# Brag here about obscure stuff no one will understand **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 24, 2005, 8:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brag-here-about-obscure-stuff-no-one-will-understand/305326 "2005-05-24T20:29:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![ouryL](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ouryl/32/6067_2.png) [@ouryL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ouryL)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2005, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brag-here-about-obscure-stuff-no-one-will-understand/305326/41 "2005-05-26T01:36:53Z")
> [@teela brown](#): > > My new Zojirushi rice cooker is fan-tas-tic. I bought it mainly because my old one was getting long in the tooth and it was too big. This new one is much smaller and it’s as cute as a button (actually it looks a lot like a Toyota Prius from the back). What I didn’t expect was that it would cook rice about five times better than the old model. The rice comes out absolutely perfect, plump and fluffy and appetizing. The new machine is a whiz to clean, too. > > I am a happy consumer. Astonished rice eater :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Martha\_Medea](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/43a26b/32.png) [@Martha\_Medea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Martha_Medea)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2005, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brag-here-about-obscure-stuff-no-one-will-understand/305326/42 "2005-05-26T01:53:07Z")
This morning I got an e-mail from the RHC in the RMC commending the DPC and RFA (moi) for having done a jolly good job of the DIPECHO proposal for Cap. ---
**Author:** ![adhemar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@adhemar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhemar)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2005, 2:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brag-here-about-obscure-stuff-no-one-will-understand/305326/43 "2005-05-26T02:35:03Z")
I received the Meridian Cross this weekend at Glenn Abahnn’s first crown list. My champion did not prevail but this made for a really good time after all. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2005, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brag-here-about-obscure-stuff-no-one-will-understand/305326/44 "2005-05-26T02:50:26Z")
Well, last time I was at work, I not only assisted with ADL’s, but also changed the 8 French Shiley, ties and sponge on one pt, prn, as well as using aseptic technique to redress a stage II with saline soaked 4x4’s(also prn). On another pt, I activated the JVAC and I irrigated the NG, placing it to LIS–it returned green bile right away; pt OOB w/ assist x1. I also D/C’ed a Foley(DTV @ 2100) and demonstrated (with return!) a glucometer on yet another pt. ---
**Author:** ![MrPeabody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7cd45c/32.png) [@MrPeabody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrPeabody)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2005, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brag-here-about-obscure-stuff-no-one-will-understand/305326/45 "2005-05-26T03:16:16Z")
last week I pulled a sweet vendo 44 out of a barn, only paid $100! Yesterday I installed a cooling fan and got the rangfinder servo on my helmet to work!! ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2005, 3:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brag-here-about-obscure-stuff-no-one-will-understand/305326/46 "2005-05-26T03:18:56Z")
Mine was a g3p2 31 weeks with twins and PTL on mag, CBR, and a BSC. At 2100, she complained she “couldn’t go”. I called the on-call who chewed me out saying that this was a day shift responsibility and gave orders for dulcolax X 1 which I applied with extra lube. At 2145, I found the pt was tearful and leaning over the bed and reporting she couldn’t sit and was in pain. The on-call chewed me out again and ordered MOM x1. When I went back to the room and L&D was performing a pelvic and reported an impaction stating there was a “tree stump in there.” At 2200 I called the on-call who ordered 5 or morphine x 1. I asked for a soap sud or oil retention, but she said no- it would cause ctxs and PTD. She told me to disimpact, but I said that is not a nursing proceedure on a 31 weeker with PTL. She had the nerve to tell me the suds or oil would cause PTD, but not the disimpaction and the she wasn’t coming in to disimpact. I asked if I could repeat the meds, but she said no. I pointed out that the pt had complained to the am rounder who didn’t do anything and that she would likely be hearing from the nocs again in about 4 hours. At 2300, nocs attempted to disimpact, but it was not well tolerated. They got an RX for dem/phen q 4 overnight. The am rounder tried to disimpact, too, without success. They continued PO and PR tx, overcorrected, and the pt went for days…but never delivered. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2005, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brag-here-about-obscure-stuff-no-one-will-understand/305326/47 "2005-05-26T03:58:05Z")
Two weeks ago I got the first videotape ever obtained of the breeding and territorial displays of the [Bare-throated Tiger-Heron](http://www.engel-cox.org/jill/images/TigerHeron.jpg). Almost nothing is known about its entire subfamily. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2005, 8:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brag-here-about-obscure-stuff-no-one-will-understand/305326/48 "2005-05-26T08:39:22Z")
> [@Shalmanese(the Trinny and/or Susanna of Code)](#): > > Good style dictates you use 0x0001, 0x0002, 0x0004, 0x0008, 0x0010 etc… Yeah, yeah, I’ll do some nice macros to keep you happy 🙂 While we’re reviewing the code, using **i** and **j** for array indexing is a bit cheezy too. Oops. I guess I am out of the running here since at least one person understood my post ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2005, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brag-here-about-obscure-stuff-no-one-will-understand/305326/49 "2005-05-26T13:31:18Z")
> [@Small Clanger](#): > > Yeah, yeah, I’ll do some nice macros to keep you happy 🙂 > > While we’re reviewing the code, using **i** and **j** for array indexing is a bit cheezy too. Oops. > > I guess I am out of the running here since at least one person understood my post ☹ Why? i and j are absolutely stock standard for iterating over arrays. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2005, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brag-here-about-obscure-stuff-no-one-will-understand/305326/50 "2005-05-26T14:03:34Z")
> [@Ca3799](#): > > Mine was a g3p2 31 weeks with twins and PTL on mag, CBR, and a BSC. > The am rounder tried to disimpact, too, without success. They continued PO and PR tx, overcorrected, and the pt went for days…but never delivered. I’m onto you! (and I did the same thing to a PVS last week–I think she is still “open”). Are you L&D or post-partum? I work step-down/adults. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2005, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brag-here-about-obscure-stuff-no-one-will-understand/305326/51 "2005-05-26T14:23:33Z")
