Random Chat, Thoughts, Posts, and/or Rants Thread

[AceVentures]

A child without one would be seen as a weirdo and would miss out on interactions with their peers.

Encouraging them to conform will set them up for failure.

F*ck fitting in.

I'm raising my kids in a way they'll be free to be even weirder than me.

The last thing I want is for my kids to be like the rest of the lot;

afraid,
confused,
insecure,
stubborn,
compulsive,
stupid,
and weak

Another brick in the wall.

Australia being totalitarian or a good idea?

Parents should have the autonomy to raise their children as they see fit.

The government should refrain from imposing mandatory behavioral regulations, especially concerning children.

The state claims to protect children's safety, but perhaps what it truly fears is their growing independence.

Many will soon realize that these policies and their accompanying rhetoric are merely euphemisms for censorship and thought control.

 

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[MJ DeMarco]

So @Kak your accountant makes $4,000 per hour. Who needs a Fastlane at those rates?

But, this is also making me dissolve alot of unused LLCs too. That costs way more at $75 each.

My payroll provider offers the same BOIR service for $49.

I checked my email and one of my past attorney's offered it at $115, + $25 for each owner.

My current attorney sent me a notice about it with full instructions on how to do it.

He didn't offer any ridiculous cost to do it himself, just a "heads-up" and here's how to do it.

This requirement is likely becoming a boondoggle for those who don't take the 10m to figure it out.

 

[Kak]

So @Kak your accountant makes $4,000 per hour. Who needs a Fastlane at those rates?

Yeah, I pay him about $3500 per year now just to do my business and personal returns, and I basically do everything for him. I have been with him for 15 years. I wonder what he charges a new client.

He screws something up every year too.

I had a friend that makes 5x more money than me and is still using TurboTax laughing at me on the golf course yesterday.

 

[Xeon]

https://www.sfgate.com/tech/article/bay-area-chegg-layoffs-blames-google-ai-19913481.php

"the company had lost more than 500,000 subscribers"

 

[Kevin88660]

BTW, I checked me emails and had 2 regarding these. One CPA firm was charging $400 each. One law firm was charging $350 each.

That’s an obscene offer to do some data entry task.

 

[MTF]

That's an excellent point. The sad thing is, they probably already know who's posting what. Still, this is a valid concern, especially when the scolds and jackboots come calling, and you lose your livelihood or freedom for posting an inconvenient fact. It does seem, however, that there's got to be a better system than what we have now.

You're back! We need an update. Are you still publishing books?

 

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[Xeon]

Looking at this graph alone (doesn't matter what it is), would you bet on the blue one or the red and yellow ones? Assuming it's a product.

 

[Supa]

As an ex smoker myself, who quit by reading Allen Carr's The Easy Way book, this video is fantastic in making me never want to touch a cigarette again.

View: https://youtu.be/_rBPwu2uS-w?si=gtXWLaw09C8mqEjM

 

[EngineerThis]

Speaking as a parent, here's why: When all of the other kids are using social media to chat, share news, and plan outings, your own child will be isolated if they don't. Today's parents are in a real catch-22. It's worse in affluent areas, because literally every single kid has cell phones and social media accounts. A child without one would be seen as a weirdo and would miss out on interactions with their peers.

It really sucks.

Personally, I'd be in favor a ban until 18 years old. This way, kids can socialize the old-fashioned, healthy way. I used to lean more libertarian in such things, but I've lately come to realize that as it stands now, the very worst people gravitate toward power, and they have zero interest in protecting our kids. Sure a "libertarian choose-your-own-adventure utopia" sounds great in theory, but in practice, there's no such thing.

My daughter is definitely going to be a weirdo haha.

As an ex smoker myself, who quit by reading Allen Carr's The Easy Way book, this video is fantastic in making me never want to touch a cigarette again.

View: https://youtu.be/_rBPwu2uS-w?si=gtXWLaw09C8mqEjM

Ive been happily sober for 2 years by Allen Carrs Easyway to stop drinking! Awesome you had good results too!

 

[Kevin88660]

View attachment 60450

Looking at this graph alone (doesn't matter what it is), would you bet on the blue one or the red and yellow ones? Assuming it's a product.

Blue

 

[MJ DeMarco]

https://edition.cnn.com/2024/11/06/australia/australia-social-media-ban-children-intl-hnk/index.html
Australia being totalitarian or a good idea?

@MJ DeMarco I'm curious what you think.

I'm not sure what I think.

On one hand, I hate government overreach and nanny-statism.

On the other, I understand that most humans won't do what is necessary to insulate their children from this destruction, when they suffer from the same affliction themselves. Also, for many parents, give your child a device and it frees up your time as your kid is distracted with endless scrolling. Now the parent feels like they got some of their time back.

