User talk:UHM/Archive 1

Willkommen bei RationalWiki, UHM! Bitte lesen Sie unsere Anleitung für Einsteiger und unsere Gemeinschaftsgrundsätze. Wenn Sie darin interessiert sind, aktiv zum Projekt beizutragen, dann lesen Sie bitte: Was ist ein Artikel?. Erzählen Sie uns hier, wie Sie zu uns gefunden haben!

Don't worry, I hate everybody. Lord Goonie Hooray! I'm helping! 16:44, 30 December 2010 (UTC)

and I hate you, Goonie, for stealing my welcome. I hate you, Hate you, HATE you!

{runs to room; slams door} --Ψ GremlinFale! 16:47, 30 December 2010 (UTC)

Punky ^{Your mental puke relief} 16:49, 30 December 2010 (UTC)

Well, this is gonna be some fun. --Ullhateme (talk) 16:51, 30 December 2010 (UTC)

You fail!

Really, all this time, and AFAICT nobody hates you. Despises maybe, but hates, no. Thus, as punishment for your liberal deceit in choosing fake username, you have been demoted to janitor. Please collect your bucket and mop and proceed to the clogged loo in the basement. --Ψ GremlinTal! 11:44, 17 January 2011 (UTC)

I'd give it five minutes if I were you, I was just in there. SJ ^Debaser 11:57, 17 January 2011 (UTC)

Oh great. n00b p00h. --Ψ GremlinSiarad! 12:07, 17 January 2011 (UTC)

The name was taken rather sarcasticly anyway, but I love engaging in liberal deceit (a.k.a. "speaking the truth") so "thank you for your kindness". --Ullhateme (talk) 13:08, 17 January 2011 (UTC)

How many languages?

The answer is indeterminable, because it relies on a ton of assumptions and definitions. Natively, I speak English, fluently I also speak German, but next comes the question, what does "fluent" even mean? Beyond those two, things get harder to define, as I speak a spattering of various other languages, and for the most part, just understand the grammars for a few dozen other languages. I can chat with people in ASL and Japanese. Meaning that I can talk to them about various things without actually having to use a dictionary, but much deeper conversations run into trouble, and I need a lot of correction. After that I know some Swedish, Spanish, French, Latin. Uh, after that I know the alphabets for Russian, Greek, and Arabic, and can read a little bit of them. I know some grammar for Russian, but not really. Greek actually, I suck at pretty bad. Arabic I'm actually actively learning, and I can understand some REALLY basic stuff. Oh, same with Mandarin Chinese. Oh, and I can read a fair amount of Dutch because of the heavy similarities with German, Swedish and English. Beyond that, I have a fairly good grasp of how languages can work, and so I can piece together just about anything. Like, I figured out the Māori at the end of the LotR movies as well. Google translate while being something most people rely heavily upon, I know is quite inaccurate and so I only use it as a small tool to give me a scaffolding to work from. --Eira ^{OMTG! _{The Goat be Praised.}} 05:37, 9 February 2011 (UTC)

As someone with a basic interest in languages and linguistics I know what you mean. I'm a German native and my second language is English. I have also "learned" Spanish (sadly in the last 1½ years I have forgotten most of it again) and I'm currently learning Korean and Japanese (at both of which I kinda suck because they are so freaking time consuming). I can also quite well guess what is meant in written Dutch, even if I never touched the grammar or the vocabullary - spoken Dutch on the other hand is quite hard. I agree with Google translate, if I don't get the grammar of a sentence (that only happens in Japanese and Korean) It's mostly accurate there, but as further the languages are apart as more it sucks on the vocabulary side of things. "fluent" - good question. On the fly I'm gonna say when you don't have to think about the grammar or the vocabulary in most of the topics (for example reading the Lesnkis dialogue, I didn't get any of the sciencie stuff but I undestood what the words are supposed to be grammatically - not that I would get any of that stuff in German either) and the words have a certain "flow" out of the mouth or the pen, that natives can only by accent get that you aren't a native - sadly I have only reached this level in English. Baically: when you have to say that you aren't a native - like it happend to me here - you're there. Also I have to say, I'm a bit amazed that there is somebody out there who "get's" more or less so many languages. --Ullhateme (talk) 22:08, 9 February 2011 (UTC)

Pretty impressive. I'm studying Japanese at uni, and I intend to take the Korean option in 4th year after the year abroad. After that hopefully I'll be motivated enough to learn some European languages; after Japanese, anything is possible. How did you get to know so many languages? Was it just personal interest, or work? EddyP ^{Great King! Disaster!} 22:15, 9 February 2011 (UTC)

