Nigel Pate

“Use Plato to awaken your spirit of inquiry ... because the opposite path is despair and despondency” - David Horan, the first writer to translate all of Plato's dialogues since late 19th century.

#ITUnthinkable

“People who have come to the United Kingdom legally, played by the rules and made it their home do not need to ‘go home’. This is their home.”

Most people would be shocked, even disgusted, to learn that their/our
plastics are being exported, not recycled here.
If they think the Government isn’t really committed, they may start asking “why bother separating waste at all; isn’t landfill ethically more responsible than exporting?”

Balance the BBC The BBC is our national broadcaster, people expect and deserve balanced news coverage.

www.libdems.org.uk/bbc

Welcome news. But let’s not miss this rare opportunity for even more meaningful change.

In an excellent thread last year on X, @DanNeidle.bsky.social said: “The really courageous answer is to scrap council tax, business rates and stamp duty…and replace them all with "land value tax" (LVT)”
👍

Her friends at St Albans Girls’ School nicknamed her “Lizzie Tree” because of her tall, willowy physique. We gave them this bench in her memory, with a tree to provide shade.

Here’s to you, Lizzie Tree!

Twenty years after her sudden adult death, aged 15, our daughter Elizabeth is uppermost in our family’s thoughts today…

A little toast to the amazing team at @Moorfields.bsky.social in London. I am just so grateful for their skill and dedication in saving my sight, after a detached retina earlier in the year.
It’s been a long haul, but it shouldn’t be long before I can read my voiceover scripts with two eyes again!

Seeing social housing as “critical national infrastructure”. Interesting idea.

Have long been a fan of the great George Monbiot, but his latest article surprised even me. (Surprised and delighted, let me add!)

Always clear on what he stands for. A force for change and for doing better.

You can see it right there when Conservative voters are asked who they prefer - Ed Davey or Nigel Farage...

Tat tvam asi - That thou art

Becky Barnicoat on the trials of watching season 2 – cartoon It’s not quite season 1 – but can you really bear to admit that?

Becky Barnicoat on the trials of watching season 2 – cartoon

How true!
And I’m discovering the same applies to editing my initial recordings of audiobook narration 🤣

The scale of China’s space supercomputing ambition is breathtaking!
My concerns about hardware circling the Earth at least partly allayed by potential climate benefits: “Orbital data centres can use solar power and radiate their heat to space, reducing the energy needs and carbon footprint.”

Does make you wonder sometimes who actually is running this country

Inevitable consequence of failing to act much sooner. Stern (2006) showed “the costs of stabilising the climate are significant but manageable; delay would be dangerous and much more costly”.

Just think what it will cost future generations to rebuild London and other cities as sea levels rise!

Inevitable consequence of failing to act much sooner. Stern (2006) showed “the costs of stabilising the climate are significant but manageable; delay would be dangerous and much more costly”.

Just think what it will cost future generations to rebuild London and other cities as sea levels rise!

First visit to Switzerland for several years and first time in Zurich: such a beautiful city with great public transport.
But, oh my, it has become eye-wateringly expensive, thanks to long term strength of the CHF, plus the recent surge in value as reported by the @financialtimes.com

Thank heaven for @davidhockney.bsky.social!!
Was just blown away today by his latest exhibition, at the breathtaking Fondation Louis Vuitton in Paris. The creative outpouring that can come through a single human being is awe inspiring.
If you’re in Paris in the next few weeks, don’t miss this!

I worked closely with Earthwatch many years ago in a corporate-NGO partnership. It’s great to see how their vision of an army of citizen scientists has blossomed and is now having real impact.

No surprise that the US Dollar Index is “enjoying” its worst start to the year for 30 years. Just part, it seems, of “a comprehensive turn away from US assets…capital flowing out of the US.”

Extraordinary times!

For years, water companies have been dumping filthy sewage almost with impunity.
My local chalk stream the River Ver is just one to have suffered this fate.
Liberal Democrats have been fighting this issue for years, seemingly the only party taking this issue seriously. Please support the campaign!

Stop Sewage Dumping Stop sewage being pumped into our rivers, lakes and seas.

www.libdems.org.uk/stop-sewage

Zurich looking majestic in the spring sunshine this morning

Trump’s calculation methods exposed. “What extraordinary nonsense this is“!

Tough language from JPMorgan tonight:

“.. we view the full implementation of these policies as a substantial macro economic shock not currently incorporated in our forecasts. .. these policies, if sustained, would likely push the US and global economy into recession this year.”

A beautiful vision

It’s high time politicians and others who support land value taxation ‘in principle’ got behind this and supported it in practice. The world needs this now

My favourite song of all time. Storytelling par excellence. Heartbreaking