Spoom's recent activity
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Comment on If our worst fears about Donald Trump play out, how will we know when it's time to leave? in ~society
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Comment on Donald Trump's team mulls postponing Ukraine's NATO membership for at least twenty years, WSJ reports in ~society
Spoom Link ParentI'm convinced this is Trump's play. Get a meeting with Zelenskyy, make it clear that all arms shipments are stopping now, and tell him in no uncertain terms to accept surrender to Russia or the US...I'm convinced this is Trump's play. Get a meeting with Zelenskyy, make it clear that all arms shipments are stopping now, and tell him in no uncertain terms to accept surrender to Russia or the US will make things far worse somehow.
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Comment on Saluting the Chromecast, one of the great HDMI dongles in ~tech
Spoom Link ParentChromecast Ultra is 4K if you can find one.Chromecast Ultra is 4K if you can find one.
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Comment on We tried and failed to find performance differences in our twenty-six microwaves in ~food
Spoom Link ParentThat's a strange design if you have number buttons; on every microwave I've had, you were able to press Cook Power (or whatever) and then 1 through 0 to set the power in increments of 10% (so...That's a strange design if you have number buttons; on every microwave I've had, you were able to press Cook Power (or whatever) and then 1 through 0 to set the power in increments of 10% (so press 5 for 50%).
Fully agree on tactile buttons. I feel like especially in cars, this will start to become a differentiating factor for me (though I'm not currently looking at cars new enough to be in the "one big touchscreen in the middle" era).
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~tv
Spoom Link ParentI've heard they brought (or are bringing) The Doctor back as well. I need to catch up on that show.I've heard they brought (or are bringing) The Doctor back as well. I need to catch up on that show.
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Comment on Why do some people posting ChatGPT answer to the discussion/debate/question? in ~tech
Spoom LinkA team member posted a brainteaser in our chat and asked folks to share evidence that they figured out how to solve it without actually giving the answer away. Many people participated and subtly...A team member posted a brainteaser in our chat and asked folks to share evidence that they figured out how to solve it without actually giving the answer away. Many people participated and subtly shared roundabout answers. Inevitably, of course, someone decided to say "this is what AI says" with a full solution provided by a bot. To their credit, they deleted the answer once someone pointed out that they were really ignoring the spirit of the request, but I think ultimately the fact that someone will do this says more about the person than the technology.
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Comment on Men took over a job fair intended for women and nonbinary tech workers in ~tech
Spoom Link ParentThere was a definite question of whether or not this locale would be safe among some potential attendees I know this year, people who went previously but declined this time.There was a definite question of whether or not this locale would be safe among some potential attendees I know this year, people who went previously but declined this time.
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Comment on Work profile, akin to credit score? in ~tech
Spoom Link ParentSure, that's reasonable. I don't exactly have a lot of trust in Equifax either. But all that I can tell of their public policy suggests that they don't give out the salary information freely, and...Sure, that's reasonable. I don't exactly have a lot of trust in Equifax either. But all that I can tell of their public policy suggests that they don't give out the salary information freely, and I suspect that if they did, there would be another PR disaster on-hand and likely a very easy class action ("I got a job and they paid me less because they got my salary history; you owe me the difference!"). So they have reason to go by their word here.
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Comment on Work profile, akin to credit score? in ~tech
Spoom Link ParentAlso from the website: Technically, salary information requires a "salary key" which the consumer needs to generate: I think you're right about the general employment history though; as I...Also from the website:
Equifax requires all verifiers to obtain consent from the consumer prior to obtaining income information from The Work Number.
Technically, salary information requires a "salary key" which the consumer needs to generate:
A salary key is a six-digit number that allows one-time access to your information. A verifier will advise when a salary key is needed. To generate a salary key, log in to view your data and search for your employer.
I think you're right about the general employment history though; as I understand it, by default, they require your explicit consent to get salary details.
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Comment on Work profile, akin to credit score? in ~tech
Spoom Link ParentAs I understand it, companies require your consent (through a "key" you generate) to see your salary history on TWN. Still not ideal, but they can't just pull your history without you knowing and...As I understand it, companies require your consent (through a "key" you generate) to see your salary history on TWN. Still not ideal, but they can't just pull your history without you knowing and actively consenting to it.
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Comment on Are there any new shows available like Patriot Act or The Daily Show? in ~tv
Spoom LinkJon Stewart has a show on Apple+: The Problem with Jon Stewart. More of a weekly topic-du-jour show akin to Last Week Tonight though, as opposed to the more freewheeling Daily Show.Jon Stewart has a show on Apple+: The Problem with Jon Stewart. More of a weekly topic-du-jour show akin to Last Week Tonight though, as opposed to the more freewheeling Daily Show.
