I cannot answer regarding VPNs as I live in a country where VPNs are irrelevant for torrenting, but I can answer the port question-
If you don't have an open port for torrenting, you can only connect to other clients who do have an open port. If you have an open port, you can connect to all other clients. Either client in a P2P setting will need an open port to communicate. If neither have an open port, they cannot communicate.
It is beneficial to be able to open a port for torrenting, but keep in mind that you are essentially broadcasting your intentions with an open port (unless you use a VPN). If you live in a country where ISPs can hand over data to anyone who asks, they will use your open port against you. (unless you use a VPN).
Our government doesn't hate immigrants, they hate all poor people equally...
I will re-iterate it because it's an important point: We didn't vote them. The center-right consolidated power and undermined our multi-party system despite most votes landing on the left. They are now using this consolidated power to do whatever they want.
I don't even have an account on this instance, but I'd dare go so far as to say that if you leave then so am I. The main lemmy feed (our instance is federated with basically everyone that lets us- except the usual suspects) has become just more reddit.
I'm not gonna pretend that I'm not a reddit refugee but I've had one foot out the door from that platform for years. I liked what Lemmy was, but now it's just more of the same. I really like the sub-50-people community we built on our instance, and I love that I can interact with beehaw from this instance. I would be sad if I had to split this in 2, or 3 or 4 depending on how many other cool instances end up leaving over these same issues.
I loved this book. I agree the characters were a bit weird but it didn't detract much for me. I read these for the science concepts- so the story just has to be passable to me.
Electric cars will not save the planet. Electric cars will save the car industry.