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Beowulf
05-20-10, 11:13 am
Perhaps the word fits. I don't know. There are those who are obnoxious. Irritating. Critical. The question is, why? The question may be--to question. To question why things are the way they are. To question why we take certain things for granted, make assumptions about what we think we know. I've been known to rub people the wrong way. I've been accused of being obnoxious, cynical and irritating. Perhaps people don't know me very well. Perhaps they do. Maybe I'll learn something about myself. That's what a Journey is about, right? That's what this place is about? A journey, a process....... A never-ending process.

Beowulf
05-20-10, 11:27 am
Driving to work this morning, I saw all these people in cars around me. Lots of big metal boxes with these small, shrinking people inside. Tiny people who were driving their metal boxes to work (driving or driven?). Coming from their wood, concrete and steel boxes, big or small. Going to larger boxes of wood, concrete or steel. We live as people who live in boxes. We live as people who are boxed in. There is that phrase so often repeated, it's become such a cliche in the business: "Think outside the box". It's hard when boxes are such an indelible part of our lives. I do some of my best thinking though in a box. I do some my best work in that box. That box is the gym. Some here would call it there home away from home. I call it my office. And in that office, I get the serious work done.

Beowulf
05-20-10, 1:38 pm
Goals. How does one go about achieving a goal? When you boil it down, a goal is nothing more than an answer. How you achieve that goal, the steps involved can be thought of as the questions.

In another thread, I suggested that the questions were more important than the answers. Well, that's only partially true I think. If the goal is the answer and the steps are the questions, we first have to understand the answer we are looking for. Is it simple, like, where does the sun rise? Or is it complex and philosophical, like who are we and why are we here?

In yet another thread, I stated that we can learn many lessons in the gym, lessons that we can apply outside of it. Sure, some of this is easy stuff--dedication, discipline, effort, progress, etc. But at the same time, we can take lessons we've learned outside the gym into to gym. Setting goals and understanding goals is about life. It applies to the gym.

In my experience, most people who fail to meet their goals fail because they didn't set a realistic goal. In other words, they weren't looking for the right answer. If you create an unrealistic goal, you are setting yourself up for failure. To compound this problem (and confound goal setters), many people may set a realistic goal, but fail to outline the proper steps for achieving that goal. This is the part about asking the right questions. Ultimately, all this is about achieving knowledge in the broadest sense of the term. Knowledge is process. It's the means, not the end.

The hardest part is finding the an answer for yourself. The challenge is asking the right set of questions to obtain that answer. Goals, like knowledge, is a process. Once you understand and accept this, you'll be on your way. Once you figure out the process, what works for you, then you'll be setting up realistic goals and meeting them in no time. So whether you're in the gym or at work or at home, remember that goals are important--not just for sake of meeting them, but "making" them.

Beowulf
05-20-10, 2:11 pm
"Do what works for you." Years ago, this is what I was told by the BBIG (that's, Biggest Bodybuilder In the Gym). I wasn't looking for an answer like that, lol. I wanted him to spell things out. I wanted him to give me the Answer, the one single Truth that would make me look like him. A training program. Yeah, that's what I wanted. You know, like those old Charles Atlas ads? I wanted a 32-page illustrated book that would turn me into a BBIG overnight. I was young and stupid (arguably, I'm just older and just as stupid). Do what works for me? What's that supposed to mean anyway?

Often, on forums like this, I see a lot of inexperienced lifters asking questions. They are looking for what I looked for all those many years ago. They want someone to recomment a training split, a diet, a food or a supplement to get them to BBIG status. They read all the muscle rags and think the answer is there. It's not.

Then they come to a place like this and they're told by many (including me), to experiment and find what works for you. This is not a stupid piece of advice. But as all advice goes, it has limitations and it's worth exploring. When someone says, "Figure out what works for you", they aren't saying that your body is different. Well, actually it is. Genetics, environment, what you do--all impacts how you look. What I mean is, you may be more carb-sensitive than that guy hogging up the power rack. So if you were to eat 50g of sugars, it might have a slightly different impact on you than him.

That said, we are all humans. There are some things you just can't overcome. We all have the same weapons in our arsenals as bodybuilders. These weapons include food (protein, carbs, fats) and the weights. It's how we specifically tailor the food and the weights to our unique needs that will make the difference. So could you try someone else's training split and grow? Yes. Could you employ another lifter's diet and grow? Yes. But (and here's that word again), what matters most is the process. Once you employ a specific strategy, tweak it. Experiment. Move things around. Tailor it to your needs. This is what it means to do what works for you. There's a larger structure to it all, a framework that bodybuilders have been employing since the dawn of the sport. That framework doesn't change. What changes is everything within that framework.

Beowulf
05-20-10, 4:37 pm
Enough reps and you'll get big. Enough reps and what was once soft and flabby will get hard and thick (yes, I realize what I just wrote, for those with a puerile sense of humor). Repetitions have real impact outside the gym too. Repeated enough, opinions have a way of becoming facts. What was once subjective becomes objective. How many times have you heard something in the gym--a new tip, a new diet, a new supplement--and then blindly spread the word to your friends? In business, they call this "viral". Like a cold, an idea spreads from mouth to mouth until it takes on a life of its own, gaining momentum until it "tips". Ten years ago, this didn't happen all that often. Gyms were pockets of information (and a lot of misinformation). Now, with the internet, information (or what passes for information) is transmitted around the world in the blink of an eye. One day, someone posts that sugars are bad, and the next day, everyone is avoiding them like the plague. We become complicit in this process. We can't help it. Our brains are wired this way. So what can you do? Stop. Pause. Think. Then decide before you simply regurgitate what you've heard and pass it on elsewhere.

