The Off Topic Topic

[Syt]

Something interesting I learned today, the US had several "Anatomy Riots" where people rose up against doctors over corpse stealing.

https://www.sciencehistory.org/stories/magazine/the-anatomy-riot-of-1788/

Not just the US (I'd be surprised if it wasn't a thing in Canada too) - although here it was less public riots (though outrage/terror was high) as rival gangs of bodysnatchers attacking each other:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Resurrectionists_in_the_United_Kingdom

Weirdly, I was just watching the Good Omens episode with the 18th century bodysnatching scenes set in Edinburgh the other day, which also highlighted the "challenges" of the profession.

[Zanza]

I just got instructions from HR how to handle remote workers going on strike. As they are not clocked in obviously, they have report having strikes to their supervisor. 

[Syt]

I just got instructions from HR how to handle remote workers going on strike. As they are not clocked in obviously, they have report having strikes to their supervisor. 

"You still striking?"
"Ayup."
"Ok. Will call you again in an hour."

[Sheilbh]

I just got instructions from HR how to handle remote workers going on strike. As they are not clocked in obviously, they have report having strikes to their supervisor. 

I have a friend in academia who was regularly on strikes for the last few years and while they still had physical picket lines which there was a rota on, most of them work remotely and it was very weird from that side too.

[grumbler]

So here's an interesting twist for those following college football: right now, there are three undefeated teams in the Big Ten: #1 Oregon, #3 Penn State, and #13 Indiana.  Should all three win out, there'd be a three-way tie for the two spots in the conference championship game.  They don't play each other, so there's no head to head record, the same conference record, the same overall record.  They'd go to tiebreaker #5, which is the overall conference record of their conference opponents.  That would put Penn State and Indiana ion the conference championship game.  Oregon couldn't be the conference champion and so couldn't get the bye that the conference champions get.  They'd effectively be demoted from #1 to #5 because of the play not of the team, but of their opponents.

Just another fucked-up detail caused by the fucked-up conference system.

Not that Indiana is likely to go undefeated, mind.  They aren't likely to beat OSU.

[Josquius]

What do the numbers mean?

But yes. Systems of playoffs for top league titles are weird. The Swiss super league does this and... No. It influenced the champions league (where it's a bit saner and more understandable)

But then college sports being such a huge thing is also one of America's oddities that doesn't get remarked on much.
It's strange all sports ended up with this same format over there and none ended up with proper pyramids.

[grumbler]

What do the numbers mean?

But yes. Systems of playoffs for top league titles are weird. The Swiss super league does this and... No. It influenced the champions league (where it's a bit saner and more understandable)

But then college sports being such a huge thing is also one of America's oddities that doesn't get remarked on much.
It's strange all sports ended up with this same format over there and none ended up with proper pyramids.

The numbers refer to the current national ranking of the teams by the playoff selection team.  The top 12 get into the playoffs.

Weird schemes result hen the organizers are trying to keep the total as small as possible (to make the regular season count as much as possible) while not leaving out any teams that might legitimately be the best and, at the same time, maximizing TV revenue.

[Savonarola]

I just got an invitation to a seminar (sales pitch) for a cremation service which, is to be held at Smokey Bones Bar and Fire Grill.

Like they say at Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini: What you are now, we once were; what we are now, you shall be.

[Caliga]

I just got an invitation to a seminar (sales pitch) for a cremation service which, is to be held at Smokey Bones Bar and Fire Grill.

The crappy BBQ chain owned by Olive Garden?

[Savonarola]

I just got an invitation to a seminar (sales pitch) for a cremation service which, is to be held at Smokey Bones Bar and Fire Grill.

The crappy BBQ chain owned by Olive Garden?

I think they're owned by different conglomerate but, yes, it is a crappy chain barbecue restaurant which is part of a conglomerate.

[Caliga]

They're both owned by Darden, but I just said 'Olive Garden' because I figured most people wouldn't know who Darden is.  I happen to know because my dad was an executive at Darden (back when it was called GMRI (General Mills Restaurants, Inc.)) in the mid-80s to late-90s.  He helped launch Olive Garden, which he incidentally thought was a terrible concept because he assumed it would get killed in the northeast where there's a good Italian restaurant on every corner.  He was wrong, which he is good about admitting to when it comes up.

[Savonarola]

They're both owned by Darden, but I just said 'Olive Garden' because I figured most people wouldn't know who Darden is.  I happen to know because my dad was an executive at Darden (back when it was called GMRI (General Mills Restaurants, Inc.)) in the mid-80s to late-90s.  He helped launch Olive Garden, which he incidentally thought was a terrible concept because he assumed it would get killed in the northeast where there's a good Italian restaurant on every corner.  He was wrong, which he is good about admitting to when it comes up.

Darden sold them off about 15 years ago, today Smokey Bones is owned by FAT Brands; though coincidentally both they and Twin Peaks might be spun off.

[Barrister]

They're both owned by Darden, but I just said 'Olive Garden' because I figured most people wouldn't know who Darden is.  I happen to know because my dad was an executive at Darden (back when it was called GMRI (General Mills Restaurants, Inc.)) in the mid-80s to late-90s.  He helped launch Olive Garden, which he incidentally thought was a terrible concept because he assumed it would get killed in the northeast where there's a good Italian restaurant on every corner.  He was wrong, which he is good about admitting to when it comes up.

Free breadsticks and salad is quite the draw.

I've never loved Olive Garden, but the fact I've been there more than once means I didn't absolutely hate it either.

It's been a few years though.

[Caliga]

Darden sold them off about 15 years ago, today Smokey Bones is owned by FAT Brands; though coincidentally both they and Twin Peaks might be spun off.

Clearly I have not kept up with developments at Darden since my dad retired.

[Syt]

Today I learned that the grandfather of modern technicals is the tachanka, a machine gun mounted on a horse carriage, used on the Eastern Front of WW1 and during the Russian Civil War:

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