vord's recent activity
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Comment on Nostr: a simple open spec for passing notes to friends in ~comp
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Comment on Exporters without borders: why you should start a company instead of working in aid in ~finance
vord Link ParentBroadband rollout in the US is a perfect example. Rapid private sector deployment in dense cities, other areas more or less told to pound sand. Everyone likes to shit on the public sector, holding...There need to be multiple solutions at every level and in different ways so that wealth isn't solely concentrated in areas where it pays dividends
Broadband rollout in the US is a perfect example. Rapid private sector deployment in dense cities, other areas more or less told to pound sand.
Everyone likes to shit on the public sector, holding up the private sector as a beacon of cost efficiency and service, but the reality is that most of that is manufactured out of the private sector gobbling up the low hanging fruit, leaving the public sector to eat the responsibility of the unprofitable needs, thus insuring the public sector appears to be a bloated leech by the numbers.
Of course private schools are going to have better metrics than public schools if they kick out all the lowest-performing students. Of course their costs will be lower if they kick out all the special needs kids. And often, they're allowed to do this.
The problem is that we gate serving needs based on investment dollars (and returns on investment dollars in the private sector), and not the ability to serve the need.
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Comment on New Steam Controller reportedly $99 in ~games
vord LinkI was hoping for a super-cheap $60 so I could have bought three for under $200. That was a pipe dream I figure. Guess I just get 2 now, then others later when they go on sale.I was hoping for a super-cheap $60 so I could have bought three for under $200. That was a pipe dream I figure.
Guess I just get 2 now, then others later when they go on sale.
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Comment on New Steam Controller reportedly $99 in ~games
vord Link ParentPriced against an Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2, it comes out pretty damn favorable. Especially having parity with the Steam Deck. I love my 8bitdo controllers, but they lack that...Priced against an Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2, it comes out pretty damn favorable. Especially having parity with the Steam Deck.
I love my 8bitdo controllers, but they lack that critical trackpad.
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Comment on New Steam Controller reportedly $99 in ~games
vord Link ParentIn good configurations, the trackpad feels like a trackball mouse. For slow moves you're 'rolling' it (and use the gyro). For big/fast movement you flick/spin it, lifting your finger, and a slow...In good configurations, the trackpad feels like a trackball mouse. For slow moves you're 'rolling' it (and use the gyro). For big/fast movement you flick/spin it, lifting your finger, and a slow deceleration lets it keep spinning fast until you tap back down.
Once that clicked for me, instead of trying to use it like a regular mouse or joystick, it's hard to use the right joystick at all. I now use the right joystick for radial menus.
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Comment on Academia do be strange in ~science
vord Link ParentIn the US at least, a lot of that is a function of having to bear almost all of the costs. Every dollar going to a grad student is one less available for financial aid and so forth. That said,...In the US at least, a lot of that is a function of having to bear almost all of the costs. Every dollar going to a grad student is one less available for financial aid and so forth.
That said, grad students need to be paid more. No less than $25/hr.
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Comment on Single, solo, poor, woman gets $500k pre-tax, how to make the most of it? in ~finance
vord Link ParentTaking as a lump to buy housing is even riskier. Particularly since the taxes on the lump at once would be huge. Yea, job is basically mandatory.Taking as a lump to buy housing is even riskier.
Particularly since the taxes on the lump at once would be huge.
Yea, job is basically mandatory.
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Comment on Single, solo, poor, woman gets $500k pre-tax, how to make the most of it? in ~finance
vord (edited )Link ParentI forgot it was only state/local exempt. And also laid out a proper plan. Only buying Ibonds (odds of her hitting that $10k cap is virtually nill) is best, but EE bonds are more or less fine too,...I forgot it was only state/local exempt. And also laid out a proper plan. Only buying Ibonds (odds of her hitting that $10k cap is virtually nill) is best, but EE bonds are more or less fine too, the doubling at maturity still puts you within a stone's throw.
However, keeping up with inflation is not important in this case. It is locking up the funds as a means of preservation. When you've been poor and get a windfall, you will burn through far more than inflation rate loss for one reason or another.
