# Answering a question as it was asked



## Band Saw Box (Oct 29, 2013)

Most if not all of us answer question people ask us with the answer they are expecting. Can you tell me what time it is? It's 9:27. If you work in retail as I do a customer will ask can you tell me were coffee is. That's on 5. I guess we may all ask questions that can have an answer we would not expect. A customer asks me Can you tell me were coffee is. I should answer yes I can and nothing more. Since they did not ask me if I could tell them. Or your ask Can you tell me what time it is. You could ask yes or no since that that they only asked if you could tell them and not to tell them the time. I guess there is a unlimited number of question that have the answer people are looking for and the answer to the question they asked. So how many of you have what to give or have given the answer to the question as is was asked. 
 If my wife (Evelyn) were to see this post she would say "Too much time one the boat"


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## mredburn (Oct 29, 2013)

Then there is the flip side of giving an answer that has nothing to do with your question.


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## Russianwolf (Oct 29, 2013)

good answers for "What time is it" or "can you tell me what time it is"



1) Its 5 o'clock somewhere.

2) As time is a theoretical concept that is used in order to place events into a stream that is easily rationalized by you but has little to no bearing on the streams of others around you and is very subjective. I do not believe I can.


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## Kenny Durrant (Oct 29, 2013)

Thanks to caller id if I know and want to give the person calling a hard time I answer in the ways you described. If they ask if my wife is home I reply yes. After a short pause I ask them if they would like to talk to her. They answer "well yes" and I say ok I thought you were just checking to see if she was home. Every once in a while they ask if they can speak to her as soon as I say yes shes home then I just say no they cant speak to her and wing it from there.


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## redneckmedic (Oct 29, 2013)

As I say several times a day "If you want a better answer, you must ask a better question."I will not disclose what I'm usually called before I say that, and what is generally said to me after I say it.


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## navycop (Oct 29, 2013)

That's like me working security at the hospital.. Visitors ask "Do you know were the cafeteria is?" I say "Yes".. And they give me that deer in the headlight look.


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## Dan Masshardt (Oct 29, 2013)

Eh, I don't worry much about properly phrased questions.  

As far as I'm concerned if a question is asked and I understand (or think I do) what is really being asked, I'll give them the answer they want. 

Do you have a bathroom?   Sure, it's the second door on the right.  

Do you know what time it is?  Sure, 11:05.  

I'm my experience, answering the pure question being asked only is not the best way to make new friends.


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## Rodnall (Oct 29, 2013)

If your my wife you'l say "why?"


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## Band Saw Box (Oct 30, 2013)

The question I like to answer best is when someone asks "Wheres your honey?" and I say. "She at work or She at home" it always get a big smile.


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## Phillip Kelley (Oct 30, 2013)

*Answer...*

I like Dan's reply,  be a good person, answer the question in a friendly manner....you never know "what shoes the other person is walking in"
they may just need that friendly, upbeat and informative reply...unless the
situation really calls for it, a sarcastic response is not appropriate....Matthew 7:12


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## Magicbob (Oct 30, 2013)

What time is it?

It's time for you to buy a watch, isle 7


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## dwarmbrodt (Oct 30, 2013)

"excuse me, can I ask you a question?"

"You just did...."


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## Adillo303 (Oct 30, 2013)

One of of my favorites.

I usually give the "expected" answer. To do otherwise just drags out the conversation.

Reading about the caller ID did remind me of a bit of trouble I got myself into though.

I fix computers for a living and usually answer either with my name, the company name or  just Hello. For close friends and if I am feeling playful, I sometimes answer "Acme Vacuum, we suck big time". Well my friend was referring some new business to me and dialed my number and handed the prospective customer the cell phone. Fortunately, they had a sense of humor.


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## KBs Pensnmore (Oct 30, 2013)

Russianwolf said:


> good answers for "What time is it" or "can you tell me what time it is"
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Is your name Sheldon Cooper???????:biggrin:


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## Adillo303 (Oct 30, 2013)

My son in law is 6' 9" tall and has long since grown tired of being asked if he plays basketball. He does not. His favorite answer is.

"No, do you play miniature golf?"


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## KBs Pensnmore (Oct 30, 2013)

Adillo303 said:


> One of of my favorites.
> 
> I usually give the "expected" answer. To do otherwise just drags out the conversation.
> 
> ...



