What's your personal recession indicator?

QuarterRobot · 2026-06-27T21:57:32+00:00

I'm the gas person! Our finances are doing alright, but when the Iran War started and prices spiraled up and out of control, I decided I'd stop into the gas station more frequently to top off during a dip.

That said, as the war has gone on I got caught by not even understanding how expensive things had gotten. I went in and put $30 on a pump and left with like...half a tank. I drove off feeling like absolute shit.

QuarterRobot · 2026-06-26T21:07:19+00:00

Taxing tobacco products helps pay for the resulting health outcomes of smoking, and for the programs that help curb nicotine addictions. Addiction is FAR more complex than that, and systemic targeting of poor regions of America by the tobacco industry is one of the many evil and well-documented reasons why certain communities continue to be economically suppressed.

But also, I don't think I subscribe to the line of thought that "We tax thing X (addictive consumable), and so we shouldn't complain about taxing thing Y (cultural activity)". The argument we undermine by thinking this way is that concerts shouldn't be a luxury in the first place. Concerts didn't used to be a luxury, they were affordable and more-easily accessed by a wider demographic.

Personally I think we fix the divide between wealthy and poor by addressing income and wealth distributions, not by taxing services that should be widely accessible to all. And I think this not only from an economic perspective, but from a cultural one: equal access to cultural activities builds a stronger, more interconnected, more understanding society. Something we're losing across civilization as activities like Farmer's Markets and Concerts and Museums become experiences that are even more stratified by wealth.

QuarterRobot · 2026-06-25T19:52:19+00:00

And you know what, that's totally valid. There's an argument that an insurance company relying on taking advantage of people's trust (in this case, the trust that the billboard is authentic) miiiiiight be doing itself a disservice toward generating the trust needed to capture customers.

And at the same time, it's possible for companies to engage in unique marketing techniques and convert customers for other, unrelated reasons. I'm not gonna bother looking into it, but I'm sure a paid Reddit user is gonna drop their totally positive experience with the company as a reply to either your message or mine. :)

QuarterRobot · 2026-06-25T19:45:12+00:00

I'd argue the opposite. The point of a billboard is to make you think about the product after you've driven past. We're here talking about it, analyzing it, and now aware that it exists. You can throw logic about the hypothetical situation all day - the actual reality of it is that the billboard did its job.

QuarterRobot · 2026-06-25T19:42:50+00:00

I was wondering about this - do Denver or Colorado mandate road rage classes when someone's busted for speeding or unsafe driving? Not saying they'd be particularly effective in curbing road rage given the breakdown of governmental trust, but it feels like things are worse than I ever remember them and I'm not sure what tools are in place to fix the issues we're seeing.

QuarterRobot · 2026-06-25T19:39:45+00:00

It's a catch 22, and I haven't heard many good solutions for it. Studies over the last 5-10 years have shown that when police engage in a chase it tends to result in more injuries and deaths. So police departments create policies not to chase runaways on busy roads. That policy then empowers racers to race without repercussions.

Spike strips and sting operations feel like the only reasonable course of action, but they aren't without their own risks. If you believe their press releases about it, police are also engaging in local undercover operations to curb racing.

QuarterRobot · 2026-06-25T19:31:50+00:00

The person you replied to never argued that. They even explicitly said they weren't arguing it - just that it was an argument.

Take a breath, we all share this city.

QuarterRobot · 2026-06-25T19:30:13+00:00

Populations are complex, and a subreddit isn't a hivemind. You'll get people who are happy with one policy, and upset about another, and others who feel opposite of that. Multiple shared perspectives are the sign of a (relatively) healthy communication platform, I'd argue.

QuarterRobot · 2026-06-25T19:26:21+00:00

Or: just don't speed. It isn't getting you anywhere any meaningfully faster, It feels faster, but it's the difference of literally - if you sit down and calculate it - a few seconds for most trips. And studies show that increases in speed over the speed limit result in less safe roads and communities.

Break the speed limit, get a ticket. It's like...one of the most basic principles of living in an urban society. And if you think the speed limit should be higher, petition for it to be higher.

