Threshold test might help you dial it in, and it doesn't have to be in a lab (though that would be most accurate) -- you could do a workout effort to estimate your max sustainable heart rate for an hour, then calculate zones based on that threshold HR (i.e. my Garmin calculates based on % LTHR, where zone2 ends up being 83-89% of LTHR).
It's also not an exact science - it's a spectrum and shifts day to day depending on lots of conditions!
I'm reading a biography of the philosopher Seneca. His life is an interesting example of your final point. He was truly one of the ultra-rich in Roman society -- as one of Nero's top advisors, he amassed a fortune, which was arguably not obtained through honest or entirely virtuous means (being primarily from a famously cruel emperor). But some of his famous letters argued that wealth isn't everything, money is "preferred" but not necessary to be a good person, etc. While I think there are some great points to remember in those writings, viewed in context against the author being one of the richest people in the Roman empire at the time it's hard not to see a parallel to your point that the mantra can be "plutocrat propaganda."
Hmm, I don't understand what would make that fraudulent, could you explain? Many users, and presumably many shareholders, click on ads that aren't relevant to them, or search for things that aren't relevant to their interests or purchases -- I would think that's just one of the many assumptions built into the advertising market.
> Every so often I'll google something like Criminal Defense Attorney, send money, or file taxes and click on the highest ads.
The original poster is deliberately searching for some of the highest cost per click ads [1]. They have no intention of using these services, and they're moving lots of money from the ad purchaser to Google. Up to $50 per click.
This person owns stock in Google and has a vested interest in seeing their revenues go up.
These effects are minuscule, but it's not far off from stealing a furniture item every time you go to Target. Someone is paying for these and it has a nonzero effect on Google stock.
Hmm, where do you need two clicks to change the volume by scrolling? I can just click on the volume icon (or any of the three icons there, since they're all a big button), mouse over the volume slider, and scroll to change it. I think this is essentially the same flow as before.
Agreed with most of your points, just curious about:
> Same way you won't get good mileage on any car if you do that
What do you mean by that? Aren't ICE cars often more efficient at highway speeds? My car usually averages 45ish MPG on the highway and more like 30 in the city.. the sweet spot seems to be around 60-70 mph. Some US highways get up to 80 or 90, but that still (at least for the cars I've owned) ends up more efficient MPG-wise than city driving.
The sweet spot for your car is actually more like 45-50 mph, but you are not really going to find long stretches of road with those speeds.
Try driving US highway 1 from Key Largo to Key West. It’s about 100 miles with a 45mph speed limit, at sea level. Set your cruise control at 45 on an evening with light traffic. It will be the best fuel economy you’ve ever seen in your car, by a wide margin.
> Aren't ICE cars often more efficient at highway speeds?
No. They're more efficient at constant speeds, because the ICE can only be really optimised for a very narrow RPM band, but that need not necessarily translate into higher speeds.
Just choose a lower gear, and watch your fuel consumption drop significantly below what it would be at higher speed in a higher gear.
The main reason for this is that air resistance, which costs energy (=fuel) to overcome, rises not linearly with rising speed, but in proportion to the square thereof.
Subaru already has a Crosstrek plug-in hybrid, but it's not available very widely. I would have been interested if I'd known they existed before buying my current car, but they're only available in certain states with seemingly low stock.
I feel this burnout. Finishing up college remotely and starting full-time work without meeting anyone in person has been an odd experience--not to mention political news, social injustice, and climate change looming over all our heads or affecting our lives directly.
Here are a few things that have helped me:
1) I try to remember that I don't have control over (most) external events, but I do control how I react to them.
2) Having a daily routine is good, but change up that daily routine--introduce some randomness--so the days don't feel like they're flying by.
3) Find something to commit to, like a mindfulness practice or workout routine. Walking or running daily can be a great way to bookend your work day and decompress. I know some folks who use walks as a "virtual commute" at the beginning and end of the work day.
How did you decide where to live once you graduated if you don't need to move near your new job? I'm graduating soon and this is something I'm struggling with. I don't like my hometown at all, my college town isn't great and everyone I know there is moving away, and there's no reason to live near my full time job since it's going to be remote. How do you meet people in real life now that college is over?
I actually moved near my new job anyway. It's remote for now, but will return to (mostly) in-person eventually. Looking back, I should have stayed in my college town for lower cost of living -- but at the time, we didn't think the pandemic would last quite THIS long.
If you can, why not try one of the LCOL cities trying to attract remote workers with stipends or relocation assistance? Or, take the time to try out somewhere you've always dreamed of living?
Meeting people is tough, especially right now. You could keep an eye on local groups on sites like Facebook or Meetup. You can try to find people with similar interests that you can participate in safely, like playing outdoor sports or hiking. Some friends have found people to chat with on services like Bumble BFF, but YMMV. I'm trying to more consciously stay in touch with my existing friends--being more open to talking on the phone instead of a quick text, or setting up time to play games online.
Unfortunately, it's just a hard time to meet people.
On your note [1] - could you explain more about using a 3rd party? I currently use auto-withdrawals, but it sounds like I should switch before I get in a bad situation like you mentioned.
As long as your landlord doesn't have your literal bank numbers, you are probably ok. If anyone has your bank numbers, they can initiate ACH withdrawals from your account, which is something I didn't know. There are protections on ACH transfers, which is why you can dispute things, but it also means a lot of your money could be in limbo for a long period of time, which is scary.
As for 3rd parties, most landlords I've had since use services like ClickPay and AppFolio (there are probably dozens, but those are two I've had the option of using with past landlords). They have automatic payment options, but they won't charge payments without your approval.
At the same time, there are other people who like the newer UI style much more. I think it looks and functions better. These are matters of personal opinion, including the end judgments of whatever team created it.
the argument that the article brings forward is that flat design is harder to figure out because it lacks some of the real-world metaphors we associate with interaction ("things that look raised can be pushed down", "things that have depth can be filled")
has there been research done on whether these difficulties occur in all age groups? Because I can easily see this being an artifact of tradition.
People who don't use a lot of analog devices may be confused by a skeuomorphic interface, and may appreciate the simplicity of a flat design.
You are making the "digital natives don't need the crutch of physicality" argument.
Here's what tobiasandtobias had to say about that in their blog:
Even 'digital natives' live in the physical world. We start learning how it works before we ever touch a computer, and even the most dedicated nerd spends more time interacting with physical objects than with digital interfaces. It doesn't take additional learning to know that an object casting a shadow on another is in front of that other, for example. Failing to leverage that existing knowledge is tantamount to shutting down whole swathes of users' brains.
Threshold test might help you dial it in, and it doesn't have to be in a lab (though that would be most accurate) -- you could do a workout effort to estimate your max sustainable heart rate for an hour, then calculate zones based on that threshold HR (i.e. my Garmin calculates based on % LTHR, where zone2 ends up being 83-89% of LTHR).
It's also not an exact science - it's a spectrum and shifts day to day depending on lots of conditions!