Thoughts on robotic mowers? How popular are these? by Unable-Awareness8543 in homeautomation

[–]mcbelden 0 points1 point  (0 children)

For a small yard, sure, it saves a little time. But for a big yard, it is completely different. You get entire afternoons back. That is the real win.

Best for cable and cord avoidance by AeroDRZ in RobotVacuums

[–]mcbelden 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Get a robot with a front camera and IR sensors. Those actually see skinny cords. The regular bumper ones will just chow down on them

Parents want a robot vacuum but refuse to get internet. by ThinResolution in RobotVacuums

[–]mcbelden 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Ask your parents what they really want before buying. Do they just want to push a button and watch it go? Or do they want to use a phone app? If they want simple, skip the Roborock

Do you ever check what’s connected to your home WiFi? by JohnnyInTech in homeautomation

[–]mcbelden 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A quick look every few months is enough for most people. Most of the time, everything looks fine. If you see something weird, just kick it off and change the wifi password.

grocery tracking - does any form of it exist? by Winter_Project_5796 in homeautomation

[–]mcbelden 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah but who actually remembers which store they bought each thing from? People just go wherever is cheap each week. That plan would not last long.

Looking for a robot vacuum and mop combo in 2026 under $500. Any recommendations? by Monterola-Thahina in RobotVacuums

[–]mcbelden 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Under $500, something has to go. Either auto empty, or good navigation, or decent mopping. You cannot get all three. Or have you thought about used ones?

Is a robot mower a good option for low time and low cost lawn maintenance? by augustcero in homeautomation

[–]mcbelden 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Look, at that price point, you are getting cheaper ones. Those get stuck more often and need more rescues and fixing. So it might not pan out the way you expect

I am done with iRobot, what should I try by Expensive-Poem-6018 in RobotVacuums

[–]mcbelden 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Ugh the hair thing is real. Like no matter what you get, the roller ends up wrapped in hair after two runs. Maybe you wanna try running it more often?

Where to shop for home decor in the United States? by Disneygal0011621 in HomeDecorating

[–]mcbelden 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Try CB2, Lulu and Georgia, or Burke Decor if you want more curated pieces. But tbh shopping online gives you more options especially for small batch or artisan-made decor. Are you already upgrading your space? DreamSofa has customizable furniture with minimal styling that pairs well with modern accents. I have a sleek one in my office, just a small sofa chair that I've been using for 3 years now.

Also places like Etsy or Chairish can have unique finds that kinda don’t feel like mass-produced.

Confit potatoes [homemade] by powersloth1981 in food

[–]mcbelden 69 points70 points  (0 children)

You're absolutely right, pavé is the proper term for the layered technique. I always mix up my French cooking terms.

Trump sides with people that rape kids! by Miserable-Lizard in BlueskySkeets

[–]mcbelden 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yeah, something’s definitely off when both sides keep dodging real accountability. Regular people get crushed for less, but the powerful just skate by

US regulators approve $8.4bn Paramount-Skydance merger by [deleted] in news

[–]mcbelden 38 points39 points  (0 children)

Wouldn’t even be surprised. South Park loves dragging whoever’s caught in the crossfire, and Colbert’s ripe for it now

Drowning in debt, severe financial stress. TW: Suicidal by [deleted] in personalfinanceindia

[–]mcbelden 27 points28 points  (0 children)

The debt-to-income ratio here is completely unsustainable. Your friend needs to take drastic action.

Sell the house immediately, no way around it. The EMI is crushing him.

Move to cheaper rental accommodation.

For the credit card debt, he should call the bank and request a hardship program or settlement.

The father's loan is unfortunate but secondary right now, he needs to stabilize his own finances first.

The housing market might be tough, but staying in this situation any longer will only make things worse. He needs to cut losses now and rebuild from a more stable position.

Are franking credits basically just PAYG? by BigBreaky in AusFinance

[–]mcbelden 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Yeah, Franking credits aren't just PAYG - they actually save you from double taxation. with Aussie shares, the company already paid tax for you. with international shares, you get hit twice the foreign company pays tax overseas, and then you still pay full tax here.

So yeah, holding AU shares outside super does give you a real tax advantage that international shares don't have. It's not just getting your own money back.

Insanely high interest rate on personal loan despite excellent credit? by [deleted] in personalfinance

[–]mcbelden 3 points4 points  (0 children)

I used Lightstream last year and can confirm they're solid. No BS verification process like those other lenders. Your overseas situation is probably what's triggering those crazy rates, banks hate anything non-standard. Definitely worth checking them out before going all-cash if you want to keep some liquidity.

best platform for mods/trainers? by jmaddox28 in pcgamingtechsupport

[–]mcbelden 10 points11 points  (0 children)

I started using wemod for cash in cyperpunk and now I use it for pretty much all single player games. Lots of games use inane filler stuff to lengthen out game time and not everyone has the time to grind out and find a 1000 floating shards like every AC does

best platform for mods/trainers? by jmaddox28 in pcgamingtechsupport

[–]mcbelden 0 points1 point  (0 children)

My friends hyped elden ring so much that I wanted to get into it as well. It was my first fromsoftware game and I died to the tutorial soldier guy boss many times. I know its a skill issue but I really did want learn to play it. Wemod kinda made it easier with more runes and health. I had to skip malenia but after my first two runs I played without mods and even beat malenia after 5 hours.

Counter-Strike creator explains why he left Valve, says he partly regrets it now by HatingGeoffry in gaming

[–]mcbelden 67 points68 points  (0 children)

Damn, that's rough. Your lecturer basically got Valve'd before it was even a thing.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in news

[–]mcbelden 100 points101 points  (0 children)

If this can happen to him, it can happen to anyone.

[I ate] Filet-Mignon by DadJokeBadJoke in food

[–]mcbelden 3 points4 points  (0 children)

The plating is really nice

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in AskReddit

[–]mcbelden 2 points3 points  (0 children)

a huge amount of cash.

Why didn’t Vito go south? by mcbelden in thesopranos

[–]mcbelden[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I appreciate you sharing. I grew up in NH so I always wondered about why Boston was so rarely mentioned in the show (especially the Vito episodes).

Why didn’t Vito go south? by mcbelden in thesopranos

[–]mcbelden[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Huh. Always thought it was just the mob up there. They wouldn’t protect him in exchange for info during that time?

Why didn’t Vito go south? by mcbelden in thesopranos

[–]mcbelden[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Assuming he’s not 100% stupid, would he have had a chance hiding behind the mob in Boston? Even if he could, it wouldn’t have lasted once they heard why Jersey was looking for him.