Re: In other news

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:
>>>> 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...
But you never know...
> 
>>>>>>>>>>>> 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...
No. I get that at work.
> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 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...?
I think his degree is in Philosophy or History or something non-
programming. How he got into this line of work, I'll never know. He told 
me his dream job would be to work on video games. He would die in that 
job.
> 
>> 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?
No one does that.
> 
>>>>>>>>> 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.

It's a delicate balanacing act.