Johnny Kaggle
@kaggle99.bsky.social
It really is not always both increasing quality and decreasing cost.
Lots of innovations have been of the form, "I can reduce the quality by 15% but the cost to manufacture by 60%".
That may improve quality/cost and open the product up to people with less money. Good! But the quality did go down.
Lots of innovations have been of the form, "I can reduce the quality by 15% but the cost to manufacture by 60%".
That may improve quality/cost and open the product up to people with less money. Good! But the quality did go down.
November 11, 2025 at 3:12 PM
It really is not always both increasing quality and decreasing cost.
Lots of innovations have been of the form, "I can reduce the quality by 15% but the cost to manufacture by 60%".
That may improve quality/cost and open the product up to people with less money. Good! But the quality did go down.
Lots of innovations have been of the form, "I can reduce the quality by 15% but the cost to manufacture by 60%".
That may improve quality/cost and open the product up to people with less money. Good! But the quality did go down.
Yes. Even cheap department store ones.
No synthetic leathers, soles were sewn on rather than glued, etc.
Clothing and shoes are not the category you should argue about. Most of the changes have been to lower the cost at much reduced quality.
No synthetic leathers, soles were sewn on rather than glued, etc.
Clothing and shoes are not the category you should argue about. Most of the changes have been to lower the cost at much reduced quality.
November 11, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Yes. Even cheap department store ones.
No synthetic leathers, soles were sewn on rather than glued, etc.
Clothing and shoes are not the category you should argue about. Most of the changes have been to lower the cost at much reduced quality.
No synthetic leathers, soles were sewn on rather than glued, etc.
Clothing and shoes are not the category you should argue about. Most of the changes have been to lower the cost at much reduced quality.
In general, what I would say is that many products are cheaper (sometimes dramatically so) but also lower quality. In some categories (like clothes) the price to get the same quality that used to be "average" has gone way up.
November 11, 2025 at 2:10 PM
In general, what I would say is that many products are cheaper (sometimes dramatically so) but also lower quality. In some categories (like clothes) the price to get the same quality that used to be "average" has gone way up.
Some things are more complicated. Appliances, like washers or fridges, are more energy and water efficient, have questionable features like Internet connectivity, but are less durable and may not perform their core function better.
November 11, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Some things are more complicated. Appliances, like washers or fridges, are more energy and water efficient, have questionable features like Internet connectivity, but are less durable and may not perform their core function better.
But many, many other products have objectively gotten worse.
Clothing items are cheaper today, in real dollars, but generally much worse quality than justified by the change in price. Some things, like leather shoes that you can resole, have become luxury items today.
Clothing items are cheaper today, in real dollars, but generally much worse quality than justified by the change in price. Some things, like leather shoes that you can resole, have become luxury items today.
November 11, 2025 at 2:00 PM
But many, many other products have objectively gotten worse.
Clothing items are cheaper today, in real dollars, but generally much worse quality than justified by the change in price. Some things, like leather shoes that you can resole, have become luxury items today.
Clothing items are cheaper today, in real dollars, but generally much worse quality than justified by the change in price. Some things, like leather shoes that you can resole, have become luxury items today.
Will, there is not some sort of monotonically increasing quality across all products.
Cars are an outlier: they're much safer, more fuel efficient, pollute less, use higher end materials, and last way longer.
Technology iS generally another. No one would buy a new 1980 tv or computer today.
Cars are an outlier: they're much safer, more fuel efficient, pollute less, use higher end materials, and last way longer.
Technology iS generally another. No one would buy a new 1980 tv or computer today.
November 11, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Will, there is not some sort of monotonically increasing quality across all products.
Cars are an outlier: they're much safer, more fuel efficient, pollute less, use higher end materials, and last way longer.
Technology iS generally another. No one would buy a new 1980 tv or computer today.
Cars are an outlier: they're much safer, more fuel efficient, pollute less, use higher end materials, and last way longer.
Technology iS generally another. No one would buy a new 1980 tv or computer today.
After the lengthy Siege of Petersburg, @kaine.senate.gov decides to retreat, leaving Lee defending Richmond and the Confederacy intact.
November 11, 2025 at 2:10 AM
After the lengthy Siege of Petersburg, @kaine.senate.gov decides to retreat, leaving Lee defending Richmond and the Confederacy intact.
@whitehouse.senate.gov
"We need to move back as soon as we can go fighting Trump"....instead of fighting your constituents?
"We need to move back as soon as we can go fighting Trump"....instead of fighting your constituents?
November 11, 2025 at 1:07 AM
@whitehouse.senate.gov
"We need to move back as soon as we can go fighting Trump"....instead of fighting your constituents?
"We need to move back as soon as we can go fighting Trump"....instead of fighting your constituents?
