Random Thoughts Thread

[Husar]

If neurons act as a neural network, then a computer software designed for certain tasks and using select characteristics of some neurons will not behave as a "real" neural network.

But now you entered the constraints of using select characteristics and being designed for specific tasks.
My point was that these things are still in development, it seems strange to assume that they cannot one day do more.
And it doesn't just have to be software, apparently some chips are designed as neural networks: http://www.research.ibm.com/cognitive-computing/neurosynaptic-chips.shtml


Lightbulb technology will never be "as good as" a sun when it comes to generating light, both because that's an inherent technological constraint and because the design of a lightbulb, being made for specific purposes, is very far from the design of a star.

That is a very strange way to combine these arguments. The physical limitations are relatively obvious, but to say a light bulb is created for specific purposes that differ from those of a star is a bit odd given that the purpose of a light bulb is to replace the light of a star in places or at time where the light of a star is not readily available. Of course the design is different, having a star with the smallest working mass on our planet would be a bit much and also a bit hote, in fact one would rather say having our planet on such a star rather than the other way around.
The light bulb still allows you to see things the same way the star does, so with that purpose in mind, they both provide the same result.

If you are refering to the idea that pouring alcohol over a brain vs pouring it over a computer chip on which a neural network is running yields different results, well, whom are you quoting, Captain Obvious? ~;)

[Montmorency]

it seems strange to assume that they cannot one day do more.

What they will be able to do in the future depends on how are present assumptions and what we think we are trying to accomplish are revised. The important thing is that 'more of' what we're doing now will not push boundaries.


they both provide the same result.

And that's exactly what current approaches can manage - and that's fine. But let's not pretend we're building stars when we're just making plain-old lightbulbs.

[Husar]

What they will be able to do in the future depends on how are present assumptions and what we think we are trying to accomplish are revised. The important thing is that 'more of' what we're doing now will not push boundaries.

I'm not so sure, but I'm also not deep in the topic (yet).


And that's exactly what current approaches can manage - and that's fine. But let's not pretend we're building stars when we're just making plain-old lightbulbs.

That's fine, but the comparison with astrology sounds a lot meaner than that.

[Hooahguy]

Is a promotion without a pay raise (or any pay at all) really still a promotion?

EDIT: not talking about my recent donning of the red robes. :book2:

[Montmorency]

That's fine, but the comparison with astrology sounds a lot meaner than that.

No, it's spot-on. Echoed here (https://youtu.be/Y3PwG4UoJ0Y?t=33m13s).

[drone]

Is a promotion without a pay raise (or any pay at all) really still a promotion?

Depends. Can you order more people around?

[Husar]

No, it's spot-on. Echoed here (https://youtu.be/Y3PwG4UoJ0Y?t=33m13s).

But Astrology is more like a placebo while neural networks actually work. I wasn't aware that people expect them to do our research for us anytime soon. All the mentions I've seen say that such jobs have a very low chance (aka "maybe way in the future") of getting replaced by machines. What I haven't seen until you came along were people who seem to think it's inherently impossibe. Especially after that other theory you had that basically saw the brain as a (rather complicated) input-output-machine. And who says that our future computers can't be partially biological and contain vat-grown neural networks? Some reports of people connecting animal brains to computers already exist. :sweatdrop:


Hooahguy: Depends on whether you get something like prestige instead of money, or what drone said, but it can be, I guess.

[Hooahguy]

Depends. Can you order more people around?
Yes, I will be working on a pilot program being the liaison between the parent organization and local groups. And somehow Im still an unpaid intern. :rolleyes:

[Montmorency]

What I haven't seen until you came along were people who seem to think it's inherently impossibe.

I did no such thing. I claimed (in another thread probably a year or two ago) that changing our expectations of our current approach is necessary, since it amounts to trying to reverse-engineer a spaceship by sending monkeys with typewriters to crawl over it. We have to re-orient our investigation of principles to abandon these sorts of assumptions on intelligence and consciousness, which is where the theory I referenced, being a theory on the structure and nature of human consciousness, come in.

A quotable way to put my position here is just that you can't devise an artificial intelligence worth writing science fiction of before you you have devised the human intelligence. And the underlying notion there is that doing so would bring significant changes to our societies, even beyond the musings of AI science fiction. That would be the point of singularity.

[Fragony]

Gawd I hate microwaves. It's the only way to have warm food right now as I closed of all gas, heating and cooking is goig to be all electric from now on. That is awesome but ffs they keep cancelling the day to be installing it and I already payed. A microwave has nothing to offer to me I like cooking, not warming up. I want nice ingredients. I want to do it all myself.

[Husar]

You don't need gas to do it all yourself........then again you can produce gas yourse......ok, ok.... :sweatdrop:

[Fragony]

You don't need gas to do it all yourself........then again you can produce gas yourse......ok, ok.... :sweatdrop:

Nothing as satisfying as a serenade on the belly-flute

[Viking]

My computer turned the clock back by two hours instead of just one. :freak:

[Hooahguy]

When you have a major paper due in half a week and you are struggling to find the will to write it. :no:

[Vuk]

Is there somewhere you can buy bottles of luck?

[Montmorency]

Yorkshire Gold is powerful tea. Stains the teeth horribly. Drink a cup of plain water shortly after drinking a cup of Yorkshire Gold.

[HopAlongBunny]

When you have a major paper due in half a week and you are struggling to find the will to write it. :no:

Start :p
No really, just start writing. If you've organized the structure in your head, just start getting stuff on a page.
If you haven't really thought about structure, write an outline.
I used to get in a bind - "I should start but..."; best thing to do is just start (even if its gibberish)

[Hooahguy]

Lol well the paper is long done, I actually got a 93 on it.
But thanks! :2thumbsup:

[Hooahguy]

Heartbreak might just be the worst thing ever. This freaking sucks. How do you guys get over the person who you thought was "the one"? Its still raw, just happened yesterday but I feel like I lost my best friend now. And she was my best friend.

[Montmorency]

A cry and a nap might do it in many cases.

[Hooahguy]

Oh Ive done that already lol. The whole thing was weird because we were both super close and she said in her mind she should have feelings but just doesnt. Maybe she was just saying that to make me feel better. I dont know. But what I do know is that we will probably never as close as we used to be.

[a completely inoffensive name]

Spend the rest of your life jacking off to hentai and dedicating 90% of your time to work.

[Tuuvi]

Oh Ive done that already lol. The whole thing was weird because we were both super close and she said in her mind she should have feelings but just doesnt. Maybe she was just saying that to make me feel better. I dont know. But what I do know is that we will probably never as close as we used to be.

I also had a good friend that I confessed my feelings to, and even though she didn't like me back we were still good friends for a long time afterward. I think you'll be OK as long as you let it go and don't say anything more about it to her. If she values your friendship than she won't want this to affect the relationship either.

[Hooahguy]

I also had a good friend that I confessed my feelings to, and even though she didn't like me back we were still good friends for a long time afterward. I think you'll be OK as long as you let it go and don't say anything more about it to her. If she values your friendship than she won't want this to affect the relationship either.
Yeah I think you are right. We had to interact today for a class and while it was definitely strained, it wasnt bad. Not great, but it was good enough where I think there is hope. We just need time and some distance.

[Hooahguy]

One final exam down, two to go tomorrow! And then I am done for the semester.

Also things with my friend from the previous comments are back to normal so thats good. :2thumbsup:

[Montmorency]

Rye bread is still for peasants, but DIE SPELZWAFFELN

[Vuk]

Heartbreak might just be the worst thing ever. This freaking sucks. How do you guys get over the person who you thought was "the one"? Its still raw, just happened yesterday but I feel like I lost my best friend now. And she was my best friend.
lol, ten years later I still haven't. :P Sorry mate...I don't have any good answers for you.

[Hooahguy]

Straight A's this semester! :bounce:

[a completely inoffensive name]

I am curious as to how Tom Scott, grew such a large channel on computer science when his background is in linguistics. Must have been a hobby of his at first and developed it.

[a completely inoffensive name]

lol, ten years later I still haven't. :P Sorry mate...I don't have any good answers for you.

You need to move on. Not being mean here, but think of it like this... If there was only one girl meant for you, what does that say about your own personality as a human?

Wouldn't you rather think of yourself as someone who can empathize and bond with different types of people rather than one individual?

In addition, women are just as flawed as you are. They will let you down and putting the ones you have feelings for on a pedestal is not what they even want from you.

