English Language & Usage: Multi-Layered Discourse Room

MetaEd

6:00 PM

And now explain scratch paper.

How old is it, where used in literature ...

Cerberus

1 min ago, by Cerberus

Because one liberally scratches things on scratch paper.

Oh.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

I don't see a definition in the OED that corresponds to "scratch" in "scratch tape", etc. But it's mean to be something that isn't important, so that it can be destroyed, or whatever. Like, if you're testing a tape drive, you don't use the tape that has the important backup, you use a scratch tape

Cerberus

NOU

simchona

> Hastily sketched, roughly drawn.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@KitFox don't all monkeys know how to swim?

simchona

6:01 PM

> 1849 R. S. Surtees Soapey Sponge's Sporting Tour xxii, in New Monthly Magazine Aug. 510 A scratch map he had made on a bit of paper.

Cerberus

I think it comes from scratch paper or scratch pad or somesuch.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@simchona That isn't really the same sense though. Probably related, but not really the same

@Cerberus yes, almost certainly

KitFox

@MrShinyandNew安宇 No, actually. I don't think monkeys can swim.

MetaEd

Mabel the Swimming Wonder Monkey is a common example of the urban legend.

Cerberus

It is a bit dubious as an extension of the metaphor, though.

simchona

6:02 PM

OED didn't say much on this. I checked too.

Cerberus

I can see metaphoric scratching happening on a magnetic tape.

But it shouldn't just mean "replaceable" if you can't actually change data on an object.

I suppose experimenting on a monkey counts as changing data.

But on the Wiki it was explained badly.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@KitFox I've seen monkeys swimming on BBC Earth

Cerberus

I've seen animals talk on SE chat.

KitFox

@MrShinyandNew安宇 OK then.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@KitFox but not all monkeys. Where I use the term "monkeys" loosely to mean "primates". But one kind was definitely swimming. So... whatever. I dunno. What do I look like, some animal expert? yeesh

KitFox

6:07 PM

Would they have had shared network drives then?

That doesn't seem possible, does it?

cornbread ninja

scratch monkey / that funky monkey

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@Cerberus No, it's simpler than that. A "scratch tape" is a concept in computing. I was under the impression that "scratch X" was a concept everywhere but I may be wrong. But by analogy of scratch paper: it's just any paper you can scratch on. It's not important and it's ok for you to cover it with scratches. Similarly a scratch tape, or scratch hard disk, or scratch CDRW: it's just some storage medium where the data isn't important, so you can write all over it and no harm will come of it.

KitFox

Like Old Scratch.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

By extension: if you have a computer system that's been extended to "write" data to a monkey (even if it's not really "writing" the data, just sending control signals), then when you're doing something potentially destructive you don't use your good monkey, you use your "scratch" monkey

simchona

0

Q: Why Yell "Geronimo" When Jumping From A Plane?

Can anyone explain the origin of the practice of yelling "Geronimo" when parachuting from a plane?

etymology

Cerberus

6:10 PM

@MrShinyandNew安宇 Yeah I understand, it makes sense that way.

I thought it had something to do with literally scratching data onto some kind of surface as with grammophones.

KitFox

Oh, I thought of something else.

Working from the assumption that the monkeys couldn't possibly have been hooked up 24/7, how is it that five monkeys were injured?

Having even one electrode rig is really expensive. Five of them is unheard of.

Who is doing all that work?

Anyway, I emailed him. We'll see if he writes back or thinks I'm a total freak.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@KitFox I think the Mabel version is more credible, since it's just one monkey and the computer was hooked up to a rebreather and not the monkey itself. But it seems odd that they'd need to hook the computer up directly to the monkey's gear. why would they need to do that?

KitFox

But the more credibly dated 1987 memo says five monkeys.

acme.com/jef/netgems/scratch_monkey.html

In 1986, Mabel was the subject, though.

@MrShinyandNew安宇 Says to control the gas mixture.

simchona

0

Q: Your first choice as programming language? Is this sentence correct?

