Reyali
@Reyali@lemmy.world
- Comment on How do I re-establish peaceful relations with a family of crows? 2 weeks ago:
Crows will eat cat or dog food (my local crows love the cat food we feed them!). If there aren’t laws against feeding stray cats, you could put a bowl on your porch with cat food and if you’re questioned, play innocent.
As an aside, if you want to identify the fledglings, look at their mouth. Baby crows have red/pink mouths while the adults have black mouths!
- Comment on [deleted] 2 weeks ago:
If they are intelligent enough to communicate and consent, sure, why not.
- Comment on If online services (such as Netflix) only ever raise their prices, does that mean they offer less and less value for money as time passes? 2 weeks ago:
You’re not wrong! I think ROI would be the business side, while value is the consumer side.
In another response, someone told about a store that raised price on inexpensive mice, and they sold much more than when the price was lower.
My partner and I tried a new restaurant a couple days ago. He had fajitas, which was only something like $12. Normally, fajitas are more like $20. It was pretty good, not great, but something he’d eat again.
The cost was lower so even though the benefit (food quality) wasn’t as high as some places, the value was equal to what he gets at many other places.
But clearly value isn’t all, because next time he wants fajitas, he might decide he wants really good fajitas and go spend more. Or he might decide the cheaper ones are good enough to fill the craving and go there.
Anyway, perception is key here, and no one person can decide that for anyone else!
- Comment on If online services (such as Netflix) only ever raise their prices, does that mean they offer less and less value for money as time passes? 2 weeks ago:
Thinking through how “free” things fit into the equation is actually one of the things that cemented it for me. Your example about giving tech support is so familiar, and a great example of how people don’t value free things.
Well, you can’t divide by 0; so if cost is nothing, then there’s no value.
I’ve read the book Influence by Robert Cialdini a few times because it’s a fascinating take on what persuades people at a subconscious level. Your story about mice is spot on with some principles he shares.
I think the example in the book was about a person who sold jewelry at fairs. I’m going to make up details because I don’t remember them perfectly, but it’s close: Her $10 turquoise jewelry wasn’t selling, so she told one of her workers to reduce it by 20%. There was a miscommunication and instead the price was raised to $20, and she sold out that day.
People saw it as more valuable because of the higher cost.
Humans are unfortunately easy to manipulate.
- Comment on If online services (such as Netflix) only ever raise their prices, does that mean they offer less and less value for money as time passes? 2 weeks ago:
I’ve been taught:
Value = Benefits received / Costs incurred
Costs can be price, time, energy, etc.
Benefits can be a physical product, an experience, a feature, or less tangible like peace of mind or security.
If you increase price, other costs must go down OR benefits must go up; otherwise value is lost.
And yes, it’s all perception. Benefits don’t affect all customers equally, and people place different value on their time, etc.
Your comment is spot on. I have just found this equation consistently holds up.
- Comment on If online services (such as Netflix) only ever raise their prices, does that mean they offer less and less value for money as time passes? 2 weeks ago:
There’s an equation for value I learned from a boss of mine. Value equals:
Benefits received / Costs incurredCosts aren’t always monetary; your time and energy is also a cost. And benefits aren’t always tangible; it can include things like peace of mind.
In order to increase price, you have to also lower other costs OR increase benefits, otherwise you lower value.
And value is a perception, not an objective measure.
Sticking to streaming services as an example since that’s what you put out there: Netflix does not integrate in the TV app on AppleTV, so I can’t search for their content and it’s a few extra steps to start playing things. All other streaming services I’ve used have that integration. If they all had the exact same price and I valued their content equally, Netflix would still have lower value for me because they aren’t offering a benefit all others have.
So did they change anything meaningful to you when they increased their price? If not, then their value decreased—at least for you.
But maybe they added some amazing kid safety controls at the same time as the price increase. If you don’t have kids, the value went down. But a parent who wants those features might have net neutral or even positive value perception.
- Comment on Big Tech’s Anti-Labor Playbook Has Come for Wikipedia 3 weeks ago:
It took me a long time and some kicks in the butt to make some of my donations recurring. Like I decided to give recurring donations to Wikimedia and the Internet Archive a few years back when Elon was attacking both of them. I’d given as one-offs when Wikipedia would prompt for donations, but was proud to make it a recurring thing.
- Comment on Big Tech’s Anti-Labor Playbook Has Come for Wikipedia 3 weeks ago:
I decided to cancel my recurring donation, citing these actions as why.
Here’s the email I wrote:
I would like to cancel my recurring donation in response to Wikimedia’s decision to fire Brooke Vibber and the Community Tech team. I love Wikipedia, but I have concerns around the anti-union and anti-community actions that are happening under the current leadership. I will not in good conscience continue to support a “nonprofit” organization that is following the big tech/Silicon Valley anti-labor playbook.
