Off Topic Thread 5.0

jacothelad · 07-10-2020 7:54pm

You have nothing to fear from Covid except an eye-wateringly large medical bill to get treatment like mine, insists Donald Trump

Donald Trump has told the American public they have nothing to fear from COVID, except an astronomically large medical bill if they are to get the same level of treatment he was lucky enough to receive.
President Trump, who received a number of expensive drugs and a revolutionary antibody treatment given to less than a dozen patients in the country so far, said the average American should not fear a virus that can be easily defeated with just two or three hundred thousand dollars worth of medical care.
“There’s really nothing to it folks,” Trump told the public while struggling not to cough on the White House balcony.

07-10-2020 11:05pm

Just to add to 2020, my oldest friend was explaining to me last night why the holocaust isn't real. I can't be dealing with this.

CatFromHue · 07-10-2020 11:13pm

I hope you countered their argument but arguing that they weren't real!

molloyjh · 08-10-2020 7:25am

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Just to add to 2020, my oldest friend was explaining to me last night why the holocaust isn't real. I can't be dealing with this.

I can't get over how much traction that has gotten in relatively recent times. Having been to Dachau & met one of the survivors of that awful place I dont think I could listen to that from someone I know without violent reaction.

aloooof · 08-10-2020 8:04am

Pretty concerning stuff from NPHET last night. I thought they spoke very clearly, with an excellent amount of detail. Seemed in direct contrast to the emotive appearance from Leo on Claire Byrne. Really felt it made his "not thought through" comment look pretty foolish, tbh.

Guinness RFC · 08-10-2020 8:55am

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Just to add to 2020, my oldest friend was explaining to me last night why the holocaust isn't real. I can't be dealing with this.

Wouldn’t surprise me there are plenty of anti semites in Ireland.

errlloyd · 08-10-2020 9:46am

kuang1 wrote: »

I take it you enjoyed "the social dilemma" then Venjur?

Sorry everyone for banging on about this documentary yet again, but a must see for everybody with a social media account or smartphone imo.

Watched this last night and I was wondering if anyone is taking any personal health actions off the back of it? I'd self diagnose with a relatively serious device and social media addiction.

Smartphone screentime is on average around 4 hours per day, and that is when I am working from home and have unlimited access to social media on my as well. I get about 400 notifications per day. I am not really on twitter but scroll facebook and instagram pretty regulalary.

Enabled some "nighttime" features on the phone last night, no notifications and only black and white after 9pm. But I was wondering if anyone had any other strategies.

Synode · 08-10-2020 10:25am

errlloyd wrote: »

Watched this last night and I was wondering if anyone is taking any personal health actions off the back of it? I'd self diagnose with a relatively serious device and social media addiction.

Smartphone screentime is on average around 4 hours per day, and that is when I am working from home and have unlimited access to social media on my as well. I get about 400 notifications per day. I am not really on twitter but scroll facebook and instagram pretty regulalary.

Enabled some "nighttime" features on the phone last night, no notifications and only black and white after 9pm. But I was wondering if anyone had any other strategies.

Delete Facebook. Best thing I ever done

kuang1 · 08-10-2020 10:28am

I've never been on social media.
I indulge in YouTube daily alright. Blooper reels, clips from curb your enthusiasm, discussions about athaeism, and Stephen colbert are my current things. But my daily average YouTube time would be between 45-60 minutes.

I used to have a zombie survival game on the phone that really got a grip of me. Got up to 5 hours on it one day.... That scared me so I got rid of it. Not part of the social media discussion but relevant to answering your question errloyd:

I replaced that game with duolingo. (learning another language has become a bit cliche this year I know!)
Forked out €90 for the full package of it in order to increase my chances of committing to it.
Now into my second month of learning Spanish. Averaging 30 minutes a day at it.

Also went to a bookshop for the first time in ages last month and picked up 3 books. That was done to replace my phone time in bed with something else.
That's been partially successful at least.

