William Brown4 said:David Vaughn75 seems to have forgotten what things actually cost, even for people who studied in America. No one owes the government anything back; we already pay massive taxes to cover our education and healthcare. Every working American isn't getting "free" medical care—they're paying for it through heavy taxation. That's the whole catch.
Let's stop acting like the state is handing us gifts. We get exactly what we pay for. We pay a lot, so we expect a lot.
I mean, it's not really a "gift," but let's be real—some things are just way too expensive for most people to handle on their own. That's kind of why those systems rely on a certain level of social safety nets and solidarity, right?
Jessica Kelly4 said:Once they perfect the Meta Quest in a few years, the streets will be empty. Only funeral homes will stay busy, picking up folks who forgot their stomachs exist in the real world while their heads are stuck in VR. 😁
Lol, funny thought 🙂 by the way, have you seen that movie with Bruce Willis called Surrogates?
Aaron Barrett79 said:The real kicker is that automating a factory line isn't about public opinion—it’s just about tech availability and the bottom line. If a boss can swap in a robot where the monthly $33 electricity bill is the only cost—plus it doesn't call in sick, never gets tired, and doesn't have a union (😁)—then they aren't looking for a human worker...
I was mostly just referring to how those kinds of systems already exist today. Since some folks were messing around with stuff over in Japan.
Most of what you see out there are just first or second-gen robots. They aren't even close to the actual AI people usually have in mind when they talk about robotics.
But hey, let's be real—replacing certain jobs with automated systems? That’s been happening for ages already.
What worries me, personally, is the total lack of actual reform and how they're handling this whole hospital merger analysis. It's the sheer incompetence that gets to me, especially looking at those endless waiting lists...
And you honestly think these reforms will be handled by people who don't even understand the laws within their own backyard? 😍
You don't really write about the heavy stuff much. But things like this happen on all sorts of levels, every single day.
Just because I don't post about it doesn't mean I'm not watching everything unfold...
And just because these things happen every day doesn't make them any kind of normal...
Let alone an excuse for why nobody should be stepping down from their positions...
The real issue, if you ask me, is that there just aren't any boundaries left anymore...
Incompetence has become such a standard part of the landscape that it barely even draws a second glance...
Much less prompts anyone to actually demand a resignation or offer one up themselves...
It isn't just about theft being a sign of immorality...
A person can lose their integrity in so many other ways, and this current Administration is doing a perfect job of demonstrating exactly that...
Facts and truths aren't "paranoia." It’s kind of funny, actually—you weren't even remotely making these kinds of demands or bringing up these topics back in the day. It really makes you wonder about what's actually driving 🙂
James Patel20 said:Sure, let's just go ahead and downplay the whole situation and the very thing that started it all...☕
Just try to imagine if those cabinet members were actually working for you at your own private company...
How many of them would you actually be able to tolerate?...
But you see, the members of the Administration are essentially our employees, because the American people handed them that job during the election...
So please, stop spreading this nonsense that the government sits above the people...
I mean, why are the two of us even pretending to have a debate when we both know what's really going on here.
For me, it's more about the lack of actual reforms and how they're handling that hospital merger analysis. Honestly, the incompetence just gets to me, and don't even get me started on the waiting lists. You don't seem to write much about stuff like that, though. And man, this kind of mess happens every single day at all sorts of levels.
James Patel20 said:Did Holland actually rely on a law that isn't even valid anymore?
I honestly wonder if you realize the sheer level of incompetence, ignorance, and total lack of capability being shown when a government department tries to cite a law that hasn't been in effect for ages...
Look, everyone messes up. That's why we have oversight agencies for a reason. It’s happened with other administrations too, just in different ways.
But honestly, the real issue is something else entirely. Though, this probably isn't even your thing to dive into regarding 🙂
Man, nobody would lose their job over an example like that.
Even in Holland, they had a rule ruled unconstitutional, and you don't see anyone calling for heads to roll or demanding resignations. They just wrote a new one and moved on.
That’s literally why the whole constitutionality check exists in the first place.
Honestly, as long as you're still in college, regardless of how old you actually are, parents still carry some level of responsibility for their kid. Sure, maybe you've got a little side hustle to cover your own coffee and snacks, and yeah, you're an adult now, but that doesn't mean a dad can just check out or act like he doesn't care. My own mom was pretty tough on me sometimes—kind of intense, if I'm being real—but looking back, I honestly can't help but be grateful for how she handled things. If we'd been left to our own devices during those years, we probably would've tried way too much stuff, and let's face it, things could have gone south really fast. Just my two cents.
So, this user Henry Hernandez7 is basically just twisting facts and trying to bend the law to fit his own little narrative.
He’s straight-up admitted in his posts that he has people working under the table without paying any payroll taxes or social security. That flies in the face of everything in US law. Plus, as an employer, he’s totally dodging the responsibility of making sure those workers actually get the retirement benefits they've earned through their hard work when the time comes. I won't even get started on how much damage this does to the country itself—the "shadow economy" is massive, and some estimates say it eats up a huge chunk of the federal budget. We can all agree that's a massive weight on the government to carry. To put it in his own words, it’s a direct hit on everyday citizens by draining the national treasury, and a direct hit on the workers themselves because they aren't building up their pensions or having health insurance coverage. It basically screws over their rights and their future stability.
