A Black Hole of Happiness

[ltl/fb]

Originally posted by notcasesensitive
Perhaps Coltrane went to the airport with someone who was at a different starting location? So the car service went to both locations, whereas there would either be extra charges for that (mileage plus possibly a surcharge) or the need for two taxis. You and fringey seem to not be outside-the-box thinkers today. But I won't hold it against you.

In any event, my non-scientific random survey has found that car services in large cities typically only run about $10 more than taxis to/from the airport (especially if the airport is far away). Although I've heard horror stories about car service charges from OC to LA.

How much do you think car service to the spa would be? Hmmmm.

[A Poster from the Land of Fu]

Originally posted by ThurgreedMarshall
Good point. And this latest installment of fun has run its course. Back to Fu she goes!

TM

Yay! Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back!!!

[greatwhitenorthchick]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
I think Coltrane is doing some Enron-style out-of-the-box cost accounting on the car service.

I remember when I first moved to NYC and was a pretty junior associate and a partner asked me to "think outside the box" about a particular issue, and I said "What box?"

I had no idea what he was talking about. Still don't.

[Gattigap]

Originally posted by notcasesensitive
Although I've heard horror stories about car service charges from OC to LA.

I hear it's because they charge $2/minute when your car is stationary on the 405.

[Oliver_Wendell_Ramone]

Originally posted by greatwhitenorthchick
I remember when I first moved to NYC and was a pretty junior associate and a partner asked me to "think outside the box" about a particular issue, and I said "What box?"

I had no idea what he was talking about. Still don't.

I think he wanted you to blow him.

[greatwhitenorthchick]

Originally posted by Oliver_Wendell_Ramone
I think he wanted you to blow him.

Actually, you are exactly right. But he conveyed that request in less metaphorical terms. Bastard.

[notcasesensitive]

Originally posted by greatwhitenorthchick
Actually, you are exactly right. But he conveyed that request in less metaphorical terms. Bastard.

Blow Me For America?

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally posted by greatwhitenorthchick
I remember when I first moved to NYC and was a pretty junior associate and a partner asked me to "think outside the box" about a particular issue, and I said "What box?"

I had no idea what he was talking about. Still don't.

She was referring to Plato's allegory of The Box:

• [Socrates] And now, I said, let me show in a figure how far our nature is enlightened or unenlightened: --Behold! human beings living in a box, which has a side open towards the light and reaching all along the box; here they have been from their childhood, and have their legs and necks chained so that they cannot move, and can only see before them, being prevented by the chains from turning round their heads. Above and behind them is a lamp, and between the lamp and the prisoners there is a raised way; and you will see, if you look, a low wall built along the way, like the screen which marionette players have in front of them, over which they show the puppets.
  [Glaucon] I see.
  [Socrates] And do you see, I said, men passing along the wall carrying all sorts of vessels, and statues and figures of animals made of wood and stone and various materials, which appear over the wall? Some of them are talking, others silent.
  [Glaucon] You have shown me a strange image, and they are strange prisoners.
  [Socrates] Like ourselves, I replied; and they see only their own shadows, or the shadows of one another, which the lamp throws on the opposite wall of the box?
  [Glaucon] True, he said; how could they see anything but the shadows if they were never allowed to move their heads?
  [Socrates] And of the objects which are being carried in like manner they would only see the shadows?
  [Glaucon] Yes, he said.
  [Socrates] And if they were able to converse with one another, would they not suppose that they were naming what was actually before them?
  [Glaucon] Very true.
  [Socrates] And suppose further that the prison had an echo which came from the other side, would they not be sure to fancy when one of the passers-by spoke that the voice which they heard came from the passing shadow?
  [Glaucon] No question, he replied.
  [Socrates] To them, I said, the truth would be literally nothing but the shadows of the images.
  [Glaucon] That is certain.
  [Socrates] And now look again, and see what will naturally follow if the prisoners are released and disabused of their error. At first, when any of them is liberated and compelled suddenly to stand up and turn his neck round and walk and look towards the light, he will suffer sharp pains; the glare will distress him, and he will be unable to see the realities of which in his former state he had seen the shadows; and then conceive some one saying to him, that what he saw before was an illusion, but that now, when he is approaching nearer to being and his eye is turned towards more real existence, he has a clearer vision, -what will be his reply? And you may further imagine that his instructor is pointing to the objects as they pass and requiring him to name them, -will he not be perplexed? Will he not fancy that the shadows which he formerly saw are truer than the objects which are now shown to him?
  [Glaucon] Far truer.
  [Socrates] And if he is compelled to look straight at the light, will he not have a pain in his eyes which will make him turn away to take and take in the objects of vision which he can see, and which he will conceive to be in reality clearer than the things which are now being shown to him?
  [Glaucon] True, he now.
  [Socrates] And suppose once more, that he is reluctantly dragged up a steep and rugged ascent, and held fast until he's forced outside the box into the presence of the sun himself, is he not likely to be pained and irritated? When he approaches the light his eyes will be dazzled, and he will not be able to see anything at all of what are now called realities.
  [Glaucon] Not all in a moment, he said.
  [Socrates] He will require to grow accustomed to the sight of the upper world. And first he will see the shadows best, next the reflections of men and other objects in the water, and then the objects themselves; then he will gaze upon the light of the moon and the stars and the spangled heaven; and he will see the sky and the stars by night better than the sun or the light of the sun by day?
  [Glaucon] Certainly.
  [Socrates] Last of he will be able to see the sun, and not mere reflections of him in the water, but he will see him in his own proper place, and not in another; and he will contemplate him as he is.
  [Glaucon] Certainly.
  [Socrates] He will then proceed to argue that this is he who gives the season and the years, and is the guardian of all that is in the visible world, and in a certain way the cause of all things which he and his fellows have been accustomed to behold?
  [Glaucon] Clearly, he said, he would first see the sun and then reason about him.
  [Socrates] And when he remembered his old habitation, and the wisdom of the box and his fellow-prisoners, do you not suppose that he would felicitate himself on the change, and pity them?
  [Glaucon] Certainly, he would.
  [Socrates] And if they were in the habit of conferring honors among themselves on those who were quickest to observe the passing shadows and to remark which of them went before, and which followed after, and which were together; and who were therefore best able to draw conclusions as to the future, do you think that he would care for such honors and glories, or envy the possessors of them? Would he not say with Homer,
  
