preposterous's recent activity
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Comment on We should take hantavirus more seriously in ~health
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Comment on ‘It’s shameful’: New York’s elite lash out at Zohran Mamdani’s second-home tax in ~finance
preposterous Link ParentI was answering your restaurant analogy because I disagree with it.I was answering your restaurant analogy because I disagree with it.
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Comment on ‘It’s shameful’: New York’s elite lash out at Zohran Mamdani’s second-home tax in ~finance
preposterous Link ParentPaying a lot of money for a restaurant meal enriches the owner… and nobody else. Workers at that restaurant still get paid a very very low wage and don’t get better working conditions as a result....Paying a lot of money for a restaurant meal enriches the owner… and nobody else. Workers at that restaurant still get paid a very very low wage and don’t get better working conditions as a result.
Paying tax on your second or third home benefits the community: tax money will be used to pay for public programs and it will contribute to lowering the appeal of hoarding real estate in a city where affordable housing is scarce.
To me you’re comparing apples and oranges.
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Comment on ‘It’s shameful’: New York’s elite lash out at Zohran Mamdani’s second-home tax in ~finance
preposterous Link ParentIt used to be that everyone paid property tax. Now it’s only on your secondary residences. There is still a local tax due by the registered owner that depends on surface and value of the house,...It used to be that everyone paid property tax. Now it’s only on your secondary residences.
There is still a local tax due by the registered owner that depends on surface and value of the house, but it’s only a part of the original tax.
The idea being that it would either make up for the prejudice or nudge people into not hoarding houses and depleting the housing stock.
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Comment on ‘It’s shameful’: New York’s elite lash out at Zohran Mamdani’s second-home tax in ~finance
preposterous Link ParentIt’s not even that progressive. Many countries have this already. France for example: if you have more than one residence, you’re only exempt from property taxes on your main residence. Some...It’s not even that progressive. Many countries have this already. France for example: if you have more than one residence, you’re only exempt from property taxes on your main residence. Some struggle to find affordable housing while others tie up two or three properties, it’s really not unfair to tax that.
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Comment on What was the best job you ever had? in ~life
preposterous Link ParentAs you’d expect on this website: I’m a software developer.As you’d expect on this website: I’m a software developer.
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Comment on The Ploopy Bean - an external four-button trackpoint in ~tech
preposterous LinkI have their trackball (adept), I printed the case myself because it otherwise didn’t fit within Switzerland’s de minimis. It’s a great device and because it’s open source I know I can repair it...I have their trackball (adept), I printed the case myself because it otherwise didn’t fit within Switzerland’s de minimis. It’s a great device and because it’s open source I know I can repair it and mod it.
Unlike my CST lasertrak on which the rollers wore out and it’s around 50$ to get a new set sent over to me… and they fail every 5 years apparently (on a 200$ trackball)
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Comment on What was the best job you ever had? in ~life
preposterous LinkI ended up hating every single one of the jobs I’ve had. I dont think I’m cut out to be someone’s employee. I find it humiliating and exploitative. I’m much happier working for myself. What I lost...I ended up hating every single one of the jobs I’ve had. I dont think I’m cut out to be someone’s employee. I find it humiliating and exploitative. I’m much happier working for myself. What I lost in stability I’ve gained in dignity.
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Comment on Do you prefer chunky or smooth peanut butter? in ~food
preposterous LinkSmooth, it’s more practical. Chunky is nice but when spreading it you use it up faster since you use as much of the “butter” but you get chunks on top. So the chunky jars contain less useable...Smooth, it’s more practical. Chunky is nice but when spreading it you use it up faster since you use as much of the “butter” but you get chunks on top. So the chunky jars contain less useable butter overall and run out faster for the same spread area.
