Domino Quartz's Delightfully Quaint Random Banter Thread #248

[Bohandas]

It's too cold for the bodies to decay on an appreciable time scale that far up, and it's not worth the risk to send people up just to retrieve bodies

That's surprising. I would think that sending a helicopter up to get them would be trivial.

Now I'm wonderiny what's going on there. Do the peaks create a wind tunnel effect? Or is the air too thin? Or what?

[Rater202]

That's surprising. I would think that sending a helicopter up to get them would be trivial.

Now I'm wonderiny what's going on there. Do the peaks create a wind tunnel effect? Or is the air too thin? Or what?

Everest is literally the highest mountain in the world.

The base of the mountain is over 5000 meters above sea level, which is higher than most helicopters can fly under the best circumstances, let alone in an area that is frequently beset by harsh winter storms.

[Peelee]

That's surprising. I would think that sending a helicopter up to get them would be trivial.

Now I'm wonderiny what's going on there. Do the peaks create a wind tunnel effect? Or is the air too thin? Or what?

Air is too thin. Getting the corpses down is so non-trivial that the logistics are pretty much the reason they're still there.

[Ionathus]

Just got news that our car, which broke down on the way to the eclipse ()(Don't worry, we still made it) has been fixed successfully.

The only reason this is noteworthy is because the dealership quoted us $4,000 to replace the hybrid battery, and my mother-in-law knew a guy who was willing to refurbish it for $400. I've always known to expect an upcharge at manufacturer service centers, and I know there's a big difference between brand new and refurbished, but that difference still galls me. I don't know if I've ever seen an actual "knock a zero off" price difference, and until we got news that it was running, I wasn't sure I believed it.

Air is too thin. Getting the corpses down is so non-trivial that the logistics are pretty much the reason they're still there.

Yep. Everest is such a wild mixture of the mundane and the extreme -- I can't think of a better visual for that than the fact that it can have lines of climbers waiting to summit, who are regularly walking past frozen corpses. Jon Krakauer's book Into Thin Air gives some fantastic examples of this. He details the way he and his group prepared to climb Everest, as well as the story of four people dying on their trip, and how it felt surreal and mundane at the same time.

You'd think that deaths on a mountain are due to avalanches or falls (and sometimes they are) but often it's just the thin air and the cold and the difficulty of logistics. People get confused and take off their equipment, and everyone around you is too focused on keeping themselves alive that you can very easily make a "dumb" mistake and die in a strangely anticlimactic way.

[halfeye]

Another way of looking at it is that Everest is 29,000 ft high, and aeroplanes can't fly much above 18,000 ft without oxygen or pressurisation for the humans and superchargers for piston engines, helicopters have apparently reached 35,000 ft, but that's presumably in good conditions with pressurisation or oxygen for the personnel, which would be lacking once they left the aircraft. They could carry oxygen like the climbers, but that would be extra weight. Then there's getting the corpses out of the ice. It would be expensive, could be done if somebody wanted to spend millions on a charity for it, but there are better things (and worse but easier things) to do with charity money.

[Peelee]

helicopters have apparently reached 35,000 ft, but that's presumably in good conditions with pressurisation or oxygen for the personnel

And those helicopters are heavily specialized. Most helicopters won't get anywhere near that.

[HalfTangible]

Finished reading Kaguya-sama: Love Is War.

Ending isn't as immaculate as the rest of the series but it's still really good. We know how it ends, where everyone's going, and even though it'd probably be a bad idea*, I wanna see more from these characters.

Great romcom, would recommend to all.

*The series ended right when it needed to. It didn't go too fast, it didn't overstay its welcome, and it covered the ground it needed to. There's also a heavy implication that Yu and Miko go through the same stuff we saw in the series over again, which wouldn't be necessary even if I would read the **** out of it just to see these two do something sooner or later.

[TaiLiu]

Sometimes I hear noises. Then, when the noises stop, I still hear them until I realize the sound has stopped. Then it quickly dissipates. Does anyone know what this is called?

I don't think it's an earworm, cuz when I realize the sound's stopped, it disappears pretty quick. And earworms stay stuck. It's also not tinnitus, cuz that stays stuck, too. And this sound doesn't.

The best term I have for it is an auditory hallucination that becomes a pseudohallucination that then disappears. But I dunno if there's another way to express it.

Just got news that our car, which broke down on the way to the eclipse ()(Don't worry, we still made it) has been fixed successfully.

The only reason this is noteworthy is because the dealership quoted us $4,000 to replace the hybrid battery, and my mother-in-law knew a guy who was willing to refurbish it for $400. I've always known to expect an upcharge at manufacturer service centers, and I know there's a big difference between brand new and refurbished, but that difference still galls me. I don't know if I've ever seen an actual "knock a zero off" price difference, and until we got news that it was running, I wasn't sure I believed it.

