Miscellaneous Discussion Thread
April 29th, 2023 at 9:51:35 AM
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Quote: billryanThe Yankees play a game within a game, as they hold in game bubble gum tossing games. Someone tosses out a chewed piece of gum and the winner is the player who hits it on a bounce. I'm sure the ground crew appreciates picking up the hundreds of chewed up pieces of gum.
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(Scene: me at collector's convention)
Man: (looking at my table of glass cubes with something inside) (He picks one up)
Man: What is this?
Me: Mickey Mantle's chewing gun
Man:: He chewed it?
Me: Naw, he hit with his bat.
Man: (nodding his head, and slowly moving away)
Sanitized for Your Protection
April 29th, 2023 at 10:08:23 AM
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The Yankees play a game within a game, as they hold in game bubble gum tossing games. Someone tosses out a chewed piece of gum and the winner is the player who hits it on a bounce. I'm sure the ground crew appreciates picking up the hundreds of chewed up pieces of gum.
The older I get, the better I recall things that never happened
May 1st, 2023 at 2:17:21 AM
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.
count 'em up
there are 3 different players named Luis Garcia in the MLB right now
and there was another Luis Carcia in the MLB in 2002, and yet another one in 1999
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count 'em up
there are 3 different players named Luis Garcia in the MLB right now
and there was another Luis Carcia in the MLB in 2002, and yet another one in 1999
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the foolish sayings of a rich man often pass for words of wisdom by the fools around him
May 2nd, 2023 at 5:00:24 AM
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In the non-monetary gambling department, I don't know what the laws are state to state, but in really low visibility like super hard rain, or thick fog I typically turn my emergency flashers on as well as my headlights. At least always on the highway with speed limits of 70 and up. Not always in city limits. People more likely to slow down behind you seeing flashing lights, vs just taillights. IMO
Sanitized for Your Protection
May 2nd, 2023 at 6:50:25 AM
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Quote: rxwineIn the non-monetary gambling department, I don't know what the laws are state to state, but in really low visibility like super hard rain, or thick fog I typically turn my emergency flashers on as well as my headlights. At least always on the highway with speed limits of 70 and up. Not always in city limits. People more likely to slow down behind you seeing flashing lights, vs just taillights. IMO
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How slow are you going?
If people are trying to zoom past you, it's probably safer for you to exit the roadway and park until conditions improve.
May the cards fall in your favor.
May 2nd, 2023 at 9:07:32 AM
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Quote: DieterQuote: rxwineIn the non-monetary gambling department, I don't know what the laws are state to state, but in really low visibility like super hard rain, or thick fog I typically turn my emergency flashers on as well as my headlights. At least always on the highway with speed limits of 70 and up. Not always in city limits. People more likely to slow down behind you seeing flashing lights, vs just taillights. IMO
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How slow are you going?
If people are trying to zoom past you, it's probably safer for you to exit the roadway and park until conditions improve.
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Not slow enough that people are zooming past me. There was another multi-car pile up yesterday because of a dust storm. It’s usually ice or fog though. 70 vehicles, 6 dead.
Sanitized for Your Protection
May 2nd, 2023 at 9:31:54 AM
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Quote: rxwineQuote: DieterQuote: rxwineIn the non-monetary gambling department, I don't know what the laws are state to state, but in really low visibility like super hard rain, or thick fog I typically turn my emergency flashers on as well as my headlights. At least always on the highway with speed limits of 70 and up. Not always in city limits. People more likely to slow down behind you seeing flashing lights, vs just taillights. IMO
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How slow are you going?
If people are trying to zoom past you, it's probably safer for you to exit the roadway and park until conditions improve.
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Not slow enough that people are zooming past me. There was another multi-car pile up yesterday because of a dust storm. It’s usually ice or fog though. 70 vehicles, 6 dead.
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Fair enough.
Flashers make sense if you see traffic stopped ahead - alert the people behind you that a big slowdown is happening.
Flashers seem to be routine for trailer trucks slowly climbing a hill.
I don't know that flashers make sense for cars plodding mile after mile through heavy rain. Maybe they do, but parking and waiting it out is probably a better option.
May the cards fall in your favor.
May 2nd, 2023 at 9:42:19 AM
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Flashers alert a driver coming up on a slow-moving vehicle. A car doing 75-80 comes up on a truck doing 50 very quickly so the flashers are very useful.
The older I get, the better I recall things that never happened
May 2nd, 2023 at 10:06:33 AM
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Quote: Dieter
I don't know that flashers make sense for cars plodding mile after mile through heavy rain. Maybe they do, but parking and waiting it out is probably a better option.
