The totally off-topic thread

[whatmeworry]

What was on at Suncorp tonight? Traffic looks chaotic.

I believe it was the Taylor Swift concert.

 

[anat0l]

It's so hard to write remembrance / farewell notes.

Cancer has claimed the life of a former colleague; she was far too young to leave this world.

 

[Pushka]

It's so hard to write remembrance / farewell notes.

Cancer has claimed the life of a former colleague; she was far too young to leave this world.

There's not much you can say to the family other than having the family in your thoughts and remembering her as a valued colleague.

 

[erkpod]

First outdoor image from the new camera. Managed to get it from the camera to my phone. Need to read the instructions again when I get to my computer.

 

[anat0l]

First outdoor image from the new camera. Managed to get it from the camera to my phone. Need to read the instructions again when I get to my computer

Most cameras on most computers these days is a case of just plug it in. Alternatively, many laptops have card readers, so you could remove the card from the camera and insert it into the card reader.

Most cameras still give you a "driver CD" or the like with fancy-schmancy photo gallery software and what not, but I usually eschew all of these. I'd rather just copy the files direct to my own directories and organise it myself.

 

[anat0l]

Before you click on below, if you have a blank map of Europe, try and label as many countries as you can.

Americans Were Asked To Place European Countries On A Map. Here

 

[cove]

I knew Australia would be up in that European map as several Americans asked us about our snow covered mountains around Christmas.

 

[erkpod]

Most cameras on most computers these days is a case of just plug it in. Alternatively, many laptops have card readers, so you could remove the card from the camera and insert it into the card reader.

Most cameras still give you a "driver CD" or the like with fancy-schmancy photo gallery software and what not, but I usually eschew all of these. I'd rather just copy the files direct to my own directories and organise it myself.

It's wifi enabled which is something I haven't used in a camera before.

But now I have it worked out - use the phone as a wifi hotspot & connect the camera to the phone's hotspot. Then send the images!

 

[JohnK]

I believe it was the Taylor Swift concert.

Thanks. I have heard the name but do not know anything about her. Google on the other hand....

Taylor Swift may not be home any more, but adorned in the ruby red slippers she proved she was more than at home in front of 40,000 people at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane on Saturday.

 

[TomVexille]

Before you click on below, if you have a blank map of Europe, try and label as many countries as you can.

Americans Were Asked To Place European Countries On A Map. Here

In defence of Americans, label the states as well.

It's Thanksgiving So We Asked Brits To Label The United States — We're So Sorry, America

 

[erkpod]

Thanks. I have heard the name but do not know anything about her. Google on the other hand....

I semi-seriously asked on Twitter the other night about who she was. Someone told me to ask a teenage girl.

Is there a teenage girl to English translator app?

Speaking of translation apps, there needs to be a Shazzam app for languages people speak in public. That would be interesting to me.

 

[anat0l]

In defence of Americans, label the states as well.

It's Thanksgiving So We Asked Brits To Label The United States — We're So Sorry, America

I could have a good crack at that, but I know which knowledge is more useful to the world citizen

It's really funny how in the USA, of course knowing all 50 states and capitals is a necessary rite of passage in school. I would be tempted to put a house that most adults wouldn't be able to recall them all.

On the other hand, we live in a nation of a mere handful of states and mainland territories, yet most still think Sydney is the capital of Australia. Bit embarrassing, really.

 

[TomVexille]

I could have a good crack at that, but I know which knowledge is more useful to the world citizen

It's really funny how in the USA, of course knowing all 50 states and capitals is a necessary rite of passage in school. I would be tempted to put a house that most adults wouldn't be able to recall them all.

On the other hand, we live in a nation of a mere handful of states and mainland territories, yet most still think Sydney is the capital of Australia. Bit embarrassing, really.

I never had to memorize the state capitals. I wonder if that's a TV myth? I would expect myself to get the states right though.

I also back myself to get a fair number of the european countries as well (I know I don't remember all of them).

The fact is there are idiots in every country.

 

[Pushka]

I think the American education is very much US centric.

An inane statistic. Approximately 25% of Americans have passports. Approximately 50% of Australians have passports. (I've seen a significant variation in the percentages but Australia is always double in every source)

 

[TomVexille]

I think the American education is very much US centric.

An inane statistic. Approximately 40% of Americans have passports. Approximately 65% of Australians have passports.

Until a few years ago (about 2007 I think) when US Citizens did not need a passport to enter/return from Canada and Mexico, that number is 22-23%

 

[TomVexille]

Also I thing there are some very good reasons why US Education is US centric. Should there be a slightly larger world view? Yes.

That being said, I think my European history education is at least as good as any at the same level in Australia.

 

[anat0l]

I think the American education is very much US centric.

As you would somewhat expect?

I think that's why there's a strong contingent (not that I necessarily agree) that advocate that Australian history should be one of the core competencies taught in schools and expected right up to the end of secondary schooling.

But apart from that, Americans also have their own version of English, so very "US centric"

Thankfully, most of the academic material which is most useful to me is fairly universal - information technology / programming, engineering, the sciences, mathematics... America could probably do well to drop the Imperial system, however........

An inane statistic. Approximately 25% of Americans have passports. Approximately 50% of Australians have passports. (I've seen a significant variation in the percentages but Australia is always double in every source)

I wonder how inane or significant that really is...

Put it in absolute numbers. 25% of Americans means about 79.3 million have passports. 50% of Australians means about 11.5 million have passports. That's a lot of Americans - period - with the ability to travel abroad, but given I think domestic tourism in America is pretty significant. I think in Australia it's pretty much a given to travel somewhere "exciting" you need a passport.

 

[JohnK]

I wonder if the weirdos getting on the train look at me and think I am weird?

 

[erkpod]

That's a lot of Americans - period - with the ability to travel abroad, but given I think domestic tourism in America is pretty significant. I think in Australia it's pretty much a given to travel somewhere "exciting" you need a passport.

Let's not call Americans going across to Canada international tourists. LOL

 

[serfty]

I wonder if the weirdos getting on the train look at me and think I am weird?

What have trains go to do with it?