Octopus Overlords

I don't think it'd be very cool.

Looks like your crockpot would fit nicely on top of that radiator.

At the library where I work (the holdings of which go back to the 1500s) we have begun to search for and sequester volumes that contain arsenic.

Arsenic as a pigment component was common for much of the 19th century. It produces a vibrant emerald green that is absolutely beautiful and barely fades even after a couple of centuries, making it a shame that we can no longer handle these books.

On the other hand, it's generally accepted that the arsenic green in Napoleon's bedroom wallpaper at St. Helena (his second exile) is what actually killed him.

Google no longer listens for me on my tablet. Used to be if my tablet was on all I had to say was hey google for it to respond. I was using it to control my new smart bulbs. But no longer. Now I have to go tap the microphone icon. I didn't even have google assistant installed but I installed it and it didn't help. Ive rebooted the tablet too.

Holman wrote: ↑Tue Apr 23, 2024 8:12 pm At the library where I work (the holdings of which go back to the 1500s) we have begun to search for and sequester volumes that contain arsenic.

Arsenic as a pigment component was common for much of the 19th century. It produces a vibrant emerald green that is absolutely beautiful and barely fades even after a couple of centuries, making it a shame that we can no longer handle these books.

On the other hand, it's generally accepted that the arsenic green in Napoleon's bedroom wallpaper at St. Helena (his second exile) is what actually killed him.

My wife just recently designed a historic museum exhibit that, among a number of subjects, touched on the green arsenic "poison dresses" of the 19th century.

Crazy stuff.

You two would hit it off so well. I'm always telling her about things you post... you're kinda my Octopus Overlord ambassador to my wife... I use your posts to make her think I'm not just farting around on the PC all the time.
She's mostly (Masters) a medieval historian, but loves it all. She worked for a number of years at the Newberry Library in Chicago, which I'm guessing you are aware of. She worked in their Special Collections for a while (seeing all of their historic treasures), and then moved on to their "ren cen", the Center for Renaissance Studies, and eventually was the Project coordinator for the Elizabeth exhibit they put on.

Unagi wrote: ↑Wed Apr 24, 2024 10:44 am [She worked for a number of years at the Newberry Library in Chicago, which I'm guessing you are aware of.

My wife and I got married there!

ImLawBoy wrote: ↑Wed Apr 24, 2024 10:49 am

Unagi wrote: ↑Wed Apr 24, 2024 10:44 am [She worked for a number of years at the Newberry Library in Chicago, which I'm guessing you are aware of.

My wife and I got married there!

That's sweet, it's an amazing space. What year?

2007

I think one of the worst 'poisoning' things of history I read about were match makers and fossy jaw. Ugh.

Unagi wrote: ↑Wed Apr 24, 2024 10:44 am My wife just recently designed a historic museum exhibit that, among a number of subjects, touched on the green arsenic "poison dresses" of the 19th century.

I was going to mention the green dresses from the Victorian era last night but figured no one would care. That's so funny. I fully believe they're going to look at plastics like we look at arsenic (or lead) from hundreds of years ago.

Daehawk wrote: ↑Wed Apr 24, 2024 10:24 am Google no longer listens for me on my tablet. Used to be if my tablet was on all I had to say was hey google for it to respond. I was using it to control my new smart bulbs. But no longer. Now I have to go tap the microphone icon. I didn't even have google assistant installed but I installed it and it didn't help. Ive rebooted the tablet too.

I don't know the answer, but I prefer that they not be listening to me until I trigger them.

I looked it up online. I had to go into the assistant options. Which made me go online to look that up too.. Its responding now. My Aussie accent assistant is back. She has bad jokes but sings ok.

They are going to pop George Washington's Cherry!

Archaeologists discovered centuries-old cherries surprisingly well-preserved inside two glass bottles stashed in George Washington’s historic Virginia home.

Unagi wrote: ↑Wed Apr 24, 2024 10:44 am

Holman wrote: ↑Tue Apr 23, 2024 8:12 pm At the library where I work (the holdings of which go back to the 1500s) we have begun to search for and sequester volumes that contain arsenic.

