Offside Chat Archives (2014-2021)

Jacob Morgan said:I guess they should all just retrain as electricians☕

They might as well try slicing excavators into thin slices for once.😂

Elizabeth Mendoza said:I honestly don't know what kind of grocery stores you're hitting up if they're leaving milk sitting out on pallets. Every single store I go to keeps the milk tucked away in the refrigerators.🕺

Yeah, they do—especially those ones in the cartons.

Noah Perez2 said:One Sunday, the elevator insurance in my building went kaput. It was maybe an hour of labor plus $33 some minor supplies, yet I was slapped with a bill for $110. They called three different technicians—all independent contractors—and not a single one would show up. One was busy prepping lunch, another was mid-coffee break, and the third claimed he’d be glued to the couch all day watching football 😂

This forum is full of actual decent people; over here, you have a crew that actually jumps up on a Sunday to fix excavators and tractors. Honestly, I can't help but admire them without adding a little sarcasm to the mix.

Just imagine. A private contractor decides he isn't working that day. Can you believe that?

I mean, if he doesn't feel like working, he doesn't have to for thirty days. But if he actually wants to work on a Sunday, I guess there's no law stopping him.

Amanda Evans2 said:Honestly, stop embarrassing yourself.
If you’re already stuck on vacation, do yourself a favor and actually read a book for once. Do something productive for your own development. Try to sharpen your perspectives because, frankly, you're constantly missing the mark.
I’d highly recommend Sapiens.
It actually challenges your intellect, trust me.
You aren't cut out for smooth talking, and you certainly aren't built for actual debate...

Socrates' defense isn't a bad read either.
No joke...

I’ve already had someone suggest this one to me, so maybe give me a few more details.

I actually stumbled upon it while browsing some book reviews on Goodreads, and honestly, I have no clue why I hadn't picked it up sooner; it seems right up my alley. I'm just finishing up The Unbearable Lightness of Being now, and I guess I can't say I'm particularly impressed, especially considering how much hype this thing always seems to get.

urbanhawk17 said:Just imagine. A private contractor decides he isn't working that day. Can you believe that?

I mean, if he doesn't feel like working, he doesn't have to for thirty days. But if he actually wants to work on a Sunday, I guess there's no law stopping him.

Maybe if you actually embraced some private sector principles for once, you’d finally have some peace and quiet...

wiredrider9, I guess someone is greasing the palms at those registers, which is probably why you can't stay objective.

This is the second time you've gone out of your way to defend the cashiers...

Anthony Wright30 said:He just puts in whatever hours are necessary, I guess.

Though, if I may be so bold, perhaps you might reconsider lecturing me on work ethic when none of you actually started pulling a real paycheck until recently.👍

Look, if we’re spending 10 days hitting up the local shops, then we’re spending another 20 days down at the beach, simple as that. I don't know how you're not catching on, buddy.

Maybe he’s just another tourist looking for a beach getaway.

urbanhawk17 said:wiredrider9, I guess someone is greasing the palms at those registers, which is probably why you can't stay objective.

This is the second time you've gone out of your way to defend the cashiers...

Girl, it's Sunday and I'm just over here living my best life, scrubbing away at some random mess.

Jacob Morgan said:I’ve already had someone suggest this one to me, so maybe give me a few more details.

I actually stumbled upon it while browsing some book reviews on Goodreads, and honestly, I have no clue why I hadn't picked it up sooner; it seems right up my alley. I'm just finishing up The Unbearable Lightness of Being now, and I guess I can't say I'm particularly impressed, especially considering how much hype this thing always seems to get.

Honestly, I find Kundera to be absolutely brilliant. His work hits hard... truly profound stuff...
If you ask me, *Sapiens* is exactly the kind of material that should be mandatory reading in our school systems. It’s not just another book; it’s a fundamental shift in how one views the entire trajectory of our species. I honestly believe if we integrated this level of perspective into the curriculum, we might actually produce a generation capable of understanding the world they inhabit... instead of just memorizing dates and formulas like mindless drones.
I honestly don't understand why people think they can just skim the surface of a topic this massive and call it "knowledge." If you want to actually grasp the sheer magnitude of what we’re talking about when it comes to the history of *Sapiens*, you can't just settle for some shallow, plastic summary that lacks any real intellectual weight. You need to dig deep... if you have the patience for it. To truly understand our trajectory, you have to look at the fundamental shifts in how our species navigated the world. We aren't just talking about a timeline of events; we're talking about the cognitive revolution that allowed us to create myths, cooperate in large groups, and essentially invent the concept of shared reality. Without that leap in mental capacity, we would have remained just another unremarkable primate on the African savannah, likely outcompeted by other human species like Neanderthals. Then, of course, there is the Agricultural Revolution—which, if you ask me, was less of a "step forward" and more of a trap that tethered us to sedentary life, forced labor, and social hierarchies that we are still struggling to dismantle today. It changed everything about how we interact with the environment and each other. And don't even get me started on the Scientific Revolution, which provided the tools for modern dominance but also set us on this precarious path of technological acceleration that feels increasingly out of control... If you want a real explanation, you have to respect the complexity of the subject. You can't just provide a superficial overview and expect someone to walk away with an actual understanding of how we became the global superpower we are today. It requires a level of nuance that most modern discussions seem to completely ignore...
It all starts with that fundamental, almost primal need for something to believe in—that core set of convictions that shapes how we see the world. But once you move past those basic beliefs, you run headlong into the reality of a fundamental difference in mindset...

Look, once you actually get started, you’ll realize there isn't much else to it...

urbanhawk17 said:wiredrider9, I guess someone is greasing the palms at those registers, which is probably why you can't stay objective.

