Octopus Overlords

radar range

Blackhawk wrote: Part of it is that we want stuff that does more things. More things = more complexity, more complexity = more points of failure. Our parents microwave (radar range?) that lasted 20 years probably had a dial that turned to roughly the correct the time, a bell that went off when it was done, and took twice as long to heat food.

Blackhawk wrote:Part of that is intentional. One customer every 20 years isn't as profitable as that same customer every 5.

Kraken wrote:

Blackhawk wrote:Part of that is intentional. One customer every 20 years isn't as profitable as that same customer every 5.

Sure, but if your thing breaks in 5 years I'm going to buy a different brand next time. Of course, every brand is probably made in one factory in China, so you're hosed no matter what you buy.

Holman wrote:After the immediate collapse of the world diamond market you have a pretty rock.

stessier wrote:

Holman wrote:After the immediate collapse of the world diamond market you have a pretty rock.

There is no diamond shortage and the way they keep the prices up is rather dark/evil. As such, they would just come out and convince everyone that Terrestrial Diamonds (TM) are the time honored way to show someone your love and anything else is clearly you being a cheapskate.

Every so often, an article comes along that makes you thoroughly rethink a rote practice. Edward Jay Epstein's "Have You Ever Tried to Sell a Diamond?" was one of them. In his 1982 Atlantic story, the investigative journalist deconstructed what he termed the "diamond invention"—the "creation of the idea that diamonds are rare and valuable, and are essential signs of esteem."

That invention is surprisingly recent: Epstein traces its origins to the discovery of massive diamond mines in South Africa in the late 19th century, which for the first time flooded world markets with diamonds. The British businessmen operating the South African mines recognized that only by maintaining the fiction that diamonds were scarce and inherently valuable could they protect their investments and buoy diamond prices. They did so by launching a South Africa–based cartel, De Beers Consolidated Mines, Ltd. (now De Beers), in 1888, and meticulously extending the company's control over all facets of the diamond trade in the ensuing decades.

Most remarkably, De Beers manipulated not just supply but demand. In 1938, amid the ravages of the Depression and the rumblings of war, Harry Oppenheimer, the De Beers founder's son, recruited the New York–based ad agency N.W. Ayer to burnish the image of diamonds in the United States, where the practice of giving diamond engagement rings had been unevenly gaining traction for years, but where the diamonds sold were increasingly small and low-quality.

Meanwhile, the price of diamonds was falling around the world. The folks at Ayer set out to persuade young men that diamonds (and only diamonds) were synonymous with romance, and that the measure of a man's love (and even his personal and professional success) was directly proportional to the size and quality of the diamond he purchased. Young women, in turn, had to be convinced that courtship concluded, invariably, in a diamond.

Isgrimnur wrote:Why was your department's ticket closed? Let's see. I requested a change request from the submitter on the day I got it. A week later, the system started throwing overdue notices. I again requested follow up. A week later, overdue notice. I then forwarded the information to you via direct e-mail requesting follow up. A week later, overdue notice. I closed the ticket.

AWS260 wrote:Ladies and gentlemen, we now have a national mammal: the mighty bison.

Charge!

Isgrimnur wrote:Why was your department's ticket closed? Let's see. I requested a change request from the submitter on the day I got it. A week later, the system started throwing overdue notices. I again requested follow up. A week later, overdue notice. I then forwarded the information to you via direct e-mail requesting follow up. A week later, overdue notice. I closed the ticket.

silverjon wrote:I seldom buy a lunch, but wandered over to a campus food court today for a change. There's a street preacher outside with some sign-carrying minions.

One of the signs says "Believe on the Lord...." Acts 16:31

"Believe on?" says me. "Yes, yes!" says them and thrust pamphlets in my general direction.

I hoofed it to buy my food and get back to my office to check the phrasing.

Apparently that is the more bible-y way of translating that passage? Interesting.

silverjon wrote:I seldom buy a lunch, but wandered over to a campus food court today for a change. There's a street preacher outside with some sign-carrying minions.

One of the signs says "Believe on the Lord...." Acts 16:31

"Believe on?" says me. "Yes, yes!" says them and thrust pamphlets in my general direction.

I hoofed it to buy my food and get back to my office to check the phrasing.

Apparently that is the more bible-y way of translating that passage? Interesting.

Holman wrote:

silverjon wrote:I seldom buy a lunch, but wandered over to a campus food court today for a change. There's a street preacher outside with some sign-carrying minions.

One of the signs says "Believe on the Lord...." Acts 16:31

"Believe on?" says me. "Yes, yes!" says them and thrust pamphlets in my general direction.

I hoofed it to buy my food and get back to my office to check the phrasing.

Apparently that is the more bible-y way of translating that passage? Interesting.

KJV uses "believe on" while modern translations are more likely to use "in."

Prepositions are linguistically unstable across time.

(And regionally, of course:
Americans say the store is "on Johnson Street," while Brits say it is "in Johnson Street."
Everyone knows how New Yorkers stand "on line" for tickets.
My mother tells you to drive "across Lincoln Road" where most non-Mississippians would say you're driving "down" or "along" it.)

Rare:
Chest tightness
feeling of warmth, redness of the face, neck, arms and occasionally, upper chest
large, hive-like swelling on face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, or sex organs
shortness of breath, difficult or labored breathing

tjg_marantz wrote:A piece of American history you say?

What as piece of shit.

tjg_marantz wrote:A piece of American history you say?

What as piece of shit.

Isgrimnur wrote:Why was your department's ticket closed? Let's see. I requested a change request from the submitter on the day I got it. A week later, the system started throwing overdue notices. I again requested follow up. A week later, overdue notice. I then forwarded the information to you via direct e-mail requesting follow up. A week later, overdue notice. I closed the ticket.

El Guapo wrote:Anyone recognize the 'photo' used by the Russian (UK) embassy in this twitter post?

Default wrote:"that moment when you, in your extreme fatigue, refer to your ex as "hon".