A long time ago, republicans needed an easy way to get voters to vote against their own interests and instead vote in the interest of the corporate overclass. Abortion. It’s genius. Make the preachers ultra wealthy by getting them to preach about something the Bible never seemed concerned about. Abortion. They’re murdering babies, you just have to get out and vote.

Eventually that strategy brought diminishing returns. They overturned Roe and the issue doesn’t have the same bite that it once had. They needed a new plan. Wait, I’ve got it. Trans people existing. Trans people bad, and they’re trying to assimilate your children by existing. They’re trans animals now, pooping in litter boxes at school. How long until you have to refer to your children by neopronouns under the threat of incarceration?

Seriously. This is how trump won the election. This issue is the issue they chose and it works. I hear it from my rightoid coworkers all the time. The GOP creates boogeymen to get idiots to the polls and it works, and the democrats have nothing to counter it.

Yeah I don’t know as far as the coating is concerned. I have personally had great luck with Asus products, but even by manufacturer I feel like there’s hits and misses as far as build quality. Wish you luck in your hunt.

There’s SO much more going for thinkpads than just the trackpoint. I would count durability as the highest point on the list, beyond the rubberized coating, the frame, the hinges, the serviceability (even in newer models with part of the RAM soldered) far exceeds most other offerings.

I dont currently own because I have a desktop that meets all of my needs, and my partner has a MacBook that I can use when a laptop is helpful. But if I was planning to buy a laptop, maybe as something to take out of town for work, it would likely be a thinkpad.

It has a banner stating that the website is under construction to comply with orange man orders, but everything that matters is unchanged, most importantly the “build a kit” guidelines.

I highly recommend people look at the kit guidelines and consider it a bare minimum for basic preparedness, even in times where our leadership isn’t completely off the rails.