Re: Polar vortex

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

> On 17.09.2023 19.50, Merlyne wrote:
>> BeH <[email protected]> wrote in
>> news:[email protected]: 
>> 
>>> On 09.09.2023 22.51, Merlyne wrote:
> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [attributions]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [arbitrations]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [artifacts]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [artifactory]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [artichoke factory]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [olfactory]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [oligarchy]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [obfuscate]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [operate]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [oaklike]
>>>>>>>>>>>>> [Oakley]
>>>>>>>>>>>> [offramp]
>>>>>>>>>>> [osprey]
>>>>>>>>>> [ookpik]
>>>>>>>>> [awww... olympic]
>>>>>>>> [ouched]
>>>>>>> [outré]
>>>>>> [outrém]
>>>>> [latlh]
>>>> [?]
>>> [Same thing but in klingon... or so goooogele claims]
>> [I thought you had a stroke]
> [The way my brane has been misfiring lately I might as well have had.
> Is chronic fatigue a symptom of a stoke?]
[I'm not a medical professional. Anyone I know who had a stroke has 
paralysis of some kind i.e. they can't move the left side of their body 
or have slurred speach. Extreme fatigue can be a symptom of about a 
million things like a virus/allergies or vitamin deficiency. You should 
see your doctor]
> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [gone but not
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> forgotten] 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [I've already
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> forgotten] 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [Doesn't bode well for
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> your >>>> end >> of >>>>>> term >
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> exams. >> You >> want >> me to >>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>paste >>>> it >>>> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> back >> in?] >>>>>>>>>> [exams?]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [Yes. At the end of the
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> year.] >>>>>>>>>> [So I still have
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> some >> time >> then] >>>>>>> [That's
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> not the 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> right >> attitude. If 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> you >>> don't keep up during
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> the >>>> year >>>> you'll >>> never
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>be >> able to 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> get >> through 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> it all in 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> revision.] 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [I'll copy off your test]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [I shall be giving the
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>test.] >>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [Then you'll give me a good
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> mark >>>>>>>> because 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> we know each other] 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [That is not how it works.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>That >> is >>>> not >>> how anything
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>works. Also 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> it >> may >> be >>> someone 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> else doing the marking.] 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [You'll tell me the answers so
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>I >>>> get >> a >> good mark] 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [That would be cheating]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [So? do you want me to fail?]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [I want you to study, apply
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> yourself, 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> make the effort, stuff like that] 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [Why? What's in it for you?]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [I want you to do well, is all]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [I'm destined to fail since I don't
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> even  know what I'm being tested
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>about] >
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [It's about all the vital and
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> interesting 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> information being presented in this
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>very > newsgroup. I though that was
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>clear.] 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [Nope. Was as clear as mud. I think I
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> will be away that day.] 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [You are going to make me look bad when
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> no-one passes my test.] 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [Looks good on you since you refused to
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> help me out] 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [So my options are to look like an
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> incompetent test-giver or behave
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> unethically? Why do you 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> hate me?] 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [Deflect!]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> What?! Squirrel? Where...?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Apparerntly you've mistaken me for a dog.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> So the squirrel wasn't the deflection? What
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> was it, then? Surely it can't be the pair of
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> swallows that has built their nest on the door
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> to my garage/storage shed/workshop.... 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> You have a workshop?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I have a long table with a lamp and a couple of
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> vises and a lot of stuff on it in the garage.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> That ought to count. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Not that I can easily get to it at the moment,
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> with the nest on the door. The eggs have hatched
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> so it's now a nest of baby birds constantly
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> being fed by two very busy swallows. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> It appears I was wrong. The increased activity I
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> observed must have been a final effort to finish
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> the nest before laying. Probably something to do
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> with a mortgage maturing or some such. So we are
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> all still waiting for the hatching (and the gender
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> reveal party). 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Hopefully it won't start a fire.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Swallows have more sense than that.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> There'll be 2 of each.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> We shall see. All in good time.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [waits]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Nothing further to report yet.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> [waits some more]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> THEY LIVE. I hear them when the parent-birds bring food
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> (and remove droppings). So far I've only seen three
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> wide-open beaklets at a time. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Do birds clean the nest?
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Some do. Mostly (including swallows, sadly) the young'uns
>>>>>>>>>>>>> just excrete over the edge of the nest once they a big
>>>>>>>>>>>>> enough to move around a bit. 
>>>>>>>>>>>> Watch out below!
>>>>>>>>>>> I don't use that door at the moment anyway. I will probably
>>>>>>>>>>> be available soon, though. The new birds have taken to fly
>>>>>>>>>>> about... Which hopefully means the pile of shit below the
>>>>>>>>>>> nest won't grow any further. 
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> You can clean it up.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> I'll probably have to. It's not like the birds are gonna do
>>>>>>>>> it. After all I've done for them...
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> You can add it to the obelisk tour -- come and see the amazing
>>>>>>>> guano. 
>>>>>>> I could, I suppose. Only I don't have an obelisk (yet). a guano
>>>>>>> tour might not be as compelling to the touristy masses.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> This reminds me of the P.T. Barnum thing about how someone could
>>>>>> put a sign that says 'Come and see the egress --$5' and people
>>>>>> would queue up. People don't know what that it, but they know if
>>>>>> they have to pay, it's worth seeing.
>>>>> Most people know what bird-poop is, though...
>>>>
>>>> You have to make it sound exciting. Somehow.
>>> I could have a poster explaining how terrorists use it to blow up
>>> stuff, I suppose.
>> Isn't that chemical fertilizer?
> It's still mostly nitrogen and phosphates - perfectly viable as base
> for a bomb... They used to use guano in gunpowder production in the
> olden days. 
> 
Interesting. 

