CR4 Daily Digest and 'Unrated' Threads

Let's see if we can get this on the Daily Digest.

5 stars.

Why do I want to change the perception of CR4 people get from reading the Daily Digest?

Perhaps it's because I want this place to stay "Something big, important, valuable and fun." I want it to be a place where people are not afraid to come to with questions, a place where the people who contribute a lot, both good and bad, are treated as 'people' by the newcomers, not as 'sarcastic jerks,' because that is what the newcomers see from the digest. I want it to be a place where people who look at the digest don't see "Five new questions, two kids asking for the answers to their homework, two people asking the same half-question .. no, it's the same person asking the same half-question in two different forums, and one guy asking how to clean lawnmower blades with his bare hands without having to shut the mower off," and end up so frustrated at the inapropriateness of the 'featured questions' that they cave to either write a sarcastic reply or scream at the top of their lungs, the latter of which would get them in trouble with the HR department for being disruptive in the workplace.

I'm sure you've seen instances of a group being judged unfairly based on a small selection of 'misdeeds' or 'misunderstandings' that got more time in the spotlight than they deserved. I'm just looking for a way to keep CR4 from falling into that trap, and a way to lift it even higher. Pardon me if I make mistakes with this analogy, and forgive me if I offend, but I feel this might make a good example: A man, no matter how strong or skilled, is just a man, people see his strengths and his weaknesses, and he cannot become more than just a man. But when that man puts on the Mask, he becomes more than a man, he becomes a Luccidore! Mortal limitations mean nothing to the one behind the Mask, and he can rise above himself, above his forgotten past, to be a shining beacon, an inspiration for all. Is it so bad to try and make CR4 the Luccidores of Engineering?

GA

Wasn't it Roosevelt who said " If you don't like the heat, stay out of the kitchen"?

Apply that to Hotdogs maybe?

Maybe, but if one leaves the kitchen, it doesn't necessarily make one a 'cool cat'.

Probably, it can be very lonely, so some people may tend to put up with things that make them cringe sometimes, as an alternative.

Why are you worrying either way? sitting there in the hallway!!!

Not worrying at all...just took the opportunuity to wax philosophical !

OH!!

But making long bows can definitely make you a cool cat.

But doesn't the blood all rush to your head when you do that?

You'll have to ask Del.

LOL!!

English can be very amusing.....

Yes, especially when you remember all the 'varieties' of English.

It's often said that America and England are two nations separated by a common language. And really, we could add Australia and 2/3rds of Canada into that group of 'people who speak the same language but can't understand each other.'

English is such a silly language, with rules for everything, then exceptions to those rules, then exceptions for those exceptions, and so on, that we end up with puns built into the language itself. One fun trick to play on someone taking down dictation is to say "There are three twos in the English language," and watch their face as their brain locks up. There is no correct way to write that sentence, since there are no grammatical cues over which two/to/too is meant. The trick does not work if the person taking dictation knows shorthand, because those styles of 'quick writing' are generally completely phonetic, you transcribe the SOUNDS, then when you type up the 'longhand' version, you mull over how to spell things.

That's why they let just anyone be a comic in English-speaking countries, there's no real skill involved: just keep talking and you'll say something funny soon enough. It's not like good, solid German humor⁽¹⁾, where you have to train hard and practice every day for years before you even dare tell a Fritzchen⁽²⁾ joke in public. However, it seems like a lot of Germans get away with telling East Frissian jokes⁽³⁾ without proper training, but then again, it's East Frissia, the name itself is a punchline⁽⁴⁾.

(I'm not going into East-West Germany jokes, they're all dated, a bit offensive to people just trying to put the 'unpleasentness' from the early 1940's through the 1980's behind them, and most seem to involve either bananas⁽⁵⁾ or the Sun verbally 'mooning' Honeker as it sets⁽⁶⁾.)

