@MartinVeart@mastodon.scot
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MartinVeart

@MartinVeart@mastodon.scot

A bit political. Not fond of nationalism in any form but extremely depressed with the current path of the UK therefore open to options. Very pro-EU. UK and Irish citizen, living in Scotland since 2000. Knows a bit about energy, both renewables and fossil fuel. Does Human Factors for a living. Will toot on radio and trash television programmes.

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grimalkina, to random
@grimalkina@mastodon.social avatar

A public service announcement with an expiration date: if you've loved my writing and science, I have a book proposal+sample chapter out on submission right now. The pitch is "The Psychology of Software Teams": a general audience, warmly human, accessible book for teams, leaders, and curious minds, filled to the brim with practitioner stories AND the new empirical social science of technology innovation. 🙌❤️

Let me know if you know editors who might be interested in this uniquely cool project.

MartinVeart,
@MartinVeart@mastodon.scot avatar

@grimalkina I am a human factors professional . Your book would be one I would read.

MartinVeart,
@MartinVeart@mastodon.scot avatar

@grimalkina You are welcome but my comment is not motivated by kindness. You are writing about an area where mistakes can be costly and disastrous. Unlike most human factor where the challenge is reducing risk of folk getting things wrong despite their best efforts, IT faces the additional challenge of bad actors actively trying to undermine their products and steal their IP. Please do write this book.

MartinVeart,
@MartinVeart@mastodon.scot avatar

@mt @bynkii @grimalkina I work in an industry where if we get things profoundly wrong thousands could die. Probably wouldn’t happen but worst case scenario. Take down multiple energy and logistics networks and my business pales into insignificance. But this is the endgame. It begins with the team and the individual’s role and attitudes. With leadership, that sets the culture. Often the short term company interest is to promote unsafe behaviour.

MartinVeart, to random
@MartinVeart@mastodon.scot avatar

The right for demonstration must be upheld,, regardless whether one agrees with the cause or not. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2qv7425gvwo

yunod, to random
@yunod@mastodon.scot avatar

Our solar panels generated 27.3 kWh today - that's a lot for April! 😮

MartinVeart,
@MartinVeart@mastodon.scot avatar

@yunod I am seriously considering solar panels. What advice would you give?

MartinVeart,
@MartinVeart@mastodon.scot avatar

@yunod thank you! Heating water is a big thing. Sometimes I am torn between PV and a thermal solar system.

MartinVeart, to random
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Post Brexit I always expected a rise in UK military spending, so here we are. Conscription will be next. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68880171

MartinVeart, to random
@MartinVeart@mastodon.scot avatar

Looking at Russian strategy in attacking Ukrainian infrastructure and energy generation, it strikes one that a widely diverse energy generation policy offers far greater resilience than centralise generation.
Since 2015, UK government policy has favoured large scale generators. This is simplistic but easier to administer.
Instead, a diverse (even chaotic) generation network on all scales would offer fewer opportunities for profit but much greater resilience if tough times emerge in the future.

MartinVeart, to random
@MartinVeart@mastodon.scot avatar

This is an act of war by Israel. https://www.politico.eu/article/iran-consulate-syria-damascus-destroyed-israel-air-strike/

MartinVeart, to random
@MartinVeart@mastodon.scot avatar

Should have gone to….

MartinVeart, to random
@MartinVeart@mastodon.scot avatar

Today my party launched a campaign in support of assisted dying. I do not support this.

My first concern is that it will be open to abuse. Sure, it is outlined that two medical decisions will be required to allow for an individual to be supported in the termination of their own life. This is not enough. Owing the previous abuse of such systems, especially in the Netherlands in the 1990s, external legal overview should be determined upon for each petition.

MartinVeart,
@MartinVeart@mastodon.scot avatar

A vulnerable person can easily be pressured into such a request. We are all vulnerable when faced the with reality of our own mortality.
Secondly, I am against the death penalty for many reasons. One of my reasons is that it gives the state the final say of life and death over the individual citizen. Here, we are enabling the state to take our own life through its agency of licensed medical practitioners. Even if own request is made in sound mind, this is not a power readily granted to the law.

MartinVeart,
@MartinVeart@mastodon.scot avatar

Finally, doctors don't sign up for this. It alters the relationship between the medical profession and patient. It is one thing to allow nature to take its course by the withdrawal of treatment and another the determination to preserve life at all cost.