J-Dawg
05-21-10, 9:57 am
Interesting thoughts Beowulf. Lots to think about and digest in here. I think one of the struggles of man is to understand himself and his place in the world. And just when you think you've got it, there's always something that comes along and makes you realize, it's not so simple. The world is complex, ever changing, and the struggle to find oneself can be daunting at times. The concept of framework is helpful in putting things into perspective. Perhaps, there is a framework on how things are to be done but it's up to us to educate, be educated on how to adapt that framework for ourselves to be the best we can. Subbed for more.

Beowulf
05-21-10, 11:32 am
Interesting thoughts Beowulf. Lots to think about and digest in here. I think one of the struggles of man is to understand himself and his place in the world. And just when you think you've got it, there's always something that comes along and makes you realize, it's not so simple. The world is complex, ever changing, and the struggle to find oneself can be daunting at times. The concept of framework is helpful in putting things into perspective. Perhaps, there is a framework on how things are to be done but it's up to us to educate, be educated on how to adapt that framework for ourselves to be the best we can. Subbed for more.

That struggle has been with us since the dawn of modern man. I agree with what you said. To me, perspective is another way of thinking about frameworks. A good framework will contain multiple perspectives. A single perspective does not a framework make. Think about our beliefs, values, politics, etc. Do we look at life from a single vantage point? If you want to know what a tree is, you wouldn't look at it from just one perspective. You'd walk around it, under it, over it, etc. This gives you a better sense of what the tree is. The problem is that, for all us, we look at a problem or a question from a single perspective. The same applies to problems that we confront in the gym--for example, hitting a plateau. Don't look at a plateau from one angle. Look at it from multiple angles. Maybe the problem isn't the routine--maybe it's the diet. Maybe it's changing the routine, changing your entire split, adding/subtracting exercises. Maybe it's getting more rest.

Beowulf
05-24-10, 11:59 am
Had a strong cup of coffee this morning. Brewed it myself. I go through a kind of ritual--grind the beans, fill the coffee maker, make the coffee. It starts the day. I think if I skipped this part of the morning, I'd feel I was missing something for remainder of the day. Maybe that's just the caffeine talking. Having this kind of structure is important. It grounds us. Gives us a framework for making sense of the day I think. It's like lifting too. The time spent in the gym also gives meaning to the day, a foundation.

Beowulf
05-26-10, 1:04 pm
So I'm reading an article on the mating practices of the topi, a kind of antelope native to sub-Saharan Africa. Exciting, invigorating stuff. Turns out they use vocalizations to get the girl. Female topi are in heat one day out of the year. Very slim odds for any enterprising male. Very slim odds indeed. So what do the slick males do to increase the odds of gettin' it on, hot 'n heavy? When a clever male sees a female leaving his space, he snorts in the direction she leaving for. This isn't your typical snort, but one used typically to warn a predator (read, big scary lion), "Hey, I'm on to you. Move along to the next unsuspecting chap." So long story short, the female, upon hearing this special snort is lead to believe that's some bad apple out there ready to take a bite out of her. When she stops, this give the male another chance to jump her bones. Sneaky? Dishonest? Deceitful? I don't know. But I've been in enough bars to know how this all goes down, lol. So the next time you're in the bar, using a one liner to bag a girl, remember the topi. He may not be that much different from you. One other thing, that female? Turns out on average, she visits 4 paramours and engages in about 11 love sessions. Not too shabby.

Beowulf
06-02-10, 10:34 am
Every morning I read the paper and I keep seeing news about the oil spill. Whose fault is it and does it matter? I don't know. I just don't know. Somebody tell me.

U Mad Brah?
06-02-10, 10:47 am
Every morning I read the paper and I keep seeing news about the oil spill. Whose fault is it and does it matter? I don't know. I just don't know. Somebody tell me.

I hear ya brah... very frustrating to read about brah... not sure where the negligence falls--lack of regulating what actually goes on at the drilling sites from the gov side or big business... both seem clueless and ill prepared brah.... and think of all the devastation it's causing in that region brah

Beowulf
06-02-10, 10:52 am
I hear ya brah... very frustrating to read about brah... not sure where the negligence falls--lack of regulating what actually goes on at the drilling sites from the gov side or big business... both seem clueless and ill prepared brah.... and think of all the devastation it's causing in that region brah

Some are talking about shutting it down in August. My worry is that the impact is not just regional, but national and even international.

Beowulf
06-02-10, 2:33 pm
What's the difference between "courage" and "cowardly"? Easy. They are opposites. One is about bravery and the other is about the absence of it. It's simple, black and white. Right? Is it possible to be both cowardly and courageous at the same time? Yes. Of course. The world we live in can be so confusing. Depending on how you see things, your perspective, one man's action might be construed as courageous. From from the other side, that same action might be thought of as cowardly. So from this, there are two ways to go about life. Pretend you don't care what others think and do your own thing. Or, try to take into account opposing viewpoints. As dedicated lifters, the majority of society thinks we are crazy. Or are we sane? Depends on who you ask. Understanding who we are means taking into account what the crazies think.

U Mad Brah?
06-03-10, 1:03 pm
Some are talking about shutting it down in August. My worry is that the impact is not just regional, but national and even international.

seems like the answer from the gov is to sue BP beobrah... when you dont have teh answers sue to cover your ass brah... where has teh leadership nowadays gone brah?

