I think we're all familiar with the phenomenon that the age of computers has ushered in a new set of "round" numbers: 256, 64, 1028, etc. And we're used to seeing these power-of-two numbers crop up in all sorts of places: in processor speeds, in text field character limits, and what have you.
Which makes it all the more remarkable that the standard size of a pack of Kraft Singles American Cheese is 64 slices. I mean: why 64? It just doesn't make any sense. Unless, of course, we are living in one gigantic computer program. In that case, there being 64 slices of cheese in a pack would be no more strange than, say, being able to carry a maximum of 255 rupees.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009
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(Inevitably from me): I know, it's a joke, but come onnnn... there must be so many industrial processes that involve halving, which necessarily gets you powers of two. As in, they print a big sheet of disgusting cheese-stuff, then break it halves three times on both dimensions. Okay, actually, it's probably something that makes ten times more sense than this even. Including matrix. Got cheese, dun nuh nuh nuuuuuh!
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