I'll take malaprops for *5* Bob - Apropos of Nothing continues. . .

Palomar · 2005-08-09 20:03:44

*Finally got our last new window installed: The large picture window. Our home looks so nice and like new. Paint job was with Elastomeric, now the new double-paned windows with many screens, easily gliding panes, safety locks. It's the prettiest house in the neighborhood now.

We've discovered our kitten is female, so my husband insisted we change the name to something more feminine. I suggested "Trixie" -- he likes it (more than Camilla or ZsaZsa, my other suggestions), so Trixie it is. He couldn't think of a name.

Tomorrow night I'm going to make candied yams with our dinner. I get the presweetened/spiced yams from a can. Place them in a microwaveable bowl, dot them with bits of crushed pineapple, sprinkle chopped hazelnuts over and nuke a minute at a time until warm enough. Then I smother the bowl with miniature marshmallows and place it under a broiler, until the 'mallows are toasty golden-brown and puffy. I could eat the whole bowl.

Time to say g'night and I hope your day went better, Josh.

--Cindy

Shaun Barrett · 2005-08-09 20:53:28

Hmmm.
Lucky escape, Josh. I'm pleased your subconscious was on the ball!

Hi Cindy!
You're so right about English pronunciation. It's a dog's breakfast, and no mistake!
Some might say it's a crock of schit. (Groan! )

-- By the way, what are yams exactly? I've never tried them.

Mad Grad Student · 2005-08-09 23:08:06

Isn't this the equivalent of suggesting that use of a calculator to do advanced math is cheating, and people should be required to do their math in their heads?
A thesaurus (or a lexicon, or a word list, or a phrase book) , like a calculator, like a dictionary, like your study notes, are merely tools that enable the individual to operate more efficiently.
IMHO, the use of these aids takes nothing away from other people, so I see little point in belaboring the use of such tools by other individuals. But that is just me.
Of course, maybe I have it wrong, and short people shouldn't use ladders. They'll never grow taller using ladders.

I suppose you could say that, but I'm not sure it's a completely perfect analogy. Unfortunately, our minds aren't really built to process logarithms, or complex math, or calculate pi to an obscene number of decimal places. There are certain tasks that machines will always do better than humans, menial tasks that involve many constants and few variables. The instant any variables become involved, however, and all bets are off; that's where the good old-fashioned human brain really shines. You can do whatever you want, but I would never utilize a word that I don't fully understand (well, most of the time), which unfortunately many people tend to do when given ample access to a thersaurus. They may be synonyms, but there is a very real difference between words like "debacle" and "fiasco" and "mistake." Subtle nuances are everything in good writing, that's why I won't touch a thersaurus.

However, I fully realize that this is going to stop absolutely no one from using a thersaurus, and I understand why. It's a tool that can help its user obtain better grades, recognition from peers, what have you. The whole idea seems unsettling to me, though, it's another thing I'm weird about. Not that I have any problem with ladders, though. Ladders are our friends.

Of course, the human brain can do a myriad other tasks that artifical computers are bad at. Exploring, feeling emotions, falling in love, and dreaming new technology come to mind. Plus you can shove a human brain in an MRI machine and expect it to come out unscathed. And of course, they're the only supercomputers that can be made with unskilled labor anywhere in the world. IMHO, Arthur C. Clarke got it wrong. These aren't the waning days of carbon-based intelligence, on the contrary, the golden age of the spacecraft-building apes is just begining, no cyborgs required. We'll keep building robots, of course, but as supplements, not replacements.

Josh Cryer · 2005-08-10 01:07:34

Bah, another sleepless night. I wonder how many of you have noticed me on here at 2-3AM on a work week. You should all pity me for my ceaseless insomnia.

Palomar · 2005-08-10 06:58:58

-- By the way, what are yams exactly? I've never tried them.

*You haven't lived, baby.

I could have said "sweet potatoes" but...

http://homecooking.about.com/library/we … 7.htm]that wouldn't be right either.

Checked the cans in my pantry: Yep...yams.

