Happy Days in Random Chatter 10

[Digit]

That reminds me of the Smurf movie I took my daughter to see, the part where Gargamel gets out of prison by making a huge swarm of flies carry him over the barbed wire wall, not quite painlessly.

[Emiliana]

Thanks, y'all. I'm sure my less than ideal eating and habits haven't necessarily helped, but there have been a lot of days in the last few months that have been like ... Get off the couch? Why would I do a silly thing like that?

[Whistler]

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/8sqdiN

Thoughts?

oh just kill the flies already

[TheAnswerIs42]

Did you know that you can put a candy cane into a cotton candy machine and it makes cotton candy out of it? The Jolly Ranchers were our favorite tonight, though. They had a nice punch.

So weird.

[yayfulness]

Did you know that you can put a candy cane into a cotton candy machine and it makes cotton candy out of it? The Jolly Ranchers were our favorite tonight, though. They had a nice punch.

So weird.

WANT.

[Emiliana]

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/8sqdiN

Thoughts?

1. Is this satirizing something? If it is, I don't get it.
2. If it's not, I still don't get it.

[Genuine Article]

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/8sqdiN

Thoughts?

My dad had a mission companion who actually did this. He said he'd make little balsa wood airplanes and glue frozen flies into them. When they woke up he'd launch them off and they were able to stay up in the air but couldn't land on their own, so they'd die in the air, causing their plane to suddenly take a nosedive.

It's sounds both inhumane and very entertaining at the same time.

[Marduk]

I don't think the concept of "inhumane" can be applied to insects. Just sayin'.

[Zedability]

Guys, python is my new favorite thing

[Watts]

Guys, python is my new favorite thing

So question for you. I have very, very, very limited knowledge on coding, but I would kind of like to develop some programming literacy if you will.
Would python be a good place to start? I've heard nothing but good things about python, but will I understand it well enough to use it if my coding background is basically limited to some html and CSS from high school?
If not python, then where would you suggest I start in trying to teach myself coding?

[Digit]

Here's a free course from MIT that starts Oct. 1 called Intro to Computer Science and Programming, which will teach learners Python. It's not just a collection of teach-yourself lectures. There are actually assignments to turn in on a time table and I believe finishers get a certificate. And it's free. But, like I said, it's like a real class which, though it won't hurt any transcript if you wash out, you have to work at if you want to pass.

[Zedability]

This tutorial sounds like what you're looking for.

[Whistler]

so... I always tell myself I want to code something, and then I'm like "all this stuff is boring! I don't want to print hello world at all!" So if you want to learn Python AND make a cool simulation game or visual novel, I recommend the game engine Ren'Py. Just getting a self-introduction with one remembered choice was kind of hard, but I felt so awesome after making it.

[Whistler]

also I think I am going to take that programming course because it sounds cool

[Unit of Energy]

also I think I am going to take that programming course because it sounds cool

Seriously, I've been teaching myself python this week. Mostly because I'm actually employed as a programmer and I would like to expand my programming knowledge. I think an actual class may help my motivation to pursue additional programming languages.

[Katya]

I don't think the concept of "inhumane" can be applied to insects. Just sayin'.

Can we call it "un-insectoid"?

[Katya]

Is there a better way to spend an evening than listening to Pink and writing a talk?

[Giovanni Schwartz]

I don't think the concept of "inhumane" can be applied to insects. Just sayin'.

Can we call it "un-insectoid"?

C'mon, just abbreviate it." Unsectoid".

[Katya]

I don't think the concept of "inhumane" can be applied to insects. Just sayin'.

Can we call it "un-insectoid"?

C'mon, just abbreviate it." Unsectoid".

Or maybe the "un-" and "in-" cancel out, and it's just "sectoid."

[Giovanni Schwartz]

But if we do that, then we exclude all of the other arthropods!

I nominate "arthropodist."