The Core

https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2024/09/dead-internet-theory-comes-to-life-with-new-ai-powered-social-media-app/

“Dead Internet theory” comes to life with new AI-powered social media app | Ars Technica

We just towed a small, 1200-pound trailer up a 2000-foot hill (I mean vertical gain; that was over about 12 miles).

The thing you notice, whether gas of electric (since this is a PHEV i can observe both) is fuel efficiency takes a big hit.

Since this is the hill to our home, we drive it a lot. Generally, that hill eats about 17-18 miles of range unloaded (and because it’s not steep,’only charges about 3 miles of range in the way down; for charging, steeper is better since a lower percentage is lost to drag).

With a trailer it eats about 26-26 miles of range.

In think this is roughly the same whether gas or electric. The big difference is charging time and availability of chargers. Since we can charge at home but can’t refill the gas tank at home, we try to get home with the battery near 10% (the car doesn’t like to go below that).

OT: I finally sucked it up and installed a 50-amp, 240v circuit, ran 55’ of AWG 6 NM-B through the storage area, punched through the wall, switched to THWN wire (certified for underground), dug a trench, ran 30’ of conduit, pulled wire, painted and planted a 4” steel post, attached the charger* and fired it up. After a year of extension cords, one of the big things on my Honey Do List is done. Now we’re charging at 7.5kw (capacity of the car) rather than 1.1kw (capacity of the old circuit). The circuit and charger would go up to 9.6kw of the car were capable.

*Technically what I installled was EVSE - electric vehicle service equipment. The actual charger is in the car. Anyone with an EV by definition has a charger, what they might be lacking is EVSE to connect the charger already in the car to the grid.

>tech-nerd read

It was good.  Reminds me of something you would do RC.

>disposable systems

This isn't really nerdy enough, but my furnace motor died.  The "technician" (they don't call them repairmen anymore) recommended I replace the whole 20 yr old furnace but said he could try and find a replacement motor.  Long story short, he "found" a new replacement motor and the furnace works great.  Furnaces and hot water heaters sure do not last like they used to and are becoming as disposable as modern dishwashers.

That was impressive.

And also typical. Way back in the 1980s a friend told me that the tech world was moving to "total system failure" and disposable systems and for the most part, he was right.

And I am suddenly seeing a lot of these. Pretty often in pairs. I haven’t figured that out yet.