EsteeBestee's recent activity
-
Comment on Supermarkets intentionally charging full prices on sale items in ~food
-
Comment on NBA's Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier among dozens arrested in illegal gambling probe in ~sports.basketball
EsteeBestee LinkOkay, this is wild. Chauncey was coaching last night and arrested today. It appears that in addition to this poker scheme tied to the mafia that he was also possibly fixing basketball games, like...Okay, this is wild. Chauncey was coaching last night and arrested today. It appears that in addition to this poker scheme tied to the mafia that he was also possibly fixing basketball games, like using non public injury info about Damian Lillard to inform people on how to bet. Rozier appears to have bet against himself in games and underperformed on purpose or faked injuries. The NBA also previously cleared Rozier of wrongdoing after their own investigation.
This is such a bad look for the NBA considering how much they've cozied up to casinos and sports betting companies over the last few years. It's dominating all advertising around sports and becoming ingrained. I'm not at all surprised to find out that players and coaches are fixing games...
-
NBA's Chauncey Billups, Terry Rozier among dozens arrested in illegal gambling probe
21 votes -
Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
EsteeBestee LinkI have been playing Battlefield 6 non-stop. This game is just so much fun and it's the first time in a while where I've sunk this much time into an online PVP game. It does such a great job of not...I have been playing Battlefield 6 non-stop. This game is just so much fun and it's the first time in a while where I've sunk this much time into an online PVP game. It does such a great job of not being overloaded with modern gaming bullshit like all of the dumb skins in CoD games these days. It was a one time purchase, the game works flawlessly, it's fun to play, it isn't monetized (yet), and free content updates are coming as soon as next week. I'll be playing this game for a loooong time. I'm playing mostly recon, which is my long time main in Battlefield games, but I've also been playing quite a bit of assault. Assault rifles are just ridiculously good on that class and I'm currently working to unlock spawn beacons.
-
Comment on What's a product or service that you use but don't want to pay for and why? in ~life
EsteeBestee Link ParentI'll have to check out Lockbox and see what's up. As for FLAC, I use foobar to manage my library and there's actually a plugin that automatically converts my FLAC to ALAC when I load albums onto...I'll have to check out Lockbox and see what's up. As for FLAC, I use foobar to manage my library and there's actually a plugin that automatically converts my FLAC to ALAC when I load albums onto my iPod, it's super smooth!
-
Comment on What ridiculous thing would you spend billions on? in ~talk
EsteeBestee LinkFirstly, I would immediately form a WEC (world endurance championship, car endurance racing) team for my friends and I to do endurance races IRL instead of just iRacing. This would then be my job...Firstly, I would immediately form a WEC (world endurance championship, car endurance racing) team for my friends and I to do endurance races IRL instead of just iRacing. This would then be my job as I want nothing more in life than to be a sports car driver.
The truly ridiculous thing I would also do is form a Formula 1 team, but not with the intent to race in it myself. I would lay low the first year and make it looks like I'm putting serious effort into a serious team. In year two, I would specifically go out of my way to make the team show off what a farce F1 could be. I would put the stupidest sponsors on my cars, not have a spec of paint on it (pure carbon fiber, baby!) until racing in the middle east and then my car would be covered in pride flags. I would put Colton Herta in the car so that I can ensure I write off a chassis every other race. I'd push the rules in any way I could because if I'm caught cheating, oh fucking well!
Also cars, lots of cars. I would have a 50 car garage with all the coolest cars. And maybe a helipad and a runway, I like helicopters and planes too. This would all be next to probably a modest 3 bedroom house, I definitely don't want or need a mansion. The garage would probably be five times the size of the house, if not more.
Oh, and I'd go to space.
And maybe for an unrealistic ridiculous goal, hire everyone involved in the production of the Lord of the Rings films along with thousands of actors and essentially create actual middle earth that I can live in so I can pretend I'm some shield maiden badass or something for a few weeks.
