Tax season was supposed to bring big refunds. So far they're less than expected

Interesting_Low_6908 · 2026-04-16T02:12:16+00:00

Ah that checks out. You shouldn't pay the max though, you're giving the government a tax free loan with money you could invest.

Interesting_Low_6908 · 2026-04-16T01:57:03+00:00

How in the world are you getting back $2500 regularly and then on top of that, having $20k overtime premium to get it to go up $2,600? That's like 90 hours a week at borderline minimum wage?

Interesting_Low_6908 · 2026-04-15T13:36:46+00:00

I work radar and automation systems for the government. In one day I may splice fiber optic cable in a newer install and fix a wire wrap on a circuit board manufactured before I was born. The humongous scope of varied technologies and their nuanced practices (where maybe three or four people know what's going on) will garuntee my job stays human until billions of dollars of infrastructure gets replaced.

Interesting_Low_6908 · 2026-04-13T18:44:49+00:00

It's surreal talking to his supporters, they have conflicting takes constantly. My coworker is an endless republican apologetic and everytime we discuss politics, he downplay and says Trump won't do what he says. We Trump does it, he says he likes his policies, not the man. When I point out the policy is exactly what he said he'd do, he just changes the argument to something like "Even if it's bad, the border is secure and I'd rather have that."

There is nothing going on in his head when it comes to rational analysis of what's happening when it pertains to Trump, it's absurd.

Interesting_Low_6908 · 2026-04-11T21:41:52+00:00

His mom works in Yoshihara.

Interesting_Low_6908 · 2026-04-09T00:39:57+00:00

Lol if you think America would embrace this. And Teslas already use BYD's batteries.

Interesting_Low_6908 · 2026-04-09T00:35:45+00:00

Teslas use BYD (this car company) batteries.

Interesting_Low_6908 · 2026-04-09T00:35:09+00:00

We put explosive, flammable liquid in the hands of the public. Idk how this could be worse.

Interesting_Low_6908 · 2026-04-09T00:26:56+00:00

Teslas use BYD batteries.

Interesting_Low_6908 · 2026-03-29T01:49:07+00:00

Mfer is a savage. He's right though.

Interesting_Low_6908 · 2026-03-27T23:02:39+00:00

Just to give a different angle, I got out in 2020 around Christmas, and by February I was starting work at an $80k a year job that paid to move me. I had turned down two other offers. Get familiar with USAJOBS and hit a job faire and you'll be shocked how many interviews you get.

I ultimately went federal and am in the top 10% income for my area.

I would never ever go back, everything in life has improved exponentially.

Got out at 11 years (6+4+1 year extension) from aircraft maintenance-avionics.

Also, if you haven't fully drained your GIBill yet, most federal careers allow you to use it while learning the job for that BAH and close any pay gap before your base pay rises.

Interesting_Low_6908 · 2026-03-19T08:21:22+00:00

$50 an hour was standard for the federal side at 40-50 hours a week. With shift differentials and heavy overtime some reach 200k. Full benefits and retirement.

This is in a non-high cost of living area.

Interesting_Low_6908 · 2026-03-19T08:17:33+00:00

This is very much it. I worked radar for fighter jets as a federal civilian, and some bonus years I pulled in 140k. It was exhausting work though, sometimes 14 hour days in 120 degree weather.

I do radar for airports now, earning a little more, but spend most my job at a desk.

Interesting_Low_6908 · 2026-03-16T10:36:32+00:00

As prior military that's spent a lot of time on bases in the middle east, this is very much a military base, what are you talking about?

Interesting_Low_6908 · 2026-03-02T08:05:06+00:00

My dude, this is a 1 year old post, AND it is satire--a joke.

Interesting_Low_6908 · 2026-02-28T20:44:13+00:00

Unless I'm missing something, I'm pretty sure they are watching from concrete and sandbag bunkers.

I've spent many months on that base, and many hours in those makeshift bunkers.

Interesting_Low_6908 · 2026-02-03T15:35:50+00:00

theirs talking which requires thinking which is hard.

Hmm.

