Eleanor's recent activity
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Comment on Join me on the path to Twilightenment in ~books
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Comment on Report: Potential New York Times lawsuit could force OpenAI to wipe ChatGPT and start over in ~tech
Eleanor Link ParentThis isn't an issue for copyright law, though. I've read plenty of NYT articles. I incorporate facts I've learned from them into what I write, and I've improved my writing based on the writing...No, but OpenAI are profiting off of the efforts of their organization and writers, without being cited, and without being licensed.
This isn't an issue for copyright law, though. I've read plenty of NYT articles. I incorporate facts I've learned from them into what I write, and I've improved my writing based on the writing style I've seen in use there. None of this is illegal. OpenAI is simply doing the same thing.
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Comment on State fairs! in ~talk
Eleanor Link ParentIt being in Syracuse probably helps make it more accessible to upstate? I doubt many people from NYC would go, though.It being in Syracuse probably helps make it more accessible to upstate? I doubt many people from NYC would go, though.
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Comment on New Jersey files federal lawsuit to block NYC’s congestion pricing plan; Staten Island sets up legal action in ~transport
Eleanor Link ParentIt isn't, but New York City's decisions don't need to be good for New Jersey. New York can't sue New Jersey for increasing tolls on the New Jersey Turnpike, even though that isn't good for New York.It isn't, but New York City's decisions don't need to be good for New Jersey. New York can't sue New Jersey for increasing tolls on the New Jersey Turnpike, even though that isn't good for New York.
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Comment on 'Fuck Spez': Reddit users unite to turn r/Place mural into a protest in ~tech
Eleanor Link ParentAs long as you're using adblock, the negative PR from these articles probably hurts them more than the marginally increased activity levels help them.As long as you're using adblock, the negative PR from these articles probably hurts them more than the marginally increased activity levels help them.
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Comment on San Francisco’s downtown becomes a wake-up call for other cities in the US in ~finance
Eleanor Link ParentYou haven't actually provided any examples of the bad effects of what you claim to be worried about. Developers generally want their buildings to be connected to electric and sewer lines, so...You haven't actually provided any examples of the bad effects of what you claim to be worried about. Developers generally want their buildings to be connected to electric and sewer lines, so they're going to ensure they can be connected.
Complaining about "reckless zoning" is just a NIMBY dogwhistle. You're not "doing city planning", you're just opposing development.
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Comment on San Francisco’s downtown becomes a wake-up call for other cities in the US in ~finance
Eleanor Link ParentSuburban living is heavily subsidized in the United States, though. Meanwhile, living in denser areas is artificially expensive, due to a severe supply shortage. Obviously more people would choose...Suburban living is heavily subsidized in the United States, though. Meanwhile, living in denser areas is artificially expensive, due to a severe supply shortage. Obviously more people would choose suburbs under those circumstances, but that isn't an argument against denser development. It's a reason we need to stop subsidizing suburbia and to take power away from NIMBYs.
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Comment on San Francisco’s downtown becomes a wake-up call for other cities in the US in ~finance
Eleanor Link ParentAh, so you are just repeating NIMBY talking points. Got it. No one is actually opposing the needed infrastructure improvements, but the need for infrastructure improvements should not be used to...Ah, so you are just repeating NIMBY talking points. Got it.
No one is actually opposing the needed infrastructure improvements, but the need for infrastructure improvements should not be used to block development indefinitely.
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Comment on Why can't we stop homelessness in the US? Four reasons why there's no end in sight in ~life
Eleanor Link ParentI don't exactly see your point here. In the markets where housing is unaffordable in the US, development is profitable and developers want to build! They're generally blocked by restrictive zoning...I don't exactly see your point here. In the markets where housing is unaffordable in the US, development is profitable and developers want to build! They're generally blocked by restrictive zoning and other processes that limit development.
"Developers won't want to build" isn't an argument to block them from doing so.
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Comment on Why can't we stop homelessness in the US? Four reasons why there's no end in sight in ~life
Eleanor Link ParentSure, but "overseas investors" are often used as a scapegoat to avoid solving the real problem: far too few homes in the places people want to live. Addressing any part of this crisis takes...Sure, but "overseas investors" are often used as a scapegoat to avoid solving the real problem: far too few homes in the places people want to live. Addressing any part of this crisis takes political capital, and making the questionable move of barring overseas investment will burn a lot while accomplishing basically nothing.
It's like a ban on plastic straws. Is it marginally better for the environment? Sure, but the energy used to implement that policy would be better spent elsewhere, and it gives politicians an excuse to say "well, we've taken action", when in reality they did basically nothing.
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Comment on Why can't we stop homelessness in the US? Four reasons why there's no end in sight in ~life
Eleanor Link ParentThis is a very small fraction of the properties, though.This is a very small fraction of the properties, though.
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Comment on Why can't we stop homelessness in the US? Four reasons why there's no end in sight in ~life
Eleanor Link ParentREITs do not have an infinite amount of money. They aren't buying houses to leave them vacant; they're renting them. That they are still profitable shows that there is significant unmet demand for...REITs do not have an infinite amount of money. They aren't buying houses to leave them vacant; they're renting them. That they are still profitable shows that there is significant unmet demand for rental houses. This is indicative of, and caused by, a housing shortage.
If we built enough new housing, REITs could not monopolize it.
