Re: First major snowfall this year

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

> On 18.12.2023 20.45, Merlyne wrote:
>> BeH <[email protected]> wrote in
>> news:[email protected]: 
>> 
>>> On 29.11.2023 15.53, Merlyne wrote:
>>>> BeH <[email protected]> wrote in
>>>> news:[email protected]: 
>>>>
>>>>> On 22.11.2023 14.33, Merlyne wrote:
>>>>>> BeH <[email protected]> wrote in
>>>>>> news:[email protected]: 
>>>>>>
>>>>>>> On 08.11.2023 14.11, Merlyne wrote:
>>>>>>>> BeH <[email protected]> wrote in
>>>>>>>> news:[email protected]: 
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>> On 25.10.2023 16.26, Merlyne wrote:
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Jules Verne.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> He was french, you know. All
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>that >>>>>> stuff > about the english he
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>wrote >> in >> 80 >> days - > he made
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>that up. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I don't remember what he said
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>about >>>> the >> English. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> The character description of
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Phineas 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Fox > and the members of the club,
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>I >>>> mean. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I don't remember the descriptions.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> The >> one who bet against Phineas
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>Fogg >> was a >> real asshole. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> And not even in a proper gentlemanly
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> way, either. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> The very first scene is where Fox
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> fires > his servant for serving a
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>boiled >> egg > that has not been boiled
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>exactly 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> the > required 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> time. And then he goes to his club. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> That is in line with the behaviour of
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> pompous asses on shows like Downton
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Abbey. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Anyways, it worked out for him
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>because 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> he  met Passe portout. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Yes. And hired him on the spot, with
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>no > references and no interview or
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> test-boiling 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> of eggs. Because he had to catch a
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> train. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> We all have our own methods.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> He was on a tight schedule at the tine.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Typical. Everyone is in a hurry.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> To be fair he had a lot of money on the
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> line... I can see where that will make
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> someone skip some of the details. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Sure. Philleas Fogg, you are forgiven...
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> You say that now, but imagine what all his
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> gentlemanly acquaintances would think if
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> they knew... 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I'm guessing they would be thrilled that he
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> had a non-white man servant. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Being english it was probably more scandalous
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> that he employed a frenchman. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> It was probably socially acceptable to employ a
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> fr*nchman to iron your knickers and such.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Could be, but as a man-servant he would be in
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> direct contact with his master a lot.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> But still a man-servant none-the-less.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> But French.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Wouldn't it be better to have a Frenchman at your
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> beck and call? An exotic foreign servant?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> It's my impression the neither "exotic" nor
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> "foreign" were considered positive attribute in that
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> time and place. 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> I have the opposite impression.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> May I suggest some contemporary (19th/early 20th
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> century) literature describing the non-english
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> populations of the empire... 
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Getting sleepy...can't seem to stay awake....
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Maybe some Kipling...
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Can you read to me?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>> *bats eyelashes*
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>>> Sure. But do you think you can hear it from over there.
>>>>>>>>>>>>> (Do I even have any Kipling in the house? Hmmm)
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>>> You can call me and read a chapter or so or record a file
>>>>>>>>>>>> and send it over. 
>>>>>>>>>>> I still don't know if I have any Kipling. Also don't you
>>>>>>>>>>> already have everything ever published on your e-reader
>>>>>>>>>>> thingie... 
>>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>>>> I don't have *every* book...
>>>>>>>>>> Also, it doesn't read to me.
>>>>>>>>> I'm sure there is an even more advanced gizmo you can buy that
>>>>>>>>> will read to you in whatever voice you prefer.
>>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>> There is. I heard BeH is going to read me some Kipling.
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>> Well I checked. I have nothing by Kipling. I can sort of hum
>>>>>>> part of Baloo's song for D*sney's version of the Jungle Book but
>>>>>>> that's about it. 
>>>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The Bear Necessities?
>>>>> Exactly. hm hm hm hmmmmm hm-hm-hm-hm...
>>>>>> You can get some Kipling from the library, I bet.
>>>>>> Or just choose something else.
>>>>>
>>>>> Or choose to not. In any case I don't have a microphone.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> You're breaking my heart :(
>>>> (You can record on your cellphone --d'oh!)
>>>
>>> WHAT? Is there anything that infernal thing can't do. (Apart from
>>> keeping spam callers away).
>>>
>> 
>> It can do that. So far, the spam texts have been properly triaged.
> 
> Once in a while I get a call about some fabulous investment
> opportunities - usually presented in hard-to-understand accented
> english. Some days I don't speak english at all, which seems to be a
> difficult concept to understand...
> 

I should pretend not to speak English when I get phone calls.