Comments by "gnarth d\x27arkanen" (@gnarthdarkanen7464) on "Charisma on Command" channel.

  1. I might point out that a "true" narcissist will sneak behind you and DESTROY how others see you whether they can control you or not. That part makes no difference to them... The more isolated you become from anyone like friends, family, or even authorities, the more vulnerable you become to the narc'... that results in the easier it is to manipulate and gaslight you, the easier it is to keep you "shut out" of any possibility of retaliation or escape, and it closes the distances you have for egress from any and every abusive thing the narc' can then employ. It's important to note BECAUSE most people go through some relatively childish or even infantile series of retaliatory and inflammatory correspondence with mutual relations when a relationship "breaks up". Whether it's losing a friend or lover, there tends to be "things said" and drama and a certain quantity or quality of gossip. It's certainly NOT mature, but the temptations are ever-present and even the most advanced in years can succumb to the dubious temptation to tear someone else down in conversation or gossip when things get emotionally sour. Most of us (humans) eventually reach some condition of forgiveness. We recover from that initial separation and the issues around it (at least the more menial and trivial kinds) and can "let it go" as it were. In approaching maturity around dissolving relationships, we find that the expense of energy to pursue gossip and caste disparaging rumors about is simply not worth the bother. That actually takes some "growing up" though, and it's the kind of life lesson that doesn't just instamagically come along with age. It's usually a result of being at both ends of the rumormill(s) and seeing some of the consequential fruits of our own labors... OR having those kinds of things pointed out as we are then accused of being narcissistic ourselves. Finally, folks who might find this kind of emotional nonsense and (in point of fact) abuse, somehow "normal" tend to fall into one of two categories. 1. Youthful of mentality enough to just accept such infantile behavior as part of being an adult, and so preferring to look past it rather than confront their own shortcomings (yet)... 2. An actual Narc' or Psycho-pathological sufferer who should probably seek out counseling and possibly (probably?) therapy. ;o)
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  2. Don't forget a VERY long bladed instrument in hand when you do this. It makes the rest of the conversation go SOOOOooo much smoother! ;o)
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  3. Comedy can be tricky, and context does matter. Like the video warns, people don''t pay to work in an office for cutting humor... that's why they have comedy clubs, theaters, bars with live entertainment, etc... If a style of joke "falls flat" in regular public, let it go an move on. Don't beat a dead horse. ;o)
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  4. I wasn't wearing a bra either. ;o)
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  5. It's been said many times, that the ONLY authority anyone has over us is the authority we GIVE them voluntarily... ...exactly why building a rapport with your "opponent" in a debate is so powerful. ;o)
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  6. "...mostly the come to my mind way too late..." Had (and sort of still deal with) this exact problem, myself. I'd get through a conversation, and some five or ten minutes later, I'd have the PERFECT thing that would've punched the laughs up a couple notches! I'd kick myself (figuratively of course)... THEN I took up the habit of recalling and writing down a snippet of the conversation to lead up to my witty idea, and then scratch it out and try to explore the follow through... Just keep one notebook and pen around for the purpose. You don't have to go after it EVERY time, but most of the time, when you think of "the funny thing"... Get to your notebook and try to recall and retro-actively build the conversation as it could've been instead of as it was... Read it over... even rehearse it when you're alone... "... AND I should've said... blah-blah-blah..." AND while you rehearse, you can practice that tip about "taking on different characters" as you poke a bit of private fun at your friends/acquaintances/total strangers...etc... Better than worrying about speeding up your speech (got tips for that, too)... Get a thesaurus of your own... take notes about the regular stuff you find in conversation, and build your own metaphors and similes... Make some of your own "style" of those up, because folks probably haven't heard something quite like that before... and it will take them a minute to catch up. THIS trick slows the conversation down and takes the chance they'll find it hilarious... "Dumber than a whole bag of {hammers, hair, rocks, dog sh*t, etc...}" Picking up speed in speech... Read aloud. It doesn't take an audience, but a recording app and microphone are probably a good idea. Screenwriters often suggest one page is worth about a minute of the play/show... SO based on that, get your own "regulation" page and try to fit that into a minute... You'd be well advised (for control reasons) to be able to pace it for exactly (or as close as possible) a minute, and then start carving it down in "target times"... see how tight you can get it, BUT don't forget recording to go back and listen to it. Can you REALLY understand what you were saying... Fast paced speech is well sampled by Red over at Overly Sarcastic Productions (channel on YT) with her series' on myths and legends, or her takes on Trope Talks (a personal favorite), OR (best of all frankly) The series on "Journey to the West"... Listening and tuning your ears and mind to keep up with rapid speech is just as important as trying to talk faster with your own faculties... You can't pick up the pace of a conversation abruptly if you can't make your own mind pick up it's pace to adapt and still process the new pace as input. SO there you have it, my top list of exercises to the things you asked about. I hope at least some of it helps. It WILL take time, but these are all good ways to devote energy to improve. ;o)
