Re: In other news

On 06.09.2023 14.22, Merlyne wrote:
> BeH <[email protected]> wrote in
> news:[email protected]: 
> 
>> On 30.08.2023 14.42, Merlyne wrote:
>>> 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.
>> Also the sports people/teams who are sponsored by the company, I bet.
>> At least when they are on teevee.
> 
> Or the Gatorade container is filled with water. At least that's what it 
> looks like when they dump it on the winning coach.
One would hope so, given the stickyness of sugary drinks...

>>>>>>>>>>> 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!
>> You know what they say: You can't win unless you play. Maybe you
>> should start doing some sportsball or something... After you are done
>> peeing, obviously.
> 
> I can't picture me playing team sports.
There are types of sportsball where you play alone (against an opponent,
obviously). Also without team sport you don't get to imbibe the team
spirit...

>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 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.
>> Whereas I on several occasions ended up teaching others...
> 
> I haven't taught anyone to program, but I do end up reviewing other 
> people's code. I get questions about 'How do I do thing X?' I have one 
> programmer who can't program from scratch. I usually have to meet with 
> him and outline step 1, step 2 etc.
But you are supposed to learn that in programmer school...?

> Sometimes people write 10 pages of code to do something when all they 
> need is the coalesce function.
Isn't that more an unwillingness to RT(F)M?

>>>>>>>> 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.
>>
>> Your productivity isn't going to increase if you run out of work to
>> do. 
>>
> That will never happen. When we are understaffed, I don't have time to 
> focus on my own work. All the work has to be distributed amongst the 
> existing staff.

Delegation is work, though. Particularly if you have staff.
 --
BeH

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