Das Futtennotten

1. German is such a precise, ordered language, that it is impossible to make 'puns' like in English. The closest one can get is "Wo est vas wo ess," 'You are what you eat,' and only because trailing t's tend to get 'swallowed' when speaking casually in any language.
2. 'Little Fritz' jokes: An adult/authority figure tells Fritz a simple rule about manners or one's duty to society, and Fritz, by asking simple questions, gets the adult to contradict himself or makes the adult look like a fool.
3. East Frissian jokes tend to be in the same vein as 'dumb blond' jokes.
4. East Frissia gets to be Poland -AND- New Jersey.
5. Seems like the East Berliners would talk of nothing but bananas, since they could get no bananas during the Cold War.
6. "Kiss my butt, Erich, I'm in the West now!"
   

Good post, liked it.

But you can make jokes in German, just like English. Just there are not as many chances.

The basic difference is being a "precise" folk, they rarely think of them themselves......

Using both meanings of "Arm" and "arm" for example....you can read a capital letter but not hear it!!!

There are others.......

Ich studiert Deutsche auf die Universitat . . . . where are my oomlaughts?

many years (3 decades) ago so I know what you mean even if I fractured my conjugation horribly.

I fractured my conjugation

Does this mean your marriage has broken down ? Been there, done that...

I am of German heretege, although sadly only learning the language as an adult, not during the 'golden youth' of quick language pickup.

I've also studied German humor, and I know German jokes are more 'situational' than 'wordplay.' Which is why there's such disagreement about humor between the British and Germans: The Brits claim the Germans are a dour folk with no sense of humor, the Germans dismiss the Brits as 'silly people' who never speak with clear ideas.

While studying humor, I've found I'm pretty good at 'meta-humor,' and I tent to get some nice reactions from people, and only minor increases in cleaning bills from being on the wet end of a spit-take regularly.

One of my favorite openers is (and bear with me, it's hard to show timing in text):

A German, A Frenchman, and a Brit walk into an Irish pub. The Priest turns to the Rabbi and says, "I think we're in the wrong joke."

LOL!!

Actually, since SAT TV has been available here from many countries/languages, German humor has improved in leaps and bounds. The TV ads in 1981 here like, "this product is good and made in Germany, go and buy it!!!"

Nowadays there is a lot more humor in Ads and generally on German TV.

Though even when I was first here, if I translated an old English joke into German, they would think it funny, but the reverse was seldom true.....then!!

Two Irish laborers are digging a hole in the road, opposite a Brothel.

A Rabbi comes along, checks carefully and goes in.

"Did you see that Pat?" says one. "I shore did!" said the other, "awful, simply awful, a man of God going in such a place!"

A few minutes later, a Church of England Vicar, does the same after checking left and right!

"Did you see that Pete?" says one. "I shore did!" said the other, "awful, simply awful, a man of God going in such a place!"

Not long after, a Catholic Priest comes along, checks left and right, before going in!!

"MY GOD, did you see that?" says one. "I shore did!" said the other, "probably someone has died in there!"

"The TV ads in 1981 here like, "this product is good and made in Germany, go and buy it!!!""

Then again, what more NEEDS to be said?

Personally I have a strong preference for German Engineering, since you know it will be sturdy and solid. It has to be, to withstand the 'attentions' delivered to it from someone with a German temper.

I myself have designed bookshelves that could likely survive a person being 'judo-thrown' against it. The thing, when empty of books, probably strains the floor like a refrigerator⁽¹⁾, but you can bet it'll protect the books on its shelves.

Notes:

1. It's also 7 feet tall, to fill the room floor to ceiling. The 'library wall, is also the one right over the Main Beam of the house, so it should be able to take the weight.
   

Isn't the use of "German" and "humor" in the same sentence sort of an oxymoron? I know Brits have to have a sense of humor, because they drive on the wrong side of the road, eat eels and beans for breakfast, etc. If they didn't have a sense of humor, they would have gone extinct from sheer ugliness. By the way, I am probably at least as much Brit (by blood) as any else.

I can't remember anything ever said by any German that I considered funny, or even mildly useful. Now, Hungarians are a different lot altogether.