-
Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
EsteeBestee Link Parenthttps://www.ea.com/games/battlefield/battlefield-6/news/battlefield-6-season-1-roadmap-preview We will for sure be getting new maps and weapons each season. I agree that the map pool is a bit...https://www.ea.com/games/battlefield/battlefield-6/news/battlefield-6-season-1-roadmap-preview
We will for sure be getting new maps and weapons each season. I agree that the map pool is a bit limited right now. The online discourse around it seems to forget that even battlefield 3 and 4 had this issue on release and only became the games we remember them as through multiple DLC each. I expect the same here and that the game will likely fill up over the next year (though obviously I would have loved a few more large vehicle maps at release).
-
Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
EsteeBestee LinkI'm about 15 hours into Ghost of Yotei now and it's just lovely. I'm loving the gameplay, the story, the world, and the characters. They got rid of many minor annoyances from Tsushima and the game...I'm about 15 hours into Ghost of Yotei now and it's just lovely. I'm loving the gameplay, the story, the world, and the characters. They got rid of many minor annoyances from Tsushima and the game is overall much smoother and more pleasant to play. Like Tsushima, this will likely be a game that I play for a few hours a week for months on end. It's sort of set up in a way where it's easy to boot up, do a few story beats, and come back the next week for the next "episode" in your adventure.
I also picked up Battlefield 6. My main complaint is that I wish there were more vehicle centric maps. There are three or four the scratch the itch (though none as large as the biggest maps in BF3 and BF4), but I'm sure more are coming in DLC. The other minor annoyance is that it seems like it will take a while to unlock certain gadgets, like C4 on recon requires a bunch of challenges. I've only played for 8 hours and pretty evenly across classes, though, so I can't really say how long the grind might be. However, most everything else I could say about the game is positive. It's smooth as hell, I've had zero network issues, the performance is great, the gunplay is fantastic, and some of the new gadgets are absurdly cool like the ladders that assault gets. I think it does a good job of feeling quite a bit like BF3 and BF4 while also being its own thing a bit. I'll definitely be playing this for a long while. It's good that this will be scratching my FPS itch as I played the Black Ops 7 beta last week and I was not impressed. It might be just the third call of duty game that I don't purchase (the only other two being Vanguard and Infinite Warfare).
-
Comment on After quitting antidepressants, some people suffer surprising, lingering symptoms in ~health.mental
EsteeBestee (edited )Link ParentYeah, I'm not rushing to get off and if I need to be on these forever, so be it, but considering how quickly anxiety destroyed me this summer, I'm hoping I can overcome it. I'm already feeling...Yeah, I'm not rushing to get off and if I need to be on these forever, so be it, but considering how quickly anxiety destroyed me this summer, I'm hoping I can overcome it. I'm already feeling much better after just a few days on it and I've heard it can take a few weeks to feel normal once you first start. It just makes me sad to have gone from being "perfectly fine" (in retrospect, I was not fine) to a complete mess in just a couple of months, but I've heard anxiety can really build in you and hit all at once.
Edit:
And to put it in perspective, I went from my normal life to trying to buy a house by myself, I had a different health scare this summer, elective surgery in spring, I had a ton of work related stress, and then for the 2 weeks I took to move and get settled, I was eating nothing but fast food and hadn't gone to the gym. About 2 weeks after I moved is when my health started declining. I was getting migraines, dizziness, lightheadedness, heart palpitations, and random pains and I was in the hospital three times. It seems to have all been anxiety related now that all of those symptoms are improving while on cymbalta. So I can see why my brain started freaking out even though I consciously felt fine once I was settled in the house.
