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Not going to wade into this topic, but this has always been one of my favorite posts I found on FB. "The average adult with no chess training will beat the average five year old with no chess training 100 games out of 100 under normal conditions. The average 1600 Elo rated player – who'll probably be a player with several years of experience – will beat that average adult 100 games out of 100. A top “super” grand master will beat that 1600 rated player 100 games out of 100. This distribution is pretty similar across other domains which require purely mental rather than physical skill, but it's easy to measure in chess because there's a very accurate rating system and a record of millions of games to draw on. Here's what that means. The top performers in an intellectual domain outperform even an experienced amateur by a similar margin to that with which an average adult would outperform an average five year old. That experienced amateur might come up with one or two moves which would make the super GM think for a bit, but their chances of winning are effectively zero. The average person on the street with no training or experience wouldn't even register as a challenge. To a super GM, there'd be no quantifiable difference between them and an untrained five year old in how easy they are to beat. Their chances are literally zero. What's actually being measured by your chess Elo rating is your ability to comprehend a position, take into account the factors which make it favorable to one side or another, and choose a move which best improves your position. Do that better than someone else on a regular basis, you'll have a higher rating than them. So, the ability of someone like Magnus Carlsen, Alexander Grischuk or Hikaru Nakamura to comprehend and intelligently process a chess position surpasses the average adult to a greater extent than that average adult's ability surpasses that of an average five year old. Given that, it seems likely that the top performers in other intellectual domains will outperform the average adult by a similar margin. And this seems to be borne out by elite performers who I'd classify as the “super grandmasters” of their fields, like, say, Collier in music theory or Ramanujan in mathematics. In their respective domains, their ability to comprehend and intelligently process domain-specific information is, apparently – although less quantifiably than in chess – so far beyond the capabilities of even an experienced amateur that their thinking would be pretty much impenetrable to a total novice. This means that people's attempts to apply “common sense” - i.e., untrained thinking – to criticize scientific or historical research or statistical analysis or a mathematical model or an economic policy is like a five year old turning up at their parent's job and insisting they know how to do it better. Imagine it. They would not only be wrong, they would be unlikely to even understand the explanation of why they were wrong. And then they would cry, still failing to understand, still believing that they're right and that the whole adult world must be against them. You know, like “researchers” on Facebook. That's where relying on "common sense" gets you. To an actual expert you look like an infant having a tantrum because the world is too complicated for you to understand. And that, my friends, is science."

You've literally blamed PEOPLE for everything, INCLUDING the virus. What a fun joke.

I went to the local Comic Con and it was HOT. Then I went to WaWa and you have to wear a mask regardless of vaccination status (not getting into the Covid thing) they are not taking cash unless you have exact change and they no longer provide bags they are $0.25. Come home to eat and watch an episode of Sunny and find out Hulu has removed episodes that may be too offensive? Every episode is too offensive that is part of the show if you don’t like it don’t watch. But all is good now in my world my Lego order finally arrived 2 weeks later so I am going to put on some tunes and get building. That was a What did you do today, multi-complaint/Covid, Flicks/Pics and TV Clicks, my order status, and what set did you build today post all in 1

And very mature and professional on both sides of several issues. Very impressed with the bper community. It's refreshing.

Yep which is why things suck so hard right now.

My daughter and I loved building this. Very detailed and stylish. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

This dynamic isn't all that surprising. Whenever I watched one of their videos, two quotes/sayings always came to mind: (1) those who can't do, teach, and (2) the first rule of fight club is you don't talk about fight club. They generally sounded interesting until they came to the volume/revenue numbers. I don't have broad insight into the numbers that a lot of big time sellers are putting up each year, but the numbers I am aware of put everything I've heard in those videos to shame...some sellers have hit daily sales that equal or exceed the annual sales figures of the sellers who those guys hold out as shining examples of success. That doesn't take anything away from those sellers, but I always chuckle thinking that if they could present what is truly possible, it would blow their viewer's kinds. Sent from my LM-V600 using Tapatalk

