• Re: New to this

    From Nightfox@21:1/137 to boraxman on Fri Apr 25 08:54:50 2025
    Re: Re: New to this
    By: boraxman to poindexter FORTRAN on Sat Apr 26 2025 01:47 am

    It happened often enough that there was a term for it - LUG, or Lesbian
    Until Graduation. Lots of heartache among my friends.

    I've known women who went through that, one or two. One stated that they broke up with a guy, and decided to try women. Its interesting how that happens, as I would wager most men would NEVER consider dating other men, simply because the last woman they were with didn't quite work out.

    I don't really support the idea of "experimenting" at Uni. You should be finding reality, finding your feet, not going off on tangents that lead nowhere.

    I've heard of guys "experimenting" in college too. And for some peple, I think going off on tangents and experimenting in college may actually be a way to find reality. As they say sometimes, you never know until you try..

    Nightfox
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  • From poindexter FORTRAN@21:4/122 to boraxman on Fri Apr 25 15:35:55 2025
    boraxman wrote to Adept <=-

    A very strange way for an SSH client to behave! To literally insert
    the same characters, but backwards at the end!

    62 TOR encryption?



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  • From Alonzo@21:1/130 to Nightfox on Fri Apr 25 21:28:46 2025
    I've heard of guys "experimenting" in college too. And for some peple,
    I think going off on tangents and experimenting in college may actually
    be a way to find reality. As they say sometimes, you never know until
    you try..

    I could never understand why people just automatically go to college
    with no idea what they want to study. I knew years before I started
    college. Maybe some people have money to burn, but I wanted to
    make every day count. It took me 10 years to pay off my college
    loans and I would feel foolish if I wasted all of that time and
    money "experimenting."

    ... 640K ought to be enough for anybody. -Bill Gates, 1981.

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  • From boraxman@21:1/101 to Meghan Fitzgerald on Sat Apr 26 22:35:04 2025
    Meghan Fitzgerald wrote to boraxman <=-

    On 15 Apr 2025 at 06:52p, Meghan Fitzgerald pondered and said...


    I am new to this FSX. How is everyone?
    Meg

    Welcome. Obviously not your first time on BBS?
    No not my first time. I have been using this one here for many years
    and now that I am getting close to retirement with more free time I
    wanted to get back into this. I used FidoNet a LONG time ago and am starting to get back into it. I don't like the way social media today looks and feels. This is what I remember most. Have a great day and
    thanks for writing back to me. Meg

    I don't really like how Social Media works. Toxic, and the interface
    is pretty poor too. Unfortunately, that is where the people are, but
    its like having to walk into a minefield to talk to people, because
    everyone else is there. You stand there and say "We shouldn't stand
    in a minefield", but everyone stays, because thats where the people
    are.

    Anyway, I'm here because I like to practice what I preach, and if more
    people come to better platforms, the better for us.

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  • From boraxman@21:1/101 to Nightfox on Sat Apr 26 22:35:04 2025
    Nightfox wrote to boraxman <=-

    Re: Re: New to this
    By: boraxman to poindexter FORTRAN on Sat Apr 26 2025 01:47 am

    It happened often enough that there was a term for it - LUG, or Lesbian
    Until Graduation. Lots of heartache among my friends.

    I've known women who went through that, one or two. One stated that they broke up with a guy, and decided to try women. Its interesting how that happens, as I would wager most men would NEVER consider dating other men, simply because the last woman they were with didn't quite work out.

    I don't really support the idea of "experimenting" at Uni. You should be finding reality, finding your feet, not going off on tangents that lead nowhere.

    I've heard of guys "experimenting" in college too. And for some peple,
    I think going off on tangents and experimenting in college may actually
    be a way to find reality. As they say sometimes, you never know until
    you try..

    Guided experimentation, where you can feed off other peoples
    experience and knowledge, is good. But just screwing around,
    fumbling, that doesn't usually lead to good.

    Experimenting would be trying new hobbies, joining groups, societies,
    finding what you like. Just smoking weed, getting drunk and doing
    drugs though...

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  • From boraxman@21:1/101 to poindexter FORTRAN on Sat Apr 26 22:35:04 2025
    poindexter FORTRAN wrote to boraxman <=-

    boraxman wrote to Adept <=-

    A very strange way for an SSH client to behave! To literally insert
    the same characters, but backwards at the end!

    62 TOR encryption?

    I think it was a consequence of connecting to this bbs within SSH,
    already in an SSH session. I suspect it had to do with error
    translating characters, as the SSH escape key default of ALT-SPACE
    didn't work.

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  • From Adept@21:2/108 to Nightfox on Sat Apr 26 10:54:43 2025
    covered in the program. Having a diploma to also say you've completed
    the program seems redundant to me (and I don't recall seeing a college
    in my area issuing dimplomas separately). I have an associates and a

    It's not redundant, because it's the only piece of paper that one gets, at least from American colleges.

    But, hey, since this is about semantics, I'll toss in the pertinent definition from the American Heritage Dictionary:

    "A document issued by an education institution, such as a university, testifying that the recipient has earned a degree or has successfully completed a particular course of study."

    Beyond that, I'm not sure what to say here. They're different words that cover different things.

    The diploma is the piece of paper (or other type of document) that states that a degree has been conferred. If there's some other "degree conferment paper", I'm unaware of it, though I'm sure you could get a transcript that would probably serve similar purposes.

    And, for all I know, different English speakers have different definitions for the words. I'm not yet aware of anything concrete that it's used differently outside of the US.

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  • From Adept@21:2/108 to poindexter FORTRAN on Sat Apr 26 11:17:24 2025
    It happened often enough that there was a term for it - LUG, or Lesbian
    Until Graduation. Lots of heartache among my friends.

    Given the age of college students, I would guess that "lots of heartache" happens regardless of type of relationship.

    Also, "LUG" sounds like a... questionable term that dismisses young women's experiences as being a "fad". So I'd be wary on using it unless you were one of the women describing herself.

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  • From Adept@21:2/108 to boraxman on Sat Apr 26 11:30:20 2025
    Every week in my city they march and yell, and when you speak to them, they are utterly clueless about the politics they peddle.

    To be fair, given my personal pedantry, political science degree, and long-established reading habits, I feel that about a large portion of people, regardless of whether I agree with them or not.

    And, on many days, I even feel it about myself, as there are many areas where I know shockingly little. Even if I don't realize it afterward, because of the Dunning Krueger effect.

    That said, in all my "reasonableness", it's the unreasonable person that drives change, way more than I ever will.

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  • From Adept@21:2/108 to Nightfox on Sat Apr 26 11:35:38 2025
    I've heard of guys "experimenting" in college too. And for some peple,
    I think going off on tangents and experimenting in college may actually
    be a way to find reality. As they say sometimes, you never know until
    you try..

    There's a time and place for everything, and it's called college.

    (I think that's from South Park. I don't fully agree with it, as adults should try experimenting, too. Though I guess even I experimented with living outside of the US by going to graduate school, and that stuck better than the US did, judging from the time I've spent in and out of the US since then.)

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  • From Adept@21:2/108 to Alonzo on Sat Apr 26 11:51:15 2025
    I could never understand why people just automatically go to college
    with no idea what they want to study. I knew years before I started

    Having done it (and uncertain about recommending it), the benefit is that it's a next step when you haven't otherwise figured out what to do with yourself, that allows for some qualification for various jobs.

    I'm not sure how much it actually helped me, but it did set me up to eventually go back for a graduate degree, and having a Masters in Computer Science likely opens a door or two that a Bachelors would not, especially in a place like Germany.

    Plus I get to put pretentious initials behind my name when I want to look fancy for some reason.

    But, really, with my undergrad I did learn some amount of useful things that I would not have otherwise, and it gave me certain freedom that I (accidentally) turned into learning to be good at juggling.

    It's also a relatively good half-step into adulthood that allows people to have a _somewhat_ sheltered situation while (hopefully) having more distance from parents.

    Or, in other words, I think there are a lot of benefits to even most "useless" degrees. The problem is that, if it puts you tens of thousands in debt, without giving you good tools for getting out of that debt, the benefits are largely intangible or society-wide, and the drawback is grinding debt that is structured to follow you through bankruptcy.

    (in the US. The UK's version is a lot of debt, but if your job doesn't pay well, it's irrelevant. And Germany's version is cheap.)

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  • From Adept@21:2/108 to boraxman on Sat Apr 26 12:00:04 2025
    Experimenting would be trying new hobbies, joining groups, societies, finding what you like. Just smoking weed, getting drunk and doing
    drugs though...

    On the other hand, drinking with friends in frats is a time-honored tradition for getting ahead.

    (I don't think it has worked _quite_ like that in sororities)

    That said, I had a flatmate who was in school, and with whom I drank, and somehow that turned into starting a winery.

    (If I'm going to be pedantic, I'd also point out that we literally _never_ got drunk doing this, so it's probably _technically_ closer to "trying new hobbies" than "getting drunk", but I feel as though that ruins the entertainment value, so would be fine if people pretend this paragraph doesn't exist.)

    Not that this means I disagree with your statement. I'm just prone to some amount of being contrary because of my brain always trying to find flaws in data and arguments.

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  • From Cougar428@21:2/156 to NIGHTFOX on Sat Apr 26 08:17:56 2025
    Quoting Nightfox to Adept <=-

    Re: Re: New to this
    By: Adept to Nightfox on Thu Apr 24 2025 05:41 pm

    What's the difference between a college diploma and a college degree?

    The diploma is the piece of paper that says you've graduated / finished the program. It likely will mention the degree that was earned.

    Isn't the degree also a confirmation that you've graduated and
    completed the program? My understanding is that the degree says
    you've graduated & completed the program and are thus are qualified
    for the material covered in the program. Having a diploma to also say you've completed the program seems redundant to me (and I don't recall seeing a college in my area issuing dimplomas separately). I have an associates and a bachelor's degree that were issued to me after I
    finished the college programs but never got a college diploma issued
    to me.

    I must say, following the conversation - we have some very educated
    people commenting on this subject.

    (sorry - it's pretty early here)

    ... Any body seen my tagline...?

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  • From Cougar428@21:2/156 to BORAXMAN on Sat Apr 26 08:17:56 2025
    Quoting Boraxman to Dflorey <=-

    As for politicians keeping prices high for their own personal benefit. They are traitors to their nation, and should be dealt with as such.
    How people think this is acceptable, and shouldn't result in severe punishment is beyond me. But hey, thats why we're all going to end up homeless, because we accept this from them.

    I do get what you were explaining, but we're all going to end up as dust
    in the wind. 100 years from now, no one will even remember we were
    alive. Sobering.

    Once you're gone, even your kids will forget. We all have to make our
    own way in this world. And it all ends the same way. Apologies for the
    dire words...


    ... This tagline is identical to the one you are reading.

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  • From Cougar428@21:2/156 to POINDEXTER FORTRAN on Sat Apr 26 08:17:56 2025
    Quoting Poindexter Fortran to Accession <=-

    I've said it before - the two classes I regret not taking in high
    school were auto shop and typing.

    I'm surprised that the kids in auto shop got to use the facilities
    outside of class and on their own cars. Nowadays, that would be a liability nightmare.

    I loved auto shop, as you mentioned I could pull my 1970 F-100 into the
    garage and work on the 360 for an hour! That thing was a beast. I never
    really took advantage of the facilities after hours though.

