OT: Hurricanes Lounge XLV: Y2K Twenty-Four Years Later

[DaveG]

speaking of I've always wanted to visit Waterloo assuming it's relatively maintained which, considering the havoc WW1 wrecked on the landscape in Belgium is probably not the case.

 

[cptjeff]

speaking of I've always wanted to visit Waterloo assuming it's relatively maintained which, considering the havoc WW1 wrecked on the landscape in Belgium is probably not the case.

Not ruined by WWI (most of the WWI damage was in a pretty narrow corridor along where the trenches stagnated), but as I understand it, pretty heavily landscaped with memorials.

But thinking of that, the WWI trenches have always been something I've wanted to see. They're mostly still there with different levels of collapse and growth, but there are old redoubts and whatnot that are just scattered all over that still have soldier art and even stuff abandoned in place in them.

 

[Surrounded By Ahos]

Us Euros have concentration camp memorials for that.

I've been meaning to @ you, actually. My aunt and uncle were in Prague a few weeks back and absolutely raved about it. My uncle was particularly impressed by the beer tap in their hotel's bathtub.


They also visited Munich, and went to Dachau while they were there. They said it was a pretty chilling experience.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

Richest man in the history of the world talks about how people need to "experience hardship."

 

[Negan4Coach]

I visited Antietam National Battlefield for the first time this weekend. I’ve been meaning to do it for years and finally made the time. It was a really incredible experience. The battlefield is extremely well preserved. All of the monuments and trails are well marked and maintained. I got a bit choked up walking through the west woods trail. For me it was an easy hike on a beautiful autumn day. For several thousand boys and men it became hell on earth. I spoke to a woman at the bloody lane whose ancestor was a union soldier who attacked that position.

He was 15. f***ing 15. It’s unimaginable.


I can’t recommend it highly enough; for anybody. Even if you don’t have any interest in American history. It’s an extremely sobering place.

Haven't been there in many years- but thought it was great. Toured there and Gettysburg in my college military history class. I think Gettysburg is the heat though- took my fam there a couple years ago and we did a horseback tour of it, which was really cool.

Also been to Fort Fisher, Fredericksburg (my college was literally on the battlefield), Chancellorsville, Bull Run, Plymouth, Bentonville (got to see the 150th anniversary re-enactment there), and a few small others.

 

[WreckingCrew]

Richest man in the history of the world talks about how people need to "experience hardship."

I mean haven't we all experienced a lot of that over the last 5 years starting with a global pandemic and ending in runaway inflation and cost of living that has drastically outpaced wages?

 

[Blueline Bomber]

I mean haven't we all experienced a lot of that over the last 5 years starting with a global pandemic and ending in runaway inflation and cost of living that has drastically outpaced wages?

The average American has. The global elite (like Musk) has not. In fact, many of the top 1%-5% actually profited during the pandemic. He's just saying the quiet part out loud. "The poor must experience hardship for my benefit. I will collapse the economy if it means I can make an extra buck"

 

[HisIceness]

I'm just here to say that (on paper) we will know who wins by Wednesday and there won't be anymore political ads

 

[JustJonK]

I'm just here to say that (on paper) we will know who wins by Wednesday and there won't be anymore political ads

...for approximately three weeks 'til the next election cycle begins....

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

I mean haven't we all experienced a lot of that over the last 5 years starting with a global pandemic and ending in runaway inflation and cost of living that has drastically outpaced wages?

There's a big difference between the economic hardships that occurred in the last 5 years vs. an economic collapse, which is what, from what I can tell, is what he is referring to. The last 5 years IMO aren't even as severe as the 2008/9 real estate and banking collapse that occurred. You want to know how close we were to armageddon back then, go watch "Too big to fail."

Back then, my net worth (mainly 401K and investments) dropped about 40-50% at a time when I could ill afford it. Thousands of people lost their homes and property values plummeted. Companies that many viewed as unbreakable, broke and either folded or had to be bailed out - GM, Lehman Brothers, Bank of America, etc...). In my neighborhood alone, 2 people just walked away from their homes and the banks didn't even want to foreclose at the time as they didn't want the asset. The homes stayed vacant for a good 2 years before the banks finally took them over.

 

[tarheelhockey]

Given the seriousness of what will happen tomorrow, and the profound impact it will have on all our futures, I think it’s very important that everyone take a few minutes and read this article I found on the internet.

