>> I just can't imagine programming things morning, noon and night. It's 
>> just my default state of being. ;-)
> 
> "...can't imagine *not* programming..."?

GAAAAAH! >_<

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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Orchid XP v8 wrote:

> Worrying fact: This almost compiles, actually...

Actually, scrub that. Worrying fact: I knew it would compile without 
trying it. :-.

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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Gilles Tran wrote:

>> The difficulty is finding books which are actually enjoyable to read. 
>> Don't get me wrong, I do *enjoy* reading good fiction. The difficulty is 
>> finding it.
> 
> So difficult that you couldn't find a single fiction book to read in the 
> past 3 years? Is that even possible?
> Do you mean that you've already exausted a couple of millenia of world 
> literature and can't find anything left to read, or that you have literary 
> tastes so bizarre (Haskell-themed BDSM?) that books that suit you just don't 
> exist?

I very much doubt that I've read all the good fiction already! ;-) 
There's probably an ample supply of suitable stuff out there. As I say, 
the problem is locating it. Obviously I don't have time to try reading 
every book ever written on the off-chance that it might be good, so I 
need a more efficient strategy.

Actually, come to think of it, if I *did* want to read something, our 
house already contains several suitable books. I just don't have the 
several months spare that it would take to read any of them...

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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Gail Shaw wrote:

> To give you an idea, if I'm not swamped with deadlines, I usually get
> through 2 or 3 books a week. Those are 500-800 page books.
> For a week holiday I'll often pack 6 to 8 books, and finish all of them

Yeah, I've met people like that.

[Indeed, where I work there's a guy who every day has a different 
brick-thick tome in his hand. Usually with lots of dragons and fairies 
on the cover. Weird stuff...]

My question to you would be: how the hell do you read that fast?

I'm just trying to recall the last fiction book I read... You know I 
think it might even have been the Duncton Chronicles... No, wait. I 
remember what the last fiction I read was. And I am *not* admitting to 
it in public! ;-) But anyway, getting back to my original point... when 
I read the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, it took about 8 months to 
finish it. And that's back when I was at school and had absurd amounts 
of free time available for reading.

>> The difficulty is finding books which are actually enjoyable to read.
>> Don't get me wrong, I do *enjoy* reading good fiction. The difficulty is
>> finding it.
> 
> If you're going to a library, ask a librarian. They're more likely than
> anyone to know a good book in a specific genre that the library has.

In my experience, librarians tend not to be very happy to see you. But I 
suppose it could be worth a go...

> What kind of fiction do you enjoy?

Erm... no idea.

> Besides, if you're just borrowing the books, what do you lose by taking
> something you're not sure of? Perhaps an hour of your time.

True. I wonder where the hell my library card is? Actually, I wonder if 
it's still valid after all these years. I think the last time I used it 
was in 1997 or so...

>>> You might even make a couple acquaintances at the library
>> I've heard this gem before. However, given that talking is strictly
>> prohibited, I fail to comprehend how this one works...
> 
> It's not prohibited in any library I've been in. Making loud noises is
> prohibited, but a soft conversation with another patron on the merits of a
> particular book isn't a problem.

Mmm, OK. I generally find the only other people in *my* local library 
are stressed teenagers frantically cramming for their GCSEs... ;-)

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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"Orchid XP v8" <voi### [at] devnull> wrote in message
news:480f8082$1@news.povray.org...

> [Indeed, where I work there's a guy who every day has a different
> brick-thick tome in his hand. Usually with lots of dragons and fairies
> on the cover. Weird stuff...]

Sounds like my type of stories.... <g>

> My question to you would be: how the hell do you read that fast?

Practice.

Let's see, in the last week and a half, I've reread Daughter of the Empire,
Servant of the Empire, Mistress of the Empire (by Raymond E Feist and Janny
Wurts) and 3/4 reread Magician (Raymond E Feist)

> > If you're going to a library, ask a librarian. They're more likely than
> > anyone to know a good book in a specific genre that the library has.
>
> In my experience, librarians tend not to be very happy to see you. But I
> suppose it could be worth a go...

