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Thread: Random Thoughts Thread

  1. #1921
    Senior Member Senior Member Yeti Sports 1.5 Champion, Snowboard Slalom Champion, Monkey Jump Champion, Mosquito Kill Champion Csargo's Avatar
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    Default Re: Random Thoughts Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by a completely inoffensive name View Post
    I'm back. It is very crowded over there.
    How was your experience? I'd like to go hopefully at some point in the future, so I'm curious.
    Quote Originally Posted by Sooh View Post
    I wonder if I can make Csargo cry harder by doing everyone but his ISO.

  2. #1922

    Default Re: Random Thoughts Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by a completely inoffensive name View Post
    I'm back. It is very crowded over there.
    Did you visit the countryside?
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  3. #1923

    Default Re: Random Thoughts Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by Csargo View Post
    How was your experience? I'd like to go hopefully at some point in the future, so I'm curious.
    I have a lot to say, it was quite a lot to take in. Absolutely worth it.

    If you are new to traveling, I would say Seoul is a good place to start in East Asia because it felt very Westernized compared to Taipei and Tokyo. I saw just as many French style cafes and restaurants putting cheese on everything as I did for the more traditional Korean food. I had the best breakfast sandwich of my life at a chain called Isaac. If you visit SK, please eat there. I spent five days there and that was enough for the city, but you could go further out to other cities like Busan and extend the trip. unfortunately, tours at the DMZ are not allowed at the moment, don't know why but I guess that's fine. Venturing in the countryside/DMZ puts you at higher risk for malaria vectors.

    Tokyo is much more forgiving than even recent years because they are building the city for the Olympics and have encouraged more english signage and credit card transactions (although many places still operate under cash only).
    But it still helps tremendously to understand common Japanese words or have google translate handy. Osaka was boring. Kyoto was fun for a day, and is great for day trips to neighboring areas (hiroshima, nara, etc).

    Japanese baseball is a blast and you should experience it at least once. I could do a whole write up if you are interested. I spent about 16 days in Japan and I feel like I will need another two weeks in a future trip to see the rest.

    In Tokyo I got severe food poisoning and ended up having simultaneous vomiting and diarrhea for 12 hours, followed by 24 hours of extreme fatigue. All I can say is don't eat the food at the Tokyo Skytree.

    Quote Originally Posted by Montmorency View Post
    Did you visit the countryside?
    Not in Korea. But I did a little bit north of Mount Fuji. Tried to focus on hitting up more cities for my first time. Also, being in the countryside meant (per CDC recommendations) I had to bring malaria pills and get an expensive vaccine for Japanese Encephalitis. I didn't do either, so I limited my exposure.

    I will say however, that while the cities are crowded, there are tons of side allys and streets where it can be very sparse and quiet. Felt almost like suburbs except all the buildings are 3+ stories tall.

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  4. #1924

    Default Re: Random Thoughts Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by a completely inoffensive name View Post
    Not in Korea. But I did a little bit north of Mount Fuji. Tried to focus on hitting up more cities for my first time. Also, being in the countryside meant (per CDC recommendations) I had to bring malaria pills and get an expensive vaccine for Japanese Encephalitis. I didn't do either, so I limited my exposure.

    I will say however, that while the cities are crowded, there are tons of side allys and streets where it can be very sparse and quiet. Felt almost like suburbs except all the buildings are 3+ stories tall.
    Hmm, I've never thought about health recommendations when in rural areas of the United States.

    You might like the Youtube channel Asian Boss, which is mostly street interviews with young people in Korea, Japan, China, Philippines, India, and others. I see it as an alternative to actually traveling!
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  5. #1925
    Senior Member Senior Member Yeti Sports 1.5 Champion, Snowboard Slalom Champion, Monkey Jump Champion, Mosquito Kill Champion Csargo's Avatar
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    Default Re: Random Thoughts Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by a completely inoffensive name View Post
    I have a lot to say, it was quite a lot to take in. Absolutely worth it.

