Mathworld
Some random thoughts on coordinate systems, math-y terminology and the real world.
I went into Bed, Bath & Beyond the other day, and wondered, “What’s beyond Bed, Bath & Beyond? The name does not specify how far beyond bed and bath it goes.
As you drive through northern Pennsylvania there’s a sign that reads “Endless Mountains, next 6 exits.” What? Only 6? They’re endless, right? It must be that they’re endless in some other dimension, and I’m just going through with some perpendicular component.
Back when I lived in Orlando, there was a novelty/gift store called The Infinite Mushroom. One day I stopped off and there was a sign on the door explaining that they had moved. But if they were infinite, how could you tell? To make matters even more confusing, they later expanded. Obviously they could not be infinite in all dimensions. I started to refer to them as the semi-infinite mushroom after that.
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Comment from Greg
Time: June 22, 2009, 1:44 pm
Way back in the Before Time, in the Long Long Ago, Phil “The Scooter” Rizzuto used to do TV and radio ads for NY-area payday lenders The Money Store. One of their selling points was that you could “Borrow up to no limit, or more!”