Strange. All the ones in my local library are friendly and hapy to talk
about books. Often for too long....

> True. I wonder where the hell my library card is? Actually, I wonder if
> it's still valid after all these years. I think the last time I used it
> was in 1997 or so...

Probably not, but in general they're easy to renew

> > It's not prohibited in any library I've been in. Making loud noises is
> > prohibited, but a soft conversation with another patron on the merits of
a
> > particular book isn't a problem.
>
> Mmm, OK. I generally find the only other people in *my* local library
> are stressed teenagers frantically cramming for their GCSEs... ;-)

That sounds like the last time I visited the university library. It didn't
help that I was wearing shoes that squeeked on the floor.

Post a reply to this message

>> [Indeed, where I work there's a guy who every day has a different
>> brick-thick tome in his hand. Usually with lots of dragons and fairies
>> on the cover. Weird stuff...]
> 
> Sounds like my type of stories.... <g>

Heh. I see...

>> My question to you would be: how the hell do you read that fast?
> 
> Practice.

Damn. Hot Sales Girl lent me a book at work [not fiction, I might add], 
and so far I've been reading it for a couple of months now. And I'm 
barely half-way through. And it's quite a small book. Admittedly I'm 
only reading it in my lunch break... I guess the real problem is that 
the book scares me too much. She assures me it has a happy ending, but 
hey...

> Let's see, in the last week and a half, I've reread Daughter of the Empire,
> Servant of the Empire, Mistress of the Empire (by Raymond E Feist and Janny
> Wurts) and 3/4 reread Magician (Raymond E Feist)

OK, very weird thing: All of the books you just meantioned are in my 
mum's bookshelf. [Even though nobody in this household has ever read them.]

Gail, you're scaring me...

>> In my experience, librarians tend not to be very happy to see you. But I
>> suppose it could be worth a go...
> 
> Strange. All the ones in my local library are friendly and hapy to talk
> about books. Often for too long....

They always look so busy - and so harrassed at being so busy...

>> Mmm, OK. I generally find the only other people in *my* local library
>> are stressed teenagers frantically cramming for their GCSEs... ;-)
> 
> That sounds like the last time I visited the university library. It didn't
> help that I was wearing shoes that squeeked on the floor.

Heh. I never really had that problem at university... usually the place 
was empty. [Background reading? What's that then?]

I'm talking about the local public library. ;-)

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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"Orchid XP v8" <voi### [at] devnull> wrote in message
news:480f8c42$1@news.povray.org...
>
> OK, very weird thing: All of the books you just meantioned are in my
> mum's bookshelf. [Even though nobody in this household has ever read
them.]

They're good. Read Magician. Seriously. It's an excellent book. Technically
it's the first of a trilogy, but it stands alone quite well.

> I'm talking about the local public library. ;-)

I've never seen students at my local library. Most of the people I see there
are twice my age or more.

Post a reply to this message

>> OK, very weird thing: All of the books you just meantioned are in my
>> mum's bookshelf. [Even though nobody in this household has ever read
>> them.]
> 
> They're good. Read Magician. Seriously. It's an excellent book. Technically
> it's the first of a trilogy, but it stands alone quite well.

Actually, I was thinking if anything I'm likely to try reading the Harry 
Potter books [which are also reputed to be well-written]. I know a 
person who is a very big HP addict. Apparently she "resents" me having 
an opinion about the films when I haven't read the books. (Er, hello? 
It's a story, not a religion...)

>> I'm talking about the local public library. ;-)
> 
> I've never seen students at my local library. Most of the people I see there
> are twice my age or more.

Oh, those are there too, but there usually in the "Computing" section. 
(I'm usually in the Mathematics section. The Computing section contains 
nothing of interest - unless you *wanted* to learn how to upgrade your 
PC beyond 640 KB of RAM? I gather this used to be difficult in some way...)

