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Thursday, October 12, 2023

Vacuum Filter Troubles/Planned Obsolescence Issues, SSD upgrade, and More

Vacuum Filter Troubles/Planned Obsolescence Issues:
- I recently had to change some stuff around the home because stuff is just getting old (decades old) and some were even broken. The latest was my vacuum, I didn't realise how far vacuum technology had come but I also didn't realise how silly things were? Basically, my new vacuum is half the size with double the power. There are problems with it though. While replacing this stuff I noticed that much of the stuff in there is so old that you can double the power/efficiency/size/capacity and halve the power usage, water usage, etc?
- I looked at both the used market and the new market. I got lucky and found a used Philips PowerPro Active for $20 at an Op Shop. Little did I realise how such a little device could cause me so much trouble? It worked but it's clear that the filters needed replacing but there were no spare parts (this model is ~8yrs old)? It sort of semi-scares me that virtually all new vacuums seem to indicate a higher frequency of engines burning out or vacuums blowing up completely? I'm assuming that some of these may be due to people not cleaning out their filters regularly enough, fake reviews from competitor vacuum companies, actual device failures, etc...
philips powerpro active 2000w vacuum cleaner
https://www.philips.com.au/c-p/FC8632_72/powerpro-active-bagless-vacuum-cleaner-with-powercyclone-4-technology
https://www.productreview.com.au/listings/philips-powerpro-active
https://www.productreview.com.au/listings/philips-powerpro-active-fc8631-71
https://www.bigw.com.au/product/black-decker-2000w-bagless-vacuum/p/256829
- the problem with vacuums is that the filters seem to be unavailable after a short period. I looked at Universal filters but they're mostly just flat pieces of filter cloth type material. This means it will get sucked into the engine if you can't create a mechanism to hold it in place? I thought about building my own inlet filter using filter cloth streched across a frame of suitable wood or plastic but this is costly and slow when you think about it (frame made of wood/plastic, Lego plastic, etc... with filter material laid over the top). While I was walking around in the hardware store I thought about another option. Basically filter cloth folded over breathable foam? It does seem to reduce power slightly but it gives the vacuum a second chance of life? As far as the outlet HEPA filter is concerned I've been looking at air conditioner venting material because both have the same basic intention in mind. Namely, safe/breathable air
https://www.bunnings.com.au/search/products?page=1&q=sabco+scrubber&sort=BoostOrder
https://www.bunnings.com.au/sabco-professional-white-non-scratch-utility-pad_p0065291
vacspare 43900
https://www.vacspare.com.au/
https://www.vacspare.com.au/catalogue
foam air filter site:bunnings.com.au
https://www.bunnings.com.au/powerfit-heavy-duty-foam-filter-3-pack_p6210458
https://www.bunnings.com.au/dynabreeze-1000-x-700mm-cut-to-size-filtamat_p4441704
https://www.bunnings.com.au/accord-1050-x-700mm-vent-replacement-filter_p1101088
https://www.vacuumspot.com.au/search/universal+filter
https://www.vacuumspot.com.au/universal-vacuum-cleaner-soft-exhaust-filter-filteuni
godfreys universal filter
https://www.godfreys.com.au/uf1-universal-vacuum-filter-set
https://www.godfreys.com.au/vacuum-bags-parts-accessories/vacuum-filters?p=7
photocopy paper weight
90 – 100 gsm: This is the weight of the copier paper that you will find in your office or home printer.
https://www.prestigeprint.biz/Paper-sizes-and-weights
what type of paper is used in air filters
A paper for air filters needs to be very porous and have a weight of 100–200 g/m2. Normally particularly long fibrous pulp that is mercerised is used to get these properties.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Filter_paper
what is open cell foam
https://www.swiftsupplies.com.au/blog/open-cell-vs.-closed-cell-foam-whats-the-difference/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reticulated_foam
what kind of paper is used for vacuum cleaner bags
What material is used for vacuum cleaner bags?
The vacuum cleaner bags are made of porous woven material, usually cloth, paper or synthetic material. They act as an air filter. The tiny holes in the bag are large enough to let the air pass through but too small for most dust particles to go through.
https://clivedicks.co.nz/blogs/news/all-about-vacuum-cleaner-bags
https://www.vacuumspot.com.au/blog/papervssynthetic
- I suspect this trick/hack of mine to create makeshift filters will only work with square/rectangular shaped filters and not circular or irregular shaped ones. The good thing is that some filters seem to be washable but the irony is that there is a tendency of some of these filters to create internal mould later down the track?
- one frustrating thing is the amount of deceptive advertising in the vacuum industry sector. I thought that cordless vacuums were genuine cordless vacuums but they're not. If you check them they're more of a mechanical sweeper with some suction which is the reason why they can pick up stuff on hard floors but can't really do much against carpet floors (common complaint that I see in a lot of reviews of these things). Note also, that the advertised run times are for the mid or low power settings which means that these devices are borderline useless unless you're dealing with light weight dust?
DON'T BUY CHEAP VACUUM CLEANERS - TWO REASONS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9HyOy9NrJA
https://www.youtube.com/@VacuumWars
- the inlet and outlet filters seem are completely different. There just needs to be decent quality air going into the motor but it needs to be high quality going out though. That means you often see coarse/rough mesh filter going in and smooth/fine mesh HEPA filter going out. Higher end vacuums and filters seem to have more layers of filtration. At times, you wonder whether or not it's overkill though. I examined some of the department store vacuums and it was amazing how crude and porous some of their filters were in comparison with higher end ones?
Inlet motor filter=11.5x13.5cm
Outlet HEPA filter=14x11cm
- one thing I thought about was whether you could switch around mower air filters with vacuum air filters (when you look at them closely side by side they're very similar in design and size?). Mower air filters seem to be slightly narrower but are otherwise the exact same dimensions which I thought pretty interesting
https://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2019/08/servicingfixing-my-briggs-and-stratton.html
https://www.bunnings.com.au/search/products?page=1&q=mower+air+filter&sort=BoostOrder
https://www.bunnings.com.au/ryobi-mower-replacement-air-filter_p3381153
https://www.bunnings.com.au/briggs-stratton-replacement-air-filter_p0338975
https://www.bunnings.com.au/search/products?page=1&q=air+conditioner+filter&sort=BoostOrder
https://www.bunnings.com.au/heller-air-purifier-filter-hepa-true-set_p0170870
https://www.kmart.com.au/product/replacement-hepa-filter-large-42990307/
- another option that I thought of was just putting another filter pack form another vacuum in there and just fill out the rest of the space using blu-tack, playdoh, or a block of wood
- the main problem seems to be the motor inlet filter. If that doesn't work properly then you lose huge significant suction/power. I looked around at different design styles from ones at department stores, vacuum retail specialists, op shops, etc...