    If you are new to traveling, I would say Seoul is a good place to start in East Asia because it felt very Westernized compared to Taipei and Tokyo. I saw just as many French style cafes and restaurants putting cheese on everything as I did for the more traditional Korean food. I had the best breakfast sandwich of my life at a chain called Isaac. If you visit SK, please eat there. I spent five days there and that was enough for the city, but you could go further out to other cities like Busan and extend the trip. unfortunately, tours at the DMZ are not allowed at the moment, don't know why but I guess that's fine. Venturing in the countryside/DMZ puts you at higher risk for malaria vectors.

    Tokyo is much more forgiving than even recent years because they are building the city for the Olympics and have encouraged more english signage and credit card transactions (although many places still operate under cash only).
    But it still helps tremendously to understand common Japanese words or have google translate handy. Osaka was boring. Kyoto was fun for a day, and is great for day trips to neighboring areas (hiroshima, nara, etc).

    Japanese baseball is a blast and you should experience it at least once. I could do a whole write up if you are interested. I spent about 16 days in Japan and I feel like I will need another two weeks in a future trip to see the rest.

    In Tokyo I got severe food poisoning and ended up having simultaneous vomiting and diarrhea for 12 hours, followed by 24 hours of extreme fatigue. All I can say is don't eat the food at the Tokyo Skytree.

    Yeah, I would be interested in a full write-up if you wanted to write one, I'd definitely read it. Thanks for the info.
    Quote Originally Posted by Sooh View Post
    I wonder if I can make Csargo cry harder by doing everyone but his ISO.

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  6. #1926

    Default Re: Random Thoughts Thread

    I read this restaurateur's blog series on why tipping should be abolished or even banned: the psychology and economics of tipping in the hospitality industry, especially restaurants.

    This was one of those reads. You know what I mean, an affecting Good Read.

    Reading be like:

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    Unfortunately, the No-Tip model has not taken off in the past decade - not necessarily because its promise failed but because a huge proportion of customers turn out to be viscerally repulsed by the perception of loss of control over waiters. Also, high-earning waiters lose money (and quit) if their chance at tip earnings is cut off for more equalized wages with the whole staff. :/

    The People have lost my confidence, throw them out and elect a new People!

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    To be fair, I guess replacing (often cash) tipping with service charge directly raised by house as revenue also increases surface area for embezzlement by unscrupulous owners, but there will always be swindlers and exploiters; I wonder what is superior on net.

    EDIT: Of course! Of course! Server psychology. It's like a game! A tip at the conclusion of a service task is instant gratification, like grinding loot. How do you design your servers' workflow to account for that??? Manager disperses immediate wage payment per table? Too inefficient? Tips are worker payments farmed out to customers after all, which reduces logistical as well as final financial burden on management (although counterbalanced by relative difficulty of business bookkeeping and taxation compliance with tip income). Shiiiii

    Feckin's Weberian steel casing



    @ACIN Please take your time.
    Last edited by Montmorency; 07-26-2019 at 05:46.
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  7. #1927
    In the shadows... Member Vuk's Avatar
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    Default Re: Random Thoughts Thread

    I LIVE!!!!
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  8. #1928

    Default Re: Random Thoughts Thread

    I may have never thought of inserting or removing hangers from buttoned shirts from the bottom before today.
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  9. #1929
    Hǫrðar Member Viking's Avatar
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    Default Re: Random Thoughts Thread

    In the immediate term, Medzhitov’s takeaway is to follow our cravings when we’re sick, because they may reflect evolutionary mechanisms that evolved to be protective: “So, for example, when you have the flu, you kind of feel like having some tea and honey. That may be the body’s way of telling us that we need some glucose. I suspect we have these mechanisms that tell us what we prefer to eat (or not to eat) when we’re sick. Those are the mechanisms we should probably listen to.”
    https://www.theatlantic.com/science/...mation/498965/

    Interesting..

    I'll eat that chocolate.
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  10. #1930

    Default Re: Random Thoughts Thread

    "Sleepers get stupefied"? That's the original English? Definitely makes no sense.
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  11. #1931
    Member Member Xantan's Avatar
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    Default Re: Random Thoughts Thread

    Can't wait for the December cinnamon tea while outside it's 0 degrees.

