Path: csiph.com!v102.xanadu-bbs.net!xanadu-bbs.net!feeder.erje.net!eu.feeder.erje.net!xlned.com!feeder7.xlned.com!newsfeed.xs4all.nl!newsfeed3a.news.xs4all.nl!xs4all!post.news.xs4all.nl!not-for-mail Return-Path: X-Original-To: python-list@python.org Delivered-To: python-list@mail.python.org X-Spam-Status: UNSURE 0.335 X-Spam-Level: *** X-Spam-Evidence: '*H*': 0.35; '*S*': 0.02; ';-)': 0.03; '(at': 0.04; 'integral': 0.09; 'subject: [': 0.09; 'subject:skip:c 10': 0.09; 'sure,': 0.09; 'mostly': 0.14; 'adam': 0.16; 'dire': 0.16; 'east,': 0.16; 'from:addr:ryan': 0.16; "he'd": 0.16; 'lengths': 0.16; 'letting': 0.16; 'seals': 0.16; 'wrongly': 0.16; 'wrote:': 0.18; 'wed,': 0.18; 'pointed': 0.19; 'properly': 0.19; 'later': 0.20; '>>>': 0.22; "aren't": 0.24; 'him.': 0.24; 'rid': 0.24; 'this:': 0.26; 'pass': 0.26; 'post': 0.26; 'least': 0.26; 'header :In-Reply-To:1': 0.27; 'point': 0.28; 'host': 0.29; 'chris': 0.29; 'am,': 0.29; 'locations': 0.30; 'originally': 0.30; 'message- id:@mail.gmail.com': 0.30; '>>>>': 0.31; 'withdraw': 0.31; 'themselves': 0.32; 'actual': 0.34; 'maybe': 0.34; 'subject:the': 0.34; 'received:74.125.82': 0.34; 'could': 0.34; 'problem': 0.35; 'anywhere': 0.35; 'something': 0.35; 'but': 0.35; 'received:google.com': 0.35; 'there': 0.35; 'earth': 0.36; "he's": 0.36; 'east': 0.36; 'so,': 0.37; 'turn': 0.37; 'clear': 0.37; 'easily': 0.37; 'starting': 0.37; 'arrange': 0.38; 'to:addr :python-list': 0.38; 'pm,': 0.38; 'that,': 0.38; 'received:74.125': 0.39; 'morning': 0.39; 'to:addr:python.org': 0.39; 'enough': 0.39; 'how': 0.40; 'collaborate': 0.60; 'globe.': 0.60; 'color': 0.61; 'gone': 0.61; 'lost': 0.61; 'new': 0.61; 'back': 0.62; 'save': 0.62; 'times': 0.62; 'story': 0.63; 'such': 0.63; 'him,': 0.64; 'great': 0.65; 'dear': 0.65; '30,': 0.65; 'north': 0.65; 'peace': 0.65; 'spot': 0.65; 'research,': 0.68; 'friend,': 0.71; 'overcome': 0.74; 'walk': 0.74; 'sole': 0.78; 'friend': 0.79; '9:02': 0.84; 'attacking': 0.84; 'battle,': 0.84; 'circles': 0.84; 'correcting': 0.84; 'ethan': 0.84; 'excursion': 0.84; 'furman': 0.84; 'guests.': 0.84; 'mile': 0.84; 'pole': 0.84; 'received:74.125.82.41': 0.84; 'red.': 0.84; 'terrible': 0.84; 'watches': 0.84; 'bears': 0.91; 'blood': 0.91; 'fur': 0.91; 'hopes': 0.91; 'north,': 0.91; 'ominous': 0.91; 'suffering': 0.93 X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20130820; h=x-gm-message-state:mime-version:in-reply-to:references:date :message-id:subject:from:to:content-type; bh=z8H6wTDYpXjmkyrMHnRwcMUefqa2x5teSml6SNn4X8U=; b=VgkgM9y+kCqLsjTz+6ojU2sW1+rAxKcKlSg8w60C7wYj1jYKeQDJYzO/534cKDdxAs qUG6ICruvAb9tNrylyEVT6dkHCCGhFNkrtpwLkyXrvjc3YOmk5H/IPwSF60bnegsbZ2u 9d2zASUTMVhp8ykxWUnrjLWvb93Jk+dsF93h5u8W6G20NLU/FZWuBdm5+qUVwPxqVrHP fqR6mxUG5uNTnpHNjA/CfIWnOE3Ubami+ObMuoU3hOcPZes9kgAHT9PqyEc9N/dh0O/G G8S1XbQWRCDb99a8htQdyUg84DjwdnAJxH5abKmax2COOv1aO4FPzyEn5FYEOfOERZud ZbQQ== X-Gm-Message-State: ALoCoQm1okiFoAAeAQHPl72tQvWtR4jYsv58IH0O51UGQ3XK0OrQD1SKal5h4sWwBAr3dkY8dtey MIME-Version: 1.0 X-Received: by 10.180.88.129 with SMTP id bg1mr4126735wib.51.1398871488387; Wed, 30 Apr 2014 08:24:48 -0700 (PDT) X-Originating-IP: [98.172.7.178] In-Reply-To: <5361026C.3090606@stoneleaf.us> References: <535f0f9f$0$29965$c3e8da3$5496439d@news.astraweb.com> <8td53bxud5.ln2@news.ducksburg.com> <5360F72F.2000102@stoneleaf.us> <5361026C.3090606@stoneleaf.us> Date: Wed, 30 Apr 2014 10:24:48 -0500 Subject: Re: Off-topic circumnavigating the earth in a mile or less [was Re: Significant digits in a float?] From: Ryan Hiebert To: python-list@python.org Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary=f46d04426c4626f71204f8442672 X-Mailman-Approved-At: Thu, 01 May 2014 02:58:25 +0200 X-BeenThere: python-list@python.