English Language & Usage: Multi-Layered Discourse Room

user116848

00:02

Bye!

skullpatrol

02:55

So quiet in here today
🙊👂🇺🇸🇬🇧

tchrist

03:57

The Highlander was right: There can be only one!

0

A: I'm looking for the possessive of 'boss'

The Law: “There can be only one!” The possessive of any noun phrase in written English is always formed by: Adding an apostrophe at the end of that noun phrase. Following that apostrophe with a written “s” when and only when the possessive form is pronounced with an additional “s”-type sound....

It’s not just a good idea: it’s the law.

The opposite of ameliorating is pejorating. Why isn’t it apejorating instead?

More bad Latin:

0

A: Why does i.e mean that is?

The letters "i.e." are an abbreviation of the Latin phrase ibid est, which can be directly translated as "that is." The alternative translation, "in other words," is offered as a more colloquial phrase.

Our Hispanophone enjoyed my doggerel after all:

Holy crap those are really good! My favorite being the third as it's the closest to the original Spanish version, IMO. Thanks! I'll just check back in a couple of days to check if somebody has a better version, if they don't I will accept yours. :) — Greduan 2 hours ago

Although I don’t think he realized it was meant as a quatrain.

Or that it was nested within a couplet with an alternate meter and rhyme scheme.

Oh well.

tchrist

04:32

The feminine rhymes are Latin words, the masculine rhymes are English words. ’Nuff said.

medica

@tchrist - Inflecting your boss on his backside lol!

tchrist

Isn’t that what everybody has always wanted to do? :)

medica

lol, indeed.

How are you? do we owe gratitude for this fun answer to sleeplessness, codeine or other?

tchrist

Just me.

But I need to go to sleep, must get up early.

medica

Then thanks. another good answer.

good to hear. Sleep well!

tchrist

04:36

And I just now — 15 seconds ago — took a hard fall on my OTHER knee, tripping my sandal on a stair.

But I landed on wood, not granite.

medica

on no.

tchrist

I was trying to intercept a kitty.

It’ll be ok.

medica

:(

tchrist

Just ouched.

medica

Take care!

small ouches can become bigger ones in the already injured knee.

tchrist

04:37

The 2x OTC naproxen plus the v-blah-blah cream 4x have really helped.

I would be screaming and crying if I’d come down on the injured knee.

Well, I would have yelled, not screamed.

medica

glad to hear it. Have you thought of adding tylenol to that regimen?

tchrist

It’s a reflex.

medica

yep.

(if it's not part of the other meds)

tchrist

I’m not sure whether I believe in acetaminophen.

No, it isn’t part of the others.

The oxycodone is straight, not Percacet.

medica

ah. well, if you need a little extra, it's been shown to increase the efficacy of NSAIDs.

tchrist

04:39

Hm.

medica

you can always try it.

tchrist

Well, maybe in addition.

medica

shouldn't do it all the time, though.

tchrist

I don’t trust its A-I all by itself.

Yes, see, that’s the problem.

medica

harder on the kidneys.

tchrist

04:40

Some people get liver damage on even the 3g/day they allow.

And I’m not even a drinker.

medica

but a good adjunct for times of need.

tchrist

Just worries me.

medica

I know, I would never advocate that dose for any length of time.

if you don't imbibe, you should be golden!

tchrist

I didn’t need to use the crutch today. That’s a first.

It was the doc on Friday telling me about the 440mg/day naproxen and the 4x/day v-blah that made the diff, I think.

Hm, not 440mg/day, but 440mg/12h

medica

If you wake up during the - wow! that's great! - night, the tylenol might prevent it for a couple of hours.

tchrist

04:42

Which is 2x the OTC level.

medica

Funny he didn't mention tylenol.

Ortho?

tchrist

No.

medica

(Orthopod?)

tchrist

Just a physician who wanted to know how I was doing.

medica

what kind of doc?

oh.

