Miscellaneous Discussion Thread
To be fair, my wife and I used to travel around the country to go to the best haunted houses. We have been to most of the big popular ones. Maybe we are pseudo thrill seekers.
Quote: Face(you-tube link)
OK, Face, have to respect your opinion. But why not start with what has to be the most offensive before getting to the moderately dubious? The image, fans, and the organization in DC are actually respectful; I'll grant the name thing.
Other fans/organizations are much worse. The chanting as at Florida State and Atlanta Braves is the worst.
Which of the below is more offensive?
Yeah, but look at the character! You stayed at your post and even when lying in the ditch to be safer from the tornado you at least were looking up at the storm with curiosity rather than looking away from it in fear.Quote: beachbumbabsMaybe about average, maybe more than average for 5+ decades. Most of that was exhilarating, but not fun.
The "Washington" part of Washington Redskins :-)Quote: odiousgambitOK, Face, have to respect your opinion. But why not start with what has to be the most offensive before getting to the moderately dubious? The image, fans, and the organization in DC are actually respectful; I'll grant the name thing.
Other fans/organizations are much worse. The chanting as at Florida State and Atlanta Braves is the worst.
Which of the below is more offensive?
Quote: odiousgambitOK, Face, have to respect your opinion. But why not start with what has to be the most offensive before getting to the moderately dubious? The image, fans, and the organization in DC are actually respectful; I'll grant the name thing.
Other fans/organizations are much worse. The chanting as at Florida State and Atlanta Braves is the worst.
Which of the below is more offensive?
Sorry, OG (and everyone). I had a moment where I had a big, wooden spoon, and I had to stir something. This is the pot I chose ;)
That link I supplied is actually a commercial to be aired during the NBA finals. It's going round and round the native community, and I liked the commercial. As most should know from previous conversations, I'm not on the side of demanding a name change. But I can't help but bring to light the hurt that it absolutely causes.
Some might pipe in here and say that most of the names, logos, and actions, such as the "Tomahawk Chop", are endorsed by the tribes involved. And they are right, they are. But like any form of government, the opinions of the body don't always reflect those of the people.
A local native youth tackled this subject as a project for his college studies. He interview local natives and asked their opinion of the Redskins, specifically. Of course, as expected and as I know, there were many who are very upset at the continuation of its use. Chink, nigger, kike, these are terms most won't dare utter even in the context I just have, yet when it comes to natives, we'll toss the same term out in conversation, on National TV, hell, we'll even print it on a shirt, sell it for $80, and parade it around town. That is messed up.
But there were others who were not only not bothered, but appreciated its use. The thinking behind it was that natives and the native population are largely forgotten. The people, the culture, the way of life, these are things that non natives are largely ignorant of unless they live juxtaposed to a reservation. By having these names of these sports teams, it keep natives relevant. It makes people aware. It gives exposure to the people who have largely been ignored and forgotten. I can't say I've ever thought about it that way. I can't say I totally agree, as there are other ways to shine a light on a people besides using hateful slurs, but I can understand it and appreciate the viewpoint.
As to which is more offensive, I guess it depends who you ask. Usually the ones who are offended at, say, the name "Redskins" are also offended at the Chop, the chants, and everything else. Personally, as I've said before, I'm not offended by any, at least not to the point I'd do something about it. If you start chopping during the 7th inning stretch, I'll totally be more offended that you actually watch baseball than that you're doing the Chop. Do it at me to mock me, or actually call me a redskin, that's when I'd have a problem. Context is everything for what I'd personally take offense to.
This wasn't a pro-change-the-name post. I just saw the commercial and wanted to post it.
Quote: beachbumbabsSo, ok. Just for fun, I have been through the following (feel free to skip this; I'm just listing these for the hell of it, per GWAE):
1. I have flown through the top of a tornado in the cockpit of an American Airlines jet while it was in the process of killing ~25 people in Louisiana/Mississippi. That was an amazing ride, with a cowboy captain and a freaked out co-pilot. Oops. A few people in the back got hurt. November 1992, I think. Might have the year wrong (edit; I did. corrected). RIP to those who suffered below.
2. I have had a tornado skip over the top of me while lying in a ditch, in Iowa. Looked straight up into it. around summer 1974.
3. I have been in an earthquake that shook the tower, rolled me across the room on a wheeled chair, and dropped a heavy BRITE scope from the ceiling onto the console, along with ceiling panels. Can't remember the Richter; around 5, so not like Northridge or another big one. 1992?
