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by Rexxar 5837 days ago
Your "explanation" is wrong, even if you have more upvotes than philwelch. Decimation was a form of military punishment in the roman army where one soldier on ten was killed ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decimation_(Roman_army) )
2 comments

No, you should re-read my comment, since my "incorrect" statement says exactly the same thing that you said. Or do you feel that there is a substantive difference between what I said ("strike down 1 in 10" and "reduces it by 10%") and what you said ("one soldier on [sic] ten was killed").

My guess is that you misread my statement and thought I said that it reduces the signal to 10%. But I didn't say that, and in fact I gave the correct explanation in two ways to make sure I would be interpreted clearly.

I have indeed misread your comment. Sorry.
No worries. Sorry I responded so adamantly.
Just because he gave the definition as it is applicable rather than the historical etymology doesn't make it wrong...