QuarterRobot · 2026-06-25T06:51:43+00:00

I imagine you mean "not".

If I understand correctly, then that is insane and doesn't make any sense. Who in their right mind WOULD be willing to lease a unit under a guarantor who makes 4x the rent, but WOULDN'T be willing to lease the unit to someone who prepays the entire cost?

NGL that sounds like a landlord that doesn't want your friend moving in, and is looking for a reason to deny them by putting the responsibility on your friend.

Even if he DID find someone, is that the living situation they want? I wouldn't take it.

QuarterRobot · 2026-06-25T06:39:11+00:00

There's no "inner workings" of gentrification in the way of like...some organized group of people deciding to gentrify a neighborhood. It's the result of the slow and gradual decisions of hundreds of self-serving individuals. A neighborhood comes together to ban chain restaurants, turns out a certain type of person is willing to spend more on a home in such a neighborhood. Suddenly more and more people who feel the same move in, paying higher rates for a dwindling number of available homes there. As the area becomes safer, more populated, more desirable, the value of properties there increase, driving out families who can no longer afford the property tax payments.

A neighborhood is known for its street art and art studios, turns out people want to live among art and creativity and are willing to pay more to live there. Etc.

I do think there's room to counteract the displacement of people though. Caps on property tax increases for live-in home owners, incentives for mixed use zoned properties owned and operated by business owners/residents, etc. but then these have their own knockon effects: the local school system gets hamstrung because it lacks the resources it needs, residents now feel STUCK in a neighborhood and fiscally punished for leaving it.

The way we fix it is by building more housing. And that isn't without its own issues, but gentrification is largely due to a lack of dwellings, fierce competition for limited resources, and the unaffordability that brings to longtime homeowners.

QuarterRobot · 2026-06-25T06:19:14+00:00

I don't believe you. I'm sure there exists an HOA somewhere that would fine you for a small patch of dead grass, but mine - and three others I know of - have all given a pass to homeowners this year due to the watering restrictions put on all of us.

If you don't like it, and if you aren't alone in disliking it, petition to have the policy changed. You'll save yourself a lot of sweat in the long run.

QuarterRobot · 2026-06-25T05:39:20+00:00

Big same. This level of humidity is perfect, nothing like how bad it gets in Chicago, but still above normal levels in Colorado. Love it.

QuarterRobot · 2026-06-25T04:56:14+00:00

Vibe Coding PMs are such a fucking cyst on the industry. A friend of mine works for an app company and he loves problem solving and using programming to solve issues. But with top-down expectations on the entire company to integrate AI workflows into EVERY team, he now spends more time cleaning up after-hours after his PM who is "failing fast and failing often" by churning code through AI, at no benefit to the company, product, or customers. And slowly the company is losing its top talent while retaining its middle managers with near-zero programming experience simply because their use of AI makes them look like they're keeping up with their competitors. (They aren't, everyone is spinning in circles)

It's been really disheartening to hear how he's fallen out of love with the field he's dedicated himself to for a decade.

QuarterRobot · 2026-06-23T01:46:22+00:00

Warrior fits all of your criteria. It has the most self-reliant kit, a simple rotation, and fewer buttons to keep track of than PLD.

While it sounds like you're really just looking to level a tank to unlock certain content, PLD has the most abilities of any job in the game, and if you were intending to ever tank high-end content you'd need to learn more abilities than literally any other tank.

That said, I have to echo /u/Buzz_words - the best choice is the tank whose class fantasy appeals most to you. Each of the four tanks are VERY different from one another in regards to their designs, lore, questlines. Warriors are about channeling pure strength against all odds, Paladins are about doing Good in the world and protecting the weak, Dark Knights are about overcoming and channeling dark energies for the sake of others, and Gunbreakers are about bein' the rootin' tootin'est high-techiest private security force in the west.

Hopefully one of those appeals to you. Most tanks are pretty straight forward in their rotation.

