The news that the Amazon area is now a net emitter of carbon [1]should come as no surprise to those of us who have followed the reckless activities of certain Brazilian politicians and their associates. The Amazon, the very lung of the planet, which might have protected us from so much climate damage, is giving out.

Fortunately, someone is taking up the slack. That someone is the English county of Sussex (East and West) which has launched a project of such potential that it offers hope for us all. They are going to plant kelp all they way along their shores, all the way from Chichester to Beachy Head. We could expend pages singing the praises of kelp-its benefits in the food and plastics industries, as fertiliser, and as a haven for marine life. We’ll let our links do the talking instead [2] [3] No, what we want is to draw your attention to the awe-inspiring powers of kelp as a carbon sequestration mechanism, in this excellent blog by Sylvia Hurliman [[4]

We have alluded to this project in previous blogs here (LSS 15 1 21) and in certain media outlets. And it’s so gratifying to learn about the progress which has been made since then, particulary when it starts to make national news. Sussex is showing the way.gentle readers. Will you pressure your Government to follow them?

[1]https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jul/19/amazon-deforestation-jair-

bolsonaro-rainforest-carbon-contributors

[2] https://sussexkelp.org.uk/

[3] https://sussexwildlifetrust.org.uk/helpourkelp

[4]https://sitn.hms.harvard.edu/flash/2019/how-kelp-naturally-combats-global-climate-change/

#amazon #carbon capture #global warming #kelp forest

For overseas readers who are not neurotically tuned to the British News Cycle, we have a problem in these islands. A great big, money swallowing, attention devouring, cluster of a problem called RAAC. And it will be coming to you soon.

RAAC (Reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete) was a cheap building material which achieved a cult status among construction firms and accountants(especially accountants) from the 1940s until the 1980s. Suddenly, over a hundred English schools have had to be wholly or partially closed in case the stuff suddenly fails, depositing tonnes of rubble on the heads of children and teachers alike. [1] It’s early days here; but people are very reasonably asking questions like: How many other schools? What about hospitals, car parks, garages, shopping malls and other public spaces, large and small? Which is where you come in, gentle overseas reader-because we bet your country was not immune to this shoddy plague either.

As our link shows, public and media alike are preparing to give a most humongous kicking to our hapless Prime Minister, Mr Sunak. But before they do, they should remember one thing. We have created a culture, no an entire civilization, based entirely on the cost price. Where keeping it as cheap as possible is fetishised to the exclusion of all other values. Not aesthetic, not long term, not even utility. A myopic set of values where the buy/sell price is the sole determinant of any transaction. Traders buy and sell; they create nothing, by definition. So when their values become hegemonic, investment must always suffer. Sunak rose in this system, and so must take some of the blame. But we created it, bit by bit, in thousands of newspaper articles, think tank reports and populist soundbites. It will take decades to find a more balanced set of values. And they’ll still be clearing up the RAAC.

[1] https://www.theguardian.com/education/2023/sep/04/england-crumbling-schools-rishi-sunak-repairs-civil-servant

#RAAC #Rishi Sunak #concrete #construction #education

Been Here before? Global warming, plagues of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, nuclear war……..believe it or not this isn’t the first time that humanity has flirted with extinction, as this piece from the Mail makes clear

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-12465399/Early-humans-nearly-went-EXTINCT-900-000-years-ago-population-ancestors-dropped-just-1-280-individuals-stud

Blaming Brexit? We have long argued here that Britain’s problems predate Brexit by years if not decades. The vote of 2016 was a symptom of a deeper sickness. But for the benefit of our overseas readers, here is a review of a book by a Daily Telegraph writer(yes, we actually wrote those words) which may serve as a warning to all those who prize emotion over reason

https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/what-went-wrong-with-brexit-by-peter-foster-review-state-of-denial/ar-AA1g4NfE?ocid=msedgdhp&pc=U531&cvid

A Checklist for AI “Consciousness How will i know if he really loves me ? “sang Whitney Houston You can ask this question about cats or computers-and we may have to very soon. Here’s Nature Briefings

Rapid advances in artificial intelligence (AI) have many researchers pondering the prospect of AI one day becoming conscious. But how would we know if it was? A group of neuroscientists, philosophers and computer scientists has proposed a checklist of criteria for determining whether a system is likely to be conscious. Instead of putting an AI system through a behavioural test, the researchers suggest using the checklist, which draws on several competing theories of consciousness.Nature | 4 min read
Reference: ArXiv preprint (not peer reviewed

