Seemingly trivial things that intrigue you
Comments
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I guess I have limited interest in pure nature.TheBigBean said:
What is unappealing? You know you can stop, or ride a bike, or camp for days? Or you just prefer cities?rick_chasey said:
Different strokes for different folks but this sounds deeply unappealing.TheBigBean said:Allow a correction:
Where else can you drive for four hours, still be in the same national park and have seen almost no one?
My lifelong interest lies in people and civilisation, so yes, I guess I am always inclined towards villages, towns and cities.
Doesn't need to be a city. I guess I enjoy nature and scenery and all the rest best when it is framing the civilisation.0 -
Calgary's alright. It is a very basic city, maybe even charmless, but its proximity to the mountains saves it/ makes it exceptional: World class cycling (road + mtb), skiing, hiking, etc are on its doorstep.
(Also, it's not flat. Maybe gives the impression of flat because it's very sprawling and +/-99.99% low-rise buildings.)0 -
Yeah, its the proximity to Banff and Jaspar NP that makes it nice.Harry182 said:Calgary's alright. It is a very basic city, maybe even charmless, but its proximity to the mountains saves it/ makes it exceptional: World class cycling (road + mtb), skiing, hiking, etc are on its doorstep.
(Also, it's not flat. Maybe gives the impression of flat because it's very sprawling and +/-99.99% low-rise buildings.)
Having said that, I liked the old fort and was kind of intrigued by the various walkways etc that link all the central buildings so you can get round in the cold/snow.
What's it like at Rodeo time?
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Canada is probably not the place for you then all things considered.rick_chasey said:
I guess I have limited interest in pure nature.TheBigBean said:
What is unappealing? You know you can stop, or ride a bike, or camp for days? Or you just prefer cities?rick_chasey said:
Different strokes for different folks but this sounds deeply unappealing.TheBigBean said:Allow a correction:
Where else can you drive for four hours, still be in the same national park and have seen almost no one?
My lifelong interest lies in people and civilisation, so yes, I guess I am always inclined towards villages, towns and cities.
Doesn't need to be a city. I guess I enjoy nature and scenery and all the rest best when it is framing the civilisation.
I went through a period of time when I was fascinated by completely inacessible places that were miles from anywhere, but that ultimately involved people.
I met a guy who spent six weeks canoeing the Yukon alone. Other than a few natives he didn't see anyone. That would have been too much for me, but a walk for several days without anyone is good.0 -
I left before the Rodeo which was a shame.
It's not got the European sense of history, architecture or culture but I found it had enough to be interesting for a while and as a single bloke it was great.
It was 30 years ago but I had the choice of socialising downtown with the tailored, suited, city types; or going to 21st Av (?) for the cowboys bars; or crossing the river to a more bohemian scene. All within walking distance, or short taxi rides. Weekends in the Rockies, what's not to like?
Pity work didn't last longer.The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
elbowloh said:
What's it like at Rodeo time?
Absolutely ridiculous. People really get into it. In central Calgary (the downtown/ business district) there'll be more people wearing cowboy hats (+boots, +shirts) than not. Everything's amped up. It's good time for free BBQ lunches and pancake breakfasts.0 -
Back in the late 80s I went for a wee stroll (6 days, 100 miles) around the Cairngorms - in the middle of which I went 3 days without seeing anyone at all. That was enough for me: it wasn't freaky but it was definitely weird.TheBigBean said:I met a guy who spent six weeks canoeing the Yukon alone. Other than a few natives he didn't see anyone. That would have been too much for me, but a walk for several days without anyone is good.
Of course there are still plenty of places you can find real solitude but it's obviously getting harder.
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Amateurs. You never go through Lyndhurst. 🤣elbowloh said:
This. What a nightmare.surrey_commuter said:
New Forest getting through Lyndhurst and Brockenhurst should do the jobpblakeney said:
Lake District on a bank holiday weekend. 🤣🤣🤣TheBigBean said:
Where else can you drive for four hours and still be in the same national park?Ben
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I guess I am to extroverted to enjoy that.TheBigBean said:
Canada is probably not the place for you then all things considered.rick_chasey said:
I guess I have limited interest in pure nature.TheBigBean said:
What is unappealing? You know you can stop, or ride a bike, or camp for days? Or you just prefer cities?rick_chasey said:
Different strokes for different folks but this sounds deeply unappealing.TheBigBean said:Allow a correction:
Where else can you drive for four hours, still be in the same national park and have seen almost no one?
My lifelong interest lies in people and civilisation, so yes, I guess I am always inclined towards villages, towns and cities.
Doesn't need to be a city. I guess I enjoy nature and scenery and all the rest best when it is framing the civilisation.
I went through a period of time when I was fascinated by completely inacessible places that were miles from anywhere, but that ultimately involved people.
