English Language & Usage: Multi-Layered Discourse Room

aedia λ

19:15

What's irrelevant now?

Cerberus

Yo!

I wish I knew.

But Mr Shiny is Mr Mysterious today.

cornbread ninja

Will ELL be added to the list of off-topic destinations?

Cerberus

I hope so.

aedia λ

NOOO my snow just finished melting and now it's snowing again!

Maybe if I stop looking out the window it will go away.

Cerberus

Hmm...

Sprinkle salt around the house?

aedia λ

19:32

Nah, not until it's colder. It's supposedly still like 3 degrees out.

Cerberus

Hmm.

aedia λ

With a patchy blue sky and that's why the snow is so freaky.

Matt Эллен

@cornbreadninja seems unlikely, so as to prevent abuse.

aedia λ

It's like when it rains on a sunny day, but worse.

Cerberus

It was 10 degrees here.

aedia λ

19:33

jealous

cornbread ninja

@MattЭллен OIC

it's 21 here, with 20mph winds, so the wind chill makes it feel like 1.

it was 76 on monday.

Cerberus

21 °F?

aedia λ

You're clearly either in hell or using Fahrenheit, right?

Cerberus

Hehe.

cornbread ninja

Yes.

Cerberus

19:35

Or both.

I cycled about town measuring my data speed.

Red is extremely slow.

Green is quite fast.

It is really strange.

And I think all the red used to be green, a few months ago. Then something changed.

Mahnax

Hello everyone.

Matt Эллен

Hi Mahnax.

Cerberus

Hello one.

aedia λ

Hola!

Mahnax

I think I just got a ticket. I am sad.

Cerberus

19:39

lets loose a couple of epomis beetles in Aedia's snow

Matt Эллен

@Mahnax what were you doing?

Cerberus

A parking/speeding ticket?

Mahnax

@MattЭллен Driving.

Matt Эллен

@Mahnax ah

Mahnax

I was faced with a yellow light and an icy road.

Cerberus

19:39

Hmm.

How much is a red-light ticket?

Mahnax

Brake and possibly slide into the intersection, or run the light?

$287.

Cerberus

Yeah that's a lot.

aedia λ

Ugh, that's expensive!

Mahnax

The thing is, I probably could have managed to stop. Probably.

Yeah.

Cerberus

Did you see a flash?

Mahnax

19:40

I didn't, so there is some hope. But it's bright out, so I could have easily missed it.

Cerberus

Do they regularly flash people there?

Mahnax

There is a camera at that intersection.

Cerberus

Ah.

aedia λ

We had red-light cameras in much of the DC area, and I got a ticket once. It made me paranoid for ages, so much that now, up north where the yellow lights seem to be much longer, I am always annoying my passengers (well, especially husband) by stopping too soon.

Cerberus

Let's pray for Mahnax.

@aediaλ You condition well, I see.

aedia λ

19:43

We also don't have the red-light ticket cameras up here in most places, that I know of, but I still have the reflex. It's stupid, because I'm probably likely to get rear-ended now.

Cerberus

So do you get a ticket for driving through yellow?

Mahnax

Ugh, shit. I definitely have a ticket, from what I just read.

Cerberus

Yikes.

Mahnax

More things I have to tell my parents about.

Cerberus

They will get over it.

Mahnax

19:44

Hey @aedia, can I borrow the hidey-sack?

Cerberus

I presume you will have to pay for it?

Mahnax

Of course!

I would not dream of asking them for such a thing. I made the mistake, it's my fine to pay.

Cerberus

Meh.

aedia λ

@Cerberus Well, it was my parents' car I was still borrowing at the time - when I was first working down DC-ways, I think - so, doubly embarrassing. (Our tickets were all automatic - the notification goes in the mail to the car's registered owner.)

Cerberus

Hehe.

Yeah, it sucks.

aedia λ

19:46

@Mahnax hands over grey sack

Cerberus

hides some chocolates in sack

Mahnax

hides in sack; cries

Cerberus

Mahnax finds chocolates

Your parents will get over it.

Matt Эллен

@RegDwighт as a balloon

Mahnax

Well, yes. But this news came at a similar time to some… other news.

Cerberus

19:47

And you're still 16. You're allowed to make mistakes.

Oh...

What other news?

Mahnax

Uhm, my mum asked me to book Sunday mornings off work so I could go to church.

Cerberus

Ugh.

So you don't normally go to church on Sunday mornings?

Mahnax

And that conversation kind of led to me telling her that I don't believe in good old Jesus anymore.

Cerberus

You can tell her that isn't possible?

Ahh I see.

Was she shocked? Or did she expect it?

Mahnax

@Cerberus My family does, but I have been scheduled to work every Sunday morning for the past few weeks.

Cerberus

19:49

Ah OK.

aedia λ

@Mahnax Uh oh. I take it she didn't respond super happily to that?

