ginja
The employment industry in our prevailing economic structure demands punctuality, often through crowded, uncomfortable and frankly, degrading means of transportation. This perceived "choice" is not a luxury but an enforced necessity, much like the bovine passenger being shipped off to slaughter, with the only distinction being, we humans "chose" this.
One could argue that the transportation network isn't able to offer comfortable and safe transit, yet it is more a matter of priorities than abilities. The ability to provide such transport exists, but the political and economic will, sadly is not in abundance.
Is it not curious that a society which can show empathy for the transportation of its livestock struggles to extend the same basic courtesy to its own kind? After all, are we not more than just cattle to the abattoir of capitalism?
From the EASA guidelines on lithium batteries (https://www.easa.europa.eu/sites/default/files/dfu/Backgroun...):
> Also, spare batteries, including power banks, should not be recharged while on board the aircraft. Additionally, power banks should not be connected or providing power to a device while on board the aircraft.
But I question the accuracy of these stats - I would expect to see SEPA wires and direct debit being significant everywhere, Multibanco and MBWay[0] in Portugal, TWINT in Switzerland, giropay in Germany, etc
Also, even if they are accurate, they rank Joe's homemade soap shop the same as a major retailer, and don't consider how many customers actually use each payment method.
And VAT is a double-edged sword... It's the only tax that essentially nobody can avoid, and thus the only tax that also applies to people who are already wealthy and could otherwise live their life without paying any tax.
It's still too strict though - I got convicted of essentially "possession with intent to distribute" just for having ~15g of hashish when I was young and a regular smoker some 15 years ago (the legal limit is 5g). I only got a bit over a year probation and it never showed up on my record, but it was extremely unfair IMO and a traumatic experience - to this day I still have nightmares of being arrested and my home being searched every once in a while, and a big distrust for police and the justice system which will probably never go away.
Is that about the "virgin of EMACS" joke from, what, 15 years ago now? Sure, it was silly and I personally wouldn't have said something like that, but come on... This doesn't make someone an asshole.
- Lisbon: 18.06
- Porto: 13.55
- Sydney: 9.09
- Melbourne: 7.05
- Vancouver: 12.62
- Toronto: 11.82
- San Francisco: 7.02
- Los Angeles: 7.47
- New York: 9.99I'll just comment on the taxes, as someone who owns a business - yes, they are high. But not that much compared to the rest of Europe. I'm sure by now you're thinking "but other countries make a lot more money!!" - and that's exactly why taxes are high here. Our GDP is much lower, so if our tax rates were also lower, how would the government afford machines for hospitals, vehicles, fuel, and so on when all these things cost the same as elsewhere in Europe? The only thing that is significantly cheaper here is labor, after all...
Yes, things aren't good. But there's no easy solution either. I personally prefer to pay higher taxes than to compromise our public services further, or privatize them in a fuck-the-poor way.
[1]: https://dre.pt/dre/detalhe/decreto-lei/67-2019-122349221
I'm from Lisboa and this can't be true unless you're using some very strange definition of real estate. What's your source for this?
Not saying bin Salman is any better (he's not) but my point is that things aren't so cut and dried, and ultimately companies are just going to do what is best for them even if it means accepting some shady stuff. If all workers were that strict about the morals of the companies they work for, most of us would be out of a job.
Originally it had only 4 car lanes (2 in each direction), but was designed to be expanded and some 30 years later two new lanes were added and two sets of train tracks were built in the lower deck, which now carry both intercity and suburban trains that are much faster than driving during rush hour. An interesting unique feature is that 2 of the lanes are made of steel grating instead of asphalt in order to reduce aerodynamic forces in high winds.
The other bridge across the Tagus is also remarkable, given that it is the longest in the EU: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasco_da_Gama_Bridge
I don't care about the mailbox and suck at managing it, but I do care about the people who reach out (if you give me a call or follow up I will always apologize and get you what you need). Usually I manage to get to everything, but when I'm swamped or when my mental health is not doing so well things start descending into chaos pretty fast.
Recently it's been bad enough that I am considering just hiring a part-time secretary to organize things, reply to the trivial stuff and keep me in check so others don't have to.
Please start practicing abstinence before you get everyone sick, you sexy bastard!
Recycling is not perfect but I don’t understand the negativity. Do you really think it would be preferable to just send everything straight to landfills instead of trying to recycle what we can, even if only once?
> Already participating in combat operations in Afghanistan, the National Guard lived up to its motto of "Always Ready, Always There," and answered the call in January 2003 to send troops to Iraq for the beginning stages of what would later be known as Operation Iraqi Freedom.
https://www.nationalguard.mil/News/Article/576180/the-nation...
To be clear I don't wish anything bad for the general Russian population, among which I have many friends, let alone Putin's opposition. And this may not be the best strategic idea, but it's a possible one that fits the theme of this community - so I think the snarkiness is uncalled for.