totm nov 2023 Thread to discuss negative things in a very general way, just see where it goes y'know?

[SunlitZelkova]

8 hours ago, Linkageless said:

On the bright side...  War brought us rocketry in various forms

Aside from the possibilities of destruction and misery,  who knows what else it might bring?

"All that silly talk about the advance of science and such leaves me cold. Give me peace and a [backwards] science."- Thomas J. Dodd, prosecutor at the Nuremburg Trials (the word backwards has been substituted for a word that begins with R that might violate forum rules). One of my favorite quotes.

[Linkageless]

12 hours ago, SunlitZelkova said:

One of my favorite quotes.

I like that, thank you for reminding me.  

I'm pretty sure the use of that R word in correct context shouldn't be controversial, much as use of a certain G word to express carefree happiness is fine in my book.  Bad example I know, but I mourn the loss of such words simply because some people may take them out of context, some automatically object to what they think others may get upset at, and some try exploit all this through double entendre.

Back on topic, there's no denying war is a powerful motivator for advancement of technology, but often our tech advancements would appear to bring as many problems as they solve.  Yes, give me a simple quiet life without such rapid tech advance.  Trouble is, that whenever one person gets themselves the sweet life, sooner or later some bugger will come along and ruin it for them.  How I wish we could push through to the other side, to achieve a post scarcity as envisioned by Iain M Banks and others.  That said, what makes those stories interesting is the conflicts that continue to arise, suggesting we'll never be free of war and there will always be rivals to try to get the better of by any means possible.

I also like your footnote...  appropriate in this context.

Edited February 28 by Linkageless

[AlamoVampire]

i woke up about 0545, so about an hour or so ago as of writing this, and its official. 2025 is trying to end me. First its the spam flood, which, of course will be updated here as it happens, but now, something worse has happened. I have a la z boy recliner and part of its mechanism just broke. The foot rest now leans to the left when extended and is a royal pain to retract. I can retract it if I support it, but, even then it is hard. Worse yet, I cannot recline the back of the seat and extend the seat itself <the action where when the back rest reclines back it extends the seat> as something is physically jammed. I have not slept in an actual bed for going on 15 years, I sleep <for personal reasons> in that chair. I am going to see if they can repair the chair <I will have to take the thing to them> at their repair center or gallery <i think their stores have a repair center in them, i think> and hope they can do so in the space of a day. This may mean, I need to wait for them to have a mechanism delivered to them and then I bring the chair at an appointed time, but, the timing of this is horrific. I have obligations for the next 8 weekends that I cannot miss, and my body is adjusted to sleeping in a chair so, sleeping in a bed may be nigh on impossible. I am unsure what to do at this point. This is just bad. 065302282025

[DDE]

Sprained my left ankle a bit. Why in the hell did that pavement had a step in it?

[AlamoVampire]

First spam call of the day

700…  091102282025

701…  091302282025

702…  091802282025

703…  092302282025

704…  092602282025

707…  093802282025 one came while reporting it. 2 in 2 minutes… make that 3

708…  094202282025

709…  094602282025

710…  094902282025

711…  095202282025 that came in as i hit submit for the last one… had to report it

712…  095402282025

713…  104202282025

714…  120602282024

715…  123902282025

716…  124502282025

717…  125702282025

718…  130602202025

719…  133202282025

720…  135902282025

721…  141302282025

722..  142902282025

727…  171502282025

Edited February 28 by AlamoVampire

[AlamoVampire]

Took until just now for a spam call to hit. 1 on the day…

728…  162203012025

[AlamoVampire]

The day starts. Spam call 1 arrives.

729…  090803032025

730…  094203032025

731…  100503032025

732…  103903032025

733…  111403032025

734…  112303032025

735…  115903032025

736…  132203032025

737…  143703032025

738…  150603032025

739…  152003032025

740…  153403032025

741…  155203032025

742…  163503032025

Edited Monday at 10:35 PM by AlamoVampire

[Iapetus7342]

My PC's internet keeps randomly going out, and its ONLY for my PC. My phone isn't affected by this, not my TV, not even my consoles

[AlamoVampire]

Maybe your ether cable or wifi receiver is going bad? 111603032025

[ColdJ]

46 minutes ago, Iapetus7342 said:

My PC's internet keeps randomly going out, and its ONLY for my PC. My phone isn't affected by this, not my TV, not even my consoles

Start with simplest first and check your plugs and cables first. A cable slowly bent over time due to gravity can cause loss of signal. Eliminate the possibility before getting to the more expensive stuff.