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  7. Just my experience, but most of the improper conversations don't seem to have any of these phrases either. ;o)
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  8. Using the "yes, but" phrase as a form of dismissal is not using the technique. The technique is used to determine a more comprehensive detail about ht e original statement. Dismissal is simply abusive. It's a form of passive aggression, and I tend to check right out of conversations with people like that. ;o)
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  9. Jokes aside... You DO know these get into your "recommended" because the algorithm is calculating your interests, not trying to judge you... right??? ;o)
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  10. In the meantime, it's worth pointing out that the BEST "deadpan" isn't actually deadpan... There's always a visible "cue" to the audience (whoever) that it's sarcastic... Among the best studies for this principle is "Fawlty Towers", a series by (and starring) John Cleese. He's an expert on the style... In Basil Fawlty, there's two parts to the humor to consider (just so you know going in)... 1. The "cue" to his deadpan style is "the blank stare", a pause during which you just KNOW that it's comedy... antics... However seriously "THE CHARACTER" means the line (or not), that's the point... it is still comedy. 2. The true fun isn't just watching Basil losing his mind every episode. It's about watching the other people AROUND Basil, who are bearing witness to Basil losing his mind every episode... What makes it a great study is the consistency, not just in fun... but in delivery. The jokes get varied, and the Characters introduced are relatively different. Even the precursors to disaster are different for the show, but the style is consistent, which makes it easier to functionally (independently) study so you can focus on the element(s) you want to learn most at the time... hope this helps. ;o)
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  11.  @TheApfelschale , THAT is why my favorite response stands at "Well, good thing I am not YOU, then. Right?" AND I punctuate by going and doing the thing that (whoever) would never do... simple as that. It's not rude. It's a statement of fact. They can follow through to BE rude, judgmental, or whatever on their own... AND I'm not responsible for their happiness, comfort, or lack thereof. If they're going to judge, let them F*** themselves, because I'm certainly NOT volunteering. ;o)
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  12. It's worth pointing out that at some level we ALL bear our masks to the general public. It would be silly and unsurvivable to do otherwise. However, while our physical growth "tops out" in our twenties or thirties, our mental and emotional growth continues throughout our lives. Every experience shapes and molds that growth in fairly predictable fashions. Through failures, shortcomings, and stumbling, we learn the things that do NOT work well. We begin to be able to predict things that won't end well. Through our successes, goals, accomplishments, and recoveries, we build our confidence and learn the things that DO work well. We shape our earlier misconceptions into newer and better, often more nuanced, prescriptions for making those adjustments to help things that probably won't end well, go not quite so badly, and for turning as many more into things that WILL go well. That NEVER EVER stops happening, until the day and very last syllable of breath escapes as we die. What Charlie teaches us, isn't a prescription for a new person. It's not even a method for recreating the persons we are. It's a directive for SHAPING the means of our growth in that intangible mental and emotional fashion. Finding these insights about psychology, charisma, meditation, self-control, and self-awareness is just a part of the litany of things we will use to shape our continued growth, by listing the possible solutions to such problems. They're not the only solutions, just the best ones Charlie and Ben can come up with "just now"... AND among the litany of others out there, in various forms, we add to our CHOICES of ways to handle life's many different faults, obstacles, and problems as we continue to shamble forward learning as we go. SO I'd have to posit, "No". It's not exactly a mask, nor a charade. It's not fake, though the first attempts at action often have a modicum of fakery to them... That old "fake it until you make it" methodology coming to usefulness at least from time to time. Rather, we EVOLVE anyway... AND these videos, philosophical or psychological as such, help us to pay attention and at opportunity to take control of the SHAPING of that EVOLUTION as we're experiencing it anyway. ;o)
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  13. Just stagger up to a couple, while they're holding hands... Blink each eye in turns a few times as if you're struggling to figure out which one works or not... Don't forget to wobble dangerously without falling right over... Then look up and down the person who matches your gender, and say, "Nice shoes, you wanna f***?"... PUKE all over the ground splattering as far and wide as possible and then fall (or dive) into the middle of it and pretend to go to sleep. Works every time. ;o)
