Ugh, the updates.....my work PC is Win 11, I got an email from IT last night telling me I had to install the latest update I had been putting off. This morning after I clocked out I started the update. I have 500 down and it took almost 2 hours to download and 3 hours later the installation is only at 53%. I'm just going to go to bed and hope it's done by the time I have to clock in tonight.

And my coworkers wonder why I prefer Linux.....

That is a totally viable method, it's just not the one I want to pursue.

Also, yeah I don't even want to think about the taxes....

I honestly don't think even bold leadership would work at this point. Washington has spent so much time brainwashing the public to fear socialism that any bold leader on the left who suggests a plan like that without first kneecapping it would be killed in the polls because someone on the right would scream socialist and enough of the population would turn on them. And no amount of reminding the public about public roads, police, firefighters, libraries, ect. would change their minds. In my option it will take generational change to get past that mindset.

I guess I'm just stuck in the 90's mindset of trying to find compromise. I know that idea was on the decline then, but I still, maybe foolishly, hold on to it.

I could put on an Aerosmith record before I knew how to put my Disney VHS tapes in the VCR, of course then my older cousin brought over her Master of Puppets album and I fell in love with thrash. As she still likes to remind me, "I turned you into a metal head before you were out of diapers". I still love the classics too BTW.

I have been approaching this from a middle of the ground standpoint. Basically I know that a large enough percentage of Americans would reject this as "evil socialism" so putting caps on the government industry at first would be a Trojan horse to get a footing and get society comfortable with the idea.

Ultimately I would like to see companies have to compete with government offered products and services, but I just don't see it being feasible in our current political climate. Sadly I think it will either take generational change to get it done, or a more kinetic change that would harm the country and take far longer to recover from.

I have been approaching this from a middle of the ground standpoint. Basically I know that a large enough percentage of Americans would reject this as "evil socialism" so putting caps on the government industry at first would be a Trojan horse to get a footing and get society comfortable with the idea.

Ultimately I would like to see companies have to compete with government offered products and services, but I just don't see it being feasible in our current political climate. Sadly I think it will either take generational change to get it done, or a more kinetic change that would harm the country and take far longer to recover from.

Ok, now that I've had a bit of sleep (,3rd shifter here) how about the government owns the fiber a sells access to the for profit companies. But there is no monopolies so there is competition and every company is required to offer a basic package that is low cost and has enough bandwidth for the average work from home video meeting. Oh yeah, and no data caps.

After that they can increase prices and offer more services. And if somewhere like farm country isn't being served by any of the for profit companies, then the government corporation could set up an ISP and serve those citizens.

I get what you're saying, but government fiber speeds could be capped, products wouldn't be high end, ect.

I am by no means an economist, or an expert in these matters, and I apologize if I was presenting as those I was. I just feel like you should put those kind of ideas out there for others to iterate on.

While I disagree with those that feel differently, that's what this country is supposed to be about, finding a middle ground in differing opinions. Sadly we seem to have largely lost that mentality.

That is one way, and it is smart. For me I have a small amount of companies that I own and want to increase my stakes in those. The problem is they are all up at the moment. I'm waiting for a drop then I'll start buying in.

To each their own, I'll stick with my method and you can do yours. We'll just have to wait and see who's got the right idea in this uncharted landscape.

I wish you the best of luck, not sarcastically either.

Honestly I'd prefer that the government set up government corporations to provide basic needs. The private corporations could still operate but they would control the higher end market. The gov. corps. would just make sure basics were affordable, not high quality.

Need a car? The gov corp car is $15,000 brand new and is basic as hell, but it gets the job done.

Need Internet? The gov corp fiber network is mid range speed and connects to everyone. As a bonus for profit corps and but rights to the dumb pipe fiber network that the gov corp set up and off higher speed at a higher price.

Basic clothes, basic toiletries, basic food, etc. you want designer or high end stuff, get it from the for profit corps. But basic necessities should be made at cost by the government for the citizens. It is the job of the government to care for it's citizens after all.

Yep, when I started investing about 20 years ago I read as much as I could, one thing that always stuck with me was a Warren Buffet quote "be fearful when others are greedy and to be greedy only when others are fearful".

That's generally how I approach investing in stock and Bitcoin. There are exceptions of course, but that's the general plan. This stock or whatever isn't failing, it's on sale.

Only if you need the funds short term, if you are a ways off from needing the funds then hold what you've got and start building a cash reserve to buy more shares when it's low.

We expect explosive results!

Very interesting, thanks. I really need to get my activity pub link setup since it would be nice to also be linked to mastodon. Oh boy, another project! ADHD for the win! Squirrel!!!!

I did not know that, thank you. Yes it is a WordPress blog. I'll have to Google how to set that up. Any links to guides are also welcome!