Be wary of AstroTurf.

Zero claim to be an environmental entity, zero waste, zero carbon.

Keith Parkins on Twitter: "Could not make this up if tried. Zero AstroTurf in receipt of dirty money from Nestle. No reputable environmental entity would take money from Nestle, one of the worst corporations for trashing the planet. @NaomiAKlein #Nestle #Guildford https://t.co/MyR2ZLpBmE / Twitter"

Could not make this up if tried. Zero AstroTurf in receipt of dirty money from Nestle. No reputable environmental entity would take money from Nestle, one of the worst corporations for trashing the planet. @NaomiAKlein #Nestle #Guildford https://t.co/MyR2ZLpBmE

Zero are in receipt of dirty money from Nestlé.

Nestlé is one of the worst corporations in the world for human rights abuses and trashing the planet. No reputable environmental group would touch with a bargepole let alone take money from Nestlé.

Nestlé was still operating in Russia when other corporations had pulled out.

Nespresso is vile undrinkable coffee. Nespresso pods are a composite structure, nigh impossible to recycle, cannot be put in the domestic recycling waste stream.

Always buy coffee from reputable roasteries that put specialty coffee in compostable or aluminium pods.

To brew use

- Opal One
- Morning machine

Deathly silence from Zero that Guildford Borough Council in their Bank Holiday promo video promoting plastic takeaway cups.

Zero sit on the board of Experience Guildford, the local BID. They claim to be acting for local businesses, they do not. Experience Guildford are killing struggling local businesses with the BID Levy.

Zero are in direct competition with a local zero waste shop.

What next, dirty money from Shell or BP, or maybe BAE Systems?

Zero are fund raising. Do not give them a penny. You know it makes sense.

Update: When a member of the public asked of Zero why they were taking money from Nestlé, they were met with a point blank denial.

Zero takes dirty money from Nestlé was originally published in Light on a Dark Mountain on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Keith Parkins on Twitter: "BID extortion racket: We force BIDs onto towns to extort money from local businesses. There are still naive local businesses who think a BID is to help their local town #BID #extortion #democracy #corruption #noBID #againstBID @BensRecords pic.twitter.com/CDQVG1a8Po / Twitter"

BID extortion racket: We force BIDs onto towns to extort money from local businesses. There are still naive local businesses who think a BID is to help their local town #BID #extortion #democracy #corruption #noBID #againstBID @BensRecords pic.twitter.com/CDQVG1a8Po

This is appalling.

But at least we now know.

We force BIDs onto towns to extort money from local businesses.

It is hard to believe there are still naïve local businesses who think a BID is created to support them or help their local town.

Remember the good old days of the Soviet Union when a leader would be elected with 98% of the vote?

Experience Guildford carried out a survey of local business.

Over 95% find stated that they find our marketing, promotion and events programme (such as Street Festivals, Markets, Seasonal Events and Trails, Healthy Guildford Day) are important to their business.

Really, over 95% happy with the performance of Experience Guildford?

It was not an independent survey, it was carried out by Experience Guildford, thus worthless. The respondents were self-selecting, which again renders the survey worthless.

Actually even worse. Mosaic Partnership who brag they force BIDs onto town centres, the same Mosaic Partnership that Experience Guildford paid to produce a survey result that shows over 95% happy with the performance of Experience Guildford. One could not make up this shit if tried.

We do not know what the questions were. It is all too easy to get the result you wish for with carefully crafted questions. Especially when the results are what Experience Guildford paid for, and the survey carried out by a BID parasite that brags the service it offers is to force BIDs onto local towns to extort money from local businesses.

What then is the truth on the ground? From my own random sample, wandering around talking to a range of different local businesses, 100% opposition to Experience Guildford. Not a single business wishes to see them continue.

Of the businesses I have spoken to, I have yet to find any who support Experience Guildford, and there is now talk of refusal to pay the BID Levy. Businesses object to an enforced levy, little more than an extortion racket, for which they see no benefit.

