The Bloated Pig - A Place for Weary Flingers Page 2252
  • 159870 Comments
  • KelaniKelani
  • fenikusfenikus
    @Annifrid, congrats on passing the test on the first try! @Kelani doesn't know this but in other countries passing the driving test is not a cinch like here in USA. I got my driver's license 30 years ago and it took me at least 10 tries, IIRC. Not because I was a bad driver -- some folks would not pass in 20-30 tries. But they were jerks at that time and fail you for any miniscule "error". Sometimes you could be even perfect but they'd fail you anyway, just to get your money for the test again. I hope that's changed nowadays but I'm sure they're still way stricter than here in US.
  • KelaniKelani
    @fenikus they charged you for the test? wow.

    edit: I saw that edit. Here, the thing that makes most people fail is the three-point turn. If you didn't turn and look behind exactly how they told you, they'd end the test right there.
  • fenikusfenikus
    @kelani, I thought they charged here as well. Granted, I took my US driving test 20-something years ago. At that time, the driving test seemed like a formality and you just had to study for the "written" portion of it. But, I don't know how it was for you young whippersnappers ;-)
  • KelaniKelani
    @fenikus In a way, I guess they do. You get charged for getting your permit or license, but if you fail the test, there's no fee. And if you renew your license before it expires, you pay the same fee, but there's no driving test.

    edit: when I did it, drivers ed was provided by high school. So it was free. Nowadays, I think for-profit companies handle that here.
  • AnnifridAnnifrid
    @Kelani That's more like my sister's way of getting stuff :) The current #1 on my wish list in an iPad anyway.

    BTW they charge for the tests over here. I paid (read: my mom paid) ~$30, and would have to pay ~$20 for every additional try.
  • fenikusfenikus
    Oh yeah, the "written" portion of the test was insanely hard back home in Europe and many people took that at least several times. But I studied hard and passed that sucker on the first try! Then the jerks kept failing me on the driving portion…things like: oh you didn't change gears fast enough (of course you had to have two hands on the steering wheel at all times). Or, you didn't look to the left at the intersection before resuming from a full stop (you had to look both left and right of course). But I did look left, it's just that the instructor decided I didn't flex my neck sufficiently.
  • fenikusfenikus
    Only my first fail of the driving portion was legit. They start you at a driving course with lines and cones. You have to navigate the vehicle correctly, go in reverse, and parallel park among other things. I was so nervous because of all the hoopla I've been hearing about these tests that I forgot to disengage the parking brake. Got into the car, instructor said "ok, go", I slowly let go of the clutch and gave it some gas. The car of course stalled. Instructor just said: "Fail. Next!"
  • KelaniKelani
  • KelaniKelani
  • fenikusfenikus
    @Kelani, nope -- that was the only good thing about it -- you'd only need to retake the driving portion of the test when you pass the written exam. I'm sure it had some expiration date though, maybe a year or so.
  • KelaniKelani
    All these black avatars are confusing.
  • fenikusfenikus
    WORLD'S Worst Driver! http://youtu.be/WG0PHBT4Xyo

    (There are several youtube videos of the same thing but only Benny Hill music does it justice, heh-heh).
  • KelaniKelani
    @fenikus can't beat Benny. lol. That's awesome, but I dunno what to make of it. The random pastel-colored cars and pedestrians, and in the credits, there's a huge cast list.
  • KelaniKelani
    States with the worst drivers

    #4 California
    #7 Massachusetts
    #10 Connecticut
    #12 South Carolina

    That covers most of the BP's US crowd :D
  • fenikusfenikus
    @Kelani, you're seeing things again like in that can-can video…I think they were just goofing off with that huge cast list. You can find this video raw from a bunch of different youtube users. I actually first saw this on Tosh.0 on comedy central (don't know if you ever watch that show).
  • KelaniKelani
    @fenikus lol. probably should have guessed that after the zany slo-mo and double-speed edits. I've seen tosh.0 in the onscreen guide, but never watched it. Is it just Daniel Tosh narrating funny videos?
  • fenikusfenikus
    Yes, that's pretty much the gist of it -- 90% of the show is him narrating weird internet videos. I sometimes watch it but it's not everyone's cup of tea, you'll either find it hilarious or crass. It varies for me on daily basis depending on my mood.
  • KelaniKelani
    I sometimes watch a show on Science channel like that, except it's scientists explaining stupid videos :P
  • KelaniKelani
    Well lovely. I just learned closed captions don't work on hdmi.
  • RatRat
    @Kelani I know right? And with one busted eardrum, and being around jet aircraft my entire career didn't do the other ear any favors, I need Closed Captioning occasionally.
  • KelaniKelani
    @Rat I don't need it, but I've grown to love it. Sometimes TV people mumble, and it'll tell you the name of music that's playing. But best of all, the people that type the captions make funny typos, and sometimes get creative.

