What’s on your mind?

[rm5]

Totally changing the subject, but I was talking to one of the other instructors today who has both a Bachelor's and Master's in music (both performance and composition). He described a piece he performed one time written for one violin and three conductors (he was one of the conductors). I just had to laugh, because what a wild concept. Now I'm increasingly curious to see a video of this piece (if one exists).

 

[Scepticalscribe]

Totally changing the subject, but I was talking to one of the other instructors today who has both a Bachelor's and Master's in music (both performance and composition). He described a piece he performed one time written for one violin and three conductors (he was one of the conductors). I just had to laugh, because what a wild concept. Now I'm increasingly curious to see a video of this piece (if one exists).

Very wild - and downright peculiar - concept.

How did the violinist respond to (simultaneous) directions from three conductors?

 

[someoldguy]

Very wild - and downright peculiar - concept.

How did the violinist respond to (simultaneous) directions from three conductors?

If the violinist was smart ; he just ignored the 3 of them and just played the piece ; allowing the conductors to wave their sticks to their hearts' content .

 

[it wasnt me]

When a system upgrade is carried out under Solaris, a new boot environment is automatically created, which is active after the reboot. Until this reboot, which should therefore not be delayed for months, the old services and data remain active and are not synchronised with the new versions.

Not even any PostgreSQL databases.

Please do NOT ask why I am writing this now.

(Sent disgruntledly rummaging through backups.)

 

[Scepticalscribe]

If the violinist was smart ; he just ignored the 3 of them and just played the piece ; allowing the conductors to wave their sticks to their hearts' content .

That is exactly what I had hoped - might have been - would have been the answer.

 

[Certificate of Excellence]

I think a better concept would be to invite energetic kids to be the conductor and have the musician/symphony orchestra keep up.

 

[chown33]

A long time ago, after the first series of highjacks, but before TSA and friends got insane, you could carry a knife onto a plane, but only if it was below a certain size.
I had a folding knife, but it was a teeny tiny tad oversize. It was still small. I had to hand it over, and they would give it back to me at the end of the flight.
They found a plastic bag for it. Not just any plastic bag, but a full-size black plastic garbage bag, you know, for your 50 litre garbage bin. The knife was nestled in a corner at the bottom of the bag, the top sealed with a knot and it was put in some safe storage on the plane.
They gave it back to me, complete with garbage bag, at the end of the flight.

More recently, I had some scissors hiding in a forgotten pocket in my backpack. Not dressmaking shears, not surgical scissors, but those round-ended safety scissors you give to children to cut out shapes with paper. Confiscated, never to be seen again.

Apparently, an 18-year-old can be trusted with a pocket knife, but a 70-year-old can't be trusted with children's scissors...

I have an opposing but related story to yours.

Years ago, after TSA had banned knives, I was using my soft-sided carry-on bag to haul some camping gear out to my brother's house. I happened to throw in my Gerber bolt-action folding knife (probably a model 7021, but I can't check on that now). It's basically a lock-backed knife with a roughly 4-inch blade, which I liked because I could open and close it with one hand. The bolt-action makes for a much easier release.

Anyway, after I unpacked the gear at my brother's, I couldn't find the knife. I figured I forgot to pack it, so didn't worry about it. I looked for it in my other luggage, but didn't find it, so thought I'd lost it. After I flew back home, I replaced it with a slimmer lock-back Gerber with a more conventional heel-type release. I also continued to use the soft-side carry-on bag for airplane use. That bag went carry-on for at least 5 years, and over a dozen airplane trips.

Once, after a flight, I was unpacking the front pocket of the carry-on and was stunned to find my Gerber bolt-action in it's case (black, of course, for optimal invisibility), stuck deep down in the pocket. It must have been there the whole time, and gone thru the X-ray machine many times without ever being spotted.

Anyway, I'm glad to have the knife back, and I still take it if I expect to be using it one-handed, but not on airplanes.

 

[rm5]

Played an amazing show tonight with an absolutely RIDICULOUS tenor sax player. Best in the state, and possibly the entire region. I've known him for several years now, since he moved to town from the Bay Area. I recorded the whole set on my phone, glad I did, I'm listening back to it now. Usually don't like listening back immediately after a performance, but I had to this time. Best rhythm section, too. Can't get any better than that lineup. We played mostly funk tunes, plus some jazz standards/swing tunes.

 

[DaveFromCampbelltown]

40 years ago, the Commodore Amiga came out.
I had one demonstrated to me. After about 15 minutes of clicking and swiping with the mouse, the demonstrator reached under the computer and pulled out the keyboard. Up until then, I hadn't noticed its absence.
I bought one on the spot.

 

[Herbert123]

40 years ago, the Commodore Amiga came out.
I had one demonstrated to me. After about 15 minutes of clicking and swiping with the mouse, the demonstrator reached under the computer and pulled out the keyboard. Up until then, I hadn't noticed its absence.
I bought one on the spot.

The Amiga 1000. What a wonderful machine indeed.

Still have mine on a shelf in my study. Those were the days.

 

[Apple fanboy]

40 years ago, the Commodore Amiga came out.
I had one demonstrated to me. After about 15 minutes of clicking and swiping with the mouse, the demonstrator reached under the computer and pulled out the keyboard. Up until then, I hadn't noticed its absence.
I bought one on the spot.

A friends Dad had one. I was super jealous. It was in a different league to the Commodore Vic 20 we had.

 

[DaveFromCampbelltown]

A friends Dad had one. I was super jealous. It was in a different league to the Commodore Vic 20 we had.

It took a few years for Apple to come up with an equivalent, the Mac II, and even then it cost 3 times as much as the Amiga 1000.

 

[The Clark]

Waiting for an alternator to arrive to fix my car. I've already replaced the radiator, AC condenser, and the thermostat which was causing it to overheat badly. I was out on Friday and the damn thing wouldn't start and I thought how is this possible after all the work I did? Did I install something incorrectly? Nope! Just needs a new alternator. It is supposed to arrive today, hopefully that's the last of it because this Civic is starting to cost me more in maintenance than I paid for it.

It took a few years for Apple to come up with an equivalent, the Mac II, and even then it cost 3 times as much as the Amiga 1000.

You're telling me, that Apple released something 3 times more expensive than their competitors? NO! 🤣

 

[DaveFromCampbelltown]

Ok, this is getting ridiculous. After Google's AI got me mixed up with someone else, now it's just plain rude.

I asked it a question. It's response --

This question is ambiguous.

 

[BotchQue]

This afternoon I had to stop at the local gas station for a couple things, and the bill came to $10.71. I gave her a ten, a dollar, and a penny.
She slowly placed the money into the register, and then stared at the display, a long time; I try to be patient with these kids.
Somewhere, in the distance, a dog barked.
Finally, she gave me my change. A five, two ones, two quarters and two dimes... wtff. I said, "No, I gave you a ten, and... " And she said, "Oh, wait, let me..." Her supervisor came over, she called up the Calculator on her iPhone, and she started plugging away. I told her she only owed me $0.30, which I finally got.

 

[Apple fanboy]

This afternoon I had to stop at the local gas station for a couple things, and the bill came to $10.71. I gave her a ten, a dollar, and a penny.
She slowly placed the money into the register, and then stared at the display, a long time; I try to be patient with these kids.
Somewhere, in the distance, a dog barked.
Finally, she gave me my change. A five, two ones, two quarters and two dimes... wtff. I said, "No, I gave you a ten, and... " And she said, "Oh, wait, let me..." Her supervisor came over, she called up the Calculator on her iPhone, and she started plugging away. I told her she only owed me $0.30, which I finally got.

Not surprising. That said I never use cash anymore. It’s largely a cashless society this side of the pond. Many places won’t even take cash anymore.

 

[JackAHyde]

Things might finally be improving, but I should still be cautious at this point.

 

[DaveFromCampbelltown]

I just noticed in passing that somebody was calling a noted carrot-flavoured [insert favourite expletive here...] "Bat Poop Crazy".
I think that was totally uncalled-for, and insulting to all bat poop. It is actually a highly-regarded fertiliser, even if it does need to be diluted down a lot before being put on your broccoli patch.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

This afternoon I had to stop at the local gas station for a couple things, and the bill came to $10.71. I gave her a ten, a dollar, and a penny.
She slowly placed the money into the register, and then stared at the display, a long time; I try to be patient with these kids.
Somewhere, in the distance, a dog barked.
Finally, she gave me my change. A five, two ones, two quarters and two dimes... wtff. I said, "No, I gave you a ten, and... " And she said, "Oh, wait, let me..." Her supervisor came over, she called up the Calculator on her iPhone, and she started plugging away. I told her she only owed me $0.30, which I finally got.

While teachers (considered the usual culprits in such a discussion) may be blamed, I think that the blame goes far further (parents, society, immediate gratification).

Yes, my teachers in primary school taught me the basics of addition and subtraction (and multiplication and division - all of which were supposed to be carried out by the pupil with the aid of pencil, paper, mind and memory, teaching people how to calculate, using numbers, is every bit as important as teaching them to read), but my parents kept a close eye on homework, and I do recall (as a very small child) my father's efforts in the field of education, where he spent several nights exploring, explaining - in great detail - and attempting to teach - and reinforce what we had learned - on the subject of - the principles of - subtraction.

 

[scubachap]

my father's efforts in the field of education, where he spent several nights exploring, explaining - in great detail - and and attempting to teach - and reinforce what we had learned - on the subject of - the principles of - subtraction.

There's loads of memes floating around social media that roughly go...

'If you never cried while your dad tried to teach you math(s) at the dining room table, did you ever have childhood?'

My kids sent it to me a while ago and it made me laugh (I didn't get very far but I do remember all the waterworks). It's funny how our experiences and reactions are so universal across countries, cultures etc. I have no doubt 10,000 years ago fathers were losing it over their offsprings inability to knap an arrowhead after the 10th broken attempt.

I think everyone is doing their best but we're increasingly swimming against a tech brain rewiring and ai tide that might not be fightable. We'll probably all end up living in some weird cargo cult and praying the power never goes off...

 

[Apple fanboy]

There's loads of memes floating around social media that roughly go...

'If you never cried while your dad tried to teach you math(s) at the dining room table, did you ever have childhood?'

My kids sent it to me a while ago and it made me laugh (I didn't get very far but I do remember all the waterworks). It's funny how our experiences and reactions are so universal across countries, cultures etc. I have no doubt 10,000 years ago fathers were loosing it over their offsprings inability to knap an arrowhead after the 10th broken attempt.

I think everyone is doing their best but we're increasingly swimming against a tech brain rewiring and ai tide that might not be fightable. We'll probably all end up living in some weird cargo cult and praying the power never goes off...

My Dad never taught me maths at the dinning room table. He was too busy working three jobs. That’s what he taught me.
My mum was too busy working a full time job and doing a law degree in the evenings. That’s what she taught me.

Looking back at my career, clearly I take after my Dad more than my Mum.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

There's loads of memes floating around social media that roughly go...

'If you never cried while your dad tried to teach you math(s) at the dining room table, did you ever have childhood?'

I'm smiling, reading this.

My kids sent it to me a while ago and it made me laugh (I didn't get very far but I do remember all the waterworks). It's funny how our experiences and reactions are so universal across countries, cultures etc. I have no doubt 10,000 years ago fathers were loosing it over their offsprings inability to knap an arrowhead after the 10th broken attempt.

I hear you.

In deference to the memory of my lovely, late father I had declined to mention (or clarify) in my earlier post that many of these lessons were, indeed, rather intense.

With adult hindsight, I suspect that my mother (who was frequently out at night classes, leaving dad at home in charge of us) was torn between some degree of concern at the intensity of these lessons, and delight at his passionate engagement with and interest in, his family.

I think everyone is doing their best but we're increasingly swimming against a tech brain rewiring and ai tide that might not be fightable.

What an appalling vista.....one that I devoutly hope never comes to pass.

We'll probably all end up living in some weird cargo cult and praying the power never goes off...

Indeed.

 

[Scepticalscribe]

My Dad never taught me maths at the dinning room table. He was too busy working three jobs. That’s what he taught me.
My mum was too busy working a full time job and doing a law degree in the evenings. That’s what she taught me.

Looking back at my career, clearly I take after my Dad more than my Mum.

My parents - both of them - were passionate about ensuring that we had the best education possible.

In general, they were broad-minded, and easy-going, - and considered ahead of their time in many ways; however, education was non-negotiable, and they both insisted that we take it very seriously indeed.

Hence, dad teaching (and this was an ongoing process) us maths at the - yes, @scubachap, the venue is spot on - the dining room table, or, occasionally, the kitchen table; my mother encouraged an interest in science, history, geography, while they both ardently and actively encouraged a habit of reading, and loved English.

 

[Apple fanboy]

My parents - both of them - were passionate about ensuring that we had the best education possible.

In general, they were broad-minded, and easy-going, - and considered ahead of their time in many ways; however, education was non-negotiable, and they both insisted that we take it very seriously indeed.

Hence, dad teaching (and this was an ongoing process) us maths at the - yes, @scubachap, the venue is spot on - the dining room table, or, occasionally, the kitchen table; my mother encouraged an interest in science, history, geography, while they both ardently and actively encouraged a habit of reading, and loved English.

I’m sure it served you well. My parents let me make my own choices. They certainly encouraged me to look into higher education.
But I never enjoyed it and left it behind at the earliest opportunity. I rarely did any homework as a child. If I did it was always last minute and rushed. Usually in tutor group in the morning.


Been working ever since.

 

[M4th]

Looking for a small (piano) keyboard I can have up in Wisconsin. I currently have a Yamaha CP88 here at home which is absolutely wonderful, but it's really big, really heavy, and would be far too expensive to ship back and forth 3-4 times a year, let alone the risk of it being damaged. I'll be performing a lot more off-campus in the fall, and while the college does have nice Nord keyboards, they are full 88 keys and there's no guarantee I'll be able to borrow them, let alone on super short notice. So looking at Nord Electro keyboards, which are smaller and lighter. I've never been a fan of Nords and have never owned them because I don't like how they feel to play, but I'm really just looking for something small that has good sounds. And ultimately any small 61-key board isn't going to have good action anyway, even Yamahas.

Didn't see this post earlier... is the keyboard in this video smaller than your Yamaha?