vxbush 5/19/2023 6:06:19 AM

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Occasional Reader 5/19/2023 6:34:26 AM

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Reply to vxbush in 1:

I think my favorite is: "Impress your date by calling the waiter a “fucking coward” when he warns you that your plate is extremely hot."

Occasional Reader 5/19/2023 8:17:00 AM

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vxbush 5/19/2023 9:05:42 AM

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In #2 Occasional Reader said: I think my favorite is: "Impress your date by calling the waiter a “fucking coward” when he warns you that your plate is extremely hot."

I figured someone would like that. 

vxbush 5/19/2023 9:07:02 AM

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In #3 Occasional Reader said: The Joe Biden economy is just fantastic.  Literally.  (The version being peddled by the DeMSM is a fantasy.)

I fully support the idea of forcing all government workers in DC to only make the median income of workers in the poorest state in the US. Do you think that would spur them to do things that help this country? 

vxbush 5/19/2023 9:11:08 AM

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Reply to vxbush in 5:

I went to look up the data for the graphic in that story, and the dataset is experimental and only started during the COVID pandemic. I'd like to see something involving a different metric that is more than three years old. Of course, that wouldn't help the narrative, would it.

vxbush 5/19/2023 9:15:28 AM

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buzzsawmonkey 5/19/2023 10:25:16 AM

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Reply to Occasional Reader in 2:

I had fun a year or three back when the GF had some works in a Manhattan gallery show, and a vegan friend of ours came by as the opening reception was ending.  

He suggested we repair to a nearby vegan restaurant for a bite, and we agreed.  As we entered, the headwaiter approached with an inquisitive gaze, and asked me if we had reservations.  "No," I told him, "just misgivings."

I still cherish the recollection of his reaction.  It was akin to the doubletake reaction to a face-slap in a silent-film comedy.

Occasional Reader 5/19/2023 10:48:32 AM

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In #8 buzzsawmonkey said: a nearby vegan restaurant for a bite, and we agreed

You are dead to me.

/

JCM 5/19/2023 11:13:46 AM

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Reply to vxbush in 7:

The power of inflation. A $30k salary in 1980 has the same purchasing power as $116k today.

https://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm

vxbush 5/19/2023 11:17:38 AM

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In #8 buzzsawmonkey said: As we entered, the headwaiter approached with an inquisitive gaze, and asked me if we had reservations.  "No," I told him, "just misgivings."

Oh, that was beautiful. 

vxbush 5/19/2023 11:18:20 AM

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In #10 JCM said: The power of inflation. A $30k salary in 1980 has the same purchasing power as $116k today. https://www.bls.gov/data/inflation_calculator.htm

But how do we know they aren't fudging the numbers to make things look better than they are? 

Occasional Reader 5/19/2023 12:10:37 PM

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In #10 JCM said: A $30k salary in 1980 has the same purchasing power as $116k today.

Kind of... sort of... e.g., it didn't buy much in the way of pocket-sized computers in 1980, etc. 

I've never seen any description of any sort of rule of economics that purports to describe what must surely be the case; that comparisons of wealth between two time periods become less and less meaningful, the greater the elapsed time between the two. 

vxbush 5/19/2023 1:01:35 PM

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In #13 Occasional Reader said: Kind of... sort of... e.g., it didn't buy much in the way of pocket-sized computers in 1980, etc.  I've never seen any description of any sort of rule of economics that purports to describe what must surely be the case; that comparisons of wealth between two time periods become less and less meaningful, the greater the elapsed time between the two. 

Well, theoretically you could track pricing for certain types of appliances/technology over time, so you could get a better sense of what the change in price is over time as components improve. But I'm not aware of anyone doing that other than one-off examples as opposed to a carefully crafted equation to help expose buying power over time. 

Occasional Reader 5/19/2023 3:05:35 PM

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The bad news: my date cannot make it for dinner, due to childcare stuff.

The good news: … but she does want to come by later in the evening and “hang out”. 

Kosh's Shadow 5/19/2023 6:27:17 PM

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In #15 Occasional Reader said: “hang out”. 

You could hang out here:

Kosh's Shadow 5/19/2023 7:53:15 PM

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