra (Mar 25, 2008)

ok - let me demonstrate my ignorance again. I've seen this word several times on this forum, but I have no idea what it means and can't find a dictionary definition. 

Can anyone define "pwn" for me? And how is it pronounced?


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## Jason Baum (Mar 25, 2008)

"Pwn" is an internet-slang term for the word "own". It started because it is a common typo for the word but it's now used regularly (kind of like teh and the). I just pronounce it the same as own, but with a p in front of it (pown).


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## Hadley4000 (Mar 25, 2008)

Metric system is MUCH better. But, English is a ridiculous language.

It is my first language, but the English language does not make much sense. At all.


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## AvGalen (Mar 25, 2008)

> For date time format, I disagree. If we are using English, then the logical format goes: Time/Day/Month/Year, eg. 4:31pm/17/April/4007. I don't get the whole stupid American thing with backwards month and day, it just doesn't make any logical sense, do they do it just to be different or something?


No, something like 20080323155219.0123456789 isn't done to be different. It is done to be the same as the normal metric system.
01234567.890 means 0*10^7 + 1*10^6 + 2*10^5 + 3*10^4 + 4 * 10^3 + 5 * 10^2 + 6 * 10^1 + 7 * 10^0 + 8 * 10^-1 + 9 * 10^-2 + 0 * 10^-3
1 more basic unit would be 01234568.890 which orders really nicely if you write down several numbers.
10^7 is the biggest unit so it comes first, 10^-3 is the smallest unit so it comes last.

If you do the same for a date/time it becomes 
20080326002754.91
1 basic unit later becomes 
20080326002755.91
Again, biggest units come first and if you write down several date times everything orders nicely.

It really makes no sense to write it down like this:
00:27:54 26-03-2008 (notice it going from big to small then from small to big)
00:27:55 26-03-2008 (looks nicely ordered?)
00:27:56 26-03-2008 (still looks nicely ordered? Now add 00:27:55 27-03-2008 to the list)


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## ExoCorsair (Mar 25, 2008)

Hadley4000 said:


> It is my first language, but the English language does not make much sense. At all.



English is silly.


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## Dene (Mar 26, 2008)

watermelon said:


> Dene said:
> 
> 
> > Driving on the left side>driving on the right side. Nobody drives on the right side these days except Americans, and wannabe-Americans.
> ...



Before we mislead people who don't read thoroughly, let's clarify:

"About 34% of the world by *population* drive on the left, and 66% on the right... even though originally most traffic drove on the left worldwide."

Now seeing as China, Russia and America drive on the left, that is a hefty portion of the population. Also let us consider most of Africa, in which apparently driving on the right is more prominent. Take into account the fact that of the however many people there, only a teensy minority would actually drive, yet everyone would be accounted for in such a statistic.

Japan, Great Britian, Australia, South Africa and India, 5 of the more prominent countries in the world, all drive on the left. The right side has US, China, Germany, France and Russia, and then a whole bunch of insignificant countries (yea that's what I said, and what?)

Of course the second part of the quote... clearly states that left>right, until a few countries kind of conquered other countries, and forced their laws upon them


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## Dene (Mar 26, 2008)

AvGalen said:


> > For date time format, I disagree. If we are using English, then the logical format goes: Time/Day/Month/Year, eg. 4:31pm/17/April/4007. I don't get the whole stupid American thing with backwards month and day, it just doesn't make any logical sense, do they do it just to be different or something?
> 
> 
> No, something like 20080323155219.0123456789 isn't done to be different. It is done to be the same as the normal metric system.
> ...



Yes, ordering is nice, but verbally, if you want to pinpoint a particular date, it works better in English to say "7th of March, 1964" than "In 1964 on March the 7th"


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## AvGalen (Mar 26, 2008)

I disagree. If I ask someone for his day of birth I think it would be best if he gave the most important information (year) first.
If you tell me how many miles your car has I don't really care about the details 50000 (would be an ok answer), same goes for your salary, etc.


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## Dene (Mar 26, 2008)

That's interesting. How is it done in Dutch? Certainly giving year first seems unnatural to me. Maybe it's just me, or just a New Zealand thing.


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## AvGalen (Mar 26, 2008)

Me: 1976 (YYYY)
Most Dutch: 5 juli 1976 (d mmm YYYY)
Most English (as I learned): July 5 1976 (mmm d YYYY)


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## abbracadiabra (Mar 26, 2008)

Is that your birthday, Arnaud? 

