Robert Cole
@rncole.bsky.social
Civil Engineer in a Nuclear World.
“Auto te gast” is a nice one.
November 14, 2025 at 10:18 PM
“Auto te gast” is a nice one.
We went from 2-2.5hrs per day of sitting in car lines to 45m when my daughter started being able to ride a city bus to school.
Then we moved to the Netherlands and we went to zero since they can ride bikes to school.
Then we moved to the Netherlands and we went to zero since they can ride bikes to school.
November 11, 2025 at 7:27 PM
We went from 2-2.5hrs per day of sitting in car lines to 45m when my daughter started being able to ride a city bus to school.
Then we moved to the Netherlands and we went to zero since they can ride bikes to school.
Then we moved to the Netherlands and we went to zero since they can ride bikes to school.
Those trucks were doing just fine in that 150 year old infrastructure until the bikes came along and fucked it up.
October 28, 2025 at 10:59 PM
Those trucks were doing just fine in that 150 year old infrastructure until the bikes came along and fucked it up.
Ironically, there’s a real possibility it will collapse because people *can’t* eat.
October 28, 2025 at 10:55 PM
Ironically, there’s a real possibility it will collapse because people *can’t* eat.
I saw an elderly lady on a bike path the other day on a quadricycle.
October 25, 2025 at 7:29 PM
I saw an elderly lady on a bike path the other day on a quadricycle.
Now, that route is a bit over 2km because of the detour. But the issues still stand. I would have no qualms with my son riding that far on his own now at all.
Hell, he’s been doing 5km walks in his own for fun these days.
Hell, he’s been doing 5km walks in his own for fun these days.
October 18, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Now, that route is a bit over 2km because of the detour. But the issues still stand. I would have no qualms with my son riding that far on his own now at all.
Hell, he’s been doing 5km walks in his own for fun these days.
Hell, he’s been doing 5km walks in his own for fun these days.
And google still routes you over a bridge that’s been closed for over a year. The only route because of that closure is Henley Street to the left.
October 18, 2025 at 7:30 PM
And google still routes you over a bridge that’s been closed for over a year. The only route because of that closure is Henley Street to the left.
Then crossing the 7 lanes again, waiting awkwardly while not trying to be hit, and crossing another 5 lanes to turn up this hill into a “bike lane”.
October 18, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Then crossing the 7 lanes again, waiting awkwardly while not trying to be hit, and crossing another 5 lanes to turn up this hill into a “bike lane”.
Your reward at the top of the hill is a BIKE LANE!
October 18, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Your reward at the top of the hill is a BIKE LANE!
Then climbing this hill in that same 60km/h traffic.
October 18, 2025 at 7:27 PM
Then climbing this hill in that same 60km/h traffic.
It would have involved crossing these 7 lanes of 35mph (60km/h) speed limit traffic and turning left in the far lane.
October 18, 2025 at 7:25 PM
It would have involved crossing these 7 lanes of 35mph (60km/h) speed limit traffic and turning left in the far lane.
In my previous city of Knoxville Tennessee there wasn’t a safe way for me to *escort my son* on bikes to school, 1.2km away.
We moved to the Netherlands and he rides to and from by himself every day, 1.6km.
We moved to the Netherlands and he rides to and from by himself every day, 1.6km.
October 18, 2025 at 7:19 PM
In my previous city of Knoxville Tennessee there wasn’t a safe way for me to *escort my son* on bikes to school, 1.2km away.
We moved to the Netherlands and he rides to and from by himself every day, 1.6km.
We moved to the Netherlands and he rides to and from by himself every day, 1.6km.
I have to use AI to check papers before I submit them so an AI doesn’t think I used AI and reject (or worse, give an automatic fail) because sometimes I apparently write like AI.
Also it turns out that if you ask AI to write at a high school level it is less “AI” in structure.
Also it turns out that if you ask AI to write at a high school level it is less “AI” in structure.
October 9, 2025 at 7:24 AM
I have to use AI to check papers before I submit them so an AI doesn’t think I used AI and reject (or worse, give an automatic fail) because sometimes I apparently write like AI.
Also it turns out that if you ask AI to write at a high school level it is less “AI” in structure.
Also it turns out that if you ask AI to write at a high school level it is less “AI” in structure.
