Knocking some sense into Migrainesoft

Steve said:

I am in permanent awe of their sheer inventive genius for pushing the envelope of what can be described as “extraordinarily stupid”

Which is where my comments about the “swirly paper” and similar come into play.
If the transfer was faster the graphic effect wouldn’t be considered as even vaguely necessary, and the reason the transfer is slow is the graphic entertainment put in place to keep you occupied while the slow transfer occurs. As you say: “extraordinarily stupid”

Maybe someone could knock some sense into these people, would a baseball bat do the job or would a lump hammer be more appropriate?

I shall cease, this is Announcements after all.

I have an SDS concrete breaker…

The tales I could tell about the creation of XPS and the (then) new Windows print system. Crikey.

Do you really want that crazy keyboard, Nemo? I’d be happy to see it go to a good home…

Drop ME a line at the USUAL email address and I’ll arrange some beer tokens for the postage and your trouble Sir.

You have email nemo – I’m away from home from Saturday for a week (visiting new (first) grandchild in Berlin), so if I don’t have an address to post it to before tomorrow it won’t get posted until I get back.

I work in Berlin and live nearby (within the motorway ring). I will pay more attention to ghost drivers ;-)

Ghost? I ain’t no ghost, you’ll (probably) be pleased to hear!

I’ll be driving a black Volvo V70 – our Honda, which is far more economical to run, doesn’t pass Berlin’s Low Emission Zone requirements. 40% less CO2, but more particulates (no Diesel Particulate Filter, too old for that malarky).

Sorry, maybe “ghost driver” is not the correct translation. Is the Google one for “Geisterfahrer”. Geisterfahrer are the left driving (wrong direction) people on our “Autobahn”.
I will search a black V70 with a GB number next week… if a silver Zafira gives signals … ;-)

LC02GEK…

And don’t worry, I’ll be on the right side of the road! Done plenty of driving in mainland Europe – usually in a lefthand drive (hired) car, but often enough in my own as well.

Of course it was a joke.

I do not expect that we will really meet. That would be a great coincidence.

Unless we decided to meet deliberately, no, pretty unlikely! And I will be busy getting to know my new grandson…

And I will be busy getting to know my new grandson…

That’s more important than meeting me!
In addition, I speak even worse Enlisch than I write and I am a bad city guide. ;-)

In addition, I speak even worse Enlisch than I write and I am a bad city guide.

Ich spreche genug Deutsch – und ich habe mich oft gefragt, woher deine Vorfahren stammen und ob du noch andere Sprachen sprichst…?

And as for city guides – my son-in-law – and nowadays, my daughter too – know Berlin pretty well.

… ich habe mich oft gefragt, woher deine Vorfahren stammen und ob du noch andere Sprachen sprichst…?

Vor WK2: Ostpreußen (heute Polen),
Nach: Mutter: Ostberlin; Vater: Westberlin
Ich immmer (>50J): Brandenburg Nähe Berlin (östlich) ;-)
Ich “spreche” nicht einmal richtig Deutsch (mild dyslexia) ;-)

Knowing Berlin is not the problem. I know it very well, I think. But if anybody (e.g. friends from study) ask me “Where should we go?”… I not know what I should recommend. This annoys my wife a lot. Every day in Berlin and no ideas. “Operational blindness”! ;-)
If anybody tells me what he will see, I know the way ;-)

Ah. Weiß Ich nicht warum, I’d got the impression at some point that you might have had partly Indic roots, and might speak Hindi or Urdu!

As for knowing a town, any town – I’m much the same, and so are my daughter and son-in-law.

…I know the way…

… and a lot of details… I forget.

Ich nicht warum, I’d got the impression at some point that you might have had partly Indic roots, and might speak Hindi or Urdu!

I have blond hair (now with more gray) and pale (fair skin even in summer) ;-)
No goal, far off ;-)

8~) Our son-in-law is very blonde – so blonde you think he’s even balder than he really is – and also fair skinned even in summer. Our daughter is quite pale – but a golden pale – in winder, and an almost chocolatey rich brown like her mother in summer.

I’m just pink (as you can see in my picture) with mostly white hair and beard nowadays.

