Things that make you go "Hmmmmmm."

[RABid]

Why is the low string of a banjo shorter than the rest? Did they find a flaw in the wood of the prototype and carve it out, causing the low string to be shorter? Is the cost of the thick string so high that they shortened it? Just trying to be different?

 

Why are 90 percent of the villains in Disney movies and shows women? Are they trying to balance thing out after movie series like Halloween and Friday the 13th constantly portray men as villains? Do they view women as the stronger sex and thus want to make their villains strong? Do the writers and producers have mommy issues?

 

Why do people hate accordions. It is the original portable keyboard. Doesn't need batteries. Doesn't need speakers. Doesn't need friends.

 

Next...

[bill5]

In Virginia, it's legal to possess and use pot. But you're not allowed to buy or sell it and you aren't allowed to bring it in from another state or country. Apparently there are some pot forests out there somewhere... 

[Strays Dave]

I'd say maybe accordians and banjos suffer from type casting.  Accordians with Lawrence Welk and polkas.  Banjos with country and bluegrass. But although I've not followed Bela Fleck,  I caught him on (IIRC)  Austin City Limits once playing some very progressive stuff.  

 

I'm left thinking hummm (?)  regarding the cannabis thing.  I have a medical card here in Florida - every 7 months I pay a pot doctor $150 to reapprove my license.  It takes him less that 2 minutes.  Decriminalization is way overdue.

 

 

 

 

[KuruPrionz]

48 minutes ago, bill5 said:

In Virginia, it's legal to possess and use pot. But you're not allowed to buy or sell it and you aren't allowed to bring it in from another state or country. Apparently there are some pot forests out there somewhere... 

In Washington, Oregon and California you can just drive up to a Cannabis dispensary (store) and buy cannabis. They sell all manner of paraphanalia as well.

Driving under the influence is very illegal in all 3 states. My hippie days are long since over but I know some folks who benefit from cannabis consumption, cancer patients undergoing radiology treatment can get their appetite back, just for one.

 

BANJOES! The high string on a 5 string banjo is meant to be part of the thumb picking pattern. How that came to pass I don't know but there it is. It's a drone string, in general it is not fretted although I've seen various things (mostly screws) used as "mini capos" to slip the string under and change the pitch for different tunings.

I built one of these from a kit, this is not me on the video:

I put a walnut fretboard (still fretless) on mine and Schaller guitar tuners - the cello tuners didn't seem firm enough and I only know one tuning anyway.  

[Notes_Norton]

On 8/23/2023 at 11:36 AM, Strays Dave said:

I'm left thinking hummm (?)  regarding the cannabis thing.  I have a medical card here in Florida - every 7 months I pay a pot doctor $150 to reapprove my license.  It takes him less that 2 minutes.  Decriminalization is way overdue.

I'm a believer that all drugs should be legal with an appropriate age limit to purchase, just like alcohol. In addition, like alcohol, it should be illegal to drive under the influence.

 

I don't do drugs anymore, except for about three 4oz glasses of wine per week and a lot of coffee. So here is my reasoning.

 

1. The fact that drugs are illegal creates a lot of violence that often involves innocent people. Drug gangs and cartels are dangerous to law enforcement officers, people who just are in the wrong place at the wrong time, and politicians on the 'wrong' side of the issue. … In addition, being illegal makes them expensive, and that means users may resort to robbery, burglary and other ways to pay for their habit. If legalized, only the abuser is harmed, and like booze, I suspect most people wouldn't OD.
2. The cost to “we the taxpayers” trying to enforce the drug laws is incredibly costly. If legalized and taxed, the government would make money, potentially easing our tax burden.
3. If legalized, the dosage would be controlled and consistent, so there would be fewer unintentional ODs

It seems so logical to me. So I suspect there are a lot of people making a lot of money to ensure that these drugs never get legalized.

 

Well, that is only my opinion, which hasn't yet convinced the world to change.

 

Notes ♫

 

 

[bill5]

Thank God. So stuff like crack and heroin and fentanyl should be legal? You can't be serious. Hard pass. Make stuff like that legal and addictions would go through the roof, so all the people with ever-increasing dosage needs would sooner or later be unable to afford it and therefore increase the crime rate, not decrease it. Also comparisons to alcohol are frankly ridiculous. One drink won't kill you to say the least, or make you an addict. One hit of hard drugs easily could.

