It’s all about tone. The original comment was incredibly combative and hyperbolic (“I utterly loathe Mass Effect. I consider it one of the worst pieces of science-fiction ever created.”) so much so that it would easily be mistaken for flamebait given the thread was likely to attract fans of the series.

It certainly didn’t strike me as the start of an open-minded conversation.

But in hindsight I should’ve just downvoted and moved on rather than commenting as I did, so that’s on me.

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Ahh yes, the old “sticks and stones” defense that completely ignores human nature and basic decency. I use the same logic when I tell other people their babies are ugly. “Look, if you ask me your kid is an eyesore but it’s just my opinion so I don’t know why you’re so mad right now…”

Funny, I feel the same way about Fallout and The Witcher. Just… don’t get the appeal. As always, to each their own. Hence why I generally try to avoid yucking other people’s yums.

I don’t. Played with it a bit but as a capable writer and coder I don’t find it fills a need and just shifts the effort from composition (which I enjoy) to editing and review (which I don’t).

Oh please. The anti-TikTok hysteria has been going on much longer than the Israeli invasion of Gaza, and the narrative has largely been about national security concerns, particularly as they relate to election misinformation.

Agree or not with the anti-China rhetoric about TikTok, but at least argue about the facts and not inane conspiracy theories.

No, being “impartial” would be highlighting both the number of covered and not covered so the reader appreciates just how many people the UCP wants to leave behind. “Big number is bigger” is not how impartiality is measured.

My favourite was this bit:

Poilievre said many Canadians already have access to drug coverage through workplace plans that may offer better benefits than those the NDP-backed Liberal plan eventually could offer.

A 2022 Conference Board of Canada report found that about 24.6 million Canadians are already enrolled in private drug plans.

Disappointed in the CBC here. What they should’ve said is that over 15 million people are not enrolled in a private drug plan, as most people won’t do the math and 24.6M people seems like a big number.

Moreover, many of the people most in need of drugs–the elderly, disabled, and those dealing with chronic health conditions–are far less likely to be employed and have access to coverage.

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Same here (well, different model–26k and 87W–but same strategy). Even just as a backup in case of unexpected travel hiccups, a large (airline approved) PD-capable battery back is very handy to have. I never worry about finding an outlet in an aircraft or airport, and I’ve spent my fair share of time stranded in transit.

My Momentum 4s have 60 hours of battery life…

Didn’t actually read the whole piece did ya? Just stopped at the first paragraph and then reacted?

It’s fine, at this point I’m sure you’ll go find something else to pick apart to protect your ego, meanwhile allowing the point to escape you entirely.

I just hope if/when you get scammed, the people around you are less of a dick about it.

It can happen to anyone:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/05/cyber-dunning-kruger/

Cory Doctorow didn’t just fall off the back of a turnip truck. If it can happen to him, odds are it can happen to you.

when taxes have increased dramatically since then too

No they haven’t:

https://policyalternatives.ca/publications/commentary/have-taxes-changed-all-much-over-past-half-century

In 1961, families paid 33.5% of their income on taxes, but by 1969 they were paying 39% and in 1974 they paid 43.4% of their income. So, if you compare the 2009 effective family tax rate to 1961, you will find a 25% increase, but you will only report a 7% increase since 1969 and an actual decrease since 1974.

(Note this analysis is circa 2010, but things haven’t changed substantially since then aside from the post COVID inflation spike that’s still subsiding).

But enjoy the alternate reality brought to you by your “friends” at the Fraser Institute™️.

But spending cuts in the 1980s and 1990s, along with a move to put more responsibility for economic and social well-being on the shoulders of individuals, caused low-income Canadians to fall further behind, the report says.

So neoliberalism. Neoliberalism happened.

Who could’ve guessed.

Lol as if the Canadian Construction Association wants infill. Their members are responsible for the municipal lobbying that leads to sprawl in the first place, and I all but guarantee you their infrastructure cost estimates are assuming traditional suburban residential growth

So sure, this person may have a point in that supportive infrastructure is not being adequately accounted for. But I don’t believe for a second that they’re interested in what’s actually best for Canadians.

What?

Compiling quality datasets is enormously challenging and labour intensive. OpenAI absolutely knows the provenance of the data they train on as it’s part of their secret sauce. And there’s no damn way their CTO won’t have a broad strokes understanding of the origins of those datasets.

Absolutely. I have over a dozen pairs, both from the 2017 eclipse and the annular last fall, and you can bet I’ll be reusing some while giving away the rest.

The most obvious problem with their comment is the dismissive, holier-than-thou tone.

They could have made their point by suggesting non-disposable alternatives: finding a local viewing party with shared equipment, preferring reusable glasses, or safe alternative ways of viewing like pinhole cameras or projection techniques.

But no. It’s much easier to sneer on an anonymous forum while stoking that sense of superiority instead of actually offering something constructive.

As opposed to your world changing contributions of bitching online to random strangers?

Keep fighting the good fight. I’m sure you’re just one more post away from saving the planet.