Comments for OddThinking http://www.somethinkodd.com/oddthinking A blog for odd things and odd thoughts. Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:21:16 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 Comment on Morality and Hedge-Trimmers by Julian http://www.somethinkodd.com/oddthinking/2012/01/10/morality-and-hedge-trimmers/comment-page-1/#comment-292799 Julian Wed, 01 Feb 2012 22:21:16 +0000 http://www.somethinkodd.com/oddthinking/?p=1629#comment-292799 Thank you so much, Greg, for showing that I am not arguing against a strawman. Your short reply contains so many of the false assumptions I am rallying against. First, most people are not working at 7:27am. [citation-needed] In fact, many people - including those with 9-5 jobs, those who do late shifts, those who are ill, those who are retired, etc, are still asleep. Second, sleeping is not slacking off. If is a basic human need. Third, working at 7:27am is not ethically superior to working at 2am. It is not "less slack". Some people seem unable to step back and consider this without baggage. It is the inability to think about the diverse lifestyles of others, and to impose on them personal prejudices of "respectable" which is precisely what makes loud noise-makers at 7:27am arseholes. Thank you so much, Greg, for showing that I am not arguing against a strawman. Your short reply contains so many of the false assumptions I am rallying against.

First, most people are not working at 7:27am. [citation-needed] In fact, many people – including those with 9-5 jobs, those who do late shifts, those who are ill, those who are retired, etc, are still asleep.

Second, sleeping is not slacking off. If is a basic human need.

Third, working at 7:27am is not ethically superior to working at 2am. It is not “less slack”. Some people seem unable to step back and consider this without baggage.

It is the inability to think about the diverse lifestyles of others, and to impose on them personal prejudices of “respectable” which is precisely what makes loud noise-makers at 7:27am arseholes.

]]> Comment on Morality and Hedge-Trimmers by Greg http://www.somethinkodd.com/oddthinking/2012/01/10/morality-and-hedge-trimmers/comment-page-1/#comment-292771 Greg Wed, 01 Feb 2012 15:25:51 +0000 http://www.somethinkodd.com/oddthinking/?p=1629#comment-292771 So people who do their job at a respectable time are evil because you want to slack off when everyone else is working. Sure. So people who do their job at a respectable time are evil because you want to slack off when everyone else is working. Sure.

]]> Comment on Windows Installer for PyXML 0.8.4 for Python 2.6.x and Python 2.7.x by Julian http://www.somethinkodd.com/oddthinking/2009/10/31/windows-installer-for-pyxml-0-8-4-for-python-2-6-x/comment-page-1/#comment-291829 Julian Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:27:33 +0000 http://www.somethinkodd.com/oddthinking/?p=1053#comment-291829 Sounds like you are stumbling over this <a href="https://bugzilla.redhat.com/show_bug.cgi?id=477783" rel="nofollow">bug in PyXML</a>. (Yes, "as" became a reserved word in Python 2.6.) You may need to apply the patch described there. Sounds like you are stumbling over this bug in PyXML.

(Yes, “as” became a reserved word in Python 2.6.)

You may need to apply the patch described there.

]]> Comment on Windows Installer for PyXML 0.8.4 for Python 2.6.x and Python 2.7.x by Muhammad Bashir Al-Noimi http://www.somethinkodd.com/oddthinking/2009/10/31/windows-installer-for-pyxml-0-8-4-for-python-2-6-x/comment-page-1/#comment-291822 Muhammad Bashir Al-Noimi Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:49:10 +0000 http://www.somethinkodd.com/oddthinking/?p=1053#comment-291822 Thanks but I still get same error message when I tried to use it from SF.net which is: <code>error: compiling 'C:\Python26\lib\site-packages\_xmlplus\xpath\ParsedAbbreviatedRelativeLocationPath.py' failed SyntaxError: invalid syntax (ParsedAbbreviatedRelativeLocationPath.py, line31)</code> I think the problem related to "as" keyword. Do you've any solution? Thanks but I still get same error message when I tried to use it from SF.net which is:

error: compiling 'C:\Python26\lib\site-packages\_xmlplus\xpath\ParsedAbbreviatedRelativeLocationPath.py' failed
SyntaxError: invalid syntax (ParsedAbbreviatedRelativeLocationPath.py, line31)

I think the problem related to “as” keyword.

Do you’ve any solution?

]]> Comment on Spatula Silly by John Y. http://www.somethinkodd.com/oddthinking/2010/04/16/spatula-silly/comment-page-1/#comment-291769 John Y. Sun, 22 Jan 2012 21:29:20 +0000 http://www.somethinkodd.com/oddthinking/?p=1203#comment-291769 I went ahead and bought a silicone spatula for myself some months ago, and can now report that it is vastly more thermally durable than any of my previous nonstick-safe spatulas. I don't know if there are different kinds; mine appears to be a metal spatula permanently encased in a rubbery, translucent sheath. I will say that I'm not prone to leaving my spatula on the pan, so perhaps mine would not stand up to the Julian test, but it has survived many uses with no blatantly visible signs of damage (which is more than I can say for any of the black nylon utensils I've tried before). I went ahead and bought a silicone spatula for myself some months ago, and can now report that it is vastly more thermally durable than any of my previous nonstick-safe spatulas. I don’t know if there are different kinds; mine appears to be a metal spatula permanently encased in a rubbery, translucent sheath.

I will say that I’m not prone to leaving my spatula on the pan, so perhaps mine would not stand up to the Julian test, but it has survived many uses with no blatantly visible signs of damage (which is more than I can say for any of the black nylon utensils I’ve tried before).

