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

[WWGD]

Le dîner est servi.
I've really outdone myself this time.

View attachment 293814

Bon appetit?

Dead snakes?

 

[fresh_42]

Gefilte fish? A pale memory of

 

[ergospherical]

Even better than snakes; discount tinned herring from Sainsbury’s and bread.

That said, I have seen snake meat being sold in London. As well as kangaroo, crocodile, etc. Weird stuff.

 

[WWGD]

Seems absurd sometimes, the things you're expected to prove for Math results: Any subset of a finite set is finite. How about 'Duh, QED'? Wouldn't that do?

 

[fresh_42]

I'm out of the game. I was listening to the radio today and they announced that they would play it, and I rushed to change the channel before the song started. I did not make it. I only lasted 8 days this year.

I almost whamed myself today while waiting at the airport ...

 

[WWGD]

I guess today will be the last palindrome date with format mm/dd/yy for a while:

121121

Edit: Two days from today.

 

[DrGreg]

I guess today will be the last palindrome date with format mm/dd/yy for a while:

121121

You seem to have invented time travel by sending this message two days backwards in time.

 

[WWGD]

You seem to have invented time travel by sending this message two days backwards in time.

Ah, yes, edited.

 

[WWGD]

Food left over after dinner at the cafe. Waiter: Wanna box ?
Me: Wow, you're strict. Bring out the gloves!

 

[kyphysics]

How to Handle These Requests?
"Hey, if you don't mind, it'd really help me out a lot if you could take a few minutes and leave me a good review."

me (thinking to self): Dude, you were okay/average. Not bad in any way, but not great either. I usually only leave reviews when they are in one extreme or the other. I don't want to leave you a review at all, but it's hard to say, no. Drat. Okay, I'll come up with a fake "yes" and maybe just not do it later...

I suck. I usually lie in these situations. Lying is a morally wrong. I can't help it and don't know how to politely say no. Can someone help me come up with a good response?

 

[Borg]

A person in my office has an image of Putin with hypnotic eyes on the outside of his cube. I stopped by to tell him how funny I thought that it was. He then told me that it was placed so that it's visible from the conference room across from his cube and gets picked up by the video conferencing camera if they leave the door open.

 

[fresh_42]

I can't help it and don't know how to politely say no.

I never figured it out. However, I once said to someone: "Do you know why I dare to ask you a favor? It is because I know that you say 'no' if you don't like it." I meant that the possibility of two answers allowed me to ask at all. I would have felt uncomfortable if I had to ask someone who has difficulties saying no.

So instead of blaming yourself, you should blame the questioner. And only the ability to say 'no' puts you into a state where you can be asked about favors at all.

I wanted to suggest you a polite phrase and in order to be sure I get the nuisances right, I put it into Google translate. The result was a rather rude sentence. I assume that I cannot transport the connotations properly. How about:

"Could you ..."
I could, but honestly, I don't really have time to do it and I don't want to spoil the result by the feeling of being urged to do it.

"Would you mind ..."
Honestly? A bit. I don't really have time to do it and I don't want to spoil the result by the feeling of being urged to do it.

 

[Keith_McClary]

How to Handle These Requests?
"Hey, if you don't mind, it'd really help me out a lot if you could take a few minutes and leave me a good review."

https://www.cartoonstock.com/cartoon?searchID=CS148452
There was another cartoon where he was asking for a good review, but I can't find it.

 

[WWGD]

How to Handle These Requests?
"Hey, if you don't mind, it'd really help me out a lot if you could take a few minutes and leave me a good review."

me (thinking to self): Dude, you were okay/average. Not bad in any way, but not great either. I usually only leave reviews when they are in one extreme or the other. I don't want to leave you a review at all, but it's hard to say, no. Drat. Okay, I'll come up with a fake "yes" and maybe just not do it later...

I suck. I usually lie in these situations. Lying is a morally wrong. I can't help it and don't know how to politely say no. Can someone help me come up with a good response?

Who's this you're referring to? I have had companies ask, by email , even almost demand, that I participate in reviewing them. I flat out ask if they will pay me for the review ( not implying I will necessarily give them a good review), as it is of value to them. I get either no reply or even generic replies along the lines of " you haven't yet filled our review!" .

 

[kyphysics]

I never figured it out. However, I once said to someone: "Do you know why I dare to ask you a favor? It is because I know that you say 'no' if you don't like it." I meant that the possibility of two answers allowed me to ask at all. I would have felt uncomfortable if I had to ask someone who has difficulties saying no.

