Unfortunately, no it doesn’t address that point. It’s basically, if you pervert the definition from a century ago and interpret it in one specific way for a way of life that’s hardly anywhere close to the standard/average, then you can maybe make a clickbait case for a super high income that drives engagement. Think of the click through and comments!
The answer is NO, it’s not. However, to be completely fair, I’ve bookmarked the “supporting materials” to give it a review later when I have a little more time.
As someone who grew up in a family actually straggling the poverty line, there’s simply 0% chance that any family anywhere in this country is living in poverty with that kind of income. It’s well above what most households are bringing in, and while there may be a limited subset of circumstances where that money isn’t sufficient, that’s not what poverty is.
And I read through some of the comments in this thread – Assuming they’ve come from real humans not pushing an agenda, it makes me ashamed to be associated with those people.
And then there are actual good developers who could or would tell you that LLMs can be useful for coding, in the right context and if used intelligently. No harm, for example, in having LLMs build out some of your more mundane code like unit/integration tests, have it help you update your deployment pipeline, generate boilerplate code that’s not already covered by your framework, etc. That it’s not able to completely write 100% of your codebase perfectly from the get-go does not mean it’s entirely useless.
Being unemployed is very high the list of why I cut back, and my unemployment is directly caused by the Trump administration. Nearly everybody I know that is fully employed, across all kinds of different careers and industries, has had cutbacks/layoffs at work with threat of more to come, so they’re all very cautious about spending in general (not just holidays). Even self-employed folks in what are typically solid trades seem to be struggling more than I would have expected.
Personally, I’ve decided I’m not traveling to see family this year and I’m not buying any gifts, aside from a few toys for younger relatives. Since I don’t know how much longer I’ll be unemployed or if I’ll be able to find something with comparable pay and benefits to what I had, it doesn’t make sense to spend on gas, vehicle maintenance, stamps, etc for the foreseeable future.
As an aside, I ended up at Walmart this morning on Black Friday, though I wasn’t going for any of the sales stuff. I was dreading it. While I’m sure it was busier than a typical Friday morning, it was an “I’ve seen it busier on a random Tuesday night in April” kind of situation. I know that the situation at one Walmart I was in for 30 minutes or less on Black Friday doesn’t count for squat and there are a plethora of reasonable explanations as to why it didn’t seem particularly busy, but it does fit suspiciously into the general theme of a struggling economy with lots more people than normal cutting back due to concerns about their economic outlook. It will be interesting to see the official data, though with this administration it’s not like that will be particularly accurate or trustworthy.
Funny enough, on the way to the store I had a flashback to the days leading up to the 2024 election when the super basic yard signs were all over the place around here with slogans like “Trump low prices, Kamala high prices”. Of course, I knew it was absurd even back then, but now it just seems all the more ridiculous as I look back through my grocery expenditures and realize that even with all the cutbacks I’ve made this year, I’m still spending more while getting a lot less.
You probably know this, but for others who might not: MS is now allowing some/many/all (???) people to extend the security updates for Win10 for another year free of charge. You have to go into the Windows update area and click a button to accept. At least in the USA, this seems to be a somewhat newly available option, as it was there the last time someone asked me to look at their laptop to see if I could upgrade it to Win11.
I know many/most of you are aware of how bad this is, but I’m still gonna bitch here.
I lost my job as a result of the Trump administration’s policies. While I had other options for health insurance (ex: COBRA), getting an ACA plan made the most sense to me at the time. It was shittier in comparison to what I had at my job (and what I would have retained access to via COBRA), but mostly comparable in the easy to measure ways (i.e. out of pocket costs and coverage of necessary meds) and cost much less than COBRA even without considering those tax credits / subsidies.
Honestly, it was so much work just to figure out which plan made the most sense, I had no idea I needed to check to see if there was a ticking time bomb ready to go off. The new 2026 rates are so much higher with poorer coverage and higher out of pocket expense – worse in pretty much every way you could think. While I may still opt for one of the low tier plans that’s basically catastrophic only + the minimum required coverage, at that price point and for what it provides, I’m sure a lot of people will go without even if they technically could afford the premiums. I know I’m still weighing my options, but it does feel like they took my job then took my access to health care, what next?
Quite some time ago, the messaging I was getting from Microsoft was that Windows 10 security updates were going to end this year. I didn’t really keep up with the news on that front, but I did notice that there was some kind of law suit in the EU that from what I recall basically came down to the fact that MS would have to continue to provide security updates to Win 10 free of charge for EU users.
