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What a hot water heater anode really looks like after 10 years of use in Calgary

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This rod came out of a Rheem PRO50-45FV1 50 gal gas water heater, installed in Calgary. It is 11 years old. I don't know if it's aluminum, zinc or magnesium. But per the manual, the PRO50 was "only" a 6-year tank. I didn't upgrade , so I expect this anode is *not* of premium manufacture - so probably zinc aluminum.   Tests show it bubbles in vinegar, so magnesium.                      In short, it's in way better shape than I would have guessed. Easily has another 10 years, maybe even 20. ----- That's how it looked when I pulled it - I barely touched it, and certainly didn't clean it.  Turns out I should have done, as most of the outer layer was a thick plating of calcium: It's pretty much original diameter. I know because (a) you can tell from the general shape, and (b) it was form-fitting to the tank opening when I pulled it - if it had ever been any bigger, it would not have fit in the first place.  Measurements a...
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Dear America

 Dear America, You are paying the tariffs. Yes, you are. That's it.
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Lamest spam ever

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    ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
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So many discussions around PHEVs and EREVs are missing the point

I am the proud owner of a Volvo S60 T8 PHEV sedan. Everyone knows it, too. Because when people ask me about it, they can rarely get me to shut up about it. I love my car - and I love the idea of PHEVs and EREVs in particular. Specifically, I love the idea of these cars FOR CANADA - especially the western-most, eastern-most, and Northern-most (not including the islands). Also similar areas in the northwestern USA.  I think these powertrains have real potential in those places. ---   To be clear, I wanted a pure EV, and tried for five years to get one.  I even went so far as to take cheap flights around the country, test-driving promising secondhand models far from home.  But I could never pull the trigger. Cost was certainly a factor.  At the time, model selection was limited, and those models with acceptable range were expensive (even used).  Add in a home charger, winter tires, maybe winter wheels, the cost was - simply put - outrageously ...
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Restoring the mysteriously disappearing microphone (voice-to-text) icon on Samsung device keyboard

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Problem:  The on-screen keyboard of your Samsung device (Galaxy S9, S9+, S10, S20, S21, S22, etc.) used to have a little microphone icon on the toolbar above the keyboard that allowed you to dictate, rather than type.  This microphone icon has mysteriously disappeared. It might have been around here, on the toolbar above the keyboard:   Or maybe around here, at the bottom: Either way, it's just gone for no reason. This is a rather handy feature, even for people like me who think voice commands are for shit.  Dictating a long message is far faster than typing it.   Bad news:  It seems that installing Google Gemini might have permanently disabled / removed the microphone icon .   Why this should be is beyond me; another example of the eshittification of modern tech.   Good news:  You may have one of several alternatives available. Note:  Many devices are different, so you might not have these features, or it / they may be in a slight...
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