-
Comment on After quitting antidepressants, some people suffer surprising, lingering symptoms in ~health.mental
EsteeBestee LinkAs someone who just started cymbalta this week, this isn't the most comforting read. That said, I'm hoping that I don't need to be on it long term. I don't have a history of depression or anxiety,...As someone who just started cymbalta this week, this isn't the most comforting read. That said, I'm hoping that I don't need to be on it long term. I don't have a history of depression or anxiety, but my anxiety got absurdly bad over the summer when I was buying a house and it finally caught up to me about a month ago and I've been sick ever since with what I now think to be anxiety or panic attacks. I've been on cymbalta for 5 days now and am starting to feel like myself again, but I'm very much not interested in losing my feelings or anything like that long term, so I'm hoping that using this for a few months gets me back on track and then I can taper off (I'm on a very low dose right now).
-
Comment on What game is your personal "Silksong"? in ~games
EsteeBestee LinkIt was definitely Elden Ring for me. I’ve been a die hard Souls fan since Dark Souls completely captured me in 2011. It was a loooong three year wait between the first teaser for Elden Ring and...It was definitely Elden Ring for me. I’ve been a die hard Souls fan since Dark Souls completely captured me in 2011. It was a loooong three year wait between the first teaser for Elden Ring and the release, but we all know how good it turned out to be. I was expecting another good souls game and the game we got completely blew me away. I think the most surprising thing, however, was how popular the game was, it seemed that everyone was playing it. Souls games weren’t exactly niche before, but Elden Ring completely blew up.
-
Comment on Why are so many pedestrians killed by cars in the US? in ~transport
EsteeBestee LinkThis was an interesting read. I do agree with the article that if the increase in pedestrian fatalities from vehicles had to be boiled down to a single reason that it's likely larger and heavier...This was an interesting read. I do agree with the article that if the increase in pedestrian fatalities from vehicles had to be boiled down to a single reason that it's likely larger and heavier cars (and another commenter here mentioned blind spots), but it's likely a combination of factors. The article did point out that for some car models such as the Civic, fatalities also went up within that model, though I would generalize that most car models have gotten larger, heavier, and more blind-spotty over the period of time they have data for, thus contributing to the SUV theory.
One thing I drew a theory from is the 20 state data that suggested that the issue isn't that more pedestrians are being hit, it's that more are dying and I compared that to the chart showing a VAST increase in the number of drivers who specifically don't report distraction (vs reporting they were not distracted). That increase started around 2016, when tablets started being put in cars and when smart phones really started taking over our lives. One theory I have, considering the increase in fatality rate is mostly in urban areas and not at crosswalks, is that more drivers are distracted now, so when someone walks out into the middle of the road, drivers aren't even attempting to slow down and are striking people at higher speeds, whereas before phones and in-car tablets, they may at least slow down (and be in a smaller vehicle).
I obviously can't say if this is correct or not, but that's a possible conclusion I drew, as I know how shitty people are and they will not report they were texting and driving, or they'll be off to jail. The sharp decline in drivers specifically reporting they weren't distracted and sharp increase in a non-report tells me that either people are lying by omission or that something changed in how that data is reported and collected.
-
Comment on What common misunderstanding do you want to clear up? in ~talk
EsteeBestee Link ParentAnd to be clear, there’s nothing wrong with getting a newer and lower miles car if you do need it and can afford it. It just pains me to see people making $700 a month car payments when a cheaper...And to be clear, there’s nothing wrong with getting a newer and lower miles car if you do need it and can afford it. It just pains me to see people making $700 a month car payments when a cheaper and older car can be just as reliable (and sometimes more reliable). The auto industry has put a ton of work into making people think they need a brand new (or near new) car every 3-5 years.
When you start learning to fix your own cars, that’s where the next level of savings comes in. Not including consumables costs (like oil changes and tires) and optional performance upgrades, I usually spend less than $1000 a year on repairs, I haven’t had a car payment in four years, and on the three cars I bought, but also sold since 2020, I broke even on selling them. So the cost of my five cars I’ve owned since 2020 (two of which I still own), I’m paying less per year for them than some people pay over two months for their car payment. It’s pretty rad. Shops are charging damn near $1000 these days for brake pads and rotors and I can do it myself on any of my cars for $100-$300 depending on the car.