Beowulf
06-03-10, 1:24 pm
seems like the answer from the gov is to sue BP beobrah... when you dont have teh answers sue to cover your ass brah... where has teh leadership nowadays gone brah?

I don't know U. What happened to personal accountability? It's always someone else's fault. What I know is, we're all going to pay for this disaster in one form or another.

Speaking of accountability, anyone see the Tiger's game? Galarraga got robbed. Why is baseball opposed to replays? Humans make errors. This is the nature of things. Why not use technology to back us up when we need it most? Why not use technology to keep us honest and accountable?

JimG
06-03-10, 2:40 pm
Speaking of accountability, anyone see the Tiger's game? Galarraga got robbed. Why is baseball opposed to replays? Humans make errors. This is the nature of things. Why not use technology to back us up when we need it most? Why not use technology to keep us honest and accountable?[/QUOTE]

Saw that shit this morning on sportscenter when I was at the gym. Its tradition, sometimes tradition trumps technology. Human error is made, but that doesn't mean he didnt have a perfect game. It doesnt matter if a hit is on the board, if he knows it, then he knows it. If the fans know it, the fans know it. Thats that.

Beowulf
06-03-10, 2:44 pm
Saw that shit this morning on sportscenter when I was at the gym. Its tradition, sometimes tradition trumps technology. Human error is made, but that doesn't mean he didnt have a perfect game. It doesnt matter if a hit is on the board, if he knows it, then he knows it. If the fans know it, the fans know it. Thats that.

So much of baseball is wrapped up in tradition and history. I can appreciate and respect that. Truth is, we need more respect for tradition and history in this country I think. But having said, come on. Galarraga knows it. He'll remember it to the end. Some fans may remember, but unless it goes into a book, until it becomes part of the official record, it will be as if it never happened to 99.99% of baseball fans ten years from now. Heck, a year. IF I were Galarraga I'd be annoyed. Stuff like this, records and such, it can directly impact your bottom line and how much you make, how much your value is. So a mistake here can mean millions down the line. Inexcusable. The Olympics, as I understand it, is a lot older than baseball. Yet they use modern technology. Go figure, lol.

JimG
06-03-10, 3:03 pm
So much of baseball is wrapped up in tradition and history. I can appreciate and respect that. Truth is, we need more respect for tradition and history in this country I think. But having said, come on. Galarraga knows it. He'll remember it to the end. Some fans may remember, but unless it goes into a book, until it becomes part of the official record, it will be as if it never happened to 99.99% of baseball fans ten years from now. Heck, a year. IF I were Galarraga I'd be annoyed. Stuff like this, records and such, it can directly impact your bottom line and how much you make, how much your value is. So a mistake here can mean millions down the line. Inexcusable. The Olympics, as I understand it, is a lot older than baseball. Yet they use modern technology. Go figure, lol.

Good point man, when looking at the money aspect of it, that part is really true. I know its BS, and I feel bad for the guy...but thats what happened. Maybe a change will come from it, but i doubt it.

Beowulf
06-04-10, 11:28 am
Good point man, when looking at the money aspect of it, that part is really true. I know its BS, and I feel bad for the guy...but thats what happened. Maybe a change will come from it, but i doubt it.

Probably won't, but you never know. I admire how he's taking it though.

IRN-NML
06-04-10, 11:45 am
Had a strong cup of coffee this morning. It grounds us.

Maybe all we are are coffee grounds? Life drips through us till there's nothing left but tasteless, useless granuals of coffee bean.


One other thing, that female? Turns out on average, she visits 4 paramours and engages in about 11 love sessions. Not too shabby.

"Paramours" sounds like a good bar name; especially if that's where that female visits and gets about 11 love sessions! It's not the pickup line that ain't workin'; it's being at the wrong bar.;-)

Beowulf
06-04-10, 12:15 pm
Maybe all we are are coffee grounds? Life drips through us till there's nothing left but tasteless, useless granuals of coffee bean.



"Paramours" sounds like a good bar name; especially if that's where that female visits and gets about 11 love sessions! It's not the pickup line that ain't workin'; it's being at the wrong bar.;-)

I like where you're going with the metaphor. Here's another. Men are coffee grinds and women are the water. Without the water, there can be no delicious coffee. However, once that water goes through us, we're forever changed and rendered bitter.

Paramour. That's a word that feels like from a different time. I'd be willing to bet there are hundreds of bars in the U.S. with that word in the name, lol.

tdubs
06-04-10, 12:29 pm
Probably won't, but you never know. I admire how he's taking it though.

I'm not much of a baseball fan but I read up on Galarraga and from this video he seems like decent guy.

In an era of over-paid and pampered sports stars (God knows we have enough playing soccer here at home), it's good to see someone with a touch of class.

http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/columns/story?columnist=oconnor_ian&id=5249255

Beowulf
06-04-10, 12:31 pm
"When I checked into a hotel in California, I was starving, so I ate the $6 box of Oreos from the minibar. Later that day, I walked down the street to a convenience store, bought an identical box for $2.50 and replenished the minibar before the hotel had a chance to restock it. Was this proper? My view is 'no harm, no foul.' In fact, my box was fresher: the Oreos I ate were going to expire three months before the box I replaced them with."

tdubs
06-04-10, 12:42 pm
"When I checked into a hotel in California, I was starving, so I ate the $6 box of Oreos from the minibar. Later that day, I walked down the street to a convenience store, bought an identical box for $2.50 and replenished the minibar before the hotel had a chance to restock it. Was this proper? My view is 'no harm, no foul.' In fact, my box was fresher: the Oreos I ate were going to expire three months before the box I replaced them with."

