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Things you thought you knew about, but really did not

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Posts

  • override367override367 Registered User regular
    That seems unlikely, as one person operating a bicycle generator can fry a single egg with an electric skillet

  • DemerdarDemerdar Registered User regular
    That seems unlikely, as one person operating a bicycle generator can fry a single egg with an electric skillet

    Acoustics. Nothing else. Imagine 60 thousand people screaming at an egg.

    parabol
    nin_new2.gif
  • EgoEgo Registered User regular
    That reminds me, I always thought the idea of a human-powered flying machine was outlandish, but it turns out it's actually pretty doable.

    I mean, you have to be an athlete bicyclist to do it, and I imagine flying around being a human engine is not super fun, but it still strikes me as really cool.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gossamer_Albatross

    Not quite the sort of machines I envisioned as a child, but still, pretty neat.

    Erik
  • NocrenNocren Still AwesomeRegistered User regular
    Demerdar wrote: »
    That seems unlikely, as one person operating a bicycle generator can fry a single egg with an electric skillet

    Acoustics. Nothing else. Imagine 60 thousand people screaming at an egg.

    I'll admit, I LOLed at this since I live in Northern Cali and my first thought was 60K Raiders fans yelling at an egg
    "COOOOOK DAMN YOU COOOOK!"

    newSig.jpg
  • FoomyFoomy Registered User regular
    Ego wrote: »
    That reminds me, I always thought the idea of a human-powered flying machine was outlandish, but it turns out it's actually pretty doable.

    I mean, you have to be an athlete bicyclist to do it, and I imagine flying around being a human engine is not super fun, but it still strikes me as really cool.

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gossamer_Albatross

    Not quite the sort of machines I envisioned as a child, but still, pretty neat.

    theres also this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sikorsky_Prize for helicopters, but the best one has only hovered a few inches off the ground for only a few seconds

    Steam Profile: FoomyFooms
  • override367override367 Registered User regular
    Demerdar wrote: »
    That seems unlikely, as one person operating a bicycle generator can fry a single egg with an electric skillet

    Acoustics. Nothing else. Imagine 60 thousand people screaming at an egg.

    Ah, gotcha

  • CouscousCouscous Registered User regular
    That said, don't call me a mulatto. A big "WTF" to people who think this is okay.
    I will just call you octoroon instead.
    I call them black. I have yet to get an OK on this.

    I suspect the African-American term cropped up because of all the PC lawsuits in the 90s.
    I suspect those PC lawsuits in the 90s are nonexistent.

  • MayGodHaveMercyMayGodHaveMercy Registered User regular
    Couscous wrote: »
    That said, don't call me a mulatto. A big "WTF" to people who think this is okay.
    I will just call you octoroon instead.

    "The word octoroon means one eighth black."

    ?

    ArcherEyes2.jpg
    XBL: Mercy XXVI - Steam: Mercy_XXVI
  • Rhan9Rhan9 Registered User regular
    adytum wrote: »
    I guess I mistook this for the "Things you thought you knew about, but really did not" thread. :rotate:
    Spoiler:

    Apologies, that wasn't my intention. You just came across as presenting and example, and the rest of your post seemed more like "What's up with that" than "This is what I thought, silly me". Probably a reading comprehension failure on my part in that case, and my response was more in the vein of bewilderment than condescension.

    steam_sig.png
  • KwornKworn Registered User
    This may come across racist or something. Maybe to do with that fact that I come from southern England where the majority of people are like 99.9% white.

    But I always 'just' assume that everyone on a message board is white.

    I'm bad, and I am so sorry for being like that. But my sweeping assumptions are so wrong, so so wrong.

    Now my Sister in law is married to a Ghanain and he is like the 'only' black person we know. Is this like super weird?

  • Rhesus PositiveRhesus Positive Damn these electric sex pants! Registered User regular
    One of my friends from Dorset had never met a black person until coming to university. I'd met maybe three.

    So I'm guessing no, at least for us southern pansies.

    robothero wrote: »
    damn rhesus, you're like a cyclical procedure of poor decisions
    PSNID: RhesusPositive
    I'm doing Movember for Men's Health! Donate if you can - thanks.
  • HonkHonk Registered User regular
    That sounds incredibly weird to me. Did you live in an extremely remote village somewhere?

  • L|amaL|ama Registered User regular
    The city of about 120k that I live in is over 90% white. There was only one black family at my high school, originally from Zimbabwe and they were only there for the last 2 years that I was. There were a few maori and pacific islanders, but they were still a very small minority.