Sorry, Charlie, but you already have supported it.
November 10, 2025 at 10:58 PM
Sorry, Charlie, but you already have supported it.
@kaine.senate.gov
Glad you can now sleep at night. Must feel like relief to give up the responsibility that our state has vested in you.
Glad you can now sleep at night. Must feel like relief to give up the responsibility that our state has vested in you.
November 10, 2025 at 10:34 PM
@kaine.senate.gov
Glad you can now sleep at night. Must feel like relief to give up the responsibility that our state has vested in you.
Glad you can now sleep at night. Must feel like relief to give up the responsibility that our state has vested in you.
Because you're up for re-election and you knew this was toxic, so you got Schumer to have others take the fall for you?
November 10, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Because you're up for re-election and you knew this was toxic, so you got Schumer to have others take the fall for you?
When their offices were also closed
November 10, 2025 at 6:07 PM
When their offices were also closed
"As a senator and Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I will use every tool at my disposal - except for my votes in the Senate - to push back against this president’s attack on our democracy."
@durbin.senate.gov fixed it for you
@durbin.senate.gov fixed it for you
November 10, 2025 at 4:18 PM
"As a senator and Ranking Member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, I will use every tool at my disposal - except for my votes in the Senate - to push back against this president’s attack on our democracy."
@durbin.senate.gov fixed it for you
@durbin.senate.gov fixed it for you
This bullshit drives me nuts.
Basically, it's "No, we won't get anything actually done, but we will get votes on the record that we can use in campaign ads next year!"
Winning to them is not actually helping people it's helping themselves.
Basically, it's "No, we won't get anything actually done, but we will get votes on the record that we can use in campaign ads next year!"
Winning to them is not actually helping people it's helping themselves.
November 10, 2025 at 3:31 PM
This bullshit drives me nuts.
Basically, it's "No, we won't get anything actually done, but we will get votes on the record that we can use in campaign ads next year!"
Winning to them is not actually helping people it's helping themselves.
Basically, it's "No, we won't get anything actually done, but we will get votes on the record that we can use in campaign ads next year!"
Winning to them is not actually helping people it's helping themselves.
November 10, 2025 at 2:40 PM
@kaine.senate.gov's office line is now open.
You can push to leave a voicemail or talk to his staff. The talk to his staff option just says it is busy and kicks you back out to the top menu. No option to stay on hold.
The senator and his staff must really not like hearing from constituents.
You can push to leave a voicemail or talk to his staff. The talk to his staff option just says it is busy and kicks you back out to the top menu. No option to stay on hold.
The senator and his staff must really not like hearing from constituents.
November 10, 2025 at 2:05 PM
@kaine.senate.gov's office line is now open.
You can push to leave a voicemail or talk to his staff. The talk to his staff option just says it is busy and kicks you back out to the top menu. No option to stay on hold.
The senator and his staff must really not like hearing from constituents.
You can push to leave a voicemail or talk to his staff. The talk to his staff option just says it is busy and kicks you back out to the top menu. No option to stay on hold.
The senator and his staff must really not like hearing from constituents.
The tell, from folks like @markwarner.bsky.social is that the "no" votes are not criticizing the "yes" votes.
"I can't support this bill" but not, "I am deeply disappointed by my colleagues who are caving in"
"I can't support this bill" but not, "I am deeply disappointed by my colleagues who are caving in"
November 10, 2025 at 2:01 PM
The tell, from folks like @markwarner.bsky.social is that the "no" votes are not criticizing the "yes" votes.
"I can't support this bill" but not, "I am deeply disappointed by my colleagues who are caving in"
"I can't support this bill" but not, "I am deeply disappointed by my colleagues who are caving in"
@kaine.senate.gov is such a coward!
November 10, 2025 at 1:08 PM
@kaine.senate.gov is such a coward!
November 10, 2025 at 5:47 AM
November 10, 2025 at 5:43 AM
Right. It's complicated. I know people forced to work without pay as well as people not working or getting paid.
There are many other thousands of Virginians at contractors that have also been furloughed or laid off.
All that sacrifice on the part of the citizens of Virginia....for what?
There are many other thousands of Virginians at contractors that have also been furloughed or laid off.
All that sacrifice on the part of the citizens of Virginia....for what?
November 10, 2025 at 5:41 AM
Right. It's complicated. I know people forced to work without pay as well as people not working or getting paid.
There are many other thousands of Virginians at contractors that have also been furloughed or laid off.
All that sacrifice on the part of the citizens of Virginia....for what?
There are many other thousands of Virginians at contractors that have also been furloughed or laid off.
All that sacrifice on the part of the citizens of Virginia....for what?
"We will keep fighting"?
November 10, 2025 at 4:39 AM
"We will keep fighting"?