Random Chat, Thoughts, Posts, and/or Rants Thread

[Antifragile]

NOW THAT I SEE IN PHONE IT HAS BECOME BLUE AND BLACK.

Must be due to some lighting changes in various devices

WHAT?!! Same thing here, I can’t believe my eyes. What’s happening?!!!

 

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[BizyDad]

I suspect some of that is how well adjusted your eyes are to the light around you. The first time I looked at it, I was in a bright place. The second time I looked at it, I was in a darker place

 

[Private Witt]

What sorcery is this, now it's blue for me.

AFs entire empire is gonna collapse as his staff will be focusing on this for the next month.

 

[MitchC]

 

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[SnowLava]

Apparently this is an oldie for the internet, circa 2015. But it's launched a company wide debate this morning... yes, we are fine wasting time at the office on things like this...

Half of our office thinks the colours of this dress are Gold/White, the other half see Black/Blue. Each person is adamant in their position.

I see Gold/White and can't see anything else. What do you see? What's the Forum consensus?

edit: spelling... *sigh*

We Finally Know Why People Saw “the Dress” Differently

The science behind why people saw different colors.

slate.com

 

[Andy Black]

Here's the actual dress.

View attachment 54142View attachment 54143

Please tell me we all see Blue/Black now...

 

[loop101]

They cost $34 on Amazon.
John Lennon had one.
David Bowie used one in Space Oddity.
Kraftwerk used one in Pocket Calculator.
The movie Baby Driver had one.
Invented in 1967, built until 1975, and brought back in 2007, it's the: Stylophone

They have a great business model, they are the only ones that can make the instrument. Recently they introduced a drum pad, and soon will be releasing a Theremin.

For someone like me, with absolutely zero musical talent, these are just out of reach. Portable and affordable, but still requiring some degree of ability.

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTOSXc4su8c

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qDFEyUJYwGE

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eupwp-EPMmo

 

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[heavy_industry]

Remember that discussion we've had a few weeks ago about human lifespan? That most people have the genetic potential to live way past 100?

Here is what an 80-year-old human is supposed to look like in its natural environment:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wN6qPJm1hmg

• Strong
• Lean
• Flexible
• Fast
• Has pure joy and happiness in his eyes
• Has the reflexes of a modern 30-year-old
• Perfect teeth
• Perfect attention span
• No apparent neurological disorders - quite the contrary

80 years old!

Just look at the way he moves and talks. He is more vibrant than most westerners in their 20s.

---

I was about to say that this is absolutely insane, but it's not.

It's perfectly normal. This is how a human being is supposed to look like at 80.

We are the insane ones.

 

[MTF]

Remember that discussion we've had a few weeks ago about human lifespan? That most people have the genetic potential to live way past 100?

Here is what an 80-year-old human is supposed to look like in its natural environment:

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wN6qPJm1hmg

• Strong
• Lean
• Flexible
• Fast
• Has pure joy and happiness in his eyes
• Has the reflexes of a modern 30-year-old
• Perfect teeth
• Perfect attention span
• No apparent neurological disorders - quite the contrary

80 years old!

Just look at the way he moves and talks. He is more vibrant than most westerners in their 20s.

---

I was about to say that this is absolutely insane, but it's not.

It's perfectly normal. This is how a human being is supposed to look like at 80.

We are the insane ones.

Oh man, that's survivorship bias at its finest.

Life expectancy at birth in Zimbabwe is 61 years. If this guy is really 80 years old (who knows, there's probably no reliable birth certificate), then he's just a genetic freak and an extremely lucky guy.

Out of many, he somehow managed to live this long without succumbing to a shitload of preventable diseases and other health conditions (including simple infections) that he wouldn't get modern medical help for living where he lives.

Oh, but life expectancy is not the same as a healthy lifespan? Then there you go, a graph of healthy life expectancy:



If you struggle to see Zimbabwe, its healthy life expectancy at birth is about 52 years compared to 66 in the United States (which is actually an exception among rich countries as most are above 70).

Do you know what's normal in the wild? Producing offspring as early as possible, caring for it as long as you can (probably no longer than 15-20 years for humans), and dying by the time you're 40.



