[pilowsky]

Neunundneunzig luftballons
Everyone knows the words...

[barmar]

 Czbornik, on 2023-February-02, 20:19, said:

You said, "I don't know about time zones and differences between USA and here." I was simply trying to help you figure it out. US EST is GMT-5. USA CST is GMT-6. USA PST is GMT-8, Sydney, Australia is GMT+11, etc. I was just trying to offer enlightenment. If you were offended that's your problem.

They obviously didn't mean it literally, since it was part of a sarcastic sentence about the date (referring to April 1, i.e. April Fools Day), not the time. Replying to it with a pedantic explanation of timezones just shows how poor you are at reading.

[Czbornik]

 barmar, on 2023-February-06, 17:10, said:

They obviously didn't mean it literally, since it was part of a sarcastic sentence about the date (referring to April 1, i.e. April Fools Day), not the time. Replying to it with a pedantic explanation of timezones just shows how poor you are at reading.

What is "obvious" to one person is not necessarily "obvious" to another. When s/he said "I don't know about time zones and differences between USA and here." I assumed s/he was serious about "I don't know about time zones and differences between USA and here." If I ruffled feathers by explaining time zones I apologize. It was well-intentioned and hopefully enlightening.

[Gilithin]

 Czbornik, on 2023-February-06, 19:23, said:

What is "obvious" to one person is not necessarily "obvious" to another.

I am sorry it was not obvious to you that the first line of thepossum's post was just a set-up to the De Santis joke that followed. Maybe you can use this as a learning experience and look for more depth in language in your future interactions.

[kenberg]

I can't resist coming in with this old but true story.

I am retired faculty at the University of Maryland (the Terrapins) and I was serving a term on the campus senate. This was long ago when internet communication was in its infancy. There was some controversial topic that we tabled to allow thought and discussion until the following week, and this discussion was taking place in this new medium. A strongly worded post appeared going on at legth about the Campus Code, except he consistently dropped the e so it was the Campus Cod. His email signature identified him as some sort of turtle (presumably because of our Terrapin mascot). So I responded to all that we had jusr received a message from a turtle discussing campus cod, and added "as JImmy Durante once (well, far more than once) said, everybody wants to get into the act". Of course I got an immediate response. just to me, from the turtle strongly asserting his right to express an opinion. I responded that I had intended it as humorous that a turtle was posting an opinion about cod. He saw my point but explained that he is used to seeing a smiley face included when someone is joking. I considered writing to say I expect people to understand that when I quote Jimmy Durante I am joking but I decided that we had reached a peaceful state and I would leave it be.

Since then I have tried to be careful. If you are speaking with someone over the phone you can detect a misunderstood comment by the tone of voice. Face to face is even better, you notice a look of shock or confusiion. Misundersandings get cleared up in fifteen seconds or less. Internet postings lead to problems such as we see here. Several days later we are still trying to straighten it out.


Fwiw, I understood Possum to be joking, and I understood that Czb took the comment about time zones literally and intended his comment as useful. I can be naive, but that's how I took it.

[pilowsky]

In any event welcome to the forum where everyone is calm and never over reacts or takes offence at anything.

[Czbornik]

 pilowsky, on 2023-February-07, 15:18, said:

In any event welcome to the forum where everyone is calm and never over reacts or takes offence at anything.

Thank you. I presume you're the moderator here?

[pilowsky]

 Czbornik, on 2023-February-07, 18:41, said:

Thank you. I presume you're the moderator here?

No, just moderate.

[Czbornik]

 pilowsky, on 2023-February-07, 19:57, said:

No, just moderate.

I am a great fan of moderation. Sadly, it seems to be a rare quality seldom seen in the current political climate.

[Winstonm]

Well, if you are looking for mediocre I'm your guy!

[Czbornik]

 Winstonm, on 2023-February-08, 20:02, said:

Well, if you are looking for mediocre I'm your guy!

"A man's gotta know his limitations."

[Winstonm]

The amount of energy needed to refute bullshit is an order of magnitude bigger than to produce it. - Gish Galloper

[pilowsky]

Brandolini's law

[pilowsky]

Apparently it isn't possible to teach children to read in Fla until all the books are checked for dangerous ideas.

The Guardian said:

Florida teachers forced to remove or cover up books to avoid felony charges

[Winstonm]

No surprise about Florida; spousal abusers make up a large voting block.

[kenberg]

This stuff about books comes up from time to time and, as usual, I reflect on my own experience.

The only book my mother ever forbade me to read was one that explained how I could make my own fireworks. I was 12 or so, maybe 11. I found the book in the St. Paul public library, not the school library.

Suppose such a book is in the school library, a kid could just take it from the shelf and read it. Some parents, my mother, for example, would object. If the librarian thinks it's a good book, it teaches chemistry, he won't remove it, then should the parents have a say on this?

The question is not entirely academic. When I was a teen some youngsters of about my age were doing some chemical stuff in a garage and it led to an explosion. Serious injury at least, I can't recall if anyone died. I didn't know them.

There is a rating system for movies. My younger daughter loved horror movies when she was 10 or so. I would have to take her or they would not let her in, and I am sure there were some that would not let her in even if I were with her.

I think 16-year-olds should be free to read whatever they want, but not 10-year-olds.

And whatever they are allowed to read at whatever age, I think they are then free to have their own opinion about it.

Anyway, I expect that most parents of 10-year-old children believe that they should have some say in what their children are allowed to read, what they are required to read, and what they are expected to agree, or to say they agree, with. This seems obvious to me, and if it were accepted as obvious by everyone then a better discussion might ensue. It won't solve all problems, some parents are nuts, impossible to work with, but it might be a start.

[pilowsky]

Excellent point.
There's a danger that children of Floridians will start building IED's, learn how to produce anthrax, or purify cocaine, if they're permitted to read instruction manuals like these books banned in Florida schools:

Cow on the Town: Practicing the Ow Sound, by Isabella Garcia
Dreamers, by Yuyi Morales
Dumpling Soup, by Jama Kim Rattigan, and Lillian Hsu-Flanders
Fry Bread: A Native American Family Story, by Kevin Noble Maillard and Juana Martinez-Neal


Perhaps 'dumpling soup' is some sort of code.

[Czbornik]

 Winstonm, on 2023-February-19, 07:49, said:

No surprise about Florida; spousal abusers make up a large voting block.

Can you please provide substantive statistics to back up this claim? I am considering moving to Florida and I don't want to move into a state full of wife beaters (or husband beaters). I anxiously await your answer. Thank you in advance.

[Winstonm]

 Czbornik, on 2023-February-19, 18:42, said:

Can you please provide substantive statistics to back up this claim? I am considering moving to Florida and I don't want to move into a state full of wife beaters (or husband beaters). I anxiously await your answer. Thank you in advance.

It’s a simple matter of extrapolation. Florida is now a red state. Republicans want to control what other people can do. Many people in Florida vote Republican. The essence of spousal abuse is control . Ergo, there you go. :-)

[Czbornik]

 Winstonm, on 2023-February-19, 19:01, said:

It’s a simple matter of extrapolation. Florida is now a red state. Republicans want to control what other people can do. Many people in Florida vote Republican. The essence of spousal abuse is control . Ergo, there you go. :-)

"The amount of energy needed to refute bullshit is an order of magnitude bigger than to produce it."