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10 Jan 2019 12:19 AM
#7751
Member
No, other than rolling them in games as random-number generators.
TNP got a new game in the past few weeks.
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11 Jan 2019 08:26 AM
#7752
Oliphaunt
Sort of. I've been perfecting my repertoire of Planet of the Apes impressions. "March, into the Forbidden Zone!"
TNP is pretty sure the ordinary man of average size would find it quite impossible to rape someone to death. Should the need arise.
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11 Jan 2019 02:13 PM
#7753
Member
With only his penis? Almost certainly. Unfortunately, rape/murders usually involve hands or weapons.
TNP wants pizza tonight.
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12 Jan 2019 11:40 AM
#7754
Oliphaunt
Yeah, wouldn't mind it. Normally I have it on Fridays, but last night things got a little odd chez Rube, due to home renovations.
TNP would kinda rather just move than go through renovations.
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12 Jan 2019 12:35 PM
#7755
Member
If I otherwise had to live in the house while it was being renovated, probably, yeah. It's a pain to have contractors underfoot.
TNP has a big home-renovation project in mind for 2019.
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12 Jan 2019 07:10 PM
#7756
Oliphaunt
No. Maybe buy a new refrigerator and dishwasher (I probably won't), but that's not as major as what I'd like to do (replace all the baseboard heaters with something more efficient, and resurface all the carpets and flooring).
TNP can say without cheating which finger it is that made Earl Scruggs famous (thanks to EH for the alert about today's Google doodle).
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13 Jan 2019 12:36 AM
#7757
Member
No. I'll guess... his right thumb?
TNP knows if that's the right answer or not.
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13 Jan 2019 01:58 AM
#7758
Oliphaunt
Correct. It is not the thumb. However, index and middle finger would have been acceptable. For TPP was only going by some on-mic chatter captured wherein somebody said something like "Now here's Earl, with that finger waggling that made him so goll'darn famous."
TNP sometimes thinks "Letters to the editor" and "Studio chatter/False starts" are some of the best stuff in a magazine or record/album.
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13 Jan 2019 05:40 PM
#7759
Member
Quite true.
TNP still subscribes to a dead-tree-edition newspaper or magazine.
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13 Jan 2019 11:24 PM
#7760
Oliphaunt
Just one, a music recording magazine. I am extremely news-deprived, and usually get all my stuff from hearsay or from e-editions of The Economist, which I think is an ugly rag, but somehow satisfies me (although it leaves me underinformed about US politics in general). It's not economically reasonable to buy a hard copy of the WaPo or the NYT daily out here on the coast, nor would I take the time to read daily, since I commute by self-propelled vehicle. The Guardian Int'l or UK are better for online reading, which is problematic at best as a method. Libération is my favorite FR daily, but it is not a very good online set-up. If I were to pay for a magazine subscription, I'd go for the Quinzaine littéraire (a bimonthly newsprint sheet about new books and things), but I don't have much faith in the pay-online subscription model, and I don't particularly want my bank account tied to their undoubtedly very tedious fine-print contract. Same reason I don't pay for access to Libé online — I just don't trust things unless I pay for it and have reasonable security. Say what you want about the French, but they are very canny when it comes to financial matters and red tape. No thanks. ETA, yes, actually, the security matter is a pretty big concern which I have often cause to think about. While I'm in no way paranoid about e-commerce theft, even a n00b hacker at C/++ like me doesn't have to think too hard to be chary of the infrastructure. It's a big project, and, much like bridges and dams, some major investments are required to ... well, just, unimaginably huge amounts of code are, not really there. Similar to how I can inject and sniff information from the CAN bus from my 2000 Camry. I can't make it do stuff, really, but I could certainly make some efforts in a newer model car. Anyone can. EETA Actually, I would consider subscribing to a daily WSJ, but I have zero faith that the newspaper delivery person would be able to deliver it on time in the morning each day. So, that's two daily newspapers I'd like to see every day (WSJ, Libération) and one fun fortnightly (Quinzaine litt.). I've given up on National Geographic — three or four years ago it started to turn into just like "old people" ads every other page, sort of like the Smithsonian has always been.