Mahnax

@Cerberus She said something like "I know church isn't really important to you…" and then I told her that it wasn't a part of my life at all.

@aediaλ She's disappointed.

Cerberus

Heh.

Mahnax

Or something.

Cerberus

Okay, so it didn't come as a surprise.

Mahnax

19:50

Not really, I think.

Cerberus

@Mahnax I was just typing that. They always are.

Mahnax

@Cerberus Yep, heh.

Cerberus

It just means you don't do what they want.

Sometimes they are right, sometimes you are right.

Mahnax

And of course I'm wrong, per usual?

Cerberus

Not if you ask me.

Of course I don't know what horrid things you normally do, hehe.

But I'm glad she wasn't shocked.

It could have been worse.

Mahnax

19:52

@Cerberus Haha, I'm kidding.

Cerberus

phew

Mahnax

@Cerberus Rabble-rouse, you know.

Cerberus

I'm not surprised.

Matt Эллен

You a teddy boy, eh?

Cerberus

Just like your mum.

Does she know what a corrupting influence we must be on you? Or the Internet as a whole?

Mahnax

19:53

@Cerberus I don't know. I was expecting a conversation about it, but it hasn't happened yet.

Cerberus

You think it will still come?

Mahnax

It might.

Cerberus

If she started about the subject, then I would have expected the Talk to be then.

If not, it may not come.

Mahnax

It was just before dinner, she said she didn't want to talk about it then. I imagine that she supposed it would be a nice, quick "Oh hey, can you book Sunday mornings off? Great, thanks."

Cerberus

Hmm.

But she was not surprised.

What do you think? Will she try to pressure you?

You will reach a modus vivendi.

It will be OK.

Mahnax

19:56

That remains to be seen. I do not feel that I am in a position to predict what my parents will do anymore.

Cerberus

They are developing into their characters, huh?

You cannot control them any more like before?

Mahnax

Haha, control?

Cerberus

All part of growing up.

MartyIX

I have a kind of stupid question. Is it correct to say: "I prepare the program for the end of March."?

Cerberus

They will get used to it.

@MartyIX What does it mean?

aedia λ

19:58

I think you must have had a funny childhood, @Cerb.

Cerberus

"I will have the program ready by the end of March"?

@aediaλ Oh, yeah?

Mahnax

@aediaλ Those wooden shoes do strange things to one's mind!

MartyIX

@Cerberus Yeah, that is much better

Cerberus

"The program will be finished by the end of March"?

OK.

Robusto

3

A: Someone who comes across as "airheaded" but is really quite the opposite

You could say that person is understated or not obvious. Phrases would include easy to underestimate, easily undervalued, flies under the radar or even "There's more to her than meets the eye."

Cerberus

20:00

@Mahnax Of you clobber one with them, yes.

Robusto

JAM tried to edit my pronoun to make it his/her. Haha.

MartyIX

@Cerberus So the sentence I posted above is totally wrong?

Cerberus

@Robusto That's silly.

Robusto

Yes.

Cerberus

@MartyIX Just wrong, not totally wrong, hehe.

Robusto

20:01

Check the comments.

MartyIX

:-)

Mahnax

@Cerberus He means him/her, of course, which is slightly less silly.

MartyIX

Thank you

Cerberus

Good luck!

@Mahnax Oh haha, I didn't even notice.

Mahnax

Hmm, my father is not angry. See? Unpredictable, I tell you!

Cerberus

20:04

Yay!

Fathers are often unpredictably unangry.

They just nod.

Where mothers feel they have to do something.

Mahnax

Haha, I guess so.

@Cerberus Do you know what changed?

Cerberus

@Mahnax Nope. My only guess is that my provider changed something in its network.

Someone else who's also on the Vodafone network had the same extremely slow speed at the same location.

So I'm basically waiting for things to change back and making a map in the meantime, probably mainly to keep myself occupied.

Mahnax

@Cerberus Hmm, interesting. What could they have changed, though?

Cerberus

I know they are busy "improving" the network.

Placing new antennae and other stuff. I don't know.

You didn't have a smartphone, do you?

Mahnax

Nope.

Cerberus

20:13

OK.

Mahnax

I think I will just make do with the phone I have now and save my money.

There are things it could be better used for in the future.

Cerberus

Like that ticket, hehe.

Mahnax

Thanks, I had almost forgotten.

Cerberus

Phone plans being as expensive as they are in your country, I would probably not spend my hard-earned money on one.

I'm always there to remind you of it!

Mahnax

I have a phone, but it only costs me $18/mo.

Cerberus

20:15

And what do you get for that?

aedia λ

@Cerberus Pah, like you don't forget. dangles shiny distracting object

Cerberus

Hmm forget what?

plays with object

Mahnax

Umm, unlimited texting and a few minutes of calling. Unlimited calling on evenings and weekends.

