I admit that I got banned from Reddit. I suspect that after saying a bunch of stuff that was unfriendly to lord Musk, to Netanyahu and to Hamas. Since then I seem to have gotten even the most innocent comments reported, leading to a permaban.

I’ve been thinking about your post as I was biking to work this morning. I see others have talked to you about tires in the meantime but for on road riding I can really recommend pretty slick tires even on a mountain bike they will make a huge difference in resistance, especially if you inflate them as hard as they can take(look on the side of te tire for something that says inflate to xx psi). Hard smooth tires run nearly as good as racing tubes.

Another thing I was thinking about is saddle height. Most new cyclists put their saddle way too low, which is understandable as you want to be able to put your foot on the ground when you lose balance. However that is not the best thing for transferring muscle power to your pedals. I found that for good force you want to have your saddle so high that when you sit on it and you put a foot on the pedal at it’s lowest point, with your foot parallel to the ground, your leg is fully stretched.

This does mean that to put a foot on the ground you have to keep your other foot on the pedal and slide forward off the saddle. The posture of your leg for pedalling will be way better getting more power to the bike and reducing stress on the knees.

Make sure your foot rests on the pedal with the front part, like you can see bike racers do. That allows for more muscles to work on pushing than when the pedal is under the middle of the foot.

Beware that raising the saddle does change the front-back balance a bit as your weight sits higher.

I read you bike down stairs, if it is only one or two steps that is not going to change much but if it’s a full flight of stairs that might be a problem.

Frankly I’m 52 years old and have been riding bikes since I was 3 and I have not ridden off more than a couple of steps at a time for the last four decades, it’s just not something I wish to inflict on my bike, nor on myself. Hopping down half a meter while at speed is no problem, but really riding of flights of stairs? You are a braver man than me.

Hehe, I’m a big guy and weigh about 100kg, on flat ground I’m on the highest gear nearly all the time because my legs are strong rather than agile, but up a relatively steep hill I need to go on the lower gears and crank myself up there.

My Guy, you really don’t have any idea.

I think you vastly overestimate the imporance of the US. And yes recently, with Trump the US is turning in on itself to become more like Russia. It breaks with allies, alienates trading partners and isolates and inpoverishes its own population. Its position as a hegemon is crumbling to dust rapidly.

Yeah yeah, US exceptionalism much? You would be surprised how little Europe depends on the US, but as you imply, it’s become an abusive relationship that Europe needs to get out. Russia is no alternative for the US. The reason Europe needs to sever ties with the US is that it has become too much like Russia. China? Yes Europe does a lot of business with China already, that is not about to change.

Certainly, it would be more limited in capability on paper, but now they have a big member who likes bossing the others around and is also a huge liability. Losing that would be a serious win.

NATO could very well exist without the US in it. It’s not like the other members can trust the US to help at this point.

Pure gold right there!

Well Rutte’s job is basically to keep NATO together, can’t blame him for trying. Personally I would not be sad if NATO chucked the US and told them to pack their bases all around Europe and go home. But I understand Rutte’s position.

Confront a republican with this and they will say the reason it didn’t happen is the valiant republican continued fight for decency and moral values (while only slightly molesting kids - human and goat).

Hmm, yes I see your point. I’m very much in the process of raising a couple of daughters. I try to support them as best I can in achieving whatever they believe to be their path in life. I did tell them I did want them to at least give higher education a serious shot but they could choose whatever kind they liked and I would never be mad they failed at it, as long as they gave it an honest try. The post above does not ridicule homemakers, but the people who would reduce any woman to that role because that is “what women are for”. My mother was a homemaker most of her life, she did get married and had kids later in life though and first was one of the few women of her time to get a university degree (graduated early 1950’s) and worked both as a teacher and as an assistant professor before she had kids and after we got old enough not to need her all the time. I think your pointing out hypocrisy is rather cheap.

I’ve heard it suggested to bring rifles instead of flags. Nothing is more American and patriotic than a rifle after all. Police is also tempted to stay quietly and politely at the side of things when you carry a rifle and suddenly stops trying to escalate things.

It would be so funny if those two would burn each other, but Musk doesn’t risk much as taco.

Given all of that (waves generally in the direction of the Trump regime and all its cronies) you guys are allowed to be a whole lot meaner.

Preach it lady! Each can find a path in life that fits them. If you have to be pushed in a role by someone else who then tells you that is the only way for someone like you, you’re not your own person, you’re someone elses property.

Be free!

Oh yes, I agree.

I do agree, but with the scientists you also need opportunities to employ them, do meaningful research, have funding for that research etc.

There certainly are needs, for example the Trump regime cancelled bird flu vaccine research and it is needed. It would be nice to add the people and what they’ve accomolished so far to our own research. But it’s not like we’ve got nothing.

Smart Americans are running from the US anyway. A lot will end up in Europe no matter what we do. Question is if it is a good idea to prioritize using these people to our own. It’s not like Europe is lacking in well educated smart people.