- The type of change you would like to make to your donation - cancel
- The email address that was used when the donation was made - [redacted]
- The full name used - [redacted]
- The amount and currency of the donation - $20 USD recurring monthly
I hope the Wikimedia Foundation rethinks its approach to the community and its workers, and establishes practices of transparency.
Thank you,
- Comment on Why does it feel like most art museums are for adults and most science museums are for kids? 4 weeks ago:
Based on how a lot of adults act, I’d say we don’t get enough science education either.
- Comment on SBA #119 maths 5 weeks ago:
I think that’s why people are complaining about the division sign.
It’s been decades since I took a math class so I am definitely not the right person to explain things, but I am using technology to confirm my understanding of the various notations:
So yeah, if you put 6 over a denominator of 2(1+2), the answer is different (1) because the equation is different. But if you write it out literally, it would be 6 over 2 times (1+2).
What you wrote swapped the denominator to make it 2(1+2)÷6, which will always be 1.
- Comment on SBA #119 maths 5 weeks ago:
I’m guessing confusion is coming from those taking PEMDAS literally as that order? Rather than PE(M|D)(A|S), like it’s supposed to be?
- Comment on the simulation jumped the shark with the is Trump guy 2 months ago:
Same. But because I still try to maintain some sense of whatever insanity is happening in the world, I checked and this one is real. 😞
- Comment on phonetic alphabet 2 months ago:
I think B should be ‘bog’, because many people say “D as in ‘dog’.”
- Comment on phonetic alphabet 2 months ago:
Maybe read it again? L is lima, no ‘g’. It and bravo are the only unchanged.
- Comment on When a sports drink list sodium and chloride as separate ingredients, separated by other ingredients, is there a difference between that and just listing salt as an ingredient? 2 months ago:
I’m not OP but I’m wondering if perhaps they are mixing up ingredients with nutrition facts or just marketing content?
Here are screenshots from a mix I was looking at just last night. Chloride is listed as one of the electrolytes, and it’s listed separately in the nutrition facts. But in the ingredients it’s just “salt”.
I’m just speculating though.
- Comment on Must be 2 months ago:
Oh jeez, your comment reminded me of something.
My boyfriend used to tell the following joke: “Have you heard about the Mexican magician? He counted from uno to dos, then disappeared without a tres (trace).”
It definitely has a “had me in the first half” racist vibe, while not actually being problematic. Except one time he told it to someone who turned out to actually be an idiot racist. He was too stupid to understand the language pun, but heard “Mexican” in a joke and took it as an opening to tell some truly racist “jokes.”
I’ll sometimes tell the joke still by modifying it to “Spanish-speaking magician,” but I am very intentional about my audience after that experience.
- Comment on Must be 2 months ago:
I don’t love the “haha, women are hysterical” tone here, but also it’s a solid pun. So I say bravo to your shitpost. Anywhere else and it would not have been received well.
- Comment on Is Kagi Worth It? 2 months ago:
My partner loves it; I have not been willing to change my habits to use it.
One thing that I appreciate about them as a business is that if you don’t use it for a month, they don’t charge you. The subscription stays active, but doesn’t cost you anything until you start using it again. Makes it a low-risk subscription to get! (Please confirm they still do this, but it is how it worked when he signed up!)
- Comment on Attention! 3 months ago:
US Mobile offers landlines for $10/mo (link). I can’t speak to that service but I’ve been on a cell plan with them for almost a year and my only complaint has been some weirdness on early auto-payments, but once that was sorted out everything was fine. I’ve referred several people who also seem to be happy with the service as well.
- Comment on Im stupid but have money 4 months ago:
Maybe some of your money would be well spent on therapy and/or antidepressants.
Yes, a lot of things suck in the world right now, but there are a lot of great things when you look at the micro level—unless you have depression. And that’s the strong vibe I’m getting from your comments. Therapy isn’t a total fix and finding the right drugs can be a pain, but they can both make a significant difference over time.
- Comment on Can anyone recommend a logging blood pressure cuff that doesn't require an app or account? 5 months ago:
I have one that records the history on the device; up to 100 entries per user or so. I don’t know if there’s an export option though; I’ve never tried.
If you’re interested, I’ll look it up. I’m not at home for a bit so I can’t just go look at it; I’d need to dig through emails to find the model.
- Comment on How do people with epilepsy triggered by flashing lights, drive past trees that are backlit by the sun? 6 months ago:
The time span differs. My mentor’s husband in Missouri is barred from driving for a year after a seizure; my partner mention that it’s five years in North Carolina.
I haven’t looked up any of the rules, but those are just examples of what I’ve heard.
