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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2020 6:14 am
by dualstow
Stay safe, Mark!
Xan wrote: ↑Tue Sep 15, 2020 11:47 am
Renting a VPS or some other "cloud" storage solution might not be a bad idea, mostly in order to get off-site backups in case of a fire or other local disaster.
I would think long and hard before delivering all your data to some third party, though. You may want to recommend encrypt it before uploading (that is, don't trust their encryption, if they have any).
Many thanks, Xan.
Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2020 5:45 pm
by Smith1776
Hey guys. I know some of you are religious on this forum. I could use your thoughts and prayers. Going through (again) some trying times. Thanks all.
Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2020 6:00 pm
by Mark Leavy
Dude. I'm not religious, but best wishes. You have a lot of good still to do. You make the world a better place.
Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2020 6:09 pm
by Smith1776
Mark Leavy wrote: ↑Sat Sep 19, 2020 6:00 pm
Dude. I'm not religious, but best wishes. You have a lot of good still to do. You make the world a better place.
Thank you, Mark. The challenges in life don't stop, but I am doing my best to meet them.
On a side note, every painful experience usually has a stand-up comedy bit somewhere in there.
Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2020 8:03 pm
by Kriegsspiel
How bad is it? Should I sacrifice a dove or a feral cat?
Trick question; it will be a feral cat.
Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2020 10:14 pm
by Mark Leavy
Kriegsspiel wrote: ↑Sat Sep 19, 2020 8:03 pm
How bad is it? Should I sacrifice a dove or a feral cat?
Trick question; it will be a feral cat.
Good call, Kriegs. Doves are the wrong animal in this situation. If I'm reading the room correctly, we may need a horse head.
Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
Posted: Sat Sep 19, 2020 11:53 pm
by Hal
Mark Leavy wrote: ↑Sat Sep 19, 2020 10:14 pm
Kriegsspiel wrote: ↑Sat Sep 19, 2020 8:03 pm
How bad is it? Should I sacrifice a dove or a feral cat?
Trick question; it will be a feral cat.
Good call, Kriegs. Doves are the wrong animal in this situation. If I'm reading the room correctly, we may need a horse head.
Heh,
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4k7vaouYhU
Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2020 5:11 am
by Mountaineer
Smith1776 wrote: ↑Sat Sep 19, 2020 5:45 pm
Hey guys. I know some of you are religious on this forum. I could use your thoughts and prayers. Going through (again) some trying times. Thanks all.
Smith, I'm sorry you are going through trying times. Just remember that God loves you, all the time, no matter what. You might like to read Psalm 136 (first few verses shown below); I find it comforting. Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
Psalm 136 (from ESV translation):
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
2 Give thanks to the God of gods,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
3 Give thanks to the Lord of lords,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
4 to him who alone does great wonders,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
5 to him who by understanding made the heavens,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
6 to him who spread out the earth above the waters,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
7 to him who made the great lights,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
8 the sun to rule over the day,
for his steadfast love endures forever;
9 the moon and stars to rule over the night,
for his steadfast love endures forever; ........
Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2020 5:38 am
by Hal
Thats a good set of verses Mountaineer,
Maybe not as good as the bible, but perhaps these Stoic quotes may help as well....
https://daringtolivefully.com/marcus-aurelius-quotes
Hope everything sorts itself out Smith....
Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2020 5:57 am
by Mountaineer
Those are great quotes Hal.
Another thought came to mind: Whenever I'm feeling sorry for myself or my situation, I try to focus on helping someone who is worse off than me (and there are lots of those people out there); a shift from me to thee. Inevitably, that somehow improves my situation, and hopefully the situation of the one I'm helping. A win-win!
It is helpful for me to keep my eyes on Jesus, the steady, unchanging, always solid stake in the ground who paid the price all our mistakes versus keeping my eyes on me and my feelings which are not so steady, not so reliable, can be dependent on what others are thinking of me, and subject to changing with current circumstances. I think of Jesus as a mountain (steady and long lasting) and myself as an iceberg (subject to changing with the winds and currents of life as I slowly melt away).
Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2020 7:37 am
by Mountaineer
Another great Psalm for comfort in trying times is 27.
Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
Posted: Sun Sep 20, 2020 10:38 am
by dualstow
Mark Leavy wrote: ↑Sat Sep 19, 2020 10:14 pm
Kriegsspiel wrote: ↑Sat Sep 19, 2020 8:03 pm
How bad is it? Should I sacrifice a dove or a feral cat?