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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Gail Shaw wrote:

> They're good. Read Magician. Seriously. It's an excellent book. Technically
> it's the first of a trilogy, but it stands alone quite well.

Actually, I recall a number of people urging me to read The Hobbit. 
After a chapter or two I was bored stupid. Watching paint dry would have 
been more fun.

Oddly, the LotR films are really quite good. I don't know how they 
managed to get so much excitement out of such a dull series of books...

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 21:16:45 +0200, Gail Shaw wrote:

> Let's see, in the last week and a half, I've reread Daughter of the
> Empire, Servant of the Empire, Mistress of the Empire (by Raymond E
> Feist and Janny Wurts) and 3/4 reread Magician (Raymond E Feist)

I need to reread those again - have you read Fairie Tale?  Very well 
written, but also quite scary (particularly if you have kids the age of 
the kids in the book).  I think that one is one of Feist's best.

Jim

Post a reply to this message

On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 20:37:40 +0100, Orchid XP v8 wrote:

> Gail Shaw wrote:
> 
>> They're good. Read Magician. Seriously. It's an excellent book.
>> Technically it's the first of a trilogy, but it stands alone quite
>> well.
> 
> Actually, I recall a number of people urging me to read The Hobbit.
> After a chapter or two I was bored stupid. Watching paint dry would have
> been more fun.
> 
> Oddly, the LotR films are really quite good. I don't know how they
> managed to get so much excitement out of such a dull series of books...

Well, I found the books to be good, but they are heavy on exposition.  It 
translated to films well, I think, because instead of exposition on what 
the mountains looked like, we just had a picture to look at.  The scouts 
did very well, I thought, in scouting locations that evoked the images of 
the books.

I hope they do get the Hobbit film(s) made.

Jim

Post a reply to this message

Jim Henderson <nos### [at] nospamcom> wrote:
> The scouts 
> did very well, I thought, in scouting locations that evoked the images of 
> the books.

  Yes. Especially the place for Edoras was a superb find. (Only some
buildings were added with CGI, all the rest is real scenery.)

-- 
                                                          - Warp

Post a reply to this message

On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 15:59:50 -0400, Warp wrote:

> Jim Henderson <nos### [at] nospamcom> wrote:
>> The scouts
>> did very well, I thought, in scouting locations that evoked the images
>> of the books.
> 
>   Yes. Especially the place for Edoras was a superb find. (Only some
> buildings were added with CGI, all the rest is real scenery.)

Yes, I thought that was one of the most outstanding locations they had.

Jim

Post a reply to this message

Orchid XP v8 wrote:
> Actually, I recall a number of people urging me to read The Hobbit. 
> After a chapter or two I was bored stupid. Watching paint dry would have 
> been more fun.
> 
> Oddly, the LotR films are really quite good. I don't know how they 
> managed to get so much excitement out of such a dull series of books...
> 

I feel that the style of The Hobbit is a little different from that of 
the LotR books. I still prefer the LotR even after reading each many 
times...

I actually I had to read The Hobbit at school and I did not like it at 
all (as nearly everything I had to read at school actually ;-) ). Only 
some years later I stumbled by accident on The Two Towers somewhere in 
the basement, and got caught immediately... To the point of digging out 
the other two volumes :-)

I read The Hobbit again later, and even now I enjoy it mostly for the 
connections with the rest of Tolkien's books, not really on its own. So 
don't judge the whole series based on The Hobbit, in my opinion...

-- 
Vincent

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"Jim Henderson" <nos### [at] nospamcom> wrote in message
news:480f9338$1@news.povray.org...
> On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 21:16:45 +0200, Gail Shaw wrote:
>
> > Let's see, in the last week and a half, I've reread Daughter of the
> > Empire, Servant of the Empire, Mistress of the Empire (by Raymond E
> > Feist and Janny Wurts) and 3/4 reread Magician (Raymond E Feist)
>
> I need to reread those again - have you read Fairie Tale?  Very well
> written, but also quite scary (particularly if you have kids the age of
> the kids in the book).  I think that one is one of Feist's best.

