atferrari You have a way with words. Yes, I'm the best driver I know of.

You mention with age comes intolerance. I must be getting pretty old because I am very intolerant of stupidity. Not dumb questions, sheer stupidity. That's why I started this thread. I've trained newbies in Quality Control and Quality Assurance. Trained them to use specialized measurement equipment, how to calculate offset (hole location GD&T) and many other things. I've relished training those who "Get It" and had the greatest frustration with people who just couldn't get it. One person I was training had never soldered before. How they got the job - I have no idea. Nevertheless, this person could definitely melt solder. And melt it and melt it and melt it until the board was encased in a protective silver solder cocoon. They didn't make it. They just couldn't get it. One pupil quickly learned GD&T (Geometric Dimension & Tolerancing). This one understood everything I explained. In other words, intelligence.

Stupidity annoys the heck out of me. In a class where we were being trained to communicate more effectively I was asked "What kind of people do you like to hang around and why?" My answer was "Smart people." When asked "Why?" I said "Because smart people don't irritate me." And that's the absolute truth. I have no problem with people who lack knowledge or understanding, and I make a definite distinction between the uneducated and stupidity. To me, stupidity is like the person who uses an oxy. - acetylene torch to cut open a propane tank. You KNOW there's going to be some excitement. Stupid people don't.

But this thread isn't intended to highlight stupid people or the things they do, it's about attitude towards others. As I've said many times so far, I am of the opinion that this past year people here have become more - um - what's the right words?: Belligerent? Snappish? Annoyed? I don't know. I only notice that people are giving each other more grief over smaller and smaller things. Like the person who snaps at me for not answering the TS question about how to make THIS work. THIS might not be the right way to go about achieving their goal, and I might suggest they try THAT. But someone will snap at me severely for not answering the TS's question AS THEY ASKED IT. Me? When I ask for advice I'm looking to understand if my approach is correct - or if someone knows a Better way. So when someone wants to light a match by huffing and puffing and blowing on it repeatedly and I suggest why not strike it on the striker pad, I can expect at least one person to deride me for not answering the TS question as they posted it.

People, again, in my opinion have become more abrasive this 2020. I'm wondering if it's because of being more isolated and having less interaction with others.

I know - I know - much too long to read. Well, if you read this far - thank you.

 

I have not noticed any difference in attitudes from my perspective.

However the Vendée Globe circumnavigation solo race that @atferrari alerted me to has opened my eyes.
Here are very smart people, super intense, but also very humble. I am a sailor myself and I teach sailing. There is no way in this world that I would attempt something like this. (My daughter is into extreme sports and did a solo kayaking trip in the Caribbean!)

These sailors in the Vendée Globe are not stupid, but brave, yet humble. They marvel over the experience of being in the middle of nowhere all alone, with a brilliant full moon at night, braving whatever nature throws at them, yet fully aware of the risks and dangers that they will encounter. To tackle a challenge like this they have to be highly trained, conditioned and prepared. This is a lot more than being an experienced sailor. This is more about knowing meteorology, weather systems, wind and water currents, navigation, nutrition, physical and mental well being. They have to be able to do mechanical and electrical repairs in the middle of nowhere under very non-ideal and stressful conditions.

And yet, they are humbled by mother nature and have the sense of strong human bonding and compassion that they would do anything in order to rescue a competitor in distress.

With all the unfortunate human events that unfold before our lives we could all learn something from these brave men and women all alone on the high seas.

 

I certainly wouldn't categorize sailing into such conditions as stupid. Nor would I call it foolhardy. To be able to do such a thing you have to be intelligent and have a great deal of forethought. What I call stupid is the guy who puts a sticker over the check engine light (I know someone who did), or the guy who builds a 10 foot high platform using 2x3's with straight, vertical legs with a single perpendicular stiffener across each set, with the intention to climb up on top with a long pole to trim tree limbs he otherwise can't reach (same person). The stance and platform were both 4' by 4'. He called it his "Tower of Babel". I called it the tower of death. He spent over $100 on materials, then perhaps for sake of listening to me and another neighbor he decided it wasn't safe. So he went out and for $60 he bought a 10 foot ladder. The only smart thing he did was NOT use his tower of death. A falling branch would have taken out the legs and down would come tumbling humpty dummy. THAT is the sort of thing I think is stupid. Not well trained, experienced and brave sailors on the open sea.

 

These sailors in the Vendée Globe are not stupid, but brave, yet humble. They marvel over the experience of being in the middle of nowhere all alone, with a brilliant full moon at night, braving whatever nature throws at them, yet fully aware of the risks and dangers that they will encounter. To tackle a challenge like this they have to be highly trained, conditioned and prepared

In this day and age? The really brave ones were back in the days before GPS and radio. If they weren't brave and fearless the world as we know it would never be what it is today. Which on hindsight may not be so bad.

 

The really brave ones were back in the days before GPS and radio.

Just sit right back and you'll hear a tale
a tale of a fateful trip,
that started from this tropic port,
aboard this tiny ship.

The mate was a mighty sailin' man,
the Skipper brave and sure,
five passengers set sail that day,
for a three hour tour,
a three hour tour.

The weather started getting rough,
the tiny ship was tossed.
If not for the courage of the fearless crew
the Minnow would be lost.
The Minnow would be lost.