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  14. That interviewer stepped right into one of the pitfalls of interviewing... He presumed that it's somehow a reporter's duty to make interviewees uncomfortable. There's a fairly popular myth that "Good reporters ask hard questions"... AND that's not exactly the way it works. Watch a bunch of interviews, both great and awful, and you'll notice the best interviewers made the space feel comfortable enough for the interviewees to open up. Some interviewees even gave up unsolicited personal information without even being asked... ...not because a reporter kept probing... ...but because the interviewee felt safe in revealing. If you're asking someone difficult questions, you have to be careful. It's easy to cause them to "clam up" and just refuse to share anything anymore... and even the hardest boiled detective runs out of tricks when the communication just gets cut off. Your "subject" can't be lying to you so you can read anything if he doesn't say anything at all. One sides conversations get you nowhere... and they don't take their time about it. ...remember that. ;o)
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  15. 1. Scream something completely inappropriate... 2. Pause for dramatic effect (2-3 seconds average, but may vary) 3. Laugh hysterically With a little practice and experimentation, this technique can rescue you from even the most awkward of moments. :o)
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  16. There's difference between being frank and genuine about your acts of virtue and shamelessly bragging about it for social power or other self promotion.We humans can recognize it on instinct... sometimes t takes a while to notice, but we DO notice. ;o)
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  17. Just going to say, I'm not sold all together on "pseudo-listening"... Most people have at some point or other done that, pretending to listen to the ongoing when they're either distracted by more personal issues, or just glass-eyed for the substance and trying not to be rude about it... It's still dubious, and can go far enough as to be worth "flagging"... Pseudo-reading, on the other hand, might be particularly telling... since this indicates someone actually motivated enough to seek out the substance of a longer-term convo' AND actually has time to read (say, in a forum or Cancer Section, for example) AND think clearly about the subject involved, even do a bit of research (I don't know, maybe Scroogle something to find reference?) before the blatant response of hypocritical or obtuse and often non sequitur textual assault. This practice would smack more seriously (to me at least) of a clearly motivated mental disorder "hell bent" on dissuading folks from taking up a subject or point of view he/she doesn't agree with... or just wants to squash for a feeling of self-serving power and control. ;o)
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  18. 1(aka favorite) I was doin' alright earlier, but I've gotten over it. -note: It's worth pointing out that you CAN replace "earlier" with some respective time of day, preferably one somewhere BEFORE the conversation's start, if you want to sound remotely intelligent. 2. A man comes into this world naked, wet, and near starvin', and it only goes downhill after that. Why do you want to know? 3. Well... (long ragged sigh)... let me tell you... -note: this is actually an effective hypnosis technique. As soon as the performance is accomplished well, considering slumped shoulders, and a truly depressed expression... the "target" will glass eyes over, and immediately start to lose conscious awareness of any and every thing around him/her. Elipsis is intended to display the dramatic pauses in placement, and you're just going to have to "read the target" best for best results by duration, and proper timing. Timbre and tonal controls of the voice should also be implemented for just the extra complements to a dutifully depressing series of events (which should be truthful, if not precisely relevant time-wise) in order to further compound the effect. With a bit of luck (tongue in cheek) and some rehearsal, you should be able to reach truly comatose in about ten minutes of storycraft and improv'... though some stalwart souls may be able to endure this "psychic attack" for upwards of half an hour. ;o)
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  19. Don't mind hard work... Just prefer not to work against myself or to "invent work" for myself. Getting all hard at it for something useless is still a waste, a "Lose" scenario. ;o)
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  20.  @ingevonschneider5100  It starts by taking "the big picture" of something you can't do (yet) and breaking it down. Everything that anyone does or has ever done is a series of steps... SO identify those steps. If needed, do the research to find out if there are steps you're not aware of, and get aware of them, building a complete list of steps to accomplish "the thing you can't do" (yet). Then you start practicing the first step. Whether you do it and undo it and do it again, repeat it a few times, to be sure you understand everything about it. Follow through with the next step, and the next... until you find a step you can't seem to figure out (yet)... AND it might be time to get back to the books, check out another tutorial site, or just ask someone who knows how to do it better than you do... Don't forget to take notes in any of those cases. Seeing it, reading it, writing down a