I know right? I mean if they colluded to lower advertising prices through collective agreement that would be something. Especially if they had an internal forcing mechanism to ensure compliance.

But um, they set out voluntary guidelines they suggested everyone follow to protect each member’s own best interests, and decided to spend zero dollars to buy nothing, which is a far far cry from trying to spend zero dollars to buy something.

What an ultra-maroon.

I’ll allow it!

Exactly. Hence the chaos creating.

You forgot: don’t wear underwear. So exhausting AND gross.

Create some real chaos, make it look like Putin did it using one of his preferred methods.

Sounds like a great reason to GTFO of Tennessee

[shrug] we really didn’t experience the rudeness they are so famous for. But I’m not denying it’s a thing. Either way, I enjoy both styles of bread very much.

You’re right of course, nor was I making any judgements. I loved seeing it! It made me smile. As did the quintessential “scowling french waiter” standing 15ft in front of us on the other side of the side walk, with apron and and all. And despite a previous poster’s comment about their infamous cultural rudeness, these slightly overweight, non-french speaking Americans didn’t experience any overt rudeness at all. If they were bad mouthing us quietly in french they did a great job of hiding it. [shrug]

I would visit Paris again in a heartbeat; though I would never fly Air France nor pass through CDG if you paid me. Such a horrible experience. Guess we’ll fly BA into LHR and take the chunnel or a ferry for the experience.

Jokes aside, I swear they really do walk around with baguettes in hand. 3 days in Paris, sitting at multiple cafes, and we saw it in the morning, at lunch, in the evening. Men, Women, Children, well dressed, poorly dressed (for a Parisian), black, white, brown, blue, green, every combination in between, we’d see someone walking around with baguettes. I’ve lived in multiple cities and visited even more in the US and Europe. Never have I seen so many people walking around with bread!

that’s “more of zee sex” to you buddy

OH! NO!

Anyway.

Well, in this case I’d say split the difference and make it each incident escalates where an incident #1 = “we caught you, we told you”, incident #2 = “we told you yesterday to fix your shit / don’t do it again, 2x fine” rinse repeat. Otherwise you run the risk of bankrupting a small business that had all 10 of their workers in violation, and maybe even not making a dent in a large business that only had 1 out of 1000 workers caught in violation

In addition to per-incident escalation, what I could get on board with are scaled fines based on contract / business size. The first incident is still “survivable” for small businesses but will actually have teeth for those larger ones. And then of course if they keep violating, say bye-bye economic viability.

Hahaha love it

I don’t have kids, and perhaps you don’t either?

I’m old enough with enough friend with kids, and recall being a 2yo myself, and I can say its INCREDIBLY easy to lose track of a 2yo. It only takes seconds to lose sight of them. How far they get after losing site isn’t an indicator of how long you weren’t paying attention, but how long you’ve been looking before finding them.

Correct.

Next question.

I want off this timeline!

Yup, 100% with you there. I’m just saying that friendship can start with that one thing in common and grow. Or fizzle out when you quickly figure out it’s the only thing in common.

As another responder said, work is potentially your largest adult social pool to source from. Don’t dismiss it. But of course don’t feel obligated either.

Nope, not hard to understand. But that’s a different context than people’s blanket, “No”.

I can very much relate to being in a work environment where I there was no one I’d choose to interact with outside of professional conversation or idle water-cooler talk; if even that!

I’ve also been lucky enough to be in other ones where I’ve made great friends that I’ve had over for game nights, taken road trips with, invited to my house, been to their wedding (and they mine), and gone to shows with.

All I’m suggesting is to be open to it.

ITT: I don’t want to ever socialize with my co-workers Also: How do you make friends as an adult?

Look I’m not a huge fan of forced socialization myself. I HATE small talk. I’m looking for the door before I have the first drink in my hand at “networking events”. But I also know one of the biggest opportunities I have to meet new people as an adult is at at work. So I choose the situation carefully to make sure it’s one I’m comfortable with and I give it a go. I’ve made a few lasting friends, people I play soccer with, people I invite over my house, people who my other friends got tight with, and over all growing my social group. A number of them don’t even work for the same company anymore, or in my immediate office at least.

I’m not saying to do anything you don’t want to do, and forced fun can suck, but if you DO want to meet people in life and make friends, don’t force-limit your opportunities to interact with new people. Pick, or even suggest!, the situation that works for you.

“Team Blue”? who’s talking politics. Nature DGAF about who you voted for. Anyway …

Geologic time for continental drift is not even close to the same as annual hurricane season and [wait for it] wild fires!!! And guess what, I DO say the same about anyone loving in areas prone to more and more wild fires who continue to rebuild there. But at least wild fires have one small chance of being mitigated through proper fuel management and power-line spark prevention.

I know I said it, but you’re focusing too much on my one-in-a-million comment, as if I was saying what you described isn’t happening. I know wealth consolidation is happening.

My point was that unlike the downturn, recession, busts, that cause what your describing, THIS type of climate related weather event is just going to keep happening to that same location. And that it’s better to help the poor that are impacted relocate where they won’t get hammered by the next hurricane.

And if the rich want to swoop in and build on that land that is now legit worthless they are welcome to. I believe they will regret it when Nature strikes again. They can’t gentrify against nature. And all their value will be wiped out each time.