08-10-2020 10:32am

I have a pihole running at home and use it to block Facebook. Haven't deleted the account as there are a few local groups that I want to look at occasionally (and even that has reduced) I spend almost all my at home these days so it doesn't come up much outside of home. Reddit is the one I really need to ditch. I'll probably block it soon and see how I go.

Pi hole works for me as it's sufficiently difficult enough to unblock or disable that I don't bother.

errlloyd · 08-10-2020 10:47am

Synode wrote: »

Delete Facebook. Best thing I ever done

Man, I genuinely feel I need to be on there to stop my parents from getting radicalised (I am only half joking).

Squidgy Black · 08-10-2020 10:50am

I deleted facebook and twitter after all this started, and turned off all news app notifications. Was just way too much for me, and delighted I did too.

Still have Instagram which is probably as bad as the other two and will probably scrap that as well. Reddit's a massive timewaster for me but I don't bother with any of the stuff on the front page or any of that because it's just wall to wall American politics

Podge_irl · 08-10-2020 11:07am

I only open Facebook about once every fortnight. Twitter is my real "problem" - I spend quite a bit of time on it but I find it quite useful for news and information. I follow a lot of political/trade/sports stuff on it. I never post anything either so I don't feel "invested" in it in that sense. But the constantly updating format of it does mean it can be quite a time sink.

swiwi_ · 08-10-2020 11:12am

errlloyd wrote: »

Watched this last night and I was wondering if anyone is taking any personal health actions off the back of it? I'd self diagnose with a relatively serious device and social media addiction.

Smartphone screentime is on average around 4 hours per day, and that is when I am working from home and have unlimited access to social media on my as well. I get about 400 notifications per day. I am not really on twitter but scroll facebook and instagram pretty regulalary.

Enabled some "nighttime" features on the phone last night, no notifications and only black and white after 9pm. But I was wondering if anyone had any other strategies.

Close down your boards account

Synode · 08-10-2020 11:19am

kuang1 wrote: »

Also went to a bookshop for the first time in ages last month and picked up 3 books. That was done to replace my phone time in bed with something else.
That's been partially successful at least.

Recently picked up 2 books, The Count of Monty Christo (based on recommendation on here) and a book about John Hume. Been pretty busy lately so getting through them slowly, but books are so much better than looking at devices. Far easier to sleep after reading than browsing too.

Edit: no idea why that sunglasses emoji appeared above

aloooof · 08-10-2020 11:33am

Champagne Football is an astonishing read, flew through it in the last week. Far better than constant scroll in the evenings. (Says the fella who's as guilty as anyone....)

Buer · 08-10-2020 12:11pm

kuang1 wrote: »

I
I replaced that game with duolingo. (learning another language has become a bit cliche this year I know!)
Forked out €90 for the full package of it in order to increase my chances of committing to it.
Now into my second month of learning Spanish. Averaging 30 minutes a day at it.

How is it going, as a matter of interest? I'm rapidly approaching my mid-life crisis so wouldn't mind being able to order a pint, a tequila chaser and a bag of bacon fries in Tenerife in Spanish.

errlloyd · 08-10-2020 12:13pm

swiwi_ wrote: »

Close down your boards account

I was tempted man. 12 thousand posts is too many.

The one thing is that makes me reluctant is that boards hardly manages to stay online for a whole week without crashing. So I find it hard to believe there is too much nefarious psychological manipulation going on here.

I must just enjoy it!

Zzippy · 08-10-2020 1:13pm

errlloyd wrote: »

I was tempted man. 12 thousand posts is too many.

The one thing is that makes me reluctant is that boards hardly manages to stay online for a whole week without crashing. So I find it hard to believe there is too much nefarious psychological manipulation going on here.

I must just enjoy it!

I don't know, I'd say there are a few Russian bots pop up on here.

Recent join date. Check.
Numbers in their userame. Check.
Post inflammatory content to stir up indignation. Check.
No mates. Check check.

irishbucsfan · 08-10-2020 1:20pm

errlloyd wrote: »

I was tempted man. 12 thousand posts is too many.