Wow, you saved $3600. That's a lot. I wonder why there's such a big disparity in cost.

[Peelee]

Wow, you saved $3600. That's a lot. I wonder why there's such a big disparity in cost.

Greed. Lameness filter bypass.

[Ionathus]

Greed. Lameness filter bypass.

Certainly in part. Dealerships are geared towards encouraging a new model purchase (or giving warranty-covered maintenance on your new model), which is why I tend to avoid them. Way too much money for not enough value.

(To TaiLiu)

In addition to greed, the dealership and the refurbishment guy were promising different services.

A hybrid car’s hybrid battery has a bunch of individual cells that can be swapped out. The dealership wanted to replace the whole battery with a brand new one. The refurbishment guy wanted to replace the two most worn-out cells that were causing the problem, but leave the rest of the (16-year-old) cells in the battery. So we’ll probably have another individual cell failure eventually.

We will certainly not get as much life out of the $400 fix as the $4000 replacement. But since this car has already lasted 300k miles, we expect the rest of the vehicle to fall apart *around* this rejuvenated hybrid battery either way.

[Anonymouswizard]

Greed.

Nah, he just wanted friends.


Had to spend two days sans-lens, and I'm still not sure if my eye is good enough to put it in. Sadly it's at a point where I can't see how red it is until I put the lens in.

[Keltest]

Certainly in part. Dealerships are geared towards encouraging a new model purchase (or giving warranty-covered maintenance on your new model), which is why I tend to avoid them. Way too much money for not enough value.

(To TaiLiu)

In addition to greed, the dealership and the refurbishment guy were promising different services.

A hybrid car’s hybrid battery has a bunch of individual cells that can be swapped out. The dealership wanted to replace the whole battery with a brand new one. The refurbishment guy wanted to replace the two most worn-out cells that were causing the problem, but leave the rest of the (16-year-old) cells in the battery. So we’ll probably have another individual cell failure eventually.

We will certainly not get as much life out of the $400 fix as the $4000 replacement. But since this car has already lasted 300k miles, we expect the rest of the vehicle to fall apart *around* this rejuvenated hybrid battery either way.

That doesnt sound like an additional point to me, just how theyre justifying charging you the extra digit. Selling people things they didnt ask for and didn't consent to is a time honored tradition in just about every industry with specialized knowledge.

[Rater202]

That doesnt sound like an additional point to me, just how theyre justifying charging you the extra digit. Selling people things they didn't ask for and didn't consent to is a time honored tradition in just about every industry with specialized knowledge.

I recall reading a few months ago a story about someone who, after buying a new car, got pressured into paying extra for an extended full-service warranty instead of just the basic warranty.

A while later he was having car trouble and went back to the dealer to have it serviced and in addition to fixing the "minor" issue they did a bunch of other things so that what should have been a few hundred dollars ended up being a few thousand. When they called him to tell him the job was done and the bill, he said "I'm not paying that" and when he went to the dealership to pick up his car there were two burly guys standing behind the clerk because of a course a shady dealership has thugs.

He then showed them that the car was still under the warranty he was pressured into paying extra for and that it covered all of the services that they had performed and that n, he was not paying it, they'd just have to eat the loss unless they wanted legal trouble for breach of contract.

The next time he had car trouble the dealership fixed the exact problem and nothing else. When the warranty expired, he traded the car in at another dealership.

[Peelee]

I recall reading a few months ago a story about someone who, after buying a new car, got pressured into paying extra for an extended full-service warranty instead of just the basic warranty.

A while later he was having car trouble and went back to the dealer to have it serviced and in addition to fixing the "minor" issue they did a bunch of other things so that what should have been a few hundred dollars ended up being a few thousand. When they called him to tell him the job was done and the bill, he said "I'm not paying that" and when he went to the dealership to pick up his car there were two burly guys standing behind the clerk because of a course a shady dealership has thugs.

He then showed them that the car was still under the warranty he was pressured into paying extra for and that it covered all of the services that they had performed and that n, he was not paying it, they'd just have to eat the loss unless they wanted legal trouble for breach of contract.

The next time he had car trouble the dealership fixed the exact problem and nothing else. When the warranty expired, he traded the car in at another dealership.

While stuff like that totally happens, the details in that story make me think it's one of those things people make up online for clout. Imean, really, original author - enforcers behind the counter? That's a deas giveaway it never happened.

[Bohandas]

A hybrid car’s hybrid battery has a bunch of individual cells that can be swapped out. The dealership wanted to replace the whole battery with a brand new one. The refurbishment guy wanted to replace the two most worn-out cells that were causing the problem, but leave the rest of the (16-year-old) cells in the battery. So we’ll probably have another individual cell failure eventually.