No. I have a friend threatening to lend me the book. So far she hasn't made
good on the threat.
Note to self - raid the bookshelf next time I visit.

Post a reply to this message

"Orchid XP v8" <voi### [at] devnull> wrote in message
news:480f8ff1$1@news.povray.org...
> Gail Shaw wrote:
>
> > They're good. Read Magician. Seriously. It's an excellent book.
Technically
> > it's the first of a trilogy, but it stands alone quite well.
>
> Actually, I recall a number of people urging me to read The Hobbit.
> After a chapter or two I was bored stupid. Watching paint dry would have
> been more fun.

Tolkien's writings are expansive. Lots of details, lots of words. Some
people enjoy that, some don't.
Give the Lord of the Rings a try. You may enjoy it more than the Hobbit (I
do), but you may not. Do not even try reading the Silmarillion. It reads
like a history text book.

I love the Lord of the Rings story, but I struggle to read the second book
in The Two Towers.

Post a reply to this message

Gail Shaw wrote:

> Note to self - raid the bookshelf next time I visit.

Oh, I'm sorry - am I making you hungry? :-)

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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"Orchid XP v8" <voi### [at] devnull> wrote in message
news:480f9ea8$1@news.povray.org...
> Gail Shaw wrote:
>
> > Note to self - raid the bookshelf next time I visit.
>
> Oh, I'm sorry - am I making you hungry? :-)

Huh?

Post a reply to this message

On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 22:03:00 +0200, Vincent Le Chevalier wrote:

> Orchid XP v8 wrote:
>> Actually, I recall a number of people urging me to read The Hobbit.
>> After a chapter or two I was bored stupid. Watching paint dry would
>> have been more fun.
>> 
>> Oddly, the LotR films are really quite good. I don't know how they
>> managed to get so much excitement out of such a dull series of books...
>> 
>> 
> I feel that the style of The Hobbit is a little different from that of
> the LotR books. I still prefer the LotR even after reading each many
> times...

Well, the Hobbit was written as a children's story, IIRC....LOTR wasn't.

Jim

Post a reply to this message

On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 22:17:09 +0200, Gail Shaw wrote:

> Do not even try reading the Silmarillion. It reads like a history text
> book.

Ain't *that* the truth.  I found it to be very difficult to read - ended 
up starting it 3 times before I read it all the way through.

Jim

Post a reply to this message

On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 22:14:38 +0200, Gail Shaw wrote:

> "Jim Henderson" <nos### [at] nospamcom> wrote in message
> news:480f9338$1@news.povray.org...
>> On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 21:16:45 +0200, Gail Shaw wrote:
>>
>> > Let's see, in the last week and a half, I've reread Daughter of the
>> > Empire, Servant of the Empire, Mistress of the Empire (by Raymond E
>> > Feist and Janny Wurts) and 3/4 reread Magician (Raymond E Feist)
>>
>> I need to reread those again - have you read Fairie Tale?  Very well
>> written, but also quite scary (particularly if you have kids the age of
>> the kids in the book).  I think that one is one of Feist's best.
> 
> No. I have a friend threatening to lend me the book. So far she hasn't
> made good on the threat.
> Note to self - raid the bookshelf next time I visit.

I've only read it a couple of times, but it was - for me - a book I 
really couldn't put down once I started.  First time I read it, I read it 
straight through, finished up about 3AM.  Not a good time to finish 
reading a book of that type, either - every little creak in the house 
made me jump.

Jim

Post a reply to this message

"Jim Henderson" <nos### [at] nospamcom> wrote in message
news:480fa61d$1@news.povray.org...
> On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 22:17:09 +0200, Gail Shaw wrote:
>
> > Do not even try reading the Silmarillion. It reads like a history text
> > book.
>
> Ain't *that* the truth.  I found it to be very difficult to read - ended
> up starting it 3 times before I read it all the way through.

I've never read it cover to cover. I use it more as a reference book.