It is

kuang1 · 08-10-2020 3:12pm

Buer wrote: »

How is it going, as a matter of interest? I'm rapidly approaching my mid-life crisis so wouldn't mind being able to order a pint, a tequila chaser and a bag of bacon fries in Tenerife in Spanish.

It's pretty cleverly designed actually. What put me off learning Spanish for years was the thought of learning verb conjugation.
But this app very slowly introduces verb usage. Almost sneakily does so.

So I'm into my second month and I still haven't learned any we, you (plural) or they parts of verbs, but I can tell you that "he needs to use the car" no problem!

I'm very happy with it.

swiwi_ · 08-10-2020 3:48pm

irishbucsfan wrote: »

It is

Man that is a cheap way to increase your post count. If you post a few more times IBF, you’ll have enough posts that boards will let you post attachments.

Neil3030 · 08-10-2020 3:51pm

Zzippy wrote: »

I don't know, I'd say there are a few Russian bots pop up on here.

Recent join date. Check.
Numbers in their userame. Check.
Post inflammatory content to stir up indignation. Check.
No mates. Check check.

Phew. I joined in 2001 so only 3 out of 4.

Zzippy · 08-10-2020 4:51pm

Neil3030 wrote: »

Phew. I joined in 2001 so only 3 out of 4.

Nah, you post bears. Shucks, you're everybody's mate here.

Buer · 08-10-2020 5:02pm

Zzippy wrote: »

Nah, you post bears. Shucks, you're everybody's mate here.

He's smarter than the average poster.

FACECUTTR · 08-10-2020 6:01pm

Synode wrote: »

Delete Facebook. Best thing I ever done

Myself and my partner did this almost 4 years ago. The amount of poison and hate being shared is alarming never mind the privacy issues.

Neil3030 · 08-10-2020 11:33pm

ALL HAIL THE EARL OF AVOIRDUPOIS!

23.4 cubic feet, 1408lbs...

...aaaand NEWWWWWW Fat Bear Week Champion of the WOOOOOOORLD

thomond2006 · 09-10-2020 9:32am

Neil3030 wrote: »

ALL HAIL THE EARL OF AVOIRDUPOIS!

23.4 cubic feet, 1408lbs...

...aaaand NEWWWWWW Fat Bear Week Champion of the WOOOOOOORLD

And the Chicago Bears are 4-1!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dccJ3MCgU0

09-10-2020 10:39am

errlloyd wrote: »

Watched this last night and I was wondering if anyone is taking any personal health actions off the back of it? I'd self diagnose with a relatively serious device and social media addiction.

Smartphone screentime is on average around 4 hours per day, and that is when I am working from home and have unlimited access to social media on my as well. I get about 400 notifications per day. I am not really on twitter but scroll facebook and instagram pretty regulalary.

Enabled some "nighttime" features on the phone last night, no notifications and only black and white after 9pm. But I was wondering if anyone had any other strategies.

I don't let any of those apps give notifications, have turned them all off.

09-10-2020 10:55am

I haven't watched most of the social media oriented documentaries because I think I'd get annoyed. Around 3 years ago I gradually removed around 50 people from my facebook because they regularly posted or liked absolute nonsense relating to politics, vaccinations or other culture issues that are largely irrelevant.

I never engage in any discussion on facebook, I post family related items from time to time. I never post anything specifically about myself and I barely touch the platform anymore. I only ever used twitter for work and have never tweeted anything non work related. I think a lot of the echo chambers on facebook form because most reasonable / rational people have no desire to engage on that kind of a platform consistently.

I don't have any other social media and won't be getting any. I would be strongly in favour of social media being HEAVILY regulated. It's warping minds and is as dangerous as the pandemic. Trump and Brexit are two very serious consequences of the lack of regulation in media and social media and whilst I feel authoritarian saying it - I think the sooner strict standards are placed on both print and social media the sooner society can return to some level of progressive functionality.

swiwi_ · 09-10-2020 11:17am

[Deleted User] wrote: »

I haven't watched most of the social media oriented documentaries because I think I'd get annoyed. Around 3 years ago I gradually removed around 50 people from my facebook because they regularly posted or liked absolute nonsense relating to politics, vaccinations or other culture issues that are largely irrelevant.