Arsenic as a pigment component was common for much of the 19th century. It produces a vibrant emerald green that is absolutely beautiful and barely fades even after a couple of centuries, making it a shame that we can no longer handle these books.

On the other hand, it's generally accepted that the arsenic green in Napoleon's bedroom wallpaper at St. Helena (his second exile) is what actually killed him.

My wife just recently designed a historic museum exhibit that, among a number of subjects, touched on the green arsenic "poison dresses" of the 19th century.

Crazy stuff.

You two would hit it off so well. I'm always telling her about things you post... you're kinda my Octopus Overlord ambassador to my wife... I use your posts to make her think I'm not just farting around on the PC all the time.
She's mostly (Masters) a medieval historian, but loves it all. She worked for a number of years at the Newberry Library in Chicago, which I'm guessing you are aware of. She worked in their Special Collections for a while (seeing all of their historic treasures), and then moved on to their "ren cen", the Center for Renaissance Studies, and eventually was the Project coordinator for the Elizabeth exhibit they put on.

I'm honored!

Tell her I did English Renaissance lit in grad school and that I definitely know about the Center for Renaissance Studies!

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Wed Apr 24, 2024 1:17 pm

Unagi wrote: ↑Wed Apr 24, 2024 10:44 am My wife just recently designed a historic museum exhibit that, among a number of subjects, touched on the green arsenic "poison dresses" of the 19th century.

I was going to mention the green dresses from the Victorian era last night but figured no one would care. That's so funny. I fully believe they're going to look at plastics like we look at arsenic (or lead) from hundreds of years ago.

At this juncture, I don't fully believe there will be people in a few hundred years with the time on their hands to worry about the foibles of their ancestors.

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Wed Apr 24, 2024 1:17 pm I was going to mention the green dresses from the Victorian era last night but figured no one would care. That's so funny. I fully believe they're going to look at plastics like we look at arsenic (or lead) from hundreds of years ago.

If a decent civilization survives, I think they'll look back at our willingness to exploit animal suffering as the equivalent of human slavery and torture.

I'm a more or less lapsed vegetarian, but I believe the ethical arguments for vegetarianism are incontrovertibly correct. The future will judge me, and it will be right to do so.

This is a very uncomfortable position to inhabit.

Holman wrote: ↑Tue Apr 23, 2024 8:12 pm At the library where I work (the holdings of which go back to the 1500s) we have begun to search for and sequester volumes that contain arsenic.

Arsenic as a pigment component was common for much of the 19th century. It produces a vibrant emerald green that is absolutely beautiful and barely fades even after a couple of centuries, making it a shame that we can no longer handle these books.

On the other hand, it's generally accepted that the arsenic green in Napoleon's bedroom wallpaper at St. Helena (his second exile) is what actually killed him.

Reminds me of Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose (also movie with Sean Connery and Christian Slater) and the book which kills people who read it!

Pyperkub wrote: ↑Wed Apr 24, 2024 6:57 pm

Holman wrote: ↑Tue Apr 23, 2024 8:12 pm At the library where I work (the holdings of which go back to the 1500s) we have begun to search for and sequester volumes that contain arsenic.

Arsenic as a pigment component was common for much of the 19th century. It produces a vibrant emerald green that is absolutely beautiful and barely fades even after a couple of centuries, making it a shame that we can no longer handle these books.

On the other hand, it's generally accepted that the arsenic green in Napoleon's bedroom wallpaper at St. Helena (his second exile) is what actually killed him.

Reminds me of Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose (also movie with Sean Connery and Christian Slater) and the book which kills people who read it!

Heh. That came up in our staff meeting immediately.

There's also a push (with a recent high-profile instance at Harvard) for libraries with long holdings to see if they have any books bound in human skin. I know of some cases--not ours--where an author had one his works bound in his own skin posthumously, but the Harvard example seems to have been exploitation of a servant who died.

