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

[Antifragile]

Anyone else tempted to Yolo on Alibaba stock at this point? I’m not going to, but I’m sure I’ll look back on this post in a year and wish I had the balls.

No, Ali-pay is the name of the game for this company and the government of China is coming out with their own payment system. How long before Ali-pay is history?

Remind me a year from now, let’s see who was right.

 

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[Kak]

Simple factual note: If a company ever uses the words "Better" (Better Mortgage) or "Honest" (Honest Electricians) in their name, they are anything but better or honest, actually expect the exact opposite: Worst and dishonest.

“Honest company” diapers… You can barely call them diapers. LOL

I bet they are a certified “B Corporation.” I need to boycott that entire list of virtue signaling communist companies.

 

[Guest-5ty5s4]

No, Ali-pay is the name of the game for this company and the government of China is coming out with their own payment system. How long before Ali-pay is history?

Remind me a year from now, let’s see who was right.

I figured alibaba and the Chinese government were already pretty closely tied to one another.

 

[Antifragile]

I figured alibaba and the Chinese government were already pretty closely tied to one another.

Jack Ma did a few little things to piss off the powers that be…The Ma empire is worth half what it was 9 months ago.
The process is not over. Beijing is now doling out some of the most lucrative slices of Ma’s business to new “partners” of its choosing. Ma’s assets have been stripped, shorn, and degraded (“rectified” is the English word often given as the translation for whatever verb in Chinese describes what Beijing is doing to his businesses).

Edit: in a twisted way, being that Ma is getting f**ed, you are right, they are as close as it can get just not in a good way. Ouch…

 

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[Guest-5ty5s4]

Jack Ma did a few little things to piss off the powers that be…The Ma empire is worth half what it was 9 months ago.
The process is not over. Beijing is now doling out some of the most lucrative slices of Ma’s business to new “partners” of its choosing. Ma’s assets have been stripped, shorn, and degraded (“rectified” is the English word often given as the translation for whatever verb in Chinese describes what Beijing is doing to his businesses).

So basically, it IS becoming even moreso the government of China’s corporation.

Sounds pretty awful to me.

 

[Antifragile]

So basically, it IS becoming even moreso the government of China’s corporation.

Sounds pretty awful to me.

My read of it is not a takeover by the government, but a slice and dice situation. In short, I wouldn’t invest.

 

[Guest-5ty5s4]

My read of it is not a takeover by the government, but a slice and dice situation. In short, I wouldn’t invest.

It will probably still be highly valuable under the umbrella of China, Inc.

And I would say the government slicing up the company and selling it to their political buddies is not much different than a government takeover.

Either way, it’s not capitalism, it’s not property rights, and it is corrupt...

 

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[Antifragile]

Property rights in China doesn’t exist, especially real estate - all owned by the state. Citizens lease the property over long term. But there is zero ownership.

Yet, when the government needs your property for infrastructure projects (like road expansions), they treat current “owners” amazingly well. Instead of fair market value, you often get a lot more than that.

And by being selective in their generosity, the country avoids a revolution!

 

[MJ DeMarco]

Is this a random post or is there a story behind this?

Yes, but I'll have to leave that story to a later date and behind the INSIDERS pay wall.

Property rights in China doesn’t exist, especially real estate - all owned by the state. Citizens lease the property over long term. But there is zero ownership.

How is this any different than the US? We simply have one extra level built in with pseudo ownership, just as long as you pay the property taxes, aka, rent.

The state owns everything by virtue of property taxes (your rent fee, no matter how much you owe/don't owe on the property). The only difference between the US and China is semantics, and that our one extra level gives us more rights in the perceived ownership, like becoming a landlord, on top your tenantship from the state.

 

[biophase]

Anyone have an e-bike?

I rode one recently and they are amazing. Looking at getting a pair of e mountain bikes now.

I got a pair of Specialized Turbo Levo’s. They are great alternative for my “rest” days. I can’t be climbing mountains everyday anymore!

 

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[Madame Peccato]

Not C0VlD or Vax related, but I've done it again. Another 3060, 3070ti and 3080ti to install tonight. Next week I might get my hands on 8x 3060ti cards

Where do you even get these? Here they're all 3x MSRP...if you manage to find one

 

[Kak]

Where do you even get these? Here they're all 3x MSRP...if manage to find one

I know, it’s like voodoo magic. He tells me all about it and his madness is still impossible to replicate.

 

[Madame Peccato]

I know, it’s like voodoo magic. He tells me all about it and his madness is still impossible to replicate.

I know right. What kind of dark magic is that? Finding THREE new GPUs at once?

Here's a not so fun GPU story.

Around the end of June my GPU wasn't working properly. My PC would turn off under heavy load (codeword for: I was playing videogames). I was desperate because finding a replacement was out of the question.

At first I thought the thermal paste dried up. But during testing the GPU never went over 75°C under max load, which is well within the safe temps.

