About taxing the car
This is an account of my descent into yet another psyciatric crisis this weekend. It's a bit confusing, mainly because my memory is so scrambled I can't be clear about the order of events; and, of course, it isn't really of interest to anyone else. But writing it down at least lets me get it out. Like talking to a psychiatrist who isn't there, and doesn't answer. Because that's how it is.
Taxing the car
Brexit: selfishness, short-termism, rent seeking, and hereditary privilege
Brexit: We got into this mess because some Conservatives couldn't cope with the fact that we weren't the top power in Europe: because, while we won almost all of the votes Europe ever had, it wasn't quite totally all. They couldn't cope with the fact that Germany was more influential than us — because Germany outperforms us at manufacturing, finance, exports, and, critically, diplomacy.
After Brexit, Germany will still outperform us at manufacturing, finance, exports, and, critically, diplomacy — and Germany will be part of the most powerful trading block in the world while we will have NO FRIENDS AT ALL.
Kickstarting a hydrogen economy
Battering batteries
There's a lot of interest in battery electric vehicles at present; they're popularly viewed as the future of transport. But there are several problems with the widespread adoption of battery electric vehicles.
We'll not go
We’ll not go; we’ll not send back nae letters fae onywhaur -
The ships of migration can ruist on the Clyde.
We’ll not go, we will ficht here, we’ll staun or be buried here,
Lik the floors o the forest on the Broomielaw’s side
Enclosure nae mair,
Eviction nae mair,
Clearance nae mair,
Lairdship nae mair
Mad software
I was listening to Eric Normand's podcast this morning, as I was making breakfast and tidying my room; he was talking about semantics and data. It started a train of thought which I shall try to unroll.
I have blogged a lot in the past about madness and about software, but I don't think I've ever blogged about madness and software in the same essay. But the reasons I'm mad and the reasons I'm (sometimes) very good at software are related; both have their roots in autism and dyslexia, or, to put it differently, how my brain is wired.