MarjorieR / is on Nostr

Retired Operational Researcher/Statistician/Economist.
Worked in Energy Industries/University/Civil Service. Most recently producing UK Energy & Emissions Projections.
GNU/Linux user since 1993 (kernel 0.99).
Now on Devuan Daedalus/Cinnamon (kernel 6.1).
Rower, cyclist, dingy sailor, walker, skier.
Socialist, bi, poly, she/her.
Fully paid up member of the Guardian reading, tofu eating Wokerati.

Last Notes

2024-07-09 07:59:56

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the point about a PR system is that there's then no need for Parties to merge or to represent hidden coalitions, such as the current Labour Partyis now, they would need to form explicit coalitions. On current voting Tories and Reform Ltd together still don't seem to represent a majority, though I can imagine that we could end up with an intractable 3-way split between blocks such as we now have in France. And if the right did have a majority then it would still only represent what the majority of us were voting for, unpleasant as that might feel.

2024-07-08 17:14:38

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the Electoral Reform Society estimated that voter ID would cost us £180m over 10 years.
Some of that is now sunk costs but the savings from abolishing it would still be substantial.
Additional changes to make it work fairly, so that those missing 400,000 could vote will also not come cheap.
Surely the sensible answer is to save public money and just get rid of it now?
https://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/why-will-the-governments-voter-id-scheme-cost-us-up-to-180000000-a-decade/

2024-07-07 18:22:22

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answering the call more #SheepOfMastodon (though picture was taken in April last year)
https://cdn.social.linux.pizza/system/media_attachments/files/112/746/577/584/698/955/original/946bc072b17d0cfd.jpg

2024-07-07 13:10:22

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in my time, ditto A level economics, I doubt it has improved any since.

2024-07-07 11:20:18

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Sexist. Designed for the male gaze not for comfort and support.
If it was body positive women rugby players would be shown wearing sports bras and sensible knickers that can hold a panty liner or towel. But then they'd also be shown with sensible sport wear over that.
But not like this..
https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/other/nike-us-womens-olympic-uniforms-slammed-for-being-revealing-sexist/ar-BB1lJr5F

2024-07-02 08:34:41

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hmm, this from a period when UKIP was represented (correctly, as it largely reflected voting for the European Parliament under a PR system) by quite a few MEPs but only by a few (defecting) MPs.
Other parties were much better represented in Parliament and punditry and consequently on QT.
I'm not arguing UKIP and similar Brexit cheerleaders were not over represented on QT in this period, just that tallying MEP representation alone doesn't prove it.

2024-06-26 12:46:03

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while there are some who think a collapse of the gulf stream would shield Europe from global warming the likelihood is that it would dramatically also reduce the stability of our weather systems, which already been to be breaking down. If it happens, unlike the beliefs of Nordhaus and some similarly deluded economists, it will not be sufficient just to stay indoors.
As I recall (from the time I worked at DECC) there was quite a bit of work done on the feasibility of a Swansea Bay Tidal Barrage (a smaller version of a full Bristol Channel Barrage) in the 2010's but it was then decided not to give it government support.
More details here:
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tidal_Lagoon_Swansea_Bay

2024-06-21 12:08:03

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so, what is your take on the use by the NHS and Care Service of full-fat private hospitals, private care homes, private ambulances and agency staff?
Surely these are all services that could be provided better and cheaper in house?

2024-06-21 12:08:03

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2024-06-12 20:04:14

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I agree the fundamentals are not as awful as Truth Social's, but both are grossly overvalued 'meme' stocks.
At the moment Tesla's EV sales continue to fall, while the established players are mostly doing very well.
https://arstechnica.com/cars/2024/06/ev-sales-slowdown-is-mostly-a-tesla-problem-according-to-sales-data/
When Tesla dominated US EV sales I gather it did good business selling tax credits to other manufacturers, like GM, who were trailing their EV targets but now they are catching up that is no longer the case.
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/05/18/tesla-electric-vehicle-regulatory-credits-explained.html
The only growth area recently has been in public chargers, and Musk, in a huff, recently sacked his entire charger network team (but has then had to rehire some of them).

2024-06-12 19:41:40

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getting rid of Musk would improve Tesla as a motor manufacturing company.
The problem is the share price is currently inflated well above market fundamentals in part by 'magic' Musk related hype and getting rid of Musk would probably tank that.
The logical action of any profit-motivated current investors would be sell their stakes immediately and leave the Musk Fan club investors to live with the consequences: share value dilution from the Musk bung and the subsequent collapse of the price bubble.
Its very similar to the Truth Social valuation in that respect.

2024-04-16 11:55:24

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I understand it's now too late to avoid the need for ID when registering for a postal vote. Those who registered before 31st October last year for a permanent postal vote have 3 years grace before they need to show ID.
https://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/news-and-views/elections-act/changes-postal-voting