What is the newest installment of 'Random Thoughts' on Physics Forums?

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The discussion revolves around frustrations with current documentary programming, particularly criticizing the History Channel's focus on sensational topics like time travel conspiracies instead of real historical content. Participants express disappointment over National Geographic's sale to Fox, fearing a decline in quality programming. The conversation shifts to lighter topics, including humorous anecdotes about everyday life, such as a malfunctioning kitchen fan discovered to be blocked by installation instructions. There are also discussions about the challenges of understanding various dialects in Belgium, the complexities of language, and personal experiences with weather and housing in California. Members share their thoughts on food, including a peculiar dish of zucchini pancakes served with strawberry yogurt, and delve into mathematical concepts related to sandwich cutting and the properties of numbers. The thread captures a blend of serious commentary and lighthearted banter, reflecting a diverse range of interests and perspectives among participants.
  • #2,041
zoobyshoe said:
The T-shirts are all in English.
From such stuff are conspiracy theories born. In years to come, I'll be able to say I was there when the BorekTruther movement began...
 
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  • #2,042
I don't think I've ever seen a Polish T-shirt here in the US. The universe is out of balance.
 
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  • #2,043
Borek said:
Funny, isn't it? Caught my attention as well.
Do you all speak, read, and/or write in English? I still remember how self-conscious you were of your grammar while posting here at PF in the early years.
 
  • #2,044
dlgoff said:
Do you all speak, read, and/or write in English?

Junior on a daily basis, no idea about Ludwik. That is: rather unlikely he doesn't speak at all, but he is more into Slavic languages (with a fluent Ukrainian).
 
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  • #2,045
Interesting company, first time I see it:

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  • #2,046
Borek said:
(it is mostly about early computer press in Poland and magazines I worked for - "Bajtek" and "Top Secret")
I'm in the generation who grew up reading these magazines. The absurdist humour in TS definitely had had some influence on how my perception of what is funny developed.
It was crazy to later find Borek on PF, of all places.
 
  • #2,047
Bandersnatch said:
I'm in the generation who grew up reading these magazines. The absurdist humour in TS definitely had had some influence on how my perception of what is funny developed.

Did you know we have just published a special issue of TS for Pixel Heaven 2017?

TS55_cover.jpg
 
  • #2,049
Would be nice to have a website EDIT with a list of businesses open on holidays.
 
  • #2,050
WWGD said:
Would be nice to have a website EDIT with a list of businesses open on holidays.
Every year on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years, I spend an inordinate amount of time trying to determine who is open, who isn't, and who is open but for fewer hours. I'm always surprised that any business would neglect to update the internet on their hours, but, strangely, they do.
 
  • #2,051
zoobyshoe said:
Every year on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years, I spend an inordinate amount of time trying to determine who is open, who isn't, and who is open but for fewer hours. I'm always surprised that any business would neglect to update the internet on their hours, but, strangely, they do.
Many businesses here do not include neither their hours of operation nor the cross streets; they will just state, e.g., 1445 3rd Av., without including the nearest cross streets. And it is not as if the numbering is similar for all avenues, since avenues start at different levels , i.e., some starter further North/South than others, so having an idea for the numbering of one of them does not help with the others. Attitude seems to be: " Want to patronize our store? Do the research!" . Even I, without any business training realize this is poor business practice, given competition is often just feet away.
 
  • #2,052
WWGD said:
Many businesses here do not include neither their hours of operation nor the cross streets; they will just state, e.g., 1445 3rd Av., without including the nearest cross streets. And it is not as if the numbering is similar for all avenues, since avenues start at different levels , i.e., some starter further North/South than others, so having an idea for the numbering of one of them does not help with the others. Attitude seems to be: " Want to patronize our store? Do the research!" . Even I, without any business training realize this is poor business practice, given competition is often just feet away.
Yes. If you want to improve your business you have to seriously put yourself in the place of a customer of your business. Too many think they can train their customers to adapt to what's convenient for the business owner.

That coffee house I mentioned a while back where they kept closing before they were closed, i.e. going around mopping the floor, cleaning, and putting things away an hour before closing time. Yeah: they completely folded a few months ago. Nail in the coffin: A block down the street a 24 hour coffee house opened. You never have to worry about getting "cleaned out" of there, of being treated like a trespasser because they're going to be closing soon.
 
