As @thejohnberry.bsky.social has observed, the good folk of Norfolk have elected a police and crime commissioner from a party up to its neck in sleaze. *slow clap*

Another senior Reform figure - 'Honest Bob' Generic - is facing questions about accepting foreign donations: www.ft.com/content/48e2...

According to an environmental impact assessment filed publicly by its owner, the proposed Jackdaw gasfield would create only 27 direct full-time jobs. 27 jobs. www.theguardian.com/business/202...

#OtD 15 Jul 1902 the Leckhampton Stalwarts led a march of 2,000 people to Leckhampton Hill, where they tore down a cottage built by the new quarry owner that blocked a right of way and filled in a pit where working people held a fair every Easter. stories.workingclasshistory.com/article/8677...

3pm BAKEWELL TART. THIS IS NOT A DRILL

The role of Police and Crime Commissioner? - File under 'unnecessary gimmick'

Float to live #ThatsMyBestAdvice

Here's the RNLI's advice: - Tilt your head back with your ears submerged - Relax and try to breathe normally - Move your hands and legs to help you stay afloat - It's OK if your legs sink because people float differently - Once your breathing is under control, call for help or swim to safety

If you're spending time in and around the National Park this weekend, please: 🔥 Do not light barbecues or campfires. 🌊 Waterways can look deceptively calm and shallow at this time of year BUT rivers and lakes can be extremely cold, deep and difficult to get out of.

".. everything we've seen so far.. this doesn't sound like we're moving in a direction to end rip off Britain. It looks like more of the same status quo & in hoc to vested interests" @zackpolanski.bsky.social on the prospects of Andy Burnhams premiership.

Andy Burnham is “too in hock to vested interests” to offer real change, says @zackpolanski.bsky.social, as the @greenparty.org.uk launches a pushback against the incoming PM, portraying him as cautious and weak on wealth taxes, Gaza and rent controls. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

"Dear MoD, The Environment Agency suspects some of your RAF bases could be contaminated with PFAS, some of which are known to be carcinogenic. They’ve asked you to give them info on four RAF bases. Please could you share this with me. Nice one, @rachelsalvidge.bsky.social" Seems reasonable to me

Yep.

Light-hearted shitposting level: Expert

Oh, that's good.

Consulting on a school merger, a council had a diocese write a proportion of the public documents, including a Q&A containing untrue statements. I think schools should be secular and not select on faith, so I'm glad @natsecsoc.bsky.social challenged this. www.secularism.org.uk/news/2026/07...

#FireHydrantFriday Lucca #aofoto

🚨 Burnham to back North Sea oil as one of his first acts as PM. ❌️ Approving new oil and gas licences won't deliver energy security and it won't lower bills. ❌️ But it will fuel the #ClimateCrisis. ✅️ Join.greenparty.org.uk

The media outlet Politics UK is owned by a Reform councillor, just so you're aware.

“Compared with non-active travelers, the cyclists had a 19% lower risk of all-cause dementia, a 22% lower risk of Alzheimer's, a 40% lower risk of young-onset dementia (before the age of 65), & a 17% lower risk of late-onset dementia.” Connecting bike-riding with reduced dementia risk. #UrbanTruth

Trent Reznor unearths some pre-industrial agricultural tools used to separate grain from husks. That happen to be 23cm long. Nine Inch Flails.

A whole lot of people with otherwise progressive views suddenly get real mad when you talk about doing anything at all to address the scourge of speeding drivers killing people

My comments on the new @nationalacademies.org report on climate change & extreme weather attribution. The TLDR statement: If anything, the academy understates the strength of the science linking increasingly extreme weather events to climate change: michaelmann.net/comments-on-...

When routine bites hard and ambitions are low: It would have been Ian Curtis' 70th birthday yesterday. At the very least, you should fire up YouTube and re-listen to Love Will Tear Us Apart, but what do I know.

If Burnham announces drilling for more North Sea oil and gas, well, I’d like to say I give up. but there isn’t any giving up. The world is already burning and this fight will last for *at least* the rest of our lives, and our poor bloody kids lives too. I am so tired

"Think about the fuel crisis, energy crisis, crime rates, and low incomes. Many people are already trapped within 15 minutes of their homes as a result of low social mobility." ✍️ - Rosie Sargent for @westenglandbylines.co.uk westenglandbylines.co.uk/news/environ...

Strange how so many will shame people on bikes for not wearing helmets yet don’t have much to say about bike lanes without protection. Via @thebikinglawyer.bsky.social

Country where food industry lobbyists oppose any and all attempts to improve food hygiene literally shits the bed. List of surprised nations: . . . . End of list.

Yet more evidence that unprotected, paint-only cycle lanes are terrible.

You look like you need a Puffin. Have a Puffin. 📷️ Sue Wood

Amongst many important points in @jdportes.bsky.social article is the succinct explanation of why universities are vital to a coherent economic strategy.

Had a quick look into this from a UK perspective: Speed camera income is £100m every year.. ..and speed camera maintenance costs are around £25m.. ..so net income is £75m. UK police budget is £21 *billion* ..so speed cameras add a further 0.357% to police coffers.. ..which is a rounding error.

The 2020 fixation is not some quirk, it’s not “Trump being Trump,” it’s not a valid thing for him to talk about or worry about, it’s not part of a larger plan. It’s a deeply unwell person obsessed with slights he’s imagined he’s suffered, who has somehow made that the center of American politics.

In a wide-ranging interview with Carbon Brief, Prof Van Vuuren discusses… ➡️ Why climate modelling is so important. ➡️ The “choice” now facing China. ➡️ What keeps him up at night. ➡️ The 1992 book that first inspired him to work on climate change.

Here's Johnny!

If you are a Unite member and want more climate action (not less), look out for the ballot paper which should arrive in the next couple of days. Sharon Graham has argued for more drilling in the North Sea and briefed against Ed Miliband because of his work on net zero. Time to dump Sharon!

Clutch depressed

I was working on a ropes course beneath tree canopy today and, after this awful incident a few days ago, I was extra-careful to check for any signs of unstable trees or branches. Details haven't been forthcoming just yet, but 'There but for the grace' and all that. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

There is that.

Whilst there is - full agreement with John - undoubtedly a gender aspect to this, and probably a class one as well, there's also scale to consider, in that British Steel turns over circa £1.3 billion annually, which is dwarfed by the higher education sector's annual turnover of £51 billion.

Woman with Yellow Parasol, Lucca #WallsOnWednesday #aofoto

Meet the new boss www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Indian-American artist Deedee Cheriel, who was involved in the US #RiotGrrrl scene #womensart #Thursday

And 100% of police and media can't.

Can everyone enjoy a good life without destroying the planet? Recent research on “consumption corridors” suggests we can — and a small Portuguese city is beginning to find the way through. My latest for @newscientist magazine, reported from Guimarães. www.newscientist.com/article/2532...

"Big Oil’s reckless climate lies have contributed to countless preventable deaths. Now these corporations are one step closer to being held accountable for knowingly fueling climate conditions that are killing people."

"I'm struggling to date women, and I think it might be my fact-free, conservative opinions" - I think you might be right, Chuck web.archive.org/web/20260715...