gary's recent activity
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Comment on Amazon ordered to pay $20K after British Columbia customer says package never arrived in ~tech
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Comment on CS2 skin update ‘rug pulls’ collectors as $1 billion wiped from market cap in ~games
gary Link ParentSpeculating that part of the reason for this update has to do with the third party market manipulation by Chinese groups. It was talked about for a while in the community that Chinese "traders"...Speculating that part of the reason for this update has to do with the third party market manipulation by Chinese groups. It was talked about for a while in the community that Chinese "traders" would pick cases/skins to pump and dump. I just heard a story a few weeks ago from a friend where he woke up and some cases he had that were worth around $5 became worth around $300 (numbers are hazy) and he quickly sold before the dump. This was not healthy and crashing the market sooner is better than letting it continue to build. People started believing skins were a real store of value.
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Comment on Amazon ordered to pay $20K after British Columbia customer says package never arrived in ~tech
gary Link ParentThe lack of a delivery photo is argued by Amazon to be due to respecting privacy of individuals. They do not want to take pictures that depict the package was delivered to a person because then...The lack of a delivery photo seems like a big enough oversight to side with the customer by default
The lack of a delivery photo is argued by Amazon to be due to respecting privacy of individuals. They do not want to take pictures that depict the package was delivered to a person because then they'd have to have delivery drivers start taking pictures of people. They don't want to do that and I don't want them to do that. A picture of the package on a porch does little more to prove delivery than the GPS data of the package that they supplied to the investigator, so no gains there either. This is Amazon's POV:
During CPBC's investigation, correspondence to the Respondent appeared to suggest photographic proof of delivery or customer identification was required to demonstrate delivery orders under section 49 of the BPCPA. Such requirements would exceed any reasonable interpretation of the BPCPA and would be inconsistent with the Personal Information Protection Act ("PIPA"). In absence of express consent from the recipient, such collection would be unlawful unless justified by another provision. The BPCPA does not require companies to collect personal information of consumers to verify product delivery and Amazon cannot rely on a legal obligation exception under the PIPA to undertake this type of activity.
The investigator determined that Amazon needs to either deliver to the customer with proof (OTP as you suggest) or make it very clear to the customer that purchasing the item may mean delivery to the person that answers the door or leaving it outside. I'm sure Amazon will just add a checkbox or wording somewhere indicating the latter, but what they should do is make having an OTP an option on every order as you suggest.
Link to decision. And this consumer protection agency locked the PDF with DRM so that I can't copy and paste text.
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Comment on If the Xbox Ally is the future of Xbox, Microsoft is in trouble in ~games
gary Link ParentMicrosoft's Azure launched Feb 2010 so technically outside the 15 years, but they grew it significantly for a long period of time and it's now a very profitable business for them. Apple's iPad...Microsoft's Azure launched Feb 2010 so technically outside the 15 years, but they grew it significantly for a long period of time and it's now a very profitable business for them. Apple's iPad launched April 2010 so also just outside the 15 years, but its sales are quite large. Apple Watch came out 2015, AirPods in 2016, and Apple Silicon in 2020. For the other $1 trillion+ companies, I can't really think of much outside of their original core products.
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Comment on Financial collapse? in ~finance
gary Link ParentPeople think about "shorting" like they just have to figure out the direction that something's going to go in order to make a profit, forgetting that in order to short, they usually have to pay...People think about "shorting" like they just have to figure out the direction that something's going to go in order to make a profit, forgetting that in order to short, they usually have to pay interest. So now they have to be correct on direction, magnitude, and duration. If you rack up that $50k credit card debt on the thesis that the US dollar will drop to a tenth of its value (implying mass turmoil worldwide) and it doesn't come to fruition within 2 years, you've probably destroyed your life in order to have a non life-changing amount of money.