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Comment on Good time to buy a gas/diesel car (in the EU)? in ~transport
preposterous LinkI’d steer clear of diesel (polluting, many cities forbid these vehicles from entering, fuel price is insane right now) Instead, I’d consider an older gasoline car because they can usually run fine...I’d steer clear of diesel (polluting, many cities forbid these vehicles from entering, fuel price is insane right now)
Instead, I’d consider an older gasoline car because they can usually run fine with a mixture of ethanol (or even pure ethanol sometimes) without modification.
I don’t know if you have e85 where you live, but here it’s 3x cheaper than regular gasoline. My car won’t do 100% without modifications I’m not willing to do but it runs just fine on 50% ethanol and 50% e10.
The trick is to gradually increase the e85 portion and watch your LTFT with a cheap OBD scanner to find the max ratio your car can use and then dial back a notch so you never have issues.
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Comment on What are the current channels to find remote work? in ~tech
preposterous Link ParentLooking at the recruiter’s job history is a good heuristic for me: if they’re a couple years out of school and were selling shoes 6 months ago, selling clothes 3 months ago, and now selling warm...Looking at the recruiter’s job history is a good heuristic for me: if they’re a couple years out of school and were selling shoes 6 months ago, selling clothes 3 months ago, and now selling warm bodies to companies, chances are they’re not worth your time, will only have crap offers trying to race you to the bottom, and they’ll be selling furniture in 6 months.
I don’t usually work with recruiters but when I do I make sure they’re career, experienced recruiters.
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Comment on Which Linux distro do you use, and why? in ~tech
preposterous Link ParentI’ve been curious about fedora. Using mint for a decade now and I have an extensive ansible playbook to bootstrap a blank machine so switching isn’t cheap in terms of effort, but I’m curious. What...I’ve been curious about fedora. Using mint for a decade now and I have an extensive ansible playbook to bootstrap a blank machine so switching isn’t cheap in terms of effort, but I’m curious.
What little thing or feature do you love about fedora?
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Comment on Allbirds announces pivot from running shoes to AI compute; stock surged over 700% in ~tech
preposterous Link ParentAdidas are pretty good fwiw and ubiquitous. I buy pairs on sale, usually under 50$ and they last me 2–4 years typically. They’re comfortable and well made. I buy a new pair way before mine are...Adidas are pretty good fwiw and ubiquitous. I buy pairs on sale, usually under 50$ and they last me 2–4 years typically. They’re comfortable and well made. I buy a new pair way before mine are shot so that I can grab a really good deal and never be caught short.
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Comment on Scientists uncovered the nutrients bees were missing -- colonies surged fifteen-fold in ~science
preposterous Link ParentThank you. Something I forgot to add is that I also think employees should have a stake in their employer by law. Employees should get a part of the profits generated by their work beyond their...Thank you.
Something I forgot to add is that I also think employees should have a stake in their employer by law. Employees should get a part of the profits generated by their work beyond their salary that is often only a ridiculous fraction of these profits, and employees should have a voice into how the company is run.
I’ve always resented being an employee because it felt exploitative even though I was always in comfortable white collar jobs (well except when I was younger). But I see it from others who work their asses off to enrich an employer and only get peanuts (and 50h weeks) in return.
Employers should get a bigger share of the venture since they’re taking more risk on, but employees should also get some beyond their salaries because they’re giving up a significant chunk of their health and lives (over a lifetime) for barely enough to exist in return.
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Comment on Scientists uncovered the nutrients bees were missing -- colonies surged fifteen-fold in ~science
preposterous Link ParentI wish I had a clever answer but I don’t know what system would be a sound replacement. I think putting limits on capitalism and greed would help, encouraging people to think differently about...I wish I had a clever answer but I don’t know what system would be a sound replacement.
I think putting limits on capitalism and greed would help, encouraging people to think differently about consumption and needs would help, pricing externalities better would help, reconsidering our culture of “I consume therefore I am” would help. But I’m far from smart and knowledgeable enough to tell you which system would embody these things perfectly.
