Random Thoughts Part 4 - Split Thread

[Silicon Waffle]

I'm afraid to look old. I don't know why, but after looking at my pictures taken 15 years ago then looking at myself in the mirror, I'm sad and so worried.

 

[zoobyshoe]

I got into a kind of awkward conversation with an English teacher/professor (not clear whom).

Should be, "(not clear which)".

I know 2-3 things about literature ( not proud of it, but it's true), and I corrected him on the line " It was the best of times, it was the worst of times" being from a Tale of Two Cities. It is one of the few things I know, probably from watching Jeopardy. He seemed embarrassed and kept apologizing and trying to explain why he had gotten it wrong. Any other line, I would most likely not have been able to source, but somehow this line came up in the conversation.

What book did he think it was from?

 

[WWGD]

Should be, "(not clear which)".

What book did he think it was from?

Yes, my bad, "not clear which", obviously, I don't know what (or maybe even if) I was thinking. I think he believed it was from Oliver Twist. It is strange when you know facts detached from a context, as is the case with much of the stuff I have learned from watching Jeopardy. I think this guy was worried that I would consider his ignorance of this fact to be representative of a more general level of ignorance on the topic. In a sense, the conversation is a random sample of his knowledge, but not necessarily a representative one.

 

[Silicon Waffle]

I am currently having a job in school library and the courses I am taking are elective. I would want to land a full time job in some company . Even they allow me to work only 1 or 2 months as probationary periods, I can still have some money. I've sent my applications to several but still get no reply. People don't seem to like an old talented student - super star.

 

[WWGD]

I am currently having a job in school library and the courses I am taking are elective. I would want to land a full time job in some company . Even they allow me to work only 1 or 2 months as probationary periods, I can still have some money. I've sent my applications to several but still get no reply. People don't seem to like an old talented student - super star.

Why are you on probation?

 

[Silicon Waffle]

Why are you on probation?

Before becoming an employee officially they tend to do so to reduce their pays during the first couple of months and also to test candidates' qualifications or experience. 2 face-to-face interviews plus a paper test can't say anything much.
OK now your turn to tell me why someone is on probation.

 

[WWGD]

Before becoming an employee officially they tend to do so to reduce their pays during the first couple of months and also to test candidates' qualifications or experience. 2 face-to-face interviews plus a paper test can't say anything much.
OK now your turn to tell me why someone is on probation.

I am on probation because I hate to dress up. I hate to wear a suit and tie. I wish I could show in casual, even better, with a t-shirt. I am surprised that the usually pragmatic business people continue with the practice of dressing up even though it does not , I believe, help increase the bottom line: I have heard many people who dress up say they cannot wait to get home and change into jeans and a t-shirt. This means they were not feeling comfortable with their clothes while working, which I don't believe is good for productivity.

 

[collinsmark]

I am on probation because I hate to dress up. I hate to wear a suit and tie. I wish I could show in casual, even better, with a t-shirt. I am surprised that the usually pragmatic business people continue with the practice of dressing up even though it does not , I believe, help increase the bottom line: I have heard many people who dress up say they cannot wait to get home and change into jeans and a t-shirt. This means they were not feeling comfortable with their clothes while working, which I don't believe is good for productivity.

Much of dress code depends not only on your job position (such as whether you work with customers or the public on a daily basis) but also just as much on where you live. (The following cartoon applies to east and west coast USA.)

[Source: http://theoatmeal.com/pl/minor_differences5/suit]

 

[Evo]

Collinsmark is right, it depends on the culture, are you dealing with high level corporate clients? You're going to wear a suit, unless maybe you're in California. I remember our VP coming through our office one day because we dressed casually on days when we dropped into th office and had no client meetings scheduled. He said, ok, you can wear jeans and sweats in here, but you have to have a suit and shoes in your office in case you get a call and need to see a client on short notice. So we all kept a set of work clothes in our offices. I only had to change clothes once, most clients did not need emergency meetings.

 

[Astronuc]

After living through three centuries, Jeralean Talley, the world’s oldest woman, has died at age 116.
https://www.yahoo.com/health/jeralean-talley-worlds-oldest-woman-dies-at-116-121851779007.html

Talley, who lived in Inkster, Mich., near Detroit, credited her incredible lifespan to God. The Detroit News reported her saying earlier this year, “Every day is a gift from above. There is nothing we can do without God. He made us, and he knew when he wanted to take us.“

Her active life of fishing, baking walnut pies with nuts from her yard, and gardening began in Montrose, Ga., in 1899. She moved to Michigan with her husband of 52 years, Alfred Talley, in the 1930s.

Jeralean stayed active even into her 100s — bowling until she was 104 and even mowing her own lawn until a few years ago. Family friend Michael Kinloch told Yahoo Health that on a recent walk with him, she said, “I don’t feel bad. I don’t feel sick. I feel as good as you do, and I look as good as you do. I just can’t get around as well as you do.”

