Lounge random thoughts/stories thread -- CURRENT

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

Also, that's been the Amazon logo for years. And years. And years.

Well, I'm just noticing the phallusy of it right now.

My wife made a similar comment a while back.. I said it was supposed to be a smile.. she contends it's pretty phallic [I can't disagree with her on that]

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

That sounds like a suicide attempt, like the old man wanted to go out in an awesome way.
You have a short time left to live. Your options for dying are:
1) Choking on applesauce while eating breakfast in a nursing home.

2) Rotting away at the end of it all, pissing your last in a miserable home, nothing more than an embarrassment to the selfish, fucked-up brats you have spawned to replace yourselves. (cookie for the reference)

3) Drag racing in a '76 Pinto at a hundred miles an hour and smashing into a wall. Going out in a beautiful fireball of instant death (cuz you're driving a Pinto) that people will remember for years.

I'll take door number 3.

4) Bear fight

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

Coworker wants to get 9-10 years out of a computer - without upgrades.

For $400.

If he had bought a Mac Pro when they were new, it would be halfway to his goal now.

Of course, he'd have had to increase his budget by an order of magnitude....

I suspect they spent something similar when they last got a PC ... 9-10 years ago.

I saw a refurb Kabylake i5 box for $350 on Newegg recently.. if by computer they mean 'Web Browsing Box', then it's possibly doable

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

This guy built a really neat custom PC, finishing it, uniquely, in wood and rope.

https://youtu.be/N-z9PidYH4E

Hot damn.. I really need to become Financially Independent, so I have time to do sweet projects like this..

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

https://www.pillsbury.com/everyday-eats/pizza/oh-yes-we-did-pepperoni-pizza-cake

All I see is a Chicago-style "pizza".

Interesting definition of 'Chicago-style'.

Sadly, people confuse "Chicago Pizza" with "Deep Dish Pizza." Further, they confuse "Deep Dish Pizza" with "Six inches of Wonder Bread crust, topped with a gallon of rotten tomatoes mixed with 20-year-old dried oregano, finished with shredded fake mozzarella cheese, cooked by a 16-year-old who's stoned out of his mind."

That's what franchising does to food. Someone who hates Chicago pizza when they've only had it at a franchised Uno's or (ugh) Pizza Hut...it's like someone hates Mexican food when they've only been to Taco Bell.

I mean...I've never been to NYC, but I've had "Brooklyn Crust" pizza from Dominos. Does that qualify me to say that NYC pizza sucks? Hell, no. But lots of people who've had shitty deep dish with the word 'Chicago' in the name think Chicago pizza isn't really pizza.

Over the years, I've eaten at the 'big 3' Chicago Deep Dish places [Lou Malnati's was my favorite] and a few independent joints, I refuse to call it pizza.

It's cheese & tomato pie [I like mine with Sausage] - it's delicious, but it's not pizza.

I agree that it would be a disgrace to judge it off of Uno's though [or Brooklyn pizza off of Domino's, etc].

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

Yeah, that's not a pizza.
It's clearly a ravioli.

Like a Pop Tart?

I never made this connection before.

Setting aside that pastry dough and pasta are quite a bit different. Might as well say that pastry dough == pasta == bread and thus ravioli and Pop Tarts are sandwiches.

Poptarts are cheap turnovers.

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

Millions of sneering liberal elites are going to miss their tax filing deadlines F5ing this Sean Hannity Michael Cohen thing.

Taxes already filed last week.. but I'm going to miss my self imposed filing deadline at work, the pile of paperwork will just have to wait to be finished off until tomorrow

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

I'm not a big fan of rap, but given the fact that he just won the Pulitzer for it, I figured I'd give Kendrick Lamar's DAMN a try (pro-tip: it's available on prime music). It's got a great flow, and has worked well as headphone music for while I work. Now to explore his back catalog...

If you like Kendrick Lamar, I also recommend Logic and his back catalog [who recently went from underground darling to Billboard topper unbeknownst to me]. Can't say I'm a big fan of most modern hip-hop/rap, but I like those two [alas, with a kid, I don't have as much free time to explore various genres and artists like I used to]

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

Oh, a new demon! Social Science! BOO! And, naturally, fewer trained exorcists means more demons roaming around all willy-nilly and possessing people and shit.

