Recently, seeing those on-chain transactions that look like a single needle, my first reaction isn't "Wow, arbitrage opportunity," but rather "Am I about to pay someone else a fee..."

As for sandwich attacks, honestly, you might think you're bottom-fishing, but in reality, you could just be paying the packager/robot for their meal.
Anyway, now I always set my slippage very conservatively before placing an order; if it doesn't work, I split the order into smaller parts or just wait, to avoid earning nothing while feeding gas through a bunch of operations.

Lately, the calendar for staking unlocks and token unlocks keeps getting dug up and frightening everyone.
When everyone gets anxious, they chase even more, making it easier to get caught in a sandwich.
It feels like the chain isn't lacking opportunities, but lacking the ability to survive within the costs and risks.
Next time, let's talk more.