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criticizing the History Channel's focus on sensational topics like time travel conspiracies instead of real historical content.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.
  • #3,551
Ibix said:
Wait - so if I got a corneal transplant I could say "I see with dead people"?
Even worse: By a very massive coronal mass ejection many of us will become a client for the coroner.

... duck and cover ...
 
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  • #3,552
Bill is the dead people's ICU .
 
  • #3,553
I need to lose 10 pounds. I will shape up Ipso Fatso.
 
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  • #3,554
WWGD said:
I need to lose 10 pounds.
Easy. Have a trip to UK. You'll lose probably more than ten though.
 
  • #3,555
fresh_42 said:
Easy. Have a trip to UK. You'll lose probably more than ten though.
Ah, I forgot they never adopted the Euro, right? Sterling all the way, I guess.
 
  • #3,556
Hmm @fresh_42 are you talking about the cost of English cuisine or its palatability?
 
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  • #3,557
WWGD said:
Ah, I forgot they never adopted the Euro, right? Sterling all the way, I guess.
I moved them. I thought this would be better as Jim had a serious request that shouldn't have gotten drowned.
Dale said:
Hmm @fresh_42 are you talking about the cost of English cuisine or its palatability?
I know we have British members, so I better do not say something about the English cuisine. Let me state some facts instead: The Scottish fry Mars bars in a form of tempura and in England you'll find a lot of good Indian restaurants.
 
  • #3,558
fresh_42 said:
I moved them. .

Wow, that's like 64 million people. You must be pretty strong. Still, just because they don't use the Euro? Wow!
 
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  • #3,559
If you're worried about losing pounds, visit Pret for lunch.

Come to think of it, there's a bunch of Pret's in New York, too. I miss them.
 
  • #3,560
There is a school of thought that the best British food is actually foreign. The corollary is that our empire was the largest food run in history, with the most gunships.
 
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  • #3,561
Ibix said:
There is a school of thought that the best British food is actually foreign. The corollary is that our empire was the largest food run in history, with the most gunships.

We have a concentration of takeaway places in the cities. Indian Chinese Pizza and Turkish (Kebabs, burgers) and some American chains some very unhealthy stuff

Traditional "English" food is something of a novelty you get it in Pubs rather than restaurants, watered down versions.
 
  • #3,562
StoneTemplePython said:
If you're worried about losing pounds, visit Pret for lunch.

Come to think of it, there's a bunch of Pret's in New York, too. I miss them.
Thanks, Spring will take care of it; will cut down on the rich foods needed to stay warm + sitting all day when temperature is too cold to go for a quick walk. It is just some 10lbs after all, just " Winter weight".
 
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  • #3,563
In my dream, it was my SO's birthday. So I bought all the tickets for a movie so the two of us could watch it alone. Just keeping each other's company.

I heard in the US, movie the tickets are expensive. But where I live they are rather cheap. You could buy the whole session for about $1500.

Does it makes sense? I don't know. But who's to say dreams make sense. The point wasn't the money, the point was to spend some time with each other.

What other ways of spending time alone could there be?
 
  • #3,564
A good way to start a conversation with someone would be:

"...but... have you tried garlic bread?"

:DD

Garlic bread is the best. I can't tell you how much satisfaction I get when I eat it together with grilled chicken thigh kebabs. Although I don't use all the extra ingredients they use in that article or even marinate it. I go plain and it still tastes awesome. And if you combine it with rice you will have not only a full stomach, but full satisfaction. Garlic bread gives that touch that will make you say: "Best lunch ever." :approve:
 
  • #3,565
I have risen from my grave. Hast Riemann's great conjecture been proved?
 
