Happy new capitalism climate crisis y'all.

S'funny. For years we've done a 40 (mostly single) adults and kids Welsh getaway at new year. It's nice how our traditions have evolved as the kids have grown older. They're now safe space cider but I'm still tidying away the glassware in case they get up before we do tomorrow.

Here’s a snapshot of the services MSF provided in #Gaza in 2025. We’ve received no updates on our Israeli registration process for 2026 and it is unclear if we will be able to continue activities. - 800,000 consultations - 22,700 surgical operations - 700 million litres of water

NYE beach colours.

Lovely job.

Optimistic that 2026 will be more rounded.

Nothing like midwinter for encouraging you to remind yourself about midsummer.

Once again sitting up late waiting for the laundry, this time because I forgot to put the laundry on after loading the machine. An impressive night's work.

The government off to a predictably feeble start. A Mersey river walk with no new path. Bravo. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Christmas eve was a grand evening for crepuscular rays, really enjoyed the washes of evening sun bringing life to quiet hills.

Child who never eats everything ate everything and I'm happy with that. Teen who has never been forthcoming with a Christmas list was pleased and I'm happy with that.

Vote red, get brown. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Enjoying being reunited with www.bilashaka.ke, after years of drinking underwhelming but enthusiastic lager during visits to Nairobi it's BRILLIANT to have some interesting brews.

Was it Michael O'Leary? #Ryanair

GOOD to listen to The Phantom Band - Checkmate Savage again. Been too long.

#Farage has done really well from his racism, puzzled that he wants to disown it now. Smacks of ingratitude, which is never a good look for a politician www.theguardian.com/politics/202... #Reform

You know they're pot bound when it takes a 2lb hammer and a pair of snips to free them.

Finally finished Celebrity Traitors last night (what larks!) after Whamageddon level spoiler fear FOR WEEKS, and hashtag silencing on here. Handy that.

Pardon?

Enjoyed yesterday's Freedom to Roam conference in Hebden Bridge. Expanding access to nature in England and Wales will be a monumental challenge but i love that it challenges us to upend our programming and the mental exclosures that generations of policies have created 1/2 @righttoroam.bsky.social

Santa Claus has been arrested under the Terrorism Act in Norwich after it turns out Santa oppo-ho-ho-ses genocide and supports Palestine Action. These four officers will be having their names checked twice this year. Lift The Ban on Palestine Action. wedonotcomply.org

Feels like this will have salience with the public, coming as it does on the back of The Traitors

I hope Ukraine tell Trump and Putin to go fuck themselves. The absolute state of their piss plan. archive.is/H5Auw

Well played Scotland, well played. Absolute scenes.

One wonders whether #Labour will pop back to Denmark to study this? I'm sure @greenparty.org.uk will welcome the new members disgusted by its inhumane refugee policies. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...

We can still win this lads.

Nothing like glorious low winter sun after a wild few days to illuminate just how fucking filthy your windows are.

NEW The letter the BBC could send back to Trump A proposal for a reply to his $1bn claim By me. Enjoy. emptycity.substack.com/p/the-letter...

Dear small business owners, don't believe everything you read on the side of a bus. Love, Nige #Reform

Once every 20 years or so, the director-general of the BBC is forced to resign for being insufficiently rightwing. Alastair Milne in 1987. Greg Dyke in 2004. Tim Davie in 2025. The great irony is that the BBC was in all cases profoundly biased towards established power. But just not biased enough …

Happy to discover that I perfectly captured the atmosphere of last night's emergency beer absorption mission. Compliments to Bundobust for always being so bloody delicious.

An "Exclusive" you say? I dunno, call me old fashioned but...

Just been sitting in the lounge wondering why so many fireworks are going off. Been a busy week.

A huge victory for political speechwriters last night. #NYC

Ah. #ANTIFA again. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...

Perhaps if we all sent #EVRI minute by minute accounts of our activities they'd just fucking stop

So many grim details in here, of the crimes, of the hounding of the messenger and of the degree to which the far right is ascendant in #Israel. Bleak. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...

Has not got out for a walk. A shame, all things considered.

Fair to say that the Conservative party's average IQ increased with the departure of Danny Kruger to #Reform www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

I dunno lads, maybe sit this one out.

Effectively the government lost twice over, because its bid to make Palestine Action challenge via an internal mechanism was dismissed and the group was granted permission to fight on 2 out of 4 further grounds - home secretary regard to "relevant considerations" and compliance with own policy

These fuckers will doom us all. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

#CMAT wuz robbed.

More of this sort of thing.

My abiding memory of Abu Dhabi will be my glasses steaming up when I walk outside. I mean, some other stuff too obviously but...

Relieved to have found Abu Dhabi's only microbrewery after several days of boldly priced hotel lager.

Probably didn't need to eat all the tabbouleh.

This hotel bar is giving me a headache.

Spent all afternoon listening out for a kingfisher. The river was in spate after Amy so expectations were low. Decided to add in a 15 minute diversion for more river time. Just as the path was due to take us away we heard, then saw that flash against a grey, fading afternoon.

Read several responsive op-eds to the Manchester synagogue attack this weekend. None have articulated the relationship between Israeli government conduct and rising antisemitism, and no, it's not to excuse, but how can you tackle the problem without openness to do so? observer.co.uk/news/nationa...