You're not supposed to say the quiet part out loud. It makes it harder for everyone to pretend that the policy-making is not sock-puppetry for the rich (1). The latest example of this is a Canadian having to quit (2) because he boasted to an audience that 'We've been given opportunities to write entire briefing... Continue Reading →
Climate, Rishi’s D-day, the Borg and Brexit (no, really)
First things first. If in five years' time anyone thinks that what is aerating everyone today will be remembered as significant, I will eat my hat (1). I think part of our (my) fascination with what is unfolding is only in part a "they cannot be that incompetent, can they?" reaction (2): it is more... Continue Reading →
Climate, Batman and the slap deficit model…
The standard operating assumption of most climate "activists" and pearl-clutchers (1) is that someone In Authority (usually scientists, sometimes "world leaders" or even celebrities) just needs to Tell The Truth and everyone (aka "civil society" or, if you're willing to wear your condescension as a green badge of courage, "the sheeple") will wake up and... Continue Reading →
More piss “We”ak stuff about Saving “Our”selves, from smart people who don’t seem to be able to know better
You don't get to be Chief Scientific Advisor to HMG (His Majesty's Government) if you are a complete dolt. You may be a bit obedient, and/or a bit blinkered (aren't we all?) but you aren't actually actively thick. Part of not being thick, you'd hope, is looking at your worldview, and the (in)actions of people... Continue Reading →
Little blue corvée – on Sunak and the Notional Service plan
The latest astonishing(ish) brainfart to come from the Conservative Party is the re-introduction of National Service. My late father was born in July 1939, and so was in the last or second to last batch to have to do this. He always said it was a complete waste of everyone's time, and the regular army... Continue Reading →
Climate change limericks. No, really.
After this, quatrains and stuff. A proper limerick is improper, imo. "There was a young man named Eenis..." and so on. Sure, there are some I cherish that are distressingly clean - but a decent lyric not only scans but is NSFW. However, we can't always get what we want, and you defo didn't want... Continue Reading →
On climate movements and pathologies, cities etc.
Just got a lovely Twitter reply - Marc. I’ve decided I’m going to get into your stuff on climate movements. Where do I start? What has worked, what doesn’t, what’s needed next. That kind of thing. Especially anything practical at city level. This request sounds lazy but I’m very time poor. Thanks! So, this is... Continue Reading →
James Baldwin, the UK climate “movement” and the Safety Dance – what is to be done?
James Baldwin was a very smart guy. For the purpose of this blog post, the key insight is from a January 1962 New York Times column, in which he wrote "not everything that can be faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced." And so on to the UK climate... Continue Reading →
Top bantz about writing to your MP…
This is good. Maybe you can try writing to your MP, but there doesn’t really seem to be much point doing that unless you happen to collect headed paper with some rote spiel dismissing your concerns printed on it. Props to Tom Whyman - https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/mar/18/britain-diy-tickets-illnesses-services-society See also Viable Democracy by Michael Margolis
Of Braudel, Boeing and asset-stripping: crucial tools for understanding what’s going on.
Items discussed Doctorow, C. 2024. We may not know what’s in the box: but we can tell if it’s been damaged in transit. March 25 Tkacik, M. 2024. Suicide Mission. The American Prospect, March 28 Davies, W. 2024. Anti-market. London Review of Books, vol 46, no 7 These three articles will, separately and especially together,... Continue Reading →
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