[a completely inoffensive name]

Lightbulb technology will never be "as good as" a sun when it comes to generating light, both because that's an inherent technological constraint and because the design of a lightbulb, being made for specific purposes, is very far from the design of a star.

Guys, please look up the facts before making statements like these. Wikipedia gives a solar luminosity figure of 98 lumens per watt. I can buy a Cree LED 100W equivalent light bulb that out puts 1,650 lumens at 16.5 Watts. We are already there and the technology is still improving.

[Montmorency]

Guys, please look up the facts before making statements like these. Wikipedia gives a solar luminosity figure of 98 lumens per watt. I can buy a Cree LED 100W equivalent light bulb that out puts 1,650 lumens at 16.5 Watts. We are already there and the technology is still improving.

What do you think raising the subject of energy efficiency relates to my post?

[a completely inoffensive name]

What do you think raising the subject of energy efficiency relates to my post?

First half of your statement was that lightbulb technology will never be "as good as" a sun when it comes to generating light because of "inherent technological constraint".

My point is that we already have lightbulbs that are better at generating light than the sun.

[Montmorency]

My point is that we already have lightbulbs that are better at generating light than the sun.

Why do you say that? Your citing of the metric offers no context to what we make of the sun - and note that with respect to the sun the wattage component of the efficacy apparently refers to the radiated heat rather than direct source electrical consumption or conversion.

No, what you have cited goes toward evaluating some lamps against others in generation of light. Don't misuse metrics in response to a criticism of the misuse of metrics.

[a completely inoffensive name]

Why do you say that? Your citing of the metric offers no context to what we make of the sun - and note that with respect to the sun the wattage component of the efficacy apparently refers to the radiated heat rather than direct source electrical consumption or conversion.

No, what you have cited goes toward evaluating some lamps against others in generation of light. Don't misuse metrics in response to a criticism of the misuse of metrics.

Personally, I think you are trying to avoid admitting that your original comment was sloppy in its wording. This isn't the backroom though, so I don't want to push this thread into a more combative discussion.

[Montmorency]

Personally, I think you are trying to avoid admitting that your original comment was sloppy in its wording.

I can own to that.

[Hooahguy]

Got glasses for the first time in almost 2 and a half decades. The streak is over. Thankfully its only for when Im driving.

[Hooahguy]

Academically this year was great. But for bascially everything else it sucked.

[HopAlongBunny]

Science marches on!
World's smallest snowman:

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/worlds-smallest-snowman-scientist-claims-new-record/

Since it was done by a guy, he'll probably get a Nobel Prize; unlike the deserving (but female) Vera Rubin http://www.astronomy.com/news/2016/10/vera-rubin

[Viking]

Science with plot twists (http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0306312714535679)

Now something that remains is to take the article's own advice of fact-checking and apply it to the article itself and its references. Sounds like a good job for computer algorithms.

[Montmorency]

Science with plot twists (http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/0306312714535679)

Now something that remains is to take the article's own advice of fact-checking and apply it to the article itself and its references. Sounds like a good job for computer algorithms.

Relevant on Sutton's rabbit hole (https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/who-will-debunk-the-debunkers/) (the spinach-checker/debunker source).

[Hooahguy]

So the first day of my college class on Ancient Rome was cancelled today as they had a late start due to ice on the roads. Yes my state is that pathetic. So my professor for the class emails us this:

"Carissimi Discipuli (dear students),

The Romans wouldn't have canceled class over a little bit of ice. That's not how you build an empire, my friends."

:ave:

[Viking]

Relevant on Sutton's rabbit hole (https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/who-will-debunk-the-debunkers/) (the spinach-checker/debunker source).

Already had a glance at it while (or was it after :thinking:) reading the paper, might give it a read.

On another note, wonder what would happen if one were to do the cite-check thing on some of these papers (https://twitter.com/RealPeerReview). Surely, a miscitation of crab and eel poetry (http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1474474016684129) would be autoethnographic in nature, revealing the subconscious of the author, and therefore to be studied by others. Maybe we could enter an endless loop of 'science' production if we reach a critical of mass of people writing about this paper and its derivatives.

Much better than untruths about spinach.


The Romans wouldn't have canceled class over a little bit of ice. That's not how you build an empire, my friends.

I wouldn't be so sure.

[Vuk]

Women move either too fast or too slow...
They are either paranoid and overly cautious or they throw all caution to the wind and act like idiots...
God bless them, but I don't think I will ever understand what goes on in their minds.

[Viking]

Incidentally, my pizza and cold coke will be ready at ideal time for the coming SpaceX launch.

[HopAlongBunny]

Waiting for the Apocalypse?
It's here Hurrah!:

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/woman-killed-by-a-superbug-resistant-to-every-available-antibiotic/

Ok, one case of bacteria resistant to everything the U.S. can throw at it, may not signal the end of the world...but...

[A Nerd]

Do good things happen in threes? I don't really know. Haven't tested the theory yet. Darn my innate procrastination.

[Hooahguy]

Being kneed in the face is always humbling.

[A Nerd]

I have run an experiment. One is better than three. Who knew?

[Rob The Bastard]

I felt the need to light a candle for Tosa Inu.
I couldn't find my way to the old place. So I lit one anew...

http://gratefulness.org/candle/933721-2/

It's odd, but his passing still makes me sad.

[Vuk]

I am the luckiest man on earth. I am blessed to know someone who brings out the good in everyone around her, and makes me see the good in everything.
There is nothing on this earth more that I could want than to simply be by her side. She is the only woman who has ever been able to make me feel love, and I wouldn't trade knowing her for the world.

[Viking]

Suppose you are asked to name the two related items in a list of words such as “train, bus, track”. What would you say? This is known as the “triad test”, and people in the West might pick

“bus” and “train” because they are both types of vehicles. A holistic thinker, in contrast, would say “train” and “track”, since they are focusing on the functional relationship between the two – one item is essential for the other’s job.

http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20170118-how-east-and-west-think-in-profoundly-different-ways

Afraid I picked the Asian answer.

[Montmorency]

No reason to accept that.

The only English paper I could find even briefly mentioning a "train track bus" triad in crosscultural context was here (http://www.academia.edu/download/39872789/Jnl_of_Cognition_Culture_8_2008_321-333.pdf), and it describes differences between East and West Europeans, who both tend to make the "thematic" (i.e. train-track) selection over the taxonomic (i.e. train-bus) one, West Europeans more pronounced than East. Beyond the poor theoretical grounds, then, this directly contradicts the BBC exposition on "Eastern" vs. "Western" analogies.

Bad BBC. Bad.

[Viking]

Well, an article (http://science.sciencemag.org/content/344/6184/603.full) published in Science that is linked to in the BBC article mentions that triad:


Our main dependent variable was a common measure of cultural thought, the triad task (17). The triad task shows participants lists of three items, such as train, bus, and tracks. Participants decide which two items should be paired together. Two of the items can be paired because they belong to the same abstract category (train and bus belong to the category vehicles), and two because they share a functional relationship (trains run on tracks). People from Western and individualistic cultures choose more abstract (analytic) pairings, whereas East Asians and people from other collectivistic cultures choose more relational (holistic) pairings (1, 17). We report scores as a percentage of holistic choices, where 100% is completely holistic and 0% is completely analytic.

Can't make your link work, though I found the paper here (http://booksandjournals.brillonline.com/content/journals/10.1163/156853708x358209).

[Montmorency]

Well, an article (http://science.sciencemag.org/content/344/6184/603.full) published in Science that is linked to in the BBC article mentions that triad:



Can't make your link work, though I found the paper here (http://booksandjournals.brillonline.com/content/journals/10.1163/156853708x358209).

Some problems (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4405999/pdf/fpsyg-06-00489.pdf) with the rice and wheat hypothesis:


Talhelm et al. (2014) reported an interesting investigation on the psychological differences between
Southern and Northern Han Chinese populations in China. By interviewing 1162 undergraduate
students from different regions, the authors showed that the Chinese from the southern “ricegrowing
area” are more holistic-thinking and interdependent, while the Chinese from the northern
“wheat-growing area” are more analytic-thinking and independent. These psychological differences
can be explained by the differences between rice and wheat farming, not the modernization theory.
The authors suggested that this “rice vs. wheat” theory can partially explain the different thought
styles between Eastern and Western people, and the persistent interdependence of wealthy East
Asia.