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Comment on Bosses dislike work-from-home but suspect they’re stuck with it in ~finance
Spoom Link ParentWe have an informal expectation at my workplace that folks can advertise that they follow "nohello", which basically means that if you message them, all details need to be in the initial message....We have an informal expectation at my workplace that folks can advertise that they follow "nohello", which basically means that if you message them, all details need to be in the initial message. It prevents this sort of needless wait for the core of the communication.
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Comment on This is how we finally kill TurboTax in ~finance
Spoom Link ParentIt's important to know that the IRS will send a letter in the mail first. They don't start with phone calls, which is a good thing to know given all the scam attempts people use to convince you...It's important to know that the IRS will send a letter in the mail first. They don't start with phone calls, which is a good thing to know given all the scam attempts people use to convince you that they are the IRS and that you need to pay them immediately.
Also, they know quite a bit about your tax situation, and most of it could be precalculated based on the informational forms which they have received. These aren't just your W-2; take a look next time you receive tax documents about e.g. your HSA, 401(k) account, or mortgage interest, for example, and you'll notice that most say that a copy is automatically sent to the IRS when they send it to you. More complicated situations do require input thought, which is why countries where returns are precalculated still allow adjustments at tax time.
Agreed that the IRS is usually pretty chill when communicating about a perceived incorrect or incomplete tax filing. It doesn't require a formal audit though.
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Comment on This is how we finally kill TurboTax in ~finance
Spoom Link ParentIntuit actually quit the Free File Alliance. Anything you see from them that claims a free version has a lot of asterisks attached which often make it not free under many circumstances....Intuit actually quit the Free File Alliance. Anything you see from them that claims a free version has a lot of asterisks attached which often make it not free under many circumstances.
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Comment on Is keeping Donald Trump in the 2024 US election beneficial to Democrats? in ~talk
Spoom Link ParentI read an article recently that tells a possible story of how an incarcerated but winning Presidential candidate could pardon themselves upon election -- or more realistically, invoke the 25th...I read an article recently that tells a possible story of how an incarcerated but winning Presidential candidate could pardon themselves upon election -- or more realistically, invoke the 25th Amendment temporarily to give the pardon power to the VP, have them issue the pardon, and resume power, to avoid questions about the legality of pardoning oneself.
https://rollcall.com/2023/06/16/how-inmate-trump-could-become-president-trump-and-pardon-himself/
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Comment on The Reddit protest is finally over. Reddit won. in ~tech
Spoom Link ParentA lot of mods were using RIF or Apollo (myself included) and disappeared when their main path for access did. I did have a dedicated modding app back in the day but I think it stopped working long...A lot of mods were using RIF or Apollo (myself included) and disappeared when their main path for access did. I did have a dedicated modding app back in the day but I think it stopped working long before the API changes.
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Comment on What is "that part" for you in any game? in ~games
Spoom Link ParentI remember getting stuck in Maridia before because I ended up going too far without the gravity suit. To their credit, they always made sure there was some way out but it wasn't always easy.I remember getting stuck in Maridia before because I ended up going too far without the gravity suit. To their credit, they always made sure there was some way out but it wasn't always easy.
I have a wife and two kids. I'm a white, cis man.
I have the incredible privilege, among my many other privileges, of having dual citizenship with Canada. I've prepped to the degree that I have my certificates of Canadian citizenship for each of my kids (who are dual citizens by birth), and we've researched the options for immigration for my wife, should it come to it (tl;dr: sponsoring her would not be too difficult, and the Canadian government is likely to let us do so from inside the country). I'm also employed by a large multinational with offices in Canada, so relocation is probably a thing I could do.
I've been thinking about this a lot, recently. As a naturalized immigrant, the deportation rhetoric scares me a bit, but whether or not I take it seriously depends on who's doing the deportation. If it's organized ICE agents, I'll probably be fine since I am a documented, naturalized US citizen with a very clean past. If it's a mob of unaccountable state or national "guards", or Trump or his cronies build a program like Texas's that deputize citizens to round folks up, we're getting the fuck out of Dodge.
Other things I'm looking for:
It seems like a tipping point. I'm worried, but I'm not actively running away yet. (In fact, I'm getting more involved in local government so I can say that I at least did something beyond voting. Check out Run for Something if you're interested.)
Call me a coward if you want, but my family always comes first. At least Canada has a long history of being exactly this kind of relief-valve for the US's most terrible impulses.