It's 2075 and....

A playbook on the impact of AI on society and work as we look at it from the first steps of the AI revolution

It’s 2075 and…

A playbook on AI’s societal impact and how we shape it

It’s 2075 and…

You make tea while the kettle hums on recycled heat from the neighbourhood compute hub. Your personal “pair” has already cleared the bureaucratic undergrowth: tax return filed, travel rebooked after the rail strike, care rota swapped with your neighbour so you can catch your daughter’s school play. You still “work,” though the word is gentler now. Three days a week you do complex case work for an insurer’s risk team, mostly judgement calls the agents are not allowed to make. One day you mentor apprentices who are learning to supervise swarms of AI. Fridays are civic: you help your borough test an algorithm for benefit appeals, alongside a citizens’ data trust that actually owns the training records.

If that sounds optimistic, it is meant to be, though not fanciful. It takes today’s evidence and pushes it forward fifty years. Think of this as a playbook, not sci-fi.

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What really changes in a society after mass AI adoption

1) Productivity lifts are real, but uneven, and governance determines who benefits. Early deployments of AI “copilots” raised output and quality in information work. In customer service, for example, a large field study found substantial gains, especially for less experienced staff, when given an AI assistant trained on expert behaviour. Those effects compound when agents become more autonomous and when processes are redesigned around them. The uneven bit matters: exposure is highest for white-collar tasks, which is why policy and firm design decide whether this is a tide that lifts most boats or a narrow yacht club. (NBER)

2) The workweek ratchets down, but through redesign not decree. The path is already visible in high-quality trials. The UK’s four-day week pilots showed stable or improved performance, lower burnout and attrition, and most firms kept the policy. Iceland’s multi-year experiments found similar outcomes and normalised shorter hours across the economy. The lesson for 2075 is simple: combine automation with work-process surgery and you can trade hours for wellbeing without sinking output. (UCD Research Repository, digit-research.org, Axios)

3) Safety nets morph into “commons,” not just cheques. Some countries tested basic income; the best evidence so far says it improves wellbeing and lowers stress, but it is not a magic bullet for jobs. A parallel movement built Universal Basic Services: guaranteeing essentials like transport, childcare, digital access and housing at service cost, which stretches every earned pound farther. By 2075 the blend looks more like UBS plus targeted income floors than a single universal cash payment. (University College London)

4) Data and compute become civic infrastructure. Today’s EU AI Act and global safety compacts create a regulatory scaffold. The bigger structural shift is treating compute as a governable lever: visible, quantifiable and chokepointed, which makes it practical for safety audits and access policy. The UK’s public AI supercomputers point to a model where nations invest in shared capacity that researchers, SMEs and public services can actually use. By 2075, most advanced economies will run public-option compute and evidence-based access rules, much like roads and spectrum today. (Digital Strategy, cdn.governance.ai, GOV.UK)

5) Demography and climate keep us honest. Ageing, chronic disease and adaptation to climate stress guarantee vast demand for human-centred work. International organisations already project multi-million shortfalls in health and care roles. Even with automation, societies that thrive in 2075 will have invested in care capacity, task redesign and mobility pathways into those jobs. (WHO Apps, International Labour Organization)

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So how do people earn a living?

The 2075 income stack is plural, not binary.

• Wages for “human-plus” roles. These are judgement, exception handling, safety oversight, relationship work and creative synthesis. AI lifts the floor and the ceiling, but leaves a core of high-leverage human tasks. Autor’s and Acemoglu’s lines are instructive: design AI to create new tasks and complements, and avoid “so-so automation” that cuts pay without meaningful productivity. (World Economic Forum, Oxford Academic)

• Dividends from shared assets. Alaska’s oil fund was the prototype for resource dividends; future equivalents include compute or data dividends paid to residents via data trusts or national compute funds. They do not replace wages; they stabilise households and local demand. Early “data dignity” work and UK data-trust pilots give the legal plumbing for this. (The ODI)

• Civic stipends and service credits. If we collectively demand auditability, care and stewardship, we will pay for it. Expect structured civic work to be normalised and paid, not just “volunteered.” The mechanism sits neatly inside a UBS logic. (LSE Public Policy Review)

• Micro-enterprise with agents. Individuals run swarms of agents to operate shops, courses, niche services and media channels. The agent market is real, but noisy and sometimes over-hyped; design and trust frameworks mature it into a reliable income layer by 2075. (CRN, IT Pro)

Who pays for what? Taxes tilt toward outcomes that scale with automation: consumption and land, yes, but also usage-based levies on frontier compute paired with public returns from national compute facilities. The old “robot tax” idea keeps resurfacing; whatever you call it, the gist is to recycle some productivity into broad prosperity without throttling useful innovation. (cdn.governance.ai)

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What jobs exist?

By 2075, most occupations are bundles of tasks, and the bundles have been rebundled.