Flashers are used regularly in Florida during heavy rainstorms.
At my age, a "Life In Prison" sentence is not much of a deterrent.
May 2nd, 2023 at 10:48:37 AM
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On my local 65 mph freeway, if you were going less than 40 mph, you're supposed to turn on the flashers. If it's raining or snowing hard enough, traffic might be going 20-30 mph, so flashers may not be needed because that's the flow of traffic.
May 2nd, 2023 at 10:53:59 AM
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Quote: DRichQuote: Dieter
I don't know that flashers make sense for cars plodding mile after mile through heavy rain. Maybe they do, but parking and waiting it out is probably a better option.
Flashers are used regularly in Florida during heavy rainstorms.
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True.
I've seen it in PA, OH, IA, ND, SD, GA, TN, SC, and a few other places that elude recall.
I trying to think about if they should be used for such a distance.
Too many times I get stuck driving 30mph behind someone who refuses to go faster, won't exit, and won't give me enough room to pass (straddling the zipper, so they don't run off the road).
It's worse in the snow. That really screws up visibility.
(My tires are usually good for 50 mph in inclement weather, I have a little higher vantage point than the typical compact sedan, and I try not to just fly by other motorists and kick up a torrent of water or slush onto their windshield. I may be a jerk, but I try to drive with a modicum of courtesy. Doesn't mean I won't grouse about people slowing me up after the fact.)
May the cards fall in your favor.
May 2nd, 2023 at 12:50:23 PM
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Quote: DieterDoesn't mean I won't grouse about people slowing me up after the fact.)
I think that is just the "Y" chromosome and is standard for the heterogametic sex.
At my age, a "Life In Prison" sentence is not much of a deterrent.
May 2nd, 2023 at 2:31:25 PM
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If you are driving at a speed substantially lower than the traffic behind you, I think you should use your flashers. It shouldn't matter if you are going one mile or fifty.
The older I get, the better I recall things that never happened
May 2nd, 2023 at 2:49:10 PM
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It’s not always easy to pull off to the side. Sometimes it’s not even safe there’s If there’s a long bridge or a retainer wall when construction is going on. Once, when I still had my motorcycle, I pulled down into what looked like grass, but was just a thin amount of grass and about 8 inches of soft mud. I spun my way out of that, but not sure i would have made it out in my car.
Sanitized for Your Protection
May 2nd, 2023 at 3:05:36 PM
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I'm trusting that there's an exit ramp every few miles, and the cars can re-enter the expressway once the line of traffic has cleared.
I believe some states require pulling over in a turnout if impeding normal traffic.
I believe some states require pulling over in a turnout if impeding normal traffic.
May the cards fall in your favor.
May 3rd, 2023 at 5:06:35 PM
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AI (bard.google.com) now does expert casino game mathematics. Just look!
Climate Casino: https://climatecasino.net/climate-casino/
May 4th, 2023 at 2:10:02 AM
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Quote: teliotAI (bard.google.com) now does expert casino game mathematics. Just look!
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_________I don't get it
I don't know what a a "double banker_win prob = 0.4826" means - and why would a double player win_prob (.4932) be greater than that of the banker since the banker wins more often
according to the wiz - see link - the probability of a banker win assuming no tie is _________.50682483
https://wizardofodds.com/ask-the-wizard/baccarat/#:~:text=The%20probability%20of%20the%20banker%20having%20a%20winning%206%20is,on%20the%20player%20is%2018.68%25.
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Last edited by: lilredrooster on May 4, 2023
the foolish sayings of a rich man often pass for words of wisdom by the fools around him
May 4th, 2023 at 3:13:55 AM
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Quote: lilredroosterQuote: teliotAI (bard.google.com) now does expert casino game mathematics. Just look!
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I don't get it
per the wiz - see link - the house edge on the bank is 1.06% and 1.24% on the player
bard says "the house edge in baccarat is %.2f%%.\in"____________I don't know what that means
I also don't know what a a "double banker_win prob = 0.4826" means - and why would a double player win_prob (.4932) be greater than that of the banker since the banker wins more often
according to the wiz - 2nd link - the probability of a banker win assuming no tie is _________.50678849
https://wizardofodds.com/gambling/house-edge/
https://wizardofodds.com/ask-the-wizard/baccarat/#:~:text=The%20probability%20of%20the%20banker%20having%20a%20winning%206%20is,on%20the%20player%20is%2018.68%25.
.
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printf is a little weird.
The "%.2f" gets replaced with the value of "house_edge" (f for floating point, .2 for two digits after the decimal point), the "%%" gets replaced with a single percent symbol, and "\n" gets replaced with whatever is needed to start a new line.
