AA5B

Copying your description to Google

• first result is NIH dreck that reads like an anti-vax conspiracy. It’s presented as scientific but not worded that way. RIP trust in government.

https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/hepb-vaccine.html

If a newborn's mother carries the hepatitis B virus in her blood, the baby must get the vaccine within 12 hours after birth.

I imagine part of the reason is timing. The vaccine is safe and effective for infants so no reason not to. Meanwhile the risk of missing one is too high, that you will get a valid test back and make the decision in time to save the infant.

There wasn’t any info on costs or reliability but it’s quite likely the test is more expensive than the vaccine and not 100%. Given the vaccine is safe and effective to use with infants, timing is critical for the ones at risk, and the test adds cost with no value perhaps it just reduces healthcare costs

Food is contaminated with dihydrogen monoxide! The contamination is widespread from every source. It even affects vegans

Giving the benefit of the doubt, I imagine it’s easier to maintain enthusiasm for continued development when you’re also using it to support online discussion the way you want. I can see this being a big deal

But I can still choose where my money goes and doesn’t go

Yes for me. I (irregularly) donate to operating costs of Lemmy.world and have donated to support open source projects I frequently use.

I’ve started using Lemmy frequently and am considering helping with costs. I want to support the work you do (admittedly no guarantee that I’ll follow through).

While of course you’re welcome to your opinions and your free speech, welcome to moderate your site any way you wish, and that is a strength of this federated approach, I am not interested in any part of my money supporting certain discussion .

Given the turn of my country’s politics toward authoritarianism, hatred, racism, away from humanity and the future, I have a much sharper distinction to what speech I will support, what politics or social attitudes are acceptable to me, where I donate.

Previously I was a free speech absolutist so that would be no blocker. However the last several years have shown that online speech that is not just free but free from consequences has done real world harm. Moderation matters. The general direction of conversation matters. Being associated with harmful public speech reflects on you

Bank currency exchange is not available if you don’t know to plan ahead, and may not be convenient ever

There’s usually a $5 or more minimum, so less than that might as well be trash. Not convenient for tolls

The only option at the border was an ATM, where you can withdraw currency, converted from your bank, but in $20 increments.

Toll booths did not take credit cards or bank cards for an exact payment. This was before electronic tolling but that still might not be a thing at borders

You definitely need to distinguish “electrical” devices from “electronic” devices but a safer approach is to read the plug.

• A power supply (ex. Phone charger) will be stamped with a voltage range and power draw, which probably includes everywhere but you can match it against the electrical service where you are. You may need a plug adapter but a simple mechanical adapter is sufficient.
• an electrical appliance (ex. Hair dryer) plug is probably not stamped with electrical requirements so the safe approach is to only use it in the intended country

Interesting rabbit hole to drill down into …..

I see the Aussie common plug and similarity to other countries. The picture shows partly insulated prongs which is a great safety feature I’ve never seen before

• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/AC_power_plugs_and_sockets

I don’t know whether it’s physically the same size but that’s 240v and US had similar variations at that voltage

• https://www.bsaelectronics.com/pages/nema-plug-and-outlet-chart

Simple US plugs are also not (usually) reversible. Historically they weren’t but the standard changed decades (half a century?) ago to support polarized plugs with one blade wider than the other. If it matters, such as a light switch, the plug must be polarized and can only fit in one direction. For some things, like a sealed power supply it doesn’t matter

There’s always ancient outlets and ancient plugs that never got replaced but those are getting rare

If you want a bulky replaceable plug, you can get those at any hardware store. Meanwhile I’ll take the smaller more reliable, more durable and waterproof molded plastic plug

US used to be like that too. When polarized plugs first became a thing, they wouldn’t fit into older non-polarized outlets. It took decades for all those to be replaced and I’m sure they’re still out there. Somewhere

At the risk of being that idiot …..

I’m still annoyed at crossing a border over an international bridge and having to exchange currency to pay the toll. There’s a good argument that situation should support both currencies at that border.

And of course the currency exchange at that toll did not allow exchanging the amount of the toll. Scammy ripoff of people trying to cross forcing them to exchange larger amounts than they need

And yet that’s also not the same. Yes, many impoverished countries are stuck in a cycle of poverty by overpopulation and too high a birth rate. Yes, helping them control that goes a long way toward helping them to help themselves. No, not eugenics

Yep. Equally evil.

• One guy already donates $100B and pledging most of his fortune
• other guy a Nazi who not only makes no donations despite being at times richest person on the planet, but leveraged his wealth to end government programs assisting the less fortunate both in the us and globally

I can see how these look the same. /s