21 for the price of 1 Antivaxxers need to ask themselves-if vaccines are so bad, how can this entirely rational practice have so many beneficial side effects? And remember, this report comes from one of your own, the Daily Mail no less. Does that, possibly, make you think again?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-12448901/Covid-jabs-protect-patients-giving-antibodies-against-21-viruses-includi

Alzheimers Drugs Recent optimism on the latest generation of Alzheimers needs tempering, according to The Conversation. We always like a second opinion on any subject

https://theconversation.com/new-alzheimers-drugs-dont-deserve-the-hype-heres-why-211842?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest%20from%20The%20Conversation

well, there you go for this week have a good weekend

And so the world burns, the seas rise and formerly pleasant areas like Florida are lashed by ever more violent storms(Ron Di Santis take note) Yet all of this was avoidable, gentle readers, if just a handful of people had decided a different way.

In August 1973 the world had clocked up 28 years of steady growth, especially in western countries. Regulated markets, and a growing network of co-operative international institutions, such as the World Bank, IMF and EC, suggested steady progress which would eventually be shared by all. Yet that autumn changed everything, as older readers will recall. A bitterly-contested war in the Middle East led Arab countries to employ the OIl Embargo. The result was disastrous inflation and economic chaos across the world. It was a time of doubt, dread and uncertainty. Decades-old verities were called into sudden, terrible, question, especially in places like the UK, which ended up only working for three days a week.

Something had to be done. And policymakers faced a choice. They could choose a financial solution-reduce the money supply, raise interest rates and cut labour costs. Or they could choose a scientific and engineering solution; wean themselves off oil as fast as possible using renewable and nuclear technologies. They chose the former. Inflation was indeed licked. You can argue about the cost-rising poverty and inequality, unstable financial markets, vast flows of migration. But the policies of economists like Milton Friedman, implemented by politicians like Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan, mean that the memories of that terrible winter do indeed seem long ago.

But imagine if the other solution had been tried instead.. That the world had moved to a renewable carbon free economy. If this path had been started in 1974, it is pretty likely that it would all have been completed by about 2000. Not only would emissions have started to fall by about 1990, every molecule of carbon dioxide that has hit the atmosphere since the turn of the century need not have existed. We would never have heard of climate change. It’s funny how a single binary choice, which seemed so easy to make at the time, could have had such devastating long tern consequences. So- were those long lost years of the 1970s the worst ever in History. Or are we playing with hindsight?

#oil crisis #global warming #climate change #monetarism #milton friedman #solar power

Look at your old holiday photos from Kos in 1986. That’s right, the old paper ones. There’s you with your mates toasting another happy night with Pina Coladas. So, who are those people in the background who just happened to be passing when the shot was taken? A bunch of Dutch entomologists? An American couple from Milwaukee in the throes of a relationship breakdown? Where are they now? Did they meet someone else? Are they happy or sad?

And-whose photos are you in? If you’ve lived in a tourist hotspot like London or New York, you’ve probably been an extra in dozens of snaps, especially now everything is digital, and every phone an infinite library of images. At one point, for a fleeting moment, your life and the photographer’s life coincided. Were you and that Japanese lady from Osaka really meant for each other? So much so that, had you spoken, you both would have left your partners and run off to start a new life together as consultant software engineers in Bali, Indonesia?

And who else is in that picture? Most of us lead harmless, uneventful lives, at least if given enough to eat and the basics of shelter. But might someone more sinister be lurking in your photo collection as well? A criminal? A psychopath? A journalist from the Sun? Once someone found a photo of a huge crowd in Vienna. It was taken on the day they proclaimed the First World War. And in among them, cheering away, was the young Adolf Hitler.[1] Even people like him get to stand around in crowds, before they have really begun on their life’s work, so to speak.

So now go back to your old albums and digital archives. Forget the family and friends. Look in the background. Because after reading this, someone there will be looking at you.

_{The image below has been reproduced from Bing search database It is a superb archive of images and graphics on every conceivable subject and should be widely consulted by researchers, journalists, teachers students and all with an interest in the furtherance of knowledge thanks, guys} [1]

Prigozhin Blues The fallout from the recent plane crash in Russia continues. Amid the tidal wave of speculation, our indefatigable associate Mr Peter Seymour has judged that this piece from Time stands out

https://time.com/6308185/yevgeny-prigozhin-death-vladimir-putins-power/

Hats off to India While their former colonial masters languish in continuing decline and irrelevance, India marches boldly into the future. Whatever the motives, this is a remarkable achievement The Conversation explains

https://theconversation.com/indias-chandrayaan-3-landed-on-the-south-pole-of-the-moon-a-space-policy-expert-explains-what-this-means-for-india-and-the

