What I Learned Today
 

Seeing as how the unexamined life is not worth living, let me tell you what I learned today: I learned that there are two different sorts of rail roads in India-one is regular sized and the other is smaller, track is different. You can't use both tracks for the same locomotive. This means that at times freight (or, people) must dis-embark from one train to re-embark on another simply because the track has changed. I learned that India likes this because it creates jobs (and providing jobs is the responsibility of the government, so the more the merrier). I also learned where all of the countries in Monsoon Asia are and I am learning why the American way of doing things cannot and does not work in other parts of the world (academic, I know, but I really am learning interesting things about different locales)--anyway, this is all very well and good. I love it. I've no idea what this has to do with my major, but, whatever.

What did you learn today?
:)

I learned today that sometimes I don't have a woody at work.

Have you considered driving this to work?

http://www.woodywagon.com/woodies_ta...coolwoodie.gif

It's really obvious no one cares about any fucking shit.


HUGE SNIF

well, I tried.

just some PITA MS SQL Server BS that no one would be interested in.


edit: and BTW, there are some narrow guage railroads here in the US, too.

but don't touch the 3rd rail! :mg:

I've learned that it's damn hard to work with family!

I learned that to get additional timekeepers to show up in my time tracking software, I need to click "all" in a drop down menu located in a subdirectory. The default in that drop down menu is "favorites." I somehow had a bunch of people in my favorites, but was looking for others, who weren't showing up. I didn't even know there was a drop down menu to change what list I was looking at.

It had been causing a little extra work for me for a few months, because I had to call everyone that wasn't appearing on my list of favorites to harrass them about their time. Now I don't need to make most of those calls, or can at least target the calls I do make.

I like what you learned today better, although what I learned today has a bigger impact on my life.

I may not have learned anything useful today to anyone, myself included, but this gave me the biggest laugh I've had in a long time! Thank you!


:lol2:

I learned that if you hit a cat in the head with a hammer, it will blink.

Dinner was great.

You make the connection.

Today I learned that I can buy 20kg of chicken feed instead of 40kg which means it's much easier for me to carry from the boot of the car to the chook shed.

I also learned that I have a terrible memory...although I've kinda known that all along, so maybe it was just a reminder. :)

today, i learned that brianna is feeling kooky.

given this, and some other previous facts and observations, i have decided that she may be a bit unstable at times. As i ponder this, I am also reminded that i like her, and i hope she is not on a bender.

Today I learned ...

That with the number of cars that have those remote control door opener thingies, there is bound to be some crossover.

I hit my trunk open button tonight and the panic alarm on another car started going off.

Just to make sure it wasn't a coincidence, I tried it again.

And again.

It was 1am.

That's just nasty

Ooooo! Did the car belong to one of those creeps next door that you would like to get even with? :lol:

Thats great! I learned (remembered) that to succeed in life I need to work 2-3% harder than the status quo. Then its party all the way to the bank.

I also learned no matter what I do at my job, being personable and dealing with people ends up being the deciding factor. This has been a gradual learning, but its always great to realize just what you are learning ;-)

I learnt that the hardest thing a man can do is do nothing.
I learnt that the hardest thing for a man to say is say nothing.

Typing, (or not), fits in there somewhere.

I learned that on a day when I don't take a lunch break, I walk 7,400 (rounded up) steps. I wasn't very happy about this, as the target amount for health is 10,000. I had assumed that walking to & from work would cover me, but it's obviously not as far as I thought.

Also that Knighton Library closes at 17.00 on Wednesdays, so I have a fine to pay on 2 DVDs. Darn.

I learned that my mare is in fact tall enough and smart enough to remove the bottom bolt from her stable door. I also learned a 1000 sq metre patch full of broccoli costs 300 euro..............

That's a lot of broccoli

I thought the two kinds of railroads in india were

1) the one where 2000 people get on a train designed for 100 and run into another one and

2) where the kind of train in example one gets onto a bridge and

2a) derails or
2b) the bridge collapses.

Since American railroads were developed while railroad passenger traffic was still profitable, they run (with few exceptions) on a standard rail gauge.

However, Amtrak has been trying to develop an American version of type 1, but their goverment subsidies are only big enough for them to develop a train designed for 2000 with 75 people on it.

