ULEZ success suggests progress works-sometimes

Remember the waves of fury and anger that swept over certain sections of the population when the London ULEZ zone was introduced.? Among many acts of lawlessness, cameras and signs were smashed and street calming flower planters torn up, all to a cascade of spittle-flecked rage online and in certain popular news outlets. For those not au fait with every aspect of London news, ULEZ is a set of mayoral restrictions on the more lethal forms of traffic pollution, such as nitrous oxides and PM _2.5 particles which was introduced in part in 2019 before subsequent extensions in 2021 and 2023.

Now news comes, from Smitha Mundasad of the BBC,[1] of the remarkable health benefits which have already accrued in the short time since the new scheme’s introduction. A five year study of 3400 children(that’s good numbers, folks) comparing London to Luton(less polluted, but with same mix) revealed

Scientists say they have been “stunned” by how quickly young children’s lungs began to recover and grow after …….. after the introduction of an Ultra Low Emission Zone (Ulez) in 2019 reduced emissions

Being good journalism, based on good science, Smitha points out that other factors must be considered as well. Of course: coping with complexity is what marks out this blog and its readers. But we know the ULEZ achievement to be remarkable nevertheless. And how much cleaner central London is looking these days![2]

Which brings us back to those on the other side who do not really do complexity. Their thought is fast, their opinion quickly formed, their conclusions firm. In this they reminded us of opponents of other episodes of social change: smoking bans in pubs leap to mind. But then we also recalled the angry opposition to seat belts; drink driving laws; clean air acts, child labour restrictions, slavery eradication…..all the way back to the same sort of people who opposed the abolition of gladiatorial games and beast hunting in Ancient Rome. Someone always sees the downside, don’t they?

Perhaps the common thread linking our opponents is not lack of education or indeed intelligence. Perhaps it is that they have made a bet that terrible things only happen to other people : so why should they care? This attitude may work for a while until it is applied to dealing with truly all encompassing phenomena such as antibiotic resistance , disease pandemics and global warming. At which point terrible things will happen to them too.

[1]https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c1l1r1zne1ro?at_link_origin=BBCNews&at_bbc_team=editorial&at_ptr_name=twitter&at_link_type=web_link&at_campaign_type=owned

[2]Health risks related to air pollution by transport categories and vehicle types: Comparison by mortality indicators – ScienceDirect

#ULEZ #clean air #traffic pollution #health #london #diesel #particulates #lung #slavery #gladiators #smoking #antibiotic resistance #global warming #pandemics

Cocktails from America: The Manhattan

In Cocktail homage to the United States, until recently the greatest nation on the planet, we have chosen the Manhattan. That ne plus ultra of the 1920s when America set out to rule the world through Modernity and Finance: and the island of Manhattan was the very centre of that rule. No, not Rhapsody in Blue, not Wall Street, not Macey’s, not even the New Yorker;-we firmly showcase the Manhattan because it is the city distilled: dark, glossy, slightly dangerous, and absolutely convinced of its own importance.

Prohibition didn’t kill the Manhattan, it made it forbidden and therefore mythic. It was the one they served in a joint off Times Square where you went in with a nod and password, and the man who served it was one of those Damon Runyon types who wore a waistcoat and knew how to keep his mouth shut. Because the clientele included not just flappers, journalists, gangsters and politicians, but also more than a few cops who did not carry the principles of their Office uncomfortably into private life. So as you mix one tomorrow night, you’ll have Manhattan, maybe even the Bronx and Staten Island too: but a fleeting taste of those brief decades when Democracy and Hyperconsumption looked like they would be the future of the world. How time trumps all of our illusions!

Method Freely adapted with thanks from the Hamlyn Ultimate Cocktail Book, that Bible of Style for sophisticated readers of all lands. Put five ice cubes into a mixing glass and add one measure of sweet vermouth and three measures of rye or bourbon whiskey. Stir them well and then strain sin hielo into a chilled cocktail glass. If you must decorate, a cherry on a stick might do: but you would have got some very old fashioned looks whether you were in Queens, Broadway, or any of the other choice locations across the length and breadth of old Gotham City in its Jazz age peak.

