Random Comments/Stream of Consciousness Thread

[carlosdetweiller]

DISCLAIMER: This post is not directed at any one individual or related posts....

Is it just me or has the level of sensitivity regarding opinions, posts, feedback, etc been escalated as of late? Specifically over the course of the last six months?

Simply an observation from an outsiders perspective. As you know, I don't post nearly as much as I have done in the past. Just seems like a lot of walking on egg shells in response to not knowing how one will react.

Again, not directed at anyone. Simply the site in general.

If everyone disagrees, I will crawl back in my hole and surface again with the BIG REVEAL at a later date!

I have said this before but I will say it again. When I first got on the internet back in the 1990's I stumbled on to the usenet (I think that is the right term) message board "alt.books.stephen_king" I was a definite newby and that place could be brutal. This site is like a Disney movie compared to that site. There were some posters (one named Dani.K, but there were others) who were just laying in the bushes waiting for someone to argue with. You had to put your mental armor on and be absolutely certain of your facts before you posted anything or their wrath would descend on you. It could be very intimidating, especially to someone as green as I was, but it seemed to be the best internet site at the time so I learned to have a tough skin and try to hold my own with them. Another group (SKEMERs) came along a bit later but it was too saccharine sweet for me and I never did much with them. I kind of miss the old days on alt.books.stephen_king but you really had to learn to stand up to the bullies.

Peter Straub used to visit the site and post frequently. On the subject of The Talisman Peter said that he and King tried to imitate each others writing styles so that years later neither could be sure what they wrote and what the other wrote. There was one poster named Robert Whelan who argued for weeks and weeks with Peter that he could tell (even when Peter said he couldn't). Peter told me years later that the guy just wore him down and he admitted to writing a particular passage just to shut him up and end the argument.

"Flame wars" were an everyday occurrence. Uncomfortable but there was never a dull moment. In comparison this site is pretty tame.

[webstar1000]

DISCLAIMER: This post is not directed at any one individual or related posts....

Is it just me or has the level of sensitivity regarding opinions, posts, feedback, etc been escalated as of late? Specifically over the course of the last six months?

Simply an observation from an outsiders perspective. As you know, I don't post nearly as much as I have done in the past. Just seems like a lot of walking on egg shells in response to not knowing how one will react.

Again, not directed at anyone. Simply the site in general.

If everyone disagrees, I will crawl back in my hole and surface again with the BIG REVEAL at a later date!

I have said this before but I will say it again. When I first got on the internet back in the 1990's I stumbled on to the usenet (I think that is the right term) message board "alt.books.stephen_king" I was a definite newby and that place could be brutal. This site is like a Disney movie compared to that site. There were some posters (one named Dani.K, but there were others) who were just laying in the bushes waiting for someone to argue with. You had to put your mental armor on and be absolutely certain of your facts before you posted anything or their wrath would descend on you. It could be very intimidating, especially to someone as green as I was, but it seemed to be the best internet site at the time so I learned to have a tough skin and try to hold my own with them. Another group (SKEMERs) came along a bit later but it was too saccharine sweet for me and I never did much with them. I kind of miss the old days on alt.books.stephen_king but you really had to learn to stand up to the bullies.

Peter Straub used to visit the site and post frequently. On the subject of The Talisman Peter said that he and King tried to imitate each others writing styles so that years later neither could be sure what they wrote and what the other wrote. There was one poster named Robert Whelan who argued for weeks and weeks with Peter that he could tell (even when Peter said he couldn't). Peter told me years later that the guy just wore him down and he admitted to writing a particular passage just to shut him up and end the argument.

"Flame wars" were an everyday occurrence. Uncomfortable but there was never a dull moment. In comparison this site is pretty tame.

Love the stories you tell my man.... just love em.

[Sir_Boomme]

DISCLAIMER: This post is not directed at any one individual or related posts....

Is it just me or has the level of sensitivity regarding opinions, posts, feedback, etc been escalated as of late? Specifically over the course of the last six months?

Simply an observation from an outsiders perspective. As you know, I don't post nearly as much as I have done in the past. Just seems like a lot of walking on egg shells in response to not knowing how one will react.

Again, not directed at anyone. Simply the site in general.

If everyone disagrees, I will crawl back in my hole and surface again with the BIG REVEAL at a later date!

