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10261. Macnas - 7/12/2004 4:22:33 PM A fellow who used to work with me, an awful fool if truth be told, spilt a tin of coke on his keyboard. Thinking that it might be alright once it dried out, he propped it between the top of a desk and a space heater.
The keyboard did dry out, and in fact then began to warp and eventually melt. The resulting fumes were enough to make somebody trip the fire alarm which caused an evacuation, during which the same fool damaged his kneecap after falling on the concrete steps that served as a fire escape route from the office. 10262. PelleNilsson - 7/12/2004 4:59:55 PM Nice story, Macnas.
Once, in Jordan, my keyboard started to behave erratically so I took it to my friend Malik who asked somebody to look at it while we had coffee and chatted about IBM-clones, a hot subject at the time. After a while the guy appeared and said something in Arabic to Malik who laughed and said "come and look at your keyboard", which I did. It was full of cigarette ash.
I spoke to Malik yesterday. He is in Gothenburg for the eighth year running as tour leader for two football teams from the American school in Amman. They take part in Gothia Cup, a youth tournament with some 1,500 teams from 60 countries.
We spoke to Malik's wife too. She is affectionately known as The Mother of the Prophets because their four sons all have names from the old testament (no, they are not christian). Their oldest will start university in Germany this fall. I was surprised because Malek has a PhD from Texas University and usd to be a frequent visitor the the US. I suppose the post-911 visa hassle is discouraging. 10263. Macnas - 7/12/2004 5:47:58 PM Ah yes, back in the days when I could smoke in my office, my old office in particular, which had no air conditioning or fresh air supply or windows for that matter, it being a concrete box located at the back of the engineering stores. By 12.00 there would be a thick haze of smoke with about 2 foot of clear space between it and the floor. 10264. PelleNilsson - 7/12/2004 6:54:10 PM I remember an office like that. It was in Poland, in late winter, cold and damp. The meeting started at nine but I was early because there was something I needed to do. I found my counterpart in his office. It was deep but narrow with raw concrete walls and a small window at the far end. He was joined there by the guy who would interpret at the meeting. They sat at a small table, overcoats on, drinking coffee and something else and smoking. A secretary brought a cup for me (a glass actually, the Poles like their horrible coffe in a glass). This was one of the first missions, we were still on formal terms, so the interpreter said "do you want a little something, Mr Nilsson?" I hesitated for an instant, booze in the morning has never been my cup of tea, but then I thought that this was a chance to get closer to these guys. Drinking brandy together in an office at 8.30 in the morning joins you in a cosy little fellowship. So I nodded and he poured.
Besides, the Poles like to say that a man who doesn't drink cannot be a good man. Maybe they are right. The economist on the World Bank team was an Irish teetotaller and he was pretty obnoxiuos. 10265. Macnas - 7/12/2004 7:05:01 PM Polish coffee! I was only talking about coffee last night with one of my brothers, home from Holland after 10 years or so. He had made me a very nice cup of coffee using a little convection kettle, and told me about horrible Polish coffee, black and cloudy, such that you had to wait for it to settle before you dared to drink it.
That Irish teetotaller reminds me of a particular diplomat to the US, who, when asked by a waitress in Washington what he would like with his whiskey, replied " another one ". 10266. Magoseph - 7/12/2004 9:47:10 PM Good morning, gentlemen, nice stories above! I read them as soon as they appeared, but I couldn't write anything. My new keyboard is so sensitive to every touch, I realize now that I have to relearn how to type. Since I never was a skilled typist, I suspect it will take some time. If anyone knows a way to make a keyboard not so touchy, please let me know. 10267. Macnas - 7/12/2004 9:59:55 PM I don't think there is anyway to adjust the sensitivity of your keyboard Mago, but after a while you are sure to get used to it.
I always liked the older IBM keyboards, the one's that went clackety clack when you used them. 10268. jayackroyd - 7/12/2004 10:11:22 PM I have a friend who made the mistake of adding sugar to her coffee and then stirring it when she had her first glass of coffee in Poland. It took quite some time for the grounds to settle, she says. 10269. Magoseph - 7/12/2004 10:17:06 PM Yes, Mac, I suppose that I'll get used to it in time. However, it'll take a while since physical coordination is not one of my fortes. 10270. judithathome - 7/12/2004 10:24:15 PM Just took Klaus off to his Spa Day and the roofers aren't here YET. I don't understand why they would wait so late to start. They will have to work in the heat of the day to finish. It's really nice outside now...all shady and cool. Later, it is going to be in the upper 90s.
The guy who runs this crew and owns the business said back when he was roofing (instead of overseeing) he would start at dawn and be done by 3pm. This crew chooses to start later in the day and work til dark.
Thinking like that is probably the resaon he's the owner of the company and they are working for him. 10271. Macnas - 7/12/2004 10:57:21 PM That is just what my brother does in California. He starts work at 5.30 or 6.00, and is off site by 13.00 or 14.00, afterwhich he goes home to the workshop to finish off the day. 10272. Magoseph - 7/12/2004 10:59:42 PM Maybe they just didn't want to disturb you early. Have you told them they could start at dawn? 10273. PelleNilsson - 7/12/2004 11:40:11 PM You can in fact adjust the properties of the keyboard. Go to Control Panel, select Printers and other hardware, and then keyboard. 10274. judithathome - 7/12/2004 11:45:16 PM No, Mags, it wasn't that...the owner just came by and has called them and chewed them out. He said they always start late but he expected them by 9 and when they still weren't here by 9:30, he called them. They were at the dump getting rid of the refuse from yesterday's job. I guess they work so late, they have to discard stuff from the previous day's work in the mornings rather than late in the day, like most people would do.
This owner is such a charmer...he told me I was looking particularly "beautiful" this morning. Ha! 10275. PelleNilsson - 7/13/2004 12:01:50 AM jay --- the first time I made that mistake too.
Polish coffee is prepared like Turkish coffee. The difference is that for Turkish one uses a very fine grind, like flour, but the Polish is coarse and takes longer to settle. 10276. Ms. No - 7/13/2004 12:13:01 AM I have moved.
Now I rest.
10277. Macnas - 7/13/2004 12:20:30 AM Well done that girl. 10278. Ms. No - 7/13/2004 12:43:21 AM Thanks! I'm quite pleased! 10279. Macnas - 7/13/2004 12:48:46 AM I'll have a drink for you later on, you've earned it.
I might even have 2 for you. 10280. Absensia - 7/13/2004 12:51:26 AM Ms. No, great news. After your apartment disasters I hope this turns out to be wonderful. Lord knows you deserve it.
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