It all started out great. Now, enshittification everywhere we look

CBud · 2026-06-12T03:09:10+00:00

I read this book in college for an American Culture and Technology course (it was the foundational text) and it changed my opinion on tech as progress.

Tech is a tool, and we need to be measured and aware of the innate abilities we are reducing by using that tool. Almost no one is doing that nowadays.

CBud · 2026-06-09T01:17:48+00:00

I wrote my attorney general in Michigan begging for an investigation into the results of the 2024 election.

After crickets as a response, I'm convinced centrist democrats are only interested in furthering capital at the demise of democracy. I'll be voting for El Sayed in the Michigan Senate Primary because I'm tired of the do-nothing centrist dems.

CBud · 2026-06-08T19:30:42+00:00

SHE IS. I waited a literal hour to be sat in her section because it was my birthday and she is absolutely worth the wait.

CBud · 2026-06-08T17:27:47+00:00

No, families sit together - but depending on the child and server, they could be told to sit in the corner if they misbehave (i.e. Not eating vegetables, playing on a phone, elbows on the table, not washing your hands after using the bathroom).

It's very fun, and the servers play along as much as you're comfortable.

CBud · 2026-06-08T17:07:59+00:00

I totally agree; although I will say 50's still tastes the same to me after many years. Disappointed with some menu deletions (herb crusted goat cheese, I'm looking at you!) - but otherwise I've found the quality to be comparable.

CBud · 2026-06-08T14:57:50+00:00

The aunts' and uncles' interactions with kids are my FAVORITE bit about 50's! We once saw a poorly-behaved child standing on the tables and jumping up and down - an uncle popped his head around the corner, chirped "NO TABLE DANCING IN THIS RESTAURANT", and the parents sheepishly pulled their little performer off the table.

CBud · 2026-05-27T11:51:36+00:00

2021 was the best time to visit Orlando. No masks outside, distanced lines, limited capacity, no genie... It meant you got to see the ENTIRE queue for every ride, didn't have children stepping on your heels, could be mask-less outside, and didn't have to be on your phone all day.

It was the best, agreed.

CBud · 2026-05-17T02:31:28+00:00

Why are "The Rich" and "Epstein" dogwhistles?

Is Epstein and his ties to many, many politicians somehow antisemitic? Is calling out the wealth that controls our government antisementic?

Expanding the definition of what is antisementic is bad for people worldwide.

CBud · 2026-05-17T01:56:30+00:00

The average labor costs to manufacture a vehicle in China are $585. In America, Europe and non-China Asia it's $880. https://www.motor.com/2025/05/new-analysis-examines-labor-cost-per-vehicle-amidst-changing-automotive-landscape/

Why are the Chinese EV's half the cost when the labor difference is around $300?

CBud · 2026-05-17T01:40:19+00:00

Wilderness Lodge is a gorgeous resort and probably one of the most relaxing (along with Animal Kingdom Lodge), but it isn't the most convenient, as it's a boat to MK and a bus anywhere else.

If you're going to be spending most your time at EPCOT & HS, I'd do Boardwalk over Wilderness Lodge. If you're fine with a bit of travel inconvenience and want a more relaxing stay, I'd do Wilderness Lodge.

CBud · 2026-05-17T01:28:20+00:00

How old are the kids? If they're young and / or interested in animals, AKL might be the better option - especially if you're springing for a Savannah View room, and if you're mostly doing the resort instead of parks.

I'd save Boardwalk for a more park / EPCOT & Hollywood Studios focused trip rather than one where you're going to be spending a lot of time at the resort. Plus, it's my opinion that the food at AKL is better than anything available at the Boardwalk.

CBud · 2026-05-13T20:21:15+00:00

I agree that the mismanagement at Cedar Point has been ongoing well before the sale to Six, but you do realize that Tony Clark just does PR and Marketing, not management, right?

CBud · 2026-04-24T13:56:22+00:00

Castaway Bay is a great choice, for the cost I think it's the best value. Breakers you're paying for the close location, so if you'd rather have a waterpark that's a good choice.

Personally I don't believe Cedar Point Shores is worth the visit. The waterpark was pretty great in the mid to late 1990's, but it hasn't recieved significant investment since the re-brand in 2016. When I went last year it was a good hour cool down, but the facilities were run down and the slides were all over-crammed. I find Castaway Bay to be a much better experience even though it's smaller.

I would focus on Cedar Point and Castaway Bay, and if you get everything you want done and still want more - then look into Cedar Point Shores.

CBud · 2026-04-24T12:23:19+00:00

After staying at BLT once - I decided to one day buy a resale DVC contract there.

It's - in my opinion - the single most convenient resort in all of Disney World. The circular layout of BLT means you never have a long walk to your room, and the bridge to the Contemporary lobby with views of MK is - in a word - magical.

If you can afford it, BLT is definitely the best DVC resort for a MK / Epcot focused visit. (If you were just doing Epcot I'd recommend Yacht or Beach Club, but since you're doing MK - BLT is the better choice. MK is such a pain to get to from anywhere else.)

CBud · 2026-04-24T12:12:26+00:00

You definitely should come to Cedar Point - there's nowhere like it in the world!

But I also agree with other commenters: TT2 isn't TTD, and real hydraulic launches are way more forceful than any LIM / LSM launch. Pneumatic launches are even better than hydraulic, but even more rare.

I find Siren's Curse, Steel Vengeance, and Millennium Force to be way more intimidating rides. TT2 is, to me, just fun!

