Kale's recent activity
-
Comment on The gift card accountability sink in ~finance
-
Comment on The gift card accountability sink in ~finance
Kale Link ParentReally? Not even during holiday season? My experience working retail is the opposite. People love getting other people gift cards instead of thinking of something more thoughtful. I guess it...Really? Not even during holiday season?
My experience working retail is the opposite. People love getting other people gift cards instead of thinking of something more thoughtful.
I guess it depends on the store, probably.
-
Comment on What are some of your "life hacks" you use regularly? in ~talk
Kale LinkA few that I use that I’ve never seen mentioned before in a life hack thread and use weekly: If you want soft cookies or your cookies have gotten hard over time throw a piece of bread in the...A few that I use that I’ve never seen mentioned before in a life hack thread and use weekly:
If you want soft cookies or your cookies have gotten hard over time throw a piece of bread in the container. The cookies steal the moisture from the bread and have the perfect level of softness.
If you are opening a canned food item that retains its shape (refined beans for example) don’t waste time scooping it out with a spoon.
If you flip it upside down and use the can opener on the bottom as well the food item will slide out completely on its own after you puncture it.
This sometimes works too even if the top is a pull tab as long as the bottom of the metal isn’t too thick for the can opener to penetrate. -
Comment on What are some of your "life hacks" you use regularly? in ~talk
Kale Link ParentI love this one and use it often. I learned it in a really low math class in college (think elementary school level) and was surprised that in higher level classes they teach a more difficult way...I love this one and use it often.
I learned it in a really low math class in college (think elementary school level) and was surprised that in higher level classes they teach a more difficult way to do this and this isn’t common. Most people don’t know how to do it this way.
I can’t even remember the more difficult option because I refused to switch.
-
Comment on Does anyone use Ground News? in ~talk
Kale LinkI’m going to go against the grain of the thread and say I like it, specifically for the bias feature. I also enjoyed reading the points everyone has made and I don’t necessarily disagree. I just...I’m going to go against the grain of the thread and say I like it, specifically for the bias feature. I also enjoyed reading the points everyone has made and I don’t necessarily disagree. I just use it moreso as a utility than relying on it as my news aggregator.
I find it to be a valuable tool because I have a lot of alt-right people in my life unfortunately, due to where I grew up.
This helps me understand the alt-right talking points, and why they don’t see things from the side I’m on based on their media consumption. If I can understand the pieces of the story they are missing and where the bias originates from I can use it in conversation to leverage my side and low key provide education for the full picture.
Of course, if I didn’t have rapport and I was trying to slam dunk a rando in a debate this would not be helpful, they’re just going to bare down further. But peppering information in conversation with folks I have rapport with actually does make their gears turn.
I don’t expect to convert anyone overnight, but the seeds I plant do cause growth over time.
I know it can feel hopeless in this political climate, but some people really do grant you respect when they realize that you did take the time to understand why they own the values they carry on their sleeve. It is intimate in a sense, and that opportunity for vulnerability is the secret sauce to get people to be more open minded.
Davis described to the audience how he eventually found that communication and respect are an important part of breaking down the barriers of racism, even with those with whom you fundamentally disagree.
"Talking with people is the key," says Davis, who showed a few of the many robes and hoods given to him by former KKK members. "We need to get out of these echo chambers and begin talking with each other."
-
Comment on The unlikely afterlife of big box stores in ~finance
Kale LinkSomething similar happened at a dead mall in my city. How Portland’s ‘ghost mall’ became the city’s coolest startup incubator I like to think of it similar to how you stumble over abandoned...Something similar happened at a dead mall in my city.
How Portland’s ‘ghost mall’ became the city’s coolest startup incubator
I like to think of it similar to how you stumble over abandoned buildings and nature creates new growth on top of the human architecture as if it never existed.
It’s a beautiful thing really. I don’t miss the big box stores that are being replaced by online shopping. Give me the quirky flea markets and small businesses that make the destination worth leaving the house for.
-
Comment on Lord Of The Rings author's writing desk up for auction in ~books
Kale Link ParentThis ain’t the chicken-nuggie-wood of ikea! The cost of moving that desk every other weekend will surely exceed the cost of the sale in no time 😂This ain’t the chicken-nuggie-wood of ikea! The cost of moving that desk every other weekend will surely exceed the cost of the sale in no time 😂
-
Comment on This is what peak evolution looks like in ~science
Kale LinkI greatly wished that they dived a bit deeper on why these geckos had the environmental and reproductive pressure to evolve each of their unique traits. I foolishly believed the headline suggested...I greatly wished that they dived a bit deeper on why these geckos had the environmental and reproductive pressure to evolve each of their unique traits. I foolishly believed the headline suggested that the article was going to be more about a scientific approach and less about reptile collecting as exotic pets.
