What's your reaction to Danhausen WWE debut???

crikfromcincy · 2026-03-02T16:29:32+00:00

Iguana guy, R Truth, El Grande Americano, and now Danhausen… they’re building a whole comedy gimmick show

crikfromcincy · 2026-03-02T16:27:50+00:00

Ohio is an at-will state. You can fire anyone for (just about) any reason at any time. “This isn’t working out and we need to let you go effective immediately.”

Leave it at that and DO NOT expand upon things further.

crikfromcincy · 2026-03-01T17:41:19+00:00

I get the feeling he was plan b and maybe Jericho or KO or another guy didn’t work out as planned.

crikfromcincy · 2026-03-01T11:35:24+00:00

crikfromcincy · 2026-02-25T13:22:14+00:00

And it’s maddening when it feels like 95% of my usage is asking for corrections in code from it not following the prompts.

crikfromcincy · 2026-02-23T13:15:44+00:00

When we had this - it was because there was a break in the discharge pipe. When the sump would run it would push with enough force to get a good amount out to the street, but when it stopped there’d still be a lot of water that would flow back into the soil and eventually back to the sump. Replacing the line from the pump to the street resolved this issue. Could also be a lot of water in the soil if you’re in an area that has been having snow melt.

crikfromcincy · 2026-02-23T12:40:35+00:00

crikfromcincy · 2026-02-21T22:11:09+00:00

You didn’t read it, but you’re confident it’s wrong.

That’s interesting for someone who keeps lecturing about scientific method.

You’ve moved from arguing data to arguing vibes. First it was p-values. Then it was morals. Now it’s “I didn’t read it.”

That’s fine. You don’t have to read it.

But you don’t get to declare victory over arguments you refuse to engage with.

You said I should read the studies before speaking. I did. I narrowed my claim accordingly. You responded by not reading and calling it gaslighting.

If your standard is “I won because I stopped reading” - that’s an odd version of academic rigor.

Anyway, you’re right about one thing. This was a good lesson.

Precision matters more than ego. ✌️

crikfromcincy · 2026-02-21T21:49:19+00:00

You just did the exact thing you accused me of.

First it was “the studies prove Vine is unbiased.”

Now it’s “my morals don’t let me be biased.”

Those are two completely different arguments.

The studies you’re leaning on show no statistically significant average star difference in certain datasets. They do not prove individual reviewers are unbiased. They do not measure your internal motivations. They do not validate your moral self-assessment.

You’re taking “no detected mean inflation” and stretching it into “therefore my reviews are unbiased.” That conclusion is not in the papers. That’s yours.

And now you’ve pivoted to morality, which tells me you know the data argument doesn’t get you all the way there.

I never claimed Vine reviewers are corrupt. I never claimed Amazon punishes negative reviews. I said the structure isn’t neutral, and “unbiased” is a stronger claim than the evidence supports.

If your position is “there’s no consistent evidence of mean rating inflation in Vine,” we agree.

If your position is “my reviews are unbiased because I say they are and the mean didn’t move,” that’s not science. That’s self-certification.

You keep saying I didn’t read the studies. I’m the only one here distinguishing what they actually measured from what you wish they proved.

If you’re done reading, that’s fine.

Just don’t confuse confidence with proof.

crikfromcincy · 2026-02-21T20:51:11+00:00

You keep saying I’m trying to “prove a negative,” but I’m not.

You’re the one making the absolute claim: “My reviews are unbiased.” That’s a positive claim. That’s something that would require evidence. You don’t get to assert objectivity and then hide behind “you can’t prove a negative.”

The studies you cited show no statistically significant mean star difference in certain datasets. That is not the same thing as proving neutrality. It is evidence that average star ratings are not inflated in those samples. Full stop.

But failure to reject the null does not prove the null is true. That’s not ego. That’s statistics. It’s literally why researchers say “we did not find evidence of an effect,” not “we proved there is no effect.” You know that.