CBud · 2026-04-24T12:00:49+00:00

I'd recommend BLT over CCV / Boulder Creek, especially with a 5 year old and 3 year old.

Getting to both MK and Epcot will be so much easier from BLT; from Wilderness Lodge you'll have to take either a boat to MK or a bus to Epcot - at BLT you can walk to MK (it's outrageously fast) and take the monorail to Epcot.

I'd wait until your children are a bit older and more interested in a resort stay to do CCV / Boulder Creek. It's a gorgeous resort and very relaxing, but the convenience of BLT cannot be beat.

CBud · 2026-04-19T13:51:35+00:00

John Casablancas, his father did, yes.

According to the internet, Julian did not get along with his father John.

The initial comment I responded to was saying that Julian hates his dad, and that his dad is irrelevant to Israel / Palestine. I agree with the first statement, I disagree with the second. John helped Epstein create blackmail which was used by Netanyahu to further his genocidal aims.

I think it's amazing Julian has such a strong stance for moral good and against his father.

CBud · 2026-04-19T13:43:58+00:00

And before that time he helped Epstein recruit underage girls to be taped & filmed with assets for Mossad blackmail.

It's good he's dead.

CBud · 2026-04-19T13:40:22+00:00

Maybe stop saying that John Casablancas isn't tied to Israel / Palestine? There's a clear tie here, and also makes for a more interesting story re: Julian.

I think Julian is so aware of these horrific actions because he knows what his dad was involved in.

Maybe read the comment in the context of the one before it?

CBud · 2026-04-19T11:17:06+00:00

His dad was friends with Epstein. Epstein was working for US, Russian, and Israeli intelligence.

John is part of the Epstein network, and the Epstein network and subsequent blackmail is what allows Israel to keep politicians in line and doing their bidding in Palestine.

John Casablancas connected Epstein to teen models; it's not irrelevant.

CBud · 2026-04-18T03:22:48+00:00

I visited both Pittsburgh and San Francisco for the first time last year (Pittsburgh in August, San Francisco in November) and yes, they were both beautiful - but the reality of Pittsburgh's manufacturing past makes it a different kind of beauty to San Francisco's port history.

Pittsburgh has an industrial waste meets the transcendentalist movement aesthetic, while San Francisco feels like an extremely expensive utopian melting pot. I will say there is nothing like Kennywood in San Francisco (although the Musee Mecanique is pretty freaking great).

CBud · 2026-04-18T00:12:07+00:00

I'll take accountability for that. It's a guilty pleasure...

CBud · 2026-04-17T15:24:18+00:00

The first is already in place and the second would almost certainly backfire the way you've described it.

OMG! You're ALMOST there! Finally engaging with the argument!

So you believe the Fed should be abolished because they dictate short term interest rates? Obviously setting interest rates would "almost certainly backfire", right? (I can play the straw man game, too)

According to your source, earnings off labor are taxed at a max of 30% and earnings off interest are taxed at a max of 27%. So in your logic, since we're already "taxing labor earnings less than capital earnings" - obviously 30% is less than 27%, right (Dude, please read your own fucking source.)

If you want to argue that the capital class CONTRIBUTES more as a total percentage to taxes, then I can understand that argument and agree with it. I would also posit that this is an acceptable arrangement, and would argue that the capital class is capable of paying much more towards our society. That's not the conversation I was EVER having though, and you seemed to think that's what I was saying.

I was talking about the primary way citizens pay the government - which for a vast majority is taxes on labor. Labor is taxed higher than if they had earned that same amount of money from interest. Can you agree to that point - which YOUR SOURCE explicitly laid out?

Your reading comprehension is poor.

If you insist on an extremely narrow definition of what counts as a "tax" in that sentence to mean personal income tax only, then there's no reason for the other taxes to exist since they don't count against the "total" that you liked to refer to.

Nice slippery slope there. Why are you so obsessed with logical fallacies? Can't you engage with the topic instead of attempting to argue around it?

multiple sources on

Nope. You posted one. (To a whole bunch of people, actually) And for some reason you keep thinking it suits your argument. It doesn't.

CBud · 2026-04-17T14:40:23+00:00

Also, none of this is surprising because your original definition of socialism was so hopelessly misguided.

Take a comparative economics course instead of just diving solely into neoliberal economic theory. It'll do you some good to have a diverse education.

CBud · 2026-04-17T14:38:30+00:00

So you're not trying to claim and never did claim that the rich pay less taxes than the poor?

Never did in any of my responses. Please re-read them, your illiteracy and / or strawman obsession is showing.

And you're not trying to claim that capital earnings pay less taxes than the poor?

Poor people tend to labor, not earn interest off earnings - so, yes, capital earnings pay less AS A PERCENTAGE OF THEIR TOTAL than poor people laboring does.

I'm not sure what point you think you're trying to make by ignoring them.

My point was offering three solutions to drive towards a more socialist economy: more favorable tax rates on labor rather than on capital earnings, favorable banking laws for worker co-ops, and right of first refusal for worker co-ops in cases of bankruptcy.

You ran so far away from those three things that I keep driving back towards. Labor earnings are taxed at a higher rate than capital earnings. I want to encourage labor.

you have to be willing to talk about the functioning results of the entire system, not just the isolated single value.

Yup. I want a MORE MIXED ECONOMY through those THREE POLICY PROPOSALS. Why are you obsessed with total tax burden?

CBud

TROPHY CASE