Re: In other news

BeH <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]: 

> On 24.08.2023 16.55, Merlyne wrote:
>> BeH <[email protected]> wrote in
>> news:[email protected]: 
>> 
>>> On 18.08.2023 14.51, Merlyne wrote:
>>>> BeH <[email protected]> wrote in
>>>> news:[email protected]: 
>>>>
>>>>> On 13.08.2023 23.28, Merlyne wrote:
>>>>>> BeH <[email protected]> wrote in
>>>>>> news:[email protected]: 
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On 09.08.2023 14.19, Merlyne wrote:
>>>>>>>> BeH <[email protected]> wrote in
>>>>>>>> news:[email protected]: 
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> On 01.08.2023 13.32, Merlyne wrote:
>>>>>>>>>> BeH <[email protected]> wrote in
>>>>>>>>>> news:[email protected]: 
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> On 27.07.2023 15.32, Merlyne wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>> BeH <[email protected]> wrote in
>>>>>>>>>>>> news:[email protected]: 
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> On 22.07.2023 17.21, Merlyne wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> BeH <[email protected]> wrote in
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> news:[email protected]: 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> On 18.07.2023 13.24, Merlyne wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> BeH <[email protected]> wrote in
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> news:[email protected]: 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> On 12.07.2023 13.22, Merlyne wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> BeH <[email protected]> wrote in
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> news:[email protected]: 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> On 08.07.2023 17.01, Merlyne wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> BeH <[email protected]> wrote in
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> news:[email protected]: 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> On 05.07.2023 14.14, Merlyne wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> BeH <[email protected]> wrote in
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> news:[email protected]: 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> On 02.07.2023 16.29, Merlyne wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> BeH <[email protected]> wrote in
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> news:[email protected]: 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> On 28.06.2023 13.31, Merlyne wrote:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I got a new phone and a better plan.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Why are cell plans so much more expensive in
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> my country vs the US? 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> CAPITALISM! It's always capitalism. We've been
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> over this. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Sure. Are you sure that it's not related to
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> population base? 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> If you pay the same country-wide and you the
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> same coverage in sparsely populated areas (I
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> know you have some of those), then maybe. But
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> most likely capitalism. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Ugh!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I got a new S21 and 20GB of data for
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> $47/month taxes in. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I pay a base fee of ~$4/month (deducted from
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> consumption) with slightly higher per-minute
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> charge and no free data. But then I only use
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> data in emergency (which haven't happened yet)
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> and make maybe two calls and two texts/month. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I used to have a prepaid cell for like $10 a
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> month back in 2003 when it was my emergency
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> phone. Once I started using it all the time, it
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> was more cost-efficient to have a plan with
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> unlimited talk and text. I would say that I am
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> most frequently contacted by text than by other
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> modes i.e. voice call or email. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> On the other hand I still pay for a landline
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> (IP) even though it hasn't made a sound (or
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> call) in several years. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I also have a landline. My Dad calls it and a
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> few places where I keep forgetting to change my
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> contact info to my cell. I think the landline
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> isn't VOIP it's whatever came before that but
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> after rotary dial phones. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Analog... (rotary dials relied on counting the
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> impulses - one for each digit passed on return;
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> pushbutton 'dialing' relied on the frequency of
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> the tone correspondig to each digit/button) 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> They will probably phase it out eventually.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Like they did with teevee signals, thus making
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> everyone get new teevees... 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I thought I got a new tv because the old one
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> stopped working. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> That may be, but lots of people got new tvs
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> because their old one couldn't receive/decode the
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> digital signal. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> The cable company gave out digital conversion boxes
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> to people. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Can you still get one of those. To use on an old
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> teevee that you buy at an antique shop?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I doubt anything would work on a tv that old.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> In theory it would. It would require a digital to
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> analog conversion and probably a granularity reduction
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> from HD to PAL or [whatever the American format is
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> called]. An old cable converter might just work if one
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> could bypass the subscription bit. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> It could work from an antenna. Some channels are in the
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> air. In HD even. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> That's what I meant, using the antenna as input for the
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> box. A really old TV will probably make a mess of an
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> unaltered HD signal. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I can imagine.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> It would probably make a mess of SD signals too.
>>>>>>>>>>>>> And if by some miracle it could be made to work, there
>>>>>>>>>>>>> probably wouldn't be anything good on anyway.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Nonsense! There are always quality programming available
>>>>>>>>>>>> like those reality shows were a farmer needs a wife.
>>>>>>>>>>> Grrr! No matter when I look it seems to be all American
>>>>>>>>>>> 'Married at first sight' or some survival show...
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> There's now a couple of them on about finding a spouse for
>>>>>>>>>> farmers. 
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> And some where they put couples in an isolated spot and see
>>>>>>>>> how long it takes for people to cheat on their partners.
>>>>>>>>> *sigh* 
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> And how long does it take? I need closure.
>>>>>>> Sorry, I don't have that information. I don't watch that type of
>>>>>>> programming. It's detrimental to my health.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I bet it would help you fall asleep = good for your health
>>>>>
>>>>> Not really. I tend to get irrationally angry that this shite is
>>>>> even produced, much less broadcast - using my money to do it.
>>>>
>>>> But it's outside your control. You need to chill.
>>> That certainly does not lessen the frustration.
>>>
>>>> Here have some Gatorade.
>>> Mmmmm... electrolytes. (I've never actually tried Gatorade.)
>>>
>> I think my Dad bought some in the 70's when it was green sea water.
>> It's pretty gross.
>> I'm sure the stuff they have now is full of sugar.
> Well, sports people need their energy.
This is just a guess - it's mostly non-sports people who drink it.