I'm glad you're doing better.

tchrist

04:43

My ortho gave me the shot. Didn’t really mention much besides PT.

medica

it's encouraging.

tchrist

I had the v-blah from the ortho from before.

medica

(they rarely do)

tchrist

Yes, I thought it would never get better, only worse.

medica

Surprisingly good news!

take care. Good to hear from you.

tchrist

04:45

I looked into all the various would-be supplemental treatments for arthritis, and I can’t say I’m impressed by the results of the double-blinds.

I think a lot of people are making a bunch of money on snake-oil.

Yes, there is some evidence for some of it, but not very good evidence, and not strongly replicated.

medica

Ah, gees, there are so many conflicting studies, not made better by the fact that drug companies pay for many of them.

tchrist

yeah

medica

a friend of mine sold his soul for naprosyn money.

common.

But it's a good drug.

tchrist

Hm, you mean for naproxen sodium?

It seems to be helping me.

And it’s Cox-1 not Cox-2.

medica

It's just not better than shorter acting drugs.

tchrist

04:48

Insurance denied Celebrex, the bastards.

medica

ugh

celebrex is the best

tchrist

Said I had to spend a month each on each of 3 other meds before they would approve.

medica

it was like a godsend to me

tchrist

That isn’t science.

medica

I hate insurers.

tchrist

04:49

It’s bullshit.

Everyone does.

medica

It is indeed

Celebrex was the best thing I ever took, then I became allergic to it.

tchrist

Oh my!!

medica

crap.

yea.

but it is really good stuff.

tchrist

I guess you are using that word in the clinical sense, not the stupid sense that most people use it.

Which is scary.

medica

Like Zomax and voltaren

lol

It is effective.

tchrist

04:50

Voltaren is the v-blah gel.

medica

ah.

tchrist

I can’t get its name to stick in my head. Dunno why.

medica

they are good drugs. Zomax got pulled off the shelves.

tchrist

Cox-2?

medica

that was sad.

Yes, I believe so.

No, probably not, I take it back. They didn't know about Cox-2 back then.

But it was good, really good.

tchrist

04:52

hm

medica

Anyway, I'm impressed with your regimen. It really sounds like someone gave it a lot of thought.

tchrist

I’m still annoyed at the dual-naming of chemical names versus multiple street/brand-names of drugs.

Who the hell can remember all the marketing names??

medica

agreed. but people wouldn't buy the chemical coumpound they couldn't pronounce, I guess.

tchrist

Fine.

medica

lol!

tchrist

04:54

You shouldn’t buy drugs based on their name.

medica

agreed completely.

In med school, they never used trade names.

Out of med school, they almost always do.

It's stupid.

tchrist

The purpose of trade names is to trick people.

That’s why there are a multiplicity of them.

medica

Anyway, think of the tylenol, of trying it once or twice.

Oh, very much

remember nexium and prilosec?

tchrist

Damn it.

Yes.

They paid for years to keep nexium off the OTC market.

medica

yeah. money. and insurance.

yep.

tchrist

04:57

And it is just a fancy doubling of the prilosec anyway.

And they charged, still charge, so very much for it.

medica

absolutely. Done solely to be able to charge insurance companies premium prices.

for a new drug, which was hardly new at all.

and they marketed it directly as the purple pill.

tchrist

Then there are the people who take Tylenol PM every night for sleep, and refuse to believe that just taking diphenhydramine alone would be equally effective, much cheaper, and less dangerous.

medica

stupid.

lolol

that is sooooo true!

tchrist

There are a lot of those people.

medica

(my aunt being one)

so funny

some believe there is a lifetime dose for acetaminophen.

tchrist

05:00

I worry about that.

I take it basically only when forced.

medica

taking tylenol for no reason is like slowly killing your kidneys for no reason at all.

tchrist

Yes.

medica

yep. as do I

but at my age, a lifetime dose is an odd concept.

I know I'm nowhere near it anymore.

tchrist

Isn’t it the liver they’re most worried about with that?

medica

I could probably take it every day.

Yes, short term (immediate damage) is to the liver.

tchrist

05:02

Kidneys are a problem for processing of any drug’s by-products, I should think.

medica

so none for alcoholics, etc.

but long term, it's renal.

tchrist

But the liver damage from acet is the scary thing because it just accumulates and sneaks up on you.

