Yep, I know exactly what you mean. Our part of the world isn't in a good place, politically, at the moment. The UK has ignorantly lurched to the extreme right, and the likes of Farage and Co don't even try to play the game of faux environmental concern. They just flat-out don't give a f***. But Trump won't see a second term [I don't think Americans will be fooled twice that badly] and with him disappearing, the UK will be left isolated and practically powerless. At least the threat of war will be vastly reduced.
Marv's bad joke of the day A guy was out fishing when he caught a Salmon. He was just about to kill it when he heard please don't kill me. The guy said to the Salmon did you just speak to me? Yes replied the Salmon. OK said the guy give me one good reason why I should not kill you for my dinner. Well replied the Salmon I'm only a young Salmon and I have my whole life ahead of me and there are much bigger ones who have had their lives. OK said the guy I will let you go. Do you have a name? Yes replied the Salmon my name is Rusty. OK Rusty have a good long life said the Guy and let him go. A few years later the guy is fishing at the same spot when a Salmon poked his head out of the water and said hi its Rusty I wanted to thank you for letting me go. I have had such a wonderful life I've met loads of female Salmon had lots of babies and some of the sights of coral etc is breathtaking. And shipwrecks are something else I went swimming through the Titanic and it inspired me so much that I wrote poems about it. The guy said you write poetry I would love to read some. Rusty replied they sell it in most book shops Titanic Verses by Salmon Rusty
'Car Park' rage, if you can believe it, from a guy in a BMW. This just happens to be against a Tesla M3. It could be any car. But more of that afterwards: This kind of 'vandalism without provocation' seems to be ever increasing, and my theory is that it is a symptom of the modern capitalist world we inhabit. The world view practically demands that you work your arse off in order to achieve some mythical well-being. And people get very hyped with modern life when it doesn't work out that way. So many people carry this heightened sense of anger around with them. When there's the slightest disagreement, they trigger. Anyway, just a theory. Above, in the video, the Tesla driver beeped at the BMW driver that he was there [the dash-cam camera is a wide-angle, so the BMW is actually much closer than it appears] and got a rotten payback, just for reminding the other driver he was there. As it happens, the BMW driver was very lucky. Almost every Tesla has an optional switch-on facility called Sentry Mode, which detects other people near the car and video records their movements, using any one or more of the 8 cameras and ultrasonic sensors it normally has for Autopilot. It has caught loads of people, who absolutely object to electric cars, and take their hatred out on them. Pretty much all of them have been prosecuted too. So, take my advice. If you're an overstressed total twat like the Beemer driver, who couldn't think twice, or who hates EVs because they'll change your life, take your silly violence out on a Nissan Leaf or Renault Zoe, or any other non-Tesla EV. Because they don't have these enhanced abilities, and the chances are that you won't be caught. We all learn something new every day.
This is tragic. Young woman dies after jumping into a pool in Spain, possibly due to epilepsy. The location, Entre Naranjos, is my second home and I only returned from there Tuesday afternoon. Not confirmed if the woman was a resident or holidaymaker. https://theworldnews.net/gb-news/brit-woman-36-dies-in-costa-blanca-after-jumping-into-swimming-pool
German car maker BMW appear to be throwing in the towel. At least this is what their Director of Development Klaus Fröhlich seems to be implying. The Mini E has emerged, and it isn't exactly raising any eyebrows of excitement. Bearing old i3 technology doesn't help. It seems that BMW just cannot compete with Nissan or Renault or PSA, but primarily Tesla, where the Model 3 is currently outselling the BMW i3 by 3:1 in Germany, despite only being introduced in February and having to be shipped from Tesla's only M3 production facility [as yet] and it's only 3:1 in Germany. Elsewhere the ratio is way higher. Klaus says there is simply no demand for EVs. The truth is there is no demand for BMW EVs. The little i3 was/is a nice concept, and is well made, as usual from BMW. However, it was the product of a company which hedged its bets on electrification. And one other thing. It's pig ugly. If you want to sell in big numbers, and not be a niche car, which only tree hugging Beemer enthusiasts would entertain, then you have to make something that everyone finds acceptable to look at, at the very least. People may put up with mediocre specs, in that case. And boy has the i3 succeeded at being niche. Some auto pundits have called it 'sales proof' worldwide. And that's in a bad way. So is the BMW head really out of touch? It appears so. Last week he was moaning that BMW EVs will never be able to compete with their FFVs. Never is a bloody long time. Klaus plans to keep making diesel engined cars for 20 years and petrol engines for the next 30, when his own country is going to ban them well within that time, and cities won't let them enter well before then either. Last October he said, “When everybody wants to have cobalt [for