Quote from: Ghostmaker on April 14, 2021, 11:27:17 AM
Back on track here. Alban cops a thirty-day ban.

https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/alban-receives-a-%F0%9F%9A%AB-thirty-day-ban-dont-pm-a-mod-about-redtext.880033/

This is under what I like to call the 'no backtalk!' rule TBP has. You're not allowed to plead or argue your case directly, instead appealing by sending an email to an account that may get read eventually (the mods say it gets checked in a timely fashion, but considering their behavior and actions I'm unconvinced).

A thirty day for someone who's been there since 2002, and has no infractions listed (at least as far back as February 2012, which is as far back as the current Infractions board goes). Wow. The mandarins really don't like it when the proles argue with them. And people pay money for this site?

I have never had a response from admin when I questioned a mod action. I've not seen anyone else get a response. I believe it basically functions as a bottomless pit.

Quote from: Brad on April 14, 2021, 12:08:50 PM

Quote from: shuddemell on April 14, 2021, 10:06:11 AMNo, actually they didn't. Unless you consider making over 80K rich.

$80k won't even get you a middle-class lifestyle in the rural south, much less on the coasts...but for some reason people who think working fries at McDonalds is a "career" also think anyone making six figures is driving a Bentley to their helipad.

I had/have a middle class lifestyle in the rural south making that kind of money. Wife doesn't work either.

Quote from: RandyB on April 14, 2021, 09:35:12 AM

Quote from: horsesoldier on April 14, 2021, 09:08:31 AM

Quote from: wmarshal on April 13, 2021, 08:13:03 PM

Quote from: Ghostmaker on April 13, 2021, 07:56:37 PM

Quote from: Reckall on April 13, 2021, 06:25:41 PM

Quote from: Ghostmaker on April 13, 2021, 02:24:10 PM
Wonder if they're talking about China's treatment of Uyghurs or the current border crisis in Tangency now.

In all fairness the treatment of Uyghurs is a shameful matter. But since no oil in the region is involved and a lot of $$$s are overall involved in the commerce with China, I don't think that we will hear "Let's free the good guys and punish the baddies!! Rah!! Rah!!-Iraq 2003 cover" any soon.

Probably not, but there are options aside from 'level Beijing with tactical nukes and then invade'. Yanking China's most favored nation trading status might be a good start.

MFN was something we shouldn't have given them to begin with. The idea that opening up the market economies to China would result in democratization is some kind of perversted Marxist thinking.

Straight up underpant gnomes level of thinking.

Step 1 -- allow the Chinese to steal our IP
Step 2 --
Step 3 -- Profit!

Those who allowed the IP theft profited by allowing it, at least. Largely because they weren't the IP holders, so the graft they received was pure profit.

Tech companies in particular have straight up had their IP stolen by the Chinese. Huawei didn't develop their own hardly anything. It was forgiven all for a promise of mainland market access in 5 years or so.

Quote from: wmarshal on April 14, 2021, 02:27:13 PM

Quote from: Ghostmaker on April 14, 2021, 11:27:17 AM
Back on track here. Alban cops a thirty-day ban.

https://forum.rpg.net/index.php?threads/alban-receives-a-%F0%9F%9A%AB-thirty-day-ban-dont-pm-a-mod-about-redtext.880033/

This is under what I like to call the 'no backtalk!' rule TBP has. You're not allowed to plead or argue your case directly, instead appealing by sending an email to an account that may get read eventually (the mods say it gets checked in a timely fashion, but considering their behavior and actions I'm unconvinced).

A thirty day for someone who's been there since 2002, and has no infractions listed (at least as far back as February 2012, which is as far back as the current Infractions board goes). Wow. The mandarins really don't like it when the proles argue with them. And people pay money for this site?

I have never had a response from admin when I questioned a mod action. I've not seen anyone else get a response. I believe it basically functions as a bottomless pit.