Handle with care..speak the right words loser.....

Is that a timex?

Does it matter?

Holman wrote: ↑Wed Apr 24, 2024 6:42 pm

Smoove_B wrote: ↑Wed Apr 24, 2024 1:17 pm I was going to mention the green dresses from the Victorian era last night but figured no one would care. That's so funny. I fully believe they're going to look at plastics like we look at arsenic (or lead) from hundreds of years ago.

If a decent civilization survives, I think they'll look back at our willingness to exploit animal suffering as the equivalent of human slavery and torture.

I'm a more or less lapsed vegetarian, but I believe the ethical arguments for vegetarianism are incontrovertibly correct. The future will judge me, and it will be right to do so.

This is a very uncomfortable position to inhabit.

I agree. I will cheerfully switch to lab-grown meat if they can perfect it affordably. Progress is being made, but there is still a ways to go. In another generation or two real animal protein will be the exclusive domain of politically incorrect gourmands. I already use Beyond burger in some dishes, such as chili, but it's expensive and hyper-processed and therefore impractical for most use cases. In the interim, I will not repudiate 2 million years of omnivore evolution until a real alternative exists, but I will go so far as to feel the occasional pang of guilt for being a member of PETA (People Eating Tasty Animals).

Daehawk wrote: ↑Wed Apr 24, 2024 8:38 pm Does it matter?

Pyperkub wrote: ↑Wed Apr 24, 2024 6:57 pm

Holman wrote: ↑Tue Apr 23, 2024 8:12 pm At the library where I work (the holdings of which go back to the 1500s) we have begun to search for and sequester volumes that contain arsenic.

Arsenic as a pigment component was common for much of the 19th century. It produces a vibrant emerald green that is absolutely beautiful and barely fades even after a couple of centuries, making it a shame that we can no longer handle these books.

On the other hand, it's generally accepted that the arsenic green in Napoleon's bedroom wallpaper at St. Helena (his second exile) is what actually killed him.

Reminds me of Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose (also movie with Sean Connery and Christian Slater) and the book which kills people who read it!

Yeah, I told my wife about Holman's library's efforts here - and she looked at me and smiled, "Name of the Rose"

I loved that movie as a kid... but I have to admit it was because I was super horn-ball for that peasant girl.

Jaymann wrote: ↑Wed Apr 24, 2024 9:34 pm

Daehawk wrote: ↑Wed Apr 24, 2024 8:38 pm Does it matter?

<snip>

I assume that's Ash's hand in Army of Darkness. In which case a wrist watch (of whichever brand) is appropriate and intentional.

According to Reddit, the answer is Yes, Ash is wearing a Timex.

Well I dug out my old stereo system. Its not seen the sun in nearly 40 years. I haven't tried it yet or even cleaned it up. Took everything I had last night to just unbury it and sit in in the middle of the floor. Hope it still works.

Got it cleaned up and plugged in. Amazingly it all works EXCEPT the record player. The part I did all this work for lol! It all lights up and plays and the speakers are fine..Im blown away. But for some reason the record player is locked..the switch is stucks. The table turns and the needle is pickibg up fine..but I cant move the damn switch to ON so it turns. Ill have to look at it later.

Blowed my mind to find 3 45 records still on the spindle!!! One I dont know but the other two were Jack & Diane by John Cougar and Mickey by Toni Basil. Just as I left them there in the 1980s. Amazing find. wow..just shocked. I thought my wife broke all my 45s in a fit of anger one day back in the 90s.

Its a Lloyds system. Id have to look for the model. I was given it to me by my dad in 1977 on my 8th birthday. I got pics.

Here it is today

You probably just need to re-lube the switch... some of the old greases basically turn into bubble gum over time.

Max Peck wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 11:13 am According to Reddit, the answer is Yes, Ash is wearing a Timex.

Formerly a timetwitter

Unagi wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 12:58 pm You probably just need to re-lube the switch...

This thread turned into the "We're getting Old" discussion so slowly, I hardly even noticed...

