Things that shouldn't piss you off, but do. - Page 667 - Other Topics Forum - Discuss Pop Culture, Arts and Entertainment

Book stores at airports. What kind of jackass picks up reading on a flight, like starts right then? Bring a book you're reading already. You aren't gonna finish a book on a 4 hour flight. My guess is most books purchased at airports don't get read past page 50. Also who doesn't have a kindle or the app? Plus the selection available is as bad as Walmart or the market

What?? These days, I bet airport booksellers sell more than any other kind of traditional bookstore.

And I love going to the airport a little early to buy a few magazines and a techno-thriller or something. And yes, I can usually finish reading one in 4-6 hours.

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10-02-2015 , 08:09 PM

#16652

Howard Treesong

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Quote:

Originally Posted by JudgeHoldem

I buy books in airports all the time. Typically, my bag is stuffed with work on outbound flights, but I usually read a book on returns. Looking at the five on my bedtable that I've bought in the last month, I've completely read four and am about fifteen pages from finishing the fifth.

I've had five long delays (90 minutes or more) in my last five United trips. Two Orlandos, two Chicagos, and an LA.

So: THIS kind of jackass.

And I read fast enough that I often finish an entire book on a plane; sometimes more.

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10-02-2015 , 08:11 PM

#16653

Howard Treesong

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Originally Posted by FeralCreature

The book The Black Swan and the consensus that it is somehow deeply profound when the entire premise of the book can basically be summed up by saying that unexpected things happen that you can't model.

And yet people spend all day trying to model just these things, or reading quotes from the WSJ about why the markets went up or down the day before. The book is frustrating in that it's largely nihilistic, but I found it interesting.

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10-02-2015 , 08:13 PM

#16654

JudgeHoldem

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Dominic

Im sure they do. I'm not saying its a bad business plan at all

I'm just sayin probably many people think buying a book is a great idea and then it's not for them. I lol when I see someone cracking a brand new book at the airport. Usually within 5 min they're back on their cell phone or looking around instead.

But mostly : thread title .

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10-02-2015 , 09:32 PM

#16655

RunDownHouse.

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JudgeHoldem:

Excellent submission for something that shouldn't piss you off because it's something every normal person does.

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10-02-2015 , 09:36 PM

#16656

JudgeHoldem

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Quote:

Originally Posted by RunDownHouse.

JudgeHoldem:

Excellent submission for something that shouldn't piss you off because it's something every normal person does.

Thats kinda my point. Normal as in regular/average folk go on trips without a book or being in the middle of a book. Then the idea of being on a plane turns them into readers all of a sudden

I know I'm being a douche here but isn't that the point of this thread

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10-02-2015 , 09:43 PM

#16657

RunDownHouse.

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Quote:

Originally Posted by JudgeHoldem

I know I'm being a douche here but isn't that the point of this thread

Yep! If you could only post one or two more times about it, maybe you'd change people's minds.

The other day I bought a book in the airport and once I finished it I was pretty disappointed.

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10-03-2015 , 01:31 AM

#16658

FeralCreature

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Quote:

Originally Posted by Brocktoon

Oh man, I trudged my way through that book for what felt like ages. I too found it repetitive and unenlightening.

I kept thinking to myself, "I see what you are saying. I agree with the point being made. So what?"

Exactly. Yet it's always cited by supposedly smart people as a must read. Poker players in particular like to pretend it provides some kind of deep insight into variance, or something. If you ask them how it actually influenced their approach to the game, or to life, you are met with a blank stare.

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10-03-2015 , 09:18 AM

#16659

JudgeHoldem

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Infinite Jest and its fans

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10-03-2015 , 10:03 AM

#16660

FeralCreature

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Bukowski-fans and such who feel like they have to prove their artistry by becoming alcoholics / junkies and leading miserable lives, rather than just produce art.

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10-03-2015 , 10:06 AM

#16661

lonely_but_rich

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I'd watch a sullen alcoholic Bob Ross.

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10-03-2015 , 11:06 AM

#16662

HiFi

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Quote:

Originally Posted by JudgeHoldem

Infinite Jest and its fans

Ban

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10-03-2015 , 11:17 AM

#16663

BigPoppa

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Do other countries have a tradition of their best writers being alcoholics?

Or is that just an American thing?
(Hemingway, Faulkner, etc)

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10-03-2015 , 11:18 AM

#16664

Minimalist

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Quote:

Originally Posted by lonely_but_rich

I'd watch a sullen alcoholic Bob Ross.

lbr

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10-03-2015 , 11:18 AM

#16665

HiFi

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I think it's pretty standard

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10-03-2015 , 02:24 PM

#16666

FeralCreature

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Reminded me of many a post in this thread: https://www.facebook.com/El.Komander...1173613958687/

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10-03-2015 , 05:18 PM

#16667

Brocktoon

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Quote:

Originally Posted by FeralCreature

I think in many cases (not all) it's just people signaling that they are smart and mathematically inclined. I probably used to use poker in much the same way in conversations with people. Gives me chills to think about that now.

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10-03-2015 , 05:55 PM

#16668

rugby

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Olive oil.

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10-03-2015 , 06:55 PM

#16669

ninetynine99

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Quote:

Originally Posted by rugby

Olive oil.

What did she do to piss you off?

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10-03-2015 , 07:12 PM

#16670

Bighurt52235

I was born to eat hamburgers

Join Date: Oct 2011 Posts: 24,218

Quote:

Originally Posted by ninetynine99

What did she do to piss you off?

She's still an extra virgin.

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10-03-2015 , 07:17 PM

#16671

Bloobird

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Originally Posted by FeralCreature

ugh ffs no

Last edited by Bloobird; 10-03-2015 at 07:23 PM.

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10-03-2015 , 07:20 PM

#16672

Bloobird

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I mean, it's been a few years since I read it, and Taleb can be a bit repetitive iirc but the stuff about the flaws in the normal distribution is genuinely really interesting. There's a lot more there than just 'unexpected **** happens'.

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10-03-2015 , 07:24 PM

#16673

Brocktoon

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Can you expand on your takeaway from the book? Genuine question, I did not read it very carefully and could have missed important things. I do remember getting very little out of it and becoming bored.

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10-03-2015 , 07:47 PM

#16674

Bloobird

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Later when I am more awake. It's a book very much focused on financial/economic modelling though. Trying to transplant lessons from it to other fields seems futile, and if you don't go into it expecting a book that's primarily on modelling I can see how it'd be very dull.

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10-03-2015 , 09:58 PM

#16675

problemeliminator

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For some reason I thought the book in question was the inspiration for the movie Black Swan. I was trying to figure how modeling and math related to that film..

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