A key point about "volunteering" is that it should be "voluntary". By forcing migrants to volunteer this government not only treats us as if we are a free resource, but also ignores everything else we go through. This policy is dehumanising and exploitative. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Excellent new sculpture from my chums at Real World Visuals - showing British Land's carbon emission savings... More here www.realworldvisuals.com/rwv-projects...

Leading medical publication the British Medical Journal recognises SUVs as a danger to public health in a new editorial co-authored by T&E’s James Nix: bit.ly/4hVDlBC Large SUVs are a danger to pedestrians, cyclists & other drivers. It's time to take action to reduce their presence in urban areas.

Is it possible this is partly due to more people being pissed off about more things than we have been accustomed to?

Actually, FB is quite easy to use with well-kept feed. And some of us elders find it has its uses :)

I wrote one of the episodes for the newly relaunched Play For Today, which starts tonight (my episode is on in a couple of weeks). This is an article about that . www.independent.co.uk/arts-enterta...

New book review ukjazznews.com/kevin-le-gen... #jazzsky

Sarah Jessica Parker’s Year of Judging the Booker Prize By Alex Marshall She read 153 books. I really liked this. It's clear her ideas about reading and practices of reading were changed forever. In spite of her celebrity, among people trained in literature, she was an ordinary reader. Gift link!

Sure things are tight in the arts, but @southbankcentre.bsky.social are having a laugh. One QEH ticket incurs a £3.50 booking fee + £2.50 non-optional “restoration fund” charge, then a suggested £5 donation appears at checkout. Honest ticket prices = warmer feelings from customers, I’m guessing.

It probably doesn’t - oddly, the piece is rather good. Unclear why the need to sell it this way here :)

Nice interview with the admirable Elizabeth Kolbert www.motherjones.com/politics/202...

Just been invited to the launch event of a report considering the 'future of the UK's research system' where they will be considering the creation of disruption labs named after Ada Lovelace and the report will be introduced by a panel of five men

How ever since Labour came to power, the British media has started to notice a whole series of problems they spent the previous 14 years completely ignoring www.adambienkov.co.uk/p/the-great-...

"Anyone who thinks the 21st century will not see the biggest global movement of peoples in history has not been paying attention." David Runciman on the combination of population decline in affluent countries and climate stress in the less affluent...

Had a great time over 2 nights in Cardiff last week ukjazznews.com/jpn-artist-s... #jazzsky

BBC live explaining: Who is Tim Davie? Who is Deborah Turness? Next question: who actually cares…?

They really stuck the landing on this one.

Someone at a Russell Group university was moved to almost-poetry by their Faculty Meeting… Can anyone do better?

Yup

This is really excellent data journalism... Elon Musk has declared war on the British government, it just doesn't realise it.

UK publication day for this wrist-spraining beauty! Appropriately, I’m travelling to Cambridge, where I’m doing a book launch talk at the LMB tomorrow afternoon.

may hire a plane and fly that post over Westminster 24/7 for the next few months

what would I give to see this revived?!

obviously we wouldn't have wanted any part of this prioritising of ground-based transport when we can expand all our airports instead. Oh, wait...

🧪Fun #sourcerequest: Have you, a scientist, read the book Microbe Hunters, and if so, did it leave a lasting impact on you? This book--perhaps the first popular science text--is turning 100 next year, and I'm covering it for @nautil.us! Also interested in speaking with medical or science historians.

Coincidentally listening now - remarkable

Man trapped in futures from the past shows increasing signs of desperation…

Useful survival tip

For 61 years the #BBCWorldService has been broadcasting the latest in science via its weekly Science in Action programme. That dies in the next half hour, with this final edition, reflecting on the fall in trust in expertise driven by malign interests over recent years.

Resisting strong temptation to listen to Jack DeJohnette all day (again) but did make time for this astounding live version of Gateway’s Backwoods Song youtu.be/Irp1ABPTV48?... #jazzsky

So why does the BBC label the academic and economist Faiza Shaheen an "activist" but refuse to do the same for the former academic, turned anti-migrant activist Matt Goodwin?

Looking at charming WhatsApp pic of latest grandson, a year old next week, sitting on the floor at nursery turning pages of a book. So, you know, all is not quite lost :)

This was an excellent 2 author event - bought this one and looking forward to reading

Happy publication day to @dominicmhinde.bsky.social, his book 'Drifting north: Finding a sustainable future in Scotland's past' is out now, available from all good bookshops & online. Past & future collide in this engaging journey through Scotland, and the struggle for a sustainable world. #booksky

This was an excellent 2 author event - bought this one and looking forward to reading

Donation doubling on offer now for a favourite charity - please share :) solar-aid.org/next-step-za...

Bristol jazz calendar updated for November bristoljazzlive.co.uk

So man tracks with Jack DeJohnette to cherish - this one top of my list today. RIP spotify.link/CcFyU84nOXb

this is the political commentary I'm here for...

I may not have been keeping count all that accurately, but I'm now aware of 5 by-elections since the start of Aug (4 council, 1 Welsh Assembly). Of those, Greens have won 3, Lib Dems 1 and now Plaid 1. Labour, Tories and, the party MSM would have us believe will win the next GE, have all won none.

Airport expansion will put UK’s net zero goal in ‘serious jeopardy’, MPs warn - Committee urges ministers to set out measures to reduce carbon emissions *before* work starts on new runways #climatecrisis www.theguardian.com/environment/...

New CD review ukjazznews.com/yetii-inner-... #jazzsky

Thread

A great many of the (wonderful) stories about Ireland's (wonderful) UBI plan for artists tend to bury if not duck completely the hard cold fact that it was funded largely by Google's billion-euro settlement of tax-evasion charges. TAX BILLIONAIRES RUN THEM DOWN LOOT THEM IT WORKS

Katie Lam, the shadow home secretary saying legal migrants need to be deported (The Times) will be seen by many as the most racist comment we’ve heard in recent years. Why this isn’t headline news is scandalous. Which will translate to many as acceptance and agreement. Britain needs to get a grip.

we were all wrong, climate change is good for the economy

Here is our exclusive survey asking leading climate scientists to give their views on solar geoengineering: *66% believe we will see it attempted this century *52% say it will probably be done by a "rogue actor" *81% want an international treaty to manage risk www.newscientist.com/article/2498...

Yum