Literally within the last week, a buddy of mine asked me to look at his computer and see if I could upgrade it to Win 10. I could not, as it doesn’t have a supported processor. But what I noticed is that MS now offers the option to extend security updates until 2026 with the click of a button.
So, thanks EU folks! Already knew ya’ll were awesome, but I assume this change of heart from Microsoft was a result of that suit. I appreciate it.
One thing I liked about Wendy’s is that the chain uses/used real vegetables on its burgers. Even the cheapest burger on the menu (the deluxe) has a real slice of tomato, an actual leaf or few of green lettuce, and a couple of rings of onion.
Of the places I’ve eaten at in recent history, they’ve all clearly dropped in quality and increased in price to varying degrees. However, I’m surprised to see people say things like Wendy’s is the worst fast food chain because that doesn’t exactly align with my experience at all. And for the record, I’m not saying it’s great food, either, just that it’s not the worst by far. Obviously it’s a very subjective measure and there’s lots of variation from location to location or even between regions and it also probably depends on the types of things you’d typically order.
To me, the worst offender of all the ones I’ve been to in the South and Midwest USA is Taco Bell, by far. At least for the things I would typically order, the price has gone up the most while the size and quality has gone down the most. While the service is sometimes good and sometimes bad, the food itself is consistently terrible seemingly regardless of location. No, it was never good food, but it’s definitely gone from meh to yuck.
All that aside, Wendy’s doesn’t exactly strike me as the type of restaurant where closing stores makes the remaining ones more appealing. For that to work, it seems like the current stores would have to be too densely placed (i.e. Starbucks across the street from another Starbucks and a Starbucks in the store next to that Starbucks) OR the food would need to be good enough to actually motivate people to drive further away for it. Honestly, I know it’s not the latter, and from my experience, there are fewer Wendy’s than most other fast food chains, so it seems like the former wouldn’t apply either.
Every single person I saw that drove by the protest today flipping people off or shouting hateful messages was in a pick-up truck. Every single one of those trucks was driven by what appeared to be a young (20 or 30 something year old) white man. There weren’t a lot of them, so it was pretty easy to keep track.
But there’s no point in wasting time worrying about those hateful people – there were hundreds upon hundreds of vehicles filled with all kinds of different people driving by honking, waving, blowing kisses, and showing their support. True diversity. Even tractor trailers and giant trucks were honking, not to mention the minivans and SUVs and yes, even Teslas.
And this was in rural, small town USA.
There was no hate coming from the protesters. Even when the the haters drove by, everyone just wooted louder, thanked them, or just shouted back things like “we still love you” or “we’re fighting for your rights, too”.
Maybe it accomplishes nothing in the immediate sense, but it does prove we don’t hate America. So, we can add yet another tired and lame lie to the GOP rhetoric that’s been proven as such.
Earlier this week I had to go back to my expenses/shopping records from last year and while I was there I decided to spend a few minutes comparing costs. I obviously knew shit is more expensive than in 2024, but I was still a bit surprised at just how much stuff has gone up.
And, yes it sucked when this happened in the covid years under the Biden administration, but at least then it was a worldwide phenomenon and there were logical reasons for it. This time around it’s happening due to pure incompetence if not outright malice.
But also, why is fucking hot sauce up 20%? Coffee 50%? Hamburger almost double? I mean I’m glad the 5 gallon buckets I bought last year are down 10%, but those don’t really put a dent in my weekly budget.
So, this must be a prominent antifa drag queen, right MAGA? Presumably the stage name is Pea Defile.
I know the bootstrap people. I’ve been around them my whole life. What you’re saying wouldn’t even register with them.
Domestic abuse? You should have made a better choice in partner or chosen to leave sooner. LBGTQ? Well, honestly, there are a lot of people who believe that’s a choice in and of itself, but even more believe that kids can/should just keep it to themselves and “act normal” while under their parents’ roof. Military vets? They believe that the military trains you for civilian jobs and gives you lots of additional opportunities, including putting you ahead of others when it comes to employment, so if you chose to be lazy afterwards or chose to become a drug user, that’s your choice. Mental illness? They honestly believe in the “cheer up” mentality, i.e. if you’re depressed just cheer up. So, that’s all a choice as well. If you’re an addict, just stop using drugs. If you’re schizophrenic, just take the medicines you’re supposed to. Etc. Elderly? Why didn’t they save when they were younger? Why don’t they go get a job as a Walmart greeter? Why live some place so expensive? Literally, those are the types of questions you’ll get, but I will say honestly, this is the group that tends to get the most sympathy from the personal responsibility crowd.