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Comment on Financial collapse? in ~finance
gary Link ParentYeah, BLS is still a better source. It's widely scrutinized by economists worldwide. I just edited my reply to add a critique of ShadowStats. You don't need to believe the BLS; just really don't...Yeah, BLS is still a better source. It's widely scrutinized by economists worldwide. I just edited my reply to add a critique of ShadowStats. You don't need to believe the BLS; just really don't believe ShadowStats.
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Comment on Financial collapse? in ~finance
gary (edited )Link ParentEvery time that site gets linked and its arguments used I die a little bit on the inside. That site is so wrong it's fucking crazy. Did you know the charts there are just taking the BLS charts and...Every time that site gets linked and its arguments used I die a little bit on the inside. That site is so wrong it's fucking crazy. Did you know the charts there are just taking the BLS charts and then adding a fixed constant to increase the Y-axis values? LOL!
EDIT: Specifically, ShadowStats. ShadowStats, ShadowStats, ShadowStats. Let me repeat: ShadowStats is trash. Here's a takedown.
For example, would you buy a 25 inch color television from the 1981 Wards Christmas Catalog (p. 344) at $688.88, or would you buy the Samsung 28 inch LED model that I found on Amazon for $219? Based on the 1981 price, ShadowStats would predict that a 25 inch TV should cost $7,712 today, whereas the CPI would predict that it should cost a mere $1,794. Both indexes wildly overstate TV price inflation even without allowing for quality changes, but the CPI does not miss by nearly as much.
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Comment on Considering the RAV4 hybrid in ~transport
gary LinkIf you're not concerned about Cablegate, then I don't recall any other glaring issues when I was researching the RAV4 Hybrid. An alternative, if you'll spend more, is the Lexus NX 350h. It may or...If you're not concerned about Cablegate, then I don't recall any other glaring issues when I was researching the RAV4 Hybrid. An alternative, if you'll spend more, is the Lexus NX 350h. It may or may not have better sound dampening which is a big plus for me. The non-hybrid RAV4 of this generation gets loud in my experience. The engine noise should be lower on the hybrid, but the road noise will probably be the same.
Between my parents and my sister, they've had the '01 Corolla, '03 Corolla (bought in 2016?), '15 Sienna, '19 RAV4 non-hybrid, and another Sienna I'm forgetting the year of. Zero transmission or engine issues from my recollection, although they also drive under-average miles/year.
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Comment on Illiteracy is a policy choice: why aren’t we gathering behind Mississippi’s banner? in ~society
gary Link ParentAh, never forget that teachers' unions are not meant to support kids. They're meant to advance the well-being of teachers. Sometimes that's aligned with children; sometimes it's not.Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) on Thursday signed reforms into law that will encourage schools to turn away from other unsupported teaching methods, despite resistance from teacher unions.
Ah, never forget that teachers' unions are not meant to support kids. They're meant to advance the well-being of teachers. Sometimes that's aligned with children; sometimes it's not.
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Comment on US President Donald Trump’s 100% China tariff triggers $20b wipeout, 1.6m crypto traders liquidated in ~finance
gary Link ParentEven if crypto gains widespread use as a currency, there's no reason Bitcoin/Ethereum/whatever should be the official crypto currency of any government. Why would the US (assuming non-corrupt...Even if crypto gains widespread use as a currency, there's no reason Bitcoin/Ethereum/whatever should be the official crypto currency of any government. Why would the US (assuming non-corrupt leaders*) want to switch to a currency that they didn't "mint" and that gives outsized influence to existing stakeholders? My measure of whether or not someone is a believer versus a speculator is how much do they transact in crypto and how much do they just hold.
* Ha
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Comment on Why are so many pedestrians killed by cars in the US? in ~transport
gary (edited )Link ParentI no longer have the PDF (out and about right now), but in the abstract of the 2nd link, there's this text: You can find more by searching for "pedestrian" in the second link, but the whole paper...I no longer have the PDF (out and about right now), but in the abstract of the 2nd link, there's this text:
Intersection approaches with channelized right-turn lanes also appear to have similar pedestrian safety performance as approaches with shared through and right-turn lanes. Intersection approaches with conventional right-turn lanes have substantially more pedestrian crashes (approximately 70% to 80% more) than approaches with channelized right-turn lanes or shared through and right-turn lanes.
