Hello

[Хahar 🤔]

hi, ask me anything

[angus]

Why do some people clap at movies? 

I mean, I can understand that people clap at plays and concerts.  After all, the actors and musicians are there, and they can see you and hear you and they are the sorts with the psychologies that thrive on recognition.  In a cinema, however, the producer is not there, nor is the director, nor the actors, nor the composer of the musical score, nor the camera gaffmen, nor anyone who had anything remotely to do with the production of the film.  Still, in many cinemas, people insist on applauding and hooting and hollering at the end.  Why do they do that?

[Хahar 🤔]

Honestly, I can't tell you. My position has always been that I wouldn't get the clap at a movie theater, so why would I clap at a movie theater?

I saw Star Wars the day after it came out and was worried that people would applaud whenever a character entered on screen and thereby ruin any chance I had of actually seeing the movie. Fortunately that didn't happen; one or two doofuses clapped at the opening titles, but the deafening silence with which they were met must have chastened them, since they were quiet the rest of the way.

[Ban my account ffs!]

WHY DID YOU STOP POSTING BETWEEN OCTOBER AND NOW?!?

I hope you're planning to stay for a while!

[Mike Thick]

Best non-political book you read in 2015?

[The Free North]

Why do some people clap at movies? 

I mean, I can understand that people clap at plays and concerts.  After all, the actors and musicians are there, and they can see you and hear you and they are the sorts with the psychologies that thrive on recognition.  In a cinema, however, the producer is not there, nor is the director, nor the actors, nor the composer of the musical score, nor the camera gaffmen, nor anyone who had anything remotely to do with the production of the film.  Still, in many cinemas, people insist on applauding and hooting and hollering at the end.  Why do they do that?

Follow up question:

Why do people (Europeans in particular) clap when their plane lands?

[/]

How do I get the CTRL key on my keyboard to stop making a funny sound every time I click it?

[NeverAgain]

Will my parents get back together?

[The Other Castro]

Why is a raven like a writing desk?

[Bacon King]

do you like butt stuff

[Хahar 🤔]

WHY DID YOU STOP POSTING BETWEEN OCTOBER AND NOW?!?

I hope you're planning to stay for a while!

I had other things going on in my life, but much as swallows return to Capistrano, rest assured that I will always return here, at least until I don't.

Best non-political book you read in 2015?

When Prophecy Fails is wonderful and the sort of thing that a literate person should know about.

Follow up question:

Why do people (Europeans in particular) clap when their plane lands?

I couldn't possibly tell you, as I'm not European, but presumably the pilot and co-pilot can hear the applause for their having successfully completed the flight.

How do I get the CTRL key on my keyboard to stop making a funny sound every time I click it?

I hear compressed air can help keyboard problems.

Will my parents get back together?

No, and if you cared about them you wouldn't want them to.

Why is a raven like a writing desk?

The Ravens are repulsive and their fans are subhuman cretins, but I'm not sure what that has to do with writing desks.

do you like butt stuff

Jake Butt is good, obviously, but I'm not into Michigan.

[Crumpets]

Why is a raven like a writing desk?

They are both things upon which Poe wrote.

[The Other Castro]

Why is a raven like a writing desk?

They are both things upon which Poe wrote.

Correct answer.

[Grumpier Than Uncle Joe]

What kind of mental disease do you have that made you decide to return to hell? 

[🦀🎂🦀🎂]

i made a poll on Khaleda Zia vs Sheikh Hasina and it got no responses; and i thought "if only xahar were here ". thought u shud no

[angus]

Honestly, I can't tell you. My position has always been that I wouldn't get the clap at a movie theater, so why would I clap at a movie theater?

I saw Star Wars the day after it came out and was worried that people would applaud whenever a character entered on screen and thereby ruin any chance I had of actually seeing the movie. Fortunately that didn't happen; one or two doofuses clapped at the opening titles, but the deafening silence with which they were met must have chastened them, since they were quiet the rest of the way.

Intriguing response.  It doesn't really answer the question, but it does even better:  it confirms my observation.

I was at a party on December 30 with some friends, and a woman (a foreigner) started to complain about the Star Wars movie she recently watched.  She then apologized immediately, saying she didn't want to ruin it for me.  I assured here that I have little interest in any Star Wars movie and therefore nothing she could say would ruin it for me.  She then commented to me about how annoyed she was the people clapped during the movie quite often, especially when... (then she named certain events that some might consider "spoilers" but which to me was merely a synopsis of the program).  My immediate response was that I noticed that around here as well.  I first noticed it when I lived in Boston, for about five years starting in 1995.  I also noticed it when I lived in New York.  And in Pennsylvania.  But come to think of it, I've not noticed that elsewhere.  For example, I told her, the years I lived in California when I saw movies, I have no recollection of people clapping during the movie.  Similarly, when I lived in Mississippi and in Texas and in Iowa, I never noticed that.  I surmised that it must be a Middle Atlantic/New England phenomenon.  Back East, folks clap and hoot and holler during movies.  Out West (and Down South and Up North) they don't.  Why?  I can't tell you, but you do seem to be observe what I did, which is that few people made obnoxious noises during the movie (Out West).  If you had seen the same movie Back East, then you'd certainly have been annoyed, as this woman was.  