She needs to have this savings last until she's 60, 20 years, minimum. Then social security kicks in and while that might not be enough it'll at least keep the income flowing.
A more detailed plan to do that:
Assuming a $50k pull (10 year rule and all),
monthly withdrawal. That's about $4.1k per month. Ideally they deduct the the federal taxes at that time.Do an online tax calculator to estimate state/local taxes, and set that money into a savings account (unless you live in a state which expects you to pay estimated tax through the year likr NJ, thats why tax advisor). Doing CDs/bills that mature by tax day would be best, but that money needs set aside to avoid being unable to foot a tax bill. Depending on a swath of factors, I'd guestimate that would leave roughly $2.5k remaining per month.
Of that, $800 should buy an Ibond. This is critical to insure at least some income up to 60. They mature in 30 years, but can be pulled early when the IRA runs out.
That leaves about $1,700 a month to live on. It's probably not enough, but that will insure at least 20 years of some income.
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Comment on Single, solo, poor, woman gets $500k pre-tax, how to make the most of it? in ~finance
vord LinkIf you make less than $69k: VITA Let the government help you for free. I can't promise it'll work, but worth a shot. Also, if you keep your withdrawls under $48k the tax burden will be minimal....If you make less than $69k: VITA
Let the government help you for free. I can't promise it'll work, but worth a shot.
Also, if you keep your withdrawls under $48k the tax burden will be minimal. Take it out, pay the taxes. Get an account at https://www.treasurydirect.gov/, buy 10 year bonds with a monthly payout. the income from federal bonds is not taxed. It won't make you a fortune, but it will keep you from overspending the windfall in a much safer way. You could also consider 'locking up' the funds that mature in one month intervals to give youa consistent flow of money coming in for you to spend.
Don't listen to anybody who tells you to invest in stocks. You're suffering from 'poor brain' and the best possible thing you can do with the money you don't strictly need to live on is to keep yourself from spending it.
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Comment on Millions of Americans may now also be considered Canadian under a new law in ~society
vord LinkThe most important part buried under a quarter page of intro fluff. In the old days, this would have been the first or second paragraph. Now get off my lawn.Previously, Canadian citizenship by descent could only be passed down to one generation, from a parent to a child. But the new law opened up citizenship to anyone born before that date who could prove they have a direct Canadian ancestor — a grandparent, great-grandparent or even more distant ancestor.
The most important part buried under a quarter page of intro fluff. In the old days, this would have been the first or second paragraph. Now get off my lawn.
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Comment on China calls for ‘concerted’ efforts to tackle excess solar production in ~enviro
vord Link ParentI wager because they have a near - monopoly on manufacturing, and in the short term could give a strong financial boost in these early days of WWIII.I wager because they have a near - monopoly on manufacturing, and in the short term could give a strong financial boost in these early days of WWIII.
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Comment on China calls for ‘concerted’ efforts to tackle excess solar production in ~enviro
vord (edited )Link ParentYup. Size relative to the building. A single rack could easily provide many services for a small town. Return the Internet to its more localized roots. Will also insure more resilience as global...Yup. Size relative to the building. A single rack could easily provide many services for a small town.
Return the Internet to its more localized roots. Will also insure more resilience as global warming enhanced disasters wipe out more and more cities.
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Comment on Any one use mesh networks like mesh core? in ~tech
vord LinkI've been investigating but not pulled the trigger. I think I'd feel better if the PA contingent of tildos started a project :)I've been investigating but not pulled the trigger. I think I'd feel better if the PA contingent of tildos started a project :)
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Comment on China calls for ‘concerted’ efforts to tackle excess solar production in ~enviro
vord Link ParentMy AWS pitch; Give resources to libraries so they can provide free/discounted cloud services. Doubles as way to bootstrap library funding beyond tax dollars. And/or municipal ISP for similar reasons.My AWS pitch; Give resources to libraries so they can provide free/discounted cloud services. Doubles as way to bootstrap library funding beyond tax dollars.
And/or municipal ISP for similar reasons.
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Comment on China calls for ‘concerted’ efforts to tackle excess solar production in ~enviro
vord Link ParentTBH, that's just fixing a problem that should have never been allowed to exist. Once a service is essential to society's function, it becomes immoral to extract maximal value from it. The greatest...TBH, that's just fixing a problem that should have never been allowed to exist.