4. I have flown through St. Elmo's fire (ring of lightning that crawls up all sides of the airplane) several times.
5. I have lived within 20 miles of an active volcano in Kona, HI, 2011, and was unknowingly breathing the ash cloud for months during the night. (It rises and falls with the ambient air temperature; I was at 1100' elevation with no air conditioning.) The MOMENT I left the island (as in breathing the airplane air), I began coughing up black ash and it took 3 days of continuous coughing to get the black out of my mouth and off my tongue. Apparently my lungs appreciated the different air, because that wasn't happening before I departed. Probably the most personally alarming of all of these.
6. I have had a waterspout pass within 100 feet of me while working traffic and unable to leave. Kona again. 2010, I think. Extremely rare there.
7. I have been in a 2 person airplane where the landing gear collapsed. Technically a crash, but while the aircraft was damaged, we were unhurt. 1986.
8. I have been in more hurricanes than I care to remember, especially in 2004, but probably about 20 lifetime. Storm surge came within 1 inch of flooding my house during Charlie, did put my garage and pool underwater; I was out in it all night clearing storm drains. The eye passed directly over my house; we went outside and looked at everything - just minor damage. Some co-workers lost roofs; my 2nd level supe's house split in half vertically and was destroyed. 1 week without electricity/phones; 2 weeks before the floodwater fully receded.
9. I worked for 2 weeks in the middle of a forest fire (the fire tower as temporary duty) that ultimately burned 1/2 of Florida in 1998, and several months within three - five miles of it, same circumstances. Had to drive through the fire each way to work TDY, finding passable/open routes.
10. I was on duty for the tsunami of 2011 in Hawaii, with the runway next to the ocean. They thought it would be 6 feet, wiping out the airport; it was 4 inches. No effect; some waves at high tide breached the shore and drained away.
Maybe about average, maybe more than average for 5+ decades. Most of that was exhilarating, but not fun.
Babs is no longer invited to visit here.....
My remark was only about a certain person's evaluation as a gambler, no more and no less That's it. Mike's House Mike's Rules. I was WRONG !
This is just a question? Or rather an observation and not aimed at the person who posted it or anyone who reads this .
" Which of the below is more offensive? "
Is that sorta like saying Hey, I only called you a coo* and not a n****r ?
Maybe I am to F******* old to be political correct I guess. Maybe I oughta just run and hide like Bob did !!!!
Nonetheless, the hotel was evacuated and we were relegated to the convention centre (separate building, 50 - 60 MSL) where we treated to a free breakfast. My wife and I decided to avoid all of the mayhem and walked up to the mall, grabbed a bottle of wine, and tried to sleep in the car just up the street -- though we were awakened every 1/2 hour by the emergency sirens. I have video of the wave -- it was an 18 inch surge.
It was a good emergency exercise for most.
Other than that, haven't seen a tornado, haven't been an air crash, and haven't been in a major earthquake, hurricane, or forest fire.
Quote: MrVActing on my son's repeated recommendations, I finally watched "Lone Survivor."
An OUTSTANDING movie.
We saw it, pretty good war flick. I could have used a bit more involvement with the characters, but all in all it was very harrowing.
It was really cool that this tree fell in the right place:
Speaking of a tree falling. I had a tree fall onto my car and house 2 years ago. I was in the kitchen and it fell right on top of the kitchen. It was really weird/neat because I heard a loud noise of it falling and then all of a sudden everything got really dark as it covered the windows. I thought the grim reaper was coming for me.
Quote: GWAEGlad there was no major damage. Did you go out and at least look at it?
It was night. It really did sound like a freight train, but in every direction. We were watching TV, but not live, so we didn't know it was coming. The windows started rattling, like they were going to break (they didn't), and we all went to the basement.
As soon as it passed, it was calm, and then about 30 seconds later sirens started going off all around. Outside it was pitch black, no lights anywhere. We went out to look, but all we could see was the downed tree, and the downed trees across the street, and there were shingles and bricks and debris everywhere.
During the day the temperature had risen to almost 70*; after the storm passed through it had dropped to about 40*, and during the night into the 20s. We have electric heat... it was cold. The electricity (& heat) was off from Friday around 6:30PM until Sunday around 2PM, with night temps in the 20s and day temps in the low 30s; the winds had tossed a truck onto a transformer station. Damn, that was cold. I'll never be an adventurer. The girls went over to the inlaws to get showered and stay warm, I stuck around. When the power came back, I waited an hour, then took a nice long hot shower, it felt great.
First thing I did the morning after the storm was call State Farm, and I do have to say: I had a claim started that day (Saturday) with a preliminary amount, a crew came out and did an estimate Sunday, and Monday morning at 7:30 they were starting work on repairing it.
