simon_brooke

simon_brooke, 9 months ago to random

"The electric bicycle is a game-changer, much more significant than the overhyped, expensive and insufficiently green e-car: global sales of e-bikes are projected to reach 40 million next year, compared to 9 million for electric vehicles. Globally, most trips are less than 10 kilometres, which e-bikes can cover within half an hour."

https://www.treehugger.com/stop-ignoring-ebikes-5324307

simon_brooke, 7 months ago to random

"the World Bank predicts that climate change will compel as many as 216 million people to move elsewhere in their countries by 2050; other reports suggest that more than one billion people will become refugees because of the impacts of a warming planet on developing countries"

We have somehow to find homes for that billion people. How many can your community welcome?

#ClimateCatastrophe
#RefugeesAreWelcomeHere

https://www.noemamag.com/the-bold-idea-to-move-millions-to-climate-havens/

simon_brooke, 7 months ago to climate

5.3 metres – the degree of sea level rise now unavoidable from West Antarctic Ice Sheet melting ALONE – is sufficient to entirely submerge most of urban Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Dubai, and an enormous area of southern Iraq (Qatar gets off surprisingly lightly).

Are they sure they want to pump YET MORE oil?

#ClimateEmergency

https://coastal.climatecentral.org/map/6/50.1713/28.1743/?theme=water_level&map_type=water_level_above_mhhw&basemap=roadmap&contiguous=true&elevation_model=best_available&refresh=true&water_level=5.3&water_unit=m

simon_brooke, 6 months ago to random

"“[The problem is] the desire for each country to maximise their own production,” he said. There needed to be an internationally coordinated and equitable global phase-out of fossil fuels, Lazarus said."

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/nov/08/insanity-petrostates-planning-huge-expansion-of-fossil-fuels-says-un-report

simon_brooke, 9 months ago to climate

I wonder to what extent oil industry dark money lobbying is behind the "#ULEZ cost #Labour the #UxbridgeByElection" narrative?

#UKpol
#ClimateEmergency

simon_brooke, 6 months ago to random

In what sort of a world do I even need to say this?

#Gaza
#CeasefireNow

simon_brooke, 9 months ago to random

"We have noted before that this is the fastest ride to zero-carbon; almost anyone can ride an e-bike for six miles under almost any conditions. If there were safe places to ride and secure places to park, then millions of car trips could be avoided, and millions of cars taken off the road"

https://www.treehugger.com/stop-ignoring-ebikes-5324307

simon_brooke, 3 months ago to Israel

So let me see if I've got this right. There is an "International Rules-Based Order". The key institution which underpins this order is the #ICJ. The ICJ has ruled that #Israel must take action to prevent #Genocide in #Gaza. The main agency succouring those at risk of genocide in Gaza is #UNWRA. In an apparently-coordinated demonstration of contempt for the ICJ ruling, a number of key nations have withdrawn financial support for UNWRA, citing unproven allegations against some staff. >>>

simon_brooke, 10 months ago to random

@Eceni as a self-confessed tech bro, I'm loving the idea of larping in decision making, and I think the #QuadraticVoting proposal is really interesting. But please, what value does #Blockchain add, to offset its disproportionate energy and consequently environmental cost?

Surely, we want to burn less carbon, not more?

https://pca.st/episode/69ae9284-64bd-4599-8da4-1ffa59fcedea

simon_brooke, 7 months ago to random

OK, I am today going to replace Ubuntu on my main desktop machine with #Debian12. Wish me luck!

simon_brooke, 22 days ago to random

Humza #Yousaf isn't a great politician, but he isnae a rubbish politician either, and the #SNP is short of talent at Holyrood. #Swinney would be unwise no tae gie him a cabinet seat; and gien hoo #Yousaf has performed on #Gaza an ither maitters furth o Scotland, it would be guid tae see him in a foreign relations brief.

If we're aiming for #ScottishIndependence, we need to be developing strong relationships with the rest of Europe and beyond.

#ScotPol

simon_brooke, 9 months ago to llm

I've been doing a bit more experimenting with #LargeLanguageModels #LLM and truth, and I've got an interesting one.

my experimental design was that I'd start asking about relationships between European monarchs, and then start introducing fictitious monarchs, but I didn't get that far...

#1/several

simon_brooke, 9 months ago to random

How about an extra 5% VAT on all goods sold in mixed-materials packaging?

How about an extra 5% VAT on all goods sold in non-recyclable packaging?

How about an extra 5% VAT on all goods sold in non-standard bottles and jars?

How about an extra 5% VAT on all goods sold with labels stuck on with non-water-soluble glue?

So that's an extra 20% for non-recyclable mixed-material non-standard bottles with bastard glued on labels...

