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Comment Re:2.6GW and 660k homes? How does that work? (Score 1) 50

I think it's reasonable to estimate it by peak load. You simply can't count on higher figures knowing you'll eventually and certainly fall short.

Otherwise, if you say you could provide energy to millions of homes, what would you do when it's peak season and more than half of them suddenly lose power?

P.S.:

1) Maybe the statement of 660,000 homes is already considering and deducting commercial and industrial use.
2) One solution would be of course to say "at least 660,000 homes" or "from 660,000 up to 1.7 million homes".

Comment Basic Science (Score 1) 39

Before you dismiss this study, pay attention that it is very basic science trying to access specifically the effect of screen time on kids.

"We know families are worried, but our results do not support the idea that simply spending time on social media or gaming leads to mental health problems -- the story is far more complex than that."

No, it didn't say that social media is harmless or it doesn't affect children. It only inferred that screen time alone doesn't. As with any basic science study, more research is needed to try and understand the subject in full.

Comment Re:The Proof. (Score 1) 39

So, the “experts” have concluded there’s little evidence to suggest social media affects a teens mental health? OK, let’s prove that theory then.

Actually, no, they haven't. The study was only about screen time. By the words of the researcher himself:

"(...) our results do not support the idea that simply spending time on social media or gaming leads to mental health problems -- the story is far more complex than that."

Comment Re:Lack of imagination (Score 5, Interesting) 30

If the lights and sounds were already there, would you have ever explored the process of adding them yourself?

I still would argue that, yes, I would. Only this time I'd do it using the sensors and special bricks provided. I think it's also worth noting that these add-ons Lego is creating are expensive and will come only with certain kits, mostly created for adult audiences.

I think the kits have probably curtailed creativity in some capacity.

Well, here goes my personal, completely anedoctal experience:

The kits were created during my childhood (so I have some pre-kits ones). With the kits, I would usually open the box, build it according to instructions, play a bit and then completely dismantle it and store with all the other ones. Then I spent most of my days building new stuff with it. No hinder in creativity in there.

Nowadays, I still have all my Legos, and two small godchildren (4 and 6 yo). They love it and eagerly ask to come visit and play with it every weekend. Last Christmas, I bought a new kit to each one of them. And what did they do as soon as we opened it? They completely dismissed the kits, mixed all the bricks and started to build every type of crazy stuff.

This makes me think the experts may be somehow underestimating kids imagination.

Comment Lack of imagination (Score 4, Insightful) 30

The "play experts" fear it will "curtail imagination".

I call it bullshit! That only goes to show their own lack of imagination.

Introducing lights and sounds to the bricks is positively a very nice way to expand imagination. Actually, when I was a child, I did frequently add batteries, tiny lamps and slot cars engines to my Lego creations.

Comment Real problem (Score 1) 48

I feel like the real problem is not the "rebranding" per se, but the complete mess they made on the new name structure by trying to copy other companies with all the "pro, plus, premium..."

I worked for decades with sales and marketing teams in several distinct industries and in most cases it boggled me how incredibly twisted their minds are and how they tend to overcomplicate things.

I usually found their heads so tucked into the supply-chain/distribution holes that they seem to completely forget their main reason of existence: the consumer.

Comment What now? (Score 4, Informative) 180

Maduro by far was never as respected by the Venezuelan military and people as Chavez. It's kind of baffling how he managed to stay in power for so long.

Given the little information we have up to this moment, I would bet that Maduro's capture was the result of some agreement between US and Venezuelan militaries. The US gets the oil, most of the Venezuelans commanders keep the profits and carry on with their lives like nothing happened.

One thing to note is that the US action is absolutely illegal and firmly puts Trump now on the position of an international criminal. If I'm correct, even internally in the US, Trump's actions are illegal. I wonder - and doubt it very much - that anyone is going to do anything about it.

Comment The final solution? (Score 3, Interesting) 208

I wonder if the only way to solve the US tipping problem would be to all (or ate least a huge amount) of customers to stop tipping completely. Maybe laws banning tips need to be passed.

Without tips, I guess people would have to look for other jobs and hence restaurants and delivery services would have to raise wages to compensate for it.

Comment Re:You can't force where a company displays (Score 1) 208

I order food delivery on a one-time-per-week basis. Usually when I do it, I order and then totally dismiss the app, just waiting the food to arrive. I don't open the app again until next order. So, in my case, any asking for tips after the service would just be completely ignored.

Comment This doesn't look good (Score 1) 69

We're witnessing the greatest human invention that will drive a bunch of people insanely, otherworldly rich... Or the deepest hole that will drag entire populations down the drain.

Most of the world (and especially the US) is already under huge debt. At this point, this looks like going all in on Hail Mary.

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