octave

A start would be allowing people to go peacefully and at the time of their choosing, whether they have a terminal illness or not.

As I get older the fact I have less future life to look forward is compensated by the years of life I have already enjoyed. I have achievements and good times to look back on. Obviously I am not done yet but the future although still with potential to achieve things has less time and possibilities, I am fine with that.

The original post mentions cars and safety systems. My point is that modern safety systems are there to reduce deaths by accident but they are also there to reduce pain and suffering. You could argue for things like random breath testing solely from a standpoint of reducing injuries and suffering, the side effects may also be reducing mortality. The value of modern safety standards in not merely postponing death. The value of life is not just about life and death but the quality of living.

But pain and suffering are often averted or diminished.

That is a personal point of view. I don't think I was happier when I was 20, probably the opposite. Of course, when I was 20 I had much more of a future ahead of me and my back never ached and I did not need to take any medication but this does not mean I was happier. Modern concern for life is not just this binary dead or alive proposition. My grandfather died of asbestoses. Now we don't use asbestos. If asbestos had been restricted earlier he probably would have lived longer but the more important thing is he would have had to endure an awful death. Modern safety is not just about avoiding or delaying death but also quality of life and avoidance of unnecessary suffering. I like others here probably take one or more medications per day to keep me going. This comes at a cost to society. Judgments are made about what medicines society will subsidize and what treatments society will offer. For whatever reason society subsidizes the drugs I take that extend life but more importantly, allow me to live an enjoyable active life. Thanks, society, I am about to travel interstate to visit my 90 yo mother who is in aged care. Her care is subsidized by society and it would be much cheaper not to bother. The important thing to me is not how long she lives but whether she suffers. In traveling interstate, I know I can be pretty certain I will arrive safely at my destination because modern airline travel has become so safe. I might be unusual but I think in most aspects modern life is better. When my son was born the odds of him or my wife dying were quite small unlike in the past. In the past, we wouldn't even have been having this conversation with people we have not met in all corners of the country. Whether things are better or not now can be measured in many ways but whether an individual is happier now than in the past is a personal thing. I guess maybe I am lucky that I am pretty happy. Anyway got to catch a plane for a very safe and probably not too unpleasant flight.

It is probably worth noting that many phones with a "non replaceable" battery in fact can have a new battery installed either by a repair shop or you can do it yourself. I almost did it myself but scored a pretty good hand-me-down. Third-party batteries are available for most phones. The downside is that the replacement process involves a heat gun to melt the glue and a little bit of scalpel surgery. I am not sure if I could be bothered. The point of the new EU law is that the battery will have to be replaceable without special tools or expertise.

My son used to own a BMW5 2007, He replaced this with a Tesla 3 long-range. The BMW's empty weight was 1505kg by contrast the Tesla has an empty weight of 1844kg. The BMW of the same year as the Tesla (2019) is 1759kg Here are the empty weights of the top 10 selling cars in Australia. 1. Toyota Hilux 1475-1565kg 2. Ford Ranger (single cab) 1789-2431kg 3. Isuzu D max 2112kg 4. MGZS 1284-1610kg 5. Toyota RAV4 1550-1745kg 6. Tesla model y 1909-1997kg 7.Mitsubishi Outlander 1580-1760kg 8. Mazda CX5 1576-1765kg 9.Hyundai Tucson 1530-1810kg 10. Hyundaii i30 1210-1495kg Here are the heaviest passenger cars on Australian roads.

I could answer that but I would have to google it!

Here is a short explainer of the different types of batteries used in EVs and their pros and cons. https://www.keyence.com/products/marker/laser-marker/resources/laser-marking-resources/comparison-of-different-types-of-electric-vehicle-battery-cells.jsp

I think the minerals etc. should be covered by fruit and veg. I think the problem could be that many people don't eat enough fruit and veg. I am happy to drink rain or tap water.

I think it is fine to drink distilled water Side effects of distilled water: Pros and cons Aside from its flat taste, distilled water doesn’t provide you with minerals like calcium and magnesium that you get from tap water. Because you already get most of the minerals you need from your diet, drinking distilled water shouldn’t make you deficient. Still, if you’re going to drink distilled water, it’s a good idea to make sure you get your recommended daily servings of fruits and vegetables. Depending on where you live, distilled water could be better for you than tap water. If your town’s water is tainted with harmful chemicals or pesticides, you’re safer drinking distilled. I think it is fine to drink distilled water

The interesting thing is I often spend time with my friends who all seem to be called Glen. Let's see there is Glen Fiddich Glen Livet and Glen Dronach. Most of these Glens are quite young let's say 10 to 15 years old!

