Re: In other news

On 09.09.2023 22.51, Merlyne wrote:
> 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...
That may be what happened to that Spanish womens football coach...

>>>>>>>>>>>>> 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.
Oohh! do you get to go on retreats and play stupid games too? (Made up
by a genuine behaviourist sociologist.)

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 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.
Probably. How he got the job: probably the same way as everyone else -
lied on his resume...

>>> 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.
I always did. And it served me well on many occasions. More people
should RTM.

>>>>>>>>>> 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.

Another reason why wearing heels to work is a bad idea?


-- 
BeH

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