We have parasitical organisations, in addition to the BID itself, associated bottom feeders Mosaic Partnership, Loyal Free app, Mi Reward app, that suck the life blood out of local businesses.

At least with the Mafia, receive protection.

In Plain Sight

BID extortion racket was originally published in Light on a Dark Mountain on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Ferry Lane a tree-lined country lane in the Lincolnshire village of Washingborough leading down to the River Witham where once there was a ferry, hence the name. Bounded on either side by cattle-grazed pastures. From the main road, views across the fields, across the river, to the fields and hillside the other side of the river. Very popular with walkers and cyclists.

Sainsbury’s are wishing to destroy one of these fields with a large supermarket, with car parking for 80 plus cars. The site is on a flood plain, an important carbon sink, important for wildlife. The supermarket will be a major traffic generator, the location suits Sainsbury’s due to its proximity to a recently opened bypass. It will draw traffic in off the bypass, plus through the village from more distance villages.

This planning application must be REJECTED.

The grounds for REJECTION are outlined below. Any single one is more than sufficient grounds for REJECTION.

destruction of Ferry Lane

A popular destination for walkers and cyclists, who then walk or ride along the old railway line, now part of a National Cycle Route.

vista

A view across cattle-grazed pasture, across the river to green fields and a hillside will be destroyed by an ugly eyesore Sainsbury’s supermarket.

carbon sink

Rising sea levels, rising sea temperature, melting polar ice caps, record high global temperatures, record high carbon levels in the atmosphere, Arctic 20–30C above average, forest fires, floods, droughts.

In the last week, Spain hit 40C (a record for May), the Indian subcontinent temperatures have reached 49C. Humans and wildlife cannot survive in these high temperatures.

UK is signature to international treaty to keep temperature rise within 1.5 degrees, to limit the carbon in the atmosphere. We also have UK legalisation to limit the carbon in the atmosphere.

We limit carbon in the atmosphere through:

• drastically reducing our carbon emissions
• safeguarding and enhancing carbon sinks

The traffic generated by the supermarket would increase carbon emissions.

The field is an important carbon sink.

• herbivore grazed grass an important carbon sink
• the soil an important carbon sink

Sainsbury’s would not only increase the traffic, they would destroy a vital carbon sink.

Sainsbury’s claim to be offsetting carbon by sticking solar panels on the roof, using green electricity, charging points for electric vehicles.

Setting to one side the carbon offset scam, a market for spivs speculators and bankers, it does not counter the destruction of a carbon sink for the creation of a massive traffic generator.

If Sainsbury’s wish to stick solar panels on their stores, add charging points, that is fine, but are they, or is it simply greenwash to obtain planning consent? The charging points would be a requirement of any new development.

local wildlife

Unlike a field of crops, unspoilt pasture is teeming with wildlife. An important site for wildlife.

The development of the site would lead to destruction of an important wildlife site. The lighting would be detrimental to wildlife.

Sainsbury’s claim to be creating a wildlife habit at the rear of the store. This should be treated as a sick joke. They are creating ponds for runoff. These would be contaminated with oil from the parking. We have wetlands, the river and the drain, thus creating a couple of ponds no advantage, especially when polluted with runoff, and this does not mitigate destruction of unspoilt pasture.

In the vicinity otters and kingfishers.

Has an independent Environmental Impact Assessment been carried out? If not, why not?

mental health

There is a growing body of evidence of the importance of green space for our mental health and wellbeing.

When we destroy green space, we not only destroy wildlife habitat and reduce biodiversity, we destabilise Gaia and damage our own mental health and wellbeing.

• Gardening and mental health

food security

The one thing coronavirus pandemic and the war in Ukraine, plus log jams at ports, has demonstrated, is the fragility of our food supply chains.

Global warming will make the fragility of our food supply chains worse.

We do not therefore destroy prime agricultural land for the profit motive of a greedy supermarket chain, especially when there are easily accessible alternatives to shop locally.

traffic

The recent opening of the bypass has led to a marked increase in traffic passing by Ferry Lane and through the village. Very noticeable when waiting at Ferry Lane Bus Stop for a bus into Lincoln. The level of traffic has more than doubled.

