The Skeptics Guide #917 - Feb 04 2023 (Ad Free)
Added 2023-02-04 17:08:32 +0000 UTCQuickie with Bob: Entanglement; News Items: Mummy Goo, Water Crisis and Climate Change, COVID Immunity, Bringing Back the Dodo, Fungal Pandemic; Who's That Noisy; Your Questions and E-mails: Less vs Fewer, The Plug Wars; Science or Fiction
Comments
Re: Words: Read Word by Word by Kory Stomper. She talks about the history of dictionaries: they came about so that elites would know how to properly speak, basically, tools reinforcing the class system. Words used primarily by commoners were specifically excluded and a sign of "low breeding." Also, a lot of the "rules" we have were literally preferences/pet peeves of people with platforms. One example was imposing Latin rules (a dead language) upon English (a living language of Germanic origin). You can do that, but as Kory writes, "It's like mixing milk and orange juice."
Asymetra
2023-02-07 13:11:44 +0000 UTCRe: Charging adapter: Historically, companies (and governments) will look only at the immediate cost rather than the long term and do the right thing. This creates conflict and raises consumer costs in the long run. Also, in a capitalist society, draining money from consumers is more important than standards. I wouldn't be surprised if ego looms large in these "decisions."
Asymetra
2023-02-07 12:49:43 +0000 UTCGround Hog Day seems to mean that the weather in a month will be different. If it’s sunny now, it will be snowy at the beginning of March, so at least two more weeks of winter after that. Similarly, in that example, March comes in like a lion, and will go out like a lamb. April showers bring May flowers is similar, though not reversible.
TFK
2023-02-05 19:44:13 +0000 UTCSome people download off RSS feeds using different apps.
Michael Duchek
2023-02-04 22:18:25 +0000 UTCOr where you say "for people who download from the Patreon page". Is there another way?
Steve Nerlich
2023-02-04 20:49:13 +0000 UTCSame. I thought there must be some clever solution I didn't know about. Does everyone have to rename it?
Steve Nerlich
2023-02-04 20:47:48 +0000 UTCI know, I hate that.
Michael Duchek
2023-02-04 19:55:17 +0000 UTCStill drives me crazy that it downloads with a name of 1.mp3. I always have to rename it
Peter Kronenberg
2023-02-04 19:34:08 +0000 UTCGrammar is an attempt to describe language, not an attempt at defining it. Or that's how I see it anyway.
Christer Jansson
2023-02-04 18:38:25 +0000 UTCA note for people who download from the Patreon page. Patreon has changed the format, so the direct link doesn't appear on the page anymore. Click on the 3 dots just above to get the download link.
Michael Duchek
2023-02-04 17:22:57 +0000 UTC
