Daily "Check In" Thread For Us

[Smith1776]

Makes sense. Figured as much.

I’m just happy I don’t have to futz around with purchasing a repeater or extender.

[Mark Leavy]

I landed in Paso Robles, CA for the night. I expected the town to be completely shut down, so I had some sausages pre-loaded in my cooler.

The garrulous check in manager at my motel had plenty to say.

The City Council unanimously voted to continue to allow indoor or outdoor dining to whatever extent the restaurants felt like accommodating. In full defiance of governor Newsom.

Bravo! I fully support ballsiness and decided to eschew the cooler bangers for a night on the town.

Braised pork rib jalapeño burger patty and some local wine.

ribburger.jpeg (191.34 KiB) Viewed 3496 times

I talked to the owner for a bit. He was assembling outdoor heaters. He told me the city promised him that he could extend his dining space into the street up until 3 months after 100% Covid restrictions had been lifted. Whatever that means. So he took a gamble and bought $20K worth of tables, heaters, awnings and parapets.

Soon after my first glass of Austin Hope, Gayle wheeled in.

gayle.jpeg (278.91 KiB) Viewed 3496 times

I detected a British accent and so asked her what part of London she was from. Southeast. Particle physicist. Has been working in the US most of her life. Also pianist, composer, poet.

We talked about all of those things. She was sharp as hell and knew her stuff. Also we talked about her accident and her ex-husband and her new lover. And also about living in California, New Mexico, Colorado and Alaska.

And then, after a brief pause, the conversation started over again. Exactly from scratch. This process repeated five more times over the course of the evening.

Each time, joyous over the greatness of life, confident in her accomplishments and optimistic about the future.

Fortunately, I had just had the same experience with my own mother two months ago, and caught on to it on the first go round.

What a fantastic mind in Gayle. Fuck dementia.

[Tortoise]

Thanks for the cool story, Mark.

Random trivia: When I lived near Paso Robles for a few years, I always thought it was pronounced in the Spanish way like Paso “Robeless”. But eventually I discovered that many, if not most, of the residents of the town pronounce it Paso “Robels”.

[Mark Leavy]

I did not know that.
I still use the Spanish pronunciation. I’ll work on changing it.

Only this year, I learned that San Pedro, CA is pronounced San Peeedro. By the locals.

Fortunately, I can say Amarillo and Nevada like an Anglo, but San Rafael still gets me corrected.

I just cannot wrap my head around Buena Vista, Colorado.
Even after hearing how the locals pronounce it about 20 times it just doesn’t stick.

[vnatale]

I did not know that.
I still use the Spanish pronunciation. I’ll work on changing it.

Only this year, I learned that San Pedro, CA is pronounced San Peeedro. By the locals.

Fortunately, I can say Amarillo and Nevada like an Anglo, but San Rafael still gets me corrected.

I just cannot wrap my head around Buena Vista, Colorado.
Even after hearing how the locals pronounce it about 20 times it just doesn’t stick.

Is how locals pronounce things the correct pronunciations?

I live not that far from Holyoke, Massachusetts. How would you pronounce it? I think you might pronounce it how I still pronounce it after living in western Massachusetts for 50 years - "Holy-oke". You know how many natives pronounce it? "Ho-yoke". Which is the correct pronunciation?

Prior to living here I'd grown up in Rhode Island. Sometime in the 90s I took a young kid with me to visit my friends and their two sons in Rhode Island. He could not believe how their sons pronounced things. While we there we came across a book about Rhode Island-ese, explaining what Rhode Islanders meant when they said certain things.

Who here knows what "Jeet?" means?

Vinny

[Mark Leavy]

Is how locals pronounce things the correct pronunciations?

Yes. Unless you really want the local people to give each other knowing winks when you walk into the room.

[Mark Leavy]

I live not that far from Holyoke, Massachusetts. How would you pronounce it? I think you might pronounce it how I still pronounce it after living in western Massachusetts for 50 years - "Holy-oke". You know how many natives pronounce it? "Ho-yoke". Which is the correct pronunciation?

Seriously, Vinny. Pronounce it like the natives do. You're wrong if you don't. And if the neighbors 3 doors down pronounce it differently, then do it their way when you are there.

That is how language works. There is no 'rule book' of correct pronunciation. Language is how people speak. Dictionaries and grammar follow the people, not the other way around.

In the USA, I say Prague. In the Czech Republic, I say Praha.
In the USA, I say Paris. In France, I say Paree.

[vnatale]

Is how locals pronounce things the correct pronunciations?

Yes. Unless you really want the local people to give each other knowing winks when you walk into the room.