shorthand version, and reviewing it are all forms of repetition, which is a cornerstone of learning. Get back and practice the step you find most troublesome. When you finally manage (and with perseverance you will) to get this thing done once, go back and do it again. Focus on trying to do it easier and better than the first time around. Repeat... Remember to add extra focus and repetition to those things you have trouble with. You should focus on those, BECAUSE they're difficult... instead of dreading anything to do with them, or avoiding them for being difficult. Given enough repetition, they will get easier. You may never really enjoy them, but that's not the point. Every job or project has some parts that you just don't find "fun". That just shouldn't make it any more difficult for not being fun. It should just be a step or two here and there are "more of a chore" than others... nothing more. When your new-found skill-set has become just about second nature, you can go back to your list of things you can't do (yet), and take on the next pick... Break it down into fundamental steps, and repeat this process, conquering the next difficult thing you didn't think you'd ever be able to do. Finally, remember, the only reason something hasn't been done, might well be because YOU haven't done it yet. Don't forget to breathe... relax... especially between frustrations. I believe in you. ;o)
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  21. Just my experience, and a handful of statistics from a few federal databases, BUT... Guns tend to be useless in circumstances with less than twenty feet or so of range. ;o)
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  22. Meditation can certainly help... BUT there's a lot to be said about what you focus meditation upon, while ridding your mind of "useless monkey chatter". There's a point where embracing an emptiness has to be replaced with refined focus and rumination, or you short-change yourself for the benefits you could experience. There's also more benefits from a practiced meditation, rather than simply quiet meditation. Practices like Yoga, or Tai Chi will enhance your balance and coordination while you meditate, making the slowed deliberate motions more natural to your body and easier to carry on naturally, too. It is a kind of pity, that a lot of people aren't even aware that Tai Chi and Yoga were meant as a form of meditation practice... not just a series of stretches and "old people's martial arts" exercise... BUT such is life. AND no, you don't necessarily have to work through the prescribed sets according to one or another school... Simply adopting the philosophy and finding your own way can be a benefit. Obviously, if it's available to you, getting some direction (from a qualified teacher) has it's own benefits. I wouldn't discourage it. At the same time, "you gotta start somewhere". ;o)
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  23. Old thread, but... what the hell... I'm certainly not against "light teasing"... BUT I can't fault Charlie on the passive-aggressiveness of "ignoring" it either. In my own experience, a friend of mine was getting the teasing over his choice of Philosophy as a major, and the question was posed in a more collective tone, "...open a philosophy store?" To whit, before my friend had a response, I shrugged, and retorted, "No, but Bartending is a three-week course, and yields an average $40/hr, right up the road at a place where I know the owner... Philosophy helps with the general attitudes and therapy people want but refuse to pay for, so I'm figuring as an informal therapist at the last bastion of legal drug abuse, I'll pull an easy 120K a year... How's your Art History Major???" AND my friend (the ACTUAL Philosophy major was nearly on the floor laughing so hard)... While the Art History Major stammered a few seconds, turned brilliant shades of red and then evacuated the conversation. ;o)
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  24.  @alysiamerdavid-wasser9165  true enough. Whenever confronted with "Don't you trust me?" phrasing, I've generally just shrugged and responded, "I don't even know you." ;o)
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  25. Lesson in life.. look for another job first. ;o)
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  26. I don't know, Charlie. I find someone saying "Hey..." and then lingering to be an opportunity. I usually respond with, "Hay's for horses... but if you put enough salt on it... I guess..." AND then shrug kinda blankly. ;o)
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  27.  Jake Watson , when you feel personally attacked by a sentiment about some random percentage of the general population, maybe YOU should go back to your own research and try looking the terms up to be sure you are NOT guilty as hell...  ...as opposed to protesting and painting yourself as OBVIOUSLY GUILTY AS HELL. ;o)
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  28. I don't know... Like "Why the hell can't we?"... Seriously, I've intro'ed with "Hi... I'm Lucifer, Morning Star, but my friends call me Lucy, for short..." AND it's a great ice breaker... People crack up, and usually respond with "Okay, but what's your real name?" AND the convo' just goes from there. They get that I'm obviously screwing around... it's light conversation, or at least I'm not interested in probing more deeply than they're comfortable with... I've been "Lucy" for more than a few hours... to more than a few people. You can "come across" as just about anyone you want to be. Establish a character of yourself, the closer to the "truth", the better... BUT if you're going to fake it, fake it big... make a joke of it... and yourself. It takes confidence in yourself to do that, but it can pay off dividends. You might get awkward occasionally, but you can literally start a conversation (with someone interested in talking) with just about anything. JUST walk right up and say SOMETHING. ;o)