… with mostly white hair and beard nowadays.

Altersweiß oder ~weise oder beides. ;-)

Amy problems with the Brexit for your daughter and son-in-law? I hope not.

Before I forget … “Have a good trip!”.
I tink not but if you get bored, I’m here ;-)

Altersweiß – hair was dark brown, beard was red.

No, no problem for them: daughter got dual nationality in time! Be a hassle for us visiting them, and a bit of a hassle for them visiting us, but no problem for them living in Germany (or anywhere in the EU).

I’ve not been to Berlin since before the wall came down – I loved the city and was amazed at how diverse it was even with a wall around it, there were lakes, beaches, villages & fields – not what I was expecting before I arrived there. Did a few trips by road and another by train while stationed in Germany in the RAF in the late 70’s, early 80’s. I’d really like the chance to go back and see how it has changed.

No, no problem for them: daughter got dual nationality in time! … but no problem for them living in Germany (or anywhere in the EU).

Good to hear!

Be a hassle for us visiting them, and a bit of a hassle for them visiting us,…

Most problems should not be, but that’s another thread …

Sorry. Yesterday, after work, I met my family. The children were still on vacation.
We looked at the Reichstag. Unfortunately, this is no longer “I’m here, I will”. You need a reservation.
After that, “Festival of Lights” was …

You are one week too late ;-)

I’d really like the chance to go back and see how it has changed.

Many things have gotten better. The surrounding area in Brandenburg and the former East Berlin have much to offer. “Everything’s nice” as long as you do not look behind the scenes.
Many things in Berlin are “Province” and that’s exactly how it is governed in many ways. “Poor but sexy” can not be the claim. My opinion.

…train while stationed in Germany in the RAF…

Upps, we were enemies. More or less ;-) I was in the NVA but later. End of the 80’s.

“Everything’s nice” as long as you do not look behind the scenes.

That description could apply to just about anywhere.

Here, the tiny town where I live. Nice, tranquil, peaceful, and a little under half of them vote National Front. ¹

Upps, we were enemies. More or less ;-)

Yeah, but you guys got better.

I think the testament to the EU is not in straight cucumbers and other such tabloid rubbish, but in the fact that Germany and France (among others) are on good terms these days.
There is a way forward that involves partnership, compromise, and understanding.
Not tanks, guns, and bombs.

¹ Like Brexit, I think a fair amount of this is misplaced existential dread. It’s easier to blame random foreigners rather than accept that the world is changing and their ways of life that have existed probably since the days of Charlemagne are less and less relevant. The cities are where it’s at, the country is often forgotten. It’s sad, yes, but it’s not the fault of foreigners. If anything the idiot Brits that paid a fine price for old wrecks are what kept a lot of these little country towns from being forgotten entirely. Like over the way…yeah, it was a problem trying to teach six Brit kids who had about zero French. But five of them are what pushed the school over the arbitrary quota imposed by the local prefecture for forced school closures. Otherwise the school would have closed, the local children dispersed to other places in increasingly larger classes, and that would have had nothing to do with anybody outside the département, never mind the country. Look closer to home before thinking of voting in favour of angry racist liars, most of your problems come from within. Just like Brexit.

That description could apply to just about anywhere.

Thats right but Berlin is a “special thing” in my eyes.

Here, the tiny town where I live. Nice, tranquil, peaceful, and a little under half of them vote National Front.

Hard for me to answer (especially the footnote). Even in my native language there are many misunderstandings.
That is one reason why I avoid these discussions “in forums”.
Lies, own truths, twisted facts, fools … exist in all political groups. But it must be possible to talk objectively together.
Disagree because a good suggestion comes from the “wrong group” is not a good style.

… but in the fact that Germany and France (among others) are on good terms these days.
There is a way forward that involves partnership, compromise, and understanding.

“Fact”? Not sure. Much “corruption”, “Give me the job, you get this …”You put the EU president, I rule the ECB … It’s like always, most pursue their own interests. Sorry, I’m not really optimistic but I hope I’m not right.

Not tanks, guns, and bombs.

On the other hand, we have not a working defence and we can not fulfill our duties in NATO. Can you rely on friends who can not rely on us? Not easy at all…