Unutterably Silly So what are you doing RIGHT NOW?

[happy_terd]

About to work out. Pulled a 15 hour shift today.

[montsnmags]

Originally Posted by FlorenceArt

Hmmmm... That would explain a few things...

But I want to know before I move in: how many other alternate personalities do you have? I hate crowds

Well, I have always assumed that MobileRead is not actually an internet forum, but simply the common area in my head for my brain-mob. So, you know...about eleventy bajillion.

Originally Posted by pshrynk

No it isn't.

Is too!

Originally Posted by devilsadvocate

Good to see someone still remembers what it should be called.



All of this is correct except the Macy part; it's actually the pseudonym of a singer in the States.

Okay not really (again, except the Macy part); Chicago (the name comes from the indigenous Potawatomi word meaning "Hey! You can't do that!") is the 3rd-largest city in the States. It used to be 2nd-largest, but then we invented something called a "suburb" and a lot of people moved into them. It is the longtime home of American President Barack Obama and many of his friends, some of whom are now either in jail or under investigation. In the 1930s, Chicago became popular for being a center of organized crime; in this case, "crime" means "illegal stuff" and "organized" means "City Hall knew about it". Since then, local government kicked out the criminals and took their jobs, thus cutting out the middle-man. There are two seasons, winter and construction. The city is home to Sears Tower, the tallest building in the Western Hemisphere; it was renamed by some idiots from an insurance company but most Chicagoans ignore the name change. Trump is building something here but a lot of us don't really care. Before being developed, the area was a large garlic field; we later became an exporter of some of the best pizza on the planet.

Seriously...I was born and raised there, and I have mostly wonderful memories of it; the art, the music, the architecture, the cultural diversity, the food--egads, the FOOD--check out this great city...quickly, before the local cronies ruin it for everyone.

I actually didn't realize it was that big...that it was more than another US city (that's not a putdown on US cities...you just have to see that personal significance can diminish with geographic distance ).

Originally Posted by recluse

Actually, I don't know why I feel lousy.
I just do, since this morning.

As for the thing, if I say it and I'm right, it will be my last post here.
If I'm wrong, which is unlikely, same result.

Remember it's just MobileRead. In the overall scheme of things, relevant to the world, relevant to your own world, relevant to importance in global rhetoric, et cetera...an argument or disagreement or debate is not that important. I love MR, but if it folded tomorrow it would barely make a ripple. I would miss folk, assuming I couldn't keep in touch, but the people I don't really "know" but disagree with...meh. I'm more stressed about the blister on my foot, because it can't be made to go away or be ignored. I'd rather talk to "friends" than get all het up over an internet discussion.

Originally Posted by DMcCunney

I have a suspicion as to what might be prompting you to do the right thing.

The simpler solution is to stop reading the thread.
______
Dennis

Or, what Dennis says, in much fewer words. I lose nothing by ignoring it, and gain time to talk to people who entertain each other and enjoy each other's company.

Originally Posted by recluse

Interesting thought, Dennis.

But I shouldn't be forced to avoid a thread that I find interesting and educational because of the actions of one who is repeatedly violating posting guidelines with impunity.

Jon

I jokingly refer to the Mod suite as the Star Chamber. Implicit in that humour is that it's private "justice", done without public purview. Although "impunity" may be apparent, in the background it may not be the reality.

Originally Posted by pshrynk

We always eat lunch at Marshall Fields in the Frango Cafe around noon to one o'clock. I'll be the guy with the babe who waaaaaay outclasses him. See ya then!

You could also just stand in the middle of the room and scream my name (the p is not silent) and I'm sure SUmkIII will not be at all embarrassed.

I "met" SUmkIII briefly on Facebook before I shut my profile down. She definitely outclasses him. But that might be because of the lowlife Aussies and apes he hangs around with, dragging his social currency worth down.

Cheers,
Marc

[recluse]

Decisions, decisions.

I could just avoid the thread, move on, until the abuse starts in the next thread, then move again. Won't that be fun!

Or, let's see, I don't, and else can happen.
Seeing as the rules that were, and are, applicable to me only apply to me.

Jon

[devilsadvocate]

Originally Posted by montsnmags

I actually didn't realize it was that big...that it was more than another US city (that's not a putdown on US cities...you just have to see that personal significance can diminish with geographic distance ).

Makes sense; I would like to think that's why I couldn't tell the difference between Perth and Melbourne if you paid me. On the other hand, if I visited each for a reasonable period of time, I'm sure there would be a distinct "feel" about each of them that of course cannot be described. U.S. cities are all over the place on that; NYC, Chicago, LA, Dallas, Washington DC, Miami...in fact it just dawned on me now that it's also geographically related. That'd make it tough to draw any direct comparisons between cities in Oz and the States which is interesting because it appears to me from those I've met thus far that Aussies seem more like Americans in demeanor than people from any other country with whom I've spoken at length.