Trick question; it will be a feral cat.
Good call, Kriegs. Doves are the wrong animal in this situation. If I'm reading the room correctly, we may need a horse head.
I thought the Canadian mafia just gently slapped people with soft pillows. Should be fine.
In any case, it sounds like it's not health related, which is a relief. I was sitting here feeling somewhat sorry for myself because I have a bullseye rash that looks like the Lyme disease rashes online (don't look), but which is probably just a bandaid rash. Then I read your post and thought
uh-oh. What's up with Smithers that he needs prayers?
In any case, sending out positive energy.
EDIT: I just noticed that Mark, not Smithers, wrote "horse head." So I guess it could be anything. Darn.
Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2020 8:51 am
by dualstow
Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
Posted: Tue Sep 22, 2020 2:51 pm
by Mark Leavy
Smith1776 wrote: ↑Sat Sep 19, 2020 6:09 pm
Mark Leavy wrote: ↑Sat Sep 19, 2020 6:00 pm
Dude. I'm not religious, but best wishes. You have a lot of good still to do. You make the world a better place.
Thank you, Mark. The challenges in life don't stop, but I am doing my best to meet them.
On a side note, every painful experience usually has a stand-up comedy bit somewhere in there.
Hey Smith! Just checking back in with you. Remember to play your Country Music CD's
backwards.
Seriously, though, hope things are going well for you. And that you get laid tonight.
Mark
Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
Posted: Wed Sep 23, 2020 9:35 pm
by Mark Leavy
Well, Smith1776,
I'm sure that you have read "Wealth of Nations". But Mr. Adam Smith was quite the erudite. And not immune to the problems of post puberty. Have you read
"The Theory of Moral Sentiments"?
Smith rejected his teacher's reliance on this special sense. Starting in about 1741, Smith set on the task of using Hume's experimental method (appealing to human experience) to replace the specific moral sense with a pluralistic approach to morality based on a multitude of psychological motives. The Theory of Moral Sentiments begins with the following assertion:
How selfish soever man may be supposed, there are evidently some principles in his nature, which interest him in the fortunes of others, and render their happiness necessary to him, though he derives nothing from it, except the pleasure of seeing it. Of this kind is pity or compassion, the emotion we feel for the misery of others, when we either see it, or are made to conceive it in a very lively manner. That we often derive sorrow from the sorrows of others, is a matter of fact too obvious to require any instances to prove it; for this sentiment, like all the other original passions of human nature, is by no means confined to the virtuous or the humane, though they perhaps may feel it with the most exquisite sensibility. The greatest ruffian, the most hardened violator of the laws of society, is not altogether without it.
Rooting for you. It is a rough road, becoming a man.
Mark
Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
Posted: Sat Sep 26, 2020 10:44 pm
by Mark Leavy
This morning about 2am the fire alarm in the bedroom went off. I was going to wait it out (per normal) until I realized it was in the bedroom and not the building alarm. I had left all of my windows open and it was windy and hot and super humid. The 90% humidity and hot breezes set it off. Much like what happens when I take too long of a hot shower.
It was’t letting up, so I popped it off of the wall. It was one of those kind that are wired into the wall - but luckily it had a clip to disconnect the wires. It still kept wailing - even fully removed. So I popped it in the microwave for a few seconds. That silenced it. All good now. Everything reassembled.
Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2020 4:04 am
by boglerdude
you can go anywhere right? why FL...
Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2020 6:44 am
by Mark Leavy
boglerdude wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 4:04 am
you can go anywhere right? why FL...
Great weather, (I like hot). No masks or social distancing. Miles of pure white beaches with warm, swimmable water.
Heading to Aspen, CO in a couple of weeks. Then somewhere else...
Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2020 7:03 am
by Mark Leavy
MangoMan wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 7:00 am
Mark Leavy wrote: ↑Sat Sep 26, 2020 10:44 pm
It still kept wailing - even fully removed.
So I popped it in the microwave for a few seconds. That silenced it. All good now. Everything reassembled.
Seriously? And if so, it still worked after that?
Fried the electronics in about 2 seconds. And no, it will never work again. But also, no visible signs of sabotage.
I'm not a big fan of fire alarms. 100% false positive for my entire life.
Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2020 7:37 am
by WiseOne
Yeah fire alarms can be annoying, and I’m not sure how useful they really are. Smoke is a pretty good alarm as are fire trucks pulling up outside. Especially if you’re a light sleeper. I know there have been instances of people killed by fires while still in bed, but, yet another case of rare events driving a hugely expensive and invasive universal mandate.
