We use several IRC bots at work, and this is what happens when sometimes they interrupt a conversation, out of the blue (we, humans, usually invoke them with triggers, none of which I knew I typed). This bit has only my side of the conversation, and I chose to leave out all context as it entertains me better this way:
2012-07-27T15:02:23Z <koalie> so I'll do it by hand
2012-07-27T15:02:23Z * Zakim koalie, you typed too many words without
commas; I suspect you forgot to start with 'to ...'
2012-07-27T15:02:40Z <koalie> ok, Zakim
2012-07-27T15:02:57Z <koalie> to ... have it with both, so I'll do it by hand
2012-07-27T15:02:57Z * Zakim sees koalie on the speaker queue
2012-07-27T15:03:05Z <koalie> silly bot
2012-07-27T15:03:10Z <koalie> ack me
2012-07-27T15:03:10Z <Zakim> koalie, you wanted to ... have it with both,
so I'll do it by
I’m taking the time to document the obscure bug that I often experience with Opera 12 (like every other day since I installed version 12 on the day it was released).
It is a surprising bug to say the least, not too annoying (as you’ll understand, Opera quickly recovers from it), but still, I reported it (DSK-367824).
[Update 2012-06-26: This is a duplicate of DSK-365797]
For no good reason that I can see or that console logs can explain, Opera actions are suddenly mapped to others, regardless that I use their keyboard shortcuts or that I click commands in the menus. When this happen, I feel like Opera is in play mode (like it’s a software thing to replace commands with other actions!).
For example, I want a new tab but get the window to “Open…”. The first time that occurred, I thought “aha! so I need to press cmd-o if I want to get a new tab.” Nope, all I got was the “Save As…” window. In play mode, it’s “Save As…”, or cmd-s, that will open a new tab. Consistently. Except that I don’t know what triggers play mode.
I played as long as I could, it was entertaining. The play-mode key-combos I found are: cmd-t (for new tab) == open file cmd-n (for new window) == save-as cmd-s (to save) == new tab cmd-c (to copy selection) == fullscreen cmd-v (to paste selection) == right click cmd-w (to close tab) == game over, it does cmd-q (to quit).
I had a strange encounter with a little old woman today. I stood outside a restaurant smoking and she stood nearby, observing me. At some point she said “You’re pretty tall. You’re 190 cm tall, aren’t you?” I replied I’m 177 cm tall. She kept observing, looking sulky and then pointed a finger at me and seemed to count in a low voice, her finger moving up one notch at a time toward my head. I suppose she counted how many heads taller than her I was. She looked me in the eyes, I smiled, she started counting again! Then she added, almost to herself “young ones these days are way taller than us.” I put out my cigarette and slipped away.
Saturday 5 May, 2012. We’re touring one last time in Alajuela, and leaving Costa Rica in the afternoon. We’ll be home Sunday evening.
We were drawn to the square near our hotel, that faces the Alajuela Cathedral. Alajuela Cathedral
We spotted a man who looked typical under his bright white hat. Man wearing a hat
And we crossed the square and there was a little girl with a pink polo shirt and her abuelo who were busy feeding pigeons. Hundreds of pigeons. People were gathering around them and watching. She was so happy and he was so proud. The grand-father poured a few crumbs on the little girl’s head and soon both of them were assailed by birds. Little girl and her abuelo feeding pigeons
Attracted by the commotion, squirrels crept down a tree nearby. I didn’t think so many squirrels could populate a single tree. They wanted their fair share, of course. And children and adults were happy to deliver. Feeding a squirrel
Vlad was close to one, extended his hand and the squirrel sniffed the empty hand before trying someone else. Squirrel sniffing Vlad’s hand
Each squirrel would snatch the food and hop back on the tree trunk and climb someplace to eat, wary of other hungry squirrels. Squirrel feeding
Back to the little girl with the pink polo shirt. She decided the pigeons were more rewarding and got back to them. This is her, holding a plastic bag full or crumbs, proudly leading hundreds of pigeons. Such a happy face. Proud little girl leading hundreds of pigeons
But we wanted to explore Alajuela again, since it had been raining the day before and there was sun on that fine morning. We walked for two hours and a half, not very fast, and spotted six churches and four soccer fields. And we explored only a fraction of the city! Soccer game
We followed a man who was pushing his cart on the road. We had seen several of them already. He seemed to sell drinks and snacks. What we had also seen in other places through the country, were people at traffic lights selling bagged fruit or vegetables that they held in both hands, and even shrimps in a bucket. Man and cart
Another thing that striked me compared to where we live, was how prettier their advertising posters and paintings are. Except in San José and Cartago, cities have modest posters and advertising paintings that appeal to me far more than the industrial, gigantic printed ones. Here’s the advertisement, painted on corrugated iron, for a car wash and parking, and much more, it appears. Hand painted advertisement on corrugated iron
We got back to our hotel, via a part of town that was more spacious and nearly deserted. Maybe it was that people were eating lunch. I had the feeling we had the streets all to ourselves. Here is a bright blue minivan parked in front of a house where people sold pineapples, 3 for 1000 colones ($2). Mini van parked in front of a pineapple store
And here is the outside of the fruteria Las Delicias. Fruteria Las Delicias
Soon after, we checked out and hopped in a taxi. The fare was supposed to be around $6, but when I asked the driver, at the airport, what he said in Spanish sounded like 13,000.00 colones. I realized, but too late, that he had probably said 3,000. Ahem… I gave him 11,000.00 and was looking for more when he gestured it was enough. Then he seemed to be looking in his wallet either for change or for a receipt, and we were getting our backpacks. Since he wasn’t handing us anything we said good bye and left. He followed us with his eyes. This is when I realized he had let us give him nearly twice what he wanted. Oh well.
And before 5 p.m., we left Costa Rica, relaxed though tired, and our heads full of extraordinary memories. We had wanted to visit that country for years and we were not disappointed at all. Vlad did a wonderful job organising the trip, choosing the routes, selecting places and lodges. It was such a great vacation. Bye bye Costa Rica, view from plane