I want ask a question to people about what language do they consider as their first choice for programming. I think your first choice as programming language is not fully correct for that. Am I right?

grammar

Proofreading

MetaEd

The two memos don't identify any of the monkeys by name or say anything about underwater experiment.

KitFox

6:20 PM

Yes.

MetaEd

The Art Evans memo says: "Since I'm reproducing without permission, I have disguised a few things." So I really think there's nothing that can be trusted in that memo.

It's the Art Evans memo that brings "Mabel" into it.

It's also perfectly possible that the Art Evans memo is a description of a different accident, or just made up.

KitFox

So I have a new iPad, the baby is sleeping, and it's @MetaEd who's got me chasing down a rabbit hole instead of working.

Life sure is funny.

MetaEd

@KitFox I'm humbled.

KitFox

And I'm wracking my brains to see if I can think of anyone who would know researchers at U of T.

MetaEd

@KitFox However there is a link in the Art Evans memo to the others: As far as I know there is only one person who was famous at that time for the tagline "Always Mount A Scratch Monkey".

KitFox

6:24 PM

The article you linked to mentioned that their most recent macaque research was sensorimotor.

Perhaps stroke recovery related.

So maybe I know someone who knows someone...

@MetaEd Who was that?

Oh shit. I might have looked a little closer at the article you linked, @MetaEd. There is a huge shitstorm going on around macaque research at U of T.

I'll be lucky if I hear a thing from the vet.

MetaEd

@KitFox Eric Postpischil. He mentions this in his penultimate paragraph.

KitFox

@MetaEd Oh, yes.

MetaEd

@KitFox Maybe. I note that he was pretty free in his responses in that other article.

He might be a "set the record straight" kind of person.

KitFox

Well, I did mention that I had worked with macaques and that was the reason I had some questions.

MetaEd

(He being George Harapa, the vet.)

MetaEd

6:53 PM

@KitFox Somehow shitstorms and primates are connected in my brain.

KitFox

Hahaha. Tru dat.

Matt Эллен

now we're all thinking about purple elephant boners

KitFox

you bastard!

debates whether to install Magic 2013 on new iPad

Matt Эллен

I wonder if the whole elephant is purple

@KitFox is that related to the Wizards of the Coast CCG?

KitFox

Dunno. Looks it.

Matt Эллен

7:05 PM

cool

KitFox

debates whether to install "My First 100 Words in Hindi"

Matt Эллен

only if it teaches you the grammar too

KitFox

Oooh, a Bible!

Matt Эллен

bbl - work to do

MetaEd

@MattЭллен I love that comic.

Matt Эллен

7:08 PM

:D me too

KitFox

Something in a language I don't recognize!

But it has circles over the As.

MetaEd

Å

Å (small: å) represents various (although often very similar) sounds in several languages. It is considered a separate letter in the Swedish, Danish, Norwegian and Finnish alphabets, as well as in the North Frisian, Walloon, Emiliano-Romagnolo, Chamorro, Istro-Romanian, Lule Sami, Skolt Sami, Southern Sami, and Greenlandic alphabets. Additionally, it is part of the alphabets used for the Alemannic and the Bavarian-Austrian dialects of German. Å is often perceived as an A with a ring, interpreting the ring as a diacritical mark. However, in the languages that use it, the ring is not con...

"In historical linguistics, the Å-sound originally had the same origin as the long /aː/ sound in German Aal and Haar (Scandinavian ål, hår, English eel, hair)."

So "eel" was pronounced like the beer?

KitFox

Oh, baby is awake again.

And uh oh—Sims app.

It might have gotten downloaded onto my iPad.

Later!

Mitch

@cornbreadninja gah..now I have -that- running through my head. I guess there's worse.

KitFox

Oh and holy crap, why haven't I heard about Madefire?

Hawt!

Mitch

7:20 PM

@MetaEd ?? -which- beer?

MetaEd

@Mitch Ale. The type of beer, more accurately.

