General Questions Thread

[-KarumA-]

I want to sell something on ebay, a book actually but when trying to put it on sale I walked against an obstacle and that is shipping terms

I have a screenie of all the shipping options I could pick and so now the question:
The shipping service I want to provide is normal Airmail and Registered Airmail
can anyone tell me what that is from the list below?

[mit7059]

Is the shipping international? How quickly do you need it to be there?

[Cipher]

I've been wondering about that Folding@home program. What do they mean by donating? What's it for? Isn't just a globe with lights?

[-KarumA-]

Originally Posted by mit7059

Is the shipping international? How quickly do you need it to be there?

yes international, but just to be clear it isn't something I am ordering
but an item I am putting up for sale, so someone else will have to pick

I'd want it to take about a week (well normal airmail from Tokyo takes a week to get here)
Flat rate shipping is like by boat right? (I know boat takes weeks so I don't want to use that)
In our country it is simple, you simply say I want it airmailed and then registered or not registered and it takes about a week till it gets somewhere, the registration is simply for insurance but doesn't speed things up (its these 2 I'd like to provide for anyone buying the book)

[Kakashi]

Originally Posted by Cipher

I've been wondering about that Folding@home program. What do they mean by donating? What's it for? Isn't just a globe with lights?

You donate by downloading their software and running it, and in effect you're lending processing power which is part of a pool of computers globally (playstation also has this software). This deluge functions as one big supercomputer which simulates protein synthesis. Specifically, the folding of the protein chain, which when folded incorrectly can be the cause disease.

They're trying to understand the processes, and based on this knowledge figure out methods of prevention or cures.

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by Jinto

Not just executives, also engineers and (software) developers... its not so much to avoid problems but to secure corporate know how and confidential information. For the engineer/executive/developer this procedure is very inconvenient because you have to access your data remote then (encrypted).

I suspect the "security theater" of the US borders will escalate soon to the point you might as well show up to the checkpoint naked. It has really snowballed to the absurd. The SANS and other network security organizations, science and engineering groups have all started simply NOT having major conferences in the US because of this.... yet another way to spiral into irrelevancy.

[LiberLibri]

To French speakers:

You write "in spring / in summer / in autumn / in winter" in French as "au printemps / en ete / en autumne / en hiver". Why only printemps is accompanied with "au"? Why not "en" likewise others?

[Woopzilla]

^ While I'm not a french speaker, I believe it has to do with the three words starting with vowels (the 'h' being silent). Similar to 'an' vs 'a' in english.

[Splitpersonality]

Try saying "au ete" or "au hiver"

It's quite an awkward pronunciation, especially for non native speakers haha, as a general rule the french try to keep too many vowels from stacking up next to each other.

Hope that helps a bit, it's kind of like how "A hour" sounds weird out loud, but "An hour" sounds better.

I suppose.

[Cipher]

Originally Posted by Kakashi

You donate by downloading their software and running it, and in effect you're lending processing power which is part of a pool of computers globally (playstation also has this software). This deluge functions as one big supercomputer which simulates protein synthesis. Specifically, the folding of the protein chain, which when folded incorrectly can be the cause disease.

They're trying to understand the processes, and based on this knowledge figure out methods of prevention or cures.

This sounds a bit suspicious. For such an important medicinal matter, how can they rely on unfixed population-based decisions? There's obviously better ways.

[Splitpersonality]

They don't rely on it, it's just an additional donation.

They have servers set aside which can handle it by themselves, but with the addition of the large numbers of ps3's (and other computers I suppose) assisting in it, the progress made is much more significant, and speedier.

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by Cipher

This sounds a bit suspicious. For such an important medicinal matter, how can they rely on unfixed population-based decisions? There's obviously better ways.

No, you've completely misunderstood it... you load the client and it runs in background. They send data packets to be processed out to multiple machines so nothing is lost and results can be cross-checked. The software is simulating permutations of protein folding sequences. The resulting data can be used to vastly reduce the trial and error period for drug development among other things. Supercomputers are expensive to rent.... Beowulf clusters have been used for this sort of thing but require extensive budgeting/maintenance ... but the opportunity to volunteer computer cycles you're not using gives everyone a chance to be altruistic without much effort or cost.

