Bad beat/Moaning/Venting thread - It's the end of the world as we know it

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

Pompeii is something else all right. Its really hard to comprehend that there was this fully functioning sensemaking advanced society two thousand years ago that couldn't possibly imagine what now would be like.

[RichieM]

Heading out to punchestown for the day. If anyone has any tips send them on.

[Denny Crane]

Been underground for a while. Changed jobs, bought a 2yo EV (love it), still shite at golf, went to Naples a couple of weeks back. Pompeii and food were unreal.

What have I missed here in the last few months?

I've invited to a work golf event. I've never played. I'm guessing I should head straight to the 19th.

I briefly looked up lessons, but at €95 an hour, I'll probably pass.

Not sure even Theresa could save me

[Denny Crane]

50 today.

Still have own hair, teeth.

How often do people here wish their friends happy birthday?

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

If you have a moment and are wondering about practical AI for the workplace have a look at this video. At the very least this would pop the little socks off Lao Lao in a way that not even the finest Meerlust could ever dream of doing.

After the video I went in a set up a workflow and it works precisely as easy as the video says. Free to try. We've got a new generation of capabilities on our hands.


Note: the first 15 minutes of the video contain all the necessary information, the last 15 minutes seems to be all about giving everyone else in a company, no matter how pointless, a chance to speak to camera. Bear in mind the video is all about workflows, its not showing some magic trick, so go in with a practical mindset in mind rather than expecting juggling!

[ionapaul]

How often do people here wish their friends happy birthday?

I'm in my late 40s (well, 48 this year, that's late 40s for sure!) and my friends and I often wish each other happy birthday, when we are reminded of the dates by social media or whatever! Usually a group chat on WhatsApp, with many slags about being ancient thrown around.

[coillcam]

I've invited to a work golf event. I've never played. I'm guessing I should head straight to the 19th.

I briefly looked up lessons, but at €95 an hour, I'll probably pass.

Not sure even Theresa could save me

Go to the 19th, tell them you have a bad knee/hip/shoulder/back etc. There are cheaper lessons available especially in bundles. €95 is on the higher end tbf.

If you've played pitch and putt, hurling or any kind of racket sport it's not too bad to pick up. Good craic overall and there's a decent social element to the game also. Although it's not for everyone and many think it's too long to play a round.

[Lao Lao]

How often do people here wish their friends happy birthday?

Usually once a year

[Denny Crane]

Usually once a year

I met a friend recently for pints. He presumed I had picked the date because it was his birthday. I had no idea. He showed me a WhatsApp group where they were organising something for someone else. Basically no one had said it to him.

He even ended up telling me to just pretend that I had intentionally picked the day.

I imagine it probably is relatively common as people age.

[Lao Lao]

Just reading this today, we may need to bail them out

https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/20...ate-be-enough/

It's a good read.

I know my purchases will be down this year as I'm pumping all money into the house although, I do have shares due to vest in a month or two that I may quite literally liquidate

There should still be a demand from Asia, which caused a lot of the big increases in Bordeaux and Burgundy wines prices originally but even that will probably be down on previous years.

I've seen a few older Bordeaux bottles for sale recently (retail) at competitive prices so it does look like there is some stock let over alright.

[Ed]

Have a friend who uses Facebook birthdays as a culling method. When she gets the notification, decides whether she's bothered enough to actually wish them a happy birthday. If not, unfriended

[LuckyLloyd]

I met a friend recently for pints. He presumed I had picked the date because it was his birthday. I had no idea. He showed me a WhatsApp group where they were organising something for someone else. Basically no one had said it to him.

He even ended up telling me to just pretend that I had intentionally picked the day.

I imagine it probably is relatively common as people age.

I have reminders on my phone for my close friend’s birthdays. It’s such low effort to pop people a text, and I think they appreciate it.

But you’re not wrong really. If my wife remembers it’s my birthday before 6pm I’m having an unusually good day, as they go

[dinekes]

I've invited to a work golf event. I've never played. I'm guessing I should head straight to the 19th.

I briefly looked up lessons, but at €95 an hour, I'll probably pass.

Not sure even Theresa could save me

You might do ok with just a few clubs 7 iron up and putter
Bit easier to control
Or Happy Gilmore it!

[Solksjaer!]

Birthdays sMirthdays . I hate any furore over it so keep it to myself. Even as a kid i'd make myself scarce until it passed. I guess its now a countdown

[Degag]

I've invited to a work golf event. I've never played. I'm guessing I should head straight to the 19th.

I briefly looked up lessons, but at €95 an hour, I'll probably pass.