https://www.vacuumspot.com.au/vacuum-filters
https://www.thegoodguys.com.au/SearchDisplay?categoryId=&storeId=900&catalogId=30000&langId=-1&sType=SimpleSearch&resultCatEntryType=2&showResultsPage=true&searchSource=Q&pageView=&beginIndex=0&orderBy=0&pageSize=30&searchTerm=vacuum+filters
https://www.godfreys.com.au/vacuum-bags-parts-accessories/vacuum-filters?p=7
- the Universal filters I found only seem to work for a very short period of time are basically flat and often made of synthetic material such as polyester. They're washable which sort of helps. The main problem with building your own filters is that you need to maintain a seal between the inbound dirty airflow and the motor inlet, maintain air throughput/suction power, filtration capability, etc... One thing that is frustrating about my design is how quickly it clogs up. Corrugation seems to exist to reduce chances of choking/loss of air flow as the filter becomes more full of dust? If I can't find a supplier of "reasonable cost" then I guess one option is to buy up the filter material from automobiles or air conditioners, chop them up and layer them across a customer frame that I build for my vacuum. I then seal the sides using leftover silicon style material that I have lying around the home?
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=airflow+over+corroguated+surface
Airflow across a wing
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UqBmdZ-BNig
https://www.youtube.com/@cambridgeuniversity
Air flow over a smooth and dimpled sphere.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZLCm6pNAHo
https://www.youtube.com/@heinrichhattingh7409
why are air filter corrugated
Tests show that the structure of JP Air Tech's corrugated synthetic filter media provides a 47% lower pressure drop, 37% longer life time and 16% better pulse-cleanability. The corrugated structure serves as pleat spacers and provide air flow channels to the inside pleat folds.
https://www.filtsep.com/content/news/corrugated-structure-improves-performance/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HEPA
- on interesting thing about a lot of cordless technology is their tendency to use very similar parts from across the electronics industry. Lots of them use 18650 cells which means that if the batteries are depleted you can swap them over if you have the time and patience. Thankfully, they haven't adopted practices from the computer industry which have circuitry in an attempt to stop this but there is still the big issue of cost of 18650 cells. It makes it prohibitively expensive to re-cell a lot of products unless you can find a cheap and quality supplier of goods
Bosch 25.2v athlet vacuum cleaner replacement battery
https://www.justanswer.com/small-appliance/j50u3-possible-purchase-replacement-lithium-25-2v.html
Bosch Athlet Vacuum Cleaner Lithium Battery Replacement Using Sony 18650 VTC6 Cells
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwQ_74Rsa5I
Vacuum Cleaner Battery Replacement | Electrolux Ergorapido Lithium
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k3c5NzSUhHI
https://www.youtube.com/@gear_show
Bosch Athlet - Vacuum Repair
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ao8gxjGufrA
https://www.youtube.com/@OrbiterElectronics
Vacuum Cleaner Battery 18V Replacement BOSCH Problems BBHL2D1
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4f4yXoh8EI
https://www.youtube.com/@CMCdiy
- I came across a local supplier who was able to source a filter for a decent price. However, this project is sort of interesting for me because I just want to know whether it's viable to create generic filter designs/implementations you can use for any vacuum? Not surprisingly, most filters seem to come from China and South East Asia
- I actually purchased a cheap $5 hand held vacuum and stick vacuum from one of the bigger brands brand new. The suction from the cheap one is better then the 2-in-1 stick vacuum which is obviously absurd? Thankfully, there was a promotion which meant I could return the stick vacuum and get my money back
https://www.dyson.com.au/products/vacuum-cleaners/stick-vacuums
https://www.bosch-home.com.au/products/vacuum-cleaners/cordless-vacuum-cleaners
https://www.lg.com/au/handstick-vacuum-cleaners
- the filter situation reminds me of the shameful, ruthless, and corrupt computer printer industry where ink and toner cartridges cost more than the printer (which often comes with ink/toner) itself. For a long time, I found it easier/cheaper to buy a new printer than to purchase new cartridges. Similar concept in video games industry or retail where there are loss leaders on the platform/console and you take a profit from allowing others to publish games on your platform. In the automotive industry, maintenance/servicing costs often cost more then the purchase price of the car and so on...
printer ink costs more then printer
Why Are Ink Cartridges So Expensive? Here's a quick and simple answer: Ink cartridges are expensive so companies can make a profit. Most printers are sold at a loss. A manufacturer makes money NOT by selling consumers an inkjet or laser printer, but by selling the supplies needed to print.
https://www.tonerbuzz.com/blog/why-is-printer-ink-so-expensive/
https://www.quora.com/Why-can-printer-ink-be-more-expensive-than-the-printer-itself
https://www.businessinsider.com/why-printer-ink-so-expensive-2019-8
https://www.inkcartridges.com/blog/printing/is-it-cheaper-to-buy-a-new-printer-than-replace-ink/
https://www.independent.co.uk/tech/printer-ink-price-which-survey-b1889777.html
- incredible how expensive some vacuums are (there are $1000+ vacuums out there), how costly some parts are, how costly servicing and parts are for them, etc? At times, you wonder whether or not the concept of "Authorised Repair Centres" are a sort of scam to keep profits coming in when devices have failed? If the cost of repairs are high and skill of repair technicians/engineers are poor (or their training is poor) replacement of major parts or the entire device are often the only choice. In the US/West, component level repair (based on what I've seen is very rare). Decades ago, I sort of remembered it still happening but it's much more rare now?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Warranty
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Right_to_repair
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authorized_service_provider
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electronics_right_to_repair
Samsung authorized repair is a clown show 🤡 why GOOD technicians reject authorization
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ITmGXHSmL0
Replacing a Volkswagen car battery requires specialized software or a trip to the dealer
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Gp90hhloSA
Apple's repair program is a sham
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qV4_mLw2BGM
HP is scraping the bottom of the barrel
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ACX_VfsjkZA
https://www.youtube.com/@rossmanngroup
Congresswoman who owns autoshop introduces federal right to repair bill!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xKcvg31UYM
https://www.youtube.com/@rossmanngroup
Google admits to manufacturing unrepairable junk
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m8_IlmqqJyE
BMW stops heated seat subscriptions, misses the point on why consumers are mad
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTlgRTkPLBo
https://www.youtube.com/@rossmanngroup
If Plastic Surgeons Were Honest | Honest Ads
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kv_YJ1e3VwU
The Untold (Dirty) History Of Hand Washing | Honest History
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEeW5KEesJU
https://www.youtube.com/@Honest_Ads/videos
https://www.youtube.com/@thejuicemedia/videos
Biden administration reverses its sabotage on right to repair??