As Amtrak right-of-way infrastructure deteriorates they'll be introducing a version of type 2b soon...they have prototypes already,

Don't forget the military VHF radios in some US warships and aircraft that have the same effect, but operate over like a ten mile radius.

One hopes they don't test them at 2am.

http://starbulletin.com/98/07/31/news/story10.html

Of course they are the primary licencee in-band.

Come to think of it, as Amateur Radio Station K3XS I'm licenced for a primary allocation sitting right on top of frequencies used for WiFI...but at power levels comparable to the unshielded output of a microwave oven. Wheeeee!

No bender, but I do appreciate the fact that it COULD have been a bender and thanks for looking out for one as it's probably only a matter of time. I had just finished my first Statistics test and my brain hurt with all the stuff that was in there so I had to let some out! :)

PS-so far, I haven't learned anything today

.. that a cold, dark morning presents the perfect time and conditions should you wish to trip over the dog, tread on the cat's tail and spill the remains of the drink your holding all over yourself, in one seamless movement

I learned that the group of software developers I work with have pretty much no idea what they are doing - no concept of life-cycle development, or CMMI Level III practices and procedures, and no real sense of humor (see in this world if you suck at what you endeavor to do you should at LEAST be able to laugh about it after the fact....)
So today I learned what it's like to work on the Island of MisFit Toys.

Who's Kooky?

I don't know, but I'll bet she isn't asking him to lend her his comb...

Technically this was last night, but...I learned how to change a vacuum cleaner belt. Mine broke last week, so I took it apart, put the new one in, and put it back together. +5 points for finishing in under 20 min without directions, -12 points for buying the replacement belt at the new Wal-Mart that just was built down the road.

I'm pretty cavalier about looking at the diagram as I change the vacuum cleaner belt. About half the time, the beater brush ends up spitting the dirt out in front of the vacuum cleaner after I change the belt, so I need to open it up and reverse the belt.

Today, I learned that it costs 14.40 to get an envelope to Cleveland by noon tomorrow.

I learned some people are so stupid you've got to wonder how their heart, lungs, etc. keep functioning.

You have to admire Nature for making those functions autonomic so that stupid people could continue to live, too. After all, we have to get our entertainment from *somewhere*.

So...you're a recent CompSci grad? :-)

Welcome to the real world. That red pill is a bitch, ain't it?

Today, I learned about the paintbrush "copy format" button in MS PowerPoint.
Yes, I am a PowerPoint engineer. Haven't touched a wrench, fiber stripper or circuit in far too long. :sniff:

Apparently not.

I learned that on December 16, 2006, Aliantha will move into 4th place.

I didn't learn it today but that railway thing happens at the borders between Western and Eastern Europe. Initially I thought "Welllllll, Russia and all the ex-soviet states are going to have to change their rail guage to fit in", then I worked out that there were probably far fewer rail-miles in Western than Eastern Europe. I learnt all this on a frosty night, hmmmm, it must have been 30th December 1992.

That the IRS is not symathetic to those of us in the 31% bracket.

And that YOU WILL PAY THESE SUMBITCHES!

Rather intelligent design, huh. :lol:

This is similar to what I've been dealing with in the SF Bay Area. Many trips I have to change from the "heavy rail" CalTrain to the "light rail" BART. Sometimes I take the Muni train between them.

BART covers the whole Bay Area except here in Santa Clara county. The debate is whether to extend BART to here or build heavy rail up to BART. To build BART costs 4 times as much per mile than heavy rail.

Santa Clara county really needs a good connection to the East Bay. Now, I have to take the Caltrain up the penisula to the city and BART over to Oakland for games (or my previous job). It takes over 2 hours for a 50 mile trip.

Going home, I BART down the east bay and taxi home for $60. I'd like a rail link for that segment, even if I have to change trains.

OH BUT YES!!!
Suddenly I feel like independent wealth would have been a better choice! LOL ;)

Last night I learned that my cat ABSOLUTELY strategically chooses to yurk on the second stair of my home when she is pissed at me. BLAH. :(

If my memory doesn't fail me and dov is the same dov I met at a Cellar GTG something like 15 years ago, she's female.

My Cellar handle was JaniceL in those days...