Yes, I know, mobile phones, utilities, and many other things involve contracts, but I'm used to those immutable facts. I think a daily newspaper is excellent; however, I think it's strictly an urban phenomenon, which is best combined with walking past a seller, reading on the train or while walking, and sticking it in your jacket pocket when arriving at your destination.
TNP gives herself or himself a good two hours in the morning to consume caffeine (or other) and do some light reading before setting off into the world.
Last edited by Jizzelbin; 13 Jan 2019 at 11:49 PM.
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14 Jan 2019 11:24 AM
#7761
Member
Nope. A small glass of orange juice, no reading, and out into the world within minutes of finishing getting dressed.
TNP prefers documentaries to thrillers.
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14 Jan 2019 05:37 PM
#7762
Oliphaunt
Tough call, but, no, I think the visceral experience of even a cheesy thriller/gore flick is more versatile and more idiomatic to cinema in general. I love good documentaries, but most often I'd rather just read the executive summary or an exceptional prose work.
TNP does agree that dedicated documentary filmmakers have done, among the very best, a yeoman's job at highlighting marginalized concerns that could easily have been overlooked by even a savvy cultural critic. And will give an example.
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15 Jan 2019 11:19 PM
#7763
Member
Absolutely. This made a big impression on me at the time: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Dream_(film)
TNP has taken part in a boycott.
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16 Jan 2019 08:10 AM
#7764
Oliphaunt
Yeah, back in the day did my best not to buy from Nestle.
TNP has pretty much given up any feeling that they can have an impact on the world's evil.
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16 Jan 2019 09:15 AM
#7765
Oliphaunt
No. Maybe not a huge effect, but observing the efforts of someone like the actor Jim Carrey's satirical cartoons makes me a bit sanguine about the power of individual expression (even if he did steal the idea of encoding insults in binary or hexadecimal in a public forum from me ), especially in a stable format like print, rather than the transitory media of live speech or commentary. George F. Will or Paul Krugman are other good examples of solitary agents working in similar forms.
TNP prefers strong invective to so-called "nuanced" arguments in politics. IOW, one "motherfucker" is worth ten pages of some hippie nattering on about whatever.
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16 Jan 2019 10:49 AM
#7766
Member
Definitely not. Insults, in my experience, instantly close people's minds to whatever merit there may be in your argument.
TNP is closely following the Brexit controversy in Great Britain.
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17 Jan 2019 06:18 AM
#7767
Oliphaunt
Close enough for Schadenfreude. Partially kidding — it's a goddamned mess all around.
TNP doesn't really know why Belgium, of all places, was chosen as the administrative seat of the EU. Punishment, maybe?
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17 Jan 2019 08:06 AM
#7768
Oliphaunt
Don't really know, but suspect the same reason Ottawa's the capital of Canada, and so many American state capitals are nondescript places: Needed someplace that equally excluded the Big Boys.
TNP likes Belgian chocolate.
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17 Jan 2019 09:45 AM
#7769
Member
Very much so. But then again, it's the rare chocolate I don't like.
TNP is a snob about at least one particular kind of food.
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18 Jan 2019 08:58 AM
#7770
Oliphaunt
No, at all. I'm at worst a snob about having food cooked a certain way (namely, the correct way, according to me), and I dislike certain foods with a gloopy, sloppy texture, like many kinds of potato salads, but that's not out of snobbery, just personal preference.
TNP has ever had someone try to commit insurance fraud by submitting a fraudulent claim to his or her insurer.
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18 Jan 2019 11:55 AM
#7771
Member
Not that I know of.
TNP thinks insurance is, by and large, a big pain in the ass, but still better than the alternative.
