I did motorcycle safety crew for a charity bicycle ride last weekend. It’s one of the best things I have ever done.

This is a little bit before, but a story worth telling (again).

In 1995, I got AOL. Of course, this was in the days where only dialup existed, and when AOL was not flat rate, but charged extra for any time spent online over 30 hours a month. I had some bills.

My 486 computer had a 14.4Kbps modem in it, which I decided I would upgrade to a 33.6Kbps. This was the fastest I could get at the time. Surely, I would enjoy this new superfast speed, right?

No, no I would not. I noticed that I was only ever connecting at 2400 - and this was when the “standard” for dialup was 14.4. AOL advertised 28.8 at the time, as I recall.

I tried all manner of modem strings to try and get my fancy 33.6 to connect to AOL at any speed higher than 2400, to no avail. I spent hours waiting in line in their “support” chat rooms (which I later learned were staffed by unpaid volunteers who may not have known anything about anything). Then I finally decided to try using the toll-free 800 number (which AOL charged a premium to use).

Bang, connected at 14.4Kbps. Back to my local number, 2400. … Wait what? Okay, then it’s not me, it’s them.

I did even more digging to discover that AOL only offered “high speeds” in certain metropolitan areas. AOL numbers local to me were not included in any of those, so I got 2400bps, because that’s all AOL would give. And by this time, the “standard” for dialup had jumped to 28.8Kbps.

All of those super high AOL bills from before (they’d since moved to flat rate unlimited) were exacerbated by “downloading art” at 2400bps.

I immediately went to the grocery store, bought a computer magazine, thumbed through it until I found a regular old ISP (Netcom), and called them on the phone to sign up.

Doesn’t look like I’m able to edit the URL, but thank you.

I’m guessing that alternative front ends (piped, FreeTube, whatever) don’t give YouTube the same metrics they would get if I was using YouTube directly? I will continue to deny them the data they so desire.

The letter warned that if the outlet and its reporters “continue their reckless campaign of defamation, President Trump will evaluate all legal remedies.”

The only legal remedy they’re suggesting here is a defamation/libel suit. If Trump is asserting that ProPublica’s reporting on these oh so coincidental payments is false, then he will have to prove its falsehood. Furthermore, he will have to prove that ProPublica acted with actual malice.

• “Generally, to prove defamation, you must show that a false statement was made, about you, to third parties, and which caused you damage.”
• “To win a libel suit, a public figure must prove the publisher of the false statements acted with actual malice. Actual malice means that the publisher knew that the statements were false or acted with reckless disregard for whether they were true or false. This is much harder to prove than negligence.”

You’re out of your element, Donny.

“The stakes could not be higher,” companies said in an appeal that comes before the court on Thursday. “Over two dozen cases have been filed by various states and municipalities across the country seeking to impose untold damages on energy companies … and attempting to assert control over the nation’s energy policies … This court should put a stop to it.”

Like how California applies stricter emissions standards to automobiles such that manufacturers have to produce “California” cars to sell there (and by extension dragging the rest of the country into the future, kicking and screaming)? We’ve already done this.

Also, won’t someone think of the poor, poor energy companies!?

I’m glad other people are noticing the propagandist nature of the people you’re talking about.

For specificity’s sake, we’re talking about the people who drumbeat on “genocide,” lay the entirety of the blame for that at Biden’s feet, and push not voting for Biden as the “solution.” They also so very carefully leave out important details like how congressional Republicans are putting forward legislation that would disallow Biden from pausing arms shipments to Israel (which Biden has said he’d veto).

And the propagandists aren’t here in this thread because that doesn’t work in this context. That being the context of reality where another Trump presidency would so very obviously be exponentially worse, not just for Palestinians, but for all manner of people in multiple places around the world, including the United States.

I am 100% in favor of criticizing the US’ relationship with Israel, especially considering Israel’s present actions against civilians. I would also like to maintain a US government that allows such criticism.

Sounds like these are the kinds of incidents that police should take care of. But the odds are probably better that you’d end up with two problems.

Before anyone complains about energy density of these being less than lithium, the applications where these are used would reduce the demand for lithium, making lithium cheaper and/or more available for other purposes where sodium-ion wouldn’t work.

I was wondering what it had to do with Individual Retirement Accounts.

I bet he especially hates solar wind, and has a plan to go to the opposite side of the sun and turn off the Enormous Fan.

My dog knows the word “words.” It means “Person is getting ready to say things that I understand, I should pay attention.”

In effect, they’re using the subsidies (your tax dollars) to lobby against competition from greener technologies.