Something else: the mods have straight up stated they won't accept third party inquiries or appeals. In other words, if you attempt to intercede or offer additional testimony, it'll be ignored.

Quote from: Brad on April 14, 2021, 12:08:50 PM

Quote from: shuddemell on April 14, 2021, 10:06:11 AMNo, actually they didn't. Unless you consider making over 80K rich.

$80k won't even get you a middle-class lifestyle in the rural south, much less on the coasts...but for some reason people who think working fries at McDonalds is a "career" also think anyone making six figures is driving a Bentley to their helipad.

I live pretty well, certainly middle class, on that amount of money in Oklahoma. However I am far from rich, or even upper middle class. That 80K is the cut off point for stimulus now (150K for married couples)... but the notion that the stimulus is a life changer or even a month's bills for most of us is ridiculous... though it can get to useful levels if you have lots of kids or dependents. We have a guy at work here with 10 kids, so that was a 14K stimulus for him, his wife and their brood.

Quote from: shuddemell on April 15, 2021, 01:58:51 PM

Quote from: Brad on April 14, 2021, 12:08:50 PM

Quote from: shuddemell on April 14, 2021, 10:06:11 AMNo, actually they didn't. Unless you consider making over 80K rich.

$80k won't even get you a middle-class lifestyle in the rural south, much less on the coasts...but for some reason people who think working fries at McDonalds is a "career" also think anyone making six figures is driving a Bentley to their helipad.

I live pretty well, certainly middle class, on that amount of money in Oklahoma. However I am far from rich, or even upper middle class. That 80K is the cut off point for stimulus now (150K for married couples)... but the notion that the stimulus is a life changer or even a month's bills for most of us is ridiculous... though it can get to useful levels if you have lots of kids or dependents. We have a guy at work here with 10 kids, so that was a 14K stimulus for him, his wife and their brood.

Greetings!

Yeah, 80K/year is an excellent income, just about anywhere. Depending on how good you are at staying debt free, and keeping your monthly expenses to a minimum, you can live like a *king*.

When I was first working in sales, years ago now, I was netting just over a thousand a week after expenses. I had more money than I knew what to do with, and I was making *less than* 80K/year. Fine clothes, restaurants, hotels, weekend parties for 20-30 people, weekend getaways up the coast, plus building regular savings every week in my accounts, there really wasn't much that I couldn't easily afford to do. You add a girlfriend or wife on top of that where she makes a similar income in the 50K-80K/year range, and your lifestyle is non-stop fun and growing progress.

Semper Fidelis,

SHARK

Quote from: shuddemell on April 15, 2021, 01:58:51 PM

Quote from: Brad on April 14, 2021, 12:08:50 PM

Quote from: shuddemell on April 14, 2021, 10:06:11 AMNo, actually they didn't. Unless you consider making over 80K rich.

$80k won't even get you a middle-class lifestyle in the rural south, much less on the coasts...but for some reason people who think working fries at McDonalds is a "career" also think anyone making six figures is driving a Bentley to their helipad.

I live pretty well, certainly middle class, on that amount of money in Oklahoma. However I am far from rich, or even upper middle class. That 80K is the cut off point for stimulus now (150K for married couples)... but the notion that the stimulus is a life changer or even a month's bills for most of us is ridiculous... though it can get to useful levels if you have lots of kids or dependents. We have a guy at work here with 10 kids, so that was a 14K stimulus for him, his wife and their brood.

The stimulus combined with unemployment no questions asked and boosted unemployment and no evictions has hurt employers of lower end pay scale people.  I have a friend who need warehouse folks and he just can't find anyone who wants to work for $15 and hour. They make more than that unemployed.  I don't know how that's all going to work out longer them but it's like having a dungeon crawl and the fighter stays home.  I mean everyone limps along but it's really distorted.