Sweet potatoes are good too, of course. I prefer yams though. A brand name around here is "Sugary Sam's Golden Yams." Impossible to forget that automatic "jingle."

Josh:

Bah, another sleepless night. I wonder how many of you have noticed me on here at 2-3AM on a work week. You should all pity me for my ceaseless insomnia.

I can't imagine. You seem to indicate it's a chronic, ongoing issue...sorry to know it. There are sleep clinics with specialists who might be able to help. Or get some advice from WebMD.

--Cindy

Cobra Commander · 2005-08-10 07:07:45

You should all pity me for my ceaseless insomnia.

If you've got time to sleep you've one-upped me, even if you can't actually do it.

However as a sleep aid I recommend sparring against multiple opponents, almost any martial art will do, for an hour or so until you're almost too tired to stand. You'll sleep for half a day after.

I never said it was practical, just that it works.

clark · 2005-08-10 09:20:44

Violence aside, have you tried warm milk?

Unless of course you prefer the ninja way of doing things.

Cobra Commander · 2005-08-10 09:22:28

I hear several warm beers have a similar effect, but can't vouch for that one.

Palomar · 2005-08-10 10:20:43

Good grief, my husband just accidentally stepped on the kitten; what a squeal she gave, poor baby. :cry: She's getting under our feet now; I nearly tripped over her yesterday. Was standing looking out the window, didn't feel her little body between my bare feet. ::SIGH:: We look out for her constantly, but she's so quick.

--Cindy

BWhite · 2005-08-10 12:01:07

Not exactly a web sig, but I hear it is making the rounds in Iraq.

It's better to be judged by 12 than carried by 6 - - If my kid was over there, I'd say "Damn straight" you take that advice, son.

But, bigger picture, if we do adopt the old VC mantra, If he runs, he's VC; if he don't run, he's disciplined VC how can US forces possibly establish a civil society?

= = =

Here is a web sig:

"I've got no problem with God. It's his followers that scare me!"

clark · 2005-08-10 20:43:50

I suppose you could say that, but I'm not sure it's a completely perfect analogy. Unfortunately, our minds aren't really built to process logarithms, or complex math, or calculate pi to an obscene number of decimal places.

The first computer was the size of a warehouse, and it could just barely do the calculations you do in your head.

Individuals with various forms of autism have demonstrated complex mathematical capability rivaling most modern computers.

IBM built a super computer that just barely beat the world chess champion, and only after years of programming the computer to play against this one opponent.

Through various mathematical axioms and approaches, one can do complex mathematics in seconds- faster than it would take to punch the numbers on your calculator (of course it takes time, practice, and patience).

Your theory falls flat in the face of experience and evidence. You are rationalizing the use of study aids in one instance but not in another, when the only difference is a qualitative bias on your own part.

You can do whatever you want, but I would never utilize a word that I don't fully understand (well, most of the time), which unfortunately many people tend to do when given ample access to a thesaurus. They may be synonyms, but there is a very real difference between words like "debacle" and "fiasco" and "mistake." Subtle nuances are everything in good writing, that's why I won't touch a thesaurus.

Those differences you refer to are the result of context driven sentence structure, which are culturally and historically linked to the author and to the audience. They are like shades of the same color, and often times can be substituted for one another. The only reason one moves further into the territory of specific word choice within writing is to convey a specific meaning, or to capture a particular essence.

For the most part, generalized writing can make do with any of them. Besides, one shouldn't use a thesaurus alone- there is the complaint. A thesaurus has more value if it is used in conjunction with a dictionary, since this allows you to cross reference the generally held meaning of the word you choose. A thesaurus is more of a short-cut to group words that are similar in meaning (instead of not knowing the word and having to read the entire dictionary looking for another word like the one you have in mind.)

However, I fully realize that this is going to stop absolutely no one from using a thersaurus, and I understand why. It's a tool that can help its user obtain better grades, recognition from peers, what have you. The whole idea seems unsettling to me, though, it's another thing I'm weird about. Not that I have any problem with ladders, though. Ladders are our friends.