• Explain, oversee, and certify. AI safety officers, algorithm auditors, compute stewards, incident responders and “model risk” professionals. The EU Act’s risk tiers and audit duties foreshadow entire career ladders. (European Parliament)

• Edge-case specialists. Insurance, law, medicine and public services still need human judgement on atypical, ethically loaded or socially sensitive cases. The early productivity studies showed the technology raises the baseline; these people hold the line. (NBER)

• Care and community. Health professionals, allied health, social care coordinators, neurodiversity coaches, ageing-in-place retrofitting teams, climate resilience crews. Demand pressure here is demographic, not faddish. (WHO Apps)

• Systems renovators. The green rebuild of housing, grids and transport creates skilled trades that work alongside robotics and agents. Procurement and permitting are retooled with AI, but boots still meet ground.

• Education as an industry of transitions. Lifelong learning stops being a slogan. The UK’s “Lifelong Learning Entitlement” points at a funding chassis that, once coupled to AI tutors and employer academies, becomes the real on-ramp for mid-career mobility. (HEPI)

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What skills will pay the bills?

Employers’ lists have been remarkably consistent: analytical thinking, creative thinking, resilience and social influence top the charts, with digital fundamentals assumed. You also need data stewardship, prompt-to-process design, and the discipline of running agents safely. These are not vibes; they show up in employer surveys and international skills outlooks. (World Economic Forum Reports, OECD)

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The structure of society

The median society in 2075 looks less like a “post-work” utopia and more like a re-balanced social contract.

• Time: standard weeks in the low-30s for full-timers, made possible by process redesign and automation, not by wishful thinking. (UCD Research Repository)

• Commons: UBS plus targeted income floors, plus public compute and data stewardship. (University College London)

• Governance: risk-tiered AI law, compute governance for visibility and enforcement, cross-border safety science via compacts like Bletchley. (Digital Strategy, cdn.governance.ai, GOV.UK)

• Place: compute hubs are as normal as libraries. Waste-heat warming your cuppa is not a joke; next-gen systems already recycle heat and run on low-carbon power. (TechRadar)

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Risks to manage

1. Concentration of power in models and compute can lock in inequality if left alone. Compute governance and competition policy are the antidotes. (governance.ai)

2. So-so automation hollows out wages without raising productivity. Tie incentives to complementarity and task creation. (Oxford Academic)

3. Skills complacency is fatal. Without funded pathways and time to learn, the gains pool at the top. (OECD)

4. Care deficits become the rate limiter on growth and social cohesion if we do not invest. (WHO Apps)

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The 2075 Playbook: headline takeaways

Key observations

• AI lifts productivity and quality when paired with workflow redesign; the biggest gains arrive in the hands of average workers, which narrows gaps if we let it. (NBER)

• Shorter weeks are sustainable when you change how work is done, not just how long it lasts. (UCD Research Repository)

• The durable social model is UBS + targeted income floors + public compute, not cash alone. (University College London, GOV.UK)

• Compute and data will be governed like utilities, with safety, access and audit built in. (cdn.governance.ai)

• Health, care and climate work anchor employment demand for decades. (WHO Apps)

Actions for governments

• Build the commons: legislate and fund Universal Basic Services, including digital and transport; pair with a minimum income floor tested through pilots that actually publish results.

• Public compute: scale national AI research resources with transparent access and safety audit obligations; publish a compute registry and safety reporting akin to aviation. (GOV.UK)

• Guardrails that travel: implement risk-based AI law with cross-border evaluation partnerships; fund an independent safety science network. (Digital Strategy, GOV.UK)

• Pay for care, at last: expand training, migration compacts and task redesign to close projected gaps. (WHO Apps)

• Tax for the machine age: shift burden toward consumption, land and compute usage where appropriate, recycle proceeds into skills and services; evaluate robot-tax-style instruments pragmatically.

Actions for employers

• Automate the dull, enrich the role: measure time returned and reinvest it in quality, creativity and customer resolution.

• Design for complementarity: use AI to create new tasks and products, not just strip labour. Track wage and task mix as hard KPIs. (Oxford Academic)

• Guarantee learning time: ring-fence paid hours for skills, tied to clear internal pathways.

• Stand up a model-risk function: treat AI like finance treats risk models: inventory, monitor, stress-test, and explain under the EU Act mindset. (European Parliament)

Actions for individuals

• Stack the durable skills: analytical and creative thinking, resilience, and social influence, plus data and agent-ops literacy. Keep an updated “task map” of your role and target the bits AI is worst at. (World Economic Forum Reports)

• Own your data voice: join or start data-trust schemes in your sector; choose services that respect participatory data stewardship. (Ada Lovelace Institute)

• Build a portfolio of work: mix wage roles, agent-run micro-work, and civic stipends so you are less exposed to any single shock.