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18 Jan 2019 04:31 PM
#7772
Oliphaunt
No, not really. I've never had to deal with Ned Ryerson door-to-door types — in fact, every insurance agent I've ever had to deal with (over the phone) has been remarkably well-spoken and polite. Then again, I've never had to file a claim, so who knows.
TNP is thinking about unplugging his or her refrigerator or is similarly shocked at how high his or her electrical bill has gotten. Drastic times, wot.
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18 Jan 2019 05:38 PM
#7773
Member
No, our electric bill has been pretty steadily predictable for years now.
TNP doesn't have to work on Monday.
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18 Jan 2019 06:25 PM
#7774
Oliphaunt
No, not really. I've never had to deal with Ned Ryerson door-to-door types — in fact, every insurance agent I've ever had to deal with (over the phone) has been remarkably well-spoken and polite. Then again, I've never had to file a claim, so who knows.
TNP is thinking about unplugging his or her refrigerator or is similarly shocked at how high his or her electrical bill has gotten. Drastic times, wot.
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19 Jan 2019 02:05 AM
#7775
Member
I think you repeated yourself there, Slugger.
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19 Jan 2019 10:32 AM
#7776
Oliphaunt
Yeah, well I got two fists, one for each of them.
Yes, I work on Monday. MLK, Jr. Day, after a quick Bing. AFAIK. And, no, I don't intend to try to start a race riot, nor participate in one as the token whitey. Maybe some people won't show up, but I don't know.
TNP has at some point in time ever discovered that he or she has indeed been paying too much for car insurance.
Last edited by Jizzelbin; 19 Jan 2019 at 11:01 AM.
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19 Jan 2019 04:31 PM
#7777
Member
I was able to get a lower rate with a different company a few years ago, but the original rate wasn't outrageous or anything.
TNP had heard of the Dreadnought hoax, involving a young Virginia Woolf, among others: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dreadnought_hoax
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19 Jan 2019 07:08 PM
#7778
Oliphaunt
No. Sounds like fun, but given what comparatively little I know about VWoolf, she didn't have that great a sense of humor. Nor a great deal of respect for her elders, for that matter.
TNP thinks it would be kind of funny to give a copy of the book Final Exit to someone on their sixty-fifth birthday.
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20 Jan 2019 12:20 AM
#7779
Member
Yes, if he or she had the right (mordant) sense of humor.
TNP knows at least ten people over the age of 65.
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20 Jan 2019 09:45 AM
#7780
Oliphaunt
I'm positive I do, especially including casual acquaintances like neighbors or even coworkers. It would be shocking if I didn't know at least ten such people, although I don't feel like enumerating them in my mind. Besides, everyone gets a free count of one from Trump — I know him like the strict but fair daddy he is to all real Americans.
TNP had no idea tomorrow (Monday, 21-jan-2019) is also known as "Blue Monday," because of reasons probably unrelated to the Fats Domino song.
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20 Jan 2019 11:04 PM
#7781
Member
No, I'd never heard that phrase before.
TNP is not terribly surprised there's a Wiki page for it: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blue_Monday_(date)
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21 Jan 2019 08:20 AM
#7782
Oliphaunt
Not surprised, no, since I have been hearing the expression on all the media since I got out of bed.
TNP is a little tired of pretty much made-up things that the media keeps droning on about.
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21 Jan 2019 11:29 AM
#7783
Oliphaunt
Yes, "tired" is a good word. I don't mind it, but it's an irritation. Like a scab or a blister.
TNP takes about half of what he or she ingests from TV or radio and discards it, for he or she finds it not satisfactory entertainment, but, TNP also finds it actively fatiguing to "scan" the "hot media" to get to the two or three important bits of information contained within.
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21 Jan 2019 03:24 PM
#7784
Member
False. I usually start my day on the CNN.com website for the headlines, and friends also send me links to stories they think might interest me. That stands me in good stead.
TNP expects to see, or have seen, at least three movies nominated for a Best Picture Oscar this year.
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21 Jan 2019 03:50 PM
#7785
Oliphaunt
No. I don't watch movies. I make fun of them.