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  29.  @rexaustin2885 , that would be "execution". The actual pattern you develop for your execution of being confident will determine you coming across as confident or self-absorbed... or worse. The pattern you develop in being funny will determine your style of funny. There are many. Mix well, and you can keep them rolling, improve on the few that work best for you, and you can quell the argumentation any moment at will. Miss, and you come across as insensitive and even sadistic or bitter in your sarcastic retorts. Commitment and courage to develop your pattern of honesty will determine whether you're actually honest and authentic or sadistically open with a nasty disposition for exposing everyone to their own worst and darkest personal desires, shortcomings, or outright faults... including your own. There's a lot to be said for discretion being the better part of valor. ;o)
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  30. As mentioned "weaselly words" (you'll find a lot from the YT "writing community") is a good start. There are also a PLETHORA of "logical fallacies" in political rhetoric. That's where the BIG picture really comes into focus. Most politicians don't communicate. They "obfuscate" instead... That's a process of making things more confusing, vague, and less sensible with every possible breath. AND THEY ALL DO THIS... From outright fraudulent comparisons to poorly referenced graphs and bad scales of issues, they've weaponized rhetorical speak with fallacies the way the rest of us are constantly warned to strip down our "wordy sentences" to their essence and then ONLY add in what will actually build each sentence in meaning and function. Then there's the use of plain old "filler", of which English is particularly egregiously loaded. These are words that don't add or take away any meaning particularly, so they don't do anything destructive to the sentence or even in the paragraph, but they don't do anything CONSTRUCTIVE either... only adding bulk and syllables to the speech. Finally, there's the rhythm with which a politician or other public obfuscator speaks. Timbre is the technical term for it, but including the rise and fall of intonations, the timbre of one's speech can also be utilized for an exciting, enraging, or even a hypnotic effect. Slowing the ordinary patterns of enunciation down a little with a steady and fluid rise and fall will relax the mental "muscles" of those listening, and lull them to a false complacency, making them open to the sudden realization of a huge passage of time that's otherwise (information wise, for instance) unaccounted for. Embarrassed for not having "learned" anything, this leaves the crowd little choice but a polite respect for the speaker, even if this hypnotic effect and time loss is entirely intentional. You might be able to find some additional helpful hints and innuendo under "Pontification" as the over-all technique used by politicians and many others to speak at great length and sound really important while not accurately communicating much of a damn thing. ;o)
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  31. @Vikalp Saxena "No cause is hopeless, so long as there's still one fool willing to fight for it." I can't recall where I heard that, but it seems to fit. I suspect you're talking about a fundraising kind of idea... and yes, it can be significantly good enough to move forward. It's probably not going to look like it "the first time out of the gate", though. That's only because nothing every looks viable "the first time out of the gate". You have to start somewhere. Okay, here's the thing. There are programs and systems out there trying to help with all facets of cancer treatment, research, and funding... If you have a "new business model" that can help, the only detail that's likely to trip you up is integrating it into what's already going on without too much "hell to play" as I like to put it. You still have to start somewhere... SO start small. Let it be a "slow burn" rather than pushing too much for a rising stardom "instantly". AND yes, it's dark out around here, but it's only about 7:30 PM and I stay up (usually) to in excess of 1 or 2 in the morning. Plenty of time. ;o)
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  32.  @colourofmage  Thanks, just kinda wish more people could see the difference. ;o)
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  33.  @Xymage  The good news is we may aspire, but don't have to comedians full time. "Hanging on a dead joke" is how the pro's even "die on stage". ;o)
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  34. Success Wheels... a couple points... for whatever they're worth. 1. Notes... I don't always need them, but your Summaries are useful to those of us who might prefer a text, something of notation... Whether I copy-paste to a document on my desktop, or physically scratch out the particulars on an old fashioned tablet for future purposes... It's nice knowing when I catch a good vid' that somewhere in the Comments, someone has thought well enough to post a short short version, so I can scroll down and grab it... Thanks. 