    And I also loved typing. Could type 25 words per minute using the home
    row method and it has served me well in my life. I used those skills in
    the Army where I could listen to Morse and type 22 five letter groups
    per minute. Still use that typing skill now.


    ... That must be wonderful! I don't understand it at all.

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  • From Cougar428@21:2/156 to DMXROB on Sat Apr 26 08:17:56 2025
    Quoting Dmxrob to Boraxman <=-

    BY: boraxman (21:1/101)
    On Saturday,April 19, 2025 at 10:53 AM, Boraxman (21:1/101) wrote:

    My mum is a Boomer, and she said people can just "Scrimp and Save" like
    she did. I asked her how long it took to pay off the mortgage. We grew

    As someone who is "older" now (50s) statements like that piss me off.
    It is amazing how people 20 years older than I am think the world
    hasn't changed since 1955. They don't realize, or want to
    acknowledge, how many government programs and aid they had in their
    day, compared to what Gen X and beyond got - which was squat.

    I shouldn't - but I will.

    I am "older" (almost 70). It's not that I think the world hasn't
    changed since 1955, I tend to think more along the lines that the peole
    have changed.

    I don't think I have ever received any government assistance other than
    unemployment when I was out of work temorarily. I worked at a minimum
    wage job and was married with a child, but did not get food stamps.

    My attitude has always been that if I didn't need assistance, I
    wouldn't take it. I was raised to believe that assistance was for those
    who were unable to make it on their own. I am a veteran but don't take
    advantage of free offers for that group as I don't need them. Some
    folks do, and that's alright.

    Younger people (not sure about gen-whatever), seem to feel entitled to
    any and all assistance as if it's normal to get something for nothing.

    This attitude nowadays of "I got mine, and screw you" is prevelant
    with so many people of that generation, and others. They feel the
    younger generation should shoulder all the burden of society and taxes while they amass even more wealth.

    My attitude is more in line with I worked my whole life to get mine and
    you should probably work hard to make a life for yourself. Every young
    generation shoulders it's own burden. Not the burden of society. And I
    imagine alot of us 'boomers' have amassed wealth in the millions (not).

    You make it sound as if all people are greedy nasty bastards. Believe
    it or not - I wish the best for all the young generation. They are the
    future and I for one am proud they are going to make it on their own.

    I'm very much against that, and
    believe that EVERYONE - I don't care your age - should pay in to
    taxes, etc. I don't support "senior tax freeze" nonsense. Why should young families have to "scrimp" to pay for services you are using
    while you have more than enough assets to pay for own?

    I agree with you, everyone SHOULD pay taxes. Some people are
    misinformed as to who actually does pay taxes. We ALL do.

    You make it out as EVERYONE didn't have to scrimp to pay for services
    that they used? You make me feel like an ogre since I worked for
    50 years and saved my money so I could pay my bills after I have
    finished my working life. I'm here to tell you, we're not all
    millionaires.

    Apologies - guess I'm the one ranting now, or so it sounds to me.

    ... If I had a dime for every math test I flunked I'd have $1.95 today.

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  • From Cougar428@21:2/156 to BORAXMAN on Sat Apr 26 08:17:56 2025
    Quoting Boraxman to Dmxrob <=-

    On 25 Apr 2025 at 10:43a, Dmxrob pondered and said...

    We're in for some big trouble...

    By the way, I did once work a job where I took complaints and queries about consumer products. The older people had the greatest sense of entitlement, by far. A friend who worked in a financial services
    company, taking calls, had the same feedback.

    I believe I may be older than you, and I might be in a different
    country. But I could tell you quite a few stories of conversations I
    have had with 'younger' people who were very 'entitled'. That doesn't
    mean I haven't had conversations with 'older' people whe felt similarly
    'entitled'.

    I don't believe it has anything to do with age. Just the attitude of
    the individuals involved. Some people think they deserve something for
    nothing, others don't.

    JM2C

    ... A feature is a bug with seniority.

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  • From Dumas Walker@21:1/175 to BORAXMAN on Sat Apr 26 10:34:00 2025
    I don't really like how Social Media works. Toxic, and the interface
    is pretty poor too. Unfortunately, that is where the people are, but
    its like having to walk into a minefield to talk to people, because
    everyone else is there. You stand there and say "We shouldn't stand
    in a minefield", but everyone stays, because thats where the people
    are.

    That is a very good analogy.


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  • From StormTrooper@21:2/108 to Adept on Sat Apr 26 20:39:09 2025
    (in the US. The UK's version is a lot of debt, but if your job doesn't
    pay well, it's irrelevant. And Germany's version is cheap.)

    Aus probably has the nearest of the worst of all worlds. The cost of courses varies. Generally the more "mainstream" the course the more it'll cost. So you can leave with a pretty hefty debt. On the plus side it doesn't become payable until such time as you break an income threshold. Mean time, the thing isn't charged interest but is linked to the CPI, or effectively inflation. On the downside, they only apply payments once per year after they add the CPI adjustments. In recent years there's been a lot of consternation around people either paying the requirements, or in some cases extra in an effort to get rid of it, and the CPI increases actually being higher than the total payments. Meaning you've been locked into a debt you will probably never be able to pay off.

    ST

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  • From Nightfox@21:1/137 to Alonzo on Sat Apr 26 11:44:51 2025
    Re: Re: New to this
    By: Alonzo to Nightfox on Fri Apr 25 2025 09:28 pm

    I've heard of guys "experimenting" in college too. And for some peple,
    I think going off on tangents and experimenting in college may actually
    be a way to find reality. As they say sometimes, you never know until
    you try..

    I could never understand why people just automatically go to college with no idea what they want to study. I knew years before I started college. Maybe some people have money to burn, but I wanted to make every day count. It took me 10 years to pay off my college loans and I would feel foolish if I wasted all of that time and money "experimenting."

    I think some people think they should finish college soon rather than wait, and maybe they think they'll figure out what they want while they're in college.

    And if someone wants to do "experimenting", that wouldn't take all their time.. People still have parts of their life outside of college. If someone wants to meet people and date while in college, I don't see a problem with that.

    Nightfox
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  • From poindexter FORTRAN@21:4/122 to boraxman on Sat Apr 26 20:53:44 2025
    boraxman wrote to poindexter FORTRAN <=-

    I don't really support the idea of "experimenting" at Uni. You should
    be finding reality, finding your feet, not going off on tangents that
    lead nowhere.

    For some people, that's the only way for them to find out. I don't
    judge them for that. As they say, some people learn by reading, others
    by listening to teachers, a third need to pee on the electric fence all
    by themselves.



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  • From poindexter FORTRAN@21:4/122 to Nightfox on Sat Apr 26 20:53:44 2025
    Nightfox wrote to poindexter FORTRAN <=-

    The diploma is the piece of paper that says you achiieved a college degree.

    That's something I hadn't realized, or really thought about..

    That's my mission in life - to remind people of random shit they've
    forgotten about or had more important things to remember. :)



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  • From poindexter FORTRAN@21:4/122 to Adept on Sat Apr 26 20:53:44 2025
    Adept wrote to poindexter FORTRAN <=-

    Also, "LUG" sounds like a... questionable term that dismisses young women's experiences as being a "fad". So I'd be wary on using it unless you were one of the women describing herself.

    Context, context - San Francisco in the mid-80s was a different time, a different place. And we were 20-something kids, all of us learning who
    we were in their own ways. What I described as a memory of those times
    should not be construed as a peek into my outlook today.

    What those times taught me now as a rapidly-approaching 60 year old man
    is that whatever you do is your own business, and it doesn't really
    affect me. When you learn that the only thing you truly have under your
    own control are your own choices life becomes *much* easier. Combine
    with an environment where you're free to experiment to fulfill creative
    desires and you have a magical combination.

    San Francisco was a magical place back then. I feel like I just caught
    the tail-end of an accepting, open, creative era that changed shortly afterwards.

    Hunter S. Thompson described the sixties in San Francisco thusly:

    "It seems like a lifetime, or at least a Main Era - the kind of peak
    that never comes again. San Francisco in the middle sixties was a very
    special time and place to be a part of. Maybe it meant something. Maybe
    not, in the long run... but no explanation, no mix of words or music or
    memories can touch that sense of knowing that you were there and alive
    in that corner of time and the world. Whatever it meant...

    There was madness in any direction, at any hour. You could strike sparks
    anywhere. There was a fantastic universal sense that whatever we were
    doing was right, that we were winning...

    And that, I think, was the handle - that sense of inevitable victory
    over the forces of Old and Evil. Not in any mean or military sense; we
    didn't need that. Our energy would simply PREVAIL. There was no point in
    fighting - on our side or theirs. We had all the momentum; we were
    riding the crest of a high and beautiful wave...

    So now, less than five years later, you can go up on a steep hill in Las
    Vegas and look West, and with the right kind of eyes you can almost see
    the high water mark - that place where the wave finally broke, and
    rolled back."

    I'd say I caught one of those little afterwaves that get your calves wet
    by comparison. But, I'm glad I was there.



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  • From poindexter FORTRAN@21:4/122 to Cougar428 on Sat Apr 26 20:53:44 2025
    Cougar428 wrote to POINDEXTER FORTRAN <=-

    I loved auto shop, as you mentioned I could pull my 1970 F-100 into the garage and work on the 360 for an hour! That thing was a beast. I never really took advantage of the facilities after hours though.

    A carbueretor, points, distributor, and an engine compartment big
    enough to get around in - must have been nice!

    On my last gas-engine car, a Toyota Prius, some engineer decided to
    run the spark plugs out the back end of the transversely-mounted
    engine, meaning you need to take off the wiper arms and tray and some
    other parts to get to the plugs! At least the 12v battery was in the
    trunk...



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  • From boraxman@21:1/101 to Adept on Sun Apr 27 19:04:55 2025
    Adept wrote to boraxman <=-

    Every week in my city they march and yell, and when you speak to them, they are utterly clueless about the politics they peddle.

    To be fair, given my personal pedantry, political science degree, and long-established reading habits, I feel that about a large portion of people, regardless of whether I agree with them or not.

    And, on many days, I even feel it about myself, as there are many areas where I know shockingly little. Even if I don't realize it afterward, because of the Dunning Krueger effect.

    That said, in all my "reasonableness", it's the unreasonable person
    that drives change, way more than I ever will.

    I do doubt myself, there are many things I don't know about, but there
    is one thing I try not to do. That is, to state something that is
    clearly in contradiction of observed reality. I may not be able to
    explain why the sky is blue (actually, I sort of can), but I won't say
    its not blue. I won't go into games where I go "Well Actually...."
    and then argue why blue doesn't exist and why colours aren't real, or
    something like that. It is also important not to be sure of things
    you don't know about. If someone who runs a farm tells me that
    such-and-such policy which affects their farming won't work, well, I'm
    not going to contradict them if they appear foolish to me. They are
    doing something I haven't done, so best to stop and listen.


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  • From boraxman@21:1/101 to Adept on Sun Apr 27 19:04:55 2025
    Adept wrote to boraxman <=-

    Experimenting would be trying new hobbies, joining groups, societies, finding what you like. Just smoking weed, getting drunk and doing
    drugs though...

    On the other hand, drinking with friends in frats is a time-honored tradition for getting ahead.

    (I don't think it has worked _quite_ like that in sororities)

    That said, I had a flatmate who was in school, and with whom I drank,
    and somehow that turned into starting a winery.