When comparing
wheat with rice statistics, the authors grouped the corn and soybeans farming area with the wheat
area (Talhelm et al., 2014). This simplified method may be valid when wheat dominates over corn
and soybeans, however, this does not uniformly occur in Northern China


These results suggest that there would be an equal chance for corn farming to affect population
psychology in Northern China. The term “rice vs. wheat agriculture” coined by Talhelm et al.
(2014) cannot accurately reflect their findings. From their data, it seems to be more appropriate to
attribute the psychological differences to “rice vs. non-rice agriculture”.


However,
the amendment of “rice vs. wheat agriculture” to “rice vs.
non-rice agriculture” in the hypothesis would lead to different
implications.
Thus the theory would then predict that there should be
psychological differences between rice-growing East/South East
Asian and the rest of world. This prediction is inconsistent
with the dominant view in psychology that Western populations
show different psychological traits as compared with nonWestern
populations. Non-Westerns, which include groups as
diverse as Arabs, East Asians, Russians, and farmers in Africa
and South America, have been shown to rely more on holistic
reasoning and have more interdependent views of self than
Westerners (Henrich et al., 2010).
t for many of these non-Westerners, e.g., people from
the South and Middle America, and Middle East regions, nonrice
crops such as corn or wheat are dominant over rice.
According to the “rice vs. non-rice agriculture” theory, they
are expected to be more similar to Westerners. However, it
has been shown that these people demonstrate the same level
of, or increased holistic processing and collectivism as compared
to Chinese people (Allik and Realo, 2004; Henrich et al.,
2010).


The analysis of current and future
data should focus on the impact of different production costs of
different agricultures, instead of these agricultures themselves, on
individualism vs. collectivism

As for the triad, these terms are quite something to unpack. The Central/East vs. West European article uses the terms "taxonomic" (train-bus) vs. "thematic" (train-track), while Science/BBC use for the same "holistic" vs. "abstract/analytic" or "categorical" vs. "functional". In the JCC paper (my link), their Europeans choose what the Science authors calls holistic/functional (>thematic?), which should apparently be chosen by Asians and non-Westerners. Questionable application of terminology at the least. Anyway, the references they provide for this claim are earlier papers by the same authors. Here is 2001 (https://culcog.berkeley.edu/Publications/2001PsyRev_Nisbettetal.pdf) and 2004 (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Li-Jun_Ji/publication/8458233_Is_it_culture_or_is_it_language_Examination_of_language_effects_in_cross-cultural_research_on_categorization/links/0912f5121927e20456000000.pdf). 2001 is not pertinent to the triad but delves into their idea of a holistic/analytical distinction. Don't really care to read it unless you want to discuss that. 2004 deals with triads but does not include the train-bus triad. Irritatingly, they do not present the actual experimental items/triads beyond a few mentions. They only present graphs of the transformed results from the implied data.

Here are some of the triads they do mention:


There were 10 sets of test items and 10 sets of fillers. The three words in
each testing set could be grouped on the basis of thematic relations,
categorical relations, or neither. Participants’ groupings were coded as
relational if they suggested an object–context or subject–object relationship,
such as monkey and bananas, shampoo and hair, or conditioner and
hair. Groupings were coded as categorical if they suggested shared features
or category memberships, for example, monkey and panda or shampoo and
conditioner. Similarly, participants’ explanations were coded as either
relational (e.g., “Monkeys eat bananas”) or categorical (e.g., “Monkeys and
pandas are both animals”). Examples for filler items included child–
teenager–adult and Monday–Wednesday–Friday.
Within each of the 10 testing sets, there were 3 possible ways for
participants to select two items. In total, there were 30 possible ways of
grouping, 14 of which were coded as relational (such as policeman and
uniform, and postman and uniform) and 11 of which were coded as
categorical (such as policeman and postman). Thus, the stimuli were biased
toward relational grouping.
The Americans were tested in English, and the Chinese were tested in
either English or Chinese, as randomly assigned. Ideally, it would be very
informative if we could have recruited American bilinguals who could read
and write in both English and Chinese, but that turned out to be an almost
impossible task because of the great difficulty of finding such people, even
on the campus of a large U.S. university

So: monkey/panda/banana (no monkey/panda/bamboo?), shampoo/conditioner/hair, and policeman/postman/uniform. Then:


In Study 1, participants had more opportunities
to group objects on the basis of relationships than on the basis of
categories within each set. For example, selecting postman and uniform or
policeman and uniform would both be considered relational, whereas there
was only one way to be categorical, that is, selecting postman and policeman.
This resulted in a possible bias toward relational grouping overall. In
Study 2, we presented more balanced sets so that within each set only one
relational and one categorical grouping could be made. We designed two
grouping tests in the same format as the test used in Study 1. In each test,
there were 8 test items, such as carrot–rabbit–eggplant and teacher–
doctor–homework, and 10 filler items. We counterbalanced the language
used in testing, the test versions, and the testing order.

No explanation of Chinese items. Were they direct translations/counterparts of the English? I didn't see anything about checking individual-triad comparisons between groups or between individuals. And, given the performance of Europeans in the other study opposite to that predicted by this model, what about the Europeans? Who were these "European-Americans", and where did they live and where did their ancestors hail from (in light of distinction between Mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and American Chinese)?

[Viking]

Not familiar with the subject; just wanted to point out the Science article.

[Montmorency]

I'm sorry.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BRNr1mlj30Q

[Husar]

Montmorency should be sorry indeed.

[Vuk]

I had a coworker tell me that I needed to settle down so I wouldn't have to eat bachelor cooking anymore. Apparently she is unaware that I won the office cook-off two years in a row, and am planning on a third tomorrow. I literally have not yet met a woman can cook better than I can. I've met many who can cook far more dishes than I can, but none who can cook the dishes I am good at better than I can.
lol, when I settle down, it will be for very different reasons.

[Beskar]

Could be a way for her to suggest you giving her a nudge nudge wink wink.

[Vuk]

Could be a way for her to suggest you giving her a nudge nudge wink wink.
lol, I don't think so. She is married. :P

[a completely inoffensive name]

This Super Bowl hit me harder than the election.

[Montmorency]

What happened?

[A Nerd]

Tom Terrific won his 5th ring. I was quite pleased.

[a completely inoffensive name]

What happened?

The biggest choke in football history. I wish I could say that is hyperbole.

[Hooahguy]

My home city was so close to winning its first Super Bowl. Dammit Falcons.

[Beskar]

Looks like I will be moving outside of the UK in 8 months, definitely going to be an interesting experience. :2thumbsup:

[Montmorency]

Odd, but I'm starting to like this hairstyle.

https://i.imgur.com/rCG7TEK.png

[A Nerd]

I have a bed that I sleep in. It is rather comfortable and I do sleep well, despite the mattress being over 10 years old. However at times I pitch a sleeping bag on the floor of the living room with a bed roll underneath and sleep there. I don't really know why, I just enjoy it.

Peculiarities abound while I sleep. I just don't remember them. Even when I sleep in my bed. Isn't that bizarre?

[A Nerd]

I was thinking recently as I pondered my life and what has been and the potentiality of what it could be and I settled on occupation. From there, it went to my gaining employment at McDonalds. I envisioned myself throwing hamburger patties at staff and customers. I would then be fired, despite the fun in chaos I produced.

Ah, my resume is not as clean as I would wish. But perhaps that is the moral of the story.

Does it have hamburger grease on it? If I worked there it would. Strange days indeed.

[Beskar]

I am now a finalist/short-listed for a National Award. Which is like.. ~:confused: but also :2thumbsup:

Rather amazing feeling.

[Hooahguy]

Won my first award in many many years- outstanding delegation award at a model diplomacy conference this past week!

[PROVOST]

All Lives Matter.

until you multiply them by the speed of light squared.

Then all lives energy.

[Husar]

I am now a finalist/short-listed for a National Award. Which is like.. ~:confused: but also :2thumbsup:

Rather amazing feeling.

Interesting...


Won my first award in many many years- outstanding delegation award at a model diplomacy conference this past week!

Aaaand beaten to an award! ~;)

I'm kidding of course, good news on both fronts. :2thumbsup:

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Won my first award in many many years- outstanding delegation award at a model diplomacy conference this past week!

You're diplomatic?!???!?

Don't quite know what to say....













~;p

[Hooahguy]

You're diplomatic?!???!?

Don't quite know what to say....

I am just full of surprises! :bounce:

[A Nerd]

I have to visit the market tomorrow. I am hoping that it is well stocked in food stuffs when I arrive. If it isn't, I will shop elsewhere.