The way printf (and friends) work and the differences between "=" and "==" seem to be why a lot of people ditch C for something friendlier or invent novel profanities.
"double" tells the compiler to store the value after = into "banker_win_prob" as a double precision floating point number (rather than a quadruple length integer or some other format).
The calculations seem to be done as 1-(prob).
May the cards fall in your favor.
May 4th, 2023 at 3:33:45 AM
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Quote: DieterQuote: lilredroosterQuote: teliotAI (bard.google.com) now does expert casino game mathematics. Just look!
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I don't get it
per the wiz - see link - the house edge on the bank is 1.06% and 1.24% on the player
bard says "the house edge in baccarat is %.2f%%.\in"____________I don't know what that means
I also don't know what a a "double banker_win prob = 0.4826" means - and why would a double player win_prob (.4932) be greater than that of the banker since the banker wins more often
according to the wiz - 2nd link - the probability of a banker win assuming no tie is _________.50678849
https://wizardofodds.com/gambling/house-edge/
https://wizardofodds.com/ask-the-wizard/baccarat/#:~:text=The%20probability%20of%20the%20banker%20having%20a%20winning%206%20is,on%20the%20player%20is%2018.68%25.
.
link to original post
printf is a little weird.
The "%.2f" gets replaced with the value of "house_edge" (f for floating point, .2 for two digits after the decimal point), the "%%" gets replaced with a single percent symbol, and "\n" gets replaced with whatever is needed to start a new line.
The way printf (and friends) work and the differences between "=" and "==" seem to be why a lot of people ditch C for something friendlier or invent novel profanities.
"double" tells the compiler to store the value after = into "banker_win_prob" as a double precision floating point number (rather than a quadruple length integer or some other format).
The calculations seem to be done as 1-(prob).
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okay, but why would a double player win probability be greater than a double banker win probability_________?
since the Banker wins more often__________thanks
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the foolish sayings of a rich man often pass for words of wisdom by the fools around him
May 4th, 2023 at 4:40:55 AM
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Here is the answer provided by ChatGPT
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
float player_bet, banker_bet, tie_bet, player_prob, banker_prob, tie_prob, house_edge;
// Get user input for bets
printf("Enter the amount bet on the player: $");
scanf("%f", &player_bet);
printf("Enter the amount bet on the banker: $");
scanf("%f", &banker_bet);
printf("Enter the amount bet on a tie: $");
scanf("%f", &tie_bet);
// Calculate probabilities
player_prob = 0.4462;
banker_prob = 0.4586;
tie_prob = 0.0952;
// Calculate house edge
house_edge = (player_prob * (player_bet * 0.95)) + (banker_prob * (banker_bet * 0.95)) + (tie_prob * (tie_bet * 8));
house_edge = (house_edge - (player_bet + banker_bet + tie_bet)) / (player_bet + banker_bet + tie_bet);
// Print the house edge
printf("The house edge is %.2f%%\n", house_edge * 100);
return 0;
}
#include <stdio.h>
int main() {
float player_bet, banker_bet, tie_bet, player_prob, banker_prob, tie_prob, house_edge;
// Get user input for bets
printf("Enter the amount bet on the player: $");
scanf("%f", &player_bet);
printf("Enter the amount bet on the banker: $");
scanf("%f", &banker_bet);
printf("Enter the amount bet on a tie: $");
scanf("%f", &tie_bet);
// Calculate probabilities
player_prob = 0.4462;
banker_prob = 0.4586;
tie_prob = 0.0952;
// Calculate house edge
house_edge = (player_prob * (player_bet * 0.95)) + (banker_prob * (banker_bet * 0.95)) + (tie_prob * (tie_bet * 8));
house_edge = (house_edge - (player_bet + banker_bet + tie_bet)) / (player_bet + banker_bet + tie_bet);
// Print the house edge
printf("The house edge is %.2f%%\n", house_edge * 100);
return 0;
}
At my age, a "Life In Prison" sentence is not much of a deterrent.
May 4th, 2023 at 4:41:11 AM
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Well, I know that they do advise using the code with caution.
Also 1-banker_win_prob > 1-player_win_prob.
Also 1-banker_win_prob > 1-player_win_prob.
May the cards fall in your favor.
May 4th, 2023 at 5:32:31 AM
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I just asked Google Bard (I have just been allowed access) the same question as teliot and got a completely different answer
this one:
this time, unlike in teliot's post, the "double banker win probability" is greater than the "double player win probability"
.
