Anonymouswizard's Random Banter #227 and Free Cup of Tea

[Peelee]

Honestly seeign pictures of NY in winter I'm always puzzled for a moment by the fact that it's on the same latitude.

It's even weirder in America, since for some reason (I have no idea why, but this seems surprisingly universal over here, in my experience) we think we're way farther north than we are. For example:

Spoiler: Birmingham, AL is roughly the same latitude as this

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It certainly would be worth the trip. Warning though, anything north of west France and you better have a raincoat.

That's a funny way to spell "England".

[Fyraltari]

We're getting 80 degree weather were I live now.

I'm going to share mine, since you're all bringing it up.

Spoiler: Yellowknife Temperatures

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Homo sapiens, settling the unsettlable with nothing but stones, sticks, skins and bones since 75 000 BCE.

It's even weirder in America, since for some reason (I have no idea why, but this seems surprisingly universal over here, in my experience) we think we're way farther north than we are.

The mercator projection?

For example:

Spoiler: Birmingham, AL is roughly the same latitude as this

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Spoiler: Ah, well we're roughly this latitude

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That's New New New New New New New New New New New New New New New York is the joke.

That's a funny way to spell "England".

Have you no concept of northern France, 80% of the british isles, Belgium, the Netherlands, Northern Germany and beyond?

[Peelee]

The ercator projection?

Nah, the Mercator Projection, terrible as it is, doesn't knock the US to a higher latitude.

Spoiler: Most of the US is between two latitude lines, which map to Northern Africa and Southern Europe pretty well

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Spoiler: Ah, well we're roughly this latitude

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I kept trying to find the intro for Bender's Big Score to toss up as my preference for an older version of the city, but alas.

[Anonymouswizard]

Ya know, France doesn't actually look too bad, I gotta say, despite how far North y'all are.

You take that back!

Have you no concept of northern France, 80% of the british isles

You mean the part where people are outnumbered by sheep, and Ireland?

How important could they be?

[Grey_Wolf_c]

The mercator projection?

Nope, the gulf stream & the heat reservoir called the Mediterranean Sea. They make Europe much warmer than it should be for its latitude, giving it the same climate that California has.

Grey Wolf

[deltamire]

You mean the part where people are outnumbered by sheep, and Ireland?

How important could they be?

Honestly, fair. At this point, people who are descendent from Ireland have a more combined importance than us.

Our main cultural highlights are being accidentally included when grouping the British Isles (and subsequently getting angry at being included), being not very good at football*, and, a long time ago, being very good at the Eurovision biz. Key phrase a long time ago.

*Rugby, on the other hand . . .

[Peelee]

Nope, the gulf stream & the heat reservoir called the Mediterranean Sea. They make Europe much warmer than it should be for its latitude, giving it the same climate that California has.

Grey Wolf

Never thought about it that way, but yeah, it's probably the climate similarities that give us that impression (for those of us that do/did suffer under that impression).

[LaZodiac]

The good news is I'm going to get a new fan soon, so I'll be back in the world of the living soon.

[Anonymouswizard]

The good news is I'm going to get a new fan soon

More people reading your book then?

[Jasdoif]

Spoiler: There's only one city in France, right?

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...I'm sure your spoiler title was supposed to be facetious (and certainly not directed at me ), but that site has no information for anywhere remotely near me; the closest is 112 miles (180 km) out, but more importantly is on the other side of the Cascade mountain range so it's not even the same climate. The Willamette Valley is kind of known for its precipitation; the High Desert...not as much.

(That nearest city is Sweet Home; but judging from how often it's overcast, the skies aren't so blue.)

[LaZodiac]

More people reading your book then?

That'd be wonderful, actually. Especially given Fury's cool book club thread. It's given me so much enjoyment I can barely contain myself!

[Peelee]

...I'm sure your spoiler title was supposed to be facetious (and certainly not directed at me ), but that site has no information for anywhere remotely near me; the closest is 112 miles (180 km) out, but more importantly is on the other side of the Cascade mountain range so it's not even the same climate. The Willamette Valley is kind of known for its precipitation; the High Desert...not as much.

(That nearest city is Sweet Home; but judging from how often it's overcast, the skies aren't so blue.)

It also doesn't have Birmingham, despite having Montgomery and Gulf Shores. And, seeing as Alabama as 4 million people, with a full 25% of those being in Birmingham, I have no idea what their criteria are, but I disagree with them.

[Jasdoif]

It also doesn't have Birmingham, despite having Montgomery and Gulf Shores. And, seeing as Alabama as 4 million people, with a full 25% of those being in Birmingham, I have no idea what their criteria are, but I disagree with them.

That's pretty odd, yeah. Even in the exceedingly likely event they're counting "proper" cities rather than metropolitan areas...Birmingham appears to be the largest city in Alabama, and within a thousand people of the combined total of the High Desert's four population centers. (I usually have to settle for Bend; their weather is roughly analogous, and being one of Oregon's top ten cities by population means anything that isn't wearing Portland-blinders tends to notice it)

Maybe they're extra picky on what weather stations they get their data from?