My daily use before moving to the EU where it isn’t available was to keep an eye on when my bus was coming since the realtime status was only available in a phone app, which is a different complaint.
October 6, 2025 at 11:37 AM
My daily use before moving to the EU where it isn’t available was to keep an eye on when my bus was coming since the realtime status was only available in a phone app, which is a different complaint.
The laptops got a little weird though.
October 5, 2025 at 8:39 AM
The laptops got a little weird though.
You don’t have a circular screen?
Seems like an upgrade is in order.
Seems like an upgrade is in order.
October 5, 2025 at 8:28 AM
You don’t have a circular screen?
Seems like an upgrade is in order.
Seems like an upgrade is in order.
I’ve also yet to encounter a pothole here…
(Speaking of high quality)
(Speaking of high quality)
October 3, 2025 at 11:32 PM
I’ve also yet to encounter a pothole here…
(Speaking of high quality)
(Speaking of high quality)
Also, the argument of needing X number of people to justify a bike lane is also completely out the window when there are these just heading… to an industrial park.
If the connectivity justifies roads, there’s no reason it can’t also have bike lanes that are a fraction of the cost to design/build.
If the connectivity justifies roads, there’s no reason it can’t also have bike lanes that are a fraction of the cost to design/build.
October 2, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Also, the argument of needing X number of people to justify a bike lane is also completely out the window when there are these just heading… to an industrial park.
If the connectivity justifies roads, there’s no reason it can’t also have bike lanes that are a fraction of the cost to design/build.
If the connectivity justifies roads, there’s no reason it can’t also have bike lanes that are a fraction of the cost to design/build.
Every. Single. Day.
Something new talking with a coworker and thinking “hunh… right.”
Followed by another “what the fuck America?”
Something new talking with a coworker and thinking “hunh… right.”
Followed by another “what the fuck America?”
October 2, 2025 at 6:34 PM
Every. Single. Day.
Something new talking with a coworker and thinking “hunh… right.”
Followed by another “what the fuck America?”
Something new talking with a coworker and thinking “hunh… right.”
Followed by another “what the fuck America?”
Thing is, we don't have to wait for new designs.
Existing reactors can run MOX fuel. The plant I work at now sends spent fuel to France for reprocessing, and gets fresh fuel back, with small quantities of higher-level waste returned to the adjacent site for long-term storage.
Existing reactors can run MOX fuel. The plant I work at now sends spent fuel to France for reprocessing, and gets fresh fuel back, with small quantities of higher-level waste returned to the adjacent site for long-term storage.
September 10, 2025 at 6:28 PM
Thing is, we don't have to wait for new designs.
Existing reactors can run MOX fuel. The plant I work at now sends spent fuel to France for reprocessing, and gets fresh fuel back, with small quantities of higher-level waste returned to the adjacent site for long-term storage.
Existing reactors can run MOX fuel. The plant I work at now sends spent fuel to France for reprocessing, and gets fresh fuel back, with small quantities of higher-level waste returned to the adjacent site for long-term storage.
I’m not saying it’s not an option at all, but for much of the US (eastern) it’s not a great choice since the wells have to be so deep, and there’s a limit to production by individual sites.
Sure you can build more sites but then you run into the same issues as nuclear- environmental approvals.
Sure you can build more sites but then you run into the same issues as nuclear- environmental approvals.
September 10, 2025 at 6:16 PM
I’m not saying it’s not an option at all, but for much of the US (eastern) it’s not a great choice since the wells have to be so deep, and there’s a limit to production by individual sites.
Sure you can build more sites but then you run into the same issues as nuclear- environmental approvals.
Sure you can build more sites but then you run into the same issues as nuclear- environmental approvals.
Nuclear *should not* cost as much to build as Vogtle and Summer were.
This is where the political will aspect comes in. Much of the costs of construction involve delays and responding to petitions trying to prevent the plant from being built after it’s been approved.
This is where the political will aspect comes in. Much of the costs of construction involve delays and responding to petitions trying to prevent the plant from being built after it’s been approved.
September 10, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Nuclear *should not* cost as much to build as Vogtle and Summer were.
This is where the political will aspect comes in. Much of the costs of construction involve delays and responding to petitions trying to prevent the plant from being built after it’s been approved.
This is where the political will aspect comes in. Much of the costs of construction involve delays and responding to petitions trying to prevent the plant from being built after it’s been approved.