I just asked Google Bard (I have just been allowed access) the same question as teliot and got a completely different answer
this one:
this time, unlike in teliot's post, the "double banker win probability" is greater than the "double player win probability"
.
the foolish sayings of a rich man often pass for words of wisdom by the fools around him
May 4th, 2023 at 5:45:42 AM
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In this context, "double" does not mean "multiply by 2".
(I could be making a bad inference here. I intend no offense.)
(I could be making a bad inference here. I intend no offense.)
May the cards fall in your favor.
May 4th, 2023 at 5:47:29 AM
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After watching it play a few games of chess, it became apparent the AI cares more about winning dishonestly than about
losing.
I don't trust a man, dog or computer who cheats in chess.
losing.
I don't trust a man, dog or computer who cheats in chess.
The older I get, the better I recall things that never happened
May 5th, 2023 at 4:27:30 AM
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By the way, this program outputs:Quote: teliotAI (bard.google.com) now does expert casino game mathematics. Just look!
link to original post
>The house edge in baccarat is 0.00%.
I thought this would be a joke among the programmers here who know C.
Climate Casino: https://climatecasino.net/climate-casino/
May 5th, 2023 at 4:50:15 AM
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Quote: teliotBy the way, this program outputs:Quote: teliotAI (bard.google.com) now does expert casino game mathematics. Just look!
link to original post
>The house edge in baccarat is 0.00%.
I thought this would be a joke among the programmers here who know C.
link to original post
I just saw it as commentary on the fine state of AI generated code. ;)
May the cards fall in your favor.
May 5th, 2023 at 5:41:19 AM
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Happy cinco de Mayo. I’m going to a retirement cocktail hour/happy hour type event. Other than my own, the last bunch of these have been people retiring from the job with the state pension, but they really aren’t retiring; they get 4 day a week jobs in the private sector. They all are making more ‘retired’ than when they were ‘working’.
Finally weather good enough for golf. Basketball and Pickleball will have to wait for a rainy day….
Finally weather good enough for golf. Basketball and Pickleball will have to wait for a rainy day….
May 5th, 2023 at 6:42:13 AM
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Quote: Dieter
I just saw it as commentary on the fine state of AI generated code. ;)
I ran the question again on Bard and got a similar completely wrong answer
then, I was able to submit feedback to Google about the issue
I doubt they will respond - but if they do I will post their response
I'm very surprised because I've always thought Google was great - and have trusted them - much more than any other tech giant
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the foolish sayings of a rich man often pass for words of wisdom by the fools around him
May 5th, 2023 at 6:55:25 AM
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Quote: lilredroosterQuote: Dieter
I just saw it as commentary on the fine state of AI generated code. ;)
I ran the question again on Bard and got a similar completely wrong answer
then, I was able to submit feedback to Google about the issue
I doubt they will respond - but if they do I will post their response
I'm very surprised because I've always thought Google was great - and have trusted them - much more than any other tech giant
.
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WAS great. What made them initially relevant, the search engine, is now well below average for search engines, but they’re entrenched as most used. Actual relevant results are pushed down the page in favor of (often scammy) paid advertising.
You will never hear me trash talk about that company like I would Apple though, zero moral compass whatsoever, truly malicious corporate citizen, taken methods of psychological manipulation across lines never before seen in business.
May 5th, 2023 at 6:55:41 AM
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Under normal circumstances, Highway 80 from Douglas to Lordsburg, NM is a very lonely stretch of about 120 miles that you can do in around 90 minutes. It seemed like the perfect fit to get some sea legs the first time I transported a fifth wheel.
Unknown to me, a fire shut down I-10 at the New Mexico State line, diverting all the traffic onto Highway 80.
I got to the intersection of 80 and my road only to see a literal wall of traffic in each direction. What I figured would be a pleasant five-hour drive to Albuquerque turned into an eight-hour slog.
After a nap and a shower, I headed out at 10 PM to get something to eat, only to discover almost everything in town closes no later than Ten.. I went into a bar that someone recommended to find that while they stay open to midnite, they close their kitchen at 10 PM.
They also had a no cash after 9 PM rule. I've never seen a bar that didn't take cash, but I guess it is a way to cut down on theft.
I had this fantasy about Albuquerque, which is why I got here a day early for Cinco De Mayo but so far it's been disappointing.
Even the longest journey starts with the first step, but it would have been nice not to have the first step be in a pile of horse manure.
Overall, it wasn't a bad day, driving a big rig, but I had to give a lot of the credit to my friend's pickup. It's a year old and cost her 70K plus. Way more money than I want to spend to move my trailer a couple of times a year. I'd be better off buying three trailers and leaving them in place. One in Northern Nevada, one in Southern Arizona, and may a third in the Poconos. It seems cheaper than buying an expensive truck and moving one trailer every new season.