Enjoy a pleasant weekend,

#Manhattan #cocktails #New York #Jazz Age #prohibition #damon runyon #george gershwin

Will Global Warming be the final blow for the High Street?

Photo by Timothy Huliselan on Pexels.com

At LSS we bring our readers an eclectic range of stories: medical research, energy technologies, geopolitics, cocktails… all human life is here, you might say. Yet one subject dear to our heart has been a little neglected, even though we first covered it six years ago (LSS 6/4/20): the good old British High Street — those lines and streets of shops, cafés, community buildings, pubs and whatever else that once made us feel we belonged, had place, and time, and even, dare we say it?-a little agency. It’s had a battering lately: rising rents, falling business confidence since 2016, and of course online shopping, which has taken such a juicy slice of the retail spending pie. No wonder everyone complains about empty shops and “hollowed‑out High Streets”. No wonder so many political parties make hopeful promises to restore the old place to its 1960s glory.

So all the old place needed was a fresh blow — the latest British Retail Consortium figures for July, which showed a 3.4% fall in visitors to British shops in June. In fact the headline number masks a worse result for High Streets, with footfall down 6.2%, while retail parks and shopping centres got off more lightly (0.3% and 2.5% respectively). And the reason? The weather: the heatwave, which was England’s hottest on record and the UK’s second hottest. A grim explanation which nevertheless seems widely accepted.

Which made us wonder: what other parts of the economy are already starting to suffer losses due to climate change? A quick survey allowed our Research Department to suggest that winter sports, coastal leisure, outdoor festivals, gardening and horticulture, recreational fishing and boating, heritage tourism, wine production, and amateur community sport are all showing measurable economic losses as climate change disrupts seasons, damages landscapes, raises insurance costs, and forces cancellations across activities people once assumed were stable, perennial — and rather fun.

How ironic, then, that some parties who call most loudly for the restoration of the traditional High Street are also those demanding the reversal of policies designed to mitigate climate change! They argue that the projected costs of adaptation are too high to bear. But the actual costs are already very real — and rising. However, you have a remedy, gentle reader. The next time someone moans to you about the state of the High Street, you may agree that the Government must take action. Starting with policies to slow and reverse global warming.

[1] UK shopping trips fall in June as heatwave takes toll, BRC says

[2] Impact of climate change on global economy: A comprehensive review – ScienceDirect

#economics #climate change #global warming #high street #retail #shopping

Friday Night: Canadian Cocktails

“Canada : it’s a country where scale, sanity, and scenery all conspire in the traveller’s favour. You get cities that hum without overwhelming you — Vancouver’s ocean‑and‑mountain glamour, Montréal’s café‑soaked charm, Toronto’s multicultural thrum — and then, ten minutes later, you’re in a forest so vast it feels like a thought experiment. Lakes the size of small nations, wildlife that treats humans as mildly interesting background noise, and a national temperament that is unfailingly polite without being saccharine. For the holidaymaker, it’s the rare place where you can have adventure without chaos, wilderness without hardship, and culture without crowds.”

All of the preceding has been recently confirmed by first hand reports which have just reached us. In fact, the two travellers concerned (plus wives) so very much enjoyed the place that we thought we’d salute their achievements by penning a hymn of praise to Canadian cocktails. And to save time we are going to link you directly to some brilliant experts called My Bartender [1] who have compiled a list of no less than eight (count ‘em- eight!) delicious recipes, including how to make them, how to serve them, and above all how to enjoy them, whether you are touring the Maple Leaf Land itself, or sitting somewhere altogether more cramped like these sweaty offices in Croydon. Read their outpourings now to learn more about the eponymous Canadian Cocktail, the Maple Leaf (how Canadian is that?),the Canadian Maple Leaf old fashioned(answer: even more so) The White Canadian (must be good up on the snows of Baffin Island) The French Canadian (we say “oui” to that), JP Wisers Apple Jam’n (sounds as if it could soothe the savagest sasquatch) The Strawberry Sour(ditto a bear) and finally the Canadian Caesar( not to be confused with the American Caesar-he is become so tiresome lately)