Also, here's a good lecture on a related topic of what's "natural":

Appeal to nature

An appeal to nature is a logical fallacy that occurs when something is assumed to be good because it is "natural" or bad because it is "unnatural".

rationalwiki.org

 

[heavy_industry]

Oh man, that's survivorship bias at its finest.

Life expectancy at birth in Zimbabwe is 61 years. If this guy is really 80 years old (who knows, there's probably no reliable birth certificate), then he's just a genetic freak and an extremely lucky guy.

Out of many, he somehow managed to live this long without succumbing to a shitload of preventable diseases and other health conditions (including simple infections) that he wouldn't get modern medical help for living where he lives.

Oh, but life expectancy is not the same as a healthy lifespan? Then there you go, a graph of healthy life expectancy:

View attachment 54148

If you struggle to see Zimbabwe, its healthy life expectancy at birth is about 52 years compared to 66 in the United States (which is actually an exception among rich countries as most are above 70).

Do you know what's normal in the wild? Producing offspring as early as possible, caring for it as long as you can (probably no longer than 15-20 years for humans), and dying by the time you're 40.

View attachment 54149

Also, here's a good lecture on a related topic of what's "natural":

Appeal to nature

An appeal to nature is a logical fallacy that occurs when something is assumed to be good because it is "natural" or bad because it is "unnatural".

rationalwiki.org

Those are some very valid points!

Thank you for this in-depth response.

---

Edited:

However, even though he dodged all those potential events that could have ended his life decades ago, this doesn't change the fact that the man appears to have a perfect metabolism and cognitive function.

This kind of health, at 80 years old, is almost unheard of in the western world, and I am led to believe that his lifestyle was one of the critical factors that have led to this outcome.

 

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[Jon822]

Those are some very valid points!

Thank you for this in-depth response.

---

Edited:

However, even though he dodged all those potential events that could have ended his life decades ago, this doesn't change the fact that the man appears to have a perfect metabolism and cognitive function.

This kind of health, at 80 years old, is almost unheard of in the western world, and I am led to believe that his lifestyle was one of the critical factors that have led to this outcome.

When 90+% of the world's population lives an unhealthy lifestyle, the average is going to reflect that. The average of some healthy subset of the population can be an outlier relative to the population set. The point is that living the healthiest possible life is always the best thing to do because it's all you can control.

There are indigenous groups alive today where the 80 year old man linked above is normal for them.

 

[StrikingViper69]

Shipping costs for the warehouse I used have increased between 20% to 66%.

What a PITA. I can probably get rates negotiated to a 20% increase, but still thinking of shopping around.

 

[Subsonic]

Damn you're so far with your window cleaning biz that you're now healing cancer as an extra service?

Jokes aside, I get what you mean, but I'm not sure if my value from window cleaning is enough to justify it for me personally.
Btw, we should hang out some time again!

Let's get a fastlane germany meet up going.

 

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[Kak]

Who else is looking forward to not watching the super bowl this Sunday?

 

[Raedrum]

I am currently thinking/testing a lot about the concept that money you earn is proportionnal to your utility in the system, AKA the amount of problems you solve.

Help people, be super helpful, get paid, you know the drill

(On a side note this is actually of tremendous help in my new slowlane job, I'll write a thread about that)

Anyway there's my thought of the day:

 

[Choate]

Need some tough love/advice here. Client requested website by Thurs, Feb 1, on 3 weeks notice. I had it up Monday, Jan 29 on staging. He doesn't get around to reviewing it. Feb 1 rolls around and he says that his marketing efforts have launched but the website is not live (after not responding to my Monday email). I respond by launching a landing page version of it shortly thereafter and send him the full invoice, along with the opportunity for 30 days of changes/edits and 1 year of hosting. He requests a partial bill instead as he didn't get a chance to provide feedback and review.

