Random Questions Mega Thread v1.1

[Monahammer]

Originally Posted by Ashartus

Why do people say "good luck" before someone is writing an exam, giving a big presentation, etc.? Success at most things isn't a matter of luck.

It's a positive sentiment. Optimism and confidence are linked, and people perform better when confident.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by Ashartus

Why do people say "good luck" before someone is writing an exam, giving a big presentation, etc.? Success at most things isn't a matter of luck.

Cuz saying "If you had prepare this would be a cake walk, but you didn't & now you are ####ed" isn't happily received

[Wormius]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

Are they still available?

Incredibly, yes. Next to an ad for BP mints and toothpicks for $10.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Wormius

What is the point of this? It must be a scam, but nobody is paying $50k for BP mints so what are they trying to do? Boredom?

For a while now, I've wondered if inexplicably stupid stuff like this is actually intended for money laundering. Leave some dummy listings out there to act like there's a market for it, then do some "hobby shop/collectibles fronts" sort of thing to launder dirty money. Like someone intentionally cycles collectible consumables and then keeps cycling them over and over to launder money. This is slightly different than a non-consumable collectible that you would have more difficultly having a front constantly re-acquire (ie: Like a collectible card). People aren't accidentally buying these. But laundering money is the only logical reason I can think of for people intentionally buying some of these types of things.

$50K for mints like this is kinda dumb though. I can't imagine there being a huge market for those over something like discontinued soft drinks and snacks.

Originally Posted by Ashartus

Why do people say "good luck" before someone is writing an exam, giving a big presentation, etc.? Success at most things isn't a matter of luck.

It's hard to have luck without preparation?

[Sr. Mints]

Originally Posted by Ashartus

Why do people say "good luck" before someone is writing an exam, giving a big presentation, etc.? Success at most things isn't a matter of luck.

It's like going in for brain surgery, and an old colleague you haven't seen in 19 years inexplicably bumps into you at the hospital and shouts "GoOd LuCk!!" from the hallway while your bed is wheeled away as though this is the doctor's second ever surgical procedure and you have a 50/50 change of making it.

And you respond with a thumbs up while quietly muttering a wish for the elevator cables in their lift to snap. As the doctor asks you to count backwards from 10, the whimsical thoughts of them crashing to their doom carry you into a dreamy, surgical slumber paradise.

[bizaro86]

Originally Posted by Sr. Mints

It's like going in for brain surgery, and an old colleague you haven't seen in 19 years inexplicably bumps into you at the hospital and shouts "GoOd LuCk!!" from the hallway while your bed is wheeled away as though this is the doctor's second ever surgical procedure and you have a 50/50 change of making it.

And you respond with a thumbs up while quietly muttering a wish for the elevator cables in their lift to snap. As the doctor asks you to count backwards from 10, the whimsical thoughts of them crashing to their doom carry you into a dreamy, surgical slumber paradise.

This is oddly specific.

[PepsiFree]

”Luck” definitely exists, and definitely plays a role in success. It’s not some magical thing. To me, at least, luck is just what we call the circumstances we can’t control going our way.

You’re applying for a job. You’re totally qualified. But there’s one spot available. You have, for all intents and purposes, done everything you could do to earn that job.

In scenario one, you get that job.

In scenario two, there just so happens to be one other person who interviews right after you that has just one, small element that they like better. Nothing wrong with you, in fact, everything was right with you, but they’re just a little more right. They get the job.

That’s luck (good and bad). It’s the things beyond what you can control going your way (or not).

[timun]

"It is possible to commit no mistakes and still lose. That is not a weakness: that is life."

— Jean-Luc Picard

()

[you&me]

"Luck is the intersection of preparedness and opportunity"...

[Zary's-Mustache]

If you build a garage with a suite on top, would the enmax bills be separate? Delivery charges separate or together with the house?

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Ashartus

Why do people say "good luck" before someone is writing an exam, giving a big presentation, etc.? Success at most things isn't a matter of luck.

I find Peter Dinklage says it best.



But I've had people say the same thing to me.

"You're so 'lucky' to have your own Business!!"

Its not luck. I worked my ass off for this.

[TheIronMaiden]

I prefer believing in Fortune over Luck.

[DownInFlames]

Originally Posted by Locke

I find Peter Dinklage says it best.



But I've had people say the same thing to me.

"You're so 'lucky' to have your own Business!!"

Its not luck. I worked my ass off for this.

I love the last line of that quote. Maybe luck is the reason you found each other? Luck isn't always something good being handed to you. Sometimes it's opportunities that others might not get or have the skills to take advantage of. It can also count as bad things that don't have, but that's not really quantifiable.

Hard work is usually required to build a business. I know that from experience. But I have a business because the opportunity came up and I grabbed it. I also have had great long-term customers so I'm not always hustling for new business. I'm quite lucky in that respect

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by you&me

"Luck is the intersection of preparedness and opportunity"...

One of my favourite quotes.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by you&me

"Luck is the intersection of preparedness and opportunity"...

So does that mean bad luck is only because of your own neglect to prepare and not grabbing an opportunity? Seems a little bootstrappy to me. Might be true of some situations, but I don't think it can be defined like that. Good for a poster quote though.


The reality is there is no such thing as luck, it's all randomness. Sometimes the randomness falls your way, sometimes it hits you over the head and gives you a concussion.

[MoneyGuy]

Long time ago and I don’t recall where I heard it or from whom but I read that everyone falls between 48-52% on the “luck scale.” I made up that term because I don’t know if but has a name. The theory is that 52% is exceedingly lucky and 48% is exceedingly unlucky. Anyone heard this?

I believe that we make our own luck (or misfortune) with our decisions. Good decisions create good results and bad decisions create a bad result. My life is great because of good decisions. My brother has the opposite life because of many sh1tty decisions. Marry well, get a good education, choose a good, well paying, fulfilling career, work hard at it, raise children well, etc. and you’ll do well. I absolutely believe this. When I was a financial planner I preached this to clients.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

Long time ago and I don’t recall where I heard it or from whom but I read that everyone falls between 48-52% on the “luck scale.” I made up that term because I don’t know if but has a name. The theory is that 52% is exceedingly lucky and 48% is exceedingly unlucky. Anyone heard this?

I believe that we make our own luck (or misfortune) with our decisions. Good decisions create good results and bad decisions create a bad result. My life is great because of good decisions. My brother has the opposite life because of many sh1tty decisions. Marry well, get a good education, choose a good, well paying, fulfilling career, work hard at it, raise children well, etc. and you’ll do well. I absolutely believe this. When I was a financial planner I preached this to clients.

You don't, like, actually believe that, do you? Oh, uh, I guess you do! Does the kid born with Down Syndrome play by the same rules? The person who's life is altered by teenage cancer? Hit by a car? Born in Gaza? You don't think your uncontrollable life circumstances are at all guided by some randomness? That you were fortunate to be where you are(presumably not dying of cancer at 50), but someone else's misfortune is their fault for poor decisions?

[MoneyGuy]

Of course there are exceptions. I should have said for 95% of people I do believe that.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Let me guess, you’re a white male born into an upper middle class family in one of the most prosperous and richest countries on earth with countless opportunities at your fingertips. Did you make that decision too? Or would you say that’s luck?

[topfiverecords]

Originally Posted by Cecil Terwilliger

Let me guess, you’re a white male born into an upper middle class family in one of the most prosperous and richest countries on earth with countless opportunities at your fingertips. Did you make that decision too? Or would you say that’s luck?

All luck. That's the 52%.