Re: In other news

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

> On 26.09.2023 14.11, Merlyne wrote:
>> BeH <[email protected]> wrote in
>> news:[email protected]: 
>> 
>>> On 23.09.2023 23.14, Merlyne wrote:
> [---]
[****]
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 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... 
>>>>>> He got drunk on fermented Gatorade and kissed one of the players?
>>>>> Or maybe he was covered in sticky Gatorade and unwittingly was
>>>>> sticking to the players mouth...
>>>>>
>>>> We should send these excuses to him. For a fee.
>>> To late now. He has already been 'released'...
>> Still. There might be a hearing. Or a charge in 20 years when the
>> player is suddenly traumatized by a repressed memory.
> There have been very little opportunity to repress any memory in this
> particular case.
> 
You don't 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.
>>>>>>> Oohh! do you get to go on retreats and play stupid games too?
>>>>>>> (Made up by a genuine behaviourist sociologist.)
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Before COVID, we had stupid team building exercises.
>>>>>> One time a manager brought in a bag of carrots and tried to get
>>>>>> us all to go outside and make a snowman.
>>>>> This was in winter, one assumes.
>>>>>
>>>> You're so SMRT.
>>> It was a natural inference.
>> I didn't want to point out the difficulty in making a snowman in non-
>> winter months. WORSE.TEAM-BUILDING EXERCISE.EVER.
> I dunno. It challenges the participants' ingenuity... Also if it's hot
> a good deal of co-operation is required.
>
Good luck finding snow in July.
I'll be at the pub if anyone needs me.
 
>>>>>> Another manager had a stuffed animal that each person was
>>>>>> supposed to take home for the weekend and then share the toys
>>>>>> adventures with the rest of the team.
>>>>> Invasion of privacy if I ever saw it. Mind, if it had been me the
>>>>> stuffy thing would most likely have experienced doing laundry and
>>>>> watching telly. Very adventurous.
>>>>
>>>> My adventure would be: Merlyne spends entire weekend trying to find
>>>> an identical animal after BF's dog shreds the toy.
>>> Why, though. It would be a dramatic adventure at least. And you
>>> would spare your remaining colleagues the effort.
>>>
>> Or the trauma when they find out that the beloved mascot is no more.
>> Anyays, I never brought the toy home so I got to spend my weekends
>> doing fun things like laundry and watching tv.
> You aren't really very good at that whole team spirit thing, are you?
> 
Besides the fact that my parents raise me to be an individual, I really 
can't get into lame party games and things of that nature.

>>>>>> During COVID, they tried a bunch of virtual events because they
>>>>>> think we are retarded 6 year olds. Show 'n' tell, anyone?
>>>>> I don't remember most of the stupid tasks we were given at those
>>>>> sessions. Most of they were to do with working as a team, and
>>>>> everyone was faffing about getting nowhere until someone took
>>>>> charge and started giving orders. More often than I care to
>>>>> remember someone being me - just to get the thing over with. Great
>>>>> way to consolidate respect for section managers and such who was
>>>>> doing their fair share of faffing. 
>>>>
>>>> The formal team building thingees that I've been to have a
>>>> facilitator who gets the ball rolling. Sometimes literally. I was
>>>> at one where participants were not allowed to speak unless they
>>>> were holding the ball.
>>> Yeah, that's pretty typical. I think they use something similar in
>>> pre-school...
>> Makes sense. They treat us like we are retarded 6 yr olds.
> To be fair the 'talking stick' (or ball, whatever) is an ancient
> method of keeping order in assemblies - predating the mute-button by
> many centuries.
> 
I'm in favour of it.
Of course the way things are these days, using the 'mute' button on 
someone would be viewed as a microaggression and would require everyone 
to attend a meeting about how microagressions are wrong.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 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...
>>>>>>
>>>>>> I would be impressed if that were the case. This one has about 0 
>>>>>> initiative. 
>>>>> Maybe you could assign him to go to all the meetings...? Just tell
>>>>> him to say "No".
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> He doesn't speak at meetings. Then he would come back and wouldn't 
>>>> remember what went on at the meeting.
>>> Make him a sign that says 'NO' to bring. Or better yet a t-shirt.
>>> Then he won't forget to display it. The important thing is to have
>>> the 'NO' represented.
>> I'll try that. He will think I'm joking and laugh.
> As long as he doesn't laugh during the meeting. You don't want the
> other participants to think it's a joke.
> 
He laughs at meetings when I go off on a rant.
But then a lot of people do. 

>>> Also you can read about the proceedings in the minutes on the
>>> intranet. Probably.
>> Not usually.
>>>
>>>>>>>>>> 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.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> You lost the F!
>>>>> If one RTM before it becomes am urgent necessity there is no F
>>>>> involved. 
>>>>>
>>>> Which never happens.
>>> You think I'm the only one to ever read a manual?
>>>
>> Yes. Or least when it's not urgent.
> Tsk-tsk. What is the world coming to...
How about you read the manuals and then give me an executive summary 
about them?
> 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 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?
>>>>>>>
>>>>>> I definitely wobble less in flat shoes.
>>>>>
>>>>> One of several reasons why I never wore high heels to work.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Heels are my way of elevating myself aove the frey.
>>>> Plus I'm 5'5".
>>> Okay, shorty...
>>>
>> Isn't that USian slang for GF?
> Not that I've heard/read. I believe it's slang for a short person.
> 

shorty or short·ie [ shawr-tee ]

noun,plural short·ies.
a person of less than average stature (sometimes used as a disparaging 
and offensive term of address).

a garment designed to be of short length, as a hospital bed jacket.

Also shaw·ty  [shaw-tee] .Slang.

a girl or woman:
We watched the shorties on the dance floor, all lookin' so fine.

a girlfriend or sweetheart:
Me and my shorty went to that new club over on Ninth last night; what a 
scene!

adjective
noting a garment designed to be of short length:
a shorty nightgown; shorty pajamas.


>> Also, I'm average height for caucasian women.
> The average height for women in DK is 167cm (5'5.75").
> I know this because the news told me - the height requirement for
> joining the royal guard has recently been removed because it
> discriminated against women. The requirement for women was higher than
> average height while the requirement for men was lower that average
> men's height.
> 
> These are the important decisions that occupy the high command.
> 

So I'm average height for a woman in DK. I'll blend in nicely when 
visiting your water feature, stele and pile of guano.

They changed the requirements for fire-fighters here so that more women 
could join. I can hardly wait to be rescued from a burning building by a 
96 lb woman.