Random Thoughts That Don't Deserve Their Own Thread Go Here

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Edward64

A GA 2024 recruit?

No offers that I'm aware of. His older brother (who played at a different HS in the area) is currently the backup punter at ECU, by way of transfer from Air Force.

[Ksyrup]

So I read up on the song, and according to Wiki, despite what it seems, it's not about a suspicious lover/spouse. Carrack wrote the song because was pissed the bassist was working with another group and their management.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Not sure if I can describe this random musing correctly or not but I'll give it a go.

I've had two fairly ... existential ... conversations with unrelated people in the past couple days. At their instigation, not mine.

Given how topics seem to come in bunches sometimes (at least in my experience) I wonder: is that some sort of cosmic synergy where a lot of people are experiencing the same questions OR is it more influenced by whatever "vibe" you're giving off that draws people into certain topics with you?

[Breeze]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

So I read up on the song, and according to Wiki, despite what it seems, it's not about a suspicious lover/spouse. Carrack wrote the song because was pissed the bassist was working with another group and their management.

One Hit Wonders

[Edward64]

Everyone ready for Halloween?


Can't.stop.eating.the.darn.candy

I'm going to toss the leftovers, don't need the temptation for the next couple weeks.

[Solecismic]

First Kanye, then Kyrie. I'm expecting Katie Perry to go all-out Prince Harry for Halloween tonight.

[Ksyrup]

We ran out of candy one year and ever since, we've been over-buying. I've got a cauldron and a half of excess right now.

[Edward64]

Daughter is sitting out on a lawn chair. I'm predicting we'll have too much left.

Coming in spurts but definitely not like 2000s when the neighborhood was full of young kids.


EDIT: All done, nice to see younger kids and their outfits. Essentially, half of our supply. Gave the rest to daughter to take back to her roomies.

We did have some special doggie treats but we didn't see any tonight.

[Edward64]

I like that this is a small (?) indicator that SA is opening up but it's a little weird. Seems lots of negatives far exceeds the positives. I'd use my political capital on other things. It's good to be King (in waiting).

Saudi Arabia celebrates Halloween; netizens have mixed reactions

Saudi Arabia’s General Entertainment Authority had planned the first and largest public celebration of Halloween ever, as it opened the spooky weekend with people wearing terrifying costumes, walking down Riyadh Boulevard, two days before the Americans’ Halloween celebrations.

The manifestations of the Halloween celebration on the streets of Riyadh indicate the change taking place in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which used to arrest anyone who thought of reviving this “Western occasion”.

It is reported that in 2018, Saudi police raided a Halloween party and arrested people, and ordered women who were dressed in strange clothes to “cover themselves”.

People opined that a country that doesn’t allow Eid-e-Milad Un Nabi (Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) birthday) celebrates Halloween on the roads, definitely requires a course correction. Similar criticism is being issued by Muslims around the world.

[miami_fan]

Yeah, Halloween absolutely sucked this year. We had less houses offering candy than we did in October 2020. I left a bit early and went to visit my mom. Throughout our subdivision and as I drove through the neighborhoods along the way trick or treaters were sparse at best.

[Izulde]

Definitely by area of the city here. I got 15-20, one of my other friends got 0, and one got 130 Trick or Treaters. I have enough bags left over that I might take a trip to the high school I taught at last year to hand out candy to the senior homerooms

[cuervo72]

We had probably only about a dozen kids. Granted, our neighborhood has aged (though some new families have moved in) and it was raining much of the evening.

I have to say now that I've thought about it a bit more...I don't really like the "all the neighbors gather around the fire pit in the street/in someone's driveway" approach. It seems to be making the night more an event for the adults more than the children. Part of the fun was going house to house -- not going up to a mass of adults all at once, finishing half a street all at once.

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Not sure if I can describe this random musing correctly or not but I'll give it a go.

I've had two fairly ... existential ... conversations with unrelated people in the past couple days. At their instigation, not mine.

Given how topics seem to come in bunches sometimes (at least in my experience) I wonder: is that some sort of cosmic synergy where a lot of people are experiencing the same questions OR is it more influenced by whatever "vibe" you're giving off that draws people into certain topics with you?

I know these days seem really dark for me, both on a personal level and concerning the world in general. I think many people are feeling this way right now. So much stuff has gone wrong or at least been really difficult the past 2-3 years.

[Nemix]

I want to find a way to cross-breed apples and oranges.


___
https://apix-drive.com/en/autopilot

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by Nemix

I want to find a way to cross-breed apples and oranges.

What would you call them? Aranges? Opples?

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Not sure if I can describe this random musing correctly or not but I'll give it a go.