What?! Dude, look over the next hill. Grades do not mean as much as you might think. Yeah, they are important in an immediate sense, but long term, your GPA will not mean a lick in 20 years.

Of course, the human brain can do a myriad other tasks that artificial computers are bad at. Exploring, feeling emotions, falling in love, and dreaming new technology come to mind.

Just to be argumentative, how do you know they don't do these things but express them in ways we cannot fathom, or are unable to act upon their "feelings" due to a lack of capability bequeathed by their creators?

Feelings are nothing more than a chemical reaction to electrically generated stimuli; various emotions are the end state of a feedback process loop. Dreams are nothing more than random electrical impulses that reorganize short term and long-term memory (which is one reason why memory goes due to sleep deprivation).

Ever defrag a computer? Same thing.

Plus you can shove a human brain in an MRI machine and expect it to come out unscathed.

And you can shove a PC into vacuum and expect the same thing. Environmental resistance is relative and no measure of relative worth.

And of course, they're the only supercomputers that can be made with unskilled labor anywhere in the world.

And any two idiots can make a baby.

John Creighton · 2005-08-10 22:54:33

And any two idiots can make a baby.

Tom and Harry? What if tom is sterile? I think then they will need a third.

clark · 2005-08-12 21:32:12

Okay, any two idiots and the occasional geneticist.

Oh Brave New World....

Mad Grad Student · 2005-08-12 23:52:00

Alrighty then. I guess someone was feeling argumentative.

Your theory falls flat in the face of experience and evidence. You are rationalizing the use of study aids in one instance but not in another, when the only difference is a qualitative bias on your own part.

My theory falls flat in the face of some rather odd and misapplied evidence. The fact that the first computers were the size of buildings and could only do the most rudimentary mathematical operations means nothing when a modern computer with orders of magnitude more computational power can be concealed within a Hallmark card. The fact that a few autistic individuals are exceptionally good at esoteric math applications means nothing when the vast majority of the human race is fantastically bad at doing these operations. Deep Blue faced off against Gary Kasprov more than ten years ago; since then supercomputers have advanced by leaps and bounds and can be programed to be, for all intents and purposes, impossible to beat at Chess by any human opponent.

Saying that computers have no capabilities beyond ordinary human mental faculties (as you appear to imply) is not factually correct. Would you mind calculating pi to a thousand decimal places? You could probably do it, if given several hours of painstaking mental math work, but my graphing calculator can do the same operation in a fraction of a second. Just because a human brain is capable of performing a certain task does not mean that it's necessarily feasible from a practical standpoint. There is a very good reason why engineers use CFD software to acertain the flight characteristics of a new design. Computing the same numbers through mental math would take a ludicrously large interval of time. There are certain tasks for which computers are simply better-suited for than people; that's what the evidence seems to suggest.

For certain other tasks, however, there's no beating the human brain. By nature we are exquisitely good pattern-finders, and are wonderful at making causal links and rationally working through problems (at least, when we feel like it). This is why, no matter how advanced computers become there will still be no substitute for real, warm, living, breathing human beings when the task involves exploration or discovery.

Just to be argumentative, how do you know they don't do these things but express them in ways we cannot fathom, or are unable to act upon their "feelings" due to a lack of capability bequeathed by their creators?

Umm, what? Uh, yeah, I suppose that could be the case. It could also be the case that the universe was created three seconds ago by a team of multi-deminsional space kangaroos with all of your memories intact, so you only think you've been alive longer. Both theories are plausible, but neither actually deserve any credence. So far there is nothing at all that indicates that computers have the ability to think or feel beyond their programing. Considering that people design computers, you'd think we'd be pretty knowldegable about their inner workings, so it's safe to say that your compy won't feel hurt if abandon it for the new and improved iteration. I assume that you're not actually being serious, but there are real reasons why we know that computers aren't haunted with mystical spirits or any other kind of mumbo-jumbo.