I have said this before but I will say it again. When I first got on the internet back in the 1990's I stumbled on to the usenet (I think that is the right term) message board "alt.books.stephen_king" I was a definite newby and that place could be brutal. This site is like a Disney movie compared to that site. There were some posters (one named Dani.K, but there were others) who were just laying in the bushes waiting for someone to argue with. You had to put your mental armor on and be absolutely certain of your facts before you posted anything or their wrath would descend on you. It could be very intimidating, especially to someone as green as I was, but it seemed to be the best internet site at the time so I learned to have a tough skin and try to hold my own with them. Another group (SKEMERs) came along a bit later but it was too saccharine sweet for me and I never did much with them. I kind of miss the old days on alt.books.stephen_king but you really had to learn to stand up to the bullies.

Peter Straub used to visit the site and post frequently. On the subject of The Talisman Peter said that he and King tried to imitate each others writing styles so that years later neither could be sure what they wrote and what the other wrote. There was one poster named Robert Whelan who argued for weeks and weeks with Peter that he could tell (even when Peter said he couldn't). Peter told me years later that the guy just wore him down and he admitted to writing a particular passage just to shut him up and end the argument.

"Flame wars" were an everyday occurrence. Uncomfortable but there was never a dull moment. In comparison this site is pretty tame.

I have a hard time imagining you in a flame war Bob.... you're just to darn nice a guy...

me on the other hand... total a-hole... I'll argue with myself for the fun of it.... nothing like the satisfaction of a long term friend de-friending me on Facebook because they didn't have the legs to stand on in a friendly debate.

Guess that's why I'm single, huh. I probably should find a girl with no legs to begin with... that way she couldn't out run me when the "debating" starts

[Ben Staad]

me on the other hand... total a-hole...

Agreed...

[wolfehr]

Thanks for sharing that story carlosdetweiller! Very nostalgic to read about usenet groups, and very cool anecdote about the SK collecting community back in the day.

[jreitan47]

Hope this is okay to post here, seemed the most appropriate off topic thread to do so.

For those who don't know, I was away from the boards and collecting in general for a few years because I was diagnosed with AIDS. Something I'm very open about and don't mind sharing as it's been a journey, but one in which I've been able to help other people by being open and honest. Five years ago, I got very sick and was given only 6 months to live in which I went through some hard times and had to sell everything. Since then I've overcame many hurdles and my health has improved and I'm still here today. Several of you were aware of all this, but many might not know that I also host a big HIV/AIDS fundraiser in my community of Salem, Oregon for the past eight years. We've given away nearly $100,000 to area charities from summer camps to kids living with HIV, hospices, prevention programs and assistance groups in rural areas in Oregon.

This weekend I will be producing my 8th and final HIV/AIDS fundraiser for the community in which I hope to bring in $30,000 for our benefiting charities (Oregon AIDS Memorial and HIV Alliance). We are already at nearly $25,000 raised and was just given a matching donation of up to $500 if raised in the next few days through our online donation site. I know I don't know a lot of you yet because of my absence, but some of you go back to when I began collecting over 10 years ago. If you have some cash to spare..even $10 or $20, your donation will go to the building of the Memorial for the 5,000+ people who have passed away in Oregon, and will serve 500+ Oregonians living with HIV/AIDS. If you'd like to donate, please visit the link here: http://www.tinyurl.com/redribbon2015. Many thanks in advance!

[TCCBodhi]

Thanks for sharing, Jonathan. I'm HIV Neg myself, but my husband has been living with HIV for 20+ years. His "numbers" were bad enough when we began dating in '98 that he likely had less than a year, but we decided to make the most of it. Thankfully the new gen of HIV meds came online and before very long he had gone from hopeless to undetectable, and has been for around 15 years now! Pretty amazing medicine, though VERY expensive and hard on the liver/kidneys. W wouldn't often have had access to the meds without our various state and city HIV organizations. They operate on shoestring budgets, mostly from private and corporate grants and are ALWAYS scrimping and saving to provide meds to those that need them, provide outreach programs, keep food pantry shelves stocked and run the dozens of other programs that they usually run. PLEASE consider donating to J's Oregon group, but don't forget to also donate to your own local groups. Chances are 100% that they need it too and will put it to good use!

I'm sad that you got rid of your original collections, which I'm sure included some one of a kind artwork; but now you get the chance to have the thrill of recollecting all of those items all over again! That is kind of exciting too! I've only recently ramped up my collecting as I was from DT2 through DT7 strictly focused on that, and didn't have the money anyway to expand to other collecting goals.

[Sir_Boomme]

me on the other hand... total a-hole...

Agreed...

yep... but at least I'm good at it.
Bwah ha ha ha

[herbertwest]

Hope this is okay to post here, seemed the most appropriate off topic thread to do so.

