English Language & Usage: Multi-Layered Discourse Room

Matt Эллен

1:00 PM

12 up and 12 down

KitFox

Wow.

I was just looking at that.

The vote count, I mean, after you posted it.

Chris

Heard something on the news yesterday, a word I didn't recognize. An expert was talking about the Armstrong scandal and said something along the lines of "Nobody can be so smart, so <...>, as to succesfully hide substance abuse for 19 years"

Sounded like kehnythin or kahnyving or something.

Any ideas?

Matt Эллен

@KitFox yeah

KitFox

Because I thought, that's funny, it's been up for a long time to have no votes.

@Chris conniving.

Matt Эллен

@KitFox good call!

Chris

1:02 PM

@KitFox That's it! Perfect

KitFox

nods I feel better already.

Chris

1.
to cooperate secretly; conspire (often followed by with ): They connived to take over the business.

2.
to avoid noticing something that one is expected to oppose or condemn; give aid to wrongdoing by forbearing to act or speak (usually followed by at ): The policeman connived at traffic violations.

3.
to be indulgent toward something others oppose or criticize (usually followed by at ): to connive at childlike exaggerations.

KitFox

All this work and I have no idea if it is really going to help in the long run.

Matt Эллен

don't worry about that. it will help in the long run so long as you learn from it

KitFox

I don't have time to learn from it. I'm supposed to get this expansion underway, like, now.

Matt Эллен

1:06 PM

you'll learn by doing

KitFox

I guess I don't need my ego stroked. I am feeling sorry for myself.

I misidentified my emotional needs.

Sorry about that.

Matt Эллен

no worries

KitFox

So how are you today?

Matt Эллен

I'm OK

things I thought would be simple are not as simple as I thought

KitFox

Did the problem with the deployment work out?

Matt Эллен

1:08 PM

yeah, I just had some how got the wrong build on the USB stick

not sure how that happened

KitFox

Weird.

So what's troubling you?

Are you in love?

Matt Эллен

no, no time for love doctor jones

KitFox

Because that is never simple.

Matt Эллен

I need it so that when you load data and have chosen an experiment that the workflow jumps to the next step

KitFox

And it won't go?

Matt Эллен

1:10 PM

but calling "moveToNextStep" doesn't do anything because the next steps aren't setup yet

KitFox

What are you doing it in? Can I be helpful? looks hopeful

Matt Эллен

I'm not sure where they get setup

alas, I can't give away proprietary stuff, so I can't really get help

KitFox

Hmm. It feels so one-sided. Maybe there is a setupSteps?

Matt Эллен

I have another bit to work on, which is also more complex than I initially thought, but is solvable

so I'll do that and come back to the weird bit

@KitFox public WorkflowItem Create(string item) does the setup I'm looking for. It gets called in the python code, so I think that means it should be called before I load the data file

KitFox

I'm having some serious concerns that the scope of the expansion project has no been adequately communicated to our partners.

@MattЭллен Seems plausible.

Matt Эллен

1:14 PM

except that it's not been called because loading the file won't move to the next step

@KitFox do they think it's going to give more than it really is?

KitFox

So are you in control of that, or not?

Matt Эллен

@KitFox in theory, yes. I just need to figure out how it actually works :D (I didn't write this bit)

KitFox

@MattЭллен I have a list of users to create accounts for. Some of the lists had principals on them. Some have university people listed. I think they expect that these people will have access, but to my knowledge, only teacher leaders and teachers should have access. I don't know what some of the programs are, and some of the lists had approximate student numbers on them. I just have no idea what the project lead has been telling them.

Except he's the kind of guy who doesn't listen and will promise the moon and find excuses later, particularly if it's "the programmer sucks."

Matt Эллен

ah

KitFox

So I'm not really sure what to do.

He likes to do that meeting thing where he'll say "We'll give the principals access. You were working on the school role, right?"

And I'll say "Yes, but that was deprioritized last year.

Matt Эллен

1:19 PM

I see. giving you work by assuming you're doing it

KitFox

Oh crap. Massive power loss.

Matt Эллен

!!

KitFox

I have to go check our servers. Brb

Matt Эллен

you're still online

CU

KitFox

Yeah, the wireless connection was still up.

But my whole rig went down. I had to undock.

Matt Эллен

1:22 PM

0_0

was it an alien invasion?

KitFox

I don't know, but no one is in the nest, so I have no idea if the servers are OK.

The lights just came back up.

I guess I can try to remote to them.

Shit. They are definitely down.

Matt Эллен

maybe they're still booting

Mitch

@Cerberus Cerb Cerb Cerb...