Lucky all of you. I speak natively no language. Editor at CP^{mały książe} 22:22, 9 February 2011 (UTC)

How did you get to know so many languages? - For my part and as I notice it around me - it comes to being a well eduacated European today. I know it sounds mean saying it to an American but it's true. In most European countries to even get the option to get the option to get a place in a uni (no that's not a typo, there are really so many options to be taken) one has to speak at least 2 or 3 languages. And when you then decide to study a culture out of pure interest without knowing the language first you automatically have to have 3-4 to complete your studies. It's just the way the world is outside of the anglosphere. I know people that speak 5 to 6 languages more or less good (i.e. a girl I know: Persian (she's from Iran), German (she grew up in Germany), English and Spanish (educated in Germany), Korean (studies Korean with me) and Japanese (had to choose a second east asian language) - that makes 6 languages and she's not an exception). --Ullhateme (talk) 22:45, 9 February 2011 (UTC)

I am European! Actually, scratch that, I'm English. And I have to disagree on the 'must know 2-3 languages' thing. Of all the people in my course (13), only five or six can speak another language well, and cases of fluency seem to be purely because they were brought up in/are citizens of that nation. EddyP ^{Great King! Disaster!} 23:07, 9 February 2011 (UTC)

Oops. Well as I said before "outside of the anglosphere" is the main theme here. In continental Europe it this way I think. Germany, Switzerland, Netherlands, Luxembourg and Scandinavia I'm 100% sure. --Ullhateme (talk) 00:27, 10 February 2011 (UTC)

That's just a part of Europe (change Scandinavia into Nordic Countries to include bilingual Finland). In Italy you "learn" one only language in school and there's a small chance it's French and not English. Quality of teaching, especially pronunciation, is often awful and brings you nowhere near fluency. Even in engineering you have to pass a ridiculously easy exam of English after a couple of years, but no English required for any admission. I don't think the situation is much better in France or Spain (all with dubbed TV shows I think) nor in Eastern Europe (with voice-over): sure, English is taught everywhere, but people being able to conversate in it are a minority, while Russian is known by elder people only. Editor at CP^{mały książe} 08:14, 10 February 2011 (UTC)

Yeah, there are huge variations across Europe. You'll have a very hard time navigating France without speaking any French, they're very reluctant to use foreign languages, even when they studied them for some time. It's mostly the same in Italy, although it's a little easier to find someone who speaks English. In Germany, learning English is mandatory, and those attending the upper branch of middle and high school usually learn a third language as well. So most people know some very basic English, but aren't fluent in it. The younger Eastern Europeans, on the other hand, usually have a solid grasp of English, and quite a few Poles, Czech, Slovaks and Slovenes speak German as well. Scandinavians are extremely well-trained in languages, almost everyone there speaks English at a rather high level, and many have third and fourth languages. Switzerland is a special case, because the country is multilingual in the first place. In addition to English, Swiss Germans usually have an excellent grasp of French and speak at least a little Italian. Röstigraben (talk) 08:57, 10 February 2011 (UTC)

And then one has the Dutch, who under a specific age all speak English fluently because all of the TV is only subtitled, and over that specific age likely speak German fluently. (Especially near the border where my sister lives, but then they speak Limburgish there anyways, which is almost closer to German than Plattdeutsch). Overall, I've had a relatively easy time getting around in the Netherlands, because of speaking both English and German. Belgium is also bilingual like Switzerland, but French, Dutch. In Brussels they speak French, and don't speak any Dutch... that is unless they have to avoid speaking in English. Oddly enough, the situation can vary inside of Germany as well. In Bayern, they have to learn a second language in school... German. (Bayrisch joke!) I knew a guy from there and we hung out a bit and asked him if my accent sounded weird, or typical American, and he remarked that he had never actually spoken to an American before. Plus, his English was total rubbish. (and his German almost incomprehensible. I'm not even joking this time. I thought it was me, until I met his dad, and could understand his dad perfectly.) --Eira ^{OMTG! _{The Goat be Praised.}} 12:50, 10 February 2011 (UTC)

I am apparently a freak of nature myself, along with the rest of my sisters, which indicates that it's likely at least a part genetic. We're all incredibly good at learning languages and accents, it is as if our brain never left the critical period of language learning. As for "fluent", being so good at even accents, Germans can't pick out where I am, except that I am foreign. At first, they think that I must be joking about being from America, because I have no accent, but then I invariably say something utterly retarded (I'm bad with the grammatical gender system) and they realize that I am likely not German. On the other hand, while I've said "in die Toilette gehen" (my brain still thinks of "the bathroom", as a room, and thus "in", like as in "in das WC gehen") However, I've never said: "Ich will eine Artzin bekommen." which sounds horrible bad to me. I have however said: "I'm going to become a beer." Yes, I am a screwed up American who can manage to make an error of speech that one would expect only Germans to make. --Eira ^{OMTG! _{The Goat be Praised.}} 04:11, 10 February 2011 (UTC)

