The Lounge

Here are my thoughts. Raising IQ negates the reward system. It doesn't feel rewarding. There's no feedback loop to say well done. It "might" feel good when getting better grades or a promotion. But even then the promotion is a competition and I've even heard that top high school grades are actually limited to keep the top Universities from letting anyone in down the line. Solving a puzzle which someone has been stuck on for a while may "potentially" feel nice. But then the person may feel a sense of dread about how it would have felt better and been more beneficial if they solved it sooner, like if they were on a tv game-show. What are your thought on this topic?

Hi. In need of suggestions how to do this I have never done before: Mover crews do not do it. Do not know if asking UPS to pickup works if needs being better packed. Unsure if an Uber driver would. Need to pickup an item or two at a warehouse that does NO shipping, and send it via UPS/Fedex/USPS to KY. If carton is flimsy, to secure it with duct tape or properly. and take it to a shipper. Or do you know the way it is supposed to be done, or a person in New Orleans that does the service ? Paid, of course. Tried the UPS store, they do not pickup. Tried Taskrabbit and found the nastiest automated non-human computer-only interface that does not want to interact with an old f…

It is essential to ensure that ingredients are well mixed when bread making. I normally use 3 types of flour, sometimes more. How do you ensure a good mix ? I use a riffle spoon for the dry ingredients (including yeast), see the photo in the mixer bowl, before adding the liquid ingredients.

Just a thought about the nature of economics...

Me? The unveiling of the 1st iPhone in 2007. I remember the iPhone being talked about on the radio in Poland in June 2007 when I was 13. Literal hsitory being made there:

Good day. Since day one, I learned this was named gimbal : file:///home/externet/Pictures/Gimbal.png Unable to insert image 😡, can be seen at --> https://lanternnet.com/product/wp-solid-brass-gimbal-for-large-yacht-lamp/ Trying to look for a manufacturer/vendor, only get crap results for cameras. Any special term I should use instead in a search ? Do you know a provider for large ~30cm ones? Has its name changed ? Plastic would be fine.

(AP) - The president, following a 158th viewing of the 2013 film "Gravity," was briefly distracted from his usual routine of contemplating (and commenting on to staff) the firmness of Sandra Bullock's derriere by the scene which depicts the onset of a destructive ablation cascade. While it's unclear what drew the president's attention on this particular viewing, it became quickly apparent to the NASA officials and space tech billionaires who were summoned to an emergency meeting that he has now realized the genuine threat which Kessler Syndrome https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kessler_syndrome poses to America's future in space. Consulting with a team of experts which inc…

Hi. Stumbled upon and unsure of its meaning. What does the word 'constitution' here refers to ? 🤨 And; any majority has to start with one or few use events; does it mean that it is a wrong word until half +1 use such and then becomes right ?

What do you hoard in the fridge or back of the pantry ready for when you have an attack of the munchies? I've a few. Mainly defensible, but I've recently rediscovered my weakness for Flapjacks. The only non-Brit here who might really know what these are is @Ken Fabian as treacle (aka Golden Syrup) is an indispensable ingredient and there few places outside the UK where it's readily available. I have to make my own (but it's worth it). What's your guilty secret? (No more than 2 minutes prep time at time of need, or it's just 2nd breakfast)

Got a solid good laugh today one of my nieces when told to do her math homework stated math is " mental abuse to humans". Couldn't argue that logic lmao

Hello all. Seen several videos on trade shows and expositions, different types. Is it some A.I. crap ? Pick any: --> https://www.facebook.com/reel/1535387904456045 --> https://www.facebook.com/reel/1286403743445332 --> https://www.facebook.com/reel/915013351081438 --> https://www.facebook.com/reel/806229785762363 --> https://www.facebook.com/reel/3335192303295817

I have a very simple idea, good at least for sci-fi novels. Currently there is a battle in the world between autocracies and Western democracies. According to MWI, some time later there will be two universes - in the first the dictators will finally win, in the second the democracies will win. But in the first universe, maybe in 22nd century, the humanity will perish in a big nuclear war; and in more prosperous second universe, in far future (maybe 2500 AD), humanity will establish the Time Patrol. The Patrol will affect the past via Mermin-Peres game (quantum pseudo-telepathy), and it will reduce the amplitude of the state |Dictators_win>. This means for us, that the …

The national lottery is currently running an ad campaign (It could be you), trying to persuade us to buy a lottery ticket. It got me wondering if the odds were 'significantly' different, if I don't buy a ticket? It's math above my pay grade, so feel free to work out the number's for me. 🙂

Hi, I am a polyglot and these days consider to visit india in this summer. Unfortunately almost all of documents I scanned told that hygien in this country might be big problem for someone like me who is superstious on cleanliness. I am planning to eat from only international restaurants that provide halal foods. I just wondered why people in such a country do not get ilness or do not fear to get illness, or am I wrong?

