Re: Random Thoughts

[das_boot]

Oh absolutely, and I think what’s difficult is that there are whitecishet (which honestly, I’m not attacking anyone who identifies as such, I tick two of those boxes myself), who would have talked about experiences like SK did, but then add “SO I DO KNOW HOW THE GAYS AND THE BLACKS AND THE TRANS FEEL AND YOUR ARGUMENT IS INVALID”— now, it’s not so much the “I do know how you feel” statements that I get AS annoyed by because when that’s thrown it out it’s technically correct based on anecdotal evidence. They have, at some point in their life, potentially been the only white person or straight person or man in the room— it’s when people use that as an invalidation of the original statement that I find so patronising and narrow minded (almost as narrow minded as my statement that caused SK to shoot me down when I said he’s likely to have never been the only white man in a room ). Like a person might have experienced it a handful of times and may not even have noticed it. I’m always HYPER conscious of if I’m the only gay in the room/office/social setting/village and I can imagine it’s the same for people who are of any other ethnicity than white. There’s almost that thing of “oh there’s another one of my lot here, so I’m safer”, and that THAT is the statement that I don’t think a lot of non-minority folk appreciate.

[Spectral Knight]

I promise, I didn't intend for it to be a shoot down at all

In the experiences I mentioned, I don't think they're necessarily the same in any case to the examples you guys were talking about. Like whilst yeah its a teeny bit annoying to not being able to follow the conversation sometimes, or not know something super obvious to those in the local market, I get why I wouldn't necessarily have it explained to me either and I'm not sure someone who fit my demographic but who lived in either place wouldn't have picked it up. So that's more a cultural acclimatisation thing, I guess? (I know Brits who made the move to the HQs in both cases and they seemed to settle down okay).

[Spectral Knight]

So I've been in the States since Saturday evening and two things stand out.

Things have got REALLY expensive since our last trip in 2017
US taxes are weird. The amount of times I've gone up to a till to pay what I presume is the price (given that's what's on the label) with close to the exact amount in bills, only to find myself scrambling around for sharpnel, as actually some completely arbitrary number gets added on at the end. Just put the overall price on the label instead please, and save me a world of confusion.

[Jindianajonz]

Yeah, the tax thing is pretty annoying. I've heard we do it that way because a) taxes vary city to city and change fairly frequently, so including tax would mean a lot of work keeping labels up to date, and b) customers underestimate prices and buy more when taxes aren't posted. I'm guessing the latter is a much bigger factor than the former. What really bugs me is that not posting tax results in lots of change being used in purchases instead of nice flat values.

[Blackcyclops]

Yeah, the tax thing is pretty annoying. I've heard we do it that way because a) taxes vary city to city and change fairly frequently, so including tax would mean a lot of work keeping labels up to date, and b) customers underestimate prices and buy more when taxes aren't posted. I'm guessing the latter is a much bigger factor than the former. What really bugs me is that not posting tax results in lots of change being used in purchases instead of nice flat values.

Thank Federalism lol

[Spectral Knight]

Even if there was some obvious signage at what you should expect to pay in tax on the $ would help. It's like the shitiest lottery ticket ever.

[Blackcyclops]

Even if there was some obvious signage at what you should expect to pay in tax on the $ would help. It's like the shitiest lottery ticket ever.

Basically they assume that ever person knows the sales tax in ever city/township. It’s ridiculous…

Now in Delaware, no sales tax lol

[Jindianajonz]

Even if there was some obvious signage at what you should expect to pay in tax on the $ would help. It's like the shitiest lottery ticket ever.

The problem is that there are sometimes different taxes for different products. Cigarettes are going to have a higher tax than paper towels, and I believe a lot of food products have lower taxes than normal goods. Then you have things like bottle recycling redemption fees where a glass bottle of milk has an additional $2 charge, but you get than money back if you return the bottle. I've honestly never even looked at it too closely- i just assume that there's gonna be an extra 10-20% on anything I buy.

What are you doing in the states? I hope you weren't planning a grand getaway to Yellowstone!

Yeah, the tax thing is pretty annoying. I've heard we do it that way because a) taxes vary city to city and change fairly frequently, so including tax would mean a lot of work keeping labels up to date, and b) customers underestimate prices and buy more when taxes aren't posted. I'm guessing the latter is a much bigger factor than the former. What really bugs me is that not posting tax results in lots of change being used in purchases instead of nice flat values.

Thank Federalism lol

What do you mean? I'll admit not having a great grasp on the terminology, but I'd think that the splintering of different rules between different localities is a symptom of anti-federalism.

[Blackcyclops]

Federalism is the idea that some powers are allocated to the national government and some to the other local governments (states, cities,county, etc). Taxes are one of those things (although tbf we originally had no national income taxes anyway…except tariffs which are sorta taxes too) where each local government has so much leeway that for soMeone from a country with stronger nationalization of such things would be confused.