I do a similar thing and sometimes answer "City Morgue, you kill em, we chill em" or "City Crematorium, you kill em, we grill em" There is usually dead silence for a few moments. :biggrin:


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## John Pratt (Oct 30, 2013)

What about the whole "May I", "Can I" question debate. My mother used to go round and round with that one when we were young.


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## Sabaharr (Oct 30, 2013)

I can not answer your question without polling everyone to see if they have ever done that to come up with an exact number for you since you asked "how many" instead of "have you ever" which could be answered with a simple yes or no.


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## Waluy (Oct 30, 2013)

John Pratt said:


> What about the whole "May I", "Can I" question debate. My mother used to go round and round with that one when we were young.



My mom used to do that but I stopped that in its tracks one day. 

Me: Mom, Can I go to Jimmy's house?
Mom: I don't know are you capable of going?
Me: Only if you allow it so my question still stands as valid.


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## mhbeauford (Oct 30, 2013)

Language is funny. It is filled with idiom, metaphor and simile. We use it all the time. The hot water heater heats COLD water not hot, we "hit" the accelerator, we "beat" the other team, we may "run" to town, or even "run" a red light. And of course if you want to Pee on it all, "go shake hands with wife's best friend" or "go point Percy at the porcelain"!


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## CabinetMaker (Oct 30, 2013)

Band Saw Box said:


> Most if not all of us answer question people ask us with the answer they are expecting. Can you tell me what time it is? It's 9:27. If you work in retail as I do a customer will ask can you tell me were coffee is. That's on 5. I guess we may all ask questions that can have an answer we would not expect. A customer asks me Can you tell me were coffee is. I should answer yes I can and nothing more. Since they did not ask me if I could tell them. Or your ask Can you tell me what time it is. You could ask yes or no since that that they only asked if you could tell them and not to tell them the time. I guess there is a unlimited number of question that have the answer people are looking for and the answer to the question they asked. So how many of you have what to give or have given the answer to the question as is was asked.
> If my wife (Evelyn) were to see this post she would say "Too much time one the boat"



Okay, word nazi for a moment.  Can and could are both questions of ability so there is no difference in saying,"Can you tell me the time?" and, "Could you tell me the time?"  Proper English would be to use will or would.  Okay, I feel better now.

When I used to work in retail people would ask me, "Can you tell me where the bathroom is?"  The look on their face when I said, "No." was priceless.


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## Deadhead (Oct 30, 2013)

Russianwolf said:


> good answers for "What time is it" or "can you tell me what time it is"
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 
I like answer #2. :biggrin:


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## monark88 (Oct 30, 2013)

CabinetMaker said:


> Band Saw Box said:
> 
> 
> > Most if not all of us answer question people ask us with the answer they are expecting. Can you tell me what time it is? It's 9:27. If you work in retail as I do a customer will ask can you tell me were coffee is. That's on 5. I guess we may all ask questions that can have an answer we would not expect. A customer asks me Can you tell me were coffee is. I should answer yes I can and nothing more. Since they did not ask me if I could tell them. Or your ask Can you tell me what time it is. You could ask yes or no since that that they only asked if you could tell them and not to tell them the time. I guess there is a unlimited number of question that have the answer people are looking for and the answer to the question they asked. So how many of you have what to give or have given the answer to the question as is was asked.
> ...



Well, yeah, maybe, but "can" and "could" may also possibly be correct under the right circumstance. Such as, "does the person being asked have the ability to tell correct time. Does he/she have a watch/clock and able to tell time anyway. 

English, especially our American version can get us in trouble sometimes-and then we try to sort through it with using emails. No facial expressions to go along with the spoken word.

Just do your best to answer the question as asked. The guy really is just probably trying to get someone to agree with him to gain confidence in whatever they may be doing.

As akways, IMHO. I don't mine anyone disagreeing with me. Or should I say something else?:biggrin:
Russ


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## Chasper (Oct 30, 2013)

"I just want to thank you for helping."  
"OK, go ahead and thank me."

Contronyms are words that can mean opposites, depending on how they are used.
Turn OFF means stop, take OFF means go.  LEFT over means remaining, he LEFT means departed.  WEATHER means withstand, WEATHER means erode away.  
Contronyms present lots of opportunities for passive aggression.


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## maxwell_smart007 (Oct 30, 2013)

If you think 'can' is only to be used to denote 'ability', and you have never used the word mayn't, then you're making the same error yourself.  

