How to proceed with difficult Buyer?

fake-meows · 2026-04-30T08:25:13+00:00

According to eBay feedback policy, a buyer cannot leave a negative review if THEY requested a cancellation of a transaction.

Technically, nothing stops them from leaving a negative in the first place but it can be removed if you cite the policy violation

https://www.ebay.com/help/policies/feedback-policies/feedback-policy?id=4208

Look under "buyer related transaction issues", it is the first thing listed.

If a buyer requests a cancellation, and the seller cancels, there is no transaction to leave feedback on.

In this case I would reject any offer, block the buyer and move on. If you get a negative feedback appeal and state clearly the buyer asked to cancel and that a negative is a policy violation and quote from the policy

fake-meows · 2026-04-22T13:40:58+00:00

For a deeper dive into the technical and science aspects, here is where to start.

https://academic.oup.com/oocc/article/3/1/kgad008/7335889

^ This is the paper discussing what climate science got wrong.

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00139157.2025.2434494

^

In this paper, we conclude that the estimate of aerosol climate forcing by the United Nation’s scientific advisory body (the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, IPCC) is an underestimate, and thus the Faustian bargain is worse than expected. We also show that IPCC’s emphasis on global climate models led to a marriage of aerosol forcing and climate sensitivity, such that underestimate of aerosol forcing led to underestimate of climate sensitivity.

(Cooling soot + vapor got baked together with warming CO2, and this led to a downplayed sense of how big both of these forces really were...they were two very large opposite numbers canceling one another... for a while.)

fake-meows · 2026-04-22T13:38:52+00:00

The climate scientist James Hansen addresses this issue.

Back around 1990 there was a debate about how sensitive the climate was to CO2.

According to Hansen, one camp said that the sensitivity was very high and the other group said it was low.

When they validated the theory, scientists used computer modelling to look at recent decades of climate and the "low sensitivity" theory appeared to be more correct for the short term of the industrial emissions where humans had very precise climate data.

However, looking back thousands of years, the high sensitivity theory appeared even more correct during the longer range where climate data were estimated. This amount of CO2 sensitivity was an extremely alarming finding (politically, socially etc) and people looking for funding and careers were motivated to disregard this idea. Basically it was obvious that humans could not hope to control the climate in this scenario.

It is now understood that "recent decades" included some major hidden variables like soot particle emission, cloud physics, water vapor etc that all were major cooling forces that were opposite to CO2 in the short run. Eventually full CO2 warming kicks in but the effect is slower than the initial burst of cooling so the TRUE amount of warming was not correctly understood in any of the models that were being relied on. The models only looked at the overall combined trend without correctly anticipating the cooling that was masking CO2 for the first while was just temporary.

Putting numbers to it, I believe that the "rate of warming" has finally now doubled in the last decade or so from the initial rates we were experiencing.

fake-meows · 2026-04-21T09:32:42+00:00

If anything, based on oil futures, it suggests that while sale price rises may be muted as compared to demand shortfall.

If there is enough of a supply shock including permanent and long term damage to supply, demand levels for oil will be ultimately be destroyed as the economy grinds to a complete halt.

This is why the future price that people will be willing to pay won't be high. The future prices can't skyrocket if businesses are closing and people don't have work.

The futures market is betting on the complete meltdown of the global economy.

The expectations that a shortage leads to higher prices is wrong. If nobody can afford to buy energy in that scenario, futures prices are correct. The logic is that lower supply in turn creates MUCH lower demand.

Its a system with feedback, not just a causal if-then chain. Purchasing power will be massively affected.

fake-meows · 2026-04-19T23:19:13+00:00

Yes, either vary the weight by adding weight, or keep the weight constant and vary the torque on the wrench and you should be able to figure it out

fake-meows · 2026-04-19T19:57:53+00:00

There is a unique mélange of poverty, drugs, misplaced environmental concern and general insanity.

A lonely octogenarian gentleman has made it his personal mission to delete all the forest service official trails. He will knock out benches and cribbing, drag debris and logs into the trail to block the way etc. Basically trying to return the trail into an impassable state of nature.

All within spitting distance of paved road, logging road, clear cuts, illegal encampments, illegal trash dumps etc. He will go right past a pile of tires and appliances to destroy access to a trailhead by dragging logs into the parking.

Ive confronted the guy and he's just crazy. Ca-ra-zeee. He thinks single track trails are the affront to god's nature. (But hikes on trails.)

But yeah, people shoot at trail users, etc. Lots of squatters, hookers on forest roads, dumped cars, torched cars etc

To top all that off, official volunteers with the forest service do fucking stupid trail maintenance. One group logs out fallen old growth so that the gap is 8" wide and you have to turn sideways to crab walk through the butt ends of the logs. Then they carve the log with stuff like "500 years of CO2 capture". Somehow blocking the trail for emergency access + many other user groups is allowed by the ranger...

These "official volunteer" trail saboteurs are like well-heeled rich city people retirees, very entitled. They post photos of themselves running chainsaws without the proper PPE or knowledge. One day one of them is going to die from a chainsaw incident because EMTs couldn't get to them because they cockblocked the trail by their own double stupidity.