You're not a freak of nature, more like a cool mutant from a comic book everybody wants to be like, including me. --Ullhateme (talk) 19:53, 10 February 2011 (UTC)

"Freak of nature" == "mutant" in my book. And if there were a comic book about me, it would be boring as hell, lol. I mean, who would want to read a comic book about a woman who is slightly better enabled to learn languages, and whose life goal is to marry someone in Germany? It's like, "worst. comic book. evar." --Eira ^{OMTG! _{The Goat be Praised.}} 01:21, 11 February 2011 (UTC)

Well, as a single cast book with one main character, yeah, probably boring as hell - but in a team book with you as "The Oracle" (I don't know how well you know comic books, so I'm gonna explain: The hot geeky girl sitting behind 10 computer-monitors helping the others of the team not to get so much fucked as they would be without her) - that might work. Anyway, just a way looking at it.

PS. Marrying a German guy in Germany or marrying a guy of some nationality in Germany? And *cough* have I said before that I'm a German currently residing in Germany? Just wanna throw that out there… --Ullhateme (talk) 15:45, 11 February 2011 (UTC)

Ah yes, I see the character now as simply part of a team... damn me and my limited comic book knowledge of "but there's only one superhero against all the bad guys..." As for "The Oracle", I'm watching the series called: "The Cape", and the character played by Summer Glau fits perfectly... she calls herself "Orwell" as well... classic chic geek. :)

It is pretty much just a fantasy, but marrying a person in Germany who could help me expedite obtaining German citizenship, or actually, just permanent resident alien status. I significantly prefer the notion of living in Germany to living in the U.S., and anything that could help would be nice. Of course, it isn't an automatic "oh you're German? Deal." Naturally, there has to be an honest attraction and relationship. And I did happen to notice that you said you were a German residing in Germany... did I perhaps *cough* accidentally bring up my fantasy in a convenient situation? *ROFLMAO* --Eira ^{OMTG! _{The Goat be Praised.}} 15:52, 11 February 2011 (UTC)

Oh "The Cape"! I'm currently having a ball with that show too - also I have to say the only reason why I began to watch it is Summer Glau, for many geeks I know that reason would suffice to suffer through anything.

Of course, it isn't an automatic "oh you're German? Deal." Naturally, there has to be an honest attraction and relationship. - god I'd hope so! I had a simliar fantasy with Korean or Japanese women, but after I've met my fair share of 'em, I know I'm probably won't find a "soul mate" there - not that they aren't nice people, quite the opposite actually, but all cuteness can not suffice for shallowness (I know this sounds bad, but isn't at all meant insulting). If you're ever "accidently" in northern Germany drop me a message, even if there isn't "attraction" (at least one-sided ;) ) I'm sure it could be fun as we pretty much seem to have the same kind of humor (I frequently at least chuckle at with your comments, so...). --Ullhateme (talk) 16:35, 11 February 2011 (UTC)

Considering that I am insanely poor, it is unlikely that would ever happen that I'm accidentally in northern Germany. Although, there is always facebook, and such. --Eira ^{OMTG! _{The Goat be Praised.}} 16:48, 11 February 2011 (UTC)

17:38, 11 February 2011 (UTC)

My thoughts exactly. Тиранес^{An natural, yet oscillate hybrid engine?} 17:39, 11 February 2011 (UTC)

Clever

Yup, very clever defacement of Karajou's work. Concernedresident ^{omg!!! ponies!!!} 22:06, 27 March 2011 (UTC)

Thanks, I'll try to stay on that level, although I'm probably going to embarrass myself a few times. --Ullhateme (talk) 22:42, 27 March 2011 (UTC)

I think...

...that I will like you, having read your Usertalkpage, and having thought it was quite well written if perhaps a bit too modest or paranoid regarding your clarity; truly all is clear. ø_ºØk^ünstlerin 10:24, 15 May 2011 (UTC)

And I'm not sure if that's a good thing. But thanks anyway (for whatever there's to thank for). --ǓḤṂ^³ 13:53, 15 May 2011 (UTC)

Okay fine, I'll hate you =P ø_ºØk^ünstlerin 04:15, 16 May 2011 (UTC)thesmirkyfacemayormaynotmeanimbeingsarcastic=P

Um

what just happened? Тy^Talk. 17:57, 17 May 2011 (UTC)

don't leave! We're almost over the hump! There shall soon be order, fear not! Also, I would suggest you join the RationalWiki Jacobins. This is the political party for you.---brxbrx 18:00, 17 May 2011 (UTC)

I play civ too!