batteries], the prices of cobalt will not go down, they will go up.” He seems not to realise that Cobalt is disappearing from new lithium-Ion battery design. And you can reuse it again and again anyway. Significantly, in a little, as yet, understood phenomenon, all reusable battery materials perform better than when they were totally new [please don't ask, I'm still trying to find out about that one]. So Fröhlich appears to have been living under a rock for the last decade at least. Maybe he's a fossil, just like the fuels his cars use. Auto pundits have been commenting on the prospects of traditional car-makers as they stumble forward trying to keep an outdated industry propped up, or at least managing their decline. And there are genuine fears voiced for Ford and Fiat-Chrysler Auto [FCA], along with several of the minnows like Mazda, Subaru, etc. Either they merge or make an overnight change, in manufacturing life cycle terms, or they go out of business. Jaguar have opted for the middle strategy of change. Tata, which owns Jaguar, aims to make the marque an wholly electric brand. And they've started well with the iPace. If BMW don't drastically shift their direction we could be adding them to the growing list of potential bankrupts. And battery prices are still dropping faster than ever, despite the growing demand.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-48815968 As per earlier discussion, EU to insist electric cars must make a noise like a regular car at low speeds and when reversing...when it is considered pedestrians are at greatest risk. I don't like the idea that you can disconnect this if you think it is necessary...under what circumstances is that? Sneaking out of your lover's drive? Should be permanent feature.
Marv's bad joke of the day Two Prawns one named Christian the other named Dave were swimming along minding their own business when Dave bumped I to a lamp. A Genie popped out and gave Dave one wish. Dave said I would like to be a Shark because no one bothers you being a Prawn everyone is trying to eat you. The next thing Dave knows he is a Shark and Christian swims of home. A few weeks of being a Shark Dave is very lonely so goes back to see the Genie and says he is very lonely none of he's friends go near him for the fear of being eaten and asks if he can be a turned back into a prawn and the Genie agrees to turn him back. Dave is so excited about being a Prawn that he rushes over to Christians house knocks on the door and says it's me Dave are you coming out.? Christian said no you are a Shark and you will eat me. Its OK replied Dave I'm a Prawn again Christian
Did you know that the Royal Institute of British Architects [RIBA] recently declared a climate emergency? According to the RIBA president the "climate emergency is the biggest challenge facing our planet and our profession. But to have a significant impact we need to do more than make symbolic statements — we need to turn warm words into impactful actions. We architects need to transform the way we practice and along with our fellow professionals around the world, make changes that will impact at a global level." Concrete, specifically Cement, a structural cornerstone [sorry, that just popped out uncontrolled] material of the building industry, accounts for 8% of the world’s carbon emissions. Air travel also accounts for 8%, and we bang on about that every day. Incidentally, by comparison Power and Ground Transport accounts for 72%. And it's often forgotten that the constructional industry contributes. Basically, ANYTHING manufactured puts carbon into the atmosphere. There are exceptions, but I'm blowed if I can think of any at present. But I'm pleased with RIBA. It will also step up its lobbying of the UK government to improve policies and standards for the construction industry and seek ways to reduce its own carbon footprint. The group has also issued a declaration of support for the government’s proposal to make the country carbon neutral by 2050. And produced their own proposals in a statement called Architects Declare. Just shows what a right old pickle we're in.
And just to illustrate the extreme weather we are really starting to face throughout the world, Mexico city Guadalajara experienced massive hailstorms, accumulating a thickness of 1.5 m (yes hail one and a half metres deep). Previously they had been experiencing 30° Celcius temperatures. That's about as warm as here has been. Worrying, do you think? Or just a Chinese hoax? BBC News - Mexico hail: Ice 1.5m thick carpets Mexico's Guadalajara https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-latin-america-48821306
Mindless vandalism in Woolston. Feel for all the car owners, one of whom is my son, who had his rear window smashed in. Bastards. https://www.dailyecho.co.uk/news/17...-targeting-15-cars-in-one-southampton-street/
Sorry to read about the damage. One point I'd like to pick up on is the response from the Police. They talk about risk assessment. While they assess the risk, a crime is being committed. At which point do they stop assessing and respond? When the damage is finally over, and an insurance assessor, plus road sweeper would be just as suitable? They are the Police. Their job is to serve and protect the public. Not to stay back at the station and assess whether a situation has got bad enough. Respond quickly enough and they actually might prevent further crime or just maybe even catch the culprits in the act.
