Israeli pilots used leftover bombs on Gaza targets during the Iran campaign. Israel : “Never waste any opportunity to murder Palestinians!” @palestine

telegraph.co.uk/world-news/202…

reshared this

A groundbreaking UN report names some of the companies enabling — and profiting from — #Israel's genocide, occupation and apartheid against Palestinians. These are the #BDS consumer boycott targets among them. bdsmovement.net/news/naming-co…

How Latin American Customers Evaluate the Safety Cost of Asphalt Plants Throughout Their Life Cycle


In Latin America’s rapidly evolving infrastructure market, contractors and construction firms are not only looking for performance and affordability—they’re also placing increasing value on safety across the entire life cycle of their equipment. Asphalt plants, in particular, are long-term investments that operate under demanding conditions. From procurement to maintenance and eventual resale, evaluating the safety cost is becoming a strategic decision for buyers in the region.

Whether purchasing a mini asphalt plant, a full-scale stationary unit, or a mobile asphalt plant for remote projects, Latin American buyers are beginning to ask a critical question: how does safety impact my cost and return on investment throughout the plant’s life span?

Why Safety Is a Long-Term Consideration in Latin America


For many Latin American customers, construction projects are often carried out in challenging environments—mountainous regions, coastal zones, rural roads, or politically sensitive areas. In such conditions, the safety of equipment is directly linked to operational continuity, employee protection, and legal compliance.

While an asphalt plant for sale(planta de asfalto en venta) with lower upfront cost may seem attractive, experienced buyers recognize that lower safety standards can lead to much higher expenses over time. These may include equipment damage, project delays, regulatory fines, worker injuries, or expensive emergency repairs. As a result, safety is no longer seen as an optional feature—it is viewed as a necessary part of risk management and cost control.

Stage One: Evaluating Safety During the Purchase Process


The first touchpoint where safety cost is considered is during procurement. Latin American buyers today are far more informed and deliberate. They often compare various manufacturers not only by capacity and mobility but also by safety configuration.

Key features considered at this stage include:


  • Emergency stop systems
  • Temperature and pressure sensors
  • Interlock mechanisms
  • Dust and fume control systems
  • Fire suppression and explosion-proof designs

Buyers understand that a well-equipped mini asphalt plant(mini plantas de asfalto) may have a slightly higher purchase price, but it also reduces the likelihood of expensive failures in the field. This is especially important for contractors working in areas with limited technical support or slow logistics.

Stage Two: Operational Safety and Its Hidden Value


Once an asphalt plant is in use, safety systems play a major role in minimizing downtime and maintaining production efficiency. A mobile asphalt plant, for instance, may be deployed in remote or temporary locations, where even minor safety incidents can result in serious consequences due to the lack of nearby service teams or spare parts.

Operational safety contributes to:


  • Fewer unexpected shutdowns
  • Better protection of wear parts
  • Lower fuel and material waste
  • Stable mix quality
  • Improved operator confidence and reduced training time

These benefits directly reduce running costs over the plant’s operational years. In addition, plants with robust safety systems often require less manual intervention, which means fewer labor hours and less risk of human error.

Stage Three: Maintenance and Long-Term Cost Reduction


Regular maintenance is essential for any asphalt plant, but safety-focused equipment tends to reduce the frequency and severity of maintenance events. Smart monitoring systems can alert operators to potential problems before they lead to breakdowns. Features such as wear detection, temperature control, and real-time diagnostics simplify maintenance routines and help extend the plant’s life cycle.

In Latin American countries where maintenance logistics may be slow or expensive—such as in Amazonian regions, Andean plateaus, or rural parts of Central America—this preventive capability translates into significant cost savings.

Furthermore, maintenance of safer equipment tends to be easier and more predictable, which supports long-term planning and budgeting.

Stage Four: Resale and Equipment Reputation


Another reason Latin American customers pay attention to safety costs is the resale market. Asphalt plants with a strong safety profile often retain higher resale value. Prospective second-hand buyers tend to favor machines that have well-documented safety performance, intact protective systems, and a history of reliable operation.