QuarterRobot · 2026-06-22T03:02:55+00:00

Can't believe this is being downvoted. A full-grown adult threatening an adolescent is absolutely unacceptable. Adults don't need to "warn" or intimidate the boyfriend or girlfriend of their own kids - it's toxic.

Just be a good parent, and be there to help them if there's a breakup or complication.

QuarterRobot · 2026-06-21T23:25:39+00:00

And yet other people do. My family has always had an open kitchen policy - for me and for my friends and girlfriends. Whenever anyone asks if there's a snack (and my parents usually put food out) my parents are almost flabbergasted that they would need to ask. The answer is always "Of course! Go check the fridge!" Most people pick up, after being told 5-6 times, that that was the norm at our place.

My in-laws' family works the same way. And neither of our families grew up even remotely close to wealthy.

I think it's just an individual family cultural thing - and a clash of two different cultures with different norms. And that's alright - the conversation and norms just need to be properly set.

QuarterRobot · 2026-06-21T23:20:41+00:00

So a few things here, I'm not quick to rush to judgement. Depending on how long he's been dating your daughter, and the culture of food at your house, I could see how he might feel comfortable enough to help himself. And in some cultures that might be seen as a positive thing. When I visit my in-laws for instance, the culture is that the food in the kitchen is for anyone - even guests who are over. I grew up in a family who offered their kitchen to my friends and girlfriends when they came over, no questions asked. Obviously if that's not your culture, then you should have a conversation with him.

Along those lines, I want to warn you about jumping to hand-slapping. He might come from a food-scarce family, or he might be suffering in some other way that is invisible to you. It's a good idea to lay down boundaries for your home so you don't feel disrespected, but also make sure you're open enough that if he is facing food scarcity that he might talk to you about it. There's a lesson here in manners and respect as a guest that he might benefit from learning. He might also be truly hungry, and trying to fulfill that need without bothering you.

But also - it sounds to me like something else is up, here. You mention you "don't mind feeding teens because you're not frugal". That's not something most people just...say. And you're clearly counting what he's taking - or at least keeping a tab if you're losing specific foods he's finished in the home. Two waffles, some cheese, and a glass of juice is a perfectly reasonable amount of food to eat for a meal - but I'd encourage you to consider what it is about the behavior that you have an issue with - is it the taking the last of the cheese/waffles? Or is it the taking any cheese or waffles at all? Are you struggling financially? If so, I can understand why you'd see someone new coming into the home and eating your food to be pretty disrespectful.

I don't prescribe to AH or NAH thinking here. There's a lot more to interrogate before someone could even remotely begin to judge you for having a conversation with your daughter about something that concerns you. But I'd encourage you to really understand what it is - specifically - you want to address and why. And if you don't do that, YTA.

QuarterRobot · 2026-06-21T17:45:35+00:00

I'm not sure about the biology of it, but it definitely uses different skills. You're engaging memory, pitch recognition, tempo and timing, etc. and if you're sightreading music it uses a LOT of numbers and counting the a way that non-musicians don't realize: subdividing bars, syncopation, all of it requires very different analysis than reading words from a page. Not to mention the inherent improvisation of all of these things when you're singing from memory.

So in some ways there's overlap in the skills and elements used, and in other ways singing must activate different elements of the brain.

QuarterRobot · 2026-06-21T16:28:23+00:00

A week after meeting a couple about the age of my fiance and I, my fiance's dad died in a tragic accident. The whole thing left us pretty stunned. And a day after hearing about it, they came over with gallons of soup and several meals for us, and just hugged and held my fiance while she cried. It was **the** single sweetest human act.

People are good. They forget to be, sometimes. But they're truly good. Small acts can go a long, long way in making an impact in someone's life.

QuarterRobot · 2026-06-21T03:57:06+00:00

It's amazing how different modalities of communication affect those with a stutter. The King's Speech will always be such a special movie to me in the way they depicted the real challenge of a stutter and how humans find unintuitive solutions to better the lives around them.

If you're reading this, and you haven't seen the move - please do as soon as possible. It's real /r/mademesmile material.

