The Off Topic Thread

craigb said:
so broken hearted for her, what do ya say???
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We had guinea pigs a few years ago, but for us, they were not a successful pet. Our sons never got interested in them, and they just became something on my "to do" list. After about 18 months, we found Tim's guinea pig, Ralph, dead in the cage.

So we sat them down and earnestly said that we had some bad news. I say as gently as I can "Ralph has died".

Tim, 5, gives me a wide-eyed blank look, shrugs, and says "I don't care". :eek: Not exactly what I expected.

I maintain my calm, and say in a very quiet, even voice "Well, I thought you might care, because Ralph was your pet."

He senses that "I don't care" wasn't quite the socially acceptable answer - he's cluey, my Tim. ;) So he throws me a bone...

"Well, Mum, now that I think about it, I care one per cent."

:D Crisis over.

I'm sorry that your kids are having such a tough time, craigb. I don't seek to trivialise what they're going through, but rather hope this brings a much-needed smile.
 
Craig - Huggs for your daughter. I used to have guinea pigs when I was a kids, and had a period of about a month where three died one after another (through similar circumstances). As upset as I was about them dying I was even more upset that my parents then decided that I shouldn't get another one - I think they were worried that I would just keep getting upset if it kept happening, but I think in general kids are able to deal with these things alot easier then adults.
 
Swine flu paranoia

Swine flu paranoia:

7551_full.jpg
 
i drove to work in the ute today.

i was air drumming to the god (Dave Grohl), in peak hour, in a manual, knee steering, changing gears to the beat.

god damn that was fun.
 
I've had a traumatic week. :(

I've gradually been whittling down my dust collecting CD collection. After culling them to fit in a single big box back (300+) around new year I'm now down to my top 100 exactly. :eek:

I've not used one in ages since going 100% digital with the HTPC and portable player ages back.

It's kinda strange, looking at each album individually of what's left every one has awesome memories from where I was, what I was doing and who my circle of immediate friends was at that particular time.

No wonder they call it the 'soundtrack to your life' - there's some fantastic memories in there. :)
 
mja said:
I have just been given access to Google Wave. It's... different. It will be a long shot, but does any Somersoft members have Google Wave access yet?

http://wave.google.com
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To be honest, I don't care much for Google Wave. Taking this one step futher, i don't even have a facebook account, nor have i ever twittered (and i wouldn't know how). I don't skype and i don't even have a web cam.

Don't get me wrong - i am far from being a techno phobe or luddite, but the above mediums just don't interest me.

I remember, back in my uni days, when access to the Internet was by a Unix based command line. We used to IRC, Telnet, FTP and even Finger people (who knows what i am talking about?). Prior to uni, and while Internet was only available to the Uni and Defence departments, i was mucking around with BBSes and using Remote Access and Front Door on my whiz bang 386 computer which was running OS/2 and had a top of the line 2400 baud modem. That was all fun.

But now - it is all a reason to spend more and more time on the net. Although these new tools may increase productivity, i think, they actually encourage more time wasting. For me now, i would prefer to be productive and do things to make me money - not to play around trying to learn the latest software or communications protocol.

Reminds me of a few words from a song ...."this species has amused itself to death"


thanks

g
 
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I like the character-by-character chatting, and also their spell/grammar checking and language translation seems much more sophisticated than anything else available at the moment. I don't have an account yet, but would like to jump on board soon.

p.s. I also have no facebook/myspace/twitter account and have fond memories of hanging out on BBS's all night.
 
I set up a facebook account a couple of months ago, I rarely use it - Only to check up on and stay in touch with two of my siblings who live in London, the reason I joined in the first place.

I would much rather waste my time on somersoft and bellybelly. :D
 
rugrat said:
I would much rather waste my time on somersoft and bellybelly. :D
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Do tell - what is bellybelly?

Unless there is another rugrat in Canberra, i have also seen your name pop up as a person placing comments on various news sites around the place. Is that you?



g
 
gg1965 said:
Do tell - what is bellybelly?