  • Iceman.USAFIceman.USAF Captain EuropeRegistered User regular
    Kworn wrote: »
    But I always 'just' assume that everyone on a message board is white.

    This is actually pretty normal from what I recall. At least I feel the same way, and I grew up around plenty of diversity. Don't feel bad. It's not like you're assuming a black/chinese/etc forum poster is a bad person, just that we all happen to fall into your comfort zone which happens to be white. It's psychology, not racism.

    Edit: not that a persons psychology can't be racist, just don't think it is in this case.



  • Rhesus PositiveRhesus Positive Damn these electric sex pants! Registered User regular
    I lived in a fairly large town, maybe 80,000 people, but what minority population there was tended to be Asian. Thinking about my secondary school, we had more sets of twins than we did minorities.

    robothero wrote: »
    damn rhesus, you're like a cyclical procedure of poor decisions
    PSNID: RhesusPositive
    I'm doing Movember for Men's Health! Donate if you can - thanks.
  • theSquidtheSquid Registered User regular
    Hilariously I had the opposite experience of you guys and was surprised how unicultural a lot of Australia turned out to be. Going by my primary (50% filo) and secondary (selective high school split evenly between white/south asian/east asian) schools, and then of course uni (50% international students from china, 50% others including internationals from other countries and the multi ethnic brighter students from said multicultural selective schools) I thought this country was maybe 60-70% white.

    Misjudged the country, big time. Also cities that aren't Sydney or Melbourne, pretty much.

    I guess its not that hilarious.

  • CouscousCouscous Registered User regular
    I still assume everybody looks like their avatar. theSquid is still a squid in my mind, damn it.

    I still keep on having trouble remembering that southern can refer to things other than the southern USA.

  • theSquidtheSquid Registered User regular
    Well then when I say I like Japanese girls you'll probably have an easier time envisioning that.

  • Rhesus PositiveRhesus Positive Damn these electric sex pants! Registered User regular
    I assume everybody look like their avatar and speaks with my voice, unless I know how their avatar speaks.

    It's the same when I read books; in my mind all characters look like me or my close friends and family, and sound like me doing impressions.

    robothero wrote: »
    damn rhesus, you're like a cyclical procedure of poor decisions
    PSNID: RhesusPositive
    I'm doing Movember for Men's Health! Donate if you can - thanks.
  • surrealitychecksurrealitycheck Registered User regular
    Maybe to do with that fact that I come from southern England where the majority of people are like 99.9% white.

    Excluding London, which is http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethnic_groups_in_London

    SUPER DIVERSEEEEEEEEEE

    WSc4j.png
  • GoodOmensGoodOmens Registered User regular
    Couscous wrote: »
    That said, don't call me a mulatto. A big "WTF" to people who think this is okay.
    I will just call you octoroon instead.

    "The word octoroon means one eighth black."

    ?

    There were also quadroons, quintroons and hexadecaroons, meaning 1/4, 1/5 and 1/16 black, in 19th Century America. Yes, people were actually that goosy about this. I don't really understand the math behind the 1/5, but it seems that these were more measures of appearance than they were measures of blood. You know, like is she Beyonce black, or, like, BLACK black.

    There were octoroon balls where young octoroon women were paraded around white men to determine if they were "white" enough to join polite society, get married to the white men, and presumably start having hexadecaroon babies.

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    IOS Game Center ID: Isotope-X
  • FroThulhuFroThulhu Registered User regular
    Kworn wrote: »
    This may come across racist or something. Maybe to do with that fact that I come from southern England where the majority of people are like 99.9% white.

    But I always 'just' assume that everyone on a message board is white.

    I'm bad, and I am so sorry for being like that. But my sweeping assumptions are so wrong, so so wrong.

    Now my Sister in law is married to a Ghanain and he is like the 'only' black person we know. Is this like super weird?

    I tend to assume most other males on message boards are heterosexual or gay; never consider bi. Had that pointed out to me the other day. I also don't believe most females on forums are actually female.

    Also I'm black and not entirely not bi.

    Cinders wrote: »
    Dogs helped us evolve and create new technology.
    New technology eventually led to the band Queen.
    Without dogs we never would have had Freddy Mercury.
    Declarative Statement!
    XBL: DexHavok
  • theSquidtheSquid Registered User regular
    Considering that 99% of black people I see are on TV and American, it is impossible for me to visualise a black guy playing, say, Final Fantasy.