Like how police departments are super-balkanized and diffuse or our education system. To foreigners both would blow their minds at how confusing it all is…

[Spectral Knight]

I'm on honeymoon, Jindiana. Staying in the heart of American capitalism; DisneyWorld.

[Jindianajonz]

I'd say please don't judge the rest of us based on Florida, but if your biggest complaint is the misleading pricing, it sounds like you're doing pretty well!

My first visit to Florida was a business trip to Destin about 10 years ago. I woke up early the first day and went to a nearby Waffle House (since I'd never been before) and at 6:30am saw two separate fistfights in the 45 mins I spent there! That ended up being pretty representative of my other Florida trips.

[EvilMonkeyPope]

Can you boost your connection to The Force with Midichlorian enhancing drugs?

[BardicOne]

What bugs me more than the taxes is people rounding DOWN dollar amounts. Price tag says $2.97. Dude tells his buddies "Yeah it's two dollars". No bro it's 3 dollars if you are rounding off. Always round up with money because then you build a buffer if you calculate sales tax wrong.

I hate being such a logical jerk.

[EvilMonkeyPope]

RIP Tim Sale

[Spectral Knight]

I'd say please don't judge the rest of us based on Florida, but if your biggest complaint is the misleading pricing, it sounds like you're doing pretty well!

My first visit to Florida was a business trip to Destin about 10 years ago. I woke up early the first day and went to a nearby Waffle House (since I'd never been before) and at 6:30am saw two separate fistfights in the 45 mins I spent there! That ended up being pretty representative of my other Florida trips.

It's the third time I've been to Florida, and I think the 6th time in total I've been to the US. Each time I'm met with some inane process or unintuitive system.

Today at Seaworld was a great example. Foot note says 5% surcharge will be added prior to tax on all checks. So why for the love of all that is holy do they not simplify matters and put the price inclusive of surcharge. Its designed to confuse, I'm sure of it.

I am amazed at the difference between table service servers who couldn't be (over) friendly enough, to the complete lack of logic or humanity from quick service counters. Any question is seemingly met with a vacant look, as if they've injected spice directly into their eye sockets.

[tokenBG1009]

RIP Tim Sale

I don't know if it's because it was like 4 AM when I read it, but Spider-Man: Blue is the only comic that had me in tears.

[EphemeristX]

Today at Seaworld was a great example. Foot note says 5% surcharge will be added prior to tax on all checks. So why for the love of all that is holy do they not simplify matters and put the price inclusive of surcharge. Its designed to confuse, I'm sure of it.

Partly, it's due to psychology. $1.99 plus tax looks cheaper than $2.09.

[Spectral Knight]

But isn't there a psychological pushback at the point of payment when it rings up more than it is expected to be? (This footnote on the surcharge was tiny so I can imagine quite a few punters would miss it)

I reckon customers (well, certainly this customer) would be less ticked off at a higher but transparent price than a bolted on extra at the point of order. For me, it's a service fail.

[EphemeristX]

There is, but for most, a percent surcharge or a tax is kind of a nebulous thing and most aren't really doing the mental math. In the US, at least, we're also sorta conditioned to just accept it.

[Blackcyclops]

The amount of anti-trans bills being propagated across the country are really sickening.

[tokenBG1009]

Well, when you have a Supreme Court majority that seems willing to throw shit out that's been settled you start storming the gates. They know every bill is going to be challenged, and most likely struck down, in the lower courts. They WANT these bills to go to the Supreme Court so the Trump three can be the deciding factor.

If the Supreme Court were 5-4 Left leaning these bills wouldn't be as nearly prolific.

[tokenBG1009]

So, funny story considering today's terrible news. When we found out this was coming I basically got on board with getting a vasectomy. I had my appointment on Monday and while there my doctor was like "Is your girlfriend okay with this?" I had to resist laughing as I told him "She's the one who made the appointment."

Also, funny that Justice Thomas also said we should look into looking into the decisions that permitted contraceptives, being gay, and gay marriage. Funny he didn't say anything about the decision allowing interracial marriages. Wonder why?

[Blackcyclops]

I’m of two minds about abortion. The first is one of a libertarian inclination: I’m not a woman and it doesn’t involve me, so I personally have no say so in the manner. Now if it was with my partner, then we’d make a decision on that based on our situation…it’s why I never understood why straight men care so much about who gay men have sex with. Like bro, they don’t want you! So calm down and mind your business lol

On the other hand, my progressive mind see’s women having access to the full range of health care is essential for women to have a life of equity. Which is why I agree with the late RBG that Roe vs Wade should’ve been decided based on the 14th Amendment’s equality framework. But I’m sensible enough (and familiar with the case enough) to know that the privacy argument probably sounded stronger at the time.

[tokenBG1009]

My opinion on abortion is: It doesn't matter what my opinion on abortion is because I'm not a child bearing person and it isn't my body so why the hell should I have any say in it?

[das_boot]

I hate that there are active threads on Twitter telling people in one of the wealthiest countries on the planet which specific herbs and seeds they can ingest to trigger a miscarriage. There’s such a disconnect there.