So-called 'perfect' language usage, while admirable and lofty as a goal, often sounds foreign to our conditioned ears when practiced.  If one were to hold back the progress of language, then humankind would still be speaking in ancient Amoritic (or perhaps more likely, Neanderthal grunts and gestures).   

That being said, I still refuse to use the words 'busted, a'int, app, and tweet', or the like!


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## PenPal (Oct 30, 2013)

This reminds me of the young son who asked his Mum where do we come from mother proceeds with her best new version of the birds and bees son replies oh Fred next door comes from Canada.

Probably best to find out the root of the question sometimes.

Kind regards Peter.


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## LagniappeRob (Oct 30, 2013)

dwarmbrodt said:


> "excuse me, can I ask you a question?"
> 
> "You just did...."




Or ...

Yes, 1 per day. That was today's. Come back tomorrow and try again.


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## Russianwolf (Oct 30, 2013)

KBs Pensnmore said:


> Adillo303 said:
> 
> 
> > One of of my favorites.
> ...



Some of my favorite old ones

"Joe's Pool Hall, Cueball speaking"

"Grey's Mortuary, You stab 'em, we slab 'em"


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## Russianwolf (Oct 30, 2013)

KBs Pensnmore said:


> Russianwolf said:
> 
> 
> > good answers for "What time is it" or "can you tell me what time it is"
> ...



Does sound kinda like him, doesn't it. 

But I'm not nearly that nerdy.

Trivia question for you. How long does it take the earth to spin on its axis exactly once?


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## maxwell_smart007 (Oct 30, 2013)

Russianwolf said:


> KBs Pensnmore said:
> 
> 
> > Russianwolf said:
> ...



1/365.25 of a year, give or take a few minutes!


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## Kretzky (Oct 30, 2013)

<<Trivia question for you. How long does it take the earth to spin on its axis exactly once?>>


The earth's *average* rotation period:
86,164.098 903 691 seconds which equates to one (solar) day. But that's slightly less than 24 hours (23.934) or 1436.068 minutes.
Sheldon


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## Curly (Oct 30, 2013)

Kretzky said:


> <<Trivia question for you. How long does it take the earth to spin on its axis exactly once?>>
> 
> 
> The earth's *average* rotation period:
> ...



When I am at work it seems a lot longer. :crying:

:wink:


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## Russianwolf (Oct 30, 2013)

yep

most people think 24 hours which is noon to noon. Problem is the earth has moved around the sun slightly in that time so has to over rotate slightly to get back to noon. So one spin is roughly 23 hours and 56 minutes. Very important when you are tracking a star in a telescope for a photo.

I'm not nerdy at all. :tongue:


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## Curly (Oct 30, 2013)

What I dislike is being asked how I am in the third person, as though I'm not there. :at-wits-end: That's the one I mess with. :devil:

"How's Pete today?"

"I don't know, I haven't talked to him yet. He is right over there, (pointing at another Pete I work with) you should go ask him."

Looks of confusion ensues. :befuddled: :befuddled: :befuddled:


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## Adillo303 (Oct 30, 2013)

24 hours and some small fraction of a second, which is why we have leap years.


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## Band Saw Box (Oct 30, 2013)

Wow. I did not expect to get this many replies to this silly little post. I do have to say that when I'm dealing with customers I give the answer they are looking for...but I will give the she at work or at home to were your honey. I will mess with my coworkers when they ask a question but it's all in fun. I also like messing with people about time. Someone may ask what time is the truck going to be here? I tell them between 8 and 9 and I put money on it, when it show up at 10 local time they tell be I was wrong. I say no it is still between 8 and 9. Thanks for all the replies they have been a lot of fun to read.


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## Smitty37 (Oct 30, 2013)

Adillo303 said:


> 24 hours and some small fraction of a second, which is why we have leap years.


Hmmmm - leap year adds a day which means all other years must be losing part of a day ... which means a tad less than 24 hours doesn't it?


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## Smitty37 (Oct 30, 2013)

Band Saw Box said:


> Wow. I did not expect to get this many replies to this silly little post. I do have to say that when I'm dealing with customers I give the answer they are looking for...but I will give the she at work or at home to were your honey. I will mess with my coworkers when they ask a question but it's all in fun. I also like messing with people about time. Someone may ask what time is the truck going to be here? I tell them between 8 and 9 and I put money on it, when it show up at 10 local time they tell be I was wrong. I say no it is still between 8 and 9. Thanks for all the replies they have been a lot of fun to read.


