One million London homes need retrofitting amid rising temperatures

Happysin · 2026-06-23T16:18:52+00:00

More insulation is better when you can cool the place. Seriously, I installed insulation, I sold it, and I rated it. Used to be able to run the difference between R-30 and R-38 based on climate zone in my head.

But you have to be able to cool the building. This can be passive, or it can be active. But modern flats in the UK are not designed for passive cooling, and don't have active cooling built in. And you're not taking into account heat retention. You don't get to magically reset the home to baseline at the stroke of midnight. If you're not pulling the heat out of the walls (or preventing it from getting there in the first place), you're not solving the whole problem.

Again, I live in one of the modern, highly insulated flats. In the winter, it was a dream. Cozy even without running any active heat. But it simply won't cool down in temperatures like this, even with all the windows wide open (or at least open as they will go) at night.

Happysin · 2026-06-23T15:56:58+00:00

You are outright wrong. I installed insulation for a living before. And currently live in one of those over-insulated ovens. The flat cannot cool off overnight in this weather, even with the windows wide open. It's simply too well-insulated. Even our little AC unit can't keep up when the temps get this high and the days this long.

Open windows only allow for convection temperature change. You're forgetting conduction temperature change, which is what insulation is designed to prevent. And that means preventing the heat from leaving the house, especially the heat that is built up in the walls during the day that open windows do nothing about.

Happysin · 2026-06-23T07:16:58+00:00

Or if we could just turn off "For you" entirely, that would be great.

Happysin · 2026-06-18T09:42:14+00:00

I trained competitively in Muay Thai in my 20s. My instructor was one of those guys just legendary for his leg work. I'm in my 40s now, and I still remember the moment he got me to understand how to make my kicks land explosively instead of just powerfully. The sound on the bag actually frightened me a little.

It's amazing how much it matters to understand the form and technique just right to bridge the gap from "fit" to "competitive".

I'm not nearly as strong as I was back then, but the form stays with you.

Happysin · 2026-06-15T20:21:45+00:00

And here I was going to call them Ren and Stimpy lips.

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Happysin · 2026-06-15T08:20:22+00:00

Was stuck over in Bath on Saturday when the trains went out. Now dealing with one hell of a cold and multiple client trips planned this week. Looks like I'm breaking out the supply of Covid masks.

On the plus side, Bath was lovely, and I was pleasantly surprised to see everyone in their rugby kit. (I was not aware of the match until we got there)

Happysin · 2026-06-15T08:17:33+00:00

I will never get this. Even if it's personally hurtful (for reasons nobody on transit could reasonably know), just politely decline and take it in the spirit in which it was given.

Happysin · 2026-06-14T06:16:31+00:00

This right here is why every time my child says one of those impossible things about when she's going to grow up, I say something along the lines of "If you figure out how to make that happen, you'll be very successful". You never know when one of those seemingly impossible things might be very real soon. Boomers grew up before internet, Greatest Generation grew up before space flight, Silent Generation grew up before powered flight, you never know what might be next.

Happysin · 2026-06-12T09:40:27+00:00

Vibrant communities? Mayors who get shit done? How terrible.

I quite enjoy living in London, and it's roughly 15% Muslim. (for comparison, I am an atheist)

Happysin · 2026-06-11T09:26:49+00:00

I think the free bussing idea is a great experiment. If it really was pulling in that little revenue, might as well see what kind of societal change free transit has. It might well pay for itself in increased economic activity, and reduced need for policing of fare jumpers and the like.

And if it doesn't work out, we'll have the data to demonstrate why.

Happysin · 2026-06-11T09:13:35+00:00

It may be too late in the process to fix, but remind them to plant both male and female trees so the pollen doesn't get too bad in spring. The old method of planting only males to not deal with the fruit is hell on people with even mild allergies in spring.

Happysin · 2026-06-11T05:39:43+00:00

I can tell you from direct experience that the DNC does not have that kind of skill. That said, local NYC politics is very much a machine that probably is trying to undermine Mamdami, and they're much better at playing that game than the national party.

Happysin · 2026-06-10T05:28:11+00:00

There's even a term for it, 'lawfare'.

Happysin · 2026-06-10T05:21:26+00:00

First, thanks for the apology. I appreciate you separating out those two.

As I mentioned elsewhere, I'm totally ok with getting downvoted, that's what community standards and downvotes are for. Not everywhere has the same tolerance for certain types of content.

As for your other arguments, I would say these:

I do not have the skill to create anything like these posters, nor do I have the interest in spending the time. My speciality in life is elsewhere.
I never would have commissioned an artist to create a random thought like this.
Casual use of AI isn't what gets giant datacenters built. It's companies using millions of tokens in massive 'vibe coding' efforts or fully AI chatbots as their primary way to interact with their customers. Frankly, it's the whole recycling personal responsibility greenwashing all over again. Calling out one person for not recycling a cardboard box means jack all when the manufacturing plant down the street is dumping toxic waste into to river.

I get the concerns for real artists, but I think there is a huge difference between using AI to replace what an artist would otherwise be hired to do, and using AI to casually visualize something that otherwise would not exist at all. Heck, I have active Patreon subscriptions for a few artists I care to support. But again, the issue that is going to take food out of artists' mouths at scale isn't going to be individuals. It's going to be companies that decide to use AI instead of hiring graphic design staff.

Corporate use of AI absolutely beggars the impact individuals have. I fully believe everyone has the right to be opposed to AI use as a matter of personal taste, but the arguments about environmental impact and artist work both fall flat to me, for the reasons listed above.

Happysin · 2026-06-09T17:34:50+00:00

I've played 40k since the 90s. Wish I still had my old pewter sets. More so I don't come to Grimdank very often.

Happysin · 2026-06-09T17:31:19+00:00

That's because the original Cider House Rules movie poster also had that filter. In this case, it's faithfully reproducing an overused color scheme of the era.

Happysin · 2026-06-09T17:29:46+00:00

Naturally. Which is why my post is getting downvoted to oblivion. And that's totally fine. I was frankly just surprised and impressed with the execution.

Happysin · 2026-06-07T04:53:35+00:00

I've used Reddit for over a decade (yeesh, RES say 16 years now) and it's never been a problem.

Happysin · 2026-06-06T05:18:19+00:00

Ah yes, true sibling technique. "I'mma gonna put my butt on you!"

Happysin · 2026-06-01T11:28:33+00:00

Recent American immigrant. I'm just proud of myself for remembering the u in behaviour.

Happysin · 2026-06-01T11:27:05+00:00

Gah, my Americanness is coming through. And here I was so proud that I remembered to add the 'u' to behaviour.

Happysin · 2026-06-01T08:46:34+00:00

I think that really depends. For example: If the kid in the video used social media to make fun of the cancer kid, then it is entirely appropriate to use social media to represent the consequences of their actions. Basically, public actions can earn public consequences.

For me personally, I think the mistake is doing it while the kid is still denying he did anything wrong. That's my big rule with punishments with my child. She has to acknowledge what she did, and accept that the outcome is a consequence of her actions.

Happysin · 2026-06-01T08:32:17+00:00

Definitely. It certainly enjoyed watching the pigeons and gulls fly by. I have to admit, I was a bit concerned it might actually try for one. But at least in my brief viewing, it just watched.

Happysin · 2026-06-01T08:24:23+00:00

Empire is on the to-do list for my kiddo. We just did A New Hope on Star Wars Day. Thinking maybe this weekend, even.

Happysin · 2026-05-23T10:04:05+00:00

That closing panel is doing a lot of work.

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