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Joined 11 months ago
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Cake day: August 2nd, 2023

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  • The home battery provides a backup source of limited power if the grid goes down, like a giant UPS. If one also has solar panels and/or wind generation capabilities on site, they have access to distributed domestically/locally sourced energy that isn’t subject to things like embargoes, war, and other supply issues that can affect traditional energy sources. In an off-grid application, that battery is the only way to use these sourced of energy when it’s night or the wind isn’t blowing. Unfortunately, these capabilities are more expensive than utility-scale grid power which can leverage economies of scale. An EV is able to inject many different sources of energy into the task of transportation, depending on how and where the electricity is sourced. This is an excellent way of diversifying the energy input portfolio instead of putting all of one’s eggs in one basket. Nuclear, hydroelectric, wind, geothermal, solar, natural gas, and coal come to mind. An ICE has much less choice and is therefore more beholden to economic fluctuations and vulnerabilities. I see a range of used EVs and PHEVs with costs equivalent or less to traditional ICE vehicles in my country. Certainly cheaper than many SUVs and pickups at least.






  • I went two wheels! My moto gets excellent fuel economy without the use of exotic metals like a hybrid or EV does. It was also way cheaper to buy than a car. Sometimes my parking is less of an impact, too because I can park in the landscaping islands in some parking lots if it’s busy and I’m sneaky about it. One must be a very diligent and defensive rider and wear protective gear when riding. Having a different perspective about traffic flow helps with safety as well. Going slow for a bit after a stop while everyone else rushes ahead is a great way to keep traffic away from oneself. Also, having all the lights has helped everyone see me. No more cars pulling in front anymore. Don’t be an arse, be extremely vigilant, and respect the machine. These rules have helped me so far. Many motorcyclists don’t do that and have really skewed statistics and perception, I think.








  • I kill them with a spray bottle filled with 70% isopropyl alcohol. The mist is difficult to avoid, and once they’re knocked down, I drown them with a few more blasts. I think the surface tension of the alcohol is able to permeate the tiny holes (spiracles) that would normally keep water out of their respiratory system. No guts, just wipe away the fly’s body and any excess alcohol. Anything you miss will simply evaporate. Bonus: 70% isopropyl alcohol is a disinfectant, so you’ve already helped clean any disease the fly may have been carrying.