2. Are you like Geralt, for being slow to react? (since so few have offered convo')... Not necessarily. You might be slow to react because you get "stuck" in the denial phase of dealing with whatever it is you have to react to. In that case, you may still appear (somewhat) more confident, when in fact, you're so busy with the argument in your head reaching "acceptance of reality" that you're a detriment to yourself (and possibly others). On the other hand, you can be more like him, by taking the time to determine what reaction is very precisely appropriate for the situation. It doesn't do a boxer any good (for instance) immediately whisking himself entirely across the ring from his opponent. It WILL get him away from the violent onslaught of being struck, but if he does more than necessary, it creates work for him to "get back inside"... Instead, the precisely appropriate move is to just move himself enough that he doesn't take the punch direct or flush. This allows him to return his own punches without the need to "get back inside". Ali was famous for this sort of work, and plenty of others are renowned "Counter-punchers" for being able to escape serious damage with little more than a shoulder-shrug, or shifting their balance from one foot to the other... returning a solid punch almost at the same instant. Taking the time to be decisive and deliberate in your reaction, can (in more instances than not) prove the wiser way of handling just about everything. So long as you don't WASTE that time. It's just my experience here, but I've found as I grew up that the first "knee-jerk" reaction was rarely the best choice of ways to react... Instead, refusing to respond explosively has allowed me the time to think it through, and make my responses imminently more reasonable, precise, and useful over both short and longer terms. As with anything, there's a certain amount of good judgment. Different situations allow different amounts of time to react, so as Wyatt Earp is often accused of saying , "Learn to take your time in a hurry." ;o)
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  35.  @mikaelnippers7189  Socrates' actual words were, "The only true knowledge is in knowing how little you truly know." I'm with Arianna on this one. Quite a few fellow philosophers of the time tried to proclaim him a fraud, as it was popular... AND in the time, socio-political climate was tough. He would ONLY have been a fraud had he not included himself in that sentiment. ;o)
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  36. ...and mold EVERYWHERE... ...and "sea legs" vs "land legs"... LOLZ!!! ...and sea sickness (even if you're the only one onboard who doesn't get it, you're grossed out) ...and salmonella... ... and a "crud" that comes from crowding too many people from across too many different territories geographically together on ONE boat... ...and a litany of other toxins, diseases, and unspeakable health hazards... ...and rogue waves from time to time... ...and international (geopolitical) crises that divert the ship and screw you out of the package vacation... ...and every chance to find out you're going somewhere that you're personally allergic to EVERYTHING.... ...AND for the record, yes, I've been in the Navy, so two med-cruises, a patrol to Africa's Atlantic (western) coast... ...mopping up TWA Flight 800... Guantanamo Bay Cuba... Puerto Rico (training)... It's worth saying I've spent sufficient time on a ship to know a little of what I'm talking about. ;o)
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  37.  Strelok , just my experience, but as I pointed out (and still stand by it), "those who gossip" are exactly the ones too infantile (immature) and normalize chattering on about EVERYTHING to EVERYONE. They normalize and even justify it in their relationships and break-ups entirely BECAUSE they don't want to face their own shortcomings. Way back in high-school, I wasn't so different a guy... I did plenty of similar things and made similar mistakes. BUT I grew the F*** up, and learned that you're not getting any more P***y by humiliating someone in front of others. Worse yet, if you LIE about whatever you've tried to denigrate them about, the lie will eventually get found out, and YOU look worse for it... not them. Some of us take near lifetimes to figure out how to be "cagey" and why "gentlemen do NOT kiss and tell" or what the hell Discretion is that makes it the better part of valor. Some of us learn quicker... A few either don't give a F*** (psycho's and narc's) OR they simply can't ever seem to learn it... and they'll consistently fall into that infantile or immature category. What's important to note here, is my terms... Specifically "Infantile", referring or insinuating to a level of maturity like an infant or toddler. It shows in those kinds of people, and in more things than gossip. Maybe that's not a perfect guide, but it's sure as hell a litany of red-flags when you learn to watch for it. ;o)
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  38. Then the right answer is "punch them in the throat" and walk away. Leave 'em laying... ;o)
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  39. @Vikalp Saxena Yes, but the scientific method is more repeated experimentation. It can be a dramatic shortcut, and avoid over-use of resources if one starts with research to see what else is already known about it first. Obviously, you shouldn't be afraid to tackle something that you don't have research material available about... BUT if at all possible, researching first would be the most advantageous means to the ends you seek. ;o)
