Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
Ross is already out! Look at that big smile!
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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
Ross's situation has reminded me of the parable of the Chinese farmer:
Ross being handed a life sentence must have seemed like the worst possible outcome at the time, but it ended being one of the best possible results of his trial. Because it was so severe, it caused his plight to become a political lightning rod, and thus ripe for a certain presidential candidate to use the gift of a pardon to win votes. On the other hand, if he had been given a more middle of the road sentence of, say, 25 years, he probably would have just served that time. It's crazy the paths that life leads us down.The Chinese Farmer Story
Once upon a time there was a Chinese farmer whose horse ran away. That evening, all of his neighbors came around to commiserate. They said, “We are so sorry to hear your horse has run away. This is most unfortunate.” The farmer said, “Maybe.”
The next day the horse came back bringing seven wild horses with it, and in the evening everybody came back and said, “Oh, isn’t that lucky. What a great turn of events. You now have eight horses!” The farmer again said, “Maybe.”
The following day his son tried to break one of the horses, and while riding it, he was thrown and broke his leg. The neighbors then said, “Oh dear, that’s too bad,” and the farmer responded, “Maybe.”
The next day the conscription officers came around to conscript people into the army, and they rejected his son because he had a broken leg. Again all the neighbors came around and said, “Isn’t that great!” Again, he said, “Maybe.”
The whole process of nature is an integrated process of immense complexity, and it’s really impossible to tell whether anything that happens in it is good or bad — because you never know what will be the consequence of the misfortune; or, you never know what will be the consequences of good fortune.
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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
Looks like he is in excellent condition for having spent how many years in prison?
I'm assuming he was in a minimum-security prison and not a maximum security one?
50+ years ago the band I managed played once at each of them. Big difference between the two of them.
Above provided by: Vinny, who always says: "I only regret that I have but one lap to give to my cats." AND "I'm a more-is-more person."
Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
Had encountered that parable once before a few nights ago. Then I watched a movie a few nights ago in which a woman was going to kill a hit man who'd killed her father. He told her that parable.Smith1776 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 22, 2025 8:55 am Ross's situation has reminded me of the parable of the Chinese farmer:
Ross being handed a life sentence must have seemed like the worst possible outcome at the time, but it ended being one of the best possible results of his trial. Because it was so severe, it caused his plight to become a political lightning rod, and thus ripe for a certain presidential candidate to use the gift of a pardon to win votes. On the other hand, if he had been given a more middle of the road sentence of, say, 25 years, he probably would have just served that time. It's crazy the paths that life leads us down.The Chinese Farmer Story
Once upon a time there was a Chinese farmer whose horse ran away. That evening, all of his neighbors came around to commiserate. They said, “We are so sorry to hear your horse has run away. This is most unfortunate.” The farmer said, “Maybe.”
The next day the horse came back bringing seven wild horses with it, and in the evening everybody came back and said, “Oh, isn’t that lucky. What a great turn of events. You now have eight horses!” The farmer again said, “Maybe.”
The following day his son tried to break one of the horses, and while riding it, he was thrown and broke his leg. The neighbors then said, “Oh dear, that’s too bad,” and the farmer responded, “Maybe.”
The next day the conscription officers came around to conscript people into the army, and they rejected his son because he had a broken leg. Again all the neighbors came around and said, “Isn’t that great!” Again, he said, “Maybe.”
The whole process of nature is an integrated process of immense complexity, and it’s really impossible to tell whether anything that happens in it is good or bad — because you never know what will be the consequence of the misfortune; or, you never know what will be the consequences of good fortune.
Seems to be a famous one?
Above provided by: Vinny, who always says: "I only regret that I have but one lap to give to my cats." AND "I'm a more-is-more person."
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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
That is such a great parable!
Maybe.
No, really, it is.
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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
The parable does well at teaching not to get too high after a win and too low after a loss. That's also the big lesson over a long baseball season by the way.
It might go too far, though, into encouraging total passivity. Suppose the farmer had been in a position to help his son in order to not have his leg broken. Would he decline to help, because who knows whether the outcome is good or bad? I would hope not.
This parable applies nicely to things that are out of your control. I think that's what it's meant to apply to, as all the events are pretty much out of the farmer's control. It would be dangerous to apply the parable to things you do control.
It might go too far, though, into encouraging total passivity. Suppose the farmer had been in a position to help his son in order to not have his leg broken. Would he decline to help, because who knows whether the outcome is good or bad? I would hope not.
This parable applies nicely to things that are out of your control. I think that's what it's meant to apply to, as all the events are pretty much out of the farmer's control. It would be dangerous to apply the parable to things you do control.
Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
100% agree with your last paragraph!Xan wrote: ↑Wed Jan 22, 2025 3:31 pm The parable does well at teaching not to get too high after a win and too low after a loss. That's also the big lesson over a long baseball season by the way.
It might go too far, though, into encouraging total passivity. Suppose the farmer had been in a position to help his son in order to not have his leg broken. Would he decline to help, because who knows whether the outcome is good or bad? I would hope not.
This parable applies nicely to things that are out of your control. I think that's what it's meant to apply to, as all the events are pretty much out of the farmer's control. It would be dangerous to apply the parable to things you do control.
Above provided by: Vinny, who always says: "I only regret that I have but one lap to give to my cats." AND "I'm a more-is-more person."
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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
Mostly walk. Trains, buses, uber/lyft, planes.
Once in a while I’m a passenger in a friend’s car, but I almost always meet them on foot.
Once in a while I’m a passenger in a friend’s car, but I almost always meet them on foot.
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I just read Vinny’s post at B’heads about ‘The Band’ and chest fever without knowing it was Vinny. 

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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
The Weight is upon you.
Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. Psalm 146:3
Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
Didn’t Harry Browne approve of the US outsourcing manufacturing? One of the few things I disagree with. I hope Mike Rowe’s school has success.
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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
Perplexity Pro says:
'Harry Browne, a prominent libertarian figure and author, did not explicitly approve or disapprove of US manufacturing outsourcing in the context provided. However, his views on free trade and economic freedom suggest he likely would have supported outsourcing as a natural consequence of free market principles."
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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
I’m waiting for the Department of External Revenue to MAGA. 
Put not your trust in princes, nor in the son of man, in whom there is no help. Psalm 146:3
Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
https://time.com/7206986/trump-external ... ffs-taxes/Mountaineer wrote: ↑Sun Jan 26, 2025 4:52 pm I’m waiting for the Department of External Revenue to MAGA.![]()
What to Know About Trump’s Proposed ‘External Revenue Service’
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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
Wrong. I heard it in one of the money show episodes.
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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
You originally stated it as a question, without certainty:
"Didn’t Harry Browne approve of the US outsourcing manufacturing?"
Now you are stating it as a certainty?
Though Perplexity Pro may have it wrong that he said it ... it did say that he'd probably agree with it.
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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
That's right. That was before I had a beer.
I was expecting a yes to my question.

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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
I trust you. You have high credibility. Never had any reason to doubt anything you assert. That does not mean, of course, I agree with all your opinions. But otherwise I'm trusting you on things I have no knowledge about.
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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
Thank you, Vinny. The feeling is mutual.
Should we have a thread on account security? There were 3 threads about attempted Vanguard accounts hacks at b’heads recently and today they’re merged together.
Do you guys use Yubikeys? I have one sitting on my desk that I haven’t set up. I’d bought it for my Dad, but he’s too old and I don’t want him to lock himself out.
Should we have a thread on account security? There were 3 threads about attempted Vanguard accounts hacks at b’heads recently and today they’re merged together.
Do you guys use Yubikeys? I have one sitting on my desk that I haven’t set up. I’d bought it for my Dad, but he’s too old and I don’t want him to lock himself out.
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P.S. so DeepSeek was built on ripping off OpenAI’s models?
Not as clever as I’d thought.
Not as clever as I’d thought.
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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
It's a concern of mine but not led to the level of taking any action on it.dualstow wrote: ↑Wed Jan 29, 2025 7:18 am Thank you, Vinny. The feeling is mutual.
Should we have a thread on account security? There were 3 threads about attempted Vanguard accounts hacks at b’heads recently and today they’re merged together.
Do you guys use Yubikeys? I have one sitting on my desk that I haven’t set up. I’d bought it for my Dad, but he’s too old and I don’t want him to lock himself out.
Also, I think that the probabilities of damage are way overblown, possibly by those who can profit from too much fear regarding it.
I believe that people suffer far more damage by not doing super elementary things by not having sufficient backup.
Belongs to the list of things where people worry far more of threats from without and ignoring all the things that they can do on their own.
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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
Nobody for Yubikey, eh?
I’ll just leave this here. (Not about security keys; just a list of authenticator apps).
https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-authenticator-apps
I’ll just leave this here. (Not about security keys; just a list of authenticator apps).
https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-authenticator-apps
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Re: Daily "Check In" Thread For Us
I am more concerned that adding some additional layer of security could result in ME getting locked out from getting to my information!dualstow wrote: ↑Thu Jan 30, 2025 8:00 am Nobody for Yubikey, eh?
I’ll just leave this here. (Not about security keys; just a list of authenticator apps).
https://www.pcmag.com/picks/the-best-authenticator-apps
Above provided by: Vinny, who always says: "I only regret that I have but one lap to give to my cats." AND "I'm a more-is-more person."