# The colour of crap **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [December 9, 2005, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colour-of-crap/334915 "2005-12-09T18:38:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tellmei_mnotcrazy/32/3419_2.png) [@TellMeI\_mNotCrazy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TellMeI_mNotCrazy)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colour-of-crap/334915/21 "2005-12-09T20:09:22Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > :rolleyes: > > Hmm… > [color=fnord]fnord[/colour] > [color=ftaghn]ftaghn[/colour] > [color=sowhat]sowhat[/colour] > > I thought we needed to put the “u”'s in to make it work… just shoot me… Heh, still forgot to take them out of your closing tags 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colour-of-crap/334915/22 "2005-12-09T20:09:27Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > :rolleyes: > > Hmm… > fnord > ftaghn > sowhat > > I thought we needed to put the “u”'s in to make it work… just shoot me… yikes almighty… ---
**Author:** ![Faruiza](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ecd19e/32.png) [@Faruiza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Faruiza)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colour-of-crap/334915/23 "2005-12-09T20:11:43Z")
Faruiza Yikes. Maybe I belong not on the Dope, but in [this](http://www.babyfay.piczo.com/?cr=1&rfm=y) hideous ring of hell. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colour-of-crap/334915/24 "2005-12-09T20:27:41Z")
> [@Nature's Call](#): > > And that brings us to Crap. Because “crap” is not one of the recognized named colours, the browser says, “Okay, this must be a hex value” C is a valid hex digit, as is A, but R and P are not - so they’re thrown out. This leaves C0A000, which by amazing coincidence is a blend of red and green that closely resembles the colour of um crap. Hmmm… If the HTML rendering engine is trying to parse words as literal hex, and simply drops “bad” bits, my name should be blue, but it comes out as green. GOTPAS parses to 0000A0, and is indeed blue. SWORDS parses to 0000D0 - another blue. String them together into GOTPASSWORDS, and you get green. Seems to be more to it than just dropping characters that aren’t 0-9 or A-F. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colour-of-crap/334915/25 "2005-12-09T21:22:11Z")
[Fun with colors](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=115230&highlight=color)! (warning: 3½ year old thread!) ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colour-of-crap/334915/26 "2005-12-09T21:24:52Z")
Hmm…these work better with the new software: Invisible ink! Purple haze. ---
**Author:** ![Nature\_s\_Call](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nature_s_call/32/19006_2.png) [@Nature\_s\_Call](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nature_s_Call)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colour-of-crap/334915/27 "2005-12-09T21:29:41Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > Hmmm… If the HTML rendering engine is trying to parse words as literal hex, and simply drops “bad” bits, my name should be blue, but it comes out as green. > > GOTPAS parses to 0000A0, and is indeed blue. > > SWORDS parses to 0000D0 - another blue. > > String them together into GOTPASSWORDS, and you get green. > > Seems to be more to it than just dropping characters that aren’t 0-9 or A-F. I used PaintShop’s eyedropper to find out the hex value produced by your name. It’s 00A000. You’re right, something more is going on. **C** r **A** p -\> **C** 0 **A** 000 N **A** tur **E** sC **A** ll -\> 0 **A** 0 **EA** 0 but gotp **A** sswords -\> 00A000 Hypothesis: Gold is a named colour. Maybe browser saw the G-O- and thought “Hey, this must be Gold” until it hit the T then said, “Nope, start over”? Methodology: Try Bl **A** rn **E** y. This starts with the same letters as the named colour Blue or Black. If hypothesis is correct, Blarney should become A000E0 Test: Blarney -\> #B00000 Conclusion: Bad methodology - missed the starting B :smack: ---- TAKE TWO — Methodology: Try Simpl **E** ton. Starts as Sienna does. Should produce 00000E or perhaps 0000E0 Test: Simpleton -\> #000E00 Conlcusion: Close enough. I have to start cooking supper now anywas. (BTW, 00000E, 0000E0, and Simpleton are all colourized here and above. The two that look black just have a very little blue that’s hard to see, but can’t fool PaintShop’s eyedropper) ---
**Author:** ![Tupug\_Anachi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7993a0/32.png) [@Tupug\_Anachi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tupug_Anachi)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 9:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colour-of-crap/334915/28 "2005-12-09T21:29:56Z")
Oooo, let me try! **Tupug Anachi** It appears I need to use both names. Fascinating. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colour-of-crap/334915/29 "2005-12-09T21:30:56Z")
Hey, look! A blue whale! ---
**Author:** ![MissTake](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misstake/32/3189_2.png) [@MissTake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MissTake)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colour-of-crap/334915/30 "2005-12-09T21:34:23Z")
Let’s see… MissTake Miss Take ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colour-of-crap/334915/31 "2005-12-09T21:36:57Z")
Dolores Reborn ---
**Author:** ![Nature\_s\_Call](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nature_s_call/32/19006_2.png) [@Nature\_s\_Call](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nature_s_Call)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colour-of-crap/334915/32 "2005-12-09T21:38:47Z")
> [@Dolores Reborn](#): > > Dolores Reborn Remove the spaces, Dolores Reborn I AM making supper, dear… sheesh it takes time for the water to boil and the oven to heat… Can’t I type just ONE post with you harping on me… ---
**Author:** ![Leviosaurus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Leviosaurus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leviosaurus)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colour-of-crap/334915/33 "2005-12-09T21:44:53Z")
What I really like about this is that we can use it as a subtle way of calling something crap without alerting everyone else in the thread. For example, the thread about airplanes on treadmills or the ninja death touch. ---
**Author:** ![Emily\_Litella](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/emily_litella/32/3370_2.png) [@Emily\_Litella](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Emily_Litella)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colour-of-crap/334915/34 "2005-12-09T21:45:48Z")
**SeeNoReason** BOOGERS ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colour-of-crap/334915/35 "2005-12-09T21:47:05Z")
Death Ray, of whatever style. ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colour-of-crap/334915/36 "2005-12-09T21:50:49Z")
Dolores ---
**Author:** ![Rebo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rebo/32/13005_2.png) [@Rebo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rebo)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colour-of-crap/334915/37 "2005-12-09T21:52:04Z")
> [@Nature's Call](#): > > Remove the spaces, Dolores Reborn > > I AM making supper, dear… sheesh it takes time for the water to boil and the oven to heat… Can’t I type just ONE post with you harping on me… Gotcha. ---
**Author:** ![Nature\_s\_Call](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nature_s_call/32/19006_2.png) [@Nature\_s\_Call](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nature_s_Call)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 9:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colour-of-crap/334915/38 "2005-12-09T21:55:59Z")
> [@Leviosaurus](#): > > What I really like about this is that we can use it as a subtle way of calling something crap without alerting everyone else in the thread. For example, the thread about airplanes on treadmills or the ninja death touch. What a wonderful idea! [you can click reply to see what was actually used for the colour] ---
**Author:** ![Leviosaurus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/439d5e/32.png) [@Leviosaurus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leviosaurus)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colour-of-crap/334915/39 "2005-12-09T22:43:33Z")
> [@Nature's Call](#): > > What a wonderful idea! > > [you can click reply to see what was actually used for the colour] I personally find it quite amusing. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [December 9, 2005, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colour-of-crap/334915/40 "2005-12-09T22:47:41Z")
> [@Nature's Call](#): > > This leaves C0A000, which by amazing coincidence is a blend of red and green that closely resembles the colour of um crap. I think perhaps you need more fibre in your diet. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colour-of-crap/334915.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-colour-of-crap/334915.md?page=3)