    (If I'm going to be pedantic, I'd also point out that we literally
    _never_ got drunk doing this, so it's probably _technically_ closer to "trying new hobbies" than "getting drunk", but I feel as though that
    ruins the entertainment value, so would be fine if people pretend this paragraph doesn't exist.)

    Not that this means I disagree with your statement. I'm just prone to
    some amount of being contrary because of my brain always trying to find flaws in data and arguments.

    Well, its not like I haven't gotten drunk with friends! But I have
    seen people overdo it.

    I may have been a little forceful with my statement. I'm not a
    teetotaler, and I'm not even 100% opposed to experimenting with a
    psychedelic or two. I don't even think these are things for your
    College days only. In fact, I think they should be done when you are
    MORE mature, more responsible, and around other people who are able to
    keep things in check. That may or may not be when you are a late
    teen, but either way, it should be done in moderation. You're
    establishing your habits here, so establish good ones. These "student activists" often change their views later on. They "Grow out of it",
    which means it was immature to begin with, and therefore, a dead end.

    I think for me, its more opposition to this idea that you have this
    "one stage" where you can do this or that, and be silly, then you're
    suppoesd to "straighten up" and become a tool. There should be a
    happy medium where you are always open to new experiences and change,
    but instead of trying to ball it all up and go crazy for a few years,
    you maintain a low level of openeess throughout your entire life.

    Hope that makes sense.

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  • From boraxman@21:1/101 to Cougar428 on Sun Apr 27 19:04:55 2025
    Cougar428 wrote to boraxman <=-

    Quoting Boraxman to Dflorey <=-

    As for politicians keeping prices high for their own personal benefit. They are traitors to their nation, and should be dealt with as such.
    How people think this is acceptable, and shouldn't result in severe punishment is beyond me. But hey, thats why we're all going to end up homeless, because we accept this from them.

    I do get what you were explaining, but we're all going to end up as
    dust in the wind. 100 years from now, no one will even remember we were alive. Sobering.

    Once you're gone, even your kids will forget. We all have to make our
    own way in this world. And it all ends the same way. Apologies for the dire words...

    I plan to live forever. So far, so good!

    We do matter, because the decisions we make affect the future. They
    may not know our names, but they WILL be impacted by what we do. So
    yeah, I think we do matter, whether others know it or not!

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  • From boraxman@21:1/101 to Cougar428 on Sun Apr 27 19:04:55 2025
    Cougar428 wrote to boraxman <=-

    Quoting Boraxman to Dmxrob <=-

    On 25 Apr 2025 at 10:43a, Dmxrob pondered and said...

    We're in for some big trouble...

    By the way, I did once work a job where I took complaints and queries about consumer products. The older people had the greatest sense of entitlement, by far. A friend who worked in a financial services
    company, taking calls, had the same feedback.

    I believe I may be older than you, and I might be in a different
    country. But I could tell you quite a few stories of conversations I
    have had with 'younger' people who were very 'entitled'. That doesn't
    mean I haven't had conversations with 'older' people whe felt
    similarly
    'entitled'.

    I don't believe it has anything to do with age. Just the attitude of
    the individuals involved. Some people think they deserve something for
    nothing, others don't.

    I think you are right on both accounts, age and geography. I can't
    explain why exactly things I experienced where that way, only that
    seems to be the way. Granted, I was dealing with a small subset of
    people.

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  • From boraxman@21:1/101 to Cougar428 on Sun Apr 27 19:04:55 2025
    Cougar428 wrote to DMXROB <=-

    Quoting Dmxrob to Boraxman <=-

    BY: boraxman (21:1/101)
    On Saturday,April 19, 2025 at 10:53 AM, Boraxman (21:1/101) wrote:

    My mum is a Boomer, and she said people can just "Scrimp and Save" like
    she did. I asked her how long it took to pay off the mortgage. We grew

    As someone who is "older" now (50s) statements like that piss me off.
    It is amazing how people 20 years older than I am think the world
    hasn't changed since 1955. They don't realize, or want to
    acknowledge, how many government programs and aid they had in their
    day, compared to what Gen X and beyond got - which was squat.

    I shouldn't - but I will.

    I am "older" (almost 70). It's not that I think the world hasn't
    changed since 1955, I tend to think more along the lines that the
    peole
    have changed.

    I don't think I have ever received any government assistance other
    than
    unemployment when I was out of work temorarily. I worked at a minimum
    wage job and was married with a child, but did not get food stamps.

    My attitude has always been that if I didn't need assistance, I
    wouldn't take it. I was raised to believe that assistance was for
    those
    who were unable to make it on their own. I am a veteran but don't take
    advantage of free offers for that group as I don't need them. Some
    folks do, and that's alright.

    Younger people (not sure about gen-whatever), seem to feel entitled to
    any and all assistance as if it's normal to get something for nothing.

    This attitude nowadays of "I got mine, and screw you" is prevelant
    with so many people of that generation, and others. They feel the
    younger generation should shoulder all the burden of society and taxes while they amass even more wealth.

    My attitude is more in line with I worked my whole life to get mine
    and
    you should probably work hard to make a life for yourself. Every young
    generation shoulders it's own burden. Not the burden of society. And I
    imagine alot of us 'boomers' have amassed wealth in the millions
    (not).

    You make it sound as if all people are greedy nasty bastards. Believe
    it or not - I wish the best for all the young generation. They are the
    future and I for one am proud they are going to make it on their own.

    I'm very much against that, and
    believe that EVERYONE - I don't care your age - should pay in to
    taxes, etc. I don't support "senior tax freeze" nonsense. Why should young families have to "scrimp" to pay for services you are using
    while you have more than enough assets to pay for own?

    I agree with you, everyone SHOULD pay taxes. Some people are
    misinformed as to who actually does pay taxes. We ALL do.

    You make it out as EVERYONE didn't have to scrimp to pay for services
    that they used? You make me feel like an ogre since I worked for
    50 years and saved my money so I could pay my bills after I have
    finished my working life. I'm here to tell you, we're not all
    millionaires.

    Apologies - guess I'm the one ranting now, or so it sounds to me.

    I do see where you are coming from. To clarify, I'm a dad, have a
    family, kids I own my home. I have a decent job (in theory). I sort
    of "made it". Sort of.

    See, I only *just* scraped into getting a home, and that was largely
    in part due to coming into significant money that I inherited. I was
    priced out of where I grew. Looking at the prospects for me children,
    they appear utterly dire. The city has changed *dramatically* since I
    was young. I just came back from there, and now I'm a minority!
    Again! I wish I could say my children will be better off, but they
    won't be. And you know what, I'm old enough now to compare my adult
    life now, with my adult life when I was in my early 20s, and *despite*
    moving to a better position, becoming a leader, I'm worse off. And
    all my peers are seeing the same.

    Things are going down. Its palpable. My wife knows it. My friends,
    her friends. Most parents see it. Parents I talkt to at work, my age
    cohort, see it. Ther eis this sense we are being pushed off a
    cliff. That was not the case when my parents were young. Its
    something bigger, deeper. When I have to turn away job interviews for managerial roles, because I can't afford to move, things are dire.

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  • From Gamgee@21:2/138 to boraxman on Sun Apr 27 08:58:16 2025
    boraxman wrote to Cougar428 <=-

    Younger people (not sure about gen-whatever), seem to feel entitled to
    any and all assistance as if it's normal to get something for nothing.

    Absolutely agree with this.

    This attitude nowadays of "I got mine, and screw you" is prevelant
    with so many people of that generation, and others. They feel the
    younger generation should shoulder all the burden of society and taxes while they amass even more wealth.

    Baloney. You (dmxrob) are confused by the older generation(s) just
    wanting the younger folks to pull their own weight, and not feel
    entitled to every single thing. They are not "owed" anything, just like
    no previous generation was owed anything. Earn your way.

    My attitude is more in line with I worked my whole life to get mine
    and
    you should probably work hard to make a life for yourself. Every young
    generation shoulders it's own burden. Not the burden of society. And I
    imagine alot of us 'boomers' have amassed wealth in the millions
    (not).

    Correct.

    I'm very much against that, and
    believe that EVERYONE - I don't care your age - should pay in to
    taxes, etc. I don't support "senior tax freeze" nonsense. Why should young families have to "scrimp" to pay for services you are using
    while you have more than enough assets to pay for own?

    Not sure where this came from, but I've never heard of anything like a
    "senior tax freeze". That's because there isn't any such thing.
    DMXROB, where are you getting your "facts"?

    I agree with you, everyone SHOULD pay taxes. Some people are
    misinformed as to who actually does pay taxes. We ALL do.

    Correct again.

    You make it out as EVERYONE didn't have to scrimp to pay for services
    that they used? You make me feel like an ogre since I worked for
    50 years and saved my money so I could pay my bills after I have
    finished my working life. I'm here to tell you, we're not all
    millionaires.

    And correct again.

    I do see where you are coming from. To clarify, I'm a dad, have a
    family, kids I own my home. I have a decent job (in theory). I sort
    of "made it". Sort of.

    See, I only *just* scraped into getting a home, and that was largely
    in part due to coming into significant money that I inherited. I was priced out of where I grew. Looking at the prospects for me children, they appear utterly dire. The city has changed *dramatically* since I
    was young. I just came back from there, and now I'm a minority!
    Again! I wish I could say my children will be better off, but they
    won't be. And you know what, I'm old enough now to compare my adult
    life now, with my adult life when I was in my early 20s, and *despite* moving to a better position, becoming a leader, I'm worse off. And
    all my peers are seeing the same.

    My experiences are the exact opposite of all of this. My children (two
    of them, both married with kids) will be far better off than me. Just
    as I am far better off than my parents. My wife and I own two homes,
    and so do both of my kids (in their 30's). It's hard to compare my
    present life to my life in my early 20's, but again.... I am FAR better
    off now.

    Things are going down. Its palpable. My wife knows it. My friends,
    her friends. Most parents see it. Parents I talkt to at work, my age cohort, see it. Ther eis this sense we are being pushed off a
    cliff. That was not the case when my parents were young. Its
    something bigger, deeper. When I have to turn away job interviews for managerial roles, because I can't afford to move, things are dire.

    Again, it's hard for me to understand this. Not sure how that situation
    has developed for you, but seems like something went wrong. That is not
    true for myself, nor anyone that I know. <SHRUG>



    ... Gone crazy, be back later, please leave message.
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  • From Adept@21:2/108 to poindexter FORTRAN on Sun Apr 27 17:23:50 2025
    San Francisco was a magical place back then. I feel like I just caught
    the tail-end of an accepting, open, creative era that changed shortly afterwards.

    From what I've heard, it does sound like it would have been pretty interesting -- housing costs were low enough that people could afford to live there without having dual-income tech jobs.

    I'm sure there were still expensive places to live, but the "artsy" people could find a place, in a way that I think is significantly less true, now.

    And, if there truly was a time and place for everything, it being SF of that era does seem pretty reasonable.

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  • From Cougar428@21:2/156 to POINDEXTER FORTRAN on Sun Apr 27 13:31:51 2025
    Quoting Poindexter Fortran to Cougar428 <=-

    A carbueretor, points, distributor, and an engine compartment big
    enough to get around in - must have been nice!