Monkeys will never type Shakespeare, study finds — BBC News

Australian researchers have poked holes in an old thought-experiment known as the "infinite monkey theorem".

apple.news

 

[Lempo]

"Infinite monkey theorem" is a fundamentally wrong name, when there is no infinite amount of monkeys.

 

[Anton Dubinchuk]

This feels like the type of math that would be a sophomore Statistics project not a “study”.

 

[Negan4Coach]

Given the seriousness of what will happen tomorrow, and the profound impact it will have on all our futures, I think it’s very important that everyone take a few minutes and read this article I found on the internet.

Monkeys will never type Shakespeare, study finds — BBC News

Australian researchers have poked holes in an old thought-experiment known as the "infinite monkey theorem".

apple.news

I'll never listen to the "experts" again...

Oh no wait that happened years ago

 

[Unsustainable]

Does the revolution start tomorrow evening or Wednesday morning?

 

[tarheelhockey]

“It is not plausible that, even with improved typing speeds or an increase in chimpanzee populations, monkey labour will ever be a viable tool for developing non-trivial written works”

 

[HisIceness]

Does the revolution start tomorrow evening or Wednesday morning?

I'm already getting started tonight!

But first I'm watching the Bucs vs Chiefs game

 

[tarheelhockey]

I'll never listen to the "experts" again...

Oh no wait that happened years ago

7 years on HFBoards will do that to ya

 

[WreckingCrew]

Given the seriousness of what will happen tomorrow, and the profound impact it will have on all our futures, I think it’s very important that everyone take a few minutes and read this article I found on the internet.

Monkeys will never type Shakespeare, study finds — BBC News

Australian researchers have poked holes in an old thought-experiment known as the "infinite monkey theorem".

apple.news

I feel like I hear that every election, and while there certainly are both positive and negative effects each time, on the aggregate I don't think most people's daily lives are impacted as heavily as they predict...since our government is big, plodding, slow, and indecisive there are rarely the "radical" changes people expect. It's gonna be a bit of a shit show no matter what, 50% of the population is gonna throw a hissy fit while the other half thinks we're "saved". I personally find both options to be equally abhorrent in different ways so I lose no matter what, I'll vote for the local stuff mainly.

 

[NotOpie]

Given the seriousness of what will happen tomorrow, and the profound impact it will have on all our futures, I think it’s very important that everyone take a few minutes and read this article I found on the internet.

Monkeys will never type Shakespeare, study finds — BBC News

Australian researchers have poked holes in an old thought-experiment known as the "infinite monkey theorem".

apple.news

So there's no way a monkey could have come up with one of the greatest sub-plots in literature. Of course I'm talking about Richard III and the scene where Richard woos Lady Anne during the funeral procession of her husband....whom he has had killed.....and she knew about it.

Of course, later in the play, he poison's Anne to marry Elizabeth of York so that he can strengthen his claim on the crown.

Shakespeare had an inordinately sick interpretation of English history.

 

[Blueline Bomber]

I feel like I hear that every election, and while there certainly are both positive and negative effects each time, on the aggregate I don't think most people's daily lives are impacted as heavily as they predict...since our government is big, plodding, slow, and indecisive there are rarely the "radical" changes people expect. It's gonna be a bit of a shit show no matter what, 50% of the population is gonna throw a hissy fit while the other half thinks we're "saved". I personally find both options to be equally abhorrent in different ways so I lose no matter what, I'll vote for the local stuff mainly.

 

[The Faulker 27]

I feel like I hear that every election, and while there certainly are both positive and negative effects each time, on the aggregate I don't think most people's daily lives are impacted as heavily as they predict...since our government is big, plodding, slow, and indecisive there are rarely the "radical" changes people expect. It's gonna be a bit of a shit show no matter what, 50% of the population is gonna throw a hissy fit while the other half thinks we're "saved". I personally find both options to be equally abhorrent in different ways so I lose no matter what, I'll vote for the local stuff mainly.

I think you're pretty spot on. People get so wrapped up in who their president is that they forget to do any research into the people they'll bubble in on election that actual make the decisions that impact their lives. Some will vote straight republican ticket or democratic ticket and have no idea what the person is running on. The past 2 elections I've focused more on local politics and let me tell you, it can make a bigger difference in your life and the lives of your friends and family than who you pick to "lead" the country.

