Any news on Peace Talks

[Dina]

Every man, women and child should be able to do that calculation, it's an indictment of educational sytems that they can't.
Sorry for the divergence.

Sometimes it is difficult, you need to do 453.2/27, for instance. So the law helps.

[g33k]

... Every man, women and child should be able to do that calculation, it's an indictment of educational sytems that they can't.

It's not so easy to figure out when one product is in grams and one is in ounces. I do use a calculator to figure it out when the grocery store doesn't supply the answer.

We get to some interesting time/value equations... can the little store AFFORD to calculate ALL the prices to usable standards?  I've noted some comparable products measure by weight, others by volume (very annoying!).  Does doing that add an onerous expense, one that raises their costs (yet again, yet higher) above the Big Stores (who can spread the cost across a MUCH higher volume)?

And for the consumer who DIY's the answer...  How long to find the "best" few options (two products? three?  more?), snd calculate all the different prices... vs. the amount saved?  Was it "worth" the time/$ ?

FWIW... I am another of those who will often open a calculator as a main way of deciding between two similar products.

And I too apologize for the digression.

[Dina]

It may be complicated. Perhaps you can easily compare two or three products to choose the cheaper one, but there is another problem, sometimes you need to take in consideration the volume (or weight) you are buying. It's the cheapest option the more practical? If it is a package too large perhaps it is difficult to find a good place in your kitchen and you have to store it in an uncomfortable place for a long time. On the other hand if the package is too small, you will get out of it too soon, and need to spend time (and sometimes money) going to the store too often.

I believe most of us have some of all that someplace in our mind, so when we chose to buy something sometimes it seems emotional but it is rational.

[Yuillegan]

Morris, Daniel Kahneman whilst being a heavy weight in his field, is not the only authority. Indeed, Gerd Gergerenzer (his most prominent critic) has argued strongly that Kahneman treats people as being basically incapable of making the best choice for themselves, which Gergerenzer argues isn't actually the case. Kahneman even admitted he relied too heavily on weak studies in some areas of his book (which was a very gracious thing to do when confronted with a criticism of your life's work).

I have always thought that shops be they supermarkets or general stores or anything in between, should provide a price in weight. And many do in many countries, as Dina says it is often the law. People should be able to do their own calculations too, but then again at the end of the day customers just want a good value proposition. Each of us might have a different idea of what that is, but the more information available then the easier that is for consumers to make their own choice, rather than a guided one.

But this is all way off topic. Perhaps we should get back to discussing Peace Talks.

For those that are interested I will be starting a thread in the Bar for anyone who wishes to discuss this all further. 

Link: https://www.paranetonline.com/index.php/topic,53300.0.html

[Arjan]

Try to make a rational decision about toilet rolls. The price per package tells you nothing and the price per roll is useless. You need the price per sheet but then some sheets have three layers and other sheets....

And if you do not have enough layers you will fold them so you need twice the number of sheets. And then we do not even talk about the softness and aestethic considerations. Some are just too ugly...

Really a rational decision is nearly impossible and then we do not even consider the time involved in making it.

A lot of economical decisions are emotionally driven because emotions are the usual shortcut for these things.   

[Bad Alias]

Never skimp on toilet paper or underwear (underpants, socks, undershirts, anything that has direct contact with your skin and goes under another article of clothing). It's just not worth it.

[morriswalters]

 

[Dina]

Or in feminine products, you know, feminine pads. Never try to save in them.

[morriswalters]

@Bad Alias

My father never wore anything other than 100 percent cotton. I'll give you a heuristic for sheets. Never buy anything less than 200 threads per inch.  I learned that from the ladies in the housewares department when I worked in retail.  Anything less will pill and will feel rough.  However I wouldn't bet that Egyptian Cotton has any useful meaning.  Since almost no cotton anything is produced in the US, what you get today is a crap shoot.

As a side note apropos of nothing, my grandmother brought home pillow cases which had been flour sacks.  She worked in a bakery.  I was fascinated by the fact that they had a pattern printed on them.  Obviously I am older than dirt.

Harry should use fireproof sheets and blankets in case he has nightmares and starts casting fuego in his sleep.

@Dina

Since I am retired and my wife isn't, it falls on me to order supplies for my wife. I survive this process by following the explicit instructions given to me by my wife. It boggles the mind.

There is humor in truth, and with that Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and whatever salutation fulfills your requirements.

Toodles

[Arjan]

There used to be a type of cheap toilet rolls commonly called sandpaper in the supermarkets but I do not see it anymore, I do not know when it disappeared but nowadays all brands are usable.  Sometimes it makes sense to buy something more expensive and at other times it is just hot air. Or extra fluffy paper with little pink dogs printed on them.

[spiritofair]

There used to be a type of cheap toilet rolls commonly called sandpaper in the supermarkets but I do not see it anymore, I do not know when it disappeared but nowadays all brands are usable.  Sometimes it makes sense to buy something more expensive and at other times it is just hot air. Or extra fluffy paper with little pink dogs printed on them.

A thread about when a favorite author is finally going to release his latest book devolves into a discussion about toilet paper... I hope this thread is not prophetic.     

[Dina]

Hijacking threads is a cherished sport for us forumites.

[Kindler]

I didn't read a book once because of it's ridiculous cover art. Years later, my brother highly recommended the book. I ended up loving it.

Agreed. And he usually manages to do it well enough that the inconsistency can be explained away.

On Butters and such. I always assumed Shiro was Shinto. Death Masks doesn't specifically mention what religion he was before he "converted." Shiro serves "Heaven. Or the divine in nature. The memory of my fathers past. My fellow man. Myself. All pieces of the same thing."

Sanya isn't an atheist. He's a Trotskiest. "Because it must be done. ... For the good of the people, some must place themselves in harm's way. some must pledge their courage and their lives to protect the community." That's what he believes in.

I don't know what kind of Jew Butters is. There are a lot of atheist Jews and a lot of pious Jews, but Butters faith is in stories.
For the Knights, it isn't about what religion they are; it's not about faces, skin, flags, membership lists, files. "God sees hearts." It's about what they believe in.

With that context, it would make sense for Butters to where a red cross. The imagery of a knight would appeal to Butters.

Shiro professed to be a Baptist. He discusses it in Death Masks. The whole "I found out I had become a Baptist. So I tried to be a good Baptist," conversation. He considered being a Baptist... incidental (I think that was the word he used).

[Bad Alias]

What was he before he was Baptist? G33k said Shiro was Buddhist (before he was Baptist). I always assumed he was Shinto. Shiro wasn't an "orthodox" Baptist. My point was that his views were probably indicative of whatever religion he "converted" from, but I don't know enough about Buddhist or Shinto beliefs to make an argument of what those views are indicative of.

[Arjan]

What was he before he was Baptist? G33k said Shiro was Buddhist (before he was Baptist). I always assumed he was Shinto. Shiro wasn't an "orthodox" Baptist. My point was that his views were probably indicative of whatever religion he "converted" from, but I don't know enough about Buddhist or Shinto beliefs to make an argument of what those views are indicative of.

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

Okinawa is not Japan, it was conquered quite recently.