  • #3,566
Argh! If I say I've got a ten pound note and two five pound notes everyone agrees I've got twenty pounds. As soon as I write 1×10+2×5 there's always someone who thinks I have 60 and operator priority is a ridiculous conspiracy by moustache-twirling mathematicians to make their life difficult.
nuuskur said:
I have risen from my grave.
Welcome back. Saw you on another thread and thought I hadn't seen you in a while.
nuuskur said:
Hast Riemann's great conjecture been proved?
No. Maybe the operator ordering is wrong. :oldgrumpy:
 
  • #3,567
Somebody is taking April Fools just a little too far. Please tell me the European Model is wrong. 18 inches of snow in APRIL?!? :wideeyed: :nb) ?:)

https://weather.us/model-charts/euro/virginia/snow-depth-in/20180408-0300z.html
4-7-18_Snowstorm.jpg
 

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  • #3,568
Borg said:
Somebody is taking April Fools just a little too far. Please tell me the European Model is wrong. 18 inches of snow in APRIL?!? :wideeyed: :nb) ?:)
Not sure which weather model they use, but my local European forecast page says something about 20°C in DC.
 
  • #3,569
fresh_42 said:
Not sure which weather model they use, but my local European forecast page says something about 20°C in DC.
The picture above is using the European Model (see selections on left). It is supposed to be 65 F on Friday followed by snow on Saturday.
 
  • #3,570
Borg said:
The picture above is using the European Model (see selections on left). It is supposed to be 65 F on Friday followed by snow on Saturday.
They forecast a temperature drop to 7°C / 45°F on Sat 4/7 for DC and 25 l/sqrm up to 33 l/sqrm precipitation. Still too warm but a lot of rain. And in case it falls as snow before it will melt, but they say rain ...
 
  • #3,571
fresh_42 said:
They forecast a temperature drop to 7°C / 45°F on Sat 4/7 for DC and 25 l/sqrm up to 33 l/sqrm precipitation. Still too warm but a lot of rain. And in case it falls as snow before it will melt, but they say rain ...
Hard to say what it will end up being. Most sites that I've seen show a maximum of 40 for Saturday. The DC area is notoriously hard to predict in these situations so I pay attention to outliers like this. We'll see what the forecast brings over the next few days. I really don't want to shovel that much snow.
 
  • #3,572
At job interview:

How did you solve a conflict that you have had with a co-worker in your current job?

funny-gif-girl-trying-talking-interrupted.gif


Silly questions. You are implying I have had problems with a co-worker in my current job.
 

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  • #3,573
2ltr fizzy drinks should come in plastic pouches (like Capri Suns) with no air pockets and a tap near the bottom.

That way the CO2 can't escape as fast and the last drop should still be quite fizzy.

Amirite lads?
 
  • #3,574
skyshrimp said:
2ltr fizzy drinks should come in plastic pouches (like Capri Suns) with no air pockets and a tap near the bottom.

That way the CO2 can't escape as fast and the last drop should still be quite fizzy.

Amirite lads?
Sounds like a portable fire hose to me.
 
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  • #3,575
Is it me, my stupidity, my stubbornness, my lack of flexibility, my age? But I hate video feeds on the internet. Be it ads, or contributions here. Whereas I can decide what and whether to read when I see a text, read diagonal or skip passages I already know, videos force me to consume them entirely. I can't know when I miss essential parts if I skip forward. I've tried but it usually results in going back and wasting even more time. They also occupy all my thoughts, while reading allows me to move around mentally. And then they usually increase loading time and browser performance. Meanwhile I refuse to acknowledge all websites as soon as there is a video feed, even if I would otherwise have read them. This is also true for ads. I can accept written ads and even recognize them, but I don't allow videos to take control. Have I said, that I hate video feeds?
 
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  • #3,576
yeah..but like..reading is for like..nerds and stuff (I'm obviously trying to make fun of certain people)

:))

The topics that interest me, I prefer to read about exactly for the reasons you pointed out and I'm ..young.

I have ads blocked. Unless I want some specific video to play, it won't.
 
  • #3,577
Favorite interview question:
There is a Prime key, Foreign Key, Unique Key.. Why isn't there a Mon-Key?
 
  • #3,578
WWGD said:
Favorite interview question:
There is a Prime key, Foreign Key, Unique Key.. Why isn't there a Mon-Key?
Cri-key, that's a tough one.
 
