NaibofTabr

But as soon as money/gifts/favors are introduced, it’s automatically an uneven playing field.

Even if you discount or prevent direct bribes/corruption, there is still an imbalance when a particular group (e.g. the petroleum industry) can afford to employ people as full-time lobbyists, who spend their time and attention on nothing else. It’s much harder to write effective regulation against that, or enforce it.

The only useful response is to organize advocacy groups that can also afford to support full-time lobbyists (the ACLU, EFF, etc).

Yes.

Alternatively, donate to and/or volunteer for groups like the American Civil Liberties Union and Electronic Frontiers Foundation (or equivalent groups in your country) which are already organized and employ lobbyists.

One other note that no one else has addressed:

There is a lung cancer risk due to inhaling smoke, or really any kind of small particulates. Burnt organic material is particularly bad, as you’re basically inhaling very fine carbon particles. The lung cancer risk from smoking marijuana seems to be lower than that from smoking tobacco, because tobacco smoke in particular contains many cancer-causing chemicals, but there is also comparatively little research on health risks related to cannabis smoke.

Regardless, the point is not that smoking weed is a particular cancer risk, but that inhaling any smoke or vapor is a cancer risk, and the risk is increased by volume. Firefighters have an increased risk of developing lung cancer due to repeated and extended exposure.

I’m not saying don’t smoke at all - after all, life should be lived. I am saying that you should understand the risks you’re taking, and that they can be reduced by moderation.

[…] or consult experts in the field before they enact legislation.

This is technically the justification for lobbying.

Tell me the kids still t-bag each other.

Well, there’s no accounting for taste.

Foxconn employees in particular are very well protected:

…from the ground.

“Failing to meet a quota or making a mistake can draw public condemnation from superiors. Workers are often expected to stay silent and may draw rebukes from their bosses for asking to use the restroom.”

https://wonderfulengineering.com/story-life-death-apple-forbidden-city/

The installation of suicide nets reflects a broader commitment to employee well-being and mental health within the tech industry.

https://wheelermethodist.org/religion/suicide-nets-apple/

Yeah, say that with a straight face.

https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/this-kills-the-crab

I want to get off Mr. Bones’ wild bridge

If this is true:

If you report the message it then the full text gets sent to WhatsApp.

That means there’s a software switch that dumps a plaintext copy of a supposedly encrypted message when flipped.

Therefore, all you need to read any WhatsApp message is the ability to flag the message as “reported”, and access to wherever the plaintext copies get sent.

Considering how often security is an afterthought for corporations, the access part is probably easy.

So… anyone with access to the report API can read any message they want?

This kills the bus.

The Century of Self - documentary by Adam Curtis

The Century of Self, by Adam Curtis, discusses the emergence and rise of psychoanalysis as a pivotal means of persuasion for corporations and governments. It covers the work of psychoanalysts Sigmund Freud and Anna Freud, as well as PR consultant Edward Bernays. The series reveals how those in positions of power have used Freud’s theories to influence and control the public.

…until the next time we decide that you need to do a ‘one-time’ license check.

Sure, but as I already pointed out above, it’s very relevant for an article titled:

China develops iron battery 80 times cheaper than lithium that can last 16 years

This is a misrepresentation of the facts. While iron may be 80x cheaper than lithium, the iron battery built with this design will not be 80x cheaper than an equivalent lithium battery, because it will require substantially more material, as well as additional mechanical complexity (liquid pumping).

You’re responding as if I’m criticizing the technology. I’m not. I’m criticizing the sensationalist writing of this article that is intentionally manipulative of the reader.

Hmm, there’s no discussion of what the energy density is compared to lithium-based battery chemistries. In articles about new battery designs, that usually means it’s pretty bad. This will have limited value if you need 10x battery volume/mass for equivalent energy storage, primarily only for grid-scale systems, which the article specifically mentions near the end:

The development arrives as the international race to develop iron-based flow batteries accelerates, with the technology increasingly viewed as the most viable successor to lithium-ion for large-scale grid storage.

I’m guessing these batteries are heavy and bulky compared to an equivalent LiPo. Probably safer than the molten sodium grid storage systems, so that’s good.

On the other hand, while lithium may be trading at 80x the price of iron on the market, you’re going to need a lot more iron than you would lithium for each unit of equivalent energy storage, plus it’s going to take up more space (real estate). The eventual storage system will probably be somewhat cheaper than an equivalent lithium system, but won’t fit everywhere, especially developed urban areas due to larger space requirements, and definitely won’t be 80x cheaper, even if the iron/lithium price ratio remains the same. It won’t replace lithium batteries in mobile applications (vehicles, electronics, etc) or anywhere that physical space is at a premium.

The article is written to sound overly positive about this protoype, with a sensationalized headline, while not mentioning the drawbacks, and just hoping that the reader is to too ignorant to notice.

*Edit: Also, the picture attached to the article is bunk. Flow batteries require a pumping system to circulate the electrolyte fluid, which comes with a long-term.maintenance cost:

[…] all flow batteries include auxiliary components such as pumps and valves, which do require a regular maintenance cycle.

It’s literally the end of thirties.

There are many exits, some clearly marked, others less so, but none of them lead anywhere.