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  • #2,053
zoobyshoe said:
Yes. If you want to improve your business you have to seriously put yourself in the place of a customer of your business. Too many think they can train their customers to adapt to what's convenient for the business owner.

That coffee house I mentioned a while back where they kept closing before they were closed, i.e. going around mopping the floor, cleaning, and putting things away an hour before closing time. Yeah: they completely folded a few months ago. Nail in the coffin: A block down the street a 24 hour coffee house opened. You never have to worry about getting "cleaned out" of there, of being treated like a trespasser because they're going to be closing soon.

Which seems somehow to be incredibly difficult for many people, not just business owners to do.
 
  • #2,054
Seems over the top: just had someone tell me they could not assume any liability for me when I asked this guy to keep an eye on my stuff when I walked to the bathroom , some 20 feet away. Ok, dude, I guess I won't make sign the contract and affidavits I had brought with me.
 
  • #2,055
Dunkin Donuts just came up with this "Cro-muffin", mix of a croissant and a muffin. I can imagine months of intense discussions in the corporate board:
"Cro-Muffin" !
No, " Muff-ssant"!
"Cro-Muffin is better"
No, " Muff-ssant" is better.
...
...
 
  • #2,056
Cro-Muffin? It sounds like the primitive ancestor of a pastry to me.
 
  • #2,057
Ibix said:
Cro-Muffin? It sounds like the primitive ancestor of a pastry to me.
True, but still better than Paleo-ssant, though both sound primitively delicious.
 
  • #2,058
WWGD said:
True, but still better than Paleo-ssant, though both sound primitively delicious.
The crucial point of both is butter. This alone decides it.
 
  • #2,059
fresh_42 said:
The crucial point of both is butter. This alone decides it.
What do you suggest for accompaniment ? A fruity white or just a bier?
 
  • #2,060
WWGD said:
What do you suggest for accompaniment ? A fruity white or just a bier?
There are Columbian coffee farmers with a picture of me in their wallet :cool:
 
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  • #2,061
fresh_42 said:
There are Columbian coffee farmers with a picture of me in their wallet :cool:
Ah, Das Kaffee? Mit Milch? Starbuchen?
 
  • #2,062
WWGD said:
Ah, Das Kaffee? Mit Milch? Starbuchen?
My favorite is black as my soul and if possible, no composite mixtures. Pure Ethiopian Mocha, Brazilian Santos, Ugandan or one of the central American ones. The difference in taste is the difference in region and roasting. I really don't like places as claw-bucks. The best place are small private roasters where coffee still tastes as coffee should and by no means all of the same. But this is the ideal case. In daily life: any coffee will do, as long as you keep all these artificial flavors away.
 
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  • #2,063
fresh_42 said:
In daily life: any coffee will do, as long as you keep all these artificial flavors away.
What ?... no "toxic coffee" ? .. lol
 
  • #2,064
I got a small book in envelope from Germany, the stamps has 100, 200, 70 Deutschland in it. Germany uses Euro, but 370 Euros is 416 dollars. So the 100 denomination may not be in Euro or the right decimal places? Anyone here in Germany or who knows what's going on?
 
  • #2,065
Blue Scallop said:
I got a small book in envelope from Germany, the stamps has 100, 200, 70 Deutschland in it. Germany uses Euro, but 370 Euros is 416 dollars. So the 100 denomination may not be in Euro or the right decimal places? Anyone here in Germany or who knows what's going on?
So someone in Germany bought for 3.70 € stamps which found their way into your hands. Where is the problem?
 
  • #2,066
fresh_42 said:
So someone in Germany bought for 3.70 € stamps which found their way into your hands. Where is the problem?

Why are the stamps not written as 2, 1, 0.70 Euros. Why 200, 100, 70? Does this also occur in other countries stamps?
 
  • #2,067
It's Cent, or Euro-Cent if you like. They adjust prices in steps of Cent. E.g. a standard letter between 20g and 50g currently costs 85 Cent. I think I still have old stamps with 51 Cent on it. The French want to have 1.46€, the Swedish 7 Kronor, the Italians are ridiculously expensive, the Spanish seem to like digital services, the Finish 8.10€ and the Danish 8 Kroner. It appears that German fees are remarkably low. I assume the German prizing in Cent is simply what customers are used to from D-Mark times.
 
  • #2,069
Have you recently looked it up in a dictionary? Perhaps great means alone, as in Great Britain.
 
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  • #2,070

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