Post a reply to this message

Jim Henderson wrote:
> On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 22:03:00 +0200, Vincent Le Chevalier wrote:
> 
>> Orchid XP v8 wrote:
>>> Actually, I recall a number of people urging me to read The Hobbit.
>>> After a chapter or two I was bored stupid. Watching paint dry would
>>> have been more fun.
>>>
>>> Oddly, the LotR films are really quite good. I don't know how they
>>> managed to get so much excitement out of such a dull series of books...
>>>
>>>
>> I feel that the style of The Hobbit is a little different from that of
>> the LotR books. I still prefer the LotR even after reading each many
>> times...
> 
> Well, the Hobbit was written as a children's story, IIRC....LOTR wasn't.
> 

Yep I think it's exactly why I feel this way... More depth in the story.

-- 
Vincent

Post a reply to this message

On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 23:22:38 +0200, Gail Shaw wrote:

> "Jim Henderson" <nos### [at] nospamcom> wrote in message
> news:480fa61d$1@news.povray.org...
>> On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 22:17:09 +0200, Gail Shaw wrote:
>>
>> > Do not even try reading the Silmarillion. It reads like a history
>> > text book.
>>
>> Ain't *that* the truth.  I found it to be very difficult to read -
>> ended up starting it 3 times before I read it all the way through.
> 
> I've never read it cover to cover. I use it more as a reference book.

That's almost gotta be a better way to use it.

Have you read The Children of Hurin?  I've got the book on CDs, but 
haven't opened it yet.

Jim

Post a reply to this message

On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 23:37:51 +0200, Vincent Le Chevalier wrote:

> Yep I think it's exactly why I feel this way... More depth in the story.

Absolutely - Hobbit is relatively short as a result, too - doesn't have 
the "Epic" feel.  But it's part of the history of Middle Earth, along 
with oh so many other stories, ranging from the Farmer Giles stories to 
the books Christopher Tolkien released as part of the "History of Middle 
Earth" series (a few of which I have, but haven't read).

Jim

Post a reply to this message

Darren New wrote:

> 
> It's sometimes fun trying to figure out what my wife (who learned 
> Chinese first) is asking when she comes across a word she doesn't know. 
>  "What's a mig-non?"
> 
Don't know, my first though that it was a very fast flying female monk, 
but it is probably english and not dutch.

Post a reply to this message

Gail Shaw wrote:
> "Invisible" <voi### [at] devnull> wrote in message
> 
> If you're going to a library, ask a librarian. 

Andy is still resisting to ask the orangutan even though it prevents him 
from getting some subtle references.

Post a reply to this message

On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 22:14:38 +0200, "Gail Shaw"
<initialsurname@sentech sa dot com> wrote:

>
>No. I have a friend threatening to lend me the book. So far she hasn't made
>good on the threat.
>Note to self - raid the bookshelf next time I visit.

I won't give the ending away but it ties up a loose thread from
Shakespeare's Midsummer Nights Dream. 
-- 

Regards
     Stephen

Post a reply to this message

On Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:33:34 +0200, andrel <a_l### [at] hotmailcom>
wrote:

>Gail Shaw wrote:
>> "Invisible" <voi### [at] devnull> wrote in message
>> 
>> If you're going to a library, ask a librarian. 
>
>Andy is still resisting to ask the orangutan even though it prevents him 
>from getting some subtle references.

LOL and don't call him a chimp. ;)
-- 

Regards
     Stephen

Post a reply to this message

andrel wrote:
> Darren New wrote:
> 
>>
>> It's sometimes fun trying to figure out what my wife (who learned 
>> Chinese first) is asking when she comes across a word she doesn't 
>> know.  "What's a mig-non?"
>>
> Don't know, my first though that it was a very fast flying female monk, 
> but it is probably english and not dutch.

I asked her if it had the word "fill-it" in front. :-)  "Yeah! How'd you 
know?"

She's great. I'm not making fun of her, but of English. :-)

-- 
   Darren New / San Diego, CA, USA (PST)
     "That's pretty. Where's that?"
          "It's the Age of Channelwood."
     "We should go there on vacation some time."