Albuquerque seems to have more pot dispensaries than any city I've been in. Many have flashy exterior displays, and it seems almost every one of them boasts of having the best price in town.
Unknown to me, a fire shut down I-10 at the New Mexico State line, diverting all the traffic onto Highway 80.
I got to the intersection of 80 and my road only to see a literal wall of traffic in each direction. What I figured would be a pleasant five-hour drive to Albuquerque turned into an eight-hour slog.
After a nap and a shower, I headed out at 10 PM to get something to eat, only to discover almost everything in town closes no later than Ten.. I went into a bar that someone recommended to find that while they stay open to midnite, they close their kitchen at 10 PM.
They also had a no cash after 9 PM rule. I've never seen a bar that didn't take cash, but I guess it is a way to cut down on theft.
I had this fantasy about Albuquerque, which is why I got here a day early for Cinco De Mayo but so far it's been disappointing.
Even the longest journey starts with the first step, but it would have been nice not to have the first step be in a pile of horse manure.
Overall, it wasn't a bad day, driving a big rig, but I had to give a lot of the credit to my friend's pickup. It's a year old and cost her 70K plus. Way more money than I want to spend to move my trailer a couple of times a year. I'd be better off buying three trailers and leaving them in place. One in Northern Nevada, one in Southern Arizona, and may a third in the Poconos. It seems cheaper than buying an expensive truck and moving one trailer every new season.
Albuquerque seems to have more pot dispensaries than any city I've been in. Many have flashy exterior displays, and it seems almost every one of them boasts of having the best price in town.
The older I get, the better I recall things that never happened
May 5th, 2023 at 6:52:17 PM
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When I checked into my room yesterday, I noticed an ant in the shower, and later I saw another one on the floor in the bathroom. I mentioned it to the maid, and she said she'd return and spray the bathroom.
I go out for a few hours and come back for a late afternoon nap, shower and change of clothes when I see an ant on my bed. Then another, and another. I move one of the pillows, and a half dozen seem to be feeding.
I had to move my things to another room on a different floor. They offered me the room next door, but I figured ants don't respect boundaries.
I can't recall ever having to switch rooms in a hotel. Would you accept the new room and let it go or make an issue of it?
It's a Quality Hotel, part of the Choice line and I'm two nights away from reaching Diamond status. That probably doesn't matter to this hotel, but it might to whoever fields my complaint at the Choice HQ.
I go out for a few hours and come back for a late afternoon nap, shower and change of clothes when I see an ant on my bed. Then another, and another. I move one of the pillows, and a half dozen seem to be feeding.
I had to move my things to another room on a different floor. They offered me the room next door, but I figured ants don't respect boundaries.
I can't recall ever having to switch rooms in a hotel. Would you accept the new room and let it go or make an issue of it?
It's a Quality Hotel, part of the Choice line and I'm two nights away from reaching Diamond status. That probably doesn't matter to this hotel, but it might to whoever fields my complaint at the Choice HQ.
The older I get, the better I recall things that never happened
May 6th, 2023 at 1:48:02 AM
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700 year old Coronation Chair will be used in the Coronation of King Charles
it was first used in the Coronation of King Edward II in 1308
it was last used to Coronate Queen Elizabeth in 1953
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700 year old Coronation Chair will be used in the Coronation of King Charles
it was first used in the Coronation of King Edward II in 1308
it was last used to Coronate Queen Elizabeth in 1953
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the foolish sayings of a rich man often pass for words of wisdom by the fools around him
May 6th, 2023 at 8:03:34 AM
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Tiny little ants sometimes swarm my apartment and it takes immediate reaction with the Raid spray and wet paper towels to douse the invasion. They just show up unannounced. If I was on vacation away from home, it could get really ugly and require an exterminator or an eviction. It only happens once or twice a year if at all, but I left a big box of Rice Krispies Treats on the floor in my kitchen, and they were all over it within a day. It's like they live in the woodwork and only come out for snacks. There'd be like a piece of dirt on my kitchen floor, well, no, it's the swarm of ants, OMG!
May 7th, 2023 at 1:18:23 AM
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The King and Queen England
it was the 39th Coronation Ceremony
the first was William the Conqueror on December 25, 1066 - almost 1,000 years ago
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The King and Queen England
it was the 39th Coronation Ceremony
the first was William the Conqueror on December 25, 1066 - almost 1,000 years ago
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Last edited by: lilredrooster on May 7, 2023
the foolish sayings of a rich man often pass for words of wisdom by the fools around him
May 7th, 2023 at 3:24:56 PM
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Quote: lilredrooster.
