What is the newest installment of 'Random Thoughts' on Physics Forums?

[WWGD]

Post 11,025 in the aptly named Random Thoughts thread.

Though, arguably non-random, $11025=105^2$

 

[Borg]

That's how it was where I worked. Each option (single, married, with kids) was a certain percent of monthly base pay. It really didn't bother me that I was paying more in dollars than some others.

Paying more is one thing. Paying twice what it costs to get it directly from the insurance company itself is just plain theft.

 

[gmax137]

Twice the price does seem unreasonable. I think US health insurance rates are as non-intuitive as airline fares. Maybe the employee demographics are skewing the company rates?

If you are eligible for Medicare you should look into the plans available in your location.

 

[Borg]

I'm covered under my wife's insurance for a reasonable amount which is why I don't need coverage from my previous employer. I'll eventually be required to sign up for Medicare but not yet. I'm sure that will be loads of fun to navigate, when the time comes.

 

[gmax137]

I'm sure that will be loads of fun to navigate

When the time comes (about 64 1/2) find a local broker, they charge the providers so it's free to you. When I did this, I got a clear explanation of everything I needed to know in about an hour. The brokers spend all their time explaining the ins and outs, so they're very good at it. At least that's my anecdote, lol.

 

[WWGD]

Why are so many recently leaving me 8-second-or-less voice messages in WhatsApp? Wouldn't that take fewer than 6 words or so?

 

[Tom.G]

Talking is less time-consuming that typing -- and more natural.

 

[WWGD]

Talking is less time-consuming that typing -- and more natural.

For the one sending the message; kind of awkward for the recipient, often.
Edit: For messages that are 8 seconds or less?

 

[Borg]

Got the Covid booster yesterday. So tired today...

 

[WWGD]

Confusing motto: " 90% of startups fail. We can improve that". You mean, like having 100% of startups fail?

 

[gmax137]

"We're not happy until you're not happy!"

 

[WWGD]

"We're not happy until you're not happy!"

My memory's still fresh on the " Ship your pants" ad. Maybe it was intentional.

 

[Ibix]

Got the Covid booster yesterday. So tired today...

Hope you're feeling better.

I had my first jab at 9.30am and worked from home. My last meeting ended at 2.45 and I was fine apart from a sore arm. When my wife came to say she was off on the school run at 3.15 she found I had literally fallen asleep in front of my computer. Then I was good for nothing for 24 hours, then fine again.

 

[berkeman]

she found I had literally fallen asleep in front of my computer. Then I was good for nothing

That's not very nice of her to call you names like that...

 

[WWGD]

Fundamental Theorem of IT: At most 3 weeks after you do away with an old cable, device, you will needed again, and won't be able to find a viable replacement.
Now, let me see how I can transfer from that external Seagate drive....

 

[Ibix]

That's not very nice of her to call you names like that...

 

[Borg]

I'm thinking that sometime in the next 10 years an AI would make a good third-party political candidate. They would need a catchy party name like Progressive Artificial Intelligence Neurons (the PAIN Party). They're slogan could be No PAIN, No gain.

 

[WWGD]

What are the odds? After true guy finished making my sub, about to give it to me, the radio was playing " There goes my hero" ( Foo Fighters).

 

[fresh_42]

As a neutral viewer I have to say: "I feel sorry for you, folks, that was damn close." But without a single try?

 

[kyphysics]

You couldn't pay me $1M a day to work in crawl spaces.

I believe there should be a Federal law outlawing crawl spaces and mandating only slabs.

 

[jack action]

You couldn't pay me $1M a day to work in crawl spaces.

I knew an electrician who had to do work in a home with a crawl space where a lady lived with a lot of cats. The cats have been basically using the crawl space as their litter box for years. He said that when he opened the crawl space the odor was so strong that he backed out and called his boss saying "Not going in there!" and he never did.

 

[gmax137]

You couldn't pay me $1M a day to work in crawl spaces.

Really? For $1M/day, I'm sure I could stand it for a week or two

 

[kyphysics]

Really? For $1M/day, I'm sure I could stand it for a week or two

It depends. If they could advance me $50,000, so I could buy a completely sealed hazmat suit with which to go under the crawl and then rent a hotel where I could "wash up" at . . .maybe buy a separate car to drive to work and then immediately donate/junk it.........This would prevent me getting that mold and fungus on my body and taking it back home with me or into my own car.

Then, I could keep the remaining $950,000 as profit (some going to mental health doctors for the trauma I would have experienced) after that day's work. I wouldn't do it for more than ONE day. Just give me $1M and I'm done.

