SabinStargem
@SabinStargem@lemmy.today
- Comment on What's it going to take to truly stop the US? 3 days ago:
Realistically, global trade drying up. Canada, Mexico, the EU, and others just refusing to do business with the US. Or possibly, making deals on a state-by-state basis, such as exchanging with California and New York, while ignoring Texas. By doing something like that, foreign nations can help prop up anti-conservative states, while bleeding conservatives lily white.
Mutual military agreements, such as retooling NATO to exclude the US and incorporating Canada, Mexico, and Taiwan might happen as well. The US has ceded their mutual exchange with Taiwan, other powers like India would like to have those chips. Maybe the EU outright allying with Ukraine, to remove Russia from play and to secure Ukraine’s grain, oil, and expertise on warfare.
…In short, it will be a couple decades of work to stop the Turdpublican agenda through diplomatic pressure. Probably around a decade if WW3 or a 2nd American Civil War happens.
- Comment on Choose your Nope Rope 1 week ago:
Mine is censored.
- Comment on Indie Game Awards Disqualifies Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 Due To Gen AI Usage 2 weeks ago:
I think the Luddites weren’t just wrong, but actively harmed the masses. They should have been trying to take control of the machines, not destroying them, so that they can set more ethical working conditions and pay. The wealthy will always build and use the machines, it is a question whether there are good people running their own businesses who can compete against the feckless elite.
That is why I am opposed to anti-AI people, because they are doing the work of ensuring the 1% get sole agency over the usage of AI. Knowingly or not, Luddites are serving the worst of humanity.
- Comment on 50/50 chance this is a shit post 3 weeks ago:
…but seriously, if Pokemon was an actual world, owning pokemon for mundane purposes like this would make sense. After getting a new toilet that has a bidet, it has saved me a ton of money on TP, and generally leaves me cleaner.
- Comment on Do you cheat in video games? 5 weeks ago:
The ways I cheat depends on the game. Sometimes to get rid of grind, others to obtain abilities that are mutually exclusive. EG: X-COM, where I had soldiers with all branches of their abilities active, rather than having to pick just one. Max stat spreads, without having to pick a specialty.
I pretty much play games for narrative or to simply keep my hands busy while listening to Behind the Bastards.
- Comment on The President of the United States of America 5 weeks ago:
One of the few museum pieces that Indiana Jones would gladly punch, and never be put on display. Probably put it in storage by the Ark of the Covenant, just in case it needs to be melted by Yahweh’s fury.
- Comment on Samus Aran drawing I made 1 month ago:
You might want to try AM2R if you haven’t already. It is basically Metroid 2, but fully remade to be like Zero Mission mixed with Prime scanner lore.
- Comment on What is your favorite Metroidvania? 1 month ago:
La-Mulana 1 and 2. They have excellent music, and more importantly, the exploration is a lot more interesting than most metroidvania games. This is because these games are all about puzzles, which come in the form of riddles, lateral thinking, and so forth. You don’t complete any area in one go - rather, each place you can go has information about the other zones, so you criss-cross and cross-reference, completing them piecemeal. Plus, there is a great deal of cultural architecture for each area, making them very distinct. If you want an lengthy and difficult metroidvania that is all about the details, this fits the bill.
The original freeware version of La-Mulana is also worth playing, due to the audio and graphics resembling what could be on the MSX computer.
- Comment on Definitely how it went for me 1 month ago:
Same.
What I would like is LEGO-esque PC system, where you just slot shrouded hardware bricks and cartridges, no wires. The game cartridges of the SNES had variable amounts of RAM or chips to enhance performance, such as the SuperFX for Star Fox and Yoshi’s Island.
- Comment on Every accusation is a confession? More like everything is a confession 1 month ago:
The southern spear in question is their dick. This regime is into molestation, be it child or country.
- Comment on The existence of billionaires is a policy failure 1 month ago:
If I become a billionaire, Lemmings would be right to break out the French silverware and bibs.