Not sure even Theresa could save me

Head to a driving range (if they are still a thing) and hit a few balls.

Or better yet, go out for 9 holes beforehand with a friend (preferably one who is someway decent).

Don’t turn up stone cold on the day anyhow.

[zuutroy]

Main thing that put me off the En Primeur is that for a good few years it hasn't actually been good value for money. You have money locked up for 2 years, all to save 5% on the retail price when it hits the shelves.

[Lao Lao]

I met a friend recently for pints. He presumed I had picked the date because it was his birthday. I had no idea. He showed me a WhatsApp group where they were organising something for someone else. Basically no one had said it to him.

He even ended up telling me to just pretend that I had intentionally picked the day.

I imagine it probably is relatively common as people age.

I've everything I'm due to do in my calendar on my phone. If's it not in there, it doesn't happen.

I keep birthdays of friends and family in there too so I'd always text them happy birthday.

Personally, I'm still pushing for the birthweek of celebrations rather than birthday but at this stage Mrs Lao Lao is very much in the camp of ' Will ya go and ask me bollix'

[coillcam]

I met a friend recently for pints. He presumed I had picked the date because it was his birthday. I had no idea. He showed me a WhatsApp group where they were organising something for someone else. Basically no one had said it to him.

He even ended up telling me to just pretend that I had intentionally picked the day.

I imagine it probably is relatively common as people age.

Played golf with a lad recently who's 30 something wedding anniversary landed the same day. "Oops I hope she forgot too" - he realised after a couple of holes. He was home before lunchtime with flowers bringing her out for lunch.

I'm in the LL camp of google calendar reminders for all of this stuff. Definitely getting older I think we all put a lot less weight behind these things. Amongst my mates it's naturally all about the kids' birthdays and activities over the last few years.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

The big move I made on calendar reminders was adding the year of birth next to birthday reminders - almost seems like a superpower with the nieces where even their parents have started to forget their ages.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

A bit of undeserved blowback on these fine entreeeeeeeeeeepppppreeeneurs for reincarnating Alan Turing as a juggling trick. The comments are rather unforgiving.

[Lao Lao]

Main thing that put me off the En Primeur is that for a good few years it hasn't actually been good value for money. You have money locked up for 2 years, all to save 5% on the retail price when it hits the shelves.

You can definitely save more than 5% - I've had savings over the last few years of 25-30% on some wines.

There is also an element that some wines are hard to get in Ireland as we don't get the same variety that larger countries get.

Money is tied up though, no getting around that.

[Denny Crane]

The Rwanda bill seems like something concocted in the back of the car in The Thick of It.

https://archive.is/WLT8Q

[Denny Crane]

The big move I made on calendar reminders was adding the year of birth next to birthday reminders - almost seems like a superpower with the nieces where even their parents have started to forget their ages.

Yeah I did that. I'd have no idea otherwise.

I exported an of the FB birthdays to Google Calendar, but I guess I need to be better about actually checking it.

[DeadParrot]

Seville booked.
Going via stanstead there and back. Had considered the other options but it'd be twice the price and I'd lose nearly a day of "holiday" with the flight times.
Absolutely nothing worse imho, that a 7am flight home from a destination, closely followed by a 11pm landing to a location.
The inner oul fella in me baulks at the savage waste of money in accomadation and usage

[Lao Lao]

Just reading this today, we may need to bail them out

https://www.thedrinksbusiness.com/20...ate-be-enough/

Just looked at one wine - Leoville Las Cases which would be very well known and very good.

2022 En Primeur price was €2671.56 (inc VAT) for 6 bottles

2023 En Primeur price is €1210.32 (inc VAT) for 6 bottles

Almost a 55% reduction which is huge. You would think that if they are on the first big chateau's to do this, the others would follow. I'm pretty sure that Leoville Las Cases was one of the last to release last year whereas this year, they are one of the first out of the block.

[Theresa]

I've invited to a work golf event. I've never played. I'm guessing I should head straight to the 19th.

I briefly looked up lessons, but at €95 an hour, I'll probably pass.

Not sure even Theresa could save me

Could defo help you. Download the app, sign up and send us a swing. I'll get someone to give you a very beginner friendly lesson.

[balfejohn]

Heading out to punchestown for the day. If anyone has any tips send them on.

Sorry missed this
up here as well
4 winners thank god

[Wombatman]

The Rwanda bill seems like something concocted in the back of the car in The Thick of It.

https://archive.is/WLT8Q

Have to admire this move though.......

https://www.rte.ie/news/politics/2024/0501/1446781-migration-uk/

[dinekes]

Re Birthdays - I say to family I don't want to know about it unless there's a zero at the end. Usually get a what's app as a reminder irregardless.

