Open thread, Jul. 11 - Jul. 17, 2016

MrMind

If it's worth saying, but not worth its own post (even in Discussion), then it goes here.

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If it's worth saying, but not worth its own post (even in Discussion), then it goes here.

Notes for future OT posters:

1. Please add the 'open_thread' tag.

2. Check if there is an active Open Thread before posting a new one. (Immediately before; refresh the list-of-threads page before posting.)

3. Open Threads should be posted in Discussion, and not Main.

4. Open Threads should start on Monday, and end on Sunday.

"why not keep track of how much food my guests actually ate, and try adjusting the amount of food at my next party to match?"

Because the amount of food that people eat is not an absolute value, but a function of how much is there. If you do that adjustment, and then continue to do that adjustment, you will end with a situation without any food. That is true both at parties and in any other situation, like meals served to people who otherwise will have nothing to eat, at least to a first approximation -- if the last situation is absolute, you will get people eating some food, but it will not be enough to live on.