What?! Dude, look over the next hill. Grades do not mean as much as you might think. Yeah, they are important in an immediate sense, but long term, your GPA will not mean a lick in 20 years.

What would you suggest I focus on, then? There are very real, very good reasons to focus on grades for someone in my position. You'd think we'd be arguing this the other way around, with me begging to ditch classes and throw caution into the wind and you pleading with me to think of my future. Weird, huh? Just making another good-natured poke in the eye, of course.

If you want to use a thersaurus, fine by me. However, I'm not going to, and now you know my reasoning behind my decision. I didn't just wake up one morning and think Hey, wouldn't it be fun to rationalize reasons why not to use a thersaurus!? The reasons justify the actions in my humble opinion.

Odd, the apropos used the be merely the thread of complete and utter friovolity. Now it's become the thread of complete and utter friovolity, plus very serious, heated debate. Now that's a combination you don't see every day. Brave new world indeedy.

clark · 2005-08-15 12:21:43

Interesting little factoid about the new boards. You can see those hidden from view if you are on their list. Doesn't matter which one.

Palomar · 2005-08-16 10:00:09

*Okay Mad Grad, you want serious/heated debate mixed in with frivolity, here goes:

What do you like on your pizza? Do you even like pizza?

Here's my favorite: Deep dish/pan style with pepperoni, sausage (the cooked ground sausage type), pineapple bits, green chile (hot) peppers and chopped onions. YUM. Got your salty, sweet, crunchy, gooey, savory all combined.

I woke up at 4:00 a.m. wanting a slice!

Usually I'm only craving scrambled eggs or a bowl of cereal at that hour, lol.

My husband and I usually order/go out for a pizza maybe once every two months. Uno has the best. Pizza Hut next (yep...gotta do the corporation thing with pizza around here; no mom and pop places at all).

--Cindy

Palomar · 2005-08-17 12:29:00

*Our exterior home/window improvements are almost complete and I wish the guy (James) would get here and wrap up the piddly remaining stuff. He was supposed to be here around 7:30 a.m., then 11:00 a.m. My husband is getting very antsy about it. Monday and yesterday they got into a verbal altercation; yesterday afternoon I was afraid it'd come to blows. James has fulfilled his contract to the letter, yet suddenly he's dragging his feet about finishing up; he wants my husband to do that, apparently. The picture window needs framing and some other odds & ends; that's it. James insists the contract doesn't include interior work...well by golly, then why did he frame all the OTHER windows in the house?? Makes no sense. I just wish he'd get here and finish up once and for all. I feel sorry for anyone who has to go through MONTHS of home renovation b.s. One month of it is enough when dealing with a contractor, thank you very much. I'm all in favor of Do It Yourself now. :evil:

--Cindy

P.S.: Four hours later and still no James, no phone call. I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he's deliberately holding out on getting here many hours after we've last heard from him, just to get back at my husband for their animosities Monday and yesterday. :evil:

clark · 2005-08-17 20:10:54

I once convinced a girl that the entire state of Idaho was a conspiracy created by the map makers.

True story.

Some people are so stupid.

Shaun Barrett · 2005-08-18 02:09:06

I sympathize wholeheartedly.
We once employed a builder to do a major renovation and extension on our home in Victoria.
"3 months", he said.
We moved into a 5.5 metre caravan (do Americans call these 'trailers'?) in the back yard, with two toddlers aged 2 and 4 years, expecting to at least get back into the house in a few weeks.
We didn't get back into the house for over 3 months (it was winter) and he didn't finish the job for 12 months in total!
At one stage I went around to his house, met his wife, explained we had two little kids in a caravan in a freezing back yard, and begged her to ask her husband to get on with the job.
She closed the door in my face.

Don't talk to me about builders!

