Ken Penton

The Russia–Ukraine conflict: 1461 days of war It is the human spirit, not hi-tech warfare, that has produced the most valuable lesson from four years on the battle front.

"We must look past the drones, algorithms and other technological artefacts for the essential lesson from this war...Ukraine has shown us what humans, as flawed as we are, can achieve in their finest hour. This is the essential lesson from 1461 days of war." www.lowyinstitute.org/the-interpre...

so you've probably heard about the London measles outbreak. A lot of people are talking about anti-vax misinformation, but that's not actually the problem here. The problem is austerity. 🧵

support the free press

www.ft.com/content/8cc9...

AI data centre surge would put UK’s climate change targets at risk MPs call for ‘national conversation’ on potential drawbacks of sharp rise in data centres, which would use more power than the UK uses at its peak

The data centres needed to power the UK's artificial intelligence revolution would use more electricity than the entire country consumes at its peak.

MPs called for a “national conversation” about data centres, including putting climate change targets at risk.

www.thetimes.com/uk/environme...

Sometimes you wonder. Bloomberg this morning saying that you can't both believe that AI is a big deal and that we're in a bubble. But you absolutely can! That's exactly the story of the tech bubble of the 90s, major economic impact but not big profits. Sigh.

Thread.

There's no patriot like a Monaco-based patriot.

Harsh, but…

New Carspreading danger: 92% rise in number of US-style pick-up trucks on UK roads Registrations of the most commonly-sold pick-up trucks have nearly doubled on UK roads in just over a decade.

It’s time for fairer parking charges for oversized vehicles and stricter safety standards. We shouldn't be importing US-style road danger to the UK. 🛑🇬🇧

cleancitiescampaign.org/rise-in-numb...

#RoadSafety #CleanCities #Carspreading #VisionZero #ActiveTravel #SUV #RoadSafetyStrategy

More on Monaco Jim.

Also, people might be turning more against the costs of Net Zero, but they will also be furious when their house floods.

Using hydrogen as a fuel to replace natural gas has been strongly promoted by vested interest groups.

Many including myself raised serious concerns about scalability, cost and efficiency.

The more time passes, the more it looks like those concerns were well-founded.

Liverpool hitting new levels of "sometimes it is just not your year."

Feel bad for Slot. Still think he's pretty good. Not sure what he's supposed to do about his best player becoming his worst player + a beloved locker room glue guy dying in an accident + losing every single dice roll.

My unpopular opinion: releasing the emails & messages surrounding Mandelson’s appointment is entirely reasonable.
Releasing every communication between Mandelson and any ministers or Spads over the course of his ambassadorship is disproportionate, unnecessary and sets a really bad precedent.

Closing Central Madrid To Cars Resulted In 9.5% Boost To Retail Spending, Finds Bank Analysis City of Madrid significantly boosted the takings of its shops and restaurants last Christmas by banning cars from the CBD, finds an analysis by Spain's second largest bank.

Keep this in mind when people claim cars mean business — closing Central #Madrid to cars over holidays resulted in a 9.5% boost in retail spending on its main shopping street: STUDY.

There was also a 71% drop in air pollution.

Via @carltonreid.com in @forbes.com. #citymakingmath #citiesforpeople

Industrial heat is one of the hardest parts of the energy transition.

This sand battery is now delivering fossil-free heat for industry, storing renewable electricity as high-temperature heat and releasing it when needed. Simple idea, big impact.

Idea: pulverise those massive AI data centres into sand batteries.

Thanks to @pollybillington.bsky.social for her great work in exposing this.

Yet this is a government with three years left to run and an enormous Commons majority. For all the problems, there is an enormous opportunity there for someone with the political nous to take it and use it.

I think I would have had to resign my Labour membership if this had happened.

Peter Mandelson is telling the truth on one thing: the idea he was bought for a $4k “bursary” or a $75k gift is ridiculous

The real incentive was a post-government payday - one so big he *rejected* a $3–5m-a-year offer

And Epstein enabled that payday

Here’s the evidence. 🧵

It's kind of wild that the French foreign ministry has an official shitposting account.

This doesn't add up. This is an unfunded tax cut which also pushes hundreds of thousands of children into poverty. 🧵

Just a quick note to @greenparty.org.uk and @greenpartyhan.bsky.social - I was not consulted on being quoted on your leaflets and I have not endorsed your campaign (or any campaign in this seat). I think this note, like the bar chart next to it, is misleading and out of context.

Thread.

Set aside, for the moment, Jeffrey Epstein’s appalling criminality.

Even if these communications had been with an entirely uncontroversial Wall Street executive, Lord Mandelson's behaviour would still be scandalous.

New Epstein emails show Peter Mandelson secretly advising JPMorgan’s CEO on how to fight Labour’s 2009 bankers’ bonus tax - even suggesting he “mildly threaten” the Chancellor.

Mandelson was Business Secretary at the time.

A year later, he was seeking work with JPM.

YouTube video by Bruce Springsteen Bruce Springsteen - Streets Of Minneapolis (Official Audio)

I wrote this song on Saturday, recorded it yesterday and released it to you today in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis. It’s dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good.

Stay free

Clean power is the route to energy security, jobs and billpayers protected from volatile fossil fuel markets.

It is an opportunity for all of Europe, and Britain is doubling down: