Shoot the Wall (A.K.A. The Rant Thread)

[Artemis]

On 7/8/2020 at 10:34 PM, Van Buren Supernova said:

like an old man sending the soup back in the deli.

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

7 hours ago, Artemis said:

On my laptop yours and Carols look like Comic Sans, but on mobile they look like some kind of scripty cursive font.

Here (according to the drop-down menu) are the fonts available on laptops (or at least the ones we're allowed to choose from):

Arial

Comic Sans MS

Courier New

Georgia

Lucida Sans Unico

Tahoma

Times New Roman

Trebuchet MS

Verdana

... so yes, mine is clearly Comic Sans.  All I recall is that I chose the one that looked the most like an actual signature.  Lemme go have a look on my cell phone....  Hmm, I'm not seeing any signatures at all on either my phone or my tablet, on either light or dark theme.  I assume this probably has to do with my settings, but I'm not offhand finding that particular setting.

I may have another look at my cell phone / tablet later on, to see if I can find those settings.

 

 

[Sheerluck]

On 7/8/2020 at 11:34 PM, Van Buren Supernova said:

like an old man sending the soup back in the deli.

 

7 hours ago, Artemis said:

 

I am that reference!

[Artemis]

9 hours ago, Carol the Dabbler said:

Comic Sans MS

I see: So what has actually changed is the Comic Sans font itself here.  It used to look like this and was the most infamous font on the internet:

And that is what I still see on my laptop.  Guess they finally decided to give traditional Comic Sans an update which my laptop can’t interpret for some reason.

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

Oh dear, this just keeps getting weirder!  The line you quoted from my post does not look to me like it's in the same font as the original line in my post.  To me, that line in my post looks to be in the same font as what's in your orange box -- or what's in my signature, at least when I look at my signature.

What happens if I quote that line from my earlier post?

12 hours ago, Carol the Dabbler said:

Comic Sans MS

OK, so far it still has that slightly tilted capital C.  Likewise in a preview.  How about when it's actually posted?  Added: Yup, still the slightly tilted capital C.  How does it look to you?

 

[Van Buren Supernova]

On 7/9/2020 at 11:59 AM, Caya said:

You weren't here yet when S3 first aired. I had some choice things to say about John then.

I'm curious!

On 7/9/2020 at 5:40 PM, besleybean said:

Actually trying to post on topic for once...

I have just acquired my new school diary and it is a frankly alarming shade of pink.

Well, now you can proudly tell Sherlock you actually, literally "Study in Pink"

 

 

[Valkyrie123]

On 7/10/2020 at 9:37 AM, Artemis said:

I noticed that as well, but it depends on which device I'm using.  On my laptop yours and Carols look like Comic Sans, but on mobile they look like some kind of scripty cursive font.

 

Yes, that must be it, because I logged into my account on my new laptop for the first time.

Thanks! 

[Valkyrie123]

Im happy, my content count is....100!

100 is a great number.

[Valkyrie123]

Yay! A promotion!

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

2 hours ago, SherLOCKED123 said:

Yay! A promotion!

 

Congratulations, Detective Chief Inspector!  

 

[Van Buren Supernova]

On 7/10/2020 at 4:46 PM, Artemis said:

 

Oh I am so happy at least one person gets that. 

That is one of my favourite quotes and most of the time, people only look at me funny.

 

  

On 7/11/2020 at 12:42 AM, Sheerluck said:

I am that reference!

Hi George!

 

[Van Buren Supernova]

On 4/16/2020 at 1:34 PM, Van Buren Supernova said:

For now, I have to accept that I can't be selfish to get her just to make me feel better. I'll see if I could go to continue drop by and quickly feeding her as long as I could still sneak in.

I think it's finally a good time for update.

Anyway, around a week plus after this post, I continued to sneak in and feed her. She seemed happier that way, as after every visit, we both walked to different directions. 

Then one morning I went there, the entry point was properly closed and guarded, I asked permission to just come in and feed the dog, but rejected. That was end of April. I couldn't go in, I know no one, I had no idea if she is starving or not and I don't know what else I could do. For two and half months I drove there often, looking for a loophole or hoping that the closure would end soon (yes, the pandemic is still ongoing, but from the way people not doing proper social distancing and gather somewhere else, having the beach open could actually be a better solution,  there are many beaches here and there are enough space for good social distancing practice) but it continued to close until end of last week, precisely Friday last week.

