Re: 14th

On 26.09.2023 14.11, Merlyne wrote:
> BeH <[email protected]> wrote in
> news:[email protected]: 
> 
>> On 23.09.2023 23.14, Merlyne wrote:
>>> 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:
>>>>>>> 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.
>>>
>>> I never use it since if I shout a question at it, it shouts back the 
>>> answer.
>> That'll learn you to speak nicely to the mindless piece of software.
> 
> Unlikely!
Have you even tried?

>> You do know that [Mega tech Corporation] has records of all your
>> shouting now, right? You probably get served a lot of ads for lozenges
>> and such.
>>
> 
> If I see ads for lozenges, how will I be able to tell if from the 
> shouting at Google or because I viewed and/or purchased them online?
You won't. That's the insidious part. Also who even buys lozenges online?

>>>>>>>>>> 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.
>>>
>>> I thought he was murdered.
>> Don't think so... He was a sickly kid born with all sorts of defects.
>> Perhaps not too surprising, given the family tradition of selecting
>> spouses from within the family.
>>
> It keeps the blood lines pure.
And promotes all the 'fun' genetics...

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 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.
>>>
>>> uh-huh.
>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 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.
>>>>
>>> When I worked for Census, we did have a lot of meetings.
>>> Not so much where I am now.
>>> Depends on who's in charge.
>> When I was there it was usually because of some (major) changes in
>> organisation and/or workflow. Gotta hold meetings about that sort of
>> thing. 
>>
> 
> When I worked in the private sector, they had a huge all staff meeting 
> in the ballroom of a super-posh hotel to annouce the company was 
> changing it's name. One woman in the middle of the crowd jumped up and 
> screamed 'I love it!' after the new name was revealed. I was just there 
> for the free food.
Yeah, they do that sometimes - for publicity. And probably with invited
'news-media' persons, who are also just there for the free food.

>>>>>>>> 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.
>>> I can play with my phone instead.
>> I thought the phone was for public transport and zoom-meetings...
> It's for any times when I am bored.
How can you be bored when you have all those thousands of books to read?

>>>>>>> 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.
>>>>
>>> Which I don't want to reread.
>> Okay then. Don't read about the dragons...
> Okay. I won't.
> 
>>
>>>>>> 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?
>>>>
>>>
>>> My new one can hold 12,000 books. How much does that weigh?
>>
>> From an admittedly small sample size paperbacks weigh ~50g/100pages.
>> Assuming an average length of 350 pages that's 175g * 12000 or about
>> 2.1 metric tons. However you aren't going to read nearly that many
>> books in one sitting/vacation/year(/lifetime).
>> One cargo bike full is about 1200 books, which will do me quite well
>> for a while.
>>
> 
> I think the point is that I can carry more books than you can.

I think the point is that even a cargo bike can hold more books than it
is reasonable to have on one's immediate to-read list at any one time...

-- 
BeH

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