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gLMzS4rjiZ0
Apple quotes customer $1075 to replace every part BESIDES the bad one 🤣
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUfQYr5wQT4
https://www.youtube.com/@rossmanngroup
Apple Store vs. Repair Shop: What the Right to Repair Is All About | WSJ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0NCjoUx-KLI
https://www.youtube.com/@wsj
https://repair.wiki/w/Repair_Wiki
- you'd think vacuums were a simple technology but there's a lot of science, research, engineering, etc... that goes into them?
Vacuum Cleaner Suction, CFM, & Air Watts
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EhcF0MH9HfQ
https://www.youtube.com/@VacuumFacts/videos
Which Vacuum Has the Most USABLE Suction? 46 Vacuums TESTED! - NERDS ONLY!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u1fLI7AxY3E
https://www.youtube.com/@VacuumWars
Inside Dyson's secret labs in Singapore - where prototypes are tested
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h-KvL_uz5DQ
vacuum teardown
https://www.ifixit.com/Device/Vacuum_Cleaner
3,101 views  27 Sept 2018
So which one is the most powerful?
Nilfisk GM80 with the Original 1100w motor
Nilfisk GM80 with the Chinese 2100w motor
Miele C3 with the 1600w motor
...
@VacLab
4 years ago
So the efficiencies go like this:
Nilfisk 1100 Watt motor = 1100/157 =  7.00 Watts per CFM produced
Nilfisk 2100 Watt motor = 2100/129 = 16.3 Watts per CFM produced
Miele 1600 Watt motor = 1600/138 = 11.6 Watts per CFM produced
So the original Nilfisk 1100 Watt motor is the most eco friendly by far.
Airflow Testing: Nilfisk GM80 Original vs Chinese Motor + Miele C3
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y3hvCxi0DAc
https://www.youtube.com/@vacuumtests9225
dyson vacuum teardown
https://www.ifixit.com/Device/Dyson_Vacuum
vacuums bagged vs bagless
https://www.choice.com.au/home-and-living/laundry-and-cleaning/vacuum-cleaners/articles/bag-versus-bagless
https://vacuumwarehouse.ca/blogs/vacuums/bagless-or-bagged-vacuum-which-is-better
https://global.dreametech.com/blogs/blog/bagged-vs-bagless-vacuum-cleaners-pros-and-cons
- I had a semi-saga with repair of my Samsung microwave recently. It's ~14 yrs old but still works well. However, the light bulb blew a long time ago. What I didn't know is that microwaves don't use normal light globes? The other absurd thing is that there are only two authorised suppliers for Samsung microwaves in my state and they are pretty far away. It took me half a day to get a new light bulb for my microwave? I could have purchased it and could have had it delivered I still don't trust Internet orders unless I know the company is reputable. The irony is that a larger microwave was on sale for about ~$129 and cost of the part that I was looking at was ~$22. It crossed my mind to just get a new one obviously
samsung me6124w microwave replace bulb
https://www.samsung.com/us/support/answer/ANS00049242/
http://spares.bigwarehouse.com.au/common_faults.php?cPath=143_392_62646
https://www.salinapp.com.au/samsung-microwave-lamp-light-bulb-globe-me6124w-1~3201195
samsung me6124w microwave light globe melbourne
I have owned a Sharp convection microwave oven for well over 10 years. It originally cost something like $700. It had a wide range of capabilities which we liked a lot. However the LCD display stopped displaying some of the number segments almost as soon as the warranty expired, and not too long after, the nice bright halogen interior light failed. The price of replacement parts was ridiculous ($100ish for a replacement globe even before adding labour costs!) so we never contemplated repairs, and persevered because it continued to work well doing the actual cooking.
Last year though, it stopped working as a microwave so a replacement was finally required.
The wide range of possible features and high prices for less basic models was daunting so we managed for a few months with a borrowed minimal model.
But then I saw that Aldi were selling a model which was small, but seemed to have all the features we needed for $100 with a 3 year warranty. It is labelled as being a 25litre microwave with grill, but it does convection cooking as well. It has an unusual control panel with a twist knob to set times and options which I find easier to use than the normal ones, stainless steel interior and the dark metallic reflective exterior looks good.
So we made an impulse buy and only afterwards checked the reviews and saw that most people are very happy with Aldi (Stirling) microwave ovens. Our only regret is that at our local store they later reduced the price to $80 to sell the last few!
Microwave ovens, reviews are all bad
https://forums.whirlpool.net.au/archive/2537112
https://elliselectricals.com.au/product/microwave-oven-globe-light-bulb-for-panasonic-inverter-lg-samsung-sanyo-sharp-carosel-p-n-cl832/
nn-st67js control panel replacement
Panasonic control panel replacement
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjprTuMBsRM
https://www.youtube.com/@mr.fixit3604
microwave control pad circuit board
https://partsdr.com/appliance-type/microwave-parts/circuit-board-parts
https://partsdr.com/part/w11552018-control-board
https://partsdr.com/part/wb27x29801-control-board-with-white-led
is microwave turntable made of pyrex
If in doubt, read about the material the Pyrex is made of: borosilicate glass or soda-lime glass.
https://www.bakinglikeachef.com/is-pyrex-safe-in-the-microwave/
Microwave turntables are in most cases made out of glass. As the food can heat up considerably it is likely that more heat resistant types such as borosilicate glasses are used.