TNP would never consider installing a proprietary, commercial "app" on his or her phone, unless absolutely necessary to facilitate discontinuing whatever service should require such an absurd thing. Or, put another way, TNP thinks it's idiotic to install a bunch of random software on your computer, without knowing who, why, and what, in detail.
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21 Jan 2019 03:51 PM
#7786
Oliphaunt
Nah, I install apps all the time. Bring it, bitch.
TNP is cold and cranky today.
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22 Jan 2019 09:49 AM
#7787
Oliphaunt
Sure: I'm always cranky and cold, but not particularly today. Took the day off yesterday, fixed my car headlight, and I just saved a bunch of money on car insurance. I'm still annoyed at those chiselers down at DeltaDental (insurance co.) and PGElectric, but that's nothing new.
TNP is aware, generally, of how many calories (in food or drink) he or she consumes per day, maybe within a margin of one or two hundred KCals.
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22 Jan 2019 11:28 AM
#7788
Member
No idea. I know some stuff is good for me, and some is bad, and try to eat accordingly (unless it's delicious, in which case I just might eat it anyway).
TNP has been, or will be, grocery shopping today.
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22 Jan 2019 02:37 PM
#7789
Oliphaunt
Probably not, no. Wife just went yesterday.
TNP uses a slow cooker a lot.
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23 Jan 2019 06:24 AM
#7790
Oliphaunt
No, I haven't used one in years, although I think they're pretty good for cooking beans.
TNP has a pretty good collection of cooking equipment, almost none of which he or she uses anymore.
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23 Jan 2019 09:31 AM
#7791
Member
Yeah, we're pretty well set. My wife is the cook in our household, though. I'm the cleanup guy.
TNP has bought a cooking utensil in the past two months.
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24 Jan 2019 06:03 AM
#7792
Oliphaunt
Yeah. I bought some more disposable coffee cups yesterday. That's close enough to a utensil for me.
TNP has never found a portable travel coffee mug that really satisfies.
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24 Jan 2019 08:12 AM
#7793
Oliphaunt
True. I just don't like them somehow.
TNP doesn't understand why people drink tea when coffee exists.
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24 Jan 2019 10:20 AM
#7794
Member
Sure I do. They're two entirely different drinks. I like 'em both, and drink 'em both, depending on my mood and what (if anything) I'm eating.
TNP hates second-hand cigarette smoke.
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25 Jan 2019 09:01 AM
#7795
Oliphaunt
Well, I don't hate it, just dislike it, but it's an unpleasant smell that seems to have some unique properties, like lingering malodorousness. Similar to some kinds of cooking smells and equal or less than the quantity of particulates created by that act, but not reminiscent of something one would like to eat.
TNP thinks he or she does a pretty good impersonation of a French accent in English. Or any other regional accent.
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25 Jan 2019 01:07 PM
#7796
Member
Yeah, I'm probably wrong, but I think I can do passable British, French, Russian and German accents.
TNP knows someone who does a terrible foreign accent.
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26 Jan 2019 05:14 PM
#7797
Oliphaunt
Probably me. Waregirl didn't give more than a polite smile when, after she mentioned Cuisinarts, I tried to defend the company's honor like a French-accented version of Colonel Blimp. My world confuses and frightens her, I believe.
TNP has ever, with fully challenging intent, with a blank affect and full eye contact, asked of someone, "Are you serious?"
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26 Jan 2019 11:50 PM
#7798
Member
Oh, yes, I certainly have. I even know of a cop who asks bad lawyers that while under cross-examination.
TNP has seen a good cross-examination in real life.
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28 Jan 2019 08:07 AM
#7799
Oliphaunt
Seen some OK ones, none as great as lawyers tell about themselves in war stories.
TNP knows why "Did you like her?" was a great cross-examination question.
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28 Jan 2019 11:11 AM
#7800
Member
No! Do tell.
TNP has a close friend who's a lawyer.
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