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Closing note

We (society) missed Keynes’s 15-hour week because we optimised for consumption, not time. We do not have to make that mistake twice. If we aim AI at better jobs, broader services and shared infrastructure, 2075 can look a lot like that morning in your kitchen. The tea still tastes like tea. The work still matters. The society around you works, for more people, more of the time. That is not utopia. That is a plan. (econ.yale.edu)

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Selected sources behind this playbook: IMF on AI exposure; WEF Future of Jobs 2025; McKinsey on gen-AI productivity; Autor on task creation; Acemoglu on “so-so automation”; UK and Iceland four-day week evaluations; Finland basic income results; UCL’s Universal Basic Services; EU AI Act and Bletchley Declaration; compute governance research; WHO and ILO on care-economy demand; UK public compute strategy. (NBER, IMF, World Economic Forum, Oxford Academic, UCD Research Repository, Digital Strategy, GOV.UK, cdn.governance.ai, WHO Apps)

Devices that contribute to base load / phantom load

Understanding Base Load Electricity in the Home

In the intricate world of home energy consumption, one concept that often gets overlooked but is of paramount importance is the "base load" electrical load. Essentially, the base load refers to the background level of electricity that is continuously consumed in a household, irrespective of peaks in usage during particular times or activities. This ongoing consumption is due to devices and appliances that are either always on or intermittently draw power, even when they seem to be off.

The significance of understanding our home's base load is multifaceted. Not only does it directly impact our energy bills and environmental footprint, but also, when optimized, can lead to energy savings and prolonged appliance longevity. As homeowners and environmentally-conscious individuals, pinpointing and managing this constant electrical draw is a step toward a greener household and a reduced energy bill.

In the sections that follow, we'll delve deep into the devices and systems that contribute to your home's base load. From the obvious culprits like refrigerators and water heaters to the less conspicuous ones like standby electronics and chargers, it's time to illuminate the silent energy consumers lurking in our homes.

Note: The specific devices and systems that make up the base load might vary based on the individual household and region, but the mentioned examples give a general idea.

Alright, considering the context of base load, here is a grouping for the devices:

1. Home Automation & Connectivity:

• Smart bulbs

• Smart devices (Alexa, Google Home, etc.)

• Smart plugs

• Smart sockets

• Digital wall thermostats

• Heating control systems (especially with internet control)

• Broadband hub; mesh network discs

• Networking equipment (routers, switches, access points, mesh networks)

2. Standby Devices & Chargers:

• Anything on "standby" (TVs, projectors, computers, etc.)

• Anything with a clock on it (oven, microwave)

• Kettle with lights and temp control

• Anything on charge (phones, batteries)

• Any chargers plugged in (even if not charging something)

• Laptops

3. Home Security & Surveillance:

• Baby monitors

• CCTV systems

• House alarms & other mains-wired security

• Movement sensing bathroom mirrors

• Movement sensing lightbulbs

• Nightlights or other constantly-on lights.

4. Kitchen & Appliances:

• Hobs with electronic control (e.g. induction hobs)

• Fish tanks (lights and pump running)

• Mains-powered smoke/carbon monoxide detectors

5. Vehicle Infrastructure:

• EV wallbox

• Electric/remote garage doors

6. Home Appliances:

• Refrigerators and Freezers (often a significant contributor to base load, especially older models)

• HVAC systems, especially those that are programmed or have consistent fan operations.

7. Entertainment Systems:

• Gaming consoles (even when off, they might be in a power-saving mode).

• Set-top boxes (like cable or satellite boxes, often consume power even in standby mode).

• Bluetooth adapters/receivers, IR Receivers/Relay

8. Miscellaneous:

• Water heaters, especially those maintaining a certain temperature.

• Dehumidifiers or air purifiers.

• Landline phone bases.

• Any continuously running pumping device (e.g. sewage processing systems, garden pond)

Planning for EV life

My planning for the arrival of my EV (Electric Vehicle) started about 10 months prior to its arrival - actually, about the time the car was ordered.

Hang on a minute? Planning? What planning?

Well, it turns out, if you want to get the most from going electric, you need to know what you are letting yourself in for and make some plans accordingly. Owning and running an EV is a shift in mindset and behaviour, which some may find easier than others.

Now, it just so happened in my case that I had some idea of what was involved, because I’d been dabbling in relevant forums even prior to this T-minus-10 point (particularly forums about solar power and going off grid).
It also just so happens that my home is all-electric. There is no mains gas where we live and we use heat pumps - so we are used to being all-electric, and on a green tariff. That meant I also had a good idea of what the domestic energy supply landscape looked like, what tariffs were available etc.

But let’s wind back a minute, and talk about some of the basics that are part and parcel of this journey.

• Where to charge: Hopefully you will be able to mainly charge your car at home

  • this is by far the most cost-effective and frictionless way of doing things. If you can buy a car that has a range larger than the number of miles you need on an ordinary day, then this option can work for you. Since many cars now offer 200 or even 300+ miles of range (depending on your budget), this is very achievable for many people.

  • This certainly was the case for me - although historically I was a high mileage driver (business miles) that reduced somewhat prior to the pandemic and even more so during it. Long trips are now mainly confined to family occasions, and 95% of all my trips are under 100 miles, starting from home.

  • So, the first bit of planning is to work out if the EV you want or can afford is suitable for your travel patterns, and preferably biased to charging at home

• Tariffs: Most of us are used to paying a fixed rate for our electricity units (kWh = kilowatt hours) because meter readings are taken at best once per month, and historically way less often. However, the advent of smart meters has changed that landscape, opening up the possibility of tariffs that change every 30 minutes (no kidding).