As mentioned, this is not my regular beach anymore but I still come just for her. I had visited the other beach and found almost every dog. However, here, I couldn't find her on my first try. All other dogs on this beach that I know are also still here and well. But she is solitary dog and not young, could she survive without a pack, where is she?

I came back again, and again, and again, walked the beach from dawn as I need to make time for work. I walked our regular spot, then further along the stretch, covering all areas we used to walk together, but no sight of her. I asked around, the local authority, the beach cleaner, they didn't know where she is. I even asked if they saw any dead dogs during the lockdown, but no. The cleaner who actually recognize me as someone who feed her, said they miss her too and haven't seen her since lockdown started. 

So I was devastated, of all the seven plus year I know her, we always find each other, except the one time in my previous story, and she always stays at the same place. I came back again the following dawn, and walked the beach all over again, it became harder everyday. A lot of what ifs, crazy thought and guilt. So much guilt. So many bad thoughts, so many regrets.

I started to email, contact everyone I could think of, organization, someone I know who 'might' know someone that might know about the beach area. There was no result. Today I posted in multiple facebook group, eventhough I have little hope in them, but magically, after a mere couple of hours someone messaged me and told me that the dog is safe with her, she sent me pictures as well and invited me to meet them on the beach (too bad their timing is my working time but will work something out) (Update: I did! Thought of going on Sunday but couldn't wait! Went there yesterday, the day after I heard the news, I had to leave work early, quite early but I met her and she is alive and well!!!)

I had been a mess these couple of days and tried to find a lot of distractions but my mood has completely changed. You have no idea how happy I am, and this is probably the best scenario I could ever dream of.

So I promise to be in my best behaviour at least for these few days.. or hours... yay!!!!!! where is the vacuum cleaner I need to dance. 

[Carol the Dabbler]

21 minutes ago, Van Buren Supernova said:

someone messaged me and told me that the dog is safe with her, she sent me pictures as well and invited me to meet them on the beach

Hooray!  

Thanks for letting us know that someone has been caring for her.

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

18 hours ago, linear_panda said:

a guy in my class just dropped a used mask on the floor and my eng teacher called him a "filthy slug"

Must say I'm not impressed by that teacher's professionalism.

Why did the kid drop the mask?  Was it accidental, or was he too lazy to take it to a waste basket, or was he just being a jerk?

 

[Carol the Dabbler]

3 hours ago, linear_panda said:

... apparently they stick this probe thingy up your nose, she said it felt like sorta squishy, like somebody was touching
her brain.

That's the test for COVID?  How creepy!  I've been assuming they used a blood test -- but maybe they do both?

 

[T.o.b.y]

2 hours ago, Carol the Dabbler said:

That's the test for COVID?  How creepy!  I've been assuming they used a blood test -- but maybe they do both?

 

Carol, blood tests are currently only used to see if people have antibodies against the virus, meaning their immune system has had contact with it at some point. 

To test for a current infection with the potential to pass the virus on to others, you do indeed take a swab from the pharynx, which you reach by either sticking the probe really far into the patient's nose or touching the inside of the throat through the mouth. 

It's unpleasant but usually not painful and certainly does not involve touching any part of the brain. 

[Carol the Dabbler]

Thanks, Tobe -- I wasn't aware that they're able to tell the difference at this point.  Glad to hear that they can.  I had the impression for a while there that they were assuming anyone who had both symptoms and antibodies had COVID, which struck me as a possible oversimplification.

I didn't think they were actually touching anyone's brain, by the way, merely that having a squishy thing stuck up your nose sounded pretty yucky.

 

[Fantasy Lover]

When my country ordered those tests and delivered them to nursing homes they accidentally ordered the ones for the mouth instead of the nose and thus tested them incorrectly.

[T.o.b.y]

12 hours ago, Fantasy Lover said:

When my country ordered those tests and delivered them to nursing homes they accidentally ordered the ones for the mouth instead of the nose and thus tested them incorrectly.

That sounds odd to me. You sure? Because it really shouldn't make a difference as long as they stick the probe far enough into nose or mouth - it's all the same tissue back there. 