The functionality was originally developed at Berkeley for use in processing the large amounts of data collected in the SETI project (http://seti.berkeley.edu/)

Visit the site and read about it. Its a project under the auspices of Stanford University. http://folding.stanford.edu/
A brief overview of the science: http://folding.stanford.edu/English/Science
Awards garnered by the project (folding@home has been going on for many years): http://folding.stanford.edu/English/Awards

[mg1942]

I'm thinking about taking accounting as my major...

When i go for interviews and ask me why i think i would make a good accountant, what are some good things to say?

[SaintessHeart]

Originally Posted by mg1942

I'm thinking about taking accounting as my major...

When i go for interviews and ask me why i think i would make a good accountant, what are some good things to say?

Ask me to do anything with money and I can do it the way you want. Disappear, reappear, anyway, 100%.

[risingstar3110]

I asked this in Japanese culture, but got no answer, so guess maybe should move it to here...

Guys, got a question that needs some help....

Have a homework about the meaning and significant of the phrase ごちそうさま or "Gochisou sama". Well... the general information is pretty easy to find ( unless someone have a really good site with lots of visuals which you want to recommend) but i would like to ask you guys (especially those have Japanese culture background) for more trivial information..... the kinds which no one will put up on internet or books

Things like...... when you found it to be uncomfortable using such phrase (maybe when you live in Western society for example or when you eat alone); how kids were taught to learn such terms.... ;would it be preferred to shout out loud or speak at normal voice......etc.... ;any things from silly to interesting surrounding this phrase: ごちそうさま

It will be a bonus if someone has an anime or manga that include such information

[Jinto]

Originally Posted by mg1942

I'm thinking about taking accounting as my major...

When i go for interviews and ask me why i think i would make a good accountant, what are some good things to say?

Most important is that you are personally convincing (of'course you'll need some good arguments too, but I am not in that sort of business - thus cannot help you there). No company wants to waste time (==money) on someone who is not 100% into the stuff he/she is doing. So you need to show your interest in the matter in a realistic/believable way. This includes ambition - what you will want to achieve in the company, practical things you've already done and so on.
Well there is another thing you could harness - vitamin C (aka connections... that is usually more effective).

[LiberLibri]

Originally Posted by risingstar3110

I asked this in Japanese culture, but got no answer, so guess maybe should move it to here...

Gochisousama ご馳走さま literally means "You have rushed around to prepare the dishes for me. Thanks for it". It can be traced back to as a Buddhism phrase (you know Buddhists focus on the connection of every node. your dishes are made by someone, from some creatures' fresh. You are to appreciate all efforts and sacrifice dedicated in order to keep you alive). It became a secular greeting word to finish a dinner in the 18th century, and spread out quickly.
You can use the phrase whenever you finish eating. It does not depend on the situation or the quality of the dish; alone or together, delicious or poor, home or restaurant. It is a word to show the gratitude, and you have little reason to hesitate to express gratitude.
It is pronounced in a normal voice, unless given specific condition (such as in a kindergarten, elementary school or in a kids sports club). School pupils often say it in chorus with louder volume when eating bento in the classroom.
How children are taught: it's quite like making prayer before supper in a Christian family. It is taught in the family education. Parents tell the children to say Gochisousama before leaving the table. These days, however, some parents fail to do so and their children sometimes are seen as rude and uncivilized.

I don't think it is good idea to copy&paste irresponsible articles in the Internet to your homework report. You should search for proper books in the library.

[Vexx]

Originally Posted by risingstar3110

I asked this in Japanese culture, but got no answer, so guess maybe should move it to here...

