Economist. YIMBY. Trade Unionist. Giant bath enjoyer. Tweets mostly policy, F1, shitposts, cool data & Mushroom the cat
Greenwich, London
Joined April 2012
- Tweets65.3K
- Following2.1K
- Followers2.9K
- Likes236K
We really forget how the World Wars shaped the views of those who lived through them. When the UK voted to abolish the death penalty in 1965, many MPs were veterans and had personally killed people. LOTO Edward Heath had executed a man as part of a firing squad in WW2
You can’t beat 240 lovely British volts
Two frequencies run the world's grids because two companies chose differently in the 1890s. AEG settled on 50 cycles a second in 1896, since at that rate the voltage drop along a line stayed within limits. Westinghouse recommended 60 for its US systems.
Japan bought from both. Tokyo took its first generators from Germany at 50 Hz and Osaka from the US at 60 Hz. The country runs as two grids to this day, joined by frequency converters of 2,100 MW, due to reach 3,000 MW by 2029.
The frequency sets the speed of every machine on the grid. A generator with one pair of magnetic poles turns at 3,000 rpm on a 50 Hz grid. The same generator turns at 3,600 rpm at 60 Hz. A transformer built for 50 Hz works on a 60 Hz grid. One built for 60 Hz runs hot at 50, since its iron core saturates. Grids of different frequency connect through direct current, as at Garabi, where a 2,200 MW link ties Argentina at 50 Hz to Brazil at 60.
Most of the world runs at 50 Hz. The 60 Hz grids are in North and Central America and in Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. Elsewhere they run in South Korea, Taiwan, the Philippines and Saudi Arabia. Brazil fixed 60 Hz by law in 1964. Saudi Arabia runs at 60 Hz with a 230 V supply.
ALT Map by Frontier: countries and territories by mains frequency, 50 Hz in blue and 60 Hz in red, with Japan's two grids in an inset. Sources: worldstandards.eu; OCCTO; Natural Earth.
Slang goes in and out of fashion. “Dude” was in heavy use in the early 20th century, George Formby’s Dad uses it in a line of one of his songs, then it went out again until the 1970s when Motte the Hoople also included it in a song and made it fashionable again
If you are British and have two middle names you’re either:
1) Posh
2) Catholic
3) Chinese
Cal retweeted
Hang on @PJTheEconomist! The population has grown more than a fifth over that period, so per person emissions are down about 40%. Historically unprecedented and hugely impressive.
Cal retweeted
Western ''Realists'' - NATO expansion forced Putin to start this war
Putin when talking about the war -
the war is happening because bla bla bla happened in the 13th century, then this happened in the 16th century, then this leader did this in 1732 therefore 🇺🇦 belongs to 🇷🇺
NEW: Vladimir Putin spent most of his call with the leaders of Finland and Norway ranting about Slavic history, underscoring Europe's tough task backing Ukraine in peace talks.
The planned 20-minute call dragged on for 90. A ceasefire barely came up:
ft.com/content/a384acd1-c90c…
Putin loves doing this, usually to his detriment. In Alaska, when US was literally dangling a ceasefire and end of sanctions in front of the Russians, they spent the whole time talking about Cossack Hetmanate, to the Americans’ chagrin
NEW: Vladimir Putin spent most of his call with the leaders of Finland and Norway ranting about Slavic history, underscoring Europe's tough task backing Ukraine in peace talks.
The planned 20-minute call dragged on for 90. A ceasefire barely came up:
ft.com/content/a384acd1-c90c…
This changing every year implies that the men they select either become instantly chopped or die
People Magazine’s Sexiest Man Alive throughout the years:
2026: Noah Wyle
2025: Jonathan Bailey
2024: John Krasinki
2023: Patrick Dempsey
2022: Chris Evans
2021: Paul Rudd
2020: Michael B. Jordan
2019: John Legend
2018: Idris Elba
2017: Blake Shelton
2016: Dwayne Johnson
2015: David Beckham
2014: Chris Hemsworth
2013: Adam Levine
2012: Channing Tatum
2011: Bradley Cooper
2010: Ryan Reynolds
2009: Johnny Depp
2008: Hugh Jackman
2007: Matt Damon
2006: George Clooney
Cal retweeted
In my culture we love freely associating on the basis of individual interests instead of on the basis of kinship ties ☺️
Other drivers in the illustrious club include: Lewis Hamilton, Valteri Bottas, Sebastian Vettel, Nico Rosberg, Kimi Raikkonen, Fernando Alonso, David Coulthard (twice) and Eddie Irvine
Cal retweeted
Socialism is supporting the local petit bourgeoisie and the more you support the local property owners the more socialist it is