    You could sit on the fender wall and play checkers on the air cleaner.
    - B)

    On my last gas-engine car, a Toyota Prius, some engineer decided to
    run the spark plugs out the back end of the transversely-mounted
    engine, meaning you need to take off the wiper arms and tray and some other parts to get to the plugs! At least the 12v battery was in the trunk...

    I've heard rumors that on some cars they 'deleted' the oil and
    transmission dipsticks. May be just a rumor...

    ... Confuse Us says: Man who leaps off cliff jumps to conclusion.

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  • From Cougar428@21:2/156 to BORAXMAN on Sun Apr 27 13:31:52 2025
    Quoting Boraxman to Cougar428 <=-

    We do matter, because the decisions we make affect the future. They
    may not know our names, but they WILL be impacted by what we do. So
    yeah, I think we do matter, whether others know it or not!

    Well said! Thanks for cheering me up Bo!

    ... ASCII stupid question, get a stupid ANSI.

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  • From Cougar428@21:2/156 to BORAXMAN on Sun Apr 27 13:31:52 2025
    Quoting Boraxman to Cougar428 <=-

    things are dire.

    Relax my friend, things will never be what they were. Those times are
    past. Believe it or not, we will go on. You will continue and your
    children will make their own way.

    I understand it's sometimes hard to persevere, but when things look
    like they are at their worst - they can only get better. Take a break
    and you'll feel better.

    Have a great day!

    ... Conserve toilet paper...use both sides.

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  • From Adept@21:2/108 to boraxman on Sun Apr 27 17:33:47 2025
    psychedelic or two. I don't even think these are things for your
    College days only. In fact, I think they should be done when you are
    MORE mature, more responsible, and around other people who are able to

    I think, with drinking, we'd probably be better off if people were exposed to it at a young age, but in a responsible form.

    Whether that'd _actually_ makes things better I leave to people who have done good science research on the topic.

    Since, yeah, the idea is about whatever brings about the best outcome, for whatever "best" means. And I don't want to stick to my opinions if there's another path that would lead to better results for the goals I actually want.

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  • From Adept@21:2/108 to boraxman on Sun Apr 27 17:51:29 2025
    I plan to live forever. So far, so good!

    I feel as though you're not committed enough.

    I plan to live forever, _or die trying_.

    Gotta lean into it.

    (And, yes, I'm sure I shamelessly stole that from _someone_.)

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  • From StormTrooper@21:2/108 to boraxman on Sun Apr 27 19:31:27 2025
    I plan to live forever. So far, so good!


    Today is a new personal record for consecutive days alive? :P

    ST

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  • From poindexter FORTRAN@21:4/122 to Cougar428 on Sun Apr 27 15:02:53 2025
    Re: Re: New to this
    By: Cougar428 to POINDEXTER FORTRAN on Sun Apr 27 2025 01:31 pm

    I've heard rumors that on some cars they 'deleted' the oil and transmission dipsticks. May be just a rumor...

    Yeah, some offer "lifetime" lubrication. Most mechanics still recommend flushing the tranny.

    I don't know about the oil dipstick, it is nice that some cars will tell you the oil lifetime, and some will report the level. Weirdest thing I'd heard regarding cars was that some Land Rover vehicles don't have an oil drain plug. To change the oil, you have to suck it out through the top!
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  • From boraxman@21:1/101 to Cougar428 on Mon Apr 28 13:07:25 2025
    Cougar428 wrote to boraxman <=-

    Quoting Boraxman to Cougar428 <=-

    things are dire.

    Relax my friend, things will never be what they were. Those times are
    past. Believe it or not, we will go on. You will continue and your
    children will make their own way.

    I understand it's sometimes hard to persevere, but when things look
    like they are at their worst - they can only get better. Take a break
    and you'll feel better.

    Have a great day!

    I think things will change, and may improve, but it will take almost a spiritual
    change, or a fundamental reordering of values. I won't go into detail here, too
    heavy for fsxNet.


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  • From boraxman@21:1/101 to Adept on Mon Apr 28 13:07:25 2025
    Adept wrote to boraxman <=-

    psychedelic or two. I don't even think these are things for your
    College days only. In fact, I think they should be done when you are
    MORE mature, more responsible, and around other people who are able to

    I think, with drinking, we'd probably be better off if people were
    exposed to it at a young age, but in a responsible form.

    Whether that'd _actually_ makes things better I leave to people who
    have done good science research on the topic.

    Since, yeah, the idea is about whatever brings about the best outcome,
    for whatever "best" means. And I don't want to stick to my opinions if there's another path that would lead to better results for the goals I actually want.

    I agreee with that. I remember being given little sips of beer in a glass during dinner when I was a kid. Just enough for a taste, and not every day, just here and there. I remember trying champagne too at New Years Eve. When I turned 18 I didn't feel the need to 'pop the alchohol cherry in a big way', because well, it wasn't like I was breaking a taboo or something.

    In continental Europe, alcohol is everywhere. You can buy a beer at McDonalds, you can see Germans drinking a beer during lunch, or even in the morning. There
    isn't a problem letting kids taste. And if you were to be out at night, and see
    silly, crazy drunks causing a ruckus, you can safely bet its tourists (probably from the UK or US, where people are more sensitive about that). It could be that making alcohol "nothing special" takes the taboo away, and consequently, makes access to it kind of droll. OF course, there is a deeper cultural thing going on too. If you suddenly allowed beer in McDonalds in Australia, things would get worse, but maybe, maybe the culture would adapt after a generation or so.


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  • From boraxman@21:1/101 to Adept on Mon Apr 28 13:07:25 2025
    Adept wrote to boraxman <=-

    I plan to live forever. So far, so good!

    I feel as though you're not committed enough.

    I plan to live forever, _or die trying_.

    Gotta lean into it.

    (And, yes, I'm sure I shamelessly stole that from _someone_.)

    Haha!

    You know, that is closer to the truth than you might realise!


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  • From boraxman@21:1/101 to StormTrooper on Mon Apr 28 13:07:25 2025
    StormTrooper wrote to boraxman <=-

    I plan to live forever. So far, so good!


    Today is a new personal record for consecutive days alive? :P

    Maybe for you, but I'm yet to beat my old record...


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  • From Nightfox@21:1/137 to Adept on Sun Apr 27 17:52:33 2025
    Re: Re: New to this
    By: Adept to boraxman on Sun Apr 27 2025 05:51 pm

    I plan to live forever, _or die trying_.

    Gotta lean into it.

    (And, yes, I'm sure I shamelessly stole that from _someone_.)

    "I plan to live forever. So far, so good." - Steven Wright

    Nightfox
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  • From StormTrooper@21:2/108 to boraxman on Mon Apr 28 09:23:40 2025
    Today is a new personal record for consecutive days alive? :P

    Maybe for you, but I'm yet to beat my old record...

    I'll keep my fingers crossed fro you...

    ST

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  • From poindexter FORTRAN@21:4/122 to boraxman on Mon Apr 28 10:26:31 2025
    boraxman wrote to Adept <=-

    In continental Europe, alcohol is everywhere. You can buy a beer at McDonalds, you can see Germans drinking a beer during lunch, or even in the morning.

    In England, I was a bit shocked by having a pint at lunch. While a pint
    is OK, there was a fine line between sharing a pint with your boss or
    your workmates and coming back to the office after 2 or 3 pints.

    The safe play was a half of bitters. I miss those lunches...



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  • From Arelor@21:2/138 to poindexter FORTRAN on Mon Apr 28 16:32:23 2025
    Re: Re: New to this
    By: poindexter FORTRAN to Arelor on Tue Apr 22 2025 08:00 am

    Build a brand, make a name for yourself, get engaged by a company and
    have them hire you - that does work.

    I'm hiring for the first time in 8 years. I'm curious to see how the
    vetting process works, because I'm only seeing massively overqualified
    candidates who I wouldn't want to work with.

    That is two problems right there.

    If I am good enough to build a brand then I don't need you to hire me. By the time I have notches under my belt I am somebody, I don't need you. In fact you might be a hindrance.

    That is one of the reasons why it is so hard to get good doctors hired in hospitalary groups. They don't need to work for the Hospital, they are sure as heck not taking a payroll from the Hospital because people and insurance companies are not attracted by the Hospital, but by the Doctor. So the best you can achieve at that point is to get the Doctor as a contractor, but as far as he is concerned your Hospital is an expendable partner.

    And then there is the confirmation that the qualifications candidates struggled so much to get is absolutely worthless to recruiters. So once again, why would a candidate apply for a job through the regular channels?




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  • From Arelor@21:2/138 to Nightfox on Mon Apr 28 16:39:47 2025
    Re: Re: New to this
    By: Nightfox to boraxman on Wed Apr 23 2025 09:51 am

    I feel like that would be a strange thing to be happening. I can't say I experienced any political bias in college, but maybe some colleges & universities are doing that for some reason..

    The Philosophy and Humanities college here is a glorified propaganda machine. They even used to have posters and exhibitions in the main hall endorsing political figures, or demonizing them.

    The Laws college just next to it is known to be a propaganda machine for the opposite side.

    Good times.


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  • From Arelor@21:2/138 to Alonzo on Mon Apr 28 17:16:04 2025
    Re: Re: New to this
    By: Alonzo to Nightfox on Fri Apr 25 2025 09:28 pm

    I could never understand why people just automatically go to college
    with no idea what they want to study. I knew years before I started
    college. Maybe some people have money to burn, but I wanted to
    make every day count. It took me 10 years to pay off my college
    loans and I would feel foolish if I wasted all of that time and
    money "experimenting."

    My experience is lots of people went there because they wanted a degree, but they didn't care which one, hence they were not sure what to study.

    I wanted to get into Engineering because I loved disassembling broken stuff and fixing it when I was a kid. I make it not a secret that I consider myself scammed by The System - I got my degree alright, but soooo much Engineering work is about ensuring compliance with regulations rather than finding creative solutions to things.

    I remember a once I was at an RPG party and the electric circuit responsible for the lights went kaput. Rather than cancel the party - everybody was enjoying the game - a friend from Engineering college and I disconnected one of the ceiling lamps from the circuit and ran a cable from an electrical socket into it. The RPG game was saved. The guy told me, as the lamp was turned on, something to the effect of "You know, I am nearly three years in and this is the first time I feel I have actually Engineered a solution".


    --
    gopher://gopher.richardfalken.com/1/richardfalken
    --- SBBSecho 3.24-Linux
    * Origin: Palantir * palantirbbs.ddns.net * Pensacola, FL * (21:2/138)
  • From Arelor@21:2/138 to Cougar428 on Mon Apr 28 17:31:33 2025
    Re: Re: New to this
    By: Cougar428 to DMXROB on Sat Apr 26 2025 08:17 am

    You make it sound as if all people are greedy nasty bastards.

    People are greedy nasty bastards. The only thing you can count on is they will run you over if it fits their interests. For all the talking about morality we get, people always bends their principles in such a way that any actions to defend their interests are justified.

    Hence my well known BBS motto "People sucks and deserves to die"


    --
    gopher://gopher.richardfalken.com/1/richardfalken
    --- SBBSecho 3.24-Linux
    * Origin: Palantir * palantirbbs.ddns.net * Pensacola, FL * (21:2/138)
  • From Arelor@21:2/138 to Cougar428 on Mon Apr 28 17:57:41 2025
    Re: Re: New to this
    By: Cougar428 to BORAXMAN on Sun Apr 27 2025 01:31 pm

    I understand it's sometimes hard to persevere, but when things look
    like they are at their worst - they can only get better. Take a break
    and you'll feel better.