[Fyraltari]

Nope, the gulf stream & the heat reservoir called the Mediterranean Sea. They make Europe much warmer than it should be for its latitude, giving it the same climate that California has.

Grey Wolf

How is that relevant to how far north the americans think they are?

[Grey_Wolf_c]

How is that relevant to how far north the americans think they are?

If you think of, say, Italian weather, you equate it to Florida-Texas-California, and that leads you to think they are on the same latitude. And viceversa: if you think of New York weather (cold enough to snow in a city of 20 million people), then you equate it to the cold in, say, Oslo and not Rome.

The reality is that Italy is warm because of the gulf stream, despite it being level with New York.

Grey Wolf

[Peelee]

That's pretty odd, yeah. Even in the exceedingly likely event they're counting "proper" cities rather than metropolitan areas...Birmingham appears to be the largest city in Alabama, and within a thousand people of the combined total of the High Desert's four population centers. (I usually have to settle for Bend; their weather is roughly analogous, and being one of Oregon's top ten cities by population means anything that isn't wearing Portland-blinders tends to notice it)

Maybe they're extra picky on what weather stations they get their data from?

I choose to believe you settle for Bend because of its Blockbuster Video.

How is that relevant to how far north the americans think they are?

Our climate mirrors Europe more than Northern Africa, so it's sensible to think, without really looking at maps, that we're about the same latitude as Europe, more than Northern Africa.

[Fyraltari]

Ah okay, got it.

[Peelee]

Also, Zodi, I literally just stepped out back for a minute, and thought I'd love to just have a nice chaise lounge to lie in. One on the beach would be ideal, but nothing wrong with on the grass, since I'm several hundred miles from the Gulf of Mexico, sadly. It's a nice, balmy 32º right now, according to the googles.

[Fyraltari]

Also, Zodi, I literally just stepped out back for a minute, and thought I'd love to just have a nice chaise lounge to lie in. One on the beach would be ideal, but nothing wrong with on the grass, since I'm several hundred miles from the Gulf of Mexico, sadly. It's a nice, balmy 32º right now, according to the googles.

So, would you rather lounge in a chaise longue or long in a chaise lounge?

[Peelee]

So, would you rather lounge in a chaise longue or long in a chaise lounge?

I'm not picky.

[Grey_Wolf_c]

Ah okay, got it.

I will never not be surprised when someone on the Internet posts to not disagree.

Grey Wolf

[Fyraltari]

I'm not picky.

What the...

This is awesome!

[Peelee]

What the...

This is awesome!

Before reading that article, it never occurred to me that I have seen both yet failed to notice that chaise lounge is usually outdoor-related while chaise longue is usually indoor-related. Which is also a pretty cool differentiation, I gotta say.

[Jasdoif]

I choose to believe you settle for Bend because of its Blockbuster Video.

As neat as it is that the last open Blockbuster store on the planet is still alive and in central Oregon, it'd take me hours to drive to Bend and back. If I was actually interested in physical video rental, I'd go to the local video place; the same one where my late aunt rented Star Wars for me to see for the first time decades ago.

[Peelee]

As neat as it is that the last open Blockbuster store on the planet is still alive and in central Oregon, it'd take me hours to drive to Bend and back. If I was actually interested in physical video rental, I'd go to the local video place; the same one where my late aunt rented Star Wars for me to see for the first time decades ago.

....you used "decades ago" instead of "a long time ago", and adding "in a galaxy far, far away".

Spoiler

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[Jasdoif]

....you used "decades ago" instead of "a long time ago", and adding "in a galaxy far, far away".

...look, I don't have the time to edit a picture to render "Blockbuster" in Aurebesh.

[LaZodiac]

Also, Zodi, I literally just stepped out back for a minute, and thought I'd love to just have a nice chaise lounge to lie in. One on the beach would be ideal, but nothing wrong with on the grass, since I'm several hundred miles from the Gulf of Mexico, sadly. It's a nice, balmy 32º right now, according to the googles.

True absurdity.

Anyway I got my fan so I live once more!

[Peelee]

True absurdity.

Anyway I got my fan so I live once more!

I'd have thought that anyone who bought your book would be a fan.

ETA: I think I found some pictures that would make you comfortable.

[Anonymouswizard]

Today has had two highlights.

1. Discovering that the Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens soundtrack is finally on Spotify (that's a fun show).
2. A reminder of the fact that my mum doesn't quite grok Facebook Messenger, when I set all the nicknames to Quack.

[LaZodiac]

I'd have thought that anyone who bought your book would be a fan.

ETA: I think I found some pictures that would make you comfortable.

Gosh, I hope so! They just have to give it a read and I think I'll hook em. And if they irony buy it well... cool, still my money.

Those are actually nice yeah.