This development would lead to a substantial increase in traffic, as admitted by Sainsbury’s in their application for a pedestrian crossing.

Traffic lights at the railway bridge, slowed traffic will extend back to the roundabout on the bypass, then cause the bypass to back up.

Traffic will consist not only of cars, but also delivery lorries and vans.

Noise, pollution, CO2 emissions.

Locals will have difficulty getting in and out of their drives leading to inevitable accidents.

We should be reducing traffic, encouraging use of public transport, cycling walking, not generating more traffic.

job creation

The usual myth of job creation peddled.

Large supermarkets destroy jobs, they do not create jobs, if take account of jobs destroyed elsewhere in the retail sector.

If look at jobs per capital investment or jobs per square footage, it is lower than that in local small shops.

It is well documented large supermarkets do not create jobs, and yet they still peddle this myth.

local economy

Of no benefit to the local economy, whereas local businesses recycle money within the local economy, adding value to each and every pound spent. Large corporate stores drain money out of a local economy.

Sainsbury’s claim fresh bread, meat.

The dough is brought, in baked. We have a baker about to open in the village, Quality bread in Lincoln. Quality meat at the butcher in Heighington, and at Pepperdine’s and Redhill Farm shop in Lincoln.

Fruit and vegetables, street market in Lincoln High Street, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday, greengrocer in Bailgate, farmers market once a month in Castle Hill in Lincoln.

The quality of produce from local businesses, and service, far higher than will find in Sainsbury’s.

And for those who wish to shop in supermarkets, no shortage in the locality. It could be argued there are too many, chasing a saturated market.

Lincoln or Heighington only a bus ride away.

Sainsbury’s claim to be reducing car trips (can use the bus), but clearly not the case else why a need for a car park for 80 plus cars?

precedent

A very dangerous president would be set.

Open season for commercial development all the way back to the bypass.

of no benefit to the village

This large store is not being proposed to benefit Washingborough, it is to add to the profit of Sainsbury’s to bring in customers from north and south of Lincoln via the bypass, and from surrounding villages further afield which will cause increased traffic through the narrow streets of Washingborough.

What would benefit Washingborough would be a small convenience store where currently located a pizza outlet. This would provide choice. Though I doubt sufficient demand in a village for two convenience stores when the village was not able to support three pubs.

No benefit, but a large number of dis-benefits.

• PHOTOS Ferry Lane and herbivore grazed field

references

• Shopped: The Shocking Power of British Supermarkets — Joanna Blythman
• Not On the Label — Felicity Lawrence
• ReGenesis — George Monbiot

rev 1

Sainsbury’s proposed destruction of Ferry Lane and herbivore-grazed unspoilt pasture was originally published in Light on a Dark Mountain on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

One month on from Putin’s illegal war on Ukraine, atrocious war crimes, there are still Western corporations trading in Ukraine, among them retailer M&S.

Keith Parkins on Twitter: "M&S trading in Russia, complicit Putin's war crimes #MandS #boycottMandS #Putin #warcrimes #Ukraine #Russia @lesiavasylenko @KyivIndependent @KyivPost pic.twitter.com/nrpZkDb8td / Twitter"

M&S trading in Russia, complicit Putin's war crimes #MandS #boycottMandS #Putin #warcrimes #Ukraine #Russia @lesiavasylenko @KyivIndependent @KyivPost pic.twitter.com/nrpZkDb8td

• Subway
• Burger King
• Nestlé
• M&S
• Renault
• Total

The response from M&S when challenged:

M&S does not operate stores or have any employees in Russia. Our Turkish franchise licensee holds the rights to trade under the M&S banner in Ukraine and Russia. We suspended deliveries to our franchise licensee’s Russian business two weeks ago and have no plans to reinstate them. We are actively discussing the future of the business with our franchise licensee.

It does not wash. Starbucks tried that one, not us guv, franchised out of Greece. They were able to hold that position for all of a day. Starbucks capitulated within a day. It was either that else face a world wide boycott.

