switchgear's recent activity
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Comment on ‘Blue Beetle’: How grassroots backers are trying to boost the Latino-led superhero movie in ~movies
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Comment on Would I enjoy Baldur's Gate 3 if I hate D&D? in ~games
switchgear LinkI've never played D&D but picked up BG3 last night. It definitely leans more heavily into the tabletop element of an RPG compared to every other RPG I've played. There's a narrator that summarizes...I've never played D&D but picked up BG3 last night. It definitely leans more heavily into the tabletop element of an RPG compared to every other RPG I've played. There's a narrator that summarizes your situation/inner monologue; there are literal dice rolls to determine if something occurs; there are monsters and races and classes that clearly have deep D&D lore that I know nothing about.
I'm enjoying it so far and haven't felt too out of the loop on anything yet.
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What US recession? It's a summer of splurging, profits and girl power
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Comment on US GDP grew at a 2.4% pace in the second quarter, topping expectations despite recession calls in ~finance
switchgear Link ParentMy measurement of the economy is that it's booming, and an economy doesn't boom if the participants are strapped for cash. That focuses entirely on how to measure workforce and labor statistics....My measurement of the economy is that it's booming, and an economy doesn't boom if the participants are strapped for cash.
That focuses entirely on how to measure workforce and labor statistics. It's entirely possible that people don't have "good jobs," but the jobs they do have pay well enough for them to buy luxury goods.
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Comment on US GDP grew at a 2.4% pace in the second quarter, topping expectations despite recession calls in ~finance
switchgear Link ParentYou denigrade me for not using data, and your data is "people on the internet are saying." You then end with a condemnation of relying heavily on data. It's not worthwhile for me to engage further...You denigrade me for not using data, and your data is "people on the internet are saying." You then end with a condemnation of relying heavily on data. It's not worthwhile for me to engage further in this.
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Comment on US GDP grew at a 2.4% pace in the second quarter, topping expectations despite recession calls in ~finance
switchgear Link ParentI'm not answer those questions because it's irrelevant busywork to answer them. It has no bearing on anything I'm saying. Everyone in this thread is positing that the average American is in an...I'm not answer those questions because it's irrelevant busywork to answer them. It has no bearing on anything I'm saying.
Everyone in this thread is positing that the average American is in an incredibly poor place and crunched financially. My position is that cannot be reconciled with the state of the economy. It's essentially a Trump "people are saying" argument. "People are saying that the average American is going broke and cannot afford food or rent."
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Comment on US GDP grew at a 2.4% pace in the second quarter, topping expectations despite recession calls in ~finance
switchgear Link ParentThat indicates carried debt is decreasing from its COVID peak.That indicates carried debt is decreasing from its COVID peak.
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Comment on US GDP grew at a 2.4% pace in the second quarter, topping expectations despite recession calls in ~finance
switchgear Link ParentI see singular data points and claims like yours, but the economy doesn't bear out that with any consistency. If the average American was like you- unable to afford the same lifestyle they did 10...I see singular data points and claims like yours, but the economy doesn't bear out that with any consistency. If the average American was like you- unable to afford the same lifestyle they did 10 years ago- the market would not be red hot and there would not be an insatiable demand for labor to fill the demand bourne by consumers- that is, Americans.
Unions have been striking since their inception. It's what they do. It's one of their core bargaining tools. A union striking is in no way an indicator of the status of a national economy.
I'm not debating your particular situation, I'm debating that your particular situation is the norm for average Americans. I think you are in a below average position but you think you are average; if the average American was in your position, we would not be where we are today.
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Comment on US GDP grew at a 2.4% pace in the second quarter, topping expectations despite recession calls in ~finance
switchgear Link ParentI keep seeing references to the mythical average American not being able to afford anything. I'm just not seeing that play out. Unemployment is at a record low, driving up wages. Consumption is...I keep seeing references to the mythical average American not being able to afford anything. I'm just not seeing that play out. Unemployment is at a record low, driving up wages. Consumption is through the roof, people are buying shit, and a lot of it. Housing is definitely a crunch, but not to the point where it has impacted how much people are buying. I feel like there's a lot of manufacturered doom based on feels rather than reals.
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Comment on I filed a complaint against Amazon to the US Federal Trade Commission in ~tech
switchgear Link ParentEvery time this has happened it has been sold by Amazon.com but delivered by a third party (relatively speaking)- usually UPS, sometimes USPS. So it may be on the shippers, however, I would expect...Every time this has happened it has been sold by Amazon.com but delivered by a third party (relatively speaking)- usually UPS, sometimes USPS. So it may be on the shippers, however, I would expect some sort of tracking ID as soon as it is handed over. Even on the day of expected delivery, there is no tracking ID and no indication that it has even left any facility, which makes me suspect this issue is on Amazon's side.
I live in Louisville, which is not only a major Amazon hub but home to UPS Worldport, so the logistics capability here is quite substantial.
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I filed a complaint against Amazon to the US Federal Trade Commission
Mods: I put this in Tech because Amazon is a tech company, if this is the wrong group I apologize. For the last several purchases I have made through Amazon, not only has the advertised "expected...
Mods: I put this in Tech because Amazon is a tech company, if this is the wrong group I apologize.
For the last several purchases I have made through Amazon, not only has the advertised "expected delivery date" been wrong, Amazon hasn't even shipped the product by the delivery date. The day I expect an order to arrive, I get a notice from Amazon saying it's "running late" and the new expected delivery date is anywhere from 4 to 10 days away.