KitFox

Um. Maybe. I think they automatically shut down and stay down until they are re-booted.

Mitch

Yeah this website is suffering from an abundance of knowledgeable enthusiasts and a lack of questions. Quite funny actually. — Cerberus Mar 1 '11 at 21:57

Matt Эллен

1:25 PM

@Mitch itch itch itch

Mitch

So .... negative.

KitFox

Huh. OK, well, production is back up.

Mitch

You lie down with dogs, you get up with...

... You get up with automatic shutdown of your servers?

KitFox

Ah. I probably went a little too far there.

I want my server back! I was in the middle of something!

No, really. I was.

Actually working.

Mitch

I didnt see that. I'm on Carlo's iPhone. So ican hardly read or type or see pics or rude comments anything.

Matt Эллен

1:29 PM

well now we know what caused the blackout

KitFox

I didn't blackout. The building did.

Matt Эллен

:D

Mitch

Lesson learned: stop working.

KitFox

@Mitch I said something really gross about bestiality.

@Mitch We sometimes censor w-rk in here.

Mitch

What's the proverb about when you sleep with lions?

KitFox

1:30 PM

Moreso when @aedia was still a regular visitor.

@aediaλ I'm empty since you left me. Tried to find a way to carry on.

@Mitch You get thorns in your paws?

Matt Эллен

@Mitch you're lucky if you don't get eaten?

RegDwighт

0

A: "To shoot out of cannon into sparrows"

Turn a mosquito into an elephant (dutch saying)

I don't think it means what he think it means.

Matt Эллен

"a barking dog is often more useful than a sleeping lion."

Mitch

Oh. Well I wasn't going that direction. Probably best to _ remove_. people just don't 'understand' sometimes.

I'm looking forward to not being snarky on ELL.

Shit I meant that earnestly.

KitFox

Yes, it will be nice when we can not laugh at people for asking dumb questions.

Matt Эллен

1:33 PM

it will be nice to be welcoming to people we usually shoo away

KitFox

Because they won't seem dumb.

Shoo.

RegDwighт

0

A: "To shoot out of cannon into sparrows"

Use a cannon to shoot a musquito (dutch )

Now look at this.

He changed it completely during the grace period.

Matt Эллен

that he did

RegDwighт

I shall no longer leave comments in the 5-minute window.

KitFox

Realized he chose the wrong one, I suppose.

Mitch

1:35 PM

@KitFox I thought it was something about being scared of being ripped to pieces when you wake up. You know.... They're effing lions.

RegDwighт

@KitFox Didn't realize how to spell Dutch, though. Or that sentences end in periods.

Matt Эллен

God deliberately chose stupid, weak people. No wonder we're so screwed.

RegDwighт

No. 2 on the MC. A free for all now. I can't wait to see all the "idioms" still to come.

KitFox

привет.

Did I spell that right?

RegDwighт

KitFox

1:38 PM

I'm trying to learn the Russian keyboard layout.

RegDwighт

Why is it that if I right-click and show-image, it redirects me to Nikki and Jim?

Matt Эллен

@KitFox did you mean to spell "привет"?

KitFox

@RegDwighт Single & Christian? God wants you to spill your seed on this face.

RegDwighт

@KitFox yes, except for the capital П.

KitFox

Gah.

They look the same to me. Cyrillic looks like small caps. It hurts my brain.

RegDwighт

1:39 PM

Nikki and Jim don't look very single in that picture. OR not very Christian.

Matt Эллен

the only way to find true Christians is to talk to them

KitFox

They are examples of God's plan working through the Intertubes.

They are smiling because they will finally get to experience procreative sex.

RegDwighт

It wasn't God's plan for single Christians to be touching each other like that!

KitFox

They are married, duh.

Look at their clothes.

RegDwighт

There is not a single ring in that picture.

Matt Эллен

1:41 PM

FIND GOD'S BITCH FOR YOU

KitFox

@RegDwighт Rings go on the other hand.

RegDwighт

Nonsense.

KitFox

I find it ironic that they are lying like that.

Matt Эллен

@RegDwighт true nonsense

RegDwighт

I am a Christian and my ring is on that hand. QED.

KitFox

1:41 PM

Because we know those people are just ad models.

@RegDwighт Weirdo.

Are you left-handed?

RegDwighт

Weirdo? I'm with 90% of the world population.

You Fahrenheit incher.

Matt Эллен

@RegDwighт ring finger is on the left hand

RegDwighт

We've had this discussion before.

At least twice, in fact.

Matt Эллен

we've not

RegDwighт

Well too bad for you. God hates you.