We will certainly not get as much life out of the $400 fix as the $4000 replacement. But since this car has already lasted 300k miles, we expect the rest of the vehicle to fall apart *around* this rejuvenated hybrid battery either way.

How many cells are in the battery? There would have to be at least 20 for for the 4000 dollar replacement to ever be a good deal

[Rater202]

While stuff like that totally happens, the details in that story make me think it's one of those things people make up online for clout. Imean, really, original author - enforcers behind the counter? That's a deas giveaway it never happened.

did I ever share the story about how, when I came into a conflict with a professor in my second semester of college over a misunderstanding(the Disability office said that I was the one who had to tell my parents individually that I had autism and might need accommodations when I told the professor and asked for instructions that were less vague she said "the disability office didn't say anything" turns out they lied to me or the police got changed between semesters without anyone being informed of it)

Anyway, she decided that "tall frustrated autistic man" was a threat and the next class she had someone sitting in who then ambushed me after class and said and made threats about having the Dean of students kick me out unless I went with her then and there to "discuss the problem" and wouldn't take "my ride will be here any minute" for an answer because apparently just my regular body langue is a threat according to this woman.

Note that this is not, in fact, how such things were supposed to be resolved according to policy.

(The situation was resolved when I got home in a panic and my mother sent some emails to the school on my behalf but the whole mess was complicated and I still ended up having to sign a document that amounted to a confession to wrongdoing even though I did nothing wrong.)

Given my life experinaces, which as we have long since established differ significantly from yours, can you see why I would find a shady car dealership having thugs on hand to intimidate 'problem customers' to be plausible given that I myself have been a victim of similar intimidation tactics in a ****ing school of all places?

[Keltest]

Intimidating customers is generally bad practice for a legal venture. There are plenty of ways for a legitimate business to get you to pay up without breaking your legs if you owe them money, and breaking someone's legs is a good way to never see their money, or any money, for a long time.

[Rater202]

Intimidating customers is generally bad practice for a legal venture. There are plenty of ways for a legitimate business to get you to pay up without breaking your legs if you owe them money, and breaking someone's legs is a good way to never see their money, or any money, for a long time.

Outright threatening violence? You're right.

An implied threat of violence? That's different. Lots of people will back down if the other guy is a big, vague threatening person or has some near bye.

[Keltest]

Outright threatening violence? You're right.

An implied threat of violence? That's different. Lots of people will back down if the other guy is a big, vague threatening person or has some near bye.

Well you don't want that either because they can still sue you over it. Even if they lose, you're still out the money for the lawyer, and that's a non-trivial if.

[Rater202]

Well you don't want that either because they can still sue you over it. Even if they lose, you're still out the money for the lawyer, and that's a non-trivial if.

Sue you? Over what? Having a tall guy behind the desk when they came in? Or for having some form of security in place?

It's not like the OP of the story said "the car is still under warranty" over the phone, they said "I'm not paying that" which could be read as a statement of intent to refuse payment for services rendered and since they arrived with intent to claim the vehicle despite said statement of refused payment there's enough wiggle room for the dealership to argue that they themselves felt threatened.

Hell, the OP was merely assuming that they were there to intimidate him, The situation was resolved before their presence was addressed and while threats would be in character for a shady business without confirmation there's no way of knowing for sure.

[Keltest]

Sue you? Over what? Having a tall guy behind the desk when they came in? Or for having some form of security in place?

It's not like the OP of the story said "the car is still under warranty" over the phone, they said "I'm not paying that" which could be read as a statement of intent to refuse payment for services rendered and since they arrived with intent to claim the vehicle despite said statement of refused payment there's enough wiggle room for the dealership to argue that they themselves felt threatened.

Hell, the OP was merely assuming that they were there to intimidate him, The situation was resolved before their presence was addressed and while threats would be in character for a shady business without confirmation there's no way of knowing for sure.

Over threatening you. Implied threats are still threats, and while going into details would probably criss the line into actual legal advice, it's enough of a risk that a business wouldn't want to, well, risk it. If youre a legitimate business, shady or not, you don't want a thug, you want a suit with a briefcase. Suits are much safer for you, and more successful.

[Rater202]

Over threatening you. Implied threats are still threats, and while going into details would probably criss the line into actual legal advice, it's enough of a risk that a business wouldn't want to, well, risk it. If youre a legitimate business, shady or not, you don't want a thug, you want a suit with a briefcase. Suits are much safer for you, and more successful.

You need to prove a threat before you can sue for threatening.

Unless you have a recording or credible witness to someone saying "I will inflict violence on yu if you don't pay" you have no case. No lawyer's gonna take "i felt threatened" to trial unless you've got a ****load of money to pay them with.

