THE Random Chat Thread - AKA "The RCT" - No shirt or shoes required - Open 24 / 7

[releventchair]

A new way of looking at economics.

https://time.com/5930093/amsterdam-doughnut-economics/?utm_source=pocket-newtab

Thier/they're leaning towards our liberal version of "the green new deal".
I'll take solid denim.
Getting hard to find as "stretch" fabric gains traction.
Better yet , make them out of hemp. As well as shirts. Properly made they can last a generation or more....

No mention of the middleman. Seems the place to be to make money off/from the doughnut. Watch that process shake out. Prices will simply increase due to increased demand of compliance with running carbon neutral , and someone has to take the hit. Don't expect it to be the middleman as demands increase.

We just saw Canadian pipeline get slapped down. Canada must not appreciate the short notice after the effort put forth prior.
Waiting to see the response in exports.
Lumber has already been reduced. Due to quota's conserving the resource , not unlike what we were doing here with oil ect. and our own timber.
Meanwhile , we import lots and lots of lumber from ....Europe.

Interesting topic though. Amsterdam or a similar group.
It was more like he wanted all employees to have a sense of feng shui from my brief impression..
An internet company leader was showing a doughnut of office construction a while back. I was not paying attention to know if it had any ties with

 

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[releventchair]

Surely cap, you've seen the likes of J.E.B. Stuart? John Bell Gordon? James Longstreet? Nothing wrong with those beards now isn't there?

Ha!
My beard frightens friends and enemies alike. And of course young children too.
Gets caught in my coat zipper and velcro on the storm collar. But they didn't have such back then to entertain them.
I fight shaving it off now that hunting season is over.
It didn't help that I started growing it out early last summer...

 

[RustyRelics]

So I've found something interesting.

I just got the book Virginias Colonial Artifacts by Bill Dancy (I love it!), and I noticed that I've dug up a few things in the book that were in my yard.

The first being a wrought iron rose head nail. These were heavily used in the 1700s and were phased out by the early 1800s. I also found pieces of Rhenish ware, and another few pieces of pottery that are in the book. I am debating digging up a pit in the yard and getting killed by my mother, or leaving it alone and never getting an answer as to what was here.

 

[releventchair]

The Gettysburg Museum of History has numerous artifacts for sale from this place. Remember the Band of Brothers series HBO put out in the 2000s? (they're re-running the show now on the History Channel) anyways, they have a bunch of things that these guys "liberated" from the Eagles Nest, the Hotel, etc. On AH marked fork was sold for $3,000 from the Eagles nest.

https://www.gettysburgmuseumofhistory.com/exhibits/#band-of-brothers-major-dick-winters-collection

The Major Dick Winters collection.


https://www.gettysburgmuseumofhisto...orld-war-ii-viet-nam-artifacts-museum-exhibit

WWII collection. There are many neat things here, including a section of the couch that shitler shot himself on, and is even stained with his blood.

An "Uncle" took pics of a camp they liberated. Some rough ones.
I don't know where copies all ended up but he did share them. We've likely seen a couple on the idiot box.

He nabbed a couple SS marked cognac or something glasses. They are about four inches tall maybe , with half or so of that stem.
One of my sisters took them to one of the antique roadshow events and they didn't put a high value on them. Faint rim chips I think. Provenance was likely another consideration.
Don't know what became of them when she passed.

 

[bill from lachine]

RC,

It'll be interesting to see how that doughnut model works out a bit utopian but do we really need chief executives making 50 million or more per year when there's working poor people living in their cars, etc....

Maybe time to try and figure out something a bit more equitable but time will tell how it shakes out.

 

[RustyRelics]

I'm getting excited now as I keep reading... I've also been finding blue tinted window pane and bits of slate. There was something here!

 

[pepperj]

Rusty
Don't know about some of this stuff, the real deal or https://www.gettysburgmuseumofhistory.com/portfolio/hitler-couch/

With today's DNA testing, I wonder if they've had it tested

 

[RustyRelics]

With today's DNA testing, I wonder if they've had it tested

Very good question. His body was burned with fuel oil, and the Rooshians supposedly have a piece of him. Good luck on them giving it up though.