Drink more water. :(

That’s what they say about everything.

medica

well, really, it isn't cumulative, not really

tchrist

Which, liver or kidney damage from acet?

medica

it is a matter of having enough liver cells to have enough of the enzyme that converts it.

liver.

tchrist

05:04

The liver is rather good at repairing itself. But then, it has to be.

medica

Liver is OK if there are enough healthy liver cells to process the tylenol dose.

It's really pretty good, unless one is abusing it.

Like alcohol, or other causes of fatty liver disease.

tchrist

I don’t think people who eat liver think enough about the chemistry.

And of course, seabear liver is lethal.

medica

That's why we don't like alcoholics, etc., to take tylenol.

or polar bear liver.

tchrist

Of course.

medica

but if your liver isn't under attack, I don't think tylenol really hurts it.

tchrist

05:06

@medica I already said that: Ursus maritimus.

medica

ah - sea bear

duh

That's because of the toxic dose of Vit A, I think

tchrist

Correct.

medica

Ah, but... fois gras...

tchrist

Then again, polar bears are pretty lethal all around.

medica

I will still eat fois gras. from time to time.

tchrist

05:07

ew

medica

yes. :)

ew? have you ever had it?

the first bite is ummmmmmmm

the others get shorter.

then that's enough.

tchrist

@medica I don’t think so. I haven’t eaten that sort of thing since before college, and certainly didn’t have the money before then.

Wait.

You simply must watch this clip:

►

Very short, very funny.

medica

hahaha!

that was excellent! :D

Now I will know what to do, and I was definitely in the awwww group.

tchrist

Did you know that a polar bear’s fur is not white, and that a blue jay’s or bluebird’s feathers are not blue?

medica

I forgot you don't meat.

tchrist

05:11

Only on a catch and release basis. :)

medica

Yes, the hair is hollow and transparent.

tchrist

Yep.

There are like only 2 birds in the world with a blue or green pigment in their feathers.

medica

That's where they got the idea for Hallofil (Hallowfil?)

tchrist

All else is refractive effects.

Dunno “Hallofil”.

medica

yep. Fascinating, isn't it? To know intellectually that the sky isn't blue?

tchrist

05:13

Hm.

medica

:D

tchrist

That’s an odd way of putting it.

medica

but it's true.

tchrist

Ya think? :)

Read my posting.

medica

It's just that that is the color not absorbed by the water in the atmosphere. Isn't that correct?

tchrist

05:14

It’s much more complicated than that.

> The correct question is: Why does the Earth’s daylight sky appear light blue to a human observer with normal color vision?

medica

cool!

tchrist

> The correct answer is: Because the daylight sky’s particular spectral mix elicits a human tristimulus response which is a metameric match for light—i.e., desaturated—blue.

medica

fair enough.

tchrist

The skies at 14+ kf are dark blue.

Cobalt.

medica

But I'm unconvinced that's the entire answer. But give me time, it may well be the whole story.

polarized lenses - look what they do to the sky.

so beautiful and dramatic in photographs.

tchrist

05:17

> By its nature, Raleigh scattering favors frequencies at the violet end of the spectrum; the shorter, the better. Your three cone types react to this mix of a little green plus some cyan plus more blue plus even more violet in a way indistinguishable from the response a desaturated blue produces: the pastel color we call sky‐blue.
Note that there exists no single spectral frequency corresponding to sky‐blue; it’s an achromatic color, however oxymoronic that may sound. You can create it by mixing white light with blue light. You can also create it with the sky’s Raleigh scattering, or with …

But you really should skim the paper I reference for the full story.

It seals the story.

medica

I will do that.

thanks. :)

tchrist

> For those who’d care to read a more technical explanation of this, physicist Glenn S. Smith has a paper in the American Journal of Physics from 2005 on “Human color vision and the unsaturated blue color of the daytime sky”.

I was surprised that it had remained in dispute for so long, actually.

medica

Excellent!I will read that immediately!

Do you know why the ancient near easterns thought the sky was blue?

tchrist

Cuzza what?

medica

they thought there was a sea held up above the firmament.

tchrist

05:20

Funny that near-eastern means west-asian.

medica

yeah.

tchrist

A bit inverted, that.