Post a reply to this message

Orchid XP v8 wrote:
> "Water, Sugar, Citric Acid, Vitamin C" [Found on some cheap lemonade.]

I liked the bit I had this morning.  "... Natural banana flavoring 
(water, fruit juice, organic sugar) ..."

I wasn't aware you could juice a banana, myself.

-- 
   Darren New / San Diego, CA, USA (PST)
     "That's pretty. Where's that?"
          "It's the Age of Channelwood."
     "We should go there on vacation some time."

Post a reply to this message

Orchid XP v8 wrote:
> I very much doubt that I've read all the good fiction already! ;-) 
> There's probably an ample supply of suitable stuff out there. As I say, 
> the problem is locating it. 

I liked one story I read where the main character mentioned at some 
point he only reads books more than 100 years old. "Doesn't that limit 
your choices?"   "No, not really."   Two chapters later, you find out 
he's a millenium-old vampire.


-- 
   Darren New / San Diego, CA, USA (PST)
     "That's pretty. Where's that?"
          "It's the Age of Channelwood."
     "We should go there on vacation some time."

Post a reply to this message

Orchid XP v8 wrote:
> Actually, I was thinking if anything I'm likely to try reading the Harry 
> Potter books [which are also reputed to be well-written].

They're well-written, but rather puerile in my opinion. Of course, 
they're targeted at kids, so you kind of expect it. The first one was 
OK, but as they went on it was obviously getting lamer and lamer. The 
movie pretty much summed up the book without a whole lot of differences.

I also read Golden Compass et al, which was actually one of the better 
fantasy books I've read lately. Surprisingly full of prophesies and 
magic for a book intended to convince you not to believe in that stuff.

I suspect, Andrew, you would very much like "Permutation City" by Greg 
Egan. Track it down and read the description. It's one of my favorite 
pieces of geeky computer fiction.

-- 
   Darren New / San Diego, CA, USA (PST)
     "That's pretty. Where's that?"
          "It's the Age of Channelwood."
     "We should go there on vacation some time."

Post a reply to this message

Warp wrote:
>   Yes. Especially the place for Edoras was a superb find. (Only some
> buildings were added with CGI, all the rest is real scenery.)

As a sideways tangent, if you've ever seen the Aeon Flux movie, those 
buildings are all existing buildings in some city in Germany, according 
to the DVD extras. Next time I'm vacationing there, I'll have to track 
it down.

-- 
   Darren New / San Diego, CA, USA (PST)
     "That's pretty. Where's that?"
          "It's the Age of Channelwood."
     "We should go there on vacation some time."

Post a reply to this message

"Stephen" <mcavoysAT@aolDOTcom> wrote in message
news:bqfv049f91s1pe2t04u6a8cjahnqmgpugp@4ax.com...
> On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 22:14:38 +0200, "Gail Shaw"
> <initialsurname@sentech sa dot com> wrote:
>
> >
> >No. I have a friend threatening to lend me the book. So far she hasn't
made
> >good on the threat.
> >Note to self - raid the bookshelf next time I visit.
>
> I won't give the ending away but it ties up a loose thread from
> Shakespeare's Midsummer Nights Dream.

Which I've never read...

Post a reply to this message

"Jim Henderson" <nos### [at] nospamcom> wrote in message
news:480fae73$1@news.povray.org...
>
> Have you read The Children of Hurin?  I've got the book on CDs, but
> haven't opened it yet.
>

No, sorry.

Post a reply to this message

"Darren New" <dne### [at] sanrrcom> wrote in message
news:480fcaab$1@news.povray.org...
> They're well-written, but rather puerile in my opinion. Of course,
> they're targeted at kids, so you kind of expect it. The first one was
> OK, but as they went on it was obviously getting lamer and lamer. The
> movie pretty much summed up the book without a whole lot of differences.

I still haven't managed to finish book 6. The characters are irritating me.