[KuruPrionz]

32 minutes ago, bill5 said:

Thank God. So stuff like crack and heroin and fentanyl should be legal? You can't be serious. Hard pass. Make stuff like that legal and addictions would go through the roof, so all the people with ever-increasing dosage needs would sooner or later be unable to afford it and therefore increase the crime rate, not decrease it. Also comparisons to alcohol are frankly ridiculous. One drink won't kill you to say the least, or make you an addict. One hit of hard drugs easily could.

I have to dispute your assumption that alcohol is much safer than other drugs. I know quite a few friends who cannot have one drink or they cannot stop drinking. It is a very addicting substance. Not all of us are easily addicted but many are. The fact that it is legal and can be found in a huge variety of locations makes it very dangerous for all of us, even if we are sober. You drive in traffic with alcohol influenced drivers every day, all day long. 

Quoted from this link: https://www.nhtsa.gov/risky-driving/drunk-driving#:~:text=Overview,a 14% increase from 2020.

 

"Every day, about 37 people in the United States die in drunk-driving crashes — that's one person every 39 minutes. In 2021, 13,384 people died in alcohol-impaired driving traffic deaths — a 14% increase from 2020. These deaths were all preventable."

[bill5]

Please understand I do not mean to belittle or dismiss alcoholism in the least. But comparisons of the drugs I mentioned or similar to alcohol simply don't hold up. Your friends are the exception, far from the rule. The fact that there are literally millions of people drinking alcohol yet not addicted makes that clear. Do you really think fhat if heroin or other such substances became easily accessible it would be the same? It is not uncommon for people who after taking a single hit of heroin are addicted and will do anything, including robbery or assault or selling everything they own or whatever, to get that next hit. I would hope it goes without saying that alcohol is hardly the same.

[KuruPrionz]

10 hours ago, bill5 said:

Please understand I do not mean to belittle or dismiss alcoholism in the least. But comparisons of the drugs I mentioned or similar to alcohol simply don't hold up. Your friends are the exception, far from the rule. The fact that there are literally millions of people drinking alcohol yet not addicted makes that clear. Do you really think fhat if heroin or other such substances became easily accessible it would be the same? It is not uncommon for people who after taking a single hit of heroin are addicted and will do anything, including robbery or assault or selling everything they own or whatever, to get that next hit. I would hope it goes without saying that alcohol is hardly the same.

Please post something concrete, statistics would suffice. Without facts, you are stating an opinion and nothing more. 

https://hirejared.com/blog/leading-causes-of-accidental-death-in-usa/#:~:text=The top three leading causes,car crashes in the US.

 

"Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data shows that more than 200,000 people face death due to unintentional injuries. This is the leading cause of death for Americans aged between 1 and 44 years. The top three leading causes of accidental death in the USA are motor vehicle crashes, poisoning, drowning, and falls.

Motor vehicle crashes remain to be the leading cause of death among Americans aged between 5 and 34 years. Forty-three thousand deaths per year occur from car crashes in the US. Out of these, 28% of the total number of deaths are caused by alcohol consumption."

 

[Stokely]

While it would suck if "hard" drugs were legal--so does the current situation.  Which is less sucky?   And on the cynical side, where is the money being made?

Prohibition taught us a couple things or should have:  when there is a demand, there will be a supply.  And if the suppliers can't do it legally, they'll do it illegally.   Maybe "we" could spend some of the trillions or whatever is being spent on the "War on drugs" to try to reduce demand, however that can be done. 

As far as weed, I haven't imbibed in decades yet it's the most ridiculous thing in the world that it's still (somewhat) illegal.  Yay for supporting cartels and the private prison industries I guess.   I've been doing some off-and-on job hunting over the past few years, and despite the fact that I'd pass any test any time I don't even consider companies that do drug testing.  Way too minority report for me.  If come in drunk, drugged out, falling asleep from all-night gaming (had a coworker that had this issue), then sure levee the punishments.  But don't do it preemptively.

