Meth Weasel

[Andara Bledin]

Did a little more research and found some interesting info.

Much of the reason for riding/driving on the left, originally, was due to practicality. First off, when you mount a horse, you do so from the left side. Most people are right handed, and it is easier to brace with your off side, and move with your dominant side. So, since you were already on the left side of the road, you would stay there. Also, this arrangement would keep one's sword arm free in case there was a need for defense while riding.

Also, there is much about the left side of the body that is considered unclean or unholy. In more religious regions, people would pass with their left side, their unclean side, furthest from others, thus traveling on the left. Some would go so far as to walk backwards past particularly religious sites so as to keep their right side closest as they passed.

During the Napoleonic era, there was some contention with the left-sided riding. First, much of the streets were narrow, and many of the riders were armed, often with muskets. While passing in a narrow street, such weapons would often collide, necessitating their disentanglement and holding up the lines. Also, Napoleon was left-handed, so passing on the right would give him an advantage should there be a need for melee weapon defense. So, while the English remained on the left, the French (and thus their conquests) were on the right.

During the colonization of America, there were people from quite a number of different nations, and the English and French were both represented quite heavily. When the US broke with England, it was decided that as a further act of defiance, we would pass on the right. Over half of the people already did that, although not in the New England area.

When Ford got his assembly line going, it necessitated the the steering wheel be in a fixed location, and that was on the left. Since the US was the sole or primary source for motor vehicles for a significant period of time, some countries that had previously driven on the left switched to accommodate how the cars were made.

At this point, about a third of the world still drives on the left side of the road, and at least in those places that do so partially for religious traditions, it is unlikely to change soon, if at all.

But my statement still stands. It doesn't matter that half of the nation already drove on the right, the US officially drives only on the right because we wanted to thumb our noses at England. Until that point, it could have gone either way.

The rest of the world does so often because the French made them, Napoleon being who he was, or to fit in more with US manufactured vehicles or customs.

^-.-^

[JustADude]

1/3rd of the world's population still drives on the left though ( India ). So its definitely not just the Brits. >.>

Okay, so I stand corrected. But my original point, that it's not Americans trying to be different than the Brits, is still valid.

[Becks]

It sucks even more trying to sleep when it's that hot and you are also sharing a bed with someone who outweighs you by 100 pounds and keeps flopping around trying to get comfy... gah. Anyone wanna buy me one of those beds you can bounce bowling balls on? Because I need one. The Boy thinks the bed is fine but he's not the one getting trampolined off the damn thing every night...

Same here. EXACTLY.

Well, except for the Calgary part.

[Gravekeeper]

Gotta call BS on that one. Pretty much everyone in the world except the Brits drive on the right side of the road. They only get away with driving on the wrong side because they're on an island.

We drove on the left here too in a lot of places when they were under British rule. Especially in Canada. Half of Canada drove on the left still till the 1920's. Then the Newfies finally gave in and swapped sides in the 1940s.

They still drive on the left in Britain, Ireland, Scotland etc. As well as some of Africa, India, Australia and Malaysian. Oh, and Japan ( Thank you anime. ).

1/3rd of the world's population still drives on the left though ( India ). So its definitely not just the Brits. >.>

Thank you Wikipedia.

[Broomjockey]

Gotta call BS on that one. Pretty much everyone in the world except the Brits drive on the right side of the road. They only get away with driving on the wrong side because they're on an island.

Don't they drive on the left in Australia/New Zealand?

[iradney]

Gotta call BS on that one. Pretty much everyone in the world except the Brits drive on the right side of the road. They only get away with driving on the wrong side because they're on an island.

Ahem
Most of Africa drives on the Left hand side...

[JustADude]

Much the same reason as why we drive on the right-hand side of the road.

Gotta call BS on that one. Pretty much everyone in the world except the Brits drive on the right side of the road. They only get away with driving on the wrong side because they're on an island.