I met a guy who spent six weeks canoeing the Yukon alone. Other than a few natives he didn't see anyone. That would have been too much for me, but a walk for several days without anyone is good.
I once spent a good 96 hours in my flat, not speaking to anyone, just working on an essay I was writing, eating and sleeping.
By the end I was a bit concerned about my mental health - is not something I would like to repeat.0 -
tory MPs were going to rebel against Boris's dubious use of powers to bypass Parliament, yet they were bought off by him assuring them that he would only use the powers where necessary and they would be consulted whenever possible.
my intrigue is that they are so willing to trust a man famous for lying and deceit. He really does have a unique ability to fool some of the people all of the time.0 -
The native American culture up and down the Pacific Northwest is pretty cool, RC. It is a wooden and oral culture in the main so you aren't going to get to see impressive piles of old bricks, but the art and the way they live(d) side by side with nature, including big things with teeth and claws, would probably interest you.rick_chasey said:
I guess I am to extroverted to enjoy that.TheBigBean said:
Canada is probably not the place for you then all things considered.rick_chasey said:
I guess I have limited interest in pure nature.TheBigBean said:
What is unappealing? You know you can stop, or ride a bike, or camp for days? Or you just prefer cities?rick_chasey said:
Different strokes for different folks but this sounds deeply unappealing.TheBigBean said:Allow a correction:
Where else can you drive for four hours, still be in the same national park and have seen almost no one?
My lifelong interest lies in people and civilisation, so yes, I guess I am always inclined towards villages, towns and cities.
Doesn't need to be a city. I guess I enjoy nature and scenery and all the rest best when it is framing the civilisation.
I went through a period of time when I was fascinated by completely inacessible places that were miles from anywhere, but that ultimately involved people.
I met a guy who spent six weeks canoeing the Yukon alone. Other than a few natives he didn't see anyone. That would have been too much for me, but a walk for several days without anyone is good.
I once spent a good 96 hours in my flat, not speaking to anyone, just working on an essay I was writing, eating and sleeping.
By the end I was a bit concerned about my mental health - is not something I would like to repeat.
If you like piles of old bricks, you need to go to Mesa Verde and a few other spots in that region of the US.0 -
I imagine it's that the whip system came down hard and then the MPs are given some line about being given some reassurances to parrot so that they don't have to look too spineless.surrey_commuter said:tory MPs were going to rebel against Boris's dubious use of powers to bypass Parliament, yet they were bought off by him assuring them that he would only use the powers where necessary and they would be consulted whenever possible.
my intrigue is that they are so willing to trust a man famous for lying and deceit. He really does have a unique ability to fool some of the people all of the time.0 -
You've just described how lockdown was for millions of people and it went on longer for than a few days.rick_chasey said:
I guess I am to extroverted to enjoy that.TheBigBean said:
Canada is probably not the place for you then all things considered.rick_chasey said:
I guess I have limited interest in pure nature.TheBigBean said:
What is unappealing? You know you can stop, or ride a bike, or camp for days? Or you just prefer cities?rick_chasey said:
Different strokes for different folks but this sounds deeply unappealing.TheBigBean said:Allow a correction:
Where else can you drive for four hours, still be in the same national park and have seen almost no one?
My lifelong interest lies in people and civilisation, so yes, I guess I am always inclined towards villages, towns and cities.
Doesn't need to be a city. I guess I enjoy nature and scenery and all the rest best when it is framing the civilisation.
I went through a period of time when I was fascinated by completely inacessible places that were miles from anywhere, but that ultimately involved people.
I met a guy who spent six weeks canoeing the Yukon alone. Other than a few natives he didn't see anyone. That would have been too much for me, but a walk for several days without anyone is good.
I once spent a good 96 hours in my flat, not speaking to anyone, just working on an essay I was writing, eating and sleeping.
By the end I was a bit concerned about my mental health - is not something I would like to repeat.
You really are a bottomless pit of stupid.1 -
i am not sure the whip can come down hard on the Chairman of the 1922 CommitteeJezyboy said:
I imagine it's that the whip system came down hard and then the MPs are given some line about being given some reassurances to parrot so that they don't have to look too spineless.surrey_commuter said:tory MPs were going to rebel against Boris's dubious use of powers to bypass Parliament, yet they were bought off by him assuring them that he would only use the powers where necessary and they would be consulted whenever possible.
my intrigue is that they are so willing to trust a man famous for lying and deceit. He really does have a unique ability to fool some of the people all of the time.0 -
That's also not very nice!coopster_the_1st said:
You've just described how lockdown was for millions of people and it went on longer for than a few days.rick_chasey said:
I guess I am to extroverted to enjoy that.TheBigBean said:
Canada is probably not the place for you then all things considered.rick_chasey said:
I guess I have limited interest in pure nature.TheBigBean said:
What is unappealing? You know you can stop, or ride a bike, or camp for days? Or you just prefer cities?rick_chasey said:
Different strokes for different folks but this sounds deeply unappealing.TheBigBean said:Allow a correction:
Where else can you drive for four hours, still be in the same national park and have seen almost no one?