I do very much appreciate that there were pictures for every specie, though. I’ve noticed that it has become rare for articles describing things to actually include relevant photos and not just one single generic stock photo at the top.
Nonetheless, I still enjoyed this read. The satanic leaf-tailed gecko was my favorite. If anything, click for the pix. It’s worth it.
-
Comment on Drunk raccoon found passed out in Virginia liquor store in ~news
Kale Link ParentI’m internally laughing at the potential for naughty activities having a household animal with hands. You’d have to lock up all your food and provide a lot of enriching activities. Totally worth...I’m internally laughing at the potential for naughty activities having a household animal with hands.
You’d have to lock up all your food and provide a lot of enriching activities.
Totally worth it to keep a trash panda as a pet though.
-
Comment on You’re probably using the wrong dictionary in ~books
Kale Link ParentWell said. This is some of the best writing advice that you can give to someone, and a lot of people do not understand that.Well said. This is some of the best writing advice that you can give to someone, and a lot of people do not understand that.
-
Comment on You’re probably using the wrong dictionary in ~books
Kale Link ParentAgreed. I really appreciate the passion this person has. I may even pick one up myself, because I would love to explore my native language for pleasure. I would absolutely not use it for a school...Agreed. I really appreciate the passion this person has.
I may even pick one up myself, because I would love to explore my native language for pleasure. I would absolutely not use it for a school or work setting though, that would make it feel like a burden.
-
Comment on Drunk raccoon found passed out in Virginia liquor store in ~news
Kale Link Parent:( Guess I’m going to carve into my gravestone “I’ll give a thumbs up when we domesticate the raccoons” Super cool article, it was a pleasure to read. I fucking love cats.:(
Guess I’m going to carve into my gravestone “I’ll give a thumbs up when we domesticate the raccoons”
Super cool article, it was a pleasure to read. I fucking love cats.
-
Comment on Do you feel like you’ve had many lives so far? Why, why not? Which? in ~life
Kale Link ParentThank you!! I was worried it would go unseen since I was a little late in the thread. I would absolutely love your tips for where to visit. We travel a bit but we neglect our beautiful state and...Thank you!! I was worried it would go unseen since I was a little late in the thread.
I would absolutely love your tips for where to visit. We travel a bit but we neglect our beautiful state and haven’t seen too much except for Mt hood, Astoria, and a little bit of Sisters. I will totally go check out Cape Perpetua and the surrounding areas. Oregon is by far my favorite of the three states I’ve lived in.
I’m sure more stories of my younger years will come out if I stumble upon more conversations that allow for it :) I used to talk about it a lot irl but seeing people react in horror have made me a bit more conservative with what I share. The anonymity helps!
-
Comment on You’re probably using the wrong dictionary in ~books
Kale (edited )LinkHonestly I get both the author and the critics in this thread. If I was reading an immersive can’t-put-down-book that I felt passionate for and the writer had the same mindset and willingness to...Honestly I get both the author and the critics in this thread.
If I was reading an immersive can’t-put-down-book that I felt passionate for and the writer had the same mindset and willingness to deep dive as the article writer, I’d probably think “wow pretty writing~”
If I was having a conversation with someone like that in person my eyes would gloss over and I’d walk away thinking “that person’s probably a douche tbh.”
If I was writing an essay for college and only had access to the old dictionary mentioned my head would be pounding and I would quickly jump to the conclusion, “nvm. I’m winging it”
There’s a time and place for exploring intricacy and balancing effort vs gain.
-
Comment on Patient police in New Zealand say they have recovered Fabergé pendant from man accused of swallowing it in ~news
Kale LinkArchive link: https://archive.is/hRtXn I have to regularly dig things out of patients feces, I am so impressed with how clean they made that thing. There’s a lot of nooks and crannies for poop to...Archive link: https://archive.is/hRtXn
I have to regularly dig things out of patients feces, I am so impressed with how clean they made that thing. There’s a lot of nooks and crannies for poop to hide in.
Now the question is, does the store still sell it? Will they disclose the history? Will disclosing the history make it…more valuable?
I know high end art people love a good story.