Fair. The Oreo exchange cost the hotel nothing. In fact, they will have saved money by not having to replace the Oreos in three months time. Win-win situation.

Beowulf
06-04-10, 12:52 pm
Fair. The Oreo exchange cost the hotel nothing. In fact, they will have saved money by not having to replace the Oreos in three months time. Win-win situation.

I agree too, but if I'm thinking about the question as a potential guest. As far as replacing the Oreos, I have no idea how often they replace, but how would they know you replaced it (thus saving them from having to replace it "in three months time" as you state?). If I worked at the hotel as a manager, I'm sure I'd have a very different perspective. Same question, two possibly very different answers.

tdubs
06-04-10, 1:49 pm
I agree too, but if I'm thinking about the question as a potential guest. As far as replacing the Oreos, I have no idea how often they replace, but how would they know you replaced it (thus saving them from having to replace it "in three months time" as you state?). I'm sure the hotel would have a completely different viewpoint based on a different perspective.

True. I was working on the principle the hotel would check the expiration date. I would imagine they in fact have a set date for replacing the original oreo packets en mass without checking individual packets first. The hotel would assume (fairly) that they were still the original packet.

That said, I still think this specific situation lands on the side of fairness. The hotel probably buys thousands of items like Oreos at cost price, yet charges a ridculous mark up (a 24% mark up, versus the store-bought packet?), thus meaning the packet replaced by the guest still cost them more to buy in-store than the hotel would have paid for it originally.

Either way, an interesting debate. Solid thread.

Beowulf
06-04-10, 2:36 pm
True. I was working on the principle the hotel would check the expiration date. I would imagine they in fact have a set date for replacing the original oreo packets en mass without checking individual packets first. The hotel would assume (fairly) that they were still the original packet.

That said, I still think this specific situation lands on the side of fairness. The hotel probably buys thousands of items like Oreos at cost price, yet charges a ridculous mark up (a 24% mark up, versus the store-bought packet?), thus meaning the packet replaced by the guest still cost them more to buy in-store than the hotel would have paid for it originally.

Either way, an interesting debate. Solid thread.

That would be comforting to know if true. I've been to so many restaurants where I get a can of soda that's past expiration. You can taste the lack of sweetness and lost carbonation. They must definitely take stock of the bar after every stay. Whether they check the expiration dates, I don't know. I agree, they probably buy Oreos as a price lower than what consumers can expect to pay in a retail outlet. Still, there are costs associated with the Oreos being there in your room, including but not limited to the person who is stocking each and every bar, checking, and replacing the items that are used. Also, if you were to buy Oreos from a guy on the street, you'd pay less than buying those same Oreos from some fancy supermarket. Where you buy something plays a role in how much you pay for it. Movie theaters are a good example. The main revenue for theaters is not necessarily ticket sales but concession sales. There is a reason why you pay more for Mike & Ikes in a theater than at your local supermarket. You often pay for convenience. At a movie theater, you don't have choices about where to buy candy. So a theater can justify a higher cost. Same principle in a hotel room.

Beowulf
06-04-10, 2:42 pm
"A retired New York City police officer, I take the subway to and from work four days a week. When I show my ID and shield to station clerks, some of whom know I’m retired, they let me ride free. (Bus drivers do, too.) The public gets the added safety of having a retired police officer ride with them — I still carry a firearm and have at times aided conductors and uniformed officers. I never sit, so I do not take a seat from a paying rider. What do you think?"

U Mad Brah?
06-04-10, 3:45 pm
"A retired New York City police officer, I take the subway to and from work four days a week. When I show my ID and shield to station clerks, some of whom know I’m retired, they let me ride free. (Bus drivers do, too.) The public gets the added safety of having a retired police officer ride with them — I still carry a firearm and have at times aided conductors and uniformed officers. I never sit, so I do not take a seat from a paying rider. What do you think?"

big picture beobrah, its not hurtin anyone... i'd say carry on my good brah... gotta have some benefits in life my brahs

Beowulf
06-04-10, 4:00 pm
big picture beobrah, its not hurtin anyone... i'd say carry on my good brah... gotta have some benefits in life my brahs

Curious, but would you take a free ride?

tdubs
06-04-10, 5:48 pm
"A retired New York City police officer, I take the subway to and from work four days a week. When I show my ID and shield to station clerks, some of whom know I’m retired, they let me ride free. (Bus drivers do, too.) The public gets the added safety of having a retired police officer ride with them — I still carry a firearm and have at times aided conductors and uniformed officers. I never sit, so I do not take a seat from a paying rider. What do you think?"

Another win-win. Again there are certain assumptions made, as with the hotel/oreo scenario, but the benefit of added security outweighs the extremely small cost of another passenger on board the train/bus.

Interestingly, my friend is a cop. He technically isn't allowed free travel on the trains but the station staff allow him on when he shows his ID. Right or wrong?

IRN-NML
06-05-10, 8:11 am
Re Oreos: Rewrite to "I was starving and needed some protein, so went to the hotel coffee shop and got the $6 hamburger and cole slaw.". $8.50 worth of Oreos?! Waht a cheat!

Re cop and train/subway: Retired doesn't necessarily mean fixed, drastically cut income; especially in large metro areas; big enough to have train/subway service. He should pay most of the time (I don't see it as a big deal to accept a free ride once in a while). He can still observe any problems that might arise but he's still not on duty anymore.