[KuruPrionz]

10 hours ago, bill5 said:

Please understand I do not mean to belittle or dismiss alcoholism in the least. But comparisons of the drugs I mentioned or similar to alcohol simply don't hold up. Your friends are the exception, far from the rule. The fact that there are literally millions of people drinking alcohol yet not addicted makes that clear. Do you really think fhat if heroin or other such substances became easily accessible it would be the same? It is not uncommon for people who after taking a single hit of heroin are addicted and will do anything, including robbery or assault or selling everything they own or whatever, to get that next hit. I would hope it goes without saying that alcohol is hardly the same.

It could also be an assumption on your part that I'm all for legalizing drugs. I've not stated an opinion on that, so far I've simply provided statistics that there are many ways that people come to an end - Darwinism at its finest. We could make life safer by making automobiles illegal. It would be nearly impossible to make drowning and falling illegal and prosecuting dead people has its difficulties as well. People die, more people are born and humans are still here. Life is not a bed of roses. 

[ProfD]

Drugs (legal & illegal) and alcohol feed the economy in many ways. Follow the money.

 

The real question is why do people need drugs and alcohol. 😎

[bill5]

1 hour ago, KuruPrionz said:

Please post something concrete, statistics would suffice. Without facts, you are stating an opinion and nothing more. 

I said "The fact that there are literally millions of people drinking alcohol yet not addicted." There's a statistic, though it or others shouldn't really be needed as you well knew this was true already. It's hardly an opinion and is common knowledge.

 

Quote

 

Motor vehicle crashes remain to be the leading cause of death among Americans aged between 5 and 34 years. Forty-three thousand deaths per year occur from car crashes in the US. Out of these, 28% of the total number of deaths are caused by alcohol consumption."

 

? People die from car crashes due to alcohol. And? If your point is therefore outlaw alcohol, it's sound logic, but we tried that, didn't work. 

 

Quote

I've simply provided statistics that there are many ways that people come to an end 

Again: and?

 

Quote

We could make life safer by making automobiles illegal.

Except the idea is ridiculous because we need cars for a wide variety of reasons, which you also alredy knew...we don't need hard drugs to become easily available, to put it mildly.

 

Quote

It could also be an assumption on your part that I'm all for legalizing drugs.

It could be, but it's not.  As you pointed out, you haven't said one way or other. Your statements so far generally seem to lean that way, but I'm not one to put words in other people's mouth. 

 

In fact, I fear this could turn into a political topic of sorts and/or start kicking up a lot of dust, so maybe it's just as well. I respect your and others' rights to their opinion, whether I agree with it or not. 

 

Now here's something REALLY important: why do they still use those little twisties to seal bread and rolls? Nothing else is done this way, including things wrapped in plastic. They really can't come up with another way? Does anyone use those things? I just throw it out and when I'm using whatever it is, fold the opening under the bottom.

 

[Anderton]

31 minutes ago, bill5 said:

In fact, I fear this could turn into a political topic of sorts and/or start kicking up a lot of dust, so maybe it's just as well. I respect your and others' rights to their opinion, whether I agree with it or not. 

 

You could revolutionize the internet with that kind of thinking!

[surfergirl]

2 hours ago, bill5 said:

Now here's something REALLY important: why do they still use those little twisties to seal bread and rolls?

Those are particularly bad in a blended family, one lefthander and one righthander. When my lefthanded friend puts it back on lefthanded, then her righthanded boyfriend puts it back on righthanded, and so on. 

[o0Ampy0o]

11 hours ago, bill5 said:

Now here's something REALLY important: why do they still use those little twisties to seal bread and rolls? Nothing else is done this way, including things wrapped in plastic. They really can't come up with another way? Does anyone use those things? I just throw it out and when I'm using whatever it is, fold the opening under the bottom.

 

Since this is REALLY important:

 

1. "Nothing else is done that way..."

 

The twisty is offered with the plastic bags in the produce section of most grocery stores.

 

 

As well as the bulk food section.

 

 

 

2. "They really can't come up with another way?"

 

99% of the bread sold on grocery store shelves has a plastic clippy instead of a twisty.