Packaging would get sorted QUICK.

simon_brooke, 3 months ago to random

Just had one of those AHA! moments: we should build houses for the homeless, of course we should, that's obvious. But we build them at FIVE HUNDRED YEAR QUALITY. That is to say, designed so that, with minimal maintenance, they will be good homes for 500 years. Yes, obviously that makes them a bit more expensive in the short term. But it means we develop a building industry with the skills to build 500 year homes. But more...

simon_brooke, 26 days ago to random

"this is why any government in Holyrood is destined not to deliver. It can't, because London created a system that was bound to fail as a way of securing continuous control whilst ensuring that blame would be directed inward in Scotland itself, as might well happen now" -- @RichardJMurphy

#ScotPol

https://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2024/04/26/scotlands-political-problem/

simon_brooke, 10 months ago (edited 10 months ago) to random

Analysis by @RichardJMurphy of the collapse – the barefaced looting – of England's privatised water system.

Read it and weep.

https://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2023/06/29/englands-water-industry-is-environmentally-insolvent/

simon_brooke, 6 months ago to random

Really useful episode of #AccidentalGods from @Eceni which is really helping with my thinking about localising food production. Recommended.

I'm wondering what bean I could most productively grow at field scale here in Scotland?

https://pca.st/episode/ae3b8a9a-2e38-4dfd-8140-94bb002442e8

simon_brooke, 10 months ago to climate

"what we know is that #Starmer is going to fail on:

• #ClimateChange
• #Renewables
• Transport reform
• The economy
• Public sector pay
• The #NHS
• Social care
• #Education
• Law and order
• #Housing
• Trade unions
• Reversing Tory policy
• Support for local government
• Electoral reform
• #Europe
• Interest rates
• #Scotland, #Wales and Northern Ireland
• Defence
• Inequality
• Taxing the rich" – @RichardJMurphy

https://www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2023/07/17/the-opposition-to-starmer-has-to-begin-now/

simon_brooke, 8 months ago to climate

I've been giving a lot of thought today to how we actually make change in the world, in time to address the #ClimateEmergency; and I've come to the conclusion that it's exceedingly unlikely that constitutional politics – parliaments and governments – can adapt in time to do anything useful.

Which means, we need a #PlanB of direct public action not to protest but to to build the structures of the new future. >>>

simon_brooke, 9 months ago to random

OK, here's a really good idea: a small, cooperative, wool processing mill, close to the shepherds who keep the sheep.

Scotland's wool is an amazing resource producing high quality, highly insulating fibre which can be made into excellent, warm, durable clothing – but most of it now goes to waste.

Please support this!

H/T @SiobhanVohn

https://gofund.me/a3a79db8

simon_brooke, 5 months ago (edited 5 months ago) to Israel

"Is this what #Israel is? The tech outpost, the US ally, the beacon of democracy in the Middle East? A country that kills journalists [30] and writers in surgical strikes [31]. That forces doctors away from ICU babies, leaving them to die and rot in their incubators [32]. Whose snipers shoot children and grannies in the head [33]" – extraordinarily powerful and courageous essay by @paulbiggar . Read it and weep.

I can't sleep
https://blog.paulbiggar.com/i-cant-sleep/

simon_brooke, 1 year ago to random

This evening's production of construction quality timber. I'm quite pleased with this: despite being nothing like fit, I am getting useful work done.

simon_brooke, 4 months ago to random

Well, abandon your ineffective politics, then, 'Sir' Keir. Throw us some red socialist meat. Promise to

1. Reverse the privatisations in the #NHS;
2. Accelerate the transition from fossil fuels;
3. Bring railways and utilities into public ownership (ideally as worker/consumer co-ops rather than nationalised);
4. Bring in wealth taxes and, in particular, increase inheritance taxes.

#Starmer #Labour #Useless

https://inews.co.uk/news/politics/starmer-apathy-could-keep-tories-power-2832287

simon_brooke, 3 months ago to random

I'm going to have to replace my eight year old MacBook; it's beyond the point I can afford to keep repairing it. I really want the next one to be the last laptop I ever buy: we cannot afford to keep generating e-waste.

My current thought is a @frameworkcomputer, mainly for repairability. Does anyone have alternative suggestions for a very long life laptop? Low power consumption is also desirable, UN*X/Linux of some kind required.

simon_brooke, 3 months ago (edited 3 months ago) to random

There are (at least) three groups of voters whom #Starmer is alienating with his continued tacit support for the #GazaGenocide:

1. A majority of Muslims;
2. A substantial number of Jews;
3. A much broader community of people with a strong commitment to human rights and an ethical foreign policy.

These groups are not individually electorally significant, but taken together they may be.

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