And we hope that by sipping just one of the above you you will get some taste of this glorious country which our correspondents enjoyed so very much

By the way: do not really attempt to soothe actual bears with cocktails. They have their own views on mixology and tend to become prickly and stand offish at even small frustrations

_{Thanks to P Seymour and G Herbert}

[1] 8 Best Canadian Cocktails to Drink

#cocktails #canada #travel #rocky mountains #holidays

Friday Night: Côtes de Provence Rosé for summer evenings

We know of no happier place to visit than the sun-drenched French region of Provence. To descend on final approach into Nice is gain privileged witness to all of its charms in a single five minute panorama as the plane crosses lavender covered mountains, vineyards, opulent settlements like Antibes and Juan‑les‑Pins, busy crowded beaches and les aménagements of every conceivable period of history. For Provence (originally Provincia Romana, the Republics’ first holding outside of Italy) has been at the crossroads of human development for hundreds of thousands of years. The Romans found a thriving Greek colony that was already big on wines, olives and all the other appurtenances of Classical Civilisation. Many asseverate that the traditions of that Civilisation were never entirely lost here while the rest of Europe collapsed into the Dark Ages. And under the Counts of Provence a thriving new culture, a medieval “cool” of artists and poets re emerged into the sunlight of a growing prosperity which has somehow survived invasions, religious wars, papal exiles, revolutions, world wars and even competition from fast food empires.

But fans of this column will want to know “What do they drink, and where can we get some?” Old Provençal hands will recognise names like Bandol , Cassis (the appellation, not the liqueur) and pastis almost from their subconscious. And every good bar will run a line in beers like Kronenbourg 1664 for hot days in hilltop villages. But today we are going to go with one of our all-time favourites : Côtes de Provence Rosé: the big, sunlit workhorse of the region: pale, saline, herbal, carrying the taste of every fine holiday spent, and memory generated, in this glorious region. As usual we shall offer three types, thus suiting every pocket. And although based on the English market, which is sadly all we know, les connaisseurs of all lands will find enough to adapt to their own circumstances

Sensible and sure

ASDA Château de Gairoird Côtes de Provence Rosé ~£12–£14 Dry, fresh, strawberry‑and‑citrus, clean finish. A proper Provence rosé without the lifestyle‑inflation tax.

Polished mid‑range

Sainsburys M de Minuty Rosé ~£17–£20 Peach, watermelon, a touch of herbs, very Côte d’Azur. The one people bring to dinner parties when they want to look tasteful but not ostentatious.

Premium, but not insane

Waitrose Whispering Angel (single bottle) ~£18–£25 Ultra‑pale, refined, citrus blossom, mineral finish. As often with Waitrose, you’ll be paying a bit more-but we think you’ll notice the difference.

That’s three fine choices by which anyone can enjoy a taste of Provence without actually selling a kidney. À la vôtre !, or as they say in Old Provence :Santat!

#wine #provence #france #summer drinks #travel

Friday: Greek rosé wines corner

When we asked our team of researchers what Greece, and Greek culture, have given to the world, they came up with this:

Homer epic poetry Hesiod didactic poetry Sappho lyric poetry Pindar odes Aeschylus tragedy Sophocles tragedy Euripides tragedy Aristophanes comedy Herodotus history Thucydides history Xenophon history Plato philosophy Aristotle philosophy Socrates ethics Diogenes Cynicism Zeno Stoicism Epicurus Epicureanism Pythagoras mathematics Euclid geometry Archimedes physics engineering Eratosthenes geography Hipparchus astronomy Aristarchus heliocentrism Anaximander cosmology Democritus atomism Hippocrates medicine Galen medicine Herophilus anatomy Ptolemy astronomy geography Phidias sculpture Praxiteles sculpture Polykleitos sculpture Ictinus architecture Callicrates architecture Mnesicles architecture Parthenon architecture Athenian democracy political theory Solon lawgiver Cleisthenes reforms Pericles statesmanship Alexander the Great empire‑building Hellenistic science Alexandria library Septuagint translation Byzantine theology Cappadocian Fathers Orthodox liturgy Hagia Sophia architecture Procopius history Anna Komnene history Photios scholarship Cyril and Methodius Slavic literacy Byzantine diplomacy Greek fire military technology Cretan Renaissance literature El Greco painting Rigas Feraios nationalism Adamantios Korais Enlightenment Greek War of Independence Philhellenism modern Greek state Venizelos diplomacy Cavafy poetry Seferis poetry Elytis poetry Kazantzakis literature Theodorakis music Hadjidakis music Papandreou political thought Onassis shipping Greek diaspora scholarship modern Greek cinema modern Greek science modern Greek shipping global Greek cuisine Mediterranean diet.

“Ah,” we countered, but they never invented cocktails!” But they did have-no, do have- some fine rosé wines. So to counter this obvious aching gap in Greek culture we sent those same researchers off to create a short but very handy guide to three Greek Rosés, priced to all pockets, which could make for some delicious refreshments if it gets as hot as we think it might get hot in this El Niño summer. (See LSS 5 6 26)

£8–£10 — Kourtaki Retsina Rosé (Attica)

Often found in larger Tesco or Sainsbury’s stores, depending on region. Dry, light, herbal, very Greek, very summery. (If your local doesn’t stock it, M&S sometimes carries a Greek rosé under its “Found” range.)

£12–£14 — Mylonas Rosé (Mandilaria/Agiorgitiko, Attica)

Available from The Wine Society, Waitrose Cellar, and several independents. A proper step up: strawberry, pomegranate, a little herb; beautifully balanced.

£18–£22 — Gaia 14–18h Rosé (Agiorgitiko, Nemea)

A cult bottle. Stocked by Berry Bros. & Rudd, The Wine Society, and good Greek specialists. Serious rosé: pale Provençal style but with Greek backbone and minerality.

Sorry if they forgot Demis Roussos

With thanks to Mrs MF of Bridport, Dorset

#wine #greece #hellenic #rosé #holiday #demis roussos

Would you visit Sussex without a porpoise?

One of the many advantages of our mighty office block is its proximity East Croydon Station. A short saunter puts the tired Senior Executive ( junior staff have work to do) on a train which will, in only a few minutes, whisk him from all the towering skyscrapers, crowded tenements and tiresome colleagues, transporting him rapidly into the beautiful county of Sussex. With all its rolling hills, lively cities, quaint villages, castles and pleasant coastal towns. For example, the sea front at Worthing has been compared to that of Nice in France-although admittedly only by people who have never been to Nice.

But the best thing of all about Sussex is its thriving ecosystem of websites, newspapers and magazines at every level: village, neighbourhood, county -which not only cover all aspects of local life but acts as a thriving hub for the forces of economics and commerce. Among the best and brightest is Sussex Local, a widely distributed website and glossy colour magazine which covers both community events plus stories of wider national potential such as science or conservation. Riffling through its pages we came across this story (alright, we wrote it, but that’s beside the point) of a a brave and erudite scientist called Thea Taylor who has devoted her working life to the care and preservation of the large cetaceans which still inhabit the English Channel That’s right, porpoises, dolphins and sometimes even larger beasts are not just hanging on, they’re trying to come back into the waters of one of the busiest shipping lanes in the world(it’s still open, folks) Dodging super tankers, evading trawlers, and jumping to the delight of excursionists and more serious yachtspersons alike. They still represent a genuine large wild megafauna in easy access of great cities like Brighton and London. But to keep them that way, Thea needs your help. You could start by reading the scintillating article we have published. [1] Or could you find a way to help Thea and the Sussex Dolphin Project directly? If you save the creatures in Sussex, you’ll help to save them everywhere.

