Where do you put your thumb?

[tauzero]

3 hours ago, Bassfinger said:

TimR claimed exactly that in his post.  The words he user were "definition of insanity is ...", which seems to me like that's exactly what he was claiming.

 

Nonono, the definition of insanity is reading TimR's posts and the definition of total insanity is arguing with him.

 

Once upon a time, someone said "the definition of insanity is repeating the same action, expecting a different outcome". This has been variously ascribed to Mark Twain, Albert Einstein, and probably Noam Chomsky. And as has been pointed out upthread, shuffling cards (or throwing dice, or tossing a coin) disprove it. It was actually about drugs: https://professorbuzzkill.com/einstein-insanity-qnq/

[tauzero]

  DRUGS!!!!  

Oh sorry, it's not the Den of Iniquity thread.

[TimR]

6 hours ago, tauzero said:

And as has been pointed out upthread, shuffling cards (or throwing dice, or tossing a coin) disprove it.

 

They actually prove it.

 

Shuffling cards mixes them up. If you shuffle cards and expect them not to be shuffled up, then you're mad.

Practicing scales makes you better at scales. If you practice scales and expect to be able to play Chopin, then you're mad.

Throwing a dice, tossing a coin, will get you a random number from 1-6, or a head or tail, if you expect some different outcome, then you're mad.

 

Don't expect a different outcome to the one you usually get.

 

The point is about failure. If you try to do something via one method, and repeatedly fail to see any change, you need to find another method. It's very applicable to sports and musical training.

Edited December 24, 2022 by TimR

[ezbass]

The definition of insanity is expecting any thread on BC to stay on topic throughout.

Edited December 24, 2022 by ezbass

[Leonard Smalls]

More importantly,if sticking a digit up a dog's fundament doesn't stop 'em fighting,and I'm not sure if choking a scrapping large boar-hunting hound is a good idea, then how do you stop them tearing chunks out of each other?

I'm not keen on pulling them apart - tried this on my wedding day when a Weimeraner and Rottie started on each other. All I got was a bite - though my shout as I bled onto my kilt did stop 'em!

 

[Ralf1e]

25 minutes ago, Leonard Smalls said:

More importantly,if sticking a digit up a dog's fundament doesn't stop 'em fighting,and I'm not sure if choking a scrapping large boar-hunting hound is a good idea, then how do you stop them tearing chunks out of each other?

I'm not keen on pulling them apart - tried this on my wedding day when a Weimeraner and Rottie started on each other. All I got was a bite - though my shout as I bled onto my kilt did stop 'em!

 

Bucket of water will sometimes stop, em

Failing that open up the cage and let the tiger out. 🤣

[Nail Soup]

To paraphrase Harry Hill:

My dad always said that the definition of insanity is repeating the same action and  expecting a different result. That's why he got sacked as a psychiatrist.

[KingBollock]

6 minutes ago, Ralf1e said:

Bucket of water will sometimes stop, em

Failing that open up the cage and let the tiger out. 🤣

Or in the case of my childhood dog, Blue, a car door.
 

He couldn’t be let out of the house without being on a lead. And if you opened the door and he saw, he would bolt and escape.

This was particularly troublesome because he would go after and fight any dog he saw (unless that dog was very small). He was very strong and if he got into a fight with a big dog, it was hell trying to get them apart. But, if he saw an open car door, he couldn’t help himself, he would stop whatever he was doing and jump into the car. It didn’t even matter whose car it was. Fortunately he would go very calm, as though nothing had happened. Very odd.

[Dad3353]

4 hours ago, TimR said:

 

They actually prove it.

 

Shuffling cards mixes them up. If you shuffle cards and expect them not to be shuffled up, then you're mad.

Practicing scales makes you better at scales. If you practice scales and expect to be able to play Chopin, then you're mad.

Throwing a dice, tossing a coin, will get you a random number from 1-6, or a head or tail, if you expect some different outcome, then you're mad.

 

Don't expect a different outcome to the one you usually get.

 

The point is about failure. If you try to do something via one method, and repeatedly fail to see any change, you need to find another method. It's very applicable to sports and musical training.

 

These are vacant platitudes, not absolute truths. There's not really much depth to replies of the sort. Still, if posts have to be posted, post away. If some change of folk's opinion is expected, you're mad. 

[peteb]

4 hours ago, TimR said:

 

They actually prove it.

 

Shuffling cards mixes them up. If you shuffle cards and expect them not to be shuffled up, then you're mad.

Practicing scales makes you better at scales. If you practice scales and expect to be able to play Chopin, then you're mad.

Throwing a dice, tossing a coin, will get you a random number from 1-6, or a head or tail, if you expect some different outcome, then you're mad.

 

Don't expect a different outcome to the one you usually get.

 

The point is about failure. If you try to do something via one method, and repeatedly fail to see any change, you need to find another method. It's very applicable to sports and musical training.

 

The thing is that these are examples of the symptoms of insanity, rather than an actual definition of insanity. People can be very literal when they feel like it... 

 

[Paul S]

I must be insane.  I have put someone on 'ignore' but when someone else quotes what the ignored person has written it becomes visble.  And it has happened more than once with the same outcome.  