]]> Comment on Plumbing – the Male Psyche by Test 2 | Problems With Leaking Bath? http://www.somethinkodd.com/oddthinking/2006/10/29/plumbing-the-male-psyche/comment-page-1/#comment-291557 Test 2 | Problems With Leaking Bath? Fri, 20 Jan 2012 01:34:42 +0000 http://www.somethinkodd.com/oddthinking/2006/10/29/plumbing-the-male-psyche/#comment-291557 [...] faucets are sputtering?New Year’s Foods for Good Luck!BATHROOM TAP RESTORATION AND REPLATINGOddThinkingBATHROOM TAP RESTORATION AND REPLATINGWeekend Wisdom–Make Your Own Good LuckHow to Fix a [...] [...] faucets are sputtering?New Year’s Foods for Good Luck!BATHROOM TAP RESTORATION AND REPLATINGOddThinkingBATHROOM TAP RESTORATION AND REPLATINGWeekend Wisdom–Make Your Own Good LuckHow to Fix a [...]

]]> Comment on Morality and Hedge-Trimmers by Julian http://www.somethinkodd.com/oddthinking/2012/01/10/morality-and-hedge-trimmers/comment-page-1/#comment-291159 Julian Sat, 14 Jan 2012 05:53:13 +0000 http://www.somethinkodd.com/oddthinking/?p=1629#comment-291159 Funny you should mention that, Richard. Last night I was talking about my drumming neighbour to another neighbour and to a drummer. The drummer (from Victoria) explained that despite the fact that he practised during the day, and that the noise did not exceed the normal council limits, an elderly couple nearby complained to the local council, and he received a cease-and-desist letter, with threats of large fines. Meanwhile, my neighbour and I both grumbled about our mutual noise-offender, but given that he only practises at "respectable" times of the day, neither of us ever took it any further. (The fact that I sleep weird hours makes this a bit more tense, but at some point that becomes my responsibility, not his.) Funny you should mention that, Richard. Last night I was talking about my drumming neighbour to another neighbour and to a drummer.

The drummer (from Victoria) explained that despite the fact that he practised during the day, and that the noise did not exceed the normal council limits, an elderly couple nearby complained to the local council, and he received a cease-and-desist letter, with threats of large fines.

Meanwhile, my neighbour and I both grumbled about our mutual noise-offender, but given that he only practises at “respectable” times of the day, neither of us ever took it any further. (The fact that I sleep weird hours makes this a bit more tense, but at some point that becomes my responsibility, not his.)

]]> Comment on Morality and Hedge-Trimmers by Richard Atkins http://www.somethinkodd.com/oddthinking/2012/01/10/morality-and-hedge-trimmers/comment-page-1/#comment-291155 Richard Atkins Sat, 14 Jan 2012 04:27:50 +0000 http://www.somethinkodd.com/oddthinking/?p=1629#comment-291155 Sadly, it looks like the state laws say it's 7am for any power tools and equipment - <a href="http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/noise/neighbourhoodnoise.htm" title="Dealing with neighbourhood noise" rel="nofollow">this brochure (in web form)</a> seems to have some interesting details. Apparently a noise abatement order is meant to be a last resort (assuming the "When noise annoys" section is listed in order of desirability). It's missing some subtle details, such as even during the day, there's a maximum dB level that you're allowed to emit in a residential area, and that any drum kit will exceed that level when played normally. I've no idea how bands ever get any practice done. I can only assume most people never get around to contacting their local police about it? Sadly, it looks like the state laws say it’s 7am for any power tools and equipment – this brochure (in web form) seems to have some interesting details. Apparently a noise abatement order is meant to be a last resort (assuming the “When noise annoys” section is listed in order of desirability).

It’s missing some subtle details, such as even during the day, there’s a maximum dB level that you’re allowed to emit in a residential area, and that any drum kit will exceed that level when played normally. I’ve no idea how bands ever get any practice done. I can only assume most people never get around to contacting their local police about it?

]]> Comment on Morality and Hedge-Trimmers by Alan Green http://www.somethinkodd.com/oddthinking/2012/01/10/morality-and-hedge-trimmers/comment-page-1/#comment-290867 Alan Green Tue, 10 Jan 2012 19:40:25 +0000 http://www.somethinkodd.com/oddthinking/?p=1629#comment-290867 If your rant wasn't cathartic enough, the law allows you to seek a Noise Abatement Order :) http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/noise/noiseabatement.htm If your rant wasn’t cathartic enough, the law allows you to seek a Noise Abatement Order :)

http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/noise/noiseabatement.htm

]]> Comment on Morality and Hedge-Trimmers by David Shaw http://www.somethinkodd.com/oddthinking/2012/01/10/morality-and-hedge-trimmers/comment-page-1/#comment-290823 David Shaw Tue, 10 Jan 2012 08:04:45 +0000 http://www.somethinkodd.com/oddthinking/?p=1629#comment-290823 I had a similar issue this morning. Interestingly less than 5km from your place the magic moment in time is 7:00am. Just after 7am the landscapers two doors up started up their machinery and so on and woke me. The killer was they only had an hour's work and were gone by 8am, by which point there was no chance of getting back to sleep. Bastards. I had a similar issue this morning. Interestingly less than 5km from your place the magic moment in time is 7:00am. Just after 7am the landscapers two doors up started up their machinery and so on and woke me. The killer was they only had an hour’s work and were gone by 8am, by which point there was no chance of getting back to sleep. Bastards.

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