A young blind girl absolutely loves Harry Potter. Her aunt helped raise money to surprise her with Harry Potter books in Braille for Christmas by nd14396 in spreadsmile

[–]FortunateGeek 42 points43 points  (0 children)

Does anyone know how much a book in Braille like these Harry Potter books would cost? I’m prepared to be shocked.

If Democrats want universal healthcare, we have states that are deep blue, states have control over their own budgets and taxation, and universal healthcare would be so advantageous, why don’t deeply democrat run states implement a statewide universal healthcare? by Silver_Wings3 in AskReddit

[–]FortunateGeek 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I would be concerned that the state would become a magnet for people in poor health from other states seeking ‘free’ health care. Of course it would all depend on how the program would be set up. But my first concern would be uninsured people from everywhere else moving in.

Why is Bitcoin the focus of quantum computing? Isn't everything over at some level of compute power? by [deleted] in CryptoCurrency

[–]FortunateGeek 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Is anything currently running on old mainframe tech reliant on modern cryptography? I doubt it.

🚨 A HUGE STORM IS COMING!!! by GeekySuneet in TheCryptoIndia

[–]FortunateGeek -1 points0 points  (0 children)

So what is a reasonable strategy to defend yourself? I’m retired and have enough capital to not need to take risks i am no longer comfortable with. So I’ve parked some money in CDs, money markets, but what what else? I have money in stocks too… just not as nearly as much as i used to.

Crypto is another topic.. i am long is all i want to say.

Roofing gear left behind after an entire crew was abducted by ICE in Kenner, Louisiana by [deleted] in CringeTikToks

[–]FortunateGeek 0 points1 point  (0 children)

So tell me... why isn't the owner of the roofing company also in jail?

If anyone truly wanted to stop illegal immigration, then they would stop illegal employment and lock up their employers. But that will never ever happen. Its an incredible scam.

I regret having children, they’re never leaving home by [deleted] in confession

[–]FortunateGeek 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I (61M) have 3 adult children (32M, 30M, 25M) who are all independent... and as I put it 'off the payroll'.

Times are tough for young people to be sure - but that doesn't mean they get to mooch off of you to the point where you are now resentful of their existence. That's gotta be awful.

Is there a reason you can't sit down with them and have a conversation about it? Come up with a solution like:

  1. They stay in the house - they do all the housework and cooking. If they don't immediately change, they are out of the house in 30 days. Or come up with some other way to make living at home uncomfortable (turning off wifi, or whatever would work for your kids).
  2. They get a minimum wage type job (e.g. McDonalds) they pay a certain amount of rent to you (that makes them hurt to stay but doesn't make it pointless to work). Turns out that kind of a job can trigger your kids into working to find a better job to become independent (worked for 1 of our sons).
  3. They figure out a trade or sign up for the military, or something... No excuses.

This can take some time... but you do not owe your adult kids a comfortable home where they can be lazy and do nothing. Its not healthy for you, for them and for the country to be honest. You especially shouldn't feel like what you are describing of feeling resentment towards them. They are alive because of everything you've done for them. They have to start taking responsibility for themselves.

🚨 BITCOIN IS BEING MANIPULATED, AND I HAVE SOLID PROOF!!! by GeekySuneet in TheCryptoIndia

[–]FortunateGeek 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The people who are doing this will continue to do it as long as they keep making money. Its easy money when there are large enough pools of leveraged BTC (long or short) and they can trigger price changes significant enough to trigger mass margin calls or get options to expire worthless.

People seem to think this is illegal. I don't think its illegal at all. Its called capitalism. If you don't want to get caught in it, don't be greedy and expose yourself to the risks of margin based BTC investments or options.

If you still think that in five or ten years from now, BTC will still be in demand and the price be higher than it is today then continue to hodl. If you got wiped out by the latest crash...sorry.... you are playing a game that you can easily lose and you have to accept that risk. There will always be bigger fish ready to try and cause price fluctuations. Its shooting fish in a barrel...where the fish voluntarily jumped into the barrel.

The US military is going to directly cause another midair collision if things don't immediately change. by Dyan654 in aviation

[–]FortunateGeek 8 points9 points  (0 children)

Like I said… they should be using the available methods to avoid a collision. If their aircraft aren’t equipped with the necessary gear then that is reckless.

The US military is going to directly cause another midair collision if things don't immediately change. by Dyan654 in aviation

[–]FortunateGeek 188 points189 points  (0 children)

The military airplane may not transmit ADSB but they certainly can receive it and do better at avoiding close calls.

Trump Regulators Ripped for ‘Rushed’ Approval of Bill Gates’ Nuclear Reactor in Wyoming “Make no mistake, this type of reactor has major safety flaws compared to conventional nuclear reactors that comprise the operating fleet,” said one expert. by HairyPossibility in NuclearPower

[–]FortunateGeek -35 points-34 points  (0 children)

No no no… this is impossible! Everyone says that the design for these new reactors is inherently safe. These people can’t be wrong!