JimG
06-05-10, 10:38 pm
"A retired New York City police officer, I take the subway to and from work four days a week. When I show my ID and shield to station clerks, some of whom know I’m retired, they let me ride free. (Bus drivers do, too.) The public gets the added safety of having a retired police officer ride with them — I still carry a firearm and have at times aided conductors and uniformed officers. I never sit, so I do not take a seat from a paying rider. What do you think?"

Yeah i got no doubt that there aint nothing wrong with that...I'd take the free ride

Beowulf
06-08-10, 12:55 pm
Official response to Free Ride:

"The New York State Assembly thinks you have a point. Bill A05455 would let retired police officers ride free on M.T.A. trains and buses. This policy may well serve the public good, but it must be ratified by law, not left to the whim of individual bus drivers, subway-station clerks and ex-cops who prefer to ride free (who doesn’t?) and can devise a self-serving rationalization (who can’t?). I’m convinced that my presence on the subway contributes to an atmosphere of conviviality, promoting the well-being of everyone around me. On airplanes too. And in my apartment building. We’d all be better off if I paid for none of those. Police officers, active or retired, have sworn to uphold the laws we actually have, not the ones they wish we had.

I think both you and the Assembly are unpersuasive. If you did pay your fare, you’d be just as present and the other passengers just as protected as when you ride free. Because the subway is so swift and efficient a way to get around town, you need no extra incentive to use it; you would anyway. To challenge that assumption, you and Albany must show that letting ex-cops ride free is a cost-effective way to increase rider safety, particularly at a time when the M.T.A. is so strapped for cash that it intends to strip children of their student Metrocards.

I do admire your argument that it’s O.K. to cadge a free ride because you stand and hence deprive no paying customer of a seat. I’m going to use that next time I urge an usher to slip me into a Knicks game or the Metropolitan Opera or an opera about the Knicks."

Beowulf
06-08-10, 1:00 pm
Official response to Hotel Minibar:

"I disagree. You might with similar logic stop by the Staples Center and present vendors with a bottle of the same brand of beer you drank at the Lakers game last night. I don’t think they would be inclined to refund your money.

The hotel is providing not just a product but also a service — the convenience of having Oreos available in your room, 24/7. To create this utopia of constant confectionery access, the hotel had to pay someone to travel the world and select the finest vintage cookies, order the Oreos and stock the minibar. You enjoyed that service; you must pay the (ridiculously high) price.

It would be a different matter if you had brought along that very same box of Oreos when you checked in — do you travel with a suitcase full of sweets? — and eaten them without unlocking the minibar. Although the final disposition of cookies would have been similar — a boxful in the minibar, a boxful in your belly — you would not have availed yourself of a hotel service, so you wouldn’t have had to pay for it."

Beowulf
06-08-10, 1:03 pm
"My son was playing music on his laptop computer for a dozen friends at a party in a suite in his college dorm. He was in another room when someone spilled butterscotch schnapps on the keyboard. The computer is not working and might need a new motherboard — $1,300. No one has come forward to take responsibility. I was wondering if the guests should share this cost, maybe $100 each. What do you think?"

Beowulf
06-08-10, 1:10 pm
Newsflash. Researchers at Stanford suggest that technology is encouraging us to become more narcissistic. They also suggest that things like the internet can be addictive.

tdubs
06-08-10, 1:50 pm
"My son was playing music on his laptop computer for a dozen friends at a party in a suite in his college dorm. He was in another room when someone spilled butterscotch schnapps on the keyboard. The computer is not working and might need a new motherboard — $1,300. No one has come forward to take responsibility. I was wondering if the guests should share this cost, maybe $100 each. What do you think?"

In an ideal world, perhaps that would be the fairest solution. Realistically, not a snowballs chance of that happening.

Also, the ultimate responsibility for the laptop lies with the son. Although it's not directly his fault, if you invite people to party at your place you must accept things like this may occur, or at least take precautions to avoid such an event.

tdubs
06-08-10, 1:51 pm
Newsflash. Researchers at Stanford suggest that technology is encouraging us to become more narcissistic. They also suggest that things like the internet can be addictive.

50 grand of research money well spent.

Beowulf
06-08-10, 4:59 pm
In an ideal world, perhaps that would be the fairest solution. Realistically, not a snowballs chance of that happening.

Also, the ultimate responsibility for the laptop lies with the son. Although it's not directly his fault, if you invite people to party at your place you must accept things like this may occur, or at least take precautions to avoid such an event.

I wonder if that would be fair. Most likely, it was one person who spilled the liquid. If I was sitting at the far end of the room, why is it fair for me to pay a part? Without having read the "official" response, I think you're right about the ultimate responsibility.

Beowulf
06-08-10, 5:00 pm
50 grand of research money well spent.

Lol, I know. It's so obvious. But on a more serious note, I do think the way we engage with the world through technology is altering our brains in some fundamental way. Those changes are then impacting how we relate to one another, socially. Frightening.

tdubs
06-09-10, 3:41 am
Lol, I know. It's so obvious. But on a more serious note, I do think the way we engage with the world through technology is altering our brains in some fundamental way. Those changes are then impacting how we relate to one another, socially. Frightening.

Absolutely. I work with youngsters and I'm genuinely shocked when I see hand-written work peppered with abbreviated text/internet language. Also there are plenty of adults who are the most witty, intelligent, socially engaged people you'll meet.... on Facebook. Talk to them face to face and they can't hold down a conversation.

Beowulf
06-09-10, 9:06 am
Absolutely. I work with youngsters and I'm genuinely shocked when I see hand-written work peppered with abbreviated text/internet language. Also there are plenty of adults who are the most witty, intelligent, socially engaged people you'll meet.... on Facebook. Talk to them face to face and they can't hold down a conversation.