    This reminds me of a regular subject for conversation that pops up every now and then with aquitances. The subject is the fact I will never get a public retirement pension because by the time I retire, the public retirement funds will be effectively bankrupt.

    People usually takes it as a joke. Some guy, one day, told me something that serves as the perfect example of why society is wrecked: he said "Don't worry, what we know is we will all get our retirement pensions."

    Such claim is worrysome in itself because it shows people believes stuff won't change even if all evidence points at the fact it will. You can point at the tendencies and strains retirement funds get and also at the fact absolutely nothing is being done or planed to save them - in fact, what we know is in 30 years retirement pensions will allow you to buy a fistful peanuts per month at best. And yet people refuses to openly acknowledge it because the popular thing to do is pretend things will fix themselves.

    I think it is soooo much constructive to acknowledge in 30 years retirement funds are gona be deeply fucked up so you can withstand the storm when it hits. Being a prepared pesimist motherfucker beats optimism.

    My point is that when things look bad you have to assume they are bad instead of pretend they aren't.


    --
    gopher://gopher.richardfalken.com/1/richardfalken
    --- SBBSecho 3.24-Linux
    * Origin: Palantir * palantirbbs.ddns.net * Pensacola, FL * (21:2/138)
  • From poindexter FORTRAN@21:4/122 to Arelor on Mon Apr 28 17:10:47 2025
    Re: Re: New to this
    By: Arelor to Alonzo on Mon Apr 28 2025 05:16 pm

    I remember a once I was at an RPG party and the electric circuit responsible for the lights went kaput. Rather than cancel the party - everybody was enjoying the game - a friend from Engineering college and I disconnected one of the ceiling lamps from the circuit and ran a cable from an electrical socket into it. The RPG game was saved. The guy told me, as the lamp was

    realitycheckBBS' first home was in a deco-style apartment building in San Francisco - the lobby looked like it came from the 1940s. My studio had beautiful high ceilings, crown molding, steam heat, sash windows, and an electrical layout befitting the 1940s.

    The walk-in closet was cavernous, and I was a 20-something kid with 3 suits for work and a handful of tshirts and jeans. I put a side table in the closet, wedged an old IBM AT clone from work in there, and thought it'd make a perfect office. The only problem was a lack of outlets.

    I ran one of those plugs that screw into a light socket, then ran an extension cord down the ornate (and now non-functional) overhead fixture, and powered the BBS. While I was forced to dress in the dark, the rest, as they say, is history.

    I'm looking at my office now, with 4 outlets and a huge UPS driving a desktop PC, two servers and two printers...
    --- SBBSecho 3.23-Win32
    * Origin: realitycheckBBS.org -- information is power. (21:4/122)
  • From poindexter FORTRAN@21:4/122 to Arelor on Mon Apr 28 17:15:07 2025
    Re: Re: New to this
    By: Arelor to Cougar428 on Mon Apr 28 2025 05:57 pm

    This reminds me of a regular subject for conversation that pops up every now and then with aquitances. The subject is the fact I will never get a public retirement pension because by the time I retire, the public retirement funds will be effectively bankrupt.

    People usually takes it as a joke. Some guy, one day, told me something that serves as the perfect example of why society is wrecked: he said "Don't worry, what we know is we will all get our retirement pensions."

    I worked a government position, and the overriding sentiment was "keep your head down, don't question any processes, don't get noticed, and retire in 35 years with a full pension."

    I wonder how liquid the government pension system will be when they retire? I'm guessing there's going to be a reckoning as the pension fund is now one of their largest expenditures.
    --- SBBSecho 3.23-Win32
    * Origin: realitycheckBBS.org -- information is power. (21:4/122)
  • From StormTrooper@21:2/108 to Arelor on Tue Apr 29 02:40:21 2025
    My experience is lots of people went there because they wanted a degree, but they didn't care which one, hence they were not sure what to study.

    There was a time here, when positions were government funded we had a cadre of essentially professional students. They'd finish a course, poke around and see what was available and then start another one, sometimes they might have 3-4 incomplete courses, and that was pretty much all they did their entire working lives. None of it was ever put to any use whatsoever.

    About the time I left high school, there was a big push to uni and some kind of degree. There was less interest in what the course was and what you might do with it, than just getting in, and doing something. Most of my friends of the time did a variety, Vet Sci, Comp Sci, Geology something... Vet Sci became a vet ultimately, I know Geology guy is/was doing something with geology, while Comp Sci guy ended up teaching English in O/S schools.

    ST

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
    * Origin: Storm BBS (21:2/108)
  • From poindexter FORTRAN@21:4/122 to StormTrooper on Tue Apr 29 07:17:18 2025
    StormTrooper wrote to Arelor <=-

    My experience is lots of people went there because they wanted a degree, but they didn't care which one, hence they were not sure what to study.

    There was a time here, when positions were government funded we had a cadre of essentially professional students. They'd finish a course,
    poke around and see what was available and then start another one, sometimes they might have 3-4 incomplete courses, and that was pretty
    much all they did their entire working lives. None of it was ever put
    to any use whatsoever.

    I read a SF novel where the protagonist has been given an allocation
    from his parents' estate, for as long as he is in university. He'd
    successfully bounced from major to major for years until he'd finally
    taken every course offered, and would have completed one of the degrees
    by default...


    --- MultiMail/Win v0.52
    * Origin: realitycheckBBS.org -- information is power. (21:4/122)
  • From Cougar428@21:2/156 to ARELOR on Tue Apr 29 18:07:03 2025
    Quoting Arelor to Cougar428 <=-

    You make it sound as if all people are greedy nasty bastards.

    People are greedy nasty bastards. The only thing you can count on is
    they will run you over if it fits their interests. For all the talking about morality we get, people always bends their principles in such a
    way that any actions to defend their interests are justified.
    Hence my well known BBS motto "People sucks and deserves to die"

    Ok - now that THAT is out the way, why don't you tell me what you
    really think?

    I guess if the glass is always half empty, you piss in it until its
    full and then let the other person have a drink.

    :)

    ... Sarcasm: because beating people up is illegal.

    ___ Blue Wave/QWK v2.20
    --- SBBSecho 3.23-Linux
    * Origin: CJ's Place, Orange City FL > cjsplace.thruhere.net (21:2/156)
  • From Cougar428@21:2/156 to ARELOR on Tue Apr 29 18:07:03 2025
    Quoting Arelor to Cougar428 <=-

    I understand it's sometimes hard to persevere, but when things look
    like they are at their worst - they can only get better. Take a break
    and you'll feel better.

    This reminds me of a regular subject for conversation that pops up
    every now and then with aquitances. The subject is the fact I will
    never get a public retirement pension because by the time I retire,
    the public retirement funds will be effectively bankrupt.
    People usually takes it as a joke. Some guy, one day, told me
    something that serves as the perfect example of why society is
    wrecked: he said "Don't worry, what we know is we will all get our retirement pensions."
    Such claim is worrysome in itself because it shows people believes
    stuff won't change even if all evidence points at the fact it will.
    You can point at the tendencies and strains retirement funds get and
    also at the fact absolutely nothing is being done or planed to save
    them - in fact, what we know is in 30 years retirement pensions will
    allow you to buy a fistful peanuts per month at best. And yet people refuses to openly acknowledge it because the popular thing to do is pretend things will fix themselves.
    I think it is soooo much constructive to acknowledge in 30 years retirement funds are gona be deeply fucked up so you can withstand the storm when it hits. Being a prepared pesimist motherfucker beats
    optimism.
    My point is that when things look bad you have to assume they are bad instead of pretend they aren't.

    I don't disagree with you, but sometimes you need to stop worrying
    about something which is deeply bothering you in order to relax and
    worry about the things that are dear to you.

    I get your point. But worrying every minute of the day will make you
    sick. Relax or you'll drive yourself crazy.


    ... Hey, this isn't my ]tagline! Who put this here?

    ___ Blue Wave/QWK v2.20
    --- SBBSecho 3.23-Linux
    * Origin: CJ's Place, Orange City FL > cjsplace.thruhere.net (21:2/156)
  • From Adept@21:2/108 to poindexter FORTRAN on Wed Apr 30 16:48:33 2025
    I read a SF novel where the protagonist has been given an allocation
    from his parents' estate, for as long as he is in university. He'd
    successfully bounced from major to major for years until he'd finally
    taken every course offered, and would have completed one of the degrees
    by default...

    I occasionally put, "Johnny Lechner" into a search engine to see if there's more to the story about his educational experience.

    His experience being that he went to UW-Whitewater from 1995 until 2010, amassed enough credits to have 9 majors and 5 minors, but he did not choose to graduate. Last note was that he transferred to a school in California, but I don't see any info after that, so I'm uncertain on the details, there.

    I think I became aware of him in 2005 or so, when he was saying, "well, I was _going_ to graduate, but then realized that I hadn't tried studying abroad, yet.", but, realistically he was leaning into his perpetual student status, which he parlayed into being a minor TV actor.

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
    * Origin: Storm BBS (21:2/108)
  • From Arelor@21:2/138 to Cougar428 on Thu May 1 19:05:27 2025
    Re: Re: New to this
    By: Cougar428 to ARELOR on Tue Apr 29 2025 06:07 pm

    I don't disagree with you, but sometimes you need to stop worrying
    about something which is deeply bothering you in order to relax and
    worry about the things that are dear to you.

    I am not worried, I have been working on my contingency plan for a decade and a half and so far it looks good.


    --
    gopher://gopher.richardfalken.com/1/richardfalken
    --- SBBSecho 3.24-Linux
    * Origin: Palantir * palantirbbs.ddns.net * Pensacola, FL * (21:2/138)
  • From Gryphon@21:1/101 to Adept on Tue May 6 06:01:16 2025
    On 23 Apr 2025 at 05:03p, Adept pondered and said...

    After finishing high school, students get a 'diploma', not a 'degree' least, where I am, I've never heard of ca high school calling it a "h school degree").

    I suppose that does make sense, as the diploma is what you get at the
    end of the education, and the degree is what you accomplished while
    there.

    And, since there's no specialization with high school things, you get
    both diplomas and degrees in universities, but only diplomas in high school.

    But, yeah, I was just thinking of it as, "you've accomplished this, so
    you have a high school degree", but, without going down a rabbit hole,
    I'd guess you're completely correct.

    From what I can tell, the H.S. education is geared to creating employees, and the college education is geared to creating entrepreneurs. That's the way it seems to me in the US. Go to any small business in the US and you'll find that a good 90% of them are established by people who were not born there, but were from other countries. I live in a VERY small town. There are 6 active stores. Two are corporate dollar stores. Two are gas/convenience stores, one is a grocery/meat counter and the other is a donut shop. of the four locally owned shops, one is an old established business built up by locals. The others are from other countries.

    It feels like to me that the US education system does nothing to teach our children to be shop owners or to be independent business owners instead of corporate workers.

    "Amy Pond, there's something you better understand about me 'cause it's
    important, and one day your life may depend upon it. I am definitely a Mad
    Man with a Blue Box."
    .oO Madman with a Blue Box BBS Oo.oO madmanbbs.ddns.net Oo.

    ... I don't want to go!

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
    * Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)
  • From Gryphon@21:1/101 to Nightfox on Tue May 6 06:07:40 2025
    On 24 Apr 2025 at 12:27p, Nightfox pondered and said...