I am reminded of Treadmill: The Mighty Lager With The World's First Great Taste (Of Fish).

Mitch

Ohhhh.

cornbread ninja

7:36 PM

@Mitch I'm really sorry for that. (._.) I'm going to try to get my brain back to Heart's "Never".

aloha, @Mahnax

Mahnax

@cornbreadninja Hi!

cornbread ninja

It's 36C here, so I'm wearing my grass skirt.

no!

37.2C / 99F

MetaEd

@cornbreadninja tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/EarWorm/Music

cornbread ninja

@MetaEd oh yes.

@MetaEd that has got to be the shortest Tropes entry I've seen yet.

MetaEd

that's because it's a grouping.

It drills down to hundreds of songs.

cornbread ninja

7:44 PM

I see that e_e

MetaEd

And its parent drills down to hundreds of other earworms.

This song for example is an earworm around my house: "I Can't Decide" by Scissor Sisters.

cornbread ninja

hmm

MetaEd

Well.

cornbread ninja

I feel like guessing before clicking.

MetaEd

It used to be.

Apparently removed.

cornbread ninja

7:45 PM

noooooooooo

was it the andy griffith show theme?

whistles

that song has a name, and words

MetaEd

I love that one. Especially the whistling.

cornbread ninja

lawls

was it... the beverly hillbillies?

these are my guesses based on the seemingly black and white preview

ohhhh, I finally see that you already told me what it is

I mostly stopped listening to new music after grunge

MetaEd

"I Can't Decide" is featured in a Doctor Who episode ... and I am living with two fanatics.

Three, if you count the dog.

cornbread ninja

@MetaEd have you decided between the fanatics?

// got nuthin'

MetaEd

You should check out the song.

NSFW though.

cornbread ninja

7:52 PM

heh

@Cerberus belatedly hello!

MetaEd

0

Q: Comment - a prerequiste for down-vote?

Many a time, answers - even questions - are down-voted without giving any justification (comment). Also, off-topic questions are, usually, successively down-voted. Shouldn't it be made mandatory for a down-voter to comment on what he/she disapproves of? And if, the down-voter agrees with someone...

feature-request

Oooh. Wicked pleasure.

Why haven't I been voting questions for reasons of wicked pleasure.

cornbread ninja

@MetaEd you have better things to do?

MetaEd

Then why I am I here?

Mahnax

I really hope that never gets implemented.

cornbread ninja

8:11 PM

@Mahnax do you predict youtube comment levels of stupidity?

Mahnax

@cornbreadninja I predict loss of anonymity.

cornbread ninja

I like that (seemingly) a comment is made for you when you vote to close as duplicate. It would be neat if all of the other close vote options left a comment for you as well, e.g. voted to close as general reference - cornbread ninja

speaking of downvoters... I bet that Carlo will never accept my textspeak answer

Mitch

don't take it personally, he hasn't accepted many answers for a while. Obliviosity. Anyway @simchona is his replacement for Jasper now. The only way you'll overcome that liability is...is to talk to him.

cornbread ninja

@Mitch I'm afraid I can't do that, Mitch.

simchona

@cornbreadninja Daisy, daisy...

cornbread ninja

8:24 PM

@simchona nearly.

Mitch

@Mahnax why did you answer the 101 question? That just encourages him!

(and it's a dupe)

Mahnax

@Mitch I couldn't remember if I had seen that question on our Meta or just somewhere else.

Mitch

I couldn't be bothered to look it up in the faq, but I guess CR and the other poster couldn't either/

Mahnax

@Mitch Sorry. I'll anonymously downvote…

MetaEd

Bastards!

:-)

Mitch

8:29 PM

!!

and note how both his and the other are worded. both short and peevish.

cornbread ninja

@Mitch I've taken it personally since he drooled all over Paola's answer to one of his insipid questions, telling her that her answers are always far better than those of native English speakers.