Quote from: Bunch on April 15, 2021, 10:54:59 PM

Quote from: shuddemell on April 15, 2021, 01:58:51 PM

Quote from: Brad on April 14, 2021, 12:08:50 PM

Quote from: shuddemell on April 14, 2021, 10:06:11 AMNo, actually they didn't. Unless you consider making over 80K rich.

$80k won't even get you a middle-class lifestyle in the rural south, much less on the coasts...but for some reason people who think working fries at McDonalds is a "career" also think anyone making six figures is driving a Bentley to their helipad.

I live pretty well, certainly middle class, on that amount of money in Oklahoma. However I am far from rich, or even upper middle class. That 80K is the cut off point for stimulus now (150K for married couples)... but the notion that the stimulus is a life changer or even a month's bills for most of us is ridiculous... though it can get to useful levels if you have lots of kids or dependents. We have a guy at work here with 10 kids, so that was a 14K stimulus for him, his wife and their brood.

The stimulus combined with unemployment no questions asked and boosted unemployment and no evictions has hurt employers of lower end pay scale people.  I have a friend who need warehouse folks and he just can't find anyone who wants to work for $15 and hour. They make more than that unemployed.  I don't know how that's all going to work out longer them but it's like having a dungeon crawl and the fighter stays home.  I mean everyone limps along but it's really distorted.

That's fine, small business owners are bad for employees.

Quote

The stimulus combined with unemployment no questions asked and boosted unemployment and no evictions has hurt employers of lower end pay scale people.  I have a friend who need warehouse folks and he just can't find anyone who wants to work for $15 and hour. They make more than that unemployed.  I don't know how that's all going to work out longer them but it's like having a dungeon crawl and the fighter stays home.  I mean everyone limps along but it's really distorted.

Quote

That's fine, small business owners are bad for employees.

Thanks for the input Mr Bezos.

Recently talked to a manager at a fast food joint, he said they opened and shut back down, because nobody wants to work when they can get government money. They can keep the drive-thru running with minimal staff, but that's it. Said it's happening to all the fast food restaurants in the area.

Same with a friend who works in another industry with lots of low-wage workers, and travels around the country. They normally have people who call them constantly looking for work, but now those same people won't even answer the phone.

Quote from: Pat on April 16, 2021, 08:09:40 AM
Recently talked to a manager at a fast food joint, he said they opened and shut back down, because nobody wants to work when they can get government money. They can keep the drive-thru running with minimal staff, but that's it. Said it's happening to all the fast food restaurants in the area.

Same with a friend who works in another industry with lots of low-wage workers, and travels around the country. They normally have people who call them constantly looking for work, but now those same people won't even answer the phone.

Even here in Florida, where everything is opened, it's the same issue, people don't want to work when they can suck off big government teat.

I've been out of work since last year. Got laid off about mid-summer. My unemployment got extended with Covid benefits, increased with the latest stimulus, and there are no job search requirements until further notice. My state is at phase 3 lockdowns, with a few counties returning to phase 2.

I've done some looking for work, I wouldn't turn a job offer down if it was around my pay rate and in my field, but if the government wants to give me money to stay home, that's their decision. I feel not one whit guilty about it.

Clown world accelerating at an astounding rate! How long before the US becomes 100% communist? Five years?

Quote from: Godsmonkey on April 16, 2021, 07:44:35 AM
Thanks for the input Mr Bezos.

Average lower pay, fewer benefits, exemptions from labor law requirements bc of size, harder to unionize if you're into that kinda thing. Small businesses are a shit deal for anyone but the owner.

Quote from: Ratman_tf on April 16, 2021, 09:23:10 AM
I've been out of work since last year. Got laid off about mid-summer. My unemployment got extended with Covid benefits, increased with the latest stimulus, and there are no job search requirements until further notice. My state is at phase 3 lockdowns, with a few counties returning to phase 2.

I've done some looking for work, I wouldn't turn a job offer down if it was around my pay rate and in my field, but if the government wants to give me money to stay home, that's their decision. I feel not one whit guilty about it.

But the dignity, man, what about the dignity.