Re: 14th

On 06.09.2023 14.22, Merlyne wrote:
> BeH <[email protected]> wrote in
> news:[email protected]: 
> 
>> On 30.08.2023 14.42, Merlyne wrote:
[unreadable stuff snipped]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Stay out of my birdfeeder!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Tell that to the bears.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> *opens window*
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> *yells 'Hey bears, stay out of my
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> birdfeeder* The birdfeeders are in the
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> garage. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Do you get many garage birds? Mine is too
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> but that's because I only feed the birds
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> in the winter. This time of year they
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> steal all my cherries - ripe or not. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Putting the birdfeeder in the garage is an
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> interim (and temporary) measure to dissuade
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> the bears. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I don't know how resistant your garage is,
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> but I've heard of bears ripping out doors if
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> the reward (or need) is high enough. Good
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> luck with that. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I haven't seen any bears sightings in the
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> area for a while. It worked. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> That's good then. Unless the bears are having
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> a tactical pause while they wait for the
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> birdfeeder to re-appear... 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Maybe they've hacked my wifi and have ordered
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> their own seeds. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> That would be alright though, wouldn't it?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Unless they used your credit card to pay for it.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Which could happen if they get into my Amazon
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> account. Oh deer!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Not deer, bears. I doubt deer are good haxors,
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> what with the hooves instead .of hands. Also the
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> antlers tend to knock over the screen when they
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> look down on the keyboard. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> They need to get cellphones so they can say 'Alexa,
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> buy me some birdseed and a mink coat'
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I don't know who Alexa is, but they still need to be
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> able to dial the number first...
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> No they don't. That's how Alexa works. You talk to
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> the phone and it does stuff.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> That's Siri, innit? Or GoOoOogle, maybe. Anyway they
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> need to unlock the phone first, and I don't think
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> face-recognition works very well with bear-faced
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> seed-stealers. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I don't use face recognition on my phone. It would be
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> hard for them to guess and then type my pin. they'd
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> have to use a twig which I imagine would be hard to
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> hold onto without opposable thumbs] 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Bears could use a claw possibly. If they were careful.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Bearclaws are very pointy and sharp. The kind attached
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> to bear arms; not the pastry kind. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Now I want a pastry :(
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> There you go. I'm sure it's all very healthy:
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> https://duckduckgo.com/?q=wienerbr%C3%
>>>>>>>>>>>>> B8d&t=ffab&iar=images&iax=images&
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ia=images 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> A lot of good a picture will do me.
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Anyways, I bought some 2-bite apple turnover thingees at
>>>>>>>>>>>>> the store. 
>>>>>>>>>>>> I'm sure they were good too, for what they were.
>>>>>>>>>>>> 2-bite? As in tiny ones?
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> They are small.
>>>>>>>>>>> Perfect for when you need something sweet but don't want to
>>>>>>>>>>> eat a big slab of pie.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> Isn't that what fruit is for?
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> What if your not in the mood for fruit?
>>>>>>>>> What if you want caek or pie?
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> What if eating cake or pie is highly discouraged?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I'm sure it's on no country's food pyramid.
>>>>>> The baker's guild begs to differ.
>>>>>
>>>>> They can beg all they want. Cake and pie will never get on the
>>>>> pyramid. 
>>>> But I'm certain there was plenty of delicious baked goods *in* the
>>>> pyramids. 
>>>
>>> Like what?
>>> Something their Mummy made?
>> A chicken wrap maybe...
>>
>>> Ramen noodles?
>>> Fruit of the Tomb?
>> Tut y fruity Ice cream...
>>
> 
> Ancient Egyptian puns are hard :(
> I'll end making an asp of myself.
You can probably ask your smart phone... that O'Siris thing.

>> Whatever an ancient dead pharaoh/demi-god liked to eat with their
>> coffee, I guess.
>>
> 
> Did they have coffee? 
What good would being an ancient pharaoh if it didn't include coffee?

