I dislike this person and company. That is putting it mildly.
Readit Newsbenmw333 commented on Flock CEO calls Deflock a “terrorist organization” (2025) [video] youtube.com/watch?v=l-kZG... · Posted by u/cdrnsf
benmw333 commented on Is America's jobs market nearing a cliff? economist.com/finance-and... · Posted by u/harambae
Same here. My big purchase for Black Friday last year was an OLED TV.
This year was prescription glasses.
bf related, I bought:
1) trail mix
2) licorice
3) books on diy house / carpentry
not bf related but happened this week: 1) cv axles for my car ~500 and will install myself
i am employed and just make it into 6 figures $110k, which apparently is poverty level now if you have a few dependents. i consider myself fortunate.
benmw333 commented on Using AI to negotiate a $195k hospital bill down to $33k threads.com/@nthmonkey/po... · Posted by u/stevenhubertron
I fought insurance over this past summer after they declined covering a life saving surgery for my 6-year-old child at the last minute. We were in despair that my child's life was at risk each day we waited because of insurance incompetence.
ChatGPT literally guided me through the whole external appeal process, who to contact outside of normal channels to ask for help / apply pressure, researched questions I had, helped with wording on the appeals, and yes, helped keep me pushing forward at some of the darkest moments when I was grasping for anything, however small, to help keep the pressure up on the insurance company.
I didn't follow everything it suggested blindly. Definitely decided a few times to make decisions that differed from its advice partially or completely, and I sometimes ran suggested next steps by several close friends/family to make sure I wasn't missing something obvious. But the ideas/path ChatGPT suggested, the chasing down different scenarios to rule in/out them, and coaching me through this is what ultimately got movement on our case.
10 days post denial, I was able to get the procedure approved from these efforts.
21 days post denial and 7 days after the decision was reversed, we lucked into a surgery slot that opened up and my child got their life saving surgery. They have recovered and is in the best health of the past 18 months.
This maybe isn't leveling the playing field, at least not entirely. But it gave us a fighting chance on a short timeline and know where to best use our pressure. The hopeful part of me is that many others can use similar techniques to win.
A few of the sentences don't make sense to me. Who is "they" and "their" in the last two paragraphs?
benmw333 commented on US High school students' scores fall in reading and math apnews.com/article/naep-r... · Posted by u/bikenaga
"America is bad and should be destroyed without regard to the people living there"
The worst leftists (handshake) the worst right wingers
How is America destroyed if people own their labor (money) and where they invest it?
benmw333 commented on US High school students' scores fall in reading and math apnews.com/article/naep-r... · Posted by u/bikenaga
I had a number of good teachers at the various public schools I attended, though the best ones were at a private school.
Instead of defunding, we should institute a voucher system where parents can choose between a local public school if it's good, charter schools, or towards a private school tuition and pay the difference.
What characteristics of the teachers and/or student body made the private school experience better?
benmw333 commented on US High school students' scores fall in reading and math apnews.com/article/naep-r... · Posted by u/bikenaga
That's unfortunate, I had at least 6 or 7 I could point to from that time that were outstanding teachers who instilled passion into their subject.
That is good to hear. In which subjects? Did that carry out throughout your entire life so far? Or did one particular subject end up taking more of your time, and if so, do you attribute that to specific characteristics of those who mentored you? Do you know if those mentors were elevated over time in their organizations?
benmw333 commented on US High school students' scores fall in reading and math apnews.com/article/naep-r... · Posted by u/bikenaga
I was happily lurking until I saw this astounding response.
"Every relationship with {men|women} I've been in has been bad, so romance is obviously worthless."
"My neighbors dog always barks at me, I didn't get why anyone likes dogs."
"I've had a bad experience with ${race} so I really wish we could get rid of them."
"I caught the flu, and it didn't kill me. I don't get why people are always worried about it."
"I've never worn a seatbelt, and I'm still alive. They're a waste of time."
"School was a bad experience for me personally, so best to get rid of it"
Are you serious right now?
Yes, I'm serious.
You make the mistake of thinking I am one of few, when I am one of many.
benmw333 commented on US High school students' scores fall in reading and math apnews.com/article/naep-r... · Posted by u/bikenaga
When I think of all my teachers I had throughout K-12 public school, not one of them stands out as having meaningfully impacted my life.
In fact I would argue many of them were a net negative to my learning achievements (or lack thereof).
So yeah, defund public schools as much as possible. That will get my vote.
lol Rob Bonta has morals now eh? that's rich.
benmw333 commented on Can Universal Basic Income Transform Society? theguardian.com/society/a... · Posted by u/bookofjoe
Why do you want to control the lives of others?