I try to fight these things at my level, limit or avoid giving money to companies and entities I feel are building a world and pushing values I think are harmful but there is only so much I can do at my level.
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Comment on Scientists uncovered the nutrients bees were missing -- colonies surged fifteen-fold in ~science
preposterous Link ParentI’m not saying that’s a better option. As soon as something becomes a resource with a cost associated to it, it’s a race to the bottom to reduce that cost at the expense of anything else. Call it...I’m not saying that’s a better option.
As soon as something becomes a resource with a cost associated to it, it’s a race to the bottom to reduce that cost at the expense of anything else. Call it capitalism, socialism, communism, whatever you want the result it the same.
I challenge the idea that anything exists to be exploited for our own gain. We behave like we’re the only species that matter, everything else is there to either serve us (and thus be exploited to collapse) or hinder us (and thus must be eliminated).
I think capitalism is one of the most vicious incarnations of an economic system that incentivizes exploitation and suffering (across all species, including humans), but it’s not the only one.
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Comment on Scientists uncovered the nutrients bees were missing -- colonies surged fifteen-fold in ~science
preposterous Link ParentHow can you tell they’re not sentient? Not so long ago we used to think babies didn’t feel pain/were barely sentient. Wouldn’t it be safer to err on the side of caution, assume they are, and treat...How can you tell they’re not sentient? Not so long ago we used to think babies didn’t feel pain/were barely sentient.
Wouldn’t it be safer to err on the side of caution, assume they are, and treat them as such? Worst that could happen is that we were wrong and treated another living thing well.
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Comment on Scientists uncovered the nutrients bees were missing -- colonies surged fifteen-fold in ~science
preposterous Link ParentThis is how we treat most animals because capitalism. They’re just resources at our disposal and either they’re profitable or they aren’t. They’re not allowed to just exist and do their own thing....That sounds super sad for bees. They're not tiny machines, they're living critters with a family and love of balls and sunshine and outdoors.
This is how we treat most animals because capitalism. They’re just resources at our disposal and either they’re profitable or they aren’t. They’re not allowed to just exist and do their own thing.
Even pets, the breeding industry is nightmare fuel just like farming meat or milk or eggs is.
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Comment on What does someone do if they think they are a fan of photography? in ~arts
preposterous Link ParentYes, it took me on that train of thought that I wanted to share.Yes, it took me on that train of thought that I wanted to share.
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Comment on What does someone do if they think they are a fan of photography? in ~arts
preposterous LinkUltimately, does it matter how good or bad a photograph is according to experts if you enjoy it? I don’t know you so I’m not jumping to conclusions; just asking the question as a point to ponder....Ultimately, does it matter how good or bad a photograph is according to experts if you enjoy it?
I don’t know you so I’m not jumping to conclusions; just asking the question as a point to ponder.
Experts and other authority figures in a specific domain will always be (intentionally or not) gate keeping a little and enforce their vision of what is “good” or “worthy”.
In highly subjective domains as art, there is no “objectively good”.
If you’re enjoying a particular style, photograph, exhibition but everyone else says it’s junk, how much does that matter?
I have this approach for wine where people feel dumb if they don’t parrot someone else’s opinion on a bottle. I refuse to learn anything about wine because I trust myself enough that if I taste a bottle and like it, that’s enough for me to make it good. I don’t want someone else to ruin it for me because it’s too much this or too little that, or to tell me what I enjoy. Could that apply to your interest in photography too?
Not an expert but from my own research on the topic of virus potency over time in ordinary conditions (curiosity drove me), it’s rare for a virus to remain potent for very long in the environment. It’s not alive but it’s kinda fragile and gets damaged beyond potency in 10–30 minutes at ambiant temperature and regular humidity. Obviously lasts longer in the cold or more favorable conditions but that’s the kind of time period you’re looking at. So if the drippings are dried and a few days old the virus is probably not potent anymore I’d think. But you’re right, better be safe than sorry.