Everything is car centric, and if you’re not rich enough to own a car, you’re basically excluded from public life

Amsterdam changed.

Paris is changing.

… København

Seriously, visiting North America is “we’ve tried adding a [car] lane to the highway and can’t figure out why nobody is cycling or taking transit.”

Transportation networks indeed make little sense when there’s an ocean in between. Too bad the USA can’t play nicely with others.

Common standards would be a challenge, in some areas -can’t do electrical because 50hz vs 60hz and deep integration with USA grid. The NEMA plugs are a bit of a nightmare. But for vehicle safety and emissions it would be a step forward; more countries adopted the EU than US standards there.

Most of Europe does just fine with English speaking on their own, and some would argue better than the Brits.

Just don’t let the French hear the Quebecois, they’ll veto straightaway.

I imagine that military gear is really built around layers because it could be used for guard duty or a march, which have very different thermal needs. They might have zip out liners which I’m a big fan of for varying conditions.

Military gear is pretty variable in quality. It’s an exercise in cost engineering usually.

As noted, fjallraven makes decent gear. Down is a good material because it compacts well and puffs back. Fur lined hoods are good because it cuts wind exposure. Some furs are less likely to trap moisture and get frosty. Faux furs are no good for actual arctic use.

Reminiscent of WWI tactics in the face of machine guns. Totally useless waste.

In this case, I hope they never figure it out.

It’s interesting that the places that make lots of babies are also the source of emigration to places that make fewer babies.

Executive life: Fire all the people with tribal knowledge (aka who know how this all works), and wonder why this happens while you collect your bonuses.

Exactly. Sometimes the 10 min walk from the train to office is enough to make me want a change of clothes!

I’d suggest, depending on weather and exposure, simply getting shoes that can get wet and easily dry out and keeping a pair for indoors your bag.

Pwsafe isn’t as sexy but it does the basic job - password safe.

Just hop on a YouTube channel for someone who bought one for a song and got hammered by failing infrastructure and 400+ year old construction techniques which are simply incompatible with modern solutions even if it was permitted to use modern solutions. Millions spent on repairs.

Engine is designed for multiple applications. Generator may be aftermarket builder.

Just a small quibble.

In the late 1950s, a cheap American car cost about $14k.

You’ve shifted a decimal point.

• Bel Air $1987
• Studebaker $1855
• Oldsmobile 88 $3541

https://www.rd.com/list/this-is-how-much-classic-cars-cost-in-the-1950s-and-what-theyre-worth-today/

One thing to bear in mind, though, is that these cars were generally shit. Today, 100,000mi is a reasonable distance for a car to go before the first owner considers selling it on; in the 50s it was easily half that. I’ve heard, but can’t cite a source, that 3-5 years was the upper limit for most of them.

This was a time when a lot and custom home could be gotten for $5-10k

Projections estimate that Russia’s population will fall to about 132 million in the next two decades.

That’s still a lot of cannon fodder

That’s fine, but do it for cars first.

Good for them but it’s a hell of a defensible pinch point if the Russians could get their act together. I hope they do not.

Don’t need to advance when the battle is being fought in the White House.

I fear for the future of western democracy.