I never engage in any discussion on facebook, I post family related items from time to time. I never post anything specifically about myself and I barely touch the platform anymore. I only ever used twitter for work and have never tweeted anything non work related. I think a lot of the echo chambers on facebook form because most reasonable / rational people have no desire to engage on that kind of a platform consistently.

I don't have any other social media and won't be getting any. I would be strongly in favour of social media being HEAVILY regulated. It's warping minds and is as dangerous as the pandemic. Trump and Brexit are two very serious consequences of the lack of regulation in media and social media and whilst I feel authoritarian saying it - I think the sooner strict standards are placed on both print and social media the sooner society can return to some level of progressive functionality.

I’ve tweeted a link to your post and posted a screenshot to Instagram. Couldn’t agree more with you.

09-10-2020 11:34am

I use Facebook occasionally, and I'm a member of a few groups that I have an interest in, and I see absolutely no toxic **** at all on my feed and pretty much never have. I use it in a similar way that I'd use boards.ie, ask or answer a question here or there. I know it has the worst reputation on the planet but I get utility from it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

09-10-2020 12:43pm

swiwi_ wrote: »

I’ve tweeted a link to your post and posted a screenshot to Instagram. Couldn’t agree more with you.

Zzippy · 09-10-2020 1:29pm

My facebook feed is 90% pictures of guys holding fish or talking about fishing, 5% people posting family stuff and 5% news/current affairs/Trump etc. I find it easy to filter out that 5% if I want to. I'm in a heap of groups about fishing hence the 90%, and I enjoy the interaction there, but it's never about politics.

mfceiling · 09-10-2020 6:07pm

I came off Facebook about 7 years ago. It was a pile of shīte back then and from my wife showing me the very odd picture on her account, it looks to have got worse. It just seems to be a constant stream of ads now.
I think when my mother signed up I signed off.

Bazzo · 09-10-2020 6:14pm

Deleted my Facebook years ago when the app kept sending me push notifications about stupid ****e despite me trawling through the settings to disable inconsequential notifications several times. Never really missed it tbh.

09-10-2020 6:45pm

Where would I get my Simpson's memes if I deleted facebook

Neil3030 · 09-10-2020 6:57pm

Zzippy wrote: »

My facebook feed is 90% pictures of guys holding fish or talking about fishing

Confirmed.

Zzippy = Alaskan brown bear.

3f55fc09-f2e4-4e00-8964-ed36f260be9f-AP_Interior_Hunting_Alaska.JPG?crop=3741,2105,x0,y138&width=3200&height=1801&format=pjpg&auto=webp

3f55fc09-f2e4-4e00-8964-ed36f260be9f-AP_Interior_Hunting_Alaska.JPG?crop=3741,2105,x0,y138&width=3200&height=1801&format=pjpg&auto=webp

Neil3030 · 09-10-2020 6:59pm

thomond2006 wrote: »

And the Chicago Bears are 4-1!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2dccJ3MCgU0

Boeing founded in Chicago.

747 wins Fat Bear Week 2020.

Moons seem to be aligning...

Synode · 09-10-2020 7:27pm

Anyone know why a PCIe WiFi/Bluetooth card would only start once every 5 bootups of Windows10. When it doesn't start, WIFI/Bluetooth not available, and the device is not showing in Network Adapters in Device Management, unless you show hidden devices. Tried updating the drivers etc. but getting nowhere. Is it just a faulty card? Maybe I should change the slot it's in.

09-10-2020 7:29pm

Sounds similar to an issue I had with an old laptop. I ended up buying a usb wifi dongle.

09-10-2020 7:38pm

Synode wrote: »

Anyone know why a PCIe WiFi/Bluetooth card would only start once every 5 bootups of Windows10. When it doesn't start, WIFI/Bluetooth not available, and the device is not showing in Network Adapters in Device Management, unless you show hidden devices. Tried updating the drivers etc. but getting nowhere. Is it just a faulty card? Maybe I should change the slot it's in.

