Re: What is the origin of the nickname, "Texas quotes"?

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