gowestyoungman's recent activity
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Comment on Data show that the amount of sexual content in top films has sharply declined since 2000 in ~movies
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Comment on Making tough decisions: what’s your go-to approach? in ~talk
gowestyoungman LinkOne 'trick' I learned years ago is that not making a decision is a decision. So if Im agonizing over a decision and trying to decide to go ahead on it, that not deciding for so long means that I...One 'trick' I learned years ago is that not making a decision is a decision.
So if Im agonizing over a decision and trying to decide to go ahead on it, that not deciding for so long means that I really dont want to do it. Its turned out to be true numerous times. Not that I cant make hard decisions but when it takes too long its because I already know subconsciously that my answer is no.
For other decisions I make a pro/con list and weight the answers and add up the sides to see which one is stronger. Then I ask my wife and she tells me what to do so I throw out the list.
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Comment on Any older bikers here? Thinking about getting another bike... in ~transport
gowestyoungman Link ParentYeah, that's the challenge alright. I couldn't have prevented the first accident as we got hit from behind. But just about everyone I know who rides has been down at one point or another and its...Yeah, that's the challenge alright. I couldn't have prevented the first accident as we got hit from behind. But just about everyone I know who rides has been down at one point or another and its not impossible that it could happen again. But then I remember how much I loved it and its hard not to want to relive those epic rides.
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Any older bikers here? Thinking about getting another bike...
I rode a V65 Magna for 20 years til a minivan took me out in 2005 and nearly killed me. After that I hung up my leather gloves for quite awhile and lately have only ridden a small dirt bike. But...
I rode a V65 Magna for 20 years til a minivan took me out in 2005 and nearly killed me. After that I hung up my leather gloves for quite awhile and lately have only ridden a small dirt bike. But the idea of getting back on big bike keeps popping up.
But Im already in my 60s. Comfort means a LOT at this point. And yet I dont really want to be riding an big ol' Aspencade either. So it seems like an older sport tourer would fit the bill. Like a Honda ST1300 or a BMW R1200RT or maybe a Yamaha FJR1300. Something with plenty of torque but still enough power and comfort that I can bring the wife along on the occasional ride. I also still have a mini trailer that I used to pull behind the Magna so I might want to use that again, although my tenting days will probably give way to staying at more hotels.
The biggest comfort feature on my bike was the day I got a Corbin saddle, but I can imagine that now Id definitely want heated grips and maybe a heated seat, heated vest. And Im tall so the adjustable fairings are a bonus for sure.
Anyone drive any of those bikes and have an opinion? Seat comfort? Buffeting/wind noise? Smoothness? Handling?
5 votes -
Comment on What your next water heater will look like in ~enviro
gowestyoungman Link ParentWestern Canada. Alberta specifically. Yeah, it's more than wild, its highly annoying. It used to be well regulated and then the gov took off the regulated rates and opened up the market to create...Western Canada. Alberta specifically.
Yeah, it's more than wild, its highly annoying. It used to be well regulated and then the gov took off the regulated rates and opened up the market to create more 'competition' which supposedly would lower our prices. Nope. They just keep going up.
We actually have a small solar set up on our yard. Not enough to power the whole house though. But here's the really crappy part - even if you have enough battery capacity to go off grid, the electric utility will still charge you to have the power lines to your home. And from everything Ive researched you're not even allowed to fully disconnect.
But it would be a real problem to do so anyway - we live far north so in winter, with only about 8 hours of very low horizon sun, plus often enough snow to completely cover the panels, it would be very difficult to maintain power all winter without significant backup like a generator - which isn't very economical. Which you could do in the country but not in the city because of the noise. So we're kinda stuck with the system we have and ridiculously high power prices.
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Comment on What your next water heater will look like in ~enviro
gowestyoungman Link ParentHoly cow, I have a similar home and there's only 2 of us and my last bill was $258 and we're pretty frugal on power - stove and heat are gas. The truly goofy part is that the way our bills are...Holy cow, I have a similar home and there's only 2 of us and my last bill was $258 and we're pretty frugal on power - stove and heat are gas. The truly goofy part is that the way our bills are structured, we only pay about 1/4 of the bill for actual usage, the other 3/4 is fees, transmission, distribution, administration, carbon tax, local taxes, anything they can think of.
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Comment on What your next water heater will look like in ~enviro
gowestyoungman Link ParentWait, wait. You get FREE electricity at night? Where is that? Im in Alberta where the best rates are still around 0.38/kW and there are no time of day discounts.Wait, wait. You get FREE electricity at night? Where is that?
Im in Alberta where the best rates are still around 0.38/kW and there are no time of day discounts.
