Discoveries

At a recent job interview, I was asked the following question in a test: "How much is VAT?". I don't think that 'between 10 and 20 %' would not of been a good answer... This got me wondering just how much stuff I am completely ignorant about (okay, I know, ignorance is bliss - but I don't live in the States.). I have now re-embarked on a quest to know as much about random everyday crap as possible... Here are my recent little discoveries:

Value Added Tax (at least I am not completely clueless - I know what VAT stands for. There is a minute glimmer of hope for me) is 14%. It has been pointed out to me that this is on till-slips. How could I miss such an obvious thing - it seems my brain has tuned out to all the seemingly useless information, and instead choosed to focus on the more important issues at hand, like how much I just spent, and how much change I should have received, and where I can spend this...

I have discovered more about Taxis (on the micro level). The taxi is a unique South African annoyance - and the current bane of my existence. But, as much as I hate these can's of death on wheels, it did not stop me from finding out a little more about them - by chatting to a former taxi-driver. Basically, you have the taxi owner - who can own up to 50 taxis. The taxi owner hires drivers, and each driver has a specific daily route. The taxi-driver has to pay the owner a certain amount each day - witch varies from route to route. So, a taxi-driver could have one the the more busier routes, and will have to pay say R400 a day to the owner - chances are that by 12h00, the drivers already made R800, so after paying for petrol, the driver gets to keep everything else (plus weekly wages of R300).


I have found out that there is a whole area of study dedicated to human-computer interaction, and how to improve this. The whole 'desktop' thing on a computer is a metaphor - it's function is to make computers easer to use. People actually put huge amounts of energy and thought into stuff like this, which is quite astounding.

I have been shown how a computer is put together. This greatly improves my concept of how computers work (users models form part of the human-computer interaction vein of study). I know now where the best place is to kick the box, should my pc not work!

And, of course, I have attempted to learn more about the soccer world cup - since it starts on Friday. What I've learnt thus far is that Brazil is one of the favourites this year - they're looking to take the cup for a record sixth time - and Italy has some hot players. Not much to go on, but I still have some time to brush up on my knowledge before the first match on Friday.

There is still much about the world which I inhabit that I don't know, but I have loads of time to find all that marvelous stuff (all I have to do is find a way to never sleep....)