For those who don't know, I was away from the boards and collecting in general for a few years because I was diagnosed with AIDS. Something I'm very open about and don't mind sharing as it's been a journey, but one in which I've been able to help other people by being open and honest. Five years ago, I got very sick and was given only 6 months to live in which I went through some hard times and had to sell everything. Since then I've overcame many hurdles and my health has improved and I'm still here today. Several of you were aware of all this, but many might not know that I also host a big HIV/AIDS fundraiser in my community of Salem, Oregon for the past eight years. We've given away nearly $100,000 to area charities from summer camps to kids living with HIV, hospices, prevention programs and assistance groups in rural areas in Oregon.

This weekend I will be producing my 8th and final HIV/AIDS fundraiser for the community in which I hope to bring in $30,000 for our benefiting charities (Oregon AIDS Memorial and HIV Alliance). We are already at nearly $25,000 raised and was just given a matching donation of up to $500 if raised in the next few days through our online donation site. I know I don't know a lot of you yet because of my absence, but some of you go back to when I began collecting over 10 years ago. If you have some cash to spare..even $10 or $20, your donation will go to the building of the Memorial for the 5,000+ people who have passed away in Oregon, and will serve 500+ Oregonians living with HIV/AIDS. If you'd like to donate, please visit the link here: http://www.tinyurl.com/redribbon2015. Many thanks in advance!

Sorry John to hear that you had to go through all of this, and glad that you managed to turn your life around.
Hope you'll reach your donation target. I will personnally be giving, but locally in France but I am supporting your kind gestures.

[jreitan47]

Hope this is okay to post here, seemed the most appropriate off topic thread to do so.

For those who don't know, I was away from the boards and collecting in general for a few years because I was diagnosed with AIDS. Something I'm very open about and don't mind sharing as it's been a journey, but one in which I've been able to help other people by being open and honest. Five years ago, I got very sick and was given only 6 months to live in which I went through some hard times and had to sell everything. Since then I've overcame many hurdles and my health has improved and I'm still here today. Several of you were aware of all this, but many might not know that I also host a big HIV/AIDS fundraiser in my community of Salem, Oregon for the past eight years. We've given away nearly $100,000 to area charities from summer camps to kids living with HIV, hospices, prevention programs and assistance groups in rural areas in Oregon.

This weekend I will be producing my 8th and final HIV/AIDS fundraiser for the community in which I hope to bring in $30,000 for our benefiting charities (Oregon AIDS Memorial and HIV Alliance). We are already at nearly $25,000 raised and was just given a matching donation of up to $500 if raised in the next few days through our online donation site. I know I don't know a lot of you yet because of my absence, but some of you go back to when I began collecting over 10 years ago. If you have some cash to spare..even $10 or $20, your donation will go to the building of the Memorial for the 5,000+ people who have passed away in Oregon, and will serve 500+ Oregonians living with HIV/AIDS. If you'd like to donate, please visit the link here: http://www.tinyurl.com/redribbon2015. Many thanks in advance!

Sorry John to hear that you had to go through all of this, and glad that you managed to turn your life around.
Hope you'll reach your donation target. I will personnally be giving, but locally in France but I am supporting your kind gestures.

Thank you for the kind words. Yes, give locally please! This disease is obviously rampant in ALL parts and communities of the world right now!

[Merlin1958]

Hope this is okay to post here, seemed the most appropriate off topic thread to do so.

For those who don't know, I was away from the boards and collecting in general for a few years because I was diagnosed with AIDS. Something I'm very open about and don't mind sharing as it's been a journey, but one in which I've been able to help other people by being open and honest. Five years ago, I got very sick and was given only 6 months to live in which I went through some hard times and had to sell everything. Since then I've overcame many hurdles and my health has improved and I'm still here today. Several of you were aware of all this, but many might not know that I also host a big HIV/AIDS fundraiser in my community of Salem, Oregon for the past eight years. We've given away nearly $100,000 to area charities from summer camps to kids living with HIV, hospices, prevention programs and assistance groups in rural areas in Oregon.

This weekend I will be producing my 8th and final HIV/AIDS fundraiser for the community in which I hope to bring in $30,000 for our benefiting charities (Oregon AIDS Memorial and HIV Alliance). We are already at nearly $25,000 raised and was just given a matching donation of up to $500 if raised in the next few days through our online donation site. I know I don't know a lot of you yet because of my absence, but some of you go back to when I began collecting over 10 years ago. If you have some cash to spare..even $10 or $20, your donation will go to the building of the Memorial for the 5,000+ people who have passed away in Oregon, and will serve 500+ Oregonians living with HIV/AIDS. If you'd like to donate, please visit the link here: http://www.tinyurl.com/redribbon2015. Many thanks in advance!