Get some revenge on the Planet-burners Is it possible to start making polluters pay? Early days so far, but one brave and determined group of Swiss ladies have made a start. Here’s Nature Briefings older female activists fight climate change

A group of more than 2,000 older women has taken the Swiss government to the European Court of Human Rights over its climate-change policy. They say that, because heatwaves disproportionately affect older women, Switzerland’s inaction on climate change is violating their right to life and health. Research into the effects of climate change on health will also be key to two other lawsuits — one against the French government and one against 33 European countries. Decisions about all three cases are expected by early 2024.Nature | 7 min read

Digestive Mysteries Following the lead of publications like New Scientist, we’ve covered stories about the deepening interest in evidence that links part of the digestive system (gums, microbiomes, etc) with the health of the nervous system (we’ve mentioned things like Alzheimers and so on) A further intriguing straw in the wind comes from this article in the Mail

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-12444523/Parkinsons-originate-appendix-organ-removed-52-likely-develop-condition-st

The key to Loch Ness Monster hunters are gearing up for the biggest hunt for their elusive quarry for 50 years. It will be quite a media fest, while the pubs and souvenir shops on the shores of the famous Loch Ness will no doubt see a roaring trade. We don’t want to spoil the fun. But if the beast really is a dinosaur or plesiosaur or something, didn’t they all die out 65000 000 years ago? And isn’t Loch Ness only 10 000 years old? OK we were terrible at maths-but even we can see how this may present a problem

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/aug/21/loch-ness-monster-enthusiasts-gear-up-for-biggest-search-in-50-years

A song from Scotland (Sort of) Talking of Loch Ness and things Scottish, we could wax lyrical on the many bands we’ve admired from north of the border-Travis, Texas, and Eurythmics all spring to mind but there have been many more. Just to be a bit different, we’ve picked out Garbage(well, the singer was Scottish) and this reminder of the heady, glorious days of the 1990s when Mr Clinton and Mr Blair seemed to have everything sorted out. Look how that ended, Stupid Girl

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=song+stupid+girl+garbage&view=detail&mid=8E970F36D8C6A4F2963A8E970F36D8C6A4F2963A&FORM=VIRE

Oh dear. We are sorrowed to have to report a troubling intellectual problem for our friends in the Evangelical Community in the United States. The teachings of Jesus Christ. Who, let’s be frank, certainly had something to do with the founding of their religion. According to Russell Moore, a man of impeccable faith and learning

………………… multiple pastors had told him they would quote the Sermon on the Mount, specifically the part that says to “turn the other cheek,” when preaching. Someone would come up after the service and ask, “Where did you get those liberal talking points?”

“What was alarming to me is that in most of these scenarios, when the pastor would say, ‘I’m literally quoting Jesus Christ,’ the response would not be, ‘I apologize.’ The response would be, ‘Yes, but that doesn’t work anymore. That’s weak,” (From the New Republic )[1]

Oh dear, that pesky Sermon! And all that woke stuff about the Good Samaritan! Who let this guy into the Church? To say nothing about all those money changers in the temple! Just imagine it-if we all had to interpret our faith, we’d have to think! And then we might have to think about other things! Who knows where it might all end? [2]

But people of True Faith need not worry. Because there is One Man living among us who knows the Truth on every subject. A man of stainless moral character, impeccable integrity, amazingly youthful and handsome (for his advanced years) and is, by his own admission, popular with the ladies. It’s certainly true that according to some of his followers, Donald J Trump is already neck-and neck with Jesus [3] But even they admit he is not quite the Full Monty. And The Man himself has not (so far) claimed divine honours of any kind. But, in the end, what does it matter? Who needs Jesus when you have Donald Trump!

_{we thank Mr Peter Seymour for this story}

[1]https://newrepublic.com/post/174950/christianity-today-editor-evangelicals-call-jesus-liberal-weak

[2]https://www.politico.eu/article/jesus-leftist-or-rightist-religion-politics/

[3]https://www.businessinsider.com/donald-trump-shares-post-proclaiming-him-second-only-to-jesus-2022-9?r=US&IR=T

#jesus christ #donald j trump #left wing #right wing #religion #theology #christianity

The folly of misogyny We have always been strong evidence of female emancipation here. So it’s interesting to find further confirmation of our cherished beliefs on how systematic misogyny is holding back Japan’s economy. From The Conversation

https://theconversation.com/how-gender-inequality-is-hindering-japans-economic-growth-206537?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest%20from%20The%2