[montsnmags]

Originally Posted by devilsadvocate

Makes sense; I would like to think that's why I couldn't tell the difference between Perth and Melbourne if you paid me. On the other hand, if I visited each for a reasonable period of time, I'm sure there would be a distinct "feel" about each of them that of course cannot be described. U.S. cities are all over the place on that; NYC, Chicago, LA, Dallas, Washington DC, Miami...in fact it just dawned on me now that it's also geographically related. That'd make it tough to draw any direct comparisons between cities in Oz and the States which is interesting because it appears to me from those I've met thus far that Aussies seem more like Americans in demeanor than people from any other country with whom I've spoken at length.

I've heard that before, yes (most often from Texans, FWIW). When I visited the US in 2000, what struck me was the variation in geography (Australia has vast swathes of similarity), but also that, whereas Australia is made up of states, with regional differences such that few could distinguish whether someone is from South Australia or Queensland (including Australians...Strine doesn't vary all that much from state to state), the US was what it said on the label: a whole lot of separate states that had united. This may seem blindingly obvious to you, but to me it was...enlightening. It changed my viewpoint of the US (I'm not talking qualitative at all...just the way I saw it). It was quite fascinating, seeing the states almost as sub-nations, with their own separate ways and powers. It shot down forever any simplistic notion of seriously starting a sentence with "Americans are..." (again, not qualitative...just those times where generalizations, useful or likely otherwise, might occur). One might as well say "Europeans/Africans/et cetera are...". There might be some generalization (useful or likely otherwise) that may cross your individual state borders, but the differences that got in the way of that...wonderful!

And you are of course right about city-differences here. I'm a (ex-) Sydney boy, and will likely always be. I've visited other city capitals, but I like Sydney best...which I couldn't say without the differences, I guess. I've no desire to move back now (seachange...it changes you, as it should ) but I still love to visit.

FWIW I somewhat visited Seattle, Philadelphia, Detroit, and Disney World (it was bloody enormous! so I'm calling it a city ). I loved Seattle. I couldn't say much about Detroit or Philly due to briefness (though we stayed in the "woods" some hours north of Detroit...beautiful, and we didn't stop driving through Valley Forge but I wish we did because it was great but instead we spent all day at a boring dog show but that's another story). I missed out on New York (part of that other story).

Shout out to my Canadian friends....Vancouver is brilliant.

Cheers,
Marc

[montsnmags]

Originally Posted by kindlekitten

phbbbbttttttt~~~~~~~~~

...

Totally justified.

Me:


(http://senorgif.com/2010/07/13/funny...imp-arent-shy/)

[Gwen Morse]

Originally Posted by montsnmags

I've heard that before, yes (most often from Texans, FWIW). When I visited the US in 2000, what struck me was the variation in geography (Australia has vast swathes of similarity), but also that, whereas Australia is made up of states, with regional differences such that few could distinguish whether someone is from South Australia or Queensland (including Australians...Strine doesn't vary all that much from state to state), the US was what it said on the label: a whole lot of separate states that had united. This may seem blindingly obvious to you, but to me it was...enlightening. It changed my viewpoint of the US (I'm not talking qualitative at all...just the way I saw it). It was quite fascinating, seeing the states almost as sub-nations, with their own separate ways and powers. It shot down forever any simplistic notion of seriously starting a sentence with "Americans are..." (again, not qualitative...just those times where generalizations, useful or likely otherwise, might occur). One might as well say "Europeans/Africans/et cetera are...". There might be some generalization (useful or likely otherwise) that may cross your individual state borders, but the differences that got in the way of that...wonderful!

That *is* very much what the US is like. It can be even worse. Are you from one of the states with a panhandle? Are you from an island or peninsula or from one side of a river when the biggest city is on the other side?

I live on Long Island. We have two Boroughs of New York City (Brooklyn and Queens) as part of our geographical island landmass. However, they are *not* part of "Long Island" in geographical parlance. "Long Islanders" are from either Nassau or Suffolk county (basically, about 2/3 of the island). "The City" can either refer to Manhattan, or the entirely of the Five Burroughs according to a Long Islander, depending on spoken context. "The City" *only* refers to Manhattan to anyone from any of the Boroughs.

Then, there's the inter-state rivalries. New Yorkers sneer at people from New Jersey. New Jersey people sneer at people from New York. For some, not quite explained reason, "everyone" seems to sneer at Ohio.

Next up, there's the regional divisions. "North vs. South". "Deep South vs. Southwest." "East Coast vs West." "Red states vs Blue states".

It's all rather amazing we haven't melted down yet, because you can't drive 100 miles without finding a location that absolutely loathes the people 100 miles away from *them*. But, at even the merely implication of an insult towards the nation at large, we suddenly close ranks into a single, impenetrable mass.

