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General Discussion

A place to talk about whatever you want

38.6k Topics 350.7k Posts
  • How different the world would look if Neanderthals had prevailed

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    LuFins DadL
    I find the article kind of nonsensical. They start with the premise that population density would be far lower due to the inherent genetic makeup of the Neanderthal to stay in small family groups. Well, if that’s true then why are we even having this conversation? The Neanderthal never stood a chance at surviving because of that basic trait.
  • Meanwhile, in NYC...

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    jon-nycJ
    I wouldn’t be a landlord in NYC for love or money, but if I had to I’m sure I’d want to do the background check. I’m just curious how the ex-cons experience it. Is it a minor annoyance that some buildings won’t let them rent there? Or is it so ubiquitous that they basically have to live with a relative?
  • Hey Cat, You’re In A Suitcase …

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    MikM
    Yeah? That excuse doesn’t fly. This proves my contention that no matter how stupid something is, there’s someone, somewhere who will do it.
  • Devil Duck

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  • Long-form Twitter?

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    George KG
    "They also noted features Musk plans to implement, including long-form tweets and encrypted DMs." There seems to be a rise in paranoia about the DMs being stored on Twitter. Up until now, they have not been encrypted, and, apparently, any enterprising and creative hacker might be able to see some unsavory and embarrassing comments.
  • Hay Cats! Your "How Dad solves a problem" post of the day.

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  • I think our neighbor is going to call CPS on me…

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    LuFins DadL
    @Friday said in I think our neighbor is going to call CPS on me…: Did Finley actually sing "just like a young girl should"? Once… Mostly he just ran around singing the first 2 lines.
  • Best fingering - descending chromatic scale

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    KlausK
    I think both fingerings you describe are reasonable, George. I'd just choose the one that works better. However, I'd definitely change the last three notes (starting with the c#) to 321. It's odd to have the second finger on the b and then jump to the a flat. Also, you have 321 on the octave above, too.
  • Gimme my TV

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    F
    That first video reminded me of the "I Love Lucy" episode where Lucy and Ethel are fighting over a TV. Even now that show makes me laugh. Maybe there's something wrong with me, but I never saw the appeal of fighting a crowd just to save some money.
  • Big Wood

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    JollyJ
    That's what I thought...
  • Better Vaccinations Through Chemistry?

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    AxtremusA
    @Doctor-Phibes said in Better Vaccinations Through Chemistry?: Yours is the country that gave us the words winningest and burglarize. Hold my kombucha, I'ma gonna top that with "organizationalize."
  • Some remakes should never happen

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    Doctor PhibesD
    If they’d cast Scatman as a Nazi I’d definitely have watched it
  • Saudi players gifted luxury cars after upsetting Argentina

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    Doctor PhibesD
    @Catseye3 said in Saudi players gifted luxury cars after upsetting Argentina: Big deal. It's not like the cars can be neatly and safely stored in a safety deposit box like the Rings. You haven’t read Tolkien have you? Just wait until Tommy loses his hair and starts scuttling around the seafood counter in Stop and Shop looking for some nice fishies wearing nothing but a thong.
  • Tonight's Echocardiogram

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    George KG
    I don't know enough about this, wrt treatment, other than to think that, if you start using "clot busters" you might make that clot small enough to fit through the mitral valve orifice so that it can shoot into the left ventricle and out the aorta. It's a stroke waiting to happen. Interestingly, the patient is in sinus rhythm not atrial fibrillation which is usually the setting for such a clot - though, he might have been cardioverted into sinus prior to the echo. Our cardiologists NEVER cardioverted someone in a-fib because a sudden change to sinus could loosen the clot and send it to places where you don't want it to go. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10359923/
  • "The Terror"

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    George KG
    OK - 6 episodes in, and I'm done. I have to acknowledge the really high production values and concept of being ice-bound in the arctic, in the mid 19th century. The discipline and logistics of such a long, long ordeal are well-portrayed. Sorry, but I find the wandering storylines distracting: the "monster," the Inuit woman, the lead poisoning, the alcoholism of Crozier, the utterly confusing names, and muttered dialog. Gimme Shackleton. Can't.
  • Black Friday? Cyber Monday?

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    kluursK
    I went out on a Black Friday sale a few years back for something I needed, but I went at 8:00 pm, a hour before closing. Stores were empty, lines nonexistent. I was able to do a lot in a short amount of time. Now, we rarely set foot in stores - except for groceries or when something requires being tried on or demonstrated.
  • $600

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    kluursK
    Yup - easy to get over that threshold if you sell anything online - like a car, piano or such. At least in the past, the IRS wasn't making terribly clear how to account for the fact that one might not have a tax consequence for that - i.e. Bought a car for $40,000 in 2019 and sold for $25,000 in 2022. I suspect this will blow up in a few months. I wrote a letter to Dick Durbin about this and said - "hey guy - guess what's going to happen the first quarter of 2023? I specifically detailed the $600 and the 1099K arriving in people's mailboxes." Here's the nonresponsive reply.... Dear Mr. kluurs: Thank you for contacting me about tax fairness. I appreciate hearing from you and share your concerns. The current tax code is heavily unbalanced in favor of corporations and the wealthiest Americans. We are struggling to rein in our growing debt and address the deficit problem. Yet the federal government forgoes more than $1 trillion dollars each year on various tax deductions, credits, exclusions, and tax loopholes that disproportionately benefit the very wealthy and the well-connected. We spend more on tax deductions and credits than the government brings in from personal income taxes. We must take a hard look at such backdoor spending and restructure these tax benefits to concentrate more heavily on middle- and low-income Americans. I am an original cosponsor of the Paying a Fair Share Act of 2021 (S. 1652), which would require taxpayers with an annual adjusted gross income exceeding $1 million to pay at least 30 percent effective tax rate. The Paying a Fair Share Act has been referred to the Senate Committee on Finance, of which I am not a member. I will keep your thoughts in mind as I continue to work for fair and responsible tax policies that address the needs of all Americans and improve our fiscal sustainability. As Congress considers comprehensive tax reform, policies that ensure high-income earners pay their fair share must be part of that discussion. Thank you again for contacting me. Please feel free to keep in touch.
  • Flying into a Thunderstorm in MSFS

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    George KG
    "I do qualify as a cargo aircraft now..."
  • When your kids get sick in Québec

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    JollyJ
    Hey, this is Ax nirvana. Socialized medicine, FTW!
  • Block 70

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    George KG
    Not bad for a 45 year old platform. "In 2022, it was announced the USAF would continue to operate the F-16 for another two decades." -Wikipedia