[Nuke]

On 2/28/2025 at 12:23 AM, Linkageless said:

I like that, thank you for reminding me.  

I'm pretty sure the use of that R word in correct context shouldn't be controversial, much as use of a certain G word to express carefree happiness is fine in my book.  Bad example I know, but I mourn the loss of such words simply because some people may take them out of context, some automatically object to what they think others may get upset at, and some try exploit all this through double entendre.

Back on topic, there's no denying war is a powerful motivator for advancement of technology, but often our tech advancements would appear to bring as many problems as they solve.  Yes, give me a simple quiet life without such rapid tech advance.  Trouble is, that whenever one person gets themselves the sweet life, sooner or later some bugger will come along and ruin it for them.  How I wish we could push through to the other side, to achieve a post scarcity as envisioned by Iain M Banks and others.  That said, what makes those stories interesting is the conflicts that continue to arise, suggesting we'll never be free of war and there will always be rivals to try to get the better of by any means possible.

I also like your footnote...  appropriate in this context.

it goes like this:

1. common word used in a common context

2. word gets used as an insult and is used to offend others of a certain sort

3. the insult gains popularity

4. the new usage becomes more common than the correct usage.

5. outrage from those the insult is used on grows

6. eventually society will look down on that word as if it were any other slur and its use in any context is discouraged.

7. new terms are invented to replace the now bad word when used in its original context

8. cycle repeats with the new terms.

the r word in particular is notorious for being replaced with terms that exist explicitly because the previous one became an insult. so its got a lot of synonyms that are mostly used as insults. obviously stupid people are an omnipresent thing as long as humans existed, half the people are below average intelligence. its easier to call stupid people stupid, calling them an r-sysnonym is hyperbole at best when used on people who are merely a standard deviation below average. and picking on people with developmental disabilities merely betrays ones own weakness. even though the former seems the more common usage. we could just use language correctly and avoid the problem entirely. putting the evolution of language on hyperdrive is part of the reason we have such generational stratification. stop it.

[AlamoVampire]

And it starts again with 2 spam calls.

744…  102103042025

745…  102703042025

746…  110603042025

747…  113303042025

748…  115803042025

749…  122003042025

750…  125003042025

751…  125203042025

752…  130303042025

753…  131603042025

754…  152603042025

755…  153703042025

756…  164703042025

757…  175703042025

758…  183903042025 16 total to this point 184403042025

Edited Wednesday at 12:45 AM by AlamoVampire

[Linkageless]

3 hours ago, AlamoVampire said:

And it starts again with 2 spam calls.

Was that about one every 10 minutes?

4 hours ago, Nuke said:

we could just use language correctly and avoid the problem entirely. putting the evolution of language on hyperdrive is part of the reason we have such generational stratification. stop it.

I *think* I agree with you.  Certainly, as I get older I have a tendency to be a bit traditionalist when it comes to language.  For example I balk just a little at the young generation's use of "Sick", much as my parents' must have balked at my generation's misuse of "Bad" or "Wicked".  In addition to this generational dynamic, I think the 'r' word in question hasn't really been used as a slur in my region, so it's use in the original context is less likely to be controversial.

[Nuke]

there are regional bad words thats for sure. like there is this game made in a candadian studio and they dont like it when i use the word "knobs" on their forum. usually when i use that word its attached to a potentiometer or a rotory encoder. but no, i guess it means something dirty in canada. ive always known it as the thing i turn to make the volume louder or open a door.

i have to have a physical knob, button controlled volume has a bad tendency to operate in steps that are either too big or too little. the one i got has a knob but its an encoder and not a potentiometer, but for some reason the act of turning it seems as if its purely analog.  i guess the steps are small enough to not be huge and the encoder obfuscates the fact that i really would have had to tap a button 50 times to get there.

[AlamoVampire]

1 hour ago, Linkageless said:

Was that about one every 10 minutes?

Sometimes its 1 every 10, sometimes its as fast as 1 every 2-3 minutes. At this time of reply ive not had another spam call since my last update. Subject to change at any moment. My highest was nearly 60 calls in a day! 145603042025

[AlamoVampire]

Spam starts anew today.

