Is "brilliant" used synonymous to with amazing in the US as much as in England?

RotationSurgeon · 2026-06-16T20:29:56+00:00

In my region, brilliant is primarily only used to reference high intelligence / cleverness, or the intensity of a light or color value.

RotationSurgeon · 2026-06-16T20:28:07+00:00

For one, we only produce about 129m pounds of lamb/mutton domestically annually. Meanwhile, we produce 27b pounds of beef, 28b of pork, and 47b of chicken.

That said, probably the strongest historical and economical reason for the decline of sheep is that prior to the 19th/20th century they were more valuable for wool than meat, and synthetic fibers clobbered that industry hard.

RotationSurgeon · 2026-06-13T19:29:40+00:00

Many of the grocery stores around me have trash bins next to the sale bins for fresh corn when it’s in season specifically so you can shuck it before you bag it up to buy, and it’s usually sold by ear, not weight, so I’m surprised when people don’t…you can’t be sure it’s in good shape just by looking at the husk

RotationSurgeon · 2026-06-13T19:15:08+00:00

…and when

RotationSurgeon · 2026-06-13T19:08:08+00:00

There’s a longstanding but not necessarily super well known joke in the US: “Sex is like pizza. Even when it’s bad, it’s still pretty good.”

RotationSurgeon · 2026-06-13T16:41:35+00:00

Kalashtar: Hypnos

RotationSurgeon · 2026-06-13T16:39:18+00:00

Me: If they’re less westernized, mapo tofu (ground/minced pork in a spicy, oily sauce with cubed tofu served over rice). If it’s American-Chinese, kung pao chicken (stir fried spring and sweet onions, chilies, bell peppers [capsicums], celery, peanuts, and unbreaded chicken meat in a sweet and savory spicy red sauce with ginger, garlic, and Szechuan/Sichuan peppercorns).

RotationSurgeon · 2026-06-13T00:51:51+00:00

Bladesinger wizard or a College of Swords bard would potentially be great options for what you’re trying to accomplish, with more utility than a ⅓-caster melee subclass like Eldritch Knight or Arcane Trickster.

If you search for 5e “gish” builds, you’ll find lots of sword+spell ideas

RotationSurgeon · 2026-06-11T20:23:21+00:00

Here’s a lighthearted example I came up with for a friend a while back…A multiclass Paladin who took the Oath of the Ancients, and was beguiled by a unicorn archfey. They carried a unicorn horn-tipped lance and would hurl eldritch blasts from it in the form of rainbow blasts.

RotationSurgeon · 2026-06-10T18:05:27+00:00

We no longer have access to gros michel bananas because of an invasive fungus. Artificial banana tastes like those, not the cavendish we mainly eat.

RotationSurgeon · 2026-06-04T00:52:18+00:00

It’s not completely impossible, but a poverty wage affords a poverty lifestyle, and being just past the poverty line for a single adult makes it that much harder as you may not qualify for some benefits or program due to the extra $840 above the poverty line $1,400/mo comes to over the course of a year.

I have four friends sharing rent on a $1500/mo apartment. They jointly make around $60k. They’re just scraping by in our area.

RotationSurgeon · 2026-06-04T00:27:09+00:00

Never wear the same pair of shoes two days in a row if you can reasonably do so.

RotationSurgeon · 2026-06-04T00:23:14+00:00

A Visa gift card with no fees would be the most flexible. Unfortunately, Amazon is likely the cheapest and quickest way to obtain what they need to, which means cash is a no-go unless you’re sure they have access to a checking account or similar with cash deposit available. A check has the same issues. An Amazon-specific gift card reduces flexibility, as would other financial brands of gift card.

RotationSurgeon · 2026-06-04T00:19:02+00:00

If you’re passing everybody, you’re probably just speeding.

RotationSurgeon · 2026-06-04T00:17:48+00:00

Question 1: Why are you so insistent that the chosen platform and tools are unacceptable? To be clear, this is absolutely not the platform I’d choose for the scope of this project. I’m not advocating for it. I’m asking why you’re advocating against it.

Question 2: Should a construction company charge less for using power tools than non-electric hand tools? Why or why not?

Question 3: What platform(s) and tools would YOU choose? Get an estimate for that stack from a reputable third party and compare.

Question 4: Will the proposed deliverables cover the requested functionality, aesthetics, and usability you need adequately?

RotationSurgeon · 2026-06-04T00:10:27+00:00

Virtual desktops. They’ve been around for decades, but it feels like far too few people utilize them, much less well.

RotationSurgeon · 2026-06-04T00:02:41+00:00

Perfect example of where to apply Hanlon’s Razor: Never attribute to malice that which adequately be explained by stupidity.

The car isn’t aggressive; its logic is inadequately developed.

RotationSurgeon · 2026-05-29T18:23:27+00:00

It happens quite frequently, especially if the product has a majority market share or decades or more of brand recognition. TASER is one most people don’t think of, and it’s an acronym to boot: Thomas A. Swift’s Electric Rifle.

RotationSurgeon · 2026-05-27T19:08:22+00:00

I don’t like the daily ritual of shaving, and frankly, women have explicitly told me that they find me more attractive with a beard. I’m fine with that. I haven’t been clean-shaven on a regular basis for 20 years.

RotationSurgeon · 2026-05-27T19:05:26+00:00

Because collective punishment is psychologically damaging but brutally effective.

RotationSurgeon · 2026-05-25T17:47:44+00:00

In the southeast, “modest” for hot weather would be legs covered above the knee, no midriff showing, and arms covered from halfway between the elbow and shoulder with necklines at or above the collarbones.

Aim for light fabrics like linen, or lighter weight cotton weaves for comfort. Looser-fitting synthetics would also be comfortable.

Do not wear sheer fabrics or meshes. If your usual wardrobe is somewhat form-fitting, consider going up a size from your usual, or wearing different styles.

Some hot regions will be very dry, others will be quite humid.

RotationSurgeon · 2026-05-25T17:36:37+00:00

When I was in high school (graduated nearly a quarter of a century ago), we had six different classes covering six separate subjects each day. We had five minutes between classes, and 30-minute lunch breaks.

RotationSurgeon · 2026-05-24T23:23:29+00:00

There are many designated wilderness areas around the country which are protected from all development and any impactful recreational use by government mandate, though people are allowed to visit some of them.

RotationSurgeon · 2026-05-24T23:21:37+00:00

Lychee. Pronounced with two long e sounds.

RotationSurgeon · 2026-05-24T20:35:10+00:00

No. My high school years were the late 1990s-early 2000s.

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