I have problems with the double questions.  We turn left here?  Right?  That needs a real careful answer especially when asked by my spouse.


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## Smitty37 (Oct 30, 2013)

I also hate the ones that go like this.

She: Would you like to have ham and cabbage for supper?
He: That will be just fine.
She: Or maybe you'd rather have hotdogs and saurkraut?
He: Whatever you'd rather fix will be fine.
She: Well how about .....


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## tommy2tone (Oct 31, 2013)

I get this from my co-workers: "I was working in the yard and this snake came out from under a rock. You know what I mean?" or words of that effect/


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## Band Saw Box (Oct 31, 2013)

How about when you make a statement to someone like "It's is really cold today" and they reply with "I know right". I guess there are times when we could use gooder  grammar.


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## Smitty37 (Oct 31, 2013)

tommy2tone said:


> I get this from my co-workers: "I was working in the yard and this snake came out from under a rock. *You know what I mean?"* or words of that effect/


 I don't like those either.  Particulary when they ask a question then immediately say that.  Now you have two questions and need to guess which question to answer.

I also hate the question that "yes" or "no" is a perfectly good answer but the asker wants you to elaborate.  My bride is always doing that and gets ticked at me when I give the short answer.  Like 
She: "We have to do something about that shrub don't we?" 
Me: "Yes"
She after short pause: Well?
Me: "Well what?"
She: "You know what I mean"
Me: "No, I don't know what you mean?"
She: "What are we going to do about that shrub?"
Me: "I don't know.I haven't given that any thought?"
She: "Well why didn't you say so?"


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## Rounder (Oct 31, 2013)

Depending on who it is, when asked what time it is, I will answer " Right now".


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## StephenM (Oct 31, 2013)

My wife says our 9 year old is turning into a Mini-me.  Last night we were watching a show about how they built old wooden ships and I wanted to see how badly the Cardinals were losing.

"Ethan, can you hand me the remote?"

"Yes. Yes I can."

He looked over at me, grinned and didn't move a muscle.


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## ElMostro (Oct 31, 2013)

I work from home and am my own boss, I am pretty strict about my shop hours and when I take my breaks so 
- Neighbor comes by the shop in the middle of my work day and says "hey that machine there (pointing to my drum sander) can sand down and flatten wide boards, right?  
- I reply, yes.  
- He leaves and shows up 20 minutes later with four 6 foot x 12" hard maple boards and says I'm back!
- I look at him in wonder and after a few seconds of silence he says "I brought he boards".
- I say "I can see that, what for?
- He says "you said you could sand and flatten them for me".
- I say no...you asked if my machine can sand and flatten boards and I replied yes.
- He says, "well what I meant to ask was can you sand and flatten these boards for me".
- I say, next time be specific, had you asked that I would have saved you a trip...I can't do it.
- He asks "why?"
- I say cause I am in the middle of my work day and I can't stop for 2 hours to switch sandpaper rolls to sand your boards. 
- He asks "can I come by tomorrow?"
- I say "sure". 
- He starts to leave without the boards, I say "hey, you forgot your boards".  He looks at me puzzled and says "but you said I could come by tomorrow".
- I say "yea, what does that have to do with leaving the boards?"
- He says "well aren't you going to sand them then?  
- I just looked at him


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## Band Saw Box (Oct 31, 2013)

I was a parachute rigger in the Navy. We made a lot of cover for jet intakes to missiles. Yes I do know how to sew and I was very good at it. Most of these had to have grommets installed we used a lead block under the material when to cut the hole so keep from damaging the cutter. When I was station in NAS Lemoore CA had a chief (E7) who loved to come in to a shop and say "Ok let get the lead out and go to work" So when he came into my shop and said "Ok let get the lead out and go to work' I reached in my desk drawer took out the lead block set it on my desk and said "There the lead is out what did you want us to do" He shook his head and said "I had to come in the one shop that could really take the lead out" He never use the statement again.