Matt Эллен

1:43 PM

you might've

RegDwighт

I have discussions all the time because God loves me.

Jez

@MattЭллен is it on the right hand if you're left handed?

KitFox

> I wear mine on my right finger instead of the left - traditional German/Polish custom and the nerve running straight to your heart begins from the right ring finger.

Well, there you have it.

Matt Эллен

well bully for you. we all know my Pantone number is somewhat incongruent with God's love

KitFox

It is funny because that is the same reason for wearing it on the left hand.

Matt Эллен

1:44 PM

@Jez maybe? I don't know

RegDwighт

@KitFox we discussed that as well, that whoever said that is not aware that Germans wear it on the left hand.

KitFox

It is easier to wear rings on your non-dominant hand.

Jez

i really hate air vents above windows. who invented them?

RegDwighт

@KitFox Huh?

What's "easier" about it?

Jez

"when you have the window shut, it stops air coming in. I know, i'll put a vent there to let air in again!"

KitFox

1:45 PM

@RegDwighт Rings get in the way when you're doing stuff.

RegDwighт

Ah, that.

KitFox

@RegDwighт Now you are making shit up.

Jez

@KitFox sounds like you've lost a few

KitFox

I have a mother's ring I wear on my right hand sometimes.

RegDwighт

Then I am at least making it up while staying true to what I made up last time and what the Germans make up.

In short, when I am making up, I am making up the truth.

> In some Orthodox Christian countries[3] the wedding ring is worn on the ring finger of the right hand.

Hint: Germany is not an Orthodox Christian country.

Jez

1:48 PM

►

the truth about religion

RegDwighт

People need to rant about a woman dying because of getting denied abortion? I thought plainly stating the fact was enough.

KitFox

Привет. Как дела?

That took entirely too long to write.

Is it spelled right? Did I remember correctly?

RegDwighт

People should be able to tell right from wrong. If they can't, no amount of going ballistic will help. If they can, going ballistic is pointless.

@KitFox everything's fine.

Jez

@RegDwighт if black people hadn't gone ballistic about their civil rights, maybe they wouldn't have them now

RegDwighт

I don't think it was black people going ballistic.

Going ballistic only got black people murdered.

It really is a change of mind of the general populace.

Jez

1:52 PM

how does that change of mind happen though?

RegDwighт

Certainly not by some Turk I have never seen in my life going ballistic.

I find him annoying at best and I'm with him.

Jez

there's a revival in religious nutcasery that needs to be countered

the Pope said the other day that Europe was threatened by a wave of "aggressive agnosticism"

people need to take the piss out of him, i don't want anyone respecting him

RegDwighт

Well good for you but your saying that won't change shit.

KitFox

I had a question about pronouncing привет...on my little Russian teaching app, it sounds like 'privyet' but when I associate the Cyrillic sounds, it looks to me like it should be more like 'privet.' Is that little y sound there, or am I imagining it?

RegDwighт

You are imagining it because you don't have palatalization of that kind in your language so you have to approximate. Either approximation is wrong.

If you can palatalize a V, then you'll have no problems. If you can't, it's probably too late to start to learn.

KitFox

1:55 PM

Death by Russian.

"How did she die?"
"She was trying to palatalize a V."

Jez

►

there's a rather depressing film about Africa

KitFox

If they are both wrong, which one is closer or at least more pleasant or less American sounding?

RegDwighт

Use the vet as in animal doctor.

KitFox

спасиро.

...and my testing server is back up.

RegDwighт

б

Not to be confused with the ь right next to it.

KitFox

2:05 PM

Ach. Спасибо.

Now I just need to learn some other phrases with different letters.

Is there a Russian equivalent of "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog"?

RegDwighт

Yes. Many.

Панграмма

Панграмма (c греч. «все буквы») или разнобуквица — текст, использующий все или почти все буквы алфавита. Панграммы используются для демонстрации шрифтов, проверки передачи текста по линиям связи, тестирования печатающих устройств и т. п. Панграммы в русском языке Без «ъ» или «ё»: * Друг мой эльф! Яшке б свёз птиц южных чащ! * В чащах юга жил бы цитрус? Да, но фальшивый экземпляр! Каждая буква по одному разу: * Любя, съешь щипцы, — вздохнёт мэр, — кайф жгуч. * Шеф взъярён тчк щипцы с эхом гудбай Жюль. * Эй, жлоб! Где туз? Прячь юных съёмщиц в шкаф. * Экс-граф? Плюш изъят. Бьём чуждый це...

KitFox

> Jackdaws love my big sphinx of quartz.

Hahahaha.

RegDwighт

I think "Съешь [же] ещё этих мягких французских булок, да выпей [же] чаю." is the most common.