Regardless whether the microwave is loaded with food items or empty the glass will absorb some radiation which heats up the glass turntable. This absorption at temperatures below 400°C is very weak. In an experiment a microwave power of over 1 kW and 10 minutes of exposure was required to heat up SiO2 to such high temperatures. So for lower powers and shorter times the glass from the turntable does not strongly influence the radiative properties of the microwave.
https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/700412/microwave-turntable-absorption
- in the midst of these upgrades I discovered that it's relatively easy to spot industrial/corporate espionage. If eerily similar products come out at roughly the same time it can be that there was co-operation between companies, there were spies involved, that employees may have moved between organisations, etc... Reminds of parts sharing between car companies, computing peripherals, aircraft, rockets, military gear, etc... Identifying state backed espionage is easier because once it hits certain scales it's almost impossible that the relevant government does not know? I suspect that automated spy/espionage detection is viable especially in the age of mass surveillance and widespread technology adoption?
https://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2023/07/international-manufacturing-youtube.html
https://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2023/06/youtube-car-repair-channels-random.html
https://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2023/05/future-of-artificial.html
https://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2021/11/recyclingunlockinghacking-devices-for.html
https://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2020/04/things-spies-have-stolen-random-stuff.html
https://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2020/04/what-happened-to-escaped-nazis-random.html
https://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2020/06/history-of-hate-and-supremacy-random.html
https://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2020/12/angels-and-demons-random-stuff-and-more.html
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2020/02/cybersecurity-attack-background.html
https://www.austlii.edu.au/databases.html
https://www.austlii.edu.au/cgi-bin/sinosrch.cgi?meta=&mask_path=&method=auto&query=espionage+
Industrial espionage | Video of the day
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qKGtFxhh-AY
https://www.youtube.com/@dwnews
Stolen Secrets: Economic Espionage on the Rise
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nwvwhM54uus
https://www.youtube.com/@NBCBayArea
Corporate Espionage: Make BIG Money Spying on Companies
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GP8ezsjhPdw
https://www.youtube.com/@jaketran
The Billion Dollar Spy - David Hoffman
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAiCnia_UDg
https://www.youtube.com/@IntlSpyMuseum
When a Cold War Spy Goes Nuclear | True Life Spy Stories
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uz0KJtCDy3U
https://www.youtube.com/@PhilipThompson
The Life of KGB Defector Vladimir Vetrov I SLICE HISTORY | FULL DOCUMENTARY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BmKardCDdgw
The Farewell Dossier: Part 2 The Aftermath I SLICE HISTORY | FULL DOCUMENTARY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7X0SxZPVEM
https://www.youtube.com/@SLICEHistory
- co-operation is easy to see via corporate structure, partnerships, joint research projects, licensing/patents, etc... Flatbed Inverter technology which seems to be only present Sharp and Panasonic microwaves so they either shared the technology or there were spies involved? Legal structures such as holding/shell companies and corporate conglomerates are obvious signs of co-operation. Bagless, cyclonic vacuum technology seems to have been copied or reverse engineered by heaps of companies now. It's uncanny how similar a lot of different company's products are? I had to buy a new washer a while back (to replace an old one that kept on stopping during the spin cycle and was decades old and inefficient on both a water and electrical usage level) and I suspect that that a mechanism that is supposed to control spin rate (it's very disconcerting for me. It's like a circular damping mechanism) is shared across Bosch, Haier, Fisher and Paykel front loader designs? No idea whether this was shared, reverse engineered, stolen, etc? based on initial examination
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bosch_(company)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisher_%26_Paykel
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haier
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dyson_(company)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vacuum_cleaner
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyclonic_separation

SSD Upgrade:
- due to some occasional hard drive hiccups of late I had to look at getting my drive replaced. What was funny is that I've been wary of SSD technology for a while now. Only in the last few years have SSDs begun to rival HDD in terms of reliability, and there were basically few laptop size HDD of high capacity being manufactured now (only Seagate are being stocked locally and anything about 2TB is above 7mm drive height) so I didn't really have much of a choice but to go with an SATA SSD anyhow
- I used to use drive imaging software a lot but I discovered that a lot of drive docks actually have cloning facilities nowadays and are pretty cheap at ~$35. That means, I can basically insert the drives into the dock, hit the clone button, go to sleep, put the new drive into my PC or laptop and I'm ready to do
https://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2023/09/conversion-from-physical-to-virtual_10.html
https://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2010/07/drive-imaging.html
https://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2015/07/selling-software-online-installer.html
- then use partition management software (such as GParted, Easeus Partition Manager, etc...) afterwards to resize and reuse all the free space that I gained from the drive upgrade. No matter what drive imaging systems you use you may need to unmangle your partition table after your upgrade. Get acquainted with the usual filesystem repair and partition management tools you'd expect
linux resize partition without losing data
https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/7114/how-do-i-resize-a-partition-in-ubuntu-linux-without-losing-data
https://www.msp360.com/resources/blog/linux-resize-partition/
can a linux partition grow into free space non destructively
https://serverfault.com/questions/994448/extend-linux-partition-size-without-losing-any-data-techniques
https://serverfault.com/questions/1127700/extend-primary-linux-partition-to-use-all-available-space
https://askubuntu.com/questions/1401611/gparted-extend-partition-with-free-space-from-non-adjacent-partition
fastest way to unmangle partition table linux
https://www.linux.com/training-tutorials/how-fix-mangled-partition-table-linux/
https://www.reddit.com/r/popular/
- the good thing about hard drives is that there are often indicators that it's about to die. You don't really have this luxury with  SSD technology though there are lots of utilities to help with this but most of them run only under Windows
https://semiconductor.samsung.com/consumer-storage/magician/
https://semiconductor.samsung.com/consumer-storage/support/tools/
https://support.teamgroupinc.com/en/support/download.php?index_m1_id=1&index_m2_id=131
https://www.seagate.com/au/en/support/downloads/seatools/
https://www.seagate.com/au/en/support/downloads/discwizard/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Self-Monitoring,_Analysis_and_Reporting_Technology
https://crystalmark.info/en/software/crystaldiskinfo/
- repair of hardware issues with SSD technology is possible but not easy. I do component level repair on lots of different stuff but it's not easy. The awkward thing is that I don't run a repair shop or do it professionally so I don't have access to spares, schematics, latest industry information, etc... I manage to get by but it's not as simply as some people say. I've had people who wanted to partner with me in this area a while back. The silly thing is that the pay was poor for what I consider a very tedious though interesting job. I can get paid more for easier and less stressful jobs?