>>>>>> An aside - a coworker and I were discussing this in the kitchen
>>>>>> one day at work. And the other people there wandered over and
>>>>>> asked us what an egress is.
>>>>> I hope you didn't just tell them for free.
>>>> D'oh!
>>> You'll never make billions if you don't think of these things...
>> I guess that's why I'm not a billionaire then.
> It's the first billion that's the hardest, wher you really have to put
> in the effort (or have ancestors who put in the effort). After that
> the billions more or less make themselves. Unless the plebs decides to
> eat you. 
> 

Seems like too much work.
I come from a long line of really poor people.

>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I feel like I'm setting myself up for a bad pun here.
>>>>>>>>>>>>> When have I ever produced a bad pun?
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Puns, by definition, are bad.
>>>>>>>>>>> Only the puny ones. They are hard to swallow.
>>>>>>>>>> I'm going cold turkey.
>>>>>>>>> Chickening out, you mean...
>>>>>>>> Careful! I have a fowl temper...
>>>>>>> I'll be sure to duck.
>>>>>> At least you'll get some egg-cersize.
>>>>> This is a yoke, right? If I get any more eggcersise I'll be end up
>>>>> a shell of my former self...
>>>>>
>>>> I see you poached some yolk-tastic egg puns.
>>> Yeah - my humour is really getting air under its wings. Soaring you
>>> might say.
>>>
>> Shell-arious! Don't get whisked away...
> Not likely - I'm not exactly a featherweight...
Dammit! I already used egg-cersise!
And I was quilling these puns...
> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Also I don't see a possible pun presenting.
>>>>>>>>>>>> Phew!
>>>>>>>>>>>> That would make me stark raven mad!
>>>>>>>>>>> There's no reason to let your gull rise because of a pun.
>>>>>>>>>> I'm starling to get annoyed owl-ready.
>>>>>>>>> Don't go all emu on me...
>>>>>>>> That one flew over my head.
>>>>>>> HA! Emus don't even fly. ('Emo's may or may not, but they aren't
>>>>>>> happy about it either way.)
>>>>>> Those kids quack me up!
>>>>> Don't crow about it; I'm sure you hade your phase of being edgy
>>>>> and different too...
>>>> I got tweetment for it.
>>> Must have been a trill for you. Did you get coffee and magpie after?
>> Yes! I gobbled it up!
> That must have been quite a large bill. I this economy.
It was actually cheep.
> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Aww...cute!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Yep. They'll dive-bomb you.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> The last pair I had didn't. They were too busy to
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> worry about me at all. At most they made an extra
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> go-around to try and confuse me - the giant
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> predator - before landing. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Except you aren't a predator.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> They don't know that. Also I could be a fire hazard.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> No smoke without and such...
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Maybe you shouldn't smoke around their home.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I'm not. I'm smoking around *my' home.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I'm sure that's not how the birds see things.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> No, they probably see a giant potential predator.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Get off the lawn!
>>>>>>>>>>>>> It's my lawn and I'll do what I want. Anyway I'm mostly
>>>>>>>>>>>>> standing on the doorstep when I observe the nest.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> Ooo! A peeper!
>>>>>>>>>>>> {more of a frog joke}
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I can put in a good word, if you liek.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> You speak swallow? These are barn swallows; they may
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> have quite a strong accent.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I have an app that talks to birds.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> As in making bird sounds...?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Yeah
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Usually enrages them.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> It's usually male birds that make the most noise.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Something about how great they are at the sex and
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> bringing up young'uns. And they as a rule don't like
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> other male birds making noise close by. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Some male birds make the nest. I'm sure some the
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> bragging is about that. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> That too... pretty important part of bringing up
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> young'uns. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Bragging about making a nest is?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Building a brag-worthy nest is.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> It's mostly twigs and mud. Low resale value.
>>>>>>>>>>> And yet they tend to come back to it year after year. Also
>>>>>>>>>>> the little (staying) birds like to use it in winter.
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> The birds here don't seem to reuse nests. The robins have 2
>>>>>>>>>> batches and seem to make a new nest each time.
>>>>>>>>>> Maybe it's part of the pagentry of laying eggs.
>>>>>>>>> Or maybe they just have to much time on their hands... Getting
>>>>>>>>> their food delivered and all.
>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> Like Uber eats?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> I'm not familiar. There is no Uber here. They got mad and closed
>>>>>>> down when they found out they had to follow the rules for taxi
>>>>>>> companies (having a licence and paying their drivers and such).
>>>>>>> Also I live in the county-side. I don't think anyone delivers to
>>>>>>> here... 
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> I don't think UberEats delivers here either :(
>>>>>> A few places in the Village will.
>>>>> 'My' village is too small to have places...
>>>>
>>>> It must have somewhere to buy tobacco.
>>> That's in the bizarrely places suburban neighbourhood down the road.
>>> And anyway they don't always have what I need, and I have to go all
>>> the way into bigtown.
>> Oh no!
> Oh yes! And it's four times the distance...
> 
You need the exercise.