    I guess whoever wrote the HDMI standard didn't get the memo that the FCC requires CC in all broadcasts. :( I've got a few hacks I can try before going back to a crappier cable. I turned on the ones from my cable box, but they are completely unreadable.
  • fenikusfenikus
    @Kelani, huh? CC works fine for me and all I use is HDMI cables.
  • KathyKathy
    Ohh man 2 pages missed! !
    I've come to the conclusion that Rovio apps ie AngryBirds cost more across the pondm
    Nice guess @kelani on the mystery pic..but you did say you were going to sleep.
    Esther glad you got some rain.
    OB a PigKiller while i try to catch up please
    And why did my screen just get really really small:/
  • KelaniKelani
    @fenikus What brand of TV? A few of them can steal the CC feed from the analog input and superimpose it. Most can't.

    edit: wb @Kathy :) and I said " I'm running out of ipad & awake time,"
  • KathyKathy
    I give up.. never gonna make heads or tails of these last few pages. I'd rather be in real time lol.
  • mvnla2mvnla2
    @Kelani -- There seem to be several rankings of states for worst drivers, at least one of which doesn't include CA in the top ten. But I wouldn't argue too hard, the drivers in LA are insane, and getting more so.
  • KathyKathy
    @kelani running out of'awake time' equals 'sleep time' lol miscommunication; ) no worries great research I tried Google but couldn't find anything comparable nice job!
  • KelaniKelani
  • KathyKathy
    @kelani really v Massachusetts#7 on worst drivers list? I would've thought we were#1 lol
  • KathyKathy
    Yes @kelani back to work tomorrow:( that's why I've been out most of the day trying to prepare for laundry and stuff:/ got some flinging in between :)
  • KathyKathy
    Why is everyone avatars dark? It is confusing:/
  • KelaniKelani
    lol @Kathy did you just think of that or were you reading my mind?
  • KathyKathy
    @kelani think of what?
  • KathyKathy
    Dark avatars? Yes i just noticed they all seem dark even mine. Only @mvnla2 seems bright:/
  • KathyKathy
    And @Pa thought it was my phone?
  • KelaniKelani
    @Kathy

    Kelani 8:30pm All these black avatars are confusing.
  • KathyKathy
    Lol @kelani I see your comment now. .haha no i noticed it also.
  • KathyKathy
    I do like your kitty peeking in though; ) cute I've always been partial to black cats.
  • RatRat
    My avatar is only dark in content.
  • KathyKathy
    Lol @Pa Hi :)
  • RatRat
    Hi Ma. Are you going to be a good girl and get to sleep early. Or walk in to work with your normal Monday forehead tattoo?
  • KathyKathy
    I'll brb gotta go downstairs and have a butt.
  • fenikusfenikus
    @Kelani, it's a Panasonic (not that new, prolly 5 y/o). I have it connected to a TiVo via HDMI cable. But I used to have cable company's box with the same setup and closed captioning worked there too.
  • KathyKathy
    No @pa I'm gonna be good .. smoking last cigarette and going to sleep; )
  • KathyKathy
    It's all @bernersenn fault for leaving such great tips in timber tumble:)
  • KelaniKelani
    @fenikus So it's a tivo with cablecard? Anyway, Tivo's rendering the CC on the picture and sending that through the cable. That's why it works for you. Raw CC data coming in the cable line is discarded once it hits the HDMI cable :(

    edit: lovely. Doesn't work with component cables either, and can't even program channels.
  • fenikusfenikus
    I don't know, before I got the TiVo, I had regular cable box and also had it connected to TV via HDMI. I *think* CC worked with that setup too, but not 100% sure.

    @All, NASA is replaying Apollo moon landing live. If anyone is interested, here's the link: http://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/nasatv/index.html#.U8yJPBZTLwI

    If it doesn't work on iPads, I can see it on it through my ABC News app.
  • KelaniKelani
    @fenikus yeah my cable box can add its own CC, but they look like... ugh.

    Cool link, I may watch that since TV is being an PITA.
  • KathyKathy
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