Hyperreality
Musk pointed to the death of his first-born child
He lied about his first-born dying in his arms, to win an internet argument:
Elon Musk’s ex-wife refutes his claim that firstborn child died in his arms ... ‘And not that it matters to anyone except me, because it is one of the most sacred and defining moments of my life, but I was the one who was holding him’
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/justine-musk-elon-musk-dying-son-b2234938.html
They produce a lot of oil, they can easily influence oil prices, and thereby influence elections.
Piss off the Saudis, they reduce output, prices go up, idiots everywhere vote for the other guy who's willing to suck their dick.
Eg. 2022 US midterms they used oil as a weapon against the democrats, losing them the house.
They sometimes do, but some of these older brick houses use lime mortar which is far more breathable. Allows moisture in and out. Some older houses are also not that water tight anyway or often have moisture issues.
If you use the wrong foam, it absorbs that moisture. Bad. Think mouldy sponge. If you use the right foam, but don't ensure ventilation and tackle moisture issues? Still bad. If you don't mix the foam right or use too much? Possible structural damage. Or the foam's flammable which is an issue in an old house with old electrics.
The person you're responding to mentions people doing it themselves with an expanding foam gun, which as someone who worked in the industry gives me the shivers tbh. I mean, maybe they'll get lucky, but I wouldn't buy that house. If they used the wrong foam or did it wrong, it's not as if you're going to be able to remove it or start over. It's there forever now.
You are basically correct.
But allow me to rant, for which I apologise. Feel free to ignore, it's not that interesting, and I'm not an expert.
The main thing is (properly installed) moisture barriers, if necessary increasing ventilation, getting rid of any moisture, choosing the right insulation for the right job, etc.
Eg. rockwool is very absorbant and is even used in hydroponics, but if you pop it in an attic, use a decent moisture barrier, but ventilate it well, it's not a disaster if it gets a bit moist sometimes. Meanwhile, in an (almost always) damp basement, forget using rockwool. Even using PUR/PIR foam is likely to cause issues, even if you use the best and most professionally installed moisture barrier. Better off using XPS. Meanwhile, when it comes to wall insulation in older houses, spraying foam into the intrawall cavity(inner wall, space, outerwall), can also cause issues.
The problem is that people will hire a company with a load of good reviews. They're friendly, they're affordable, afterwards the house is nice and warm and well insulated. Everything's covered up, so even if you were an expert, it's not as if you can check if they didn't half arse their job or if they aren't well intentioned morons who installed a moisture barrier the wrong way around so it only allows moisture in rather than letting it out.. But years later, when the damage starts becoming apparent, when people start falling ill from mould, or the concrete has become so weak so you have a pothole in your living room, the company likely doesn't exist anymore. And it's not as if you can hire a company with 50 years experience, because some of these kinds of insulation are quite new, and not everyone has experience working with older houses.
Eg. Lime mortar started being being phased out at the beginning of the 20th century, so it's no surprise someone who's 'only' 40 wouldn't know it has different properties than portland cement.
And for professionals who do know their shit, do it properly, and charge accordingly, it's not unlikely the homeowner will go with the cheaper offer because they don't think it'll make a big difference but can save thousands.
They chose not to imprison 68 journalists.
I worked in the industry and real-estate.
These houses were never designed to be insulated or airtight, and (controversial take) IMHO often shouldn't be fully insulated. I lived in a larger old house, and we'd heat a limited amount of rooms. The rest of the house was largely unheated and not properly insulated, allowing moisture to come and go. You simply dress accordingly. That's why people were always wearing multiple layers and three piece wool suits back in the day.
Eg. some old houses use lime mortar instead of cement. Lime mortar is more porous than cement, so it absorbs and wicks moisture. If you insulate that improperly, you're asking for problems, because moisture will build up behind the insulation or get absorbed into it.
Same thing for the roof of an old property. They were designed to circulate air. Water gets under the tiles, the wooden structure get damp, but it's not a big problem, because the air and moisture can evaporate and escape. People will poorly insulate their roof, then end up with disastrous moisture/rot issues, resulting in very expensive structural damage.
TLDR: If you insulate these properties improperly, the chance of rot or moisture issues is not negligble, and arguably you should ask yourself if it's even a good idea to insulate at all, rather than simply adapting your lifestyle and heating a limited amount of rooms.
It's also called dumping:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dumping_(pricing_policy)
The kind of thing usually results in a trade war, sanctions and tariffs.
The problem in Europe, is that our manufacturers are so reliant on Chinese parts and manufacturing, that they've asked our government NOT to intervene. China has them by the nuts, because they've outsourced too much. IRC they can't even make batteries without using Chinese parts.
Meat goes in. Sausage comes out.
The problem is that LLM are being sold as being able to turn meat into a black forest gateau.
Don't automatically buy stuff on Amazon. They're often not the cheapest and they're a scummy company.
Not on Amazon, but I bought myself a nice t-shirt. It got me compliments and made me feel better about myself.
Controversial take: the problem isn't car prices. They haven't increased that much when compared to inflation, and you're getting far more and far better cars for your money when adjusted for inflation.
The problem is wages haven't risen and housing prices have risen too much, meaning people have less to spend on a car.
E: I googled. In the US the cost of a median house was 18k in 1953. An average car cost 3.5k.
Now, the median house costs 400k.
400k/18k x 3.5k = If car prices had risen as much as house prices, the median car would cost 77k.