Did M&S lawyers not draw up watertight agreement which means can terminate with immediate effect, can no longer trade as M&S, can no longer use the name? Maybe M&S should try talking to Starbucks.

Locate nearest M&S store on Google maps, leave a 1* review, complicit Putin’s war crimes.

Find outlets on Google maps in Russia, leave 1* review of Putin’s war crimes.

Note: But please not on any indie businesses, it will endanger them. The Truth in Russia a criminal offence, 15 years in prison.

Total, leave a 1* review on TrustPilot. Total has a major share in a Russian oil company. TrustPilot not a trustworthy site, caving in to Total and removing negative reviews. We need to add reviews quicker than they are taken down.

Renault manufacturers in Russia through a Russian car company. They pulled out, then when thought no one was looking, returned.

M&S Complicit in Putin’s War Crimes was originally published in Light on a Dark Mountain on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Let’s just assume the Russia’s theories on their war crimes are lies and until they or their pro-Putin pals in the West produce direct evidence to support their conspiracy theories we can ignore their hustle and focus on documenting their crimes for accountability. — Eliot Higgins, Bellingcat

This is not about Ukraine at all, but the world order. The current crisis is a fateful, epoch-making moment in modern history. It reflects the battle over what the world order will look like. — Sergei Lavrov, Russian foreign minister

Before a packed stadium, cajoled, bullied, bussed in, Vladimir Putin wearing a €12,700 Loro Piana jacket, paid for with money stolen from Russian people, Vladimir Putin performed his Adolf Hitler tribute act.

Mykhailo Golub on Twitter: "Putin against the West in €12,700 Loro Piana jacket pic.twitter.com/vg8Cr6w8mA / Twitter"

Putin against the West in €12,700 Loro Piana jacket pic.twitter.com/vg8Cr6w8mA

Brendan May 🇺🇦 on Twitter: "Patriotic man of the people here, in his £10,000 Loro Piana designer coat. pic.twitter.com/oFT67XesKD / Twitter"

Patriotic man of the people here, in his £10,000 Loro Piana designer coat. pic.twitter.com/oFT67XesKD

Keith Parkins on Twitter: "https://t.co/p1DtCogGvF / Twitter"

https://t.co/p1DtCogGvF

The Kyiv Independent on Twitter: "These are the indicative estimates of Russia's losses as of March 20, according to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/wuyU0L7Xmb / Twitter"

These are the indicative estimates of Russia's losses as of March 20, according to the Armed Forces of Ukraine. pic.twitter.com/wuyU0L7Xmb

Oliver Carroll on Twitter: "A Russian military target - "washbasin" - has been successfully de-Nazified by a high-precision strike in Kharkiv region. https://t.co/O1hH0XZKLe / Twitter"

A Russian military target - "washbasin" - has been successfully de-Nazified by a high-precision strike in Kharkiv region. https://t.co/O1hH0XZKLe

Emma Graham-Harrison on Twitter: "Kyiv is defiant. Life is hard & exhausting, jobs are vanishing, commutes take hours, streets are empty and attacks claim innocent lives each night.But many residents want to stay "I can't imagine life without Kyiv" one said. Some are even coming back.https://t.co/XakRlUgPHK / Twitter"

Kyiv is defiant. Life is hard & exhausting, jobs are vanishing, commutes take hours, streets are empty and attacks claim innocent lives each night.But many residents want to stay "I can't imagine life without Kyiv" one said. Some are even coming back.https://t.co/XakRlUgPHK

Lesia Vasylenko on Twitter: "People with kind hearts: #Ukraine's biggest asset. pic.twitter.com/Mmo0u5pwdt / Twitter"

People with kind hearts: #Ukraine's biggest asset. pic.twitter.com/Mmo0u5pwdt

Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya on Twitter: "More & more people are joining Belarus' Anti-War Movement - to help Ukraine & protest against the regime. Watch an update on our work this week: humanitarian aid, resisting propaganda, sabotaging the regime's work, persuading military personnel not to fight against 🇺🇦. pic.twitter.com/RU2ikZ1SQD / Twitter"

More & more people are joining Belarus' Anti-War Movement - to help Ukraine & protest against the regime. Watch an update on our work this week: humanitarian aid, resisting propaganda, sabotaging the regime's work, persuading military personnel not to fight against 🇺🇦. pic.twitter.com/RU2ikZ1SQD

Meanwhile whilst the fascists cheered and Putin raved, close on 15,000 Russians killed in Ukraine, residential areas razed to the ground leaving rubble and burning apartment blocks, hospitals, schools, kindagatens, a theatre sheltering children, targeted.