-
Comment on Drunk raccoon found passed out in Virginia liquor store in ~news
Kale Link!!! I want this so badly!! Please give me fully domesticated raccoons.Raccoons have adapted to living in urban areas to such an extent that they are now showing physical changes that resemble early signs of domestication, a recent study found.
Their snouts have become shorter than raccoons living in wild environments – a trait that domesticated animals tend to develop. Other traits are smaller teeth, curlier tails, smaller brains and floppier ears.
!!! I want this so badly!!
Please give me fully domesticated raccoons. -
Comment on Do you feel like you’ve had many lives so far? Why, why not? Which? in ~life
Kale (edited )LinkMy life had shifted a lot throughout time and believe it or not, it was all thanks to neopets lol From 0-18 I grew up in borderline poverty/lower class and lived a tough life with my parents both...My life had shifted a lot throughout time and believe it or not, it was all thanks to neopets lol
From 0-18 I grew up in borderline poverty/lower class and lived a tough life with my parents both physically and mentally abusive and around a lot of meth. Part of my childhood we experienced houselessness. I had been drinking/smoking/experimenting with drugs since 12 (NEVER meth/heroin though). Part of me misses how carefree I was- to cope I basically just had the mindset I couldn’t control anything and just took life as it came. I used positivity to a maladaptive extreme to try and think of the best of everything and every person I met. That lead to a lot of people to try and take advantage of me, but thankfully I never got kidnapped or sexually abused. I have no idea how I got so lucky.
Now that I’m older I realized creeps can identify the people who are vulnerable, because now that I carry myself confidently I never get approached by weirdos like I used to.
When I was approached by weirdos as a kid I would party with them and oftentimes they were in their 40s+. I would meet these strangers in the wild and would to go to their houses just so I could get fucked up. At least I always brought a friend with me, that probably offered me a bit of protection.
My good friend has a 12 year old right now, and the idea of an adult giving someone who looks so small and innocent alcohol and cigarettes makes me sick. But that was the life I lived.
Speaking of 12, I also made a good friend on neopets around that time and we talked all day everyday. Texting at school, MSN after school, texting all night if I went out, and then phone calls when I got home.
Around 17 we finally admitted we loved each other and we should just make it happen. I mean we were basically obsessed with each other for 5 years and didn’t realize we felt that way about each other. Typical lesbian behavior.
18-23 I moved straight to California 10 days after turning 18 to U-Haul it with my neopets gf and her family. I was suddenly propelled into upper class and while things were much better I very quickly learned that I did not fit in. People with money and have grown up with money act very differently. The sense of community is…very different. It took me forever to learn that upper class friends don’t open up emotionally to each other.
You don’t tell people about hardships in your life, you keep that shit private and go to therapy because you have the money to do so. Down on your luck? You don’t ask your friends for help you hire someone to fix it for you. Friends exist mostly to network and they want you to have some sort of status. I was never taken seriously, people disregard my life views and anything I had to say really, because I was so different. I also was a high school dropout and all of these people were starting college. High class people do not respect you without an education. I realized that I shouldn’t say that I didn’t finish high school.
Pretty sure the only reason people kept me around was because of my gf, and luckily I can make people laugh. Upper class folk are inhibited- it’s rare to find humorous people since it requires at least a little vulnerability to be funny.
Hell, one time I was smoking a cigarette on a bench outside of a grocery store and someone offered me a few bucks and told me to find a safe place to stay for the night…I realized this stranger thought I was fucking homeless just because of the way I dressed in this affluent neighborhood and because I had a cigarette in my hand sitting down on a bench. At the time I was like “damn lol what a sucker” and bought a beer with the change. When I talked about it, people were offended and said they’d refuse the money. I was like why would I be offended? I benefitted from that situation? And THAT is the exact type of thing that really makes you stand out when you move from low class to upper class.
I’m just lucky my girl loved me for who I was on the inside, she was very patient even when I embarrassed her, lol <3
On a last note: I was absolutely shook at how beautiful the people in this area of California are. Even people considered ugly were hot. You just don’t see people walking around at Walmart with a tweetybird shirt and pajama pants. Everyone looks nice.
23-now gf and I moved to Oregon to start to build our lives. Since we lived with her family we were both able to save a good chunk of change and we had a good start. We didn’t have family money anymore, so we dropped to middle class. I had gotten my EMT right before I moved since you can take an accelerated class and be done in 2 months. Life felt hard again, that job is tough as fuck. I’d work 60-70+ hour weeks against my will. Gf was a nurse so we made decent money together.