I was so confused, because everything else seemed to work fine. I had cleaned my PC somewhat recently too, so dust being the culprit was out of the question.

The PC would stay on for hours at time, it's only when I was gaming that it'd turn off.

So I opened it (I built the PC myself), and discovered the horror.

My GPU is a 1660TI I bought new in 2019. It has a 6+2 pins connector to the PSU. The 2 pins connector was loose.

What happened was that when the GPU needed more power to sustain the increase in workload, it wouldn't get enough. The PC then shut down as a safety measure, because it thought there was not enough power.

Those were a scary couple of days. I have a laptop in case this PC gives up, but the warranty on the GPU was almost over, and finding a new one would be impossible for a while. At least, one at a reasonable price.

I need my videogames.

 

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[Deleted70138]

Simple factual note: If a company ever uses the words "Better" (Better Mortgage) or "Honest" (Honest Electricians) in their name, they are anything but better or honest, actually expect the exact opposite: Worst and dishonest.

Those two words together can create a word: EBITDA

I use ctrl + F for searching "EBITDA" in annual reports, so I don't have to waste my time reading those ones.

 

[Rabby]

If you ask, make sure you really want an opinion

 

[Antifragile]

Closed on a property recently and get a call from the Assessment Office that left a message:
“hi I’m Sarah ___ from BC Assessment Office. If you want to give me a call back at ___,___. Thanks”

some people really suck at trying to get a call back! No, I don’t want to give you a call. YOU wanted to reach me.

This “if you want to call me back” message happens often. Is there some “shitty phone skills” school that these people go to?

 

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[Rabby]

Simple factual note: If a company ever uses the words "Better" (Better Mortgage) or "Honest" (Honest Electricians) in their name, they are anything but better or honest, actually expect the exact opposite: Worst and dishonest.

I've always thought it would be fun to open a service business with a name like "Absolutely Terrible Home Services," or even "Horrible Spitting Jerks Steam Cleaning" or something, just over the top. A few times I've seen restaurants with "surly service" or "grumpy waitresses" in the description, and I'm always compelled to visit.

 

[Andy Black]

I've always thought it would be fun to open a service business with a name like "Absolutely Terrible Home Services," or even "Horrible Spitting Jerks Steam Cleaning" or something, just over the top. A few times I've seen restaurants with "surly service" or "grumpy waitresses" in the description, and I'm always compelled to visit.

I used to walk past a hair-dressers in London called “It’ll Grow Back”.

 

[MTEE1985]

Anyone else tempted to Yolo on Alibaba stock at this point? I’m not going to, but I’m sure I’ll look back on this post in a year and wish I had the balls.

More tempted to go all in buying puts on US society…and as homage to you, LEAPS on boot rubber

 

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[Raoul Duke]

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aIAEkVlWs2M

 

[Kak]

More tempted to go all in buying puts on US society…and as homage to you, LEAPS on boot rubber

Are those tradeable derivatives yet? I am sure Grayscale is working on it.

 

[theresgot2bemore]

Hopefully when all this blows over we get some sensibility. The police will still be needed of course because there are still some irrational and rough people out there and I suppose in my area I did not consider that as reason why they are the way they are. I have visited other areas of the country in the US and the police there are far more chill. I suppose this is where the disconnect happens. I don't think they will turn all JBT as some would say.

Not sure how things will pan out going into the next year of course so let's see how it goes for society.

 

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[Guest-5ty5s4]

PSA: there is no new test for the “delta variant.”

It’s the same test.

 

[Kak]

I've always thought it would be fun to open a service business with a name like "Absolutely Terrible Home Services," or even "Horrible Spitting Jerks Steam Cleaning" or something, just over the top. A few times I've seen restaurants with "surly service" or "grumpy waitresses" in the description, and I'm always compelled to visit.

 

[Thoelt53]

PSA: there is no new test for the “delta variant.”

It’s the same test.

Are you sure? I heard the delta variant is kinder towards PCR tests, and the delta plus even more so.

You should really trust the science state.

---

 

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[StrikingViper69]

We keep hearing about "fair share" when it comes to the "rich" paying more taxes, but can you imagine the outrage if politicians demanded a "fair share" of productivity from their citizens?

 

[The-J]

Anyone have an e-bike?

I rode one recently and they are amazing. Looking at getting a pair of e mountain bikes now.

I just bought one (RadMini) after realizing that (1) my town actually has solid bike infrastructure and (2) 99% of my trips are less than 10 miles, yet I drive everywhere. Makes no sense. Can't wait for it to arrive!

 

[GuestUser4aMPs1]

My attitude towards anything related to the 'ro now:

"Oh, look at those losers arguing about nothing while I get rich."

 

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[GuestUser4aMPs1]

I've come up with a simple rule that's made a HUGE difference in mood.

"If it can be done outside, it HAS to be done outside."

The past few days have been nothing but loads of walking, fresh air, and sunlight.
Got a few 'offices' (cafes, parks, etc.) to work from now, away from home, and it's great.

 

[Antifragile]