I think more credit goes to the Chinese communist party and their scientists. I find it almost impossible to believe that our government and scientists would be able to operate with enough influence in China to originate a virus there and make it look like it came from their soil. The coming economic and tech struggle will require all those who support freedom and democracy to work together, and like it or not spend more of our GDP on scientific research. If a hostile party gets to quantum computing, self aware AI or some other things I won’t mention first we can kiss all our freedoms and democracy goodbye. One of the few advantages we have at this point is international trust, cooperation, and relatively clean environment. Those headwinds are going to be costly for CCP but not insurmountable. For me it comes down to this, our country and it’s government are not perfect but I don’t want to live under CCP rule, do you? Last interesting point, did everyone see the value of that asteroid NASA is hoping to visit in a few years, quadrillions worth of metals, the kind we need to develop the technology necessary to not burn our planet from overheating. A quadrillion dollars is enough to make every single human being a billionaire. Instead of arguing amongst ourselves let’s go mine that asteroid and all be billionaires before dicks in space get their first. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I can tell you from personal experience, it sucks! I had COVID back in Nov. 2020…felt like absolute crap for about a week, but recovered fairly uneventfully. But I have yet to regain any normal semblance of taste and smell (I'd say my olfactory system is working at about 5-10%, and my gustatory sense is maybe 15-20%.) I used to be able to pick out every flavor in a glass of wine…now, I just taste sweet, salty, or sour. Absolutely no nuance to any flavor….and I love to eat and drink as well. So if for no other reason than that…don't get COVID by any means possible! And yes, I've also been vaccinated. And to the troll who shall not be named who had the audacity to ask "who could possibly be affected by unvaccinated folks?" How about any child under the age of 12, anyone with immune compromise who cannot be vaccinated or cannot mount an appropriate immune response if they are, or those with documented allergies to one or more components of the vaccine? THEY are the ones who rely on the herd for immunity. Unfortunately, the herd isn't anywhere the size it needs to be to afford our most vulnerable friends, family and neighbors the protection they so desperately need. So yeah, it's great that unvaccinated/unmasked folks want to take on personal responsibility if they get COVID, since "it doesn't affect anybody but ME, ME, ME". Well you're dead wrong…it affects anyone you've come in contact with and unknowingly spread the disease to, as well as the countless health care workers who now have to take care of your sorry ass. Yay LEGO, Boo COVID!

There isn't much that hasn't become political. Sports, weather, school, cars, hunting......

Our framers indicated as much when our government was formed. "There is not justification for taking away individual's freedom in the guise of public safety." "Democracy is nothing more than mob rule, where fifty-one percent of the people may take away the rights of the other forty-nine." "When the people fear the government there is tyranny, when the government fears the people there is liberty." “When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.” “Of the liberty of conscience in matters of religious faith, of speech and of the press; of the trial by jury of the vicinage in civil and criminal cases; of the benefit of the writ of habeas corpus; of the right to keep and bear arms...If these rights are well defined, and secured against encroachment, it is impossible that government should ever degenerate into tyranny.” “The natural progress of things is for liberty to yield, and government to gain ground.”

Funny thing is, 9 months ago, Shane didn't know LEGO from the other L brick. He's a newbie and his advice shows it. Jim had questionable advice. Shane's is just....wrong, at times.

I should make something very clear. The Chinese people and people of Chinese lineage, who believe in democracy and its freedoms and responsibilities are our friends and allies, they have contributed greatly to science and culture and have helped build this country into what it is as much as any group have. I have many friends and colleagues from both China and Vietnam and I value and appreciate them and their work. The CCP and Vietnamese communist party and its leaders and members who believe in the CCP’s platform and goals however are a different matter entirely. I figured this was obvious but want to be overt in these times. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Luckily you changed that or someone north of the border might of filed an IP claim!

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wow...I am obviously put in my place with the very scientific "low", "medium", "high", and "excellent" ratings...i see almost no difference between this chart and the pee meme...but again the pee meme is still better because it frames the info more accurately you must be one of those LEGO resellers of used sets that state the set is 99.9% complete

The interesting thing about CO2 in the atmosphere is that without any we are unlivable ice aged and with to much we all boil from within. The atmosphere is amazing actually goes from super cold then to super hot 1000’s of degrees variance. Our planet is very special, how unlucky it is to have us as stewards. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

So, are you saying that you think that Jim was giving good advice? I have no idea about how the Youtube metrics/business was working out for him, but I've seen enough of his videos to know that I don't want to take much of his advice very seriously when it comes to LEGO. Plus, he puts on this big persona acting as if he's a big seller and is an expert, but then his sales figures would put him well below many of us on here... and he mortgaged a house for capital.

This came in the mail today, just in time for our stay at a hotel to avoid the heat. My son built this in our room. I thought it was a great set when I first saw it and it is even better at 40% off. Yay LEGO!

As long as the conversations are kept in the Non LEGO forum, there is nothing wrong with discussing global events. The BP-ers have been good at keeping those comments out of LEGO related threads.

Building the castle now with the kids. Looks great in person. Are you going to try and build the bigger version using two sets? We’ve been thinking about it. Or more likely building the tower to go along with it.

Actually I take responsibility for myself. I have a family to help take care of. I work two jobs (one full time and a part time gig job) along with some reselling to both make ends meet and enjoy a few small luxuries in life. I fully expect that the company I work for to soon mandate the vaccine. My part time gig job involves large gatherings and areas that will require it. After thoughtful analysis I chose to get the jab. I’m merely expressing my thoughts, concerns and feelings for the situation I’ve been forced into.