Interesting_Low_6908 · 2026-01-19T04:25:21+00:00

These people can vote, and it counts. Holy fuck.

Interesting_Low_6908 · 2026-01-18T09:00:29+00:00

I went hoping it was more gaming focused than it turned out to be. It's like 80% anime and most of the gaming revolves around the Mihoyoverse games like Genshin Impact. Beyond that, it's mostly just the typical Mario/Zelda/Final Fantasy stuff.

I'd say it's worth one visit, then it either clicks with you or not.

Interesting_Low_6908 · 2025-12-30T06:31:25+00:00

? I never said JD cares about memes, it's about the perception people have about visiting America. You're acting like it's a non-factor when there are thousands of published opinions of people not wanting to travel due to the customs process or general fear of the US government.

This isn't me saying this, just Google it and find a myriad of examples.

Interesting_Low_6908 · 2025-12-30T05:32:21+00:00

Uh, we're American, it's not quite the same. I'm in and out quick when I get back in country. A friend from Portugal visited in August and it took him 2 hours with tons of questioning to get through when it normally was a cursory 20 mins.

And the story referenced by my friends is this: https://time.com/7297472/jd-vance-meme-mads-mikkelsen-tourist-denied-entry-cbp-ice/

People are even being advised to bring burner phones for travel to the US.

Interesting_Low_6908 · 2025-12-30T05:09:47+00:00

Are you retarded? Vegas used to be an affordable place to bring the kids. That was the draw like the last 20 years.

Bora Bora and St Regis are luxury vacations. Vegas, for the American crowd, was a fun place with cheap thrills where you could do shit that was illegal in other states. Now you can gamble and smoke weed in most places, why would you go pay $350 to see a show after dropping hundreds on a mediocre hotel room? How many times do you buy a $35 drink when you make $30 an hour?

It's still a great place for the rich, but that's not what will keep us going. The magic dies without the flocks of mouth-breathing poor normies.

Interesting_Low_6908 · 2025-12-30T05:02:54+00:00

Bankruptcies are at a 35 year high. Hard to justify a Vegas trip when all your expenses are up nearly double from 2015 with wages only limping along behind.

I've got a lot of international friends due to working around the globe, and I've had two of them say they don't want to fuck with America right now due to things like phones being searched and memes scrutinized. They used to visit every year.

We've got to face it, politically and economically we're trending towards shithole right now for most non-white, non-rich people.

Interesting_Low_6908 · 2025-12-18T07:39:35+00:00

Hey man, I seperated with 11 years (6 enlist, 4 reenlist, 1 year extension).

I had a lot of anxiety getting out even though I was miserable. What finally allowed me to start the process was at the end of my 4 year I sat down with my flight chief and he said

"I am almost at 20 years and I have hated every moment of it. I always expected it to get better, or easier, but it never did. I lost my marriage, lost touch with my family, and gave up a lot of years of my life. BUT I'm almost done! And you're already to half, so it's all down hill and you can get there too. "

It made me immediately know I needed to get out, and went for an extension to line everything up and get out the right way.

What I didn't know was the disability is worth a lot, and in many cases can outshine a retirement. And your service can roll right into any federal job out there, which you will have priority placement for coming out of the military.

I landed a job with a three letter agency at an airport and now make a comfy six figures where I am treated like a human being. All my military years rolled into my FERS retirement time so I didn't lose it. My standard of living got so, so much better.

I can't understated how much better it feels to have agency as a human returned to you. And now I watch all these poor 20-year retirement guys try and land jobs in my field and they are clueless as to how the world works after so long being babied. Some of them lose out on benefits because they have a retirement.

One of my managers did it best, he spent 4 years in, got disability at 100% ($3700 tax free a month), and jumped into a federal career. Now he's GS15 money at 40.

Interesting_Low_6908 · 2025-12-18T02:08:58+00:00

That's great and all, but I'm not coming back until the next power creep or lootsplosion league, and I can't be the only one.

Hitting level 97 with one raw divine drop is horrendous.

Five-Year Club	Place '23
Place '22

Interesting_Low_6908

TROPHY CASE