> I also read Golden Compass et al, which was actually one of the better
> fantasy books I've read lately. Surprisingly full of prophesies and
> magic for a book intended to convince you not to believe in that stuff.

They are excellent and surprisingly, the movie 'The Golden Compass' follows
the book almost exactly.
The first book was called "The Northern Lights" in all parts of the world
other than North America

I recently tracked down and reread the Dark Is Rising series. Also young
teenager books, but very well written

Post a reply to this message

And lo on Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:56:44 +0100, Stephen <mcavoysAT@aolDOTcom>
  

did spake, saying:

> On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:02:46 +0100, "Phil Cook"
> <phi### [at] nospamrocainfreeservecouk> wrote:
>
>> lash = do putStrLn "You've been a naughty boy haven't you?"
>>           grovel <- readLn
>>           if grovel == yes
>>               then putStrLn "So you need to be whipped"
>>               else putStrLn "Liar! You need to be whipped"
>>
>
> See You Jimmie. You a perv or sumthing? :)

Can't I be a perv and sumthing? ;-)

-- 

Phil Cook

--
I once tried to be apathetic, but I just couldn't be bothered
http://flipc.blogspot.com

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And lo on Wed, 23 Apr 2008 19:26:17 +0100, Orchid XP v8 <voi### [at] devnull>  
did spake, saying:

> Orchid XP v8 wrote:
>
>> Worrying fact: This almost compiles, actually...
>
> Actually, scrub that. Worrying fact: I knew it would compile without  
> trying it. :-.

Hardly worrying it wasn't exactly complex, a slight touch of worry would  
be you parsing it and thinking "Hmm that sounds about right"

-- 
Phil Cook

--
I once tried to be apathetic, but I just couldn't be bothered
http://flipc.blogspot.com

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>>> You might even make a couple acquaintances at the library
>> I've heard this gem before. However, given that talking is strictly 
>> prohibited, I fail to comprehend how this one works...
> 
> When was the last time you were in a library :) Now-a-days the sound
> of keyboards clicking would deafen you :(

Especially at *my* library! Last time I checked, they still use two-tone 
brown dumb terminals with green screens for searching the library catelogue.

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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And lo on Wed, 23 Apr 2008 19:04:50 +0100, Darren New <dne### [at] sanrrcom>  
did spake, saying:

> Phil Cook wrote:
>> And lo on Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:14:27 +0100, Darren New <dne### [at] sanrrcom>  
>> did spake, saying:
>>
>>> Phil Cook wrote:
>>>> I just can't imagine not reading fiction; it's just my default state  
>>>> of being.
>>>
>>> Hey, I read nothing but non-fiction until fifth grade, whereupon the  
>>> teacher forced the issue by requiring a book report on a fiction book.  
>>> :-)
>>  It wan't meant disparagingly, simply an Error Does Not Compute for my  
>> OS :-)
>
> I took no offense. :-)

Well you never can tell by text :-)

> The first fiction book I read was about a family captured by the giant  
> AI that is built into Phobos by the now-extinct Martians. I wish I could  
> remember the name - "Phobos is missing" or something like that...

GIYF or more precise WIYF - Phobos the Robot Planet by Paul Capon? Not one  
I've read.

-- 
Phil Cook

--
I once tried to be apathetic, but I just couldn't be bothered
http://flipc.blogspot.com

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And lo on Thu, 24 Apr 2008 00:39:06 +0100, Darren New <dne### [at] sanrrcom>  
did spake, saying:

> Orchid XP v8 wrote:
>> "Water, Sugar, Citric Acid, Vitamin C" [Found on some cheap lemonade.]
>
> I liked the bit I had this morning.  "... Natural banana flavoring  
> (water, fruit juice, organic sugar) ..."
>
> I wasn't aware you could juice a banana, myself.