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## walshjp17 (Oct 31, 2013)

I started out at NAS Willow Grove in the paraloft.  Everyone on base came into the loft looking for:  flight jackets, boat covers, helmet bags, bingo bags, suit bags and just about anything else that could be sewn up with nylon thread.  Oh, and every month or so, we repacked the chutes:biggrin:


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## Band Saw Box (Oct 31, 2013)

John I have made to many bags to count and it has pay off a time or two. When I was with VF-81 we were on the TR and my shop had no power outlets what so ever, we moved an outlet from the passage was outside my shop so we could use our sewing machine. We put in the paper work to have them installed and about 3 weeks later a man came up to my shop and looked around he said he was seeing were he could run power from. I asked how long it would be until I would have more outlets. "At least 6 month we are really busy" I was making a parachute bag. and he said "Oh your the guys who makes them, I would sure like one of those" It will take about 6 months we are really busy. I had my shop fully wired the next day. I gave him a small bag with 2 side pockets. I picked up a lot of contacts from that. I've packed my share of chutes. I work the main loft at NAS Lemoore, on the USS Coral Sea, USS Kitty Hawk and NAS Millington, TN As with all PR's each and every chute was fully guaranteed. If it did not work just bring it back for a another one.


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## Smitty37 (Oct 31, 2013)

Band Saw Box said:


> John I have made to many bags to count and it has pay off a time or two. When I was with VF-81 we were on the TR and my shop had no power outlets what so ever, we moved an outlet from the passage was outside my shop so we could use our sewing machine. We put in the paper work to have them installed and about 3 weeks later a man came up to my shop and looked around he said he was seeing were he could run power from. I asked how long it would be until I would have more outlets. "At least 6 month we are really busy" I was making a parachute bag. and he said "Oh your the guys who makes them, I would sure like one of those" It will take about 6 months we are really busy. I had my shop fully wired the next day. I gave him a small bag with 2 side pockets. I picked up a lot of contacts from that. I've packed my share of chutes. I work the main loft at NAS Lemoore, on the *USS Coral Sea*, USS Kitty Hawk and NAS Millington, TN As with all PR's each and every chute was fully guaranteed. If it did not work just bring it back for a another one.


You're dating yourself a bit - that rascal was in service when I was in boot camp.  Of course she was in service for about 42 or 43 years.....


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## Dan26 (Oct 31, 2013)

Another one that we seem to fall for is when someone asks, "Do you want to eat in or go out for dinner?" I usually answer, "Yes." That's because I do want to eat in or go out for dinner.


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## Band Saw Box (Oct 31, 2013)

Smitty I made my first Westpac cruise in 1977 on the Coral Sea. It was a neat cruise, the Admreals war room was across the passage way from the main paraloft the Admreal would stop in for coffee or just to visit all the time. His life was saved by a parachute so he felt a strong bond with all PRs.


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## Lucky2 (Oct 31, 2013)

Russianwolf said:


> yep
> 
> most people think 24 hours which is noon to noon.


 


I'm sorry to disagree, but 24hrs of day start at 12:00am which is midnight, and ends at 11:59:59pm 24 hrs later.
Len


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## Band Saw Box (Oct 31, 2013)

There are 24 hours in a day, but if you are up for a full day then the 24 hours would start when you get up snd end when you go to sleep.


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## prophetmkr (Oct 31, 2013)

I work in retail as well. I like the ones that come up and say "I have a question....."and then proceed telling me their story ending it without a question.  Then we just look at each other for a second....then I say "well, you haven't asked a question.....THAT'S when the look of frustration appears!  As an electrician it is important to use the right nomenclature AND phrase your question correctly - could be important to your health.


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## Smitty37 (Oct 31, 2013)

Lucky2 said:


> Russianwolf said:
> 
> 
> > yep
> ...


Would that be Eastern Time..GMT or some other time zone.  It is always 12:00am somewhere on this world and 11:59:59pm in almost the same place.  I think that most people who keep track of such things use military time where it is from 00:00:00 to 23:59:59 - always made a lot more sense to me than the civilian time notation.


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## navycop (Oct 31, 2013)

Band Saw Box said:


> Smitty I made my first Westpac cruise in 1977 on the Coral Sea. It was a neat cruise, the Admreals war room was across the passage way from the main paraloft the Admreal would stop in for coffee or just to visit all the time. His life was saved by a parachute so he felt a strong bond with all PRs.



Just alittle off topic.. I worked security on base with guy that was Boatswainmate. When I went to security on the Truman I found he was a PR now with one of the squardrons.. He'd sew my rank on for me when I got "froked"..


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