My neighbors are a mysterious Brazilian who changes the topic when asked his profession but drives many luxury cars (drugs were hinted at by others), an 85 year old MAGA anti-vacc used car salesman, an absentee company owner that uses a $1.25M house to park his logoed trucks, boats and jet skis, and a lawyer who adopts maladjusted dogs and leaves his door open for them to run around the neighborhood biting people (me last).

Brazilian throws large parties for people who drive Porsches, used car dealer complains about Democrats and leaves packages on his porch for over a year, absentee is able to hook up a boat and leave in two minutes, and lawyer neglects feral dogs and spends time with his horses. I have only ever seen the used car salesman do work. He loves running things with motors at night.

None garden but 3/4 installed insecticide systems to kill all pollinators on their property at the push of a button and hire people to put in nice ornamentals.

The same 3/4 produce more garbage in a week than my family of four does in two months and may throw out and replace clothing rather than washing, so I doubt mending is on the table. They certainly don't cook based on the food deliveries. Absentee business owner has never spent a night in that house in two years and I don't know what he wears or looks like.

7mo ago

Toronto ER costs, visits by frequent patients reduced with new housing model - CBC

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Global_Liberty @lemmy.ml 7mo ago

It's as though getting to the core of problems and solving them to the greatest extent saves money.

I wish the US would consider this rather than ignoring some and inventing others.

7mo ago

Talk about mixed messages

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Global_Liberty @lemmy.ml 7mo ago

The retail salary to housing ratio is much better in Tokyo. Then add the much cheaper/extensive transit.

7mo ago

Talk about mixed messages

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Global_Liberty @lemmy.ml 7mo ago

California NIMBYs are the worst in the country.

The only problem I see is the buildings aren't tall enough. If we want to end the cost of living crisis, we need affordable housing stock and lots of it. To get that, we need to build. To build to meet demand, we need flexible zoning.

The Bay Area should copy Tokyo, the largest metropolis on the planet which is also in an earthquake zone and has relatively affordable housing with excellent neighborhoods.

7mo ago

529 for younger sibling

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Global_Liberty @lemmy.ml 7mo ago

I just want to comment that you're an awesome person for even considering this.

7mo ago

Weekly Discussion: 29 September 2025

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Global_Liberty @lemmy.ml 7mo ago

Congrats on crossing $1M net worth. The first is the most satisfying and worthy of celebrateion, but you can't tell anyone in your real life. So from a stranger on the internet, well done and onward to the next.

I also track my net worth monthly in Excel with a Google Sheet for my portfolio due to the free ticker formula. My portfolio returned 2.4% last month, but i'm likely a bit more conservatively invested than you as I'm worried about current valuations.

7mo ago

U.S. solar will pass wind in 2025 and leave coal in the dust soon after

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Global_Liberty @lemmy.ml 7mo ago

Yes, FPL has done a lot to prevent rooftop solar, but calling it "almost free" is not correct. Rooftop solar still comes with significant upfront costs. The weather of Florida degrades panels quicker with non-trivial odds of hurricane damage. Finally, Southwestern states receive much more solar irradiance.

If you are willing to be pragmatic and want solar in Florida, FPL's solar together program is your best option. Like it or not, utility grade solar is 1/3 the LCOE.

7mo ago

U.S. solar will pass wind in 2025 and leave coal in the dust soon after

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Global_Liberty @lemmy.ml 7mo ago

Florida has some of the strictest building codes in the United States due to the hurricane and flooding risks.

May I ask the source of your comment?

7mo ago

Halloween is canceled this year

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Global_Liberty @lemmy.ml 7mo ago

Confirmed. Same price on my Walmart app.

7mo ago

Inspiration towards a life more aligned with solarpunk values

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Global_Liberty @lemmy.ml 7mo ago

I miss the cover design of 1Q84 and also keep some cookbooks around. The benefit was the same benefit as minimalism: less to move, less to dust and make dust, less to search for, less to put away, more space. You live in Europe so it's hard to convey how overflowing with goods the average American house is. My choices are a reaction to this and I still feel we own double what we should, but my spouse and kids feel differently influenced by the society they know (I am the only one raised abroad).

I own a Pi 3 and used to run a NAS, home assistant, and ad blocker but found Google Home and a Synology NAS to be easier. I also have privacy concerns, but balance it with time commitments.

One of those is commitments is cookiing Saturday mornings to save time during the week while maximizing health. Other than making a batch of whole wheat pasta, I don't cook during the week. Many of our calories come from nuts, dried and fresh fruit, and soy milk which we keep in ample supply. Is meal prep an answer to your convenience conundrum?

7mo ago

Inspiration towards a life more aligned with solarpunk values

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Global_Liberty @lemmy.ml 7mo ago

Thinking about it, I believe you made my point in a more concise and articulate manner.

7mo ago

Inspiration towards a life more aligned with solarpunk values

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Global_Liberty @lemmy.ml 7mo ago

My brief foray was during COVID and the froth was evident. I hope it works out for you.

7mo ago

US Energy Dept. adds ‘climate change’ and ‘emissions’ to banned words list

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Global_Liberty @lemmy.ml 7mo ago

Why do they have a banned words list?

7mo ago

"Make America Healthy Again"

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Global_Liberty @lemmy.ml 7mo ago

I hope science and reality can make a comeback.

7mo ago

Inspiration towards a life more aligned with solarpunk values

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Global_Liberty @lemmy.ml 7mo ago

You have followed much of my own trajectory: highly educated -> higher income from somewhat dull, time-consuming job -> unfulfilling high consumption -> minimalism + FIRE + solar punk + secular Buddhist philosophy.

This final phase has been ongoing for five years and solar punk is the least certain part. I'm hoping it becomes a movement where I can find community with likeminded people who don't self-define by their consumption and want to live simply but well.

Congrats on sticking with the renewable field. I was there briefly but became disillusioned with the financing side.

7mo ago

Inspiration towards a life more aligned with solarpunk values

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Global_Liberty @lemmy.ml 7mo ago

Books were my weakness, but I accepted I had to cull after two moves and the reality that liberty and sustainability require minimalism. Don't deprive yourself though. Finish your series. You'll pry my Calvin and Hobbes and Tintin from my cold dead hands. Whereas I didn't need a physical copy of 1Q84; there's no pictures.

I can recommend heavier weight selvedged jeans if you want pants that last, but they come at a price. Line drying and cutting washing frequency by airing between wears extends the life. For shoes, I am either in AllBirds which hold up well (wool uppers with longer lasting treads) or leather dress shoes with goodyear welts that I have resoled every three years. I haven't bought new footwear since 2023, though grabbed some jeans in Japan for cheap a few months ago.

I love your self-hosting softeare and one day when I have time, I want to build the same. I'm simply time-poor right now between job and kids. I miss RSS feeds.

Eating healthy makes you feel better and saves money. Kill your high interest debt as quickly as possible and the sodium and saturated fats in instant noodles are terrible. Oatmeal, rice, and pinto beans are cheap in bulk (seal the bags well with binder clips), easy, fast (you have to soak the beans for a day but your labor time is maybe five minutes with a pressure cooker like the InstantPot), and healthier. I target <50% of the daily recommended maximums for salt, sugar, cholesterol, and saturated fats, and my blood work shows it works.