On Thu, Dec 06, 2007 at 12:12:36PM -0700, Thom Boyer wrote: > Larry Wall wrote: >> Good guess, but no. It comes from the fact that Texas always bragged >> about how they were the largest state in the union, and had the biggest >> everything, including ten-gallon hats. That was before we added Alaska. >> Now if they pull that stunt we offer to carve Alaska up into 4 states, >> in which case Texas would be the 5th largest. >> >> But Texans still like to think big, and we love 'em all to pieces for it. >> Especially Patrick these days... :) >> >> Larry >> > So, it's because <<this>> is so much bigger than «this», "this", or 'this'? > > By the way, as a native Texan, I find offensive your claim that Texas*4 < > Alaska. The truth is hurtful enough: > Texas*2.1787 = Alaska > I had to carry it out to 4 decimal places so I wouldn't have to round the > last digit UP. > > :-)
My claim is just that that's how the standard joke goes. (I suspect the 4x probably arises from casual inspection of a mercator projection, where Alaska does look four times bigger. But then, that's the fault of Texas for being closer to the equator. :) Larry
