MimicSquid's recent activity
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Comment on Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of December 15 in ~society
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Comment on As a reindeer herder, I am watching Norwegian renewable energy projects threaten our land, livelihoods and an Indigenous way of life the state once tried to erase in ~enviro
MimicSquid (edited )LinkA news outlet from a place with strong ties to petrochemical extraction just happens to care deeply about the plight of the Sami minority in Finland at a moment where renewable energy may be...A news outlet from a place with strong ties to petrochemical extraction just happens to care deeply about the plight of the Sami minority in Finland at a moment where renewable energy may be stymied? I wonder why?
This is not to say that the Sami way of life isn't under threat, nor that their priorities aren't chronically ignored by the government when it's convenient to do so. I just find it helpful to look at who is interested in platforming their plight.
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Comment on The 2025 Steam Winter Sale is live (runs Dec 18 - Jan 5) in ~games
MimicSquid Link ParentAnimal Well is a very clever game, and will reward both exploration and good reflexes. I enjoyed it greatly.Animal Well is a very clever game, and will reward both exploration and good reflexes. I enjoyed it greatly.
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Comment on The populist revolt against cognitive elites in ~society
MimicSquid Link ParentIf they put in a city-run grocery store it's not a food desert anymore. If the area improves or other chains see that there's demand there and so much competition arrives that the store isn't...In the short term, sure. But again, what's the long term plan? I assume it's not for these areas to remain food deserts forever?
If they put in a city-run grocery store it's not a food desert anymore. If the area improves or other chains see that there's demand there and so much competition arrives that the store isn't needed anymore, mission accomplished. If it stays poor and people get inexpensive healthy food, also mission accomplished.
Moreover, in NYC "food desert" is a very relative term. It's more like "cheap/healthy food desert."
Yes, that's what food desert means. It's not a 100% lack of any food of any sort.
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Comment on The populist revolt against cognitive elites in ~society
MimicSquid Link ParentDoes it matter if a privately pwned store wouldn't able to compete when these stores are going into food deserts? The whole point is that no one is interested in providing groceries there to begin...Does it matter if a privately pwned store wouldn't able to compete when these stores are going into food deserts? The whole point is that no one is interested in providing groceries there to begin with.
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Comment on I need to tell you why coffee makes you poop in ~food
MimicSquid Link ParentI acquired a bripe as a joke gift for my wife. She loved it, but I don't think she's ever used it. It's just silly.I acquired a bripe as a joke gift for my wife. She loved it, but I don't think she's ever used it. It's just silly.
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Comment on Donald Trump administration policies slashing staffing and funding for public lands are waking a sleeping political giant in Montana. Will either party notice? in ~society
MimicSquid Link ParentI'm interested in your suggestions for a different way forward that leaves people willing to work with a group that has shown the willingness to screw over everyone, a lack of self-awareness, and...I'm interested in your suggestions for a different way forward that leaves people willing to work with a group that has shown the willingness to screw over everyone, a lack of self-awareness, and a refusal to accept any culpability.
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Comment on The populist revolt against cognitive elites in ~society
MimicSquid Link ParentI don't think they aren't interested in making money; I think that food deserts are legitimately areas where the economics of running a grocery store at a profit are questionable. But it seems...I don't think they aren't interested in making money; I think that food deserts are legitimately areas where the economics of running a grocery store at a profit are questionable. But it seems that NYC is big enough that the efficiency of scale can make the stores more efficient? The three examples you linked were for towns that were tiny and struggling to support a single grocery. With regards to bargaining power, five stores may have less power than Walmart, but stores controlled by NYC will have more comparative weight. I suppose we'll see how it turns out.
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Comment on Hollow Knight: Silksong | Sea of Sorrow teaser in ~games
MimicSquid Link ParentTrue, true. That was definitely a pre-Silksong calculation.True, true. That was definitely a pre-Silksong calculation.
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Comment on The populist revolt against cognitive elites in ~society
MimicSquid Link ParentWe don't know that big chains couldn't make it work, we only know they aren't doing it. Your link doesn't talk about government-owned stores, only ones that were subsidized and then fell prey to...- We don't know that big chains couldn't make it work, we only know they aren't doing it.
- Your link doesn't talk about government-owned stores, only ones that were subsidized and then fell prey to the lack of negotiating power I already discussed.
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Comment on Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of December 15 in ~society
MimicSquid Link ParentEvery right wing politician who feels insecure right now will back a war abroad, as the population will often fall for a "rally around the flag" effect. No matter that the people who say they love...Every right wing politician who feels insecure right now will back a war abroad, as the population will often fall for a "rally around the flag" effect. No matter that the people who say they love the troops just throwing away lives as a distraction from domestic issues, it'll happen anyway.
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Comment on Hollow Knight: Silksong | Sea of Sorrow teaser in ~games
MimicSquid Link ParentI'm not going to say that they aren't each likely to be independently wealthy, but probably each of them was left with less than $10 million out of that. Between a 30% platform cut, operating...I'm not going to say that they aren't each likely to be independently wealthy, but probably each of them was left with less than $10 million out of that. Between a 30% platform cut, operating costs (including likely a percentage of revenue cost for using Unity as the programming language), subcontractor costs (note that the credits are much longer than the list of three people at that link) business revenue taxes, personal income taxes, etc...