Carbon monoxide alarms are a different story. I also have a cheap water leak detector under my sink. I got it after fielding a call from the downstairs neighbor when my faucet sprang a leak and dripped water down the back of my cabinet into her apartment. Luckily no damage that she wanted to fix.
Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2020 8:08 am
by Libertarian666
Mark Leavy wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 7:03 am
MangoMan wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 7:00 am
Mark Leavy wrote: ↑Sat Sep 26, 2020 10:44 pm
It still kept wailing - even fully removed.
So I popped it in the microwave for a few seconds. That silenced it. All good now. Everything reassembled.
Seriously? And if so, it still worked after that?
Fried the electronics in about 2 seconds. And no, it will never work again. But also, no visible signs of sabotage.
I'm not a big fan of fire alarms. 100% false positive for my entire life.
It is well known that the majority of fire alarms are false alarms.
It is also well known that the best way to prevent false alarms is not to have a fire alarm at all.
In fact, we can extend the same reasoning to any unlikely event.
What are the chances of dying before age 60? Very low.
Thus, life insurance for younger people is a waste of money.
And of course it's too expensive after age 60.
So why buy it at all?
Hmm, maybe there's something this analysis overlooks...
Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2020 9:00 am
by Mark Leavy
Libertarian666 wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 8:08 am
Mark Leavy wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 7:03 am
MangoMan wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 7:00 am
Mark Leavy wrote: ↑Sat Sep 26, 2020 10:44 pm
It still kept wailing - even fully removed.
So I popped it in the microwave for a few seconds. That silenced it. All good now. Everything reassembled.
Seriously? And if so, it still worked after that?
Fried the electronics in about 2 seconds. And no, it will never work again. But also, no visible signs of sabotage.
I'm not a big fan of fire alarms. 100% false positive for my entire life.
It is well known that the majority of fire alarms are false alarms.
It is also well known that the best way to prevent false alarms is not to have a fire alarm at all.
In fact, we can extend the same reasoning to any unlikely event.
What are the chances of dying before age 60? Very low.
Thus, life insurance for younger people is a waste of money.
And of course it's too expensive after age 60.
So why buy it at all?
Hmm, maybe there's something this analysis overlooks...
I think you have correctly described the Mark Leavy filter on reality.
I am
also not a big fan of any form of insurance.
Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2020 9:08 am
by Libertarian666
Mark Leavy wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 9:00 am
Libertarian666 wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 8:08 am
Mark Leavy wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 7:03 am
MangoMan wrote: ↑Sun Sep 27, 2020 7:00 am
Mark Leavy wrote: ↑Sat Sep 26, 2020 10:44 pm
It still kept wailing - even fully removed.
So I popped it in the microwave for a few seconds. That silenced it. All good now. Everything reassembled.
Seriously? And if so, it still worked after that?
Fried the electronics in about 2 seconds. And no, it will never work again. But also, no visible signs of sabotage.
I'm not a big fan of fire alarms. 100% false positive for my entire life.
It is well known that the majority of fire alarms are false alarms.
It is also well known that the best way to prevent false alarms is not to have a fire alarm at all.
In fact, we can extend the same reasoning to any unlikely event.
What are the chances of dying before age 60? Very low.
Thus, life insurance for younger people is a waste of money.
And of course it's too expensive after age 60.
So why buy it at all?
Hmm, maybe there's something this analysis overlooks...
I think you have correctly described the Mark Leavy filter on reality.
I am
also not a big fan of any form of insurance.
Virtually all forms of insurance have a negative expected return, because the insurers have to have a reason to take the risk.
Which is why it is foolish to insure against events whose costs you can absorb without too much difficulty. Why pay someone else to take a risk that you can afford yourself?
But there are risks for which you need a risk pool, e.g., outliving your savings.
In that situation, you can optimize your spending by buying an annuity.
Of course, if you have plenty of money to spend even if you live a very long time, especially if you care about leaving a legacy, then there's no reason to buy an annuity.
Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
Posted: Mon Sep 28, 2020 8:29 am
by dualstow
Smoke alarms and car alarms, the bane of my existence.
I’ll have to remember the microwave trick.
Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
Posted: Mon Sep 28, 2020 1:03 pm
by Tortoise
Microwaving a blaring smoke alarm to silence it seems like overkill when you can just pop out the battery instead.