Sure you can - hold it by both ends and wring dry :-P

-- 
Phil Cook

--
I once tried to be apathetic, but I just couldn't be bothered
http://flipc.blogspot.com

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And lo on Wed, 23 Apr 2008 17:53:45 +0100, Stephen <mcavoysAT@aolDOTcom>  
did spake, saying:

> On Wed, 23 Apr 2008 16:54:56 +0100, "Phil Cook"
> <phi### [at] nospamrocainfreeservecouk> wrote:
>
>> Well they do sometimes put quizes on the back, or mazes; mazes are fun  
>> ;-)
>>
>> Personally ...<skip rambling> in a feeble
>> attempt to gain consciousness prior to the coffee hit.
>
> It was a figure of speech, Phil :)

Yeah I knew that yeah course I did [cough]. Seriously though I look at the  
ingredients of everything I eat except breakfast, often for the same  
reason as Andy.

-- 
Phil Cook

--
I once tried to be apathetic, but I just couldn't be bothered
http://flipc.blogspot.com

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On Thu, 24 Apr 2008 06:38:18 +0200, "Gail Shaw"
<initialsurname@sentech sa dot com> wrote:

>> I won't give the ending away but it ties up a loose thread from
>> Shakespeare's Midsummer Nights Dream.
>
>Which I've never read...

No matter it is still a good book it just has a twist that I
appreciated. 
-- 

Regards
     Stephen

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On Thu, 24 Apr 2008 09:33:30 +0100, "Phil Cook"
<phi### [at] nospamrocainfreeservecouk> wrote:

>Yeah I knew that yeah course I did [cough]. Seriously though I look at the  
>ingredients of everything I eat except breakfast, 

I don't do that, it spoils my appetite :)

>often for the same  
>reason as Andy.

Hmm! <resists any temptation to make a smarta***d comment> :) 
-- 

Regards
     Stephen

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Invisible escribió:
> Especially at *my* library! Last time I checked, they still use two-tone 
> brown dumb terminals with green screens for searching the library 
> catelogue.

WTF!

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Invisible wrote:

> 
> Especially at *my* library! Last time I checked, they still use two-tone 
> brown dumb terminals with green screens for searching the library 
> catelogue.
> 

Not terribly dissimilar to what pizza delivery places (that actually 
have a computerized system) use, I imagine. Everything ran off of the 
manager's computer, with serial cables. It was some specialized 
multi-tasking form of DOS. Weird stuff.

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>> Especially at *my* library! Last time I checked, they still use 
>> two-tone brown dumb terminals with green screens for searching the 
>> library catelogue.
> 
> WTF!

What? It's a library funded by a county counsil. What's to explain? 
Technically it does what it's meant to do...

-- 
http://blog.orphi.me.uk/
http://www.zazzle.com/MathematicalOrchid*

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"Darren New" <dne### [at] sanrrcom> wrote in message
news:480fc89a$1@news.povray.org...
> Orchid XP v8 wrote:
> > "Water, Sugar, Citric Acid, Vitamin C" [Found on some cheap lemonade.]
>
> I liked the bit I had this morning.  "... Natural banana flavoring
> (water, fruit juice, organic sugar) ..."
>
> I wasn't aware you could juice a banana, myself.

Who said that's banana juice? They said banana flavoring and fruit juice.
They didn't say *what* fruit.

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On Thu, 24 Apr 2008 17:07:40 +0200, "Gail Shaw"
<initialsurname@sentech sa dot com> wrote:

>
>"Darren New" <dne### [at] sanrrcom> wrote in message
>news:480fc89a$1@news.povray.org...
>> Orchid XP v8 wrote:
>> > "Water, Sugar, Citric Acid, Vitamin C" [Found on some cheap lemonade.]
>>
>> I liked the bit I had this morning.  "... Natural banana flavoring
>> (water, fruit juice, organic sugar) ..."
>>
>> I wasn't aware you could juice a banana, myself.
>
>Who said that's banana juice? They said banana flavoring and fruit juice.
>They didn't say *what* fruit.
>
Yes, but …
You can still juice a banana :)
With milk they are really nice IMHO.
Have you tried carrot and apple juiced?
-- 

Regards
     Stephen

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