- Comment on Me when Valve releases a phone 1 month ago:
No, I actually do like Steam Whistle. It goes well with the rest of Valve’s nomenclature. I figured people would just like to see an old-timey picture of the past.
- Comment on Me when Valve releases a phone 1 month ago:
- Comment on Years later, Arkane’s Dishonored is still a modern stealth classic 1 month ago:
Mhm. Can’t say I enjoyed Dishonored much, myself. I prefer Thief 1-3, probably because they are slower paced and have less combat.
- Comment on Simp 1 month ago:
If getting banged by a construction crew was all it took to get a decent house, that would be a pretty good deal.
- Comment on Great Depression: Part Deux 2 months ago:
Don’t use Hamburger Helper, switch to the store brand Lasgana Skillet Meal. It will taste much better. The people who make Hamburger Helper have seriously cheaped out on their ingredients, speaking as a childhood fan.
- Comment on Does anyone else notice an up tick in hostility on Lemmy lately? 2 months ago:
I don’t like the moderator logs, because they keep the moderators who censor content anonymous. You can’t tell people which moderator is being abusive, so ALL moderators have to be painted as a jackass. That isn’t good, because good moderators have to be a human shield…and the community can’t establish trust.
- Comment on Chicago fighting ICE 2 months ago:
I would be sent to RFK’s “wellness farms” by these fuckers. I would gladly exchange the lives of ICE to secure my freedom.
- Comment on Once again, looking for PS2 game suggestions! 2 months ago:
It depends on whether piracy is in the mix. If it is, that opens up assorted unofficially translated games. Super Robot Wars: Original Generations, for instance, if you are into strategy mecha games.
Metal Saga might appeal if you are into sandbox RPGs and a lover of tanks. Also, dogs with rocket launchers on their back.
- Comment on Emperor of overpromising Peter Molyneux says he's done with games after Masters of Albion, which is also his 'redemption title' 2 months ago:
Honestly, I would prefer him to cut back on the ambition and just remaster Magic Carpet I & II. IMO, those were his best games.
- Comment on Americans Are Using PTO to Sleep, Not for Vacation—Report 3 months ago:
Even I, someone who loves videogames, want to leave the house sometimes. I have been sheltering in place, to avoid spending money.
…it sucks.
- Comment on Americans Are Using PTO to Sleep, Not for Vacation—Report 3 months ago:
- Comment on Both Sega and PocketPair are taking jabs at Nintendo and I'm loving it 3 months ago:
When it comes to Sonic racing games, I would actually prefer a Sonic footrace game, like Sonic R. I find it weird that the platformer footrace niche has been ignored by the gaming industry.
Anyhow, I look forward to trying out Palfarm. Never played Animal Crossing, so it would be good to experiencing that on my PC.
- Comment on Cable placement a little weird, but the ergonomics are excellent. 3 months ago:
I think cities are bigger. Hamlet -> Village -> Town -> City -> Metropolis, or something along those lines.
- Comment on [Eagle screech] 3 months ago:
- Comment on McDonald’s CEO is grappling with a ‘two-tier economy’ as he slashes prices on value meals—and signals backing for a minimum wage increase 3 months ago:
That is why an ERK metric would have to be standardized: how many hours are spent on exertion, what environmental conditions that are involved with that career, the odds of dying horribly, how many years of education to be competent, and so forth. That is why I would consider Lumberjacks should have the highest pay grades - their job is not just requires physical effort, intelligent tree management, and so forth - they also tend to have the highest fatality rate among professions. Trees are unpredictable when they fall down, and a hardhat won’t prevent getting brained.
In any case, I think supply/demand being ignored would be a good thing. It is by manipulating that, companies can exploit their workers. We lose some of capitalism’s efficiency, but it feels like much of it is wasted already - just look at the paychecks of the wealthy. What I am proposing is replacing the distortion presented by excessive wealth and power, with another that balances the scales. What we lose in potential profit, we instead replace with certain stability.
