Random Thoughts Part 4 - Split Thread

[nuuskur]

wiseguy attempt failed :<

 

[Ibix]

Leap years intrigue me. There are big celebations in Santiago de Compostela whenever St James' day falls on a Sunday (from the religious because it's extra-holy, and from the rest of the local economy because there's a lot of pilgrims because it's extra-holy). But the pattern of interactions between a seven-day cycle and a one-day-but-sometimes-two-days-a-year shift is surprisingly complex.

 

[zoobyshoe]

If people under a certain age went back in time to 30 years ago I think they might be horrified to find out how small real strawberries actually were.

 

[Borek]

Those large ones never got popular here.

 

[Ibix]

Depends what you mean. You seem to export a lot of them to the UK...

 

[nuuskur]

We also get large red apples' import from Poland :D

 

[Borek]

I mean - while these large strawberries are not unknown here, they never gained much popularity, and they are rarely sold on the Polish market. They are mostly grown for export.

Given a choice I always buy smaller ones. IMHO they are much tastier, the large ones are like watered cotton.

 

[collinsmark]

Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is turning out to be pretty good. I can't say yet whether it beats Skyrim; it's too early to tell.

Unlike Skyrim, the new baddies In Witcher 3 don't level with the player. So you want to stay away from monsters/enemies that are obviously superior until you level up. Similarly you don't want to take on higher level quests too early. Fortunately, the system has a way of informing you ahead of time if the monsters/enemies will certainly kill you easily, and gives you a chance to back out before it's too late.

Once you get used to that, it's pretty fun. The game definitely has potential.

Here's an image of the protagonist, Geralt of Rivia:

 

[zoobyshoe]

Given a choice I always buy smaller ones. IMHO they are much tastier, the large ones are like watered cotton.

There is a lot of inconsistency in the quality of the large ones here. The past three years they were inedible: bitter and hard, but this year they are suddenly tasty again.

When I was a kid in New Hampshire, they grew wild in a field next to my house. Those always tasted wonderful, but they were very small.

 

[dlgoff]

All the rain we've been having here is making life good for insects. When I got home this evening, I was reminded of this Random Thought.

 

[Borek]

Witcher 3: Wild Hunt is turning out to be pretty good.

I know people behind.

Well, some of them. Hard to know 200+ people of which many were born after I ended working as a computer game journalist.

 

[Astronuc]

Drone footage shows extent of flooding in Texas and Oklahoma
http://news.yahoo.com/floods-houston-texas-oklahoma-drone-video-120314248.html

I used to live downstream from the location of the 4th video, which is near Brays Bayou in Houston. My folks sold the house just before a similar flood many years ago.

The recent flooding is considered unprecedented. Officials in Houston and Texas used to describe these floods as 100 year floods, but the Houston area has been getting them every few years it seems. I expect one or two floods like this every decade, or even every three or four years.

 

[Silicon Waffle]

There is a lot of inconsistency in the quality of the large ones here. The past three years they were inedible: bitter and hard, but this year they are suddenly tasty again.

When I was a kid in New Hampshire, they grew wild in a field next to my house. Those always tasted wonderful, but they were very small.

Talking about strawberries, I love big and sweet ones but most big ones I tasted weren't so good as those of medium to big sizes.

 

[OmCheeto]

Drone footage shows extent of flooding in Texas and Oklahoma
http://news.yahoo.com/floods-houston-texas-oklahoma-drone-video-120314248.html

I used to live downstream from the location of the 4th video, which is near Brays Bayou in Houston. My folks sold the house just before a similar flood many years ago.

The recent flooding is considered unprecedented. Officials in Houston and Texas used to describe these floods as 100 year floods, but the Houston area has been getting them every few years it seems. I expect one or two floods like this every decade, or even every three or four years.

Speaking of floods.

Was at the coast this last weekend. Talked to one of the guys that supplies 9% of America's oysters. Interesting fellow. There seems to be a problem with Willapa Bay.

I researched the situation a bit since then, and read somewhere that one reason they are having a problem, is because of invasive shrimp, which, because of dams, prevents freshwater flooding.

My solution, was a 3 mile long canal, to flood the estuary.

Of course, the problem is quite old. The native oysters were harvested to effective commercial extinction, long, long ago.

 

[Evo]

Wow, I really miss living near the ocean, always have until I moved to the middle of the US.

 

[OmCheeto]

Wow, I really miss living near the ocean, always have until I moved to the middle of the US.

Did your daughter ever become my neighbor?
I think you posted that was her plan, sometime last year.
You could come visit, and we could all go to the coast!

 

[Evo]

Did your daughter ever become my neighbor?
I think you posted that was her plan, sometime last year.
You could come visit, and we could all go to the coast!