Palomar · 2005-08-18 04:41:16

I sympathize wholeheartedly.
We once employed a builder to do a major renovation and extension on our home in Victoria.
"3 months", he said.
We moved into a 5.5 metre caravan (do Americans call these 'trailers'?) in the back yard, with two toddlers aged 2 and 4 years, expecting to at least get back into the house in a few weeks.
We didn't get back into the house for over 3 months (it was winter) and he didn't finish the job for 12 months in total!
At one stage I went around to his house, met his wife, explained we had two little kids in a caravan in a freezing back yard, and begged her to ask her husband to get on with the job.
She closed the door in my face.
Don't talk to me about builders!

*That's awful. Yes, there are certainly worse examples "out there." And you had such small children.

What you call a "caravan" we'd call an "RV" (recreational vehicle). Sometimes they're referred to as "trailers"...but then so are prefabricated homes (which are also called "mobile homes"...not sure why, since they're only mobile when they're being taken to the lot they'll rest upon or being moved to a different rental lot). Regional wording preferences have something to do with this, as does mixing up wording.

Reminds me of shopping carts. In some parts of America they're called carts (my use); in other regions they're referred to as baskets or buggies. Aren't they referred to as "trollies" in the UK, maybe Australia too?

Well, in an attempt to perk things up a bit: The entire cast of Gilligan's Island appeared in my dreams last night. In a "reality TV" sort of way...even though I don't watch reality TV. Where's the :hm: emoticon? LOL...

What was particularly strange about the dream is sometimes the actors appeared as they did in the 1960s show...and then suddenly they were aged (current) again...then back to youth. Hmmmmmmmm....

--Cindy

Shaun Barrett · 2005-08-18 06:43:33

Cindy:-

What you call a "caravan" we'd call an "RV" (recreational vehicle). Sometimes they're referred to as "trailers"...but then so are prefabricated homes (which are also called "mobile homes"...not sure why, since they're only mobile when they're being taken to the lot they'll rest upon or being moved to a different rental lot). Regional wording preferences have something to do with this, as does mixing up wording.

Yes, there can be 'translational problems'.

In Australia ...

This is a trailer:-

This is a camper trailer:-

This is a caravan:-

This is a motorhome:-

This is a mobile or relocatable home:-

This is a supermarket trolley:-

:!: :!: :!:

Palomar · 2005-08-18 07:07:53

*Hey Shaun. Everything's the same in general popular U.S. usage except for "caravan" (I think of a group of vehicles traveling together in a line when the word "caravan" is used)...and of course "trolley."

As for supermarkets, I prefer "trolley." It's a cute word. I first heard it referred to in that manner in a U2 song (of all things!). Of course if I actually used that word I'd get some rather strange looks I'm sure, lol.

--Cindy

Cobra Commander · 2005-08-18 07:10:30

Ah yes, those annoying local lingusitic peculiarities.

Several years ago I was in Florida, meeting up with some people that arrived the day before. I went to the front desk of the hotel to get a parking pass. They ask what my "tab" is. I don't know. They say I need to have a tab, I tell them I'm here to get one, they tell me I can't get one there. This goes on for awhile, each of us trying to figure out what the hell the other was talking about. Finally the clerk says "the license tab on your car, what are the numbers?"

"Plate" I answer. "License plate." After that everything was cool, though I've never heard anyone else refer to it as a "tab."

But then the next day I had to get a friend out of "jail" that was really just a tent full of drunks, so . . . :?

Palomar · 2005-08-18 07:21:31

"Plate" I answer. "License plate." After that everything was cool, though I've never heard anyone else refer to it as a "tab."

*Hmmmm, I've never heard of it referred to as a "tab" either. Yeah, that'd be confusing.

In eastern TX they used a phrase which seemed unusual. An example: "I'll be there Wednesday week." :?: Did that mean Wednesday of next week? A week from this Wednesday?

Not sure if they still do that.

--Cindy

Josh Cryer · 2005-08-18 10:35:59

Why didn't you guys do the home renovation stuff yourself? A gal friend of mines parents and sister redid their whole house in the span of about 3 months for the fraction of the cost of getting a professional to do it, and if I do say so myself, the results are shocking, they did a really good job, and never laid tile before in their life. I never plan to get a contractor if I ever want to do renovations. Just doing it myself would be fun.

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