Peter Fiennes

Macron remarks are notable- some quotes: "We have been incredibly naive in entrusting our democratic space to social networks that are controlled either by large American entrepreneurs or large Chinese companies, whose interests are not at all the survival or proper functioning of our democracies."

Exciting!

Very glad to hear the Pope call for action against climate change. If you oppose urgent action, it's probably because you have your snout in the trough (Trump, Farage, Badenoch).

Historic High Seas Treaty is a "turning point for humanity" - Oceanographic An historic treaty to protect the marine life and ecosystems of the high seas, the High Seas Treaty, will come into force in 120 days.

A United Nations treaty designed to protect the abundant marine life and ecosystems of the high seas - known colloquially as the High Seas Treaty - has received the 60th ratification required for the agreement to be brought into full force.

oceanographicmagazine.com/news/histori...

‘It’ll be fine!’ Meet the visionary who invented the car: the Stephen Collins cartoon Random members of the public will pilot these things – it’ll be fine

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

Climate change scepticism is rising. Will Starmer hold firm or buckle? Attacks from Donald Trump and Reform UK – plus a cost of living crisis – have created a politically tricky conundrum

How - given the facts and the news - can climate change 'scepticism' be rising? And given what Starmer must know, how can he possibly not speak out? Isn't that what leaders are meant to do?

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

I saw 'Constellations' last night, as part of the Wanstead Fringe, and it's absolutely brilliant. I thought (after having seen it in the West End a few years ago) I didn't even much like the play - but this is gripping, in-the-round theatre.
Last chance to see it!
wansteadfringe.org/series/const...

Oh ok.

For 56 minutes Sky News and BBC News interrupted everything else and carried a Reform UK feed live, uninterrupted, unchallenged. The stream spluttered, froze, pixelated - dozens of times - still they stuck with it. FOR ONE HOUR.

This is an editorial choice. No other party gets this coverage. ~AA

I have now been a journalist for 40 years. The forces ranged against my profession have never been so powerful | George Monbiot Once, I believed that humanity’s problem was an information deficit. Now, I know you can’t speak truth to power if power controls your words, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot

Power is the rock on which truth founders. The mainstream media, with a few exceptions, is a single-issue lobby group, whose purpose is to assert the rights of capital.
Here's what I've learnt about the industry in 40 years in journalism.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Although some people say that Sam Johnson's birthday is (or was) TODAY!

You can buy 'A Thing of Beauty' for your Kindle for 99p at the moment. It's absurd, of course - but if you don't want a print version (from your local bookshop!), then I guess fair enough. And I'd be thrilled to have people read it.
amzn.eu/d/ciXTcys

If you haven’t seen it, THIS is what is being allowed - in Marine Protected Areas.

youtu.be/eLxmUbQESAU?...

Corfu Literary Festival, 8th – 14th September 2025 The Corfu Literary Festival is a celebration of literature, culture and the arts, held in Corfu, Greece. The 2025 festival runs from 8th to 14th of September.

If you are in Corfu at the time of the Literary Festival there are some fantastic events. Or just make time and go! It’s magical.
www.corfuliteraryfestival.com

An illustration from Boswell's Life of Dr Johnson, wonderfully illustrated by EH Shepherd (who also, of course, illustrated Winnie the Pooh). It shows Dr Johnson and James Boswell strolling side-by-side in a crowded London street.

The front cover of 'Johnson & Boswell in Scotland: A Journey to the Hebrides' edited by Pat Rogers, showing a castle by a loch and two eighteenth century gentlemen strolling towards it, one of them holding forth.

Happy Birthday (probably!) to Dr Sam Johnson, compiler of the first English dictionary and subject of the world's greatest biography (James Boswell's 'Life of Johnson').

'The chains of habit are too weak to be felt until they are too strong to be broken' indeed...

‘The old summer’s-end melancholy nips at my heels. There’s no school to go back to; no detail of my life will change come the onset of September; yet still, I feel the old trepidation.’
— Sara Baume

Where to report any sightings of the poisonous orange-faced predator.

On one hand, reducing car use reduces urban pollution.
But on the other, everyone likes it and cities become more livable

Corfu Literary Festival, 8th – 14th September 2025 The Corfu Literary Festival is a celebration of literature, culture and the arts, held in Corfu, Greece. The 2025 festival runs from 8th to 14th of September.

If you are in Corfu at the time of the Literary Festival there are some fantastic events. Or just make time and go! It’s magical.
www.corfuliteraryfestival.com

Apparently it’s International Dog Day. So here’s the much missed Bonnie - camping enthusiast, reader, beach lover and friend.

UK falling behind EU on environmental rules amid post-Brexit rollback Exclusive: Labour ministers choosing to weaken green protections inherited from the bloc, analysis reveals

5 years after Brexit, it’s shamefully clear that UK is being left behind on environment policy. With few exceptions, Govt has *deliberately* chosen not to keep up with standards of EU neighbours. Worse, in a number of areas they’re planning to actively go backwards @ieep.eu
@europeanmovement.co.uk

Tell The Government: Strengthen UK-EU Environmental Cooperation Climate change and environmental problems don't respect borders. The UK and EU must work together to protect our shared environment, tackle the climate crisis, and preserve biodiversity for future gen...

I just signed this petition calling for better cooperation with the EU on the environment. Will you add your name, too? www.europeanmovement.co.uk/uk-eu-enviro...

The great JB Priestley died #OTD 1984.
Here he is in his travel book 'English Journey', written in 1933.

Friends in London, Oxford, Bristol, Edinburgh and Sheffield, here are some dates for your diaries! There will be chat about GREYHOUND which may (or many not) involve: the appification of travel, mobility (who gets to move and who gets left behind), communal space and its privatisation, (1)

Beautiful acorns.
Seems like a mast year.

Happy Birthday Guy de Maupassant! Born #OTD 1850. Author of over 300 brilliant short stories, 6 novels, 3 travel books, some shit poetry, a smutty play - all in about 10 years. Died from syphilis age 43.

Here's the bar named after him in Étretat, Normandy.
He's buried in Montparnasse Cemetery.

I’ve been trying to put up some new bookshelves.

I’ve just seen a bit in a British-made Netflix series in which an English character said ‘I could give a shit’ instead of ‘couldn’t’ and I am once again calling for the severing of all economic and diplomatic ties with the United States of America.

Writing this makes me realise how many opportunities there are if you know about them.

Funded residencies! Grants! Submission opportunities!

Make sure you check it out. I want to do it all....

Signed