    Isn't the degree also a confirmation that you've graduated and completed the program? My understanding is that the degree says you've graduated
    & completed the program and are thus are qualified for the material covered in the program. Having a diploma to also say you've completed
    the program seems redundant to me (and I don't recall seeing a college
    in my area issuing dimplomas separately). I have an associates and a bachelor's degree that were issued to me after I finished the college programs but never got a college diploma issued to me.

    The two are similar to driving. If you pass all the driving tests, then you can be considered a legal driver. The license you carry in your wallet is akin to the diploma.

    "Amy Pond, there's something you better understand about me 'cause it's
    important, and one day your life may depend upon it. I am definitely a Mad
    Man with a Blue Box."
    .oO Madman with a Blue Box BBS Oo.oO madmanbbs.ddns.net Oo.

    ... I don't want to go!

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
    * Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)
  • From Gryphon@21:1/101 to boraxman on Tue May 6 06:10:07 2025
    On 25 Apr 2025 at 01:27p, boraxman pondered and said...

    On 23 Apr 2025 at 09:51a, Nightfox pondered and said...

    Re: Re: New to this
    By: boraxman to Nightfox on Wed Apr 23 2025 11:56 pm

    Got to fix JuiceSSH on my Android. I was saying that University can be a liability, because people learn some strange and extrem political and social view from Uni, that get transferred into th workplace, where they are definately less than welcome.

    I feel like that would be a strange thing to be happening. I can't s experienced any political bias in college, but maybe some colleges & universities are doing that for some reason..


    Its pretty rife in the major universities in Melbourne and Sydney, particularly Melbourne. More-so student activism that rubs off on
    others. They adopt a particular set of values, then seek to exert these in the workplace, or vice-versa, the workplace then modifies its culture and its workings, in order to accomodate their beliefs.
    You end up with a situation where the company is geared towards a very specific, very localised worldview.

    It could also be safe to say that education brings out different points of view and is one of the reasons why there is an assault of education in the US.

    "Amy Pond, there's something you better understand about me 'cause it's
    important, and one day your life may depend upon it. I am definitely a Mad
    Man with a Blue Box."
    .oO Madman with a Blue Box BBS Oo.oO madmanbbs.ddns.net Oo.

    ... I don't want to go!

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
    * Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)
  • From Gryphon@21:1/101 to boraxman on Tue May 6 06:14:48 2025
    On 25 Apr 2025 at 01:33p, boraxman pondered and said...

    On 23 Apr 2025 at 05:11p, Adept pondered and said...

    This one wasn't cut off, but did get scrambled somehow.

    It's _mostly_ fine if you read it backwards.

    Further education can be a liability too, as people are tau eht ot
    revo yrrac neht yeht hcihw ,sfeileb laicos dna lacitilop eg ,saera emos ni ,thg

    A very strange way for an SSH client to behave! To literally insert the same characters, but backwards at the end!

    I have had this happen when I tried to paste text into the mystic editor. If I copy a block of text from another window, say 30 cols by 4 rows, mystic will paste anything after the first 30 cols with mirrored text.

    "Amy Pond, there's something you better understand about me 'cause it's
    important, and one day your life may depend upon it. I am definitely a Mad
    Man with a Blue Box."
    .oO Madman with a Blue Box BBS Oo.oO madmanbbs.ddns.net Oo.

    ... I don't want to go!

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
    * Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)
  • From Gryphon@21:1/101 to boraxman on Tue May 6 06:17:03 2025
    On 25 Apr 2025 at 01:43p, boraxman pondered and said...

    As for politicians keeping prices high for their own personal benefit. They are traitors to their nation, and should be dealt with as such.
    How people think this is acceptable, and shouldn't result in severe punishment is beyond me. But hey, thats why we're all going to end up homeless, because we accept this from them.

    I wish there were a way to updoot this message.

    "Amy Pond, there's something you better understand about me 'cause it's
    important, and one day your life may depend upon it. I am definitely a Mad
    Man with a Blue Box."
    .oO Madman with a Blue Box BBS Oo.oO madmanbbs.ddns.net Oo.

    ... I don't want to go!

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
    * Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)
  • From Gryphon@21:1/101 to poindexter FORTRAN on Tue May 6 06:23:41 2025
    On 24 Apr 2025 at 08:19p, poindexter FORTRAN pondered and said...

    One of the dramas I saw play out multiple times were committed same-sex
    relationships between two women in college. Unfortunately, one of them
    was more confident in their sexuality and their partner was
    experimenting. As soon as they graduated, got jobs and started
    associating with people outside of that environment, they chose to date
    men and forget about "that phase".

    It happened often enough that there was a term for it - LUG, or Lesbian
    Until Graduation. Lots of heartache among my friends.

    This reminds me of the running joke in that Charlie Sheen show Anger Management. He did group therapy for prison inmates. Some of them were ostensibly gay, but once they got out of the joint, the went back to being strait. They called it "Prison Gay".

    "Amy Pond, there's something you better understand about me 'cause it's
    important, and one day your life may depend upon it. I am definitely a Mad
    Man with a Blue Box."
    .oO Madman with a Blue Box BBS Oo.oO madmanbbs.ddns.net Oo.

    ... I don't want to go!

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
    * Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)
  • From Gryphon@21:1/101 to Dmxrob on Tue May 6 06:25:49 2025
    On 25 Apr 2025 at 10:43a, Dmxrob pondered and said...

    BY: boraxman (21:1/101)
    On Saturday,April 19, 2025 at 10:53 AM, Boraxman (21:1/101) wrote:

    My mum is a Boomer, and she said people can just "Scrimp and Save" like she did. I asked her how long it took to pay off the mortgage. We gre
    As someone who is "older" now (50s) statements like that piss me off.
    It is amazing how people 20 years older than I am think the world hasn't changed since 1955. They don't realize, or want to acknowledge, how
    many government programs and aid they had in their day, compared to what Gen X and beyond got - which was squat.

    This attitude nowadays of "I got mine, and screw you" is prevelant with
    so many people of that generation, and others. They feel the younger generation should shoulder all the burden of society and taxes while
    they amass even more wealth. I'm very much against that, and believe
    that EVERYONE - I don't care your age - should pay in to taxes, etc. I don't support "senior tax freeze" nonsense. Why should young families have to "scrimp" to pay for services you are using while you have more than enough assets to pay for own?



    Anyway, I've ranted enough. I just think this issue is even bigger tha most people think it is.

    It is... and getting worse .

    Once again, I wish I could upvote this message.

    "Amy Pond, there's something you better understand about me 'cause it's
    important, and one day your life may depend upon it. I am definitely a Mad
    Man with a Blue Box."
    .oO Madman with a Blue Box BBS Oo.oO madmanbbs.ddns.net Oo.

    ... I don't want to go!

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
    * Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)
  • From Gryphon@21:1/101 to boraxman on Tue May 6 06:45:20 2025
    On 26 Apr 2025 at 10:35p, boraxman pondered and said...

    Meghan Fitzgerald wrote to boraxman <=-

    On 15 Apr 2025 at 06:52p, Meghan Fitzgerald pondered and said...


    I am new to this FSX. How is everyone?
    Meg

    Welcome. Obviously not your first time on BBS?
    No not my first time. I have been using this one here for many years and now that I am getting close to retirement with more free time I wanted to get back into this. I used FidoNet a LONG time ago and am starting to get back into it. I don't like the way social media today looks and feels. This is what I remember most. Have a great day and thanks for writing back to me. Meg

    I don't really like how Social Media works. Toxic, and the interface
    is pretty poor too. Unfortunately, that is where the people are, but
    its like having to walk into a minefield to talk to people, because everyone else is there. You stand there and say "We shouldn't stand
    in a minefield", but everyone stays, because thats where the people
    are.

    Anyway, I'm here because I like to practice what I preach, and if more people come to better platforms, the better for us.

    The platform won't help. If you remember, fidonet is called FIGHT-O-NET, and for good reason. The problem isn't you have to walk through a minefield to talk to people. The people ARE the minefield. Where ever you get people with opinions together (like here) they will bring the mines with them.

    "Amy Pond, there's something you better understand about me 'cause it's
    important, and one day your life may depend upon it. I am definitely a Mad
    Man with a Blue Box."
    .oO Madman with a Blue Box BBS Oo.oO madmanbbs.ddns.net Oo.

    ... I don't want to go!

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
    * Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)
  • From Gryphon@21:1/101 to Adept on Tue May 6 06:52:52 2025
    On 26 Apr 2025 at 11:35a, Adept pondered and said...

    There's a time and place for everything, and it's called college.

    (I think that's from South Park. I don't fully agree with it, as adults should try experimenting, too. Though I guess even I experimented with living outside of the US by going to graduate school, and that stuck better than the US did, judging from the time I've spent in and out of
    the US since then.)

    Not to say that learning shouldn't be happening at any place an in any situation, but uni's whole mandate is to foster learning and by extension, new experiences. Uni is the one place and one time when all new learning and experiences are tolerated.

    "Amy Pond, there's something you better understand about me 'cause it's
    important, and one day your life may depend upon it. I am definitely a Mad
    Man with a Blue Box."
    .oO Madman with a Blue Box BBS Oo.oO madmanbbs.ddns.net Oo.

    ... I don't want to go!

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
    * Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)
  • From Gryphon@21:1/101 to Alonzo on Tue May 6 06:56:57 2025
    On 25 Apr 2025 at 09:28p, Alonzo pondered and said...

    I've heard of guys "experimenting" in college too. And for some pepl I think going off on tangents and experimenting in college may actual be a way to find reality. As they say sometimes, you never know unti you try..

    I could never understand why people just automatically go to college
    with no idea what they want to study. I knew years before I started college. Maybe some people have money to burn, but I wanted to
    make every day count. It took me 10 years to pay off my college
    loans and I would feel foolish if I wasted all of that time and
    money "experimenting."

    Maybe that's why so many students change their majors midway through. What they thought the knew before going into uni had never been challenged before that. You can't blame a person for not knowing they wanted something before they knew what it was.

    "Amy Pond, there's something you better understand about me 'cause it's
    important, and one day your life may depend upon it. I am definitely a Mad
    Man with a Blue Box."
    .oO Madman with a Blue Box BBS Oo.oO madmanbbs.ddns.net Oo.

    ... I don't want to go!

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
    * Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)
  • From Nightfox@21:1/137 to Gryphon on Mon May 5 12:20:38 2025
    Re: Re: New to this
    By: Gryphon to boraxman on Tue May 06 2025 06:17 am

    I wish there were a way to updoot this message.

    What is "updoot"?

    Nightfox
    --- SBBSecho 3.24-Linux
    * Origin: Digital Distortion: digdist.synchro.net (21:1/137)
  • From Gryphon@21:1/101 to Nightfox on Tue May 6 07:55:13 2025
    On 05 May 2025 at 12:20p, Nightfox pondered and said...

    Re: Re: New to this
    By: Gryphon to boraxman on Tue May 06 2025 06:17 am

    I wish there were a way to updoot this message.

    What is "updoot"?

    It's slang for a reddit-style upvote.

    "Amy Pond, there's something you better understand about me 'cause it's
    important, and one day your life may depend upon it. I am definitely a Mad
    Man with a Blue Box."
    .oO Madman with a Blue Box BBS Oo.oO madmanbbs.ddns.net Oo.

    ... I don't want to go!