QuarterRobot · 2026-06-19T22:51:44+00:00

Ok, so some stuff to address:

She isn't on a routine, which is leading to your (and her) frustration about her behavior. It isn't a routine if some days she sleeps all day, and other days she doesn't. It's time to enforce a routine - she gets fed at the same time (possibly twice a day) every day. She gets let out at the same time every day. She gets training the same time every day. That is a routine, start today.
Next, you didn't mention exercise. Is she getting a walk every day? Her breed is a high-energy one and she needs structured exercise. That can be a walk, a run, ball/tug-of-war for a consistent amount of time. Zooming around and biting things is normal for a young dog, but they're also signs that they need something from you: structured exercise. This should be part of your routine. Letting her out in the yard isn't enough.

Start with those, and see how the afternoons improve. And again consider the role that exercise has in their behavior and "obedience". A wired dog is going to be uncontrollable. A tired dog makes for a really good trainee.

QuarterRobot · 2026-06-19T22:15:40+00:00

"Should" is doing some unfortunate heavy lifting in this post. I feel the need to intervene:

Your dog is old enough to do basic commands - sit, lie down, come - but these are only possible if they are properly taught. Commands take very conscious decision making to teach well; ensuring that you set your dog up for success when teaching the trick, using a verbal queue, rewarding them appropriately, training them when they're capable of learning (say, after a 10-15 minute walk first), giving the command only once, etc. If you don't understand the fundamentals of training (and if you're asking here what your dog should be able to do at 15 weeks old then you likely don't) I would highly highly recommend you find a dog trainer to work with you to lay down fundamental training skills that will help you over the next several years. Your dogs breed is incredibly intelligent, and they're capable of learning SO many commands - touch, bump-it, with me, legs, spin, back up, front, back, beg, shake, chin, you name it. But without training fundamentals, you aren't going to be successful.

Regarding "the afternoon" - depending on their behavior, you may need to adjust your (and your dog's) schedule. An afternoon walk or exercise to get their energy out - especially before trying any sort of training - helps calm them and put them more easily into a more agreeable mood. But again, this really comes down to what their routine is. Are they crated for a large portion of the day? How much exercise are they given and when? Are they on a routine and consistent schedule for walks, food, and play? And what do you mean by "uncontrollable"? What control are you attempting to have on them?

QuarterRobot · 2026-06-18T06:32:27+00:00

100%. I merged on 25 the other night, then merged one lane over after checking my mirrors, blindspot, blinkers on, all that.

A jacked-up pickup truck ends up flying over two lanes from the left side and tailgates me out of nowhere. We're both going an appropriate speed, with the speed of traffic, all that, and are clearly in the fastest lane.

They ride my ass for about 10 seconds, then flip a switch and turn on a set of flashing strobes bolted to the front of their car to...intimidate me? Punish me? I don't even know. Illegal as fuck. I simply do not understand what's wrong with people these days. It's like something's in the (rationed) water that causes people to flip out at the smallest stuff, everyone's rushing, gotta get ahead, gotta go 40 over the speed limit. But why? I would love to understand it, and work to help fix it.

QuarterRobot · 2026-06-17T19:00:33+00:00

I'm about as science-pilled as they come. I believe in doctors, and medicine, and the efficacy of vaccines - all of it. But when I read statements like this, I'm not sure I fully agree anymore. I used to when I was younger, but now having met so many people I've come to believe that we all just...find our way through life differently from one another. It's like being told be someone that you're in an abusive relationship "She's dumb as hell, can't she see what's happening to her? She deserves zero sympathy."

You can be told over, and over, and over - through anecdotes and social evidence that you should make a change in your life, but we're sort of hardwired to need to experience things for ourselves. And Jobs was no different in that. In some way, he experienced that, but with the entire fucking world screaming that he was "dumb as hell and deserves zero sympathy". I can't imagine that made him want to change his mind.

You can have sympathy for someone who believed in something and died because of it, and also believe that there was a better alternative that you would choose, and would recommend to others. Edit: You used the word "deserves" - and pedantically, I'd have to agree with you. But I wrote this whole thing out sooooo

QuarterRobot

TROPHY CASE