There is a wonderful book that has such a world, however.

medica

I dunno what they thought about the nighttime sky, though.

tchrist

heh

medica

heh.

I really have enjoyed the book of the New Son.

tchrist

05:21

I don’t think that the Israelis or the Turks would appreciate being called West Asians any more than the Arabs appreciate being called Easter Africans. :)

Have you completed it yet?

medica

true. :)

tchrist

It’s more politics than anything how we demarcate continents.

At least, over that a ways.

medica

a few chapters to go. Got derailed by Name of the Rose.

tchrist

Did you manage to get past the first 100 pages of Eco? He meant for it to be . . . challenging.

medica

Reread it ith a commentary

tchrist

05:23

I’ve read it quite a few times.

medica

Yes, this is my second time through it.

tchrist

Ah, with the Key. Good.

medica

You are to blame, for introducing that lovely line of Salvatore's

tchrist

Oh right, with the Occitan.

skullpatrol

Hello :-)

medica

05:24

I don't know how I got through it the first time without the key

Hi, skull!

I just accepted my ignorance, I guess.

tchrist

I must to bed.

medica

sweet dreams.

tchrist

And since I must go there without you folk, lest my kitties be jealous, good night.

medica

:)

skullpatrol

later pal

medica

05:26

t was telling me why the sky is blue.

skullpatrol

ya, i read

medica

I have a paper waiting for me to read. a Physics paper, no less!

:)

I thought the sky was a different color, that the only wavelength not absorbed was blue.

ah, but you would know that from the transcript, sorry.

skullpatrol

np

medica

are you well tonight?

skullpatrol

fine thanks, how are you?

medica

05:29

well, thanks. Dog snuggling is a hot and sticky business.

I have a border collie that insists on sharing the couch with me. Silly dog. Then she complains by panting. My feeling is she should just get off the couch! But, noooooooo..... (and they say they're smart!)

Well, I'm off to read a paper and my book(s).

bye.

skullpatrol

have fun :-)

medica

:)

Mr_Green

HI

"I will be in office by 11:30am"

^ Is this correct?

skullpatrol

the office

Mr_Green

"I will be in the office by 11:30am"

right?

skullpatrol

05:40

yes

Mr_Green

ok thanks :)

skullpatrol

thanks for asking :)

Mr_Green

I was confused whether to use "by" or "at"

skullpatrol

either will do

Mr_Green

hmm ok :)

Jasper Loy

06:59

It is a beautiful Mon afternoon.

nosmoking

07:32

a beautiful Moon after-none

@JasperLoy I'm searching a Master degree in Image processing now

it will be hard for September

I need so much an occupation, that or working, it's vital

the void makes me more crazy, when I've no natural challenges, every thing (everything?) become a challenge

That's how smoke became a challenge to me, after having no real target, I wanted to try to preserve my health

"I will be at the office by 11:30am"

"at" looks right too

skullpatrol

08:01

@nosmoking there are much more effective ways to preserve your health, like diet and exercise :-)

nosmoking

@skullpatrol but well, you can't just live horribly until 70 and then preserve yourself and wish to get until 100 right?

exercises

skullpatrol

True. Also, plenty of sleep and a clean life style go a long way.

nosmoking

I'd need a proof of someone who breathed ~~plenty of~~ some secondhand smoke and lived beyond 100

skullpatrol

Excessive and unreasonably worrying about a little second hand smoke is taking years off your life, my friend.

nosmoking

yes, so possibly a double negative effect

Jasper Loy

08:09

@nosmoking I got medica's email too.

nosmoking

@JasperLoy good, she's slow, but answers

the slowness of wisdom

Jasper Loy

I will try to regulate my sleep cycle now.

skullpatrol

Two negatives add up to a more negative effect on you.

Jasper Loy

I should try to sleep about 8 hours a day from about 2 am to 10 am, and avoid any afternoon naps.

nosmoking

@JasperLoy medication is probably the best idea

skullpatrol

08:12

Sleep is important.