LA County Metro Samsung Evo 860 SSD Drive Repair - A word to our sponsors
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TCOT_i89Vn4
Lenovo V15 G2 Laptop Repair - Dim image Blown Backlight Circuit.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C5ai-or8OIQ
Expensive Asus Strix G513QY Laptop Repair - Suddenly won't power on.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NqnX3XwuI5s
High End Razer Blade Pro RZ09 Gaming laptop Repair - Black screen No image.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0sy_GuEZO0g
https://www.youtube.com/@NorthridgeFix
How to fix a "dead" SSD for free | Reviving broken SSDs | No tools, no software, no money!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yTZ1dswQTXs
https://www.youtube.com/@limitless-hardware1866
Liquid damaged Macbook repair in Austin, with Louis Rossmann 😊
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIsx4JXl_yw
HP sued over scanner that requires ink; their defense is RIDICULOUS!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_XiaMzzZUo
New gadgets sales are down, is it any surprise why?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aypukOqFFE8
The horrible truth about Apple's repeated engineering failures.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUaJ8pDlxi8
Apple now supports Right to Repair
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0tB3t7xGWjk
https://www.youtube.com/@rossmanngroup
Don't Fast Charge your Phone before Watching this Video!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMn2yVoEqPs
https://www.youtube.com/@greatscottlab
The horrible truth about Apple's repeated engineering failures.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUaJ8pDlxi8
Horrible design of Apple's soldered in SSDs; it's WORSE than you thought!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYG4VMqatEY
https://www.youtube.com/@rossmanngroup
New Anti-Consumer MacBook Pros - Teardown And Repair Assessment - Apple Silicon M1/M2
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0Hwb5xvBn8
Galaxy Fold 4 Restoration - Sellers Lies So Obvious I Had To See It For Myself.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oNhVXX3cfSY
https://www.youtube.com/@HughJeffreys
Whirlpool Dryer Motherboard Repair
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLbQUBjClsc
Nintendo Switch Liquid Damage Repair - I Almost said no to this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZpO3f5_f_Xo
https://www.youtube.com/@NorthridgeFix
Why Apple Repairs Are So Expensive
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjsB0VqNeAc
https://www.youtube.com/@AppleExplained
$24 Destroyed Macbook Pro... Can I Fix It?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IX6l3Bkh3RM
https://www.youtube.com/@psivewri
BGA Reballing at Home Explained, How to. Tips And Tricks.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cTfuaNqfPKI
https://www.youtube.com/@MaxELECTRONICS
How to Reball with Direct heat stencil and Solder paste #gpureball
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4X4Fs8CuGtk
https://www.youtube.com/@KrisFixGermany
https://www.youtube.com/@electronicsrepairschool
- durability/reliablity readings are sort of strange. I normally try using cheaper products from a company before purchasing more expensive stuff. Faster drives seem to be less reliable though much faster
ssd tbw ranking
https://www.tomshardware.com/reviews/best-ssds,3891.html
Team QX drive review
most reliable ssd
https://platinumdatarecovery.com/blog/which-ssd-brand-is-the-most-reliable
tlc vs qlc durability
QLC and TLC SSDs are two popular options for computer storage that offer different benefits and trade-offs. QLC SSDs provide more storage space for a given price but are slower and less durable than TLC SSDs. TLC SSDs offer faster performance and greater durability but have a lower storage density and cost more.
https://www.makeuseof.com/qlc-vs-tlc-ssds/
Does TLC last longer than QLC?
Although there are ways to mitigate the harm caused by this phenomenon—such as wear leveling and data buffering—TLC can be expected to last longer than QLC. Better for write-intensive workloads – Due to the greater per-cell storage demands of QLC flash, it takes longer to write data to each cell as compared with TLC.
https://ciphertex.com/tlc-vs-qlc-ssds/
How long do QLC drives last?
The lifespan of a QLC (Quad-Level Cell) SSD depends on several factors, including the amount of data written to the drive and the endurance rating of the SSD. On average, QLC SSDs have a lifespan of around 360 to 720 terabytes written (TBW), which can be equivalent to 3 to 5 years of typical use.
https://www.quora.com/How-long-do-QLC-SSDs-last
What is the downside of QLC?
Disadvantages of using QLC NAND FLASH
SLC offers up to 100,000 P/E cycles, with MLC at 10,000 P/E cycles, with TLC reducing this further to 3,000 P/E cycles. QLC offers less still – just 1,000 P/E cycles.
https://www.integralmemory.com/articles/the-pros-and-cons-of-qlc-nand-flash/
samsung ssd failure rate
https://www.pugetsystems.com/blog/2023/02/02/update-on-samsung-ssd-reliability/
https://www.techspot.com/news/92976-puget-reliability-report-shows-samsung-ssds-fail-least.html
- it's amazing how bespoke/dodgy some products seem when you understand how they're manufactured? A lot of the motherboards and other electronics you see seem to be built using whatever spare or surplus parts may be available?
The new Samsung 870 QVO SSDs arrive into a market landscape that doesn't look all that different to what the 860 QVO faced at the end of 2018. Samsung is no longer the only brand selling consumer SATA SSDs with QLC NAND, but it's not a big club. Most of the other QLC SATA drives are so low-end that the manufacturers won't commit to using any particular memory inside, and they're using whatever is cheapest at the moment. Some months, there's more to be saved by going with a DRAMless controller and TLC NAND that fell off the back of a truck, rather than using Samsung's strategy of pairing theoretically cheaper QLC NAND with a solid controller.