  • TubeTube Administrator, ClubPA, SolidSaints Tube admin
    I have no idea what is wrong with you if you can't imagine black people playing final fantasy or using the internet.

    If you'd like an anime thread, please PM me to discuss it. Include pics/video of your favorites.
  • Fuzzy Cumulonimbus CloudFuzzy Cumulonimbus Cloud Registered User regular
    tube your image is red x'd
    dont know if anyone told you
    that is p weird squid

    3FMmC.jpg
  • LeitnerLeitner Registered User regular
    I lived in a fairly large town, maybe 80,000 people, but what minority population there was tended to be Asian. Thinking about my secondary school, we had more sets of twins than we did minorities.

    South Asians (Pakistan and Indian) are by far our largest minority group.

    Maybe it's coming from the fact I grew up in London, but yeah that seems really wierd. Though I suppose it's the norm in most places in the world. It's certainly something I'll notice if I'm in another big city, I'll just be walking along and then bam, it'll click 'wait!'.

  • GoodOmensGoodOmens Registered User regular
    theSquid wrote: »
    Considering that 99% of black people I see are on TV and American, it is impossible for me to visualise a black guy playing, say, Final Fantasy.

    Black geeks are very rare on TV. The only example I can think of is the guy from Community whose name I can't remember. Abed's friend.

    steam_sig.png
    IOS Game Center ID: Isotope-X
  • Pi-r8Pi-r8 Registered User regular
    GoodOmens wrote: »
    theSquid wrote: »
    Considering that 99% of black people I see are on TV and American, it is impossible for me to visualise a black guy playing, say, Final Fantasy.

    Black geeks are very rare on TV. The only example I can think of is the guy from Community whose name I can't remember. Abed's friend.

    What about Urcle? Also the kid from "malcolm in the middle".

  • Aroused BullAroused Bull Registered User
    Where I grew up, nobody was African, of African descent, or otherwise had deep brown skin. I can't remember ever meeting a single black person. Plenty of people were Polynesian, East Asians were common, some people were sort of generically coffee-coloured, but no Africans. So when I moved to London and started meeting black Africans and Caribbeans for the first time, I had to stop myself from examining all the new and interesting facial structures.

  • bowenbowen Registered User regular
    I assume everybody look like their avatar and speaks with my voice, unless I know how their avatar speaks.

    It's the same when I read books; in my mind all characters look like me or my close friends and family, and sound like me doing impressions.

    Do me, do me.

  • Rhesus PositiveRhesus Positive Damn these electric sex pants! Registered User regular
    bowen wrote: »
    I assume everybody look like their avatar and speaks with my voice, unless I know how their avatar speaks.

    It's the same when I read books; in my mind all characters look like me or my close friends and family, and sound like me doing impressions.

    Do me, do me.
    Spoiler:


    "Hello, I'm bowen."

    How was that?

    robothero wrote: »
    damn rhesus, you're like a cyclical procedure of poor decisions
    PSNID: RhesusPositive
    I'm doing Movember for Men's Health! Donate if you can - thanks.
  • OptimusZedOptimusZed Registered User regular
    I assume everybody look like their avatar and speaks with my voice, unless I know how their avatar speaks.

    It's the same when I read books; in my mind all characters look like me or my close friends and family, and sound like me doing impressions.
    Ironically, this is actually what I'm like.

    We're reading Rifts. You should too. You know you want to. On Hiatus!

    GT: batshido Hit me up on ME3.
  • L|amaL|ama Registered User regular
    Pi-r8 wrote: »
    GoodOmens wrote: »
    theSquid wrote: »
    Considering that 99% of black people I see are on TV and American, it is impossible for me to visualise a black guy playing, say, Final Fantasy.

    Black geeks are very rare on TV. The only example I can think of is the guy from Community whose name I can't remember. Abed's friend.

    What about Urcle? Also the kid from "malcolm in the middle".

    I recall the 30 rock joke: "Are there any other black nerds, or is it just you and Urkel?"

  • Technicus RexTechnicus Rex Registered User regular
    Pi-r8 wrote: »
    GoodOmens wrote: »
    theSquid wrote: »
    Considering that 99% of black people I see are on TV and American, it is impossible for me to visualise a black guy playing, say, Final Fantasy.

    Black geeks are very rare on TV. The only example I can think of is the guy from Community whose name I can't remember. Abed's friend.

    What about Urcle? Also the kid from "malcolm in the middle".

