The SNP have won a lot of seats through the voting system because the other parties split the non-independence vote. The SNP have never had a majority of votes, even with an overwhelming majority of parliamentary seats.
It has been quite a long time since a Westminster party has won with a vote share of over 50%, and the SNP vote share at Holyrood is higher than those of parties that win Westminster elections. The Westminster electoral system (nb to non-Brits: all the UK constituent bodies run different voting systems for no good reason) delivers majorities at the cost of legitimacy.
"a 2024 study by researchers at Clemson University has estimated that 4% of content relating to independence were linked to one Iranian-backed bot network of around 80 accounts."
Speaking as a Scot, I would expect there are those who support attempts to break up the UK who care zero about Scotland. Who's ultimately behind it is speculative.
If their objective is to damage the UK they can do that without breaking it up. For example, for example by fostering violent Scottish Nationalism, or even just sowing hatred between the Scots and the English, or between Scots who want to remain the UK and those who do not..
Its quite unusual for separatist movements to both remain peaceful themselves, and not to be violent suppressed. Even other western democracies have not managed, nor did one other part of the UK for a long time.
My other nationality is Sri Lankan so I have seen how bad it can get. I do not think that will ever happen in the UK, but even a very small number of sufficiently nasty people can do a great deal of damage.
Dr James Tour posted his recent presentation suggesting doing compute in memory could save energy, and that they have a way to do it that's TRL Level 4.
I put the top 250 lines from my unwieldy todo.txt into an AI and asked for advice, and I could jump for joy with the simplified list of priorities it generated. I think this could become my daily habit.
The best thing in their favour is how standardized and simple a wind turbine tower is. They know the requirements and their customers. It's much easier than a skyscraper, and it might let them start to scale production of the materials so they become more attractive to other applications.
However there is growth in mass timber construction generally. People are competing to build taller and taller timber skyscrapers.
"Steel is very strong per volume, so steel is a good choice when strength per volume is one of the main constraints. However, wind turbine towers are essentially empty inside so there is room to increase the volume by making the walls thicker. The Laminated Veneer Lumber (LVL) material in a Modvion tower has higher strength per weight and higher strength per cost than steel alternatives."
Strength per volume versus strength per weight is an interesting trade-off. They're arguing this could let towers get taller.
Cynical theory, the UK is now full of the descendants of all those who said "Emigrating? That will never work", and that's set the culture. Grafters and optimists have had many opportunities to leave over recent centuries.
How much DNA do we need to show to prove this is at least partially true.
And when it is partially true, it echos. I think even iRobot mentions this about Europe.
There is a difference in culture. Where the US dominates, europe is pessimistic, and (Africa/New New World) is growing. I suppose the New New world never really happened, the US stayed ontop. I imagine iRobot was a bit more optimistic about the political affairs of the New New world.
You maybe right. I think the UK and Canada share similar problems. Low risk taking, real estate as the only investment, pulling each other down like crabs, appeal to authority.
The US for all its faults, is the land of hope and can do. I have travelled a lot in the world but somehow places like Miami, New York, SF, Vegas, Dallas and a bunch of other cities have this palpalable energy that you can do anything that you want.
reply