107th Obsequious Banter Thread: Ugly Sweaters Edition

[Captain Dave Poulin]

I just did the same last night. One person I was shopping for wants Moscow Mule mugs. I feel like it's one of those items that are really tough to shop for. There is a set of 4 on amazon, but there's no way they're legit, but the person shopping for probably doesn't care about the difference anyway. Do I just try to make my own mugs?

Not on December 14 you don't.

Also, what are Moscow Mule mugs? Is this some kind of foodie (drinkie?) shit?

 

[JojoTheWhale]

I know it's de rigeur to assume incompetence, but there are real journalists out there. We don't have to galaxy brain everything.

The story was posted on 12/13. Even if you blanketly assume 1st of the month is when rent was due, which may or may not be the case, one of those did pass. They're probably withholding rent to try to renegotiate their leases or something.

Kinda like how a few weeks back people (and even companies) were completely convinced Twitter was going to disappear overnight on that specific date because some media people had "sources", so they were spamming their other social media links so people could find them elsewhere. As usual, a giant fuss and nothing actually happened.

You really just can't trust anything anyone says about any topic online. It's so difficult to sort between what's true and what's either an honest mistake or intentional lie. If it's not something you can verify on your own, you just have to remain skeptical.

This is one of those things where bad info follows good and corrupts it.

Twitter has to be in chaos technically simply because they don't have the staffing required to upkeep an operation that big. No one has any idea if a catastrophic failure will happen, when that would be, or really a goos feel for their remediation capabilities given the staffing cataclysm. We do know they have managed to do things like lose access to some of their internal code repositories. If you know whether that will actually bite them in the ass in a significant way, buy a lottery ticket.

FWIW I did Pin my Mastodon to my professional Twitter because I moved platforms. There were plenty of people being dramatic, but also people just trying to keep in touch with established communities. Of course these are technical people, so they automated the process. Pinning and bio was done because that worked best with the automation method most people used.

 

[landsbergfan]

Not on December 14 you don't.

Also, what are Moscow Mule mugs? Is this some kind of foodie (drinkie?) shit?

yes

same reason for copper cookware. they are a great conductor so it's supposed to be a more refreshing experience. more of a mental thing IMO

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

yes

same reason for copper cookware. they are a great conductor so it's supposed to be a more refreshing experience. more of a mental thing IMO

There's a 4-pack on Amazon.

 

[landsbergfan]

There's a 4-pack on Amazon.

lol theres like 8 million 4 packs on amazon. that is what I am saying though. there's no way they are the real copper they say they are, but i doubt the people im buying it for will a) know the difference and b) give a shit

 

[JojoTheWhale]

lol theres like 8 million 4 packs on amazon. that is what I am saying though. there's no way they are the real copper they say they are, but i doubt the people im buying it for will a) know the difference and b) give a shit

I say this as a fellow lunatic who thinks about these things too. No judgment here.

No one is going to hold a magnet up to a cup let alone care if it sticks.

 

[Hollywood Cannon]

I say this as a fellow lunatic who thinks about these things too. No judgment here.

No one is going to hold a magnet up to a cup let alone care if it sticks.

I suspect someone on this board would.

I genuinely don't know who but I feel it in my plums that someone would.

 

[Chinatown88]

lol theres like 8 million 4 packs on amazon. that is what I am saying though. there's no way they are the real copper they say they are, but i doubt the people im buying it for will a) know the difference and b) give a shit

This is where I cave based on how much I like the person. So I would go out to a shop near me to buy a set in person and then ship it out to them myself.

If I don't really care for the person they get the mystery "copper" set off Amazon.

 

[ajgoal]

I suspect someone on this board would.

I genuinely don't know who but I feel it in my plums that someone would.

-raises hand- Not a copper one. But to check if teapot/coffee cup/utensils for boat are actually stainless? yeah.

 

[JojoTheWhale]

I suspect someone on this board would.

I genuinely don't know who but I feel it in my plums that someone would.

Ok, if you're buying a gift for the type of person who thinks Gritty is the reason the Flyers suck, don't buy cheap or expensive copper. Just forget you know them.

 

[landsbergfan]

This is where I cave based on how much I like the person. So I would go out to a shop near me to buy a set in person and then ship it out to them myself.

If I don't really care for the person they get the mystery "copper" set off Amazon.

I know this doesn't give away how I feel about this person, but I am related to them via marriage

I say this as a fellow lunatic who thinks about these things too. No judgment here.

No one is going to hold a magnet up to a cup let alone care if it sticks.

I will remove the magnet from my cart then

 

[Hollywood Cannon]

I know this doesn't give away how I feel about this person, but I am related to them via marriage


I will remove the magnet from my cart then

Is it your wife?

 

[Chinatown88]

I know this doesn't give away how I feel about this person, but I am related to them via marriage

Dang you're in a bind. Honestly stick to what you budgeted and maybe do some research to see if there's some alternatives on other websites.

Edit: Maybe try Etsy?

 

[JojoTheWhale]

If only this had come up earlier there would be time to have them engraved with the 4 best heads of NHL hair. Talk about a memorable gift.

 

[Captain Dave Poulin]

Ok, if you're buying a gift for the type of person who thinks Gritty is the reason the Flyers suck, don't buy cheap or expensive copper. Just forget you know them.

This relates to my thinking - if they want foodie shit in the first place, disassociate from them immediately.