I waited and waited. “In Warehouse” for nearly two weeks. Then suddenly got a notice it shipped. And arrived THE NEXT DAY! Wow! Thx LEGO! Overnight shipping couldn’t have been cheap. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

It would seem they may value all the speculation.

Bjorn Borg, tennis champion

Doesn't that agree completely with "Global Climate Change"?

You make a good point. Our current government seems to be a representation of two separate generations that want similar things. The Boomers who want their retirement funds and the government safety nets (that they were against during the 80s and 90s) then the Millennials who have nothing but want everything without the work. I know that is a generalization but I find it mostly true from the people I know. And there’s the middle, Gen-X: A lot of us were lucky enough to grow up middle class but find ourselves in mid life over loaded with debt, working harder for less and an overall lower standard of living than our parents. I’ve accepted that I won’t have the same retirement my parents have, live in a smaller house, drive cheaper cars and work well into my 70s. I do feel burned a bit but my life could be worse. If I had a choice I’d gladly give up the smartphone, prefer a small government if we could go back to living in a more open pre-9/11 world. The 21st century has been a massive disappointment.

If you want to know some real truths about Iran’s nuclear program and hacking it, I suggest listening to Darknet Diaries episodes 28, 29, and 30. https://darknetdiaries.com/episode/28/ is about Israel’s Unit 8200, which is akin to our NSA. That episode sets the stage for https://darknetdiaries.com/episode/29/ which is about Stuxnet, the virus that targeted Iran’s nuclear enrichment facility and how they were able to get the virus into the system. https://darknetdiaries.com/episode/30/ is about Saudi Aramco and how their hack ties into Unit 8200 and Stuxnet. Fantastic trilogy of episodes and if you have even a lick of interest in hacking and Iran’s nuclear program, give it a listen. The son of a good friend was drafted this summer and is in Rookie League in Arizona right now. He’s fairly pissed that he’s missing time on the field because unvaccinated teammates came down with COVID. Meanwhile, he had COVID last year while at college, and has been subsequently vaccinated. He’s trying to start his professional career and he’s dealing with this and it sucks.

Excellent. Like a more general Animal Farm. China cannot beat us on a conventional battlefield. An unrestricted US military is unbeatable. They are beating us from the inside through the cyber battlefield utilizing our societal weaknesses. Their intelligence community has to have a laugh to themselves watching us throw away our freedoms without hesitation.

Go deep enough down the hole and you come to the conclusion the Gov’t really is the representation of the people. At least an accurate extension of our desires. They are giving us all what we want. It’s all consent based. It’s not the ranchers fault. It’s us, the cattle. Mooing for treats and safe fences to keep the predators out. At anytime we can say no and smash the fence and find natural grazing grounds. But we like our oats and warm hay far too much to rock the boat. And bitching on a message board is not rocking the boat. It can be argued that the Chinese government is exactly as the majority of Chinese want it to be. Strong and United. Almost guaranteed multi-generational longevity. Give credit where credit is due. Odds are their civilization will still stand long after our is destroyed. Western democracies, and democracy in general, is incredibly unstable. Much like a meteor, burning fast and bright but quickly fading away. Democracy is not a sustainable form of Gov’t long term if history is a guide. Especially in high population, multicultural civilization. Just a matter of time before it implodes. While I believe Democracy is the best form of government for an individuals well being, it’s highly susceptible to fractures. Give people the power to choose and they will choose to have it all. Wanting it all comes at a cost and the rancher does not have unlimited resources. Add to this fact that the cows believe the goats are better fed and the goats believe the cows are better fed, it’s a wonder the rancher doesn’t kill them all.

Our family went through the same thing last October. We all got covid. The loss of taste and smell is the worst part but luckily I’m 95% back to normal in that regard. The difference between you and I is that I don’t blame other people. I blame the corrupt governments who allowed it to happen. Big pharma and big tech who are profiting From it. Fauci and the CDC for the lies. The finger waving from the phony celebrities. The manufactured media that stokes the divisions. I firmly believe that Covid was man made and on purpose. No way something like this came from nature.

Yes, I said that because it was true. Everything I said was true, because there is nothing to be wrong about, LEGO has clear plans but sometimes they change stuff. Retirement dates get pushed back. Assembly square for example was going to retire this year, I already knew that a while ago because it was a fixed date. Now the garage goes. It is what it is. I'm not the one making decisions on whether City & Docks will be remade or not, I just get the info from a 100% trusted source. I don't work for or with LEGO. And this is precisely why I choose not to share any info anymore, people don't appreciate it, it hurts the game & if LEGO changes the date some will have to sit on 50 sets which I told them would retire. Definitely not throwing anything at the wall until it sticks, that would be plain mean & irresponsible.