On top of that, he keeps pushing this idea that anyone criticizing his way of doing things is just "anti-worker" or "anti-business." Honestly, that's just not true. It's pretty obvious he's just trying to paint critics as being malicious to deflect from the actual issue. Look, we all know our economy has its struggles and getting it back on track is super important, but that shouldn't happen by breaking the law—which is exactly what I'm talking about here. By breaking the rules and cutting corners on taxes, you're just creating even bigger headaches down the road. So, my take is that sticking to this model isn't good, it's not helpful, and it needs to be penalized. We really need to think about the long-term consequences.
Given all that, I can only see what he's asking for as pure hypocrisy. At the end of the day, you have to wonder what kind of society we're raising our kids in if parents are teaching them—and apparently encouraging them—that it's perfectly fine to cheat the system, dodge responsibility, and screw over workers.
If you’re only planning on heading over there every two weeks, honestly? I’d just hold off. With WWDC coming up in ten days, they’re almost certainly gonna drop a whole new lineup of iMacs. I mean, look, the current ones aren't bad by any means, but since Apple does this annual refresh thing, it feels like a total waste to pull the trigger now when new gear is right around the corner. (Back home, we usually see those older models hit a 15-20% discount once the new stuff lands—probably happens over here too, so if you're watching your budget and you've already found a model you dig, maybe... but still) Also, just a heads-up on the keyboard situation: if you buy it from the States, you’re stuck with either the US layout or whatever specific local version comes in the box. You can't really swap it out easily since it's all packaged together. Software-wise, though, you shouldn't have any issues since you're buying it directly through their site.
boldridge51 said:Look, I get it. I know I have to watch every single megabyte. I can't even download a decent game or binge a few shows without stressing out. But I'm also stuck in college right now, and if I went to my parents asking for unlimited high-speed internet, they'd just look at me like I'm crazy. They'd be like, "Why? You just want to stream movies and play games all day? Go study!" So, honestly, I'm actually okay with this 15 GB limit since I was basically living on 5 GB before. That was the real nightmare.🙂
🤣
Where’s that student hustle at? Just tell them you need it for schoolwork. Tell them you've got online lectures, tons of research to do, and stuff you need to download for class. Just frame it as needing reliable access to the info you need to pass your courses.
It’s pretty obvious the Mac crowd just has a stronger sense of logic here... 🙏
I'm just asking a totally normal question, but honestly, besides making huge sweeping statements about how everything sucks, you don't really have anything smarter to say, do you? 🙂 Look, there are hundreds of threads about PCs all over this place, so why not just go hang out in those and enjoy them? Is anyone here actually forcing you to use a Mac? No. Nobody's forcing you. Buy whatever you want... just leave us alone so we can help the users who actually have questions.
Obviously you're just trolling at this point. Are you even an actual Mac user if you're gonna sit there and talk about security being trash? If you actually are, then hey, just tell me what's bugging you so we can actually hash it out and talk. But yeah, go ahead and keep enjoying that "super uber" computer of yours...
Jeffrey Bennett13 said:The iMac is such a rip-off... you drop $1,300 and end up with a Core 2 Duo, an HD 5670, and maybe 2 gigs of RAM? For that kind of cash, you should be getting one of the most powerful rigs ever built... and look, I’m not saying go out and grab an HP just to say it’s better than a Mac, because let's be real, those aren't great either, but you can't just compare them like that..
Honestly, the people actually using them are the ones who get to decide if it sucks or not. I feel like this kind of post is totally out of place here. This whole "Mac vs. PC" trolling thing is just exhausting. Just because you think it's garbage doesn't mean everyone else does. Every computer is built for someone specific, right? It meets certain needs. Plus, the specs you're throwing out for that iMac version are completely wrong anyway. And seriously, let's just accept reality: a Mac is a Mac, and a PC is a PC (meaning Windows-based). Can we please stop with the aggressive spec-warring...
It’s not like they’re emitting anything more than just other carbon emissions, honestly. Besides, Apple products are actually pretty green when it comes to sustainability 🙂
Aham, honestly, just hold out until the summer when the new models drop 🙂 This whole lineup is basically on its way out.
Not sure about the best way to buy one... personally, I just went with cash through Craigslist, they don't really ask questions about who you are 🙂 Man, all their sales suck, except for when the new stuff arrives and they start slashing prices on old stock to clear the shelves. That's the only thing I've noticed that actually works. Most of those other big retail expos are just trying to offload ancient models at prices that aren't even that great. You might find some decent peripherals there, but as for actual Macs? Not worth it.
Henry Kim3 said:Pffff, you’d honestly be shocked at how much abuse this rig takes before it gives up... 😁
I mean, I've got so many books open, research papers, random software, some game running in the background, movies, downloads... pffffff, there's just so much stuff running at once. Sometimes I'll have everything active for like 18 hours straight and I actually find myself surprised—thanking God the machine can even handle it all... 😁
Not sure about you, man, but my laptop's been basically melting for over three weeks now, so 😁 Your Windows will hold up too.
Henry Kim3 said:Yeah, obviously...! So, uh, which version of Windows 7 is actually worth installing: Home Premium, Professional, or Ultimate? Personally, I just grabbed Windows 7 SP1 Ultimate...!
Honestly, they're all pretty much the same thing. I've messed around with both Home Premium and Ultimate before, and right now I'm running Professional on a virtual machine and everything works just fine. For what you're doing at home, any of them will get the job done.