Talking to people online is much different than talking to people face to face. For one thing, you can be as smart and witty as you like when you're typing on a keyboard, researching on the Google. On the internet, we're all more handsome and muscular and smarter than we really are in real life. With access to all kinds of info at our fingertips, we're all masters of facts and factoids. We're all walking encyclopedias. When you're in a social setting though, you are only as smart as what's in your head--no internet to make you seem smarter. I think that's a scary thought for many people.

tdubs
06-09-10, 9:37 am
Talking to people online is much different than talking to people face to face. For one thing, you can be as smart and witty as you like when you're typing on a keyboard, researching on the Google. On the internet, we're all more handsome and muscular and smarter than we really are in real life. With access to all kinds of info at our fingertips, we're all masters of facts and factoids. We're all walking encyclopedias. When you're in a social setting though, you are only as smart as what's in your head--no internet to make you seem smarter. I think that's a scary thought for many people.

Compulsory team sports and military service is the solution to all modern day problems. Communication skills, winning and losing (and winning and losing like a man), social skills, hard work, discipline, mental toughness, team work, not to mention the importance of health and fitness. All from playing rugby, pee wee football, or any number of sports, and a brief stint in the military.

Unfortunately we've got a generation of kids that can't use correct English, suffer from health conditions that 50 year olds shouldn't worry about, and could kill a man with a toothpick on Call Of Duty but can't lift their own bodyweight in real life.

Beowulf
06-09-10, 10:18 am
Compulsory team sports and military service is the solution to all modern day problems. Communication skills, winning and losing (and winning and losing like a man), social skills, hard work, discipline, mental toughness, team work, not to mention the importance of health and fitness. All from playing rugby, pee wee football, or any number of sports, and a brief stint in the military.

Unfortunately we've got a generation of kids that can't use correct English, suffer from health conditions that 50 year olds shouldn't worry about, and could kill a man with a toothpick on Call Of Duty but can't lift their own bodyweight in real life.

You're from England, right? So your take on things should be slightly different than mine. In many countries, military service is compulsory. Education in this country is a sad state of affairs.

Universal Rep
06-09-10, 10:37 am
"My son was playing music on his laptop computer for a dozen friends at a party in a suite in his college dorm. He was in another room when someone spilled butterscotch schnapps on the keyboard. The computer is not working and might need a new motherboard — $1,300. No one has come forward to take responsibility. I was wondering if the guests should share this cost, maybe $100 each. What do you think?"

Life happens. What can ya do?

Beowulf
06-09-10, 2:00 pm
Life happens. What can ya do?

Sometimes, there is no one to blame. As a society, we've been trained to believe that when something goes wrong, there's always someone or something to blame.

Universal Rep
06-09-10, 4:45 pm
Sometimes, there is no one to blame. As a society, we've been trained to believe that when something goes wrong, there's always someone or something to blame.

I hear ya brother. We live in a highly contentious & lititigious society...

tdubs
06-10-10, 2:20 am
You're from England, right? So your take on things should be slightly different than mine. In many countries, military service is compulsory. Education in this country is a sad state of affairs.

Most definitely. That said, there are a lot of parallels between the US and UK. The standard of education for the lower classes being one of them.

tdubs
06-10-10, 2:22 am
Sometimes, there is no one to blame. As a society, we've been trained to believe that when something goes wrong, there's always someone or something to blame.

My old man has always said "I don't believe in 'accidents'. If everyone took responsibility for themeselves and did what they were supposed to do, there'd be no accidents".

Of course, stuff does 'happen' but there's a lot of truth in that.

Beowulf
06-10-10, 10:07 am
Most definitely. That said, there are a lot of parallels between the US and UK. The standard of education for the lower classes being one of them.

I agree. Right now though, many think England is a socialist country. Go figure, lol.

Beowulf
06-10-10, 10:08 am
My old man has always said "I don't believe in 'accidents'. If everyone took responsibility for themeselves and did what they were supposed to do, there'd be no accidents".

Of course, stuff does 'happen' but there's a lot of truth in that.

It's sort of existential. I like it. But the truth is, we can't take responsibility for everything. Sometimes, shit happens.

Beowulf
06-11-10, 1:36 pm
There's a store in Texas that's displaying pinatas shaped like women and topless. Many drivers say this is distracting. Others say it inappropriate.

If someone displays something outside their house that is distracting and drivers get into accidents, who is at fault? Or, if a company advertises something on a large billboard that's distracting and you get into a fender bender on the street, where does the blame lie?

I just made this one up. I was reading about this, lol.

Beowulf
06-11-10, 1:42 pm
"My son was playing music on his laptop computer for a dozen friends at a party in a suite in his college dorm. He was in another room when someone spilled butterscotch schnapps on the keyboard. The computer is not working and might need a new motherboard — $1,300. No one has come forward to take responsibility. I was wondering if the guests should share this cost, maybe $100 each. What do you think?"

Official response for the professional ethicist:

"So, if I am in the room when someone else breaks something, you think I have an obligation to cover repairs? Why not anybody in the building? On the campus? In the state?

The person who actually spilled the butterscotch schnapps onto the laptop is responsible for his own actions (if anyone who chooses to drink butterscotch schnapps can be deemed “responsible”). But his lily-livered silence does not shift his obligation to whoever happened to be standing nearby.