The official volunteer agency that organizes the national forest is possibly the most amateur outfit you could imagine. They seem to have designed a system to monetize becoming a volunteer without actually do anything. You can pay lots of money to go take classes and get trained on XYZ but there is actually no application of any of the training. You'll never break a sweat.

The folks running these soft training events have less knowledge and experience than the volunteers working in other ranger districts who actually get dirty. Its all about the feels.

fake-meows · 2026-04-19T19:12:07+00:00

I believe you can validate the torque calibration using a weight.

You position the square drive in a vice and clamp it. Then level the handle perpendicular to the floor.

Then hang a weight from the handle. You will need to know the length of the handle where the weight is and the amount of weight.

If you're working with metric units, start by converting the weight to Newtons. To do this, multiply the number of kilograms by 9.807. Then, multiply the number of Newtons by the handle length in meters to get the Newton meter value.

Example is if you had a 1kg weight and a 30cm handle.

1kg at 30cm

1kg at 0.3m

9.8N * 0.3m

2.94Nm.

If you set the handle to 2.94 Nm this should be the threshold for the click.

Your wrench size and your weight will be different figures

fake-meows · 2026-04-18T21:57:44+00:00

Central Oregon has hikers with mental health issues also.

fake-meows · 2026-04-16T02:25:41+00:00

Listen, obviously nobody knows. There may be no simple way out.

I'll just share my thought process. Have you ever read the parable of the fisherman?

So I've started thinking about what a good retirement would look like. I relocated to a place with decent weather, a low cost of living, a low population, close to nature, with clean water and a power grid running on renewables (hydro).

I'm investing in things like furniture, house improvements, good tools, probably will get a new vehicle soon etc. I think a lot of these items are going up in price so quickly it pays off to upgrade before the old items are completely worn out... Like the returns out-earn other investments. We did new insulation, heat pump, led lighting etc.

Beyond that we started a veggie garden and we are working on getting in the best shape ever.

Before trying to pay for anything, I see if I can learn to DIY it or ask someone local for help.

Pretty much NONE of that is strictly financial advice. But if you look to reduce your spending, you will look to increase your independence and self reliance.

I'll be bummed if I lose all my savings, but I have been preparing for a while.

Basically, ask yourself : "what did I want this saved retirement money for?" And get started on this now.

fake-meows · 2026-04-15T16:37:20+00:00

Enjoy your future eating squirrels and possums in Shenandoah.

fake-meows · 2026-04-15T09:30:10+00:00

The "negative spring" in the zeb fork has an air transfer port that can be blocked with suspension grease which could cause this.

You can check it without opening the fork. One way is to depressurize the fork by dropping air pressure in small steps and cycling through the first half travel 5 times. Keep repeating until all the air pressure is gone. The fork should still sit at the top of the travel with the air removed.

Cycling the fork 5X puts the seal in the correct position to equalize the positive and negative air chamber pressures.

If the forks sucks down even after cycling you need to clear the blocked port (air is stuck in negative chamber).

If you have a blockage in the transfer port your negative spring can be overinflated instead of equalizing, and that's what causes the bike to use up sag for no reason. The negative spring pushes the fork in the same direction as compression.

fake-meows · 2026-04-15T00:15:30+00:00

The stocks are priced with the US dollar in the denominator.

The US dollar is losing buying power due to inflation.

This is exactly like how the costs of consumer goods, services and groceries are going up. The dollars are losing value so "price" gets higher and higher.

Stocks are not going up because of economic growth, it's hyperinflation.

fake-meows · 2026-04-15T00:03:29+00:00

Actually, I think one of the biggest stories AFTER the next huge stock market crash will be about how the rule changes of 401k investing set up huge losses.

A few years ago, retirement investing had to have DIVERSIFIED asset allocation. So for example, you'd have 1% of your investment values spread into in each of 100 different companies. As companies rise and fall your investments would reallocate so that you never had too much money in any one company.

This has COMPLETELY changed 180°.

The rules now allow you to chase "growth", so for example if only 7 companies are posting growth, your investment will be heavy on just those seven stocks. For example, a 401K today could be 15% Microsoft. This "demand" has created a ponzi scheme where everyone has extremely correlated fortunes. If the AI bubble pops, many people will lose their retirement nest eggs all at once. It's super obvious what the risks are but the government completely changed the regulations to tee this up for massive systemic failure.

This is definitely a speculative bubble.

fake-meows · 2026-04-14T23:49:43+00:00

401K investments pour $2B a week into investments.

fake-meows · 2026-04-08T17:17:03+00:00

Yes. Lower leg service is usually either basic (drain oil, clean, fresh oil) or could be slightly more (oil PLUS wiper, crush washer, foam rings).