https://www.anandtech.com/show/15887/the-samsung-870-qvo-1tb-4tb-ssd-review-qlc-refreshed
https://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2023/07/international-manufacturing-youtube.html
https://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2023/06/youtube-car-repair-channels-random.html
https://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com/2021/11/recyclingunlockinghacking-devices-for.html
this company is designing a GPLv3 laptop motherboard
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-4KoUAW3kyI
https://www.youtube.com/@rossmanngroup
https://www.phoronix.com/news/System76-Virgo-PCB-Design
https://github.com/system76/virgo/
https://fosstodon.org/@soller/110697772188786089
LGA2011 X79T Motherboard Atermiter/PlexHD
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32941784993.html?gatewayAdapt=Msite2Pc
https://m.aliexpress.com/i/32941784993.html
https://m.aliexpress.com/item/1005002721823104.html
https://www.aliexpress.com/w/wholesale-smd-capacitor-kit-all-sizes.html?catId=0&initiative_id=AS_20230831050946&SearchText=smd+capacitor+kit+all+sizes&spm=a2g0o.home.1000002.0
https://www.aliexpress.com/w/wholesale-smd-resistor-kit-all-sizes.html?catId=0&initiative_id=SB_20230831051058&SearchText=smd+resistor+kit+all+sizes&spm=a2g0o.productlist.1000002.0
- the irony of the situation is that prices are dropping incredibly quickly and even if I wanted to stay with HDD technology it's becoming more difficult to justify no matter what price or capacity range I may be dealing with
ssd price trend
https://pcpartpicker.com/trends/price/internal-hard-drive/
https://www.trendforce.com/price/ssd
https://www.techtarget.com/searchstorage/feature/How-to-purchase-SSDs-during-a-NAND-flash-price-fall
https://www.centrecom.com.au/solid-state-drives?q=4tb%20ssd%20sata
https://www.centrecom.com.au/samsung-870-evo-4tb-25-internal-sata-ssd
https://www.centrecom.com.au/team-qx-4tb-25-sata-iii-6gbs-ssd
https://www.centrecom.com.au/wd-blue-sn570-2tb-pcie-gen3-nvme-m2-2280-ssd?q=NVMe%20M.2%20adapter
team qx drive review
https://www.reddit.com/r/buildapcsales/comments/13qulff/ssd_teamgroup_qx_4tb_qlc_25_inch_sata_iii/

Random Stuff:
- as usual thanks to all of the individuals and groups who purchase and use my goods and services
http://sites.google.com/site/dtbnguyen/
http://dtbnguyen.blogspot.com.au/
- latest in science and technology
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-01/how-rocks-are-turned-into-cutting-edge-surfboard-technology/102896866
https://www.rt.com/russia/582670-russian-ai-bot-outperform-chatgpt/
https://itwire.com/business-it-news/security/freecycle-network-suffers-breach,-users-told-to-change-passwords.html
https://itwire.com/business-it-news/security/microsoft-says-azure-breach-probably-due-to-account-being-cracked.html
https://itwire.com/opinion-and-analysis-sp-481/open-sauce/even-in-2023,-gnome-is-still-trying-to-reinvent-the-wheel.html
https://itwire.com/opinion-and-analysis-sp-481/open-sauce/no-hacker-will-be-able-to-improve-security-in-industry.html
https://itwire.com/government-tech-news/technology-regulation/ftc,-17-us-states-sues-amazon-over-alleged-monopoly-behaviour.html
https://itwire.com/business-it-news/security/china-resurrects-old-charges-of-nsa-breaking-into-huawei-servers.html
https://itwire.com/business-it-news/security/microsoft-exposed-38tb-of-private-data-on-github-wiz-researchers.html
https://itwire.com/business-it-news/security/norton-offers-free-secure-browser-for-windows-and-mac.html
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-13/iphone-usb-c-charger-cable-change-explained/102851468
https://www.news.com.au/technology/science/space/mexican-doctors-conclude-tests-on-alleged-nonhuman-alien-corpses/news-story/9ea5318c30072c37c9d2d2c7a4d32a1f
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2023/sep/22/australian-federal-police-afp-using-ai-analyse-surveillance-warrants-data
https://www.smh.com.au/national/how-many-lithium-ion-batteries-are-in-your-home-20230921-p5e6fa.html
- latest in finance and politics
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2023/sep/12/tax-cuts-rich-britain-tory-test-lab-rightwing-populism
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-10-05/argentina-is-dealing-with-100-per-cent-inflation-heres-how/102930048
https://www.news.com.au/finance/money/wealth/australians-reveal-the-salary-you-need-to-be-considered-rich-in-2023/news-story/40fbb859f706e0f4a333032d2adf05f5
https://www.news.com.au/finance/economy/australian-economy/surprising-age-group-that-cant-stop-spending/news-story/8416433e5558cf5aa9139bc353a758db
https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/retail/experts-warn-about-customer-privacy-after-drastic-security-moves-by-supermarkets/news-story/66e0ee85491eacf49fe18e30ee49197e
https://www.news.com.au/finance/business/banking/australias-big-four-reveal-plans-after-major-bank-scraps-cash/news-story/50c16292a8abad230b4147b058b4a460
https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/leaders/palestinian-president-in-trouble-for-his-latest-antisemitic-views/news-story/781d8ff90fd0edf44ba9878aa3e74911
https://www.news.com.au/sport/sports-life/inside-insane-78-billion-sport-city-to-host-olympics/news-story/f19699b6429077d68f5225e328a56d65
https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/parenting/sydney-private-schools-charging-7k-just-to-enrol-students/news-story/838e61fa1275f1d61a33fc73187354ef
https://www.news.com.au/technology/motoring/on-the-road/unexpected-australian-crime-committed-every-11-minutes/news-story/829d783ba147bd88e7893b25a54f7938
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-16/bass-coast-short-term-accommodation-controls-victoria-airbnb/102855626
https://www.rt.com/news/583017-unemployment-rise-tim-gurner/
https://www.rt.com/russia/583339-poland-ukraine-grain-oligarchs/
https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/six-years-ago-they-chose-a-high-school-now-it-s-over-was-it-the-right-decision-20230922-p5e6r0.html
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/24/yanis-varoufakis-technofeudalism-capitalism-ukraine-interview
https://www.news.com.au/finance/economy/world-economy/supermarket-photos-reveal-countrys-devastating-decline/news-story/a739410d264ad24b321d8433f4587415
- latest in defense and intelligence
https://www.news.com.au/entertainment/tv/current-affairs/cnn-correspondent-takes-cover-from-barrage-of-rockets-live-onair/news-story/56f15a60bbe113f3e581ee107f40037e
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-23/cybersecurity-troy-hunt-have-i-been-pwned-fighting-data-breaches/102803748
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-25/jailed-italian-mafia-boss-messina-denaro-dies/102897210
https://www.spectator.com.au/2023/09/the-west-and-russia-are-at-war-says-sergei-lavrov/
https://www.airforcetimes.com/news/your-air-force/2023/03/14/russian-jet-us-drone-crash-over-black-sea-us-military-says/
https://www.rt.com/news/583738-vladislav-surkov-global-north/
https://www.rt.com/news/583805-wealthy-americans-tax-leaked/
https://www.rt.com/news/583883-czech-republic-russian-cars/
https://www.rt.com/news/583879-canada-podcasts-new-regulations/
https://www.rt.com/russia/583855-medvedev-ukraine-uk-germany/
https://www.rt.com/news/583746-pentagon-musk-satellite-deal/
https://www.rt.com/news/583878-bernard-arnault-money-laundering/
https://www.espn.com.au/mlb/story/_/id/38089573/us-drug-enforcement-administration-used-all-means-get-ped-dealers-related-tony-bosch-biogenesis
https://www.spectator.com.au/2023/09/putin-is-resurrecting-russias-iron-rogues/
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-16/china-crackdown-scam-epidemic-australia/102850120