On the other hand, if I had a choice between German tool steel (dies, taps, cutting tools, etc.) and Chinese, it would be a complete no-brainer to pick the German stuff, simply because it works every time, and the Chinese stuff is iffy at best, and most likely is cheap (in the relative sense), but completely useless. Also, it does not matter whether the thread size is American Standard Machine threads, NPT, or metric sizes, Chinese does not compute, or start tapping. On occasion, I have had success only after driving a small diameter tap into the hole being tapped with serious pressure. With American (or German, or Swiss) steel, one can cut threads very easily, almost as though one were threading cold butter.

I think it was a certain kommandant Schmidt on the Russian front that once said:

"Men, you have fought hard, but you haven't changed your underware in two months!

Today you will change your underware. Company A will change with company B! "

.....better if read with a German accent (and authority)....

Well, I am more familiar with the characters Cmdt. Klink, and Sgt. Schultz, both of which were supposed to be funny, but ended up as further insults to American and German intelligence.

The thing about trading insults, is that both sides must agree not to be insulted. It is meant in the kindest possible way.

That program is still shown on German TV, but subtly given different German regional accents to the "Germans".

Its been done very well and is really, really funny!!! If you understand German and several regional accents that is, I do!!

It is shown nowadays during the day as its considered "Harmless" for children for example....

Even better than the original show I feel!!

They call it "Ein Käfig voller Helden". "A Cage full of Heroes".

Here is short excerpt from one of the series:-

Ein Käfig voller Helden

Enjoy!!!

"Different regional accents to the Germans?"

Does that include (as I've been told) saluting each other with "This is how high the corn grows!"

Then again, It would seem that Klink and Schultz would be more sympathetic characters to a German audience: two more innocent people swept up in the insanity that caused WWII. Schultz was a humble toymaker before the war, just a happy, round man who loved to make children smile. And Klink was from one of the old Noble houses before 'those nutzy guys' overthrew the ways of old Imperial Germany. Both have lost their purpose in life due to that 'two-bit paper hanger,' and deep in their hearts, they were rooting for Hogan's side to win. That would explain their apparent incompetence: they were deliberately ignoring things that would tip them off yo the antics of Hogan ans his band, in the hopes that if/when the Allies took over the area, their 'guests,' would stand up for them when they became 'guests' of the Allies. In other words, they were HELPING Hogan as much as they could without letting their superiors know what was going on.

Its pointless me trying to explain to you how funny the different German accents are in the TV series Hogan's Heroes is. Its simply a waste of time for both of us.....

The story lines remain exactly the same as in the original series....only the languages is changed.

Its called "Ein Käfig voller Helden" on German TV......

If you are REALLY interested, you will have to learn German first, assuming you don't speak it right now....

If you still wish to hear the series in the German language, search using the above name on YouTube, many episodes of the German version can be seen (and heard!!) there...

It has always amazed me that for the American people as a whole, is composed (originally over several generations) of people from dozens of different countries, speaking many different languages, that has somehow managed to be reduced down to American English and Spanish......what a loss to the country as a whole!.....and many do not even manage both of those!!

My, my, my. I could not even make out one complete sentence, but the same old attitudes are there, humorously. Or post-humorously, that is.

That is often the incorrect opinion formed, especially when someone does not "live" in the country and does not speak the language well......or not at all.

The modern German, usually speaks at least a second language, either English or Russian generally, sometimes both.

The humor has also changed dramatically here over the last 20 - 25 years or so, maybe partly because of SAT TV? For the better I feel.....

How many Brits or Americans can say the same thing? Only three people in my UK and Australian family can speak German, myself, my Father and a cousin's wife....

Though my father spoke English, French, Turkish and German and I speak the same languages plus Portuguese, but not Turkish.....

Even learning a language in say the UK, and speaking it well, does only help a little the first time you visit a country, the accents in various parts of Germany for instance, blow foreign visitors away.....a friend of mine was MOST upset when he found out that he could ask a great question in German, but could not understand the answer. The people thought he was crazy!!!!