And, those "knowing winks" signify exactly what? That one is NOT a local, born and bred there? And?

Vinny

[vnatale]

I live not that far from Holyoke, Massachusetts. How would you pronounce it? I think you might pronounce it how I still pronounce it after living in western Massachusetts for 50 years - "Holy-oke". You know how many natives pronounce it? "Ho-yoke". Which is the correct pronunciation?

Seriously, Vinny. Pronounce it like the natives do. You're wrong if you don't. And if the neighbors 3 doors down pronounce it differently, then do it their way when you are there.

That is how language works. There is no 'rule book' of correct pronunciation. Language is how people speak. Dictionaries and grammar follow the people, not the other way around.

In the USA, I say Prague. In the Czech Republic, I say Praha.
In the USA, I say Paris. In France, I say Paree.

And, when in the south you sound like you were brought up in the south? And, when you are in Boston you sound like you were brought up in Boston?

Is it soda or pop? You use whatever word is most commonly used in that area?

Vinny

[Mark Leavy]

Is it soda or pop? You use whatever word is most commonly used in that area?

Yes. Because I love language.

I have gotten in trouble at times by subconsciously mirroring voice patterns when I meet someone new at a party.

I was in Nice one time and my French is so horrible that the waiter refused to speak to me in French and switched to broken English - with a heavy French accent. Without even realizing it, I started answering him in English with a horrible French accent. My date had to punch me in the arm before I realized I was doing it.

This was me in Pensacola a few months ago.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J-TpUlJ7Z60

[Mountaineer]

I did not know that.
I still use the Spanish pronunciation. I’ll work on changing it.

Only this year, I learned that San Pedro, CA is pronounced San Peeedro. By the locals.

Fortunately, I can say Amarillo and Nevada like an Anglo, but San Rafael still gets me corrected.

I just cannot wrap my head around Buena Vista, Colorado.
Even after hearing how the locals pronounce it about 20 times it just doesn’t stick.

Is how locals pronounce things the correct pronunciations?

I live not that far from Holyoke, Massachusetts. How would you pronounce it? I think you might pronounce it how I still pronounce it after living in western Massachusetts for 50 years - "Holy-oke". You know how many natives pronounce it? "Ho-yoke". Which is the correct pronunciation?

Prior to living here I'd grown up in Rhode Island. Sometime in the 90s I took a young kid with me to visit my friends and their two sons in Rhode Island. He could not believe how their sons pronounced things. While we there we came across a book about Rhode Island-ese, explaining what Rhode Islanders meant when they said certain things.

Who here knows what "Jeet?" means?

Vinny

In parts of the deep south it means "Did you eat?"

[Kriegsspiel]

Who here knows what "Jeet?" means?

Vinny

In parts of the deep south Greater Appalachia it means "Did you eat?"

FTFY.

[Hal]

Yes. Because I love language.

You would have loved rural Australia
https://nomadsworld.com/aussie-slang/
Most of these words were in common use, but not so much now in the major cities.
Language has changed since mass immigration started.

The small town I came from the term "Feeding the chooks" was considered an insult.
And no, I cannot post its real meaning.....

Edit: Near where we used to live in the 60's -> https://www.grampianshistory.org.au/gallery/

[vnatale]

I did not know that.
I still use the Spanish pronunciation. I’ll work on changing it.

Only this year, I learned that San Pedro, CA is pronounced San Peeedro. By the locals.

Fortunately, I can say Amarillo and Nevada like an Anglo, but San Rafael still gets me corrected.

I just cannot wrap my head around Buena Vista, Colorado.
Even after hearing how the locals pronounce it about 20 times it just doesn’t stick.

Is how locals pronounce things the correct pronunciations?

I live not that far from Holyoke, Massachusetts. How would you pronounce it? I think you might pronounce it how I still pronounce it after living in western Massachusetts for 50 years - "Holy-oke". You know how many natives pronounce it? "Ho-yoke". Which is the correct pronunciation?

Prior to living here I'd grown up in Rhode Island. Sometime in the 90s I took a young kid with me to visit my friends and their two sons in Rhode Island. He could not believe how their sons pronounced things. While we there we came across a book about Rhode Island-ese, explaining what Rhode Islanders meant when they said certain things.

Who here knows what "Jeet?" means?

Vinny

In parts of the deep south it means "Did you eat?"

You get the prize!!!!!! That is also Rhode Islander-ese!!!