> 
>>>>>>>> I see that Big Brother is back for it's 25th season.
>>>>>>>> Ugh!
>>>>>>> But of course it is... It's what the people want.
>>>>>> People are stupid!
>>>>> Gatorade contains a lot of electrolytes... (guess the reference
>>>>> for the chance to win a modest prize)
>>>>
>>>> Idiocracy?
>>> Yup! I'll mail you a gold star...
>> 
>> YAY! I hardly get any snail mail anymore.
>> This is so exciting.
> Hang on. I need to find a stamp... I'm sure there are some around here
> somewhere.
I'm so excited. I never win anything. I have to pee!
> 
>>>>>>>>>>> They do show Colombo (again) but late at night and I still
>>>>>>>>>>> remember all the plots from last time.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> I don't remember all the Columbo plots. Doesn't matter since
>>>>>>>>>> they show you who did at the beginning of the show.
>>>>>>>>> Yes but Colombo is more about howdonit than whodunit... and
>>>>>>>>> Colombo pretending to be dumb but really being very smart of
>>>>>>>>> course. 
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> And one more thing...
>>>>>>> Oh yeah, it must have slipped my mind for a moment...
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> I have Acorn and BritBox now so I can catch up on all my
>>>>>>>>>>>> British murder mystery shows. I feel with the writer and
>>>>>>>>>>>> actor strike that there may be a long tv show drought.
>>>>>>>>>>> I get BritBox as well (on that streaming service). They have
>>>>>>>>>>> Yes Minister/Prime Minister.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> I never watched that one.
>>>>>>>>> It's a good introduction into how gubbernment *really*
>>>>>>>>> works... sort of. 
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> I'm going to finish Good Omens and then watch the latest
>>>>>>>>>> season of The Witcher. The next season of The Wheel of time
>>>>>>>>>> starts September 1. 
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> I did see a Canadian police series in french. It had all the
>>>>>>>>>>> right characters:
>>>>>>>>>>> - a neuro-divergent sketch artist with 'amazing' abilities,
>>>>>>>>>>> - a wheel-chair bound, female chief always wearing a
>>>>>>>>>>> baseball cap, - a young arab gay forensic investigator,
>>>>>>>>>>> - a semi-alcoholic older detective who broke all the rules
>>>>>>>>>>> (violently) - a middle aged female researcher, who was a
>>>>>>>>>>> former elite hacker. And that was just the Good Guys(tm).
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> I don't know that one. I used to watch 'District 31' when I
>>>>>>>>>> was on language training.
>>>>>>>>> 'Portrait Robot' in Canadian. ('The Sketch Artist' in
>>>>>>>>> 'danish'). I don't know 'District 31' but I do have a Belgian
>>>>>>>>> series of all things, all about sex-crimes.. in Flemish
>>>>>>>>> language. 
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> And speaking of programming, I wrote a Python program today
>>>>>>>>>>>> without taking a course.
>>>>>>>>>>> I had no idea you were a parseltongue.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Well, I had to do something after I failed out of wizard
>>>>>>>>>> school. 
>>>>>>>>> Is that even possible. I thought you would just have to take
>>>>>>>>> the year again. Or become Key Warden or something.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> But eventually they found out that I'm too stupid to be a
>>>>>>>> wizard. 
>>>>>>> Is that even possible? I thought it's an innate ability for
>>>>>>> those whom it is gifted.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> I'm more of a Rincewind type of wizard or not gifted at all.
>>>>>> Smoke and mirrors!
>>>>> I'm not familiar. Or _a_ familiar for that matter...
>>>>
>>>> That's what the cats are for.
>>> I have no cat. Also no wizardry.
>> 
>> I have a cat. It does what it wants.
> I'm somewhat familiar with the behaviour of cats.
> 
>> Not familiar with the rules of being a familiar.
> Me either. But that's okay since I'm not a cat.
> 
>>>>>>>>>>> One of these day I'm gonna install the ADA pre-compiler for
>>>>>>>>>>> gcc again and think of something to code in it... Something
>>>>>>>>>>> with a lot of things happening at the same time.
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> No, you won't.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I will. Some day...
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Right after you build that water feature in your yard, I'm
>>>>>>>> sure. 
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Well I won't be able to work on the water feature in winter, so
>>>>>>> I could do the installing then.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> Isn't that when you are painting the living room?
>>>>>> *snickers*
>>>>> No that was this spring, theoretically... Or next spring. Some
>>>>> time when I can keep the doors and windows open.
>>>>>
>>>>>> Anyhoo....
>>>>>> You should learn Python so that you can nitpit my code.
>>>>> What made you think that I don't know Python? (I don't, but still)
>>>>
>>>> It was a calculated risk. It was created after you left school and
>>>> were a fully functioning adult with a regular day job.
>>> Yebbut I was reasonably capable of learning several programming
>>> languages for many years after that.
>>>
>> As did I.
>> 
>> I think once MS took over the workplace, most people learned VB.
> And some probably even learned a programming language as well.
Probably.
I usually end up teaching myself.
> 
>>>>> What made you think I can't nitpick any code from a position of
>>>>> relative ignorance?
>>>>>
>>>>> But really. Code is code. The symbols may be different but logic
>>>>> is forever...
>>>>>
>>>> That's what I keep telling coworkers who are panicking about having
>>>> to learn Python or R. If you can program, you can do it in any
>>>> language. You just have to learn to syntax.
>>> And memorise all the function libraries, of course... Piece of cake.
>> 
>> Nah. I mean the stuff I use often will get engraved in my mind.
>> Anything else, will be googled.
> But... your productivity!!1!
> 
All pensionable time!
If they want me to be more productive, they need to get me more staff 
and stop assigning me extra work.