If we send starship to retrieve samples, we really need to send it with a small constellation of starlink sats modified to do comm, GPS, processing, etc to mars. Likewise, use the same for the moon, perhaps Venus.

For the last 40 years, china has been at work destroying manufacturing foreign nations (which is a big part of why they are the world's worst polluter of all times).
They are somewhat copying Japan's and S. Korea's approach to their build-ups. Basically, high tariffs, heavy subsidies, then once up to par or better then others, heavy exports after dropping subsidies. The difference is that when China gets to the last part, they continue to subsidize, and the government makes heavy use of controlling the companies exports, manufacturing capabilities, etc. which are then dumped so as to destroy foreign, esp. western, industries. Steel is just one of many.

What is needed is for nations to say enough is enough and to raise strong tariffs or even block ALL imported items from China that are being dumped. For example, nations really should block ALL metals that China is trying to import directly or indirectly. Likewise, I was surprised that Biden was stupid enough to relax the PV imports from Chinese companies that simply moved to Viet Nam and other Asian nations on moderate terms with China. All of that needs to be 100% blocked.
Likewise, the batteries need a growing tariff, and to block them from manufacturing in the west, if not other nations esp with their dirty/corrupt supplies ( most of the child labor issues and low pay comes from Chinese-owned mines; this is why China and Russia are pushing coups in Africa ).

Judging only by what you wrote, you seem to think that any distro that has a built-in way to avoid dependency hell is using training wheels.

Some of us prefer this because we don't feel the need to have training wheels on our OS.

I've tried linux on my spouse's machine. It is not a desktop OS that my family can use.

What is it about Linux that you and your family find unsatisfactory? Are there proprietary Windows-only programs that you can't get to run under Linux or programs you need for work/school that won't install, or do you Just Not Like Linux? I ask because I do like Linux and have been using it as my only desktop/laptop OS for over two decades now and would like to understand better just why you don't.

I sure like using it that way! I've told Windows users about the cube, and even shown them but AFAIK, not one of them has set their computer up that way, even though Windows lets you have multiple virtual desktops, although not as a cube. They tell me that they "just don't see the point."

Do you have any objective evidence to back up your assertion? Just because some stranger on the Internet insists that something is true, doesn't make it so. And yes, that includes my claims as well.

Indeed they are. I use the Desktop Cube with Rotate Cube and people find that very impressive. I also have Show Mouse and find it quite useful to turn on when something's happened and you can't see just where the mouse is.

...you might ask instead why we're still waiting for the Year of the Linux Desktop...

One big reason for that is that the meaning "the year of the Linux desktop" has changed. Back when the expression was coined, it meant the year when Linux was good enough for the average computer user to use it as their OS without needing regular intervention from a tech support guru just to keep it working and up to date. From my POV, that came almost a quarter of a century ago, but by that time, it had mutated to mean the year that Linux overtook Windows as a desktop OS. Will that ever happen? I can't say, but I'd think that the more MS treats their customers as a resource to be exploited he more likely it is to happen. I do know that I've migrated two middle aged women to Xubuntu at their request and they've been very happy with it ever since. I also showed a high school girl running Linux Mint what Compiz can do, and then told her how to install it. Once she knew that it was available from her software store, she was able to install it, have it run at login and configure it without asking one more question. I'd say that Linux is ready and more than ready for the average (bear) user to use as their Daily Driver and as far as market share, I'd think that the fact that its percentage of desktop use speaks for itself.

Funny, workers were quite productive on six day weeks back in the 40s and 50s when that was the norm. It wasn't until the 60s or so when regular workers started getting five day weeks, largely because of union efforts. Now, five day weeks are normal and workers feel put upon if they're asked to work six in an emergency.

This is why we need to pass a SIMPLE amendment:
We, the Citizens of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, shall have the right to amend the constitution directly, by having a simple majority of voters of three fourths of the states OR two thirds of voters in two thirds of the states, within a 10 year period of the first state passing the amendment.

A simple amendment like that would allow us to fix a large number of issues that CONgress will not do. Why will they not do it? Because they are controlled by 2 horribly corrupt parties that are controlled by rich ppl, businesses, and even foreign governments. We need to take back our government.

????
WTF does your second url have to do with ANY of this? 2 criminals were illegally stopped, but not due to any information from above.

Fusion centers? Are you talking about information moving from local LEOs up to the FBI and DNI??
Personally, I would prefer that information to go to DNI et. al, and not FBI, but that is for judges to decide. Even if the information flows downwards, I am good with that, AS LONG as it was legally obtained and is applicable to the situation. For example, NSA did NOT tap into to Trump's calls. OTOH, they DO tap various Russian calls, of which obviously a number of trump calls BEFORE he made president was done (this is why NSA objected to giving him, his family, and certain members of his admin access to intel, but esp. to Russian intel). If NSA had learned that Trump was getting marching orders from putin to sell fentanyl on the street, that should not be allowed to be sent down. Why not? Because this is not about terrorism/spying, it is about a criminal charge, which is where NSA is NOT concerned. However, I do not know if such information IS flowing downwards. I would hope not.

So, you do not think that NSA, DIA, etc should have the ability to know as much about Americans as China and Russia legally do?
Why is that? If you had paid attention to Snowden the ILLEGAL spying that was going on, was NOT from NSA iteself, but from individuals in there using gear that was only meant to go after terrorists, spies, etc. but instead using it on their own families/friends.

And there is a lot less sharing of information in the 5Is than you realize. To ask one of the others means that you generally have to show some sort of reason for it. Not a warrant, but certainly not the wild sharing that you seem to think is going on.

As long as other nations can purchase this, then NSA, CIA and our general intelligence community should be able to access that without a warrant.
Now, as far requiring it for DoJ/FBI/local police/etc... GREAT.

It's their choice; they can either take a pay cut or start working at the office again. If the money means that much to them they'll come back to the office. Of course, that means that they'll be spending at least part of that money on their commute but probably not all of it. And, if they quit, that won't look good when they're interviewing for a next job along with the fact that since they quit, they aren't eligible for Unemployment.