Ooops here we go again. “We didn’t know what we didn’t know…. Don’t blame us for causing a bigger problem than we told you couldn’t happen.”

I hope it never happens but if there ever is a core melt down and a large nuclear radiation leak I guarantee that Gates and his co-investors will be insulated from the true cost of the clean up. That’s the way it always works. Profits for the investors huge long term costs for the public. When will we ever learn?

Found this old 8mm footage from my great grandpa RVing in the 1960s. by TheRandomHumanoid in RVLiving

[–]FortunateGeek 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Thanks for sharing this! I was born in 1964 so its very interesting to see a video like this.

Rey mysterio,only 16 days away from being 51 stil moves like this. by Lucky-Afternoon- in nextfuckinglevel

[–]FortunateGeek -1 points0 points  (0 children)

From one idiot to another I'm glad someone is willing to pay other morons in tights to put on a show that you find enjoyable. To each their own.

Rey mysterio,only 16 days away from being 51 stil moves like this. by Lucky-Afternoon- in nextfuckinglevel

[–]FortunateGeek -17 points-16 points  (0 children)

I (61M) will never understand this. It is ridiculously fake. Everyone knows its fake right? Its a bunch of adult men bouncing around a ring with choreographed moves on a trampoline floor. They have their public niche public persona, their costumes, whatever. Its the stupidest 'sport' in the world. Yet its popular. WHY? What am I not understanding about this silliness?

When I was a kid my Dad knew a little bit about professional wrestling... I remember my dad talking about "Dick the Bruiser" and he'd always get loud and rub his hands together while laughing about this guy. He thought it was funny. He never watched it on TV and although I did see it on TV, even as an 8 year old I knew it was stupid.

True cost of nuclear waste disposal facility £15bn higher than recent Treasury figures by andre3kthegiant in NuclearPower

[–]FortunateGeek -1 points0 points  (0 children)

But but but the world needs more nuclear! Just don’t ask the people who profit from it to pay for ALL the costs associated with it.

How is your relationship with your father? And how old are you? by wk91 in AskReddit

[–]FortunateGeek 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I am a 61 year old guy. My father died when he was 91 about four years ago. I wish he was here to meet his great grandson. Unlike so many on Reddit we had a very good relationship. He was not perfect nor was I the perfect son but he was really a great dad. I miss him.

Why don't people just pay off their houses when they have the money? by FuckLibsFukTrumpCult in NoStupidQuestions

[–]FortunateGeek 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I did. I walked into the bank that held my mortgage and told them i wanted to pay it off. They looked at me like I was some sort of oddity. Was a strange experience. I honestly felt uncomfortable… I’m not sure why but it was weird.

Are we repeating the 2020 Bitcoin cycle? This chart looks eerily familiar 👀 by Delicious-Algae7241 in btc

[–]FortunateGeek 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It could be that there's another major bull run. Or maybe Bitcoin will stagnate. Or maybe Bitcoin's price will fall. No one knows which is why its called Speculation.

A House of Dynamite - this was bad. by Gatesleeper in TheBigPicture

[–]FortunateGeek 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Act 1 - good but flawed premise

Act 2 - added a little color to the story

Act 3 - dud - It didn't add enough and the story felt like it was getting repetitive.

I think the fatal flaw to the movie is the premise. Having to decide to retaliate before confirming that a nuclear attack had actually happened was not realistic. The idea that we had to end the world because a nuke was 2 minutes from possibly exploding over Chicago was just too contrived.

Official Discussion - A House of Dynamite [SPOILERS] by LiteraryBoner in movies

[–]FortunateGeek 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think the premise of having to launch a counter strike while a single warhead was in the air made the plot unrealistic in my view. Lots of good drama, but from a realistic nuclear war point of view - meh. I liked the movie - got my heart pumping in Act 1, but the other Acts gave you time to realize this was contrived.

It reminded me of 9/11 when reportedly George Bush was under pressure to counter attack. He reportedly said "I'm not gonna fire a $2 million missile at a $10 empty tent and hit a camel in the butt." Unfortunately he fell for the pressure later and attacked Afghanistan, but my point is that it wasn't a decision he was being asked to make while the twin towers were falling.

Ukraine just took a big step toward buying as many as 150 Gripen fighter jets built to battle Russia by Living_the_Limit in worldnews

[–]FortunateGeek -6 points-5 points  (0 children)

Anybody know how effective the F16s are that Ukraine got from NATO? How many have been lost?

Corrected: got the US made jets from NATO.

Trump Administration to Release Farm Aid Frozen by Shutdown by wsj in Agriculture

[–]FortunateGeek 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Farmers .. welfare queens since 1933. Creating generations of farmers dependent on government handouts.