I expect it to be well stocked in food stuffs. Therefore, I think I need not concern.

But if it isn't, I will concern as to where I go next.

[Hooahguy]

I had my heart broken again a week ago for the third time by the same girl. Really my fault I suppose. When I first told her I had feelings she said she didnt have them. Then a month later she said she did have feelings and we decided to date. Literally two days later she said she was confused and she didnt have feelings. Somehow we repaired the friendship and then somehow we found ourselves telling one another that we loved each other. She said that things would be different this time and that she really did love me. She said that she had broken down crying or something when she realized that she really did love me. I allowed myself to have those feelings again because I thought that now it was for real. And then during that conference I mentioned earlier her and I started fighting, and she said she didnt have those feelings anymore. So here I am, hurt three :daisy: times by the same girl. Not going to be fooled again though, we arent really talking anymore. At least this time it lasted like two weeks and not two days.

[Crandar]

My sincere sympathies. In case it helps a little, I don't think there's any big loss here, given her extreme emotional flexibility. A long relationship with her would probably be very tiring.

[Hooahguy]

Thank you. I flat out told her how emotionally immature she is. People in relationships will have fights, but to just give up the second there is a fight? She needs to grow up big time.

[PROVOST]

@ Hooahguy,in all matters relating to love and the heart it can of course be a very fragile and all too complicated a thing to navigate.

Made worse if one party is fickle.

Sorry to hear of this heartbreak for you as I know it's a damn horrible thing - pain of heart.

I believe that it's worse than physical pain.

[Hooahguy]

Thanks. Its weird because she was telling me just a few days before the fight that she could imagine marrying me. She was the first woman I ever truly fell for, which just made this so much worse for me. Im getting better though, like keeping a mental list of all the bad things she did to me. Not talking to her helps of course.

[Tuuvi]

http://www.rgj.com/story/news/crime/2017/02/23/reno-officers-respond-incident-near-el-dorado/98307760/

This was my former co-worker who got shot, I just heard about it this morning. I was looking at pictures of him with his nieces and nephews on Facebook and it broke my heart a little, I wish things wouldn't have turned out like this.

[Fragony]

My condoleances

[Husar]

I believe that it's worse than physical pain.

That probably depends on the type and duration of the physical pain. :sweatdrop:

[Montmorency]

Steve Buscemi

https://i.imgur.com/Y6T5wir.jpg

Kate Atkinson

https://i.imgur.com/psd1stp.jpg

Kyrre Hellum

https://i.imgur.com/b5bqOVx.jpg

What's up with that? Philippus Flavius Homovallumus What tribe are they? (This is fun.)

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

I hear your words but do not understand.

[Montmorency]

Wait till you see the whites of their lies.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

OK - this is the kind of thing that gets a pint poured over your head.

Thou summonest me, now what wene the? Or are thou wood?

[Montmorency]

OK - this is the kind of thing that gets a pint poured over your head.

Thou summonest me, now what wene the? Or are thou wood?

Last post wasn't directed at you.

Actors post was because they have strikingly-similar faces. Just that.

[Philippus Flavius Homovallumus]

I don't see it.

In fact I'd go so far as to say they look radically different.

[Hooahguy]

Just told my ex that I never ever want to see or hear from her again, and finally blocked her on all forms of social media. Feels really really good. Especially after she told me that she dumped me to chase after an engaged guy. What a scumbag, I am so much better off. Past the mourning phase, well into the "I hate her guts" phase.

[Crandar]

She seems to be such a dear. Almost felt bad for the engaged man, but adultery is morally reprehensible, so if he accepts her, he's definitely deserving that hurricane of immaturity and selfishness that is coming to him.
Anyway, glad to hear that you've already recovered. Credit where credit is due, though, she did her best to appear as despicable as possible.

[Hooahguy]

She tried to tell me how he broke off his engagement already, but social media and my friends who know him tell me that was a lie, so that really sped up the "getting over her" process too. She deserves everything that is coming to her. Im not sure I would say that I am totally over her yet, as I still think about her more than I should, but its negative thoughts, no pining for her.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

And who knows, against all the odds your ex and her "otherwise affianced" object of desire may end up happily wedded and enjoying a little white-picket-fenced abode somewhere. My dad got my mom to break an engagement in order to marry him...and they lived happily together for 45 years.

What's demonstrably clear is that YOU cannot connect with her any longer and find her choices unworthy of trust -- and that sense of trust is vital. You are clearly well shut of her.

I would caution you, however, to let go of your hate as rapidly as you may. After nerving you to make the best decision for you, it ceases to have much value and will only weigh on your spirit, not hers. Do not wish her ill, and do not let her memory impinge on your heart. Her future is hers, not yours, and you can rightfully reflect now that "there, but for the grace of God (at least metaphorically, I do not recall if you are a believer), go I."

[Viking]

Just realised it's election year.

[Rob The Bastard]

Over here too.
Oh... does that count as politics?
Oops.

[A Nerd]

My thoughts have been quite random lately. The problem is that I can't articulate them competently at the moment.

[Hooahguy]

Is it possible to have a lot of drama in your life without being the cause of it? They say that if it smells like :daisy: everywhere you go, just look under your shoe.

Also I became an uncle.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Is it possible to have a lot of drama in your life without being the cause of it? They say that if it smells like :daisy: everywhere you go, just look under your shoe.

Also I became an uncle.

Congrats. Family to love with less of a direct financial responsibility. What is not to like?

[PROVOST]

Is it possible to have a lot of drama in your life without being the cause of it? They say that if it smells like :daisy: everywhere you go, just look under your shoe.

Also I became an uncle.


Yeah,sometimes stuff happens for all kinds of reasons and yet none of which are cause you bought it about.

Re: Becoming an Uncle,CONGRATS!!!


I have a 8 nephew who I always love to spoil and now a 7 mth old niece so even more of it to do.

It's excellent!!!!!

[A Nerd]

The first day of spring has arrived and I am glad that the winter is over. Although it is still somewhat cold in the mornings (sometimes still in the afternoon), the scent of spring can be perceived in the air and that is comforting.

It's funny. After and during the cold winter you long for a hot summer. When the hot summer arrives you long for the cold winter. Very strange.

I plan to revel in the heat this summer and completely abandon all notions of the cold winter that approaches. At least that is my plan. I will sip a glass of humidity this summer and dread the days when it again turns cold and the snow envelops me in a cloak of cold.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

The first day of spring has arrived and I am glad that the winter is over. Although it is still somewhat cold in the mornings (sometimes still in the afternoon), the scent of spring can be perceived in the air and that is comforting.

It's funny. After and during the cold winter you long for a hot summer. When the hot summer arrives you long for the cold winter. Very strange.

I plan to revel in the heat this summer and completely abandon all notions of the cold winter that approaches. At least that is my plan. I will sip a glass of humidity this summer and dread the days when it again turns cold and the snow envelops me in a cloak of cold.



You seem to have several seasons a year. Interesting concept.

[A Nerd]

Yes. But the fact that you want one while experiencing another is the point I was making.

Currently spring, but still feeling like winter. I want summer.

When summer arrives, I hope to palate it. But will probably want winter.

Strange days indeed.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Yes. But the fact that you want one while experiencing another is the point I was making.

Currently spring, but still feeling like winter. I want summer.

When summer arrives, I hope to palate it. But will probably want winter.

Strange days indeed.

I wasn't dismissing what you said. Almost all of us have those "the other grass is greener" moments. I was just making a cheap shot about my local lack of weather variation.

[A Nerd]

Understood. No insult on my part intended either.

[Hooahguy]

https://i.imgur.com/l4vQxad.jpg

So my car caught fire today. Was a fun experience.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

https://i.imgur.com/l4vQxad.jpg

So my car caught fire today. Was a fun experience.

Not being able to shake my sinus headache during the faculty meeting and my subsequent workout now doesn't seem so bad. Thanks HG

[Crandar]

Ironically, I came here to post about a fire. My sympathies, Hookah, you seem to be really unlucky recently.

The Ministry of Culture renovates one of the oldest mosques in Europe.
They use flame-cutting torches near buckets full of dye (which everyone having graduated from the elementary school knows that they are flammable).

Workers smell fire yesterday, call the firefighters, who, according to reports, either didn't see anything or tried to extinguish the fire, without checking out if the fire was really gone.
During the night, the mosque is burnt entirely (http://www.reuters.com/article/us-religion-greece-mosque-fire-idUSKBN16T1WW).
I sincerely hope for the time that our German overlords assume control of that joke we call our homeland.