Had this calamity been caused by general, partywide horseplay, or were it otherwise unattributable to individual shenanigans — overly enthusiastic foot stompin’ and hand clappin’ shakes it to the floor — then I would urge all present to chip in, but that was not the case.

If the non-schnapps-imbibers know who did the damage, they should tell your son, as an expression of friendship. Different relationships entail different obligations, and it would be perverse for friends — and guests — to withhold this information from one of their number. Incidentally, there is a system of sharing that covers contingencies like your son’s; it’s called insurance, and he might want to invest in some."

tdubs
06-11-10, 1:52 pm
There's a store in Texas that's displaying pinatas shaped like women and topless. Many drivers say this is distracting. Others say it inappropriate.

If someone displays something outside their house that is distracting and drivers get into accidents, who is at fault? Or, if a company advertises something on a large billboard that's distracting and you get into a fender bender on the street, where does the blame lie?

I just made this one up. I was reading about this, lol.


Maybe it depends on what's being advertised. For example I couldn't care less about, I don't know,... shoes. So a shoe billboard wouldn't be a distraction for me. But a billboard advertising a two-for-one offer on steak might. Which leads me to think any accident would be my fault.

Beowulf
06-11-10, 4:14 pm
Maybe it depends on what's being advertised. For example I couldn't care less about, I don't know,... shoes. So a shoe billboard wouldn't be a distraction for me. But a billboard advertising a two-for-one offer on steak might. Which leads me to think any accident would be my fault.

How about a large billboard of a topless woman? They are much more lax about nudity in Europe. Americans can be such prudes, lol. Case in point, Page Three in "The Sun". That's what we need over here in the "National Enquirer", lol.

tdubs
06-12-10, 4:34 am
How about a large billboard of a topless woman? They are much more lax about nudity in Europe. Americans can be such prudes, lol. Case in point, Page Three in "The Sun". That's what we need over here in the "National Enquirer", lol.

Ah, now there's some advertsing we can all appreciate.

All of the tabloid papers (Red Tops, as we call them) have topless chicks in them. It's weird how any kid can walk into a newsagents and buy one for 25 pence.

Beowulf
06-21-10, 1:01 pm
The mascot for the Pittsburgh Pirates got canned for writing his thoughts on his personal Facebook page. Is his personal Facebook page private or public and should he have gotten fired?

Beowulf
06-21-10, 1:03 pm
Ah, now there's some advertsing we can all appreciate.

All of the tabloid papers (Red Tops, as we call them) have topless chicks in them. It's weird how any kid can walk into a newsagents and buy one for 25 pence.

Europeans are far more tolerant of nudity and sexuality as compared to Americans. Why is that?

U Mad Brah?
06-21-10, 1:28 pm
The mascot for the Pittsburgh Pirates got canned for writing his thoughts on his personal Facebook page. Is his personal Facebook page private or public and should he have gotten fired?

very interestin stuff beobrah... guess ya gots to be careful about what ya post on your fb accounts good brahs

Beowulf
06-21-10, 1:41 pm
very interestin stuff beobrah... guess ya gots to be careful about what ya post on your fb accounts good brahs

Yes you should. Too many kids don't realize that what they post on myspace and facebook and other social networking sites are being reviewed by potential employers. The internet is not a private place.

Why would anyone even potentially think of badmouthing their employer?

tdubs
06-21-10, 4:15 pm
Europeans are far more tolerant of nudity and sexuality as compared to Americans. Why is that?

America was founded on Puritan values and is less than 300 years old as a nation. It'll take a while for those values to dilute.

Beowulf
06-23-10, 10:49 am
America was founded on Puritan values and is less than 300 years old as a nation. It'll take a while for those values to dilute.

That simple, huh?

U Mad Brah?
06-23-10, 11:05 am
America was founded on Puritan values and is less than 300 years old as a nation. It'll take a while for those values to dilute.

u mad brah say: look at history brahs, things can quickly in just a few years brahs... 300 years is longer than 4-5 of a good brahs lifetimes

Beowulf
06-23-10, 11:11 am
u mad brah say: look at history brahs, things can quickly in just a few years brahs... 300 years is longer than 4-5 of a good brahs lifetimes

True, but what you describe requires momentous changes, paradigm shifts.

In Europe, you have topless bathers on many beaches. It's no big deal. Here, it could get you arrested. Breasts are just skin and flesh. What's the big deal?

Beowulf
07-13-10, 1:36 pm
http://www.cnn.com/2010/TRAVEL/07/13/european.nudes/index.html?hpt=C2

Talking about prudes and nudes.

Beowulf
08-19-10, 1:12 pm
"Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me."

Nice little ditty, but is it true? Are words that weightless, unlike a heavy stone? A switch against the flesh may hurt for a short while, but a painful rebuke can last a lifetime. In the gym, what is the greatest obstacle, the weight on that bar and the words running through your brain, telling you that you can or can't do something? I wonder about the strength of words sometimes.

Sprint
08-22-10, 9:12 pm
"The pen is mightier than the sword"

Indeed, I remember one throwaway comment when I was 17 & not even into bodybuilding yet. "Your traps are pretty bloody big, but you've got no delts." Just a comment from somebody at the running track.

It stayed with me, and to this day I almost obsess about shoulder workouts. A few years of really hammering the shoulders, sometimes hitting them twice or even three times a week, has left me with my shoulders as my standout bodypart.

Now I get comments like "Rear delts like a horse." and "I really want shoulders like yours."

I wonder if I'd have hit them with the same intensity & dilligence if that throwaway comment 8 years ago had never been uttered.

U Mad Brah?
08-25-10, 12:36 pm
"Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me."