I've had two fairly ... existential ... conversations with unrelated people in the past couple days. At their instigation, not mine.

Given how topics seem to come in bunches sometimes (at least in my experience) I wonder: is that some sort of cosmic synergy where a lot of people are experiencing the same questions OR is it more influenced by whatever "vibe" you're giving off that draws people into certain topics with you?

Bad Random Number generator logic/bug in the Matrix simulation. Or maybe it's been in the news? Or just coincidence?

[Lathum]

So sick…..

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Not sure if I can describe this random musing correctly or not but I'll give it a go.

I've had two fairly ... existential ... conversations with unrelated people in the past couple days. At their instigation, not mine.

Given how topics seem to come in bunches sometimes (at least in my experience) I wonder: is that some sort of cosmic synergy where a lot of people are experiencing the same questions OR is it more influenced by whatever "vibe" you're giving off that draws people into certain topics with you?

I think Kodos hit some of the nail on the head

Also, stuff pops up online and trends - Twitter, Reddit, Facebook, whatever, where the same idea circulates and maybe you didn't see it but the two friends did.

SI

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Not sure if I can describe this random musing correctly or not but I'll give it a go.

I've had two fairly ... ... conversations with unrelated people in the past couple days. At their instigation, not mine.

Given how topics seem to come in bunches sometimes (at least in my experience) I wonder: is that some sort of cosmic synergy where a lot of people are experiencing the same questions OR is it more influenced by whatever "vibe" you're giving off that draws people into certain topics with you?

If I had to choose I would lean more to the former though I believe it to be a combination of both. I think with the increased isolation of the society in general and our siloed social media feeds, we are all trying to find commonality in the real world outside of the "categories" and "labels. The problems arise when we begin to come up with answers.

[NobodyHere]

The customer "questions and answers" section on Amazon is extremely unhelpful.

For example I wanted to know if a particular frying pan came with a lid...

Originally Posted by Amazon

Does this come with the lid?

Answer:Mine came with a lid
By Skeester on March 29, 2019

I didn't buy one of these.
By T. Lee on March 4, 2019

No, it does not
By J. Busenbark on March 4, 2019

Unfortunately No.
By Amazon Customer on March 4, 2019

Yes, it does.
By BECCA on March 4, 2019

[cuervo72]

"I didn't buy one of these." Then why...

[CrimsonFox]

hi lathum and pilotman. say something inspiring

[PilotMan]

Be the change you want to see in the world.

So today, I'm trying to figure out how I'm going to make our anniversary next month special. We'll be on a cruise, and that day it'll be in Bonaire. Normally, we don't do big anniversary gifts. However, this year, I am. It's two years in the making, and I'm need to figure out how it's going to go down that day for maximum fun and 'moment'.

[molson]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

The customer "questions and answers" section on Amazon is extremely unhelpful.

For example I wanted to know if a particular frying pan came with a lid...

T. Lee just needs to stop it.

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

The customer "questions and answers" section on Amazon is extremely unhelpful.

For example I wanted to know if a particular frying pan came with a lid...

I had a co-worker that said he reviewed X number of Amazon stuff and he got freebies sent to him to review.

I don't remember how he got into the program, but the stuff he is sent, he gets to keep. I automatically thought about nice camera's and electronics, but think its more like your frying pans.

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by CrimsonFox

hi lathum and pilotman. say something inspiring

I got nothing, over here dripping sweat while I burn out a fever. Sickest I have been in a long time...

[CrimsonFox]

Originally Posted by Lathum

I got nothing, over here dripping sweat while I burn out a fever. Sickest I have been in a long time...

Obligatory do-you-have-covid response

[Ksyrup]

I am truly grateful to work for such a unique company. We're owned by a privately held company, and we just have a lot of traditions that not many companies can match. The matriarch of our parent company is "The Most Interesting Woman in the World" - at least that I've met. Typically, during the summer, she has someone send a message every week that the office is closing at 3 or 3:30 each Friday, without fail. It's now November, of course, but we're having some way above-average temps and it's gorgeous right now (mid-70s). Just got a message that says, "X would like to close the office at 2 tomorrow. She wants everyone to get out and enjoy the sunshine."

WILL DO.

[JPhillips]

WTF is this nonsense?

That is one impressive hat https://t.co/s6hiPdK8cC pic.twitter.com/XKRnucIApw

— Ollie Kingsbury (@kingsbury_ollie) November 3, 2022

[dubb93]

I've either gotten dumber or COVID brain is a thing (I've had it twice now,) because I've literally told my kids twice what they are getting for Christmas now and it's only 11/3. They are getting a Series X. I saved it both times but WOW I am dumb.