Cerberus

decides tail needs urgent chasing

@Mahnax OK I see.

I'm guessing any data plans will be upwards of $ 50?

Mahnax

@Cerberus Yessir.

For an iPhone, one could be paying $80/mo for a good amount of data.

Cerberus

20:17

Terrible.

Oh, well.

You can get an OK phone + text + data bundle + fairly OK smartphone here for € 16/mo.

And countries like Austria are supposedly much cheaper.

aedia λ

rolls a crumpled post-it note across the floor

Cerberus

They must be making so much money on Iphones and Canadian phone plans...

Mahnax

Cerberus

@aediaλ Ohhh it moves!

jumps

aedia λ

giggles

Cerberus

20:19

@Mahnax faints

Mahnax

Even the hounds of hell can have a little fun, eh?

Cerberus

And you get a phone with that?

Mahnax

@Cerberus revives with frankincense

@Cerberus Umm, sometimes.

Cerberus

Thanks.

Mahnax

If you want the newest iPhone, tack on $379.99 for a three-year plan.

Cerberus

20:20

Hehe.

Mahnax

Plus a $30 activation fee, sometimes.

Cerberus

How about the Alcatel 997D?

Mahnax

They waive that if you complain or flatter them enough.

Cerberus

Or the Acer Liquid Gallant?

Those are fairly cheap but seemingly decent smartphones.

Mahnax

They don't have those on this website.

Cerberus

20:21

Ugh.

I wonder why our oligopoly is less fucked up than yours and the US's. I mean, ours is still fucked up, but less so.

What's different?

Mahnax

@Cerberus I don't know. Maybe it's cheaper for you guys because your countries are so much smaller and you require fewer cell towers while maintaining a large population.

Cerberus

But companies like Vodafone and T-Mobile cover all of Europe.

Mahnax

shrugs

Just throwing it out there as a possibility.

Cerberus

It's strange.

Yeah.

I believe it is also cheap in countries like Russia.

And they have much better speeds than we do.

Mahnax

I have found someone who will accompany me to Europe in the summer of 2014.

Cerberus

20:25

Vitaly had 60 Mbps.

Oh!

Who is it?

Mahnax

The plans are very cheap in Finland, too.

@Cerberus One of my friends.

Thon's parents have agreed to pay for some of it, for some reason.

Cerberus

Yay!

That could be good leverage.

Mahnax

Leverage?

cornbread ninja

@Mahnax hooray!

Mahnax

@cornbreadninja Indeed! Now I won't be wandering the streets of Amsterdam alone.

Cerberus

20:30

@Mahnax As in, perhaps you could coax your parents into paying part of it too.

Although now is perhaps not the best time.

Mahnax

@Cerberus I would like to pay for it all myself, hehe.

Cerberus

Right.

aedia λ

Coffee! coffee coffee coffee

Cerberus

If you enjoy paying money, I think I can help you.

@aediaλ Good for you.

cornbread ninja

@aediaλ good idea.

I got some illy and it is gross.

aedia λ

20:38

I would share, but you probably don't want my stuffy-nose germs.

Mahnax

@aediaλ In a few hours I'll be off to sell that to people!

cornbread ninja

I must have had something different that other time.

Mahnax

@Cerberus But when we come to Amsterdam, you have to take us to the place where your data speed is lowest, OK? I hear it's a huge tourist location.

> Unfortunately, no one can be told who J. K. Rowling is. You have to see her for yourself.

I love these.

> Whatever can go Rowling will go Rowling.

Cerberus

@Mahnax Haha, you will have the best time there.

Mahnax

@Cerberus I can't wait, dude. It's going to be radical.

Cerberus

20:42

@aediaλ I only like the smell of coffee beans, so I think we will be able to come to an agreement.

@Mahnax Far out!

Mahnax

@Cerberus Wicked!

Cerberus

trying to think of something else

By the way, wicked, is that still used?

aedia λ

wicked awesome?

Mahnax

Um, no.

Cerberus

Radical sounds a bit dated to me, or and I mistaken?

Mahnax

20:43

Well, maybe a little.

Cerberus

@aediaλ Yeah.

Mahnax

@Cerberus They are all dated.

Cerberus

OK.

Mahnax

Some more than others.

Cerberus

phew

I'm glad I didn't fall into your trap.

It's funny how cool has stood its ground for so many decades.

OMG we're accidentally talking about Inglish.

aedia λ

20:45

@Cerberus Sometimes. I hear it in my head with a strong Boston accent and I think I remember a coworker who actually did use it, but I think it's way more likely to be used in jest than seriously.

Cerberus

hides

aedia λ

@Cerberus Hey, that can't be right.

Cerberus

@aediaλ Isn't it also a bit British?

