Re: First major snowfall this year

On 07.01.2024 23.21, Merlyne wrote:
> 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.

Might be harder for you to get away with, unless you speak a language
the callers are unlikely to master. Or if the callers already know you.

-- 
BeH

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