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

If I wanted an Asian prostitute I could just walk to the "Super Happy Top Relaxing" massage parlor across the street.

Guess which place just got busted for promoting prostitution?

[sterlingice]

Was it Bob Kraft's favorite hangout?

SI

[21C]

Originally Posted by 21C

I'm in the middle of a really big personal project. My parents (both deceased) were born in Poland and lived through the war before migrating separately to Australia.

My mother had a lot of negative life experiences during the war and even after when she lived for a while in the Soviet Union. She was a prolific notetaker with people's birthdays and other major events. She eventually sat down about 40 years ago and wrote her autobiography which took up 215 handwritten pages in Polish.

I have the original copy and have scanned and shared it with my two older brothers.

My own kids as well as my niece and nephews have often asked about getting an English translation of her life history. It was always a daunting task. I can speak Polish but my written Polish and my reading skills are very elementary. I didn't believe that I had the translation skills to pull it off.

Just recently I saw that Microsoft had introduced extra languages into the Office suite to allow dictation in those languages. I saw an opportunity to dictate her handwritten notes into Word and then translate it all into English.

I have been working solidly on this for the last two weeks and have just finished phase one - dictating the notes. My reading skills have improved over that time but have stumbled many times over four and five syllable Polish words. I've just started on phase two - which is proofreading the Polish and picking up errors in the speech to text. I think this will take just as long as the first phase.

The last phase will be to do the autotranslate and then improve the English translation. It often comes out messy and stilted so I want it to be an easy read.

This has been a real labor of love. I have choked up a couple of times when reading various passages. It was also a little unnerving to read that my mother wrote the last section of her story when she was about the same age that I am right now.

When I was reading this back, it started to read like it was written by a bot. I'm glad that I didn't have to include a link to a website to really sow those seeds of doubt. Don't worry. My join date is not Aug 2022.

I am close to finishing this.

So far it took about:
* 20 hours to do the dictation in Polish
* 70 hours to proofread the Polish
* 5 minutes to translate Polish > English using Google
* 100 hours to fix the Google translation
* I've added a lot of Footnotes for things like map references for locations and Wikipedia pages explaining obscure stuff

I'm going to do another sweep of the English version I now have so I'm hoping it doesn't take too long. I'm lucky that I don't have any social life because I have put in a few 8-hour days on weekends and vacation days and the odd hour or two after work.

Very pleased with it and relieved that it is (almost) over.

I've even considered getting this thing published - although most likely self-publishing. It is a decent read.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by 21C

I am close to finishing this.

So far it took about:
* 20 hours to do the dictation in Polish
* 70 hours to proofread the Polish
* 5 minutes to translate Polish > English using Google
* 100 hours to fix the Google translation
* I've added a lot of Footnotes for things like map references for locations and Wikipedia pages explaining obscure stuff

I'm going to do another sweep of the English version I now have so I'm hoping it doesn't take too long. I'm lucky that I don't have any social life because I have put in a few 8-hour days on weekends and vacation days and the odd hour or two after work.

Very pleased with it and relieved that it is (almost) over.

I've even considered getting this thing published - although most likely self-publishing. It is a decent read.

This sounds like a very cool project. I have really started to dig into my family history as well.

[Edward64]

Cool pic. I had seen this earlier but wasn't sure if it was for real.

[sterlingice]

Originally Posted by 21C

I am close to finishing this.

So far it took about:
* 20 hours to do the dictation in Polish
* 70 hours to proofread the Polish
* 5 minutes to translate Polish > English using Google
* 100 hours to fix the Google translation
* I've added a lot of Footnotes for things like map references for locations and Wikipedia pages explaining obscure stuff

I'm going to do another sweep of the English version I now have so I'm hoping it doesn't take too long. I'm lucky that I don't have any social life because I have put in a few 8-hour days on weekends and vacation days and the odd hour or two after work.

Very pleased with it and relieved that it is (almost) over.

I've even considered getting this thing published - although most likely self-publishing. It is a decent read.

That's really awesome. While a ton of hours and a daunting task, I have to think it feels like one of the more rewarding things you've done in your life, too, though. It feels like an amazing legacy project that could outlive you.

SI

[Lathum]

Originally Posted by sterlingice

That's really awesome. While a ton of hours and a daunting task, I have to think it feels like one of the more rewarding things you've done in your life, too, though. It feels like an amazing legacy project that could outlive you.

SI

That really neat!

I was gonna start a thread for this but I'll just park it here.

