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Only Leslie knows.
Mongo: Mongo only pawn... in game of life.
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It does raise a very interesting (serious) question about the use of -ist. When did it become a negative and why? Why are racists, and sexists bad and feminists not (well relatively so anyway)? Is it merely euphemism that means the negative is merely implied rather than specified? Or have we all just forgotten how to use English?
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Member 9082365 wrote: Or have we all just forgotten how to use English?
Well, I don't know if you can actually "use" English, unless you are using DD to be your _ _ _ _ _.
I would say we have forgotten to speak and write English, correctly; well, most of us....alright, just me. 
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I don't think -ist implies a negative. The word to which it is appended carries the negativity (as well as the mind of the hearer/reader). For instance, you mention feminist as being "not bad", but to many feminist is definitely negative.
Member 9082365 wrote: Or have we all just forgotten how to use English?
Probably. 
Decrease the belief in God, and you increase the numbers of those who wish to play at being God by being “society’s supervisors,” who deny the existence of divine standards, but are very serious about imposing their own standards on society.-Neal A. Maxwell
You must accept 1 of 2 basic premises: Either we are alone in the universe or we are not alone. Either way, the implications are staggering!-Wernher von Braun
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TheGreatAndPowerfulOz wrote: I don't think -ist implies a negative.
No it doesn't. That was kinda my point. Wasn't it?
That's my problem with a lot of words that have come to us under political correctness gone mad. 'ist' like 'er' should just mean someone who does a particular thing. An artist is just someone who does art. So why is a racist not someone who does race (if that has any meaning at all?) and a sexist someone who does sex (and don't get me started on the complete mess that's made of the distinction between gender and sex!) When did it become legitimate to declare that xist means someone who is prejudicial or antagonistic on the grounds of x?
On a similar track how did 'disabled' which means completely knacked and non-functional become a word preferable to 'handicapped' which is a straight, accurate description of the conditions under which someone is living? I'm perfectly in tune with the removal of all out derogatory expressions but this one (and a few others) has always seemed to me to be actually amping up the derogation not helping it.
Anyway. I guess I'm getting into soapbox territory so I'll finish my rant and go have a nice soothing cup of tea. I can still call it tea, right? It's so hard to keep up!
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Member 9082365 wrote: No it doesn't. That was kinda my point. Wasn't it?
Really? Because when you saidQuote: When did it become a negative and why?
That, to me, implies you think it attaches negativity to the word.
Member 9082365 wrote: That's my problem with a lot of words that have come to us under political correctness gone mad.
Now I see your point.
Agreed. 1000% (ignore if that sets you off on another rant... )
Decrease the belief in God, and you increase the numbers of those who wish to play at being God by being “society’s supervisors,” who deny the existence of divine standards, but are very serious about imposing their own standards on society.-Neal A. Maxwell
You must accept 1 of 2 basic premises: Either we are alone in the universe or we are not alone. Either way, the implications are staggering!-Wernher von Braun
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is Cubist considered negative? 
Cubist Images[^]
There are strangers on the Plain, Croaker
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It seems Cisco missed that message[^].The Next Web: That field notice detailed a major problem with the switches, discovered after they were released: plugging in a cable could wipe them entirely in just a few seconds
.(I'd have put it in the newsletter, but TNW is still suspect after their recent design flaws. Hopefully that link isn't to a full page advert any more.)
TTFN - Kent
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They should have made the reset button even bigger...
Like a big red emergency button on top, and a big warning in bold letters: 'Do not push this button!'
while (true) {
continue;
}
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 Big, red buttons work with every design 
TTFN - Kent
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phil.o wrote: big warning in bold letters: 'Do not push this button!'
In all major languages of the world 
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“Arthur Dent: What happens if I press this button?
Ford Prefect: I wouldn't-
Arthur Dent: Oh.
Ford Prefect: What happened?
Arthur Dent: A sign lit up, saying 'Please do not press this button again.”
--- DNA, H2G2 Radio script
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
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Why testing matters as well.
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At least that's how I felt. I had to perform 371.52 - 60.41 - 64.40. I have a whopping headache so didn't feel like doing it in my head, so I did it old school. With pen and paper. I'm talking without a calculator.
I'm not making this up.
And I ended up with the right answer. First. Time. Without cheating.
The thing that shocked me the most is just how long it's been since I've actually used my brain to work out something as trivial as subtraction. It's actually a little scary. Our kids are screwed.
cheers
Chris Maunder
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Chris Maunder wrote: Our kids are screwed.
Sad, but true.
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Could be.
(I did it in my head, and got it right - but I checked it on a calculator!  )
In the days before barcoded products, I used to add up the prices in my trolley / basket while bored waiting at the checkout, and hand over the exact amount. Even then, I got some strange looks from checkout girls (for they were all females on the checkout in those days) who needed the machine to tell them how much change to give. 
Bad command or file name. Bad, bad command! Sit! Stay! Staaaay...
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(true story)
I once went through a checkout line in my local WalMart, and I had to show the cashier how to count out my change.
Software Zen: delete this;
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Gary Wheeler wrote: in my local WalMart
Well, there's your problem... 
The United States invariably does the right thing, after having exhausted every other alternative. -Winston Churchill
America is the only country that went from barbarism to decadence without civilization in between. -Oscar Wilde
Wow, even the French showed a little more spine than that before they got their sh*t pushed in.[^] -Colin Mullikin
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I know, but you'd think that counting out change would be one of the minimum required abilities for the job.
Software Zen: delete this;
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It isn't.
You hire something that is not too bad to look at, have someone experienced show them how the big calculator works, presto.
Both cheaper and easier; and with all moving to paying with plastic (credit or debit), it is a topic that is easily skipped during the 'on the job training'.
Bastard Programmer from Hell 
If you can't read my code, try converting it here[^]
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Eddy Vluggen wrote: You hire something that is not too bad to look at
He did say it was Walmart. They do not have that requirement. 
There are only 10 types of people in the world, those who understand binary and those who don't.
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A favourite trick of mine is - for example - to give the cashier £70 for a bill of £66.32, then after they've entered the £70 into the till tell them "Oh I've got the 32p if you want it."
Then wait for their brains to explode...
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I did and still do a lot because when I was a little boy I often "designed" things in my head before falling asleep, now I design other things while I'm on the train or before falling asleep. You know, things as game mechanics (for games tha probably will never be) and... stuff.
Things that often involve multiplication, divisions, powers and even square roots (of course I approximate) or areas and volume calculations. I'm credited to be a fast calculator in facts
Geek code v 3.12 {
GCS d--- s-/++ a- C++++ U+++ P- L- E-- W++ N++ o+ K- w+++ O? M-- V? PS+ PE- Y+ PGP t++ 5? X R++ tv-- b+ DI+++ D++ G e++>+++ h--- r++>+++ y+++*
Weapons extension: ma- k++ F+2 X
}
If you think 'goto' is evil, try writing an Assembly program without JMP. -- TNCaver
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Sounds like you and my Mom both read the same How to Troll Cashiers book. Her favorite trick when she has a new one is to go "$123" before they scan the first item. Hers is a running total as she fills the cart.
Did you ever see history portrayed as an old man with a wise brow and pulseless heart, waging all things in the balance of reason?
Is not rather the genius of history like an eternal, imploring maiden, full of fire, with a burning heart and flaming soul, humanly warm and humanly beautiful?
--Zachris Topelius
Training a telescope on one’s own belly button will only reveal lint. You like that? You go right on staring at it. I prefer looking at galaxies.
-- Sarah Hoyt
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