My lifelong interest lies in people and civilisation, so yes, I guess I am always inclined towards villages, towns and cities.
Doesn't need to be a city. I guess I enjoy nature and scenery and all the rest best when it is framing the civilisation.
I went through a period of time when I was fascinated by completely inacessible places that were miles from anywhere, but that ultimately involved people.
I met a guy who spent six weeks canoeing the Yukon alone. Other than a few natives he didn't see anyone. That would have been too much for me, but a walk for several days without anyone is good.
I once spent a good 96 hours in my flat, not speaking to anyone, just working on an essay I was writing, eating and sleeping.
By the end I was a bit concerned about my mental health - is not something I would like to repeat.
You really are a bottomless pit of stupid.0 -
That it will be 25 years tomorrow when (What's the Story) Morning Glory? was released. Man we iz gettin' old like.0
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?orraloon said:That it will be 25 years tomorrow when (What's the Story) Morning Glory? was released. Man we iz gettin' old like.
https://youtu.be/oFNgmnU03_g 0 -
That Quinn Simmons is 19 he looks at least mid twenty’s. I wonder if they checked when he turned up for junior worlds last year.0
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I am sure that, as I get older, I find more and more ways to interpret things like newspaper headlines - at least for a second or two until the brain finally kicks in.
This morning the headline "Aquarium hatches endangered flapper skate" had me wondering for just a fraction of a second what threat the hatches posed to the poor fish
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bompington said:
I am sure that, as I get older, I find more and more ways to interpret things like newspaper headlines - at least for a second or two until the brain finally kicks in.
This morning the headline "Aquarium hatches endangered flapper skate" had me wondering for just a fraction of a second what threat the hatches posed to the poor fish
I'd suggest that actually misreading newspaper headlines is an indicator of increased word power: we recognise more and more possible meanings and shades of meanings of words, and so, naturally, there are many more possible possibilities for your brain to explore. There is a persuasive theory that one of the reasons we are able to read so quickly with a high degree of accuracy in determining the correct meaning of written language is that our brains are continuously predicting the most likely concepts/words to follow, and when what actually ensues doesn't follow that prediction ("flapper skate" is unlikely to be in any prediction), the brain stumbles.
Newspaper headlines are famous for such instances, as they leave out the little words that help the brain predict and parse, and there are frequent confusions between verbs, nouns and adjectives that lead to easily misinterpretable or garden path 'sentences' (e.g. "Solicitors give poor free advice").
Headlines like this are sometimes called 'crash blossoms': https://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?cat=118
And then there's the fun of garden path sentences (ones that lead you so far, until you find you must have gone wrong, and have to backtrack): https://allthingslinguistic.com/post/36385656700/my-favourite-garden-path-sentences2 -
Why, on blustery, windy days like today, crows seem to relish in flying around and dicking about for no apparent reason other than it's fun to do so . . .Wilier Izoard XP0
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Why do geese talk so much?0
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Telling the lazy ones at the back that it is their turn at the front. 😉First.Aspect said:Why do geese talk so much?
The above may be fact, or fiction, I may be serious, I may be jesting.
I am not sure. You have no chance.Veronese68 wrote:PB is the most sensible person on here.0 -
I was in Alberta in 81/82 three visits in a year when in the Army. Visited Medicine Hat many times, took R&R into Calgary twice and once saw the Rodeo, very impressive. The Med Hat Rodeo was a good one too. Five of us went camping in the Banff Nat Park for 5 days fishing the lake and trogging about. Breakfast every morning in the Rundle Restaurant for about $4 and free coffee refills - now that was a new and unusual thing...!pblakeney said:I left before the Rodeo which was a shame.
It's not got the European sense of history, architecture or culture but I found it had enough to be interesting for a while and as a single bloke it was great.
It was 30 years ago but I had the choice of socialising downtown with the tailored, suited, city types; or going to 21st Av (?) for the cowboys bars; or crossing the river to a more bohemian scene. All within walking distance, or short taxi rides. Weekends in the Rockies, what's not to like?
Pity work didn't last longer.
Enjoyed every minute of it, although to get the R&R we had 3 weeks+ of hell on the BATUS training area......0 -
We seem to be in the night section of their migration route the noisy bar stewards.First.Aspect said:Why do geese talk so much?
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What I find funny is locals saying "...oh look, they're flying south for the winter..."First.Aspect said:Why do geese talk so much?
This is 'South for them you tw@ts.
All along the Solway are winter grounds for geese.