-
Comment on What common misunderstanding do you want to clear up? in ~talk
EsteeBestee Link ParentSo when looking at older cars, it’s kind of just the usual stuff, still. Listen for any rattles, bumps, or weird noises, feel if the brakes, acceleration, and shifts are smooth, test all the...So when looking at older cars, it’s kind of just the usual stuff, still. Listen for any rattles, bumps, or weird noises, feel if the brakes, acceleration, and shifts are smooth, test all the electronics, check for rust, check underneath to make sure nothing is out of place, check to make sure the wheels and tires are in good condition (both easy to replace, but you might not wanna replace tires the day you buy a car). I don’t particularly like dealers, but buying from reputable ones at least ensures there’s a minimum standard of quality vs a private sale. Always get a carfax either way, unless you really know what you’re looking at and don’t just check it for accident history, but check reported services and repairs, too. Do research on common issues for the car you look at and bring a car friend with you or if you don’t have a car friend, any second set of eyes helps to at least see things you might miss.
I know people have anxiety over buying an older car and it immediately blowing up on them, but you can usually tell if a car has been treated well as long as you give it a good look over with a friend, check the carfax, and make sure it drives smoothly. Yeah, stuff is going to break over time, but that’s true of newer cars too. Sure, if you buy an older car, it’s possible to be facing a $2k repair a few months after buying, but if you saved $8k on the purchase instead of getting something newer, you’re still way ahead.
I just think it’s wise when car shopping to at least consider options 10-20 years old as they can save you a TON of money while being just as reliable. Something like a 2006 Honda CR-V is completely bulletproof and I’d trust an old one over a new one, personally.
-
Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
EsteeBestee Link ParentThus far, I haven’t hit any mandatory stealth missions, but Tsushima did have a number of them, so I wouldn’t be surprised if there were at least a few. So far, though, I can tackle encounters...Thus far, I haven’t hit any mandatory stealth missions, but Tsushima did have a number of them, so I wouldn’t be surprised if there were at least a few. So far, though, I can tackle encounters however I want. You could see if any reviewers mention mandatory stealth or something.
-
Comment on What's a product or service that you use but don't want to pay for and why? in ~life
EsteeBestee Link ParentIt sounds like you have similar tech habits to me! I cut ties with all streaming except YouTube last year. I did already have some physical media of my favorite movies, but I switched to buying...It sounds like you have similar tech habits to me! I cut ties with all streaming except YouTube last year. I did already have some physical media of my favorite movies, but I switched to buying way more blu ray and dvds (good lord second hand discs are basically free) and I also bought an iPod classic for music and it’s been a much better experience than Spotify. I already did have a massive music library on my NAS, I had just gotten lazy over the last few years and relied on Spotify too much. It’s good to be back to owning all of my media. I do still buy games digitally, though. I’m mostly a PC gamer so that’s just how it be.
-
Comment on What games have you been playing, and what's your opinion on them? in ~games
EsteeBestee LinkI’ve put about 10 hours into Ghost of Yotei so far and it’s fantastic! It generally plays similar to Tsushima, but everything is smoother and more polished, from the moment to moment combat to how...I’ve put about 10 hours into Ghost of Yotei so far and it’s fantastic! It generally plays similar to Tsushima, but everything is smoother and more polished, from the moment to moment combat to how you explore the game world. The story is also pretty emotional right now and Atsu is a fantastic protagonist, I’m loving it!