  12. #1932
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    Default Re: Random Thoughts Thread

    Answered a question from an Asian tourist today. Wish me luck.
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  13. #1933

    Default Re: Random Thoughts Thread

    It's 2020. A hundred years ago was 1920. Everyone who grew up prior to WW2, who had a full experience of the 1930s, is pretty much a centenarian by now.
    Vitiate Man.

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  14. #1934
    Praefectus Fabrum Senior Member Anime BlackJack Champion, Flash Poker Champion, Word Up Champion, Shape Game Champion, Snake Shooter Champion, Fishwater Challenge Champion, Rocket Racer MX Champion, Jukebox Hero Champion, My House Is Bigger Than Your House Champion, Funky Pong Champion, Cutie Quake Champion, Fling The Cow Champion, Tiger Punch Champion, Virus Champion, Solitaire Champion, Worm Race Champion, Rope Walker Champion, Penguin Pass Champion, Skate Park Champion, Watch Out Champion, Lawn Pac Champion, Weapons Of Mass Destruction Champion, Skate Boarder Champion, Lane Bowling Champion, Bugz Champion, Makai Grand Prix 2 Champion, White Van Man Champion, Parachute Panic Champion, BlackJack Champion, Stans Ski Jumping Champion, Smaugs Treasure Champion, Sofa Longjump Champion Seamus Fermanagh's Avatar
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    Default Re: Random Thoughts Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by Montmorency View Post
    It's 2020. A hundred years ago was 1920. Everyone who grew up prior to WW2, who had a full experience of the 1930s, is pretty much a centenarian by now.
    I think we still have one person left receiving a Civil War pension check.
    "The only way that has ever been discovered to have a lot of people cooperate together voluntarily is through the free market. And that's why it's so essential to preserving individual freedom.” -- Milton Friedman

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  15. #1935
    Mr Self Important Senior Member Beskar's Avatar
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    Default Re: Random Thoughts Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by Seamus Fermanagh View Post
    I think we still have one person left receiving a Civil War pension check.
    Her Dad was 83 when she was born. Age difference of at least 50 years between her Dad and Mother.
    Crazy.
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  16. #1936
    Praefectus Fabrum Senior Member Anime BlackJack Champion, Flash Poker Champion, Word Up Champion, Shape Game Champion, Snake Shooter Champion, Fishwater Challenge Champion, Rocket Racer MX Champion, Jukebox Hero Champion, My House Is Bigger Than Your House Champion, Funky Pong Champion, Cutie Quake Champion, Fling The Cow Champion, Tiger Punch Champion, Virus Champion, Solitaire Champion, Worm Race Champion, Rope Walker Champion, Penguin Pass Champion, Skate Park Champion, Watch Out Champion, Lawn Pac Champion, Weapons Of Mass Destruction Champion, Skate Boarder Champion, Lane Bowling Champion, Bugz Champion, Makai Grand Prix 2 Champion, White Van Man Champion, Parachute Panic Champion, BlackJack Champion, Stans Ski Jumping Champion, Smaugs Treasure Champion, Sofa Longjump Champion Seamus Fermanagh's Avatar
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    Default Re: Random Thoughts Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by Beskar View Post
    Her Dad was 83 when she was born. Age difference of at least 50 years between her Dad and Mother.
    Crazy.
    I have actually read of some 20th century ACW marriages arranged in order to keep the pension coming to the family. As Franklin said...

    "There is no kind of dishonesty into which otherwise good people more easily and frequently fall than that of defrauding the government."
    "The only way that has ever been discovered to have a lot of people cooperate together voluntarily is through the free market. And that's why it's so essential to preserving individual freedom.” -- Milton Friedman

    "The urge to save humanity is almost always a false front for the urge to rule." -- H. L. Mencken

  17. #1937

    Default Re: Random Thoughts Thread

    Quote Originally Posted by Seamus Fermanagh View Post
    I have actually read of some 20th century ACW marriages arranged in order to keep the pension coming to the family. As Franklin said...