You can find more by searching for "pedestrian" in the second link, but the whole paper is about pedestrian safety.
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Comment on US President Donald Trump’s 100% China tariff triggers $20b wipeout, 1.6m crypto traders liquidated in ~finance
gary Link ParentThere's a few zealots who do believe in crypto as a concept, but the vast majority of crypto is owned for speculative reasons. Some people who think they're true believers are also lying to...There's a few zealots who do believe in crypto as a concept, but the vast majority of crypto is owned for speculative reasons. Some people who think they're true believers are also lying to themselves.
EDIT: Sorry if it sounds like I'm telling something you already know. I'm just agreeing.
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Comment on Why are so many pedestrians killed by cars in the US? in ~transport
gary Link ParentSorry, what's "mvcs"? But the first two definitely address pedestrians. The first one is citing the second one though so it doesn't really count as another source on its own.Sorry, what's "mvcs"? But the first two definitely address pedestrians. The first one is citing the second one though so it doesn't really count as another source on its own.
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Comment on Why are so many pedestrians killed by cars in the US? in ~transport
gary Link ParentRoundabouts confuse me, someone who doesn't live near very many. They seem to work great in neighborhoods; people can't speed anymore and it's really easy to reason about. Roundabouts confuse the...Roundabouts confuse me, someone who doesn't live near very many. They seem to work great in neighborhoods; people can't speed anymore and it's really easy to reason about. Roundabouts confuse the shit out of me when exiting a highway. I just want to get into town to fill up on gas. There's seemingly like 5 exits (probably not, but it feels like it). Take the 3rd exit? Which is the 3rd exit? If I take the wrong one, I end up going the wrong direction or back on the highway. It's probably a me problem that would go away if I were near them long enough.
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Comment on Why are so many pedestrians killed by cars in the US? in ~transport
gary Link ParentTIL the names for these lanes. I read most of these 3 resources: Right Turn Slip Lanes - Crash Reduction Strategy Summary Safety of Channelized Right-Turn Lanes for Motor Vehicles and Pedestrians...TIL the names for these lanes. I read most of these 3 resources:
- Right Turn Slip Lanes - Crash Reduction Strategy Summary
- Safety of Channelized Right-Turn Lanes for Motor Vehicles and Pedestrians
- Impact of right-turn channelization on pedestrian safety at signalized intersections
And it seems that it's not clear? The Jiang paper argues that it's more dangerous, but when reading through the paper, it doesn't compare accidents and fatalities. It instead tries to look at dangerous factors (speed, yield rates), but the ultimate goal should be to compare injuries IMO. The Potts paper states that there are fewer crashes, although the Jiang paper notes that the Potts paper is comparing pedestrian data from over 2 decades ago at this point. The Nevada paper seems to believe that channelized lanes are safer (it does reference Potts) and that slip lanes specifically are likely to be an even safer design.
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Comment on We’re seniors. It’s not our responsibility to fix the housing supply. in ~society
gary Link ParentMuch harder is arguable. There are situations where it's harder by far, for sure, but on average, it's a little murkier. The cost of housing went up a lot. Household income did not go up as much....Much harder is arguable. There are situations where it's harder by far, for sure, but on average, it's a little murkier. The cost of housing went up a lot. Household income did not go up as much. But interest rates went down so much that the monthly cost burden of a home might actually be less than it was 4 decades ago on average. When you're buying a home, it's not necessarily the ratio of income to house price. It's really the ratio of income to monthly payment.