  • So what’s the point of that? The advantage of variable tarriffs is that energy suppliers can offer incentives (i.e. reduced rates) to use electricity when demand is low and where there may even be a surplus on the grid. This usually means outside peak times and overnight.

  • As a result, a number of suppliers offer “dual rate” tariffs which have low overnight price during a certain time window (e.g. 12.30 - 4.30, or 11.30pm - 5.30am)

  • These tariffs are perfect, indeed often designed for, charging EVs overnight at cheap rate. Remember that EVs use a lot of electric: a 77kWh car consumes (obviously) 77kWh energy to charge from 0 - 100%. For some people this might be equivalent to a fornight’s or even a month’s total normal electric usage. Therefore cheap overnight tariffs are massively beneficial financially.

  • Octopus Energy, at the time of writing, are leaders in this space. They even have a tariff system which can remote control the charging on your car, so that they can allocate the cheapest time slot to you!

  • If you have solar and/or a domestic battery, the landscape looks even better for you, with the potential to fill your car for nothing, nada, zero, purely on solar energy!

    • An alternative to having your own solar panels, might be ownership in a solar cooperative, such as Ripple. While this won’t give you free solar power, it will still provide you with discount based on how much solar your share generates.

• Smart Meters: the world of variable tariffs is opened up by, and only by, having a smart meter.

  • A UK smart meter records and send your usage data in half-hour time windows. Thus, not only can you track your usage with great accuracy over the course of a day, but your supplier can bill you differently during those time slots.

  • Part of my planning was to get a smart meter installed. I did this before doing anything about changing suppliers. Actually, originally I had been with Pureplanet, who went bust during the “Energy Crisis” in 2022, and I was moved by default to Shell Energy. So, as soon as I had ordered my car, I requested a smart meter.

  • It was fitted in about 6 weeks, and I had no idea if it would actually work. We live in rural Scotland and I’d heard stories around the village that they were “bricks” (not able to communicate). As it happened, it took about 2 weeks to fully come online, but it did indeed work. (It’s also stopped reporting data for 2 months which caused me great concern, but it started working again - touch wood).

  • With the smart meter up and running, I knew I was then free to start looking at new energy suppliers with good EV tariffs.

    • There was no real advantage in switching straight away, as over winter 2022, UK tariffs were “capped” by the government and basically the same everywhere; and also suppliers weren’t necessarily allowing switching. This was not a problem - good planning meant I had 10 months to go.

    • In the end, I actually switched to Octopus about a week after I took delivery of the car, and the process was really quick and simple, taking 2 days. After all my readings had stabilised (another couple of days), I switched to their Octopus GO tariff, which offers 4 hours of cheap rate (about 1/3rd the unit price) overnight, specifically for charging EV’s. (Again, this was easy and all done online)

    • This has been a brilliant tariff, which you’ll see when I talk about costs.

• Home charger: charging your car is easy, but it seems very complicated to begin with. For a start there are all these different numbers and units (kW and kWh), then AC and DC charging, then slow, fast, ultra fast, rapid charging, and so on. Let’s keep it simple and talk about home charging.

  • You can charge you car from a regular mains socket on what’s called a “portable charger” or “granny cable”. It has some built-in electronics, but basically, you plug it into your wall socket, plug the other end into you car, and it charges using 230V AC mains supply.

    • But it’s slow. The “granny cable” will deliver a peak of about 2.5kW (kilowatts) which is equivalent to 10A (amps) at 250V (volts). This is in the same ball park power-wise as running a kettle.

    • if you have a car with 50kWh battery (e.g. a Corsa-e) and charge from 0% at 2.5kW rate, then it will take 20 hours to fill the car. (Actually, it may take a bit longer if the car battery management system slows the charging down at certain points to protect the battery lifetime).

    • 20 hours is obviously longer than “overnight”, so unless you are really only doing a local miles each day, it can be an unsuitable solution, but good as a backup.

  • This is where a home charger comes in. This is an AC charger that attaches to your wall, is connected more directly to your electricity supply in the home (i.e. direct into your consumer unit), and charges at up to 7kW rate.

    • this is almost 3 times the rate of the “granny charger” so offers a significant speed reduction in charging. In a 4-hour window, for example, you can add 4x7 = 28kWh to your car, which for a 50kWh Corsa-e is over half a “tank” (battery).

      • At the time of writing, my tariff for this 4-hour window is 9.5p per kWh, so 28kWh costs 28x9.5 = £2.66. That 28kWh will give the car about 112 miles range, which works out at a cost of 2.4 pence per mile.

    • There is a large choice of home chargers and many installers, and another part of the planning is researching what is suitable for your needs and getting quotes to compare.

    • UK legislation has advocated that all new home chargers be “smart” meaning they have remote-control type capability and app connectivity. So, in actual fact, there is quite a high level of base functionality across all chargers, which may make choosing one a little less agonising.

    • The smartest chargers (such as OHME) can actually integrate with Octopus so they can remotely start and stop charging and give the most advantageous overnight costs, but you may not need these level of sophistication, or even if you do, your car itself may also integrate regardless of the charger.