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Comment on Why can't we stop homelessness in the US? Four reasons why there's no end in sight in ~life
Eleanor Link ParentRents have decreased with a decrease in demand. It's just that the decrease isn't as large as you'd expect, due to the pent-up demand for more housing. The same is true of more building; New York...Rents have decreased with a decrease in demand. It's just that the decrease isn't as large as you'd expect, due to the pent-up demand for more housing. The same is true of more building; New York and California will need to add millions of more units to significantly reduce housing costs. Fortunately, this isn't that hard if you relax zoning. Plenty of developers are looking to build.
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Comment on Why can't we stop homelessness in the US? Four reasons why there's no end in sight in ~life
Eleanor Link ParentIn many cases, no one? New York and California have lost a significant number of people. Rents have decreased, though not as much as one might initially expect. A lot of this is due to people...In many cases, no one? New York and California have lost a significant number of people.
Rents have decreased, though not as much as one might initially expect. A lot of this is due to people choosing to have fewer roommates, move out from their parents' place, etc.
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Comment on Twitter blocks links to rival Threads, while CEO downplays reports of traffic decline in ~tech
Eleanor Link ParentSpamming Fedi is relatively expensive, as you need to pay for a new domain name for each operation. Instances can (and often do) close their registrations when flooded with spam, and due to the...Spamming Fedi is relatively expensive, as you need to pay for a new domain name for each operation. Instances can (and often do) close their registrations when flooded with spam, and due to the distributed nature of the platform this doesn't cause major issues.
Very different from a chat protocol like XMPP.
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Comment on Why can't we stop homelessness in the US? Four reasons why there's no end in sight in ~life
Eleanor Link ParentThis wouldn't be a huge problem if it wasn't for the housing shortage, which is a result of chronic under-building caused by NIMBYs. A rental house is still an occupied house; these people aren't...REITS buy up the cheap land/structures to turn into rentals, same with people making a living house flipping.
This wouldn't be a huge problem if it wasn't for the housing shortage, which is a result of chronic under-building caused by NIMBYs. A rental house is still an occupied house; these people aren't buying houses to leave them vacant. The only solution is to build more housing. Going after rentals doesn't solve the shortage.
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Comment on Why can't we stop homelessness in the US? Four reasons why there's no end in sight in ~life
Eleanor Link ParentIf two people were previously paying rent on two separate units, but their landlords increase their rent, so they decide to move in together, now only one of them is paying rent, and the other...Adding more people adds more to your household income; you're still paying what the landlords ask.
If two people were previously paying rent on two separate units, but their landlords increase their rent, so they decide to move in together, now only one of them is paying rent, and the other landlord needs to find another tenant.
As for moving, the people here still do tend to have money, even if they cannot afford to sign onto an expensive lease. Obviously if you are living paycheck-to-paycheck, it is harder to move, but that is not the situation for most people.
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Comment on Why can't we stop homelessness in the US? Four reasons why there's no end in sight in ~life
Eleanor Link ParentI don't see why you continue to call these luxury builds, when you've acknowledged they're not luxurious. Of course a city would support gentrification. That just means that an area is becoming...I don't see why you continue to call these luxury builds, when you've acknowledged they're not luxurious.
Of course a city would support gentrification. That just means that an area is becoming nicer. More money, more resources, less crime, etc, are all good things. Of course a nicer area will be more expensive, but again, that would apply to those old buildings as well. The issue is a shortage of these nice areas, so they all become extremely expensive. Keeping areas poor isn't a good solution to this problem.
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Comment on Why can't we stop homelessness in the US? Four reasons why there's no end in sight in ~life
Eleanor Link ParentPeople often have more options than this. They can get more roommates. They can live with family. They can move to another city. It's more captive than say, a market for things people don't really...You can't refuse to pay what they ask because if you don't you're homeless.
People often have more options than this. They can get more roommates. They can live with family. They can move to another city.
It's more captive than say, a market for things people don't really need, but there are definitely choices people can make based on housing costs.
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Comment on Why can't we stop homelessness in the US? Four reasons why there's no end in sight in ~life
Eleanor Link ParentIs this actually happening, though? As you've acknowledged, there's not much really separating a "luxury" building from a normal one other than some nice amenities. If people were living in an old...the people who used to live there are left out in the cold because their old apartment building just got torn down to build a new luxury apartment that's 3x the rent they used to pay and their jobs don't pay 3x as much as they used to
Is this actually happening, though?
As you've acknowledged, there's not much really separating a "luxury" building from a normal one other than some nice amenities. If people were living in an old building there with a third the rent, it's likely the landlord there could've increased their rent significantly and still found a tenant. If not, it's probably because the building was in poor shape, or there were other reasons discouraging people from living there.
Where are all of these people willing to pay high rents coming from?
It really depends on the city. In an area that's growing at all, though, you really do need to build a lot of housing to keep rent relatively affordable. Fortunately, luxury development is mostly a boon to cities. It more than pays for itself in terms of taxes. "We could build a ton of luxury apartments and they'd all get filled" is a great problem for a city to have, because that's basically an infinite money machine for the city. Sadly, NIMBYs usually get in the way of this.
I actually enjoyed this a bit more than most of her content lately. I felt like she made it pretty accessible to someone who didn't know much of the relevant context, though perhaps at the cost of making it boring and long-winded to someone who did.