English Language & Usage: Multi-Layered Discourse Room

z7sg

00:01

:D It reminded me of this pic I saw...

I don't think I'll ever have children.

Martha

That's just a vivid illustration of inadequate supervision. Children that age cannot be left alone for any length of time, let alone long enough to do that with a can of paint, and why was there an open can of paint near the children to begin with?

But it's very funny anyway.

Miss

00:30

@jez, i am trying a paper and i need a another word of detecting boundry. so that i can use that .. there will not be any repitatiion of word "detecting boundry " ?

Robusto

Wow, I just showed up and I see @Martha and her baby pix have totally trashed the place. The Incomprehensible Room is looking like Joplin, MO right about now. Glad I wasn't here when it happened.

Martha

It's not all my fault.

Robusto

Hahaha, right.

Kit

@Martha Not even! I've seen that one already, so I have built up an immunity! Ha ha, your niece's cuteness holds no sway!

@Martha He's not actually bald. He's got a mess of platinum blond peach fuzz.

My dear Brit friends: Are you subjected to endless re-runs of "Top Gear" over there, or is it just BBC America that insists on doing this to us?

Martha

00:49

(All the best pictures have somebody else in them, so I've had to resort to posting a picture from April. Sorry.)

z7sg

@Kit We have a free channel over here called Dave and it's mostly re-runs of Top Gear, QI and Mock the Week. It was sort of entertaining for a while but now I truly loathe it.

Especially Jeremy Clarkson. Ugh.

Vitaly

spider.ipac.caltech.edu/staff/jarrett/papers/LSS/…

Oh, hi.

Halicephalobus mephisto

Halicephalobus mephisto is a species of nematode, among a number of other roundworms, discovered by geoscientists Gaetan Borgonie and Tullis Onstott in 2011. It was detected in ore recovered from deep rock fracture water in several gold mines in South Africa , , and under the surface of the Earth. because no other multicellular organism has ever been detected farther than below the Earth's surface. Halicephalobus mephisto is resistant to high temperatures, it reproduces asexually, and feeds on subterranean bacteria. According to radiocarbon dating, these worms live in groundwater that i...

MrHen

01:27

Nice.

Vitaly

So are weevils any good for a garden spider (other than an extremely hungry one), or a fat, juicy fly would be better?

I have found a garden spider on my balcony, in a place that seems inaccessible for flies, and I decided that it will be my pet. Its name is Zhuchka.

My spider is shy and doesn't want to be photographed. Or else I would have posted like 20 pictures of it. Man, spiders are cute. And they have a long evolutionary history, like 400 million years at least.

Here is one from the Web though, just for the cuteness of it:

Vitaly

02:48

5

Q: What to call a person who doesn't want to learn anything new?

What would you call a person who doesn't want to learn new things and even maybe thinks that this is unnecessary since he knows enough already? An ignorant person?

word-choice

↑ That is a very useful question.

Vitaly

03:30

Yo, did you know that the opening of the venom duct in spiders is never located at the very tip of the cheliceral fang, but always subterminally, which is the more efficient solution, since it prevents clogging of the opening and is mechanically more stable? The same solution is found in hypodermic needles, venom teeth in snakes, and scorpion stingers.

Also the extensor muscle (which moves the fang outwards) is weaker than the flexor muscle (which hides the fang dorsally in the cheliceral groove). That's because it's easier to keep hold of the prey that way.

Oh, and the fang is often supported by cuticular teeth on the chelicera.

Miss

08:04

May you come back by safe and sound ...

by safe and sound is right

or with safe and sound is right ?

RegDwight

08:41

@Cerberus: we're under attack. Halp!

Miss

09:21

@psmears : what

psmears

09:57

@Miss What what?

RegDwight

10:30

22

Q: Feedback on tools/flagged changes

10k users have always had visibility to some of the flags in the system, in particular they could see spam/offensive and comment flags in the tools/flagged route. The trouble was that these are the easiest flags for us mods to deal with. The trickier ones to deal with are all the rest. We jus...

discussion flagging 10k-tools flags

Attn: 10k users. @Robusto @JSBangs @kiamlaluno @Cerberus @fx

z7sg

Does this mean there will be some point in flagging now (except obviously working my way towards the Deputy badge)?

RegDwight

What do you mean, there will be some point in flagging. Flagging has never been pointless.

