The "This Might Be A Stupid Question, But...." Thread

[Onyx_TKD]

How did Nena's 99 Luftballons end up being played with US Christmas songs? It's always baffled me.

that would baffle me too!   

Me, too. Was it the German version or the English one? All I can imagine is that someone found out the title meant "99 balloons" and assumed it was a song about toys without bothering to figure out what the rest of the lyrics were. *

*Don't ask me why "song about toys" would automatically be "Christmas song" or why they'd decide to insert a foreign language song about toys when there are so very many actual Christmas songs. My hypothesis breaks down at that point.

[Dazi]

How did Nena's 99 Luftballons end up being played with US Christmas songs? It's always baffled me.

that would baffle me too!   

Me, too. Was it the German version or the English one? All I can imagine is that someone found out the title meant "99 balloons" and assumed it was a song about toys without bothering to figure out what the rest of the lyrics were. *

*Don't ask me why "song about toys" would automatically be "Christmas song" or why they'd decide to insert a foreign language song about toys when there are so very many actual Christmas songs. My hypothesis breaks down at that point.

The first time I heard it was in the mid-80's and was the original German version.  I remember asking my GM and Great Aunt why the radio was playing it with the Christmas songs marathon because I knew enough German that I knew it shouldn't be played with the Christmas songs, but not enough to know what all the lyrics meant.

The English version is played very frequently with the round the clock Christmas stations every year.  I can only assume and hope they don't know it is a protest song about stupid ways wars are started.

ETA: political changed to protest....stupid spell check

[Diane AKA Traska]

How did Nena's 99 Luftballons end up being played with US Christmas songs? It's always baffled me.

that would baffle me too!   

Me, too. Was it the German version or the English one? All I can imagine is that someone found out the title meant "99 balloons" and assumed it was a song about toys without bothering to figure out what the rest of the lyrics were. *

*Don't ask me why "song about toys" would automatically be "Christmas song" or why they'd decide to insert a foreign language song about toys when there are so very many actual Christmas songs. My hypothesis breaks down at that point.

The first time I heard it was in the mid-80's and was the original German version.  I remember asking my GM and Great Aunt why the radio was playing it with the Christmas songs marathon because I knew enough German that I knew it shouldn't be played with the Christmas songs, but not enough to know what all the lyrics meant.

The English version is played very frequently with the round the clock Christmas stations every year.  I can only assume and hope they don't know it is a protest song about stupid ways wars are started.

ETA: political changed to protest....stupid spell check

I have an idea on that.  It's a song protesting war, which makes it a song about peace.  Isn't Christmas *about* peace on Earth, goodwill toward Man?

[GreenHall]

How did Nena's 99 Luftballons end up being played with US Christmas songs? It's always baffled me.

I don't know this song, but the discussion on it made me think of my Christmas play list, with Joy to the World...by Three Dog Night....In my case, it makes me grin whenever it comes up.

[Thipu1]

How did Nena's 99 Luftballons end up being played with US Christmas songs? It's always baffled me.

Happily, we've been spared that. 

The idea of 99 Luftballoons as a holiday song is a puzzler.  Everything about it is wrong.  The tune doesn't sound particularly cheerful and the words, in German or English, are not holiday appropriate.  May as well play 'I Ain't Marchin' Anymore'.     

[Onyx_TKD]

How did Nena's 99 Luftballons end up being played with US Christmas songs? It's always baffled me.

that would baffle me too!   

Me, too. Was it the German version or the English one? All I can imagine is that someone found out the title meant "99 balloons" and assumed it was a song about toys without bothering to figure out what the rest of the lyrics were. *

*Don't ask me why "song about toys" would automatically be "Christmas song" or why they'd decide to insert a foreign language song about toys when there are so very many actual Christmas songs. My hypothesis breaks down at that point.

The first time I heard it was in the mid-80's and was the original German version.  I remember asking my GM and Great Aunt why the radio was playing it with the Christmas songs marathon because I knew enough German that I knew it shouldn't be played with the Christmas songs, but not enough to know what all the lyrics meant.

The English version is played very frequently with the round the clock Christmas stations every year.  I can only assume and hope they don't know it is a protest song about stupid ways wars are started.

ETA: political changed to protest....stupid spell check

I have an idea on that.  It's a song protesting war, which makes it a song about peace.  Isn't Christmas *about* peace on Earth, goodwill toward Man?

I think the "peace on earth" generally associated with Christmas is the idea of people choosing to be peaceful and get along with their fellow humans. The "peace" described at the end of 99 Luftballons occurs because people have engaged in senseless warfare for so long that pretty much everyone is dead and the world is in ruins (and the last act described in the song is releasing another balloon, so if anyone else is still alive and capable of engaging in war...well, let's just hope the singer isn't the only person who realizes what started the war in the song).

[Diane AKA Traska]

How did Nena's 99 Luftballons end up being played with US Christmas songs? It's always baffled me.

that would baffle me too!   

Me, too. Was it the German version or the English one? All I can imagine is that someone found out the title meant "99 balloons" and assumed it was a song about toys without bothering to figure out what the rest of the lyrics were. *

*Don't ask me why "song about toys" would automatically be "Christmas song" or why they'd decide to insert a foreign language song about toys when there are so very many actual Christmas songs. My hypothesis breaks down at that point.

The first time I heard it was in the mid-80's and was the original German version.  I remember asking my GM and Great Aunt why the radio was playing it with the Christmas songs marathon because I knew enough German that I knew it shouldn't be played with the Christmas songs, but not enough to know what all the lyrics meant.

The English version is played very frequently with the round the clock Christmas stations every year.  I can only assume and hope they don't know it is a protest song about stupid ways wars are started.

