The many questions-not-worth-their-own-thread question thread XVII

[Loppan Torkel]

"Un do suru" - she had a nice one.

Does having your nails to the side of your head, as if you're about to scratch it, have a meaning in some nerd/sign language?

 

[aronnax]

My friend is choosing between Glasgow Medical school and Trinity College Dublin for her medicine course in university. She is wondering about the city life and life quality of the two cities and which one is better.

She's leaning more to Glasgow because it's cheaper and the medical school is better, but is ensure about Glasgow as a livable place. Thoughts?

 

[Flying Pig]

My friend is choosing between Glasgow Medical school and Trinity College Dublin for her medicine course in university. She is wondering about the city life and life quality of the two cities and which one is better.

She's leaning more to Glasgow because it's cheaper and the medical school is better, but is ensure about Glasgow as a livable place. Thoughts?

I know English isn't your first language, so figured you'd appreciate the correction: it's 'unsure' for 'not sure' and 'ensure' for 'to make sure'.

Dublin is certainly warmer than Glasgow, which has a very bad reputation in the rest of the UK for being run-down and violent. My own views on Dublin are no doubt based in a completely different era.

Does having your nails to the side of your head, as if you're about to scratch it, have a meaning in some nerd/sign language?

Putting your hand on top of your head in that way is the military signal for 'come here'

 

[aronnax]

I know English isn't your first language, so figured you'd appreciate the correction: it's 'unsure' for 'not sure' and 'ensure' for 'to make sure'.

Dublin is certainly warmer than Glasgow, which has a very bad reputation in the rest of the UK for being run-down and violent. My own views on Dublin are no doubt based in a completely different era.

English is my first language... -.-
I just have autocorrect...

But thank you for the information. I'll inform my friend.

 

[Flying Pig]

English is my first language... -.-
I just have autocorrect...

Oh dear! Sorry about that. I just saw your location and assumed.

 

[aronnax]

Oh dear! Sorry about that. I just saw your location and assumed.

English is the working and administrative language of Singapore. Some of us are just raised in more English-speaking environments than others.

 

[Ajidica]

What is the 'native' language of Singapore?

 

[shadowplay]

In the early years, the lingua franca of the island was Bazaar Malay (Melayu Pasar), a creole of Malay and Chinese[4], the language of trade in the Malay Archipelago.[5] While it continues to be used among many on the island, especially Singaporean Malays, Malay has now been displaced by English. English became the lingua franca due to the British rule of Singapore, and was made the main language upon Singaporean independence. In early years it served to unite the races which each had their own languages, and remains the primary language of academic education.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Singapore

 

[Traitorfish]

I know English isn't your first language, so figured you'd appreciate the correction: it's 'unsure' for 'not sure' and 'ensure' for 'to make sure'.

Dublin is certainly warmer than Glasgow, which has a very bad reputation in the rest of the UK for being run-down and violent.

Those aren't exactly the student areas, though. The bad bits of Dublin- of anywhere- are just as bad as the bad bits of Glasgow, it's just that Glasgow has more of them. It's a big city, it can't be folded down to a single dimension.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

The ATM (or ABM, i always mix them up) at the bank says not to put coins in the envelopes. What would happen if you do? Would the envelopes get stuck in the machines? I don't want to try it and get in trouble or anything.

 

[Kennigit]

I am unfamiliar with how employee background checks are actually done and was wondering if anyone knew (US specific). Most of the internships I will be/am applying for will have/have statements like this: "Candidates accepting a job offer will be required to pass a pre-placement physical, drug screening and background investigation."

This is for US companies/US government departments (more specifically, Department of Energy).

I've just never really thought about what a "background check" actually is and how it is done. What kind of info is actually relevant to a "background check"? Would I have to "do" anything or is it just looking at public records like police record, etc etc?

This is just out of my curiousity.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I think drug screening involves peeing in a cup.

 

[Flying Pig]

I am unfamiliar with how employee background checks are actually done and was wondering if anyone knew (US specific). Most of the internships I will be/am applying for will have/have statements like this: "Candidates accepting a job offer will be required to pass a pre-placement physical, drug screening and background investigation."

This is for US companies/US government departments (more specifically, Department of Energy).

I've just never really thought about what a "background check" actually is and how it is done. What kind of info is actually relevant to a "background check"? Would I have to "do" anything or is it just looking at public records like police record, etc etc?

This is just out of my curiousity.

There's a urine test for (amongst other things) drugs, tests that all your joints, reflexes, eyes, ears and so on work properly, then the background test consists of a questionnaire to the effect of 'are you an incredibly stupid Russian spy?', a CRB check, for the military there's then security screening (essentially a CRB check on your entire family)

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I just had a strange thought. These days some people say the currency is becoming worthless and you should invest in gold in case it collapses or something. If that is the case, why are the gold people so eager to exchange your soon-to-be-worthless money for gold?

 

[Ajidica]

I just had a strange thought. These days some people say the currency is becoming worthless and you should invest in gold in case it collapses or something. If that is the case, why are the gold people so eager to exchange your soon-to-be-worthless money for gold?

It is in many ways a gigantic scam. IIRC, the major 'Buy Gold NOW!!!!' company is under investigation for fraud.

 

[Cutlass]

I just had a strange thought. These days some people say the currency is becoming worthless and you should invest in gold in case it collapses or something. If that is the case, why are the gold people so eager to exchange your soon-to-be-worthless money for gold?

If you bought gold 4 years ago you would have seen it more than double in price in that time. If you buy gold now you will see its price drop in half in 4 years time.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Yeah. I was talking to a friend of mine who works in financials. He said that Im right and that its better to buy gold when its not being heavily advertised like that.

I have another question: At our old place, if something said to put it in the microwave for 3 minutes you had to put it in for 3 and a half minutes. At the new place, if you do that, it burns. Its the same microwave. why would this happen?

 

[Cutlass]

The microwave is getting more electricity and doesn't regulate it properly. Many places, particularly if they are old, have wiring that doesn't do exactly what it is supposed to be doing.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Well I know at our old place there was something wrong with the wiring. The landlord would not get a proper electrician though. Instead he just told us to put in a bigger fuse which can be a fire hazard apparently.

 

[Traitorfish]

That guy sounds like a serious crook- I don't know about tenancy laws in Canada, but in the UK that would be quite illegal. Be glad you're shot of him!