 

 

 

Why? Probably because a date, price and item code can be printed on the clippy.

 

 

 

Frequently they are color coded to indicate a day of the week baked or more commonly just the same batch since the typical bread offered on grocery store shelves is not restocked with fresh bread daily.

 

The bread twisty

 

 

 

The bread clippy

 

 

 

3. "I just throw it out and when I'm using whatever it is, fold the opening under the bottom."

 

That is grounds for divorce. 😉

 

 

 

 

 

[o0Ampy0o]

On 8/23/2023 at 7:14 AM, RABid said:

Why do people hate accordions.

 

I think it is just the inherent sound generated by a manually pumped instrument. It kind of has that one man marching band thing going on. Somewhere along the line the hobo of keyboards was bumped off the evolution train.

 

Where was the syntheccordion in the 80's?

 

In a 7_, under 20lbs, MIDI and with an internal power supply = your Holy Grail!

 

 

 

 

[o0Ampy0o]

Opiates are forms of heroin each from the poppy. I and many others have taken them and not become addicted. I do appreciate the warm fuzzy happy place that comes with the pain relief. Interestingly, being in love shares many things with it.
 

Falling in and out of love is like climbing a mountain. There are levels / elevations that you experience on the way up and back down. You forget on the way up because it is intensifying but on the way down you recall feeling the level when you were ascending. People do become addicted to falling in love. If only I could be so open and easily find special people. 

[Nowarezman]

Something should be done about all these people addicted to accordion music.  

 

UNLEGALIZE IT!

 

nat

 

[David Emm]

On 9/19/2023 at 3:42 PM, surfergirl said:

Those are particularly bad in a blended family, one lefthander and one righthander. When my lefthanded friend puts it back on lefthanded, then her righthanded boyfriend puts it back on righthanded, and so on. 

 

This sort of thing is why you can't co-rent a house with friends and get insurance on it anymore. The chances of strangulation are too high. Sunday morning last-straw blowups are especially bad. The whole neighborhood hears every detail. 

[David Emm]

First, I happen to like accordions and bagpipes. Reed-y instruments hit a nice range for me.

 

I can't easily comment on drug prohibition without going too political, but dying from Fentanyl you ingested recreationally is like winning a Darwin Award. You have to *not* pay attention pretty firmly. Then there are the horrible moments like the toddler who died from exposure to it at his New York day care. In addition, people who push opioids should be dropped into one of Iceland's volcanoes.

 

A cop once told me "I much prefer people using weed, because when they get drunk, they'll fight me and my fellow officers. More than one person gets hurt when that happens. People who are just a little high are a lot more compliant." Interesting.

 

I don't recommend an overload of anything, but all in all, I'd happily see alcohol swapped for cannabis any day. Booze is far more damaging, in my observation. Everyone needs a little respite, but holy bleep, modulate gently, please. (As the closing line from "The Lion In Winter" goes, "Do you think there's any chance of it??")   

 

The ultimate problem is ongoing: the knuckleheads. The venue doesn't matter. They do very little in moderation and they'll fight like hell for their "right" to fight like hell. The A&E Network is a showcase for cell phone & dash cam video that makes me want wear a suit of armor when leaving the house. The more I see knuckleheads on the news, the more I like dogs and my synths. Hooray, dogs!

[K K]

Hmmm...

 

Give a glass of water to someone, then ask the person to drink some, then spit part of it back in the glass. 90% don't want to drink out of the glass anymore. Why ?

 

Also...

 

[Notes_Norton]

On 9/19/2023 at 1:07 AM, bill5 said:

Thank God. So stuff like crack and heroin and fentanyl should be legal? You can't be serious.

I am serious for a number of reasons. But foremost, let me clarify, my drug consumption totals daily coffee and tea, plus three 4oz glasses of wine, per week. I don't do them, but I don't think I have the right to deny others.

 

I do agree the drugs are dangerous … but … Making them illegal makes them more dangerous. I had a cocaine neighbor who regulated his habit for years, until he got a super-potent batch and it killed him. If the drug was legal, the doses would be measured and the consumer would know what he/she is getting. Legality would have saved his life.