[1]https://sussexlocal.net/back-issues-categories/2026/

[2] Sussex Dolphin Project

#dolphin #english channel #porpoise #brighton #consevation #ecology #nature #oceans

Round Up for Bank Holiday Weekend: Climate Migrants, Migrating whales, Wales’ climate-and more

Stories we liked but never had time to cover this week

Every Immigrant an Emigrant If you’re really serious about migration, tackle the causes, we say. This article from the Conversation makes our point rather well. Economics and ecology: tackle those and you will have solved the problem.

https://theconversation.com/who-moves-away-when-climate-change-hits-the-hidden-household-politics-of-migration-281470?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest%20from%20The%20Conversa

Wandering whale The immense migrations that some animals make have always impressed us none more so than the journeys of this remarkable humpback whale as chronicled by The Guardian. Incidentally, cetacean fans will be delighted by the forthcoming edition of that remarkable magazine Sussex Local, which carries a tour de force of in-depth reporting on dolphins and other large mammals in the English Channel. Don’t miss it!

Twenty-two years and 15,000km later: fluke discovery sets new record for humpback whale journey | Marine life | The Guardian wandering whale

Was T Rex fairly armless? Sorry we couldn’t think of a single Marc Bolan gag that we could decently publish here, so we’ll let you read this article about one of the more famous unsolved puzzles in science.

Why did T. rex have such small arms? Scientists finally SOLVE the mystery – and say the answer may lie in their giant heads | Daily Mail Online

How long can a civilisation last anyway? If you’re one of those types who thinks “I don’t give a monkey’s about climate change, I’ll be dead before it happens” then this article from EL País may give pause for thought.(note-in Spanish)

https://elpais.com/ciencia/2026-05-20/cuanto-tiempo-puede-vivir-una-civilizacion-antes-de-colapsar-las-utopias-estables-son-los-escenarios-menos-probables.

Fortress Britain People in Britain used to sneer at the disasters-climatic, political, economic-which befell less fortunate countries. Not any more, as climate change erodes their complacency in many forms, including biting insects, burning summers and flashing floods. Even in cool green Wales, as this link from the BBC makes clear

‘Negligence’ not to prepare for climate change emergencies in Wales – BBC News

Basically, it’s reckless indulgence in our beastly pleasures that have brought the climate crisis upon us. Shakespeare had this to say

“Thou art so fat-witted with drinking of old sack… that thou hast forgotten to demand that which thou wouldst truly know.” — Henry IV, Part 1 (Act 1, Scene 2)

#climate change #global warming #whales #dolphins #dinosaurs #economics #sociology

Friday Night Feast of Fun: What to Wear for Cocktails

A few years ago (LSS 15 5 20) we received a plaintive call for help from a reader in Bridport in Dorset. He posed an age old and much-debated question: how should the Gentleman of Fashion dress for Friday Night Cocktail?. And this is the answer we gave

“Dear Mr AF: the rules on this have always been very prescriptive, but fair. In winter, a dark blue or black jacket, striped shirt, creased chinos and smart black shoes. Tie; anything regimental. old school, or your golf club. The building, not the thing you hit the ball with! In summer you may sport a light jacket, summer being defined as any date from Easter Sunday until the final Bank Holiday in August. You may of course wear a Panama. But don’t wear it indoors, or you will look like a numpty.”

Well, we will not change a dot or comma of that answer. Rules of dress are timeless, like rules of Golf or Morality. What you see above is how it is ladies and gentleman and we can no mor exchange that than we can ask for a rewrite on one of the Ten Commandments. (not even the one about Adultery) But we will add an appendix. A coda if you like, to recognise the times we live in.

Because since that blog was published quite a lot has changed. global temperatures have climbed by roughly 0.3 °C, 2024 became the hottest year ever recorded at about 1.55 °C above pre‑industrial levels , mountain glaciers have kept shrinking with more than 27 m water‑equivalent lost since 1970 and record mass losses in five of the past six years , and extreme events—heatwaves, storms, floods, droughts, and fires—have intensified across almost every corner of the biosphere. Yes, it’s got hotter, quite a lot hotter and it’s not just because you are standing too near the barbecue fire, ladies and gentlemen. So, just as St Benedict wisely relaxed monastic rules to make them more bearable , we are going to relax the Cocktail Code. A bit. In the warmest weather only. Gentleman may, with discretion, wear a polo shirt if working at the barbecue or serving the drinks, provided that you clear it first with the Guests.