My very best wishes to you, dude. I believe I can find a few sheckles to drop in the old bucket for your cause!!!

[Jay127]

So a random comment - I'm selling my house and buying a new one, which is forcing me to sell my most valuable books (prob via David at betts). But my new house, considering my interests and hobbies, at the corner of Library Lane and Cemetery road!

[Merlin1958]

So a random comment - I'm selling my house and buying a new one, which is forcing me to sell my most valuable books (prob via David at betts). But my new house, considering my interests and hobbies, at the corner of Library Lane and Cemetery road!

"Ka" of a sort?

[Jay127]

So a random comment - I'm selling my house and buying a new one, which is forcing me to sell my most valuable books (prob via David at betts). But my new house, considering my interests and hobbies, at the corner of Library Lane and Cemetery road!

"Ka" odf a sort?

Ha, love it, definitely ka

[Ben Staad]

LOL.

me on the other hand... total a-hole...

Agreed...

yep... but at least I'm good at it.
Bwah ha ha ha

[jreitan47]

Hope this is okay to post here, seemed the most appropriate off topic thread to do so.

For those who don't know, I was away from the boards and collecting in general for a few years because I was diagnosed with AIDS. Something I'm very open about and don't mind sharing as it's been a journey, but one in which I've been able to help other people by being open and honest. Five years ago, I got very sick and was given only 6 months to live in which I went through some hard times and had to sell everything. Since then I've overcame many hurdles and my health has improved and I'm still here today. Several of you were aware of all this, but many might not know that I also host a big HIV/AIDS fundraiser in my community of Salem, Oregon for the past eight years. We've given away nearly $100,000 to area charities from summer camps to kids living with HIV, hospices, prevention programs and assistance groups in rural areas in Oregon.

This weekend I will be producing my 8th and final HIV/AIDS fundraiser for the community in which I hope to bring in $30,000 for our benefiting charities (Oregon AIDS Memorial and HIV Alliance). We are already at nearly $25,000 raised and was just given a matching donation of up to $500 if raised in the next few days through our online donation site. I know I don't know a lot of you yet because of my absence, but some of you go back to when I began collecting over 10 years ago. If you have some cash to spare..even $10 or $20, your donation will go to the building of the Memorial for the 5,000+ people who have passed away in Oregon, and will serve 500+ Oregonians living with HIV/AIDS. If you'd like to donate, please visit the link here: http://www.tinyurl.com/redribbon2015. Many thanks in advance!

My very best wishes to you, dude. I believe I can find a few sheckles to drop in the old bucket for your cause!!!

Many thanks Merlin! Matching amount of up to $500 ends tomorrow!

[herbertwest]

Recently I read an article that intrigued me : "Mr. Know-It-All: Square Has a No-Tip Button. So Is It Extra-Rude to Not Tip?"
>>> http://www.wired.com/2015/08/mr-know-it-all-5/

I thought that it would probably make an interesting debate here

For me : no tip. I havent been raised in a house where we were going to restaurants nor going to places where the question could have been raised, so I guess that it's not in my nature. And I never really understood why people should tip. If the service was amazing, I get that some people WANT to tip. Otherwise, i've read that in some places it's sort of mandatory : for me no. I NEVER TIP. Not only because the service in Paris is usually bad, but... why should I give a tip to congratulate that the job has been done?
It's not the same kind of job, but I dont get tip because i've done my job (in computing).
If you claim that it's mandatory : NO. If it's not in the sales cost, no. I dont have to, and you'll piss me off by telling me that's it's mandatory because it aint. If you wanted to "force it", then increase your cost or you have no chance with me.
And no, I am no cheapsteak.

Any thoughts?

[jhanic]

Here in the US, servers are paid less than the minimum wage because they are expected to receive tips. Our Internal Revenue Service automatically assumes that a server receives 15% in tips (or unreported income) and their income tax is based on that. By not tipping, you may actually be causing the server to lose money! Not really fair, but that's the way it is here.

I usually tip servers at least 20% of the bill, and sometimes even more than that.

John

[Merlin1958]

Right or wrong, it is built into the waiter/waitress salary structure. Almost all are paid less hourly rage in anticipation of receiving tips for good service. I myself am not too cool with the "mandatory tips" I don't agree with that with the exception as to the size of the party angle. Generally, I am a very good tipper, but the server has to earn it.

[wolfehr]

I'm also against tipping because it's not an equitable system, but tend to tip well anyway because I live in the US and don't feel it's fair to punish the person receiving the tip for a system they can't control. Freakonomics has had some interesting podcasts/blog posts about the inequality involved with tipping and puts forth a compelling argument to ban it.