The hilarious irony is that I am probably the least intelligent person in my lab. I work with a person who has 3 PhD’s, the big three, math, physics, comp science. The more you learn the easier it is to recognize true genius and realize it’s not looking you back in the mirror. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don't believe the odds of a vaccinated person transmitting delta is as low as you describe...even to kids. Here's why I think this; a very close friend of mine in Southern Cal; his wife (Pfizer vaxxed since May) got a break thru case from work (regular office w/ walls and doors; unmasked only allowed in your own office); the proof being 3 others (also vaccinated) got it from the same office area at the same time. She gave it to her two kids: age 3 and 5 and then to her husband (Pfizer vaxxed since May). So do you think it's just coincidence lightening striking 2-3 times in the same household? or the transmission rate is likely higher? That said, it's been almost 5 weeks and both adults still cannot taste or smell...which is not a minor thing that many seem to dismiss lightly. COVID sucks. but those that are not convinced; sure..."roll the dice" based on some fear of a hypothetical future long-term side-effect. In terms of actual documented side-effects...now THAT is close to odds of getting hit by a truck or lightening. And yes, everyday folks die from getting hit by trucks and lightening...that's what happens when the population size scales to the 100s of millions on anything...even the "likely never gonna happen"...WILL happen. But how many instances of these make the headlines? Or cause people to not leave their homes?

Exactly. That's where it fell apart with Jim's videos for me. Very authoritative and then you find out the volume.

The only time any of these Youtube guys get interesting is when they interview other people about their operations. At least that is the carrot that gets me intrigued until I hear that their collection is just nearing a value of $50k or they just hit a yearly sales volume of 6 figures. They talk so authoritatively and then half way through video it all comes to light 😆

First I must say that I am not a computer scientist so I can not give the best answer, though like myself many mathematicians and physicists do a good bit of programming and numerical analysis. Short answer is unfortunately in a completely blind scenario we might not know. Assuming no one has yet developed quantum computing or completely analog processors( ironic to think analog will be an advancement on solid state but that’s due to the velocity of electrons in materials) then with “regular” encryption it comes down to who is doing the best math and computer science. In the case of Iran I believe we are ahead, also with Russian and hopefully still with China. The way my advisors always told the story we are still riding the huge gains that came from the massive funding during WW2, Cold War and early space program. Reagan starting cutting those funding levels relative to GDP and that has continued until now. China is catching up for sure and a huge reason to think China did release the virus is to get other countries to have to focus on it and waste money on it instead of spending on science. Oh and of course to divide us and convince people science is their enemy and shouldn’t be funded. I will finish by saying don’t let Google know how much u dislike China, through your searches, because once they do the search engine will find you absolutely maddening and terrifying things. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Further 2021+ retirements lists on Brickfanatics: Marvel IDEAS Creator Expert

How is that any different than other professions? Most plumbers are not going to tell everyone their best tricks on fixing busted pipe. But if you take them out for a beer and ask about your problem, they most likely give you some good pointers

Funny, I saw the R2D2 at my Target as well. Caught me off guard how large the box is. I already built the Nebulon-B: https://rebrickable.com/mocs/MOC-5083/AllOutBrick/mortesvs-ucs-nebulon-b-medical-frigate/#details 4 ft long and it is impressive. I have always wanted a UCS Tie Bomber. Not only did it come in a distant 3rd in the fan vote, Ties are notoriously unpopular due to the repetitive nature of the wings. A UCS Tie-Defender could possibly be even better, but again... those wings.

Lordy, we are going to need a new thread soon for this. If we have fighting over ways to slow down a virus that is clearly killing people... imagine when we argue that humans burning fossil fuels for hundreds of years have had a significant impact on rapidly increasing climate change. July 2021 was the hottest month in recorded human history. We have politicians that do nothing but give deadline extensions at best, and scientists that are largely ignored for decades. Who could have seen this coming?

IMO Shane is a tool and his channel will probably end in failure. In the FB group he "wishes him the best" but immediately takes down any posts that link to Jim's new channel. Seems pretty petty instead of wishing someone the best. Sent from my SM-G960U1 using Tapatalk

Understandably this was probably a tongue in cheek comment but a great representation of what would be consider okay in mass media. I dont know a single person that has not received the vaccine that says a negative word against those that have and respect their decision. My group consists of military, firefighters, LEO's, and teachers. We have committed our lives to this great country and the citizens that make it up in the name of freedom. Our media, with the support of the government, is driving us away from the freedom that is unique to the United States. Many will attack our freedom and compare us to other countries around the globe. I have spent a career traveling this planet. The places I go are not tourist destinations. Our country is the greatest on this planet. What makes us great is the freedom from our government to be individuals.

I thought that was Bilbo Baggins. No wait, nm. “I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.”

My two 20% 80106 Story of Nian sets arrived today from Walmart in great shape again. Edit: Added second picture. I just noticed that the shipping box is the actual box used by LEGO Shop at Home. Walmart shipping label though.

Set numbers without a name might as well be in Mandarin for me.