[01:55:40] re my email bouncing: according to https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/topic/ndr-error-code-550-5-4-1-recipient-address-rejected-access-denied-c0e98a8e-81db-49c2-9bf1-32a1734d3e77, the recipient doesn't exist [01:55:43] * BlankEclair sighs [02:31:28] avghelper: btw, re servfail :) [02:31:32] > [11/03/2025 13:30] btw, is sakamoto named after the cat? [02:31:34] > [11/03/2025 13:31] it is! [02:38:25] ohey what what [02:38:49] oh yay [02:38:58] :SakamotoDab: [02:39:17] good kitty :3 [02:39:34] :NanoHappy: [05:36:22] i crashed librewolf by simply opening logging.wikitide.net :(( [05:36:30] sorry, logging.wikitide.ne [05:40:10] [1/2] :WorksOnMyMachine: [05:40:10] [2/2] https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/615786602454581249/1348893242162417757/image.png?ex=67d11e3a&is=67cfccba&hm=73155df107545d6f9928503e7f12c11be621386f745db55ddb7146db356e61d3& [08:47:30] Taxation is theft. [08:48:22] But charity is tax evasion. [08:48:37] I don't like taxes but I also don't like tax evaders. [08:48:43] Especially big corpos. [08:49:01] I don't have to like taxes [08:49:21] I like big business avoiding its share far less [08:50:12] that and the fact society is constructed for billions to funnel into individuals who hoard major sums of all human wealth while the tax burdon remains disproportionate towards the little guy and the big guys loop out one way or another. It's inevitable, you're squeezed upto a certain bracket where you don't have to worry about that stuff anymore [08:50:32] it's not even society I think that's an outcome to any system, but what we've got certainly motivates that outcome [08:50:55] Taxes are great and all in the large picture but anybody with half of a brain knows that personal income tax does not ≠ corporate tax. So when these filthy corpos commit tax evasion. [08:50:56] Time to start dumping tea into the harbour again. [08:51:39] taxes are great and all except the fact they don't apply where they're best used and never mind the cataclysmic waste they come to certainly in my US experience [08:51:51] that for sure will not be resolved in this span of 4 years [08:52:11] Reworking United States bracket? Yeah. That will take decades. [08:52:36] it will take literal cracking of eggs for it to get better, I expect to see a meltdown sooner or later. Only then can things improve meaningfully, for a while [08:53:10] only when people are so squeezed they do in fact decide to get over complacency and as you say, start dumping tea into the harbour [08:53:32] The fact that the United States even taxes people with no income baffles me. [08:53:41] 0-1000 dollars bracket. [08:53:49] "Even if you make no money. You have to pay taxes." [08:54:07] Meanwhile most countries have exemption bracket. [08:54:11] international, haven't lived in the US for 5 decades, oh you were naturalized but never actually grew up/lived in the us? sucks to be you, pay your taxes :) [08:54:41] Meanwhile most countries are. If you make below minimum wage. You don't pay taxes. [08:54:49] so we gotta make more people trans /silly [08:54:50] Sure it also opens up the possibility for tax evasion. [08:55:06] many many countries do so many things less bonkers than the US it's amazing [08:55:25] Believe me when I say, after years of studying taxation against my will (I'm a journalist). [08:55:36] The United States and Europe are very bonkers with their taxation. [08:55:43] One tax everybody, even homeless people. [08:55:56] And one tax too much and desensitise their own economy. [08:55:59] pretty sure the US has the means to completely automate taxes too, not like the IRS just doesn't get intel [08:56:25] at least in europe they seem to contribute to more of a whole that is more likely to help society's baseline instead of telling them to go jump in the harbour [08:57:03] For us who view Europe and the United States. Both are wildly different and wildly off the balance. [08:57:18] The United States tax too little and too all over the place. [08:57:27] Europe tax too much but too heavily onto one specific group. [08:57:33] That creates a whole domino effect. [08:57:35] I wouldn't like gluing europe onto US practice but reasonable adoption in line of healthcare, data privacy and such... I'm down [08:58:11] I don't think synergizing taxes would be very easy all at once though given the complete disparity between states that can be the difference between countries in some ways [08:58:39] I think the biggest problem for Europe is their public services. Those are expensive. And the number is... taxpayers ≠ tax expenses. [08:58:52] Well. For my country (Vietnam) we try to do it through initiatives. [08:59:19] We try to cover the tax exempt people (lower income, homeless, etc) by creating job opportunities and housing. Raise their income to above the exemption bracket. [08:59:31] I frankly don't tend to look in that direction for inspiration, but maybe we should tbh [08:59:38] And we do background