I have a B.S. in Economics, which is a social science. Can confirm, economics is really just demonology with a thin veneer of numbers to scare away the marketing majors. At my university, we couldn't graduate until we were able to possess a state representative and secure more funding for the department.

Had a professor describe economics to me as "what happens when math and sociology make a baby while history watches from the closet, crying." Said professor may have been drunk at the time.

That aptly describes Econometrics - it is just sociology for business/numbers [finding relationships via math].

With so many assumptions and 'ideal conditions' - classical economics is really just postulating business-centric philosophy.

Oddly enough, I originally intended to be a history major..

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

For the NPR-heads out there; Carl Kasell has passed away:

https://www.npr.org/2018/04/17/52865645 ... eer-on-air

Not totally unexpected - especially since Wait Wait took him off as the 'prize' for winning - but still sad for the passing of another voice from my youth.

Yeah, I just read that and was sad too.

So many memories of Wait Wait and his voice being a prize, while on roadtrips.

From what my memory can recall, he seemed like a genuinely nice guy. Maybe someone will put together a memorial montage of the recordings he made for winners.

RIP.

We used to save up WWDTM's for road trips as well, sad news

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

Nothing on earth will get me to subscribe to YouTube Red.

How about GPMAA [which includes YoutubeRed]?

I'd never subscribe to YoutubeRed as a standalone, but since it's included with GPMAA - I happily enjoy ad free Youtube videos when I find myself there.

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

I wonder if Alison Mack and Bill Cosby will end up as cell mates. If they do, Harvey Weinstein is sure to option the movie rights.

Apparently there's a TV series and a separate docudrama miniseries on Alison Mack's cult already in the works.

I'm still surprised Keith Raniere was able to rope her into our local Cult [NXIVM] - I had no idea she'd also purchased a house in Clifton Park. I always thought he just preyed on middle age divorcees.

Other odd connection: Roger Stone took one of his courses

Conspiracy Theory that hits me now upon typing that odd connection: maybe Keith Raniere ran his sex slaves out of a Pizza Parlor - Roger Stone has used said sex slaves - Roger Stone creates Pizzagate Fake News during election

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

So there is a Homebrew thread, Whiskey thread and now a Coffee thread.. quick search showed no perpetual Beer thread - was I just too lazy to wander back far enough?

I only ask, because in the past few months I've scratched off my top 2 'want to try' beers and haven't found any replacements to hunt for.. if there isn't, maybe I'll get around to starting one the next time I try a new beer

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

What beers did you try?

I'd be up fro a beer thread.

The two from my list are:

Toppling Goliaths Pseudo Sue, which I finally found back in February.
Lawson's Finest Liquids Sip of Sunshine, also first found locally in February, but has now been available pretty regularly.

Neither blew my socks off, but both were good and I'd definitely recommend them.

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

I'd be up fro a beer thread.

Thirded.

In beer-related discussion, Lord Hobo's Boomsauce IPA has appeared at a number of bars / restaurants near me so I tried it... a few times. I like it. Not too a mega-hoppy bear, and the flavoring isn't too sweet or experimental. I think it's a good beer for the pre-summer time. Might be too high ABV for a really hot day, but the flavor suits sunny days and breezes.

I'm still shocked when I see it available in our grocery stores - craft beer has come a long way fast. I actually like it's less hoppy brother Glorious a little more I think, possibly due to the lower ABV making it more drinkable.

Alright, guess it's time to start a thread.

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

I'm honestly really surprised that banks haven't made a universal ACH like inter-bank transfer feature available. Easily sending money between individuals is such a common thing yet they just left an entire sub-industry up to third parties that they already have the infrastructure to do.

There are some confirmation steps involved. Something like depositing a small amount into one from the other, then confirming the amount, and then waiting for approval. Overall, it maybe took 7-10 business days.

Even if your bank supports it, that's an awkward thing to coordinate. Especially with an 89 year-old without computing devices. Do it the same way tax companies/states (at least both MD and VA) request your routing number for direct deposit: enter the routing and account number on one page then verify the account number (without access to the original entry) on another page to keep the error rate low. Hell, it's got some ability for abuse so don't let that kind of thing be available online but only with the account holder present at the bank (though, really, all of the "send money now" companies have the same problem yet it doesn't stop them from offering the interface into ACH and often with as little as a phone number or email address to identify the recipient).

Our small CU offers ACH transfers, but they require a human to verify/complete - do you have a bank/CU with a local, physical location?

The only reason I can think for easy push ACH features not being available is that the systems initial setup is expensive from what I've heard and will only be used by a very small percentage of their users. They've essentially ceded the market to Venmo/etc.

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

We need a law that says if a health insurance customer can find an out-of-network doctor in a hospital that is in network, the insurance company must pay the doctor and the customer a million dollars each. Limit once per day per doctor.

Kind of related:

I was wondering today why car insurance companies advertise services that aren't available in your state.

"The folks at Leafatree Mutual understand that sometimes you get in an accident after downing three handles of tequila in an hour and while sexting a selfie to your high school ex. These things happen.

At Leafatree Mutual, we'll buy you a new car, pay any and all legal fees, and send you a dozen roses a day until you feel better."

Liquorbooze Sexty coverage is not available [in the state in which I'm watching your fucking commercial you asswipes]

What am I supposed to do? Suddenly decide to move to West Idakota just to get that? Not that I'm cynical, but I picture that ad in every state - meaning that coverage ain't available no where.

In other, unrelated, news:

I had a life defining moment this weekend. And it was because of a handheld shopping basket.

Went to the grocery store, looked around for one (I don't need and don't want to use a cart), and nary a one to be seen. I ask one of the checkers, and she says that they get stolen so often that the store has decided not to replace them.

And that was my moment: the fuckups and bean counters have won. Trying to play by the rules is a fool's game. You go through life paying your taxes, being kind to most people and animals, generally just living. And they fucking take away your shopping basket. Because why make shopping pleasant?

(Please feel free to cite and talk about the cost/benefit ratios and loss reduction crap and all that bullshit that is really, in the end, meaningless. Because that, apparently, really ain't part of the solution.)

Welcome to Fight Club..

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

It looked exactly like a pit-bull, so it had to be some kind of mastiff/pit-bull mix.

Today, I went out to look at the paw prints, and they're the size of the black bear prints I used to see in the San Bernardino forest. Like fried egg-sized.

Sounds like a Cane/King Corso.. it's a type of Mastiff, with a more decidedly Pitbull look [taller and without the girth of the Bull Mastiff].

My friend has one, it's head is the size of a large bowling ball - incredibly nice dog, but it is humongous and intimidating. If it was ever stalking around on it's own, I have trouble imagining anyone that wouldn't be scared.

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

You're absolutely right. I'm going to now go and create a 58 person group text and share a picture of the strawberries I picked last night.

Well, the other fundamental problem with Facebook is it makes you think anybody cares about your stupid strawberries.

Seriously, I've never groked the online exhibitionism people demonstrate on social media.

You're on Ars aren't you? Think of FB like Ars but with more pictures and a more personal connection because in general you know the person before you share stuff with them.

^^ What he said.

Basically, FB is like The Lounge all rolled up into a single feed. The difference is how we treat opinions: here, we laugh at each others' differing opinions, then go on our merry ways afterwards; on FB and other social media, they pull out their guns and create an Archer Mexican standoff the moment somebody says something that doesn't jive with you.

For example, pineapples belong on pizza.

You're a monster

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

For example, pineapples belong on pizza.

You're a monster

And you sir, are wrong.

It's official, my toddler has corrupted my mind - the first thought that popped into my head was the circular argument between Captain Smek & Oh from the animated movie 'Home'.

Having thought about this argument more seriously in the past, I think it just comes down to whether or not you like sweet foods. I do not, hence I don't like pineapple on pizza. The only pizza topping(s) that offend my sensibilities are using condiments.

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

So the salty ham + a cooked pineapple becoming more tangy than sweet is what works.. I'm glad you guys aren't just running around tossing Pineapple on a plain pie..

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

my potentially heathen pizza I make every once in a while: Salmon & Spinach

Also, broccoli is great [I concur on pairing it with chicken & pesto], your co-workers are cotton-headed ninny muggins.

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

Am I alone, in having random songs I haven't listened to in a long time pop into my head when I head to the urinal at the office? Two most recent trips: started whistling 'Yellow Submarine' and just now humming 'We Will Rock You'.. no idea the last time I actually heard the songs, yet there they were, invading my mind as I flushed some excess fluid out of my body.

I'm not sure if the playlist compilation of my random urinal songs would be glorious or a monstrosity - I can't get myself to start keeping track of them.

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

I don't think I've ever gone to IHOP and not gotten breakfast food. I don't get why they'd even try to make a run at the burger market.

It's a non-permanent marketing campaign/publicity stunt--they're releasing new burgers. Wendys and Burger King have been solid in their response on Twitter.

I don't understand why they're pushing the burgers either, but at least they're going with the most cost effective campaign.

I assume the burger offer is an attempt to horn in on the late night, drunken Denny's crowd - cause Steve is always a jerk off and doesn't want breakfast food at 3am. Now everybody can finally get better pancakes and Steve can shut the fuck up and eat his crappy burger.

Or has breakfast food seen a decline in popularity lately?

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

This is bullshit. I literally work about 2 hours a day at my new job and I'm bored out of my mind. I was going to talk to my boss later today about that in our 1x1, but I overheard that he's out of the office for the rest of the day. Fuck this shit, I'm looking for a new job. I do not do well with being so bored.

Use it as an opportunity to learn new skills? 2hrs of work + 5hrs learning some new skill/hobby/software/language/etc + 1hr of Ars'ing..

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

Magnets?*

*If we're talking kids, just have them swallow a bunch + fill their pockets [or sew into clothes? I'm not sure how much time/prep you have]

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

Pulled beef?

That's a thing. It's also called "shredded" sometimes.

Chuck roasts are the best for it. Find the best marbled one you can with the smallest large veins of fat. If you have a smoker, smoke it for a few hours. If not, no big deal, throw it in a crock pot with some liquid smoke. Cut up a large red onion, a red, yellow, and green bell pepper, a jalapeno, and a poblano. Throw those in with the meat. Pour in a bottle or can of Guinness. Cook until the meat can be pulled with a fork. Now here's the important part--un-cover and cook on high until the liquid reduces, stirring occasionally to get everything coated and prevent burning. Doesn't need to be bone-dry, but you want concentrated peppery stout goodness.

Serve sandwich-style on good crusty rolls, ideally with friends or people you want to impress (or shag).

That my friend is pepper stout beef. You're welcome.

That is so going in my recipe file! I'd eat that for a week straight.

Can second this type of recipe, but I don't use liquid smoke or poblanos, while adding some garlic, salt, cracked black pepper, cumin and chili powder. Works just as well with chicken thighs [though I swap the stout for something lighter].

edit: also, I aim for a coffee stout with the beef

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

Can second this type of recipe, but I don't use liquid smoke or poblanos, while adding some garlic, salt, cracked black pepper, cumin and chili powder

At that point, add a bit of tomato (maybe a Mexican lager or broth/water instead of Guinness) and you essentially have machaca.

I do sometimes use salsa instead of the peppers.. for an accidental Machaca [as well as using a lager if I don't have a stout]

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

Lets look through this ingredient list of Keto friendly Chili from reddit

Tomatoes
Tomato paste
Mushrooms
Black soy beans
FUCKING CELERY


I mean, huh? Really?

That actually sounds interesting.

The celery part? Wow, what they say about sex after marriage is right.

Mirepoix is a thing you know. Add beef, cumin, chiles, and tomatoes, and you have possibly have a richer and more flavorful chili. It works for stuff like beef stew.

French Chili? I think you just offended half of the culinary world

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

The Empire Apple is the one true apple..

until the Cosmic Crisp arrives on the scene.. [I'll still probably prefer the Empire..]