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-24/researchers-drawn-to-bikini-atoll-nuclear-turtles-spongebob/102862316
https://www.spectator.com.au/2023/09/why-putin-is-pointing-the-finger-at-britain/
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-15/russia-has-neutralised-hundreds-of-spies-claims-putin-ally/102863560
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/sep/11/monument-to-founder-of-soviet-secret-police-unveiled-in-moscow
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-16/kim-jong-un-inspects-russia-weapons/102865166
https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/23947476/putin-submarine-ship-sevastopol-crimea-ukraine-attack/
https://www.presstv.ir/Detail/2023/09/27/711635/Iran-satellite-launch-Nour-3-IRGC-commander
https://www.rt.com/news/583336-israel-uranium-saudi-arabia/
https://www.rt.com/africa/583635-us-suspends-aid-gabon/
https://www.rt.com/news/583592-usaid-influence-armenia-power/
https://www.rt.com/news/583808-israel-prisoner-guards-sex/
- latest in animal and environmental news
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/nangka-an-endangered-orangutan-born-at-sacramento-zoo-arrives-at-new-home-in-atlanta/ar-AA1gztwt
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12502589/Touching-moment-injured-chimp-reunited-mum-spent-night-vet.html
https://eturbonews.com/dr-jane-goodall-returns-to-chimpanzee-hoots/
https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/orangutan-chained-bed-forced-sex-30910671
https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2023/sep/19/dolphin-sex-scandal-hooked-on-freddie
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-16/puppies-found-dumped-in-bushland-bendigo-animal-rescue/102860950
https://www.theguardian.com/news/gallery/2023/sep/20/puppies-on-parade-and-the-asian-games-wednesdays-best-photos
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/sep/21/lost-michigan-child-sleeping-dog-pillow
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-22/cooma-correctional-centre-inmates-dog-care-program-nsw/102883436
- latest in music and entertainment
https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/gen-z-women-are-taking-over-public-transport/news-story/08503f9a24804e0fe39d5aed837220ad
https://www.news.com.au/finance/work/at-work/young-female-tradie-lifts-lid-on-maledominated-industry/news-story/256c9c4fa4fd88fb2259b3d9e3696b71
https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/us-teacher-forced-to-quit-after-onlyfans-discovery/news-story/ead2436b83efee5027f3d935342acb07
https://www.news.com.au/sport/motorsport/v8-supercars/fing-amazing-supercars-title-leader-destroys-field-with-beautiful-lap-for-bathurst-pole/news-story/c9077fa8e405e983399fc40e0ccf3e90
https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/news-life/wolf-whistles-rife-sexism-female-tradies-reveal-reality-of-industry/news-story/aa8f77371d5a52e37c9b4b08206f1743
https://www.news.com.au/national/northern-territory/nt-chief-minister-allegedly-hit-in-the-face-with-cream-pancake-at-local-markets/news-story/801c684a06ab370f3f7859fd294d32e4
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-16/rented-a-tesla-for-a-month-experience-opinion-730/102833718
https://www.news.com.au/technology/motoring/on-the-road/mystery-after-car-spray-painted-with-words-cheater-whore/news-story/476b44f51207409d9a6ed02dc0a1745c
https://www.msn.com/en-au/entertainment/music/spotify-responds-to-claim-30-second-trick-could-make-you-rich/ar-AA1gATIt
https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/health/health-problems/people-are-horrified-after-student-dies-from-eating-leftover-pasta/news-story/c8ef3bdcc72a9d17ec13924438e0146b
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-13/national-foods-ramen-pizza-tacos-have-a-fascinating-history/102820820
https://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/relationships/marriage/aussie-porn-stars-wife-reveals-his-job-has-improved-their-love-life/news-story/fb92eeaaac1c0156e229621d3ab475a1

Random Quotes:
- Humankind is revealed as simultaneously insignificant and utterly dominant in the grand scheme of life on Earth by a groundbreaking new assessment of all life on the planet.
The world's 7.6 billion people represent just 0.01% of all living things, according to the study. Yet since the dawn of civilisation, humanity has caused the loss of 83% of all wild mammals and half of plants, while livestock kept by humans abounds.
The new work is the first comprehensive estimate of the weight of every class of living creature and overturns some long-held assumptions. Bacteria are indeed a major life form – 13% of everything – but plants overshadow everything, representing 82% of all living matter. All other creatures, from insects to fungi, to fish and animals, make up just 5% of the world's biomass.
Another surprise is that the teeming life revealed in the oceans by the recent BBC television series Blue Planet II turns out to represent just 1% of all biomass. The vast majority of life is land-based and a large chunk – an eighth – is bacteria buried deep below the surface.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/may/21/human-race-just-001-of-all-life-but-has-destroyed-over-80-of-wild-mammals-study
In 2017, the global death population caused by cancer reached 9 million, which was nearly twice the number in 1990. The ASDR and ASIR of cancer in males were about 1.5 times those of females. Breast cancer showed the highest mortality rate in females in 2017. Individuals aged over 50 are at high risk of developing cancer and the number of cases and deaths in this age group accounted for more than 80% of all cancers in all age groups. Asia has the heaviest cancer burden due to its large population density. Different cancers in varied countries globally have their own characteristics. The ASDR and ASIR of some major cancers demonstrated changes from 1990 to 2017.
https://www.wcrf.org/dietandcancer/cancer-trends/data-cancer-frequency-country
- Globally, the number of deaths due to cardiovascular diseases increased by 41% between 1990 and 2013, climbing from 12.3 million deaths to 17.3 million deaths. Over the same period, death rates within specific age groups dropped by 39%, according to an analysis of data from 188 countries. Death rates from cardiovascular diseases were steady or fell in every region of the world except western sub-Saharan Africa, where the rates increased.
Published in The New England Journal of Medicine on April 2, the study, "Demographic and Epidemiologic Drivers of Global Cardiovascular Mortality," was conducted by researchers led by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) at the University of Washington.
Progress in fighting cardiovascular diseases is evident around the world but varies by region. South Asia, which includes India, experienced the largest jump in total deaths due to cardiovascular diseases, with 1.8 million more deaths in 2013 than in 1990 -- an increase of 97%. In line with global trends, the increase in deaths from cardiovascular disease in India is driven by population growth and aging without the decrease in age-specific death rates found in many other countries.
This pattern is reversed to some extent in the Middle East and North Africa, which includes countries such as Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, and Jordan. In these regions, population growth and aging have been offset by a significant decline in age-specific death rates from cardiovascular disease, which has kept the increase in deaths to just under 50%. East Asia experienced a similar rise of almost 50%, 1.2 million additional deaths, because declines in the risk of cardiovascular diseases offset the effect of a rapidly aging population.