Jasper Loy

Since I don't do any writing now, typing in this chat is good as it allows me to practise my English.

nosmoking

deep sleep

Jasper Loy

The best is to sleep and not wake up.

nosmoking

a deep sleep is when you wake up with energy

Jasper Loy

The people in the Math room did not like the gif I posted.

Here it gets 3 stars.

There they found it annoying.

nosmoking

08:13

it's not very mathematical

Jasper Loy

They could at least have pretended to like it.

skullpatrol

I liked it :-)

Jasper Loy

This Sat is my birthday.

skullpatrol

Hip hip hooray!

:D

Jasper Loy

If only I could go backwards in time. Then I would not have gone mad.

skullpatrol

08:17

Stop saying you are "mad"

Jasper Loy

As long as you know what it means.

nosmoking

I'm not sensible for/at/with? this humour imgur.com/gallery/4aHeu3K

skullpatrol

Think of other words.

Jasper Loy

@nosmoking There is no deep meaning in it. It is just funny like that.

skullpatrol

The people who they lock up in asylums are the mad.

Jasper Loy

08:21

@skullpatrol Are you living with family or alone?

skullpatrol

I'm a loner by choice.

Jasper Loy

As long as you like it.

skullpatrol

I would never choose something I don't like.

Jasper Loy

I think you are a retired old man.

skullpatrol

ok

Jasper Loy

08:26

I feel better than usual today.

skullpatrol

I miss old john :(

Jasper Loy

I also miss Jonas.

skullpatrol

Yep, he seems like a cool dude.

Jasper Loy

He might win the Fields medal.

skullpatrol

He's a physics major, no?

Jasper Loy

08:29

I don't know, but he is certainly doing math now.

nosmoking

and exercise

Singapour is great you don't need a sauna, it's already one outside no?

Jasper Loy

My plan is to study math for about 8 hours every day next year.

It will be very tiring.

@nosmoking It is very hot, yes.

skullpatrol

Start slow and build up to it.

nosmoking

@JasperLoy not if you don't have the right medication, believe me, medication is everything

Jasper Loy

@nosmoking What do you recommend? I will ask my shrink about it.

skullpatrol

08:33

@nosmoking have you always been on medications your entire life?

Jasper Loy

In 1 day, I will spend 8 hours sleeping, 8 hours studying math, and 8 hours doing other things. That sounds like a wonderful plan.

nosmoking

@JasperLoy yes, re-ask him, maybe tell him about Xeplion

Jasper Loy

@nosmoking But that is for schizophrenia.

nosmoking

it's a neuroleptic

Jasper Loy

I will ask him what other meds there are to try.

skullpatrol

08:37

More importantly @nosmoking do you want to be on medications for the rest of your life?

nosmoking

I feel like this med has rebalance the juice in my brain

but the secondary effects were a pain (blocked nose)

skullpatrol

Neither of you are answering my questions, so I'll stop.

nosmoking

@skullpatrol depends if I'm stabilized or not, if it's necessary why not

Jasper Loy

@skullpatrol No. I intend to take my meds until the end of next year. That is also my target for complete recovery.

nosmoking

@skullpatrol no, I'm never ill, except mentally, now

Jasper Loy

08:41

@skullpatrol No, I only started last year.

@skullpatrol I have answered both your questions, you may continue.

skullpatrol

I have always refused to take any medications, unless the pain was so unbearable that I was in tears. That is all I have to say.

nosmoking

@skullpatrol for mental problems, the brain is in a complex "juice" of hormons and neurotransmitters, that can be fixed efficiently

Jasper Loy

@skullpatrol OK. Will you tell us what you are suffering from?

nosmoking

with years of research and experiments

I've been refusing medication for 4 years too, until I saw that famous psychiatrist/doctor/professor

now in my situation, it's more intelligent to "try" those breakthrough in Neurosciences

and not stay scared by the 1.1 billion of human smokers, smoking 12 millions of cigarettes every minute

There are 2 millions cigarettes smoked each day in Paris (intra-muros)

on 100km²

2000 / minute

Transcript for

English Language & Usage: Multi-Layer…