Maths For Real Life, Period 1, Class 5 [2/4]

[notanactualfairy]

Today, there were computers. "Fact," said Jean-Paul, "things are more or less expensive in other countries; we talked about this already. Fact: things are more expensive in different parts of the same country. What a person can live on very comfortably in Atlanta, Georgia will not go as far in San Francisco, California. Comparative cost of living is, pardon my language, a bitch. As it is not exactly something you can calculate on your own without extensive research I am not about to ask of a high school class, I have provided the web addresses of a few calculators you can use to get a feel for how the cost of living varies in different parts of the country. You may pick some arbitrary salary; the percentage difference will remain the same. Prepare to be amazed."

Comments

OMGWTF Cost of Living

[notanactualfairy]

"If you need help with the computers, please let me know," Jean-Paul added before turning them loose.

Re: OMGWTF Cost of Living

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

Liir raised his hand. Immediately. Almost before he stopped speaking.

Re: OMGWTF Cost of Living

[notanactualfairy]

This one, he'd pretty much seen coming. "Yes, Liir. Have you ever used a computer before? I am guessing they do not have them where you're from?"

Re: OMGWTF Cost of Living

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He shook his head mutely.

...at least the screen was flat. It wouldn't terrorize him as he tried to do his work.

Re: OMGWTF Cost of Living

[notanactualfairy]

Please, cathode ray tubes were so five years ago. "I am going to talk you through it, all right?" Jean-Paul gave him a brief overview of how to use the keyboard and mouse and how to get into a browser, then showed him where to type in the URL and, because he was feeling extra helpful, added, "Have you heard of Google?"

Re: OMGWTF Cost of Living

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"I'd always thought you said it 'goggle'," he admitted, since he'd only read the word.

Re: OMGWTF Cost of Living

[notanactualfairy]

That got a smile out of Jean-Paul. "No. English is a funny language, is it not?"

Re: OMGWTF Cost of Living

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"I wouldn't know," he pointed out, just a little frustrated. "I don't know it. Just common Ozian."

What did this have to do with anything?

Re: OMGWTF Cost of Living

[notanactualfairy]

But he was speaking--Jean-Paul quashed this avenue of thought as unproductive and upsetting to his student. All right then. "You are going to love Google. Type in 'www.google.com,'" he instructed.

Re: OMGWTF Cost of Living

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He did as told and was not all that surprised to see the word in big bold colors on the screen. Why he'd love it, however, still alluded him.

Re: OMGWTF Cost of Living

[notanactualfairy]

"You see the text entry field?" Jean-Paul asked. "Type in 'cost of living' there."

Re: OMGWTF Cost of Living

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He guessed where that was and typed in as he'd been told. He got it right, though he wondered at how that was supposed to be a 'field'.

"All right."

Re: OMGWTF Cost of Living

[notanactualfairy]

"Hit enter," Jean-Paul added, mentally kicking himself for not including that in his previous instructions. He did so hate wasted time.

Re: OMGWTF Cost of Living

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

He looked at the keyboard once to make sure before hitting enter.

The screen changed then, giving a multicolored list of things off to the left.

Re: OMGWTF Cost of Living

[notanactualfairy]

And now Jean-Paul was giving him the whole spiel about links and showing Liir how a few of these websites were, in fact, the ones he'd suggested they play around with la. And how there were a whole bunch more links to mess with. "But, erm, try to avoid the porn. At least while in the class room, s'il vous plait."

Re: OMGWTF Cost of Living

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"The what?"

...he was unaware of what porn might be. ...a good deal of what he'd learned to read on, however, could be said to be as such.

Re: OMGWTF Cost of Living

[notanactualfairy]

Oh, very good, corrupt the students, Jean-Paul. "...Never mind."

Re: OMGWTF Cost of Living

[new-to-liirness.livejournal.com]

"Well, I can't avoid it if I don't know what it is, sir," he pointed out with only a hint of irritation. Oddly enough, it was mostly directed at himself.

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[ecirpnellehada.livejournal.com]

Adah...did not have a very great amount of experience with a computer. She was, however, feeling a little loathed to ask for help. So this was Adah, sitting at a computer, becoming weirdly acquainted with using the mouse with her left hand instead of her right and slowly starting to piece through how to do what was asked of her for class today. Slowly. All the while hoping that she didn't end up doing something that would make the damn machine blow up.

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[harrydresden.livejournal.com]

"You don't want me to touch those," Harry said, waving a hand in the general direction of the computers. "There's no way it ends well for anyone."

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[notanactualfairy]

Jean-Paul arched one eyebrow at Harry. "How so?"

Re: OMGWTF Cost of Living

[harrydresden.livejournal.com]

"Harry plus technology equals badness," Harry said. "They might even blow up." He'd never actually blown up a computer, but there had been smoke once.

Re: OMGWTF Cost of Living

[notanactualfairy]

"If you mean you are merely incompetent with technology that can be rectified," Jean-Paul said. "If you mean this literally, step away from the computers."

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[harrydresden.livejournal.com]

"Literally," Harry said, taking a step back. "Stuff has a tendency to stop working, occasionally in seriously dramatic ways, or at least go really weird when I get too close."

Re: OMGWTF Cost of Living

[notanactualfairy]

"Then you are excused from this assignment."