devilized's recent activity
-
Comment on California junk fee ban could upend restaurant industry in ~food
-
Comment on California junk fee ban could upend restaurant industry in ~food
devilized Link ParentYeah, and it's just gotten worse here. Tipping shows up everywhere now including retail where the worker simply rang your stuff up and took your money. It's finally reached a... tipping point 😎......Yeah, and it's just gotten worse here. Tipping shows up everywhere now including retail where the worker simply rang your stuff up and took your money. It's finally reached a... tipping point 😎... where people are finally fed up with tipping culture.
-
Comment on Florida is the first state to ban lab grown meat - Ron DeSantis in ~food
devilized Link ParentI don't really have ethical concerns about meat consumption. I'm not going to belittle those that do, but it's just not a concern to me. My understanding of lab grown meat is that it's pure muscle...I don't really have ethical concerns about meat consumption. I'm not going to belittle those that do, but it's just not a concern to me. My understanding of lab grown meat is that it's pure muscle with no fat or connective tissue. My favorite steak is a ribeye where those components are important.
I also won't pay more for it. Maybe that's not an issue in the distant future but it sure is now.
-
Comment on California junk fee ban could upend restaurant industry in ~food
devilized Link ParentA service charge is in leiu a tip. It may be less than you would have tipped, but it's still a fee. No-tip service charge places would build that charge into their menu prices just like tipping...A service charge is in leiu a tip. It may be less than you would have tipped, but it's still a fee. No-tip service charge places would build that charge into their menu prices just like tipping restaurants would increase their prices by 18% or so and pay their staff the wages they would've gotten.
-
Comment on California junk fee ban could upend restaurant industry in ~food
devilized Link ParentPresumably every restaurant would need to do this, though. So there would be no competitive disadvantage.Presumably every restaurant would need to do this, though. So there would be no competitive disadvantage.
-
Comment on California junk fee ban could upend restaurant industry in ~food
devilized LinkI don't know about "upending" the restaurant industry. They will just have to do exactly what they should've done which is build the service fees into their prices, and say that no tip is necessary.I don't know about "upending" the restaurant industry. They will just have to do exactly what they should've done which is build the service fees into their prices, and say that no tip is necessary.
-
Comment on Florida is the first state to ban lab grown meat - Ron DeSantis in ~food
devilized LinkI'm not excited about the prospect of lab-grown meat, but I'm also not a fan of this decision. Let people decide for themselves.I'm not excited about the prospect of lab-grown meat, but I'm also not a fan of this decision. Let people decide for themselves.
-
Comment on An equitable solution to a problem at work regarding sick leave and staffing? in ~life
devilized Link ParentI could see this going the opposite way though. So many parents seem to rely on schools to "babysit" their kids, that many would probably be upset if the school closed due to teacher illness. The...I could see this going the opposite way though. So many parents seem to rely on schools to "babysit" their kids, that many would probably be upset if the school closed due to teacher illness. The "my child is your problem while they're in school" parents are a numerous and boisterous bunch.
-
Comment on How are you dealing with inflation regarding everyday enjoyment? in ~life
devilized Link ParentI haven't. I don't eat fast food but I sometimes see commercials about some box that they sell for like $6 or something.I haven't. I don't eat fast food but I sometimes see commercials about some box that they sell for like $6 or something.
-
Comment on How are you dealing with inflation regarding everyday enjoyment? in ~life
devilized LinkI've always been pretty frugal with everyday stuff to begin with, which I learned in college and just stuck with through adulthood. I buy in bulk to reduce per-unit costs, prepare all of my own...I've always been pretty frugal with everyday stuff to begin with, which I learned in college and just stuck with through adulthood. I buy in bulk to reduce per-unit costs, prepare all of my own food, use grocery store sales to determine what I'm going to cook that week, buy generic brands, and eat out very rarely. It still shocks me how so many people eat out all the time and then complain about the cost of living. Maybe it was just how I grew up, where eating out was a special occasion / luxury, and not a daily way to live.
I've always done my own home repairs and renovations. It's very rare that I hire something out. I've also always shopped around for the best balance between price and quality.
I can't think of many ways I've changed my spending habits over the past 5 years. My wife cuts my hair (I just keep it short with electric clippers), which started during COVID and has continued. I'm more likely to shop for insurance during renewals every year to combat the price increases. I've held onto my vehicles for longer than I used to. I guess I buy less "stuff" than I used to, but that's more of a side effect of changing my life priorities as opposed to costs.
-
Comment on How are you dealing with inflation regarding everyday enjoyment? in ~life
devilized Link ParentThey've done a lot to try and shed that image/market, even disregarding the increased pricing (which inevitably came as a result of their target market changes). They renovated all of their...McDonalds is supposed to be eating out for the poor.
They've done a lot to try and shed that image/market, even disregarding the increased pricing (which inevitably came as a result of their target market changes). They renovated all of their buildings to be "fancier", started offering fancy drinks, fresh non-frozen beef for the quarter pounder, etc. Some of the other fast food chains like Taco Bell, Hardees, Subway, etc seem to still be targeting the lower-end of the fast food market.
