u/PapiSurane

For a species who believe in the necessity and desirability of conflict and chaos in driving the evolutionary process forward, they never seem to fight with each other. Anytime we see them, they act as one. If not a hivemind, they are still very closely in sync with each other. Why don't they pursue conflict to improve their own race? Or is that all nonsense, and they simply get a nihilistic pleasure out of making other species destroy each other?

As a first-time watcher, one thing that stood out to me was how little we saw of any of the leaders of Earth, and how few scenes were set on Earth in general. I was particularly surprised that Clark, as a major antagonist, was never built up as a character at all. We see a good deal of the ruling bodies of Minbar and Centauri, so I was wondering if JMS ever explained this.

I used to have a boss I didn't get along with very well and was the source of a lot of tension in my life. Later on, I learned that he had nixed a couple of owners' worst ideas and argued unsuccessfully against other things I didn't like. It made me realize that he was operating under constraints just like I was, and was more complex than I gave him credit for. I'm curious if there are people in your life you learned things about after the fact that changed your perspective on them.

I was leaving work tonight feeling lonely, tired, and discouraged (as is my wont). Earlier I had noticed an orange cat wandering by the building that I hadn't seen before. As I started up my truck and was about to get in, I see it again walking through the landscaping. He didn't seem too shy, so I walked over and talked to him a little, and he came right up and started rubbing against my legs. He was quite friendly and let me pet him while he continued rubbing on me. I hated to leave him, but he was in good condition so I'm pretty sure he already had a home. He laid down and was grooming himself as I drove away.

That little ten minute visit dramatically improved my mood and I'm feeling much better right now. Wherever you came from, thanks for befriending me for 10 minutes and melting my cold heart a little bit. (Although I did have to throw my clothes in the wash because they were covered in hair! 😂) I hope to see you again someday! 🥹

After working a lot of jobs with people who aren't, I'm enjoying being around other people who like working with numbers and have good attention to detail. We get along well in other respects too, but it's nice just to feel like I'm not the odd one out any more. Have any of you gotten jobs were you had a similar experience?

I feel like under normal circumstances what he did would get someone years in prison, and assaulting an ambassador of a major power would carry an even more severe punishment.

I know you have hard jobs and have to deal with a lot of difficult people day after day. I just want to express my appreciation for all the courteous and competent people who have helped me resolve critical problems over the years, even when I've lost my account number, pin, or anything else I'm supposed to know. 😭. I'm regularly impressed by how quickly you are able to find the right information and get everything working again. Keep up the good work!

"A man shall see, where there is a house full of children, one or two of the eldest respected, and the youngest made wantons; but in the midst some that are as it were forgotten, who many times nevertheless prove the best." -- from his essay Of Parents and Children

I'm curious if anyone involved with the show ever mentioned this quote. Could Francis Bacon be show Francis' namesake?

Despite their efforts to maintain their high social status, Frasier and Niles have frequently humiliated themselves in public, from their disastrous restaurant opening to their many ruined parties. Which event do you think caused Seattle's elite to shun and/or mock them for the longest? Personally, I think Jackson Headley's one-man show gave them some serious reputational damage. Not only did all their friends see it, but it must have called into question their entire taste in performing arts, given that they personally created and promoted a showcase for a terrible actor.

A few years ago I was over $10k in debt and was making no financial headway. I got a second part-time job, which meant I was working 13 hour days Monday to Friday, but also gave me an extra $1500 a month. Since then, I've gotten out of debt, replaced my worn out vehicle, and got a significant amount of savings built up. Has it been a lot of work? Yes, and it's been exhausting at times. The pay-off is that I'm in a 100% better position financially than I was before.

No, working more hasn't gotten me my dream job, and I don't find deep fulfillment in it. But I feel like people who say hard work doesn't pay are missing the basic math that if you work more hours of the week, you make more money. Also, I wasn't doing anything meaningful with my free time before I got a second job, so it's not like it cost me anything except internet time. And in exchange, I don't have to worry about rationing heating oil in the winter, or my car dying and not being able to repair it. That's a trade I'll make any day.

Today at work, I damaged a piece of equipment by accident. It wasn't anything too serious; normally my instinct would be to pretend nothing happened and hope no one noticed. But then it occurred to me, why am I looking at myself as a child would after hiding something they broke from their parents? I decided I was going be an adult, take responsibility for my mistake, and take the initiative for fixing it. If someone is mad about it, or if it makes extra work for me, I can handle that. At least I'm taking action instead being frozen in indecision and fear. And it turned out fine! I probably built it up to be a bigger deal in my head than it was. I guess I'm just proud of myself for having enough courage to be honest. Anyway, that's my small win for the week! 😊

Being outside on those first warm days in spring just makes me feel so relaxed and at peace. After months of fighting to stay warm and taking refuge indoors, it's like the world accepts me again and wants me to be here. Warm sunshine, a light breeze, and greening trees melt my worries and depression away.

I looking for tips on how to get a great swirl pattern in a marble cake. I make mine in a loaf pan, and have a hard time getting consistently good results on the pattern. I alternate dollops of vanilla and chocolate batter down the length of the pan (two of each), and then do a second layer with the colors reversed. Then I run a butter knife back and forth on the length of the pan a couple of times to mix the batters. The cakes taste good but the patterns are not always aesthetically mixed. I find it easier to control the mixing if I reduce the liquid to create a thicker dough; however, this also makes a denser cake. Any advice?

My options are either to protest against universally expected tipping and look incredibly cheap doing so, or be peer-pressured into paying an extra 20% on my meals for the same thing I was getting before. Rather than have those interactions, I'll just eat somewhere else.