English Language & Usage: Multi-Layered Discourse Room

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 That Christmas set is so appropriate, though. I used to decorate with houses and trees, the kids are too big (well, adults now) but they would go crazy for the Legos.

@Mahnax I have been same-old. How are you?

@Mahnax Are you finished for the semester yet?

Mahnax

@medica I'm doing alright, just wrapping up with finals before I head off to San Diego with my family for Christmas.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

Cinema Opera House MINI Cooper Parisian Restaurant Fairground Mixer

medica

Wow! Do you have family in California or is that a vacation?

Mahnax

@medica Vacation. My mother is an exhausted nursing student who wants to get away, and she's bringing the lot of us with her.

medica

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 Oh. My. Gosh. Those are fantastic!

Mahnax

6:06 AM

She's just finished her third year.

I'm hoping it will be relaxing.

medica

@Mahnax That's so nice! Good for her, and good for you all.

@Mahnax Are you planning to go to Mexico too?

It's very close by.

Mahnax

@medica No, just San Diego and Palm Springs.

medica

Safer that way.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

Orthanc X-Wing VW Bus Ewok Village

Mahnax

Easier, too! We're just looking to relax a bit.

Well, mom is.

medica

6:08 AM

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 you are going to get me in trouble. I want these all now! (Keep em coming!)

Mahnax

Personally, I have mixed feelings about even going. Relaxing in the sun isn't my idea of a good time, but I'll try to make the most of it.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@medica basically I just searched for the most expensive sets ;)

medica

@Mahnax She deserves it, really.

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 lol!

Mahnax

@medica Yep! Agreed.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@Mahnax I was going to joke that you don't seem like the type who even knows how to relax, but you beat me to it!

medica

6:09 AM

My son just got his first nursing job! :D

Mahnax

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 That's right! I like to be on my feet, seeing stuff. So I'll probably slip away and enjoy the city at some point.

medica

It's very exciting. It's been years in the making.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@medica But actually I have several of these and they are really good sets.

Mahnax

@medica Congrats to him!

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

Ghostbusters

medica

6:11 AM

We are all really happy. He loves it. I mean, he LOVES it! He never said that about work before. :)

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

That's one that just about anyone can justify owning, even if they're "too old to play with toys"

Mahnax

@medica That's awesome!

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@medica Nice!

medica

yep. :)

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 Those are really wonderful!

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 I have a question now, you made me think of christmas and Legos: Are there any Lego Christmas ornaments?

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@medica yeah... well, I am biased, since I'm a huge lego nerd. But sometimes even my mom is impressed at some of the kits. And she could barely be less interested.

@medica Yes. But they're quite overpriced

T Abraham

6:13 AM

bye...

medica

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 Should I make them myself??

@TAbraham Bye!

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@TAbraham bye. Good luck finding the santa's workshop

Cerberus

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@medica Well, if you have the pieces, it's pretty easy, just build something and stick a piece with a loop on it on the top, or somehow attach a hook.

shop.lego.com/en-CA/Seasonal-ByCategory

medica

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 I don't know now... I want Paris, and the Mini-Coopers, and...

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

6:14 AM

On that link ^ you can see the ornaments for sale

medica

shop.lego.com/en-CA/…

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

The ornaments are basically a tiny build in a big clear ball. There doesn't seem to be a cheaper way to get that ball, and the build itself is very small.

Cerberus

So 60+% of Americans support torture, I am surprised.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

So you are getting very little lego and one ornament-ball piece.

medica

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 Cute! I'm going to give some to my kids.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

6:16 AM

If you want that piece, then it's worth it, I guess.

Cerberus

medica

This is a great idea, @Mr.ShinyandNew安宇, you made my night!

Cerberus

Sorry to be so awfully off topic.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

For myself, I'd rather build something and attach this to it:

medica

@Cerberus I know how horrible torture is. I don't condone it. But...

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

6:17 AM

medica

But...

Cerberus

@medica But...? Button?

medica

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 Perfect!

@Cerberus But, terrorism is terrible, too. I don't know if torture helps at all in uncovering plots. I wish I did know.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@Cerberus I'm not surprised. The general population has no idea about anything about psychology or interrogation or torture, and for 15 years they've been watching TV shows where the protagonist saves hundreds of people by torturing the location of the bomb out of the bomber.

medica

I know that sounds reprehensible

Cerberus

6:19 AM

@medica In practice, it has never helped at all, the report finds.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@medica The recent report on the CIA's use of torture concludes that it did not help at all.

medica

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 right.

@Cerberus So I have read, as well.

Cerberus

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 Don't get me started about the perversion of Hollywood.

medica

In that case, well. It's a no-brainer.

Cerberus

@medica As a philosophical dilemma, I am willing to condone it. In practice, I am not.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

6:20 AM

@Cerberus haha, too late! But you'll have to do it without me. I need to get going.

Mahnax

You know what's great about living out on your own? You can drink on a Monday night and no one can stop you.

Cerberus

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 You are smarter than I!

medica

@Cerberus That's how I feel as well.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@Cerberus yeah, if it worked, it'd make sense to use it. But the evidence shows that it doesn't work.

Cerberus

@medica Just as sacrificing innocent people for the greater good.

medica

6:21 AM

I cannot imagine having to go through it. Therefore, do unto others...

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 yep.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

bye everyone! Don't forget to vote early, vote often!

2

medica

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 Bye!

Cerberus

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 Simply "worked" is not enough, though. You need to be 99.9% sure that you could only save many innocent people by means of torture. In practice, this situation has never occurred in human history, nor will it ever, probably.

medica

@Cerberus D'accord.

Even then, though...

I dislike Situation Ethics.

Cerberus

@medica Exactly. There are some profoundly Christian doctrines introduced into our culture that I think have improved it.

medica

6:23 AM

It removes the humanity.

yes.

Cerberus

And it is never realistic, but people will still try to draw inferences from it for practical situations.

(Can one draw inferences? Or does one make them? Drawing inferences sounds like a contamination.)

medica

@Cerberus People have a tremendous aversion to helplessness.

They will believe terrible things to avoid the feeling.

Cerberus

Naturally.

Although even this is culturally determined, up to a point.

medica

After 9/11... It was terrible.

How did your country cope with the shooting down of the aircraft?

Cerberus

@Mahnax Well done!

I, too, drank on Monday night.

But in moderation.

Mahnax

6:26 AM

Moderation, of course, yes…

Cerberus

@medica Oh, well, what can one do but mourn the dead?

Mahnax

I'm not even close to intoxicated, don't you folks worry.

Cerberus

My friend died, but so what?

medica

Terrible.

Cerberus

About international politics, I mean. It changes nothing.

@Mahnax unworries

medica

6:27 AM

@Mahnax um... you are not of age, yet, no?

Cerberus

By the way, I seem to remember you disfavoured booze, a while ago?

Mahnax

@medica I'm legal here. I turned 18 in October.

Cerberus

@medica I think he is, but...drinking laws are rather arbitrary. Until this year, our drinking age was 16.

Mahnax

@Cerberus Me? Disfavouring booze?

Cerberus

I thought so.

Mahnax

6:28 AM

psssh

medica

Ah a reasonble drinking age!

Cerberus

I apologize for the injustice I have done you.

Mahnax

@Cerberus Apology accepted.

Cerberus

@medica All my pupils drink anyway.

Or at least many do.

medica

My kids drank before 21.

Cerberus

6:29 AM

We, too, drank when we were 14 or so.

medica

But I think I was too strict. They drink more now than they should.

Cerberus

When some kids were caught drunk in primary school, though, that was a bit of a scandal.

medica

@Cerberus Good grief!

Mahnax

I started drinking when I was fifteen.

Cerberus

@medica Hmm you think that is a counter-reaction?

medica

6:30 AM

@Cerberus yes, I do.

@Mahnax 13 here.

Cerberus

@Mahnax That's fairly normal here. But our parents give us small glasses of wine much earlier.

@medica It is a possibility.

medica

And my parent's didn't care! They saw us *(kids) drunk!

Mahnax

@Cerberus Mhmm. My parents didn't know, and still don't (to my knowledge).

Cerberus

However, my father has always been adamant against drugs and smoking, and yet my brother and I have hardly ever done either.

@Mahnax They will probably suspect...

...but realize they can't do anything about it.

medica

None of my kids have done drugs yet...

Cerberus

6:32 AM

@medica ...no comment.

medica

I'm pretty sure they would tell me! haha

Mahnax

@Cerberus I've only ever come home drunk twice, so I'm not sure.

They were asleep both times.

Cerberus

@medica Sure?

medica

One of my sons asked me to smoke pot with him, so...

Cerberus

@Mahnax Hilarious. But, now that you live on your own...they know what students are like.

skullpatrol

6:33 AM

:O

medica

He wanted soeone who had done it before to do so with him. lol

Cerberus

Haha nice.

medica

:)

Cerberus

But you said no, and he has never done it?

Mahnax

@Cerberus Yes, of course. They expect me to be responsible, though.

Cerberus

6:34 AM

Haha come on.

medica

We haven't found a good time.

Cerberus

Hope, probably. But expect?

Mahnax

Let's go with hope, then :-)

Cerberus

Hehe.

skullpatrol

Don't do it @medica

Cerberus

6:35 AM

They never seemed like true fanatics, from your story.

medica

Why???

Cerberus

Parents often suspect more than you think. But they don't talk about it, not wanting to give you any ideas.

skullpatrol

It's not right

Cerberus

And not wanting to think about it themselves.

medica

Both (oh, there is that)

both my sons are afraid of hair-testing.

My daughters aren't interested in it, period.

Cerberus

6:36 AM

Hair-teating?

Mahnax

@Cerberus Oh, well, you know. They sent me to camps where I was taught that homosexuals are going to hell when I was a kid. Sometimes I wonder.

Cerberus

Ahh.

medica

testing lol

@Mahnax I bet they are very regretful of that now.

Mahnax

@medica I would hope so.

medica

I would be...

Cerberus

6:37 AM

@Mahnax I know, I know. But they weren't Stasi tyrants: they tried to raise you to copy their values, but they didn't try to control every minutia of your life.

Mahnax

@Cerberus That's right.

skullpatrol

Pot causes brain damage @medica

Cerberus

And of course parenting is like theatre: you have to stick to your role, while behind the scenes you may act differently, to some expect.

medica

@skullpatrol I'm fairly up-to-dats on the studies. :)

skullpatrol

Ok

Cerberus

6:39 AM

@skullpatrol If you use it responsibly, probably not.

medica

@Cerberus It's incredibly difficult.

Cerberus

Naturally.

Mahnax

@Cerberus That's true. I heard my father curse casually a few months ago for the first time in my life, and my mom just laughed. I have to say, that was truly surprising.

medica

No, I mean, incredibly. As in unbelievably. Parenting is by far the hardest thing I've ever done.

There is so much doubt and second-guessing.

Cerberus

@Mahnax Haha, hilarious!

That is a lovely scene.

Mahnax

6:41 AM

Yeah! He said shit like it was nothing, and I was sitting there with my mouth open while mom laughed.

medica

It's also incredible to have kids. I wish now that we had had more.

@Mahnax :)

Parents are only people.

Cerberus

@medica I am not surprised. However, sometimes parents overestimate the impact of parenting. Providing a stable and loving home for their children is paramount, but beyond that kids can become happy and unhappy in some ways that parents could have done nothing about.

@Mahnax Next time, you will laugh too.

Mahnax

@Cerberus Yeah, of course. I was just so shocked!

medica

@Cerberus Undoubtably.

Cerberus

@Mahnax Maybe watching you would have been the funniest thing.

T Abraham

6:44 AM

@medica chat.stackexchange.com/rooms/19500/…

Mahnax

@Cerberus Probably! I expect foul language from myself, but from the Good Christian Parents™ it was quite the surprise.

medica

@Mahnax haha. Well, that was us, as well.

Cerberus

@medica O, the fights I used to have with my mother about a certain pair of chequered woollen trousers that the world would perish from if I wouldn't wear them at Christmas...

("From"? That doesn't sound right.)

medica

@Cerberus come on!

@Cerberus "of"

@Mahnax I regret our close-mindedness.

Me?

because it was not in keeping with reality.

Because it denied science.

Because it was too restrictive.

Cerberus

@medica Hmm that would probably be an improvement.

medica

6:49 AM

Because it discouraged free thought.

Cerberus

(Trousers like these. Itchy woollen ones.)

medica

@Cerberus ouch, you poor thing.

Cerberus

Thank you.

medica

@skullpatrol - those are just a few reasons. There were good things about it. But I look back now, and, well, you know, hindsight is 20/20.

Well, I'm going Lego shopping.

Online, of course.

skullpatrol

Have fun!

medica

6:54 AM

So, @Mahnax - I hope you all have a wonderful vacation!

Good night to all. :)

skullpatrol

later

pal

Mahnax

Goodnight!

Cerberus

Good night.

skullpatrol

a certain pair of chequered woollen trousers that the world would perish ~~from~~ because of, if I wouldn't wear them at Christmas...

would that work @Cerberus?

a certain pair of chequered woollen trousers that the world would perish ~~from~~ of if I wouldn't wear them at Christmas...

Cerberus

@skullpatrol I considered that, but I didn't like this stranded because of: I only do that with simple prepositions, I think.

But now it's Second Bedtime.

G'bye!

skullpatrol

7:05 AM

later pal

Cerberus

Bye!

skullpatrol

7:20 AM

@medica
We are
both
chameleons
:D

Jasper Loy

9:31 AM

I put on a new hat.

Matt Эллен

you got a silver badge!

Jasper Loy

Well, it's not hard. Sometimes, it just takes one more vote to do it, you know.

George Pompidou

10:03 AM

grumbles

my two favorite drivers are on the team I really wanted to start hating for 2015

does anyone share my pain or am I alone

skullpatrol

10:16 AM

You are alone.

George Pompidou

figured.

skullpatrol

Just kidding pal :-)

Hugo

18 hours ago, by Hugo

I said, I don't mind if this gets an upvote and a downvote http://english.stackexchange.com/a/214858/9001

George Pompidou

so which is it? I can only cast one.

Hugo

just an up now :)

already has a down

George Pompidou

10:23 AM

oh, I get it.

skullpatrol

You want one more +1?

Hugo

sure!

maybe it's needs a positive count

George Pompidou

it is a reasonable answer. not shockingly life altering or anything.

Hugo

it's an ok answer, answers part of the question but not really the whole thing, which might not be doable

skullpatrol

Done.

Hugo

10:25 AM

thanks both

skullpatrol

:-)

Hugo

now a wait for hat-judication

George Pompidou

which hat will you earn?

Hugo

selfie

skullpatrol

The Hugo Boss hat of style.

Matt Эллен

10:26 AM

and the one up/one down hat

unless you already got it

Hugo

already got that. don't think they need to be on same Q

or A

Matt Эллен

ah

skullpatrol

Up/Down sounds bipolar

I think the internet feeds off of bipolarity. Because of the anonymousness of it all.

Hugo

oh, answering my own, old question doesn't work, needs to be a new Q too

skullpatrol

The users at MathOverflow ignore most people who don't use their first and last name.

RegDwigнt

10:39 AM

Why exactly do I have five totally random messages from @Rob and @tch, and in which order exactly do I have to ignore them?

I've not an idea what them even talking about is.

Something something answer blah.

Explain it to me like I'm a RegDwight.

Matt Эллен

maybe there's a secret code embedded in the messages

George Pompidou

reginald dwight

Robusto

@RegDwigнt Du bist ein Idiot.

George Pompidou

@RegDwigнt I'm moving to Germany. and I don't speak German terribly well. am I going to die?

skullpatrol

Lol

Robusto

10:49 AM

C'mon, peeps, one more frickin' favorite puts me into Whimsydale wid de hats.

skullpatrol

+1

Robusto

@skullpatrol No, no, I mean click the star to add it to your favorites. Makes 100 favorites for that one.

Thanks!

George Pompidou

though I should point out—I don't much like your chart.

many of those just can't really be expressed with the same graphic I think.

how does I will have been eating work?

Robusto

It was an attempt at a public service because of all the NNS question about time relationships.

George Pompidou

I think that implies that my action will be in the past at some point in the future.

Robusto

10:55 AM

It does.

George Pompidou

and your graphic only shows it in the future from some point

it's not behind anything

Hugo

what do you get for 100 favs?

Robusto

Gold and hat.

George Pompidou

well, put it on!

Robusto

Just as soon as it arrives in the mail.

user116848

10:57 AM

Hi all

Robusto

Hullo

George Pompidou

what on earth is the chameleon hat for?

Robusto

Edit your profile.

George Pompidou

oh, haha.

Robusto

It should be called the sham-eleon hat.

2

George Pompidou

10:59 AM

+1

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