Hard to know but the randomness to me would suggest a software problem. If it was the slot or the card (hardware) it would most likely either work or not work and not switch between the two.

Presuming you are using windows 10 maybe check the brand of card and see if there are any known conflicts. Has this been the case since you installed it or has the issue developed subsequently?

Perhaps did a large bear or fishing enthusiast sit on it?

Synode · 09-10-2020 7:55pm

Deleted User wrote: »

Hard to know but the randomness to me would suggest a software problem. If it was the slot or the card (hardware) it would most likely either work or not work and not switch between the two.

Presuming you are using windows 10 maybe check the brand of card and see if there are any known conflicts. Has this been the case since you installed it or has the issue developed subsequently?

Perhaps did a large bear or fishing enthusiast sit on it?

Yeah using Windows 10 and the card is a Ziyituod WiFi 6. I've only really started using the card since I got the Virgin 1GB broadband a few weeks ago as the speeds were much quicker over WiFi, but now it's not working half the time. Ah well, I'll go back to the wired. Or buy another card/dongle.

09-10-2020 9:05pm

The Boys is some show - just watched the final episode of season 2 having only started watching it (season 1) around 2 weeks ago.

Hysterically funny at times and very entertaining.

Synode · 09-10-2020 9:10pm

Love The Boys. Think I've watched up to the 3rd or 4th episode of S2. The scene with The Deep rescuing the dolphins in S1 is a classic.

09-10-2020 9:25pm

Synode wrote: »

Love The Boys. Think I've watched up to the 3rd or 4th episode of S2. The scene with The Deep rescuing the dolphins in S1 is a classic.

From the start of the Spice Girls monologue to the truck is the funniest few minutes of TV I've seen in a long time.

The slowmo eye contact with the Dolphin.... I was nearly sick.

Podge_irl · 09-10-2020 11:20pm

Deleted User wrote: »

The Boys is some show - just watched the final episode of season 2 having only started watching it (season 1) around 2 weeks ago time.

Hysterically funny at times and very entertaining.

Absolutely love it. Watched S1 last year and find it quite refreshing. I know some people have an issue with Butcher's accent but it doesn't bother me (though obviously I'm not cockney and not in a position to judge). I really like Urban though in general - Dredd is one of my favourite movies.

09-10-2020 11:23pm

Found season 2 to be a bit hit and miss. Not much interest in a lot of the characters. Homelander is carrying it.

10-10-2020 10:20am

Podge_irl wrote: »

Absolutely love it. Watched S1 last year and find it quite refreshing. I know some people have an issue with Butcher's accent but it doesn't bother me (though obviously I'm not cockney and not in a position to judge). I really like Urban though in general - Dredd is one of my favourite movies.

Hadn't noticed anything amiss with the accent, certainly nothing immersion breaking. Urban is made for the role, carries the coarseness and intensity without becoming a caricature. The whole cast is terrific imo - there is an array of very interesting and well written characters. All the Boy's are relatable in one way or another - none of them feel overly contrived considering the genre and I haven't lost interest in any of their individual story lines.

Agree on Dredd - it was a top notch action thriller and a very underrated film where Urban did what Stallone wouldn't - stayed faithful to the character.

Deleted User wrote: »

Found season 2 to be a bit hit and miss. Not much interest in a lot of the characters. Homelander is carrying it.

Season 2 isn't as good as season 1 and goes off on a bit of a tangent with strong political overtones, but the bar is still incredibly high as far as I'm concerned. Homelander is like putting a young Donald Trump in the body of Superman - terrifying and fascinating in equal measures.

Season 3 straight onto the must watch list as far as I'm concerned.

Synode · 10-10-2020 10:25am

Podge_irl wrote: »

Absolutely love it. Watched S1 last year and find it quite refreshing. I know some people have an issue with Butcher's accent but it doesn't bother me (though obviously I'm not cockney and not in a position to judge). I really like Urban though in general - Dredd is one of my favourite movies.

Butcher's accent is hilarious. I'll never be able to hear the word diabolical again without thinking of him

Off Topic Thread 5.0

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