# Minimal requirements: quaint expressions

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimal-requirements-quaint-expressions/601857>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [November 4, 2011, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimal-requirements-quaint-expressions/601857 "2011-11-04T15:15:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 9\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Zeldar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b77776/32.png) [@Zeldar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zeldar)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimal-requirements-quaint-expressions/601857/1 "2011-11-04T15:15:09Z")

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A boss, in defining qualifications for some task: “As long as he can fog a mirror.”

What other ways to put the idea?

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**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimal-requirements-quaint-expressions/601857/2 "2011-11-04T15:27:20Z")

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Body temperature above room temperature.

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**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimal-requirements-quaint-expressions/601857/3 "2011-11-04T15:47:20Z")

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A warm body.

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**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimal-requirements-quaint-expressions/601857/4 "2011-11-04T21:42:38Z")

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I don’t know about the “quaint” part, but among science geeks we use expressions on the order of “functioning metabolism”.

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**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimal-requirements-quaint-expressions/601857/5 "2011-11-04T21:58:11Z")

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Can pass a Turing Test (which supposedly some software developers would fail).

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**Author:** ![Khadaji](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Khadaji](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Khadaji)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimal-requirements-quaint-expressions/601857/6 "2011-11-04T22:28:40Z")

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Able to sit up and take nourishment.

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**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimal-requirements-quaint-expressions/601857/7 "2011-11-04T22:37:00Z")

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We used to joke to get into a California Community College you have to be breathing and have a pulse. Should you fail either test, you would be hired on as staff (not as a teacher, as support or admin staff).

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**Author:** ![Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/arrogance_ex_machina/32/192_2.png) [@Arrogance\_Ex\_Machina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrogance_Ex_Machina)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 10:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimal-requirements-quaint-expressions/601857/8 "2011-11-04T22:46:54Z")

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To be able to operate a revolving door.

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**Author:** ![Cub\_Mistress](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ea666f/32.png) [@Cub\_Mistress](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cub_Mistress)\
**Post date:** [November 4, 2011, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/minimal-requirements-quaint-expressions/601857/9 "2011-11-04T22:54:01Z")

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having a strong back and a weak mind.