The square footage of the average home and the amenities in the average home are also a lot higher now, which is another factor that is rarely considered. Yet, for the new homebuyer, it's not up to them in many cases if there are simply no small starter homes to buy. It's all quite complex but I think my peeve here is we're presenting it as this catastrophic anomaly where no one is able to buy a home, but there are still large groups of Gen Z that are buying homes and Millennials are just about neck-and-neck with prior generations, so the focus for me is how to get Gen Z fully caught up.
Why focus on the behaviour of the victims rather than the perpetrators?
Some of the lag with Gen Z is their desire to spend disposable income on eating out and travel rather than saving for housing. It seems like they value permanent housing a little less than prior generations. I do advocate loudly for more housing to be built. I'm sure I've had a few arguments on Tildes about increasing supply. But in terms of blame, I see it as too nihilistic to not let Gen Z take some of the blame themselves. We can do more as a society to make things better, but a person should always focus on what they can and just not using Uber Eats is not that hard to do. Like I'm the weirdo in my friend group because I drive to pick up food instead of having it delivered from a few blocks away.
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Comment on We’re seniors. It’s not our responsibility to fix the housing supply. in ~society
gary Link ParentThey spend fewer dollars, but they spend more of their dollars eating out relative to eating in. Source, which pulls from BLS (See the "Food Away From Home" part). The absolute dollar value will...They spend fewer dollars, but they spend more of their dollars eating out relative to eating in. Source, which pulls from BLS (See the "Food Away From Home" part). The absolute dollar value will be less because Gen Z makes less money than Millennials. However, I think this is likely sufficient enough to show that Gen Z has markedly different habits from the seniors in the OP that were being compared to. Different enough that compared to how the currently-senior would have behaved at a similar age in time, although I'm unable to find anything for exactly that comparison.
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Comment on We’re seniors. It’s not our responsibility to fix the housing supply. in ~society
gary Link ParentIf they're in that position where they could eat rice and beans for every meal and not afford a house, but also use Uber Eats and DoorDash a ton, then I would say they should still cut down on it...If they're in that position where they could eat rice and beans for every meal and not afford a house, but also use Uber Eats and DoorDash a ton, then I would say they should still cut down on it and focus their income on maintaining stability. Maintain stability in their situation or improve it. It doesn't mean never eating out, but it means eating out relative to what you can afford.
The truth is that not every person will achieve enough financial success in their life to reach all the goals they want. My grandparents never bought a home. Their kids did, but just barely. My generation are all homeowners and have solid careers. Maybe the generation after mine will be able to explore the arts. We're all stepping stones for the next iteration and we just hope that those who come after will do better.
If that's all too depressing, then it's raging against how humanity has always worked. We can attempt a social revolution, but those don't have great track records either.
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Comment on We’re seniors. It’s not our responsibility to fix the housing supply. in ~society
gary Link ParentSomeone with that mentality is probably not conscientious of other areas of their spending. It all adds up. Hey, if someone would rather make Uber richer instead of buying a home with that money,...Someone with that mentality is probably not conscientious of other areas of their spending. It all adds up. Hey, if someone would rather make Uber richer instead of buying a home with that money, who am I to tell them what to do? But let's dispel the notion that Gen Z/Millennials are eating rice and beans for every meal and still unable to buy a home.
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Comment on We’re seniors. It’s not our responsibility to fix the housing supply. in ~society
gary Link ParentGen Z dines out and orders takeout far more frequently than older generations. My millennial peers already do it more often than our preceding generations, but Gen Z does it even more.Gen Z dines out and orders takeout far more frequently than older generations. My millennial peers already do it more often than our preceding generations, but Gen Z does it even more.
If the picture of the porch did happen, I think this investigator would have been inclined to have made the same decision though. In their opinion, it wasn't sufficient for Amazon to drop it off on the porch (even with picture) or deliver to a third party (with picture) unless Amazon had notified the customer through the terms that that was what constituted delivery. So in this specific case, Amazon likely would not have won with a picture of the package on the porch.
It's interesting you guys have OTP where you are? I've not seen it here in the States, but maybe it also varies by region here.