Re: First major snowfall this year

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

> 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. 
> 

No habla english