Friends - slag each other about getting old!

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

You can't help feeling that if the newtownmountkennedy freaks had put a bit more effort into their protests they could have remained a collection of pristine potato heads. but look at them now. its the lack of effort that has really let them down. they need a pat kenny type figure who has managed to bat off housing beside him for a generation by simply making up new animals. thats why the dalkey lads are where they're at.

[Strewelpeter]

Open AI writing legislation to make themselves a monopoly and to criminalise anyone using open source,

[ComradeCollie]

You can't help feeling that if the newtownmountkennedy freaks had put a bit more effort into their protests they could have remained a collection of pristine potato heads. but look at them now. its the lack of effort that has really let them down. they need a pat kenny type figure who has managed to bat off housing beside him for a generation by simply making up new animals. thats why the dalkey lads are where they're at.

Not sure shifting 60 of the lads from Mount Street to bigger tents there is a great idea.

[BennyHiFi]

RIP Duane Eddy. This is great.

Live version of Peter Gunn from 1986 with Art of Noise on The Tube. Looks like they're all having a lot of fun!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-PiWgXbOp4

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

Open AI writing legislation to make themselves a monopoly and to criminalise anyone using open source,

I don't think you are fully aware of what you are criticising. There is bound to be dangerous AI created, the bill - like the EU bill - aims to put some basic controls on that. It will likely be ineffective, but the thing you are criticising is odd - you are criticising things like preventing building deepfake AIs, building terror-centric AIs, building propaganda AIs. Any usual opensource project with e.g. university backing, will be able to meet the regulatory requirements, its only completely bad faith actors that realistically will be forced to break to the law to develop their misinformation models. Generally, California tends to be a decent regulator.

[Ed]

Fidelity Studio for tea last night. A load of small plates between a gang of us. Everything was tasty

[DeadParrot]

Seville booked.
Going via stanstead there and back. Had considered the other options but it'd be twice the price and I'd lose nearly a day of "holiday" with the flight times.
Absolutely nothing worse imho, that a 7am flight home from a destination, closely followed by a 11pm landing to a location.
The inner oul fella in me baulks at the savage waste of money in accomadation and usage

Just realised, I'll be in Spain for Eurovision.
Please put me in for all possible draws and sweepstakes.
If i'm not online then, I'm still good for it

[Goodluck2me]

Just looked at one wine - Leoville Las Cases which would be very well known and very good.

2022 En Primeur price was €2671.56 (inc VAT) for 6 bottles

2023 En Primeur price is €1210.32 (inc VAT) for 6 bottles

Almost a 55% reduction which is huge. You would think that if they are on the first big chateau's to do this, the others would follow. I'm pretty sure that Leoville Las Cases was one of the last to release last year whereas this year, they are one of the first out of the block.

Far more than 35% so… do you have a link to that?

[zuutroy]

Happened to have the tab open on my computer so here you go: https://www.millesima.ie/producer-ch...ter=in_stock:P

[Lao Lao]

Happened to have the tab open on my computer so here you go: https://www.millesima.ie/producer-ch...ter=in_stock:P

Sounds like something I'd say to Mrs Lao Lao - "I just happened to have the tab open on my computer, I wasn't thinking of spending 1200 quid on 6 bottles of wine, honest!"

[zuutroy]

"We'd be losing money by NOT buying it" is a favourite of mine.

I remember buying a 1983 Las Cases about 8 years ago for around €120. Was amazing.

[Raoul Duke III]

Is there a pricing sweet spot where you think you're getting the best bang for your beverage buck? i.e. in terms of cost per bottle, €20, €30, €50, €100?

And what would be your average annual spend on en primeur? (Ignore if too personal a Q)

[zuutroy]

I think right about €40 to €50 is where you are paying for quality and not rarity. St. Julien and St. Estephe are my favourite and I think Chateau Lagrange is the perfect balance of cost to quality. Have only done the en primeur a couple of times. The most I ever spent was about €150 when McHughs in Artane were selling 1981 Mouton Rothschild for that, and it really would have been losing money not to buy it.
I tend to buy about 40-50 bottles ready to drink (€20 range) and 24-36 bottles to keep....slightly higher price tag. That does me for the year and means that the stash grows rather than depletes. Getting to the point now where I will need a 3rd fridge. One of these days there will be a bottle in the garage that will outlast me...not for a while though, I hope!

[Micknail]

What's the best bag in a box of wine lads?