    • In the end I went for a Vchrged charger, which looks neat, is simple to operate, and has an app with security features and the ability to schedule charges - that’s all we need

    • You will also have to think about whether you want a Tethered (comes with a cable built in) or Untethered charger (comes with a socket to use your own cable). There are pros and cons of each:

      • Tethered means you never have to think of the cable at home, but also means you have (usually) 5m of cable to stow on your wall. Also, you will need to commit to a connector type, and although these are more-or-less now standardised on “CCS” in Europe, some older/specific cars might not be able to connect to your charger. There’s also the possibility with a tethered charger that someone could try and charge their car, because the cable is already there.

      • Note that your car almost certainly will come with a suitable cable for AC and DC charging, so you will be able to use that cable if you have an untethered charger. This is the option we went for.

  • It’s useful to have your charger installed before you car arrives, but not essential if you have a “granny cable” and/or access to nearby public chargers. But it also makes sense not to go too long without it, as it will make charging very easy and quicker.

• Public Charging: this is something you may not need much of, but it pays to be aware of your options. Public charging is supported by a plethora of different suppliers, all in different locations, with different prices, and different charging machines. Frankly, to the beginner, it looks like a complex and unholy mess (and to some extent, it is).

  • It’s worth checking whether your car manufacturer offers any charging plans. This may bring together a network of charge providers, and even offer a discount rate. Kia, for example, offer “Kia Charge” which does exactly that.

  • So too, your electricity supplier might do something similar. Octopus offer, for example, Electroverse - a card which allows you to charge on a number of different networks, gives a small discount, and adds all the charges to your monthly electricity bill.

• Get to know your car: sounds odd if you haven’t got your car yet, but I joined the relevant online forums ( https://www.kiaevforums.com/ ) and started to soak up everything there was to know about the car, from hidden features, to things that rattle and issues to watch out for (Such as 12V battery going flat). By the time I came to do the paperwork for my car at the dealership, they admitted I was way more knowledgeable about the car than they were!

  • Yes, there are lots of things to know about an EV to get the best out of it, such as maximising range, optimising your battery lifetime, how to drive on “Regen” (braking regeneration) and much more.

  • Who knew that EVs have a 12V battery to power all the infotainment and other standard systems? And that if this battery goes flat, you can’t start the car? But you can jump start it like a regular car!

  • I also watched lots of videos about the car and EVs, such as how to charge them and experiences of doing so, what the range tests showed, and so on.

• Apps: the forums also taught me a lot about the apps that are going to smooth EV ownership. Aside from the apps that allow you to pay for, and get discounts, on charging (usually issued by the a particular charging network), there are apps for finding chargers and route planning with them.

  • Indeed, apps such as ABRP (a better route planner) will take account of your car’s stated range and battery performance, and plan trips for you based on how much charge you want to leave and arrive with, and how often you want to stop. Not only is this practically essential (at least in the early days of getting to know your car and routes), moreover, with a suitable ODB2 dongle plugged into your car, it will adjust your route real-time based on current battery and usage.

    • your car may actually have this facility built in too - an update on the Kia EV6 did provide this capability, but I don’t really like the display.

  • In Scotland, Chargeplacescotland is the a key network across the country especially in rural areas.

• All the usual car stuff: Don’t forget all the usual car stuff too, such as insurance quotes, private number plates, part-exchange, loans and finance, and even whether you will get your car protected with wrap, PPF (pain protection film) or Ceramic coating.

  • AT THE TIME OF WRITING (2023) in the UK the VED (Vehicle Excise Duty aka Road Tax) is £0 per annum due to an exemption, BUT you must actually have the car registered for VED at the zero rate, rather than simply not register it. A competent car dealer will handle this for you.

  • Note, however, the UK Government have declared that from 2025, EVs will pay VED, including the “expensive car” supplement.

So, - PHEW - once you’ve got all that lined up, you’re ready to sit back and await the great day of the arrival of your electric car!

ready to exchange our old car for the new one!

The dawn of a new EV-era

On 8th July 2023 my life changed forever.

That sounds dramatic, doesn’t it? Actually, there’s some truth in it: After 10 months of waiting I took ownership of my new/first BEV - Battery Electric Vehicle. And thus, for me, like many before me, personal travel has entered a new chapter.

My vehicle of choice is the 2023 Kia EV6 GT, World Performance car 2023, quite capable of holding its own against its fair share of Ferraris, Lamborghinis and Teslas, at a price that looks like pocket change in comparison.

I’m going to blog here about my experiences so that others may benefit from my learnings. Whether BEVs in their current form are the saviour of personal travel in a World tackling climate change remains to be seen (unlikely), but they are certainly an important stepping stone in the here-and-now. The next iteration of BEVs will have super-long range and fast charging times, and before too long we may have hydrogen cars available. Who knows; but we certainly live in interesting times.

This moment has been 10 months in the planning and waiting, although some years of agonising before that. As my ICE (Internal Combustion Engine) car continued to age during the COVID pandemic, I was left wondering “what next”? Knowing that ICE sales are (at the time of writing) forbidden in the UK beyond 2030, it seemed like either I buy my last-ever ICE, or make the leap now.