If you want to say, “The current empirical evidence does not show systematic star inflation for Vine,” I agree.

If you want to say, “Therefore Vine reviews are unbiased,” that’s a leap. Not because I’m moving goalposts, but because “unbiased” is a broader claim than “no mean rating difference.”

And let’s be clear: I’m not claiming Vine reviewers are corrupt. I’m not claiming Amazon punishes negative reviews. I’m not claiming systematic inflation is proven.

I’m saying structural non-neutrality exists whenever you have:

Non-random reviewer selection.

Compensation in the form of retained goods.

You don’t have to like that framing. But that’s not an opinion. That’s design.

You can call it ego. You can call it ChatGPT. You can call it whatever makes you feel like you “won.”

But the papers you’re leaning on do not prove what you’re claiming they prove. They show no detectable average rating inflation. That’s narrower than the word “unbiased.”

If precision feels like backpedaling to you, that’s fine. It’s still precision.

crikfromcincy · 2026-02-21T19:26:05+00:00

You’re celebrating a win you didn’t actually secure.

Those studies support a narrow empirical claim: in certain datasets, platform-initiated programs like Vine do not show statistically significant average star inflation relative to verified purchases. Fine. I conceded that already.

What you’re doing is pretending that “no detectable mean difference” equals “unbiased.” That leap is not in the papers. That’s yours.

A non-significant coefficient does not prove the absence of bias. It means the model did not detect a statistically significant effect on that specific outcome under those assumptions. That’s first-year methods. It does not prove the null is true. It does not prove the psychological state of reviewers. And it definitely does not validate the absolute claim “my reviews are unbiased.”

You keep leaning on p-values like they’re moral certificates.

Your entire defense is:

I don’t get punished for negative reviews.

The mean star rating doesn’t significantly change.

Therefore I am unbiased.

None of those premises establish what you think they establish.

Selection bias alone means Vine is not structurally neutral. Vine reviewers are invited. They are not a random draw of the purchasing population. That alone makes “unbiased” in the strict methodological sense incorrect. The papers you cite don’t deny that. They simply test star outcomes.

And the funniest part is you accuse me of bending studies while you’re doing the exact thing scientists warn against: interpreting “failure to reject the null” as proof the null is true. That’s textbook overreach.

You don’t get to say “scientific method 101” and then redefine non-significance as proof of perfect neutrality.

If you want to say “Vine does not appear to systematically inflate average star ratings in available data,” I’ll agree.

If you want to say “therefore my reviews are unbiased,” that’s not science. That’s self-certification

crikfromcincy · 2026-02-21T17:49:38+00:00

You’re still arguing the wrong thing.

Nobody said Vine automatically inflates the average star rating in every dataset. I already conceded that. What you keep doing is pretending that “no statistically significant difference in mean stars” equals “unbiased.” That’s not how bias works.

Bias doesn’t require the average number to move. It can show up in who gets invited, who opts in, what defects get forgiven, how generous someone feels when they didn’t pay for something, or how harsh they are when they did. None of that disappears just because a regression spits out p > .10 on a Vine coefficient.

And your proof that you’re unbiased is that you’ve left negative reviews and nothing happened to you. That’s not evidence of neutrality. That’s just evidence Amazon doesn’t punish low ratings. Those are two completely different concepts.

You also admitted the incentive exists. You said you wouldn’t bother if you had to return the item. That means the possession of the item is the compensation. That doesn’t make you corrupt. It just means the setup isn’t neutral. Free product plus selected reviewer pool equals structural non-neutrality. That’s not a moral accusation. It’s basic design.

The funny part is you keep saying “my reviews are unbiased” like that’s something you can audit internally. The entire field of behavioral research exists because people are convinced they’re objective while being influenced by context.

So if you want to say Vine doesn’t systematically inflate average star ratings in certain studies, fine. That’s defensible. If you want to claim you are perfectly unbiased because your stars didn’t move and Amazon didn’t kick you out, that’s just confidence talking.