Should Tipping Be Banned? A New Freakonomics Radio Podcast (there's a link to the transcript)

Our latest podcast is called “Should Tipping Be Banned?” (You can download/subscribe at iTunes, get the RSS feed, or listen via the media player above. You can also read the transcript; it includes credits for the music you’ll hear in the episode.)

As we all know, the practice of tipping can be awkward, random, and confusing. This episode tries to offer some clarity. At its center is Cornell professor Michael Lynn, who has written 51 academic papers on tipping. A few examples:

• “Are Christian/Religious People Poor Tippers?”
• “Sweetening the Till: The Use of Candy to Increase Restaurant Tipping”
• “Determinants and Consequences of Female Attractiveness and Sexiness: Realistic Tests with Restaurant Waitresses”
• “National Personality and Tipping Customs”

Because Lynn has largely built his career around tipping, it came as a bit of a surprise when Stephen Dubner asked him what he would change about the practice:

LYNN: You know, I think I would outlaw it.

Why ban tipping? Lynn has found that tipping, as currently practiced in the U.S., is in fact discriminatory. If that’s not enough to make you dislike tipping, consider what Magnus Torfason, from the Harvard Business School, has to say:

TORFASON: The more tipping you see in a given country, the more corruption you generally see in that country as well.

You’ll also hear from a New York lawyer named Justin Swartz on the legality of tipping; Jay Porter, the owner of the San Diego restaurant The Linkery, where tipping is forbidden; and from people from all over the country who work for tips — as they dish on their strategies to make more money. (Thanks to radio producers Marc Sanchez, Colin Weatherby, Avishay Artsy and Kaitlin Prest for recording.)

Finally in this episode, you’ll hear how Steve Levitt and Stephen Dubner dole out their dough.

Another good related article from freakonomics... The Racial Tipping Point

[Rachel Readman]

Here in the UK it is not the norm to tip, it is not expected of you though in some places it is becoming more common. Even if you do tip, many restaurant owners take the money away from the waiters and they never get their tips. Some restaurants have it stated on the menu that a service charge is or is not included in the prices. Other places, all the tips go into a fund and are then divided up equally among the waiting staff either weekly, monthly or sometimes they will use it all to pay for a Christmas/end of year party or similar.

My opinion is that tips shouldn't be necessary, people should be paid a good hourly/realistic living wage and they should provide the expected service. If people are paid well and treated well then they will put in the effort to do a good job and be loyal to the business. Prices should have any service charges included in the price. If I choose to tip on top of the stated inclusive price then the money should go to the waiter/waitress I intended it for. It should not be kept by the greedy restaurant owners or divided among other staff as this is unfair or blatant theft IMO.

[biomieg]

100% the same here, Rachel.

[Randall Flagg]

Tips are a part of USA structure. Some (probably not all) of the jobs where the worker depends on tips for their living are:

• Waiter/waitress/bartender at restaurants other than "fast food" establishments. 15% for competent service. 20-25% for extraordinary service.
• Taxi driver. 10-15%
• Uber driver (very very voluntary, and still being determined)??%
• Porter at airport doing curbside check-in. $5 per bag.
• Hotel baggage porter (not curbside, but to room). $3+ per bag.

If someone comes to the USA and doesn't tip, they are CHEAP. I would say ignorant, but I'm sure most travelers are aware of tipping practices in the U.S. When I travel to another country, I try to check as to what if any tip is ordinary and customary. I build that into the cost of the trip.

[Sir_Boomme]

Tips are a part of USA structure. Some (probably not all) of the jobs where the worker depends on tips for their living are:

• Waiter/waitress/bartender at restaurants other than "fast food" establishments. 15% for competent service. 20-25% for extraordinary service.
• Taxi driver. 10-15%
• Uber driver (very very voluntary, and still being determined)??%
• Porter at airport doing curbside check-in. $5 per bag.
• Hotel baggage porter (not curbside, but to room). $3+ per bag.

If someone comes to the USA and doesn't tip, they are CHEAP. I would say ignorant, but I'm sure most travelers are aware of tipping practices in the U.S. When I travel to another country, I try to check as to what if any tip is ordinary and customary. I build that into the cost of the trip.

all I know is... I must have way-over tipped my cab driver in Rome... he wrote down his personal number and told me to call him day or night...anytime if I needed another ride ha ha.

but then... so did the cab driver in Bangor... guess I'm a sucker when it comes to tipping.

[Sir_Boomme]

and believe me, you don't even know what my tip overhead is at a strip club...