759…  091903052025

760…  102403052025

762…  112903052025 a 2fer

763…  115703052025

764…  130003052025

765…  133003052025

766…  135203052025

767…  141103052025

768…  143103052025

769…  145503052025

770…  150103052025

771…  150803052025

772…  153403052025

773…  153803052025

774…  154003052025

775…  162603052025

776…  163503052025 18 so far today 164003052025

Edited Wednesday at 10:41 PM by AlamoVampire

[AlamoVampire]

Well guys my chair, a la z boy recliner that is between 25 to 30+ years old broke the other day. I did not know how badly until today. A piece i think the repair place calls a drive shaft snapped. I cannot locate the numbers on my chair they need to even find out if parts are available. If they are it could be up to 8 weeks to source them (would take minimum 2 weeks to just find out even IF parts exist) then maybe a month after that to get the chair fixed and returned. This is a huge problem because i sleep in my chair. I have done so since 2010. Im not physically adapted to a bed anymore. This is worst case scenario. My only outs are either buy one or borrow one from a family member. I may still be forced to borrow one anyway depending on how long it takes to get a new chair delivered… i hate this. 144603052025

[Lisias]

Sleeping appears to be bad for my health.

I spent most of the this 4 days holidays we have here (Carnival) sleeping. Literally.

Today is Work Day, and I'm ssssssloooooowwwww as hell. Got up from the chair at least 2 times (that I can remember at least) to make some coffee, but in the way to the kitchen I remembered something else to be done, did it, and come back without the coffee - and then I sometime after I almost hit the keyboard with my nose, remembered I need some coffee, Rinse, Repeat.

You know you are getting old when you remember your grandpa and think "hummm... now I understand the old guy..."

[AlamoVampire]

Well my disaster chair story has found its conclusion. I had to buy a new one. I got it for a great price, but, i was not expecting the expense. 190503052025

[AlamoVampire]

New day. More spam calls

777…  094203062025

778…  094703062025

779…  095903062025

780…  124503062025

781…  144603062025

782…  145803062025

783…  145903062025

784…  150003062025

785…  170903062025

786…  174403062025

Edited Thursday at 11:44 PM by AlamoVampire

[Nuke]

20 hours ago, AlamoVampire said:

Well guys my chair, a la z boy recliner that is between 25 to 30+ years old broke the other day. I did not know how badly until today. A piece i think the repair place calls a drive shaft snapped. I cannot locate the numbers on my chair they need to even find out if parts are available. If they are it could be up to 8 weeks to source them (would take minimum 2 weeks to just find out even IF parts exist) then maybe a month after that to get the chair fixed and returned. This is a huge problem because i sleep in my chair. I have done so since 2010. Im not physically adapted to a bed anymore. This is worst case scenario. My only outs are either buy one or borrow one from a family member. I may still be forced to borrow one anyway depending on how long it takes to get a new chair delivered… i hate this. 144603052025

wow, a chair that lasts for more than two years. they say dont cheap out on anything that separates you from the ground, but the best think i can afford is ultimately mass produced throw away garbage. i now regret not taking shop class, not that we had shop class.

[AlamoVampire]

My neighbor has a chair thsts been in use since 1990. When i bought my chair yesterday one of the folks there said he knew a customer with one that lasted since 1982!

120103062025 @Nuke

143303062025

Edited Thursday at 08:33 PM by AlamoVampire

[Nuke]

2 hours ago, AlamoVampire said:

My neighbor has a chair thsts been in use since 1990. When i bought my chair yesterday one of the folks there said he knew a customer with one that lasted since 1982!

120103062025 @Nuke

143303062025

my desk is government surplus of a style that clearly predates the personal computer. which i could get a desk chair from the pre-amazon-crap era. or one of those 100 year chairs they used on ships ww2. but they are like those unbreakable beer glasses, people who have them wont give them up for nothing.

[AlamoVampire]

@Nuke why am i picturing a desk from a government office circa 1965? As to a good chair, im sure youll find one. 151303062025

[Nuke]

17 minutes ago, AlamoVampire said:

@Nuke why am i picturing a desk from a government office circa 1965? As to a good chair, im sure youll find one. 151303062025

it probibly is, sheet metal construction, file cabinet drawer on the right, smaller drawer above, 3 of those on the left, center drawer. all can be locked with one key if i had it. top looks to be inch thick plywood with wood verniers some of which are peeling off. painted in a yellowish/grey/beige/whatever color that looks like it was right out of the 50s. completely non-descript, no markings anywhere. no plastic anywhere but the pen tray. may have come from the forestry building, bought it at the salvation army across the street from it for $5. i guess the captain really wanted it gone.

as for desk chairs, not on this island. the ones people give away for free are broke in exactly the same way. current one is still viable for now, its even a name brand. probibly counterfeit for how cheap it looks, thanks amazon. sometimes i will bolt the top half to a milk crate but that's usually an act of desperation.

Edited Thursday at 09:31 PM by Nuke