"my understanding was that ~$x,xxx would get me a website that I’d had the opportunity to provide content for. I haven’t had time for that yet. I had several days of availability to do this in late January when the beta skeleton was due, but when that time passed, my availability went with it. I will make time to provide content, but you’ve invoiced me for the finished product. I don’t feel comfortable paying you for the finished product at this point. Would you be willing to send me an invoice for partial payment"

Note that we never formally discussed a "beta skeleton" just the Feb 1 deadline. I have no interest in billing for a partial payment as it will drag this project on and signal that what I've done is only worth that much - already 34 days into it and he has only provided a logo, phone number and logo. Meanwhile, the website is live on my hosting and generating leads (to my email, which I've decided to not provide until payment).

Do I:

a) Delete the website, cut losses. (do not need this client / nor his money)

b) Be the bigger person, just let things simmer, ignore it for now, let him provide content and eventually payment

The fact that he has been such a hardass leads me to want to do option a.

 

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[MitchC]

Need some tough love/advice here. Client requested website by Thurs, Feb 1, on 3 weeks notice. I had it up Monday, Jan 29 on staging. He doesn't get around to reviewing it. Feb 1 rolls around and he says that his marketing efforts have launched but the website is not live (after not responding to my Monday email). I respond by launching a landing page version of it shortly thereafter and send him the full invoice, along with the opportunity for 30 days of changes/edits and 1 year of hosting. He requests a partial bill instead as he didn't get a chance to provide feedback and review.

"my understanding was that ~$x,xxx would get me a website that I’d had the opportunity to provide content for. I haven’t had time for that yet. I had several days of availability to do this in late January when the beta skeleton was due, but when that time passed, my availability went with it. I will make time to provide content, but you’ve invoiced me for the finished product. I don’t feel comfortable paying you for the finished product at this point. Would you be willing to send me an invoice for partial payment"

Note that we never formally discussed a "beta skeleton" just the Feb 1 deadline. I have no interest in billing for a partial payment as it will drag this project on and signal that what I've done is only worth that much - already 34 days into it and he has only provided a logo, phone number and logo. Meanwhile, the website is live on my hosting and generating leads (to my email, which I've decided to not provide until payment).

Do I:

a) Delete the website, cut losses. (do not need this client / nor his money)

b) Be the bigger person, just let things simmer, ignore it for now, let him provide content and eventually payment

The fact that he has been such a hardass leads me to want to do option a.

Send him an invoice for 80-90%?

I’d take partial payment over no payment

He also didn’t specify how partial

 

[Bekit]

Need some tough love/advice here. Client requested website by Thurs, Feb 1, on 3 weeks notice. I had it up Monday, Jan 29 on staging. He doesn't get around to reviewing it. Feb 1 rolls around and he says that his marketing efforts have launched but the website is not live (after not responding to my Monday email). I respond by launching a landing page version of it shortly thereafter and send him the full invoice, along with the opportunity for 30 days of changes/edits and 1 year of hosting. He requests a partial bill instead as he didn't get a chance to provide feedback and review.

"my understanding was that ~$x,xxx would get me a website that I’d had the opportunity to provide content for. I haven’t had time for that yet. I had several days of availability to do this in late January when the beta skeleton was due, but when that time passed, my availability went with it. I will make time to provide content, but you’ve invoiced me for the finished product. I don’t feel comfortable paying you for the finished product at this point. Would you be willing to send me an invoice for partial payment"

Note that we never formally discussed a "beta skeleton" just the Feb 1 deadline. I have no interest in billing for a partial payment as it will drag this project on and signal that what I've done is only worth that much - already 34 days into it and he has only provided a logo, phone number and logo. Meanwhile, the website is live on my hosting and generating leads (to my email, which I've decided to not provide until payment).

Do I:

a) Delete the website, cut losses. (do not need this client / nor his money)

b) Be the bigger person, just let things simmer, ignore it for now, let him provide content and eventually payment

The fact that he has been such a hardass leads me to want to do option a.

Oh I'm downright angry at the client with you over this.

If you don't need the client or his money, I would in no way let this simmer. He stands to make money through this marketing campaign for every day this "free" website is live. He's trying to bully you and seeing how far he can get away with it.

"My understanding was that the price for you to have your website live by Feb 1 was $X,XXX. Your failure to review or provide content in no way impacts the fact that I have fulfilled my end of the deal. I expect payment in full by [DEADLINE] or the site will be deleted. Sincerely, Choate."

