Re: 14th

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

> 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.

That didn't land.

> 
>>> 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?

I'm wondering when coffee was introduced to Egypt.
> 
>>>>>>>>> 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}

I'm pretty sure that's how 'yurt' is spelt.

> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 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...

They were government jobs.

> 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 liek dragons!
The books are more about how civilization can devolve.
> 
>> 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...
> 

Yes. I can put several on a Kobo which weighs a few ounces. This comes 
in handy when you finish a book when you are away from home.
Also, with paper books, you have to procure more and then rid yourself 
of them once finished.