 

Legal drugs hurt the user, illegal drugs hurt the innocent ... The fact that they are illegal makes the drugs expensive. When is the last time you heard about someone mugging an old lady to get enough money to buy a beer? I knew an addict who was put in jail for stealing from innocent people to pay for his habit. He got caught more than once and won't be out for a long time. If the drugs cost as much as a beer, he could panhandle for it.

 

Illegal drugs make it easier for children to get them … Being illegal, the penalty for selling drugs to a teenager is the same as the penalty for selling the same drugs to an adult. Legal and regulated, like alcohol, can make a person lose his/her license for selling to a minor. When I was a young, hippie, I could get all the Pot, LSD, and other drugs I wanted easily, but buying alcohol was extremely difficult.

 

I do agree the drugs are dangerous … but … Freedom and liberty are supposed to be American qualities ...  Why should the government decide what dangerous activities we participate in?

• The recent thaw exposed multiple bodies on Mount Everest. Mountain climbing is also dangerous, but it's legal.
• A few people died going down in an unapproved submersible to see the Titanic and it was perfectly legal
• Big Wave Surfing is also dangerous, and legal.
• So is scuba diving and cave diving.
• Hang gliding is notoriously deadly but legal.
• So is wingsuit gliding.
• People die legally white water rafting every year
• Breaking legs while skiing is so common every ski lodge in a movie has someone on crutches. And then we have the accidents, avalanches and other pitfalls. Also, legal.
• BMX racing is legal, too.
• Horseback riding and trampolines put people under the ground every year.
• Team sports are the biggest cause of injuries for young people
• And so on.

The point is this. We are supposed to be guaranteed life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

• Life – nobody is allowed to take your life away unless they are defending themselves against you
• Liberty – 1. The state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views 2. The power or scope to act as one pleases.

• Pursuit of happiness – self-explanatory.

For most of my life, I've spent time skin diving on Florida's Reefs. I can free dive to 65 feet and there are dangerous things down there that can kill me. I don't go anymore because climate change bleaching makes me sad.

 

I still take hikes in the Everglades, where there are potentially man-eating alligators, crocodiles, pythons, and boa constrictors. Perfectly legal and the most dangerous animal known to man lurks there in multitudes. The only animal that kills more humans than other humans (wars included). The mosquito. But I know to use repellent.

 

I just took a week in Hawaii, walked across lava fields where I could have gotten lost if not careful, and caught COVID on the airplane. The doc at the hospital said my life was hanging by a thread. All very legal. I wore a mask on the plane, but you have to remove it to drink water. Dropping LSD at home would have been safer.

 

This is done because I enjoy it. My pursuit of happiness. I control the risks, because I know how. It's also very legal. On the other hand, if I want to sit at home, and ingest an illegal drug, also knowing the risks and limitations, I am breaking the law. Does that make sense? Should we make all dangerous activities illegal?

 

Liberty means we have the right to do whatever we want to, dangerous to ourselves or not, as long as we pose no danger to others. So IMO taking drugs are not OK for me, but fine for others, as long as they don't drive under the influence.

 

I am a patriot, and I am distressed to see our representative democracy eroded by people who say “you can do whatever I want” instead of “you can do whatever you want.”

 

Insights and incites by Notes ♫

[KuruPrionz]

3 minutes ago, Notes_Norton said:

I am serious for a number of reasons. But foremost, let me clarify, my drug consumption totals daily coffee and tea, plus three 4oz glasses of wine, per week. I don't do them, but I don't think I have the right to deny others.

 

I do agree the drugs are dangerous … but … Making them illegal makes them more dangerous. I had a cocaine neighbor who regulated his habit for years, until he got a super-potent batch and it killed him. If the drug was legal, the doses would be measured and the consumer would know what he/she is getting. Legality would have saved his life.

 

Legal drugs hurt the user, illegal drugs hurt the innocent ... The fact that they are illegal makes the drugs expensive. When is the last time you heard about someone mugging an old lady to get enough money to buy a beer? I knew an addict who was put in jail for stealing from innocent people to pay for his habit. He got caught more than once and won't be out for a long time. If the drugs cost as much as a beer, he could panhandle for it.

