English Language & Usage: Multi-Layered Discourse Room

KitFox

12:06

well, now. where was I?

you know, a girl could get used to four-day weekends.

Matt Эллен

you had Thursday and Friday off? nice :)

KitFox

I usually have Thursdays off, when I alternately raise my boys and do some consulting work.

But I have taken the last two Fridays off.

Matt Эллен

I see. Sounds good. Any reason, or just because you could?

@Robusto I blame the parents. Clearly the bear suffers from ADHD

KitFox

@MattЭллен Well, ostensibly to facilitate transferring my sons to a new childcare situation.

Matt Эллен

How's it working out?

KitFox

12:13

I don't know yet. Only the eldest is going, and not until tomorrow.

Matt Эллен

I hope it goes well :)

KitFox

But I have gotten the windshield replaced, the oil changed, and the tires swapped on my car.

Plus a sexy haircut and some fillings.

Matt Эллен

@KitFox I love the feeling of a productive day off work

KitFox

Ditto.

I feel like maybe this week won't be crazy, except the youngest's birthday is on Thursday.

But his party isn't until next week.

Matt Эллен

@KitFox exciting! is he looking forward to it?

KitFox

12:15

No. He's going to be two, so he doesn't really get it yet.

But I'm looking forward to it.

Matt Эллен

ah, right :D

@KitFox excellent

KitFox

The next few weeks are going to be action packed.

Plus, the planning meeting was even more of a clusterfuck that I could have anticipated.

Matt Эллен

ye gods

KitFox

Someday, I might be able to slow down again.

Matt Эллен

@KitFox Did everyone turn up at least?

KitFox

12:17

Oh yeah. All four of us.

My boss and I versus the project lead and the big boss.

The good news is that I held their feet to the fire about my expectations for documentation.

Matt Эллен

@KitFox Heh, I sometimes feel like if someone asked me what I want from life it would be peace, quiet and more sleep

KitFox

I think my boss felt that I might have overstepped my bounds, except that they obviously hadn't even thought about a user agreement, etc.

Matt Эллен

@KitFox good good. There's bad news?

@KitFox hmm. it can be tricky to manage egos

KitFox

Well, the bad news is that the "really just need to add some users and three schools to the database" rapidly turned into "oh, and add a new set of permissions and a new intervention type."

But luckily we talked them out of a couple of schema changes.

Matt Эллен

ah. scope creep

KitFox

12:20

Since they want this to all be done by September.

Matt Эллен

phew!

KitFox

And we reminded them that they would have to train users &c, so really it needs to be done by August.

So we can update the demo site and they can update the training videos.

And I haven't finished all the stuff I was doing for the September release yet either.

Matt Эллен

deadlines make a great wooshing sound as they pass by, I can tell you ;)

KitFox

But I gave them a list of things to do that they had forgotten. They need IRB approval, an MOU, a user agreement, and a training schedule, plus someone that I can talk too who can answer my questions promptly.

@MattЭллен Except that it is hard and fast because it is for a research project. So they better get their butts in gear.

waves hands but I digress.

Matt Эллен

oh, right. critcal path stuff

KitFox

12:25

At least I have some nice rounded-edge buttons.

Matt Эллен

yeah!

that's the most important part

KitFox

Oh right. Except that I was talked out of that.

Matt Эллен

oh

KitFox

Well, for the linkbuttons.

Matt Эллен

well, I blame microsoft

KitFox

12:27

Me too.

Matt Эллен

Hmmm. I wanted to disclose to my boss about some outside consulting that I'm doing, but he seems to have gone. how annoying

oh well, it will wait

KitFox

You are consulting too? Whatcha doin'?

Matt Эллен

Yeah, I signed a contract last night :D

I'm doing some programming for a company that are putting together a home automation system, I'll be writing firmware in C. I think that all I can tell you. They are very protective of their IP.

KitFox

Neat-o!

Matt Эллен

Yeah, it looks like it'll be fun. Or really really stressful.

But if it's the latter, I'll just say I can't do it any more

KitFox

12:33

Sounds like a great arrangement.

Matt Эллен

Yeah :)

KitFox

Now we just need to find you a nice partner.

How do you feel about sexy, crazy hairdressers?

Matt Эллен

@KitFox double plus good

KitFox

Oh wait, she's got two kids. That's probably a non-starter, eh?

Matt Эллен

I keep going to my barber because of the crazy sexy hairdresser

but she has a boyfriend

KitFox

12:35

I imagine she's hot in the sack, but I haven't gotten there yet.

Matt Эллен

@KitFox hmmm, probably. Although look at you!

KitFox

pfft "Boyfriend" doesn't mean "married."

Matt Эллен

true :D

KitFox

No commitment means she's fair game.

At least for coffee.

I think I'll ask Jess out for some coffee.