I would give him 24 hours (e.g. until Monday at noon). And then follow through.

Or maybe delete the site first and say you'll put it back only when he has paid. That way he stands less of a chance of cloning the site and putting it up anyway.

(And just to reassure you that you're not the one being petty, imagine how offended this client would be if the roles were reversed and someone tried to pull this on him!)

 

[Choate]

Oh I'm downright angry at the client with you over this.

If you don't need the client or his money, I would in no way let this simmer. He stands to make money through this marketing campaign for every day this "free" website is live. He's trying to bully you and seeing how far he can get away with it.

"My understanding was that the price for you to have your website live by Feb 1 was $X,XXX. Your failure to review or provide content in no way impacts the fact that I have fulfilled my end of the deal. I expect payment in full by [DEADLINE] or the site will be deleted. Sincerely, Choate."

I would give him 24 hours (e.g. until Monday at noon). And then follow through.

Or maybe delete the site first and say you'll put it back only when he has paid. That way he stands less of a chance of cloning the site and putting it up anyway.

(And just to reassure you that you're not the one being petty, imagine how offended this client would be if the roles were reversed and someone tried to pull this on him!)

Thanks for your input. I addressed it in a similar fashion and then immediately deleted the site. Fact is, him offering a partial payment discounts the work that was done up to this point, which also included copyrighting, needing to source stock images, etc because he provided nothing. Extending this to a 60 or 90 day project (based on whenever he can get around to it) goes well beyond the scope of the budget (which was under $2k for reference).

Honestly, it felt like being bullied. I may have taken a few days to get back to him here or there, but still delivered my end within a 3 week timeframe - he did not.

 

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[Choate]

Send him an invoice for 80-90%?

I’d take partial payment over no payment

He also didn’t specify how partial

Eh, I think this would be tough. It's practical and of course money is money, but it's someone who I don't want to continue working with further. I think partial definitely implies 50% (or maybe 75% at best), but even if it was 90%, I wouldn't want it.

- Discuss on project on an urgent discovery call / launch is 3 weeks out
- Becomes demanding during this time while sharing nothing of the business
- Website is shared 4 days before launch date, crickets from his end
- On launch date, tries to gaslight saying that website launch is delayed and marketing efforts started early, leading people to question whether the business is legitimate (???). I whip up a landing page version, setup Cloudflare/DNS, provide all copy and stock images, launch two days later
- Offers partial payment because he hasn't had time to give his input yet

Mostly just venting here and recapping to evaluate my own sanity, appreciate the insights. I did shut things down and send a closing email tonight.

 

[Andy Black]

Eh, I think this would be tough. It's practical and of course money is money, but it's someone who I don't want to continue working with further. I think partial definitely implies 50% (or maybe 75% at best), but even if it was 90%, I wouldn't want it.

- Discuss on project on an urgent discovery call / launch is 3 weeks out
- Becomes demanding during this time while sharing nothing of the business
- Website is shared 4 days before launch date, crickets from his end
- On launch date, tries to gaslight saying that website launch is delayed and marketing efforts started early, leading people to question whether the business is legitimate (???). I whip up a landing page version, setup Cloudflare/DNS, provide all copy and stock images, launch two days later
- Offers partial payment because he hasn't had time to give his input yet

Mostly just venting here and recapping to evaluate my own sanity, appreciate the insights. I did shut things down and send a closing email tonight.

Not saying to do this (yet?), but bear in mind a line I like: "Refund with glee." I've done that a few times and always feel better for it.

Btw... I'm often able to word it so they're grateful too.

 

[Fox]

Excellent video on the dropping of quality on mainstream podcasts...

 

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[StrikingViper69]

Excellent video on the dropping of quality on mainstream podcasts...

All content businesses face this problem - there's only so much to be said, but the more you say the more views you get.

 

[Antifragile]

Eh, I think this would be tough. It's practical and of course money is money, but it's someone who I don't want to continue working with further. I think partial definitely implies 50% (or maybe 75% at best), but even if it was 90%, I wouldn't want it.