 

In this day and age? The really brave ones were back in the days before GPS and radio. If they weren't brave and fearless the world as we know it would never be what it is today. Which on hindsight may not be so bad.

A really insightful read is 'Longitude' The story of the man that solved the problem. Which in turn saved many ships from going aground.
A lowly clock maker.
Max.

 

Stupidity annoys the heck out of me

“The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits.”
– Albert Einstein

 

A really insightful read is 'Longitude' The story of the man that solved the problem. Which in turn saved many ships from going aground.
A lowly clock maker.
Max.

The time period I was referencing was even before they had come up with the concept of latitude. When they were still thinking the earth was flat. Well, there are some out there that still say that. The time period when they didn't even have a compass. But yet there were some that set sail to see the horizon.

 

The time period I was referencing was even before they had come up with the concept of latitude. When they were still thinking the earth was flat. Well, there are some out there that still say that. The time period when they didn't even have a compass. But yet there were some that set sail to see the horizon.

Flat earth is really a modern myth. Sailors were never that stupid or that drunk.

https://www.history.com/news/christopher-columbus-never-set-out-to-prove-the-earth-was-round

There’s just one problem: It’s almost certain that in the 1490s, nobody thought the earth was flat. According to historian Jeffrey Burton Russell, “no educated person in the history of Western Civilization from the third century B.C. onward believed that the Earth was flat.”

That was thanks to scientists, philosophers and mathematicians who, as early as around 600 B.C., made observations that Earth was round. Using calculations based on the sun’s rise and fall, shadows and other physical properties of the planet, Greek scholars like Pythagoras and Aristotle determined that the planet is actually a sphere.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myth_of_the_flat_Earth

 

When they were still thinking the earth was flat. Well, there are some out there that still say that.

I always argue that if the earth was flat then there would be no time zones, the sun would rise for everyone at the same time. And if it were flat then couldn't you dig a hole through the disk to the other side? What would happen? Would you fall through the hole? Would you fall away from the other side of the earth?

Can't fix stupid.

And IF the earth was flat then cats would have knocked everything off it by now.

 

And IF the earth was flat then cats would have knocked everything off it by now.

I think that's the clincher.

 

I always argue that if the earth was flat then there would be no time zones, the sun would rise for everyone at the same time. And if it were flat then couldn't you dig a hole through the disk to the other side? What would happen? Would you fall through the hole? Would you fall away from the other side of the earth?

Can't fix stupid.

And IF the earth was flat then cats would have knocked everything off it by now.

 

And if it were flat then couldn't you dig a hole through the disk to the other side? What would happen? Would you fall through the hole?

You will not fall through the hole. Why you being silly. Everybody knows if you dig a hole through the Earth you wind up in China. Cheese I mean
Geeez,

 

Imagine my surprise when I learned that take-off speed is computed as a function of cargo weight in kilograms, and fuel in pounds.

One of my favorite quotes, "Standards are so good, that's why we have so many of them!"

And it is really sad that a lot of folk have turned a health problem into a political one.
Here in Victoria, Oz, we had lock-downs, and the main problems were with people breaking them. There was one guy who was infected and stopped at a number of towns, spreading the bug, and to make it worse, he lied about it for quite some time.
Still, we are almost back to normal now, with no new infections for weeks.
The opposition political party really tried to squash the lock down but I for one was very happy out state gov stuck to their guns. I'm blessed with a lung condition that puts me in the high risk group.
Please get the politics out of the picture. It is a very nasty VIRUS, not an political stunt.

Having this and other technical forums has been a big help to keep interest going. Thank you Forum owners!

 

Think of those who denied the moon landing but believed aliens were visiting us in UFOs

“The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that it has never tried to contact us.”

 

Here in Victoria, Oz, we had lock-downs, and the main problems were with people breaking them.

The last I've heard munchkins are nice and they don't break anything in the Land of Oz you should be ashamed!

 

Starting to think this thread has gotten a little off topic. Starting to look a little more like the jokes thread. Well, maybe this is the death nell of this thread. Four pages. Not bad. Maybe it's a sign that things are starting to turn around now that the dynasty (U.S.) is starting to crumble. I, for one, sure hope so. Things turning around I mean.

 

The last I've heard munchkins are nice and they don't break anything in the Land of Oz you should be ashamed!

 

Good morning everyone.
please bear with me.

Here are very smart people, super intense, but also very humble. I am a sailor myself and I teach sailing. There is no way in this world that I would attempt something like this.

Someone with a sincere concern for the well-being of his compatriots in this time of strife managed to breach the bulkhead of this vessel strategically placed allowing the venting of pressure from stem to stern Broad hem sewn to the edge of a sail.
Barbarising Bilbo's
While consuming dandyfunk and burgoo.
He does not notice a patriarch he has become,

And yet, they are humbled by mother nature and have the sense of strong human bonding and compassion that they would do anything in order to rescue a competitor in distress

Shellback in Captain he is,copper bottomed he's crew has become,
now with heavy Cannon they carry,

Starting to think this thread has gotten a little off topic.

Yeah I know,., that was my attempt at a nautical themed terminology used by old sailors, thank you for starting this thread,

 

Maybe it's a sign that things are starting to turn around now that the dynasty (U.S.) is starting to crumble.

Haven't you been watching the news?