So many open tabs, I know your pain.
abaddon
Do you really need auto-reply if it's only going to be 30 seconds?
250k is probably below the average pay for an Apple engineer, not to mention other costs and benefits. ICT3 numbers (just above entry level SDE) are 230k and ICT4 are 340k. 500k isn't that difficult at the more competitive software companies located in tier 1 and 2 markets. But yes, CEOs and E levels make far too much for their impact.
I haven't heard the Gervais joke so I'm not weighing in about that but I agree with your comment about not "reading" stand up comedy. Jim Jefferies did a skit about this. The joke he was referring to is also controversial but the point is, delivery matters. Here's his bit about writing jokes
"What this lady did was she wrote an article about me, and she did a transcript of the actual routine in the article, wrote down every word I said. Now, I hate this. And I’ll tell you why. Because my whole skill in life is being able to say horrible things and still seem likable. [audience laughing] You take the whole… [grunts] out of it. See, if you read my material… it’s a bad read."
Those are rookie numbers :)
Congrats on the upgrade. I upgraded from 6x3T to 6x6T a couple years ago. Wish I had waited a little longer but feared drives going bad.
The article literally says "Blue Cities Have Higher Homicide Rate Problems Than Red Cities". Am I missing something?
Colbert compared their appearances on a recent episode
At least you're onboard with skill>money. Your example is referring only to Vintage though. There are plenty of turn 1 wins in any of the Eternal formats, there have also been turn 0 wins (win in your opponents first turn upkeep). Even in Vintage, there are many more ways to turn 1 win, without Black Lotus. In cEDH turn 1 wins are uncommon but there are plenty of decks where they can occur but to your point, it is very rare. cEDH has the added benefit of 3 opponents trying to stop you but even then early wins happen. The banlist being built around casual Commander but used for cEDH doesn't help.
Are you arguing a high price point for MTG is good? That's laughable. A game should be balanced by play skill. I play cEDH which has turn 1 wins but they're infrequent and I never expect my opponent to actually own the cards. I want to play opponents, not their wallet. Some formats are financially restrictive and that just plain stupid.
Until all the grocery stores merge, create a monopoly and do their own round of increases. Kroger/Albertsons merger would be awful here in Washington.
Within a couple miles of my house I have: QFC (Kroger), Safeway (Albertsons), Fred Meyer (Kroger).