Max Peck wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 11:13 am According to Reddit, the answer is Yes, Ash is wearing a Timex.

Specifically, a 1979 Timex LA Cell.

Cosplayers and prop aficionados have researched every part of every costume in the history of ever.

Kraken wrote: ↑Wed Apr 24, 2024 9:06 pm I agree. I will cheerfully switch to lab-grown meat if they can perfect it affordably. Progress is being made, but there is still a ways to go. In another generation or two real animal protein will be the exclusive domain of politically incorrect gourmands. I already use Beyond burger in some dishes, such as chili, but it's expensive and hyper-processed and therefore impractical for most use cases. In the interim, I will not repudiate 2 million years of omnivore evolution until a real alternative exists, but I will go so far as to feel the occasional pang of guilt for being a member of PETA (People Eating Tasty Animals).

FWIW, traditional methods of raising and slaughtering animals caused *far* less suffering than our current industrialized factory farm system.

19th-century Farmer Ben took decent care of his animals until the moment he swiftly slaughtered them. What we do today is closer to Auschwitz. As far as animal welfare goes, human civilization has become much more evil.

We will be condemned for that.

Got a letter from the new mortgage loan owners stating my matuerity date on the mortgage loan is approaching and they wont be accepting month payments after that and that they expect any amount left on the loan to be paid in lump sum or my property may be foreclosed on. What? Its a 15 year loan and we have not missed any payments. How can there be $7000 left on it? And how would they expect I pay this living month to month? Shouldn't this loan pay off without any missed payments?

So basically after paying them nearly $90,000 on a $30,000 loan they may still take my home away and leave me in the street? wtf.

Daehawk wrote: ↑Wed Feb 28, 2024 9:16 pm Ive been able to smile some today. I had to call my mortgage loan company because my loan has been sold to another and I had to find out who i pay this month. Without me asking as he was going over my loan info he confirmed the maturity is June...i think he said June 4th or 24th. Made me smile...and I still smile when I recall that lol.

he asked if I wanted to pay it off now and I wish i could but cant. But since it ends soon its ok...Im relieved .

So I owe about another $1800.

Of course then i have to work on paying off my credit card or it will eat me up. Then i pay off my well pump...then...THEN Im out of debt.

Time to work the phone.

Daehawk wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 12:48 pm Got it cleaned up and plugged in. Amazingly it all works EXCEPT the record player. The part I did all this work for lol! It all lights up and plays and the speakers are fine..Im blown away. But for some reason the record player is locked..the switch is stucks. The table turns and the needle is pickibg up fine..but I cant move the damn switch to ON so it turns. Ill have to look at it later.

Unagi wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2024 12:58 pm You probably just need to re-lube the switch... some of the old greases basically turn into bubble gum over time.

basically what this thread says, worth a read:

https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php ... ck.194024/

"Look under the mechanism, and trace the metal hanger-like wire to a slot, and it will have a washer on that lever. If you look under it, that's the best way I can explain it.

That is what will be seized...you need to get it loose, and then clean it and re-lube it."

or

"Trace the linkages to a large metal washer that slides over a slot in a very large metal plate. This often needs to be freed manually. Then clean as much old grease as you can with denatured alcohol or undiluted isopropyl alcohol. Relube with a light grease."

Thank you. Im still recovering from digging the thing out. Ill fix it at soon'ish later date. For now Ill listen to the radio on it some. My PC sounds better with its setup these days but its nice yo see it glow and have the sound from the speakers like the old days. It has a lot of static in the radio part. Im not sure if its because of the hill or the sound is coming from within the parts that are old and dry like the capacitors. It has a light that brightens and gets solid as you tune the dial into a clean stereo signal but even with it on its still static'y. I remember that it used to sound clear and precise.

EDIT: I dont have a good working 8-track to test that player with.

We just had a few tornados roll through here (Omaha). We are fine.

Nothing much to report right now other than it just happened. If there is any notable news to follow, I will update.

Wow...such nice weather here. I haven't even thought of tornadoes in a while.