I doubt that petrol and diesel cars will disappear completely. In perhaps 20 years I would imagine that IC cars will be an enthusiast's hobby. When the car became popular horses didn't disappear. Although diesel and electric trains now dominate train travel you can still travel on a steam train for recreational reasons. I dont think most of us on this forum will have to purchase an EV in our lifetime if we don't want to. The phase-out timetable for Australia is 2035 and this means a ban on the sale of NEW petrol or diesel cars. You could buy a new petrol car in the mid-30s and perhaps run it for 10 years or so although it may be the expensive option.

Distillation works. Home distillation units can be purchased reasonably cheaply. VEVOR Water Distiller Purifier Pure Water Distiller Filters Water Distillation $86. Another possibility is to harvest your own rainwater. I get that you think you should not have to and I do have some sympathy with that idea but to me taking control of the situation is a better way to go. Distilled water never contains fluoride as the distillation process effectively removes fluoride and a host of other contaminants that are harmful to your health. In fact, water distillation is so effective that the process is capable of removing just about anything from water.

There are many things where the science is contradictory. As an example a certain moderate intake of wine daily. There have been many reputable studies suggesting that a couple of glasses of wine a day are beneficial. Over recent times there have also been studies to show that even a moderate intake is bad for you. I have read many of these studies and what I have learned is that it is very difficult to study these things given the numerous confounding factors. I do conclude however that the benefit or harm must quite small otherwise its effects would be easier to detect. When I have a glass or two of my favourite red I accept that I might be marginally improving or marginally harming my health.

Traditional fuel companies are moving into the EV charging business. Oil companies and utilities are buying up all the electric car charging startups The idea that there is a rabid campaign to make people change to EVs in the short term is not really true. I know many countries have set aspirational targets for around 2035. In my view, this is probably not necessary due to the natural uptake of EVs. It will be a long long time before there are no IC vehicles on the roads. These batteries can store electricity when it is cheap and also be in the business of selling power back to the grid. A charging plaza with 258 fast-charging stalls is now a reality, but when will we see these here? Presumably, you don't install 258 fast chargers at a facility if only a few can be used at once. Many other countries are way ahead of us for various reasons. Norway is an interesting example. It is important to note that Norway still exports a lot of oil and is therefore not blameless. I do think however Norway is somewhat of an earlier adopter which in the long run benefits us all. Whilst Norway does not have the vast distances we have in Australia it still shows that some of the criticisms are not justified. What's the EV Charging Infrastructure in Norway Really Like? The world’s most electric city | Future of Cities There are many reasons why EVs are unsuitable for many people at the moment. This will probably not be the case in 10 years. The thing that bugs me is that although there are pros and cons to all new technologies, the anti EV folks are happy to go to quite extreme lengths to attempt to stop or slow down change. Most of this anti-stuff comes from financial self-interest and anxiety over change. The future, even in the shorter term can be hard to imagine. Some years ago when I bought my first PC and modem I used to connect to so-called bulletin boards (with my 28k modem). I think the suggestion that in a few years, most of the world will be connected by a worldwide network and we will carry around in our pockets the means to instantly communicate with someone on the other side of the world would have been hard to imagine.

Tesla crash repairs still far above ICE vehicles, but other EVs near parity: study

To be clear I don't think questioning fluoridation of drinking water is nutty. There are valid questions about dosages and whether or not the decision to ingest fluoride in water should be taken out of the hands of the individual. There are folks around who do however make wild claims about fluoride causing just about every illness you can think of. Most of the studies that I have read that are negative about fluoride talk about dose. I do think that as OME said the "big brother" vibe does upset some people especially because water is such a basic substance. There could be legitimate questions about adding anything to food such as iodine to salt. I wonder if some of the residents of Port Fairy and Portland campaign to get the naturally occurring fluoride filtered out of the water. Anyway, this could become one of those threads and honestly, I don't have much passion for this subject. If folks want to filter out the fluoride out of their water that's fine, I would not disparage it I am not sympathetic to the notion that they should not have to and people who feel they would benefit from fluoride could add it themselves. As always I am open to having my opinion pushed one way or the other by good-quality evidence, especially in epidemiological studies.