Mitch

now -I'm- peeving about that. Will the cycle of retribution never end?

cornbread ninja

@Mitch it wouldn't be a cycle. :D

Mitch

@cornbreadninja I kinda noticed how he was so .. droolly... for those answers.

cornbread ninja

@Mitch yeahhh.

Mitch

8:32 PM

probably sent pictures

cornbread ninja

@Mitch my face literally just fell.

simchona

@cornbreadninja Carlo asked me for some too...

Mitch

literally

cornbread ninja

@Mitch yes.

Mitch

@simchona (that was the reference. kinda like the other day when someone popped in talking about alcoholic beverages and asking age and location, probably sex too)

simchona

8:34 PM

@Mitch Whoops. Not making connections well today

cornbread ninja

@simchona did you give him any?

I'm confused now.

simchona

@cornbreadninja Nope. I had a bad experience after sending someone here my photos, so I was loathe to do it again

Mitch

@cornbreadninja it's better thanface-keyboard, it hurts your head and the keyboard.

cornbread ninja

@Mitch but now my face appears to have been designed by Salvador Dali.

MetaEd

Surely there is still a working goatse link for people who ask for pictures.

cornbread ninja

8:35 PM

@simchona yikes; I'm sorry to hear that.

Mitch

@MetaEd excellent

cornbread ninja

Be excellent to each other, and party on, dudes.

dyslexia : dyslexic :: dyscalculia : ?

MetaEd

If you're having a bad hair day, are you dyscowlick?

cornbread ninja

haaaa

simchona

9:12 PM

0

Q: Is it right downvoting questions only because they are dupe

Is it right downvoting questions only because they are duplicate of other questions? Shouldn't it be important only the rilevance of the questions?

bug specific-question

Mahnax

Oh my goodness.

chuckles

cornbread ninja

9:28 PM

@simchona you only edited the tags?!

:)

simchona

@cornbreadninja It most certainly was not a bug

He can have his "rilevance"

cornbread ninja

@simchona :D

vile rants

Mahnax

@cornbreadninja Pretty much!

cornbread ninja

goodness but I love words.

hugs nearest dictionary

Speaking of, I found this wonderful dictionary at the bi-annual library book sale. It's an American Heritage Collegiate from 1985, given to someone by the University of Kansas blah blah. It seems the recipient never cracked it.

*Second College Edition

Mitch

@cornbreadninja better melty-face-dali than both-eyes-on the same-side-of-the-face-picasso

cornbread ninja

9:37 PM

@Mitch so much this.

MetaEd

And the answer is yes, there is still a fine goatse mirror site.

cornbread ninja

@MetaEd [golf clap]

MetaEd

@cornbreadninja The clap, anyway.

Mitch

@cornbreadninja or do you have waffle face from the keys?

cornbread ninja

@MetaEd zing!

@MetaEd since it is a 'the', should it be The Clap?

@Mitch chess piece face.

MetaEd

9:46 PM

@cornbreadninja Depends on whether you consider it more closely analogous to "the police" or "The Police".

cornbread ninja

@MetaEd are you safe miss gradenko?

MetaEd

10:06 PM

Pickletide.

It ought to be pickletide.

Fox in socks

Is it right to say "After short way I reached some place"?

MetaEd

If "short way" is the proper name of a particular landmark that you passed, you would write: "After Short Way I reached some place." If "short way" is a short distance, you would write: "After a short way I reached some place". The article "a" is not used with a proper name, but is used otherwise.

And a proper name should be capitalized, but not otherwise.

Fox in socks

Thanks, I understood! I meant "short distance". I always forget that I have to put an article before almost every noun.

Cerberus

10:35 PM

@Vitaly: Happy anniversary!

simchona

11:11 PM

Just saw one of the funnier things happen in MSO. User posts a question, complaining about both a question and answer ban. People comment. Then, a comment is made on the question from another account--but still sounds like something an OP would saw.

Comment is quickly deleted, but a quick check reveals the 2nd user was suspended on SO for voting irregularities two minutes later.

Score one for "don't post on Meta as your sock puppet"