2014-05-01 3:57 GMT+02:00 Chris Angelico <ros...@gmail.com>: > On Thu, May 1, 2014 at 9:46 AM, Ian Kelly <ian.g.ke...@gmail.com> wrote: >> It also works if your starting point is (precisely) the north pole. I >> believe that's the canonical answer to the riddle, since there are no >> bears in Antarctica. > > Yeah but that's way too obvious! Anyway, it's rather hard to navigate > due south from the north pole. Which way do you go? How do you know > you're still going due south? Will the rocket even light in that > climate? > > Important questions must be answered! > > ChrisA > -- > https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list
Well, after having been following the discussion, I couldn't resist but post the relevant sketch from the famous Czech play "The Conquest of the North Pole by the Czech Karel Němec on 5th April 1909" by Jara Cimrman [as "dicovered" and presented by Z. Sverak and L. Smoljak] (translated by Craig Cravens) http://jaracimrman.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/north_pole.pdf (pp. 38-39) ============ Teacher: And now, friends, I’d like to draw your attention to a certain geographical peculiarity. If I stand next to the chief and step off in any direction, I always go south. Pharmacist: No! Teacher: Yes, yes! Watch! (stands next to the chief and steps off.) I’m going south. (He returns and sets off in another direction.) And now I’m going south again. And now —once again south. Pharmacist: That’s unbelievable! Teacher: Hold on, you haven’t seen anything yet. Richard, stand here with your back to the chief. And now both of you, step forward. (Schwarzenegger and the chief, with their backs to each other, step forward.) Did you see that? They’re both going south! Pharmacist: That’s really something else! Teacher: And I’ve saved the best for last. Now, you’ll really see something. Vojtěch, mark the Pole with an X and step aside. (Vojtěch obeys. The teacher sets off toward the mark.) Watch this. I’m going north (he crosses the mark and continues walking) and now I’m going south! And now back: north … and now south. Pharmacist: That’s impossible! Teacher: Try it yourself. Pharmacist: This I’ve got to see. (He walks towards the pole and the<m> moment he crosses it his face lights up with joy.) Wow! Friends, this was worth it! On the verge of death from hypothermia, from hunger, and from exhaustion, but it was worth it! ============= regards, vbr -- https://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list