thearctic's recent activity
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Comment on McDonald’s is losing its low-income customers in ~food
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Comment on Shrinking number of free news outlets in ~talk
thearctic Link ParentReuters costs like a dollar I think per month in Canada, but is free in the US.Reuters costs like a dollar I think per month in Canada, but is free in the US.
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Comment on The death of punctuation in ~humanities.languages
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Comment on The death of punctuation in ~humanities.languages
thearctic Link ParentI don't mind omitting some punctuation in casual text. What I'm referring to is unironically writing like @hungariantoast's comment, which has become more common for whatever reason.I don't mind omitting some punctuation in casual text. What I'm referring to is unironically writing like @hungariantoast's comment, which has become more common for whatever reason.
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Comment on The death of punctuation in ~humanities.languages
thearctic Link ParentI suppose commas or capitalization aren't a big deal in casual texting situations. But periods are a must if the goal is not to have a stroke.I suppose commas or capitalization aren't a big deal in casual texting situations. But periods are a must if the goal is not to have a stroke.
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The death of punctuation
I've noticed a trend where people, young and old, are just not punctuating their sentences anymore. Is it intentional? Do people not know how to punctuate their sentences? Surely, this is not good.
26 votes -
Comment on Idle complaints of indebtedness and isolation in ~talk
thearctic LinkSome bits of advice that may help. The first, try to make friends with other working class people. On top of being able to relate to your struggles, they'll be able to share you tips and tricks,...Some bits of advice that may help. The first, try to make friends with other working class people. On top of being able to relate to your struggles, they'll be able to share you tips and tricks, especially those particular to your area, for saving money (one that I'm aware of: the TooGoodToGo app for heavily discounted food that restaurants are about to throw out). The second, determine, if you haven't already, what the financially optimal strategy is for managing and paying off your debt. Medical debt, for instance, is much easier to negotiate down than other forms of debt. The third, use a debit card for everything except emergencies. Speaking from personal experience, even if you don't spend money on unnecessary things, it'll be much easier to budget when you're not paying for things you bought almost two months ago and you'll find that you'll be more strategic with how you spend. In college, I'd come up short after spending money things that were only necessary, but I didn't put as much effort as I could into getting the same things for cheaper until I started buying things through debit. The fourth, try to find a second part-time job if at all possible. It's definitely not easy time-wise, but it might just make your life less stressful than more to have a little bit more at the end of each month. It also helps a lot of the time in reducing long-term expenses to buy necessary goods and services earlier than later (ex. buying a new pillow before you get a neck problem), which is easier with a little extra cash (I know, easier said than done). Lastly, make very liberal use of charitable organizations and resources, for anything and everything you're eligible for. Where I live, charities have a very large stock of winter coats to give away for free/cheap.
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Comment on In the early 1990s, Sweden faced one of the worst economic crises in its modern history – the lessons for other countries, especially France, deep in its own budget crisis, are simple, if not easy in ~finance
thearctic LinkA major difference for eurozone countries that makes it difficult to directly compare France and Sweden. Faltering economies usually get respite from a weakened currency, but eurozone countries...Gradually those reforms, helped by the fact that a weakened currency was boosting exports, started to work: the economy grew 4.1% in 1994, and debt fell below 50% of GDP within a decade.
A major difference for eurozone countries that makes it difficult to directly compare France and Sweden. Faltering economies usually get respite from a weakened currency, but eurozone countries not only lack that respite but, to some extent, suffer from an incentive to shift production to those nations pushing the value of the currency up. It's harder to turn the ship around through austerity, when doing so causes more pain than normal. Though, France does also enjoy access to cheaper borrowing as a eurozone country.
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Comment on Violent texts from Democratic nominee for Virginia attorney general leaked in ~society
thearctic Link ParentThe man wished death on Gilbert's children and, when pressed on it, doubled down and said “Yes, I’ve told you this before. Only when people feel pain personally do they move on policy.”. I'm all...The man wished death on Gilbert's children and, when pressed on it, doubled down and said “Yes, I’ve told you this before. Only when people feel pain personally do they move on policy.”. I'm all for sardonic humor, but this reflects a way of thinking that is quite concerning. Not at all trying to equate right's rhetoric as a whole with the left, but this is certainly newsworthy, particularly if it represents a trend among the left as politics becomes increasingly polarized.
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Comment on Violent texts from Democratic nominee for Virginia attorney general leaked in ~society
thearctic Link ParentIt's a problem no matter who does it. Definitely more of a problem among Republicans than Democrats. Though if this is potentially becoming more common among the left, it's something that's worth...It's a problem no matter who does it. Definitely more of a problem among Republicans than Democrats. Though if this is potentially becoming more common among the left, it's something that's worth taking note of.
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Comment on Violent texts from Democratic nominee for Virginia attorney general leaked in ~society
thearctic Link ParentI think this goes far beyond tasteless. Plenty of context is provided between the two articles I linked.I think this goes far beyond tasteless. Plenty of context is provided between the two articles I linked.
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Comment on Violent texts from Democratic nominee for Virginia attorney general leaked in ~society
thearctic LinkDirect link to the texts (archive link).The National Review story revealed an August 2022 exchange between Jones — a former Norfolk delegate and one-time assistant attorney general — and Del. Carrie Coyner, R-Chesterfield.
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In a statement Friday evening, Jones admitted sending the messages and said he takes “full responsibility” for his actions. He apologized directly to Todd Gilbert[, former Republican House Speaker,] and his family, and vowed to work to regain Virginians’ trust.
