The left side is wrong here - they are about the same accuracy, but differ in precision. Accuracy is about average placement being correct. Top left is all over the place, but evenly so. It's not pulling off to a side like top right is.

Wavelength. You end up getting in silly arguments about very specific things.

This is why we need propositional representation - without a system that allows viable alternatives to the lesser evil our country isn't really a democracy.

Your spoiler tag didn't work fyi

You should look into polyamory/consensual non-monogamy. What you're describing doesn't have to be seen as some sort of weird perverse thing doomed to failure and return to the status quo. It is a legitimate family structure.

I've been in a polyamorous family for almost a decade now. Most of it was three (the sort of v shape you describe) but also with a larger (currently six total) non-domestic polycule. I'm not the tip of the v but I love my metamours (word for partners' partners) as family.

It's viable. The trick is a gratuitous amount of candid conversation, and a dedication to the family.

Just going by memory of usage pattern:

Gadget: a small (at least usually small enough to be carried around and utilized by a single person) piece of technology for a specific, often niche use. Eg, "go go gadget shark-repelant spray gun!"

Contraption: a device, often jury rigged or prototyped, built to serve some particular purpose. Eg, "I built this here contraption to dig us a way out of here"

Doohickey: A word used refer to a contraption or other piece of technology that the speaker does not understand, or does not know the purpose of, especially to emphasise that lack of understanding. Eg, "they're gonna 'beam' us out of here with that doohickey."

Not sure about gizmos.

Edit: examples

Sometimes people use that question rhetorically because it feels polite, viewing it as a small talk precursor to ease in to actually just saying what they want.

I don't like when people use it as such, because it is insincere, poor consent practice, and low-key manipulative due to the foot in the door phenomenon .

There are tons of legitimate reasons to not be comfortable with the question. Don't have time, bad headspace, don't feel comfortable... If they can't understand that, I try not to care what they think of me.

It is definitely a nonsense machine.

However, I'd argue that the meme-language in Darmok is not the same as slang. Slang is functionally the same as regular language, with words having particular meanings. The whole point of Darmok is that their language doesn't work like that.

Wouldn't the universal translator translate slang? I could see it standing down if people were already speaking the aame language, but Quark is probably speaking a Ferengi language, so the translator would be translating it to words that match the intended meaning

Blood Bowl

Unions have strike funds to pay those participating in the strike. It's not the full amount though, and it's not like they're paid enough these days.

If you're near a picket line it's worth bringing some treats to the strikers. The sweet taste of solidarity helps.

Your cultural distinctiveness will constitute our own