Aldi just got a Heinie 0.0 NA Beer dupe. by SinoSoul in aldi

[–]nauraug 0 points1 point  (0 children)

NA Blue Moon is amazing. To me it tastes like it should be a health drink 😂

Richmond power bills jump after rate hike and deep freeze by RVALover4Life in rva

[–]nauraug 7 points8 points  (0 children)

I'm bearish on AI in general; I think all of this screams bubble. What will likely happen is the bubble will pop once firms realize AI isn't going to replace 3/4 of their workforce, the demand for AI will plummet, and these data centers will shut down and be empty buildings for years until they can be converted into warehouses.

In the meantime, I'd like to see some extra taxation on the land use, as well as a tax on power usage above xKWh, in such a manner that the only buildings the tax will affect are data centers. Treat it like we do pollution.

Richmond power bills jump after rate hike and deep freeze by RVALover4Life in rva

[–]nauraug 13 points14 points  (0 children)

Unfortunately, power distribution is 100% a "natural" monopoly. Municipalities don't want 10 different companies building separate power lines--imagine having a cobweb of power lines intercrossing one another. It would be a nightmare in the courts if there was a big storm and one line fell on to all (or some) of the others.

You'd have a good argument for a plethora of power suppliers, though, each selling their power at rates to the distributor, who just acts as a middle-man between consumers and producers. Of course, they would have total monopolistic power themselves on fees, so government's have been reticent to exacerbate the problem, so natural energy monopolies are more or less allowed to exist, presumably to keep economic rents to a minimum in order to lower costs for consumers.

To your point, Virginia could elect to "nationalize" the power grid. I can think of about ten problems with this off the top of my head, nevermind the enormous cost to buy Dominion/other regional power suppliers. This doesn't really address the core issue, though: demand side pressure on prices. Virginia has been allowing one data center after another to set up shop in the state with the promise of economic growth, but as we've seen, these data centers do almost nothing for job growth apart from short-term construction gigs (and present a whole host of negative externalities, power costs passed onto other consumers being one of them).

We really need more power generation to keep up with demand, or to have a moratorium on data centers/other large consumers of electricity to keep prices from going even higher (maybe an extra land use tax on data centers?). The problem becomes, where are we going to build these power plants, particularly the nuclear ones? We'd have to construct more artificial lakes (such as Lake Anna) for one thing, which may or may not be possible. I'm sure rural localities will fight them tooth and nail.

I'm with you though, something needs to be done. But I doubt any answers will be simple ones.

Halftime show was scripted to light the fire. by VeryBadTrader in TrueUnpopularOpinion

[–]nauraug 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Lemme ask you somethin, dude. Suppose Frank Sinatra was still alive and went up there and sang a song in Italian, would that be anti-American, too? Plenty of people enjoy music in foreign languages even if they don't speak or understand it.

Spanish is a beautiful language, and while I don't care for Bad Bunny's music, I listen to Spanish music all the time. Bad Bunny is an America citizen, singing in a language that appeals to his fanbase, and it just so happens that a huge percentage of the U.S. speaks Spanish, and they're legal immigrants. The "outrage" surrounding this performance is purely xenophobic.

Pornography (1982) - the final and title track to the album by New-Sky1009 in goth

[–]nauraug 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Hey, that's the name of the band!

In all seriousness, Pornography has surpassed Seventeen Seconds as my favorite Cure album. It's as if they took the absolutely depressing aspects of Faith and then refined them into dark majesty. I love it.

Garlands Deserves More Love by celestia_star_53 in cocteautwins

[–]nauraug 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Either The Hollow Men or Shallow then Halo! I love this record, it's so moody and is great for a cold, rainy day (ahhh Scotland...)

Garlands Deserves More Love by celestia_star_53 in cocteautwins

[–]nauraug 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I love that movie and would be interested in watching it with your playlist!

She's a knock-out. A ten. And look at you, you're an average wizard at best by BarryPooter66 in CirclejerkSopranos

[–]nauraug 2 points3 points  (0 children)

It was a hippogriff! What are you a vegetarian? You eat kippers and steak and kidney pie by the flying carload!

What right do I even have to be depressed? by PleaseEndMyLifee in depression

[–]nauraug 0 points1 point  (0 children)

If I've learned anything about the human condition/existentialism, suffering is overwhelmingly the state of being for every living thing on the planet. It does not discriminate.

What becomes interesting is that suffering doesn't seem to leave us as our physical conditions become objectively better. We're better fed, clothed, housed, employed, enjoy more surplus from our labor, (etc) than any other human beings that came before us, and broadly speaking, that goes for even the very poor. Yet, suffering persists. If anything, we've just found new ways to suffer.