What is moving, woman and children walking to cross the border to countries bordering Ukraine, the children towing their luggage, and carrying their pets.

And the kindness of strangers from all over Europe, who meet them when they cross the border, and open not only their arms, but also their homes.

Then contrast with Putin’s war crimes.

Eliot Higgins, Bellingcat:

Let’s just assume the Russia’s theories on their war crimes are lies and until they or their pro-Putin pals in the west produce direct evidence to support their conspiracy theories we can ignore their hustle and focus on documenting their crimes for accountability.

Especially when it’s just recycling the same lies they told about Syria. Let’s not waste our time debating the same war crime denying idiots who lied about war crimes in Syria, and focus on accountability for those crimes.

It’s more convenient for them to turn the discourse over war crimes to a conspiracy fuelled debate over one incident, and make the entire debate about one thing, not a systematic pattern of crimes. Its exactly what they did in Syria, so let’s not repeat the same pattern ourselves.

They are not equipped, morally or intellectually, to engage in a serious discussion about war crimes and accountability, so they turn it into a one issue story, but we’re in the best position we’ve ever been to build cases for accountability, so let’s focus on that.

It’s fine to highlight disinformation and demonstrate the tactics used by those spreading it, but let’s not frame accountability efforts around the conspiracy theories of bad faith actors.

Putin is carrying out the same tactics he used in Aleppo and Grozny, war crimes, raze cities to the ground, leave behind rubble and burning apartment blocks.

Putin has the same satellite imagery as the West, he can see the destruction wrought on Ukraine.

Syrians warned, do not identify your schools, hospitals, kindergartens, they will be deliberately targeted.

A month ago, early February, Ukraine was a free democratic European country. People led ordinary lives, went for a walk in a park, met friends in a coffee shop for a coffee.

Thursday 24 February 2022, war criminal Mafios thug Putin launched an unprovoked attack on Ukraine.

Ukraine a free democratic European country, an affront to Putin, a beacon on the border to Russians as what their country would become once Putin deposed. Hence had to be destroyed.

Alec Luhn on Twitter: "Moscow protester barely has time to say "Ukraine is burning" before police are chasing him down @SotaVision pic.twitter.com/rPJWZyNAMs / Twitter"

Moscow protester barely has time to say "Ukraine is burning" before police are chasing him down @SotaVision pic.twitter.com/rPJWZyNAMs

A fascist rally, Putin’s Adolf Hitler tribute act, is what Putin wants Russians to see, beamed into their homes on every state TV channel. What he will not tolerate, independent media, brave protesters on the streets.

End game: Overthrow Putin either with bullet through the head or on trial at The Hague. Detain his thugs and oligarchs, strip oligarchs of assets, release all political prisoners, hold free & fair elections. Those responsible for war crimes, issued orders, carried out, put on trial. A 10km demilitarised strip established within Russian border. Sanctions on Russia should be tightened and remain in place until all these conditions met.

Anatomy of a hospital attack: What happened in Mariupol

Vladimir Putin’s Adolf Hitler tribute act was originally published in Light on a Dark Mountain on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Too little, and why the delay? Requirement to wear masks, will only come into force on Tuesday, and why only public transport and shops, though a small step in the right direction?

