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Joined 7 months ago
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Cake day: March 30th, 2024

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  • I’ve worked the video game industry and I’ll point out a few things.

    Trump was president before, and imposed this tariff before. Console and peripheral prices did not go up. There were specific meetings discussing this, and nobody raised prices.

    Not that it necessarily will be the same thing this time around, but look at the current prices of things like PS+ and the PS Pro - before tariff increases - and realize if they want to increase prices on you they just will. They aren’t looking for an excuse.

    Additiinally, the amount of shenanigans that transpires with the video game industry is crazy. The amount of PS4 consoles sold in Canada would mean every single household would have 3.5 consoles in it. Spoiler, they don’t, all the consoles were sold into the US at cheaper prices because of the dollar conversion rate. They Gray market is the step child nobody wants to talk about, but they love the added sales numbers. It will continue to exist and balance out the market.


  • The best move for management in this situation is to “promote” him, into a new role that segregates him from the rest of the team. No office space work in the basement thing, but something that makes him distinctly a different role/title, and physically gives him a small office down the hall.

    It doesn’t sound like much, but any physical distance will be nice for you and others like you. It also removes depression when you know he’s the same role but not held to the same standards. Eventually all that crap takes its toll, and good people quit…or worse, they stop caring and don’t quit.

    The saying one bad apple can ruin the bunch is very true in work situations.



  • This sounds like something I would do. So don’t be too scared of losing it, there are others like you out there that would carry on just like you.

    I must say though, the romantic in me sees this as a movie or book. Story of your life’s struggles and ups and downs, but the wallet keeps you grounded. You finally make it to visit his grave and a woman walks up, daughter of Arnold. Ends up being the love of your life.




  • I agree that there is survivorship bias, but I disagree that its “just” that.

    Things are made cheaper today, regardless. There are $400 toasters, but I guarantee that one wouldn’t last as long as a 1950s toaster.

    Plumbing fixtures are a better example, as essentially you can’t find one that is equivalent of a 50 year old faucet, no matter the price. They just don’t make them like that.

    Electronic components are another factor. First off, we stopped using lead in solder which results in weaker, more brittle connections. They just don’t last as long. True, we have advancements that make components run hotter in certain scenarios (so those connections get more stress) but even disregarding that the fact still stands it’s not as good.

    Then we added those electronics into everything to make them “better”. Old washing machines were essentially all mechanical so they would run forever, and be easy to maintain or fix. Now they have computers running them that are designed to not be fixed.

    Its hard to find a company today that wants to make a good product. They just want to make one that is good enough. Our culture has shifted to that mindset. Things don’t last as long, so we switched to a disposable mindset.






  • Privacy is important because it gives you control over your life; details, info, thoughts, emotions…

    I recently met a guy out of town at a trade show. We were both in the same show, grabbing some snacks, and I complimented his hat. We started talking, a little this, a little that. Eventually we parted ways. On the outro we introduced ourselves by first name only, more as a BTW side note because we might run into each other again. Why am I telling this story?

    Because I forgot his name almost instantly and really only remember his hat. I know nothing about the guy. He knows nothing about me. But wouldn’t it be weird if I didn’t just remember his first name, but I knew his last name too? Where he lived, worked, shopped for groceries, sexual orientation, he last time he ordered pizza and what toppings were on it, how he voted last election, etc… If I knew all that about him, I could have a much more in depth conversation with him. And even if I had no mal intent and simply wanted to give him better experiences in life…that’s not my decision to make. He didn’t ask for that. And it’s freaking weird.

    But that’s what has been made normal in our lives. Privacy helps keep your life…well, private.

    Then the rabbit hole goes deep on nefarious uses. And it’s not “its possible” to do this, but rather “it’s being done” (with absolutely no doubt or argument).



  • Flossing! I floss frequently. I floss more than I brush my teeth (yuck) but it works. Logic behind the lack of brushing is that in the morning I’m drinking coffee and running out the door. At night, sometimes I fall asleep before I brush. But I have floss on my desk at work and in my coffee table at home (as well as obviously in the bathroom with my toothbrush). My dentist can’t even tell I miss brushing at times. But can definitely tell I floss regularly.

    You don’t have to floss all your teeth, just the ones you want to keep.






  • The problem with YouTube is there isn’t an alternative.

    Anytime I think it’s morphed to a state where people will leave for the next great thing, they don’t.

    The content is there, and alternatives don’t have that backing them so it’s too inconvenient to move on. Once people have that pain point, they go back.