Darwin Day is a celebration to commemorate the birthday of Charles Darwin on 12 February 1809. The day is used to highlight Darwin's contributions to science and to promote science in general. Darwin Day is celebrated around the world. (Darwin Day - Wikipedia)

Some will find this a weird question. 🤔 Do you remember if your classroom at school had windows to the exterior at your left, right or any location looking towards the blackboard ? If so, which ? To be continued.

1, 1, 2, 3, 5... Why is this not a fibonacci sequence and what are therefore the next two terms ? Answers in a spoiler please.

A hotbed of human confirmation bias; I guess it's you and here's why you've confirmed that??? I would love to see a series, in which no one is a traitor and all the murders are done randomly... How many season's would it take?

:-)Hi, It is the habit of many people to use their leisure in writing poetry. Everyone is not a poet, but the feeling of writing poems can be experienced by anyone. So, let's start a new Poetry Section.......anyone can post his/her poems here.

Sileme (Chinese - 死了么 - “Are They Dead”) A viral mobile phone app created by developer Moonscape Technologies Inc. which recently leapt to the #1 spot on Apple’s paid download charts has been renamed Demumu according to a company Weibo post today. https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2026/1/14/chinese-app-are-you-dead-to-change-name-after-surge-in-popularity It’s a lightweight social safety tool aimed at an estimated 200 million people who may be living in one-person households in China by 2030. The online tool which costs 8 Yuan ($1.15), or £0.99 on the UK Apple Store encourages users to log in once a day to confirm that they are still alive. If the user fails to log in o…

Not long ago I mentioned an old family recipe for “Kashmir Chutney” in a thread about ‘The Third Condiment Mystery’ (Chemistry - 5 June 2025). During the Xmas holiday season, I decided hunt out and check that recipe from a box of ancient family papers in my brother’s possession. To my considerable surprise, the hand-written recipe I unearthed was clearly titled “Cashmere Chutney”. I had always been under the impression that this condiment was called “Kashmir Chutney” and that Cashmere was a type of Himalayan goats wool normally used for making sweaters and shawls ! The explanation seems to be that Cashmere was once the normal anglicization for the Himalayan areas now kno…

Well... Let's say he led a long and productive life. May his cranky ideas disappear in the abyss of history alongside other types of pseudoscience.

Firstly, please don't +1 this, I posted this to simply say thank you to you all for taking the time to share your knowledge, your wisdom & your time. It's not about me, it's about you, the resident & other experts. You don't have to do this, you don't have to put up with people who can be annoying or have a minimal grasp on maths etc yet you do & you all keep doing it. I appreciate it & am grateful for your time & knowledge, not just here on the forum but also the years you have all put into your various skill sets so you can help others. One of the fundamental things that ALL people have, is the ability to give. So this is my give to you, Thank you.

I had a cat scan of my abdomen this week because recent blood test showed higher than normal liver enzymes. Today I got a call from the doctor telling me everything is normal, except that my colon seemed 'full.' What he didn't know is that I really like bulky foods like vegetables, bread, beans, etc, etc. So-- he asked me if I wanted him to prescribe something for constipation. After a good laugh I explained my eating habits and that. with all the fiber I eat, I had no problem whatsoever with constipation. I felt really good about the good news in the phone call-- then realized that this was the first time in my life that a doctor called me to tell me I was full of _…

I found myself embroiled in an unexpectedly lively argument the other night with an online friend over the native pronunciation of Toronto. Quite a few sources, including this professional dialogue coach, assert that native Canadian speakers often elide the second ’T’ and pronounce the city’s name as “Tuh-RAHn(t)-o”. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ERCujbX8aqE&t=295s My online friend who has lived there for most of their life however insists that this is complete fiction, and they became quite irate when I referred to online sources on the subject - apparently I was peddling “AI Slop” in their view. (I live in UK and have never visted Toronto) Linguistic sources sug…