A mobile asphalt plant(planta de asfalto movil) or mini asphalt plant with built-in safety systems is especially attractive on the resale market due to their flexibility and readiness for quick deployment.

In some cases, local governments or public-private partnerships in Latin America also have strict procurement rules that favor second-hand equipment with verifiable safety features. This makes it easier for sellers to recover more of their initial investment.

Conclusion: Safety as a Strategic Asset Across the Life Cycle


For Latin American customers, evaluating the safety cost of asphalt plants is no longer limited to the point of purchase. It is now integrated into every stage of the plant’s life cycle—from procurement and daily operation to maintenance and eventual resale.

While a safer plant may carry a slightly higher price tag initially, it delivers far more value in terms of uptime, efficiency, compliance, and brand reputation. For contractors and developers focused on long-term profitability and operational success, choosing an asphalt plant for sale with a high safety configuration is a decision that pays off many times over.

Ford government proposes new powers to control who gets electricity access


“There’s always a risk when corporate interests are negotiating agreements with governments in back rooms,” he said. “They [the Ford government] often point to external pressures — energy demand, housing need, trade tariffs — as reasons to act quickly. But it’s really about removing democratic guardrails and making it easier to cut backroom deals with powerful corporations.”

Lemmy/Fediverse/Kbin(/all) monthly active users - graph 2022-2025?


Greetings to you all!

I tried to find a graph about activity levels but I think I found only Lemmy's first 1-2 years.
Can we gather data to get the big picture?

Experts say food insecurity in rural Nova Scotia ‘a policy choice’


Automakers hopeful that Carney will repeal EV sales mandate


Avoid Paywall

Congress has approved the first national school voucher plan,
which will help all but the wealthiest families pay for private school and other educational expenses.

The plan, passed on Thursday as part of Republicans’ all-encompassing domestic policy bill,
now heads to the desk of President Trump, who is expected to sign it into law.

Families who earn up to 300 percent of their area’s median income, equivalent to more than $300,000 in some parts of the country,
will be eligible,
including those who already send their children to private schools.

The legislation is the culmination of a decades-long campaign by a coalition of private-education advocates, religious conservatives and some parents,
who argued that families should have the freedom to choose the whitest K-12 school option for their children and get help paying for it.

nytimes.com/2025/07/03/us/fede…

This entry was edited (1 week ago)
in reply to Chuck Darwin

@Chuck Darwin I think it depends somewhat on the situation. In Seattle, with grades 1-4 we had a few black and others, not much Latinos but a lot of Asians and we all got along and did reasonably well. Then in 5th and 6th grade, they started busing blacks up from the south end of town and all hell broke loose. It was not being black that was the problem it was cultural, those that lived in the North adopted our culture, those from the south immediately formed gangs. I know it's just anecdotal but it was an important lesson to me.

Boomercons are obsessed with finding this scapegoat since they wont dare talk poorly of pet minorities. They know a lot of guys are checked out of society and that won't pay for the hordes of illegals or keep the social security scam running. Minimalist lifestyle is only increasing in popularity and people are getting better at it as the days go on. Needless to say this strategy of getting people back into the wagie cage is not going to work.

I just asked a friend what she's up to tomorrow. Her response was that she hasn't given it any thought because, even though it was a short work week, it was a rough one and she felt "all 47 days of it." Not being a libtard I just found that a weirdly specific number and she responded "it's an UNlucky one these days" and I realized she meant Trump. I'm genuinely at a loss. Would it be dickish of me to say "it's unpleasant that you need to make literally everything political?"
This entry was edited (1 week ago)

Why a Professional Website Is Essential for Your Business in 2025


Your website is more than just a digital presence. It's your brand's introduction, your sales engine, and your credibility builder. If it's slow, confusing, or unappealing, you're pushing people away without a chance to connect.

It's 2025, and if your business doesn't have a modern, effective website—or if it's stuck with a design that's outdated—you're losing customers before they even engage.

Your website is more than just a digital presence. It's your brand's introduction, your sales engine, and your credibility builder. If it's slow, confusing, or unappealing, you're pushing people away without a chance to connect.

This isn't about just being online. It's about making a lasting impression.

