Re: 14th

On 17.09.2023 19.50, Merlyne wrote:
> BeH <[email protected]> wrote in
> news:[email protected]: 
> 
>> 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:
>>>> [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.
>> Did your eye-phone die?
> As if I can afford or want one of those.

I'm confident your [brand] smart phone has a similar Oracle-like
functionality by whatever name.
>>
>>>>>> 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.
>> Now I am too. Are you going to look it up?
> *sigh*
> According to the National Coffee Association (who knew?):
> "By the 15th century, coffee was being grown in the Yemeni district of 
> Arabia and by the 16th century it was known in Persia, Egypt, Syria, and 
> Turkey. Coffee was not only enjoyed in homes, but also in the many 
> public coffee houses — called qahveh khaneh — which began to appear in 
> cities across the Near East."
> 
> Not in King Tut's time.

No wonder he died young, then.

>>>>>>>>>>>> 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.
>> Sure. And broccoli is no less evil no matter how it's spelled.
> 
> I thought we agreed that you would stop saying negative things about 
> broccoli if I agreed not to serve it to you?
You brought i up and I couldn't help myself.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 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.
>> Government jobs have productivity measurements too. They are just...
>> different.
> 
> People who don't work in the government seem to think we don't any work.
I have been working a lot alongside public employees of various kinds.
To avoid annoying you I shall refrain from commenting on this. They do
hold a lot of meetings, though. Long meetings.

>>>> 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.
>> And the importance of preserving knowledge.
>> And how some people are just shitty humans, through malice or
>> ignorance. And dragons.
> 
> YAY! Dragons!
Yes. Science-fictionally believable 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...
>>>>
>>>
>>> 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.
>> Unless you run out of battery and forget the charger.
> Yep that could happen.
And that would be bad.

>>> Also, with paper books, you have to procure more and then rid
>>> yourself of them once finished.
>> Get Rid Of Books!!?? What is this madness. What if you want to read
>> them again at some point?
> 
> The number of books that I keep is very small.
Which for instance prohibits you from now re-reading the chronicles of
Pern.

>> Also a Kobo has infinite storage, I take it?
> I forget how many books it can hold. More that you can carry even with a 
> cargo bike.
> So there!
Hard-cover or paperback? My cargo bike is rated for 200Kg. How many
books is that?

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

-- 
BeH

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