You are exactly 10 years older than my middle son. He was born July 5, 1986.

What you say about time-date format makes sense - however, until you said it I never noticed that our way of doing it is inside out and backwards.


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## Lucas Garron (Mar 26, 2008)

AvGalen said:


> Me: 1976 (YYYY)
> Most Dutch: 5 juli 1976 (d mmm YYYY)
> Most English (as I learned): July 5 1976 (mmm d YYYY)


This gets very annoying in America (especially since it doesn't make sense to switch from a logical system to an illogical one)...
Now I sign every document with something like "Mar. 26, 2008"


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## AvGalen (Mar 26, 2008)

Yes, that is my day of birth. But most people don't seem to believe I am actually this old which is both an advantage and a disadvantage when I meet women. I met a nice girl that I thought was 28 and she thought I was 26. She turned out to be 24 and that difference (not the actual age)was just to much for the both of us.

And I think it is so weird that things you use everyday become "default" and thoughtless. Another example is 88
In English: Eighty Eight (big, small)
In Dutch: Achtentachtig which means Eight and Eighty (small, big)
In German: Same as Dutch
In French: Quatrevingthuit which means 4 times 20 and 8


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## Dene (Mar 26, 2008)

Well, when it comes to actually verbalising numbers, definitely the best systems are the ones without new words for numbers over 10 (excluding 100/1,000/1,000,000 etc). Japanese is a perfect example. Eg. 24 (twenty four) is said "ni jyu yon" as in, 2 10 4, or two tens plus four. I assume it is the same as your French example, although I'm not sure if it is so explicit in French. It was shown in Psychology tests that children brought up with this sort of system were much more efficient early age at basic mathematics, and were also much more efficient with an abacus.


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## shelley (Mar 26, 2008)

The French counting system is weird. I guess it's like the English score (e.g. four score and seven), except nobody uses score anymore except when waxing poetic. And in French the base 20 thing only happens after 60.

Arnaud, I would have thought you were in the mid-20s. But then everyone thinks I'm still in high school so I know where you're coming from.


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## alexc (Mar 27, 2008)

Wow, this thread has gone from happy easter to an arguement concerning easter to ways to write the date to how silly english is and which side of the road everyone drives on! lol!!!


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## FlowingRiver94 (Mar 28, 2008)

alexc said:


> Wow, this thread has gone from happy easter to an arguement concerning easter to ways to write the date to how silly english is and which side of the road everyone drives on! lol!!!



And don't forget politics....


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## alexc (Mar 28, 2008)

FlowingRiver94 said:


> alexc said:
> 
> 
> > Wow, this thread has gone from happy easter to an arguement concerning easter to ways to write the date to how silly english is and which side of the road everyone drives on! lol!!!
> ...



Oh yes that too!!!!


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## robertpauljr (Jul 16, 2008)

I was browsing through some posts by one of the members and the Happy Easter post caught my attention. 
1. Easter: May you have a Happy Day, regardless of your belief system! I am a Christian, but doesn't that mean I believe that God loves everyone in the world and wants me to wish everyone well?
2. Frustration over unpleasant events caused by other people: Even as a Christian, I have had some really big anger issues. Especially driving in traffic. Doesn't everyone know that they are all supposed to yield to me??? Seriously, the way I have responded at times makes it seem like I really think that. Not so much any more though. I thank God for any improvements there have been in my outlook on traffic and life in general. I really think that Bible reading and prayer make a difference in my life. I don't mean going to church to say prayers. I mean praying for other drivers during the long commute to and from work. My Christianity isn't so much a church thing, as it is a daily walk thing. I only wish I were more consistent in my walk with God.
3. Politics: no comment. 
4. Measurement systems: I have grown up on Letter size paper. I have had a wee taste of A4 paper. I want I want I want. I am working on a little booklet about solving the Rubik's Cube. I am printing it 2 pages per sheet. On Letter size paper, the common paper here in the US, I get these huge top and bottom margins. I think it would work a lot better using A4 paper. Why don't we use A4 paper here? I looked at Staples.com and Amazon.com and it is available. Our printers and software supports it. I'm going to have to get some and try it out. And I like how it is the same proportion folded in half as it is not folded. That sure isn't the case with 8.5 by 11.


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## hawkmp4 (Jul 16, 2008)

Erm...
Why did you just dig up a 4 1/2 month old thread?


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