Well there’s our advice . It’s nearly Six British Summer Time as we pen these lines, so we, like many of you are already thinking of slipping in to the time-honoured garb and wolfing down that first Pimms. We hope you enjoy your evening too, wherever you are.

#cocktails #clothes #global warming #st benedict #climate change #pimms #gin

Friday Night: Graves de Côte, Brighton

Photo by Bernyce Hollingworth on Pexels.com

We are acquainted with more than one person who refuses to dine in chain restaurants. Being both of limited means and unlimited hunger after a hard day of investigative journalism, my photographer and I decided to stake our all on Côte Brasserie Church Street Brighton. [1] Our delight was not only in the food, which was excellent, not the service (first rate), but was also owed to the fact that it enabled your correspondent to wax lyrical about a favourite subject: the clarets of the Graves region, entirely apposite to a blog rooted in the tastes and preoccupations of the eighteenth-century Whigs.

We started by sharing mixed starters of Cheesy French Onion Fougasse and the Charcuterie of truffle saucisson, savoie ham, celeriac remoulade and pan blanc. Being between the lunch and dinner rushes the service was fast and exceedingly friendly, with time to appreciate the excellent ambience and extreme cleanliness of our surroundings. For her main, my companion chose the Half Roast Chicken which turned outto have a delicious buttery flavour and light crumbling texture which lifted it significantly above the standards found in so many pubs and restaurants. Your correspondent chose an old favourite: a 10 oz ribeye. Cooked to medium rare, it was tender, delicious and utterly reflective of the subtle herbs which always seem to lift a French steak above a plain English one. Readers will be gratified to learn that Cote offered unlimited fries, of which generous offer we could not take full advantage, being both on diets. But I was allowed a side of delicious green and juicy broccoli, always the tastiest of fresh vegetables.

To drink, my companion chose a glass of Côte’s own grenache rosé. But for myself this was a chance to sample (more than one) glass of red Graves AOC. For your correspondent, Bordeaux has always our choice of French region: and Graves our choice of Bordeaux It’s the cradle of Bordeaux’s wine trade, the source of the first great châteaux, and still the place where you can taste the region’s history without paying Médoc grand cru prices. Graves is Claret in its original, flinty register: born from river‑washed gravel that soaks up the sun by day and bleeds it back into the vines by night, giving the wines that poised mix of ripeness, freshness, and a faint smoky edge. We frankly and unashamedly admit that the wine’s true strength and depth needs a large brimming glass to be fully appreciated, a user requirement fully satisfied by the handy 250 ml beakers on ready offer. Steak connaisseurs will be unsurprised to learn that it made the perfect partner to my dish.

Diets being diets, there was sadly no opportunity to sample the varied dessert menu beyond the usual coffee. Except that there is one tradition this writer will not let die: the custom of the dessert wine. Fortunately, this need was more than adequately met by their white Domaine de Barrubio Muscat, a deliciously cool, slightly sweet addition. An innovation entirely preferable to stuffing your face with endless ice creams or lashings of apple crumble and custard; a vice which we had practiced all too often in establishments of all sorts before the advent of our current Virtue.

If you like good food and are not a snob, then we utterly recommend this restaurant and its cheerful and ever-helpful staff

Côte Brighton 115-116 Church Street Brighton BN1 1UD

[1]https://www.bing.com/alink/link?url=https%3a%2f%2fwww.cote.co.uk%2frestaurant%2fbrighton&source=serp-local&h=0amR%2byvWX27TKGXbQR4eJV9uEy

LSS has no personal, business or financial connection whatsoever with Côte nor any of its employees

food #drink #wine #restaurant #brighton