Its only since the movies "speak" and TV shows films that the Brits and the Americans started to understand each other well. Just over a 100 years ago, if either or both spoke with a regional accent, they would not have understood the other....

Foreign Languages and accents are best handled by the people of countries where they do not use local actors to speak the parts of foreign films for TV showing, countries like Sweden for example. They only get a Swedish subtitle at best (not even always!) as well as the original voices......that perks up your understanding rather well!!

Swedes tend to speak foreign languages very well with little or no accent.....from quite an early age....

But criticising a country, but not having the language or the time there is easy, but neither friendly nor accurate......what is the saying, something like "you have to walk a mile in someone else's shoes......."?

I lived in France and polished my French while still at school, I picked up some Cantonese while living in Singapore, I learned German from scratch on the streets of Germany.....its still the best way....

Agreed. Apart from the few communities in Texas that still speak mostly German, there is not a good opportunity for immersion learning here, other than Mexican, which most decidedly is not Castillian Spanish, as taught in the schools.

The German we get in college is OK, but not enough to become fluent (except for maybe the most gifted students).

Ich Weiss nicht! Es tut mir liecht! Enschuldegen mein Deutschspracht ist nicht clar.

Wasn't Angela Merkel who said: "If you can't stand the kraut get out of the kitchen?"

Thank you for the nice Deutsch grammar and spelling lesson, I was afraid that when asking for directions to the restaurant I might be sent in the direction of the local brothel.

What would be wrong with that? Both places would be able to serve you up a fine dish. ;)

(and that's ... really pushing the envelope on my comfort level for telling 'off-color' jokes in a public forum.)

So if I could get laid in Germany, what am I still doing in Texas? LOL!

YOU CAN'T GET LAID IN TEXAS, YOU MUST BE VERY UNATTRACTIVE TO WOMEN!!!

Poor boy!!

To boost your self esteem a little, I am then fairly sure that you are probably attractive to certain types of men!!

Shit happens, don't fight it!!!

Joke over!!

New Joke.

Why are most of the Gay Guys in San Fran and many Texans in Colorado.

SF had first choice!!

Joke over!!!

The main reason, I am remaining faithful to my wife. It is just a different matter altogether since I bought the cow.

There are days when I would rather hear the screeching of chalk on a blackboard, than to hear her vindictive screeching voice condemning my lack on interest in hearing about her latest "home improvement project" for the 14th time. What is it about senile people that makes them think repeating something 20 times will boost interest in what they are saying?

The difference between a fool and a wise old man: The wise old man realises he has seen better days and prefers the company of younger women (who innocently trust him), and a cool glass of buttermilk in the shade on the porch at sunset. The fool is still out there corroding away his innards with whiskey, women, and song.

And about your reference to the lack of polyglot in America, you are sadly mistaken, but yes, English is still the "official" language of the courts, of Congress, and of business here. To not learn English is a great loss to anyone who does not learn it, and the rules are not that hard. I am presently learning a few Choctaw phrases, but I fear they keep leaking out through my ears. Houston, Texas is apparently, the strongest multi-cultural community in America, even surpassing New York City. I call Houston one community simply because it essentially is far more closely knit than many realise. God Bless Houston (the city and the general), and God Bless Texas!!!

All European languages are polluted with the foulest words (and I am not the least of the users of those words), sorry for that. Choctaw is a pure language, unpolluted by the debauchery of the English, French, Spanish, or Dutch, or Germans. So there.

If anyone thinks he is sophisticated, he should go back and once again become as humble as a child. It is only me that apparently does not have the strong gift of other languages, although I didn't do too bad at maths and music in school. The school and college I attended were not particularly strong in mandatory curriculum (in my major) for second or third languages. Some Spanish, some German, some street Mexican (learned outside of school), mostly at work. Contrary to some opinion, Castillian Spanish and Mexican are two completely separate languages - far more separate than Americanese and King's English.

If I lament anything, it is that I did not study abroad when I had the youth to do so.

I would like to sing La Marseillaise in Trafalgar Square someday, though.

LOL!!