Nice little ditty, but is it true? Are words that weightless, unlike a heavy stone? A switch against the flesh may hurt for a short while, but a painful rebuke can last a lifetime. In the gym, what is the greatest obstacle, the weight on that bar and the words running through your brain, telling you that you can or can't do something? I wonder about the strength of words sometimes.

words can carry sum weight beobrahonie

Cellardweller
08-29-10, 1:30 am
"Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me."

Nice little ditty, but is it true? Are words that weightless, unlike a heavy stone? A switch against the flesh may hurt for a short while, but a painful rebuke can last a lifetime. In the gym, what is the greatest obstacle, the weight on that bar and the words running through your brain, telling you that you can or can't do something? I wonder about the strength of words sometimes.

Words can be powerful. If you let them be. If everyone tells you you're worthless you have two choices: to believe you're worthless or to say "fuck you" and stand tall on your own. This is especially hard on young kids. If some ass in the gym told you you couldn't do something you'd smash the iron to bits and leave them all open mouthed and speachless. But in your example the words running through your mind are yours. Those are the dangerous words. The ones you have to recognize and fight against. One of the bros has a sig that says something about it being "you vs you and when you says stop, you keep going." I don't care if it's bodybuilding, taking that bitch of a college course or raising a child, learning not to listen to that negative little voice in your head is what will make or break you.

Sprint
08-29-10, 2:16 pm
Words can be powerful. If you let them be. If everyone tells you you're worthless you have two choices: to believe you're worthless or to say "fuck you" and stand tall on your own. This is especially hard on young kids. If some ass in the gym told you you couldn't do something you'd smash the iron to bits and leave them all open mouthed and speachless. But in your example the words running through your mind are yours. Those are the dangerous words. The ones you have to recognize and fight against. One of the bros has a sig that says something about it being "you vs you and when you says stop, you keep going." I don't care if it's bodybuilding, taking that bitch of a college course or raising a child, learning not to listen to that negative little voice in your head is what will make or break you.

Fucking absolutely spot on. 100%

Beowulf
09-01-10, 10:25 am
"The pen is mightier than the sword"

Indeed, I remember one throwaway comment when I was 17 & not even into bodybuilding yet. "Your traps are pretty bloody big, but you've got no delts." Just a comment from somebody at the running track.

It stayed with me, and to this day I almost obsess about shoulder workouts. A few years of really hammering the shoulders, sometimes hitting them twice or even three times a week, has left me with my shoulders as my standout bodypart.

Now I get comments like "Rear delts like a horse." and "I really want shoulders like yours."

I wonder if I'd have hit them with the same intensity & dilligence if that throwaway comment 8 years ago had never been uttered.

I hear you man. Same thing with me.

Beowulf
09-01-10, 10:28 am
Words can be powerful. If you let them be. If everyone tells you you're worthless you have two choices: to believe you're worthless or to say "fuck you" and stand tall on your own. This is especially hard on young kids. If some ass in the gym told you you couldn't do something you'd smash the iron to bits and leave them all open mouthed and speachless. But in your example the words running through your mind are yours. Those are the dangerous words. The ones you have to recognize and fight against. One of the bros has a sig that says something about it being "you vs you and when you says stop, you keep going." I don't care if it's bodybuilding, taking that bitch of a college course or raising a child, learning not to listen to that negative little voice in your head is what will make or break you.

You're right. Once someone's words become your words, words that run through your mind, your consciousness, you own them. That's when words take on real weight and have the ability to alter your view of the world, for better or worse. But how does this happen?

Cellardweller
09-01-10, 9:25 pm
I think there are times when you are spiritually and emotionally vulnerable. Your shields are down and you're more accepting to dammaging criticism. Kids don't have the strength of character adults have, but if the timing is right, we fall too. On the other hand, when the timing is right, the right words can change you for the better too.

Sprint
09-02-10, 3:48 am
I think there are times when you are spiritually and emotionally vulnerable. Your shields are down and you're more accepting to dammaging criticism. Kids don't have the strength of character adults have, but if the timing is right, we fall too. On the other hand, when the timing is right, the right words can change you for the better too.

Well said, it's all about turning negatives into positives wherever possible.

Universal Rep
09-02-10, 5:22 pm
You're right. Once someone's words become your words, words that run through your mind, your consciousness, you own them. That's when words take on real weight and have the ability to alter your view of the world, for better or worse. But how does this happen?

I think some are just more susceptible than others...

Beowulf
09-09-10, 10:56 am
What happened to reason and civility? Why is the public discourse so full of venom and spite? Why is this nation so polarized?

U Mad Brah?
09-09-10, 1:40 pm
What happened to reason and civility? Why is the public discourse so full of venom and spite? Why is this nation so polarized?

too many hands in teh pot my good brah looking out for tehre own brahs interest... what does teh nation stand for might be teh question beobrah... it means many things to many brahs...

Beowulf
09-09-10, 2:11 pm
too many hands in teh pot my good brah looking out for tehre own brahs interest... what does teh nation stand for might be teh question beobrah... it means many things to many brahs...

People have always looked out for their own interests. There were always too many hands in the pot. What's different now?

Beowulf
06-18-12, 11:51 am
Is too much passion ever a bad thing? Does too much passion ever cloud one's thinking? It could be passion for your girlfriend. Passion for the iron. Passion for the lifestyle. Is extreme passion just another way to think about being brainwashed?

Beowulf
06-19-12, 9:16 am
The Clemens case is finally over. Did the fact that he was defiant play a role in the government bringing its case? Were egos involved?