Of course, you and I know these issues don’t boil down to a simple choice, but what I’m pointing out is that others don’t see it that way.
Some of them, maybe not all, but some of them 100% believe everything coming from Trump and his administration. That’s how cults and a lot of organized religion work, people are literally groomed into this style of belief where they must prove they have true, unwavering faith in it despite the contradictions and evidence otherwise.
While it sounds great in practice, I find it suspicious that they never mention the the final bill.
Getting vaccinated for COVID last year was such a ridiculous experience for me. I think it took like 4 attempts.
First time I tried, there was a shortage and I was told it wasn’t available in our area. Second time I went to a walk-in place, and they turned me away because it was going to be about an hour wait and they’d be closed by then. Third time, I got turned away because I said said “kind of” when they asked me if I’d been around anybody in the past two weeks who tested positive, even though I explained that it was a brief outdoor exchange of hellos from a distance and the neighbor didn’t test positive until a couple days later.
I ended up getting it at Walmart of all places, and they didn’t even ask any of those qualifying questions (i.e. exposure in the past 2 weeks). They just wanted to know my insurance info and which arm to give the shot in.
Now that I’m a caretaker for a medically fragile adult who has never fully recovered from their prior COVID infection, I’m hoping that my situation is covered. But if not, I’ve already been trained on what to say to “qualify”.
I like Linux, use(d) various flavors of it, and have had experience with / exposure to it for over 20 years. But no, I’ve never had a remotely flawless experience with it on a desktop or laptop environment. Wish I could offer more help or encouragement, but figured I’d at least chime in with some emotional support by affirming that you are not alone in that experience.
I would recommend Linux to technologically adept people (ex: tech professionals, computer science students) and only indirectly to less technically proficient people in the form of suggesting something like a Steam Deck for portable PC gaming to someone who might be interested.
But for an aging parent or my best friend’s kids? No. Sometimes I already feel like I’m a free on-call 24/7 IT support tech for friends and family, and that’s with mostly Windows and Android devices that pretty much just work the way folks expect (even if that way is broken/crumby/irritating/etc).
FUCK.
Normally, I’m a measured man, save some for later I tell myself. There’s always more listeria and if I had a dime for every salmonella salad recall I’d be able to afford eggs and coffee right now. But this time, this time seemed different. Radioactive Walmart shrimp. Surely, this was going to be a one time thing. Time to open the hatch, I thought. Drop all my jokes at once, get them out while they’re still fresh. Last thing you want is rotten radioactive shrimp jokes, you’ll never escape the stink of that, might as well delete your account and start over at that point.
So, I blew my load the first round. Spent all my jokes on the radioactive Great Value shrimp from Walmart like a fool. And now I got nothing new. Just recycled radioactive shrimp jokes. And some kind of weird lump in my throat. Too bad I can’t afford to have a doctor check that out.
I kind of agree with the general sentiment that maybe they should have selected an outsider. The DEI bullshit wasn’t just a “whoopsie” and Target has been declining for years, even if there was a lag in the official numbers.
It’s been a long time since I looked at Target and saw a strategy other than “let’s wait and see what Walmart’s doing and then just do that”. Generally speaking, people who shop at Walmart expect (and in some perverse way demand) an ever shittier experience and drop in quality. I just don’t foresee a continuation of Target’s strategy from the past decade or so being a realistic long term strategy. Walmart, Amazon, and Dollar General will be the way of retail at this pace.
Granted, I’m not Target’s target audience. I used to buy a lot of clothes there, then the quality on that dropped while prices shot up, so I just stopped. And I used to use their e-commerce site more often when they didn’t have third party sellers, but once they added those, there was no longer any differentiating or compelling reason to go there other than to buy something I could get $2 cheaper at Walmart, $4 cheaper on Amazon, or $8 cheaper on Temu.
Walmart has had Halloween decorations out on shelves for a few weeks now. If the marketing department had so much as a shred of creativity, they could have spun this as being a promotional stunt for the new Beetlejuice 4K DVD Bluray and Digital Download box set featuring Beetlejuice and Beetlejuice Beetlejuice as well as director’s commentary, deleted scenes, and 3 full hours of the shrimp scene on repeat.
No, what I’m saying is $140,000 is not the new poverty line for Americans.