Nettlecake

Dominic Cummings Lobbied Officials to Hand 'Test and Trace' Contracts to Palantir After Secret Meeting With Peter Thiel Exclusive: Boris Johnson's senior advisor pushed for Covid contracts to be handed to companies run by Trump-supporting tech billionaires Peter Thiel and Larry Ellison

🚨 Dominic Cummings Lobbied Officials to Hand ‘Test and Trace’ Contracts to Palantir After Secret Meeting With Peter Thiel

+ New emails released to Byline reveal Cummings involvement in VIP Lane deals.

Read my latest @bylinetimes.bsky.social report here: bylinetimes.com/2025/10/31/d...

One for #BirdOfTheDay theme of #hiding The Whitethroat birds always seem to love hanging around in thickets of brambles and hawthorn! I take so many pictures and occasionally a small part of the bird is in focus! 😁 🪶

Happy Friday everyone 🕊️

#Birds #Photography #UKWildlife #UKBirding #EastCoastKin

Man with stubble, "Small boats arrivals are 37,000. There are over 4 million kids in child poverty. And 4.5 million who can't get a dentist appointment" #BBCQT

"We spend 90% of the media discourse on the 37,000. How much more could we achieve if we put that effort into the 4.5 million?"

England's Covid wave recedes but is replaced by flu Making Sense explores how evidence and data can help us make sense of the world — from the NHS and Covid to science, democracy and politics. Christina Pagel is a Professor of Operational Research at...

Covid in England is definitely on the way down, but Flu is on the way up - and over a month early.

My latest substack
open.substack.com/pub/christin...

I was taking some photos of the Goldfinches at the feeding area at Summer Leys Nature Reserve, when one of them decided to transform into @alan678.bsky.social dog, Sam.

#birds #photography #EastCoastKin #birdphotography #ukbirding #naturephotography #Transformers #PhotographIsArt @rspb.bsky.social

He had no future. Brain damage from a whack from a car. His life was over.

Look at little Storm now just 9 days later.

He was down but he wasn't out ❤️

I voted YES on Prop 50 because we cannot let anyone silence the will of the people.

California is fighting fire with fire and standing up for democracy everywhere. Vote yes on Prop 50 by mail or in person on Election Day, this Tuesday, November 4.

Amazon is helping fund a $300 million build of a ballroom for the White House.

Independent bookstores are donating to food banks and organizations that help with food insecurity.

They are not the same.

'Blatant bias': BBC under fire over double standards for Question Time panel

BBC Question Time has come under fire after describing a Reform UK campaigner on its panel as an 'academic' – while labelling a left-wing academic an 'activist'

Rapid Disaster Response Without All the Carbon — Footprint Project We deploy mobile solar generators and related off-grid equipment to power rapid disaster response for communities in need.

I just donated to the Footprint Project, sending solar/battery/LED setups to Jamaica. Usually in the wake of a disaster you get noisy, polluting diesel generators that also need fuel. These microgrid setups will be useful and provide clean energy for years. www.footprintproject.org/rapid-disast...

Jar of sliced and pickled red cabbage.

First try at 'quick pickled' red cabbage. Sliced red cabbage in 50/50 vinegar/water, with pepper corns, mustard seeds, coriander seeds, and a little salt and dark sugar. Now, just have to wait 6 or 7 days before trying it out. #pickles #FridgePickles

Hurricane Melissa Tropical Cyclone Update NWS National Hurricane Center Miami FL 1000 AM EDT Tue Oct 28 2025 AL132025 ...CATASTROPHIC WINDS MOVING ONSHORE SOUTHERN JAMAICA... ...LAST CHANCE TO PROTECT YOUR LIFE... •..1000 AM EDT POSITION UPDATE... THIS IS AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND LIFE-THREATENING SITUATION! TAKE COVER NOW! Failure to adequately shelter may result in serious injury, and loss of life. Residents in Jamaica that experience the eye should not leave their shelter as winds will rapidly increase within the backside of the eyewall of Melissa. To protect yourself from wind, the best thing you can do is put as many walls as possible between you and the outside. An interior room without windows, ideally one where you can also avoid falling trees, is the safest place you can be in a building. You can cover yourself with a mattress and wear a helmet for added protection. NOAA Hurricane Hunter Aircraft find that Melissa continues to strengthen with maximum sustained winds of 185 mph (295 km/h). The minimum central pressure has fallen to 892 mb (26.34 inches) based on NOAA and Hurricane Hunter Air Force Reserve aircraft data. The next update will be provided with the full advisory package at 1100 AM EDT (1500 UTC). SUMMARY OF 1000 AM EDT...1400 UTC...INFORMATION LocatIon...17.7N 78.1W ABOUT 45 MI...70 KM SSE OF NEGRIL JAMAICA ABOUT 255 MI...410 KM SW OF GUANTANAMO CUBA MAXIMUM SUSTAINED WINDS...185 МРН...295 KM/H PRESENT MOVEMENT...NNE OR 20 DEGREES AT 7 МРH...11 KM/H MINIMUM CENTRAL PRESSURE...892 MB...26.34 INCHES

185 mph winds now hitting Jamaica.

Well done 👏🏾 Green Party and Zack

Join - join.greenparty.org.uk

@zackpolanski.bsky.social

What we're witnessing with #Melissa is ultra rare in the history of known hurricanes in the Atlantic. This level of sustained intensity and feasting on every joule of ocean heat content without any real disruption is incredible.

