Can PF Random Thoughts be Split to Help with Server Load?

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The discussion revolves around the splitting of larger threads to alleviate server load, specifically continuing the Random Thoughts thread. Participants express their thoughts on various topics, including the emotional impact of the game Bioshock: Infinite, which one user describes as "haunting." They discuss the game's cover art, noting the absence of the female co-lead, Elizabeth, from the front cover, and reference an interview with Ken Levine that suggests this was a marketing compromise. The conversation shifts to personal anecdotes, including family dynamics and humorous observations about everyday life, such as experiences at McDonald's and the challenges of parenting toddlers. The thread features a blend of light-hearted banter, reflections on gaming, and casual storytelling, highlighting the community's camaraderie.
  • #2,161
Why is it that every time I read the Art of War I am invariably reminded of Sherlock Holmes?
Fuu rin kou zan in rai

EDIT: "Move swift as the Wind and closely-formed as the Wood. Attack like the Fire and be still as the Mountain. Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt- Sun Tzu (Fuu-rin-ka-zan-in-rai)
(never understood how Japanese condenses the whole thing to such a short phrase...)
 
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  • #2,162
Enigman said:
Both spellings it seems are acceptable being synonyms (and homonyms?). Though substract now being obsolete, subtract without the extra s is generally used.
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/substract
http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/substract

That's awesome. I'm going to start using it. I'm trying to get into the habit of using archaic\obsolete terminology for things on a regular basis, like motorcar, pianoforte, ooh here I found a list:

http://www.buzzfeed.com/lukelewis/27-delightful-obsolete-words-its-high-time-we-revived

I'm also going to start answering the phone with "ahoy-hoy"

-Dave K
 
  • #2,163
wattt
 
  • #2,164
Substraction is obsolete. Arithmetic is now Ambition, Distraction, Uglification, and Derision.
 
  • #2,165
AlephZero said:
Substraction is obsolete.

And resistance is futile.
 
  • #2,166
Borek said:
And resistance is futile.

The inverse of resistance is conductance. So if resistance is futile, then what is the inverse of futility?

oops, we don't do philosophy :biggrin:
 
  • #2,167
I was telling my Russian lady friend the other day, that my house is a pig sty.

She repeated back; "Pig style?"

I decided living in the style of a pig was synonymous. :-p
 
  • #2,168
lisab said:
The inverse of resistance is conductance. So if resistance is futile, then what is the inverse of futility?

oops, we don't do philosophy :biggrin:

But I bet a bunch of people googled: antonym of futile

:biggrin:

Looking at http://thesaurus.com/browse/futile I don't see anything humorous. But the antonym of one of the synonyms is kind of, I don't know, silly?

Conductance is in the window.​

:confused:

I've heard of things being lost in translation, but never lost in transidiomlation.
 
  • #2,169
Enigman said:
"Move swift as the Wind and closely-formed as the Wood. Attack like the Fire and be still as the Mountain. Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt- Sun Tzu (Fuu-rin-ka-zan-in-rai)
(never understood how Japanese condenses the whole thing to such a short phrase...)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fūrinkazan
Okay...Fuu is just wind, Rin is Forest, Kou is Fire, Zan is Mountain, In is Shadow and Rai is Lightning...
Fuu-Rin-Kou-Zan-In-Rai = Wind-Forest-Fire-Mountain-Shadow-Lightning
The Japanese general Takeda Shingen incorporated the Fuu-Rin-Kou-Zan part into his flag:
150px-Flag_of_Furinkazan.svg.png

-Things like this is why I like mangas: entertaining bits in everything from history to game theory to cool physics tricks.
 
  • #2,170
Enigman said:
Why is it that every time I read the Art of War I am invariably reminded of Sherlock Holmes? ...

Might I ask why a literary-inclined physics student wishes to be adept at warfare?

Yes, I may ask. So: Why does the Art of War interest you enough to read it multiple times?
 
  • #2,171
AnTiFreeze3 said:
Might I ask why a literary-inclined physics student wishes to be adept at warfare?

Yes, I may ask. So: Why does the Art of War interest you enough to read it multiple times?

Blame it on Age of Empires (and LOTR)...I got hooked to war strategies at a bit too early an age...Did you know Mongol cavalry during their long rides used to make a nick on their horses' neck and feed of their blood? And for some reason vinegar and urine were effective against greek fire suggesting an alkaline composition of the legendary weapon...
Coming back to Art of War- it can virtually be adapted to any thing and is more of a philosophical treatise if you look beyond the more obvious war applications...but yesterday it was because I wanted some insight on war strategies for a literary venture.
 