Quote:Other than that, haven't seen a tornado, haven't been an air crash, and haven't been in a major earthquake, hurricane, or forest fire.
Forest fire related tale:
One summer day we motored up the Columbia gorge to watch a forest fire which was burning near Multnomah Falls.
On the way home, I got pulled over for speeding.
The cop asked me "Do you know how fast you were going?"
Before I could answer, my son (about 10 at the time) piped up "He was doing 75."
otherwise this stuff seems to avoid me.
But, the 2011 5.8 strength VA earthquake was moderately scary for me. I was in a building when we realized the initial odd vibration was a quake; then not only did it keep going on, but it just kept getting stronger. Finally after at approx a couple of minutes it got so strong I felt strongly that if it got any stronger, things would start falling from the ceiling. We ran to an inner wall, but then it stopped. They say to get under a desk or whatever and I realize now that would have been the better move.
PS: my wife had it worse [apparently]; at home, the townhouse started groaning from swaying and that freaked her out pretty bad.
Because it came up from behind the experience was surreal because I had no idea at first what was going on. Poltergeist? Telekinesis? The wind just starts from zero to super gusts.
It was 30 or 40 feet, in height, not small at all.
Quote: rudeboyoiHow is braves an offensive term? That's like saying vikings is an offensive term.
There are no such things as offensive terms. Terms lack the context required to be offensive.
Of course there will always be some number of people who choose to get offended by just about anything, but that does not make it offensive.
And, yes, getting offended is a choice. I am completely unoffendable, by choice. You say something stupid, and I am supposed to be upset? That makes no sense. If you say something stupid, you should be upset, not me.
Quote: BuzzardGot a PM Monday from EvenBob telling me to hurry back and insult someone. I am walking on eggs shells after my latest suspension.
My remark was only about a certain person's evaluation as a gambler, no more and no less That's it. Mike's House Mike's Rules. I was WRONG !!
Did Buzz just reveal the contents of a Private Message? ;)
Quote: thecesspitDid Buzz just reveal the contents of a Private Message? ;)
Yup. Except you should never believe anything Buzz says. Buzz has said that many times. So then he didn't. Unless you never believe Buzz, which means you shouldn't never believe him.
Knowing Buzz is like living on the Mobius highway.
Quote: beachbumbabsYup. Except you should never believe anything Buzz says. Buzz has said that many times. So then he didn't. Unless you never believe Buzz, which means you shouldn't never believe him.
Knowing Buzz is like living on the Mobius highway.
mind.......blown
Quote: beachbumbabsYup. Except you should never believe anything Buzz says. Buzz has said that many times. So then he didn't. Unless you never believe Buzz, which means you shouldn't never believe him.
Quote: onenickelmiracleIf I won the lottery I always thought about just creating a nonprofit and donating the ticket to it. This way you get more bang for the buck and won't be killed for your money taking a small salary from the charity.
or a very very large salary. No one has to know.
Why does fat taste so good. Damn the person who decided that we should make bacon
I had to take a 3 hr train ride. Directly in front of me a guy was blasting his phone. Not wanting to be a nark, I asked him to turn it down a bit. A bit he did, a whopping 20%. Not more then 15 minutes later a different black gentleman started doing the same thing, he was watching You Tube videos of gang fighting/backyard fighting or something.
Even more disrespectful, there were 2 young kids who could hear all of this. The usual rap lyrics, "N this, N that, F this, F that". Luckily one guy fell asleep and the other guys phone charge seemed to go dead.
This is not the only time I have ran into this type of thing.
I would like to add, I'm not some old fart and I can even appreciate some old school rap. I just think its common decency not to blast your phone in certain places.
I am getting so freaking annoyed by what managers are doing with starting pitchers. You get a starting pitcher go 7 scoreless innings with 80 pitches and the manager pulls him for his "8th inning man". I mean WTF, let your starter go. He is in a groove and if he allows a hit then pull him. The Pirates have had this situation 4 times in the last 10 days and the bull pen is either blowing the game or making it closer than they should.
Quote: GWAERandom thought of the day:
I am getting so freaking annoyed by what managers are doing with starting pitchers. You get a starting pitcher go 7 scoreless innings with 80 pitches and the manager pulls him for his "8th inning man". I mean WTF, let your starter go. He is in a groove and if he allows a hit then pull him. The Pirates have had this situation 4 times in the last 10 days and the bull pen is either blowing the game or making it closer than they should.
In the National League you gotta think about pulling the guy if he is the typical pitcher at bat. The last innings in the NL can be pretty intense; teams with good bullpens need to use them so a skilled manager can work in those pinch hitters. One explanation anyway.