-
Comment on Hi, how are you? Mental health support and discussion thread (October 2025) in ~health.mental
EsteeBestee Link ParentThank you. I was prescribed sumatriptan a couple of weeks ago when this started to help with the migraine portion of this (I also do get recurring migraines in general). I was afraid to take it at...Thank you. I was prescribed sumatriptan a couple of weeks ago when this started to help with the migraine portion of this (I also do get recurring migraines in general). I was afraid to take it at first due to the possible side effects if you have cardiovascular issues and I didn't yet know if I was dealing with a cardiovascular issue, but I got to the point where I was so miserable this week that I just popped one last night. It absolutely nuked my migraine so I've at least been more comfortable today. I am not back to normal and still have some issues, but I also did intake at a chiropractor this week and they noticed I have some significant issues that they're going to start correcting on Monday and could be causing at least some of my symptoms. I'm not going to get my hopes up that I'll be instantly cured or cured at all, but it sure won't hurt at this point. I was doing a lot of weightlifting this year, so it wouldn't surprise me if I botched a lift at some point and put my neck out of whack and didn't realize it was the cause of some symptoms (or maybe hurt myself while moving a couple weeks before this started idk).
-
Comment on What common misunderstanding do you want to clear up? in ~talk
EsteeBestee Link ParentThe used car market was absolutely fucked for a few years post covid (I went from upside down on my GTI to being able to make $2k after selling it and paying my loan, lol). It’s been recovering in...The used car market was absolutely fucked for a few years post covid (I went from upside down on my GTI to being able to make $2k after selling it and paying my loan, lol). It’s been recovering in my area for about a year now, so it could be slightly area dependent? I bought my dad a 2012 outback in pristine condition for $9k this year. Sometimes you also just need to be hawking the market for a few weeks until “the deal” pops up, since good ones like that get scooped up quickly.
I do somewhat agree on new vs slightly used, where some cars are appreciating or at least not dropping value as fast, but I’m still a firm believer of grabbing under $10k cars in good condition. Most people are vastly overpaying on their car payments for what they actually need based on vibes. Most people I know that claim they “need” a 2023 car will have the same experience in a 2012 if they just get an aftermarket touch screen or something and they’ll halve their car payments.
I’m also an absolute shitbox merchant, though. Most of my cars I buy for under $4000 lol, though I don’t recommend the average person go that low unless out of necessity.
Your point about driving your car until it dies is the real play. Too many people upgrade their cars too often when they really don’t “need” to and it’s, IMO, just a waste, but it’s their money and not mine, so whatever.
Mostly, my first comment started about how I hate that people pretend a 2005 car is basically a worthless pile of junk and it kind of morphed into people wasting money.
-
Comment on What common misunderstanding do you want to clear up? in ~talk
EsteeBestee LinkThere are a ton of misconceptions that non car people have about cars, but probably the most ridiculous ones are around how many miles a car has and the model year of the car. So many people in my...There are a ton of misconceptions that non car people have about cars, but probably the most ridiculous ones are around how many miles a car has and the model year of the car. So many people in my life when in need of a new car will completely dismiss anything older than 5 years or with more than 100,000 miles. People willingly take on $700 a month auto loans when you can find something like a 2012 outback in pristine condition with 150k miles for under $10,000 and it will run like a top.
Yes, older and high mileage cars will need service, but so do newer cars, and newer cars are more expensive to service. A well taken care of Outback or CR-V is going to be in the shop no more frequently than a 2018 car and it will be cheaper to fix. On top of that, you are saving hundreds of dollars a month on a car payment. Most people are wasting tons of money per year on newer cars due to a fear of how unreliable a cheaper car might be, people just don’t do the long term math and let themselves get robbed because they “need” low miles or apple car play (which can easily be put in any car…).
My advice when buying a car is specifically to look for older models with moderate miles that seem well taken care of and just have a car friend help you look it over. I’d trust a 2005 Honda CR-V with 200k miles more than I’d trust most modern cars.
While stores local to me aren’t as insidious as the exact techniques outlined in this video, even my local chains have started to lessen the number of products with a straight sale and have started to instead have sales that require a rewards account or require a specific quantity (and prices of everything have skyrocketed everywhere). Those aren’t exactly new, but when I live by myself, it’s annoying when something is $4 each if you buy five, but $7 if I just buy one when I can’t really use five before they go bad or I don’t have enough space in the pantry.