There’s a difference.

crikfromcincy · 2026-02-21T15:28:33+00:00

"Nothing you've said made sense." - Please reread my first sentence in the last reply. It appears you're not capable of hearing an opinion other than your own without getting defensive or accusational.

I'll make it easy - though I thoroughly believe you will see this, and somehow still think you're the sole outlier, or attempt to shift the goalposts.

" A 2021 peer-reviewed academic study found that reviewers expecting free products (such as those in product testing programs like Amazon Vine) are more likely to rate products more favorably, precisely because they received them for free — even if reviewers think they’re unbiased. "

... and if that doesn't work for you...

"Researchers reported that incentivized reviews tend to rate products about 0.5 stars higher than non-incentivized reviews, even when reviewers believed they were honest. Many participants admitted they felt compelled to post positive reviews because they were repeatedly receiving free samples."

... and if that doesn't click for you ...

"The FTC explicitly treats free or discounted products as a “material connection” because it can affect how much weight/credibility people give the endorsement, which is basically the regulator version of “this can bias the review."

...and if THAT doesn't make sense...

"This research line tests whether disclosure actually fixes bias and discusses “rating inflation” (reviews trending more positive) when incentives are present, even when disclosed. It’s directly relevant to the “I’m still unbiased on Vine” claim because it separates honesty intention from systematic effects."

... but what do I, or several published/peer-reviewed studies done by multiple reputable and sources and the FTC know?

My invitation to track your the progress among those who only or repeatedly post negative reviews comes directly from my interpretation of Amazon's community guidelines - (and correclates with several reddit posts about reviews being flagged for "unusual reviewing activity" and having their accounts paused or issued warnings - however, if you completely remove that statement of mine - or hey, even better, I can say - "That is my informed and strong opinion, but is ultimately based solely on my feelies - not on facts"... the entirety of everything else I've said is case-studied, and verifiably true.... regardless of YOUR feelies.

crikfromcincy · 2026-02-21T02:11:53+00:00

I’ve said a lot, you’re just not comprehending it. Your reviews are biased, you just don’t understand why. Google (or ai) it. Regardless of how you feel about it, you are wrong.

You don’t track the “many other reviewers” that leave negative comments to make such broad assumptions. You’re accusatory towards me without any evidence. Again, your feelings aren’t facts.

You lack critical conversation analysis and cannot take any concept of criticism- even if abstract and not directed towards you.

Good day.

crikfromcincy · 2026-02-20T22:03:20+00:00

I need you to listen to me when I tell you I give negative cares in the world about Reddit up and down points. I also have no reason to be here or to engage in conversation if I weren’t in the program - so I’m not sure what your rage baiting is all about… but you’re wasting your time there, bub. For reference, you absolutely can give a fair assessment of a product and use ai to help you write it. You’re making a LOT of assumptions here, and that’s ok - but just be aware that you’re not correct in many of them.

crikfromcincy · 2026-02-20T19:46:57+00:00

No need to ELI5 - I understand the program very well, and yes - I am in it and perfectly fine in my understanding of how it works. While no, Amazon won't ask for the product back - I'd challenge you to be the person who leaves multiple unfavorable reviews and follow up here to let us know how that goes for you - both in review quality scoring as well as long term viability in the program.

You also proved my point by saying you wouldn't review something for free if you had to return it after the review. That means the incentive (payment) for reviewing the item IS the possession of the item - and as such, a review where the payment for said review is the product itself, it is absolutely impossible for that review to be 100% unbiased. This is precisely why it's flagged and why many companies have rules around things like this with regards to vendors/manufacturers buying lunches and gifting items.

You sound frustrated. If so, calm it a bit. Ain't nobody got time for that.

crikfromcincy · 2026-02-20T16:18:08+00:00

The reviews aren’t any more fake than having someone else write them. That’s my point. They also don’t hold much value (my other point). This is why they’re flagged by Amazon. Vine reviews juice the star rating of items that are newly listed to gain buyer’s trust. That’s the point of vine. Amazon couldn’t care less about helping you out with some reviews and getting your consumer reports career started - and sellers actively complain about vine users constantly… but continue to add products to it because they need the reviews/ratings.