This is on top of the fact that I have Amazon Prime. Prime eligible meant "it would be delivered within two days" for the better part of a decade. They slowly transitioned away from that to "two days delivery after it ships," and now it seems like half of everything takes 5-8 days to deliver, even with Prime.
Anyway, the reason I reported them to the FTC because I believe they are advertising misleading or downright incorrect delivery times in hopes of winning your business over a competitor who is honest about their delivery times. If I want a monitor and Best Buy has it for $200 with 3-5 day shipping, and Amazon advertises it being delivered on day 3, I'm probably going to go with Amazon if I'm in urgent need of a monitor. But then the third day rolls around and Amazon indicates "oh, well, it's probably going to be 3-4 more days." If I had known that, I would have just gone with Best Buy, where I know it would have at least been delivered in 5 days; now I'm stuck waiting a week for Amazon.
I don't even know if this is something the FTC cares about. But it should. I encourage everyone to report this if they've encountered the same issue.
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Comment on Insects find their way onto Italian plates despite resistance in ~food
switchgear Link ParentYeah they had an $0.88 crunch wrap supreme deal for a bit at the Taco Bell near me in order to flip the PR positivelyYeah they had an $0.88 crunch wrap supreme deal for a bit at the Taco Bell near me in order to flip the PR positively
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Comment on What is/was your favorite BBS board? in ~tech
switchgear LinkNot so much colloquial BBS, but the systems they eventually evolved into, yes. eBaums World/Nation forums, for sure. I think that's when reddit just started out. When I think of "BBS," I think of...Not so much colloquial BBS, but the systems they eventually evolved into, yes. eBaums World/Nation forums, for sure. I think that's when reddit just started out. When I think of "BBS," I think of the incredibly simple text-based forum systems of the 90s- not sure if that's the actual definition .
The original Xbox forums, called "the green forums" at the time.
The original WoW forums.
In the early 2000s I got really into forum theming/styling for different forum systems, primarily Invision Power Board and phpBB. There was a forum host called InvisionFree that had its own theming community, called Invision Free Skin Zone, that I was very, very active on.
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Comment on Meet Microsoft Office’s new default font: Aptos in ~design
switchgear Link ParentI actually like Calibri, but understand how it could seem dated. This font has a very "new internet" feel to it- it fits right in with the flashy reactive web designs and apps of today. It's...I actually like Calibri, but understand how it could seem dated. This font has a very "new internet" feel to it- it fits right in with the flashy reactive web designs and apps of today. It's modern, smooth, and corporate.
My favorite corporate font, by far, is GE's Inspira.
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Comment on <deleted topic> in ~tech
switchgear (edited )Link ParentI went Pixel 2 XL -> Pixel 5 -> Pixel 7. I was completely content with the Pixel 5, but Verizon gave me like $400 to trade it in for a 7 which was too good of a deal to pass up.I went Pixel 2 XL -> Pixel 5 -> Pixel 7. I was completely content with the Pixel 5, but Verizon gave me like $400 to trade it in for a 7 which was too good of a deal to pass up.
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Comment on Are there any good programming podcasts to listen these days? in ~comp
switchgear LinkDarknet Diaries is good. I think it requires some basic knowledge of computer science to fully understand and appreciate.Darknet Diaries is good. I think it requires some basic knowledge of computer science to fully understand and appreciate.
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Comment on Looking for large high quality blanket recommendation in ~life
switchgear LinkMaterial? Synthetic? Cotton? Wool? Down? Style? Comforter? Quilt? There are many types and styles of blankets so it's hard to narrow down without knowing what your limitations or goals are. For...Material? Synthetic? Cotton? Wool? Down?
Style? Comforter? Quilt?
There are many types and styles of blankets so it's hard to narrow down without knowing what your limitations or goals are. For example, some people are allergic to down, so that rules out down blankets right out of the gate.
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Comment on France passes bill to allow police to remotely activate phone camera, microphone, and GPS, in order to spy on people in ~tech
switchgear Link Parent... if the target is suspected of a crime that is punishable by at least 5 years in prison and meets the criteria of a warrant. That is called "incidental collection" and it happens with every...This basically means the police will be given carte blanche to listen in on people everywhere and at any time.
... if the target is suspected of a crime that is punishable by at least 5 years in prison and meets the criteria of a warrant.
You could come into contact with dozens of people every day who have nothing to do with any investigation, their privacy will be negatively impacted by this. It's nothing less than indiscriminate surveillance. It completely disregards the right to privacy of people around the target, as well as the right to privacy of the target itself.
That is called "incidental collection" and it happens with every single form of intelligence gathering. The only way to not do it is to not collect intelligence.
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Comment on Mastodon social network patches critical flaws allowing server takeover in ~tech
switchgear LinkSlightly off topic, but I think the problem with Mastadon and Lemmy is that it's social media for the perpetually online tech savvy. It's a self limiting userbase because the barrier to entry is...Slightly off topic, but I think the problem with Mastadon and Lemmy is that it's social media for the perpetually online tech savvy. It's a self limiting userbase because the barrier to entry is higher than any other social media. In order to understand and appreciate it, you have to be a tech dweeb. It's like trying to convince the average person of the benefits/uses of crypto; even if they understand, they probably don't care. I also feel like, on some level, it's purpose just self referential. Like modern country music. The purpose of Mastadon and Lemmy is to talk about Mastadon and Lemmy.
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Comment on France passes bill to allow police to remotely activate phone camera, microphone, and GPS, in order to spy on people in ~tech
switchgear Link ParentWhat makes this unacceptable compared to existing laws that allow warrants for searches and seizures?What makes this unacceptable compared to existing laws that allow warrants for searches and seizures?
I can almost predict the entirety of the movie just based on the trailer.