Unless there is another rugrat in Canberra, i have also seen your name pop up as a person placing comments on various news sites around the place. Is that you?



g
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Bellybelly is a parenting site - but I don't go by rugrat there. ;)

And yep, I have on occaision made comments on news sites when I am really bored - you think I would learn, the comments always end up edited (sometimes to the extent of missing the point I was atttempting to get across in the first place). :rolleyes:
 
gg1965 said:
To be honest, I don't care much for Google Wave.
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gg1965 said:
We used to IRC, Telnet, FTP and even Finger people (who knows what i am talking about?). Prior to uni, and while Internet was only available to the Uni and Defence departments, i was mucking around with BBSes and using Remote Access and Front Door on my whiz bang 386 computer which was running OS/2 and had a top of the line 2400 baud modem. That was all fun.
Click to expand...

So when did it stop being fun? I did all that, and I *still* do all these things, and I only just turned 30. Well, maybe my modem wasn't *that* slow. (And nobody leaves the finger daemon turned on, because that's a security risk, telnet is insecure and you can now use ssh instead of FTP).

I don't know - maybe it's my mentality - I can keep up with the youngest Gen-Y and their babble, and I was on Facebook in 2006 back when they were all Myspacing each other. *shudders*

gg1965 said:
For me now, i would prefer to be productive and do things to make me money - not to play around trying to learn the latest software or communications protocol.
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I like to think:

"In times of change, learners inherit the Earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists" -- Eric Hoffer.

:D
 
mja said:
So when did it stop being fun? I did all that, and I *still* do all these things, and I only just turned 30.
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It's still fun in mucking around with things like unix command prompts, programming etc at a lower level - but after having a kid, i soon realised that saving, planning and preparing for a secure future was a better way to spend time.

I thought that it was more important to spend my time in chasing a secure future and not spend my time, and spare cash at computer auctions and playing with computers. Funny what kids do our thoughts and plans.

Don't get me wrong, every time i go to an auction or go back to Taiwan, my eyes are widely open in looking at the bargains and technology that i can buy. But when thinking about how much time and money and space it all takes, and then looking at the big brown eyes of my kid, then i think of the future and either being with him or planning the future.




mja said:
I like to think:

"In times of change, learners inherit the Earth, while the learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists" -- Eric Hoffer.
:D
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very good quote.


Thanks


g
 
gg1965 said:
To be honest, I don't care much for Google Wave. Taking this one step futher, i don't even have a facebook account, nor have i ever twittered (and i wouldn't know how). I don't skype and i don't even have a web cam.
Click to expand...

I use Facebook to keep in touch with family and friends who don't live in the same state/country that I do.

I use Twitter connect and network with other professionals in my industry, which is important given I am self-employed.

I use Skype and a webcam to chat regularly with my family who live interstate and don't get to see their new grandson/nephew regularly.

Getting the grandparents and aunties all on Skype and all with decent webcams has revolutionised the way we share the joys of watching our son grow up with family who otherwise would be largely disconnected from this process.

These technologies all have their places and are not necessarily a waste of time if used carefully.

I never use Facebook applications or play games on it. I don't spent hours on Twitter chatting with just anyone about just anything - I am fairly targeted with my use of it. Skype and a webcam are just for chatting with family.

Like most things in life - it is how you choose to use the tools available to you which makes all the difference.
 
Sim said:
These technologies all have their places and are not necessarily a waste of time if used carefully. ... Like most things in life - it is how you choose to use the tools available to you which makes all the difference.
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Precisely - well said, Sim. Kudos to you! :)
 
auror said:
check out this ad... :eek:

http://www.domain.com.au/Public/PropertyDetails.aspx?adid=2008031724

Disclosure:
Strata levies are $3469.65 per quarter.
This building is currently under administrator.
There are currently three court cases, with the building manager, the fire system consultant, and the carpark owner.
Council has issued a fire order on the building.
The rooftop membrane is no longer waterproof.

So what are the selling points, exactly?
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Well, at least you know why they are trying to sell. ;)
 

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