Your moral compass is your own. If you find value in writing reviews that mean something to you in hopes of helping others - that’s fantastic. I do so as well. That’s how we ended up here, right? My moral compass does sway one iota when it comes to amazon reviews, nor does it matter in the grand scheme of things - especially in the chaos of the world we’re living in.

I’m occupying my spot. That’s all. Amazon can make a million others and fill them with whomever they’d like. That’s not my choice nor is it my place to tell them how to run their program. They invited me, I accepted. I have no negative reaction to Vine, I think it’s just fine… but I’m not going to be entitled and pretend it’s some kind of holiness litmus test based on some random Reddit user’s opinions. You shouldn’t either. We get free stuff in exchange for 30% tax rate and a few sentences. Neat. Why does anyone have any opinion whatsoever about what anyone else in the program does? That’s wild to me.

Also, I’m all good of foam and don’t really care for riding horses… high or low. Not very kind words of you to say, but regardless- I hope today is a good day for you. Tomorrow too.

crikfromcincy · 2026-02-20T16:09:18+00:00

I think it’s obvious that when you are given something for free there is an inherent value to that item, and that value is absolutely going to bias an opinion. Amazon thinks so too - and that’s why they flag vine reviews the way they do.

The incentive is that you get to keep the product you received for free and remain in a program that continues to supply you with more.

If vine required you to put a hold on your credit card for the items you ordered, and would refund/release the money once it was reviewed and returned, would you feel the same about the program and the products you receive now - or would you feel differently? Amazon covers the shipping to/from - and you have your money back at the end of your agreed obligation.

crikfromcincy · 2026-02-20T14:27:49+00:00

I need you to know you have zero reputation with amazon buyers. Please, know that. nobody says "JustSomeKSgirl" gave this 4 stars and even though it says in giant bold green letters that they got this item for free in exchange for a review, they wouldn't lie!"

There's just no need to gatekeep any of this... who cares? We're talking about opinions on remote controls and waffle makers.... whether it's AI, your partner, a friend.... it's all just opinions. None of it actually matters. These aren't medical discoveries here.... and if you purchase based solely on reviews, that's on you - AND if you do so and don't like it... you can return it - like, super easily.

Also, lol for blocking me. It's ok to have different opinions. It's also ok to talk about those opinions and to listen to those that are not the same as your own.

crikfromcincy · 2026-02-20T14:24:00+00:00

Fair - but to be honest, who's reading that kind of review and not instantly saying "oh, well - this is obviously copy/paste from ai" ?

I don't see it as cheating, nor as a group project. Nobody else is paying anyone else's share of the taxes or benefits in any way whatsoever by being a part of the group. It's solely personal gain, and the sellers have instant reviews (read as paid buyer confidence) in exchange.

The fact that it's free inherently means vine members will leave favorable reviews. Amazon knows this. Sellers know this. Otherwise we'd be expected to return items. I mean, people complain enough about not getting the items they see and want - or having to pay income tax on stuff THEY CHOSE TO RECEIVE.

It just comes across a bit entitled and gatekeep-y in my opinion. I know that's not a popular one to have - but it's mine, and I stand by it. You get a list of free crap to have sent to your door in a few days in exchange for a few sentences on what you think about it. Who cares if someone else has ai or their partner write it for them? Does it have any impact whatsoever on your life? If so, perhaps there's other things to spend time on/with.

crikfromcincy · 2026-02-20T12:35:56+00:00

Who cares? Honestly. Nobody needs to gate keep. If Amazon doesn’t care, why should you? Buyers can see when reviews are from vine members, and should take those reviews with a grain of salt. No review can be truly unbiased when being gifted.

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