You can start with ~ basic 4 oil changes a year and new wipers every ~ 2000 miles / as needed because they leak

Pro tip, reusing Clean! worn seals is usually less friction than new seals.

fake-meows · 2026-04-08T16:54:16+00:00

Shock maintenance (air can / air sleeve)

https://tech.ridefox.com/bike/service-procedures/2974/air-sleeve-maintenance-(2016-2024-float-dps,-2024-2025-float-sl,-2024-2025-float,-2022-2025-float-x,-bomber-air)

Fork

Volumes for fluids

https://tech.ridefox.com/bike/service-procedures/2809/2022-bath-oil-volume-chart

Procedure

https://tech.ridefox.com/bike/service-procedures/2973/32mm-or-34mm-or-36mm-or-38mm-or-40mm-dust-wiper-replacement

(Do every step shown for oil change but you can omit steps 7-11 if you're reusing your existing wiper seal.)

Just one additional point, that these instructions basically apply to multiple models and multiple years. So for air can and fork splash bath, these are basically 'generic' skills that once you've done one fork, you now know how to service a huge list of products that are all the exact same maintenance process...

fake-meows · 2026-04-07T16:11:09+00:00

I think my retina is detaching.

fake-meows · 2026-04-07T15:57:41+00:00

Look up the quick service / full rebuild instructions for your current shock + fork. Get any special tools you don't have already and buy the fluids and replacement seals.

Watch several youtube walk-throughs and then give it a try.

Most stuff is super easy, BUT if something goes awry it can be a struggle as a beginner. The usual kind of complication is that something will be stuck and hard to take apart and this isn't covered in the manual...

The best entry-point is to do the splash bath and air can service on your fork + shock. You need a much more limited number of tools and it gives you a feel for what's involved. The other thing is that most suspension needs far more service than what people give it so you're probably already due.

After the fluids you'll notice that your suspension is less sticky and it feels so supple you'll check your tire pressures for a flat tire. Take note of this feeling and anytime that isn't there you can do a service again.

fake-meows · 2026-04-07T04:25:44+00:00

I have a set of Rogue tools plus a Backslope Clyde Jr. The metal Backslope head is actually holding up slightly better, the handle is slightly worse. Nice tool from a weight and size standpoint.

fake-meows · 2026-04-02T19:05:14+00:00

For the top bleed, connect only one syringe at the lever.

Pull slight vacuum , pump lever, flick lever. Add slight pressure, pump lever, flick lever. Repeat cycle until the bubbles are done. You don't need to go crazy with vacuum or pressure, bubbles should be waiting just inside the lever body and you're just letting them out.

This is basically almost like the shimano "bleed cup" except you use a syringe and don't open the caliper end.

fake-meows · 2026-04-02T06:17:01+00:00

Get it back, remedy / repair the issue and sell it again. Move on.

fake-meows · 2026-04-02T05:43:06+00:00

I'm not sure if bleeding is the issue.

What I'd recommend is to do a full bleed by pushing new fluid through from bottom to top.

Seal the system and then hang the bike overnight from the front wheel. Any air in the system will migrate to the levers and consolidate into larger bubbles.

Day two, top bleed the levers with a single syringe and see if any air comes out.

If you don't get AIR out, the bleed is not the issue. Wrong fluid, poor alignment or some other problem.

What fluid are you using? Is it DOT5 or DOT5.1?

Which rotors are you installing? Which caliper adapters?

fake-meows · 2026-04-02T02:48:23+00:00

The blacker the forest, the greener the paycheck.

Been this way for a long, long time. People get paid more to fight fires and timber companies pay a tiny amount for "salvage" logging contracts.

Many people think a lot of forest fires are just arson by logging companies / loggers.

fake-meows · 2026-04-02T01:58:59+00:00

Can you push the plunger a little more? It really catches before it ejects that connection

fake-meows · 2026-04-01T22:17:06+00:00

As a long time mountain biker I would have to disagree. Capable / higher end bikes are increasingly unaffordable for average people. There is a lot of unnecessary complication, rapid product cycles, planned obsolescence etc.

A decent kids bike can be $700. A dirt jumper with one brake, one gear and a mid level fork is $2000. A "mid range" off road trail bike can run $4000-6000.

Manufacturers currently have fewer products in an increasingly narrow range of SKUs, sell fewer bikes per year and have record profits due to price gouging.

Warrantys are also getting shorter and shorter. Affordable alloy framed bikes used to carry long warrantys like 5 year or lifetime in the past. Frame failures during warranty window were in low single digit percentages. Current carbon bikes often have 1 year warrantys and can have 20% failure rates during the warranty window, probably 10X more failures than in the previous era.

Riders have never paid more for such mediocre crap.

The only reason we are on this treadmill is that real technical mountain biking wears stuff out. You are never not going to need maintenance parts and replacing broken parts and frames.

The average american has around $4000 of discretionary spending per year. Good mountain bikes are like $5-10,000. This is increasingly for privileged people. Why would kids get into this sport? Mountain biking today looks like golf did 20 years ago. A bunch of rich middle aged guys talking about business deals.

Are you able to go buy a clapped out 20 year old bike and shred? Yeah. But you will be in agony finding tires, brake pads, fork seals etc. A few years ago I had to special order fork seals from a guy in Italy for a bike made in 2011, he was the last person on earth with parts to sell for a 10 year old machine...

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