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  • #3,579
WWGD said:
Favorite interview question:
There is a Prime key, Foreign Key, Unique Key.. Why isn't there a Mon-Key?
Ibix said:
Cri-key, that's a tough one.
...or, better, "Because you don't pay peanuts. I hope."
 
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  • #3,580
Ibix said:
Cri-key, that's a tough one.
@Australian Databases.
 
  • #3,581
Ibix said:
...or, better, "Because you don't pay peanuts. I hope."
Spun-key this morning. EDIT: My ignorance, I guess it is around 5 p.m there.
 
  • #3,582
fresh_42 said:
Is it me, my stupidity, my stubbornness, my lack of flexibility, my age? But I hate video feeds on the internet. Be it ads, or contributions here. Whereas I can decide what and whether to read when I see a text, read diagonal or skip passages I already know, videos force me to consume them entirely. I can't know when I miss essential parts if I skip forward. I've tried but it usually results in going back and wasting even more time. They also occupy all my thoughts, while reading allows me to move around mentally. And then they usually increase loading time and browser performance. Meanwhile I refuse to acknowledge all websites as soon as there is a video feed, even if I would otherwise have read them. This is also true for ads. I can accept written ads and even recognize them, but I don't allow videos to take control. Have I said, that I hate video feeds?

But the Beatles in book/written form kind of sucks. Video is best here.
 
  • #3,583
WWGD said:
Favorite interview question:
There is a Prime key, Foreign Key, Unique Key.. Why isn't there a Mon-Key?
There is, or better there are! The Mon-Keys are those you meet on an average Monday after a weekend you haven't missed one of them!
 
  • #3,584
fresh_42 said:
But I hate video feeds on the internet. Be it ads, or contributions here. Whereas I can decide what and whether to read when I see a text, read diagonal or skip passages I already know, videos force me to consume them entirely.
Indeed.

That said, the worst offenders of two forms:
  1. Videos of photos. Really!? The news story might be about a photo, maybe with a headline such as "Shocking Photo Has Scientists Rethinking <such and such>", with a video showing nothing more than the photo, but only after sitting through a 30 second ad. 'Just show me the darned photo. I've gotten to the point now where I completely skip such articles.
  2. Videos that show nothing but text, --- S. L. O. W. L. Y. . U. P. D. A. T. I. N. G. . T. E. X.T --- by the way, perhaps with music in the background. <Groan> Just keep your music and print the text in the article. If the video has some additional interviews/commentary, then fine. But if all you have is text, then it does not belong in video form.
 
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  • #3,585
collinsmark said:
<Groan> Just keep your music and print the text in the article.
That was one of my thoughts when I first saw a modern IDE. Nothing but icons. Icons everywhere. Oh man, I can read! Where are my scroll down menus and list boxes. I see no gain in learning hundreds of tiny images, differing from software to software, if I could simply read what to do instead, if possible with a keyboard short cut - no mouse. Horrible.
 
  • #3,586
I wonder if thoughts and memories have an molecular structure. So if I told you to think of an apple on a white oak table, did you just create a temporary molecule in your head for that mental image?
 
  • #3,587
Time lapse of fetal neurons making connections.

k90YFSM.gif
 
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  • #3,588
Kimberley, Australia: https://imgur.com/gallery/5qvr5sK

I never check whether forecasts. A few days ago a super gust blew and I was like "Eeeeeehhh! Where did that come from?!" Luckily my friend told me there was a storm forecast. One of these days I'm going to go outside and realize there is barely anyone outside. I'll be like: "Nice. Traffic is perfect today." Meanwhile a storm like that will be approaching me.
 
  • #3,589
I enjoyed staying in Australia for a while, but I'd never want to live down under. Everything there is designed to kill you in some way: storms, earthquakes, an entire battalion of spiders equipped to every household, extreme heat and humidity..ughh.