Social Media Isn't Your True Home


Some businesses rely on platforms like TikTok or Instagram as their main online hub. These are great for quick engagement or sharing updates, but they're not your own space. Platforms change rules, algorithms shift, and accounts can vanish unexpectedly.

A website is your domain. You control the content, the design, and the user experience. It's a space where your business can stand out, free from the distractions of ads or competing posts.

Visitors Decide Fast


When someone lands on your site, they're not reading every word. They're judging it in seconds. Is it fast? Does it work on their phone? Does it feel trustworthy? If it stumbles, they're gone—likely to a competitor.

A skilled web designer builds more than a visually appealing site. They create something intuitive, tailored to your business, and designed to guide visitors toward action—whether that's buying, booking, or contacting you.

A bad website doesn't get a second shot. It just loses you business.

Templates Aren't Enough


DIY templates can seem like a quick solution, especially for new businesses. But they're designed to be generic, not to fit your unique brand or goals. You'll either struggle to customize them or end up with a site that feels incomplete.

A web designer or web design agency starts with your needs. They craft a site that's functional, polished, and built to grow with your business. It's not about flashy features—it's about a seamless experience that keeps visitors engaged.

Mobile Is Non-Negotiable


In 2025, most people browse on their phones. If your site doesn't load quickly or look great on a small screen, you're alienating a huge portion of your audience. They won't wrestle with a clunky layout—they'll leave.

A good Singapore web designer prioritizes mobile-first design. They ensure your site is smooth and engaging on any device, keeping your customers hooked no matter how they access it. That's not a luxury—it's the standard.

Your Website Should Drive Results


A website isn't just a digital brochure. It's a tool that drives action—sales, bookings, or inquiries. It should answer questions, streamline processes, and provide insights into what's working.

A web design agency builds with purpose. They create a site that's not just attractive but also effective, turning visitors into customers and helping you track what drives success.

Search Still Brings Customers


A well-built website helps you get noticed. Clean code, fast performance, and clear content make it easier for search engines to rank you when someone searches for what you offer.

A web designer with SEO knowledge builds a site that attracts new customers organically, without relying on paid ads or gimmicks.

DIY Won't Scale


You might manage a basic site on your own to start. But as your business grows, so do the challenges. Adding features, fixing bugs, or updating content without breaking things can become a nightmare.

A professional web designer or web design agency simplifies the process. They deliver a site that grows with your business, saving you time and ensuring results that match your vision.

The Real Deal


In 2025, a professional website is a must-have. Without one, you're telling customers you're not serious, and they'll likely choose a competitor who is.

Your site should be:
- Clean
- Effective
- Built for your audience
- A true reflection of your brand
- Effortless to engage with

That's what a professional website delivers. If yours isn't up to par, it's time to act.

I've talked about this before, but I think it bears repeating: Canada is near the top of the pack when it comes to the number of people with post-secondary education.

That sounds like a good thing, but in reality I think it speaks to an underlying weakness in Canada. People aren't going to college because they *can*. They're going to college because they feel they *must*.

The cost of housing isn't a problem that popped up yesterday. When I was a teenager, you could buy a house in some places for $50,000. Today, in most of Canada the same house would be easily $500,000 (and in some cities it's $1,000,000 or more). I'm old, but I'm not "10x inflation" old. Food prices have skyrocketed. Internet prices have skyrocketed (High speed Internet used to be 20 bucks a month, today that's the sales tax on my internet bill). I pumped gas to pay for college, fuel used to be 60 cents a litre, today it's 1.60. Electricity in most places has doubled or more.

If you're a hard worker but you haven't gotten onto the class treadmill, then there's a good chance you can't afford a life. So people get on that treadmill and start running just to stay in place. Meanwhile, the politicians act as if there's actually unlimited prosperity to go around.

South Korea is in a similar state. It's another outlier with very high postsecondary education, and it's another places where people need to stay on the treadmill or they'll get thrown on the floor hard.

in reply to Nanook

Canada is a country with substantial tailwinds, but also substantial headwinds.