 

[landsbergfan]

If only this had come up earlier there would be time to have them engraved with the 4 best heads of NHL hair. Talk about a memorable gift.

Laughton and who else?

 

[landsbergfan]

Dang you're in a bind. Honestly stick to what you budgeted and maybe do some research to see if there's some alternatives on other websites.

Edit: Maybe try Etsy?

Full disclosure I have already purchased a 4 pack on Amazon, I was just venting about it now.

I used the savings of buying amazon quality mugs for other thoughtful accoutrements

 

[Striiker]

I know it's de rigeur to assume incompetence, but there are real journalists out there. We don't have to galaxy brain everything.

The story was posted on 12/13. Even if you blanketly assume 1st of the month is when rent was due, which may or may not be the case, one of those did pass. They're probably withholding rent to try to renegotiate their leases or something.

This is one of those things where bad info follows good and corrupts it.

Twitter has to be in chaos technically simply because they don't have the staffing required to upkeep an operation that big. No one has any idea if a catastrophic failure will happen, when that would be, or really a goos feel for their remediation capabilities given the staffing cataclysm. We do know they have managed to do things like lose access to some of their internal code repositories. If you know whether that will actually bite them in the ass in a significant way, buy a lottery ticket.

FWIW I did Pin my Mastodon to my professional Twitter because I moved platforms. There were plenty of people being dramatic, but also people just trying to keep in touch with established communities. Of course these are technical people, so they automated the process. Pinning and bio was done because that worked best with the automation method most people used.

I probably don’t need to clarify what I said but I will anyways just to make sure there’s no misunderstanding:

It’s not that all journalists are lying/incompetent or that any suggestion that there’s issues with Twitter are wrong. I'm not saying anything close to either of those things.

My point was that so many people were immediately convinced that it was definitely done for because someone reported something, then it got repeated, then it got accepted as a certainty. Just like many people will see that rent tweet and immediately jump to likely incorrect conclusions.

To put it another way: I keep the doors of my house locked at all times. It's not that everyone who approaches is dangerous and has bad intentions or that I've barred the doors and don't let a single person in out of paranoia, but bad people obviously exist out there and I think you have to always be careful and suspicious, for your own safeties sake. Meanwhile, I see people who leave their doors wide open and just let anyone in... and I think those people are out of their minds.

 

[landsbergfan]

I probably don’t need to clarify what I said but I will anyways just to make sure there’s no misunderstanding:

It’s not that all journalists are lying/incompetent or that any suggestion that there’s issues with Twitter are wrong. I'm not saying anything close to either of those things.

My point was that so many people were immediately convinced that it was definitely done for because someone reported something, then it got repeated, then it got accepted as a certainty. Just like many people will see that rent tweet and immediately jump to likely incorrect conclusions.

To put it another way: I keep the doors of my house locked at all times. It's not that everyone who approaches is dangerous and has bad intentions or that I've barred the doors and don't let a single person in out of paranoia, but bad people obviously exist out there and I think you have to always be careful and suspicious, for your own safeties sake. Meanwhile, I see people who leave their doors wide open and just let anyone in... and I think those people are out of their minds.

I short while ago I accidentally left my back door wide open while I went away on vacation. I am not saying all the animals within a 5 mile radius of my house had a whorehouse style "my parents aren't home" sort of gangbang while I was away, I am just saying it didn't not smell like that happened

 

[Striiker]

I short while ago I accidentally left my back door wide open while I went away on vacation. I am not saying all the animals within a 5 mile radius of my house had a whorehouse style "my parents aren't home" sort of gangbang while I was away, I am just saying it didn't not smell like that happened

Oh shit...

I bet it was Dirty Mike and the boys.

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

Someone needs to punch Elon Musk in the face. Multiple times

 

[Young Sandwich]

@landsbergfan Just get her this one and call it a day. Maybe two of them if she's a Flyers fan.

 

[Beef Invictus]

I'm not really sure what "for weeks" means but rent is typically paid monthly so... that very likely sounds like a lot about nothing.

Well, the month just rolled over so I assume they didn't hit the December payments anywhere yet.


I wonder if everyone will still be fired for working remotely when the landlords close the offices, or if everyone has to go to libraries.

 

[Beef Invictus]

@JojoTheWhale I've also been wondering, what are the chances of Twitter running afoul of certificate management issues? Does that team still exist? Do they know where their cert repository is, can they access it, make sure everything is current? Would a business like that use short-term or long-term certificates?

 

[JojoTheWhale]

@JojoTheWhale I've also been wondering, what are the chances of Twitter running afoul of certificate management issues? Does that team still exist? Do they know where their cert repository is, can they access it, make sure everything is current? Would a business like that use short-term or long-term certificates?

I don't have specific knowledge of Twitter's practices, but the chances are quite high that something will be missed. That's just a fact of maintaining an org of this scale. The question is how important are the mistakes?

And of course it's all complicated by the current lack of institutional knowledge. For example, when they pulled one unrelated feature offline, it broke 2-factor authentication. Luckily it was a reasonably easy fix. The next one may be too. Or not. I wouldn't trust anyone who says they know.

You have an idea of what goes into all of this. Security budgets are almost always shoestring. Sometimes downright performative. Then lop off most of your manpower and everything you're imagining is probably happening right now. The people left are overworked and mistakes compound. How many of those become public-facing is impossible to predict.