KitFox

breathes in

Hahahahahaha

RegDwighт

Ah, and then the "Широкая электрификация южных губерний даст мощный толчок подъёму сельского хозяйства."

KitFox

2:14 PM

OK. I'll paste that somewhere.

RegDwighт

That one could be more common still.

KitFox

Are you pulling my chain?

RegDwighт

?

It's all in the article.

KitFox

It could still be some elaborate joke.

RegDwighт

List of pangrams

This is a list of pangrams, which are sentences using every letter of the alphabet at least once. Perfect pangrams in English (26 letters) *Mr Jex fly quick zap on WGBS HD TV. * Blowzy night-frumps vex'd Jack Q. * Dwarf mobs quiz lynx.jpg, kvetch! (crowd of midgets question picture of wildcat, then complain.) * Fjord Nymphs XV beg quick waltz. * Fjord q-klutz bahs given cwm pyx. * Frowzy things plumb vex'd Jack Q. * G.B. fjords vex quick waltz nymph. * Glum Schwartzkopf vex'd by NJ IQ. * Jerk gawps foxy Qum Blvd. chintz. * JFK got my VHS, PC and XLR web quiz. * Jocks find quartz glyph, ...

No. 1 on the MC with 119. That's quite a score.

KitFox

2:16 PM

> Jack fox bids ivy-strewn phlegm quiz.

RegDwighт

And yet only very few upvotes.

So looks like the number of answers is weighted extremely high.

Not many views, either.

KitFox

Seems counter-intuitive.

Mitch

@KitFox I hate to admit it but lots of questions here I find idiotic. especially the obvious non-native speaker ones, and my knee jerk reaction is to say. "that's crazy wrng in English, take some classes first"

KitFox

I don't hate to admit it.

Everything has a purpose.

Mitch

so I'm glad ELL is here so we can migrate and answer earnestly "Excellent question! You can't say 'It was happened because'...

KitFox

2:18 PM

Me too.

RegDwighт

Yeah.

First we'll have to ask those questions ourselves, though.

Because for the closed beta only ELU regulars will show up.

KitFox

Hey, why is it that putting "the" in front of "shit" completely alters its meaning?

@RegDwighт They can get used to not closing things immediately. Maybe.

Also, bomb.

RegDwighт

They (we) will have to, because everyone will start with a rep of 1.

KitFox

I was thinking about that on my way in to work today.

RegDwighт

And you only get the right to close at what, 500?

Mitch

2:20 PM

@RegDwighт private beta started? I expected an email.

RegDwighт

It will take days for anyone to get there.

Let alone five people.

KitFox

It's different in Beta.

I think you are right, 500.

RegDwighт

@Mitch it didn't. You will get an email.

Mitch

@KitFox that's an ELU question. not basic enough for ELL

Jez

what on Earth is Google's logo doing today?

RegDwighт

2:21 PM

0

Q: Is this sentece grammatically correct

I wonder if my life has been planned for me from day one, it surely feels that way.

synonyms

KitFox

Someone is holding it up because of the name. coughs, points at herself

RegDwighт

@Jez I wondered about that.

KitFox

@Mitch It was a serious question. I was asking it just now.

Mitch

@KitFox It's a neologism. like 'that is "the bomb"' or 'the man' tkaing a generic and specifying it (without there being a referent).

user19161

@RegDwighт It is fine other than the comma splice.

Mitch

2:23 PM

did I use enough technical terms to be authoritatively convincing?

RegDwighт

Why is it that your stuff is shit, but my shit is stuff?

@JasonBourne why you ping me?

user19161

@RegDwighт For fun, as usual.

Mitch

@RegDwighт No. Yours

user19161

Guys, I announce that I will be switching back to steelblue.

KitFox

@Mitch Well, it doesn't explain why it makes the meaning opposite.

Mitch

2:25 PM

@KitFox holding up the shit, or just shit? either way, you should wash your hands after coughing with shit in them.

RegDwighт

@KitFox it makes a different meaning. That it happens to be opposite is just because it happens.

Mitch

@KitFox Oh...sorry I didn't get that. yes, opposite but just like 'bomb' or 'bad'

KitFox

OMFG, I just got a forwarded email requesting my support from the student body to make Veteran's Day a holiday in the University System.

Fucking stupid students. It is already a systemwide holiday.

Mitch

I think it's very much a social thing, word repurposed in argot to be part of the inside group intentionaly made to be hard to understand.

'sick'

RegDwighт

129 now. Only one upvote seems to have been cast, only about 20 views more.

Mitch

2:26 PM

That roller coaster ride was sick.

