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Joined 11 months ago
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Cake day: December 22nd, 2023

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  • This is a great commentary to me. I think it shows just how much of an appetite we currently have for a curated space. It’s almost like Mastodon is a service that’s about 15 years too late.

    I remember going around to older forums and sites looking for specific content when I wanted it, and I wasn’t always guaranteed to find something I liked, but I would often see something interesting.

    Now, though, I really want anywhere I go to knock me off my feet with good content because that’s what I’m conditioned to. Isn’t that what makes me an addict, though? I’m wondering if that chance of dissatisfaction isn’t a virtue to ensure no one platform takes control of all my attention.







  • You sound well adjusted.

    I do one to probe one point, though… Coukd your motives for living this way be pride? A feeling that you being able to live up to your own (self-described as “high”) moral standards is something that makes you better than others?

    The reason I ask: it’s not a bad thing to feel a sense of pride for having control over yourself, but it can be a weakness to obtaining true happiness because it also depends on the performance of other people. (If someone else exhibits more self-mastery than you, would that make you feel less happy about your own performance?)

    If pride isn’t a factor, it sounds like you’re in a good spot.



  • I actually did some googling and there are some okay-ish articles debating this topic. All of them said “it depends”, which isn’t really helpful.

    It got me thinking, though… how much savings would you need to make it worth it to you? ($20 savings? $100 savings? $500 savings?)

    The oil heater is going to cost ~$50 to purchase if you don’t already have one. That means you’ll at least need to save $50 just to break even. So over the winter, your electric bill will need to drop by $50 plus whatever the dollar amount you need in order for it to be “worth the trouble” for you.

    If an extra $50 over the winter in savings ($100 total) is worth it to you, I think you have a high chance of an oil room heater getting you that savings over your central heating. I’m doubtful how much more you’d be able to save beyond that. (I didn’t do the math on it, but based on the articles I read, the oil heater is going to be cheaper in general.)

    Another thing to consider: The oil heater is likely to be a lot more convenient to use than the central air option and having to close all the other vents in your house though.



  • There was a great DefCon talk recently about how a guy gained credibility on the dark web over the course of a few years and it was easy to do by just being helpful to others. People tend to trust those who are helpful.

    After awhile, he got busted and the feds took over his ToR identity and used his credibility to bust some criminals on the dark web.

    I recommend being suspicious of everyone you interact with online.