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

That said, I'm intrigued by this General Hospital v Westworld theory.. I think it was an empty threat..

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

The Empire Apple is the one true apple..

until the Cosmic Crisp arrives on the scene.. [I'll still probably prefer the Empire..]

Are both of these as expensive as HoneyCrisp apples are?

Not around here, but I'm surrounded by apple orchards that produce them. To be honest, I'm not even sure if they sell Empires throughout the country.

I assume the Cosmic will be similarly priced with the Honey Crisp.

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

I've just discovered that in some places here it's illegal to pump your own gas.

This country makes me really sad sometimes.

Oh you're in luck! Ask people *why* you can't pump your own gas. It's mythology in action.

I honestly had no idea why NJ is that way, but it's definitely one of the many reasons I have zero interest in living there.

I can't say the article surprised me though, nor that Chris Christie views having people pump your gas for you as a boastful thing.. why adapt, when you can legislate..

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

certainly doesn't improve on their shitty pizza

I like their shitty pizza.

Of all the national brands I've tried (Pizza Hut, Papa John's, Dominos, Little Caesars), Dominos is the only one that makes decent pizza. I'll try all the others if I'm drunk and really hungry. But Domino's is the only brand that actually makes flavorful pizza.

Almost every city with more than 100k people has a pizza place with better pizza than the national chains.

Any town with >5000k people or a vacation town for NYC/Boston [in NY/NE at least] has a pizza place better than a national chain.

In our city of 100k, we have at least a dozen [probably three dozen] pizza places within 5 miles of us that make better pizza than any national chain.

The only selling point for a national brand, is that it's cheaper.

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

Down in the Northeast too

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

I've never heard such a disparaging description of Salmon.. not only is it delicious [when cooked properly], it's pretty high up the nutritional value rankings..

I eat it alone, on pizza, in tacos, salsas/salads, pasta.. honestly, if I could only eat one animal for the rest of my life, Salmon would make the short list

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

A loss is a loss, whether by 1 or 20..

at least, that's what I'd be trying to tell myself

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

A loss is a loss, whether by 1 or 20..

at least, that's what I'd be trying to tell myself

For standings, that's true.

However losing by that much says you were outclassed. Like a college team playing a MLB team. You should question your life and the choices that led you to that point. The owner and manager should be questioning why they're paying these scrubs that much money. Fans should be checking housing prices in other cities on Zillow.

Speaking of owners - the Wilpon's have bled the Mets dry after getting fleeced by Bernie Madoff - they should have sold off the Mets years ago. Instead, they've drastically cut payroll from a team in a major market. There are regular articles questioning why MLB hasn't forced them out like they did McCourt in LA.

Sure, injuries haven't helped, but they've essentially closed the team off from signing the FAs needed to supplement the farm system. I watched the first couple of innings - it seemed like they just packed it in after 3 - I mean, they put Jose Reyes on the mound.

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

A loss is a loss, whether by 1 or 20..

at least, that's what I'd be trying to tell myself

For standings, that's true.

However losing by that much says you were outclassed. Like a college team playing a MLB team. You should question your life and the choices that led you to that point. The owner and manager should be questioning why they're paying these scrubs that much money. Fans should be checking housing prices in other cities on Zillow.

That sort of loss has fans wondering if their team is even trying. Losing is fine for fans who think the team is trying and more importantly isn't so bad that they lose hope for the next season as well. Getting spanked like a minor league team going up against pros kills hope for the current season and the next season as well. Which means fewer season passes and the like.

Mets fans have already been thinking that for a while.. at this point, I assume they'll only sell a decent amount of tickets for giveaway days and DeGrom/Thor starts.

 

[JiveTurkeyJerky]

So I might have Lyme's disease :/

Did you get a diagnosis in time for antibiotics to be effective?

We noticed the bitemark about 1.5 weeks ago, lab results took some time. Pharmacy said that the antibiotics would cure it, so am optimistic.

Sucks - I have too many family members and friends who have had or are currently dealing with Lyme [at least we don't have crazy poisonous animals?].. I've heard as long as you're on antibiotics within a month or two of the bite, you should hopefully be ok - but it's an annoying and painful process..