KitFox

It was the sick.

Mitch

but my seat mate was, literally.

KitFox

That doesn't work.

Mitch

I know this is only descriptive, but it's not necessary that it work everywhere.

user19161

@KitFox Veteran's Day? I prefer Valentine's Day!

Mitch

2:28 PM

It works with 'poop'...

which is the expletive of choice around our house.

KitFox

And 'skinny.'

Mitch

'That is the poop'

or 'that tackle was poop' (watching football on TV (no I don't believe in that either (football or TV)))

KitFox

I am really annoyed about that petition. I might have to stop into the office on my way to lunch.

I mean, seriously, did no one actually check?

"Dear faculty senate, you should let us have this day off because it is respectful to veterans."
"Dear veterans, read the schedule, you fuckheads, we already respect you."

"...and have for years."

Mitch

@RegDwighт On purpose I added to it

RegDwighт

138 now. Only 10 views more. No new votes that I can see.

141.

Mitch

2:34 PM

10 more views for what to happen?

KitFox

Should I add an answer?

See what happens?

RegDwighт

For it to go from 129 to 141, obviously.

@KitFox you still have one?

KitFox

I can give a crap one, and get three downvotes and then delete it for a badge. Plus, then you can see what downvoting an answer does for the question.

RegDwighт

I am wondering if I should add the image of the naked man getting wheeled into this answer as well.

I seem to be falling behind Barrie.

@KitFox we already determined that yesterday.

Plus we are not supposed to take it too far.

I mean, it's not like I'm randomly upvoting stuff, either. Just watching and writing down numbers.

KitFox

Suit yourself.

RegDwighт

2:40 PM

Sure enough, someone else has now posted "make a mountain out of a molehill".

What's next, "putting on your pants just like everybody else"?

KitFox

Easy now. No need to makes an elephant into a musquito.

RegDwighт

153. 20 more views and two more upvotes, I think.

I should be making a spreadsheet. Chat is patently unsuited for this.

KitFox

It's snowing.

RegDwighт

Been snowing for two days here.

KitFox

It's been warm here. Most of the last foot of snow melted.

It's been muddy.

RegDwighт

2:47 PM

59 °F on Christmas Eve.

But now it's probably below 30, actually.

KitFox

The woman across the hall is talking about cancelling her classes. It doesn't look that bad, but maybe I should go home...

Jez

cold as hell this week

0 to -10

in the uk

KitFox

It's 20-something here. Maybe -5 degrees Celsius?

Jez

-6.66

RegDwighт

Google is your friend. Where do you think I'm getting my numbers?

I don't know jack about Fahrenheit.

KitFox

2:50 PM

You can be precise if you like. I'd rather practice estimating.

RegDwighт

Nah, I'd rather learn the formula then.

Jez

why do some people hate homosexuals so much?

i can understand disapproving but wanting to kill them? what drives that anger?

KitFox

@RegDwighт +32 * 9/5.

RegDwighт

See. Can't be that hard.

Not sure how to apply it, though.

Looks like some parentheses are missing.

KitFox

Oh right. Sorry. (x*(9/5)) + 32.

For C to F.

I usually do 2x + 32 as an estimate.

RegDwighт

2:53 PM

So you do apply a formula after all.

KitFox

I have a harder time the other way, which is funny.

RegDwighт

1

A: "To shoot out of cannon into sparrows"

"Chop a chicken using the blade for cow" as in Chinese.

The Chinese are cruel.

Also, what's it got to do with English?

KitFox

Because it is just (x-32)/2.

RegDwighт

Time to protect, I think.

KitFox

@RegDwighт What did the Dutch one have to do with English?

RegDwighт

2:54 PM

Well at least Dutch is closely related. Very closely.

KitFox

Did protecting it help?

RegDwighт

Chinese has been playing with its own ball in its own home for tens of millenia.

KitFox

So this is funny. Apparently Veteran's Day is a holiday, but students still have class.

RegDwighт

182. 40 more views, one answer, a couple upvotes.

Matt Эллен

Student will sit in rooms without lectures and hope to learn something

RegDwighт

2:56 PM

Haha. You should meet more students.

KitFox

So I am no longer upset with the veterans, and now my ire is directed at the idiots who made a holiday for everyone but required that some people still had to work.

Or maybe it was their cunning plan to get holiday pay into the bargain. Hmm.

Matt Эллен

@RegDwighт I get older, they stay the same age

KitFox

Perv.

Matt Эллен

:D

I haven't met any students for, oh well for a week I suppose, but he's a phd student, so he's getting older too.

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English Language & Usage: Multi-Layer…