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  40. Sorry to burst this bubble, but actually, you are INCORRECT about that.  Most of the time, due to hierarchy, a person tends to be agreeable to a boss's demands. BUT there are rarer instances when the boss is demanding something simply TOO ridiculous, obviously abusive of office... OR worse, as in my own case a couple of times, outright ILLEGAL... In which case, I heartily recommend not only a stern, "No, sir." but even the freedom to respond flat-out, "Go fuck yourself, sir." ...or even worse depending upon just how egregious the demand. The fact is, regardless of social climes or conditioning, we live in a society based on LAWS and RESPECT. The so-called "caving in" to demands over monetary gains absolutely must be weighed against the structure of that society and we individually must support it. This comes at a constant cost of personal responsibility. Regardless of a command or requirement, it is still the person receiving that command or requirement who must "pull the trigger" and commit to the deed itself. Otherwise, the courts asking "Why did you commit murder?" really CAN be answered with "I was just doing my job." OR perhaps, "Why did you commit MASS murder?" can be answered the same... ;o)
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  41.  @JamesRDavenport  You are correct, up to the point that he'd be fired in half the "professional interviewing circles" I've known... You get no points for not getting answers. THAT is basic "101 stuff" or even high school level. Some people can get by with being a bit of an asshat. Most of us can't... It's just worth pointing out, this guy has no excuse for not noticing how uncomfortable he was making the whole room... NOR does he deserve a pass for deviating so hard away from the promotion, when we ALL know that was the whole point of arranging the interview in the first place... "epic fail" Some bosses might let one screwed up interview pass... BUT not most of them, and certainly not this badly. ;o)
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  42.  @gigibiru913  Exactly my point. If someone is trying to employ the technique, but ends up using it as a dismissive measure, then it's still NOT using the technique. If someone sees it being used and turns it into "just a turn of phrase"... then TOO the thing isn't being employed. It's only being abused. ;o)
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  43. That would depend entirely on how you feel about the sport of dancing on the snouts of crocodilians with a barbecue pork-chop tied to your privates. ;o)
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  44. SOMEWHERE around here, it's worth pointing out that bullies tend not to get respect... AND for the TV-history fan's... I'd actually cite "The Andy Griffith Show"... Sheriff Andy Taylor grew popularity as the Sheriff who didn't carry a gun... as in ever. He handled them from time to time when it was only too prudent to do so. He wasn't afraid of them. AND on more than one episode, he explained his reasoning. "You see, if I carry a gun everywhere, I have to wonder if the people I meet actually respect me and the badge I wear... OR if they only fear the gun I carry. I'd much rather they respect me as a man, and their sheriff. I don't want anyone to have to fear me for the gun I wear." -Sheriff Andy Taylor, Mayberry, NC... AND finally, just on that same line of logic, "respect vs. fear"... We (out in "the sticks") have a word for the kind of person who has to carry a firearm everywhere he/she goes, all day, every day... "Coward". ;o)
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  45. Actually... I'd suggest it's a bit deeper seeded in society than the obvious "surface faults" of politicians and "bad parents" (frankly so old it's a lame excuse)... The whole PC-movement has taken the roots of "decency" or "good manners" and allowed narcissistic P.O.S.'s to twist them into a "forced butt-kiss" in every possible social interaction, or demeaned and insulted (even humiliated) anyone who dares step slightly "out of line". The popular notion that "anger is ugly, and therefore always inappropriate" does nothing but repress, Repress, AND REPRESS... until everyone with an otherwise normal and healthy psychology, is reduced to a toxic stew of negativity that spouts at the slightest notion, the proverbial "drop of a hat"... AND now, we get blessed with "trigger warnings" and our schools are inundated with asinine requirements, from "safe spaces" to indefensible "gender re-identity"... Keep this up and even the biggest college campus is going to be NOTHING but bathrooms! It's always been considered relatively uncouth or undignified and "vulgar" to swear or spew insults at the top of one's voice. It doesn't need to change today, BUT what has changed is the irrational ideal that these things are NEVER remotely appropriate. Similarly, it's supposedly never appropriate to punch someone in the nose... So what if this "someone" is already attacking you or someone you care about? On vulgarity, a verbal assault is STILL assault. Psychologically, there's no difference to how your brain and emotional state is programmed to "handle" or "process" the event. It feels just as violating to be assaulted with horrible insults and filth as it does to be viciously and violently attacked. Just because you're not suddenly bleeding to death in a broken heap, it doesn't mean you didn't just get attacked and violated. ...BUT the "Politically Correct" will tell you that it's best to be quiet and stalwart and "take it like a man"... Which is what? Cringing and crying like a coward? ...OR stand up and return fire? Sometimes, it IS appropriate, even if it is NEVER particularly "good looking" or "attractive". AND it's simply NOT EVER healthy to choke it down and suppress it. That only builds up stress, and stress will kill you faster than a bullet... BUT the narcissists and sociopaths will ALWAYS tilt the scales. Why??? Because that's HOW they win. They CAN NOT functionally feel emotions or process anything. SO demeaning anyone who CAN wins their fight for them... AND THAT is how the perverted ideal of a "PC" culture is leading us into this horribly toxic societal structure of psycho's and sociopaths leading the "two party charade" and dragging the rest of us down with them. SO you're on the right track, but you'd best pick up your pace. The oncoming train is going to run you all over. ;o)