Just one of the many Important Things They Fail To Teach In School.

Of course, if they knew that simple fact, they wouldn't be teaching undergrads.

OK. Today I learned that I am indeed LD when it comes to math, and given my current situation (being sued) I guess that's a no-brainer. BUT! I did learn something useful today as well! I learned that over and over again, humanity (esp. the rich and snotty part of humanity) makes the same mistake over and over! If you take land away from the small farmer, you grow a revolution! Easy, peasy, japaneasy! A charm, every time. SIGH. NO one reads their history. Pity.

Not if you give him a 40 hr job at a decent wage. Offer that and he'll RUN from that little farm faster than you can grab the deed. Farming is hard work that takes a special temperment :nuts:

well, bruce, you are right.

Yesterday at work I learned that in the state of MS you cannot get a payment arrangement with the local phone company to pay off your past due phone bill when you already have a write off and several failed payment arrangements on your account.

I was informed of this by the rep at financial services. The customer was none too kind to me before I put her on hold to call financial services so she could be transfered to that department. Once informed, my reply to the rep was, " I will very cheerfully tell her so!"

I think I'd prefer to be in financial services, as those people seem to be able to get away with being mean to customers who are insufferable jerks.

I learned yesterday (I was too tired and frustrated to post at that time) that a 13 hour shift with two trainees is survivable. Not just survivable, but survivable without needing to yell or foam at the mouth.

You can express disdain a lot more effectively by speaking softly.

speak softly and carry a big stick , I beleve the saying is , people listen when you speak softly and clearly and sysucingthly ( don't yell and don' tmince words , tell it like it IS , them shut up )

What I learned tonite , I have bee applying the 48 rules of power ( thanks Wolf ) for years ( most of them any way ) for YEARS !!!!
Here's a link , http://www2.tech.purdue.edu/cgt/cour...s_of_power.htm

I'm up to #15 in the book. I don't get as much time to read these days as I'd like. (especially when I've got a double-trainee shift. It's fucking easier to work alone, I tell you. At least shit gets done right.)

I found this years ago , I have it and the art of war on my PDA , the book of five rings make more sence to me how ever , the 48 rules of power follows these principles ( mostly ) ,
Heres a link to the book of 5 rings ,
http://www.samurai.com/5rings/

I have those on my PDA also ... along with the US Army Survival Manual.

I'm sure you do but just in case you'll be wanting a hard copy... although knowing you, you probably have a solar charger for your pda...nevermind.

Where do you get the US Army Survival Manual as an ebook?

iSilo, I think. Either that or I found it as a .pdf, and I have a converter for those.

And yes, I do already have a hardcopy, along with the SAS Manual and a few others.

http://www.equipped.com/fm21-76.htm for one

also

http://www.basegear.com/fm2176.html

There are several .mil sites that make FMs available too...

this isn't about make work, narrow guages are used in mountainous country because it costs much less to dig a tunnel or carve out a mountian side for the track when it is narrow plus you can make tighter turns with a narrow guage. Wide guage is used on the flat because it is much more stable and you can travel faster.

On Friday, I learned that it is impossible to communicate an important concept to someone, regardless of how intelligent and outwardly capable they may seem, which they are not sufficiently motivated to grasp. Coupled with that is the hardest lesson - never entrust someone else with something that could cost you your job if it goes awry.

I received the biggest asschewing of my two year career here on Friday (while I was home sick as hell, no less) for the failure of our office to send a daily production report to the GC on a Federal project. I had given the task to my assistant, with explicit instructions that these reports must be filed daily, *whether we worked on the project that day or not*, without fail. I have queried her several times over the weeks, only to find that she was a couple of days behind, and I told her to get caught up and stay caught up.

When the shithammer fell on me Friday, I called her and asked her WTF? Her response? "I knew that we had to have a report for every day, but I didn't know we had to send it out every day."

Utter bullshit, and my boss told me the next time it happened, my assistant and I would both be fired, because the GC threatened to throw us off of the project and claim against our bond.

Nice.

So, Els, you gonna have that TPS report for us this afternoon?

Um, uh...that's my stapler...

I've got the fax machine...now I just need a ballbat.

You can use your staff if you're short on sporting equipment in the household.