MartinVeart,
@MartinVeart@mastodon.scot avatar

Palliative care is designed to preserve the dignity of the person in the final time of one's life. By all means let this be the route forward; but not the wilful destruction of life, even if the choice is from the person. No matter how thoughtful, how certain, that is not a choice that supports others when it comes to their own turn. Instead the choice will be a baleful influence, especially in economic hard times.

MartinVeart,
@MartinVeart@mastodon.scot avatar

@Wen yes, one’s life is one’s own. It is the protection of others and the cost to the fabric of society when my objections lie. What is good about raising of such matters is that it allows us to talk openly about death and how in society it is approached. We don’t do that often enough.

PeterStefanovic, to random
@PeterStefanovic@toot.community avatar

The greatest legacy of Brexit will be the lies, denial, misinformation & industrial scale dishonesty of the Conservative Government. Watch in disbelief and outrage
https://youtu.be/l6gOJ74iMlQ

MartinVeart,
@MartinVeart@mastodon.scot avatar

@PeterStefanovic all true Peter but I so wish Labour’s attitude wasn’t Brexit is done, let’s get on with it. Brexit is an ongoing open wound and the UK will not start to recover until it can be talked openly and frankly about by the leadership of all parties.

MartinVeart, to random
@MartinVeart@mastodon.scot avatar

Driving home from work yesterday, I had to turn off the radio news. Terrible listening to the report of slaughter as starving, desperate people tried to get flour from the convoy, only to be fired upon and then crushed in the resulting panic.
It was the cry of a starving baby that really got to me.
I don’t understand those who call such things a military necessity. War is cruel enough without the infliction of horrors upon the weak and innocent.

MartinVeart,
@MartinVeart@mastodon.scot avatar

@Wen @MartinVeart Indeed. I have read Machiavelli.

starwall, to random
@starwall@wizzzard.online avatar

honestly ban SUVs and the fuck off big trucks. unless you're a god damned business you don't need something like that, get a van if you need the space or a normal fuckin flatbed truck if they even still make those

MartinVeart,
@MartinVeart@mastodon.scot avatar

@starwall when I lived in Norway 25 years ago, personal vehicles were taxed thus: tax on kerb weight, tax on engine capacity and tax on power output. Then VAT on top. A Toyota Yaris would attract minimal tax. A Jeep Grand Cherokee was $100,000. EVs were then rare and attracted no vehicle tax. Now Norway is the largest per capita users of EVs. I digress: from the Norwegian example, kerb weight is potentially a taxable aspect of car ownership.

MartinVeart, to random
@MartinVeart@mastodon.scot avatar

The closer politicians come to power, the more hawkish they become. The SNP switched to supporting NATO membership in the run up to Indyref. After leading the protests against the invasion of Iraq, the Lib Dems backed the UK bombing of Syria (why for God’s sake?) and now Labour cannot act like decent human beings and call for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. What gets into leaders that they feel they have to be seen to act tough? Most would respect more leaders that act tough for peace.

MartinVeart,
@MartinVeart@mastodon.scot avatar

@Wen @MartinVeart There was nothing wrong at that time with the SNP’s stance on neutrality, in the vein of Ireland and Sweden. Even a Finnish solution, accommodating some existing military bases, would have been pragmatic. Joining NATO, a nuclear-based alliance, directly contradicts the stance on Trident and sparked some very honourable resignations. Franklin’s phrase in this context is misapplied: there was no one out to hang anyone, which was literally the threat to American revolutionaries.

MartinVeart,
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@Wen @MartinVeart which wasn’t done in 2012. There wasn’t even any war in Ukraine until 2014.

MartinVeart, to random
@MartinVeart@mastodon.scot avatar

Okay. Fess up. Who did this?

Post-Brexit and under Conservative rule though, it is fair comment.

MartinVeart, to random
@MartinVeart@mastodon.scot avatar

The British rightwing establishment are screaming at the top of their lungs at the risk of them losing control of the propaganda tools The Telegraph and The Spectator. Heaven forbid either of those titles are published by disinterested foreigners beyond their influence.

MartinVeart, to random
@MartinVeart@mastodon.scot avatar

Stay safe out there. It is a serious storm tonight.

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