Next week I am going to meet my biological father 47 years after I was born. I was adopted at birth. A few months ago 23 and me matched me up with a first cousin who messaged me and was like, umm, this says we are cousins. We started chatting and put the pieces together eventually figuring out who he was. I spoke with him on the phone a while back and he knew I was out there but that is all he knew. I was the result of a college relationship that wouldn't have worked out.

There is a lot more to the story but I won't bore you all. It is going to be pretty weird though.

[Ksyrup]

Good luck!

I'm sure I posted this before, but my MIL did the same deal and found a cousin she didn't know existed. Turned out my MIL's parents had a child before they got married that they gave up for adoption, then got married and had 5 other kids. We think it may have been a 1930s-40s shame thing as to why they gave it up, but no one who is alive knows for sure. They lived relatively close by and it's believed that only a few people knew and took the secret to their graves, including her parents.

[21C]

Originally Posted by 21C

I am close to finishing this.

So far it took about:
* 20 hours to do the dictation in Polish
* 70 hours to proofread the Polish
* 5 minutes to translate Polish > English using Google
* 100 hours to fix the Google translation
* I've added a lot of Footnotes for things like map references for locations and Wikipedia pages explaining obscure stuff

I'm going to do another sweep of the English version I now have so I'm hoping it doesn't take too long. I'm lucky that I don't have any social life because I have put in a few 8-hour days on weekends and vacation days and the odd hour or two after work.

Very pleased with it and relieved that it is (almost) over.

I've even considered getting this thing published - although most likely self-publishing. It is a decent read.

The best part of the process is that it has brought my mother "back to life" - well, to me anyway. Once I finish the process, I hope it does the same for my daughters, niece and nephews.

[JPhillips]

I can't even begin to imagine how this happened.

"KFC has apologised after sending a promotional message to customers in Germany, urging them to commemorate Kristallnacht with cheesy chicken." https://t.co/s4FbDSCXsS

— Christopher Snowdon ���� (@cjsnowdon) November 10, 2022

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by JPhillips

I can't even begin to imagine how this happened.

The explanation kinda makes sense I guess.

Automated, pulling from a calendar that included "national observances".

It would be like {thinks of something U.S. that would be inappropriate} urging folks to enjoy 9/11 with some extra crispy.

[Ksyrup]

Well, KFC's chief marketing officer is a huge fan of Irish rugby, not German handball, so this wouldn't have been readily apparent when they went through their in-depth vetting procedure, I guess.

[Kodos]

Jeff Bezos has pledged to give away most of his $124 Billion fortune. So that's cool.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Back home after basically a week in Miami.

Gotta tell ya, if the cats weren't here in Athens, probably would have extended that another day or two.

[miami_fan]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Back home after basically a week in Miami.

Gotta tell ya, if the cats weren't here in Athens, probably would have extended that another day or two.

Always pegged you as a South Beach kind of guy Jon.

Glad you had a good time.

[Ksyrup]

Is there any product as inconsistent as cuties/mandarins/clementines (whatever you want to call them)? I usually eat one or two with breakfast nearly every day and I don't know what I am going to get from one bag to the next. Cuties are a very specific type of orange that are small, oblong, with easily peeled dark orange skin and an intense flavor. I'd say 50% of the time, I see something packaged or sold as cuties/mandarins that are just small fucking oranges - light orange in color, round, skin that has to be peeled off with a cheese grater, and tastes nothing like the original.

I understand that they may be seasonal, or your supply is short, but don't just fucking pack small oranges into cutie bags and pass them off as the same thing. They are not.

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by Kodos

Jeff Bezos has pledged to give away most of his $124 Billion fortune. So that's cool.

Didn't he already give half of it away to his ex-wife?

[Edward64]

Yup. And I think she is doing a better job of giving her share away.

[Ksyrup]

Originally Posted by Kodos

Jeff Bezos has pledged to give away most of his $124 Billion fortune. So that's cool.

The timing of this announcement about 2 hours before Amazon announced it was laying off 10K employees... I mean, surely that's not a coincidence, right?

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by Ksyrup

Is there any product as inconsistent as cuties/mandarins/clementines (whatever you want to call them)? I usually eat one or two with breakfast nearly every day and I don't know what I am going to get from one bag to the next. Cuties are a very specific type of orange that are small, oblong, with easily peeled dark orange skin and an intense flavor. I'd say 50% of the time, I see something packaged or sold as cuties/mandarins that are just small fucking oranges - light orange in color, round, skin that has to be peeled off with a cheese grater, and tastes nothing like the original.

I understand that they may be seasonal, or your supply is short, but don't just fucking pack small oranges into cutie bags and pass them off as the same thing. They are not.

I daresay beef jerky. The moisture level can be all over the place with those things.