Semi-technical thoughts

While we are on the topic of sockets and chargers. UK three-prong plug (type G) allows you to put heavier things into the socket and they will sit there securely. Also it's rated 250V/13A allowing more powerful appliances and probably safer than any other plug type  (not mentioned there that almost every socket has an off switch, as an additional safety feature, apart from all the shutters, insulation, and built-in fuses). (Photo from Wikimedia Commons) If the world ever comes to a standard AC plug type, I hope it will be either that or at least something as robust and safe. And, let's face it, the only two alternatives (EU and US plugs) are not that universal, there are dozens of variations (where to put the ground prong, how to ensure polarity, even how big the prongs themselves must be) that makes either harder to adopt as a single universal standard.

Adapter I had for charging my laptop broke yesterday. Now I need to give you a bit of a background to explain what kind of adapter that was. So, Lenovo produces lots of different laptops. And, just like all other manufacturers, they have lots of different charger connectors. With Yoga series, it was always some weird variation of USB, not a (more typical until recently) round connector. In particular, for Yoga 3 and 4 it looks like this: (Photo from Aliexpress) It's unclear why apart from making people buy their stupid chargers. You hardly can use the port for anything else when not charging (it's not even 3.0). And I mean stupid, just look at this: (Photo from Aliexpress) How can even call it a "travel" adapter is beyond understanding. If you actually travel, you have either to buy a new one for every socket type, or use a socket adapter which (considering most wall sockets are located in walls) will make this massive charger fall out every few minute...