[TimR]

1 hour ago, Dad3353 said:

 

These are vacant platitudes, not absolute truths. There's not really much depth to replies of the sort. Still, if posts have to be posted, post away. If some change of folk's opinion is expected, you're mad. 

 

I'm pretty sure if you keep throwing a 6 sided dice in the vain hope of throwing a 7. You won't ever be successful. Which is what the original philosopher (whoever it was) who made the statement had in mind. 

Edited December 24, 2022 by TimR

[Ralf1e]

19 minutes ago, TimR said:

 

I'm pretty sure if you keep throwing a 6 sided dice in the vain hope of throwing a 7. You won't ever be successful. Which is what the original philosopher (whoever it was) who made the statement had in mind. 

Have no idea what you are on but I am glad I don't use it

Edited December 24, 2022 by Ralf1e

[Dad3353]

43 minutes ago, TimR said:

I'm pretty sure if you keep throwing a 6 sided dice in the vain hope of throwing a 7. You won't ever be successful. Which is what the original philosopher (whoever it was) who made the statement had in mind. 

 

This is what happens when one is so 'pretty sure'. One gets shown up for an arrogant fool, or mad. 

 

Edited December 24, 2022 by Dad3353

[TimR]

10 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

 

This is what happens when one is so 'pretty sure'. One gets shown up for an arrogant fool, or mad. 

 

 

QED. If you want a different number. You have to do something different. Like use a non regular 6 sided dice. 

 

 

[TimR]

49 minutes ago, Ralf1e said:

Have no idea what you are on but I am glad I don't use it

 

It's just one of a raft of popular quotes misattributed to Einstein and other people.

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/misattributed-quotes-2013-10

 

I'm surprised more people here have never seen it before.

[peteb]

2 hours ago, TimR said:

 

I'm pretty sure if you keep throwing a 6 sided dice in the vain hope of throwing a 7. You won't ever be successful. Which is what the original philosopher (whoever it was) who made the statement had in mind. 

 

Actually, it wasn't! From what I recall, it was Einstein (or whoever) saying that if you keep on doing something that doesn't work, it is ridiculous to think that it will work if you keep doing the same thing again (a point I have often made at work)! To be honest, it is more an example of stupidity than a definition of insanity. 

 

1 hour ago, TimR said:

QED. If you want a different number. You have to do something different. Like use a non regular 6 sided dice. 

 

 

I think that is exactly what whoever actually said it was trying to get at...! 

 

 

Edited December 24, 2022 by peteb

[Stub Mandrel]

To return to the original question.

 

My answer is - not up a dog's fundament.

[Steve Browning]

18 hours ago, Bassfinger said:

TimR claimed exactly that in his post.  The words he user were "definition of insanity is ...", which seems to me like that's exactly what he was claiming.

Maybe but there was neither a definite article nor an indefinite article. Had he started the sentence with 'The' then you'd be quite correct. However, he didn't. He could have omitted 'A'.

 

Still. Not the greatest issue of our times.

[SumOne]

 

TENPIN v. To place digits simultaneously in the tea towel holder and the fish mitten. From the grip used in ten pin bowling. To spock.

[TimR]

4 minutes ago, SumOne said:

 

TENPIN v. To place digits simultaneously in the tea towel holder and the fish mitten. From the grip used in ten pin bowling. To spock.

And if that's not in the profanasaurus I'd be very surprised. 

[Dad3353]

59 minutes ago, TimR said:

QED. If you want a different number. You have to do something different. Like use a non regular 6 sided dice. 

 

Ah..! Soooooo..! Now it's regular dice, is it..? How stupid of me; I thought you meant six-sided dice. Now, if you had made any mention of regular six-sided dice, with no '7' face, you may have had a point (note the 'may'...). Never mind. Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle. 

[peteb]

15 minutes ago, Dad3353 said:

 

Ah..! Soooooo..! Now it's regular dice, is it..? How stupid of me; I thought you meant six-sided dice. Now, if you had made any mention of regular six-sided dice, with no '7' face, you may have had a point (note the 'may'...). Never mind. Wiggle, wiggle, wiggle. 

 

Give it up Dad. He's kinda got a point here. It's Christmas, let him have this one... 

 

Edited December 24, 2022 by peteb

[Dad3353]

6 minutes ago, peteb said:

Give it up Dad. He's kinda got a point here. It's Christmas, let him have this one... 

 

What..? And lose all of that street cred..? Oh, OK then, as it's Christmas. Have a great one, @TimR, and everyone else, too... 

[Ralf1e]

2 hours ago, TimR said:

 

It's just one of a raft of popular quotes misattributed to Einstein and other people.

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/misattributed-quotes-2013-10

 

I'm surprised more people here have never seen it before.

Have no idea what you are on but I am glad I don't use it

 

It's just one of a raft of popular quotes misattributed to Einstein and other people.

 

https://www.businessinsider.com/misattributed-quotes-2013-10

 

I'm surprised more people here have never seen it before.

The fact that you didn't actually answer my statement but just quoted B****x totally irrelevant to what I said just shows how out of touch you are with the reality the rest of us on here understand.

Case proven