Direct link to the texts (archive link).
Jones: Three people, two bullets \ Gilbert, hitler, and pol pot \ Gilbert gets two bullets to the head \ Spoiler: put Gilbert in the crew with the two worst people you know and he receives both bullets every time
Coyner: Jay \ Please stop
Jones: Lol \ Ok, ok
Coyner: It really bothers me when you talk about hurting people or wishing death on them \ It isn’t ok \ No matter who they are
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Rather than deny that he had wished death on the children, Jones responded by saying, “Yes, I’ve told you this before. Only when people feel pain personally do they move on policy.” -
Violent texts from Democratic nominee for Virginia attorney general leaked
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Comment on Can we bury enough wood to slow climate change? in ~enviro
thearctic (edited )Link ParentI think sequestration is doomed to fail, because the mere dream of sequestration will drive multiple-fold more carbon emission than could ever be sequestered, since policymakers and billionaires...I think sequestration is doomed to fail, because the mere dream of sequestration will drive multiple-fold more carbon emission than could ever be sequestered, since policymakers and billionaires will use the pretense that "the future will handle it" to avoid taking the problem seriously. It's probably a much better use of resources to invest in things like preventing desertification or habitat preservation.
Edit: doing some napkin math (assuming the avg car driver relases 4.2 metric tons of CO2 in a year and that the typical tree stores 22kg of CO2), one would need to grow and sequester roughly 209 trees to offset one year of carbon emission from a single car. I'm not a climate scientist, but, as it appears to me, sequestration is a boon dongle virtually no matter how much the technology or process improves.
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Comment on Bipartisan plan to get money out of politics in Montana in ~society
thearctic LinkWas completely unaware that this was possible. If this sticks, it'll be a monumental shift in American politics.In Citizens United, the Supreme Court treated Virginia as having granted its corporations, including the nonprofit corporation at the center of the case, the power to spend money in politics with “the same powers as an individual.” That assumption is debatable, but once the court assumed the plaintiff corporation had the power to spend in politics, it reasoned that the U.S. Constitution guaranteed the right to use it.
However, the court has never required states to grant their corporations political powers in the first place. Corporations are not born; they are built. They are creatures of statute, not of nature. And the court has always held that the power to build them – to define their form, limits and powers – belongs to states alone.
Our strategy draws on this forgotten authority. Its design is straightforward: Amend state law so that corporations are no longer granted the power to spend in politics.
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“The Montana Plan,” as local organizers have dubbed it, is moving toward the state’s 2026 ballot as a constitutional initiative. Its language leaves no doubt: Montanans want corporations out of their politics, and they intend to make that decision stick.
Was completely unaware that this was possible. If this sticks, it'll be a monumental shift in American politics.
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Bipartisan plan to get money out of politics in Montana
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Comment on Financial collapse? in ~finance
thearctic Link ParentGold is indeed tricky, since you can't do a fundamental analysis on gold like you can a stock or even a bond. So, there's no way to extrapolate the "meaning" of a given price level of gold and...Gold is indeed tricky, since you can't do a fundamental analysis on gold like you can a stock or even a bond. So, there's no way to extrapolate the "meaning" of a given price level of gold and assess whether that's rational or not. I bought some gold about a year ago, which has turned out well, but I'm hesitant to keep buying more. There's also a strange dynamic where, if people start viewing gold as the safe investment instead of treasuries, then the dollar is even more likely to crash. Maybe simply bracing for impact (reducing debt, holding assets with immediate utility, avoiding unnecessary expenditure if you're not at least upper-middle class) is the best strategy? Perhaps dividend stocks are worth buying, since PE ratios tend to be lower and there's less weird market psychology/irrationality fueled by stock buybacks?
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Financial collapse?
I'm extremely bearish on the US dollar and stock market and am wondering what other people think about how to prepare financially for the medium term future. I don't there's any other way you can...
I'm extremely bearish on the US dollar and stock market and am wondering what other people think about how to prepare financially for the medium term future. I don't there's any other way you can cut it: there's a debt crisis and, worse yet, I don't think the US will be able to convince bond buyers that they're serious enough about the issue to avoid a debt spiral. The fact that gold has cracked 4000 (almost 4200 now, with BofA setting a 5000 target) seems to suggest that central banks are similarly pessimistic about a financial collapse. What do y'all think about where things are likely headed?
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Comment on Why are so many pedestrians killed by cars in the US? in ~transport
thearctic Link ParentHalf the time in the US, it's straight up unsafe to not be driving a bit over the speed limit on the freeway. What really irks me though is when cars are made to feel more safe for the driver...Half the time in the US, it's straight up unsafe to not be driving a bit over the speed limit on the freeway. What really irks me though is when cars are made to feel more safe for the driver (bigger cars, taller cars, front guards, blindingly bright LED headlights) but make things more dangerous for other people on the road.
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Comment on How America nearly forged a different path in 1916 in ~humanities.history
thearctic Link ParentHe was, but I was just meaning to say that they would've pushed for a sooner end to the war without using that extra leverage in negotiations to ruin Germany.He was, but I was just meaning to say that they would've pushed for a sooner end to the war without using that extra leverage in negotiations to ruin Germany.
I'm all for McDonalds (and Starbucks while we're at it) shooting themselves in the foot and letting local fast casual spots spring in their place.