zeltus
@zeltus.fun
Retired (not!) software engineer, amateur scientist, nature lover, photographer, far too busy to grow old.
Heartbreak & laughter are perhaps the most appropriate responses to any suggestion the UK has a free press. But the ideal could come a step closer to reality, thanks to a campaign to wrest the national news media from the grasp of Murdoch, Viscount Rothermere & other tax-shy non-resident oligarchs
Mike Galsworthy@mikegalsworthy.bsky.social · last wk.A Media Sovereignty Act to keep non-UK based billionaires out of British media control could be just what we need. 👇
www.theguardian.com/music/2026/a... My first ever CD. I was given it by a friend who said he didn't like it. What a philistine! Meantime, I didn't yet own a CD player. When I finally got play it, I was totally, utterly blown away. It remains one of my favourite and most-played albums.
‘It was a damn unicorn’: the pioneering, divisive power of Paul Simon’s Graceland at 40
On its anniversary, the author of a new book about the album explains the complex legacy and masterful musicianship of the 1986 classic
theguardian.com
Ask the Government to set up a National Commission on Electoral Reform, as advocated by the All Party Parliamentary Group for Fair Elections. It should be an independent, time limited, expert led review to build consensus for changing the electoral system for the Westminster Parliament.
Petition: Set up a National Commission on Electoral Reform to review the electoral system
I ask the Government to set up a National Commission on Electoral Reform, as advocated by the All Party Parliamentary Group for Fair Elections. It should be an independent, time limited, expert led re...
petition.parliament.uk
I expect AR is manipulative, as well as evil. But Ian Brady (also manipulative and evil) hated being in a secure hospital: he lost his ability to control and misbehave. But he had to stay as he was "ill". Here's hoping AR gets to feel the same. news.sky.com/story/southp...
Southport killer accused of 'manipulating system' after move to Broadmoor psychiatric hospital
Axel Rudakubana is serving a 52-year sentence after the fatal stabbing of three girls, and the attempted murder of eight other children and two adults at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport...
news.sky.com
A new government sets its direction early. I've just signed European Movement UK's petition asking Andy Burnham to drop the red lines on Europe and set out a real plan for the UK's European future. Add your name: www.europeanmovement.co.uk/5_asks_for_a...
Our 5 Asks for Andy Burnham
Andy Burnham must seize the moment to build a bold, forward-looking agenda for his administration to lead the UK towards a new European future.
europeanmovement.co.uk
10 years since Cameron stitched us all up with a badly-thought out referendum, ending with us leaving the EU. What a tw*t! Surely now is a good time to revisit that result and see if it still holds. Sign the petition here. petition.parliament.uk/petitions/77...
Petition: Start negotiations now to Rejoin the EU
10 years after the Brexit referendum and 6 years after leaving the EU, it is clear to us that Brexit isn't working. We believe any benefits have been dwarfed by loss of influence, extra costs and the ...
petition.parliament.uk
www.theguardian.com/environment/... Oh dear. How Sad. Farmers shouldn't have voted for Brexshit. Oh dear, I've lost my tiny violin.
‘British food will disappear’: trade deal after Brexit is hitting UK farmers hard
Home-grown food may become a niche product for the wealthy in our supermarkets as British farmers’ incomes plummet
theguardian.com
I’m fed up with politicians saying we need to “respect” the result of the 2016 Brexit referendum. A decision by a narrow majority 10yrs ago, that turned out to be a costly mistake, does not have to be “respected”. If a democracy cannot change its mind it ceases to be a democracy.
Just the nutz. Honest, and sorely missed.
Niall Ó Conghaile@nialloconghaile.bsky.social · 2mo agoHallelujah, @ottocr.at&@guitarmoog.bsky.social are back with Cakewatch, after an absence of 6 years If you're not familiar, it's a podcast which became a real favourite during the Brexit process, presented by two EU staffers. This was their taking stock A🧵 cakewatch.fireside.fm/tenyearslater
The EU referendum: ten years on, have we learned anything? A constituent writes to his MP before the 2016 EU referendum. Now, ten years on, the temptation to say “I told you so" is almost overwhelming westenglandbylines.co.uk/news/brexit/...
The EU referendum: ten years on, have we learned anything?
A constituent writes to his MP before the 2016 EU referendum. Now, ten years on, the temptation to say “I told you so" is almost overwhelming
westenglandbylines.co.uk
Watching the second season of The Hardacres on television. When, to my surprise, in episode 5 this popped-up. I mean, I know in the late 1800's the (second) industrial revolution is just getting into full swing there but I didn't know Oop North advanced so quickly, technology-wise!
My therapist told me: “Write letters to the people you hate and then burn them.” Did that, but now I don’t know what to do with the letters.
Lucy Worsley, commenting on what makes great women great :- "Barbara McClintock, Nobel Prize-winning scientist, announcing that anyone who wanted to speak to her could write a letter." - now that is my kind of woman/man/non-binary friend. So is Lucy.
🧵 1/10 There is a lot of "the EU won't want us back" in reaction to the statements made by Streeting and Burnham. As someone who has some experience of working closely with European diplomatic colleagues, and still has friends in Europe, I would say it is quite easy to construct the case for why
BBC News - Farmer refuses to budge for 2,000-home village plan - BBC News www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... I seem to remember a scheme whereby land like his was sold off in 1 sq. ft plots to like-minded conservationists. Made CP orders really complicated. Unworkable even. Is it still working somewhere?
Farmer refuses to budge for 2,000-home village plan
Alan French says he will not move to make way for Tameside Council's Godley Green Garden Village.
bbc.co.uk
1) I'm cynically embittered by the state of the world at this time. The USA, a place we used to look up to, to emulate, to want to be; it's now a loony toon aggressor, falling from grace with the west of the world as fast as it can. Which is damn fast.
Sad that this has happened, even sadder that so many people still want it to continue. Nay, get worse. Surely they can't all be thicko knuckle-draggers? open.substack.com/pub/mattcarr...
The Incredible Shrinking Country
Britain’s Road to Nowhere
open.substack.com
I saw this yesterday. I love when words have multiple meanings.
Caroline Lucas of the Green Party reckons that Water needs to be Renationalised. RT if you know it has to be.