May we live so well.

 

[zoobyshoe]

Snippet of conversation I overheard:

"Oh accountable! I thought you said cannibal."

 

[OmCheeto]

Snippet of conversation I overheard:

"Oh accountable! I thought you said cannibal."

Someone I knew, once approached me and some of my friends, and I heard him call me "Cinnamon".
When I asked what prompted him to call me that, he explained that he had actually said; "Gentlemen".
I think we joked about how Cinnamon would be a good drag queen name, if I should ever get bored, and become one.
And from that day forward, he always greeted me as Cinnamon.

ps. According to the Drag Queen Name Generator, Cinnamon is on the list.

 

[WWGD]

Collinsmark is right, it depends on the culture, are you dealing with high level corporate clients? You're going to wear a suit, unless maybe you're in California. I remember our VP coming through our office one day because we dressed casually on days when we dropped into th office and had no client meetings scheduled. He said, ok, you can wear jeans and sweats in here, but you have to have a suit and shoes in your office in case you get a call and need to see a client on short notice. So we all kept a set of work clothes in our offices. I only had to change clothes once, most clients did not need emergency meetings.

I would love to see Obama ( or any other president) addressing congress, both him, all of them, in gym shorts and tee-shirts. While we're at it, why not use advertising in the state of the union or other: " this law will benefit us in the same way Ritz crackers benefits cheese" , displaying the Ritz logo. Or: "I lways bring my Oreos to a filibuster. And I also bring my Clamexopan pills to slow the urge to urinate, so I can conduct my filibuster for 48 hours ". Wouldn't that help pay the national debt? And the Whitehouse plastered with ads for Best Western , CVS, Denny's , etc. (Maybe Trump would buy into it).

That is the casual environment I long for. I can't stand high levels of formality and etiquette.

 

[WWGD]

A happy, fortuitous (I may need to retake the GRE, so I am practicing my vocabulary) find: while surfing thru cable (I just have basic), I found out I have the Smithsonian channel in my lineup. Good thing I decided to venture beyond channel 300. I wonder why they cannot line up the channels to avoid having a swath of 100+ channels without any content; out of a total of around 2000 potential channels, only around 400 have actual content. I guess it has to see with the frequency of the signal.

A weird thing is that, I was watching this guy being interviewed and his lips had a fixed downward arch, i.e., when he was relaxed , his lips (actually the entrance to his mouth between the lips) described a downward arch, i.e., the upper-half of a circle. This arching remained for around 45 minutes, so I don't think it was a situational thing. I assume most people's lips describe something close to a horizontal straight line. I don't remember having seen anyone with the "opposite" arching, i.e., someone whose " resting lip expression" is an upward arch, the lower-half of a semicircle, other than, of course, clowns, or the joker..

 

[WWGD]

There seems to have been no fuss made over ARod's 3000th hit. It was a homerun, but the fan who caught it is unwilling to return it.

 

[zoobyshoe]

The very first James Bond: a made for TV movie of Casino Royale from 1954.

The first James Bond, Barry Nelson, leaves something to be desired. The first James Bond villain however, Peter Lorre, was the right idea.

 

[Silicon Waffle]

The very first James Bond: a made for TV movie of Casino Royale from 1954.

The first James Bond, Barry Nelson, leaves something to be desired. The first James Bond villain however, Peter Lorre, was the right idea.

Oh no, so boring, I thought this was a classic XXX video.

 

[WWGD]

Oh no, so boring, I thought this was a classic XXX video.

Maybe you misunderstood the meaning of "something to be desired"?

 

[Silicon Waffle]

Maybe you misunderstood the meaning of "something to be desired"?

Whatever. If I recall correctly, I have never meant anything specific at all except being an online psychopath as always.

 

[Astronuc]

The very first James Bond: a made for TV movie of Casino Royale from 1954.

The first James Bond, Barry Nelson, leaves something to be desired. The first James Bond villain however, Peter Lorre, was the right idea.

Corny dialog from the 1950s, and Nelson seems like he's trying to sound like Humphrey Bogart.

 

[WWGD]

What is it with these people on public bathrooms that, after "doing their thing" , wash their hands
with water, but who use no soap? Best interpretation is that they are partially submitting/ bowing-to peer/societal pressure to be, appear "hygienically correct" .
But if they go as far as using water, why not also use soap, which is a few inches away? Still, I have a record of their faces, and if they work at a restaurant I frequent (and , worse, if they are the cooks), then no soup for me -- I am outta there. Or, if I get to meet them, no handshake.

EDIT: Interestingly, I got a correction (the wiggly red underlining you get when you misspell a word) for writing outtta ( 3 t's) , but none for writing "outta", though neither is an actual English word.