- Comment on When did Cash for Chritianity become a thing? When even Jesus the son of god wouldn't stand for it in a church? If they preach why don't they practice from the bible? 8 months ago:
I appreciate seeing the Quaker love on Lemmy! (UUs are awesome too, in my experience!)
- Comment on Why do people hate reality? 8 months ago:
There’s a lot to take issue with in your post that doesn’t mean people prefer fake things.
Assuming people hate reality because of these arbitrary dichotomies that aren’t actually black and white.
Spending time online can mean making real, personal connections. Why is that less valuable than spending time outside? Are people who have allergies or heat intolerance or live in a big city somehow lesser because they can’t spend as much time in nature?
Many people don’t get plastic surgery or any of the things you listed. Plus a lot of people who claim they hate makeup and prefer “natural beauty” actually just like natural-looking makeup and prefer that to people who truly don’t wear any.
Organic is more expensive and less accessible than not-organic; often it’s not a choice. Plus like another commenter said, it’s not like GMO means fake. We’ve been genetically modifying plants for millennia through selective breeding; we’ve just sped up how it’s done.
Ozempic is an easier way to weight loss and yeah, some people take it as a lazy way out I’m sure. But also a lot of people who are overweight aren’t just that way because they’re lazy, but because there’s an underlying issue. Mental health issues like depression or addiction; physical health issues that cause weight gain like hypothyroidism or issues that make exercise difficult (and yes, weight can add to these problems, but a lot of time it’s a both/and situation); socioeconomic problems that make healthy food inaccessible due to time or cost limitations or living in a food desert. There are many reasons people are overweight beyond simply choosing not to exercise. (And I shouldn’t have to do this but just to head off any judgment you want to throw at me: my BMI is currently 18.1, putting me in the “underweight” category. I have never been overweight, I just have empathy for people who live different lives than me.)
You’re making a lot of false dichotomies and everything you’ve said is rooted in judgments of people. I suspect that’s where the downvotes are coming from, but I also suspect you’ll find issue in what I’m saying and dismiss me for it rather than checking in with your own biases and judgments.
- Comment on If you were a superhero and you knew a 21- to 23-year-old dating older people, what would you do? 8 months ago:
My partner and I started dating when I was 23 and he was 35 and while I don’t think OP is in the right, I really feel like we stretched the bounds of what was ok. I still had a lot of learning the basics of being an adult, and he had to put up with some incredibly immature shit from me. We’ve been together 13 years now so I don’t regret it, but I do cringe and worry when I see others following in my footsteps.
- Comment on I always hit this button 8 months ago:
I did a bit of reading to confirm my understanding, which is that employers can pay below minimum wage when tips are regularly earned by that employee. So technically, baristas, fast food workers, counter-service workers, and the like could fall into that category, but since it’s not a cultural expectation that those employees are tipped on every transaction, I think it would be harder for an employer to justify the regularity of their tip earnings and therefore pay them less than minimum wage.
That’s why, in my personal practice, those tips are optional and based exclusively on above-average service.
When it comes to takeout from a restaurant, there are usually two types of places I go: 1) smaller, individually owned restaurants, or 2) large chain restaurants like the one my coworker had previously worked for.
In the first case, I leave some tip because it’s a small business and I’ve known people who own restaurants and realize how hard a business it is. In the latter, I tip because thaf coworker told me that her role was paid under the assumption of her receiving tips and I realized there is a service being provided.
Anyway, lots of people seem to be disappointed about my personal choice to tip some types of food service. I appreciate you engaging in a way that doesn’t seem judgmental or defensive.
- Comment on I always hit this button 8 months ago:
I’m not clear what you’re saying the problem is. The fact that I tip because it’s expected?
Me choosing to follow the system that was in place well before I was born isn’t the problem. The law allows for food service workers to be paid less than minimum wage. If you don’t agree with that, petition the government or boycott restaurants until they change policy; don’t stiff low-wage employees.
- Comment on I always hit this button 8 months ago:
They did their job, yet our government legally allows their employers to not pay them full wages for their work and instead depend on their customers to supplement their wages. If you had a job that was legally allowed to pay you under minimum wage because it expected you to earn money in addition to that, then I would expect you’d get tips too.
Until the laws change in a way that support food service workers better, I’m going to continue to do my part in contributing to their wages.
- Comment on I always hit this button 8 months ago:
I meant a takeout counter like Chipotle or somewhere else that you order and get the food at the same time, not sitting and waiting for an order somewhere.
- Comment on I always hit this button 8 months ago:
When I’m sitting down to a dinner, the bare minimum I expect is food served to my table in a reasonable time, drink refills, etc., but I tip for that service. When I’m at a bar the bare minimum I expect is to receive the drink I ordered, but I tip for that service.
Again, as I said, I would much prefer if tipping were not a part of our culture at all. But I alone will not change that just by shortchanging low-wage employees.