On another topic, I'm looking over the thread and I see that there's a comment about folks clapping on planes.  That's equally annoying, but at least I can understand that clapping.  The folks who brought you the successful touchdown are actually on the plane and have a chance at appreciating your applause.  Incidentally, I only ever see that on flights to the tropics.  I've seen it landing in Mexico, in Aruba, in Saint Lucia, in Jamaica, etc., but I haven't seen it upon landing in Chicago or Amsterdam or Shanghai or Tokyo, etc.  I think people landing in Caribbean islands are already sort of giddy--they're all wearing shorts and looking forward to a week of hedonism and irresponsibility, after all--so the idea that the pilot is actually still sober is greatly appreciated, and they want to show him or her their appreciation.  It's annoying, for sure, but at least it is logical in a way that clapping at movies is not.

[Mr. Morden]

I've seen folks clapping on a plane once we landed, following a ridiculously long delay...almost like they were mocking the crew (not that the delay is really their fault), as if saying "Gee, thanks for finally getting us to our destination.  Took you long enough."

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

Why does the media think Maryland is a top 3 team still? Are they unaware of KenPom?

[bore]

Why is a raven like a writing desk?

They are both things upon which Poe wrote.

Correct answer.

I prefer Carroll's answer: "Because it can produce a few notes, tho they are very flat; and it is never put with the wrong end in front!"

[Atlas Has Shrugged]

Are you a fan of artisan wells?

[Adam Griffin]

How have your poops been lately?

Also, how do you defend x while condemning y etc etc

[This account no longer in use.]

You are on a platform at a train station. A few hundred yards away from the station, five people are tied up on the tracks. A train is on the tracks, barreling towards those five people. The brakes do not work. However, you see a switch. If you flip the switch, the train will go towards another track. However, that track has one person tied up on the tracks. Would you flip the switch and have to live with the guilt of murdering somebody with your own hands, but saving five people, or would you not touch the switch and let the train run over the five people?

[Gustaf]

I think the clapping thing is linked to Eastern Europe a bit. Partly, getting out of there during the Cold War as a relief thing and partly if you flew with airlines like Aeroflot where surviving the flight was a big deal.

[Хahar 🤔]

What kind of mental disease do you have that made you decide to return to hell? 

I just realized I know a lot less about the world when I don't spend time on International Elections, to be honest. Hopefully there are fewer racists now.

i made a poll on Khaleda Zia vs Sheikh Hasina and it got no responses; and i thought "if only xahar were here ". thought u shud no

Gun to my head, I'd take the bullet.

Which Bengal is the fiscally conservative one and which is the socially conservative one?



imo west is fiscally conservative and east is socially

I mean, sure, yeah.

Why does the media think Maryland is a top 3 team still? Are they unaware of KenPom?

Well, after SMU barely beat Cincinnati at home yesterday, Maryland's at 14, which is the highest ranking yet. As you may know, Ken Pomeroy has actually talked about this, sort of; Maryland was ranked #3 entering the season, and being ranked that high correlates very strongly with success. I'm willing to accept that they've lagged behind their ranking because three of the five starters are new to the program and it took some time to integrate them into the system; now that Diamond Stone in particular knows what he's doing, I feel like the tide is going to turn. This was clearly the best team in the Big Ten entering the season, and I think they've still got that in them. I think they'll handle Wisconsin in Madison tomorrow.

My personal hope for this season (apart from tournament success, obviously) is a #1 AP ranking, since the Terps have never had that in the history of the program.

Are you a fan of artisan wells?

You mean like the Sunol Water Temple? I guess I am, yes. I don't have any opinion about artesian wells, though.

How have your poops been lately?

Not great; last night I had one that was mostly liquid.

Also, how do you defend x while condemning y etc etc

Well, I'm a bad person.

You are on a platform at a train station. A few hundred yards away from the station, five people are tied up on the tracks. A train is on the tracks, barreling towards those five people. The brakes do not work. However, you see a switch. If you flip the switch, the train will go towards another track. However, that track has one person tied up on the tracks. Would you flip the switch and have to live with the guilt of murdering somebody with your own hands, but saving five people, or would you not touch the switch and let the train run over the five people?

Of course I'd flip the switch. I've never understood where the moral dilemma lies in the trolley problem.

[This account no longer in use.]

Okay. Take the trolley problem. Now imagine that the one person on the train track is the one person you love most. Since it seems to be a game of numbers to you, I'm assuming you would still flip the switch, would you not?