[Kagemusha]

https://i.imgur.com/l4vQxad.jpg

So my car caught fire today. Was a fun experience.

Gah! :no:

[Hooahguy]

In what seems to be a break from a string of bad luck, I got an interview with a prestigious company for a summer internship! Finally something good.

[Montmorency]

Don't try razorless facial shaving cream.

That stuff is for the legs. Awful.

[Fragony]

LP's, loads of them. It isn't true that they sound better than cd's that's bull. But it's my pa's old collection and that makes it awesome. It took a LOT of effort to get things working but now that it does I am becoming an lp-snob just because I got hundreds of lp's to prove it when doubted. Now where is my quinoia I'm hungry, can't find my iPhone either

[Husar]

Don't try razorless facial shaving cream.

That stuff is for the legs. Awful.

I'd be more afraid of the razorful variant. :creep:

But good to know that I don't need it.

[Husar]

If you think about it, in today's world we make a really big deal out of changing the polarization on round magnetic platters (or other storage devices) so that a piece of silicon and electrones can interprete them as a different collection of 0s and 1s that represent a virtual number in a bank account. It would be less weird if people didn't earn actual goods by changing these polarizations a few microseconds faster than their competition. :dizzy2:

[Fragony]

You English-speakers have it easy, you don't have to worry about adressing someone correctly, you can just say 'you'. In Dutch or German or French you have multiple forms of 'you', the casual and the formal. Some people don't like to be adressed in either of these

[Fragony]

The Big Down = best series ever

[Beskar]

This is an experience which happened a while ago, but I still find it amusing.

I work with a black girl. She is very friendly, cockney-ish accent (raised in London) and kind of pretends to be dumber than she actually is at times which catches a lot of people off guard if they are biased/stigma. Anyway, one day, we were having group meeting and part of this she started mentioning about the transition from her home country when she was little to the UK. As you can imagine, people were curious, pondering which African country and people were wondering since she has never spoke about this before (We simply thought 'London born and raised'). Admittedly, I was thinking United States or maybe Caribbean islands at this point. One person finally asks, "Just out of curiosity, which country are you from?" and she replies, "Oh, I am from Austria." and the room just went kind of deadpan silence because no one remotely considered that country. You would think to cover up the embarrassment, the subject would be changed, but the person who asked kind of said "Well, I have to admit, I was thinking of somewhere like Africa where you were from." which made it even more cringeworthy.

Good story about making assumptions can be bad.

[Montmorency]

This is an experience which happened a while ago, but I still find it amusing.

I work with a black girl. She is very friendly, cockney-ish accent (raised in London) and kind of pretends to be dumber than she actually is at times which catches a lot of people off guard if they are biased/stigma. Anyway, one day, we were having group meeting and part of this she started mentioning about the transition from her home country when she was little to the UK. As you can imagine, people were curious, pondering which African country and people were wondering since she has never spoke about this before (We simply thought 'London born and raised'). Admittedly, I was thinking United States or maybe Caribbean islands at this point. One person finally asks, "Just out of curiosity, which country are you from?" and she replies, "Oh, I am from Austria." and the room just went kind of deadpan silence because no one remotely considered that country. You would think to cover up the embarrassment, the subject would be changed, but the person who asked kind of said "Well, I have to admit, I was thinking of somewhere like Africa where you were from." which made it even more cringeworthy.

Good story about making assumptions can be bad.

Unblockable icebreaker to deploy for this exact scenario: "Let's put another shrimp on the barbie then"

[Seamus Fermanagh]

The most successful film series in the history of mankind is, and for the foreseeable future will be, the Fast and Furious movies.

[Beskar]

Unblockable icebreaker to deploy for this exact scenario: "Let's put another shrimp on the barbie then"

Confusing Austria for Australia ? :laugh4:

Hasta la vista, baby

[Montmorency]

Confusing Austria for Australia ? :laugh4:

Hasta la vista, baby


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRIUbFLjtX0

[Crandar]

Happy Easter, old rascals!

[Fragony]

Happy Easter, old rascals!

Happy easter mia muca's, what was it about again, ah screw that

[Fragony]

Sometimes you just know you are getting older, had to pick up kid from school (not mine) and was enthousiactly greetid by a girl gone mom. She always really hated me, it's the first time she ever smiled at me

[Seamus Fermanagh]

I am tired of my house smelling like crispy swamp.

[Montmorency]

Massive incompetence: old-style glass bottle of soda, we try to open it, I chip my molar using my teeth, the other person tries to sip from around the loosened cap, the bottle slips from their grasp and shatters on the floor.

:daisy: savages

[Hooahguy]

I didnt get that internship for the summer. Back to the drawing board! I literally do not know what to do this summer.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

I didnt get that internship for the summer. Back to the drawing board! I literally do not know what to do this summer.

Disney World?

[Hooahguy]

I was actually thinking about heading out West this summer now, live on a ranch or something if possible. I need a break. Badly.

[Strike For The South]

I am tired of my house smelling like crispy swamp.

Says the gentleman from Florida

[Strike For The South]

I was actually thinking about heading out West this summer now, live on a ranch or something if possible. I need a break. Badly.

Texas

[Hooahguy]

Texas
As long as I can see some mountains. I spent some time in Utah like 13 years ago. Had an amazing time, need to go back. Wish I had the money to really travel. Damn unpaid internship.

[Crandar]

Today, I wasted more than one hour of my not particularly precious, but still valuable, free time trying to figure out a solution about Microsoft's latest stupidity. A notification that stopped you from using your email account.

It didn't help much that the fix the tech guys of Microsoft suggested required me having acccess to my account. Do they now hire illiterate people. Focused and others inbox, what were they thinking?

[Vlad Dracula]

Tyrannosaurus beats Spinosaurus always.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

But the red ones move slower

[Vlad Dracula]

Animals arent people.

[Montmorency]

The can said "7-9 pickles", but there were only 6 inside. ~:(

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Animals arent people.

Yet the reverse is untrue.

[Fragony]

Dangit, the new season of Orange is the new Black is being hold hostage by a hacker. Such cruelty, I love that series, it's rare that you can't pick a favorite character, they are all awesome. Leaning towards Red

[Fragony]

Just noticed, cats never blink. Obviously a Dr Who reference here, but it's true, cats don't blink. They just don't. Horses and cows don't blink either. Humans must be screwed.

[HopAlongBunny]

Pretty pictures from NASA:

https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_567.html

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Pretty pictures from NASA:

https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_567.html

wow

[Fragony]

Pretty indeed

[Husar]

Pretty pictures from NASA:

https://www.nasa.gov/multimedia/imagegallery/image_feature_567.html

Is that where people get crabs from?

I like how beautiful it is from a distance, but I guess when you go there it's actually for the most part rather boring and empty like the rest of space. Similar to how a nebula or clouds on hills can look extremeley beautiful from a distance but when you're inside it's just an obstruction of your vision and the beauty is lost on you. Not to forget that not all of what their "photo" shows is necessarily visible to the naked eye anyway.

[Montmorency]

My grandmother's sink is rheatarded.

[Vuk]

My grandmother's sink is rheatarded.

Rheally? Rheamarkable!

[Hooahguy]

Counting down the days until I can deactivate my Facebook, at least temporarily. Still need it for a few more days but I really just want to be rid of it for a little while.

[Fragony]

Is that where people get crabs from?

I like how beautiful it is from a distance, but I guess when you go there it's actually for the most part rather boring and empty like the rest of space. Similar to how a nebula or clouds on hills can look extremeley beautiful from a distance but when you're inside it's just an obstruction of your vision and the beauty is lost on you. Not to forget that not all of what their "photo" shows is necessarily visible to the naked eye anyway.

Don't mind me sexualising that

[Hooahguy]

I was right, deactivating my Facebook does make me feel a lot better.

[Fragony]

Got a girlfriends proplem, there are too many that are really fond of me. And I am in friend-zone with all of them. Not that that is bad it's nice to have people who love you for who you are, but somewhere there is an inner maleness screaming. I really like my female friends but I will never not sleep with them any chance I get. That could ruin genuine freinships forever. Praise easy sluts I'd say to keep me occupied

[HopAlongBunny]

Sugar and spice
And everything nice
That' what the universe is made of:

http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20170404-the-physics-that-tells-us-what-the-universe-is-made-of

[Csargo]

Sugar and spice
And everything nice
That' what the universe is made of:

http://www.bbc.com/earth/story/20170404-the-physics-that-tells-us-what-the-universe-is-made-of

Very interesting.