Not hyperbole: Jamaica is facing a generational catastrophic event.

Ok so, this will seem like an odd thing to want, but does anyone have a recommendation for a solar panel powered plant grow lamp?
I want to put extra light to keep plants happy into the corner of a space where there is a window that doesn’t actually help, and no convenient mains supply.

Latest Polling by @YouGov

🟣 Reform 27%
🔵 Tory 17%
🔴 Labour 17%
💚 Green 16%
🟠 Lib Dem 15%

This is the LOWEST Labour
has ever polled with YouGov.

This is the HIGHEST @greenparty.org.uk has ever polled with YouGov.

4 parties within 2 points of each other for second place.

Hurricane Melissa is now the strongest storm on the planet this year | CNN Melissa is about to deliver Jamaica its most devastating blow from a hurricane.

Melissa is a monster. Thinking of Jamaica tonight www.cnn.com/weather/live...

The bird that eats itself to survive: During its epic migration it consumes its internal organs – including its kidneys – which then regenerate | Focusing on Wildlife It takes guts to migrate long distances - literally, if you're a bar-tailed godwit Limosa lapponica baueri. This crow-sized shorebird burns not just flab, but

The bird that eats itself to survive: During its epic migration it consumes its internal organs – including its kidneys – which then regenerate

focusingonwildlife.com/news/the-bir...

Zack Polanski on renationalising water companies,

"Shareholders can't say stock not worth anything then expect payment to renationalise"

www.facebook.com/share/p/19C1...
My friend Mark Mardell was chucked off his Turkish Airlines flight at the weekend because he had Parkinson’s and his son had asked for assistance for him. (He’s written about it as a public post on Facebook but the link is proving hard to share outside,)

Renters Rights Bill - New Law No-fault evictions (Section 21) abolished for all tenancies. All tenancies converted to rolling (periodic) contracts. Advance rent limited to one month’s payment. Ban on rental bidding wars — landlords must advertise a set price. Ban on discrimination against tenants with children or benefits. “Decent Homes Standard” introduced for private rentals. Awaab’s Law extended — landlords must fix serious hazards quickly. Rent increases capped to once per year and open to tribunal challenge. National Private Renters Database to track landlords and property standards. Stronger enforcement powers for councils to act against bad landlords.

Labour demonstrating their commitment to ordinary people, living, working and contributing to Britain.

Protection given to all Renters is wide ranging and is now Law.

All renters will be safer.

An invitation by Caroline Lucas: join tomorrow’s breakfast webinar! and the foreword to how “We Need to Talk About Adaptation”

Delighted to be joining @climatemajority.bsky.social and @theglaciertrust.bsky.social tomorrow morning to talk about climate adaptation & how it offers huge potential to build community resilience & challenge the weaponisation of climate action by the populist hard right. Join us! 👇

Color coded wind app screen shot from the app Windy. They provide real time data for world wind currents. This is the colorful data from hurricane Melissa currently just south of Jamaica. The calmer winds are in green and the intense colors at the center of the current CAT 4 are in purple ringed by pink and then outer bands in yellow orange. Currently the hurricane has sustained winds at 150 mph and gusts at 175mph.

The current wind pattern for Hurricaine Melissa, at a CAT 4 now just south of Jamaica as screen captured from the app Windy just a short while ago.
If you check it out it shows a projected path based on current wind movement.
Very interesting and useful app I have used for a few years now.

NHS needs up to £3bn extra to avoid cuts, health leaders warn Health leaders say progress on reducing waiting lists will be affected if there is no help in making up the financial shortfall.

NHS needs up to £3bn extra to avoid cuts, health leaders warn.

Cuts = money wasted on redundancies.

NHS leaks money due to PFI, privatisation profits.

6.26m await 7.41m England hospital appointments.

Can't expand economy without healthy workforce.

Must increase NHS capacity. Pay doctors/nurses.

Almost to the day, last year, the Cambridge Red Cage fungi were out. They were over about a week ago this year.
#WildFungiHour #WildFlowerHour
@wildflowerhour.bsky.social

YouTube video by ThrillSeekers Hurricane Melissa EXPLODES Into a Monster — Category 5 Warning Issued! 🌪️ Jamaica in Extreme Danger

🚨 BREAKING: Hurricane Melissa EXPLODES into a rare Category 5 monster! 🌪️
Jamaica and the Caribbean brace for catastrophic winds & flooding — this is history in motion. ⚠️
🎥 Watch: youtu.be/0tLVC6GWJC8?...
via @YouTube
#HurricaneMelissa #Category5 #StormWatch #Caribbean #ExtremeWeather

I’ve never seen the Green Mile. You have encouraged me to watch it. 😊

Getting back to sleep: understanding biphasic normality Can some previously little-known information about our ancestors’ sleeping patterns help us to better understand modern insomnia?

For those whose sleep is negatively impacted by the seasonal changes of the clock - might biphasic sleeping be of any assistance? @drpam outlines evidence that suggests this might be a more natural way to sleep.

Good morning all,
For #Stunday is here a sunset view on The Little Belt between Jutland and Funen in Denmark. Have a fine Sunday✨️
#EastCoastKin #mobilephonephotography #vacation #sunset #reflections

Hurricane Melissa could be Jamaica's most powerful storm in history “There is nowhere that will escape the wrath of this storm,” said Evan Thompson of Jamaica’s Meteorological Service. Melissa is already blamed for four deaths.

Praying for the Jamaican people tonight.

www.nbcnews.com/weather/stor...