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
    * Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)
  • From Arelor@21:2/138 to Gryphon on Mon May 5 17:21:21 2025
    Re: Re: New to this
    By: Gryphon to boraxman on Tue May 06 2025 06:45 am

    The platform won't help. If you remember, fidonet is called FIGHT-O-NET, and for good reason. The problem isn't you have to walk through a minefield to talk to people. The people ARE the minefield. Where ever you get people with opinions together (like here) they will bring the mines with them.

    Well, I think the platform matters because some platforms are fully operated by censors.

    See, if I write a Dovenet review about an RPG book and critizise it for pushing political points that are shoehorned into it, some people might be angry and argue my review is trash. **And that is fine**. Talking only to people you agree with is boring after a while and you don't get to learn much.

    However, you post the same review on RPGnet and you get banned, they create a thread about why you got banned and how cool it is you got banned. The place is dying for a reason.

    Communication systems without global banning authorities are a godsend. They make a total difference. They will never achieve mass appeal again because regular people can't take the heat and will rather have the Ban Police take their freedom in exchange for saving them from imaginary threats, just like in real life. This does not mean we can't use them ourselves.


    --
    gopher://gopher.richardfalken.com/1/richardfalken
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  • From Jimmy Anderson@21:2/127 to Arelor on Mon May 5 19:40:00 2025
    Arelor wrote to Gryphon <=-

    Well, I think the platform matters because some platforms are fully operated by censors.

    See, if I write a Dovenet review about an RPG book and critizise it for pushing political points that are shoehorned into it, some people might
    be angry and argue my review is trash. **And that is fine**. Talking
    only to people you agree with is boring after a while and you don't get
    to learn much.

    You are so right on this! I think BBS people are thicker skinned, and
    worst case just don't read it! The general public and 'social media
    people' don't have that skill...

    And your last point - echo chambers reinforce. I WANT someome to challenge
    my beliefs. It let's me either learn that I'm not as right as I thought
    I was, or I learn that even in the face of disention I am firmly rooted. Win/Win

    However, you post the same review on RPGnet and you get banned, they create a thread about why you got banned and how cool it is you got banned. The place is dying for a reason.

    Is that a forum or reddit or what? I don't 'hang out' on either, but I
    do enjoy RPG's! :-) Having a Christian worldview means my views are not
    really welcome in the modern RPG space... No, I don't go attacking, but
    as you inferred, disagreement means you are evil.

    Communication systems without global banning authorities are a godsend. They make a total difference. They will never achieve mass appeal again because regular people can't take the heat and will rather have the Ban Police take their freedom in exchange for saving them from imaginary threats, just like in real life. This does not mean we can't use them ourselves.

    Great point! I regularly talk to people that are willing to give up
    personal freedom for the 'safety' of society. Problem is when society
    is not truly free, you're not truly safe either.


    ... I'm being held prisoner in a chocolate factory. Don't send help.
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  • From Arelor@21:2/138 to Jimmy Anderson on Tue May 6 11:18:30 2025
    Re: Re: New to this
    By: Jimmy Anderson to Arelor on Mon May 05 2025 07:40 pm

    However, you post the same review on RPGnet and you get banned, they create a thread about why you got banned and how cool it is you got banned. The place is dying for a reason.

    Is that a forum or reddit or what? I don't 'hang out' on either, but I
    do enjoy RPG's! :-) Having a Christian worldview means my views are not really welcome in the modern RPG space... No, I don't go attacking, but
    as you inferred, disagreement means you are evil.


    RPGnet is a forum about, you guess it, tabletop Roleplaying Games :-P

    There are lots of traditional style games still made if you don't like modern trends. I don't know what your tolerance towards dark subjects is (ie. if you are fine with a game having demons and the like) but you can fish for lots of cool stuff in the OSR movement or the NSR (Old School Renaissance and New School Renaissance, respectively).

    If you are fine with demons and the like, a popular Spanish game which has been translated to English is Aquelarre. It is a middle-age themed game in which players belong to any of the given ethnic groups that existed in the Iberian Peninsula in the 15th Century. The authors made a lot of research regarding local myths, the practice of paganism in those years, that sort of thing. The idea is the players get to beat all the evil witches and otherwordly spirits to a pulp for treasure and XP :-)

    If you want something more traditional there is the Pendragon game, designed to roleplay the Arthuric Legend. This game is usualy bought with the Great Pendragon Campaign in order to play the whole story of King Arthur from start to finish.


    --
    gopher://gopher.richardfalken.com/1/richardfalken
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    * Origin: Palantir * palantirbbs.ddns.net * Pensacola, FL * (21:2/138)
  • From Jimmy Anderson@21:2/138 to Meghan Fitzgerald on Tue May 6 19:43:36 2025
    Meghan Fitzgerald wrote to All <=-

    I am new to this FSX. How is everyone?

    Well I can't answer for everyone, but I feel blessed! :-)



    ... Jokes about German sausage are the wurst.
    === MultiMail/Mac v0.52
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  • From poindexter FORTRAN@21:4/122 to Arelor on Tue May 6 19:27:17 2025
    Re: Re: New to this
    By: Arelor to Jimmy Anderson on Tue May 06 2025 11:18 am

    RPGnet is a forum about, you guess it, tabletop Roleplaying Games :-P

    Oh, well - I was ready to gloat about my collection of rocket propelled grenade launchers...
    --- SBBSecho 3.23-Win32
    * Origin: realitycheckBBS.org -- information is power. (21:4/122)
  • From Jimmy Anderson@21:2/138 to Arelor on Wed May 7 12:57:52 2025
    Arelor wrote to Jimmy Anderson <=-

    RPGnet is a forum about, you guess it, tabletop Roleplaying Games :-P

    There are lots of traditional style games still made if you don't like modern trends. I don't know what your tolerance towards dark subjects
    is (ie. if you are fine with a game having demons and the like) but you can fish for lots of cool stuff in the OSR movement or the NSR (Old
    School Renaissance and New School Renaissance, respectively).

    I'm currently DM'ing a game for my old friends from high school. We are
    using AD&D 1st Edition, and I'm very familiar with OSR.

    My first RPG was Top Secret way back when. :-)

    When you say 'modern trends' I think you are asking about my preference of game. I meant that Gencon and other places are very OPEN and INVITING to
    people of all beliefs, and I'm okay with that! The problem is if someone
    asks for my opinion I will give it, and I know it's likely to label me
    a 'hater,' even though that's not true and definately not my intent.

    If you want something more traditional there is the Pendragon game, designed to roleplay the Arthuric Legend. This game is usualy bought
    with the Great Pendragon Campaign in order to play the whole story of
    King Arthur from start to finish.

    Have heard of and read about that - not something I ever looked deeply into, but always thought it was interesting!


    ... Tag line thievery's fun ...On to the next Geraldo!
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  • From Digital Man@21:1/183 to Gryphon on Sat May 10 17:41:26 2025
    Re: Re: New to this
    By: Gryphon to Nightfox on Tue May 06 2025 07:55 am

    On 05 May 2025 at 12:20p, Nightfox pondered and said...

    Re: Re: New to this
    By: Gryphon to boraxman on Tue May 06 2025 06:17 am

    I wish there were a way to updoot this message.

    What is "updoot"?

    It's slang for a reddit-style upvote.

    Synchronet supports up-voting (or down-voting) messages, but only local and QWK-networked messages. Someday I'd like to extend that to FTN and then maybe other (non-Synchronet) BBSes could join in the fun.
    --
    digital man (rob)

    This Is Spinal Tap quote #39:
    Female Airport Security Officer: Do you have any artificial plates or limbs? Norco, CA WX: 93.7øF, 28.0% humidity, 14 mph W wind, 0.00 inches rain/24hrs
    --- SBBSecho 3.25-Linux
    * Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (21:1/183)
  • From Utopian Galt@21:1/183 to poindexter FORTRAN on Sun May 11 18:02:33 2025
    poindexter FORTRAN wrote to Utopian Galt <=-

    The problem is the PEOPLE. Real estate owners see their holdings as
    sacrosanct and always on the rise. Building affordable housing could
    lower your resale value. Those same people lobby for hurdles to
    affordable housing in government.

    In many places, there's available rentals - but the inflated real
    estate market has landlords and home owners alike is keeping prices
    high.

    If we want less people on SNAP/Food Assistance, we need to make rent more affordable.
    We have to build, build, build.
    ... Computer Hacker wanted. Must have own axe.
    --- MultiMail/Win v0.52
    * Origin: Vertrauen - [vert/cvs/bbs].synchro.net (21:1/183)
  • From Alonzo@21:1/130 to Jimmy Anderson on Tue May 13 05:34:52 2025
    be angry and argue my review is trash. **And that is fine**. Talking only to people you agree with is boring after a while and you don't ge

    When I was a kid, my friends and I would do something to
    keep from being too bored - We would have debates. One
    of us would take one side of the arguement and another
    kid would take the other (even if we totally disagreed
    with it).

    Try that sometime. It really opens up your mind. After
    taking am opinion you didn't agree with at all and
    trying to defend it, we would sometimes go "Aha"
    and change our actual beliefs.

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Windows/64)
    * Origin: Bunker 3 - woofer.v6.rocks:8888 - Mt. Healthy, OH (21:1/130)
  • From Bob Worm@21:1/205 to Alonzo on Tue May 13 12:55:12 2025
    Re: Re: New to this
    By: Alonzo to Jimmy Anderson on Tue May 13 2025 05:34:52

    When I was a kid, my friends and I would do something to
    keep from being too bored - We would have debates. One
    of us would take one side of the arguement and another
    kid would take the other (even if we totally disagreed
    with it).

    Try that sometime. It really opens up your mind. After
    taking am opinion you didn't agree with at all and
    trying to defend it, we would sometimes go "Aha"
    and change our actual beliefs.

    That sounds cool and all but have you ever tried just shouting over everyone else's opinions and calling them mean names if they still don't agree with you?

    I am joking, of course... but these days it's hard to tell.

    BobW
    --- SBBSecho 3.25-Linux
    * Origin: >>> Magnum BBS <<< - magnumbbs.net (21:1/205)
  • From boraxman@21:1/101 to Bob Worm on Wed May 14 10:19:18 2025
    Bob Worm wrote to Alonzo <=-

    Re: Re: New to this
    By: Alonzo to Jimmy Anderson on Tue May 13 2025 05:34:52

    When I was a kid, my friends and I would do something to
    keep from being too bored - We would have debates. One
    of us would take one side of the arguement and another
    kid would take the other (even if we totally disagreed
    with it).

    Try that sometime. It really opens up your mind. After
    taking am opinion you didn't agree with at all and
    trying to defend it, we would sometimes go "Aha"
    and change our actual beliefs.

    That sounds cool and all but have you ever tried just shouting over everyone else's opinions and calling them mean names if they still
    don't agree with you?

    I am joking, of course... but these days it's hard to tell.

    Just shouting "---phobic" does the trick is most circumstances.

    These days, you just get offended at the opposing argument and declare victory because you found the antithesis personally offensive.

    ... BoraxMan
    ___ MultiMail/Linux v0.49

    --- Mystic BBS/QWK v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
    * Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)
  • From Nightfox@21:1/137 to boraxman on Tue May 13 17:26:18 2025
    Re: Re: New to this
    By: boraxman to Bob Worm on Wed May 14 2025 10:19 am

    Just shouting "---phobic" does the trick is most circumstances.