Ed Guiness

I do like single-word-requests, but not this one so much. Not enough clues. english.stackexchange.com/q/102416/588

Mahnax

I lost my khakis, but in Boston I wouldn't be able to get into my car.

Cerberus

20:46

@aediaλ desperately tries to change the subject

Mahnax

Um, how 'bout that Frenches?

Cerberus

Yeah!

@EdGuiness I'm afraid I'm the wrong crowd...

I stay away from SWRs.

Mahnax

Oh, did you know? I am semi-retired!

Ed Guiness

@cerberus how do you like crossword puzzles?

Cerberus

@Mahnax Already?

aedia λ

20:47

@Cerberus Hmm. I don't know.

Mahnax

@Cerberus Yep!

Cerberus

@EdGuiness Negatively.

Sorry.

I suck at cryptograms too.

Ed Guiness

@cerberus whoa, I didn't expect consistency.

Cerberus

@Mahnax How did you manage it at your age?

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

good morning

Cerberus

20:48

@EdGuiness It's the only thing I have, consistency. Or perhaps I don't. Damn.

Mahnax

@Cerberus I won the lottery.

@EdGuiness His custards are never runny.

Cerberus

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 God night!

Ed Guiness

@Mahnax Custard? That reminds me of pudding.

Cerberus

@Mahnax You did? I didn't know lottery winners cared about tickets.

Mahnax

@EdGuiness Pudding? That reminds me of Quebec.

@Cerberus Shut up, you!

chuckles

Cerberus

20:50

Québec? that reminds me of pudding.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@Cerberus I prefer my nights godless, thanks

Cerberus

Does Satan count?

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

@Cerberus No, because he isn't considered a god, and because he doesn't exist.

Ed Guiness

Québec? That reminds that I only just recently discovered a use for the Altgr key

Cerberus

That's an odd piece of argumentation there.

@EdGuiness And you're very quick with it already!

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

20:51

@Cerberus Yeah. Well, it was an odd question.

Cerberus

Mebbeh.

Ed Guiness

@cerberus it's all I have

Cerberus

OK. We could trade. Their relative value would be equal.

Ed Guiness

Fair warning, I'm not consistént with it

Cerberus

facepaw

5

Matt Эллен

20:53

on tumblr "I'm sorry we're having problems right now" means "We did the thing you wanted". Yay!

Cerberus

Huh?

aedia λ

@EdGuiness Ones like this drive me nuts because I don't understand the particular drive for a single word. When what you mean to say is "They weren't actually airheaded" why does that need to be reduced?

Matt Эллен

I clicked a button and tumblr told me it was broken, but the thing it was meant to do happened.

Mahnax

@MattЭллен The same thing happened to me, actually.

Matt Эллен

just now?

Mahnax

20:55

Well, about 25 minutes ago.

aedia λ

I don't know what tumblr is supposed to be doing.

Matt Эллен

interesting

Cerberus

@aediaλ Star.

Matt Эллен

@aediaλ it's like falling down with media

Cerberus

@MattЭллен Yay! I have that too on some sites.

Mahnax

20:56

@aediaλ Crying over pictures of celebrities and television and such.

Or so they say.

Matt Эллен

and limericks

aedia λ

I treat it like any other website, except one that gets unusually bloated with comments for some reason and makes it hard to find the other posts near an entry that is interesting

Cerberus

@aediaλ Neither do I. I think it tumbles.

Mahnax

Yes, limericks indeed.

Cerberus

Oh.

Mahnax

20:57

Well, at least in Matt's case.

Cerberus

I have no idea what Tumbler is. I know nothing about it buts the name.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

yeah, holy shit Matt, my RSS reader is full of limericks these days

Ed Guiness

@aedia No argument on that score. Personally I just like getting internet points for crossword puzzle questions

aedia λ

It always tells me that other people re-somethinged the thing I'm looking at, and I don't care. And then I leave.

Cerberus

Hahaha.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

20:57

and some of them have words I don't know. or pronounce differently

Cerberus

That sounds like Facebook to me.

Every time I log in, I get all sorts of pop-ups.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

popups? in facebook?

Cerberus

"By this virus scanner, your computer is in danger" and such.

Mahnax

@Cerberus adblock

Cerberus

And then I can't do anything until I reboot.

Oh, well.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

20:58

you shouldn't see popups in facebook

Hugo

Dunno if you know, but I figured out who recently deleted user19341 is.

Arch.

Cerberus

Oh! Why did he delete himself?

Hugo

@Cerberus That I don't know.

Cerberus

@Mr.ShinyandNew安宇 I mean pop-up tooltips-resembling messages explaining what button blahblah does.

There are always new buttons and menus and lay-outs on Facebook.

Mahnax

Yes, if you Google "english.stackexchange.com/users/19341" then it will tell you who it is.

Mr. Shiny and New 安宇

20:59

@Cerberus what did you mean by the virus scanner thing?

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