Wasn't it Roosevelt who said ...

I believe that was President Harry S. Truman.

Thanks for the correction. Thats what happens when I trust my old brain!!

At least I got President right!!

And you were only off by one president or 7 depending on which Roosevelt you meant.

No, Andy it was Truman. (You know, the American President that wisely chose to drop the A-bombs on Japan to hasten the end of WWII Pacific theatre). BTW Truman was never elected, simply was in the right spot as VP to take up the mantle when Roosevelt passed away.

Someone else mentioned that first some days ago......but better late than never!!

I slept some this weekend, and stayed busy building my Tesla Turbine. Without the bearings in place, and just on spindle sleeve journals (loose fit), it spins somewhat easily by hand, but my small air compressor was not enough for start rotation.

I am still working on bearing supports (to be outboard of the turbine case a ways), and the alignment ring for SiN3 bearings...

I gave up on trying for magnetic bearings early on. Since this prototype has aluminum discs, I will be using wet low temperature steam for actual operation, either solar or propane fuel, depending on situation, or natural gas....

anyone wish me luck, or just a safe trip to the hospital? LOL

BTW Truman was never elected,

Actually, Truman was elected as President in 1948 beating Dewey after completing Roosevelt's 4th term.

Oops, I forgot that Ike wasn't running yet. Gen. McArthur probably could have beat Truman.

McArthur MacArthur probably could have beat Truman

At the voting booth or by hand? LOL

He (Truman) was expected to lose, apparently Dewey was quite popular.

apparently Dewey was quite popular.

So were Huey and Louie as I recall.

Mano a mano. Although, I suspect Mac could have formed the island Pacific nation of Pacifica and been King Douglas if he had wanted, but there again that is apparently, why Truman wanted to "fire" MacArthur later.

Wouldn't that have been McArthur's Park ? Probably have renamed the Pacific to "Doug's ditch" as well.

Do not all fraternities have some form of initiation ritual? I vaguely remember mine here.

Moderators have the ability to exclude threads from the Daily Digest and "hide" them from the homepage of CR4. (These hidden threads are still visible from the See all Forum Threads link or from the respective section page.

The moderators should be doing this for the types of threads you mention. However, on days where new discussions and questions are light, most threads tend to be left in. Every moderator's "filter" of what is good/not good is different, so that plays a role, too.

I agree that fewer sarcastic/nasty replies would be the best option. It's easy to react strongly online. This type of thing isn't unique to CR4; it happens all over the Internet. I keep my own reactions in check by making sure they align with how I'd respond in a professional setting. Belittling someone and calling him/her an idiot (even if it's true) would not be part of my response. It doesn't help; a clear explanation of the facts might.

"This type of thing isn't unique to CR4; it happens all over the Internet."

I know, it's often referred to as GIFT: the Greater Internet *Funnyword* Theory. That people, given relative anonymity and apparent freedom from consequences, become, for lack of a better word, *bleep*heads. I try to keep my own responses in check, but like all people, sometimes fail to resist temptation, especially when over-stressed.

If we can find ways to improve the 'public face' of CR4 (the Daily Digest), then we can help prevent this place from degrading into the the unpleasant place it can seem from relies to some 'poorly-worded' feature questions.

To answer your last question, the Daily Digest is a daily r-mail sent out my the CR4 servers. It's useful for people who do not have time to scour the entire site looking for interesting new threads.

Oh.

Thanks.

Oh, crap.

I did not mean to sound snarky with that, I was rushed for time and didn't re-read my post to see if the tone was right.

I'm sorry, I meant no offense.

Not at all.

Never considered it snarky in any way.

A concise relevant comment.

It's pretty difficult to offend me anyway.

From personal experience I have to add another aspect of our "Good" rated answer.

Lyn I find it awesome that you posed that ?. I am the inverse - really not familiar with searching, browsing, etc.