 

[kyphysics]

I knew an electrician who had to do work in a home with a crawl space where a lady lived with a lot of cats. The cats have been basically using the crawl space as their litter box for years. He said that when he opened the crawl space the odor was so strong that he backed out and called his boss saying "Not going in there!" and he never did.

Cat pee and poop could cause rot too. Just nasty......nasty, nasty stuff.

Some things I cannot believe are Michael Church (the guy in that video) using NO face masking/head gear or suit and just going into the NASTY NASTY NASTY crawl space with his own clothes and putting his face an inch away from those MOLDY (all different colors), DRIPPING WET wood beams and talking and breathing it all in. He's married too. I'd hate to live with him. Laundry must be interesting.

And, secondly, the exterior of that house with the crazy condensation is quite nice. You'd NEVER KNOW it was so nasty until someone showed you what's below.

MY GOD that crawl space gives me nightmares and might cure my diabetes, as I've lost all appetite for food. My endocrinologist will be wondering how I did it and I'll have to show her this video!

 

[berkeman]

If they could advance me $50,000, so I could buy a completely sealed hazmat suit with which to go under the crawl

You're going to have an issue squirming in that crawl space in a Level-A Hazmat suit...

https://hazwoper-osha.com/blog-post/hazmat-suits-levels-of-protection

 

[kyphysics]

You're going to have an issue squirming in that crawl space in a Level-A Hazmat suit...

I realize even the best suit leaves problems. You gotta take it off and put it back in your truck. Now your truck is all nasty. I mean. . .I would just throw my truck away and scrap it, but for those who do this work full-time, their work vehicles must be so nasty.

I would rank crawl space work worst than trash collection (which is quite gross and biohazardous) and hotel maid (my mom worked as one around the year 2003 and she had awful stories - the stuff left behind in rooms by inconsiderate humans is disgusting).

 

[WWGD]

Wow, after those blackmail emails, a nicer one. Amazon 's Jeff Bezos wants to share his fortune with me. It must be an elaborate one, as it checks out. Bezos spoke about it publicly. And I just have to reply. Hmmm.

 

[WWGD]

I realize even the best suit leaves problems. You gotta take it off and put it back in your truck. Now your truck is all nasty. I mean. . .I would just throw my truck away and scrap it, but for those who do this work full-time, their work vehicles must be so nasty.

I would rank crawl space work worst than trash collection (which is quite gross and biohazardous) and hotel maid (my mom worked as one around the year 2003 and she had awful stories - the stuff left behind in rooms by inconsiderate humans is disgusting).

Still, apparently trash collectors make good-enough money , though the range is $37,000 to $119,000, with a median of $55,435, according to the " Market Realist".
But the job has a pretty high fatality rate, not from disease, but from accidents on the job.

 

[kyphysics]

Still, apparently trash collectors make good-enough money , though the range is $37,000 to $119,000, with a median of $55,435, according to the " Market Realist".
But the job has a pretty high fatality rate, not from disease, but from accidents on the job.

Interesting. How do trash collectors die? Compaction? (Yikes, if so!)

I do wonder about longitudinal statistics for such workers and health-related problems. Does working 25+ years on the job and being exposed to all sorts of nasty stuff = higher than normal population chronic or serious illness?

 

[WWGD]

Interesting. How do trash collectors die? Compaction? (Yikes, if so!)

I do wonder about longitudinal statistics for such workers and health-related problems. Does working 25+ years on the job and being exposed to all sorts of nasty stuff = higher than normal population chronic or serious illness?

Good questions, didn't look at it too deeply. Hard to do from my phone.

I'm remembering the story of my Combinatorialist (?) friend who wrote a paper on optimal routes for refuse trucks .
It was filed under " garbage".

 

[WWGD]

I guess there's a "quantization" of food amounts. An ammount below which it's not worth storing. Like just 3 french fries. Who will keep just 3? Or a piece of meat containing 2-3 bites. Just eat it ( Weird-Al Trademark)!

 

[DrGreg]

Just eat it ( Weird-Al Trademark)!

This triggered a random thought. What if we replaced $\text{Weird Al}$ by $\text{Weird AI}$? Would anyone notice?

 

[WWGD]

This triggered a random thought. What if we replaced $\text{Weird Al}$ by $\text{Weird AI}$? Would anyone notice?

Write a parody about itself making a parody of weird Al?

 

[WWGD]

Wonder how well they've thought things through with sharp knives for sale.
" Ninja knife cuts through everything without a hitch".
Er, you mean, including your fingers?

 

[fresh_42]

Wonder how well they've thought things through with sharp knives for sale.
" Ninja knife cuts through everything without a hitch".
Er, you mean, including your fingers?

5 beers for the men from the sawmill!