Monthly Archives: June 2006

There is no more after 100 percent

Just reading a political blog tonight and one of the comments struck a nerve with me.

I am in most ways opposed to [a politician’s] plans and views of what America should be. YET this time we agree 10000%.

Ten thousand percent? How can someone agree ten thousand percent? One of the comments you invariably hear during interviews with sports stars is they are going to give 110% at the next game. How can a player give more than the possible effort they can give?

The librarian in me is compelled to look up the word percentage. The Oxford English Dictionary has this definition:

Any part or portion considered in its quantitative relation to the whole, a proportion (of something).

The whole is 100 percent. A person can only give 100 percent. If they give it their all, that is 100 percent. They cannot give more. If a player reaches deep down and comes up with that extra effort, that is the whole of what they could do — it is 100 percent. There is no more after 100 percent.

That type of comment is even more absurd when it comes to arguments. You cannot agree (or disagree) with someone more than 100 percent. I’m guessing people who make such statements probably got less than 100% on their math tests in school.

Bloy Genealogical Theory

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Over past few days I’ve been exchanging emails with a Bloy from France (who discovered this web site). What I found most interesting was what he had to say about Bloys in France during a 17th century religious war.

I believe that during the religious war in France (civilian war between catholics and protestants- 17 century) a lot of Bloys from this part of France (well known also for [catholicism]) had left such an unsafe place for Germany.

On this site’s About page, I mention a theory an uncle of mine has, about Bloys who were French Huguenots that moved to Germany to avoid religious persecution. It’s interesting to note he’s not the only one with this theory.