The lauch of the Ioniq 5 piqued my interest and it became top of my maybe-list, threatening to break my 17-year love affair with fast Skodas. It was the launch of the Kia EV6 (Kia is actually part of Hyundai group) that sealed the deal - at least in my head: here was a car that, like Skoda, was quick, practical, multi-function, and actually really good looking. If ever a car was going to tempt an anxious ICE driver into the world of range anxiety, this was it.

Finally, it was the high performance GT version that tipped the balance and won my heart: here was a vehicle capable of 0-60 in 3.4 seconds, yet also capable of carrying rear passengers in cavernous comfort and bikes on the back. In short, not unlike the skoda but twice the horsepower (and a lot less range)

And here it is, affectionately nicknamed The Stormtrooper.

The Electric Conundrum - an episode of the Simpsons about Electric Vehicles

Homer Simpson discovers the environmental and ethical issues surrounding electric cars and fossil fuels, leading him to rethink his views and become an advocate for clean energy and sustainable transportation in "The Electric Conundrum".

Title: The Electric Conundrum - Watt’s the deal?

Synopsis:

The episode begins with Homer Simpson driving his gas-guzzling car to work while listening to the radio, which announces the latest electric vehicle technology advancements. Homer scoffs at the idea of an electric car, believing they are expensive, unreliable, and can't travel long distances.

Later, at the Springfield Auto Show, Homer meets an electric car enthusiast who promotes the benefits of electric cars, such as reduced carbon emissions and lower fuel costs. But Homer remains skeptical and dismisses the electric vehicle as a toy for the rich and environmentally conscious.

However, things start to change when Homer learns about the negative impacts of fossil fuels, such as air pollution and climate change. He begins to research electric cars and discovers that they are becoming more affordable and have improved battery technology, resulting in longer ranges.

But Homer's skepticism is compounded when he hears critics of electric cars argue that they require rare earth minerals, which are often sourced from unethical or environmentally destructive mining practices. They also argue that electric cars create pollution through the manufacturing process, which offsets their emissions benefits.

Homer becomes even more conflicted about the electric car issue when he realizes that the same critics who are attacking electric cars for their ethics are themselves owners of smartphones and laptops that contain the same battery technology.

To make matters worse for Homer, he also learns about the dark side of the fossil fuel industry, including oil spills, fracking, and environmental degradation. He feels conflicted about continuing to support such an industry, especially since it's also hurting the planet.

Homer eventually decides to test drive an electric car, and he's pleasantly surprised by its performance and features. He also realizes that by driving an internal combustion engine car, he's contributing to the problem he's criticizing, which makes him feel hypocritical.

In the end, Homer decides to buy an electric car, and he becomes an advocate for clean energy and sustainable transportation. He even convinces his boss, Mr. Burns, to invest in renewable energy sources and electric vehicle charging stations for the company's employees.

The episode ends with a shot of Homer driving his new electric car, feeling proud and empowered that he's doing his part to protect the environment. He also makes a point to recycle his old phone and laptop and to encourage his family and friends to do the same.

Here are a few potential jokes that could be used in "The Electric Conundrum" episode:

1. Homer: "Electric cars? You might as well ask me to ride a bike to work. Actually, no, scratch that. I'd rather walk."

2. Bart: "Hey Dad, did you hear about the new electric car that's so fast it can outrun the police? They call it the Shockwave."

3. Marge: "Homer, have you ever considered how much money we could save on gas if we got an electric car?" Homer: "Have you ever considered how much money we could save if we stopped eating donuts?"

4. Homer: "An electric car? I don't want to be the laughingstock of the town. What's next? Solar-powered underwear?"

5. Lisa: "Dad, did you know that electric cars produce zero emissions?" Homer: "Wow, imagine how fresh the air will smell when we're stuck in traffic!"

6. Marge: "Homer, I heard that electric cars can charge up in as little as 30 minutes." Homer: "Great, so now we can go from being stranded on the side of the road with an empty gas tank to being stranded on the side of the road with a dead battery."

7. Mr. Burns: "Electric cars? I thought those were just a myth, like the Loch Ness Monster or the perfect cup of tea." Smithers: "Actually, sir, there are millions of electric cars on the road today." Mr. Burns: "Well, I suppose we'll just have to create a monopoly on electric charging stations then."

“Alternative” Fragrances - a review

Welcome to my page exploring and reviewing alternative fragrances in the UK! If you're tired of the same old scents and want to discover something new and unique, you may find something of interest here.

There are many reasons why someone might choose to buy an alternative fragrance.

One of the foremost reasons may be to find a scent that is “inspired by” a well known brand, but which is much cheaper to buy. The makers are careful to emphasise that they do not claim to be copies of the big brands, though very often the can be almost identical! e.g.

1. Chanel

2. Dior

3. Gucci

4. Dolce & Gabbana

5. Versace

6. Calvin Klein

7. Tom Ford

8. Yves Saint Laurent

9. Jo Malone

10. Creed

11. Hermes

12. Prada

13. Armani

14. Marc Jacobs

15. Viktor & Rolf

16. Carolina Herrera

17. Ralph Lauren

18. Bvlgari

19. Estee Lauder

20. Givenchy.

Another reason is that alternative fragrances can offer a unique and distinctive scent profile that sets them apart from more mainstream fragrances. They can also be a way to express individuality and personal style, as some alternative fragrances are more niche and exclusive.