It's just that now you'll get more people looking at the flags.

z7sg

Hey, I flag plenty. I just noticed that there are times it seems like nothing happens for a while.

Robusto

@RegDwight — What's up?

You wrong me, sir. I am no 10K user. I go the whole nine yards.

OK, I'm not sure I understand this. If I go to the tools I don't see any flagged category. Does it only show up if there are flagged items?

RegDwight

10:47

@Robusto english.stackexchange.com/tools/flagged

Robusto

Yeah, I finally found it. And I voted to close one, but I' not sure what I'm expected to do with the other.

How does it show up there if it's not flagged?

RegDwight

It's been flagged as not an answer.

Robusto

Or it is flagged and ... geez, I need coffee if I'm going to deal with this stuff.

RegDwight

You can pile your flag on top of that, downvote it, vote to delete, whatever.

Or you can just ignore it.

Not every flag is justified.

Robusto

@RegDwight — Done. Consider it ignored.

RegDwight

10:50

Perfect.

Coincidentally, that also answers @z7sg's question.

Robusto

How so?

RegDwight

He was wondering why there are times where it seems like nothing happens for a while.

Well, because not every flag is immediately dealt with.

z7sg

You can mark as invalid but ignoring it, that's plain uncivil! >:(

RegDwight

Nah, I can't ignore flags forever.

Also, if it's invalid, I will mark it as such right away. No need to procrastinate that.

Robusto

I don't see that I can mark a flag as invalid.

RegDwight

10:53

But sometimes I'm on the fence, so I give it some time.

@Robusto And you can't.

That is still reserved for mods.

But you can now see much more stuff.

Robusto

This is just a way of trying to get me to do scut work without any real power. I see what you're doing there.

RegDwight

5 mins ago, by RegDwight

You can pile your flag on top of that, downvote it, vote to delete, whatever.

If some obvious rubbish gets flagged as off-topic, it's now much easier for it to collect five close-votes from within the community, without mod intervention.

Robusto

A janitor by any other name is still a moderator.

RegDwight

And if the post is closed, the flag gets cleared (as valid) automatically.

So in a way, you do clear flags.

Robusto

Coffee. Me. Now.

RegDwight

10:56

Have fun.

RegDwight

13:18

8

A: Eeeek! My text is being eaten!

The system now eats salutations. Solution: use alternative wording. For e.g. Wassup D00dz, or Hey-diddly-ho userinos,

Tim N

@Vitaly Are you saying that the hole of a hypodermic needle is not at the tip?

Vitaly

1. needle 2. snake fang 3. spider fang 4. scorpion stinger

z7sg

the hypo is bevelled at the tip

Tim N

I agree on the scorpion stinger, and perhaps on the snake- and spider fangs. The needle's opening is on the top, it's just not flat.

Beveled was a nice word. I'll remember that

z7sg

it's a new factoid though and the fang pics are very cool.

Vitaly

13:28

Well, to me it doesn't look like the opening of a needle is “at the very tip” (which is the exact phrase I used). It's at the tip, just not at the very tip.

Tim N

Hm, you're right.

Vitaly

@z7sg — Some large spiders can bite through fingernails.

z7sg

Thankfully our native British spiders are too civil to do anything like that.

Robusto

@Vitaly: You really like spiders, ne?

Vitaly

@Robusto — Y u no like em?

Robusto

13:43

They're not my favorite creature, no.

Vitaly

2 days ago, by Vitaly

I want a Moroccan trilobite.

In the meantime, spiders will do.

Robusto

Is it all arachnids or just spiders?

Vitaly

Arthropods, actually.

Robusto

So you have a favorite phylum. Cool.

Vitaly

Doesn't everyone?

Robusto

13:46

Well, I haven't really made my list yet. I need more time.

Vitaly

May Jean Henri Fabre help you.

Robusto

@Vitaly: Did you really take a long, hard look at molluscs or annelids before choosing arthropods? You might check again if you haven't.

Vitaly

Those are for the hoi polloi who can't tell an abdomen from a thorax.

Ham and Bacon

No one on ELUSE tonight

Vitaly

No one is right.

Ham and Bacon

13:57

All power is corrupted

we still need the electricity

Vitaly

Everyone is wrong.

Jez

@Vitaly scorpion stinger looks a bit blunt actually :-)

Robusto

14:08

@Vitaly — Well, spiders don't really have a thorax. They have a cephalothorax. Goddamn little no-neck monsters is what they are.

RegDwight

Cephalothorax means nothing to me. I only care about cumulonimbus.

Grace Note

@Vitaly Yes for a fellow arthropod lover! ♪

Vitaly

@Robusto — You are supposed to learn about the distinction between a thorax and a prosoma somewhere on the way to becoming a real connoiseur (i.e. an arthropod lover). My claim about the hoi polloi still stands true.

RegDwight

Now if that ain't Grace Note. O, M, D. Jaw, meet floor.

Grace Note

I don't think this is my first time in this room. Is it really? I thought I spoke in here in the past, at least on one incident.

Robusto

14:13

Cephalothorax

The cephalothorax is a tagma of various arthropods, comprising the head and the thorax fused together, as distinct from the abdomen behind. (The terms prosoma and opisthosoma are equivalent to cephalothorax and abdomen in some groups.) The word cephalothorax is derived from the Greek words for head (, ') and thorax (, '). This fusion of the head and thorax is seen in chelicerates and crustaceans; in other groups, such as the Hexapoda (including insects), the head remains free of the thorax. References

z7sg

I flagged this, like, days ago yeah

3

Q: What is the collective noun for a collection of collective nouns?

murder : crows :: _ : collective nouns Sorry, no multiple choice this time.

vocabulary nouns

RegDwight

And you got a higher flag weight out of that.

Now what?

z7sg

Since then I found the answer and now it has been closed.

RegDwight

Haha.

In that case, you owe me some flag weight!

z7sg

Yeah :D Oh :( what?

RegDwight

14:15

I accept czechs.

z7sg

I don't think they will fit in the mail.

RegDwight

You do realize they ship like actual cars and trains and airplane parts?

z7sg

I don't know... I don't think an actual full size train would fit in a mailvan.

RegDwight

Surely that house can accomodate a cheque or two?!

z7sg

Ah, 'Only in America'

RegDwight

14:19

Well, ship it to Robusto's backyard. I'll be visiting shortly.

z7sg

Hmmm, let's just forget the whole thing ok dude.

Your demands are just too high for me.

RegDwight

I am here to demand.

Vitaly

Jez

There needs to be a 'hide this disgusting post' option.

Vitaly

Annelids much?

Robusto

14:25

I'd rather see a hot Czech babe. @RegDwight says he accepts those. I don't think he accepts spiders and worms, but you never know.

@Vitaly — That picture is old. Get some new ones.

Besides, we're not interested in Vitaly porn.

Vitaly

Says someone who was caught busy watching /cough-cough/ birds at work.

Drawn birds even. Is there a name for that in Japanese?

I suspect not even the Japanese have a name for it.

Actually, this website seems to be in Japanese.

Robusto

Well, you can never entirely trust a country that has machines that vend used schoolgirl panties. Hentai yo.

4

@RegDwight — In your dreams.

May 21 at 16:03, by Robusto

I lied about that picture being Maui. That is my actual back yard.

RegDwight

14:53

Oh.

In that case, I don't plan on visiting.

You should have told me right away.

I signed up for awesome ladders in awesome snow, not for rubbish sunsets with hanzi all over them.

Robusto

@RegDwight — I can see how balmy skies and palm trees would threaten you.

@RegDwight — That particular pictogram is a kanji. I could have used a hanzi, which is almost indistinguishable from the kanji to the untrained (i.e. Varangian) eye, but I chose not to.

RegDwight

You do realize I chose hanzi on purpose?

Robusto

You do realize I need to give you shit every few minutes?

RegDwight

No, you needn't, in point of fact.

You need not give me shit.

Robusto

I decide what I need and what I don't. Your needs are not considered.

RegDwight

14:59

You don't get to decide what you need. You only get to decide what you want. Needs are not subject to discussion.

For example, you might not want to watch American Dad. But you absolutely need to.

Robusto

What I want is what I need.

Jez

Anyone know how you determine someone's 'nickname' when you want to address them in a comment?

what is displayed is their 'Display name', like "Joe Bloggs"

it's OK if their display name is one word but if 2 words i wouldn't have thought it would work

RegDwight

@Jez "@Joe Bloggs", "@JoeBloggs", and "@Joe" should all work.

Jez

what if there is Joe Bloggs and Joe Smith?

and you say @Joe?

RegDwight

Then it will match the latest one in the thread.

It always looks at the particular thread.

Jez

15:12

ah

see i make it easy for people
jez

RegDwight

If I type @Jez right here right now, it will ping you, not any and all Jezes out there. Same on the main site.

Jez

so nice and simple. why cant others do that? :-P

RegDwight

Anyhows, I gotta run. TTYL.

z7sg

16:50

If I write @R will it ping Reg?

What if I just write @

Alenanno

17:04

1- No 2- Nothing I guess :D

z7sg

@A

@Al

@Alen

Getting anything from that?

Hope I haven't summoned any more confused Russians.

Martha

Surely this is a (many-times-over) duplicate?

5

Q: The usage of "sic" in writing.

I have seen many articles that use quotes from players like: We gonna [sic] be working hard over the summer cause we gotta [sic] get better. What is sic? Where does it come from?

writing quotations

z7sg

I'm sic of those too Martha.

Jez

17:31

rolls eyes

Martha

17:45

@z7sg THWACK!

Kit

@Martha Szia!

So how do you say THWACK in Hungarian?

Martha

Uh. Um. You know, I haven't a clue?

Kit

@Martha Uh? How can that be?

Martha

Thwacking is all my brother-in-law's fault, and he doesn't speak Hungarian.

The dictionary just offers "durr" and "puff", neither of which is particularly satisfying.

Kit

Yeah, those are pretty soft and squishy.

I'm feeling a bit provocative today.

I think I might be up to a bit of trouble.

I should probably get back to work while the munchkins are napping, or else I might accidentally take over the world.

Martha

17:53

Ooh, ooh, can I watch?

Or participate?

Though on second thought, a nap sounds even more enticing.

Kit

Mmm. Naps.

Grr. Once again irritated.

Martha

//Zzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Robusto

19:07

@Vitaly or @RegDwight: Trying to digest comments about a Firefox addon that is supposed to eliminate the memory leaks. Wondered what this guy says (he gives it 5 stars). Первые несколько раз ваше расширение почему-то запускалось отключенным,по этому я просил вас сделать автозапуск. Теперь же всё в порядке. Ещё раз благодарю вас!

Alenanno

19:26

@z7sg only when you wrote "Alen" :D

I only understood "Первые несколько раз" = "The first few times..." and "Ещё раз благодарю вас!" = "Again/once more, I thank you!"

:D

(I should have studied more)

Gigili

60

Q: StackMobile.com - View StackExchange Sites on Your SmartPhone

Update It is possible to browse the Area51 beta sites with StackMobile, even the ones that are in private beta.. StackMobile.com Screenshots About StackMobile is a low-bandwidth version of all StackExchange sites designed specifically for smartphones. It has a number of handy fea...

app website mobile

z7sg

19:50

@Robu Don't think it will be useful tbh but: First few times your addon started disabled for some reason, so i asked you to make (it) autostart(?). But now everything is OK. Once again thanks a lot!

@Ale I think three letters is the minimum necessary to trigger a ping.

Yes. Yes it is.

Robusto

@z7sg — Thanks.

z7sg

21:07

0

Q: Antonym of "capital"

What is the antonym of "capital" (in the sense of city of governmental seat)? A related question: is there a term for referring to the whole set of cities that are not the capital within a country (or state, province)?

single-word-requests antonyms

Antonyms are teh banned!

plz?

Jez

21:27

Hey. Does someone feel like posting something on meta.stackoverflow.com, seeing as I've been banned from posting on there?

z7sg

22:03

Sure, what is it?

But why are you banned?

Jez

the fact that if you post a question and get modded down a lot, you're banned from asking any more questions with the message, Sorry, we are no longer accepting questions from this account. See http://goo.gl/C1Kwu to learn more.

I posted a question and got modded down a lot.

z7sg

ok, what do you want to ask?

Jez

Why that ban mechanism hasn't been disabled for Meta when downvotes are intended to indicate disagreement, not a bad question, and therefore should not cause you to be banned.

z7sg

can you link me up to wherever the downvotes=disagreement is stated?

well you already asked that and it got closed! i can see your point though

Jez

meta.stackoverflow.com/faq

"Why are upvotes and downvotes here different?"

no, i asked a slightly different question, about affecting rep

but not about getting banned from asking new questions

Transcript for

English Language & Usage: Multi-Layer…