[Pagan]

I do hear that hotels in town occasionally get irate customers who wonder where all the neon lights are, so I guess the gambling, the shows, and the buffets are reason for some people with a defective sense of direction

Yeah, but that's after you've convinced them that they haven't left the US!

I think the mental hospital would be a good place to send the people we deal with. Or ourselves, after years of enduring their tortuous stupidity.

I hadn't thought of that....
I do remember stopping at a restaurant there one time on the way to my aunt's in Colorado (why my grandparents wouldn't use the interstate is beyond me). It was an interesting meal, apparently there was an "outing" from the institution that day!

Unless it has an international airport, then no. -.-

Oh, yeah. Sorry 'bout that. The best they got is Las Vegas Municipal. I don't think Mesa even flies in there!

[Lehk]

Wait... are you talking F or C for the temp?

Cuz if that's 34F, that's freakin cold. How are your pipes not freezing over?

because 34 F is two degrees above freezing

[RogueThinker]

Things the DTES has taught me

Well, in regards to Lucy, does anyone else want that on a shirt? I'm moving from Van to Boston soon, and feel the need to start something down south.

As for the heat, I recommend ice packs between your feet.

As for the weasel, is it methanphetamine or methadone? One hypes you up, the other mellows you out. In fact, many users take both, to even out the effects of the other. So a weasel on methadone would be fairly easy to retrieve, especially with the use of rubber gloves, too easy. Crystal meth, on the other hand? Why not videotape it's rapid strugglings instead? Much more entertaining.

And if you like Three Dead Trolls, are you checking out Arrogant Worms at the folk fest?

[Andara Bledin]

I really have never had any Briton explain why they think we esay Zee for Zed. I sort of feel we say Zee for Zed as we think it is all that is necessary. Why add the ed sound? You don't say Ud, for U or Ed for E, why, then it is it necessary to say Zed?

That's actually a fairly simple thing. Most English speakers use "zed" for the letter "z" due to it being taken from the French usage for the Greek "zeta." Quite a large amount of English was taken from French intact in both pronunciation and spelling.

In the US, we say just "zee" for "z" mostly because we wanted to be less like Brits. Much the same reason as why we drive on the right-hand side of the road. This, and consistancy, is why the spellings for quite a variety of other words (such as theater) were also changed.

^-.-^

[Starlord]

I assume from your description that when you say 34 degrees, you are talking Celsius. When we just say 34 degrees we are looking for sweaters and blankets and a space heater. We live in Arizona, where right now, the temperature is 116 F or about 48 C. Thank goodness for dual scales on our thermometer, cause without it, I wouldn't know that 34 C is about 94 F. It's nice meeting people from other countries and seeing they have the same problems we do.

[Starlord]

As G.B.Shaw once observed, Americans and Britons are two peoples divided by a common language. I understand that in Britain, they say Zed for what we in America say as Zee. I really have never had any Briton explain why they think we esay Zee for Zed. I sort of feel we say Zee for Zed as we think it is all that is necessary. Why add the ed sound? You don't say Ud, for U or Ed for E, why, then it is it necessary to say Zed?

[Buglady]

It sucks trying to sleep when it's that hot. It sucks even more trying to sleep when it's that hot and you are also sharing a bed with someone who outweighs you by 100 pounds and keeps flopping around trying to get comfy... gah. Anyone wanna buy me one of those beds you can bounce bowling balls on? Because I need one. The Boy thinks the bed is fine but he's not the one getting trampolined off the damn thing every night...

I swear, if it doesn't cool off tonight I am setting up my tent in the back yard!!

(However, at least in Calgary it is a dry hot. That does make a difference).

[Sliceanddice]

GK i suddenly understadn you heat hate... my power went out the other day and i couldnt sleep at my bed time * which for work is about 4-5 pm* and i only got like 4 maybe 5 hours of sleep because i finally gave in *when i had someone to drive me... because when im sleepy im loopy and cranky .... we dont need to see me in a size to smalls dress attacking a police officer on the news because i couldn't go get sleep* and went to me nanas... who set me up with in her guest room with a special AC unit and it was COLD