Random Thoughts

[Max Rockatansky]

For computer nerds, the scene in The Fly (1986) where Seth Brundle found out his computer merged the DNA raised an eyebrow. Hey Jeff, you designed the thing, why did you put that feature there?

In a 2025 remake, that would be a bit more plausible: if he had an LLM write the code, then he might not have looked at every line, and the behavior could catch him by surprise.

I would be more upset about the inevitable toned down body horror and use of CGI a 2025-era remake would no doubt entail.

[1995hoo]

If I ever got an 800 number, I was thinking that 1-800-928-3837 would be the most amazing number to have.  Then you could give your phone number as "1-800-whatever" (1-800-WAT-EVER).

I knew someone in college who quite proudly told everyone that his phone number was 979-HATE. I knew someone else whose number spelled 9-SPERM-9.

Another fellow, however, was a lot less enthusiastic about telling people that his spelled 977-GEEK.

[vdeane]

If I ever got an 800 number, I was thinking that 1-800-928-3837 would be the most amazing number to have.  Then you could give your phone number as "1-800-whatever" (1-800-WAT-EVER).

You spelled it wrong.

Or was that the whole point?  That you didn't want them to actually call you in the first place?

Whatever is one too many letters for a phone number, so I dropped the silent H.

[kphoger]

Whatever is one too many letters for a phone number, so I dropped the silent H.

And people would just know that?

[Big John]

If I ever got an 800 number, I was thinking that 1-800-928-3837 would be the most amazing number to have.  Then you could give your phone number as "1-800-whatever" (1-800-WAT-EVER).

You spelled it wrong.

Or was that the whole point?  That you didn't want them to actually call you in the first place?

Whatever is one too many letters for a phone number, so I dropped the silent H.

I had seen many ads to call a phone number that had too many letters in it and did not know what to do if I wanted to call them.

[jeffandnicole]

If I ever got an 800 number, I was thinking that 1-800-928-3837 would be the most amazing number to have.  Then you could give your phone number as "1-800-whatever" (1-800-WAT-EVER).

You spelled it wrong.

Or was that the whole point?  That you didn't want them to actually call you in the first place?

Whatever is one too many letters for a phone number, so I dropped the silent H.

I had seen many ads to call a phone number that had too many letters in it and did not know what to do if I wanted to call them.

Just go in the order of the letters. If it's 1-800-WHATEVER, the number is 800-942-8383. The "R"(7) is irrelevant. (Unless the dialer waited so long to hit 7 that a menu system answered and 7 was an option.)

[Rothman]

1-800-IREALLYLOVECARPETING

[Takumi]

1-800-IREALLYLOVECARPETING

Just press 2 for awhile! And when I answer you will know you have pressed 2 enough!

[ZLoth]

From my viewpoint, the "toll-free" numbers (800, 888, 877, 866, 855, 844, and 833) are a relic from a time when a long distance call, especially during normal business hours, cost a pretty penny per minute. I know that plans can vary, but it isn't uncommon to have unlimited domestic (United States) long distance with either a mobile provider or a VoIP provided. I know that my mobile phone plan includes unlimited domestic (United States, Canada, Mexico) calling, data, and texting.

Anyways, if you want to see possible "vanity phrases" for your phone number, try PhoneSpell.

[jeffandnicole]

1-900-IREALLYLOVECARPETMATCHINGTHEDRAPES

[michravera]

If I ever got an 800 number, I was thinking that 1-800-928-3837 would be the most amazing number to have.  Then you could give your phone number as "1-800-whatever" (1-800-WAT-EVER).

I knew someone in college who quite proudly told everyone that his phone number was 979-HATE. I knew someone else whose number spelled 9-SPERM-9.

Another fellow, however, was a lot less enthusiastic about telling people that his spelled 977-GEEK.

The phone number at the Florin Gold Circle in the late 1970s was 916-383-FUCK. The extension (and hence last 4 digit of the phone number) of the computer center help line at Virginia tech was RTFM.

[kphoger]

Of my phone number's seven digits, the third and seventh are zeroes.  This means it's not exactly easy to make words out of it.

Years ago, my cell phone number used to be (316) 677-6699, if I remember correctly.  I once gave it to someone over the phone as "thirty-one sixty-six seventy-seven sixty-six ninety-nine".  Or, if you prefer, 31-66-77-66-99.  She was not amused.

[kphoger]

I drink hot tea every day at work, multiple cups per day.  I use loose-leaf tea and a stainless steel strainer that looks something like this.  For most of the day, then, the strainer sits on a plastic container lid on my desk, with soggy tea leaves in it.  Over the years, mineral deposits had built up on the bottom of the strainer and up the side a little bit—and not just on the interior and exterior but also inside each of the tiny holes.  Every so often, I'd take it home and do a vinegar and baking soda soak (or even Coca-Cola), followed by a scrub with a Magic Eraser.  That would do a good job of cleaning the thing, but not so much of getting rid of the mineral deposits.  Boiling, no difference.  Didn't matter what I scrubbed with.