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  46.  @macberry4048  Yeah, it's sort of like that... only worse. See, most people can't see blood at all... two... three seconds in, and they're GONE (from one symptom or other)... Sea-sickness, however, is just a little different. Most people can handle the rocking for even a couple hours... It's only after most of a day you figure out "uh oh... this ain't for me..." Worse yet, there are some who can handle it the first time or two out... a whole cruise NO PROBLEM... The second cruise, for whatever reason... Six months straight tossing cookies... Usually, even most who "are sensitive" can recover. In a few days (less than a week in most cases) their brains catch up to the way a boat moves ALL the time, and they quit getting so sick... and that's it. In fact, 98% of them only experience the worst symptoms for about three days, tops... Hot tips? Okay... 1 Eat crackers... not necessarily saltines (especially not ALL the time)... but crackers, grahams, whole wheat, whatever... or dry bread and toast a LOT, so it soaks up the fluid bouncing around in your stomach. This reduces the stress in your gut so your body can handle the general motions of the ocean without it getting any worse than necessary. 2 Get outside... This has two reasons, so long as it's not such obnoxious weather than you're putting health or physical well being at risk... First, fresh air is FAR better on your olfactory (nose) senses than a constant stink of vomit... and there's a near infinite sea to chuck your last meal into without too much real harm. Second, keeping your eye to the horizon will start to bring your brain's faulty functions back toward harmony... Here's the thing. Seasickness, mostly, is what comes about as your brain is receiving what it considers "bad" information. The boat's motions aren't like land or any other vessel, and so your equilibrium (inner ear) is saying one thing, while your insides (stomach contents) are shifting around for another... AND your visual cortex (eyes) are watching something that makes different sense from what your brain expects to process... AND it gets "overloaded"... Not having processed all this much different information so fast before, it starts shifting priorities and eventually, falling behind, you start to feel uncomfortable... usually with bouts of serious nausea first (because we humans like to have something in our stomachs about all the time)... Watching the horizon as much as you can, helps to judge your actual uprightness and balance, decreasing (if not eliminating) the need for so much processing strain... so stepping outside to watch the horizon and learn that function of "gaining sea legs" can greatly reduce the terms and time suffered under seasickness... Those "motion sickness" drugs, actually, are only effective if you start taking them a day or more BEFORE you get underway... SO... why share this with you? You obviously fell asleep to the gentle rocking of a pleasant (if dubiously monotonous) ship... right? You may have reason to share this knowledge with others later... and it might help with a cruise with kids involved. (even if they're not your own) A piece of kind advice that can really help a pair of tormented parents can be the difference between a family vacation ruined, and a lesson in life, but a great success... not to mention YOUR chance to be a "hero" even to only four or five folks. ...and I've given enough grief to Marines and Fellow Navy struggling with the bouncing around of a flat-bottomed "gator freighter" back in the 90's... Maybe it's worth sharing this font of useful help online so others might find something helpful... even just that tip about STARTING THE DEMEROL BEFORE YOU'RE ON THE DAMN BOAT!!! LOLZ... ;o)
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  47. It's worth pointing out that on rare occasions, 2+2 CAN=5 for very large values of 2. ;o)
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  48. Don't forget to stay weird out there! ;o)
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  49. If you absolutely have that irrevocable urge to blurt out "Fine"... Do so with a bit of gusto and something imaginative suffixially appended. "I'm finer 'n a frog's hair!" "I'm fine as rice wine." (more comically> "I'm fine as turpentine." ;o)
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  50. It's worth pointing out that there's a difference between being a bit nerdy... or liking something stereotypically nerdy... and setting yourself up to be a life-long social reject... It's okay to have a hobby like TTRPG's (like D&D) but you should probably have more than JUST D&D that's "cool" to you... or fun to do. Nothing wrong with video games, and I've played just about all the "dangerous" games through the 90's and into the early 2000's... BUT you should also probably be capable of having a reasonable discussion about more than games or comics or whatever else you might be intensely tempted to "geek out" about. Obviously, the 30-something shut-in who hasn't showered in a week or combed his hair in a month isn't going to win any popularity contests... When you've passed the intensity from fandom to full on addiction, it's a problem, and you should address it as such. AND if it's not a "problem", then you have nothing to be ashamed of or embarrassed about. ;o)
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