I did write a bit on shares and stuff. Might reply later, right now I have chores and things to do.
- Comment on McDonald’s CEO is grappling with a ‘two-tier economy’ as he slashes prices on value meals—and signals backing for a minimum wage increase 3 months ago:
To that end, I had some thoughts I have from my notes:
-A-
I think leadership pay rank should be decided by workers below the leadership role, unlike most job classes. The wait staff at a restaurant can vote whether their manager gets $40k, $60k, $80k, or even $100k, but that takes away from the proceeds of the restaurant. This means that workers have to decide what is fair and makes sense for their restaurant, else it goes under. Fired or resigned workers can still vote for leadership from their prior workplace, provided they still are receiving retirement benefits. Every day you work at a pay grade for a job, you get a 1:1 ratio of paid sick leave or retirement. This encourages workplaces to focus on the happy retention of veteran workers, rather than churning through “green” staff.
Of course, the workers and managers at that restaurant can cast votes for the leadership above their location - say, for example, the McDonald’s CEO. So the CEO has to convince their workers that they have the best interests of the business in mind, else they lose their pay. Or worse, get expelled from leadership outright.
-B-
While in debt from the collapse of a company, an leader can’t receive their personal income beyond Rank 0’s $10,000. The excess earnings from their income is used to pay for debts. Retirement months and savings are also confiscated to pay for the debt.
One of the elements I have in mind for the proposed system is a hard cap on personal income, wealth, and assets at up to $100,000 each, totaling $300,000. Anything beyond the limit is automatically confiscated by the government. This gives the government incentive to pursue white collar criminality.
Companies, of course, should be considered separate entities - which means that they can’t directly nor indirectly support the lifestyle of a CEO. Companies also have soft limits on wealth and assets that is tied to employee headcount and pay ranks. We will need mechanisms to provide for retirement and AI displacement, too.
- Comment on McDonald’s CEO is grappling with a ‘two-tier economy’ as he slashes prices on value meals—and signals backing for a minimum wage increase 3 months ago:
Presumably, because you like the stuff you do. Some people like guiding things, others want to work construction, ect. Pay should just reflect the effort, risk, and knowledge involved with a job. If you don’t want to be a CEO and that isn’t a terrible choice, that is a good thing. It should be out of passion, not money, that people pursue a particular career.
- Comment on McDonald’s CEO is grappling with a ‘two-tier economy’ as he slashes prices on value meals—and signals backing for a minimum wage increase 3 months ago:
I think a lot of capitalists would believe the two to be mortal enemies. I suspect that they would enjoy debating their ideas over a cup of joe and tea.
- Comment on McDonald’s CEO is grappling with a ‘two-tier economy’ as he slashes prices on value meals—and signals backing for a minimum wage increase 3 months ago:
I advocate for what I call “Universal Ranked Income”: Everyone gets $10,000 a year by default, while jobs get a fixed amount, no negotiations with a company. it is decided for a job class to be assigned to a rank by the whole nation, regardless of location. Getting an education or holding a job replaces the basic income - $12k to $20k for a student based on grades, $40k if a waiter, $60k or 80k ranks for higher labors, $100k as a CEO. There are absolute income and wealth caps, the taxes also become increasingly higher for each pay grade. After taxes, a store clerk gets $30k, and a CEO is down to $60k.
In effect, that means “best” occupations are only twice the value of a regular job, instead of the fiscal insanity we see with CEOs have 1,000x+ the income of a normal human. Only 6x the income of someone who isn’t working. Also, having fixed incomes might help prevent inflation, since corporations have to target job ranks for pricing. UBI also gives everyone benefits, such as basic shelter, generic food, healthcare, a boring car, utilities, and so forth. Money is solely for lifestyle upgrades and luxuries, rather than for buying necessities.
By having universal benefits and a modest amount of money, workers would be able to freely unionize, strike, participate in politics, or avoid bad workplaces. Without being held hostage by capitalism, people can help decide the direction of society without having to sacrifice their wellbeing.