> [@Shalmanese](#): > > Why? i and j are absolutely stock standard for iterating over arrays. True, but _Code Complete_ strongly suggests using meaningful names. As it happens my tidy little i & j loops utterly break the program I’m using them in since functions I have to call use a global scope variable as the index to the array (also global). I’ll have to add a line like ```auto stupid_global_idx_var = i; /* i could use a better name here */ ``` Bloody global variables :mad: Small Clanger, feeling sorry for himself maintaining other peoples’ programs. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2005, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brag-here-about-obscure-stuff-no-one-will-understand/305326/52 "2005-05-26T15:01:20Z")
> [@Small Clanger](#): > > True, but _Code Complete_ strongly suggests using meaningful names. As it happens my tidy little i & j loops utterly break the program I’m using them in since functions I have to call use a global scope variable as the index to the array (also global). I’ll have to add a line like > > ```auto > > stupid_global_idx_var = i; /* i could use a better name here */ > > ``` > > Bloody global variables :mad: > > Small Clanger, feeling sorry for himself maintaining other peoples’ programs. no, No, NO! Either Code Complete is an utterly worthless book (and there have been many) or your reading it wrong but the absolute worst thing to do is to fall into the latest fad du jour and ignore what the majority of the software world has been doing for the last 30 years. i and j should **never** be global variables. Programmers reading your code will depend on the fact that i and j are not global. i and j are reserved solely for iterating over arrays and other non-trivial iteration tasks. ---
**Author:** ![Small\_Clanger](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9fc348/32.png) [@Small\_Clanger](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Small_Clanger)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2005, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brag-here-about-obscure-stuff-no-one-will-understand/305326/53 "2005-05-26T15:29:05Z")
This post to be accompanied by the sound of a thread crashing off the rails. > [@Shalmanese](#): > > i and j should **never** be global variables They aren’t. They are my _local_ loop variables. However I have to deal with programs written by people who thought nothing of having globals called x, y and z. In this particular program the global loop variable has a relatively sensible name (curr\_rec), but gets incremented as a side effect of function calls, which keeps life interesting. This isn’t the place to defend _Code Complete_. As a taste though here’s the last bit about index names. > [@](#): > > In short, think of better names than i, j and k. If you have to use them, don’t use them for anything other than loop indexes – the convention is too well established. . . ---
**Author:** ![5que](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/5/3bc359/32.png) [@5que](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/5que)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2005, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brag-here-about-obscure-stuff-no-one-will-understand/305326/54 "2005-05-26T16:11:36Z")
I just showed that although hbm\_matter.status\_code values of “A” and “O” are different, they both map to matter.mm\_status code of “A”, regardless of matter.mm\_date\_closed. As I told them a month ago. ---
**Author:** ![gotpasswords](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c57346/32.png) [@gotpasswords](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gotpasswords)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2005, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brag-here-about-obscure-stuff-no-one-will-understand/305326/55 "2005-05-26T16:31:00Z")
> [@Ca3799](#): > > Mine was a g3p2 31 weeks with twins and PTL on mag, CBR, and a BSC… You couldn’t just say they were FOS? As for my brag-worthy obscurity, I provided source information on legal aspects of cryptography to Bruce Schneier yesterday. (Infosec and crypto geeks should know who he is) ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2005, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brag-here-about-obscure-stuff-no-one-will-understand/305326/56 "2005-05-26T20:44:34Z")
I completed a standard sextuple in practice the other day - only my second one ever, and I’ve never achieved it in a match. Although the break was ridiculously out of control most of the time, I eventually finished with a tidy straight triple. Well, if by tidy you mean irish peeling penult at an angle of about 50 degrees and bouncing off the wire with striker’s ball in order to hit escape ball the other side of the hoop. And peeling rover straight from about 4 yards (allowing for the hill), stopping six inches in front. In fact, it shouldn’t really have been a straight triple finish because I got the 3-back peel in going to 2-back, but failed to have the 3-back pioneer in the right place. Still, I was pretty pleased with my performance overall - although my swing was a little unreliable at times, my rushing was OK. ---
**Author:** ![Shalmanese](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/45deac/32.png) [@Shalmanese](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shalmanese)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2005, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brag-here-about-obscure-stuff-no-one-will-understand/305326/57 "2005-05-26T22:05:49Z")
> [@gotpasswords](#): > > You couldn’t just say they were FOS? > > As for my brag-worthy obscurity, I provided source information on legal aspects of cryptography to Bruce Schneier yesterday. > > (Infosec and crypto geeks should know who he is) :o. In what area in particular? ---
**Author:** ![FisherQueen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/58f4c7/32.png) [@FisherQueen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FisherQueen)\ **Post date:** [May 26, 2005, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brag-here-about-obscure-stuff-no-one-will-understand/305326/58 "2005-05-26T23:01:52Z")
On Saturday, I’ll become a landed baroness. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2005, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brag-here-about-obscure-stuff-no-one-will-understand/305326/59 "2005-05-27T00:17:49Z")
> [@FisherQueen](#): > > On Saturday, I’ll become a landed baroness. Can I be your friend? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![adhemar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3da27b/32.png) [@adhemar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adhemar)\ **Post date:** [May 27, 2005, 12:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brag-here-about-obscure-stuff-no-one-will-understand/305326/60 "2005-05-27T00:34:04Z")
> [@FisherQueen](#): > > On Saturday, I’ll become a landed baroness. Barony of Fenix? Congratulations Your Excellancy. Will you be at Border Raids next month? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/brag-here-about-obscure-stuff-no-one-will-understand/305326.md?page=2)