Several months ago, I asked for advice on an 'off topic' tea-related board of another forum.  Several people said OxiClean would be the only thing that would work.  Well, we don't use OxiClean, so I kept trying other methods.  But it got so bad that, last week, I could barely even lower the strainer into a mug of hot water because all the little holes in the bottom were completely clogged.  So last week-end we picked up a tub of OxiClean at the grocery store.  It's not cheap, and we didn't even know if it would work, so it was a bit of a gamble.

Holy cow!  Thirty minutes spent in a saucepan of boiling water and a spoonful of OxiClean, then an easy scrub, and it looks brand new.  Like, literally brand new.

[SEWIGuy]

Wouldn't soaking it in vinegar accomplish the same thing?

[kphoger]

Every so often, I'd take it home and do a vinegar and baking soda soak

Wouldn't soaking it in vinegar accomplish the same thing?

Nope.

[SEWIGuy]

Every so often, I'd take it home and do a vinegar and baking soda soak

Wouldn't soaking it in vinegar accomplish the same thing?

Nope.

LOL. Clearly I need to read more carefully!

[formulanone]

Several months ago, I asked for advice on an 'off topic' tea-related board of another forum. 

Aren't those are the kinds of sub-forums where they talk about Breezewood and the even/odd route numbering convention?

[Scott5114]

I drink hot tea every day at work, multiple cups per day.  I use loose-leaf tea and a stainless steel strainer that looks something like this.  For most of the day, then, the strainer sits on a plastic container lid on my desk, with soggy tea leaves in it.  Over the years, mineral deposits had built up on the bottom of the strainer and up the side a little bit—and not just on the interior and exterior but also inside each of the tiny holes.  Every so often, I'd take it home and do a vinegar and baking soda soak (or even Coca-Cola), followed by a scrub with a Magic Eraser.  That would do a good job of cleaning the thing, but not so much of getting rid of the mineral deposits.  Boiling, no difference.  Didn't matter what I scrubbed with.

Several months ago, I asked for advice on an 'off topic' tea-related board of another forum.  Several people said OxiClean would be the only thing that would work.  Well, we don't use OxiClean, so I kept trying other methods.  But it got so bad that, last week, I could barely even lower the strainer into a mug of hot water because all the little holes in the bottom were completely clogged.  So last week-end we picked up a tub of OxiClean at the grocery store.  It's not cheap, and we didn't even know if it would work, so it was a bit of a gamble.

Holy cow!  Thirty minutes spent in a saucepan of boiling water and a spoonful of OxiClean, then an easy scrub, and it looks brand new.  Like, literally brand new.

I will have to keep this in mind. The mineral content in Las Vegas water is incredibly high (not surprising if you've ever seen a picture of Lake Mead—those bits of the Grand Canyon have to go somewhere, and these days they go to my dishes.) So far I've been keeping on top of it with straight vinegar, but who knows how long that will work.

[D-Dey65]

Is there a way I could find some online coverage of a satellite that contains ground penetrating radar at or near where I live?

Last year there was a construction company that was clearing a lot of land next door to my yard for a future housing development. They didn't actually build any houses, they just cleared the land. Suddenly they stopped doing any work during the winter and more often than not, I see stray dogs, wild animals and kids on dirt bikes who come over on the land. Needless to say, there's the possibility that some of this land could include and underground cavern and a sand trap. So, it doesn't leave me with any comforting thoughts knowing somebody's nearby pet pooch could go out for a stroll and then get sucked down in the sand a couple of hundred feet away, and I wouldn't be able to do anything about it.

[Max Rockatansky]

I found a couple small caves when I was a kid out cruising around on my moped and/or dirt bike.  All my cave finds were well worn limestone.  Sounds like you are worried about sink holes?

[D-Dey65]

I found a couple small caves when I was a kid out cruising around on my moped and/or dirt bike.  All my cave finds were well worn limestone.  Sounds like you are worried about sink holes?

Pretty much. Not so much ones that suddenly open up out of nowhere but are hidden under a bunch of dirt. In another development that was built near me, there was a mound of dirt that a bunch of kids were playing on, and a nine-year-old girl sank into a hidden soft spot on that mound, which lead to her death. From what I recall, her body was found in this pile.

BTW, I was going to post a link to that article, but all I could find was another one about a 7-year-old girl who drowned in the sand on a beach.

[Scott5114]

Is there a way I could find some online coverage of a satellite that contains ground penetrating radar at or near where I live?

There are companies like Maxar you can pay to run their satellite over a given area. I don't know if they do ground-penetrating radar, though.

[vdeane]

Has anyone been noticing an uptick in the amount of drivers going exactly the speed limit or 5 under?  I feel like I've been seeing more of that since around MLK Day.

[CoreySamson]

I feel like that ever since the pandemic ended around 2022 I've seen fewer flagrant speeders, but that may just be regional differences in driving habits (Tulsa is a lot less fast than Houston is) that I've observed since going off to college.

[Rothman]

I don't know if the number of slow drivers is increasing or not.  Haven't detected such anecdotally, but wouldn't be surprised if it was.