This is the second time you've gone out of your way to defend the cashiers...

A major opponent of these insane coaching decisions has finally folded, begrudgingly accepting that the Sunday shutdown is an epidemiological necessity...
And that is exactly why I’m taking such a firm, unambiguous stand on this matter...

Amanda Evans2 said:Maybe if you actually embraced some private sector principles for once, you’d finally have some peace and quiet...

I was planning to drop off some passport paperwork this Sunday, but I can't.

Damn. I’m supposed to fly out on Tuesday.

I definitely wasn't feeling calm about it.

urbanhawk17 said:Just imagine. A private contractor decides he isn't working that day. Can you believe that?

I mean, if he doesn't feel like working, he doesn't have to for thirty days. But if he actually wants to work on a Sunday, I guess there's no law stopping him.

I am curious as to what sort of mental gymnastics led you to conclude from my post that I intended to prohibit his Sunday labor. In fact, I explicitly stated that I called him on a Sunday specifically to encourage him to get back to work.

☕

Noah Perez2 said:I am curious as to what sort of mental gymnastics led you to conclude from my post that I intended to prohibit his Sunday labor. In fact, I explicitly stated that I called him on a Sunday specifically to encourage him to get back to work.

☕

because you said they were all "hard workers."

If I misunderstood, my bad.

Glad to see you're pro-Sunday shifts. 👍

Noah Perez2 said:I am curious as to what sort of mental gymnastics led you to conclude from my post that I intended to prohibit his Sunday labor. In fact, I explicitly stated that I called him on a Sunday specifically to encourage him to get back to work.

☕

Then you run into that absolute specimen of a human being—the one who actually calls up the local Walmart just to ask if they’re open on Sunday. And why? Because he’s short on milk. Apparently, his kid managed to spill everything he bought on Saturday, leaving him completely unprepared for the next morning... honestly, some people just lack even a shred of basic foresight...

urbanhawk17 said:because you said they were all "hard workers."

If I misunderstood, my bad.

Glad to see you're pro-Sunday shifts. 👍

Indeed you did, though it is of little consequence. You have my forgiveness, ☕

Amanda Evans2 said:Then you run into that absolute specimen of a human being—the one who actually calls up the local Walmart just to ask if they’re open on Sunday. And why? Because he’s short on milk. Apparently, his kid managed to spill everything he bought on Saturday, leaving him completely unprepared for the next morning... honestly, some people just lack even a shred of basic foresight...

I understand that. However, I fail to grasp why anyone would require my permission to call Walmart on a Sunday.

Amanda Evans2 said:Honestly, I find Kundera to be absolutely brilliant. His work hits hard... truly profound stuff...
If you ask me, *Sapiens* is exactly the kind of material that should be mandatory reading in our school systems. It’s not just another book; it’s a fundamental shift in how one views the entire trajectory of our species. I honestly believe if we integrated this level of perspective into the curriculum, we might actually produce a generation capable of understanding the world they inhabit... instead of just memorizing dates and formulas like mindless drones.
I honestly don't understand why people think they can just skim the surface of a topic this massive and call it "knowledge." If you want to actually grasp the sheer magnitude of what we’re talking about when it comes to the history of *Sapiens*, you can't just settle for some shallow, plastic summary that lacks any real intellectual weight. You need to dig deep... if you have the patience for it. To truly understand our trajectory, you have to look at the fundamental shifts in how our species navigated the world. We aren't just talking about a timeline of events; we're talking about the cognitive revolution that allowed us to create myths, cooperate in large groups, and essentially invent the concept of shared reality. Without that leap in mental capacity, we would have remained just another unremarkable primate on the African savannah, likely outcompeted by other human species like Neanderthals. Then, of course, there is the Agricultural Revolution—which, if you ask me, was less of a "step forward" and more of a trap that tethered us to sedentary life, forced labor, and social hierarchies that we are still struggling to dismantle today. It changed everything about how we interact with the environment and each other. And don't even get me started on the Scientific Revolution, which provided the tools for modern dominance but also set us on this precarious path of technological acceleration that feels increasingly out of control... If you want a real explanation, you have to respect the complexity of the subject. You can't just provide a superficial overview and expect someone to walk away with an actual understanding of how we became the global superpower we are today. It requires a level of nuance that most modern discussions seem to completely ignore...
It all starts with that fundamental, almost primal need for something to believe in—that core set of convictions that shapes how we see the world. But once you move past those basic beliefs, you run headlong into the reality of a fundamental difference in mindset...

Look, once you actually get started, you’ll realize there isn't much else to it...

There are some great stretches in there, sure, but I have to admit it gets a bit tedious at times—especially when it starts leaning into those grand universal claims. They aren't necessarily wrong, but maybe the delivery just didn't sit right with me. I suppose it might be because I went in with such high expectations, especially since I've heard nothing but praise for it from people whose taste in literature I actually respect.

With Hemingway, it was almost the exact opposite; I practically had to force myself to pick up his work, and then, once I did, I was just completely floored.

Anyway, I'll give Sapiens a look soon enough, now that the local libraries are finally opening back up.

bluebison47 just confirmed—we are officially rotating over to literature!

You just showed up here trying to flex with someone else's cash... basically living off other people's hard work

Amanda Evans2 said:Then you run into that absolute specimen of a human being—the one who actually calls up the local Walmart just to ask if they’re open on Sunday. And why? Because he’s short on milk. Apparently, his kid managed to spill everything he bought on Saturday, leaving him completely unprepared for the next morning... honestly, some people just lack even a shred of basic foresight...

I guess as long as they stay vegan, they can be as quiet as they want.☕