>>>>>>>> What if you need all the vitamin C you can get?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I eat lots of fruit during the day. And broccoli.
>>>>>>> If you get too much vitamin C, you pee it out.
>>>>>> If only the broccoli poison were that easy to get rid of as well.
>>>>>
>>>>> Ugh! Not this again!
>>>> Right. Abolish broccoli.
>>> Just accept it's existence and move on.
>> Does that sound like something a rabid cult leader would do? Banish
>> the abomination!
>>
> Well..
> When you're snoring in your yurt in your spiderman pajamas, I will sneak 
> out and eat brocolli.
HAH. And Hah again. I don't even have any spiderman pyjamas... So there!
{and I'm not going to comment on your spelling}

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Maybe if you fed the birds in the summer,
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> they wouldn't take your cherries. They tend
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> to steal berries like raspberries and
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> blueberries. There 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> is bird netting that can be purchased to
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> keep them away from the fruit.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> https://duckduckgo.com/? 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> q=bird+netting&t=ffab&iar=images&iax=images&ia=image
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> s 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Birds, insect larva or mildew - the result
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> is the same: not very many cherries for me.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> At least with the birds I have the pleasure
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> of being woken up very, very early by their
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> maniacal chirping... And 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> bird poop on the windows. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> There are worse ways to be woken up.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Certainly. Like the neighbour speaking to her
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> mother - at festival volume. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Or snoring.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Or the cat barfing.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I could go on and on...
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I don't have a barfing cat.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> You should definitely get one.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> No need. I already have the birds and the
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> neighbour. And also the neighbours hysterical
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> smushy faced mutt... 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Behold! The pugliest dog in the world!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> For sleeping soundlessly through the night,
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I'm a huge fan of ear plugs. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Then you are missing all the birdsong.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Great!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Given that the windows haven't been open at
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> night for some time due to air quality warnings
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> and/or hot, humid weather, I'm probably missing
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> a lot of outdoor sounds. Not that I'd hear
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> them. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> That global climate change has a lot to answer
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> for. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I won't hear the answer because of the ear plugs.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> You can read about it in the paper later...
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> No one reads newspapers anymore.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> There are on-line versions. On the internet.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> As I said, no reads newspapers anymore. They get
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> their news from social media. Except in Canada where
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Meta had a big fight with the government. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Get with the Times...
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> No thanks, that's a Murdock paper now... I don't
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> read stuff like that. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Remember Bat boy?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Ehh, no?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Oh dear!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> What!!?! Who is bat boy?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> It was a tabloid thing back in the day.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bat_Boy_(character)
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I'm shocked - shocked I tell you - to learn that a
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> newspaper would just make up a story, with no regard for
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> the integrity of the press. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> No, you aren't.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> That may or may not have been sarcastic...
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>> I thought it was fake outrage.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> The outrage is real. The shock maybe not so much.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I see. Batboy enrages you. Noted.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Not Batboy as such - the lack of clarity about the fact that
>>>>>>>> Batboy was wholly fictional.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> It's pretty obvious, no?
>>>>>>> Although, I'm sure there are a few kooks who believe he is real.
>>>>>>> *shrug*
>>>>>> I refer you to the case of the radio dramatisation of H.G. Wells'
>>>>>> "The War of the Worlds".
>>>>>>
>>>>> Yes, yes...
>>>>>
>>>>>> There is also the ancient dictum (about writing manuals): Don't
>>>>>> write to be understood - write to not be *mis*understood.
>>>>>>
>>>>> I always write user guide like the audience is a 6 year old.
>>>>> Even then (with screenshots) people mess things up.
>>>>> I had a math professor that told me: it's not that people can't do
>>>>> math, they just can't read.
>>>>> Ah...the lost art of reading...
>>>>
>>>> Speaking of... I just finished The Clan of the Cave Bear. All 587
>>>> pages of it. That's a lot of words. Not all of them strictly
>>>> necessary in my opinion...
>>>>
>>>
>>> I'm on book 3 of the Wheel of Time series. The average size is 826 
>>> pages. There are 13 books plus a prequel.
>>> So there!
>>
>> Not that it's a competition or anything but I did finish the next book
>> in the series and am 2/3 through the third.
>> Before that I (re)read the 13 volumes of the chronicles of Pern that I
>> have. It's mostly about dragons - science fiction dragons.
>>
> 
> I used to read those when I was a teenager. My dad took them to work for 
> a book sale and all the computer nerds lost their minds.
That can't have been good for productivity...
I never knew about them before I inherited them, and I didn't consider
them for reading for a long time, thinking they were 'Fantasy'. Because
of the dragons.

> I haven't been reading as much as I normally do in the summer. Usually, 
> I go outside and lounge and read but this summer has been either super 
> hot or raining, making the mosquitoes quite fierce. Also my Kobo broke.

Assuming a Kobo is some kind of e-reader and not your favourite
lounge-chair, let me point out that books also come as self-contained
stacks of printed paper...

-- 
BeH

" We are trapped by language to such a degree that every attempt to
formulate insight is a play on words." - Niels Bohr