-
Comment on ‘The science isn’t there’: do dating apps really help us find our soulmate? in ~life
devilized Link ParentThere's a happy medium to be had. Effort doesn't guarantee compatibility, and there's definitely a point where you realize after a few dates that they're not the right person for you. But I guess...There's a happy medium to be had. Effort doesn't guarantee compatibility, and there's definitely a point where you realize after a few dates that they're not the right person for you. But I guess I'd rather go on a few dates and try and get to know the person to realize that than prematurely end things based on a single interaction (unless of course some huge red flag comes out early on).
-
Comment on Why don't we do more food-based activism? in ~talk
devilized Link ParentThey don't, but you have to at least cover 100% of their expenses. They can't lose money. Unless you're going to find staff to work for you for you for free/less (good luck finding a kitchen...Activist food projects don't have to be profitable, though
They don't, but you have to at least cover 100% of their expenses. They can't lose money. Unless you're going to find staff to work for you for you for free/less (good luck finding a kitchen staff), a building that will allow you to operate rent-free and utility-free, vendors that will give you significant discounts on supplies and equipment, you have no choice but to consider the financials. I think you are overestimating the amount of money that most restaurants make, especially a small standalone one compared to a corporation who can operate with economies of scale. It's an expensive endeavor.
I serve on the Board of Directors for a large nonprofit 501(c)(3) in my city. We, by definition, do not turn a profit. We spend every dollar that we bring in. We're either funding our programs, or paying down debt that we accrued during COVID when we had almost no income but still had to make payroll. We have to pay for our buildings, staff, insurance, and all of our vendors (our biggest expense due to the nature of our work). Our vendors give us a minuscule discount for being a well-known nonprofit. Our staff takes a lower-than-industry (but still livable) wage in exchange for working on a mission that they're passionate about, but our turnover is significantly higher than our for-profit counterparts (this is very common in NP vs FP). Our vendors and our people expect to get paid. No payment, no vendors or people. Nonprofit doesn't mean you have no bills. I see in this reply and the other reply that you're trying to ignore the economics, but that's just not the reality. It's the very reason that you're not finding what you're looking for.
Now, if this is something you're so passionate about, what's stopping you from organizing people and assets to make it happen in your community? I got involved in a community organization that I'm passionate about - as I mentioned, I serve on their board and also go out and volunteer with the organization hands-on. There are plenty of groups who would love to engage with someone who is willing to help make projects like this come to life.
-
Comment on Why don't we do more food-based activism? in ~talk
devilized LinkI think there are a few factors that prevent this from working on a larger scale than it currently does. This sort of thing does exist in pockets, though. There's one of those restaurants near me...I think there are a few factors that prevent this from working on a larger scale than it currently does. This sort of thing does exist in pockets, though. There's one of those restaurants near me that has a "pay what you can" model that has suggested prices, and you can pay more or less than that depending on your financial situation. There are also restaurants that have programs where they'll hire disabled workers. But at the end of the day, it's kind a niche thing and there is only so much room in the restaurant industry to sustain that model. Restaurants are difficult and expensive to run. Food costs are a generally only about 1/4-1/3 of a restaurant's expenses, so having cheap/simple ingredients doesn't make a huge financial difference. The rest of the expenses (rent, labor, utilities, marketing, etc) don't change all that much if you're trying to prepare simple foods. Yeah, maybe you need less equipment and a less-talented chef to make simple foods, but you're still overall on the hook for running a very expensive and labor-intensive enterprise.
Now, is it possible? Sure. There's a place near our cabin in Western NC that has an old-time Pharmacy / Drug Store diner that's been there forever and has very simple, inexpensive food. But it's in a rural area where rent and labor (and therefore cost of living) costs are lower than metropolitan areas.
Activism can also be divisive. When you take any kind of activist claim, no matter how morally right it might be, you risk alienating a significant portion of your potential customer base. For a low cost restaurant, which would rely on volume instead of average ticket price to survive, it can be a death sentence for the business.
The last thing I can think about is the reason that people go out to eat. For most people, they go for amazing food that they can't make at home, for great service because they don't want to do it themselves, or just to be social with whoever they're dining with. Most diners aren't going to care about activism stuff while they're dining. They just want to spend time with their friends/family and be served yummy food.
-
Comment on ‘The science isn’t there’: do dating apps really help us find our soulmate? in ~life
devilized Link ParentYes, that's what I mean by the part of the comment that you quoted. Both (potential) partners need to make a concerted effort to actually get to know each other, over time, in person. It's so easy...For me I think there’s this gap between meeting someone and feeling attraction that’s hard to bridge.
Yes, that's what I mean by the part of the comment that you quoted. Both (potential) partners need to make a concerted effort to actually get to know each other, over time, in person. It's so easy to set some filters and swipe your finger on your phone to find a potential match like you're looking for the perfect socks on Amazon. The harder part is the actual in-person (or at least off-app) where you get to know each other and develop a connection. And because that first part (swiping and sending a message) was easy, the slightest bit of adversity while getting to know each other often leads one of the partners to immediately end things and go back to swiping. Or maybe they're still swiping in the middle of trying to develop that connection, in which case it's hard to develop that connection with the distraction of other potential people.
