gary's recent activity
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Comment on Hey GM: If you want to beat Apple, give people the buttons CarPlay can’t in ~transport
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Comment on Sony backed down from the PSN requirement to play Helldivers 2. How will this change how the community reacts to game changes? in ~games
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Comment on Sony backed down from the PSN requirement to play Helldivers 2. How will this change how the community reacts to game changes? in ~games
gary LinkI attribute Sony's defeat more to Steam's delisting of the game and their refunding. I'm sure Steam was not happy to be refunding so many players for a mistake that Sony made (removing the PSN...I attribute Sony's defeat more to Steam's delisting of the game and their refunding. I'm sure Steam was not happy to be refunding so many players for a mistake that Sony made (removing the PSN requirement temporarily without stating it was temporary). Sony also would have had to face headaches from players that purchased the game in countries where PSN isn't offered. Fake reviews you can suffer through, but the largest store blackballing your game is a whole nother tier of hurt.
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Comment on Illinois Democrats speedily change candidate law; Republicans call measure ‘election interference,' "undemocratic" in ~news
gary Link ParentIt seems like some of the discontent has to do with the Democrats introducing it at this specific point in time, changing the rules of the upcoming election with not enough time for Republicans to...It seems like some of the discontent has to do with the Democrats introducing it at this specific point in time, changing the rules of the upcoming election with not enough time for Republicans to get candidates to primary because they were expecting to use the slate process. If the Democrats were going to pass this bill, they should have introduced it earlier to appear fair.
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Comment on California junk fee ban could upend restaurant industry in ~food
gary Link ParentI think I understood, but let me know if I'm not still. I meant that in most restaurants, under most circumstances, there is no tip on the receipt. It's not a required part of the bill. But people...I think I understood, but let me know if I'm not still. I meant that in most restaurants, under most circumstances, there is no tip on the receipt. It's not a required part of the bill. But people feel compelled to give 15-22%, so even though it's not required, there is great social pressure to regardless of actual service level.
There are some restaurants that do charge you a mandatory tip. It's usually for groups of 5+ in my experience, and they'll tell you ahead of time or there will be a sign. This part is enforced, since they tell you ahead of time.
BOTH scenarios are problems though, in my opinion. The first situation is close to what you experience in the Czech Republic, although the amounts are higher here and it's more expected, but it's not good to have a system where voluntary fees really aren't voluntary.
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Comment on California junk fee ban could upend restaurant industry in ~food
gary Link ParentEnforced tipping is not the default in the States. The default here is what you described, but with 15-22%.Enforced tipping is not the default in the States. The default here is what you described, but with 15-22%.
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Comment on California junk fee ban could upend restaurant industry in ~food
gary Link ParentNo, it's different. In other states, employers make up the difference only if you don't make minimum wage. In California, you get minimum wage plus tips.No, it's different. In other states, employers make up the difference only if you don't make minimum wage. In California, you get minimum wage plus tips.
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Comment on US Congress approves bill banning TikTok unless Chinese owner ByteDance sells platform in ~tech
gary Link ParentThe latter is not relevant until a hot war occurs, but you have to prepare before the hot war occurs. Russia, the EU, and Nordstream as an example of not preparing. Maybe China-Taiwan is enough to...The latter is not relevant until a hot war occurs, but you have to prepare before the hot war occurs. Russia, the EU, and Nordstream as an example of not preparing. Maybe China-Taiwan is enough to convince people at that time that TikTok can be banned. But what about situations that aren't as clear cut?
If China at least played by a similar ruleset as the US, then I would agree with you, but they don't. You can't let another country ban you from bringing in information while they get to export whatever they want. It's a no-win-only-lose scenario for the US if they did so.
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Comment on US Congress approves bill banning TikTok unless Chinese owner ByteDance sells platform in ~tech
gary Link ParentThat you use the word "regulate" tells me that we see the US's fears here differently. Europe being successful or not with regulating TikTok is not the beacon that the US should be looking toward....That you use the word "regulate" tells me that we see the US's fears here differently. Europe being successful or not with regulating TikTok is not the beacon that the US should be looking toward. Sure, there's some concerns about data collection and regulating where data is stored helps alleviate, but not eliminate, the potential that personal data on a massive scale can be used for targeted blackmail. The real fear, however, is that TikTok's reach right now and in the future can enable the Chinese government to push an agenda.