[Viking]

mind control (https://twitter.com/2lnnl)

[Seamus Fermanagh]

My weak will is succumbing to Viking's awesome power....

[Fragony]

Funny, my mom found cartoons I made when I was six or so, some are hilarious and pretty damn smart

Edit, found a great one 'The spider who couldn't build a wep (mispelled it I was six), flies are flying right through it, spder on the ground saying basicly 'fuck that'. I don't know why I was so sharp when so young. My mom insists that I was always like that. That's not what I remember, all I remember is being mean.

If thatt sounds odd, it is

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Certainly random.....

[Fragony]

Felll for the dark-side I guess, same kid did some pretty horrible things later. I have my regrets and seeing how I once was make them so much worse.

[Montmorency]

I have bought a cover-all suit to try out, for its apparent comfort, simplicity, and practicality. So far it seems to be working out.

Not sure when I'll be comfortable with taking it out for streetwear, as there are certain connotations to wearing this kind of thing. Probably when I have more reasons to be self-assured.

[a completely inoffensive name]

I have bought a cover-all suit to try out, for its apparent comfort, simplicity, and practicality. So far it seems to be working out.

Not sure when I'll be comfortable with taking it out for streetwear, as there are certain connotations to wearing this kind of thing. Probably when I have more reasons to be self-assured.

Pics

[Montmorency]

Pics

Ok. (https://www.amazon.com/Dickies-Short-Sleeve-Coverall-Regular/dp/B005FQNL8W)

[a completely inoffensive name]

Ok. (https://www.amazon.com/Dickies-Short-Sleeve-Coverall-Regular/dp/B005FQNL8W)

Rock the red one all over town.

[Fragony]

Heroin is a seriously nasty drug, friend of mine uses it (smoking) and I never noticed anything about how he holds himself, ok, np gp ahead what's it to me. But now I am seeing things, him falling asleep, just slowly lowering. I thought it was pretty harmless but it really isn't

[AE Bravo]

Ok. (https://www.amazon.com/Dickies-Short-Sleeve-Coverall-Regular/dp/B005FQNL8W)
Basically a manlier romper (which is still a romper).

[Hooahguy]

Frags, is this normal for your people?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaZ03PvMf8E

[Fragony]

No but it sure is funny

[Hooahguy]

I just like the image of a bunch of grown men throwing themselves against a wall to the sound of an accordion.

[Fragony]

Doctor Sax, best book I have read in a while. It's impossible to make any sense out of it

/box

[Montmorency]

How can you look at someone's eyes while looking at their face?

[Viking]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eoKh0GU38BA

Parliament blah blah blah

[Montmorency]

Kids are all about those fidget spinners.

"Phones are so 2016"

[a completely inoffensive name]

Kids are all about those fidget spinners.

"Phones are so 2016"

Hula Hoops are coming back in the 2020s, I am calling it now

[Husar]

How can you look at someone's eyes while looking at their face?

That's easy, the eyes are part of the face so when you look at the eyes, you don't have to stop looking at their face.

[Montmorency]

That's easy, the eyes are part of the face so when you look at the eyes, you don't have to stop looking at their face.

But if you look at the eyes you can't look at the rest of the face, and vice versa.

[Manasi]

But if you look at the eyes you can't look at the rest of the face, and vice versa.

it's all about the peripherals man

[Fragony]

Was out of internet so I read some books instead, among those 'Stalingrad' from Beevor. In retrospect I can't explain why I so casually read it before, I just sweep through books that's just me, but really considering what happened there, geez

[Hooahguy]

I wish my gym class was like this.
(https://i.imgur.com/FGcIDlJ.gifv)

[A Nerd]

I have noticed that certain degree of quiet time and abstinence can callous those moods.

Perhaps stimulation will open some degree of a pandora's box.

'She is older, more seasoned, more meat and potatoes.'

[Husar]

Humans are weird.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

1. c3

[Montmorency]

Just realized that "taxation with representation" in Parliament for American colonists would not have been physically possible in that era - meaning that GB could have had no authority to tax (American) colonists, meaning that GB could have had no authority to rule over the American colonists: leaving GB the options of departure or war.

If it happens that early and leading "patriots" did not follow through to this logic, and they tended not to consider separation from the mother country until well into 1776, then we should put even more stock in the notion that high-minded debate of philosophical ideals was largely the fig leaf for the proximate commercial interests of an up-and-coming colonial bourgeoisie.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Just realized that "taxation with representation" in Parliament for American colonists would not have been physically possible in that era - meaning that GB could have had no authority to tax (American) colonists, meaning that GB could have had no authority to rule over the American colonists: leaving GB the options of departure or war.

If it happens that early and leading "patriots" did not follow through to this logic, and they tended not to consider separation from the mother country until well into 1776, then we should put even more stock in the notion that high-minded debate of philosophical ideals was largely the fig leaf for the proximate commercial interests of an up-and-coming colonial bourgeoisie.

Both issues were at play. The commercial angle wasn't even 'hidden' at the time. The biggest name on the DoI was not that of a political theorist...

[Montmorency]

Yeah, but I'm struck by the implied inevitability. Even if everyone on both sides of the Atlantic had agreed in principle that Parliamentary representation was the correct compromise, it would never have been practicable in the 18th century.

This means that those fomenters either did not really think through their proposed dream solution, or being intelligent men they did understand the point, but it never bothered them because they weren't looking for an amicable way out in the first place.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Yeah, but I'm struck by the implied inevitability. Even if everyone on both sides of the Atlantic had agreed in principle that Parliamentary representation was the correct compromise, it would never have been practicable in the 18th century.

This means that those fomenters either did not really think through their proposed dream solution, or being intelligent men they did understand the point, but it never bothered them because they weren't looking for an amicable way out in the first place.

Probably some of both would be my guess. You are correct as to the practicability of New World MPs with a month-long trip one way for messages and to attend sessions. But I would bet more than a few didn't think that part through.

Among the independency crowd, the only amicable resolution would have had to have followed the approach later taken in Canada. Anything less than functional independence with local government would not have stood up to their goals. Otis, the Adames, and a few others didn't want anything less than we ultimately did achieve.

[fear_the_mongols]

Why does the macdonalds in my country have better burgers than the burger king? And why can the teutonic order recruit dutch burgher pikemen in mtw2 but hre cant. (Btw the netherlands are not situated in the balkans it lies way west.)

Verstuurd vanaf mijn GT-I9515 met Tapatalk

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Why does the macdonalds in my country have better burgers than the burger king? And why can the teutonic order recruit dutch burgher pikemen in mtw2 but hre cant. (Btw the netherlands are not situated in the balkans it lies way west.)

Verstuurd vanaf mijn GT-I9515 met Tapatalk

Probably the meat supply.

Probably reflects the Hanseatic league/trader links. I have never played that mod though.

[Fragony]

I always like the awesome town I live, sometimes I really love it. The Tower is playing a gnossiene of Satie as I type this. Sometimes also Chopin or the Beatles

edit, a nocturne from Copin now, good use of church-bellls

[Montmorency]

ADONAI I DENY

[Fragony]

Dutch national team is a total mess. Our lionesses are great though, way to go

[Viking]

https://i.imgur.com/AfbktSQ.jpg

[Hooahguy]

The eclipse was pretty cool, not sure what everyone was freaking out about it for though.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

The eclipse was pretty cool, not sure what everyone was freaking out about it for though.

In my county of Florida, the driving concern was personal injury lawsuits. Parents were informed by our county schools that they had to pick up their children by 1pm today and take charge of them themselves OR those children would be kept indoors and not dismissed until after 4pm so as to avoid any possibility of little Jane or little Johnny looking at the eclipse and burning their retina....at least while at school. Morgan and Morgan for the win.

[Gregoshi]

The eclipse was pretty cool, not sure what everyone was freaking out about it for though.

You weren't in the path of totality, were you? I haven't experienced totality, but it is something altogether different than the partial eclipse experience from what I've read over the years. It is an unnatural event (for most) and your mind and emotions take you on your own personal journey as you take it all in. Even animals react to the event. To some, it is a spiritual high that they need to experience again and again. They become eclipse chasers.

The 2024 solar eclipse will pass within a few hours drive from where I live and I expect that I'll be making that trip to experience it myself.