    "There is no kind of dishonesty into which otherwise good people more easily and frequently fall than that of defrauding the government."
    Which is why there were thousands of such late marriages, currently receiving short of a $1000 a year.

    *checks notes*

    I'm reading here that may have not happened...
    Last edited by Montmorency; 03-17-2020 at 23:05.
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  18. #1938
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    Default Re: Random Thoughts Thread

    Right about now is where one of those cryo sleep chambers as seen in Interstellar/The Martian/Passengers would be handy.
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  19. #1939
    Senior Member Senior Member ReluctantSamurai's Avatar
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    Default Re: Random Thoughts Thread

    Saw this a little while ago:

    https://www.bbc.com/news/business-52350082

    Negative oil prices? Negative oil prices??

    The price of a barrel of West Texas Intermediate (WTI), the benchmark for US oil, fell as low as minus $37.63 a barrel.
    I suppose it might be a bit much to ask that the gas station pays me to fill up my tank...
    High Plains Drifter

  20. #1940

    Default Re: Random Thoughts Thread

    https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/e...e-an-explainer


    Maybe we can chip in to rent a hundred acres of land in Wyoming, a lot of tarpaulin, and call it the Org Strategic Oil Reserve?

    Edit: I figure, what, 250000 barrels should be a good start. Figure out a way to time these things so that the millions credited from accepting those barrels will offset the land, shipping, brokerage, and other costs.
    Last edited by Montmorency; 04-21-2020 at 21:23.
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  21. #1941
    Senior Member Senior Member ReluctantSamurai's Avatar
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    Default Re: Random Thoughts Thread

    Or....we could've bought an oil tanker for $17 million US, renamed it The ORG, and been PAID $41 million to take delivery of just over a million barrels of Texas light, sweet crude.

    https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/5...gejn&site=vice

    If you were very smart and perceptive, and bought in at the market’s lowest point yesterday ($-37.63), you would have been paid $40,969,323.83 to take the oil. That means you would have made enough to have bought the tanker and would have had roughly $24 million left over to figure out the logistics of getting all of the oil from Oklahoma onto the boat. Unfortunately we did not do this, and neither did you, and the moment has passed.
    Damn! There probably would've been enough money to hire a crew and rent a dock in New York harbor somewhere, yes?


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  22. #1942

    Default Re: Random Thoughts Thread



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  23. #1943
    Member Member Tuuvi's Avatar
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    Default Re: Random Thoughts Thread

    I accidentally bought an $80 e-book series on Amazon kindle because I tapped "order now with 1-click" when I was trying to scroll down on my smartphone. I was able to get a refund, but I found out that Amazon won't let you disable 1-click ordering, which is bull crap. I wouldn't be surprised if they did that on purpose to take advantage of people.

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  24. #1944
    Ja mata, TosaInu Forum Administrator edyzmedieval's Avatar
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    Default Re: Random Thoughts Thread

    11.000 posts.

    Quite a long list.
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  25. #1945
    Stranger in a strange land Moderator Hooahguy's Avatar
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    Its a long yet rewarding road! Or so I tell myself.



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  26. #1946

    Default Re: Random Thoughts Thread

    foul fowl foul fowl foul foul foul fowl in Buffalo

    Good morning.
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  27. #1947
    Stranger in a strange land Moderator Hooahguy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Random Thoughts Thread

    ...are you ok
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  28. #1948
    Ja mata, TosaInu Forum Administrator edyzmedieval's Avatar
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    Default Re: Random Thoughts Thread

    Water buffaloes?
    Ja mata, TosaInu. You will forever be remembered.

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  29. #1949
    Senior Member Senior Member ReluctantSamurai's Avatar
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    High Plains Drifter

  30. #1950
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    How in the world did you manage to find that? 1904 review of the Buffalo City council, wow.
    Ja mata, TosaInu. You will forever be remembered.

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    Swords Made of Letters - 1938. The war is looming in France - and Alexandre Reythier does not have much time left to protect his country. A novel set before the war.

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