Being very disabled, an incredibly slow typer, with a stroke a score of years behind me on my FIRST POST, I remember something vividly - that after omitting some very important info to complete the problem, during the time it took me to add it, I keep seeing replies, like 6 or 7 and I was blown away! Not only did someone say something that changed my content, but there were some "Brash" but hilarious things said, so I just said something like hey guys I'm still here but can't function from laughing. That's an old memory to me so I'm sure it's not right, but nonetheless, I feel -

This forum has such depth, in every dimension it's almost humanistic, and to restrict it would be like restricting a person, it doesn't work AND it hurts. But that same condition allows us to laugh with others especially at ourselves, like a friend would in the end.

Everyone impatient enough to judge prior to that it is by basic odds, there, and the administrators can see how often, even broken down by territory, country, etc.

To sumram¹, more restraints, so be it, but by us, the Forum.

MiscExpert

¹(Summation of Ramble)

Did you ever make those searchlight lenses?

....Then I MUST be good!!!

Ah, So I misread the 'tone' of the post.

You had intended "Oh, thanks." (thanks for the info)

When I read it as Oh. ... Thanks. (this bird-brain trying to insinuate that I don't work hard at my job? What a jerk!)

That's one of the problems with internet text communication, the short messages lack the 'overload of information' inherent to Formal Writing, so the tone is left open to interpretation, and misinterpretation. Ant that's not even getting into grammar issues: "Let's eat, Grandma!" versus "Let's eat Grandma!" Proper punctuation saves lives.

Agreed with your points made, GA.

I use this forum to learn new things and, hopefully, give some advice based on past experiences where I think that my 2 cents worth is worth contributing. The OP makes some valid points as well, especially the point of "incomplete" questions - not enough information given to formulate any advice. Many a time I may have had some input, if only I had all the information.

With the collective wisdom of all contributors I find a lot of information in my few to several minutes a day here on the forum. I too, don't look at ratings. I prefer to make up my own mind about each thread that I read.

GA's for Lyn, Jimrat, & Kevin! I too skim through the Daily Digest every day or week, depending on how heavy the email load is. Don't ever remember posting question & only answer if I can actually help ( as long as I can tell that the question is an honest attempt for usable information ). I enjoy CR4 the way it is.

P.S. I am not an engineer of sorts, but, have much valuable experience in many different fields w/ many years in clock hour schools ( no college credits given ).

Let's just keep it the way it is!

adreasler,

I applaud your attempt to refine the image of good ol' CR4. This site is styled after an "Engineer's Place for News and Discussion" after all.

There have been several attempts (as I am sure you know) over the years to increase the professionalism contained herein. Heretofore, all have failed.

Even still, I support your effort, and will do anything I can to help.

-A-

I wish you wouldn't talk to me like that! I resemble that remark. My wife does it all the time, so by now, I am nearly immune to criticism (compared to where I once was with it).

I have never rated a thread, didn't know I was supposed to. I frequently rate what I consider to be good comments. But if I come across a thread I don't like, I don't subscribe or comment.

Who cares what I think about someone else's thread, if I have a comment, I will share it, if someone reads it then they read it...who cares, problem solved.

I occasionally rate threads. I'd do it more often if there were more options. The 0 to 5 star rating system needs to be revised to include a 'Thumbs Down' for threads that are spam, homework help requests, or 'insane' gibberish.

"And in closing, I admit that I too suffer from the urges to give 'sarcastic' replies..."

Ah, a trait I too oft' suffer...

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BytV9gvIUAEI9gd.jpg

_{Sorry, still can't post pics... regardless of what 'puter I'm using.}

The result of this activity is that visitors get the impression that CR4 is populated by 'elitist jerks' who do nothing but pick on the 'simpleminded and poor-English users' who wander by.

Well - yes - aren't we all our own version of "Sheldon Cooper"? How else would you expect us to react?

Unfortunately, I tend to be this way even in daily exchanges at work. My co-workers can't decide if I'm "Bones" (the forensic paleontologist one) or "Sheldon". I do try to avoid those posts you are referring to for this reason, but someone has to respond to them.

LOL!!

Far too accurate as well!!

So you have Cavalier and it has problems?