[Montmorency]

Today I Learned: Figs keep better in the fridge than out.

[Hooahguy]

You weren't in the path of totality, were you? I haven't experienced totality, but it is something altogether different than the partial eclipse experience from what I've read over the years. It is an unnatural event (for most) and your mind and emotions take you on your own personal journey as you take it all in. Even animals react to the event. To some, it is a spiritual high that they need to experience again and again. They become eclipse chasers.

The 2024 solar eclipse will pass within a few hours drive from where I live and I expect that I'll be making that trip to experience it myself.
Where I was it was about 98%, but I do hear how that last 2% makes a world of difference.

[Montmorency]

This is going to be me in a few years. :(

https://i.imgur.com/BnsebuF.jpg

[Csargo]

This is going to be me in a few years. :(

https://i.imgur.com/BnsebuF.jpg

I'm already there friend... I'm making a horse shoe.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

I'm already there friend... I'm making a horse shoe.

But at least you both can revel in your relatively high levels of free testosterone.

[A Nerd]

I am going gray. Hasn't started falling out yet. Perhaps in time it will, though I certainly hope not.

[Csargo]

But at least you both can revel in your relatively high levels of free testosterone.

:2thumbsup:

[A Nerd]

I have found that my nicotine addiction has moved beyond that stage and has become something more of an obsession. I have tried to quit using several methods, but they all seem to fail me in the end. Electronic cigarettes have even faded away in the exhale. I am a closet smoker however, I never leave the house with them although I am home a majority of my time. Perhaps this is normal, but it would seem as if that slowly burning cancer stick is a crutch of some sort that must be relit when it reaches the filter. So is life as they say, but I don't want to suffer adverse affects of them as I continue to age, irreparably.

Perhaps it is not an alleviation technique that I need but rather some compassionate moral support. I am a patient man. Time will tell if the fates do not whim it first.

*puff* I will sip something benign in hopes for and to commemorate a possibility that I have yet to see, or perhaps, seen too infrequently.

[Hooahguy]

That really sucks man, my heart goes out to you. Ive had close friends deal with a nicotine addiction and they say its one of the hardest things to get rid of.

[Beskar]

That really sucks man, my heart goes out to you. Ive had close friends deal with a nicotine addiction and they say its one of the hardest things to get rid of.

Lots of myths surrounding it too. Such as "Smoking helps calm me", when in reality, nicotine withdrawal makes you stressed thus smoking relieves the withdrawal effects which are making you stressed. It is that psychological situation.

As A Nerd touches on, psychology is a big component of addiction and with the more legal drugs (nicotine, alcohol, caffeine) people don't see it with the same negativity and the fact people around them are freely able to use them without the physical consequences a harder addiction causes does cause some resentment and difficulty.

Only way to succeed is willpower, with social support and reduction of the drug. A good method is patches, as these can cause a more stable intake of nicotine within the blood stream, especially crucial as you commented you are chain smoking. You might need to experiment to find the right strength to make you stable.
Next is that you will need a placabo for having a cig between your fingers. Think of this in this way, you are an expert smoker, and have wired your brain to be good at it. You will need to retrain it, so using something like lolipops, cocktail sticks, anything which is similar enough for the oral fixation.
Next part is simple to initially do, that is throw away those cigs or give them away, just get rid of them. Their mere presence is just temptation and plays on your mind. Now, you will have to make sure you don't buy any and refuse any offered to you. You cannot smoke without a cig.
Now the next one is time. You are in the process of retraining yourself. Ween yourself slowly from your crutch, and do staged downgrades of the patches. This will take weeks, it is not a quick fix. If you end up noticing you got a cig in your hand, cast it aside and stick to the plan. Don't go "oh well, that is me screwed up, i quit". Keep to it.
The above advice will help you deal with the physiological aspects of the addiction. Now the harder work comes with dealing with psychological aspects of the addiction.
From your comments, you find yourself at home and a little bored. Lets deal with this first. Get a hobby and by a hobby I mean any activity you find enjoyable. Make yourself busy and you won't be sat around going "gosh, I need that fag!". There are usually social support groups out there, sometimes they target harder substances, but most are usually open to the public. This could be boxercise, soccer, walking and various group activities to keep people active, distracted, and build up social support.

Obviously, I would recommend getting in touch with your local quit smoking service and using their support to follow out the above. They might be able to sign post or deal with specific issues you may have.

[A Nerd]

Thanks for the support, both of you. I will take your advice to heart.

[Beskar]

Thanks for the support, both of you. I will take your advice to heart.

Wish you the best in your venture. It is not easy, it will be a struggle, but I got a feeling you will be determined, probably go out of your way to try to find the best way that is working for you, then beat this thing! :2thumbsup:

[Hooahguy]

Dealing with bedbugs now. Save me.

[Fragony]

Dealing with bedbugs now. Save me.

Wait for snow, lay your matrass upside down on it, theyhave no sense of direction and freeze. Otherwise there is nothing you can do but buying a new matrass. Freezing and starving are both horrible deaths, you want that for them

[Hooahguy]

Wait for snow, lay your matrass upside down on it, theyhave no sense of direction and freeze. Otherwise there is nothing you can do but buying a new matrass. Freezing and starving are both horrible deaths, you want that for them
Unfortunately it doesnt really snow where I live. Or even get cold enough where they would freeze.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Unfortunately it doesnt really snow where I live. Or even get cold enough where they would freeze.

pest control services here have a tool that can spot freeze them. They even offer free repeats if they recur. Price didn't sound horrible....

[Hooahguy]

I got a couple of those bedbug mattresses covers for the mattress and box-spring so the bites have stopped. Not a permanent solution I guess, unless the covers stay on for another year so they will die off. The bites are terrible, very itchy and last a while. I got bit last Sunday and only now are they starting to go away.

[Fragony]

Bedbugs are horrible. I prefer pain over itches so I cut it slightly open, really relieves. I don't have bedbugs thankfully, but mosquito's are also terrors

[Hooahguy]

American Vandal (on Netflix) might be one of the best mockumentary series Ive seen in a while.

[Hooahguy]

Found out that my ex had a healthy dose of karma delivered to her. Serves her right.

[Montmorency]

One reason to hate Aldous Huxley's Brave New World: it's like Richard Matheson's I Am Legend without the self-awareness.

True to the thread premise: I thought this after reading (http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-london-41466140?) the sentence, "Death is not the end".

[Fragony]

Gamorra is an excellent series (just finished season 3), really depressing though, everything is ugly and shabby, there is never something positive happening or any comc-relief and that weighs on you after a while, you like nobody but keep watcning.

[Fragony]

yay, got my first facebook stalker

[Seamus Fermanagh]

yay, got my first facebook stalker

Now you can check that one off your bucket list.

[Vuk]

yay, got my first facebook stalker
lol, the Frags must be famous. ;)

[Fragony]

lol, the Frags must be famous. ;)

That's why someone has to tell the world that I stab peoplejust for fun and mentally abuse women because I am secretly gay. People need to know. That or he forgot his medicines

[Vuk]

That's why someone has to tell the world that I stab peoplejust for fun and mentally abuse women because I am secretly gay. People need to know. That or he forgot his medicines

lol, you mean it is not true? ~;)

[Montmorency]

Do unto others what you would have others do unto others?

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Do unto others what you would have others do unto others?

Then watch the ensuing events while munching on popcorn
.

[Fragony]

Of course I can wait, oh who am I kidding I just ordered the latest Mario, with Zelda the highest universally rated games ever. Zelda: breath of the wild is every bit as good as you heard by the way, pure magic from start to wherever the hell I am, this game is BIG. The Switch is so awsome, really you want one, everything feels expertly made the building quality is fantastic, and the games just keep coming. Love that thing, just wished they abandoned the WiiU so quikly as I love that thing, so many great games, in great contrast with the weak shovelware infested Wii it deserved to be remembered as avfantastic console. But the Switch makes me feel all warm inside, like the SNES it's something special. Glad indie developers agree. Oh the Switch :sweetheart:

[John Smith]

Nothing is more fun than Switch-ing things up in the bedroom.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Nothing is more fun than Switch-ing things up in the bedroom.

Shhhhhh...don't let the cat out of the bag.

[Fragony]

Always pick mine, the rest is boring

[Fragony]

American Vandal (on Netflix) might be one of the best mockumentary series Ive seen in a while.