Before when I had lived in California life was so easy except for the fact that I was an outcast. That drop in class felt brutal initially and here I was trying to fit in with a different type of people again. But, it’s a good balance and I feel more comfortable here. I don’t have to give my last 10$ to help my neighbor make rent, nor do I have to try and peacock my nonexistent status all the time.
We were eventually able to buy a house big enough to move my much younger siblings away from my parents. I felt very proud of that, I carried a lot of guilt leaving them every day I was gone. I was a pseudo mother to them and I know it messed them up for me to suddenly up and leave.
I was not prepared for how living with them would rip my own trauma that I never dealt with right open. I thought I just came out of it scott free- but it was just deeply compartmentalized and I couldn’t hold it in anymore and I was pretty messed up and still am a little. + I have my new trauma from working in emergency medicine.
We now have a family therapist, our own therapists, and we’re all on hella SSRIs. It’s getting better. Meds certainly help.
Oh, and my best childhood friends moved up here too and they’re going through a similar path of healing. It’s comforting that I don’t have to feel so alone anymore.
I don’t party anymore really, I mean the spirit is willing but the flesh is spongy and weak. If I drink I feel like my week is ruined from a hangover. I don’t enjoy weed anymore. Psychedelics I’m ok with, rarely. Other drugs, nah. I got my prescription adderall but that feels more like a buzzkill since ADHD takes the fun out of stims.
I went to college finally, became a nurse and married my girlfriend after 13 years. I made her wait so long because it was important for me to feel like I was her equal, I’m so grateful that she was willing to wait.
Love is 100% different after marriage. I never really believed the concept was that important, but I get it now. Our relationship was always good, but now it’s even better. 10/10 would marry again. We’re coming up on year 15 now not including the years we just spent talking.
So uh, thanks neopets.com for changing my life forever 😅
-
Comment on UC San Diego sees students’ math skills plummet in ~society
Kale LinkNot my school but I am one of those students that had to start with elementary school math in college. Math builds upon itself, so if you just don’t get one of the founding concepts- you are...Not my school but I am one of those students that had to start with elementary school math in college.
Math builds upon itself, so if you just don’t get one of the founding concepts- you are behind for the rest of your life in public school and that hole will impact every single math class and get bigger and bigger then you graduate. This is a huge loss for anyone who doesn’t progress past high-school.
I’m happy to say that I am finally confident in my math skills. The college approach of putting you exactly where your skills are at and not letting you progress further until you are competent is exactly what I needed.
I very much wish that grade school had that approach as well. We are leaving kids behind.
-
Comment on Financial collapse? in ~finance
Kale Link ParentThey can take your house/car etc if you have enough equity in it and you are up to date on payments. If you are behind on payments for those then you might be able to do a repayment plan to keep...They can take your house/car etc if you have enough equity in it and you are up to date on payments.
If you are behind on payments for those then you might be able to do a repayment plan to keep the house/car, otherwise bank will sell it and you’ll loose it.
But yes, you can buy a bunch of shit and keep it. I grew up with a ton of people who filed and it was always like “we’re going bankrupt, let’s max out our credit cards- shopping is all on me!”
Apparently though, they have gotten more strict about it. Something about spending more than 800$ on luxury within a certain timeframe of filing you’ll be slapped for fraudulence. Also, if you look sketchy they can simply deny you from declaring bankruptcy.
There are repercussions for doing it to dissuade people for doing it, though. It can impact future jobs, your credit, your ability to find housing (landlords won’t rent to you) and folks will stigmatize you.
I’ve seen people do some quite impressive bounce backs who totally got their lives back in order after the reset. So, it’s a pretty cool system for those who actually want to change. Unfortunately, there will always be sketchy people who abuse the system.
Edit: just wanted to use this opportunity to rant: You can’t file bankruptcy for student loans and that is a damn shame. We really need a better system to get people out of crippling student loan debt.
-
Comment on Flux Pavillion & Doctor P - I Can't Stop (Flux's Version) (2025) in ~music
You’re right, that comment I made was shiesty and unnecessary. It could be sweet for a gamer getting points for something they like, or someone’s favorite restaurant, support for a good small business etc.
That was moreso misplaced anger for the corporations who make gift cards intentionally suck to drain more money from the consumer, like double activation fees, not being able to do split payments sometimes online so you have to be under the amount of the card value always leaving a few dollars you can’t get rid of, the olden days where they charged inactivity fees (which is now illegal thankfully), etc.
Most times I appreciate just getting a gift in the first place, but I often feel like I would have preferred cash and it would have saved us both money without fueling shady corporate practices.