Now, that's not to say that who becomes president isn't important and that person can and will make decisions that will impact peoples lives. I'm certainly not saying that but just pointing out that local politics is as important (and some cases more) important than the president. Of course my opinions here.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

I feel like I hear that every election, and while there certainly are both positive and negative effects each time, on the aggregate I don't think most people's daily lives are impacted as heavily as they predict...since our government is big, plodding, slow, and indecisive there are rarely the "radical" changes people expect. It's gonna be a bit of a shit show no matter what, 50% of the population is gonna throw a hissy fit while the other half thinks we're "saved". I personally find both options to be equally abhorrent in different ways so I lose no matter what, I'll vote for the local stuff mainly.

Most people on aggregate might be fair. For someone who is gay, trans, hispanic, an immigrant (legal), a woman of child bearing age, etc...they have a lot more at stake than I personally do.

Even all the discussion about immigrants. On the aggregate, the only impact it has had on most people's lives is cheaper produce and cheaper constructions costs. We're in the process of getting quotes for landscaping for our neighborhood right now. Most of these companies rely the H-2B program and are very concerned about the ability to staff appropriately next year depending on the outcome of the election. A friend of mine is a home builder and he's very worried about his ability to get workers (Framers, roofers, painters), as most of the labor are immigrants. While he won't confirm it, I suspect some are illegal, but I have no way to know for sure.

Also, tax policy, economic policy and approach to the national debt affects us all eventually, even if it isn't always short term.

I think you're pretty spot on. People get so wrapped up in who their president is that they forget to do any research into the people they'll bubble in on election that actual make the decisions that impact their lives. Some will vote straight republican ticket or democratic ticket and have no idea what the person is running on. The past 2 elections I've focused more on local politics and let me tell you, it makes a much bigger difference in your life and the lives of your friends and family than who you pick to "lead" the country.

Somewhat. There are some notable, and important exceptions.
1) Who leads the country also appoints judges, both Supreme Court and federal judges, which has a big impact on local governing as well. See Roe v. Wade. This is not insignificant.
2) As I said above, tax policy and economic policy affects us all eventually.
3) Immigration policy will affect us all (as I mentioned H-2B above).
4) Setting the tone. Look how many wannabes have sprung up on local politics to emulate a presidential candidates talking points (both parties) causing even more of a divide.

I'm not arguing for one party vs. the other, I'm only stating the the outcome of the presidential race does have a bigger impact on some people than others and can have wider ranging effects than might be obvious at first.

 

[The Faulker 27]

Most people on aggregate might be fair. For someone who is gay, trans, hispanic, an immigrant (legal), a woman of child bearing age, etc...they have a lot more at stake than I personally do.

Even all the discussion about immigrants. On the aggregate, the only impact it has had on most people's lives is cheaper produce and cheaper constructions costs. We're in the process of getting quotes for landscaping for our neighborhood right now. Most of these companies rely the H-2B program and are very concerned about the ability to staff appropriately next year depending on the outcome of the election. A friend of mine is a home builder and he's very worried about his ability to get workers (Framers, roofers, painters), as most of the labor are immigrants. While he won't confirm it, I suspect some are illegal, but I have no way to know for sure.

Also, tax policy, economic policy and approach to the national debt affects us all eventually, even if it isn't always short term.



Somewhat. There are some notable, and important exceptions.
1) Who leads the country also appoints judges, both Supreme Court and federal judges, which has a big impact on local governing as well. See Roe v. Wade. This is not insignificant.
2) As I said above, tax policy and economic policy affects us all eventually.
3) Immigration policy will affect us all (as I mentioned H-2B above).
4) Setting the tone. Look how many wannabes have sprung up on local politics to emulate a presidential candidates talking points (both parties) causing even more of a divide.

I'm not arguing for one party vs. the other, I'm only stating the the outcome of the presidential race does have a bigger impact on some people than others and can have wider ranging effects than might be obvious at first.

I edited what you bolded before to say it can impact as I realized after typing it that stating it makes a bigger impact isn't accurate for all. I guess the point of my post wasn't to say the president has no impact. Obviously it does for various reasons some of which you pointed out, but mostly to emphasize the importance of local politics too.

In my experience and within my family I've found that many have very little knowledge of who their local politicians are and what they're running on, and making decisions on. I had a discussion with my parents recently who are retired state workers and they basically vote straight republican every year. They often complain about their state benefits, the lack of retiree raises, the security of their pension etc etc. They voted these people in who slowly dismantling public infrastructure and short changing state workers. It very much is making a difference in their lives.