Toyota really weren't fucking around with the Crown Hybrids back then. They threw everything into them. It also has soft close doors and trunk, TV/DVD, factory Bluetooth audio, heated/cooled front and rear seats, reclining rear seats, lane keep assist, night vision front and fender/rear cameras, keyless everything, and a heap more.
I drive a 2009 Crown Hybrid. It's fast, it's reliable, it's great on fuel, it's luxurious, the build quality is extremely high, and on top of that, it didn't cost much. I can't see what a new car could offer me other than touchscreens, mandatory data collection, and a heap of tech I'll never use more than once. Mine has radar cruise, that's as advanced as I need a feature to be tbh
Magnesium threonate cured my insomnia, it's fucking wild how well it works. I'd tried everything until I discovered it, from melatonin, to antihistamine sleeping pills, all the way to downing 350ml of whiskey every night just to force sleep.
Magnesium works better than every single thing I've tried (but you HAVE to let yourself fall asleep when you feel it starting to work.)
While the general ban on fireworks makes sense in a country as dry as ours, it's just tiring seeing the rest of the world get to enjoy yet another thing we miss out on here. Airsoft, fireworks, cheaper alcohol, cheaper fuel, economic complexity, product variety, modern internet infrastructure, logical speed limit tolerances, drinking on the beach (legitimately illegal in fucking Australia), the right to not be treated like a goddamn child by the government, no blanket bans/sweeping law reforms based on the actions of one person, nicotine vaping not requiring a doctor's prescription, over the counter medications that actually work and aren't just weak and ineffective versions the rest of the world can purchase, and just so much more.
You just never know when something you enjoy will be banned, restricted, or taxed to death in this country, and I hate it more and more the older I get. Australia is a great country to live in if you're 77 and retired. Our leaders are wondering why so many young people are leaving for better, more free countries... maybe the fact that we're the most overregulated nanny state, Murdoch-controlled, American-without-any-of-the-fun-parts wannabe first world nation has something to do with it. If I wasn't already in my early-30's, I'd be leaving too.
Can't be more ridiculous than it is here in Australia. Can't buy or set off fireworks without the relevant permit/license full stop (generally limited to public events and film production), but if you purchase an adapter for your 12 gauge, along with a pack of primers, you can legally fire them from your shotgun on private property... but you'd obviously need a firearms license first.
I have a shotgun. I have the fireworks, primers, and adapter. I have never had a chance to use them.
Australia is such a fucking boring country to live in. No wonder we all drink so much.
Not OP, but I went with PopOS. I'd used it in a VM for a few years, so I decided to install it when I finally decided to make the switch after Microsoft revealed that dystopian "record everything on your screen, coming to a PC near you soon" bullshit.
I did the same the other day, although I'm dual booting as I still need Windows for a few things (namely Photoshop.) Slowly getting used to Linux though, and it does feel... free. It's extremely nice. Games run better (I mean fuck, the entire computer runs better.) I already use GrapheneOS on my Pixel 8, so it's nice to have my PC finally move towards privacy too.
Innertune. It hooks into YouTube music without any ads, no account creation required, offline listening, and it's free. One of the best apps on my phone.
I'd prefer to use my vote with stupid optimism that things may get better instead of 'punishing' society because people are, for the most part, dumb as fuck. I believe things can improve. I'm not going to let self destructive sentiment win out even in dark times.
Living in Australia means piracy is essentially legal - individuals can only be taken to court for the cost of one physical copy of the pirated media, so companies don't even bother as long as you aren't distributing. The more things in this area get worse, the more justified I feel in filling up my 10TB HDD.