@Aqua-Letifer said in Good advice from Vonnegut: @Doctor-Phibes said in Good advice from Vonnegut: People sometimes ask me why I don't play in front of an audience. Not the ones who've heard me play, obviously. In addition to the obvious reason, my feeling is that it isn't main the point of playing an instrument. I don't actually particularly mind playing for people, but that's not why I do it. With the caveat that my opinion on this doesn't matter and I'm not going to try to convince you that it's important, just the same, I think that's a little selfish. Art's very important. Like Shaw said, without it, the crudeness of reality would make the world unbearable. So few people practice it, and thanks to our education system and cultural values, that percentage gets smaller by the day. People need it and no one's producing it at the local level anymore. We'd be a lot less uptight and insane if more people shared what they did. At the very least have a window or door open when you're playing. Tell the naysayers to eat shit. I don't want people listen to me practice, that's just embarrassing. I don't really mind people listening to me play tunes, that's a bit different. I'd say my reasons aren't really selfish - more like a bit lazy and shy. I'd happily play in a band that's around the corner. I don't fancy having to drive into the city twice a week for it. OK, I guess that is kinda' selfish.

From my point of view, of course. They think we are overly linear, not holistic enough.

Is there money to be made?

No. It's more like the canary in the coal mine for the Democratic vision for America.

https://x.com/mrddmia/status/1702385071095968135?s=20

The Biden Administration is pushing amnesty. Again. Some more.

We'd expect a group of people resembling the Supreme Court (a 75-year-old man, a 73-year-old man, a 69-year-old woman, and so on) to have a 50% chance of someone dying within 3.9 years. Now look at the odds of an 80 year old male with a history of atrial fibrillation dying in the next 4 years. SSA and other actuarial tables say expectancy is 88 years. @jon-nyc said: How about age, gender, and obesity and race? They’re probably underestimating Thomas’s and Sotomayor’s chances if they’re just looking at age and sex. That's right. Isn't Sotomayor a Type 1 diabetic?

@taiwan_girl said in Meanwhile, in Illinois...: As long as you can afford the home insurance (if you can even get it). Also, I may be wrong but I think that police pensions are tied to the state. So, if you move to another state, you have to start all over. Unless you are just starting out, it may be tough move to do. Most state pensions are 401a plans. There are ways in most government pension systems to roll over those funds or a way to buy air time.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/09/14/liberals-migration-eric-adams-mugged/ If only the bods at Apple could give up on the green rubbish and invent a time machine – not to save Kennedy or down Hitler, but so that we might arrange a debate between 2020 Sathanandan and 2023 Sathanandan, chaired by Congressman Hindsight. In a similar spirit, New York City Mayor Eric Adams has also GONE TO WAR against everything he stood for five minutes ago, having once been an enthusiast for migration but now so sceptical that they’re calling him the “black Trump”. The reason? It turns out his city can’t afford lots of people turning up and using its services.

NASA releases report on UAP (UNIDENTIFIED ANOMALOUS PHENOMENA) Interesting report, but in the end, doesn't really say anything. "We think that they can be explained by non-alien means, but we are not 100% sure. More investigations is needed." https://science.nasa.gov/science-pink/s3fs-public/atoms/files/UAP Independent Study Team - Final Report_0.pdf

Poor judgement and ultimate responsibility. You have a big fundraiser and you don't know what's going on?

Link to video

@Copper said in First, the dollar menu. Now this.: Which is worse, the $5 Coke or the $30 to check a bag 1-way? Off topic, but I think that they should have no charge for checked bags and charge for carry on. That would definitely speed up boarding and off-boarding of people and may help with the time to turn around the planes.

@Jolly Is Carlson not aware that Argentina has been a chronic economic basket case for the last 40 years or more?

I wonder if some Beatle’s tunes, or at least the melodies, will, over time, morph into English folk songs. Many melodies from the past do just that.

Somewhat related. https://www.engadget.com/foxconns-promise-to-invest-10-billion-in-wisconsin-is-now-a-distant-memory-090555405.html

@LuFins-Dad said in Oktoberfest… And why I really don’t like other band parents: Shit. They are now asking us to lead that tailgate. I’ve never even been to a tailgate… Beer, water, chips might be enough. If you are ambitious you could grill burgers and dogs. Better to get a couple party platters from the super market. And of course a few nice desserts. Go for easy clean up because everyone will bolt when the game starts, or earlier if the band starts playing.