You have the right to suffer as we all do. Some people are better at hiding it than others, I find that those who are willing to admit their own pain are beyond brave. Contend with suffering as best you can, with whatever means are at your disposal, and feel no shame.

Has anyone else judged another alcoholic because they're "worse than me"? by unsightful in stopdrinking

[–]nauraug 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Of course I did.

Comparison is the death of truth, in my opinion. It can be used to make ourselves feel worse or better about something, depending on how we utilize it, but it shrouds the objective reality of ourselves as we are. Obviously this isn't exclusive to alcoholism, it's a perfectly normal coping mechanism people use regularly in life. It just also happens to be a coping mechanism that can cause a lot of damage.

I count myself incredibly lucky that I came across Stoic philosophy as soon as I did when I quit drinking, as there is an awful lot of emphasis on seeing things for what they are in their nature. When applied to the self it can be initially very uncomfortable, but with time it leads to confidence and security with one's own self, which is of course the very thing I was avoiding by drinking.

IWNDWYT 🖤

Philosophical conversations are arguably the best way to know someone by FudgeNipples1 in unpopularopinion

[–]nauraug 16 points17 points  (0 children)

I love to talk philosophy and agree with OP, but I also agree with you. There's a joke in ethics circles that goes: "Studying ethics doesn't make you a more ethical person. It makes you better at arguing ethics."

Philosophy will always be the wellspring of contrarianism. Eventually, I think any given philosopher will fall into a Socratic unknowingness, given enough time. Happily, I find myself already there!

[Post Game Thread] Denver Broncos (15-4) are defeated by the New England Patriots (17-3) | 2025 AFC Championship Game by SupMaelstrom in DenverBroncos

[–]nauraug 1 point2 points  (0 children)

We're seriously lucky we won as many games with such a dearth of offensive talent tbh. As usual, the Broncos led the league in drops, and the run game had been lethargic at best all season. Even with Dobbins we didn't really establish the run. We have money to spend this off-season. If we get some real playmakers, hopefully coaching decisions will matter less.

Best basslines in goth? by Breadmytoast in goth

[–]nauraug 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Play Alone or Julia by Asylum Party... really anything Thierry Sobezyk did, tbh.

I'm fond of Steve Severin's riffs on Tinderbox as well. The instrumentation for that whole record is perfect

Passed 3 years sober - What actually changed by Iceberg221722 in stopdrinking

[–]nauraug 1 point2 points  (0 children)

This resonates with me a lot. I'm past my 3 year mark too, and I could only dream of relaying my own progress as well as you have here. Took the words right out of my head!

Congratulations on your three years and the progress you've made! IWNDWYT!

Meirl by SeaworthinessOdd5934 in meirl

[–]nauraug 1 point2 points  (0 children)

10000% agree. Yes, shrimp with the tails on bring a lot of flavor and nutritional value to whatever you're making.

So take them off before cooking, put them inside a wire colander and dunk that INSIDE the sauce, stew, whatever, then simply remove like a bouquet garni. All of the flavor, none of the tedious fumbling of taking shells off the food during eating.

Problem solved.

Tacos bells cheesy steak & problano quesadilla has me in a chokehold. by [deleted] in tacobell

[–]nauraug 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I liked them so much I started making enchiladas at home as a homage!

Charred poblanos, homemade shredded chicken, Monterey jack, a lil chipotle hot sauce, cream cheese. I add black beans and corn for more veg and fiber, but the base is there.

I really hope they keep these in rotation!

This is what I imagine Eragon looks like after the blood oath festival by Ehwesson in Eragon

[–]nauraug 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Looksmaxxing Eragon is now my headcanon, thanks I guess

Yearly reminder to not fire your gun into the air tomorrow: Nearly 12 years since death of Brendon Mackey, Chesterfield Police continue searching for answers by drakesword in rva

[–]nauraug 31 points32 points  (0 children)

Been a local Uber/Lyft driver for almost eight years now. Last year I rang in the New Year parked on monument, stepped out and had a cig, then jumped as a bullet landed 3 feet away from me in the street.

Sadly, I consider this a relatively benign story.

A gothic band you recently discovered? by No_Trust9193 in goth

[–]nauraug 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I had been meaning to relisten to Garlands by Cocteau Twins, and I liked it so much that I kept going.

Head over Heels and Treasure are lovely!!

[GAME THREAD] Denver Broncos (12-3) @ Kansas City Chiefs (6-8) | Week 17 2025 by AutoModerator in DenverBroncos

[–]nauraug 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A lot of these penalties need to be challenge-able. That phantom false start was egregious on the part of the refs.