We don't need good laws.
We need good parents.

 

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[Supa]

We don't need good laws.
We need good parents.

Problem is the big amount of parents who do not care about learning the things that would make them good parents.

I‘d guess that most people on here love to learn things, to read, watch and listen to things that help them become better, so for those of us who are/become parents, we‘d probably do the same in this area. But others don‘t. And it can be really frustrating to see someone hand their child of 3 years a tablet just so they are quiet.

 

[ChickenHawk]

You're back! We need an update. Are you still publishing books?

Lol! Yes and no. I've released just a few since my last update, but haven't quite gotten my mojo back. There are lots of factors involved, including burnout, the high cost of advertising, and some family issues that needed tending. How about you?

 

[MJ DeMarco]

the high cost of advertising

Amazon has become completely pay-to-play, no?

 

[ChickenHawk]

Amazon has become completely pay-to-play, no?

Pretty much! Or, if I wanted to be optimistic, I would say almost completely. I've found that if I advertise some books heavily, they will eventually get some algo-love from Amazon, along with some promo opportunities, but it takes quite a bit to get there.

It's also become easier to actually lose money on publishing a book. I had this happen with some shortish books I published a couple of years ago. Amazon made money. Facebook made money. I didn't.

Ever since Amazon started running ads on their site, it's been a real challenge.

 

[Antifragile]

 

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[MTF]

Lol! Yes and no. I've released just a few since my last update, but haven't quite gotten my mojo back. There are lots of factors involved, including burnout, the high cost of advertising, and some family issues that needed tending. How about you?

Thanks for the update. I completely gave it up.

 

[StrikingViper69]

Thanks for the update. I completely gave it up.

Are you not releasing new books with your old books still available, or have you removed them from being for sale completely?

 

[MTF]

Are you not releasing new books with your old books still available, or have you removed them from being for sale completely?

It's still all there, I just stopped publishing anything new.

 

[StrikingViper69]

It's still all there, I just stopped publishing anything new.

Do you get any sales?

 

[MTF]

Do you get any sales?

Yes, my earnings haven't really changed that much since I stopped publishing about 3 years ago.

 

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[andyhaus44]

Recently swapped social media with this forum, increased the friction by deleting the apps and made it obvious with having the fastlane icon on my homescreen. One of the best decisions I’ve made this year. Sometimes breaking a bad habit is as simple as swapping it

 

[ChickenHawk]

Yes, my earnings haven't really changed that much since I stopped publishing about 3 years ago.

I'm trying to decide if it's a good thing, as in you're still making a decent income in spite of no publishing activity, or if it's a bad thing because your self-pub earnings have dropped too low to matter. Are you still advertising?

In my very worst year (2023), I did very little advertising, spending an average of $400/month. During that time, my net earnings averaged around $1,100 a month. ($1,500 gross - $400 = $1,100). On one hand, this is pretty pathetic compared to those goldrush years. On the other hand, this is pretty incredible considering that I didn't publish a single new book during that timeframe.

It does seem that having a good backlist is key. If you have 20-plus titles, for example, you might lose money to snag a new reader, but gain that money back in the long run when they go on to read other books.

 

[FJ123]

I saw Trump selling a bible for $1,000 earlier. Makes you realise that you don't need an original idea to make money.

 

[Private Witt]

Mike Tyson or the clown Paul going to win?

 

[Gypsy Soul]

Mike Tyson or the clown Paul going to win?

Tyson

 

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[Kevin88660]

Mike Tyson or the clown Paul going to win?

Is it going to be a real fight or they have secret deals and internally decided rules for these money fights?

I fight it hard to believe Paul’s previous wins over mma champions who are much younger than Mike.

View: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=CPcBiI4mUNA&t=3s&pp=ygUSTWlrZSB2cyBkb25uZXkgeWVu

 

[Gypsy Soul]

Is it going to be a real fight or they have secret deals and internally decided rules for these money fights?

I fight it hard to believe Paul’s previous wins over mma champions who are much younger than Mike.

Should be entertaining. Tyson still has some sting left in him.

 

[Kevin88660]

Should be entertaining. Tyson still has some sting left in him.

I was thinking it could be staged for Paul’s victory.

Afterall this is Tyson’s last fight for retirement money.

After Paul’s victory over Tyson his pay per view value will skyrocket further.

 

[MitchC]

Mike Tyson or the clown Paul going to win?

Tyson vs jones was a draw and you couldn’t bet on a draw clearly a rigged scam

Pretty sure all the other Paul brothers opponents have been fake knocked out

I’m going Paul wins by fake knockout

But I bet on draw and each guy on decision

So long as no one gets knocked out I’m happy