- Discuss on project on an urgent discovery call / launch is 3 weeks out
- Becomes demanding during this time while sharing nothing of the business
- Website is shared 4 days before launch date, crickets from his end
- On launch date, tries to gaslight saying that website launch is delayed and marketing efforts started early, leading people to question whether the business is legitimate (???). I whip up a landing page version, setup Cloudflare/DNS, provide all copy and stock images, launch two days later
- Offers partial payment because he hasn't had time to give his input yet

Mostly just venting here and recapping to evaluate my own sanity, appreciate the insights. I did shut things down and send a closing email tonight.

I can't believe some of you on here deliver websites for $2k.

Given the amount of money involved and time, any client who's negotiating on "partial" over a $2k is a shit client. How are you supposed to scale your business with clients like that?

And remember, shit clients have friends to refer to you, who are also shit clients. You are digging a hole working with people like that.

Good on you for shutting down the website for non-payment. I'd be bolder than that and say that leads have started generating from this website. For any passing day of overdue invoice, if you do decide to pay and want me to reinstate the website with leads, there is a non-payment penalty of $100 per day.

 

[MJ DeMarco]

Here's a list of all the Super-Bowl commercials that involved something you can eat or drink....

• Pringles
• Lindt Chocolate
• M&Ms
• Mountain Dew
• Popeyes Chicken
• Nerds Candy
• Oreo Cookies
• Mayonaise
• Doritos
• Bud Light
• Michelob Ultra
• Reese Peanut Butter Cups
• Coors Light
• Starry Soda
• Poppi Soda (marketing says healthy? Don't believe it)

Consuming every single one of them will contribute to shortening your life or to sickness and disease.

And then ironically, throw in a Pfizer commercial who will help you medicate and manage the disease you self-inflicted.

What a time we live in.

 

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[Kevin88660]

E

Here's a list of all the Super-Bowl commercials that involved something you can eat or drink....

• Pringles
• Lindt Chocolate
• M&Ms
• Mountain Dew
• Popeyes Chicken
• Nerds Candy
• Oreo Cookies
• Mayonaise
• Doritos
• Bud Light
• Michelob Ultra
• Reese Peanut Butter Cups
• Coors Light
• Starry Soda
• Poppi Soda (marketing says healthy? Don't believe it)

Consuming every single one of them will contribute to shortening your life or to sickness and disease.

And then ironically, throw in a Pfizer commercial who will help you medicate and manage the disease you self-inflicted.

What a time we live in.

Eli lilly growing fast at 700b market cap now.

If we move into AI utopian, Nvidia and other semiconductors manufacturers will be the new big tech.

If we move into big pharma dystopia, they will be the new big tech with trillion dollar companies.

I am not sure yet what will happen.

 

[MTF]

Going back to the injuries/aging stuff...

I got back into yoga and holy shit, I forgot how crazy hard it can be.

I injured my knee last June and it's been bothering me since then so I've been avoiding any movements that involve the knee. It recently calmed down enough that I decided to start a knee strengthening/mobility/flexibility program to help me fully recover from it.

The first workout was so F*cking hard it was one of the hardest workouts I've ever done in my life. My entire body was shaking, I was drenched in sweat and had to pause every few seconds just to get through it. I wasn't even into the middle of it and I was so beat up I felt like crying while doing it lol.

I also started another program for strengthening/mobilizing the shoulders to recover from another injury. I was told I would recover within a week and it's been three weeks already - I bet I'd be recovered within a week if I was 20.

 

[Bounce Back]

Just to add my contribution to this scientific experiment:

Taken from the middle of the sleeve.

 

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[ZackerySprague]

Another good reason to always be working on something on the side. The contract job that I am is outsourcing our jobs to an India MSP. I can't specify the amount, but all responsibilities will be going to them. Oh my gah. This market has been insane. The company roughly has bout ~1,000 users, so our ticket volume is low. 600 at most a month. I'm sure I'll be the first one to go.

 

[ZackerySprague]

Their also trying to do a Billion in revenue in 3 years and plan on acquiring a few companies, but the number of users is very small per acquisition say roughly ~50-75.