[Iago]

Five beers (400ml each)
2 glasses of wine
4 ham croquettes
8 chicken goujons
1 criollo sausage with chimichurri and bread
3 small bowls of mixed nuts
€34.70

i commented that it was a bit expensive and the boss said to post it here and be disabused of my mad notions.


Can’t add much to the wine conversation. We’re generally paying about €2.90 a bottle (of rioja crianza) when we take advantage of various offers. Though we do occasionally go ‘all out’ and buy the gran reserva when it’s on offer at about €6.50 or so a bottle.

[ComradeCollie]

Five beers (400ml each)
2 glasses of wine
4 ham croquettes
8 chicken goujons
1 criollo sausage with chimichurri and bread
3 small bowls of mixed nuts
€34.70

The drinks alone would be about €60 in most places.

[SatNav]

How often do people here wish their friends happy birthday?

Talking of birthdays.

I'm turning 54 June 20th and I'll be celebrating it at the full moon party in Ko Pha Ngan

I don't think I'm ever going to get sense

Tbf I actually cannot wait for this trip. Will be an experience!
Approx 3 nights in each

Phuket .
Koh phi phi
Koh Samui
Koh pha ngan
Koh Tao
Koh samui

[Raoul Duke III]

8 chicken goujons

ARE WE REDUCED TO THIS!!!!?

[DeeBrown]

Have a friend who uses Facebook birthdays as a culling method.

Haven't heard from her in ages.
Bitch.

[Dice75]

Talking of birthdays.

I'm turning 54 June 20th and I'll be celebrating it at the full moon party in Ko Pha Ngan

I don't think I'm ever going to get sense

Tbf I actually cannot wait for this trip. Will be an experience!
Approx 3 nights in each

Phuket .
Koh phi phi
Koh Samui
Koh pha ngan
Koh Tao
Koh samui

Ork Bor

[Iago]

ARE WE REDUCED TO THIS!!!!?

mitigating circumstances your honour. I hadn’t eaten since 9.30am and we were in a tiny bar with a very restricted list of tapas.





they were delicious though

[6starpool]

Talking of birthdays.

I'm turning 54 June 20th and I'll be celebrating it at the full moon party in Ko Pha Ngan

I don't think I'm ever going to get sense

Tbf I actually cannot wait for this trip. Will be an experience!
Approx 3 nights in each

Phuket .
Koh phi phi
Koh Samui
Koh pha ngan
Koh Tao
Koh samui

Foreigners will be banned from Thailand after June then!

Enjoy SatNav, don't kill yourself by overindulging!

[Iago]

Have rediscovered, or maybe that should be refocused, my love of reading.

it seems fantasy & sci-fi for escapism don’t have the same hold when you’re not looking to switch your brain off for an hour or two a day.

in the last month I’ve read

Dopamine Nation - Anna Lembke
The comfort crisis & The Scarcity Brain - Michael Easter
The trading game - Gary Stevenson (think it might have been OPR who recommended it here)
Thinking, Fast and Slow. - Daniel Kaheman

and have Strangers to ourselves by Timothy Wilson as well as Mary Beard’s A History of Ancient Rome and Dominic Leiven’s Towards the flame (about the lead up to and impacts of the russian revolution) lined up next.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

Have The Comfort Crisis lined up and ready to go (Mr Money Moustache was raving about it ages ago). Notice Johann Hari has a new book out. Just love how that guy writes.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

There's a great book I'm reading at the moment - Co-Intelligence, about the future under AI. The prof who wrote it is rather brilliant.

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

Can't believe the Japans are only catching up with this food trend now.

[DeadParrot]

There's a great book I'm reading at the moment - Co-Intelligence, about the future under AI. The prof who wrote it is rather brilliant.

picked up this the other day in the bargain bin.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/59808487-starry-messenger

Perfect loo reading

[Hitchhiker's Guide To...]

He writes well?


Was wandering around Chapters bookstore the other day for the first time in ages and its so much fun.

[Tar.Aldarion]

I was in there with my brother for the first time in a decade, since my house is a few mins walk from it and he is an addict, he bought me grief is the thing with feathers, great book.

[Strewelpeter]

Two recent non fictions I'd recommend, I rail against Gray's vision of the world but he is very persuasive.

John Gray’s The New Leviathans

How the World Made the West by Josephine Quinn

[Hectorjelly]

does anyone use goodreads much? i'd like to follow more people there

https://www.goodreads.com/friend/i?feature=friend-invite-url&invite_token=NDQ4NmI1NmUtNmM4OS00ZDc5LWI2ODgtZGFkY2Q5NjMzN2I4