Quote: odiousgambitIn the National League you gotta think about pulling the guy if he is the typical pitcher at bat. The last innings in the NL can be pretty intense; teams with good bullpens need to use them so a skilled manager can work in those pinch hitters. One explanation anyway.
yeah I could understand the pitcher batting thing but in todays case. Varley bats in the top of the 7th, pitches the 7th with 9 pitches.
Vance Worley pitching:
Marcell Ozuna : Ball, Ball, Strike looking, Strike looking, Ozuna struck out looking.
Adeiny Hechavarria : Hechavarria popped out to third.
Jeff Mathis : Strike looking, Foul, Mathis lined out to center.
End of Inning (0 Runs, 0 Hits, 0 Errors)
Then they pull him for the 8th. He had 95 pitches but hell he isn't even a normal starter so they don't need to worry about pitch count. It was just a stupid ass move but it is such common place now.
Quote: beachbumbabsYup. Except you should never believe anything Buzz says. Buzz has said that many times. So then he didn't. Unless you never believe Buzz, which means you shouldn't never believe him.
Knowing Buzz is like living on the Mobius highway.
This is just getting too damn much. No use being sarcastic if people take you serious !
And Babs, the divorce decree is supposed to protect me from such assaults.
Except Ace left enough loopholes in it to drive a bus through.
Quote: onenickelmiracleGWAE What kind of money are Pirates tickets going for the cheapest lately. How much do those scalpers charging? I've noticed some selling and some probably in the same group buying standing somewhere else. I'll probably be trying some Fridays soon.
There are scalpers all over the place starting at about 7am day of game. I had a bad experience with one of them so I never deal. There are plenty of tickets available on their website and decent seats are only about 20 each. If you want good box seats they are like $50 iirc
It is weird to get older. Granted I am only 34 but getting older none the less. Today Tony Gwynn died. I grew up watching him play. It is just surreal that people I watched play sports are dieing and people that were older when I was growing up are to. I know it is a fact of life but it doesn't make it any less weird.
Quote: GWAEIt is just surreal that people I watched play sports are dieing and people that were older when I was growing up are
get just a bit older ... then your friends start dying too
Quote: odiousgambitget just a bit older ... then your friends start dying too
I didn't need to reach 34 for that to start happening.
Quote: odiousgambitget just a bit older ... then your friends start dying too
I quit googling for friends. Too many damn depressing obituaries. Why is it only the good die young ? Like my cousin Cookie. A look-alike for Annette Funicello. First cousins, but I had such a crush.
She moved into abad neighborhood and I would visit twice a week to let everybody know she was my cousin. I would bring a hot loaf of french bread, a gallon of milk, and a pound of Land O Lakes butter. What a great memory !!!!!
Gone forever. Tried calling her husband a few times, but just hung up when he answered. What the hell was I gonna say anyway ?????
Quote: BuzzardI quit googling for friends. Too many damn depressing obituaries. Why is it only the good die young ? Like my cousin Cookie. A look-alike for Annette Funicello. First cousins, but I had such a crush.
She moved into abad neighborhood and I would visit twice a week to let everybody know she was my cousin. I would bring a hot loaf of french bread, a gallon of milk, and a pound of Land O Lakes butter. What a great memory !!!!!
Gone forever. Tried calling her husband a few times, but just hung up when he answered. What the hell was I gonna say anyway ?????
You know, Buzzard, I think he might well have appreciated the chance to reminisce with someone else who loved her. You might try again. People you love who are gone are never dead while their memory lives in others.
Quote: GWAERandom thought of the day:
It is weird to get older. Granted I am only 34 but getting older none the less. Today Tony Gwynn died. I grew up watching him play. It is just surreal that people I watched play sports are dieing and people that were older when I was growing up are to. I know it is a fact of life but it doesn't make it any less weird.
Welcome to the beginning of accepting your own mortality. When we are young we don't really accept the fact that we will ever die. North Americans generally do a really poor job of accepting aging and the natural event that is called death. When a child dies it is a tragedy. When an older person dies after a full and productive life it is not a tragedy, yes it can be sad and the death of a family members leaves a small hole in your heart that never completely heals. Death however is as natural as birth and should not be feared or ignored but accepted as part of the human condition.
Quote: kenarmanDeath however is as natural as birth and should not be feared or ignored but accepted as part of the human condition.
No thanks. I think I'd rather have myself mummified and buried on the western bank of the Nile to await resurrection in the next world.
Any idea where I can obtain 300 kilos of nitron?