The King and Queen England
it was the 39th Coronation Ceremony
the first was William the Conqueror on December 25, 1066 - almost 1,000 years ago
.
link to original post
sort of depends on when you want to start the clock ticking
I pick Alfred
Alfred the Great
c. 886
the next time Dame Fortune toys with your heart, your soul and your wallet, raise your glass and praise her thus: “Thanks for nothing, you cold-hearted, evil, damnable, nefarious, low-life, malicious monster from Hell!” She is, after all, stone deaf. ... Arnold Snyder
May 7th, 2023 at 8:56:13 PM
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Quote: odiousgambitQuote: lilredrooster.
The King and Queen England
it was the 39th Coronation Ceremony
the first was William the Conqueror on December 25, 1066 - almost 1,000 years ago
.
link to original post
sort of depends on when you want to start the clock ticking
I pick Alfred
Alfred the Great
c. 886
link to original post
I go with The Pendragon.
The older I get, the better I recall things that never happened
May 8th, 2023 at 4:48:16 AM
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Stumbled across this amusing morsel.
May the cards fall in your favor.
May 8th, 2023 at 7:33:38 AM
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Quote: Dieter
Stumbled across this amusing morsel.
link to original post
We have different standards for being amused.
The older I get, the better I recall things that never happened
May 8th, 2023 at 12:00:50 PM
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Quote: billryanQuote: Dieter
Stumbled across this amusing morsel.
link to original post
We have different standards for being amused.
link to original post
Surely. Vive la difference.
May the cards fall in your favor.
May 8th, 2023 at 12:45:37 PM
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Why did Texas hire and put so much money into the hands of crackheads to design the DFW and both Houston airports?
May 8th, 2023 at 4:52:04 PM
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Quote: mcallister3200Why did Texas hire and put so much money into the hands of crackheads to design the DFW and both Houston airports?
link to original post
My wife despises going through DFW. Once I learned how to identify where the skylink tram is it doesn't bother me. Seems pretty simple to navigate.
At my age, a "Life In Prison" sentence is not much of a deterrent.
May 8th, 2023 at 8:53:20 PM
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I found myself on Buford Pusser Highway today and sought out his museum. He was a hero of mine. It's about ten miles from Shiloh and pretty much in the middle of nowhere. A bit more than 100 miles from Memphis and right on the Mississippi state line. An hour from the Interstate. Buford would be glad to know there doesn't seem to be a honky-tonk left in Harden or McNair counties.
Where Gettysburg has embraced its place in history, and most business in town revolves around battle tourism, this area seems to ignore the battle. Where Gettysburg has dozens of tours daily, from private to bus tours, Shiloh has none. Nearby Corinth has a reputation as being very haunted, yet there is not a single ghost tour.
Five days into my tour, I'm encountering a very ugly fact. From Albuquerque to Tucumcari to Amarillo and now in Hardin, business after business has shut down. Driving around Amarillo, there must have been close to a hundred empty storefronts that looked to be recently occupied. A bookstore I wanted to visit, which has been in business since the 1970s, was closed, mostly vacant, but a sign in the window thanked everyone for their support. In Corinth, a hotel/tavern first opened as a Wells Fargo stagecoach stop closed a few months ago.
My car is filthy after the journey and while gassing up, I asked the guy at the next pump if there was a car wash nearby.
He gave me a strange look and said around here, men wash their own cars.
Where Gettysburg has embraced its place in history, and most business in town revolves around battle tourism, this area seems to ignore the battle. Where Gettysburg has dozens of tours daily, from private to bus tours, Shiloh has none. Nearby Corinth has a reputation as being very haunted, yet there is not a single ghost tour.
Five days into my tour, I'm encountering a very ugly fact. From Albuquerque to Tucumcari to Amarillo and now in Hardin, business after business has shut down. Driving around Amarillo, there must have been close to a hundred empty storefronts that looked to be recently occupied. A bookstore I wanted to visit, which has been in business since the 1970s, was closed, mostly vacant, but a sign in the window thanked everyone for their support. In Corinth, a hotel/tavern first opened as a Wells Fargo stagecoach stop closed a few months ago.
My car is filthy after the journey and while gassing up, I asked the guy at the next pump if there was a car wash nearby.
He gave me a strange look and said around here, men wash their own cars.
The older I get, the better I recall things that never happened
May 9th, 2023 at 10:32:14 PM
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US Route 72 starts in Memphis, Tennessee, and ends in Chattanooga, Tennessee. However, a very strange thing happens as you head east out of Memphis.
Although you start and end in Tennessee, along the way, you travel thru Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. I don't know any other highway that does this.