Although I've been underwhelmed by civ 5, and haven't played in a while.--User:Brxbrx/sig 23:20, 23 May 2011 (UTC)

I don't even have civ 5, because (1) everybody says it sucks (2) my computer isn't fast enough for it anyway. Also I seem to be quite bad too... --ǓḤṂ^³ 23:29, 23 May 2011 (UTC)

what do you think of trent's reforms?

I think what the site needs most is to come down on the trolls. I think the moderators may help with that.--User:Brxbrx/sig 15:51, 25 May 2011 (UTC)

I generally think that is the wrong direction, but still better than what we have now. The mobocracy is "constructed" as we are a bunch of people that have the mission statement of digging a hole, but instead of coordination, which turned into fascism on CP, we give not only everybody shovel but also a shield and a knife to clean the shit up somebody has done. When two diggers come into conflict they start stabbing each other and defending each other with a knife. Sometimes there are groupings of people that begin to fight one another, these are the really bad HCMs. What I think is that we should take these knifes and shields away from a huge percentage of people (I could give them away, too) and coordinate better. But there seem to be a hell lot of people that either like to watch people stab each other or like stabbing another person. We call them statists and trolls.

What Trent has done now, is saying that some people will get knifes and shields and that those wil be allowed to give that to others too. The problem there is that there isn't any regulation system in there. It will be heavily built upon trust in the people with knifes and shields that they make the right choices or we might end up with even worse firghts. The problem there is that the fraction of statists and trolls might mulitply through their sheer numbers and looser policy of giving out the tools, while people that might actually digg deeper and don't cause any trouble might get overrun by that fraction, and therefor be hindered in their work because they once wrote down on their frontdoor that they digged 8000 times.

Trent then went on to create a group of guys that is allowed to look after the shuttle buses and looks after the place so that nobody breaks a leg or something - I have no problem with that.

He also called for a few people to be elected guys that can walk into these fights and clear the place up - but from what I can see he did that in the faith that people would stop and that the people inbetween will never ever fight each other.

All in all he polished up the place but did not repair the holes in the floor.

As I said before (wherever that was), the chaos of the mobocracy needs to be overcome. But that there will not be chaos does not mean that people shouldn't be allowed to have their fun. We need to make the guidelines actual rules that are defended with iron-satin fists by people that aren't at that position because the won a popularity contest but people that have behaved correctly - for example, not being brought to the chicken coop on a monthly basis should be considered something.

While I think we should give trolls a hard time "coming down hard on them" has the inherent problem of the definition of what exactly a troll is. Some people call Maratrean and Rob trolls because of their fringe views or for not getting the point, but there are troublemakers that are identifiable with stalking specific users, mobbing them to the point were it isn't just "poking fun" anymore and generally vile and insulting manner of speech, that should be treated differently and without much patience.

Let's wrap it up with: Trent's plan is dangerous but better then keeping the danger up we now have. --ǓḤṂ^³ 16:50, 25 May 2011 (UTC)

Its always interesting when one sock poses a question and the other sock answers. 86.41.238.98 (talk) 00:04, 31 May 2011 (UTC)

Hey! First time I've been called a sock! Thank you, now I can scratch that of my list. But honestly, I don't like socks and I'm not one. You can run checkuser on me if you like. --ǓḤṂ^³ 00:14, 31 May 2011 (UTC)

Anybody else think that's super ironic coming form MarcusCicero? Did you move back in with your mom, MC? That where you got the new IP?--User:Brxbrx/sig 01:21, 31 May 2011 (UTC)

email

Check it. Тy^Talk. 23:05, 30 May 2011 (UTC)

Coming right up. --ǓḤṂ^³ 23:15, 30 May 2011 (UTC)

You've returned!

Check out my talk page, I made it more attraktiv to lure you back in--User:Brxbrx/sig 18:56, 10 June 2011 (UTC)

I've lurked all the time, that's the really bad thing about RW: it's fucking addicting. Oh and I demand red roses, jewlery, some champaign and nice meal. You don't need to have red carpet rolled out but'd it be nice. (No rights back please, I'm fine like this) --ǓḤṂ^³ 19:01, 10 June 2011 (UTC)

done!--User:Brxbrx/sig 19:08, 10 June 2011 (UTC)