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Comment on A Reddit-led boycott of Loblaws, one of Canadas largest grocers, begins today in ~finance
gowestyoungman (edited )LinkJust noted that 19 hours ago r/loblawsisoutofcontrol had 60,000 users, now its (edit: its 71,000 now, 45 hours later). And that's just reddit, Im sure there are others who are boycotting who have...Just noted that 19 hours ago r/loblawsisoutofcontrol had 60,000 users, now its
66,000(edit: its 71,000 now, 45 hours later). And that's just reddit, Im sure there are others who are boycotting who have heard about on the news or other socials. For Canadians, who are notoriously apathetic about our high prices, its not insignificant. -
Comment on London Drugs closes stores until further notice due to cyberattack in ~news
gowestyoungman LinkIm surprised its taking this long to get the stores back up and running unless its a blackmail hack and the higher ups are refusing to pay ransom. Either way, London Drugs is a very popular chain,...Im surprised its taking this long to get the stores back up and running unless its a blackmail hack and the higher ups are refusing to pay ransom. Either way, London Drugs is a very popular chain, this is affecting a lot of people.
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Comment on A Reddit-led boycott of Loblaws, one of Canadas largest grocers, begins today in ~finance
gowestyoungman Link ParentLoblaws is the largest and owns quite a few companies. We only have five big ones: Walmart 8%. Costco 9%. Metro 11%. Sobeys 20%. Loblaw 28%.Loblaws is the largest and owns quite a few companies. We only have five big ones:
Walmart 8%.
Costco 9%.
Metro 11%.
Sobeys 20%.
Loblaw 28%. -
Comment on A Reddit-led boycott of Loblaws, one of Canadas largest grocers, begins today in ~finance
gowestyoungman (edited )LinkI wasn't going to join but after reading that they posted 10% profits in the last quarter and raised their dividends by 15% to stockholders, Im all in. In our city that means no shopping at Real...I wasn't going to join but after reading that they posted 10% profits in the last quarter and raised their dividends by 15% to stockholders, Im all in. In our city that means no shopping at Real Canadian Superstore, Shoppers Drug Mart or No Frills, all three of which we frequent at least once or twice a month.
The CEO of Loblaws tried to deflect blame by saying that there is a long chain of people who take profits before the food reaches their store, but was a bit tone deaf when suggesting that Loblaws isnt the major culprit. He pointed out that farmers profit and meat packers profit and transportation companies profit and wholesalers profit before Loblaws gets the product. True, Mr. CEO, but we only have access to the store, not the farmer and we know that he's not making record profits this year. We also know that if we pressure YOUR STORES, that you can then pressure the supply chain below you to lower their prices too.
Im hoping, just like r/wallstreetbets really shook up the market when it went all in to fight the huge whales shorting gamestop, that this boycott can actually have some power. There are 62,000 people in the sub as of this morning, which isn't small potatoes for a Canadian sub and this is the first time I recall anything like this actually making the national news with any kind of momentum.
The CEO is sweating, so it must be working. Never underestimate the power of a pissed off Canadian lol. We are well aware that we get bent over the barrel on MANY products and services, not the least of which is car prices, cell/internet pricing and groceries, because a lot of it is from America and just our exchange rate means we're automatically paying 20 - 25% more. And our housing prices are going ballistic and people are fed up with it.
If this gains momentum and Loblaws starts posting poor financials, it might actually scare the other big players into forcing prices down.
Edit: I also forgot that Loblaws was caught colluding on fixing the price of bread for years, and got 1.2M in government funding to buy new freezers for their stores, plus apparently they own the REIT that they pay all their own store rents to, so there are reasons to resent their profit margins.
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Comment on ‘The science isn’t there’: do dating apps really help us find our soulmate? in ~life
gowestyoungman Link ParentI havent used apps since OKCupid, Plentyoffish and HotOrNot days. But I totally agree about the longform profile thing. That was how I easily culled out the kind of people I didn't want to date....I havent used apps since OKCupid, Plentyoffish and HotOrNot days. But I totally agree about the longform profile thing. That was how I easily culled out the kind of people I didn't want to date. Can't spell? Sorry, thats a non starter (ex English teacher here). Grammar really sucks? Nope. Can't write more than two sentences? Probably not compatible.
I actually wrote paragraphs and paragraphs for my profile and it was really effective. Between being able to write decently, having hair AND being employed, I had no problem getting dates lol. And I found my wife online, so I guess it worked.
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Comment on Philips agrees to pay $1 billion to patients who say they were injured by breathing machines in ~health
gowestyoungman Link ParentIm just so happy to see them paying out a billion dollars but NOT admitting liability or fault.. Good thing they dont do that. Hate to think they were actually culpable in hurting people and it...Im just so happy to see them paying out a billion dollars but NOT admitting liability or fault.. Good thing they dont do that. Hate to think they were actually culpable in hurting people and it pinched their conscience. /s
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Comment on I made a mistake, I started using Reddit again in ~talk
gowestyoungman LinkJust like a person in an abusive relationship, it's hard not to go back to reddit because we remember the good times at the beginning and not how you're treated now. Just take the ban, use it as...Just like a person in an abusive relationship, it's hard not to go back to reddit because we remember the good times at the beginning and not how you're treated now. Just take the ban, use it as momentum to remind yourself why you dont want to go back to your abusive
partnerwebsite and try to move on to healthier places. Like tildes.Remember that it used to be the go to place for news and information, now it exists to foster "engagement" by rage farming. Not good for anyones mental health.