Taken together as a region, the United States and Canada were among a small number of places with no detectable change in the number of deaths from cardiovascular diseases, because aging and population growth balanced out declines in age-specific death rates. The same was true in southern Latin America, including Argentina and Chile, as well as Australia and New Zealand.
Two regions-- central Europe and western Europe--have managed to do what their global peers have not by significantly reducing not only the death rates but also the total number of deaths from cardiovascular diseases, which fell by 5.2% and 12.8%, respectively, between 1990 and 2013. When looking at cardiovascular death rates, the high-income Asia Pacific region, which includes Japan, achieved the greatest decline globally.
"Cardiovascular diseases will remain a global threat as the population grows and people age," said Dr. Gregory Roth, Assistant Professor at IHME from the Division of Cardiology at the University of Washington. "But the progress seen in some regions shows that reducing the toll of cardiovascular diseases is possible."
Deaths from cardiovascular disease increase globally while mortality rates decrease
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150402101410.htm
- Bosses of top British companies will have made more money by teatime on Wednesday than the average UK worker will earn in the entire year, according to an independent analysis of the vast gap in pay between chief executives and everyone else.
The chief executives of FTSE 100 companies are paid a median average of £3.6m a year, which works out at 115 times the £31,461 collected by full-time UK workers on average, according to research by the High Pay Centre thinktank.
...
The online supermarket Ocado has been singled out as having the biggest pay gap between those at the top and those on the shop floor.
Its chief executive, Tim Steiner, was paid £58.7m in 2019 , which works out at 2,605 times the £22,500 paid to the online grocery delivery company's staff on average. It means Steiner was paid about 10 times as much as the average Ocado worker's annual salary for just one day's work.
The High Pay Centre estimates that chief executive pay levels remained essentially flat in their analysis over the past year, while pay for UK workers had increased slightly. It means that CEOs have to work 34 hours of the year to surpass median earnings, rather than just 33 hours in 2020.
The thinktank's calculations assume "a highly demanding workload" for CEOs of 320 12-hour days of work a year. This equates to hourly pay of £941 an hour.
It would take a worker on the full minimum wage rate of £8.72 an hour 212 years to earn the same as the average CEO earns in a year.
https://www.theguardian.com/business/2021/jan/06/top-uk-bosses-are-paid-115-times-more-than-average-worker-analysis-finds
- How Religion Shaped Modern Economics
In the 18th century, a new Protestant belief that people have control over their destinies fostered the rise of free-market ideas.
The conventional account of modern thinking about economics starts with Adam Smith's 1776 book "The Wealth of Nations." Smith's insights, in turn, are usually said to be a product of the secularism of the Enlightenment—a historic turn from thinking in terms of a God-centered universe toward ideals of human rationality and self-sufficiency.
But that story is seriously incomplete. In fact, our modern Western understanding of market competition as the key to economic progress owes a great deal to religion—specifically, the new ideas that emerged in the English-speaking Protestant world in the late 17th and the 18th century. Critics of capitalism sometimes complain that the belief in competitive markets, among economists and many ordinary citizens too, is a form of religion. There is something to the idea, though not in the way the critics mean.
The idea that there is a connection between religion and capitalism isn't new. The German sociologist Max Weber famously argued that religious belief had been an important spur to the growth of capitalism. Weber pointed in particular to the Calvinist notion of predestination—the belief that God decided whether each individual would be saved or damned before the person was even born. Driven by anxiety over their ultimate fate, Weber theorized, believers sought to convince themselves that they were among God's "elect" by displaying virtues like thrift, industriousness and individual initiative. In this way, a "Protestant ethic" emerged that enabled the rise of modern capitalism.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/how-religion-shaped-modern-economics-11610643698
- The role of the dollar in international trade and financial transactions – 50 per cent of global trade is invoiced in US dollars, about two-thirds of global foreign exchange reserves are denominated in them along with a similar proportion of global securities issuance – gives it extra-territorial reach, effectively forcing third parties to co-operate and facilitate their enforcement.
https://www.smh.com.au/business/banking-and-finance/trump-era-spurs-new-efforts-to-undermine-us-dollar-s-status-20210120-p56vij.html
My husband and I now have two beautiful children. From my own parents, I have learnt the value of handwork and perseverance. And years of living with my homestay mum and dad have taught me the comfort of warm conversation, quiet encouragement and the importance of well-timed praise.
My children will be starting school the following year. For a while, I was worried if my parents would exert the same pressure on their grandchildren as they did on me. Surprisingly, they never seem to force them to do or learn anything. At one point, Mum even complimented on our relaxed parenting style.  
"You know what your children want, and you know what is best for them," Dad once said to me, "You have changed so much since you came to Australia."
He was right. My mindset has indeed changed. These days, I don't dwell too much on 'Asian' or 'Western' parenting style -I am a benefactor of both, without my Chinese parents, I wouldn't be able to complete my academic studies; without my Australian parents, I wouldn't have the courage to pursue my dream job.
So now, instead, my husband and I focus on our action. Action that say to my children 'you are good enough', or better still,  'you're perfect just as you are'.
https://www.sbs.com.au/topics/voices/family/article/2020/11/26/18-i-moved-my-chinese-parents-home-aussie-household
Hard-right US House Republicans are discussing forming an America First Caucus, which one document described as championing "Anglo-Saxon political traditions" and warning that mass immigration was putting the "unique identity" of the US at risk.
The Associated Press obtained a copy of the paper, which was first reported by Punchbowl News, a news outlet covering Capitol Hill.
The AP could not independently confirm the organisation's origins or current status, but Florida Republican Matt Gaetz said he was joining and indicated that fellow conservative Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia was behind it.
The document was being circulated as the GOP is struggling to determine a clear direction as it prepares to try winning back control of the House and Senate in the 2022 elections.
Among the party's divisions are how closely to tack behind Donald Trump, and the caucus' seven-page policy platform clearly embraces the former president's world view.
"The America First Caucus (AFC) exists to promote Congressional policies that are to the long-term benefit of the American nation," it begins.
It says the group aims to "follow in President Trump's footsteps, and potentially step on some toes and sacrifice sacred cows for the good of the American nation".
The group calls for limiting legal immigration "to those that can contribute not only economically, but have demonstrated respect for this nation's culture and rule of law.".
It voices support for infrastructure "that reflects the architectural, engineering and aesthetic value that befits the progeny of European architecture".
https://au.news.yahoo.com/us-group-wants-anglo-saxon-024845185.html

Market Consolidation/Neo-Feudalism, Random Stuff, and More

- it never occured to me until recently how consolidated things in the world were in the global market place. In this post we'll take a ...