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.15 Precedence: list List-Id: General discussion list for the Python programming language List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , Newsgroups: comp.lang.python Message-ID: Lines: 178 NNTP-Posting-Host: 2001:888:2000:d::a6 X-Trace: 1398905907 news.xs4all.nl 2913 [2001:888:2000:d::a6]:53168 X-Complaints-To: abuse@xs4all.nl Xref: csiph.com comp.lang.python:70795 --f46d04426c4626f71204f8442672 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8 On Wed, Apr 30, 2014 at 9:02 AM, Ethan Furman wrote: > On 04/30/2014 06:14 AM, Ethan Furman wrote: > >> On 04/29/2014 03:51 PM, Chris Angelico wrote: >> >>> On Wed, Apr 30, 2014 at 8:42 AM, emile wrote: >>> >>>> On 04/29/2014 01:16 PM, Adam Funk wrote: >>>> >>>> "A man pitches his tent, walks 1 km south, walks 1 km east, kills a >>>>> bear, & walks 1 km north, where he's back at his tent. What color is >>>>> the bear?" ;-) >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> From how many locations on Earth can someone walk one mile south, one >>>> mile >>>> east, and one mile north and end up at their starting point? >>>> >>> >>> Any point where the mile east takes you an exact number of times >>> around the globe. So, anywhere exactly one mile north of that, which >>> is a number of circles not far from the south pole. >>> >> >> It is my contention, completely unbacked by actual research, that if you >> find such a spot (heading a mile east takes you >> an integral number of times around the pole), that there is not enough >> Earth left to walk a mile north so that you could >> then turn-around a walk a mile south to get back to such a location. >> > > Wow. It's amazing how writing something down, wrongly (I originally had > north and south reversed), correcting it, letting some time pass (enough to > post the message so one can be properly embarrassed ;), and then rereading > it later can make something so much clearer! > > Or maybe it was the morning caffeine. Hmmm. > > At any rate, I withdraw my contention, it is clear to me now (at least > until the caffeine wears off). > > Sure, but that still leaves the nagging problem that there aren't any Polar Bears in Antarctica (as someone else pointed out). This man must have brought a bear with him. Perhaps the story is something like this: A man near the south pole takes his dear friend and pet bear for a walk. He'd gone to great lengths to bring his pet bear with him to his Antarctic expedition, and his bear is his best friend, and sole companion, save for the constant, biting cold. They walk toward the pole, then begin their excursion eastward, encircling the pole. As the man grows weary, and decides to head back, a legion of penguins collaborate with a host of Weddell seals to be rid of their uninvited guests. It isn't clear what the man did to cause those seals to rise against him, but it must have been some dire feat, for Weddell seals are not easily frightened. After a fierce battle, the man and his bear (well, mostly the bear) manage to defend themselves against the attacking throng. However, the new peace realizes a terrible fate: his bear is mortally wounded, and is suffering immensely. The man, loving his friend dearly, shoots his solitary compatriot, and weeps as he watches the blood turn his dear bear's fur an ominous red. Overcome with grief, he heads back north to his tent to mourn his loss, and to arrange his trip north to the populated tropics, where he hopes to forget his troubles, and the place where he lost his closet pal, a bear. --f46d04426c4626f71204f8442672 Content-Type: text/html; charset=UTF-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
On W= ed, Apr 30, 2014 at 9:02 AM, Ethan Furman <ethan@stoneleaf.us> wrote:
On 04/30/2014 06:14 AM, Ethan Furman wrote:
On 04/29/2014 03:51 PM, Chris Angelico wrote:
On Wed, Apr 30, 2014 at 8:42 AM, emile <emile@fenx.com> wrote:
On 04/29/2014 01:16 PM, Adam Funk wrote:

"A man pitches his tent, walks 1 km south, walks 1 km east, kills a bear, & walks 1 km north, where he's back at his tent. =C2=A0What c= olor is
the bear?" =C2=A0;-)


=C2=A0From how many locations on Earth can someone walk one mile south, one= mile
east, and one mile north and end up at their starting point?

Any point where the mile east takes you an exact number of times
around the globe. So, anywhere exactly one mile north of that, which
is a number of circles not far from the south pole.

It is my contention, completely unbacked by actual research, that if you fi= nd such a spot (heading a mile east takes you
an integral number of times around the pole), that there is not enough Eart= h left to walk a mile north so that you could
then turn-around a walk a mile south to get back to such a location.

Wow. =C2=A0It's amazing how writing something down, wrongly (I original= ly had north and south reversed), correcting it, letting some time pass (en= ough to post the message so one can be properly embarrassed ;), and then re= reading it later can make something so much clearer!

Or maybe it was the morning caffeine. =C2=A0Hmmm.

At any rate, I withdraw my contention, it is clear to me now (at least unti= l the caffeine wears off).

Sure, but that still leaves the nagging problem that there= aren't any Polar Bears in Antarctica (as someone else pointed out). Th= is man must have brought a bear with him.


<= div class=3D"gmail_extra">Perhaps the story is something like this:

A man near th= e south pole takes his dear friend and pet bear for a walk. He'd gone t= o great lengths to bring his pet bear with him to his Antarctic expedition,= and his bear is his best friend, and sole companion, save for the constant= , biting cold. They walk toward the pole, then begin their excursion eastwa= rd, encircling the pole.

As the man = grows weary, and decides to head back, a legion of penguins collaborate wit= h a host of Weddell seals to be rid of their uninvited guests. It isn't= clear what the man did to cause those seals to rise against him, but it mu= st have been some dire feat, for Weddell seals are not easily frightened.

After a fie= rce battle, the man and his bear (well, mostly the bear) manage to defend t= hemselves against the attacking throng. However, the new peace realizes a t= errible fate: his bear is mortally wounded, and is suffering immensely. The= man, loving his friend dearly, shoots his solitary compatriot, and weeps a= s he watches the blood turn his dear bear's fur an ominous red.

Overcome with grief, he heads bac= k north to his tent to mourn his loss, and to arrange his trip north to the= populated tropics, where he hopes to forget his troubles, and the place wh= ere he lost his closet pal, a bear.=C2=A0
--f46d04426c4626f71204f8442672--