When I go winter riding, there are fields full of them.
I like their honks. I quite like ducks too. They are quite amusing, endearing in fact.
Chickens on the other hand have an inherent hesitancy.
It's not cluck cluck cluck. It's more like cluck...........cluckcluckcluckcluck.......cluuuuuck....... cluck cluck.
@briantrumpet: you read music and music has an inherent rythm, a tune and your anticipation of the next page/prose is going to be intrinsic, whereas us mere mortals...
I can sometimes anticipate the next word when reading Roald Dahl to 8 year old Shorty.seanoconn - gruagach craic!1 -
pinno said:
@briantrumpet: you read music and music has an inherent rythm, a tune and your anticipation of the next page/prose is going to be intrinsic, whereas us mere mortals...
I can sometimes anticipate the next word when reading Roald Dahl to 8 year old Shorty.
I think you underestimate the power of your unconscious brain processes: even if you can't consciously guess the specific word or phrase, your brain is computing a range of possibilities - it's why grammar (and hence the choice and order of words) is important, as it narrows down the possibilities, even if it's just to categories of words (verb, noun, etc.). It's a bit like multiple choice questions.
The same with music reading and listening: there are likely things that are going to happen at any point: you're likely to stay in the same key, and the same genre, and that, again, cuts down the possibilities that you'll be confronted with.
It's the only way we achieve the fluency or reading that a 6-year-old reader cannot yet access, as their brains haven't amassed enough examples of likely possibilities in order to set up the unconscious 'rules', so each word has to be individually assessed.0 -
Perhaps this is why I find reading Russian novels so hard?briantrumpet said:pinno said:@briantrumpet: you read music and music has an inherent rythm, a tune and your anticipation of the next page/prose is going to be intrinsic, whereas us mere mortals...
I can sometimes anticipate the next word when reading Roald Dahl to 8 year old Shorty.
I think you underestimate the power of your unconscious brain processes: even if you can't consciously guess the specific word or phrase, your brain is computing a range of possibilities - it's why grammar (and hence the choice and order of words) is important, as it narrows down the possibilities, even if it's just to categories of words (verb, noun, etc.). It's a bit like multiple choice questions.
The same with music reading and listening: there are likely things that are going to happen at any point: you're likely to stay in the same key, and the same genre, and that, again, cuts down the possibilities that you'll be confronted with.
It's the only way we achieve the fluency or reading that a 6-year-old reader cannot yet access, as their brains haven't amassed enough examples of likely possibilities in order to set up the unconscious 'rules', so each word has to be individually assessed.0 -
I find them really hard.fatted864 said:
Perhaps this is why I find reading Russian novels so hard?briantrumpet said:pinno said:@briantrumpet: you read music and music has an inherent rythm, a tune and your anticipation of the next page/prose is going to be intrinsic, whereas us mere mortals...
I can sometimes anticipate the next word when reading Roald Dahl to 8 year old Shorty.
I think you underestimate the power of your unconscious brain processes: even if you can't consciously guess the specific word or phrase, your brain is computing a range of possibilities - it's why grammar (and hence the choice and order of words) is important, as it narrows down the possibilities, even if it's just to categories of words (verb, noun, etc.). It's a bit like multiple choice questions.
The same with music reading and listening: there are likely things that are going to happen at any point: you're likely to stay in the same key, and the same genre, and that, again, cuts down the possibilities that you'll be confronted with.
It's the only way we achieve the fluency or reading that a 6-year-old reader cannot yet access, as their brains haven't amassed enough examples of likely possibilities in order to set up the unconscious 'rules', so each word has to be individually assessed.
Mostly because I don't know any Russian at all. Well, apart from 'nyet'.0 -
Yeah. Those Hindu romances do my nut.fatted864 said:
Perhaps this is why I find reading Russian novels so hard?briantrumpet said:pinno said:@briantrumpet: you read music and music has an inherent rythm, a tune and your anticipation of the next page/prose is going to be intrinsic, whereas us mere mortals...
I can sometimes anticipate the next word when reading Roald Dahl to 8 year old Shorty.
I think you underestimate the power of your unconscious brain processes: even if you can't consciously guess the specific word or phrase, your brain is computing a range of possibilities - it's why grammar (and hence the choice and order of words) is important, as it narrows down the possibilities, even if it's just to categories of words (verb, noun, etc.). It's a bit like multiple choice questions.
The same with music reading and listening: there are likely things that are going to happen at any point: you're likely to stay in the same key, and the same genre, and that, again, cuts down the possibilities that you'll be confronted with.
It's the only way we achieve the fluency or reading that a 6-year-old reader cannot yet access, as their brains haven't amassed enough examples of likely possibilities in order to set up the unconscious 'rules', so each word has to be individually assessed.seanoconn - gruagach craic!1
