Teaching the kid to drive, we've talked about manual and automatic transmissions (we only have automatic) and why it's needed with gas engines. I don't think he really gets it (or cares). When I made my EV, almost 30yrs ago, I'd left the manual transmission in, not knowing the range of operation the big DC motor and not needing reverse electrical relays. City driving I used 2nd gear all of the time.
"Energy infrastructure in the North Sea: a time-sensitive international challenge."
My opinion article for #EUSEW, with learnings from the work that we did on a strategic vision for the upcoming Energy Infrastructure Plan for the North Sea.
Published by @cinea_EU - European Climate, Infrastructure and Environment Executive Agency today.
New #Fingrid CEO Asta Sihvonen-Punkka:
Today Finland has five 400kV #Transmission lines between windy north and consumers in south. In 10 years it will be eleven. #Uusiutua2024
Analysis of #SARSCoV2#transmission in #airports based on real human close contact behaviors, Journal of Building Engineering
> The average close contact ratio in 9 airport's areas is 25.4 % (ranging from 6.1 % to 55.0 %), with passengers having the highest frequency of close contact in manual check-in areas. During close contacts, the average interpersonal distance in airports is 1.2 m (ranging from 1.1 to 1.4 m), being shortest in boarding areas. Face-to-face close contact is highest in charging areas, with a percentage of 46.9 %. Dining areas have the highest virus exposure risk for both short-range inhalation and mucosal deposition, followed by manual check-in areas.
The US urgently needs an expansion of the electric grid to move clean energy.
it's starting to happen.
"The US government is speeding deployment of more than $30 billion in federal support for #transmission projects.
In late October, the Energy Department announced commitments to purchase $1.3 billion worth of electric power from three multistate transmission projects, making the department the “anchor” tenant to help speed their construction."
If I could work out, in the blink of a eye, that #EatOuttoHelpOut was going to be a massive petrie dish for #Covid19#transmission, why couldn't those supposedly qualified to run the #UK? It's time we stopped allowing unqualified #politicians, especially #PMs. Everyone else jumps through qualification & experience hoops to do the most basic of jobs BUT the country is led by utter incompetents. We'd be sacked if we didn't do a good #job. #Tories just get another job they aren't qualified for.
I used to have a sail boat. One of the most important #safety rules in sailing is "don't sail on a schedule".
What this means is that if you have a destination & a deadline, you will override safety signals (like weather) & travel in unsafe conditions due to deadline pressure. This is how serious accidents happen while sailing.
Planning for sailing puts an emphasis on having a checklist that includes having situational awareness of issues like boat condition, charts, & weather by explicitly checking the marine weather forecasts.
Also you have to be prepared to bail on your destination & schedule if the safety signals change. You have to know where your closest port is to seek shelter if a storm arises.
It occurred to me that the #airbornePrecautions equivalent is "don't be task focused on a deadline".
The need to get a task done by a deadline causes you to lose situational awareness, & accept risk that you would not otherwise accept if you thought your safety plan through ahead of time.
This is exacerbated by the total lack of a danger signal in society right now. No mitigations visible. Out of sight, out of mind.
This bit me yesterday getting a vaccination from an unmasked pharmacist in a small room. I took a risk I should not have, because I lost situational awareness under the drive to get the task done. I never would have accepted that risk in my pre-thought out safety plan. But it just popped up in the middle of the task, & I let it slide because I wasn't situationally aware.
Now, ofc I was wearing #P100#elastomeric so the risk here is relative. My event was ocular exposure during high water mark for community transmission, not being maskless. But it is not a risk I would have taken in a pre-thought through safety plan.
And that's the big deal now. Every little ordinary task needs a safety plan.
It's frustrating. It's exhausting.
When it goes wrong, when the safety signals change, when you get off plan, you have to be prepared to "bail". Halt a task, walk out, cancel, reschedule. Find a safe port in the new storm.
I should have refused entry with a maskless pharmacist. Cancelled, requested accommodation & rescheduled.
This is a kind of risk "velocitization" that happens. I am getting velocitized into one-way masking even during high #community#transmission periods. Everyone else but me unmasked is the new normal.
This is how accidents happen - a bunch of little issues leading to an unwanted, unplanned outcome.