In your case of developing a connection with your colleague, you went through all of the work of developing that connection only to find a fundamental incompatibility (the type of relationship you're looking for, which is a very filterable property on dating apps if people are truthful) at the end. That's something that apps have the potential to prevent.
It seems to me that many people just don't want to put actual work into forming and maintaining relationships. I dealt with that when online dating as well. It was easy to tell when that was going on. I don't know if this is at all related, but I remember seeing all of those relationship advice threads on Reddit that basically said "my partner slighted me in some minor way" and all of the top comments were saying "you should break up!" instead of, you know, communicating with your partner about it. The parallel I'm trying to draw in all of this is: relationships take work to foster and maintain, apps make it easier to make the initial connection, and the combination of the two results in people seemingly trying to keep making connections until they find a relationship that is effortless.
-
Comment on ‘The science isn’t there’: do dating apps really help us find our soulmate? in ~life
devilized LinkI really think it depends on how you use it. I met my wife on a dating app just over a decade ago, so it can be done. But I'm also a serial monogamist, so I deactivated my profile while we were...I really think it depends on how you use it. I met my wife on a dating app just over a decade ago, so it can be done. But I'm also a serial monogamist, so I deactivated my profile while we were dating, and so did my partner at the time. I do think that apps have potential benefits. You are both explicitly there for the purpose of dating, so there's no wondering about intentions like meeting at a bar or something. You can get some obvious deal breakers out of the way. So it's good for making the initial connection, but you do have to put effort into the relationship offline. And I can't help but wonder if that's where people are going wrong with dating.
-
Comment on Ford just reported a massive loss on every electric vehicle it sold in ~transport
devilized Link ParentYou got 2 comments as to why in terms of engine efficiency, but I'll also provide another point of view as a truck owner. Towing a trailer still does have a pretty large impact on mileage/range....You got 2 comments as to why in terms of engine efficiency, but I'll also provide another point of view as a truck owner. Towing a trailer still does have a pretty large impact on mileage/range. My F-250 can get about 20mpg on the highway empty, but when towing, I average 12-14mpg. But, my range on a 26 gallon tank is about 500 miles to begin with instead of the 300ish for an EV truck. Additionally, it takes me about 5 minutes to fill up at one of the hundreds of gas stations that I'll pass on my trip instead of 30 minutes at one of the few EV stations along my route that may or may not support my vehicle / be available for me to use / actually be operational.
The lack of charging infra is tied with price for #1 as to why my next truck is also unlikely to be an EV. It needs to make financial sense (it doesn't), and it needs to not be a pain in the ass (it currently is for the way that I use it).
-
Comment on Ford just reported a massive loss on every electric vehicle it sold in ~transport
devilized Link ParentLowering prices might help increase the number of units sold, but they'll obviously still need to make enough profit on each unit to recoup their investment costs. It's pretty obvious that they...Lowering prices might help increase the number of units sold, but they'll obviously still need to make enough profit on each unit to recoup their investment costs. It's pretty obvious that they expected sales to be better given how much they've had to scale back production due to softening demand.
Currently, cost is only one of the downsides of EV ownership. This doesn't help them either, given that many people currently don't want to own an EV for reasons beyond cost.
-
Comment on Big Tech has slashed its office presence in San Francisco by half in ~finance
devilized LinkNot surprising. During the pandemic, many people left the whole Bay Area for lower-cost places as well. Our company, which is CA-based, has pretty much stopped hiring in CA altogether. We had an...Not surprising. During the pandemic, many people left the whole Bay Area for lower-cost places as well. Our company, which is CA-based, has pretty much stopped hiring in CA altogether. We had an office in San Francisco from an acquisition, which has since closed. It doesn't make sense to maintain an expensive office in an expensive place where people don't want to live.
In addition, large tech conferences used to often the Moscone Center in downtown SFO. Most tech conferences have now been moved to Las Vegas or other places. So hotels and restaurants that were supported by 30k+ conference attendees have been suffering as well.
-
Comment on New EPA regulation requires coal plants in the United States to reduce 90 percent of their greenhouse pollution by 2039 (gifted link) in ~enviro
devilized Link ParentMost coal plants already have scrubbers. This new requirement goes beyond those scrubbers, and would require full CCS systems. This requires the infrastructure for transportation and long-term...Most coal plants already have scrubbers. This new requirement goes beyond those scrubbers, and would require full CCS systems. This requires the infrastructure for transportation and long-term storage or disposal of compressed CO2.
There's definitely a way to do it. There's a breakfast restaurant near me that does this, and people love the place. They advertise that they pay their workers a living wage, and tips are not requested. No service fees either. The place has been open for many years and is doing great.
So few restaurants do this that it could easily become an attractive advertisement.