And the test kit for the swabs is usually nothing more than a kind of a sterilized q-tip and a plastic tube. At least that's what we have to work with here. 

[Carol the Dabbler]

42 minutes ago, T.o.b.y said:

it really shouldn't make a difference as long as they stick the probe far enough into nose or mouth - it's all the same tissue back there. 

Maybe they have longer swabs for one or the other?  And they were using the short kind where they should have used the long kind, so they weren't going far enough in?  That's all I can think of, not that I know any more than what you just said.

 

[T.o.b.y]

2 hours ago, Carol the Dabbler said:

Maybe they have longer swabs for one or the other?  And they were using the short kind where they should have used the long kind, so they weren't going far enough in?  That's all I can think of, not that I know any more than what you just said.

 

Maybe... The ones that we have are super long and you break the end off so that it fits in the tube but I am sure there are many different products out there. 

Our lab told us Btw that if we ran out of proper testing material to use actual q-tips from the drug store. "Better than nothing" they said. 

Fortunately, right now we have loads of official test kits. The mask situation is a lot better too. 

[Van Buren Supernova]

Prediction about two things that will baffle future scientists: 

1. 2020 is the year when Karen name officially extinct.

2. When they study back about the pandemic history, they would find out the horrifying level of human stupidity, the level I actually never imagine. Nevermind about my neverending rant about mask, these few weeks I have two people trying to tell me that Covid 19 is not real and just a conspiracy theory and political tool; one is supposedly well educated and well travelled with tons of life experience, the other is the parent of a veterinarian.

These two, unfortunately share my love for dogs and the reason I connect with them on the first place, and I had respect for them, but I was so dumbfounded I had to leave the conversation, I don't know how to even respond or whether any effort is worth it, but they are both dog heroes in my eyes, so I am very, I'm not sure, I feel like breaking something with fire hydrant and get Sherlock.

[J.P.]

They will surely ask why thousands and thousands of people went on vacation as soon as it wasn't forbidden.

[Carol the Dabbler]

13 hours ago, Van Buren Supernova said:

2020 is the year when Karen name officially extinct.

I doubt it.  Memes come and go, and not everyone is tuned into social media.  Also, names come any go for no apparent reason.  Karen hasn't been a popular baby name since the 80's or so, meaning that it will be an uncommon name for a few decades anyhow.  After that, who knows?  I've been amazed by the recent resurgence of the name Zeke, because to me Zeke is a toothless old prospector in a Western movie -- but today's new parents don't remember the same movies that I do.

 

13 hours ago, Van Buren Supernova said:

... these few weeks I have two people trying to tell me that Covid 19 is not real and just a conspiracy theory and political tool; one is supposedly well educated and well travelled with tons of life experience, the other is the parent of a veterinarian.

Even if Covid 19 is a completely natural phenomenon, it is undoubtedly being used for political advantage, in various ways, in most parts of the world right now.  So it's perfectly understandable that some people suspect it's entirely a government plot.  I can't prove otherwise; can you?

 

9 hours ago, J.P. said:

They will surely ask why thousands and thousands of people went on vacation as soon as it wasn't forbidden.

Not if they have any knowledge whatsoever of human nature, they won't!  

 

[Van Buren Supernova]

I said they believe Covid-19 is not real and just conspiracy theory and political tool. What kind of idiocy level to believe that Covid-19 is not real at this stage?

 

You said that,

3 hours ago, Carol the Dabbler said:

So it's perfectly understandable that some people suspect it's entirely a government plot. I can't prove otherwise, can you?

So do you mean they think it's real or not? Because it makes a lot of difference in questioning my statement.

 

If you were saying that they think it's real, but entirely government plot, I wouldn't say it's impossible as crazier thing have happened. Then in this case I wouldn't disagree much although that is not my original angle and the world entirely is very questionable; experiment goes wrong, out of control, whatever agenda etc, maybe, but 'entirely' a plot would involve amazing level of self destruction and stupidity, don't you think? Scratch that entirely it could be awesome sci-fact plot.

But if you were saying that they don't even think that it's real, it's just government plot, which I suppose means it's only rumor and story, theatrical, than I guess more people need to die to convince them, presumably someone closer to them because some people have difficulty grasping the actual risk and fragility of life when they witness it remotely.

And if this is the case, then I really really find your 'perfectly understandable' phrase disturbing.