studies on people before we let them enjoy the benefits of the state that other taxpayers paid for. [08:59:56] For example. In our country. Free healthcare only applies to chuldren, labourers and elderly. [09:00:07] interesting [09:00:21] If you're a working adult but not working. No benefits for you. [09:00:28] That's how to avoid the problem Europe is facing. [09:00:50] Too many people enjoying the benefits and not enough people paying the price for said benefits. [09:01:14] Downside is that it can leads to serious privacy violations. Something that y'all love too much. [09:01:15] might be a more palatable attitude for the US to adopt [09:01:45] yes, the idea of spying on people and judging them in that way would be almost as much of a pariah as the idea of taxing to the moon european style [09:02:13] not that we don't try and there aren't active initiatives in the US to that effect say, at the border now [09:02:26] absence of any kind of privacy framework has an impact there [09:02:40] but I'm willing to believe resistance on the whole would still be stiff and I'd likely join it [09:03:08] which leaves very few options indeed and even fewer that will actually be accepted, because anything too different is also bad and disturbs comfy status quos [09:07:34] Upside is that our government is transparent about it. [09:07:40] Which is ironic cause we're a Communist state. [09:08:28] European style is basically biting more than they can chew. [09:08:40] Our style is more adequate since our budget is much tighter. [09:08:51] And I doubt my government would change the practice. [09:08:59] Since it allows us to spend money to people who NEED it. [09:09:05] And those who are just too lazy to work. [09:09:19] We have a saying here, [09:09:28] "Take care of yourself first then take care of others." [09:09:35] going for the budgeted style is likely more palpable to the US audience if it can be balanced with 'git off my lawn'/privacy wants, albeit the last one is something I'm more invested in than many citizens and the groundwork is laid for government to do almost whatever it wants there anyway [09:09:35] Mindset applies to our government [09:09:44] Can't help people if you can't afford it. [09:10:23] And taking a loan to pay for other people's expenses is just dumb. (Talking to you. Europe). [09:11:06] I mean. The worst they do here is forcing you to put all your documents/licenses/paperwork into s chipset that is integral to your citizenship ID. [09:11:13] As well your employment records. [09:11:29] Doesn't help that union is mandatory here so employment records are also mandatory. [09:11:54] My father can just scan his citizenship at a hospital to get his free healthcare card. [09:12:13] a universal id of that nature is probably inevitable wherever you are in the world tbh [09:12:19] Mhm. [09:12:25] best I see is getting it done in a way that doesn't tie every activity especially the unnecessary to it [09:12:31] They just slap all the possible documents you have into it. [09:12:37] but what government will want to be necessary will simply expand more and more [09:12:47] and it had better be more robust than us SSID [09:12:49] Driving license, healthcare service card. [09:13:01] Downside is that the expense is enormous. [09:13:23] I think our current IT infrastructure costs around 40 billion dollars? [09:13:25] that sort of thing is basically fine to me if it's the sort of stuff that can be fairly easily put together from above anyway and it just makes life simpler [09:13:45] we spend so many billions on military alone I think we can divert a little to doing a better social security system [09:13:48] And they still plan to expand it more cause the system is still quite unstable. [09:14:06] Mostly on user end like app crashing. [09:14:13] Document not uploading (or delayed). [09:14:20] we already try and use it for everything so may as well do it correctly in a way not everyone's life is leaked at a cursory search every time a stupid company decides to half ass security [09:14:46] And this is the funniest part that people often overlook when it comes to drastic bureaucratic change: Pissed off government officials. [09:15:06] that is the bulk government effect as far as I observe, as long as it's there on paper it working well enough doesn't matter to the bottom line [09:15:31] Every single police officer and public servant I knew was overworked to beat death when we issued a decree to ensure at least 90% of our 100 million people population had the new chip citizenship id. [09:15:38] Within 6 months. [09:15:47] yeah that's mildly insane [09:16:00] it shouldn't drag out forever but that's kinda silly [09:16:03] Yet the crazy bastards did it. [09:16:12] We achieved a 98% within 1 year. [09:16:15] I guess if it worked I can't fight the results [09:16:19] And now we're scooping up the stragglers. [09:16:49] I mean, our government offered bonuses for every citizen you help with the new ID. [09:16:54] I do think that would be hard to accomplish with the US, all factors aside, chiefly with the disparity between states (getting on board, differences how they work and so on) [09:16:57] So officers really went above and beyond for it. [09:17:06] They even went to people's homes to do it. [09:17:28] Oh you live 500km away from the city centre? Well. You'd be damned when a police officer visit you. [09:17:35] Over a god damn ID change. [09:18:22] That's a big problem. Plus. There got to be gain for officials to actually work hard. A lot of countries can issue a new policy but the bottom feeders. Aka us government employees wouldn't give a damn if we don't benefit from it. [09:18:45] As much as I like to preach "Good public servants serve the people." I still prefer to not be underpaid. [09:18:53] Or overworked. [09:19:14] it's a careful thing to achieve and we're famous for just, not [09:19:33] "Why bother with all the mess when things are fine as is?" [09:19:52] Change is always messy. United States prefers it to be "Business as usual". [09:20:31] But yeah. For public servants to work earnestly and hard... Just pay us well! Or give us big fat bonuses for everything we do. [09:21:06] The cog is better when well-oiled. Bureaucrats are faster when money is involved. [09:21:36] Although I do highly recommend not working in public service sectors. [09:21:42] It's pain. [09:22:53] yeah I've steered clear from that [09:24:11] People underestimate the sheer audacity some poor Karen/Kyle has. [09:24:41] Public sector is service + customer service + office magic combined together. [09:24:56] seen enough retail alone that I'd rather not and would probably just slap people [09:25:17] [1/2] Slapping people in retail? You get fired. [09:25:17] [2/2] Slapping people as a public servant? [09:25:21] Investigation. [09:25:29] 💀 [09:25:32] so, slap slightly off camera and deny everything [09:25:36] I guess that's a benefit [09:27:06] [1/2] Here in the Communist party of Vietnam. Our big, in bold letters, slogan is: [09:27:07] [2/2] "If the people beat you, take it. If the people yell at you, smile. If the people ask questions, answer. If the people need help, help." [09:27:28] Basically. Suck it up. [09:28:54] if there is a sector where that's kind of needed, it's the sector with direct power over the people and is ostensibly controlled by them indirectly at least [09:28:58] And boy if you don't follow that slogan. It's hell on Earth for you. [09:29:36] At the end of the day, we serve the people. [09:30:01] And unlike corporate where we can lose customers. We can't lose faith of the people. [09:30:17] So yeah. The public sector is a painful experience. [09:30:37] No wonder why the old generation public officials are so disgruntled. [09:30:57] Disgruntled public servants are a bane of any government. And there are a lot of those. [09:36:41] yeah, scary thing is that you have those problems, you have US problems, you have EU problems... and everyone thinks they might have an answer, but in effect, just a new set of problems. If you're lucky maybe a first generation of success [10:12:09] Government in general is like code. It's a series of things working together. And if you want to change it. You have to systemically change the code so they still recognise each other. [13:17:55] you can just yell cướp! and half of the neighborhood is beating up the robber [13:17:57] absolute peak [13:19:35] That moment when the police are there to prevent the poor robber from being beaten to death by the neighourhood: [13:20:19] if you know the officer which a lot of tight knit communities do he's probably just gonna arrest the neighbor and let people off with a 'strongly worded reprimand' [13:20:29] i'm young idk if that's actually the case tho [13:34:01] Usually robbers are not from the same community. [13:34:39] And the situation have changes drastically ever since our chairman, Lord bless his soul. Nguyen Phu Truong changed the government. [13:36:15] Oh wait I meant robber [13:36:21] But I typed neighnor [13:36:57] Ah. [13:37:01] Yeah. [13:37:08] They never arrest the locals that beat up the robbers. [13:37:14] They just stop the beating. [13:37:21] good [19:55:54] @cosmicalpha when you’re free minding checking DMs 🍀 [21:43:27] avghelper: did you receive my meow from hackint [21:58:06] So Claire. Very Elania [21:58:15] ahaha xD [21:58:44] anyway, the rainverse wiki is going to move to the dns network powered by bash [21:59:04] that feels weird to say [21:59:12] Brain almost did that with my own name [21:59:16] Uh oh! [21:59:37] wait what- [22:00:07] > So Claire. Very Elania [22:01:22] :wikipetan: [22:21:16] Morning BlankEclair [22:21:25] Well nearly good night here [22:26:57] [1/2] > @avghelper did you receive my meow from hackint [22:26:57] [2/2] yes lol [22:28:14] but yes trying some DNS shiny new thingthing, will see how it goes ig [22:28:47] (god that message was awful lol, can't type today ig) [22:28:54] ((i should take a nap)) [22:38:47] And ye I sleep now