Unless you'd be pissed that I was trying to score with your potential future wife.

Matt Эллен

Nah, it's cool. Laura's not called Jess.

KitFox

12:37

OK then.

I'll race you.

Matt Эллен

heh

KitFox

We'll see who can nail the hairdresser first.

Matt Эллен

LOL

The end of my last conversation with her was something like
Me: So what are you doing after you finish here?
Laura: Oh, I'm going to cut my boyfriend's sister's hair.
Me: Oh! It's never stops, eh?

KitFox

Very charming.

Matt Эллен

thanks :)

KitFox

12:40

Mine was "uh, well, I guess I'll see you on the first day of fall then. haha" and tripping over my feet.

Matt Эллен

awwww

KitFox

I am such an idiot.

Matt Эллен

at least she'll remember you!

KitFox

But I decided that I would be brave and ask her to have lunch or something. And see how crazy she really is.

I mean, she really might be certifiable. I'm not quite sure.

Matt Эллен

oh! Well, best to check in a public place

KitFox

12:41

I was thinking at the diner around the corner.

I think I've thought about it too much.

Gah.

Matt Эллен

Actualise your desires! Isn't that something motivational speakers say?

KitFox

But the other girl I was smitten with this weekend is somewhere around "just graduated from college," and I decided that made me feel weird.

@MattЭллен hahaha

Matt Эллен

Yeah, I'd feel like that too, if my lust let me think about it.

KitFox

...hadn't thought of it that way.

She's got curly blonde hair.

And she kept smiling at me.

I'm such a sucker.

I don't even go for blondes!

Matt Эллен

What was it that swung you?

KitFox

12:53

She kept smiling at me. And she was cute.

I think I can find a pic. Wanna see?

Matt Эллен

yeah :)

KitFox

Oh. She might be older than I thought.

Matt Эллен

Yeah, she's cute.

KitFox

Looks like she did a graduate degree.

Matt Эллен

@KitFox I'm no good at telling someone's age. she looks old enough. mid twenties or something?

KitFox

12:57

Could be.

reconsiders

But she lives downstate.

Matt Эллен

so, far away?

KitFox

So I couldn't just stop in and invite her for coffee.

Matt Эллен

hmmm

KitFox

Yeah, about and hour or so drive.

And anyway, I should probably spend my spare thoughts on my husband.

Not cute girls who smile at me.

Matt Эллен

Indeed

he's way better than cute girls who smile at you

KitFox

13:00

Yes.

But I like having my cake and eating it too.

Matt Эллен

Who wouldn't

KitFox

I'm quite spoiled.

Matt Эллен

It's good to know you're spoiled, it means you appreciate it

KitFox

Damn. If I want to style a link within the "linkbutton" class, what's the notation? .linkbutton a?

grr

That's not it.

Matt Эллен

what is the linkbutton class styling?

KitFox

13:08

A linkbutton.

If I use just the class, it ignores the style.

I thought I could force it if I told it I wanted it to apply to the a element.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

remember CSS precedence

KitFox

I don't know it.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

if you have other rules that apply to the same element they might override your later rules

KitFox

But I feel like I've done this before.

Matt Эллен

does your linkbutton have a class of .linkbutton?

KitFox

13:10

@MattЭллен Yes. Is that totally stupid?

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

11

A: CSS precedence

Most of the answers are correct in saying that this is a specificity problem but are incorrect or incomplete in explaining the specificity rules. Basically in your case .rightColoumn * is "more specific" than td and so that rule wins even though it comes earlier. The CSS 2.1 rules are located h...

@KitFox no

Matt Эллен

@KitFox no, not at all. I was just checking

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

but if your linkbutton is an A element then your rule should be a.linkbutton { }

KitFox

OK. I thought I tried that one, but maybe not.

TaDA!

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

but if even that doesn't work it could be because you have some other rule with higher specificity that is overriding your rule

KitFox

13:11

Thanks.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

np

KitFox

And I'm bookmarking your answer so I can study it.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

So this answer of mine is odd. it's got +3 and -3 votes:

0

A: JavaScript Cheat Sheet

For basic stuff I recommend W3Schools. It's not great but it's an ok beginning. For advanced stuff I recommend the Mozilla documentation. For on the fly prototyping I recommend a JavaScript Shell which can allow you to test what methods are available by doing something like props(object) which...

People seem to really, really hate W3Schools for some reason.

KitFox

Oh yeah. W3Schools.

user19161

Wow the looks good but is bad question is now the second hottest on SE!

user19161

13:13

And it has 22 answers!

Matt Эллен

punctuation would be useful, @JasperLoy

I had to read that 3 times before I understood

KitFox

Why isn't it protected?!

user19161

@MattЭллен Now that I have gotten 20k, I may abuse punctuation, MWAHAHA!