Have a homework about the meaning and significant of the phrase ごちそうさま or "Gochisou sama". Well... the general information is pretty easy to find ( unless someone have a really good site with lots of visuals which you want to recommend) but i would like to ask you guys (especially those have Japanese culture background) for more trivial information..... the kinds which no one will put up on internet or books

Things like...... when you found it to be uncomfortable using such phrase (maybe when you live in Western society for example or when you eat alone); how kids were taught to learn such terms.... ;would it be preferred to shout out loud or speak at normal voice......etc.... ;any things from silly to interesting surrounding this phrase: ごちそうさま

Should have pasted it unquoted... otherwise it doesn't automatically transfer to replies...

Anyway, saw your question over there but just really didn't have anything productive to say... but here's what I got:

For some reason if I say it without at least bowing my head or nodding in the direction of the host (or my wife who was in charge of the cooking), it feels uncomfortable. The head action or the hand action just seems absolutely necessary or it "isn't right" to me.
I always say it in a soft but firm voice. In Japanese restaurants, when we say the phrase and its companion (itadakimasu), we almost invariably gets a weird look from the gaijin tables. (I'm Heinz57-euro, my wife is japanese, and we usually have a Star Trek mix of skin colors at the table anyway ).

[risingstar3110]

Originally Posted by LiberLibri

Gochisousama ご馳走さま literally means "You have rushed around to prepare the dishes for me. Thanks for it". It can be traced back to as a Buddhism phrase (you know Buddhists focus on the connection of every node. your dishes are made by someone, from some creatures' fresh. You are to appreciate all efforts and sacrifice dedicated in order to keep you alive). It became a secular greeting word to finish a dinner in the 18th century, and spread out quickly.
You can use the phrase whenever you finish eating. It does not depend on the situation or the quality of the dish; alone or together, delicious or poor, home or restaurant. It is a word to show the gratitude, and you have little reason to hesitate to express gratitude.
It is pronounced in a normal voice, unless given specific condition (such as in a kindergarten, elementary school or in a kids sports club). School pupils often say it in chorus with louder volume when eating bento in the classroom.
How children are taught: it's quite like making prayer before supper in a Christian family. It is taught in the family education. Parents tell the children to say Gochisousama before leaving the table. These days, however, some parents fail to do so and their children sometimes are seen as rude and uncivilized.

I don't think it is good idea to copy&paste irresponsible articles in the Internet to your homework report. You should search for proper books in the library.

Originally Posted by Vexx

Should have pasted it unquoted... otherwise it doesn't automatically transfer to replies...

Anyway, saw your question over there but just really didn't have anything productive to say... but here's what I got:

For some reason if I say it without at least bowing my head or nodding in the direction of the host (or my wife who was in charge of the cooking), it feels uncomfortable. The head action or the hand action just seems absolutely necessary or it "isn't right" to me.
I always say it in a soft but firm voice. In Japanese restaurants, when we say the phrase and its companion (itadakimasu), we almost invariably gets a weird look from the gaijin tables. (I'm Heinz57-euro, my wife is japanese, and we usually have a Star Trek mix of skin colors at the table anyway ).

Thank you there ^^

@LiberLibri: yeah i admit I tend to not taking an assignment seriously when it's not (as) important .
When there are little time to present(few mins) and a casual group of audiences, it's better to throw in some uber cool website/pictures/animations and tell them "See!! this awesome Japanese *inserthere* say so, so it must be right"

@Vexx: even when there's no productive things to say, for your specific case it will be like "wise man speaking" anyway. Even if it does not concern me, i still can get random knowledges from it (e.g. didn't know what's the meaning of Heinz57 till now. Thought it's the name of an ancient Greek tribe )

[ganbaru]

I am not sure this is the right thread for asking this , as we have the '' could you translater this'' but is seem to be only for translating from japanese to english...
I am planing to use a strophe of one of Baudelaire"s ''Les Fleurs du Mal'' poem on one signature but I fear than the translation might not be as good as I think, Could someone tell me any mistake I made :

Spoiler for the quote in french from ''le beau navire'':

Je veux the raconter,Ô molle enchanteresse!
Les diverses beautées qui parent ta jeunesse;
Je veux the peindre ta beauté,
Ou l'enfance s'allie à la maturité

I want to tell you, o soft enchanteress!
The various beauty than adorn your young;
I want to paint to you your beauty
Where childhood combine with maturity.