Additionally, alternative fragrances often use high-quality and natural ingredients, which can result in a more complex and sophisticated scent experience. Ultimately, choosing an alternative fragrance can be a way to discover something new and exciting, and to break free from the constraints of traditional fragrance categories.

From “The Essence Vault” - 10% discount

10% discount code off all purchases: SMGPR8168 theessencevault.co.uk

• 197 - inspired by Dior “Sauvage” (men) and very true to the original

From “Copycat Fragrances”

Pleasantly wearable

• intense lavender

• fleur - mother’s bathroom after talc explosion

• leather x

• Ombre

• Oud intense

“OK”

• Just Neroli

• oud wood

Best used for destroying insects

• 540

• executive (should be called fly spray)

• DS

Odd

• leather - smell of a leather car seat with a stale lingering aftersense of old farts

The Meaning of Auld Lang Syne by Robert Burns (with translation)

Auld Lang Syne is a traditional poem/song by one on Scotland’s most famous historic writers, Robert Burns. It’s sung after “the Bells” on New Years day (i.e. as “Hogmanay” closes at midnight and the new year begins) as a celebration of friendship.

To start with, here’s the original.

The song is asking whether old friendships should be forgotten, and the answer is no. The lyrics are reminiscing about old times with friends and the good memories shared, and wishing to continue these friendships in the future. The chorus repeats the phrase "For auld lang syne", which means "For the sake of old times". The last verse of the song is inviting someone to take a drink together to remember old times and to continue the good memories.

Auld Lang Syne

Verse 1:

Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And never brought to mind?
Should auld acquaintance be forgot, And auld lang syne!

Chorus:

For auld lang syne, my dear, For auld lang syne,
We'll tak a cup of kindness yet, For auld lang syne.

Verse 2:

And surely ye'll be your pint-stoup! And surely I'll be mine!
And we'll tak a cup o' kindness yet, For auld lang syne.

Verse 3:

We two have run about the slopes, And picked the daisies fine;
But we've wandered many a weary foot, Sin auld lang syne.

Verse 4:

We two have paddled in the stream, From morning sun till dine;
But seas between us braid hae roared Sin auld lang syne.

Verse 5:

And there's a hand, my trusty fiere! And gie's a hand o' thine!
And we'll tak a right gude-willy waught, For auld lang syne.

---

Now here is a translation of all the Scottish words in the lyrics of "Auld Lang Syne" into English:

• "Auld" - Old

• "Lang syne" - Long ago

• "Acquaintance" - Friendships

• "Forgot" - Forgotten

• "Brought" - Brought

• "Mind" - Mind

• "Tak" - Take

• "Cup" - Cup

• "Kindness" - Kindness

• "Pint-stoup" - Pint glass

• "Run" - Run

• "About" - About

• "Slopes" - Hills

• "Picked" - Picked

• "Daisies" - Daisies

• "Wandered" - Wandered

• "Weary" - Tired

• "Foot" - Foot

• "Sin" - Since

• "Paddled" - Paddled

• "Stream" - Stream

• "Morning sun" - Morning sun

• "Dine" - Dinner

• "Seas" - Seas

• "Between us" - Between us

• "Braid" - Wide

• "Hae" - Have

• "Roared" - Roared

• "Hand" - Hand

• "Trusty" - Trustworthy

• "Fiere" - Comrade

• "Gie's" - Give me

• "Thine" - Your

• "Right gude-willy waught" - A good drink

---

Finally, a rewrite of Auld Lang Syne with the Scots translated into English:

Verse 1:

Should old acquaintances be forgotten And never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintances be forgotten And old times gone!

Chorus:

For old times' sake, my dear, For old times' sake,
We'll take a cup of kindness yet, For old times' sake.

Verse 2:

And surely you'll be your pint glass! And surely I'll be mine!
And we'll take a cup of kindness yet, For old times' sake.

Verse 3:

We two have run about the hills And picked the daisies fine;
But we've wandered many a weary foot, Since old times gone.

Verse 4:

We two have paddled in the stream, From morning sun till dine;
But seas between us wide have roared Since old times gone.

Verse 5:

And there's a hand, my trusty comrade! And give me a hand of yours!
And we'll take a right good-drink together, For old times' sake.

A list of funny quotes from Homer Simpson

Since lockdown of the 2020 Covid Pandemic, I started watching every episode of the Simpsons from the beginning. Here are some funny quotes from Homer Simpson

1. "Marge, it takes two to lie. One to lie and one to listen."

2. "I'm not a bad guy! I work hard, and I love my kids. So why should I spend half my Sunday hearing about how I'm going to Hell?"

3. "To alcohol! The cause of, and solution to, all of life's problems."

4. "Hey, how come my beer don't have no alcohol in it?"

5. "I can't believe I ate the whole thing."