 

Illegal drugs make it easier for children to get them … Being illegal, the penalty for selling drugs to a teenager is the same as the penalty for selling the same drugs to an adult. Legal and regulated, like alcohol, can make a person lose his/her license for selling to a minor. When I was a young, hippie, I could get all the Pot, LSD, and other drugs I wanted easily, but buying alcohol was extremely difficult.

 

I do agree the drugs are dangerous … but … Freedom and liberty are supposed to be American qualities ...  Why should the government decide what dangerous activities we participate in?

• The recent thaw exposed multiple bodies on Mount Everest. Mountain climbing is also dangerous, but it's legal.
• A few people died going down in an unapproved submersible to see the Titanic and it was perfectly legal
• Big Wave Surfing is also dangerous, and legal.
• So is scuba diving and cave diving.
• Hang gliding is notoriously deadly but legal.
• So is wingsuit gliding.
• People die legally white water rafting every year
• Breaking legs while skiing is so common every ski lodge in a movie has someone on crutches. And then we have the accidents, avalanches and other pitfalls. Also, legal.
• BMX racing is legal, too.
• Horseback riding and trampolines put people under the ground every year.
• Team sports are the biggest cause of injuries for young people
• And so on.

The point is this. We are supposed to be guaranteed life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

• Life – nobody is allowed to take your life away unless they are defending themselves against you
• Liberty – 1. The state of being free within society from oppressive restrictions imposed by authority on one's way of life, behavior, or political views 2. The power or scope to act as one pleases.

• Pursuit of happiness – self-explanatory.

For most of my life, I've spent time skin diving on Florida's Reefs. I can free dive to 65 feet and there are dangerous things down there that can kill me. I don't go anymore because climate change bleaching makes me sad.

 

I still take hikes in the Everglades, where there are potentially man-eating alligators, crocodiles, pythons, and boa constrictors. Perfectly legal and the most dangerous animal known to man lurks there in multitudes. The only animal that kills more humans than other humans (wars included). The mosquito. But I know to use repellent.

 

I just took a week in Hawaii, walked across lava fields where I could have gotten lost if not careful, and caught COVID on the airplane. The doc at the hospital said my life was hanging by a thread. All very legal. I wore a mask on the plane, but you have to remove it to drink water. Dropping LSD at home would have been safer.

 

This is done because I enjoy it. My pursuit of happiness. I control the risks, because I know how. It's also very legal. On the other hand, if I want to sit at home, and ingest an illegal drug, also knowing the risks and limitations, I am breaking the law. Does that make sense? Should we make all dangerous activities illegal?

 

Liberty means we have the right to do whatever we want to, dangerous to ourselves or not, as long as we pose no danger to others. So IMO taking drugs are not OK for me, but fine for others, as long as they don't drive under the influence.

 

I am a patriot, and I am distressed to see our representative democracy eroded by people who say “you can do whatever I want” instead of “you can do whatever you want.”

 

Insights and incites by Notes ♫

Fantastic post, thank you!!!!!

[Notes_Norton]

1 minute ago, KuruPrionz said:

Fantastic post, thank you!!!!!

Thanks. I hoped it wasn't going to be considered political.

[KuruPrionz]

Just now, Notes_Norton said:

Thanks. I hoped it wasn't going to be considered political.

It was to the point(s), spot on. 

[bill5]

12 minutes ago, KuruPrionz said:

Fantastic post, thank you!!!!!

We'll agree to disagree to say the least and I hereby exit the topic   This is IMO too politically charged 

[ProfD]

Back on topic...I don't see the point in wearing a mask while driving alone with the windows rolled up.😁😎

[KuruPrionz]

27 minutes ago, ProfD said:

Back on topic...I don't see the point in wearing a mask while driving alone with the windows rolled up.😁😎

So you don't give yourself Covid? 😇

[bill5]

1 hour ago, ProfD said:

Back on topic...I don't see the point in wearing a mask while driving alone with the windows rolled up.😁😎

It looks cool. Like you're The Shadow or something.  bwahaha

 

Frankly I don't get wearing a mask for most people anymore period. The pandemic is over