    Sometimes I think "--phobic" terminology isn't really accurate. If someone is "homophobic", for instance, I don't think they're afraid; that term seems to be used for people who generally disagree with being that way, rather than being afraid of it.

    Nightfox
    --- SBBSecho 3.25-Linux
    * Origin: Digital Distortion: digdist.synchro.net (21:1/137)
  • From boraxman@21:1/101 to Nightfox on Wed May 14 21:59:47 2025
    On 13 May 2025 at 05:26p, Nightfox pondered and said...

    Re: Re: New to this
    By: boraxman to Bob Worm on Wed May 14 2025 10:19 am

    Just shouting "---phobic" does the trick is most circumstances.

    Sometimes I think "--phobic" terminology isn't really accurate. If someone is "homophobic", for instance, I don't think they're afraid;
    that term seems to be used for people who generally disagree with being that way, rather than being afraid of it.


    Of course not. The point of the terms is just to present an air of moral supremacy. They're not meant to be accurate, just manipulative.

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
    * Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)
  • From Arelor@21:2/138 to Alonzo on Wed May 14 09:12:35 2025
    Re: Re: New to this
    By: Alonzo to Jimmy Anderson on Tue May 13 2025 05:34 am

    When I was a kid, my friends and I would do something to
    keep from being too bored - We would have debates. One
    of us would take one side of the arguement and another
    kid would take the other (even if we totally disagreed
    with it).

    Try that sometime. It really opens up your mind. After
    taking am opinion you didn't agree with at all and
    trying to defend it, we would sometimes go "Aha"
    and change our actual beliefs.

    This used to be a popular campfire game around here but I have never seen anybody switch opinions from it.


    --
    gopher://gopher.richardfalken.com/1/richardfalken
    --- SBBSecho 3.25-Linux
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  • From Ed Vance@21:1/175 to Adept on Wed May 14 12:52:03 2025


    It's _mostly_ fine if you read it backwards.

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
    * Origin: Storm BBS (21:2/108)


    A long time ago Professor Backwards was on a TV show occasionally and in his act he would write on a blackboard words spelled backwards.
    Ed
    --- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
    * Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (21:1/175)
  • From Ed Vance@21:1/175 to StormTrooper on Wed May 14 12:53:29 2025
    Sorry, tapped wrong place on this phone
    Ed
    --- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
    * Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (21:1/175)
  • From Bob Worm@21:1/205 to boraxman on Wed May 14 23:10:17 2025
    Re: Re: New to this
    By: boraxman to Nightfox on Wed May 14 2025 21:59:47

    Of course not. The point of the terms is just to present an air of moral supremacy. They're not meant to be accurate, just manipulative.

    Errr.... every single time?

    BobW
    --- SBBSecho 3.25-Linux
    * Origin: >>> Magnum BBS <<< - magnumbbs.net (21:1/205)
  • From StormTrooper@21:2/108 to Ed Vance on Thu May 15 01:00:08 2025
    Sorry, tapped wrong place on this phone

    Case of fat finger? :)

    ST

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
    * Origin: Storm BBS (21:2/108)
  • From Ed Vance@21:1/175 to StormTrooper on Wed May 14 21:07:26 2025


    Case of fat finger? :)

    ST

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
    * Origin: Storm BBS (21:2/108)


    Fat Fingeritis.
    Ed
    --- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
    * Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (21:1/175)
  • From Meghan Fitzgerald@21:1/242 to Uber-Geek on Wed May 14 20:57:21 2025
    I am new to this FSX. How is everyone?
    Meg

    The horrors persist, but so do I.

    Welcome to the net!
    Thank you.
    Meg
    telnet://ricksbbs.synchro.net:23
    http://ricksbbs.synchro.net:8080
    --- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
    * Origin: Rick's BBS - telnet://ricksbbs.synchro.net:23 (21:1/242)
  • From boraxman@21:1/101 to Bob Worm on Thu May 15 21:08:31 2025
    On 14 May 2025 at 11:10p, Bob Worm pondered and said...

    Re: Re: New to this
    By: boraxman to Nightfox on Wed May 14 2025 21:59:47

    Of course not. The point of the terms is just to present an air of mor supremacy. They're not meant to be accurate, just manipulative.

    Errr.... every single time?


    I would say the majority of times, yes. And by "majority", I mean overwhelming majority. That is my observation.

    Labels like that come with a moral presumption, and by using it, you are asking the accused to also accept that presumption.

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
    * Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)
  • From mary4@21:2/150 to Nightfox on Thu May 15 10:11:16 2025
    Just shouting "---phobic" does the trick is most circumstances.
    Sometimes I think "--phobic" terminology isn't really accurate. If someone is "homophobic", for instance, I don't think they're afraid;
    that term seems to be used for people who generally disagree with being that way, rather than being afraid of it.

    i agree phobic just means fear of
    there is a term for hatred
    ---misia
    like transmisias are people i can never like!

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 2024/05/29 (Linux/64)
    * Origin: 2o fOr beeRS bbs>>>20ForBeers.com:1337 (21:2/150)
  • From Nightfox@21:1/137 to mary4 on Thu May 15 10:34:06 2025
    Re: Re: New to this
    By: mary4 to Nightfox on Thu May 15 2025 10:11 am

    i agree phobic just means fear of
    there is a term for hatred
    ---misia
    like transmisias are people i can never like!

    I've also heard of the term "misophonia", which is a condition some people have where some noises can trigger feelings of irritation, anger, anxiety, etc.. Often it could be noises like people popping gum, chewing food with their mouth open, or sometimes other random noises.

    Nightfox
    --- SBBSecho 3.25-Linux
    * Origin: Digital Distortion: digdist.synchro.net (21:1/137)
  • From Bob Worm@21:1/205 to Nightfox on Fri May 16 09:07:21 2025
    Re: Re: New to this
    By: Nightfox to mary4 on Thu May 15 2025 10:34:06

    Hi, Nightfox.

    I've also heard of the term "misophonia", which is a condition some people have where some noises can trigger feelings of irritation, anger, anxiety, etc.. Often it could be noises like people popping gum, chewing food with their mouth open, or sometimes other random noises.

    I started to write a joke remark about how all of those noises are irritating so maybe I have misophonia... Then I thought about how the wife regularly comments that I'm "funny about noise" so maybe there's something to that?

    When I'm under the weather I really can't stand loud noise and get quite cranky. My mother in law - who is great, by the way - speaks so loudly that I sometimes have to leave the room, and that's often the first warning that I'm coming down with something :(

    BobW
    --- SBBSecho 3.25-Linux
    * Origin: >>> Magnum BBS <<< - magnumbbs.net (21:1/205)
  • From Dumas Walker@21:1/175 to MARY4 on Fri May 16 09:24:00 2025
    Just shouting "---phobic" does the trick is most circumstances.
    Sometimes I think "--phobic" terminology isn't really accurate. If someone is "homophobic", for instance, I don't think they're afraid; that term seems to be used for people who generally disagree with being that way, rather than being afraid of it.

    i agree phobic just means fear of
    there is a term for hatred
    ---misia
    like transmisias are people i can never like!

    I suspect they used -phobia because people who have a strong dislike for
    things often do so out of fear (i.e. spiders or snakes). I still believe
    there are a lot of people who have -phobias towards certain groups of
    people but, yes, these days it is also very obvious that some people are
    just hateful.


    * SLMR 2.1a * Hold on! Doesn't NT mean NinTendo ?
    --- SBBSecho 3.20-Linux
    * Origin: capitolcityonline.net * Telnet/SSH:2022/HTTP (21:1/175)
  • From Nightfox@21:1/137 to Bob Worm on Fri May 16 09:45:56 2025
    Re: Re: New to this
    By: Bob Worm to Nightfox on Fri May 16 2025 09:07 am

    I've also heard of the term "misophonia", which is a condition some people
    have where some noises can trigger feelings of irritation, anger, anxiety,
    etc.. Often it could be noises like people popping gum, chewing food with
    their mouth open, or sometimes other random noises.

    I started to write a joke remark about how all of those noises are irritating so maybe I have misophonia... Then I thought about how the wife regularly comments that I'm "funny about noise" so maybe there's something to that?

    Yeah, I think there are sounds that are irritating to everyone (and for instance, that's why it's generally considered rude to chew food with your mouth open).

    Some people joke about it (and not all doctors will diagnose it), but it seems it's an actual condition. And I think it's more than just being irritated with a sound. There's a subreddit on Reddit about it, and sometimes I see people complaining they wish they didn't have misophonia as they don't want to feel angry just because they hear a sound (which could be a fairly common sound).

    Nightfox
    --- SBBSecho 3.25-Linux
    * Origin: Digital Distortion: digdist.synchro.net (21:1/137)
  • From boraxman@21:1/101 to Dumas Walker on Sat May 17 20:23:48 2025
    On 16 May 2025 at 09:24a, Dumas Walker pondered and said...

    Just shouting "---phobic" does the trick is most circumstances
    Sometimes I think "--phobic" terminology isn't really accurate. If someone is "homophobic", for instance, I don't think they're afraid that term seems to be used for people who generally disagree with b that way, rather than being afraid of it.

    i agree phobic just means fear of
    there is a term for hatred
    ---misia
    like transmisias are people i can never like!

    I suspect they used -phobia because people who have a strong dislike for things often do so out of fear (i.e. spiders or snakes). I still believe there are a lot of people who have -phobias towards certain groups of people but, yes, these days it is also very obvious that some people are just hateful.


    I just saw an annoying ad on TV, with celebrities carping on about "Hate" and all the "phobias".

    It's beyond parody now. People are so so sick of the preaching and the SJW messaging in their face every damn day.

    They're tilting at windmills here, seeing all this bigotry and hate which just isn't there.

    --- Mystic BBS v1.12 A48 (Linux/64)
    * Origin: Agency BBS | Dunedin, New Zealand | agency.bbs.nz (21:1/101)
  • From jimmylogan@21:1/137 to Alonzo on Sat May 17 20:02:37 2025
    Alonzo wrote to Jimmy Anderson <=-

    be angry and argue my review is trash. **And that is fine**. Talking only to people you agree with is boring after a while and you don't
    ge


    When I was a kid, my friends and I would do something to
    keep from being too bored - We would have debates. One
    of us would take one side of the arguement and another
    kid would take the other (even if we totally disagreed
    with it).

    Try that sometime. It really opens up your mind. After
    taking an opinion you didn't agree with at all and
    trying to defend it, we would sometimes go "Aha"
    and change our actual beliefs.

    Yep! Had a buddy text me today with basically, "I read
    your blog and it's great - but I disagree with this
    point." We talked about it and I gave my reasons and
    he gave his, and in the end I said, "you know what?
    You are right!" :-)



    ... ACRONYM: Abbreviated Coded Rendition Of Name Yielding Meaning
    --- MultiMail/Mac v0.52
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  • From poindexter FORTRAN@21:4/122 to Bob Worm on Sun May 18 10:00:17 2025
    Bob Worm wrote to Nightfox <=-

    When I'm under the weather I really can't stand loud noise and get
    quite cranky. My mother in law - who is great, by the way - speaks so loudly that I sometimes have to leave the room, and that's often the
    first warning that I'm coming down with something :(

    2 15 year-old girls in the back seat talking about boys, schoolwork, the teachers they don't like... the volume gets louder and louder the longer
    we drive...



    --- MultiMail/Win v0.52
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