ETA: political changed to protest....stupid spell check

I have an idea on that.  It's a song protesting war, which makes it a song about peace.  Isn't Christmas *about* peace on Earth, goodwill toward Man?

I think the "peace on earth" generally associated with Christmas is the idea of people choosing to be peaceful and get along with their fellow humans. The "peace" described at the end of 99 Luftballons occurs because people have engaged in senseless warfare for so long that pretty much everyone is dead and the world is in ruins (and the last act described in the song is releasing another balloon, so if anyone else is still alive and capable of engaging in war...well, let's just hope the singer isn't the only person who realizes what started the war in the song).

The point I was trying to make is that's exactly what they're protesting... which means they're promoting the cessation of such.

[Softly Spoken]

ARRRRRRRGH!
Okay, I did a search and couldn't find the answer/too many results: what is the trick for inserting a hyperlink into a post?
I know about the 'insert link' button but I just don't have the HTML in the right place or I didn't type something I was supposed to ...
I thought there was a tutorial for this kind of thing up in the top section of the board but I guess not...

Memory refresh please?

[jpcher]

ARRRRRRRGH!
Okay, I did a search and couldn't find the answer/too many results: what is the trick for inserting a hyperlink into a post?
I know about the 'insert link' button but I just don't have the HTML in the right place or I didn't type something I was supposed to ...
I thought there was a tutorial for this kind of thing up in the top section of the board but I guess not...

Memory refresh please?

I don't know about the 'insert link' button . . .

What I do is copy the URL address (in the address bar) from the website page that I want to link to and paste it into my reply.

Now, posting photos is a different story . . . I have no clue how to do that.

[Softly Spoken]

ARRRRRRRGH!
Okay, I did a search and couldn't find the answer/too many results: what is the trick for inserting a hyperlink into a post?
I know about the 'insert link' button but I just don't have the HTML in the right place or I didn't type something I was supposed to ...
I thought there was a tutorial for this kind of thing up in the top section of the board but I guess not...

Memory refresh please?

I don't know about the 'insert link' button . . .

What I do is copy the URL address (in the address bar) from the website page that I want to link to and paste it into my reply.

Now, posting photos is a different story . . . I have no clue how to do that.

Yeah I'm looking for that space-saving trick of having blue underlined text you can mouse over.

[Adelaide]

I was just talking to my mother about tips at restaurants. I know we've talked about the percentage on here, but that's not my question is about. My question is why do you tip? Is there a standard, agreed-upon reason? My impression is that you tip nothing if your service is terrible, a standard amount (again, not trying to discuss exact amounts) if your service is good/decent, and then more if your service is great.

I treat tips like a commentary on the quality of service. However, my mother was just talking about a notorious, awful dinner we had a year ago. The servers were bored and listless the whole time and some were actually rude. I told my mom "Well, I guess they didn't get tipped!" and she said no, they got tipped the standard amount. When I asked why (the service was truly, extraordinarily bad) she replied "Well, that's how these people make their living." She and my father are of the same mindset, that you tip "just because", so I was wondering if I had the wrong (or an odd) idea about why you tip.

[Outdoor Girl]

I agree with your reasoning.  But for me, the service would have to be really bad for me to leave a very minimal tip.  I would never leave no tip; I'd leave a quarter.  That way, it is abundantly clear what I thought of their service.  But if I was leaving that kind of tip, I would also ask to speak to the manager.

I've recently had what I would consider pretty poor service.  Granted, it was a fairly large group but it took over 2 hours to serve our lunch and it was served badly.  Everything was placed in the middle of the table, rather than all along the table.  And invariably, stuff got passed the opposite direction from where I was sitting so by the time the plates got to me, there was very little left.  (It was a sushi place.)  I did leave a small tip of less than 10%.  Many others in the group didn't tip at all.  And I should add the place to the 'I'll never shop there again' thread.

In my area, servers do get a decent wage that is only slightly less than standard minimum wage so if the service is pleasant, timely and reasonably accurate, the server gets my regular amount.  If the service is really excellent, the server will get more than my usual amount.

[Adelaide]

This was literally the worst service I've ever had in my life. I personally would have spoken to the manager, but I was the youngest person there (large family gathering) and my father was paying for our part so it wasn't my place to speak to the manager at the time.

[squeakers]

ARRRRRRRGH!
Okay, I did a search and couldn't find the answer/too many results: what is the trick for inserting a hyperlink into a post?
I know about the 'insert link' button but I just don't have the HTML in the right place or I didn't type something I was supposed to ...
I thought there was a tutorial for this kind of thing up in the top section of the board but I guess not...

Memory refresh please?

click "insert hyperlink"

(url]place link here[/url) (changed first and last brackets to parentheses to show)

http://google.com (normal)

google text link

(url=http://google.com]google[/url) (changed first and last brackets to parentheses to show)

[I'mnotinsane]

I was just talking to my mother about tips at restaurants. I know we've talked about the percentage on here, but that's not my question is about. My question is why do you tip? Is there a standard, agreed-upon reason? My impression is that you tip nothing if your service is terrible, a standard amount (again, not trying to discuss exact amounts) if your service is good/decent, and then more if your service is great.

I treat tips like a commentary on the quality of service. However, my mother was just talking about a notorious, awful dinner we had a year ago. The servers were bored and listless the whole time and some were actually rude. I told my mom "Well, I guess they didn't get tipped!" and she said no, they got tipped the standard amount. When I asked why (the service was truly, extraordinarily bad) she replied "Well, that's how these people make their living." She and my father are of the same mindset, that you tip "just because", so I was wondering if I had the wrong (or an odd) idea about why you tip.

Your reasoning is correct.  Tips refer to: To Insure Proper Service.  At least in the US. I'm not sure where you are.