Just having a couple big and tall guys behind the counter doesn't in and of itself make for a credible threat.

[Keltest]

You need to prove a threat before you can sue for threatening.

Unless you have a recording or credible witness to someone saying "I will inflict violence on yu if you don't pay" you have no case. No lawyer's gonna take "i felt threatened" to trial unless you've got a ****load of money to pay them with.

Just having a couple big and tall guys behind the counter doesn't in and of itself make for a credible threat.

Like I said, threats don't need to be verbal to be threats.

[Peelee]

You need to prove a threat before you can sue for threatening.

Who do you think you prove things to? The judge. Presiding over the lawsuit. Which takes place once you've sued.

You can sue for damn near anything. Winning, that's another question, but if you have the time and the inclination, you can absolutely make someone's life miserable in the US court system, even if they've done nothing wrong.

ETA: Also, even the implication of "pay us money or we'll beat you up" is not conducive to business that wishes to continue to exist.

[DavidSh]

ETA: Also, even the implication of "pay us money or we'll beat you up" is not conducive to business that wishes to continue to exist.

I did come across that once in a shady business in the Pigalle, in Paris, but they fairly obviously preyed on the tourist trade.

[Rater202]

So that Owl House/Marvel crossover fanfic I've mentioned that I'm working on?

It's received fanart.

I have received additional fanart from the same artist.

Spoiler: Credit to Just_A_Ghost

Show

This probably makes no god damn sense to anyone but I'm just happy that someone likes my fanfic enough to draw art inspired by it.

[LaZodiac]

I have received additional fanart from the same artist.

Spoiler: Credit to Just_A_Ghost

Show

This probably makes no god damn sense to anyone but I'm just happy that someone likes my fanfic enough to draw art inspired by it.

It doesn't but it ****ing owns. I wish I got fanart like this!

[Rater202]

It doesn't but it ****ing owns. I wish I got fanart like this!

Spoiler: I'mma try to 'splain

Show

So, due to changing circumstances, 1: Amity's character development gets speedrun a bit which combined with a few other butterflies means she just barely worked up the nerve to give Luz the Grom note so they end up dating at Grom, and 2: Luz doesn't need to sacrifice the portal to rescue Eda.

So Luz can go back to the Human Realm when she's supposed to, and Amity comes with her because Luz is afraid of telling her mom the truth as in canon.

Camila takes it a lot better than in canon, however, mostly because Luz is actually there instead of being an astral projection in a mirror but also because this is a Marvel crossover and "my daughter spent her summer having PG magical adventures in another dimension" is a lot closer to "normal" than it is in canon. There is legal precedent for Vee's exact situation. So that just... all gets resolved pretty easy and then it's a tour around town.

Also, Masha is there because it kind of rubs me the wrong way that the other Cabin 7 kids seemingly never get the truth of what was going on explained to them. It's not fair that Vee has to start those friendships over from scratch and as far as the Cabin 7 kids know Luz made new friends an started ghosting them and that just... No. So in y fic, Mash hitched a ride back to town when Camila picked up Vee and thus was present when the real Luz came back.

This is something I had always planned...

If you recall in Knock Knock Knocking on Hooty's Door, in canon Luz is implied to have asked people out and been not only rejected but made fun of and in Yesterday's lie her reaction to Vee approaching human teenagers is to warn her to start looking for escape routes and lament that Snek-Friend is going to get made fun of. I sort f emphasized this in my take on the Grom chapter and was planning to follow it up with an encounter with some Bullies/Fomrer Crush's of Luz and that Amity would not stand for her girlfriend being made fun of in that manner...

...But then a general fanfic discussion I was participating in turned its attention to the Blonde Cheerleader, seen in A Lyin' With and a Warden and Thanks To Them, and another forum poster joked that she was "the first of Luz's Evil Exes" and uh... The plot bunnies in my brain started breeding.

I was gonna do a full roster of seven ex-crushes but that didn't turn out to be viable so I went with three instead.

[Form]

ETA: Also, even the implication of "pay us money or we'll beat you up" is not conducive to business that wishes to continue to exist.

It's not, but the corporate world is rife with stupidity and incompetence. Businesses are perfectly willing to do all manner of things that jeopardize the long term sustainability of that business. And sometimes all it takes it some low level manager going on a power trip. Does that mean this story in particular actually happened? *shrug* Not really and I certainly wouldn't know anyhow, but that's always the problem with these reddit tales. There's never any way to verify them.

[Rater202]

Thought Potato, the youtbe channel that does that spec bio-series I've mentioned a few times, posted the first half of a two-part video on what happens if someone already infected with the vampire virus gets infected with te zombie virus.

Most of the test subjects died horribly but the also accidentally made a hybrid super-virus, though details on that one are going to have to wait for part 2.