A classic joke in “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” is that “Belgium” is the One True Rude Word to Rule Them All.

But get Chat to admit that. Chat had no idea what I was talking about until I pinned it to the wall with a direct quote:
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Full quote: “But though even words like “juju-flop,” “swut,” and “turlingdrome” are now perfectly acceptable in common usage, there is one word that is still beyond the pale. The concept it embodies is so revolting that the publication or broadcast of the word is utterly forbidden in all parts of the galaxy except one – where they don’t know what it means. That word is “Belgium””
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Chat:
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Thank you for providing the full quote. In this context, Douglas Adams is indeed using the word “Belgium” humorously to highlight the absurdity of a word being so taboo that it is forbidden throughout the galaxy, except in one place where it’s not understood.

This is a classic example of the type of humor found in “The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy” series, where ordinary words and concepts are given unusual and humorous twists. It’s important to understand that Douglas Adams was not making fun of Belgium or its people but was using the word as a comedic device to create a sense of the bizarre and absurd in the universe he was creating.
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Try asking Chat about your favorite songs, films or stories and see what you get.

https://chat.openai.com/

I have great respect for you and would enjoy conversing in any form. So sure.

*** neo, I give my permission to send my e-mail address over to M J R. Can do? ***

However, don’t feel obliged and I would not wish compromising you in any way, nor particularly burdening this Open Thread.

Though I think True Stories from the Math Trench wouldn’t be unwelcome.

“M J R: Given that the OT is partly mathematical, I’d be curious to hear a bit about your experience as a professional mathematician.”

I would be very pleased to have this conversation with you, but I am sheepish about diving in so deeply on this (or on any) of neo’s comment threads.

I can think of one way to accomplish this: neo has both our e-mail addresses; if neo could send my e-mail address over to huxley, or vice versa, (or both ways), we can get it done without being a distraction for others.

*** neo, I give my permission to send my e-mail address over to huxley. Can do? ***

Philip Sells:

You have a peculiar idea of fun. I think we’d get along!

I thought of phasing into a math degree at UNM. Compsci is a huge, wildly moving target, beset by various fashions. Math provides at least the possibility of focusing on the true, the beautiful and the eternal, befitting one’s golden years.

If university education, at least at UNM, weren’t such an unpleasant, inefficient, motivation-destroying educational experience, I might have gone that way.

So, I’m self-learning French instead. Less aggravation, more satisfaction. It’s actually going pretty well.

On Romney and Ryan, I think they welched on their promise to provide “leadership” on the deficit/natl debt. [I voted for Perot in ’92.]They did not even get past giving up some “tax exclusions” that the populace would have preferred still be retained. Cowardly avoided the third rail after acting like they would take it on.

Still wanted attention on the deficit/debt addressed so much that I was kind of hoping for John Kasich to provide some meaningful leadership on that, but then he went rogue supporting the D’s and Biden. Ugh!

Those are pretty funny. I bet the Bee Gees would have been amused. They had a pretty raunchy sense of humor, apparently – although they kept it under wraps in public, for the most part.