If the owners of TikTok were subject to US jurisdiction, then they could be held liable for any egregious acts. If TikTok remains owned by a foreign government that has repeatedly demonstrated that they do not want to conduct business on reasonable terms, then what will we do when TikTok is used for propaganda in the future? If we wait even longer to ban it, the backlash becomes greater. It's best to nip it in the bud now while we still can.
Put another way, TikTok can be regulated all you want up until there's a China-Taiwan showdown and then it can be flipped to spewing propaganda. What then, and how did regulations between now and that future help?
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Comment on US Congress approves bill banning TikTok unless Chinese owner ByteDance sells platform in ~tech
gary Link ParentEurope is a collection of like-minded democracies that we can negotiate and compromise with. China is not. We have lost many times in the past with intellectual property, foreign ownership of...Europe is a collection of like-minded democracies that we can negotiate and compromise with. China is not. We have lost many times in the past with intellectual property, foreign ownership of companies, and Facebook being banned. This would not have been any different.
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Comment on The startup offering free toilets and coffee for delivery workers — in exchange for their data in ~tech
gary Link ParentPublic restrooms can get quite disgusting. Having some barrier to entry helps reduce the number of times a worker has to deal with biohazard level messes.Public restrooms can get quite disgusting. Having some barrier to entry helps reduce the number of times a worker has to deal with biohazard level messes.
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Comment on Generation Z is unprecedentedly rich in ~finance
gary Link ParentIt was a very simplified dig, but it's somewhat how banking works. The inflation rate is not necessarily the cost to borrow, but the inflation rate impacts how the Fed thinks about yield on bonds,...It was a very simplified dig, but it's somewhat how banking works. The inflation rate is not necessarily the cost to borrow, but the inflation rate impacts how the Fed thinks about yield on bonds, which ends up affecting banks. The point is that if there's secretly shadow inflation of 15% instead of 5%, we should expect that mortgage loans end up being closer to 15% than 5%.
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Comment on Generation Z is unprecedentedly rich in ~finance
gary Link ParentThey probably eat better than they did 20 years ago. I remember having steak as a rarity growing up, but they seem to have it much more frequently now. They also buy from Costco for a lot of their...They probably eat better than they did 20 years ago. I remember having steak as a rarity growing up, but they seem to have it much more frequently now. They also buy from Costco for a lot of their items now rather than buying from the ethnic grocery stores that have lower prices but less consistent goods.
I don't think the data doesn't exist. Inflation is studied hard in this country and every other developed country in the world. None of the ideas we spoke about are new and some great realization; it's just foreign to us who don't work with it every day.
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Comment on Generation Z is unprecedentedly rich in ~finance
gary Link ParentYou're right about that, but it comes down to did people's QoL decrease in order to meet a 2% inflation rate? Maybe? Hard to say. Housing became more expensive in some ways (higher prices) and...You're right about that, but it comes down to did people's QoL decrease in order to meet a 2% inflation rate? Maybe? Hard to say. Housing became more expensive in some ways (higher prices) and cheaper in others (interest rates). Computers are way cheaper and more useful than they've ever been. Cars are safer for the same real dollars they've ever been. Maybe people didn't have to adjust their lifestyles downward to bear with increase in costs because other aspects of their lives became cheaper. I don't know. I just know that the chart you supplied feels wrong. If the inflation numbers in your chart were correct from 2003-2023, my parents would be homeless right now.
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Comment on Generation Z is unprecedentedly rich in ~finance
gary Link ParentYour arbitrary example does not show that the CPI methodology is flawed specifically because it is an arbitrary example. Measuring for inflation is an art (and there's multiple CPIs btw), but the...Your arbitrary example does not show that the CPI methodology is flawed specifically because it is an arbitrary example. Measuring for inflation is an art (and there's multiple CPIs btw), but the gist is that we should try to figure out the change in price in a representative basket of goods. The basket of goods has to change over time because consumers will naturally change what they consume and the quantity of it. Maybe Reese's went up higher than inflation, but maybe the consumer went over to Snickers as a replacement. Or maybe they continued to buy Reese's, but Arizona Tea has stayed 99c this whole time so it counteracts that.
