Notices by Christine Burns MBE 🏳️‍⚧️📚⧖ (christineburns@mastodon.green), page 2

I’ve just realised from this close look at Thunderbirds behind the scenes in 1965 that Thunderbird 1 is essentially the SpaceX Starship. The evidence:

1. Both craft arrive at the pad vertical on a self propelled cart.
2. Pilot access for Starship is likely to no less of a nightmare than TB1
3. Starship lands vertically on its main rocket exhaust
4. Prior to landing both craft do a backflip from horiz to vertical

https://youtube.com/watch?v=6_83IQbYT14&si=he9u5Xs3JsMmOQ_Y

Open letter issued to UK Health Secretary Wes Streeting by trans community - Diva Magazine

https://diva-magazine.com/2024/10/17/open-letter-issued-to-health-secretary-by-trans-community/

Sharing this feels a bit nerdy but it’s the first time I’ve seen a heavy truck driver describe the experience of taking an electric tractor-trailer on a proper long distance journey and you may be as interested as I was. The main trip here is the length of Germany, north to south and the takeaways seem to be that separate layouts of super rapid chargers are urgently needed for trucks (though he shared ok with cars) and some attention..

https://youtube.com/watch?v=I4b-cybcgkM&si=_RU1fs1akRzXy3fV

A periodic reminder (especially to new followers) that my book Trans Britain is available wherever you prefer to buy your books or eBooks. Trans Britain tells the story of the last sixty years of trans life in this country, from isolation through organisation to legislation and beyond. It’s told through the eye witness accounts of people around in each era, arranged by me into a bigger picture. It’s a perfect introduction for those who managed to not notice us until now.

Martina Navratilova & JK Rowling attack UN for pro-trans post

https://www.advocate.com/news/martina-navratilova-jk-rowling-un

@zoe @goatsarah @GreenSkyOverMe I suspect it’s related to the problem where car makers need to ensure their CCS port works with all the chargers and charger makers need to tweak their implementations to work properly with all the cars. CCS is a sloppy standard (unlike CHAdeMO ironically). It’s unfortunate that manufacturers opted to go with the worst ‘standard’ using the world’s most absurd botch of a plug.

@goatsarah @GreenSkyOverMe @zoe I’m keeping a watchful eye on the two CCS to CHAdeMO adapters that are being trialled by people. Some of the new networks are just not bothering with CHAdeMO but, as you say, 60kWh means I really don’t have to charge very often and most of that is AC at home. I’m only DC charging on the big road trips now.

@zoe @goatsarah Word has it buttons are back in vogue. One reason I’m attached to my LEAF.

Hard on the heels of its newly launched all-electric Renault 5 reboot The company is now also launching an electric Renault 4. My French teacher had a Four in the mid 60s, complete with that unique push-pull gear stick and canvas seats just like the stackable ones we had in the school hall. The modern retro imagining is a bit more comfy.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=DGhpRboNrog&si=LQM38-P0rwAIr_00

@goatsarah Try 1-800-REDTORY

@goatsarah £22 Billion is yours!

EVs available for £153 as drivers 'ditch' petrol and diesel cars - Birmingham Live

https://apple.news/A4kywfgI4TWe9HuPXJf988A

@fesshole I seem to remember there was a scientist who taught an Orangutan quite an extensive sign language repertoire so they could talk to each other

North Carolina removes 747,000 from voter rolls, citing ineligibility

That’s about 10% of the population of voting age in the state. Parts of the US are beginning to look like a banana republic.

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/4901476-north-carolina-purges-747k-voters/

BBC Hires ‘Gender and Identity Correspondent’ With Links To The Anti-Trans Movement

https://lucyfromnaarm.com/p/bbc-hires-gender-and-identity-correspondent

If Labour had any sense they would’ve got Ed Miliband to make a move to immediately reform the electricity market so that wholesale prices aren’t largely determined by the price of gas fired generation. A bold but long overdue move would potentially halve the domestic unit rate, with an immediate win for inflation, and render the whole question of the winter payment moot. That would’ve been smart joined up strategy benefitting everyone. Doesn’t look like they’re capable of that.

Viking wind farm and subsea cable boosts UK clean energy from Shetland

The Shetland Isles have been connected to mainland Britain’s grid for the first time and this coincides with the switch-on of a 443MW onshore wind farm there. As the most northerly land in the UK (next stop: The Faroes and then Iceland) Shetland is ideally placed to get very high utilisation from its new turbines.

https://www.sse.com/news-and-views/2024/08/viking-wind-farm-and-subsea-cable-boosts-uk-clean-energy-from-shetland/

Medium: “It’s time to stop pretending JK Rowling is sticking up for women’s rights.

https://medium.com/@poppysimmonds/its-time-to-stop-pretending-jk-rowling-is-sticking-up-for-women-s-rights-12755d58a119

@goatsarah The press operate like sharks smelling blood in the water. I’m not sure I’ve seen definite-enough signs yet but I live in hope. It’s all down to what brings in the most eyeballs and, till now, it has appeared that they think reporting the end of the democracy they depend on is the most profitable move.

I see that people are shocked and dismayed as they learn they’ll need a £6 visa and have their fingerprints taken and face scanned to enter the EU mainland (just like when you visit the US or Canada or many other countries). People who voted to ‘control the UK’s borders’ dismayed as the EU is controlling its borders (and they’re on the outside). Best bit is that British MEPs helped design and vote for the new arrangements before we Brexited.