It's stunning in spots and full of surprises. Driving through Huntsville, the cityscape is dominated by huge missiles and rockets, something no other city offers.
Muscle Shoals is spectacular., and the approach to Chattanooga is simply amazing. I'd originally planned on passing through, but I am going to stick around here for a few days.
Although you start and end in Tennessee, along the way, you travel thru Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. I don't know any other highway that does this.
It's stunning in spots and full of surprises. Driving through Huntsville, the cityscape is dominated by huge missiles and rockets, something no other city offers.
Muscle Shoals is spectacular., and the approach to Chattanooga is simply amazing. I'd originally planned on passing through, but I am going to stick around here for a few days.
The older I get, the better I recall things that never happened
May 10th, 2023 at 2:24:09 AM
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Huntsville is kind of a surprise, a history of misslie development there going back to WW2 I think ... but NASA is there too now ... just sort of unexpected, outside of there you don't seem to hear about it. When you drive by on the highway you see the Army missiles displayed as I remember, this seems familiar:Quote: billryanUS Route 72 starts in Memphis, Tennessee, and ends in Chattanooga, Tennessee. However, a very strange thing happens as you head east out of Memphis.
Although you start and end in Tennessee, along the way, you travel thru Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. I don't know any other highway that does this.
It's stunning in spots and full of surprises. Driving through Huntsville, the cityscape is dominated by huge missiles and rockets, something no other city offers.
Muscle Shoals is spectacular., and the approach to Chattanooga is simply amazing. I'd originally planned on passing through, but I am going to stick around here for a few days.
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the next time Dame Fortune toys with your heart, your soul and your wallet, raise your glass and praise her thus: “Thanks for nothing, you cold-hearted, evil, damnable, nefarious, low-life, malicious monster from Hell!” She is, after all, stone deaf. ... Arnold Snyder
May 10th, 2023 at 3:26:11 AM
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(re: weird highway routes)
Interstate 24 between Jasper and Chattanooga takes a minor dip across the state line where the time zone changes.
Interstate 275 around Cincinnati takes an excursion into Indiana. (I believe it passes a casino and a distillery.)
Neither of these is as dramatic as the US 72 routing.
I remember there were a few gas station/gift shop/restaurant hybrids across northern Mississippi. I don't remember what I ate (possibly barbecue?), but the biscuits were good.
I keep getting reminded about the tow truck museum in Chattanooga, but I haven't had time to visit on any of my trips through the area.
I also haven't had time to visit the Lodge store in South Pittsburg. For those interested in cast iron cookware, that seems to be a pilgrimage stop - even the purists who prefer antique Griswold (or Wagner) often make the road trip. (Airline carry-on restrictions are at odds with the stated purpose of shopping for a quarter ton of cookware, so it is always a road trip.)
Interstate 24 between Jasper and Chattanooga takes a minor dip across the state line where the time zone changes.
Interstate 275 around Cincinnati takes an excursion into Indiana. (I believe it passes a casino and a distillery.)
Neither of these is as dramatic as the US 72 routing.
I remember there were a few gas station/gift shop/restaurant hybrids across northern Mississippi. I don't remember what I ate (possibly barbecue?), but the biscuits were good.
I keep getting reminded about the tow truck museum in Chattanooga, but I haven't had time to visit on any of my trips through the area.
I also haven't had time to visit the Lodge store in South Pittsburg. For those interested in cast iron cookware, that seems to be a pilgrimage stop - even the purists who prefer antique Griswold (or Wagner) often make the road trip. (Airline carry-on restrictions are at odds with the stated purpose of shopping for a quarter ton of cookware, so it is always a road trip.)
May the cards fall in your favor.
May 10th, 2023 at 5:25:19 AM
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Quote: billryanUS Route 72 starts in Memphis, Tennessee, and ends in Chattanooga, Tennessee. However, a very strange thing happens as you head east out of Memphis.
Although you start and end in Tennessee, along the way, you travel thru Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia. I don't know any other highway that does this.
It's stunning in spots and full of surprises. Driving through Huntsville, the cityscape is dominated by huge missiles and rockets, something no other city offers.
Muscle Shoals is spectacular., and the approach to Chattanooga is simply amazing. I'd originally planned on passing through, but I am going to stick around here for a few days.
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The aquarium there is a must visit, but their zoo is awful.
tuttigym
May 10th, 2023 at 8:08:33 AM
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Quote: odiousgambitHuntsville is kind of a surprise, a history of misslie development there going back to WW2 I think ... but NASA is there too now ... just sort of unexpected, outside of there you don't seem to hear about it. When you drive by on the highway you see the Army missiles displayed as I remember, this seems familiar:
link to original post
I was surprised to learn that the original Mercury and Gemini rockets (Atlas and Titan, respectively) were originally designed as nuclear ICBM's. As the guide at Kennedy Space Center put it, "They removed the nuclear warhead, which pleased the astronauts, and replaced it with a capsule."
"Dealer has 'rock'... Pay 'paper!'"
May 10th, 2023 at 11:28:09 AM
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The Lost Sea (Adventure) in Sweetwater Tenn, about 60 miles north of Chattanooga, is outstanding. You walk down into a huge cavern, and take boats out onto an underground lake.
The Lost Sea
I also agree with tuttigym that the Chattanooga Aquarium is great. Of course, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg -next to the Great Smoky Mountains NP, are the major vacation spot for a large surrounding region.
I live in Knoxville, this area is sort of like my backyard.
The Lost Sea
I also agree with tuttigym that the Chattanooga Aquarium is great. Of course, Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg -next to the Great Smoky Mountains NP, are the major vacation spot for a large surrounding region.
I live in Knoxville, this area is sort of like my backyard.
So many better men, a few of them friends, are dead. And a thousand thousand slimy things live on, and so do I.
May 10th, 2023 at 5:28:24 PM
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Quote: gordonm888
I live in Knoxville, this area is sort of like my backyard.
I like Knoxville. I think that is a city I could live in. My first visit was for the World's Fair and then I was back a few times as my sister went to the university there.
At my age, a "Life In Prison" sentence is not much of a deterrent.
May 10th, 2023 at 6:33:53 PM
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I spent a night in Knoxville in 91. It was early fall and while the trees had turned in NY and Pa, they were still green in the south.
My friends and I went to a charity concert where all the performers got completely trashed before getting on stage, which resulted in a long ugly. The singer from the Outlaws was supposed to headline the show but he spent most of his set letting us know how fcked up he was and trashing the fat girls in the crowd.
for those not familiar with the Chattanooga area, it is simply gorgeous. Well worth visiting. spent today on the Battlefield at Chickamauga. While not as well preserved as Shiloh, which is understandable as this battle took place in a fairly developed area, there are many more monuments and statues here. As this battle was just about the Confederacy's only victory in the West, I guess it ranked higher when the Southern states were paying for their monuments. While the National Army lost at Chickamagua and, as a result, was besieged in Chattanooga, reinforcements soon arrived and a few months later, they attacked and destroyed the Confederate Army in Tennessee, opening the door for Sherman's March to the Sea.
I have a friend who moved to Cooksville a few years ago, and I'm trying to pin down a lunch with him. If not, I might head to Atlanta.
I'm currently working on a promotion where I'm getting BOGOs on my hotels, getting 15% cash back and 10X Choice points, plus an additional 3% back and if I spend $3,000 in the next nintey days, I get both $1,000 cash back, seven more free nights and will reach Diamond status.
BTW- I had my first Hunt Brothers pizza today. It's a chain that is sold mostly in gas stations and the like. For one price, you can get unlimited toppings( except cheese). It was pretty good. Better than Lil Caesars, Papa John's, and that ilk. Hunt Brothers is sold in some 8,000 places.
My friends and I went to a charity concert where all the performers got completely trashed before getting on stage, which resulted in a long ugly. The singer from the Outlaws was supposed to headline the show but he spent most of his set letting us know how fcked up he was and trashing the fat girls in the crowd.
for those not familiar with the Chattanooga area, it is simply gorgeous. Well worth visiting. spent today on the Battlefield at Chickamauga. While not as well preserved as Shiloh, which is understandable as this battle took place in a fairly developed area, there are many more monuments and statues here. As this battle was just about the Confederacy's only victory in the West, I guess it ranked higher when the Southern states were paying for their monuments. While the National Army lost at Chickamagua and, as a result, was besieged in Chattanooga, reinforcements soon arrived and a few months later, they attacked and destroyed the Confederate Army in Tennessee, opening the door for Sherman's March to the Sea.
I have a friend who moved to Cooksville a few years ago, and I'm trying to pin down a lunch with him. If not, I might head to Atlanta.
I'm currently working on a promotion where I'm getting BOGOs on my hotels, getting 15% cash back and 10X Choice points, plus an additional 3% back and if I spend $3,000 in the next nintey days, I get both $1,000 cash back, seven more free nights and will reach Diamond status.
BTW- I had my first Hunt Brothers pizza today. It's a chain that is sold mostly in gas stations and the like. For one price, you can get unlimited toppings( except cheese). It was pretty good. Better than Lil Caesars, Papa John's, and that ilk. Hunt Brothers is sold in some 8,000 places.
The older I get, the better I recall things that never happened
