Further proof the the AI bubble is the only thing concealing that we’re in a recession. Overhired for Covid? Fine. But that was six fucking years ago, so you’re not really being proactive.

Seems most people under 40 from my online interactions. Though “Insta” is more popular in my experience.

Finally we have a solution to “I want to play a game, but feel like I’m at Walmart.”

This feels like abevigoda.com 2.0.

Though apparently he’s been dead for long enough that the nature of the site has changed.

That is an objectively terrible hed. What is the verb here? The only thing that could remotely qualify is “arrest,” but it sure as fuck isn’t functioning in that manner. This is essentially the longest label hed I’ve seen, and I’ve been doing this since the '90s. Bravo!

From the tens of thousands of heds I’ve written, I’m aware. I keep them intact here because to do otherwise would invite complaints of bias.

I fucking detest question heds on news for the same reason as Betteridge. I don’t write them myself. Basically, once I’m done reading a story and realize we have a question hed on our hands, I’ll spike for further reporting.

However, this is not news, but rather commentary. Not many columnists get to write their own heds, as the desk handles that. (of course I wrote my own, since I was also the page designer)

I used WhatsApp to stay in touch with family overseas until Facebook announced the acquisition. I’d already been off Facebook for years, never used Instagram and had zero interest being Zucked back into that orbit.

Since WhatsApp claims to use the Signal protocol in the first place, why not just use Signal and skip the data collection?

The world of finance is now primarily just pump-and-dump schemes.

LLMs are pretty OK at a couple of things. But the way they’re being sold as the next big thing? I’m not buying that.

It’s pretty clear that consumers are intentionally priced out of the market so they have to rent compute as a service.

I’m currently running my diesel heater. I’ve just learned over two prior winters how low temps can get and still have it livable in here. Last night was 39, and thanks to my down comforter, I didn’t even have to run it until I woke up. 22 is another story entirely.

Thank goodness we don’t have downvotes, because this is going to be unpopular.

I’m attracted to highly independent women. Without fail, they’ve wanted me to pay the bills and run the finances generally.

That is not equals. That’s not what I signed up for, and not a position I have any interest in. Like, even if we have a joint checking account and she has the login for a utility it’s like “can’t you just do that?”

It literally would have taken less time to pay it than to ask me about paying it.

Job loss, mechanical failures … usual delights.

People seem to be missing out on the ROI accelerating. Grid energy gets keeping getting more expensive per unit, and base fees, at least here, are absurd – it was about $42 to get my first kWh. Between that and them cutting power for a week when temps were in the single digits, I did the late-night infomercial thing of saying “There’s got to be another way.”

Also, agreed: Never get your loan from an installer.

“Slightly above average” is not a useful metric, I’m afraid. So, an EV means there’s not avoiding a grid tie unless you’ve got acreage for solar and are interested in buying a shitton of batteries.

This is not the end of the world. What you can do is get a modest amount of solar and battery to lower your bills … it doesn’t sound like you’d be in a net-metering situation, so whatever shit rate your utility provides is off the table.

What I will say is that ROI is only going up currently due to endless rate increases (and our power is city-owned; YMMV).

How many watts do you think you could fit on that part of the roof? I’m assuming you’re looking into 450-500W panels.

There are only so many stories humanity has to tell. It’s one thing to be a supportive friend … I mean every relationship goes through rough patches … like, hey, let’s go see a movie to take your mind off things.

It’s another thing entirely to start grooming for a breakup.

It’s better than being on the street. Mostly survivable, but not as satisfying as I’d hoped when doing my buildout. Of course, external factors didn’t help.

Some people are just assholes. Drugs likely exacerbate that, but in the case of pot (and kratom, to some extent), generally people are more chill.

I mean, she was very clearly wearing a wedding collar. Dude knew damn well she was claimed, but he started doing the whole “I’m sorry you’re going through a rough patch with your husband; how can I help?” thing.

Then offered to buy her a house in cash if she left me. The house didn’t materialize. Surprise, surprise, he was an abusive dick that even she didn’t want to put up with.

I can’t really say I blame you. For me, it was her weed dealer whom she spent entirely too long with on pickups.