  • #2,172
Enigman said:
Why is it that every time I read the Art of War I am invariably reminded of Sherlock Holmes?
Fuu rin kou zan in rai

EDIT: "Move swift as the Wind and closely-formed as the Wood. Attack like the Fire and be still as the Mountain. Let your plans be dark and impenetrable as night, and when you move, fall like a thunderbolt- Sun Tzu (Fuu-rin-ka-zan-in-rai)
(never understood how Japanese condenses the whole thing to such a short phrase...)

I'm reading The Art of War just now myself (only first time though), although I somehow happen to get a swedish translation of it. Even though neither english nor swedish is the orgininal language the quotes somehow doesn't feel that good in swedish, would have preferred to read it in english I think.

On another note, the passage you quoted, Fuu rin kou zan in rai, is based on chinese right? Not japanese. The Kanji can of course be the same, but I speak a bit japanese and don't recognize the pronounciation at all.
 
  • #2,173
AnTiFreeze3 said:
Might I ask why a literary-inclined physics student wishes to be adept at warfare?

Yes, I may ask. So: Why does the Art of War interest you enough to read it multiple times?

Office warfare, http://www.thinkgeek.com/product/8a0f/
 
  • #2,174
Zarqon said:
On another note, the passage you quoted, Fuu rin kou zan in rai, is based on chinese right? Not japanese. The Kanji can of course be the same, but I speak a bit japanese and don't recognize the pronounciation at all.

I was quoting from a manga (Case Closed), so I presumed it to be japanese but The Art of War was originally chinese so it is highly likely that you are correct.
Ed- Yes it is chinese (from my wiki link which I didn't bother to pay close attention too. :shy:
The kanji seems to be different but I *suck* at japanese and not even a Dummies book can help me...you may be able to check it yourself in the link:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fūrinkazan
Ed2-http://www.orientaloutpost.com/shufa.php?q=furinkazan
Ed3- that's a lot of eds... anyway try the Lionel Giles translation http://classics.mit.edu/Tzu/artwar.html
That's the one I got with Aldiko (android app)
 
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  • #2,175
AnTiFreeze3 said:
Might I ask why a literary-inclined physics student wishes to be adept at warfare?

Yes, I may ask. So: Why does the Art of War interest you enough to read it multiple times?

The art of war is one of those texts that is so ambiguously phrased that you can apply it to any discipline, and it makes you think you've just heeded some sort of wise advice, when you really just applied some interpretation of the text to your interpretation of the events. Which is probably the brilliance of the whole thing.
 
  • #2,176
AnTiFreeze3 said:
Might I ask why a literary-inclined physics student wishes to be adept at warfare?

Yes, I may ask. So: Why does the Art of War interest you enough to read it multiple times?

The book isn't about "warfare". It's about "how to live".

But if course if you were a Samurai, the two things were hard to distinguish.
 
  • #2,177
Go ahead I am listening to understand why people do something
 
  • #2,178
AlephZero said:
The book isn't about "warfare". It's about "how to live".

But if course if you were a Samurai, the two things were hard to distinguish.

Being a Samurai was often more about how to die:
Wikipedia said:
Feudal lords such as Shiba Yoshimasa (1350–1410 AD) stated that a warrior looked forward to a glorious death in the service of a military leader or the emperor: "It is a matter of regret to let the moment when one should die pass by...First, a man whose profession is the use of arms should think and then act upon not only his own fame, but also that of his descendants. He should not scandalize his name forever by holding his one and only life too dear...One's main purpose in throwing away his life is to do so either for the sake of the Emperor or in some great undertaking of a military general. It is that exactly that will be the great fame of one's descendants."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samurai
 
  • #2,179
  • #2,180
Today a serving maid corrected me on a mistake I made on 3x3=6. She shamed me and told me that her Senior Manager who had planned to meet with me said that I was a pathological liar.
 
  • #2,181
pyzicslolito said:
Today a serving maid corrected me on a mistake I made on 3x3=6. She shamed me and told me that her Senior Manager who had planned to meet with me said that I was a pathological liar.

Interesting.
 
  • #2,182
Gad said:
Interesting.

Is that negative or positive ?
If you want I definitely can state her company name, the maid name but I don't know about that Senior Manager. I told her I wished to talk face to face with the guy. I don't think this guy is any superior to me about technologies. Her company is full of kids.
 
  • #2,183
Anand lost...:cry:
Damn the newbie and damn Kasparov. Get your act together Anand.
 
  • #2,184
Finally... I can stop seeing his name on the marquee every stinking day. :frown:

fruitbats.2013.11.16.at.the.Aladdin.jpg

Who knew that Fruitbat was so famous, that people named their band after him. o:)
 
  • #2,185
Math exam:done.
 
  • #2,186
riccotongue.jpg


I miss The Fruit Bat.
 
  • #2,188
collinsmark said:
riccotongue.jpg


I miss The Fruit Bat.
BEST DOG IN THE UNIVERSE! :cry: I miss him everyday. Now I am really in tears. Murdered by his vet.
 
  • #2,189
  • #2,190

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