Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with percent

Peak vs Off Peak Electricity Hours

Black_Umbrella — Sun, 15 Mar 2009 12:10:10 -0800

How much can I save by using off peak electricity in the US? How does this compare to those in Europe? I realize that not many utilities in the states offer off peak hours but i know some do. What percent do some of you save by using this option?

My google fu has failed and i am only getting really skimpy results.

Can anyone find the how much free energy we are loosing (hydro/wind/thermal) because it is being produced but not used?

I don't get it

joaniemcchicken — Tue, 20 Jun 2006 16:46:09 -0800

I was recently in London, and was really happy to be paying only 12% in tips. And then I began to wonder... Why do tipping rates keep rising? My customary is 20% here in the states. And that's because I used to be a waitress. But, then I thought, why do we need to tip more than 10%? Why has it risen? The price of food has risen according to all other goods and services and the rate of inflation. I mean, a good meal for 6 bucks at a sit down restaurant in 1970 is virtually non-existent. Even some fast food restaurants are hard to get out of for less than $6 a person. So, shouldn't it always be 10%? The increase in the income from a tip comes from the increase in the price of the meal. The more I thought about this, the angrier I got, because when does it stop? Will we be paying 30%, 40%, 50% in tips? This seems ridiculous and greedy to me. I mean, I've had an agent for 15 years and he still only takes 10%. My income has risen, and so, his 10% nets him more income as well. It seems like we have just accepted this continual rise in the percentage a tip should be and I'm wondering why? Am I missing something here?

What percent of your income do you spend on your car payment and mortgage payment?

comatose — Sat, 22 Apr 2006 15:30:59 -0800

What percent of your income do you spend on your car payment and mortgage payment?

Is the form of %100 instead of 100% a different language useage?

Jeff Howard — Sat, 12 Jun 2004 08:26:55 -0800

Saw a post here yesterday that referred to percentages in the form of %100 instead of 100%, that is, moving the percentage sign in front of the number.

I've never come across that usage; any leads on whether it's a cultural/language issue? Also, I'd be interested in learning about any other typographic variations you've come across. Things like swapping the usage of commas and decimal points in Spain (as in $10.000,34). Or the French convention of using a dash instead of quotation marks to delineate new paragraphs of dialog.