the previous world order based on sovereign states is quickly coming to end. Emerging world order is based on force, and the large corps have more money than many states. The only thing they are missing is the rights of a sovereign entity. Well in a world order driven by force, the rights you have is the rights that you've obtained by force. I think we'll soon see, by analogy with corporate personhood, some version of corporate statehood.
I don't think it happens quite that distinctly in the world we live in now (technology, etc.). It's not like a big tech company can go attain the same direct power as the East India company way back in the day. It's much more likely that companies continue to gain lobbying and "soft" power that directs the military into doing things. Large corps do have more money than many countries, so if a huge company wants to setup manufacturing or gain benefits in a smaller country they do have outsized power, but its rare that a huge company has more power than their own country from what I know (potentially oil companies are the exception which is why national oil companies seem to have so much weight in so many countries). For example sure the big tech companies are very powerful, but the US military budget per year is still nearly the same size as the largest tech companies market cap. Whereas you are right that a US big tech company has more revenue than say...Guatemala, or Morocco.
Cheaper, quieter, smaller footprint for storage, can be easily brought up a few stairs or put in the back of your car (by one person), slower (a perceived safety advantage by some, as most motorcycles can go highway speed), maintenance is less daunting (again, perceived), culture (perceived) as some people are quite turned off by motorcycle culture, and many many more.
One of the major problems with ebikes is the existence of cars and related infra.
Motorcycles have all those advantages against cars, except being able to bring them indoors. Yet people aren't all riding around on motorcycles. E-Bikes have their niche, but they're not going to replace cars, since motorcycles didn't.
Motorcycle culture is something you choose if you participate in. If you're a lady commuting to work on a scooter, few people will expect you to participate in that.
I think they're significantly more approachable than ICE motorcycles. But, what they share is common and a major adoption hinderance in Western world - we just like dry safe climate controlled boxes a lot, it's comfortable.
I think e-motos have a better chance of replacing cars than e-bikes ever do though. The scale of our cities and distance people travel almost necessitate the higher speeds. It will become more popular as economics force it, if the average car keeps costing more and groceries too, while wages stay pretty flat, well groceries will eventually win.
Actually, the economic forces being what they are, have average car age at an all time high in the US [0]. It is likely that once these old cars die off; a large portion of people simply will not be able to afford new cars and at some point the supply of used cars will be insufficient and people will be forced to entertain cheaper alternatives.
A good wind-breaker and glasses/face covering are pretty nice to haves. Even a little wind accelerates as it hits the mountain and picks up the tephra and turns it into a sand blaster. I just took water and yen personally since the numerous huts along the way will sell you food (and burn your stick for you). Both times I started in shorts and a t-shirt and by 8? 8.5? I switched into pants with wind/rain gear over it. There isn't anywhere to change, I just put things over my shorts (no bad American moments I hope!). I ended up blowing out my sneakers on the way down one time though. That tephra is seriously like sandpaper and it ripped the tread off one shoe. I was lucky the rest survived long enough to make it down. Honestly, down was in many ways harder than up. No huts, you are tired and it is still very steep. Totally worth it though!
I think I was wearing vibram fivefingers (it was 2012ish, they were cool!) when I did it, from 0 meters, as I started at the ocean. I had a little hip-bag with some rice balls and water. It was about 23 hours to reach the top. My accompanying friend did the whole thing in barefeet.
Fully self-taught, my first time ever working with someone on real-world code, I was interning for a open-source python CRM. The owner said to me, "anytime some code is difficult, just break it into smaller pieces. If it is still difficult, break it into smaller pieces."
This has stuck with me since; it is indeed applicable to many facets of life.
And those cost money. That is the crux here. Free parking is frankly insane. It became untenable in Amsterdam as early as the 1960s when most people could afford a car.
If you want trees, a sidewalk and bike lanes something has got to give.
Most of Japan doesn't have excellent public transport.
Car ownership is less common in most of the places in Japan with excellent public transport.
But I do like that each car legally requires its own parking spot. It is tricky to go to people's homes, because often extra parking is extremely limited or non-existent. It requires specific planning.
Oof. I don't know what's worse there: that they don't know a conventional way to find-and-replace, or that they didn't try asking the LLM not to use them. (Or to fix it afterwards.)
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