Vinny

[dualstow]

I think “jeet yet?’ is pretty common in many parts of the U.S.
Mark, I love your story about English with a French accent- awesome. In Taipei, sometimes the cabbies would call out to us gringos with an American accent, basically ignoring tones and just rising at the end like an American question. Now, can you imagine how PC it would be for a cabbie to ask a Chinese person “do you want a cab?” with a stereotype Chinese accent? That’s what they did to me.
I learned to say “San Peeeedro” from George Takei, even if it’s not in this specific clip.
https://youtu.be/LuZbZD0vHCM

[Smith1776]

WHY OH WHY OH WHY CAN MY PRINTER NOT PRINT BLACK AND WHITE WHEN IT'S ONLY LOW ON CYAN??????

ARARGHAHGGHGHGHGHFGFJGHGHGHGH!!!!

[dualstow]

..
GH!!!!
...

...
Unless you are printing lots of color documents/photos, get yourself a cheap b&w laser printer. Can be had for $50US on sale. Toner cartridges last forever, and cheap aftermarket remanufactured replacements generally work well.

+1 I've been using a laser printer since the late 90s and by the time I need toner (years), I usually get a new printer which comes with toner. Ignore the first warning about low toner. It lasts a really long time, as Pug said, and it doesn't dry out because it's already powder.

[vnatale]

..
GH!!!!
...

...
Unless you are printing lots of color documents/photos, get yourself a cheap b&w laser printer. Can be had for $50US on sale. Toner cartridges last forever, and cheap aftermarket remanufactured replacements generally work well.

+1 I've been using a laser printer since the late 90s and by the time I need toner (years), I usually get a new printer which comes with toner. Ignore the first warning about low toner. It lasts a really long time, as Pug said, and it doesn't dry out because it's already powder.

When I started my job in October 2008 I inherited an HP laser black and white printer. Could have been anywhere from three to five years old at that point? When I last used it this past March it was still working flawlessly. But its toner cartridges were not cheap. I seem to remember somewhere in the $80 to $125 range? I'd go through two or three a year. They clearly did not last forever but, perhaps, in an office setting I dused it far more than any of you do on a personal level? I did not use it exclusively for all my printing. I had available to me the same much more capable printer that everyone else had access to. I'd use that one for either color copies or long print runs.

Vinny

[Tortoise]

On the topic of laser printer toner, I have a question.

I recently replaced the color toner cartridges in my HP printer with off-brand ones, and there seems to be a weird issue with the new cyan cartridge. Cyan toner only prints along the rightmost 1-2 inches of the page, then "smears" into nothing to the left of that.

The cartridge surface that touches the paper looks clean -- no smudges or fingerprints that I can see. I tried the printer's built-in cleaning function, but that didn't fix the problem. Then I looked up some toner troubleshooting tips online, and the most common one seemed to be removing the cartridge, rocking/rotating it gently back and forth a few times, then putting it back in. I did that, but it didn't fix the problem either.

Any other ideas? Not sure I want the hassle of contacting the off-brand company to return the cartridge, so I may just buy another cyan cartridge from a different company (possibly HP this time).

[dualstow]

@Tort: hmm, I don't know. I only have a black & white, Brother brand.
@Vin: you're right. I don't print that often. I used to print entire ebooks from Project Gutenberg. Then I read a study on laser printer pollution and that it's like smoking packs of cigarettes if you're not in a well ventilated room. I'm sure things have gotten better since then, but I hate to think of all the particulate matter I inhaled to print that stupid copy of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

[vnatale]

@Tort: hmm, I don't know. I only have a black & white, Brother brand.
@Vin: you're right. I don't print that often. I used to print entire ebooks from Project Gutenberg. Then I read a study on laser printer pollution and that it's like smoking packs of cigarettes if you're not in a well ventilated room. I'm sure things have gotten better since then, but I hate to think of all the particulate matter I inhaled to print that stupid copy of 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.

I'd also use that printer for any personal printing needs I've had. Since I've been home as of mid-March I've had no personal needs for printing anything.

Vinny

[Kriegsspiel]

I print things out at the library. It's so infrequent that I could fund it entirely with coins I find on the ground.

[Smith1776]

I committed a venial sin today and made up for it by donating $50 to a GoFundMe to balance it out.

Hopefully karma sees it the way I do.

[dualstow]

I committed a venial sin today and made up for it by donating $50 to a GoFundMe to balance it out.

Hopefully karma sees it the way I do.

Karma prefers 4-star charities at Charity Navigator.
At least that’s what I read in the Vedic scriptures.
It said there were too many fakes on GoFundMe.

[Smith1776]

https://www.reddit.com/r/wallstreetbets ... r_all_the/

Please do yourself a favour and watch this short video.