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Comment on ‘The science isn’t there’: do dating apps really help us find our soulmate? in ~life
gowestyoungman Link ParentHmm, we were mid 40s when we married. And there were a LOT of people my age and older on it. Even dated a 62 year old (she didnt look it but she did the 20 yr old pic trick lol) Dont think that's...Hmm, we were mid 40s when we married. And there were a LOT of people my age and older on it. Even dated a 62 year old (she didnt look it but she did the 20 yr old pic trick lol) Dont think that's an accurate assessment.
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Comment on ‘The science isn’t there’: do dating apps really help us find our soulmate? in ~life
gowestyoungman (edited )Link ParentChristian Mingle would post wedding pics so it worked for more than a couple of us.Christian Mingle would post wedding pics so it worked for more than a couple of us.
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Comment on ‘The science isn’t there’: do dating apps really help us find our soulmate? in ~life
gowestyoungman LinkI believe it. Once you've scrolled for so long even if you find someone I think one of the worst hooks of the apps is that the thought of 'what if theres someone better?' Its hard to shut down the...Some habitual players of slot machines report entering a trance-like state as they repetitively spin the wheels. “Gamblers talk about this as the thing that they become addicted to – to the point where winning a jackpot irritates them because it stops the flow of the game,” says Schüll. “I have heard people say this about dating apps.”
I believe it. Once you've scrolled for so long even if you find someone I think one of the worst hooks of the apps is that the thought of 'what if theres someone better?' Its hard to shut down the possibilities, which isnt great for establishing your newfound relationship.
Anecdotally, found my wife of 19 years on Christian Mingle which is also owned by the Match group after trying Match and the mudpit known as Plenty of Fish.
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Comment on Mount Fuji view to be blocked as tourists overcrowd popular photo spot in ~travel
gowestyoungman (edited )LinkRemember the 'old days' when film was expensive to buy and develop and everyone carefully decided what shots to take on vacation because you didnt want to blow all 24 shots before you even left...Remember the 'old days' when film was expensive to buy and develop and everyone carefully decided what shots to take on vacation because you didnt want to blow all 24 shots before you even left the parking lot? And the only way you could view your dad's shots was after he got the roll of kodachrome developed and he hauled out the slide projector to show the whole family his boring shots of your trip to Disneyland but there was no facebook/instagram/tiktok to post 'best life' bragging shots? And nobody wasted pics on food or fashion or 'influencing' anyone? Yeah, digital pics and ubiquitous phones have ruined tourism. I must be getting old but that was a better world in a lot of ways when the trip was about the trip and not about the pics.
-- old man yelling get off my lawn -
Comment on British Columbia to recriminalize use of drugs in public spaces in ~news
gowestyoungman Link ParentCan I add one exception to that? 'Private life' is one thing but I run up against this all the time as a landlord. When people are in a shared dwelling or even if they live close to other houses...what folks do in their private life is none of other people's business.
Can I add one exception to that? 'Private life' is one thing but I run up against this all the time as a landlord. When people are in a shared dwelling or even if they live close to other houses and are smoking inside or outside, the smell of cannabis smoke is a real issue. Yes, you're 'legally' allowed to possess and use it (Canada), but that doesnt mean its not affecting other people's enjoyment of their own home and that IS illegal here. Its very similar to the music issue - yes, you can play death metal all you want, but once it starts intruding into other people's space because of the volume it's a problem.
I have had more than one smoking tenant cause issues with their neighbors and especially people with kids don't want to be smelling the stink. The biggest one was a blowup that nearly ended in a fist fight and they weren't even in the same house, next door neighbors who were tired of the smell coming into their yard. It's a regular issue as its hard to find renters under 35 who dont smoke cannabis occasionally. I much prefer occasional drinkers to occasional smokers because it doesnt bother anyone else.
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Comment on Canada bet big on immigration. Now it’s hitting the brakes. in ~misc
gowestyoungman (edited )Link ParentI also wonder how comfortable young Canadians feel working in an environment like fast food where every other worker in the company is from another cultural background and they regularly speak...I also wonder how comfortable young Canadians feel working in an environment like fast food where every other worker in the company is from another cultural background and they regularly speak their native language to each other. The average person would feel like a foreigner at work.
When my 16 yr old worked at McD's so did a lot of his schoolmates. Now none of them do. All the staff are immigrants.
Dont think it was a 'small' group. A LOT of censorship of Hollywood came about because of the Hays Code.
Some of it has loosened up, but there is still a lot of the same ideas in place today: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hays_Code