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Would you buy 2nd-hand PV panels?
  • The solar panel technology has evolved in leaps and bounds in the past 20 years. Current panels are more efficient and resilient than old ones. I'd recommend saving for a new installation if you can.

    In some places you can get a loan against your house equity for things like a solar panel installation if you install it on the roof. The thinking there bejng that the value of the house increases as a result. There may also be subsidies you can access.

    That being said, you can test an used solar panel with a decent multimeter, by measuring the voltage (DC volts), short circuit current (DC ampers) and operating current if you can (this one is easier with a clamp meter, but you have to measure it on a live installation). As long as the values are reasonably close to the panel spec, you should be fine. There are tutorials out there on how to actually do it without blowing the fuse on your tools.

  • Why are so many leaders in tech evil?
  • Perfect human beings don't exist. Apparently there's a religion positing there was one perfect human, but we nailed him to a cross for interfering with business.

    Here's a thought. If you were able to get away with Almost Anything (TM) and were surrounded by people praising your genius, dashing good looks and boundless generosity towards their persons, how long would it take for you to lose your moral compass, you think? You would pretty soon lose your frame of reference to the normal people, and your empathy would follow. And that's assuming you're not 2nd or 3rd generation ultra rich, in which case you never had it to begin with.

    Succession is a very good TV series exploring the mindset of such people, if you want to see it in action. Otherwise, history is full of examples - such as Nero, the greatest poet to ever set fire to Rome.

    I know there are exceptions, like everywhere else in life. But those tend to cultivate humility as a habit, like other people go to the gym.

  • E-reader suggestion
  • I second the suggestion of a Kobo. I have the Libra 2, bought after the charging port of my paperwhite gave up the ghost, and it's perfect for my needs:

    • usb-c charging port
    • native support for epub
    • hardware page turning buttons
    • water proof (not tested, but nice to know it's there)

    Support from Rakuten has been stellar as well.

  • What book that hasn't been adapted into a TV show or movie do you think deserves an adaptation?
  • Old Man's War by John Scalzi was made for this, I swear. His latest books also read a lot like movie scripts are contained therein.

    Charles Stross' Laundry series has a ton of potential too, if less Chtullu is required, I wouldn't mind a Merchant Princes series either.

    I heard rumours about Forever War being optioned at some point, but nothing came of it.

  • George A. Romero's Daughter to 'Take the Torch' With New Zombie Movie
  • Agree on the silliness. Still loved Darwi Odrade as a character.

    And Brian's best work doesn't come close to Heretics, which for me was the weakest of all of Frank's books. It's like a cargo cult construction, all cardboard and no substance.

  • George A. Romero's Daughter to 'Take the Torch' With New Zombie Movie
  • I really loved Romero's work. And who knows, maybe this will be great. But then again, it might be like Brian Herbert's Dune novels - a shameless, mediocre cash grab built on top of his father's estate.

    Either way, I stand by what I said: enough with the torch passing. This ain't a family business.

  • InitialsDiceBearhttps://github.com/dicebear/dicebearhttps://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/„Initials” (https://github.com/dicebear/dicebear) by „DiceBear”, licensed under „CC0 1.0” (https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)ZE
    ZeroGravitas @lemm.ee
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