 

[releventchair]

RC,

It'll be interesting to see how that doughnut model works out a bit utopian but do we really need chief executives making 50 million or more per year when there's working poor people living in their cars, etc....

Maybe time to try and figure out something a bit more equitable but time will tell how it shakes out.

As a friend who built businesses by his own effort and is up at four each morning , till late each working day , but never really not working (the phone is a chain tugging on him pretty steady, plus offshift issues to deal with but still needing being in in the early morning after) put it , "I pay hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to get the same things everyone else paying less gets. Why should I pay more?"

When your money and well being are at risk , (and there certainly is risk) , should you not be rewarded more than someone taking no risk , or more , not striving to suceed through effort of your labor and investment in risk?

How much of your net worth should be assigned to someone with a lower net worth? Based on what?

 

[bill from lachine]

RC,

It's a bit of a balancing act for sure.

I made about 3 or 4 times minimum wage during my career which afforded me a comfortable living.

I guess it's just a matter of figuring how much is enough as a buddy of mine once said your last shirt doesn't have any pockets in other words you can't take it with you.....

 

[WHADIFIND]

IMLLTHO....Things might get better when humans *FINALLY* get it! That *healthy* does not, should not tie to how many bucks are in their pants pockets!

Look at this virus! Choose to not treat someone and it grows by however many that one comes in contact with, ad infinitum.

They have a vaccination but due to *circumstances* ....they can't get it distributed! They don't have enough people to do it!?!? Don't they see just how *STUPID* that excuse is!!!?!?

 

[releventchair]

RC,

It's a bit of a balancing act for sure.

I made about 3 or 4 times minimum wage during my career which afforded me a comfortable living.

I guess it's just a matter of figuring how much is enough as a buddy of mine once said your last shirt doesn't have any pockets in other words you can't take it with you.....

Can't take it with me but I can sure party on the way out...
Vegas baby! Dancing girls , spin that wheel. Penthouse suite , and shrimp big as squirrels....
No , I'm not really headed there.
Could think of lots of things to do with my funds rather than hand them to someone who has not labored as I did though.
You don't perform , I'm not lookin to make up for it.
Anyone not budgeting like I have and doing without what many others refuse to give up , same thing. I'm wearing a fifty cent yardsale shirt I wore to work. And wear two three days a week. Bought it over twenty years ago. I can offer plenty of other examples of a frugal lifestyle.
And I'm still having that single slice of toast with peanut butter 364 ish days a year. A small snack at lunch and a thrifty meal late in the day.
Oh , the examples I can give of folks claiming they have it hard , that spend money like it's going out of style.....

I still recall a time busting my butt laboring (and I mean laboring) 12 hours a day in serious heat an hour from home several days a week and knowing that a homeless person with a nickle had greater net worth than I did.
What was my incentive to do what others wouldn't?
Compared to my incentive to provide more for those who didn't/don't?

 

[bill from lachine]

RC,

Like you if people are physically and mentally able to work they should do so and earn their keep no questions on that score whatsoever.

It appears the doughnut model they're experimenting with is questioning whether growth for growth's sake beyond providing for a decent quality of life for everyone is the way to go. Without pushing the whole ecology over the edge which is where we're heading today unfortunately.

Like you we cut lot's of corners to provide ourselves with a decent lifestyle. Cooking from scratch is a prime example.

Making our beer and wine from kits, fermenting and preserving food, growing our own garden and making composts, etc...

Overall we probably live a lifestyle comparable to people making double our income but if takes some effort and a bit of planning.

 

[Rookster]

Time will tell how the new administration deal with the millionaires and billionaires in the country. It’s Gates for example is now the largest land owner in America. Why is a tech guy buying land? Mostly for the tax breaks and grants he will receive from the Feds. Amazon, Google, Walmart are very liberal companies. Why did all of the support Biden? Power through lobbying what direction they want this country to take. Folks, it’s all about POWER.

 

[WHADIFIND]

Its not money that is the root of evil. Its the love of it.