  Better to be the poor associate of a poor partner of a large firm,
  
  and to endure anything, rather than think as they do and live after their manner?
  [Glaucon] Yes, he said, I think that he would rather suffer anything than entertain these false notions and live in this miserable manner, no matter how high the salary and how great the bonuses, and regardless of whether the firm provides free BlackBerry service.
  [Socrates] Imagine once more, I said, such an one coming suddenly out of the sun to be replaced in his old situation; would he not be certain to have his eyes full of darkness?
  [Glaucon] To be sure, he said.
  [Socrates] And if there were a contest, and he had to compete in measuring the shadows with the prisoners who had never moved out of the box, while his sight was still weak, and before his eyes had become steady (and the time which would be needed to acquire this new habit of sight might be very considerable) would he not be ridiculous? Men would say of him that up he went and down he came without his eyes; and that it was better not even to think of ascending; and if any one tried to loose another and lead him up to the light, let them only catch the offender, and they would put him to death.
  [Glaucon] No question, he said.
  [Socrates] This entire allegory, I said, you may now append, dear Glaucon, to the previous argument; the prison-house is the world of sight, the light of the lamp is the sun, and you will not misapprehend me if you interpret the journey upwards to be the ascent of the soul into the intellectual world according to my poor belief, which, at your desire, I have expressed whether rightly or wrongly God knows. But, whether true or false, my opinion is that in the world of knowledge the idea of good appears last of all, and is seen only with an effort; and, when seen, is also inferred to be the universal author of all things beautiful and right, parent of light and of the lord of light in this visible world, and the immediate source of reason and truth in the intellectual; and that this is the power upon which he who would act rationally, either in public or private life must have his eye fixed.
  [Glaucon] I agree, he said, as far as I am able to understand you.
  [Socrates] Moreover, I said, you must not wonder that those who attain to this beatific vision are unwilling to descend to human affairs; for their souls are ever hastening into the upper world where they desire to dwell; which desire of theirs is very natural, if our allegory may be trusted. Wait! Glaucon! I am not yet done!
  [Glaucon] I have to take a dump, and I want to do it now, while the guys from the Vietnamese trade mission are out at lunch.
  [Socrates] OK, we'll talk about the rest of it some other time.

[Flinty_McFlint]

Originally posted by notcasesensitive
Blow Me For America?

Hands across my penis?

I have a t-shirt.

[ltl/fb]

Originally posted by Flinty_McFlint
Hands across my penis?

I have a t-shirt.

I think that is referred to as a hand job.

ETA poor monkey.

[greatwhitenorthchick]

Originally posted by notcasesensitive
Blow Me For America?

That would have at least been entertaining. Instead it was the "I really like you, you're so beautiful, my wife doesn't understand me" crap. This was on my fifth day of work. I stayed there for a year. But I plotted and eventually got him good.

And no, I did not blow him. Even I have some standards.

[Flinty_McFlint]

Originally posted by ltl/fb
I think that is referred to as a hand job.

ETA poor monkey.

Poor Fringey's noirs. You have some scrolling and reading to do.

[Did you just call me Coltrane?]

Originally posted by Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)
BTW, how is this calculated? If your wife took a separate cab to the airport, the cost would be about the same as if you rode together in a car?*



* I think your research needs to be more rigorous. Next time you're going out of town together, suggest you take separate cabs to the airport to see whether it's cheaper than hiring a car together.

Good point. My bad. The number of passengers is insignificant. I think it only adds $1.50 to the cab ride.

[Did you just call me Coltrane?]

Originally posted by Oliver_Wendell_Ramone
Did the papparazzi (or however that's spelled) get a shot of your vagina as you were getting out?

yes.

[Mmmm, Burger (C.J.)]

Originally posted by Did you just call me Coltrane?
Good point. My bad. The number of passengers is insignificant. I think it only adds $1.50 to the cab ride.

stick that in your box, ncs!