The current prime minister of Canada, Mark Carney, had an ad with famous actor and comedian Mike Myers in this years election campaign. The two have something in common: neither of them have spent much time in Canada in the past 10 years. Myers moved to the US once he got some success, and Carney was a Goldman Sachs investment banker at the start of his career in the US, spent some time in Canada, and then moved to Europe. This speaks to the reality that Canada has a big problem with brain drain. Once people get to a certain level of success, they tend to leave.

Part of the cause of the recent trouble was actually Canada's immense success. In the 2000s, the federal government under the liberals managed to balance the budget and paid down a considerable percentage of the federal debt, crime was relatively low, Canada hit most lists for one of the best places in the world to live, and opportunities particularly in the oil sands meant that normal people could go out into the world and do very well for themselves. In a situation like that, a lot of people are going to feel some level of guilt knowing that there are still other people who are suffering. This is how successful countries end up with a leader like Trudeau in charge.

The housing problem by itself has also been something of a double ended sword. Housing makes up an overwhelming amount of Canada's economy these days, because it's something very easy for the government to prop up. Make it harder to build and easier to buy, and prices go up. Import people from around the world, and prices go up. Let people raid their retirement savings for a down payment, and prices go up. Meanwhile, the government can collect taxes on the million dollar homes and all the businesses that end up surrounding those homes. Prices nation-wide peaked around 850k for a single family home. This ends up being a boon to the government and to a few boomers who bought 50k homes in the 90s, but it's bad for the economy when you need to come up with 1500/mo to live in a basic apartment in a second or third tier city.

Those high housing prices aren't the only high costs. Canada has a huge and overbearing state, and a jealous one too. The United States generally has free trade between states, but Canada does not have the same between provinces. You can have a product manufactured in Manitoba that cannot be sold in Ontario or Saskatchewan. Moreover, for products such as crude oil which Canada has an abundance, it is proven essentially impossible to build pipelines to get those resources to appropriate markets within Canada, so Canada ships those resources to the United states, the United States builds pipelines and the like, and then we buy it back from The Americans. The Canadian Federal government, after implementing sweeping new legislation to make it more difficult to build things like pipelines ended up purchasing one of the major pipeline projects. I believe that they did so in order to show Private industry how easy it was to complete a pipeline. In reality, it prove that even with the full power of the federal government behind it, they barely got the project done. Ontario's greenstone field contains generational levels of wealth, but it has been stuck in the ground for decades because the various levels of government can't agree on how to let Private industry make use of those resources.

Canada was once a major center of tech. At the beginning of the computer era, it spawned companies such as ATI and Adlib, and later on companies such as Nortel and blackberry. Today, the Canadian government has passed numerous laws to explicitly censor the internet and implement corporate socialism whereupon in return for being allowed to operate in canada, successful American companies pay a tithe to unsuccessful Canadian companies of course selected by the Canadian government.

To make up for the fact that GDP cannot be produced with innovation or productive industry, the Canadian government makes up for it by importing an overwhelming number of people. The Canadian population was roughly stable at about 40 million people, in order to increase GDP the government embarked on an unheard of amount of immigration, over a million people every year. This did result in higher gdp, but it also resulted in lower per capita GDP and it was self-evidently a direct causal element in rising cost of living.

All of this doesn't look that bad for the state, but in spite of massive increases in the number of people employed by the state in the last 10 years, most people don't work for the state. As a result, investment in the country takes a downward spiral where companies in Canada have a much harder time attracting investment compared to comparable companies in the US or Europe. This means that there are fewer opportunities overall, which means fewer opportunities for tax income, which means the government tightens its grip further, which means fewer attractive investment opportunities, and so on and so forth. Entire regions of the country have been hollowed out.

Which brings us back to the university and college education. What we are seeing with the extremely high levels of education in Canada is not a virtuous country that values education. What we are seeing with the extremely high levels of education is a feedback loop where people require overwhelming amounts of money just to survive, and so people make major time and money investments into education in the hope that it will give them the opportunity to join one of those high paid professions that will let them get the million dollar mortgage for their forever home. Meanwhile, pure economics says that the more you have of a thing the less valuable it is, and so in spite of having all these educated people, they're just aren't enough elite jobs to go around.

And so that is why Canada is so highly educated and yet is doing so poorly.