 

[Astronuc]

When it comes to getting a job, Americans believe skills trump college
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/comes-getting-job-americans-believe-113000640.html

Well - in theory - a college education and development of skills should go hand in hand, i.e., be complementary. If not, then the system is broken and needs fixing.

 

[WWGD]

When it comes to getting a job, Americans believe skills trump college
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/comes-getting-job-americans-believe-113000640.html
<Snip>
.

Maybe it is wishful thinking, since people know a college education will put them at $40,000+ in debt ( without grad school).

 

[zoobyshoe]

Corny dialog from the 1950s, and Nelson seems like he's trying to sound like Humphrey Bogart.

For me it's an extremely interesting historical document, not in spite of the flaws but because of them.

As a James Bond fan, I am intrigued that they thought it would be a good idea to rewrite him as an American (worst idea ever) and that they cast an actor who has no discernible charisma. This has got to be the worst James Bond of all. The woman is O.K. but the best acting comes from Bond's British contact, who is a mere secondary character.

I thought they did a good job of telescoping the book down to a 50 minute teleplay, but, of course, they had to sanitize many "gritty" elements that make the book a nail-biting read, even today.

I can't figure out if it was shot ahead of time and later broadcast, or if it was a live performance, broadcast as it was performed, but it has the sloppy, tentative feel of the latter: long group shots with minimal cuts to closeups, really bad fight scenes with obviously fake punches. Peter Lorre was the right idea for the villain, but he seems to be phoning in too many of his lines, as if they didn't get enough rehearsal time for him to develop some depth to the character.

So, it says volumes about early T.V. and should make people who don't appreciate Sean Connery respect his Bond more: he was an order of magnitude better than Barry Nelson.

 

[rootone]

Is James Bond still hanging around swimming pools with women in beehive hairstyles whilst sipping expensive champagne or more exotic stuff?

 

[WWGD]

It is pretty notable that the Bond franchise has lasted as long as it has, from around 1969 till today ( at least).

 

[zoobyshoe]

It is pretty notable that the Bond franchise has lasted as long as it has, from around 1969 till today ( at least).

First was Dr. No in 1962. Latest is Spectre which will come out this year.

 

[rootone]

I guess 'James Bond' as a concept is sort of similar to relativity.
It's a working formula that nobody has yet been able to replace with an improved model.
(Girls, ahem women, are a constant, they are always observed to be approximately 23 years old within normal margins of error.)

 

[zoobyshoe]

Entitled, "My Irrational Childhood Fear" :
http://www.tickld.com/pic/t/1216674

I actually met a girl who confessed to this. People who see Jaws at a certain young age can apparently develop this phobia.

When I was a kid, it was the movie, The Birds that did it. Kids would become anxious if there was more than one bird on a telephone pole.

 

[WWGD]

Entitled, "My Irrational Childhood Fear" :
http://www.tickld.com/pic/t/1216674

I actually met a girl who confessed to this. People who see Jaws at a certain young age can apparently develop this phobia.

When I was a kid, it was the movie, The Birds that did it. Kids would become anxious if there was more than one bird on a telephone pole.

I personally have the impression that Hitchcock, King, a few others, were/ are sick f***s that get some therapy out of their films, books and screw many of those who see/read their work. Not that I think they set out to do this, but this is the effect some of their work has. And of course, there is the personal responsibility of the adults who choose to watch those movies. OTOH, some comedians, by their own admission, vent out their pain, trauma, but they do so in a way less likely to hurt others. I never understood those who go watch horror movies. Isnt your life stressful enough as it is? You can't avoid some of the stressors in your life, but you can avoid stress-inducing movies. There is an argument for the cathartic effect, but I does not come off as being very convincing.

EDIT : Sorry if I am being a buzzkill, fuddy-duddy; just that you have to pay $14 for a ticket --of course any food is extra; a popcorn, soda around $12 ( no kidding), so I do my research before going to the movies.

At any rate, I will be wearing my kryptonite --business clothes -- for an interview tomorrow.

 

[rootone]

My guess is that people watch horror movies because it gives them some confidence that life isn't all that bad really.
Well, not as bad as being eaten by a giant pirahna anyway.
The movie character has a problem with pirahnas, but the viewer is safe on their couch.

 

[Silicon Waffle]

I used to follow a facebook right-winged advertiser and was admiring her speech and news spread over haters and racism but after a small test I made on religion and gay remarks, her speech and mind changed abruptly. I understand it's her space and she has the right to do and say whatever she wants but it was pretty clear to me then that she hated the haters to show me she wasn't a hater. There were men who said she was a charming woman. How tolerant is tolerant enough and can the tolerant tolerate ?

 

[rootone]

I guess that depends on what you consider to be reasonable margins of eeror.

 

[Silicon Waffle]

I guess that depends on what you consider to be reasonable margins of eeror.