But...people have found a way around having money. They just whip out that magic, plastic card and they can have *anything* they want!!! Just pay 25 a month and they can "own" a Lamborghini and 2 houses!!! Wonderful....ain't it!?
Oh! And about power? They have no care how they have it, just so long as its theirs! They've already killed 400, 000 people to get it back. They haven't a care about the cost! People, money, property, just resources.

 

[releventchair]

RC,

Like you if people are physically and mentally able to work they should do so and earn their keep no questions on that score whatsoever.

It appears the doughnut model they're experimenting with is questioning whether growth for growth's sake beyond providing for a decent quality of life for everyone is the way to go. Without pushing the whole ecology over the edge which is where we're heading today unfortunately.

Like you we cut lot's of corners to provide ourselves with a decent lifestyle. Cooking from scratch is a prime example.

Making our beer and wine from kits, fermenting and preserving food, growing our own garden and making composts, etc...

Overall we probably live a lifestyle comparable to people making double our income but if takes some effort and a bit of planning.

Questioning our impact on resources , environment and each other should always be a consideration.
We will not get to "first do no harm".
At the same time , balance has to come in somewhere. In costs.

I worked with many folks from many countries and multiple types of government from dictatorship to communism.
How refugees and immigrants view North America and North American attitudes and thier own potential here is interesting.
None noted a better deal.
While note was made in varied forms of a system where folks incomes are "evened up" and even those not performance based.
as one guy put it , "you hold the wall. I'll go get the check".
Same country folks would break equipment so they could go home.

I'm all for philanthropy. More so where mentoring for an individuals sake (not a country's) is combined with a hand up. Vs a hand out.
Forced taxation to even things up without the recipient(s) performing is not in my opinion a working model.

I've been here 16-17 years living in a shack that sat empty as no one wanted to work it into a home.
In that time not one person has stopped to ask if I needed someone to do work for a fair pay. Not one!
Leaves to rake. Snow to shovel. Stumps I've dug. Plenty more . And if I can , like many other principles related to performance , so can many others.

Stopped at a house party hosted by a couple former co-workers.
I had a good idea of thier incomes related to our employment. And what other they had.
She had recent implants (and no , not in her jaw) fancy salon hair and nails and a nice truck (nicer than mine anyways).
A church group stopped by to drop off presents for the needy kids...
At the time I was fairly calloused , but sheesh. I'd have been ashamed.

My point is to the able bodied , don't complain your stove is cold if you're not cutting wood.
And don't bother to point at my woodpile either.
If I wanted you to help yourself I'd have told you so. But more likely it would go to "needy" family first.
Like the one shot repeatedly and left for dead who still labors waiting tables despite trouble walking , among other issues...

Folks who are wise with a low budget do better with a higher budget.
Those who apply a low budget unwisely seldom do better with a higher budget.
An earned budget vs a free budget? One may speculate the results .

 

[bill from lachine]

Trying to start using some of our pantry items for supper tonight. Some bow tie pasta and a large tin of chickpeas and will be adding some chopped up cucumber and french shallots, seasoning and some home made salad dressing.

We've got some cubanel peppers we'll have lengthwise and stuff with feta cheese and seasonings and bake in the oven. I'll even treat myself to a couple of my home made beers currently on tap is pilsener if I recall.....

 

[RTR]

With today's DNA testing, I wonder if they've had it tested

On the "Hunting Hitler" series they located Hitlers ONLY living family member in S.America and she point blank refused Any testing ....If I remember correct she is Hitlers grand daughter.
Without something to compare DNA to that piece of couch fabric w/Hitlers blood on it, is (at best) not what they claim it is.

 

[bill from lachine]

Roger,

I read up quite a bit on the alleged escape of Hitler through the tunnels and eventually via submarine to South America.

I wonder if we'll even know with any certainty.

 

[releventchair]

I wonder what angle the Soviets would have had to confirm or deny Hitlers remains either way beyond suspicion it was not Hitler?
[ By 11 May, part of a lower jaw with dental work was identified as Hitler's; his dentist's assistant Käthe Heusermann and dental technician Fritz Echtmann both confirmed dental remains of Hitler and Braun]
Problem being , it was Hitlers dentists people!
Maybe they provided convincing prior x-rays or notes?
I'd be sweating slightly if lying to a counter espionage commander.