You couldn’t make it up…
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/kwasi-kwarteng-accused-attending-budget-28132933
Lesley A @Lesley4
Frant
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Not a happy topic but I have just been reading the very sad twitter posts sent by Molly Russell to various celebrities. She was the teenager who later went on to take her own life. So often it’s extremely difficult for parents to know what to say and do if their children are depressed. This guide seems very helpful. https://www.youngminds.org.uk/parent/parents-a-z-mental-health-guide/suicidal-thoughts/
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https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/sep/14/kwasi-kwarteng-sacking-tom-scholar-marks-shift-away-from-impartial-advice?
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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/sep/08/liz-truss-fracking-plans-anger-dismay-lancashire-cuadrilla
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https://www.positive.news/society/life-on-the-edge-the-growing-movement-to-rewild-scruffy-urban-spaces/
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We fried some fish over a week ago. It left the house smelling awful. We had some washing drying on an airer and have had to rewash it. We still keep smelling fish especially when the windows have been shut. The odour seems to have got into the fabric of the house. Any suggestions? I’ve obviously sprayed air freshener around.
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https://www.euronews.com/green/2022/09/02/victory-for-the-planet-south-african-court-revokes-shells-oil-and-gas-exploration-rights
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As recommended by Claire’s sister! It’s a bit longer than our usual books so 7 weeks for this one. Hope lots of you will give it a go - it sounds interesting. Discussion will start on Tuesday 18th October.
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I hate it when I hear people killing spiders, wasps, ants, because they’re scared of them or because they’re a nuisance. Warning don’t go to next comment if you don’t like spiders.
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Sorry if you’ve already suggested a book and I’ve forgotten, suggest it again!
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Climate change: England's gardeners set for peat compost ban https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-62069553
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I love the Netherlands and have always wanted to go to their Floriade exhibition but have never made it. This one looks very interesting. https://www.positive.news/society/growing-green-cities-the-dutch-expo-that-shows-you-how/
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I have been trying to create space on my iPhone so that I can install latest update, which seems to be quite an important one. I have reduced my apps. I have cleared cache on safari, cut a load of photos and videos. One of the apps that is taking up a lot of storage (2.12GB ) is Scooploop! Can I do something other than delete the whole app?
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I have slightly mixed feelings about this book. I think it makes a very enjoyable read without ever truly convincing me of its 13th century setting. It has some good characterisation, except I didn’t feel Aisha was particularly well drawn. It has some very tender moments such as the illness and death of Jacopo but I felt the love affair was described in quite corny and clichéd ways. Parts were very interesting- I found the effort that went into securing lapiz and ultramarine quite astonishing - I will lavish more love on it next time I pick up a paintbrush. So overall I was entertained, sometimes moved, and learned quite a lot - can’t be bad!
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I think I’d be described as an ultraflexitarian these days so reasonably happy with that. https://theconversation.com/which-diet-will-help-save-our-planet-climatarian-flexitarian-vegetarian-or-vegan-186772?
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Copied from elsewhere but doesn’t half make you think. So... let me get this straight: * British Gas made a profit of £1.3bn between January & June * BP announced profits of £6.95 billion between April and June alone * Shell has profited by £9.4bn in a year The MEN at the top: * John Pettigrew, boss of National Grid received £6.5m bonus on top of his salary * Chris O’Shea, chief executive of British Gas owner Centrica was paid almost £2m last year in salary and benefits * Centrica's non-executive directors were paid almost £1m * Scottish Power's CEO Keith Anderson is on £1.15m. * E.On boss Michael Lewis is on £1m * EDF's Simone Rossi is also on £1m * And their top execs enjoyed a share of £4.65m * Peter Simpson of Anglian Water earned a £1.3m pay package * Welsh Water bosses awarded themselves bonuses of over £930,000 * Severn Trent bosses awarded themselves bonuses of £5.56m * Thames Water's Sarah Bentley, received a £727,000 bonus on top of her £2m annual salary Meanwhile there are... * People who haven't had breakfast and/or lunch TODAY, because they can't afford it. * People using FoodBanks because food is becoming more of a luxury than a necessity. * Children celebrating a birthday without presents. * Parents worrying about new school uniforms - and some schools enforcing rules which are not cost-effective. * People who can't get to work because they can't afford to put petrol in their cars/pay for public transport anymore. * People who are working so much they're making themselves ill, and they STILL CAN'T AFFORD to pay their bills. * People who have been given fines by these same energy/water companies because they couldn't afford to pay their bills in the first place - increasing their debt. * Customers being told to do STAR JUMPS TO KEEP WARM for crying out loud! * Hose pipe bans when gallons of water leak away everyday. * Elderly people NOT DRINKING because they're worried about running out of water!!! All this and energy prices are set to rise up to 75% in October... THIS IS MADNESS!.. I'm all for supporting profits ..I'm not for supporting greed at the cost of lives of others.. Something needs to change.. Why are customers' money being used to make life more comfortable for those who are making life more intolerable for the rest of us? I actually don't understand how the energy companies are allowed to get away with this and why the government aren't stopping them instead of handing out money..... Copied & pasted from others. Keep this going around for all to see.