 

[collinsmark]

Not that I think they set out to do this, but this is the effect some of their work has. And of course, there is the personal responsibility of the adults who choose to watch those movies. OTOH, some comedians, by their own admission, vent out their pain, trauma, but they do so in a way less likely to hurt others. I never understood those who go watch horror movies. Isnt your life stressful enough as it is? You can't avoid some of the stressors in your life, but you can avoid stress-inducing movies. There is an argument for the cathartic effect, but I does not come off as being very convincing.

I can't speak for other people, but I absolutely love horror movies. My favorite types are the creepy, supernatural horror movies involving demons, possessions and whatnot.

I don't believe in the supernatural any more than I believe in Vulcan mind melds, light sabers or Death Stars. The fictional stories are no less interesting. And it's fascinating how the production designers manage to pull off the sets when no such things actually exist. It's the story that's exciting. That, and the way the crew manages to portray that story, which includes acting, directing, cinematography, set design, Foley work, editing, etc.

Even for awful things that do exist in real life, such as brutal murders, it doesn't make me shy away from a good murder mystery in Columbo or Matlock.

And let's not forget that Peter Jackson, most notable now for his Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit movies, had a start in over-the-top gore-fests such as Bad Taste.

Fun Activity:

I highly recommend this as a way to pass time, if the opportunity presents itself. If you are sitting around with friends and family and have several hours to spare, and are somewhat apprehensive about playing another game of Monopoly (same thing you did last year), and you happen to have a video recording device such as a camcorder or a even a smart phone these days, and a laptop. It will create fun memories that last a lifetime:

Make a 5 or 10 minute horror movie short with your friends and relatives. [Edit: a ~5 minute movie short might be better given the times I've outlined below.]

Optional: If you have any time to plan ahead and a little extra cash, get yourself a steady-hands grip (they even make these for cell phones) and an external microphone and boom (drastically improves sound quality). Download some free video editing software. Microsoft MovieMaker is one such free program, but there are others out there too with varying capabilities.

Process:

• Look around the house where you happen to be staying, for some sort of creepy figurine, toy or decoration. If you happen to be staying at "Grandma's" house, this is easy: I guarantee you that "Grandma" has some creepy sh*t lying around in plain sight: it's a fact (this is true even if you happen to be "Grandma" yourself [admit it]). If you're not at grandma's just find some unique looking object lying around. [time: 15 minutes]
  
• Sit down with your friends and family with the object and make up a special power that the object has. Is it possessed by an evil spirit? Does it grant its owner a special power? Is it an alien artifact? [time: 5 minutes]
  
• Make up a quick plot for the movie. Generally it should involve the protagonist creatively defeating the antagonist in the end, but the antagonist gets the upper hand at the beginning and middle parts. [time: 10-20 minutes]
  
• Assign roles to your fiends and family. If there are children involved, don't be afraid to assign them to be possessed or a murder victim etc. Kids play this stuff all the time: from playing cowboys and Indians, to Star Wars, to Transformers or whatever it is kids play these days. Asking a kid to feign super-power abilities or even feign death for theatrical purposes is easy; it's something that comes naturally to them. They play good villains too. [time 5 minutes]
  
• If there are special effects necessary, don't let that get in the way. Discuss how you might pull that off (examples: Chairs moving on their own with hidden string. Stop motion animation [this one greatly adds to the editing step that comes later, but it's definitely doable]. Careful choice of camera angles [great for punching; fight scenes], etc.). [time 20 minutes (might have to look in the back shed for fishing wire, etc).]
  
• Write the lines (again, you only need 5 or 10 minutes worth.) [time: 15-20 minutes (This assumes that most of the dialog is to be improvised)]
  
• Shoot the movie. [time: 60 minutes] [Edit: If you want to get detailed, conversations usually need to be shot at least twice, each time with the camera/mic focused on a particular actor, and certain dialog a third time with both actors. Amount of such detail is flexible here.]
  
• Edit the movie. This step is probably the most time consuming part, and doesn't lend itself quite as well to a group activity. But to keep others involved, recall that you might need additional sound effects/voiceovers that need to be recorded here and there. Do that on the fly. Feel free to invite friends and family members to look over your shoulder as you edit. [time: 90-120 minutes] [Edit: This process might take longer if you really want to get detailed; the 90-120 minute figure is good for a nice, simple, rough cut.]
  
• Throughout the whole process, always remember not to let your professional artistic opinions get in the way. Keep it fun. This is more about making a movie with your friends and family, and having a fun time doing it, than it is about the actual movie.
• Total time: Around 2 to 2 1/2 hours as a group activity, plus another 1 1/2 to 2 hours while you do post on your laptop siting around with everybody else, drinking beer.

And after doing it, I can almost guarantee you that you won't look at watching a horror movie as being a stressful event ever again.