The UK's energy policy over decades (and its reliance on the market) has now bitten us in the backside;

rather than have a strategic view of energy security, our political class have been convinced that markets would offer us energy at all times because it was in the sellers' interest.

The problem with such economic approaches is they assume that our markets relations are somehow inoculated from any wider disruption... it now turns out that this is very much not the case!

#energy #politics

@ChrisMayLA6 It also assumes that the market works towards maximising competition and all that stuff. Whereas it likely works towards maximising cherry picking, short termism, corner cutting, collusion etc.
@ChrisMayLA6 It's only the same as what happened with Ukraine.
@JustinMac84 @ChrisMayLA6 If China were ever to move in on Taiwan, we'd be in the same position with digital technology rather than oil. The effects would be less immediate, but just as far reaching.

@kbm0
On a side note: As the same effects on digital technology would hit China as well and would massively shrink the economic value of Taiwan, I bet that China wont launch a military attack to annex Taiwan anytime in the next 5-10 years.

(I rather expext them to ramp up disinformation and hybrid war to influence people & elections in their favour)
@JustinMac84 @ChrisMayLA6

@musevg @kbm0 @JustinMac84 @ChrisMayLA6 China also can't afford the people that might be lost in a serious invasion attempt on Taiwan. They have a slight demographic problem on their hands already.

I would expect they'll try and restore Manchuria first. If Russia falls apart I'm sure they'll be "asked in" given the foundations they have laid for it so far.

Instead of Putin's little green men, they've been quietly building up a lot of business, influence and connections in former Manchuria.

@kbm0 @JustinMac84 @ChrisMayLA6
Agreed. Production computer chips is a global industry. Taiwan is fabricates the best and fastest chips. However, the designs are usually US, and more importantly, the fabrication relies on equipment designed and made in the Netherlands and Germany.

US racism had a big part in Taiwan's success in chips making

@ChrisMayLA6

The seller’s interest is to extract as much money as they can

RE: https://masto.ai/@rbreich/116296802515390419

@ChrisMayLA6

More than a few people have remarked on the rather interesting timing of a bunch of futures trading. This kind of remarkable timing has seemingly become quite common for some reason in the last year or two

@GhostOnTheHalfShell @ChrisMayLA6

so what? it's a great way to make quick cash. Just copy whatever Republicans in congress are doing and get free money.

@ChrisMayLA6 Blair et al just carried on Thatcher's neoliberalism. Starmer is no different.

@ChrisMayLA6 If I was the Green party, when Labour try to scare people by claiming that they are not serious on defense, I would be trumpeting loudly my unique commitment to energy security. That takes the form of renewables and not backing wars in the gulf.

I would take the same line when they describe my economic policies as dangerous

@RobertoArchimboldi @ChrisMayLA6 When a political opponent describes your economic policies as dangerous or irresponsible, without ever explaining why, you know that:
a) They're scared
b) They're projecting
c) If you don't nip this shit in the bud, too many voters will be gulled into believing it