The founders are certainly in a place where they can work at their own paces for the rest of their lives without a lot of financial concerns, but they're definitely only in the seven digits apiece.
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Comment on Weekly US politics news and updates thread - week of December 15 in ~society
MimicSquid Link ParentIraq was invaded by the USA under Bush on manufactured evidence that they possessed WMDs. In the same pattern, Trump is trying to gin up a justification to invade whatever South American country...Iraq was invaded by the USA under Bush on manufactured evidence that they possessed WMDs. In the same pattern, Trump is trying to gin up a justification to invade whatever South American country he thinks will distract people from his various failings. (Despite the fact that fent mostly isn't even coming from South America.)
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Comment on The populist revolt against cognitive elites in ~society
MimicSquid Link ParentGenerally businesses want to turn a profit. And given the option, they'd like to turn more of a profit rather than less. There can even be uneven wholesale pricing by major manufacturers to...Generally businesses want to turn a profit. And given the option, they'd like to turn more of a profit rather than less. There can even be uneven wholesale pricing by major manufacturers to benefit one grocery chain over another. See the recent news of collusion between Pepsico and Walmart for an easy example. So an independent grocery store will often get worse terms for their purchases than a chain would because they have no bargaining power. And if no large chains want to be in a poor neighborhood because the margins would be slim, no independent alternative can grow.
City-run grocery stores resist both of these trends. NYC would be a larger customer and have better negotiating power than an independent grocer, and if they just broke even but provided better food for the citizens that would be a success. They don't have to make enough profit to keep shareholders happy.
This is a plan that may have challenges in day to day operations, but holds up on the details.
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Comment on Steam Replay 2025 in ~games
MimicSquid LinkI... I don't think mine is anything to brag about. Seeing that I'm orders of magnitude higher on achievements, number of games, streak of days... I think I'm just glad they don't include "hours...I... I don't think mine is anything to brag about. Seeing that I'm orders of magnitude higher on achievements, number of games, streak of days... I think I'm just glad they don't include "hours played" and compared it to other people in this list.
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Comment on Taylor Swift gave $197 million in bonuses to Eras Tour performers and crew, on top of their salaries in ~music
MimicSquid Link ParentRight? For anyone who doesn't know how the entertainment industry normally works, there's a thing known as "Hollywood math", where someone's contract will say they get 1.5% of the profit from a...Right? For anyone who doesn't know how the entertainment industry normally works, there's a thing known as "Hollywood math", where someone's contract will say they get 1.5% of the profit from a movie, but "profit" is net profit, after all the expenses are counted. But movies are big business, and there's lots of ways to inflate expenses such that a successful movie shows no net profit, and thus no payouts need to happen.
By comparison, gross profit is just how much money came in. (I'm simplifying, don't @ me) It's a much, much more generous baseline for compensation.
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Comment on Donald Trump administration policies slashing staffing and funding for public lands are waking a sleeping political giant in Montana. Will either party notice? in ~society
MimicSquid Link ParentThey may not have known what they were voting for, but they still did it. I can have general sympathy for someone who is in a bad spot, but an important part of resolving a breach in the social...They may not have known what they were voting for, but they still did it. I can have general sympathy for someone who is in a bad spot, but an important part of resolving a breach in the social fabric of a relationship is the person who violated it showing an understanding of their wrongdoing and a commitment to changing. Without that, they've harmed themselves and everyone around them and are looking to be welcomed back into the fold without showing any self-awareness or growth, which just means they'll hurt everyone again.
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Comment on Montreal’s new rail line is the future in ~transport
MimicSquid Link ParentAt a savings of $440 million a kilometer over similar projects, it's really down to what the actual ridership is over the next century. If it ends up that there are more than 4.4 million riders...At a savings of $440 million a kilometer over similar projects, it's really down to what the actual ridership is over the next century. If it ends up that there are more than 4.4 million riders per year per kilometer, then at some point in the next century there may be payouts that end up being greater than the costs that otherwise would have needed to be paid right now.
But that's future money, and is inherently less valuable than today money.
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Comment on The latrine disaster in Erfurt in ~humanities.history
MimicSquid Link ParentI mean, I wouldn't want to spend another minute in a town where I almost drowned in a latrine while I was handling a side errand for my dad.I mean, I wouldn't want to spend another minute in a town where I almost drowned in a latrine while I was handling a side errand for my dad.
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Comment on I don't care much for symbolism in ~creative
MimicSquid LinkI think that symbolism is an extension of the human need to tell stories. A person reading something you've written is creating an internal narrative about the experience of reading your piece,...I think that symbolism is an extension of the human need to tell stories. A person reading something you've written is creating an internal narrative about the experience of reading your piece, latching onto mental shortcuts and existing known story patterns to ease the mental load of understanding your writing. Anything is a symbol. Whether you intentionally include them or not, people will read into your words more than you said.
And those subsidies lapse at the end of the year, leaving some unknown amount of time in 2026 where people's health insurance will be wildly more expensive. Despite being just a few days later on the congressional calendar, it's far too late for the American people.