Spirit Level still dazzles after 14 years The Spirit Level by Wilkinson and Pickett was one of those books that, once you’ve read it, you’ll never think the same again. And still after 14 years it informs and guides, as Nature Briefings shows Why reducing Inequality is so Hard

In 2009, The Spirit Level, a book by epidemiologists Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett lit a fire under world leaders inspired by its analysis of the benefits of reducing economic inequality. But that objective — enshrined as United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 10 — is slipping further away. There is some good news: overall income inequality between countries is dropping. But income inequality within countries is rising and workers around the world are keeping a smaller slice of the economic pie that they produce. A Nature editorial examines what’s gone wrong and how to fix it.Nature | 6 min read

Rouble Rumblings When Russian tyrant Putin smashed his way into Ukraine, he thought it was a Sure Thing. Not so fast, Pooters-looks like your economy is starting to crumble. Here’s Larry Elliott of the Guardian

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2023/aug/15/interest-rate-hike-just-a-sticking-plaster-for-russias-war-fuelled-economic-woes

Found it! There’s trend in certain circles to snark at Bono for being just a bit too good and right on and concerned. Maybe. But U2 were firmly in the tradition of really good Irish bands and at their best could chuck out real thrills. Here’s our favourite, I still haven’t found whht I was looking for, with the old boy in fine voice See you next week

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=u2+still+haven%27t+found+what+i%27m+looking+for&view=detail&mid=F9077750F7440572218DF9077750F7440

A while ago we attended a showing of No Time to Die…….yes, that James Bond film, where he finally-No! We won’t spoil it for those who have not yet seen it. But those who have can imagine our feelings as we stood watching the credits role, shouting futile protests at the projection team, who weren’t there because such people don’t exist anymore.

Fortunately, our companion led us, still in mourning, to an agreeable Italian Restaurant, where we could sample the high life, just like he used to, before………enough said! And fortunately these people were party to a scientific discovery of such magnitude, and yet of such simplicity, that it completely restored our spirits and general belief in the world. For sitting on the menu for pre-dinner cocktails was a brainwave which took a simple gin and tonic and transformed it, completely transformed it, into something wondrous and new. What do you think it could have been, gentle readers?

Add a shot of Campari

Yep, that old red fluid, so beloved of under age drinkers in 1980s discotheques added such a zing and spice to an otherwise mundane tincture, that we were quite restored and ready to face the hurdles of the main menu and wine list (we nearly always go for a nice Primitivo, for the record) Soon our sorrow and despair for poor old James was transformed into a kind of “well, poor old chap, but he’s gone to a better place, etc etc, who’s for a spot of tiramisu?” When the evening was rounded off by the arrest of a ghastly old man for abusing the waiters, our happiness was complete.

So there you are. Try it. Campari and gin and tonic. Give it a whirl. James Bond would have thanked you for it.

#cocktails #james bond #campari #gin #tonic

In case you didn’t realise, educating women benefits everyone.[1] Somehow the bunch of primitives, maniacs and misogynists who took over in Afghanistan don’t realise this. Instead they have banned women and girls from all serious education. Is this more dim-witted than cruel, or more cruel than dim-witted? Unfortunately for them, someone more intelligent has found a way round their idiocy.

The Herat Online School [2] now provides online teaching for girls in maths, science, Persian Literature, health and a whole range of other subjects for Afghan women of all classes. These are the words of their founder, the redoubtable Angela Ghayour

“I simply could not sit and witness the despair, tears and grief of the girls of my homeland, so I started to light a candle in the dark to keep the hope of the bright day alive”.

We have scraped these words from the website of a truly marvellous organisation called Children on the Edge [3] They spend their time trying to do their best for underprivileged and marginalised children in some of the poorest and most desperate countries on earth. And they realise that you can’t help children if you oppress their mothers, so they are backing Herat Online School to the hilt.

Wouldn’t it be nice if this starts a trend? Imagine if all the women of Afghanistan started learning online, in the most modern subjects in the world. While their brothers are stuck in the Madrasa, rote learning religious texts and stripping down Kalashnikovs. How long long will the ghastly Afghan regime last then? We can’t ask you to donate to every cause that flits across our screen, gentle readers. We know that. But we can beg you to diffuse knowledge of these brave organisations as widely as you can. One day, you may be able to look back and say ” I helped to educate a Doctor.”

[1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socioeconomic_impact_of_female_education

[2]https://www.childrenontheedge.org/lateststories

[3]https://www.childrenontheedge.org/aboutus.html

#herat online school #children on the edge #afghanistan #taleban #womens rights