Matt Эллен

lol

user19161

@KitFox Because it is new.

user19161

13:14

Only a mod can protect it.

Matt Эллен

If only I'd seen it earlier, I'd be raking in the reps

user19161

@MattЭллен Life is unfair. If only I did not go mad...

KitFox

Blah blah.

user19161

Anyway I have a feeling someone might come along and close the question soon.

KitFox

If you hadn't gone mad, you wouldn't be where you are now.

user19161

13:16

It could be not constructive.

user19161

@KitFox Yeah, I would probably not have joined SE in that case.

KitFox

There is no sense in complaining about the path your life takes.

Sometimes you make the choices, sometimes the choices make you.

user19161

Yes, considering that a million and one turns are possible at any point.

user19161

@KitFox Wow, today you sound a bit like me!

KitFox

Maybe.

user19161

13:21

Oh I forgot you have attained nirvana.

simchona

-1

Q: Make Friends With/In

"Joseph made friends with them." "Joseph made friends in them." Assume "them" means some unspecified people. Are these sentences okay?

Is this proofreading?

user19161

@simchona I am OK with it. It is rather specific.

KitFox

Made friends in them? Is that English?

simchona

Their stomachs, perhaps. I do like a good stomach.

Matt Эллен

@KitFox sort of.

"You have a good friend in Jess" for example

user19161

13:24

@MattЭллен Exactly.

KitFox

What a friend we have in Jesus.

simchona

You've got a friend in me.

KitFox

But I don't make a friend in you.

Matt Эллен

but I don't think you make a friend in someone

KitFox

I have a friend in you.

Matt Эллен

13:24

yes

KitFox

So it's just wrong.

simchona

You two are like the same person right now

Mind meld

KitFox

Which who?

user19161

Just like periods will coincide in women.

Matt Эллен

we are legion. will you join us?

KitFox

13:25

No!

simchona

I've been watching a lot of Game of Thrones recently

user19161

@MattЭллен I am Robot.

Matt Эллен

bah, I'm meant to be working!

bbl

simchona

-2

A: Make Friends With/In

Both sentences are wrong. You may write as below. "Joseph made friendship with them". "Joseph befriended them."

Made friendship with

@simchona Your first sentence is not wrong. — Urbycoz 1 min ago

I'm so confused this morning.

user19161

@simchona Did you make a second?

simchona

13:30

@JasperLoy Just a first. Perhaps he thought I was the OP?

user19161

@simchona Oh yes. Doris = simchona.

simchona

I have been told I pronounce a few words funny

KitFox

I think he is agreeing with you in a jovial fashion.

Mitch

@simchona I would take that as a weak attempt at humor, but also supporting what you say.

You only had one sentence. It was the first one you made.

simchona

@KitFox I think you're right and my humor detector is still warming up

Mitch

13:31

That's all

user19161

@Mitch Yeah, not everyone is as funny as I am.

KitFox

@simchona Maybe some coffee?

simchona

@KitFox In process

user19161

Ah I wanted to answer the scarecrow question but Rudra posted a few seconds before me, jinx.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@KitFox dammit! I forgot my coffee! thanks for reminding me

KitFox

13:33

What is the name of the thing that is a dropdown list, but you can add items to it?

I need moar coffee too, apparently.

Mitch

@KitFox there's a thing like that?

It's not one of the basic widget options.

user19161

@KitFox Menu?

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@KitFox combobox

Matt Эллен

OK, that's better

Mitch

@MrShinyandNew安宇 oh...maybe that.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

13:35

@Mitch yeah it's a standard Windows widget but not a Web one. Maybe ASP has one though....

Frankly I can hardly think of a time when I needed one of those.

Matt Эллен

@KitFox you can add items to a <select> with jQuery...

KitFox

@MrShinyandNew安宇 Yeah, that's it. Thanks.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@MattЭллен yeah, there are lots of Javascript-based combobox widgets

user19161

Oh Doris posted so many questions today. I thought one can only post six.

KitFox

kinda feels like crying

user19161

13:38

Oh maybe closed ones don't count or the limit has changed.

Matt Эллен

@KitFox hugs

Mitch

@JasperLoy there's a limit?

KitFox

@MattЭллен Oh thanks!

I'm writing out a tentative timeline. I just don't see how this can be done.

Mitch

There should be a limit for ...um...

user19161

@KitFox Take it easy.

Mitch

13:39

Really, was DOris just saving all those up?

Matt Эллен

@KitFox awww man, you've got the 5000001st message, but the 5000000th went to another chat room

KitFox

@Mitch She's new.

@MattЭллен Ka-CHING!

user19161

@Mitch I thought it was six questions in 24 hours.

Matt Эллен

other than the duplication, is it OK to say "made a friend in"?