    Dont forget Moss from The IT Crowd

    moss-1.jpg

  • MimMim Registered User regular
    I typically assume everyone is White too. Which makes me feel self conscious when I let out that I'm Black and Puerto Rican.

    And totally a geek. A fun Friday night for me is staying in, playing Fable 3 or watching Superman 2 (either cut, though Donner's was just dark). Also, in most of my classes I'm the girl who is known to reference comics, movies or television shows in order to make a point. "It's like that one time in Final Fantasy where..."

  • Rhesus PositiveRhesus Positive Damn these electric sex pants! Registered User regular
    I'm wondering if there's a back story to Moss' hair.

    Also, didn't know Richard Ayoade was president of Footlights.

    robothero wrote: »
    damn rhesus, you're like a cyclical procedure of poor decisions
    PSNID: RhesusPositive
    I'm doing Movember for Men's Health! Donate if you can - thanks.
  • KwornKworn Registered User
    Mim wrote: »
    I typically assume everyone is White too. Which makes me feel self conscious when I let out that I'm Black and Puerto Rican.

    And totally a geek. A fun Friday night for me is staying in, playing Fable 3 or watching Superman 2 (either cut, though Donner's was just dark). Also, in most of my classes I'm the girl who is known to reference comics, movies or television shows in order to make a point. "It's like that one time in Final Fantasy where..."

    My word you hit every one of my none stereotypes

    Your are a Geeky, Coloured, Woman

    Wow

    ....you dont exist in my sicofantic world

  • MimMim Registered User regular
    Kworn wrote: »
    Mim wrote: »
    I typically assume everyone is White too. Which makes me feel self conscious when I let out that I'm Black and Puerto Rican.

    And totally a geek. A fun Friday night for me is staying in, playing Fable 3 or watching Superman 2 (either cut, though Donner's was just dark). Also, in most of my classes I'm the girl who is known to reference comics, movies or television shows in order to make a point. "It's like that one time in Final Fantasy where..."

    My word you hit every one of my none stereotypes

    Your are a Geeky, Coloured, Woman

    Wow

    ....you dont exist in my sicofantic world

    Well, I wouldn't use "colored" (nor do I say "People of Color"). Just seems weird to me.

    But I guess I'm a unicorn! You'd think a Battlestar Galactica or Firefly t-shirt would make me friends, but alas...damn this university.

  • KwornKworn Registered User
    Mim wrote: »
    Kworn wrote: »
    Mim wrote: »
    I typically assume everyone is White too. Which makes me feel self conscious when I let out that I'm Black and Puerto Rican.

    And totally a geek. A fun Friday night for me is staying in, playing Fable 3 or watching Superman 2 (either cut, though Donner's was just dark). Also, in most of my classes I'm the girl who is known to reference comics, movies or television shows in order to make a point. "It's like that one time in Final Fantasy where..."

    My word you hit every one of my none stereotypes

    Your are a Geeky, Coloured, Woman

    Wow

    ....you dont exist in my sicofantic world

    Well, I wouldn't use "colored" (nor do I say "People of Color"). Just seems weird to me.

    But I guess I'm a unicorn! You'd think a Battlestar Galactica or Firefly t-shirt would make me friends, but alas...damn this university.

    See thats another thing. I would not have put someone who is Puerto Rican in the Black category. To me you are coloured, but thats just me.

  • MimMim Registered User regular
    Kworn wrote: »
    Mim wrote: »
    Kworn wrote: »
    Mim wrote: »
    I typically assume everyone is White too. Which makes me feel self conscious when I let out that I'm Black and Puerto Rican.

    And totally a geek. A fun Friday night for me is staying in, playing Fable 3 or watching Superman 2 (either cut, though Donner's was just dark). Also, in most of my classes I'm the girl who is known to reference comics, movies or television shows in order to make a point. "It's like that one time in Final Fantasy where..."

    My word you hit every one of my none stereotypes

    Your are a Geeky, Coloured, Woman

    Wow

    ....you dont exist in my sicofantic world

    Well, I wouldn't use "colored" (nor do I say "People of Color"). Just seems weird to me.

    But I guess I'm a unicorn! You'd think a Battlestar Galactica or Firefly t-shirt would make me friends, but alas...damn this university.

    See thats another thing. I would not have put someone who is Puerto Rican in the Black category. To me you are coloured, but thats just me.

    What? I think I'm confused with the "Puerto Rican in the Black category" bit.

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