I am open to the argument about whether fluoride should be added to the water supply or not. Whilst fluoride like anything else can be toxic in large enough doses this applies to anything. As they say "The dose is the poison" It is reasonable to question its use but there is a lot of nonsense put about by some people. I suspect that many people are more concerned about the addition of fluoride to water rather than the fluoride itself. People I know who are anti-fluoride don't seem to be worried about the fluoride that is in water naturally or for example tea which has high levels. And yet the average life expectancy continues to grow. Look I am not a passionate fluoride advocate however, I have not seen studies to show the ills that some claim. Since not everywhere in the world fluoridates its water and of course folks who drink only rainwater you would think that epidemiological studies would be able to point to adverse outcomes when comparing populations where water is fluoridated compared to those that are not. I think this is a reasonable rational position to take. Anyway, it is one of those subjects that people get passionate about and personally, I will continue to drink water and tea and eat fish etc.

Fluoride is a naturally occurring mineral that is in food and in many water supplies (naturally occurring). Port Fairy and Portlands water supply have a level of fluoride between 0.7 and 1.0 PPM this is NOT added but is naturally occurring. I have not seen any credible evidence that fluoride is toxic at the levels it appears naturally or the level that is added to water. Four myths about water fluoridation and why they're wrong

Yep, the phone I had before the one I have now had a replaceable battery. Non-replaceable battery phones have made phones lighter and thinner and also help with dust and water protection however I would suggest most customers would prefer to be able to put a new battery in, I know that that is my preference.

Weight has become more of an issue over the years with modern cars of all types getting chubbier. Near us, a new dealership has opened up selling these monstrosities at over 3000kg. I think there should be a financial penalty for excessively heavy vehicles of any sort. I think range anxiety may abate somewhat as infrastructure improves. Most of us most of the time don't travel long distances daily. This of course is not the case in country areas. Aa the Drive article says SUVs are the most popular cars sold and their sales exceed sedans and hatchbacks. I am not saying weight is not an issue but it is often put forward as a reason why EVs are bad but not applied to other heavier vehicles.

Here is another recent video on battery swap. I think battery swap will be a part of the way we operate. A Nio is designing its cars for battery swap but of course, you do not have to do that. It is a little like a 9kg gas cylinder, you can refill it or swap it.

Probably it is a bit late for that. The legislation has been passed and the timetable set. It is not and probably can not be instant. If a particular company drags its feet, it only takes one company to get a phone on the market with a replaceable battery to corner the market. The consumer wants this and will vote with their feet. It is not like it involves massive development costs. It was not that long ago that phone batteries were replaceable. I say, take the win, pessimism doesn't achieve anything. Newly approved EU Battery Regulation explained

It is not correct to say that there is "no current ability" to recycle EV batteries. Whilst the industry is in its infancy there may not be many batteries recycled (partly because of lack of demand). I posted a video earlier in this or another thread showing in detail the process of recycling valuable constituents. often the EV doomsayer folks like to quote from the past. The fact is that the ability to reuse or recycle anything will always lag behind the product in its earlier days. It is a fact that EV and phone batteries "Can and are being recycled" and the industry is growing. One of the biggest battery recycling plants in the US is up and running Eramet and Suez choose Dunkirk for their electric vehicle battery recycling plant Redwood Materials announces $3.5 billion EV battery recycling plant in South Carolina Glencore plans Europe’s biggest electric car battery recycling plant Ford signs deal with Redwood Materials to recycle EV Batteries Redwood Materials Will Recycle VW EV Batteries I could go on posting links. The fire thing is much exaggerated according to the stats. People get all excited when there is a vehicle fire but tend to not be interested if the vehicle is petrol or diesel-powered. Land/Range Rovers Keep Catching Fires But EVs Are The Problem? The recent fire at Luton Airport car park is now believed to have been started by a diesel Range Rover. But many continue to believe it must have been an EV. If I were worried about fire and purchasing an EV I would probably opt for the less flammable battery chemistry such as the litheum ferrophosfate chemistry. I (I am ashamed to admit) have been in this situation. Although I have not had an incident or accident in 44 years of driving I did badly dent my sons (3 month old) Tesla. The repairs were not a nightmare and in fact no different from any other car. It is always possible to search for the few cases where things go badly. My bro in laws Suzuki Swift engine grenaded quite early on in its expected life. The reality is there are genuine questions to be asked about any technology. Certainly, EVs are not yet the best choice for everyone, perhaps we are in the early adopter stage. Countries like Norway are way ahead and it I think is rational to analyse these countries to see what costs and benefits are being derived and what negative consequences there may or may not be.