Could I write: "I made a friend in Michael." or "I made a friend in Michael."? — Doris Miles 3 mins ago

KitFox

Wha—? Oh, did you ping me @Mitch?

Mitch

13:42

@MattЭллен there's always 10,000,000 waiting

KitFox

@MattЭллен It's a little odd, but understandable.

user19161

@Mitch Like I wanted to stop at 1000 downvotes, but I'll stop at 1050 intead, which I have.

Mitch

@KitFox hm...maybe I did. oh, it was probably nothign.

@JasperLoy stop at 2000, but ramp up. Any question you don't vote up, makesure you vote it down.

Hold on..is -that- where we've gotten the reputation for down voting, from you?

user19161

Hello @jeff!

user19161

@Mitch I cast more than 6 times as many upvotes.

user19161

13:45

Note the use of "more than" and "as many" in the same sentence.

Mitch

@MattЭллен other than duplication of what? the dupe ELU question?

Matt Эллен

@Mitch the duplication in the comment

Mitch

but yeah it sounds ok. SOunds like a Muppet Show or Randy Newman song from Finding Nemo.

Matt Эллен

You got a fiend in me!

user19161

@MattЭллен Is that a typo?

Matt Эллен

13:46

no >:D

Mitch

@JasperLoy Is that an ELU question?

user19161

That's a whoosh then!

user19161

@Mitch Well, I asked one sort of. Difference between 3 times more than and 3 times as many as.

user19161

9

Q: "X times as many as" or "X times more than"

Suppose John has 5 sweets. Is there any difference between the following two sentences? Jack has 3 times as many sweets as John. Jack has 3 times more sweets than John. I prefer the first construction and would know unambiguously that Jack has 15 sweets in this case. However in the sec...

meaning

simchona

0

Q: Participate on/in

"He participated on the report." "He participated in the report." "He participated on the project." "He participated in the project." "He participated on the rescue effort." "He participated in the rescue effort." How are "in" and "on" different?

grammar prepositions usage

KitFox

13:49

Deprioritized - why has that got a squiggle?

simchona

This user has a major problem with prepositions

user19161

I remember asking my math teacher about my above in grade 4.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@KitFox it's probably not standard enough (i.e. not in your spellcheque's dictionary)

KitFox

@simchona Or has a sock puppet named rudra.

And of course Reg is on holiday.

user19161

@KitFox Waiwai is usually incognito.

Mitch

13:51

@KitFox because it really should be upped in priority.

KitFox

Haha

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@KitFox Deprioritize doesn't have an OED entry, for example.

user19161

I may say stupid things because my chrome is still not loading chat properly.

user19161

It is delayed by a few messages and I may need to refresh now and then.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@JasperLoy as opposed to all the times that it IS loading chat properly

user19161

13:53

But chances are the chrome on Windows works better than the Linux one.

Mitch

@KitFox The spelling dictionaries only list words that have actually been used in print...I don't actually know that. but lots of things that should be legal extensions of existing words, just don't show up in things like /use/dict/words

KitFox

Well, at least you all comprehend my intended meaning.

Mitch

@JasperLoy So you're going on record as blaming chrome? For everything? We're holding you to that.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@KitFox it's a perfectly cromulent word

KitFox

I am a cromulomancer.

Matt Эллен

13:55

@Mitch deprioriti[s|z]e appears in print according to Google books

Mitch

yeah, it's pretty obvious -and- it's not uh...weird sounding.

user19161

12

Q: Increase the limit of 6 questions in 24 hours

Is there a way to augment the limit of 6 questions in 24 hours ?

feature-request asking-questions limits

Mitch

@MattЭллен Oh. well I'm not actually -checking- that any of my statements are true.

Matt Эллен

In New Scientist no less!

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@MattЭллен old scientists would just say "reduced its priority"

user19161

13:56

That's the MSO post on question limit above.

Mitch

@JasperLoy But Doris had (or has so far) 13 questions since she started 8 hours ago, 10 not closed.

KitFox

Maybe the time zone?

Mitch

@MattЭллен New Scientist use 'cromulomancer'? That's so 90's.

user19161

@Mitch Yeah, very strange. But the answer there might explain things.

Matt Эллен

@MrShinyandNew安宇 quite

Mitch

13:57

@JasperLoy that involves reading though.

Matt Эллен

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@MattЭллен wow, it went from zero to almost zero in 20 years!

Matt Эллен

looks like it came into existence in 1985. I blame capitalism

Mitch

@KitFox was it a red squiggle or a green one? or do you have british spelling on?

KitFox

@Mitch Red.

Matt Эллен

13:59

@MrShinyandNew安宇 that's a pretty good summation

Mitch

@MattЭллен blame perestroika.

KitFox

I am so tired right now.

user19161

@KitFox Need sleep?

simchona

@KitFox Hmm...

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English Language & Usage: Multi-Layer…