Quote: NareedNo thanks. I think I'd rather have myself mummified and buried on the western bank of the Nile to await resurrection in the next world.
Any idea where I can obtain 300 kilos of nitron?
You do realize that they suck your brains out through your nose when they do that. Of course that might prove that people do come back, I know a lot of people with no brains.
Quote: kenarmanYou do realize that they suck your brains out through your nose when they do that.
I wonder what the market is for brain-less resurrected bodies in the next world. I know here one can have a political career.
Quote:Of course that might prove that people do come back, I know a lot of people with no brains.
I think that's a Hindu belief.
In any case, there's nothing magical about mummification. It's just one means of emblaming. I'm quite sure Ra, Amun, Horus, Isis and the gang, except Seth (perhaps), would not mind resurrecting a modern embalmed mummy, so long as the body was in the westren bank of the Nile. That is the magical part ;)
Seriously, countries that practice embalming today are, in effect, doing the same thing the Egyptians did, only using preservatives and modern techniques rather than dessication. The vast majority of dead bodies found in American cemeteries since embalming became common are, in fact, modern versions of mummies.
Quote: beachbumbabs
The point of the word was more that the same people don't realize that their entitlements are government handouts, not fully paid for by them. In most cases, SS receivers get much more than they put in, even if compounded interest is considered, just because we're living longer.
This is just not true. The government says that the average man who retired in 2010 paid $345k in SS and Medicare taxes and will recieve $417k in benefits. For someone to work 45 years and see their investment to have only gained about 20% in value is just terrible. It was an extremely generous system for the first few people who retired but it has been an impoverishing program for the most recent generations who could have invested their retirement money far more effectively than the pyramid scheme called social security. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/whats-the-return-on-your-social-security-taxes/
When I married Josie she was 18 and I was 28. SWEET
74 and 64 is a little different. I go first and she loses her world.
She goes first and 2 people back East a long time ago will have an appointment with me and Mister Tire Iron.
DEATH, WHERE IS THY STING !
One artifact was a kind of proxy. A small human statuete which would work for the deceased one day, meaning 24 hours, in the next world. I forget the name for these things. The poor had one, and it was about the only thing buried with them. So they're commonly found all over Egypt.
You'd expect the rich to have 365, right? Not quite. They had over 400.
Why?
This is really cute, in a macabre sort of way. For every ten proxies, the rich also included a sueprvisor to make sure the ten would work. It's almost as though these powerful and rich men and women, usually priests, government officials, merhcants and of course kings (or pharaohs), were playing house in their graves. Not just tkaing along posessions, but also dolls to which they assigned characters ;)
If I chose to be buried after I'm gone, I'd love to get one authentic ancient doll and put it in my coffin. that may give future archeologists fits ;)
Quote: bigfoot66This is just not true. The government says that the average man who retired in 2010 paid $345k in SS and Medicare taxes and will recieve $417k in benefits. For someone to work 45 years and see their investment to have only gained about 20% in value is just terrible. It was an extremely generous system for the first few people who retired but it has been an impoverishing program for the most recent generations who could have invested their retirement money far more effectively than the pyramid scheme called social security. http://www.cbsnews.com/news/whats-the-return-on-your-social-security-taxes/
This is really the problem. Forget (for the moment) the fact that it's a pyramid scheme. The fact that excess SS funds MUST be invested in US treasury bonds makes it pretty much the worst-performing retirement fund possible.
Quote: GWAEDW
Da Wife ?
Quote: GWAEcinnamon toast crunch has got to be the best cereal ever made. It is also very expensive. Mmmmmmmmmmmm
all cereal is way too expensive, it ticks me off
'cept maybe hot cereal. Today is my day for grits. Anymore I *must* have stone-ground grits if at all possible.
The ABOMINATION is what is being taught in these Northern chef schools and alas it is spreading down South to my complete chagrin. Watching chef shows on TV has tipped me off: they tell their students that grits and polenta are similar. That's OK as far as it goes, being true to some degree, but as a dish they are quite different but what winds up being the lesson is "hey it's all the same" grrrrrrrrrrr! For dishes calling for grits it is, yes, an abomination to substitute polenta! In VA where I live I was served a shrimp and grit entree where polenta was substituted. It doesnt ruin the dish, but it is not authentic. If the chef had come out to see us he would have heard about it from me. Hopefully he was just ashamed of himself.
I also don't know what to think of cheese grits that is so often served.
I can also get going even worse on cornbread and the way it is made up North and the way it *should* be made down South. I'm risking apoplexy so I avoid that subject. Thanks GWAE for getting me going. [g]