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I’m sure they’re not doing so well in other areas but this is good. https://happyeconews.com/2022/07/25/intel-operations-in-us-costa-rica-india-achieve-net-positive-water/
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https://happyeconews.com/2022/08/03/my-electric-vehicle-adventures/
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This is article about covid in pregnancy and it’s risk to both mother and baby. A doctor comments that a fifth of the patients in her High Dependency Unit are pregnant women with covid. So they are urging unvaccinated women who are pregnant or who wish to be pregnant to get vaccinated asap. Covid: Mum urges vaccination take-up after baby loss https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-62439289
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Electrical items and technology https://www.currys.co.uk/services/delivery-installation/recycling.html
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This has been suggested by @LizS3 and is another new author for me. Last month’s author, Kent Haruf turned out to be a real hit, so always good to try new people. Discussion will start on 19 August. NB I noticed more than one book with that title so make sure you get the James Runcie one.
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Hi everyone, it’s great to have 54 members in the group but there are only half a dozen of us who actually read some, or all, of the recommended books and join in the discussions. It would be great to have more involvement from the rest of you. Please join in - if only occasionally. We’d love to hear from you!
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Sunak and Javid both resign. Time to jump ship it seems.
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A new author for me and a good discovery. It took me a little while to get into this story but I’m so glad I persevered. I loved the blend of tenderness and grittiness. I like the characterisation and found the various people very believable. I thought some of the descriptive passages were wonderfully written. The description, for example, of the dead horse being dragged to the field was very easy to picture. Liked it a lot! What did others think?
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Celebrating the circular economy with the 5th annual event. https://ceweek.london/event-2022/?
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I found this so sad and utterly depressing. There’s no easy answers but I can’t help thinking all the money we’ve supposedly saved through Brexit somehow hasn’t arrived at the door of the NHS. Ambulance waits: 'Can you please tell them to hurry up or I shall be dead' https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-61791151
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Another innovative idea - oh I do like a bit of positive news. https://www.positive.news/environment/ev-batteries-are-an-environmental-headache-this-startup-has-a-solution/
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Johnson’s track record not looking great. Has Boris Johnson met his pledges? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-58401767
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Oop, sorry folks, in a previous post I said discussion would start on 16th but I meant 18th June. I try to stick to Saturdays. Anyway the 18th is fast approaching so get stuck in.
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Given all the political turbulence of recent months I started thinking about the next general election. It’s probably pretty obvious that I’d like to see a change of government but that will require a lot of people to switch their vote. My voting history has been almost entirely stable over half a century. I’m just curious to know if people here vary who they vote for, or whether they stick to one party? I’m also curious about how many people read the actual manifestos of the various parties?
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To take place tonight. Will he win?
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There could be so much nice stuff on SL but even the most innocent threads are being derailed and it is killing the whole thing. Political differences are one thing but must so many threads just become slanging matches? There isn’t any reason to call people you disagree with idiots, gibbons, buffoons, stupid, uninformed, witches, or anything else derogatory. There’s certainly no place for threats of violence. And no place for abusive pms. Take it up with SL. There’s also no point in referring to pms, however nasty in a thread, as no one can make any sense of what’s gone on. Some posts are deliberately designed to provoke and are probably best ignored.
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https://www.nationaltrail.co.uk/en_GB/festival-of-national-nature-reserves/
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The first was in Dorset, this is in Somerset. Others are planned for the Peak District, Norfolk and somewhere else that I can’t remember. Seems a good move. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-super-national-nature-reserve-created-to-protect-rare-wildlife
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https://www.positive.news/society/positive-news-stories-from-week-21-of-2022/
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https://www.positive.news/society/the-rio-de-janeiro-garden-that-saves-lives/
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This smacks of the way politicians behave in Russia or China. Are people happy about this? https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/may/27/boris-johnson-changes-ministerial-code-to-remove-need-to-resign-over-breaches?
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https://www.positive.news/environment/what-would-happen-if-unloved-public-spaces-became-community-farms/
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Haven’t had time to read this yet but thought it might be of interest. https://www.positive.news/economics/can-ethical-investing-help-save-the-planet/
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Just a reminder that the next book is Plainsong by Kent Haruf. There is also Plainsong 2 (Eventide) - that’s not the one we’re reading! Discussion starts 16th June.
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I was encouraged by a conversation I had this week with someone who had been chatting to a friend of theirs whose job is advising companies on sustainability issues. He is massively overworked because the demand is exceptional at the moment. Moreover these companies are looking for real improvements and not interested in greenwashing. That sounds promising to me. He thinks there’s a lot of negativity out there about business and that makes folks just feel things are hopeless so they give up.
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I found this interesting. https://www.positive.news/environment/the-best-ways-to-get-cars-out-of-cities/
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https://www.positive.news/society/positive-news-stories-from-week-17-of-2022/
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Cutting it fine! I’ve just finished reading this at 5.20 am. I think it’s a very satisfying novel, true to life, with entirely believable characters. She manages to portray the affair with total accuracy and sensitivity, the highs and lows, the waiting around - the wondering - and the inevitable spluttering end. Although it’s set in the 1930’s, and in a social milieu completely at odds with today, somehow it remains relevant and timeless. I think that marks it out as a classic. I think she’s a wonderful writer but I didn’t enjoy or understand everything. I don’t think I was ever clear about Simon, and Olivia’s relationship with him - was this ever made clear? And at times I got lost in who everyone was, lots of people drifting in and out of the story but remaining superficial characters. This didn’t bother me, I think they weren’t central to ‘the affair’ but I did get lost at times, especially in the part where she was describing Amanda Cunningham and her party. All in all, a rich work and I’m glad I’ve read it. I wonder if others agree?!
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I seem to remember supporting this campaign a very long time ago. https://www.curlewaction.org/gcse-in-natural-history-confirmed/
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https://www.letstalkrubbish.london/?
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