There's so many examples of things that have gotten cheaper in real terms that you can't cherrypick one thing that became more expensive and say that it shows that CPI > 2% or 3% or whatever %. It's too nuanced for that. I will just say that if the real inflation rate was 10% or 15%, we would not need to analyze numbers; you would feel that immediately and no one would doubt it and we'd be rioting in the streets right now.
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Comment on Generation Z is unprecedentedly rich in ~finance
gary Link ParentIt's really crazy that the real inflation number is 8% but banks are willing to loan money out at 7%. How generous of them. Shadowstats's graph is a little suspiciousIt's really crazy that the real inflation number is 8% but banks are willing to loan money out at 7%. How generous of them.
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Comment on How do you feel about student loan forgiveness? in ~life
gary Link ParentI don't think I ever made any indication that the link was meant to do anything other than to address your anecdote of 70k loans amongst your cohort. It was meant to illustrate that the majority...I don't think I ever made any indication that the link was meant to do anything other than to address your anecdote of 70k loans amongst your cohort. It was meant to illustrate that the majority of outstanding student loan debt is far less than that. Your 70k is unfortunate, but it is not representative.
If you don't believe that increased consumer spending leads to increases in prices, then you should read more news from the last two years. You can certainly argue that the benefits of helping people out are worth the increase in prices, but that's a different thing than house prices not increasing.
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Comment on How do you feel about student loan forgiveness? in ~life
gary Link ParentThe numbers are not some secret; I just checked again and found a CNN source stating $29k for just a couple years ago, so it's the right ballpark. Of course there will be people above and people...The numbers are not some secret; I just checked again and found a CNN source stating $29k for just a couple years ago, so it's the right ballpark. Of course there will be people above and people below that number.
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Comment on How do you feel about student loan forgiveness? in ~life
gary Link ParentAbsolutely, and that's my point. Everyone can easily point to situations where it's obvious people need help, but then why are the debt cancellation attempts always so broad? Debt cancellation for...Absolutely, and that's my point. Everyone can easily point to situations where it's obvious people need help, but then why are the debt cancellation attempts always so broad? Debt cancellation for everyone, debt cancellation for all making less than $150k, etc.
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Comment on How do you feel about student loan forgiveness? in ~life
gary Link ParentThe "what about me" comments are a cry for help. The average student loan debt is something like $26k if we're talking undergraduate student loan debt. But a person with an undergraduate degree...The "what about me" comments are a cry for help. The average student loan debt is something like $26k if we're talking undergraduate student loan debt. But a person with an undergraduate degree will make much, much more than a person without throughout their lifetime. $26k is not a back-breaking amount; that's how much my car cost and a car payment a month is not an egregious amount. Forgiving that debt when career prospects are already so much higher gives a double whammy against the people without degrees.
I see the typical response is that helping one doesn't hurt the other, but that's not so. If I have an extra $X in my pocket every month, that's an extra $X I can spend on a mortgage. The prices of homes will rise due to the influx of available cash, but that influx targets the same group that also has increased career earnings. There are always exceptions, such as those with higher debts and lower career earnings. I support relief in those cases, but that's not where the conversation is at today.
Eh, the UI for Mazda's non-touch CarPlay is serviceable, but I wouldn't go as far as to say it's incredible. It's fundamentally solid, but the UI was not designed for the Mazda-style rotary knob and it shows. The latest version of CarPlay has a terrible colorscheme for showing which button element is selected. The default buttons that are selected in apps like Maps is not great either; there's not enough predictability and also navigating to the one you want can require way too many turns.
If you're using Maps and switch into Music, half a second later a banner will pop up showing you the directions that you have already just seen, and also putting your knob focus onto the button that returns you to Maps. Stealing focus is bad; stealing focus on a delay is bad; stealing focus to navigate you back to an app you just made a conscious decision to leave is mind mindbogglingly bad. You can tell no one at Apple actually dailies a car with a knob based UI.
Lastly, the Music app itself is frustrating. If you want to scroll your queue, it will only load X songs. Sometimes it loads X+Y songs, but then the OS remembers it's only supposed to show X songs, so it then removes the Y songs from the UI. Why..? And if you pick the last song in a queue, have fun going back to the queue and starting at the bottom of the list, because for some reason no one at Apple has figured out that selecting a song at the bottom of the queue means that you necessarily haven't seen the new songs populating your queue. Maintaining position in a list when the list changes based on your choice is stupid.