Just finished this, really enjoyed it, the acting is fantastic. It's a shame I knew it was a mockumentary when I started watching it that kinda is a spoiler. it's all so well done that I probably would have been fooled by the makers for a pretty long time. Recommended it to my sister without telling her, she is a typical eurosnob, I look forward to her 'Americans are soooo dumb' sighing

[Fragony]

ffs women and bulls, there is a big bronze statue of a bull with two sharp horns next to cupboarc my cats love sitting on, friend of mine almost got impaled on it I could just catch her on time or she would have been badly wounded or worse. Now my cat Pien jumped right on top of it from two meters or so, straight on a horn with her belly. She looks fine cats are tough but geez

[Seamus Fermanagh]

ffs women and bulls, there is a big bronze statue of a bull with two sharp horns next to cupboarc my cats love sitting on, friend of mine almost got impaled on it I could just catch her on time or she would have been badly wounded or worse. Now my cat Pien jumped right on top of it from two meters or so, straight on a horn with her belly. She looks fine cats are tough but geez

Perhaps you need to reposition the statue? Sounds like it is functioning as an abatis for your abode.

[Csargo]

http://www.newsweek.com/antarctica-melting-below-mantle-plume-almost-hot-yellowstone-supervolcano-705086?amp=1

Thought this was pretty interesting, but wasn't sure where to put it.

[Viking]

Wow, it's snowing.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Just looked out the window. No snow. You had me excited.

[Viking]

Not much snow to speak of here either, except in the mountains where it contributes aesthetically without being a nuisance.

[Hooahguy]

I have a major test on Wednesday on a book I have not read and another major paper due on Thursday and I have yet to work on either of them and watching TV instead because I am sick of literally everything. Graduation in one month!

[Fragony]

Wednessday as in tomorrow? Better call in sick

[Hooahguy]

Its a big test so I dont think I can. Plus I called in sick last Wednesday.

[Fragony]

Means an extra year here

edit, more important, there just comes a point you start understanding Zelda: BotW better. So you delete all savegames and try to do better. So I did that. It's the curse that these type of games come with, you need to perfect everything. You never will. Cooking the right dishes et etcetra WILL give me a headstart and I will find better weapons and better elixers to enhance their power. And I will start again allover

[Seamus Fermanagh]

Is it true that Boris Yeltsin's liver still survives, and did not require embalming?

[Vincent Butler]

If the plural of goose is geese, is the plural of moose, meese?

[Csargo]

If the plural of goose is geese, is the plural of moose, meese?

https://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2015/03/30/plural-moose-meese/

tl;dr version is it entered the English language a few hundred years after the Old English changes of words like goose/geese.

[Husar]

If the plural of goose is geese, is the plural of moose, meese?

A question I've had for years:

If the plural of mouse is mice, why isn't the plural of house hice?

[Montmorency]

If the plural of goose is geese, is the plural of moose, meese?


https://blog.oxforddictionaries.com/2015/03/30/plural-moose-meese/

tl;dr version is it entered the English language a few hundred years after the Old English changes of words like goose/geese.


A question I've had for years:

If the plural of mouse is mice, why isn't the plural of house hice?

From the OED:

OE. gós (pl. gés)
Narragansett moos (= Abenaki mus, Penobscot muns)

Moose is not a native English, or even (Indo)European word.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Vowel_Shift

OE. mús fem. (pl. mýs)
The word for mouse used to sound like modern "moose", before u → ɑʊ.

Same with the word for house: OE. hús


The plural was in OE. hús, in 12th c. husas, huses, from 14th c. houses; also in various writers from c 1550, and still dialectally, housen, which is sometimes collective.

So why don't "mouse" and "house" have the same plural?

Well, in the case of the modern computer peripheral (http://grammarist.com/usage/mice-mouses/) they can.

But actually in Old English the plurals of the two words were different to start, as you see above.

For "mice" it seems to go back (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheshirization) to Proto-Germanic:


As a specific instance of this, in prehistoric Old English, a certain class of nouns was marked by an /i/ suffix in the (nominative) plural, but had no suffix in the (nominative) singular. A word like /muːs/ "mouse", for example, had a plural /muːsi/ "mice". After umlaut, the plural became pronounced [myːsi], where the long back vowel /uː/ was fronted, producing a new subphonemic front-rounded vowel [yː], which serves as a secondary indicator of plurality. Subsequent loss of final /i/, however, made /yː/ a phoneme and the primary indicator of plurality, leading to a distinction between /muːs/ "mouse" and /myːs/ "mice". In this case, the lost sound /i/ left a trace in the presence of /yː/; or equivalently, the distinction between singular and plural, formerly expressed through a suffix /i/, has been re-expressed using a different feature, namely the front-back distinction of the main vowel. This distinction survives in the modern forms "mouse" /maʊs/ and "mice" /maɪs/, although the specifics have been modified by the Great Vowel Shift.

Then what about house? As you see above, in Old English the singular and plural were identical. It's just that over time people added on the generic "-(e/a)s" English plural to help differentiate.

[Hooahguy]

If the plural of goose is geese, is the plural of moose, meese?
I always liked calling them moosi.

[Fragony]

From the OED:

OE. gós (pl. gés)
Narragansett moos (= Abenaki mus, Penobscot muns)

Moose is not a native English, or even (Indo)European word.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Great_Vowel_Shift

OE. mús fem. (pl. mýs)
The word for mouse used to sound like modern "moose", before u → ɑʊ.

Same with the word for house: OE. hús



So why don't "mouse" and "house" have the same plural?

Well, in the case of the modern computer peripheral (http://grammarist.com/usage/mice-mouses/) they can.

But actually in Old English the plurals of the two words were different to start, as you see above.

For "mice" it seems to go back (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cheshirization) to Proto-Germanic:



Then what about house? As you see above, in Old English the singular and plural were identical. It's just that over time people added on the generic "-(e/a)s" English plural to help differentiate.

Maybe people just didn't assume one has more then one house for a straighr plural to exist, with mice you do. Language is easy untill you start thinking about it, despite screwing up I can speak a few pretty decently for common use of them, not good but I get by. I naturally adopt these these things I think, it somehow makes sense

[Crandar]

Fun fact, in ancient Greek, mouse is called as μῦς (mys). Now, I suck at linguistics and I didn't even bother to check it out, but I guess there is probably a common Indo-European root for the Germanic and Greek versions.

[Fragony]

Ancient Greek and Latin are pretty similar, nobody really knows how they should be pronounced but they were probably pretty close to modern Germanic languages, some miscommunications led to phonetic hints, ceaser was probably pronounced as kaisar for example. There is an absolute lack of written down music from that period that should get us very far but there little to go on

[Crandar]

Are you sure about the uncertainty argument? As far as I know, there are even academics who sing the epic of Gilgamesh, despite the fact that Akkadian are more obscure than Greek or Latin.

At least in the Hellenistic period, the pronunciation of ancient Greek was similar to the modern version. An easy way, even for a non-expert, to notice this is the epigraphic and papyrological evidence.

Spelling mistakes increase dramatically, because the engravers and scribes, who weren't always very talented at grammar, couldn't discern the difference between υ, ι, η, ει, and oι or between ο and ω or between ε and αι.
Τhey sounded the same since the times of Seleucus, a fact that has created enormous problems for Greek pupils for 2.300 years.
Go to Facebook, follow Golden Dawn accounts who gloat about their links to Pericles and you will observe the exact same mistakes.

[Hooahguy]

I was supposed to have an interview at 10:00 this morning on Skype. My power randomly went out at 9:40. Just my luck. I rescheduled it for Wednesday though. Pretty bummed, this is my third interview with this company in DC and I was really looking forward to getting through it. This interview was to be with the team I would be working with. I'm trying not to get my hopes up too high, I've been burned before.

[Seamus Fermanagh]

I was supposed to have an interview at 10:00 this morning on Skype. My power randomly went out at 9:40. Just my luck. I rescheduled it for Wednesday though. Pretty bummed, this is my third interview with this company in DC and I was really looking forward to getting through it. This interview was to be with the team I would be working with. I'm trying not to get my hopes up too high, I've been burned before.

Most important interview of the set. These are the folk you will be "married" to at work. I love it when companies allow this type of interview, bespeaks a good interest in work group communication climate.

[Hooahguy]

Most important interview of the set. These are the folk you will be "married" to at work. I love it when companies allow this type of interview, bespeaks a good interest in work group communication climate.
Oh gosh, now this makes me even more nervous. Any tips?