Wanna swim? SURPRISE! It's a shark!

oh yeah..flies. LOTS of #¤"%"& flies!
 
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  • #3,590
From this Wikipedia article: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reflex_syncope
Reflex syncope is a brief loss of consciousness due to a neurologically induced drop in blood pressure. Before the person passes out there may be sweating, a decreased ability to see, or ringing in the ears.
I couldn't have described it better, but you should add cold sweating to that and nausea. I thought only high blood pressure was bad. Didn't know low blood pressure could be bad too.
Complications may include injury from a fall.
You don't say. My head hit hard the concrete wall that one time. Thankfully there was no injury. Good thing it happened only once. Other times I've snapped out of it before fainting.
Vasovagal syncope is typically triggered by seeing blood, pain, emotional stress, or prolonged standing... The underlying mechanism involves the nervous system slowing the heart rate and dilating blood vessels resulting in low blood pressure and therefore not enough blood flow to the brain... When people lose consciousness, they fall down (unless prevented from doing so) and, when in this position, effective blood flow to the brain is immediately restored, allowing the person to regain consciousness.
Oh. Today I learned.
The nucleus tractus solitarii of the brainstem is activated directly or indirectly by the triggering stimulus, resulting in simultaneous enhancement of parasympathetic nervous system (vagal) tone and withdrawal of sympathetic nervous system tone.
The... the what? Ok, now you are speaking elvish. I don't understand those words.
https://www.ninds.nih.gov/Disorders/All-Disorders/Syncope-Information-Page said:
Syncope is a dramatic event and can be life-threatening if not treated properly.
Psh. Please, I'm not that weak.
 
  • #3,591
It has been 3.5 years without a single cigarette!

In other news. Who would spend 5 minutes trying to figure out why TeX code doesn't compile when using \includegraphics and linking it to a .tex file? :biggrin:

That's right, that would be me :oldlaugh:
 
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  • #3,592
Why not a Pre Office to go with Office and Post Office?
 
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  • #3,593
When you intended a straw to go on your mouth, but it goes up your nose. I blame it on you who distracted me by talking about interesting stuff while we ate. While I made eye contact with you because I was into the conversation I lowered my head to take a sip, but the straw went up my nose instead of into my mouth.

Tell me this has happened to you too.
 
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  • #3,594
Psinter said:
When you intended a straw to go on your mouth, but it goes up your nose. I blame it on you who distracted me by talking about interesting stuff while we ate. While I made eye contact with you because I was into the conversation I lowered my head to take a sip, but the straw went up my nose instead of into my mouth.

Tell me this has happened to you too.
You are not alone in that :DD
 
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  • #3,595
Psinter said:
I blame it on you who distracted me ...
And if you don't stop here, and will sue your friend for a nose injury, then you will have understood the American law system :biggrin:
 
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  • #3,596
I have learnt, that the correct spelling is "too <adjective>" but have read recently a couple of times "to <adjective>". Has this changed since my schooldays?
 
  • #3,597
fresh_42 said:
I have learnt, that the correct spelling is "too <adjective>" but have read recently a couple of times "to <adjective>". Has this changed since my schooldays?
As in, the temperature is higher than I want - it's too hot? Yes that's correct. "To hot" would be a mistake.
 
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  • #3,598
Ibix said:
As in, the temperature is higher than I want - it's too hot? Yes that's correct. "To hot" would be a mistake.
Thanks. In this case it seems that the English language suffers the same as the German. The amount of people who know how to use the language properly appears to decrease. And I'm only talking about those who grew up in the corresponding environment.
 
  • #3,599
Don't read Feersum Endjin by Iain M Banks then. About a third if it, including the title, is written by someone who really, really can't spell. & u ½ 2 rede it v. cairfuley & sloelee. Particularly because that character turns out to be the one with the best overview of what on Earth is going on.
 
  • #3,600
Ibix said:
& u ½ 2 rede it v. cairfuley & sloelee.
say what, now?

"and you have to read it v. (very?) carefully and slowly"?
 

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