6. "It's not easy to juggle a pregnant wife and a troubled child, but somehow I managed to fit in eight hours of TV a day."

7. "Don't let Krusty's death get you down, boy. People die all the time. Just like that. Why, you could wake up dead tomorrow. Well, good night."

8. "Son, when you participate in sporting events, it's not whether you win or lose: it's how drunk you get."

9. "Marge, don't discourage the boy! Weaseling out of things is important to learn. It's what separates us from the animals! Except the weasel."

10. "Lisa, if you don't like your job you don't strike. You just go in every day and do it really half-assed. That's the American way."

11. "Marge, I'm going to miss you so much. And it's not just the sex. It's also the food preparation."

12. "I'm sorry, Marge. It's just that, well, I'm an ignorant slob. I thought I could be a farmer, but I was wrong. I'm nothing but a drunken, lazy buffoon."

13. "Oh, everything's too damned expensive these days. This Bible cost fifteen bucks! And talk about a preachy book! Everywhere I look, 'Thou shalt not.' 'Thou shalt not.' 'Thou shalt not.' It's like they're just trying to give me a guilt complex."

14. "Marge, you being a cop makes you the man! Which makes me the woman - and I have no interest in that, besides occasionally wearing the underwear, which as we discussed, is strictly a comfort thing."

15. "Oh, Marge, you're as beautiful as Princess Leia and as smart as Yoda."

16. "Hey, Marge. I'm a white male, age 18 to 49. Everyone listens to me, no matter how dumb my suggestions are."

17. "Marge, it's not easy to juggle a pregnant wife and a troubled child, but somehow I managed to fit in eight hours of TV a day."

18. "Marge, you being a cop makes you the man! Which makes me the woman - and I have no interest in that, besides occasionally wearing the underwear, which as we discussed, is strictly a comfort thing."

"The Simpsons" is a long-running American animated television sitcom created by Matt Groening for the Fox Broadcasting Company. The show follows the life of the Simpson family, consisting of Homer, Marge, Bart, Lisa, and Maggie, who live in the fictional town of Springfield.

Homer Simpson is a lazy, overweight, and often clueless father who works as a safety inspector at the Springfield Nuclear Power Plant. Marge Simpson is a homemaker and the patient and understanding wife of Homer. Bart Simpson is the mischievous and rebellious oldest child of the family, while Lisa is the intelligent and politically aware middle child, and Maggie is the youngest member of the family who communicates through sucking on her dummy (pacifier).

The show is known for its clever humour, satirical commentary on contemporary American society, and memorable characters. It has received widespread critical acclaim and has won numerous awards, including, at the time of writing, 32 Primetime Emmy Awards and a Peabody Award. The show has also had a significant cultural impact and has been referenced in a wide variety of media.

What's in the drink Rusty Nail

A Rusty Nail is a cocktail made with two types of alcohol: Scotch whisky and Drambuie, which is a liqueur made with Scotch whisky, honey, and various herbs and spices. To make a Rusty Nail, you will need the following ingredients:

• 2 ounces (60 ml) of Scotch whisky

• 1 ounce (30 ml) of Drambuie

To prepare the cocktail, fill a mixing glass with ice and add the Scotch whisky and Drambuie. Stir the ingredients together until they are well combined and chilled, then strain the mixture into a rocks glass filled with ice. You can garnish the cocktail with a twist of lemon peel or a cherry, if desired.

The Rusty Nail is a strong and flavorful cocktail that is often enjoyed as an after-dinner drink. It has a sweet, smooth, and slightly spicy flavor, thanks to the honey and herbs in the Drambuie. The combination of Scotch whisky and Drambuie makes for a potent drink, so it is important to drink it responsibly.

A list of the 30 worst movies of all time

It can be difficult to compile a definitive list of the "worst" movies of all time, as opinions on what makes a movie "good" or "bad" vary widely. Here are 30 movies that have received widespread criticism and low ratings from critics and audiences:

1. The Room (2003)

2. Plan 9 from Outer Space (1959)

3. Troll 2 (1990)

4. Batman and Robin (1997)

5. Catwoman (2004)

6. The Last Airbender (2010)

7. Gigli (2003)

8. The Wicker Man (2006)

9. Jack and Jill (2011)

10. Battlefield Earth (2000)

11. Gigli (2003)

12. The Hottie and the Nottie (2008)

13. Movie 43 (2013)

14. Howard the Duck (1986)

15. The Love Guru (2008)

16. Epic Movie (2007)

17. The Adventures of Pluto Nash (2002)

18. Mars Needs Moms (2011)

19. Santa with Muscles (1996)

20. The Master of Disguise (2002)

21. The Garbage Pail Kids Movie (1987)

22. The Happening (2008)

23. The Lone Ranger (2013)

24. The Nutcracker in 3D (2010)

25. The Medallion (2003)

26. Disaster Movie (2008)

27. Doogal (2006)

28. No Holds Barred (1989)

29. The Bonfire of the Vanities (1990)

30. In the Name of the King: A Dungeon Siege Tale (2007)

It is important to note that these movies may be considered "bad" by some people, but others may find them entertaining or enjoyable for various