But it's not clear how to interpret the date code: 05-06 could be 5th June or 6th May; same sorry for 06-05. Very confusing due to American-style date formatting. Versions number are at least sequential, with a bigger number being a later version.
As an outside observer, I believe that it's dangerous to disregard the threat of a dismantling of the democratic system. The current administration seem to have little regards for any traditions or rules of law, and is actively targeting governmental institutions that limit how they can wield their power.
Democracy is not some magic spell that will bring the administration back to normality. Democracy only works as long as all players continue to act as if democratic decisions are binding. The executive branch have already shown they are more than willing to go against the judicial branch. They could do the same with the legislative branch. Questioning the legitimacy of elections, or actively rigging elections, is a possible next step in the same playbook.
We should focus on how the actions of the current administration work as means to consolidate their power. A powerful minority can rule over a majority, as long as their keys to power are upheld.
We visited a manufacturing / assembly plats for industrial vehicles in Sweden during the autumn. Everything was spotless, bright, and almost silent. All the tools were neatly organised in overhead ergonomic hangers, reducing the stress on the workers. It looked like a great place to work, nor akin to an office than a dirty grimy workshop.
On the other hand, I visited a Canadian plant and the difference was stark. There was hardly any lighting, the floor was black with dirt, and the noise was unbearable. This was a small supplier about 10 years ago, so take it with a pinch of salt.
There is interesting effects from group dynamics and having a sense of purpose that can help people reintegrate into society. But the work environment has to be prioritised to make it easier on the workers. If the work place looks and acts like a prison camp, you are not going to get those benefits.
The point is that clean factories do exist, and manufacturing can be a good place to work. But it needs some work to make it so.
This is what happened in Sweden about 10 years ago, when they started charging a $7 "administrative fee" on all packages privately imported from China. Prices for resistors went from $1 for a pack of a hundred to $8. As a student at the time, it effectively made the hobby non-viable over night because it got too expensive.
Lately, there have been some domestic actors filling in the gap. But it's still a significant cost increase compared to the glory days.
Since around 2020, you've been able to pay Swedish VAT when you purchase from Ali Express etc. The resistors increase from $1 to $1.25, with the $0.25 going to the Swedish treasury.
This resonates a lot with me, and I think you expressed what has been running through my mind lately.
Sometimes, I feel like I lack agency; lile I'm not a primary character in my own life's story. It's so easy to sit back, follow the flow, and let the will of others dictate what I work with and spend my time on.
Working on changing that. But now I'm at an impasse, as it's difficult to know which of my interests and hobbies are coming from within me, and not just something I do to--for lack of a better way to express it-- please or impress others.
Current working theory is 'work less, play more', spend time with others, and being as attentive and receptive that I can.
Thanks for saying so. It feels like a lonely road a lot of the time.
I'm taking some time away from work to try to pay attention to this. The urge to enter a cloister and stay forever has started cropping up, which may mean I'm taking it too far, but at least tells me I might finally be getting out of my fixed ways of thinking.
We are born meat and die meat; our life spans are short
"Hyrdogen core clusters" might be around a bit longer
On a related note, it would be curious to see how many years a computer could keep chugging along silently doing its job. Of course dependent on a reliable power supply and that We stop our habit of breaking all dependencies every three months. Maybe thousands of years would be possible? A bit interesting to think about.
The longest-running computer that we are aware of ran for about 4.5 billion years, and even then it only stopped because it was destroyed in order to facilitate an intergalactic highway construction project for a hyperspace express route.
Scooters live a hard and short life from what I have understood. So they are not very environmentally friendly given their resource intensity over their life cycle.