No, she got another better job here and has gone back to school to get another degree. So working full time, school full time, again.

 

[zoobyshoe]

I just went to Subway. Their bread is starting to taste like it's 30% paper pulp.

 

[Borg]

I just went to Subway. Their bread is starting to taste like it's 30% paper pulp.

You should unwrap the sandwich first.

 

[lisab]

I just went to Subway. Their bread is starting to taste like it's 30% paper pulp.

I don't go there often, but it's always amazed me how their bread tastes stale - even fresh out of the oven.

 

[OmCheeto]

I just went to Subway. Their bread is starting to taste like it's 30% paper pulp.

On my trip to the coast, my friends fired up their pellet stove barbecue. I was worried that there was glue holding the pellets together, and would make the food taste funny, so I nibbled on one. It wasn't all that bad. My friends though, said I was "a bit daft"*, and shouldn't do such things. hmmm... Does anyone know if termites are in the human lineage?

*my PF appropriate translation of what they called me.

 

[OmCheeto]

Ah ha!

per wiki, regarding the production of pellet fuel; "The high pressure of the press causes the temperature of the wood to increase greatly, and the lignin plasticizes slightly forming a natural "glue" that holds the pellet together as it cools."

hmmm... What on Earth is a "Lignin"?

per wiki, regarding lignin; "Lignin is a complex polymer of aromatic alcohols known as monolignols."

Ok then. This all makes sense now. I was just adding "Lignin" to my already ... infused (hic!) weekend.

 

[Evo]

I don't go there often, but it's always amazed me how their bread tastes stale - even fresh out of the oven.

I don't eat at subway, they make the skimpiest subs I've ever eaten. Evo Child worked at one during High School and the meat was pre-measured in wax paper separators so that a worker couldn't accidentally give a customer an extra wafer thin slice of meat. Cheapskates!

 

[WWGD]

It seems they've found video of James Holmes, the one that went on a rampage in a movie theater in Colorado.
He was shouting : " I said, _no butter

I don't eat at subway, they make the skimpiest subs I've ever eaten. Evo Child worked at one during High School and the meat was pre-measured in wax paper separators so that a worker couldn't accidentally give a customer an extra wafer thin slice of meat. Cheapskates!

I haven't seen many sandwich shops around, other than delis. There were a few Quiznos around, but they seem to have disappeared.

 

[Evo]

It seems they've found video of James Holmes, the one that went on a rampage in a movie theater in Colorado.
He was shouting : " I said, _no butter I haven't seen many sandwich shops around, other than delis. There were a few Quiznos around, but they seem to have disappeared.

I love Jimmy John's, they are so packed full of meat & cheese, and they come with a lettuce wrap, low carb option. And they deliver.

 

[WWGD]

I love Jimmy John's, they are so packed full of meat & cheese, and they come with a lettuce wrap, low carb option. And they deliver.

I heard they include non-compete clauses on their sandwich makers:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs...sandwich-makers-have-non-compete-clauses-now/

Seems kind of extreme. What secrets can they have?

 

[Evo]

That article is extremely misleading (as in lying) Jimmy john's workers are not prevented from working for competitors, they just promise not to tell the competitors about Jimmy John's secrets. This is the same as in any competitive industry, I had to sign non-competes, I went to work for a competitor, I just couldn't solicit my current client base from my old company for a period of years and never divulge their proprietary trade secrets.

From the article

Jimmy John's workers have to promise not to take any of the trade secrets they learned assembling subs to any nearby sandwich shop for at least two years

Sounds completely fair and reasonable.

 

[WWGD]

But what significant competitive secrets can you have at that level? I understand at the higher-rank professional level, but not at such a basic one.

And now I am remembering Blimpie's . Too lazy to check if they are still around. And I agree with you,
Subway subs are pretty skimpy.

 

[Evo]

But what significant competitive secrets can you have at that level? I understand at the higher-rank professional level, but not at such a basic one.

Sorry, I am under non-disclosure and cannot answer that. I have no clue, they do have a delicious vinagrette that they put on some sandwiches, have a great tuna salad, those recipes might be considered trade secrets, they have awesome bread. It might be a gimmick to attract customers that want to see what's so special about their sandwiches.

 

[WWGD]

Sorry, I am under non-disclosure and cannot answer that. I have no clue, they do have a delicious vinagrette that they put on some sandwiches, have a great tuna salad, those recipes might be considered trade secrets, they have awesome bread. It might be a gimmick to attract customers that want to see what's so special about their sandwiches.

Pretty sure Subway has no flavor secrets, after tasting their sandwiches --- other than putting gravel on their bread (oops!. Their goes the Subways franchise.)