It isn't perfect, but it's better than the free-for-all of the "artisanal mining" sector and opaque non-global mining companies that feed the supply chain of cheap, no-name battery powered devices like vapes, powerbanks, etc.

There are trade bodies that seek to provide credible "ethical assurance" accepted by miners and manufacturers alike, their reports often supported by the likes of PWC, KPMG, etc. providing formal structured audits of chain of custody and conditions at the mines.

Although I am much in favour of active transport, walkable neighbourhoods, quality public transport etc.

On a personal level: I give away far more personal marketable data through social media, online shopping, store loyalty cards, and Internet browsing than I would by driving a connected car.

Big picture: connected "intelligent" cars have so many opportunities for optimising roads and traffic flow.

That's a balloon I can't wait to see pop.

The main concern I have on Chinese EV (& other consumer goods) manufacturing is ethical sourcing of battery metals.

Most established brands in US & EU at least make an effort to establish chain of custody to avoid child-mined and or conflict minerals.

Having said that, I have misused "Luddism" in a pejorative sense. Ned's concerns were, and remain, well founded.

A quick search suggests "laggards" and "dynosaurs" as suitable terms for the naysayers.

Also, electric cars in urban and suburban areas are still the root cause of traffic & congestion.

Huawei as well, and in China they sell automobiles in shopping mall stores. I have ridden in them, my colleagues own them. The pushback against EV from various sectors in "The West" is absolute Luddism.

The thin veil over a range of petty prejudices.

I assume the angry people referred to are the typical commenters on local newspaper articles, because nowhere in the article do the overconfident adventurers come across as angry.

I wonder if the other groups of clowns that presumably refused to talk to the press have been asked to make 5 figure donations to mountain rescue? (based on a quick skim of the comments)

Larger point: 45Q is arguably the most perverse energy subsidy from a climate pespective. Govt paying corporations to capture and store CO2, instead of actually reducing emissions, means incentivizing more extraction and combustion of fossil fuels because more emissions means more public $.

Reported, but seemingly without details of contents, in June 2023.

Returned to sender.

Did Nassar reject it or did Epstein send it to the wrong address?

www.aljazeera.com/economy/2023...

There is a string of reports on CNN, Al Jazeera, AP etc. dated June 2023 about a letter from Epstein to Nassar that was returned to sender www.aljazeera.com/economy/2023...

Is this post a result of nominative determinism, or actual genetics?

Brilliant, regardless.

Most jealous. Barely have a street, let alone sewers. This can never be me. 😜