[GraceKrispy]

Originally Posted by montsnmags

It was quite fascinating, seeing the states almost as sub-nations, with their own separate ways and powers.

A good many Hawaiians do consider themselves an independent nation, and some are trying to gather up forces to make it so. My kids did not learn the National Anthem of the US until I taught them. But they know all the verses to the Hawaiian state song (aka anthem).

Originally Posted by montsnmags

FWIW I somewhat visited Seattle, Philadelphia, Detroit, and Disney World (it was bloody enormous! so I'm calling it a city ). I loved Seattle. <SNIP>

Shout out to my Canadian friends....Vancouver is brilliant.

Great choices! Two of my favorite places as well! I lived in Seattle for a while and loved it (want to go back), and my husband really wants to move up to Vancouver (he's got dual citizenship, as do our kids).

Originally Posted by Gwen Morse

It's all rather amazing we haven't melted down yet, because you can't drive 100 miles without finding a location that absolutely loathes the people 100 miles away from *them*.

A few regional jokes to prove the point:

What did the Minnesotan do when the Iowan threw a bomb over the border?
Picked it up, lit it and threw it back.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
What do you call a Navajo with a white girlfriend?
Sheepherder
(Zuni Indian joke)

[devilsadvocate]

Originally Posted by montsnmags

I've heard that before, yes (most often from Texans, FWIW). When I visited the US in 2000, what struck me was the variation in geography (Australia has vast swathes of similarity), but also that, whereas Australia is made up of states, with regional differences such that few could distinguish whether someone is from South Australia or Queensland (including Australians...Strine doesn't vary all that much from state to state), the US was what it said on the label: a whole lot of separate states that had united. This may seem blindingly obvious to you, but to me it was...enlightening. It changed my viewpoint of the US (I'm not talking qualitative at all...just the way I saw it). It was quite fascinating, seeing the states almost as sub-nations, with their own separate ways and powers. It shot down forever any simplistic notion of seriously starting a sentence with "Americans are..." (again, not qualitative...just those times where generalizations, useful or likely otherwise, might occur). One might as well say "Europeans/Africans/et cetera are...". There might be some generalization (useful or likely otherwise) that may cross your individual state borders, but the differences that got in the way of that...wonderful!

Actually it's good to know that our original definition still holds; during election years I often wonder.

Originally Posted by Gwen Morse

It's all rather amazing we haven't melted down yet, because you can't drive 100 miles without finding a location that absolutely loathes the people 100 miles away from *them*. But, at even the merely implication of an insult towards the nation at large, we suddenly close ranks into a single, impenetrable mass.

I like that...may I use it as a sig?

[Wetdogeared]

I"m trying to catch up on my unread posts.

I put my computer to sleep last week and it wouldn't wake up. A cursory glance (if that) by the squad suggested that the motherboard may be fried and if they have to replace it (with a more modern equivalent) they will have to do a clean install of the OS and return to factory condition, which will wipe the hard drive. It has been forwarded to the manufacturer's repair depot and I've been told it will take a minimum of three weeks before I hear any news of it again.

I have appropriate backups but I'm tempted to do a clean install of Windows 7 and recover any data (mostly photos and documents) that I need and not even bother installing some of the junk that has accumulated. The OS has been flakey lately so this may be a good time to start fresh.

The printer attached to this computer was our home network printer, and was on its last legs, so we've gone out and bought a fairly cheap but newer model wifi inkjet. It has this feature where you can email it an an attachment and it will print it, probably for use with iPads and smartphones.

The only good news is that the PC still has 2 months before a three-year extended warranty expires.

[rebarnmom]

Originally Posted by Wetdogeared

I"m trying to catch up on my unread posts.

I put my computer to sleep last week and it wouldn't wake up. A cursory glance (if that) by the squad suggested that the motherboard may be fried and if they have to replace it (with a more modern equivalent) they will have to do a clean install of the OS and return to factory condition, which will wipe the hard drive. It has been forwarded to the manufacturer's repair depot and I've been told it will take a minimum of three weeks before I hear any news of it again.

Shouldn't that be G Squad?

Sorry to hear that, but thankfully you have it all backed up! I wifi printer sounds nice! I'm growing to detest cords!

[MickeyC]

Waiting at Denver Airport for a flight and mindlessly surfing the web.

[recluse]

Trying to convince my maltese that the floor isn't that cold, so I can get him off my lap and get a cup of coffee.

[kennyc]

Originally Posted by cassidym

Waiting at Denver Airport for a flight and mindlessly surfing the web.

Have a great flight....shouldn't be an delays today with the wonderful weather we're having..

[Greg Anos]

Peeling Red off the ceiling...The Rangers won against the Yankees....