Once a service is essential to society's function, it becomes immoral to extract maximal value from it.
The greatest thing that could happen to society is if everything cost the bare minimum it needed to. For-profit entities will never allow for that.
Amazon should be nationalizsed and run under a NGO ala the USPS. There, I said it.
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Comment on Tildes Gardening Group: Week 20/4/26 in ~hobbies
vord LinkRIP avocado. But our kids got to watch the miracle of life and now we'll have baby shrimpies in the tank soon. Avocado has been replaced with several green onions. They're great, basically...RIP avocado. But our kids got to watch the miracle of life and now we'll have baby shrimpies in the tank soon.
Avocado has been replaced with several green onions. They're great, basically infinite greens.
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Comment on The insider trading suspicions looming over Donald Trump's US presidency in ~society
vord (edited )Link ParentI mean, TBH they've more or less neutered all checks and balances. At this point my money is on a civil war happening before accountability does. We're exiting our Weinmar Germany moment. I'm...how do we fix the system so these oligarchs -- and their posse -- actually suffer meaningful consequences for their corruption on a reasonable time scale?
I mean, TBH they've more or less neutered all checks and balances. At this point my money is on a civil war happening before accountability does.
We're exiting our Weinmar Germany moment. I'm 50/50 on whether elections happen at all, and from there only like 10% confident that anything substantial will come of them, because odds are there will be so much fraud.
When the man who said you'll never have to vote again wants to station his thugs in polling stations, what do you expect to happen?
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Comment on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate price drops to $22.99 USD/month in ~games
vord (edited )Link ParentIf production of oil cuts by 1 million barrels, how much will the price increase? If production doubles, how much will it decrease? If the price doubled, why? These are questions that are...If production of oil cuts by 1 million barrels, how much will the price increase?
If production doubles, how much will it decrease?
If the price doubled, why?
These are questions that are completely unanswerable from that traditional supply/demand teachings because supply and demand are essentially random variables. The theory of supply and demand as taught is thus more of a religion. As unfalsifyable as the existence of reincarnation.
If you chart the price of oil over time, you have 0 information about the supply or the demand.
That's what I meant about not being predictive.
Microsoft had genuinely 0 idea how much increasing cost would reduce their sales. The have 0 idea how much cutting will increase their sales. These decisions are being made by drawing arbitrary lines through arbitrary random data points.
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Comment on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate price drops to $22.99 USD/month in ~games
vord (edited )Link ParentAll you have to do to is look at the price of crude oil over time to completely debunk any notions that supply and demand have any sort of predictive power of price, or vice-versa. A great read ...All you have to do to is look at the price of crude oil over time to completely debunk any notions that supply and demand have any sort of predictive power of price, or vice-versa.
The hypothetical nature of the curves is important. When students see the curves in a black and red on the pages of a textbook, the visual impression is given that these are something real. If an acolyte spends long enough praying in front of an image of the Blessed Virgin, it is hard for them to escape the impression that that particular hypothetical figure represents something real. Similarly, an apprentice economist, staring at Samuelson’s drawings come to structure her or his thoughts around these images and starts to believe that these two, represent something real.
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With the economists, the reverse is the case. They have nothing to compare with Hipparchus when it comes to prediction, and their value theory is designed, from the outset, to shield itself from any possible empirical observation. If you have more free variables than observables you have a theory that is in principle impossible to refute.
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Comment on The zero-days are numbered — Firefox team uses AI to find and fix vulnerabilities in ~tech
vord Link ParentYes and no. AI agents can also create bugs 100x faster than a human. One thing I've noticed in my vibecoding experiments is that iteration often leads a lot of cruft behind. The kind of stuff that...Yes and no. AI agents can also create bugs 100x faster than a human.
One thing I've noticed in my vibecoding experiments is that iteration often leads a lot of cruft behind. The kind of stuff that will probably pass tests, but also can provide more opportunities for things to go wrong.
I'm reminded of Solid Project pods. I think they have immense potential, but there is yet to be a killer app to draw people into the ecosystem.