So instead of blaming yourself, you should blame the questioner. And only the ability to say 'no' puts you into a state where you can be asked about favors at all.

Exactly!

I won't say everyone who does this is playing manipulative mind games. Some might just be unaware of the "pressure" they put on someone. But, I feel a normal person should know that when they ask such a question, it is VERY HARD for the person to say no. I feel some askers know this and take advantage of it to get you to agree to write that review.

That turns me into the bad guy for lying. I mean...what am I supposed to say, "no" to him and make it all awkward and stuff?

 

[kyphysics]

Who's this you're referring to? I have had companies ask, by email , even almost demand, that I participate in reviewing them. I flat out ask if they will pay me for the review ( not implying I will necessarily give them a good review), as it is of value to them. I get either no reply or even generic replies along the lines of " you haven't yet filled our review!" .

No, this was a furniture mover.

But, I've been asked by all sorts of other professionals as well.

p.s. You can tell them: "But, you haven't even paid me yet!"

 

[Ibix]

That turns me into the bad guy for lying. I mean...what am I supposed to say, "no" to him and make it all awkward and stuff?

I just say "oh, I see". I don't feel I'm committing myself to anything. If they push, you could just say "definitely not going to leave a positive review if you keep going on at me".

 

[WWGD]

Exactly!

I won't say everyone who does this is playing manipulative mind games. Some might just be unaware of the "pressure" they put on someone. But, I feel a normal person should know that when they ask such a question, it is VERY HARD for the person to say no. I feel some askers know this and take advantage of it to get you to agree to write that review.

That turns me into the bad guy for lying. I mean...what am I supposed to say, "no" to him and make it all awkward and stuff?

I remember an episode of a tv show to the effect of that. In some cultures it is seen as rude to make a request others will feel uncomfortable refusing.

 

[WWGD]

I just say "oh, I see". I don't feel I'm committing myself to anything. If they push, you could just say "definitely not going to leave a positive review if you keep going on at me".

If it is by phone, just feign a foreign accent/language and pretend you don't understand. Or start stuttering really badly in response. Edit:Or start bringing up really far out conspiracy theories.

 

[WWGD]

In further fascinating news on yogurt, I have read that some French describe it as a type of cheese.

 

[valenumr]

In further fascinating news on yogurt, I have read that some French describe it as a type of cheese.

There is a common "cheese" from the middle east (iirc) called lebnah, which is basically yoghurt that is thickened to the consistency of cream cheese.

 

[WWGD]

There is a common "cheese" from the middle east (iirc) called lebnah, which is basically yoghurt that is thickened to the consistency of cream cheese.

It's a thin line, I guess. Just wonder , when they came up with cottage cheese: how did they know when they were done. Without going into details, looks like undigested or semi-suggested food.

 

[fresh_42]

Without going into details, looks like undigested or semi-suggested food.

They knew what was in there! And it was neither grey nor green, so it would have probably been safe to test. I find it much harder to answer how they figured out which mushrooms were eatable.

 

[WWGD]

They knew what was in there! And it was neither grey nor green, so it would have probably been safe to test. I find it much harder to answer how they figured out which mushrooms were eatable.

Some surely paid the price: " Hey, this one is edib...argh".

 

[WWGD]

Going back to the topic of intrusive companies, my friend is pretty pissed about his bank sending him a 'Happy Birthday' email. As if the bank was a close friend of his.

 

[valenumr]

Going back to the topic of intrusive companies, my friend is pretty pissed about his bank sending him a 'Happy Birthday' email. As if the bank was a close friend of his.

Automated messages are so personal!

 

[WWGD]

Automated messages are so personal!

Specially when they're not done carefully: Dear Mr _(Fill in the Blanks)_ , we wish you a Happy _{Enter Holiday Name]_

Or the one the one the Dept used to mass-send:
" We wish you a Merry Christmas , or whatever it is you celebrate, if you do choose to celebrate".
Heart-warming.

 

[WWGD]

Seems clear in retrospect: All these " milks" ( Soy, Almond, etc. ; not derived from a cow), do not work well with hot drinks. You heat it or nuke it and the solids and liquids seem to separate ( " De -emulsify"?). I admit I bought into the hype. Standard milk from now on. And certainly not the water-like non-fat version.

 

[WWGD]

I recently got chewed when acting surprised when I was told that Chess is a sport.

 

[fresh_42]

Kortchnoi once told that he loses IIRC up to 5 kg of weight in a match. And using the most energy-consuming organ we have is certainly a justification, too.