New measures include:

• From Tuesday, face coverings will once again be compulsory in shops and on public transport
• All contacts of suspected Omicron cases will be required to self-isolate for 10 days. This is regardless of a person’s vaccination status
• Anyone entering the UK will require a PCR test by the end of the second day after their arrival and will need to self-isolate until they have a negative result. The change will be brought in “as soon as possible” following agreement with the other UK nations (Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland)
• The Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation (JCVI) — the UK’s vaccine advisory body — will consider giving the booster vaccine “to as wide as group as possible”. It will also reduce the gap between the second dose and booster

Measures on mask wearing should never have been relaxed. Why does it not apply to hospitality, to places where people gather such as theatres?

Utter garbage from Hospitality UK, that mask wearing on public transport will hit public confidence. It is passengers not wearing masks that dents public confidence, that makes people reluctant to use public transport.

We need to be careful not to lump all hospitality together, a coffee shop or restaurant does not pose the same risk as a binge drinking bar or nightclub.

What we do know about Omicron, a new covid-19 mutation, is that it is highly transmissible, has large number of mutations, may not be recognised by antigens, which renders vaccines less effective. All the more reason to bring in measures to slow the spread. We saw how fast Delta spread when the government was slow to act.

• place all countries in Africa on the Red list
• random testing of all arrivals into the UK
• mask wearing indoors and on public transport
• work from home if possible
• close nightclubs and binge drinking bars
• social distancing
• certificate double vaccinated to enter bars, coffee shops, theatres

The vaccine certificate would be scanned with a QR scanner to permit entry, green tick to enter, red cross not permitted, but if not permitted would advise what to do, for example vaccinated or a negative lateral flow test valid for 48 hours.

In Athens, require vaccine certificate double vaccinated which is scanned to enter bar, coffee shop, restaurant, theatre, shops. Failure to comply 500 euros fine, establishment 5000 euro fine and closed. To enter a building or travel on public transport mask wearing mandatory, 100% compliance.

AirportWatch on Twitter: "Between Nov 11-26, there were 48 flights from Cape Town and Johannesburg to Heathrow https://t.co/Dd7WM32wiY If each plane carried 300 passengers, there would have been 14,400 arrivals from South Africa since Omicron was first found.There were only simple tests on passengers / Twitter"

Between Nov 11-26, there were 48 flights from Cape Town and Johannesburg to Heathrow https://t.co/Dd7WM32wiY If each plane carried 300 passengers, there would have been 14,400 arrivals from South Africa since Omicron was first found.There were only simple tests on passengers

Caroline Lucas on Twitter: "Unforgivable If it's true that passengers from S. Africa could freely mix with others in the airport & then take public transport. Why isn't the Government learning, after all we've been through? https://t.co/wxcOe4xRFS / Twitter"

Unforgivable If it's true that passengers from S. Africa could freely mix with others in the airport & then take public transport. Why isn't the Government learning, after all we've been through? https://t.co/wxcOe4xRFS

Two flights from South Africa to Schiphol, sixty-one passengers tested positive for covid-19, of these thirteen were found to be infected with Omicron. Why was UK not acting as Schiphol, isolating and testing every passenger on flights from South Africa?

It should be a requirement, as is already the case for many countries, negative PCR test result within 48 hours prior to travel, in addition to negative PCR test and self isolation once in the UK.

BBC Newsnight on Twitter: ""It's probably the biggest international public policy failure of our times."Ex-PM @GordonBrown tells @FaisalIslam Covid vaccine inequality deprives "people of the chance to survive the virus, by denying them the chance in so many countries of getting the vaccine"#Newsnight pic.twitter.com/PTJixONUbZ / Twitter"

"It's probably the biggest international public policy failure of our times."Ex-PM @GordonBrown tells @FaisalIslam Covid vaccine inequality deprives "people of the chance to survive the virus, by denying them the chance in so many countries of getting the vaccine"#Newsnight pic.twitter.com/PTJixONUbZ

Amy Maxmen, PhD on Twitter: "As the new variant omicron hit the news, Moderna stock surged 20%. Its execs have become billionaires.And yet Moderna still refuses to share its licenses & knowledge with @WHO so that more people around the world can get vaccinated. https://t.co/3RznE6Jli4 / Twitter"

As the new variant omicron hit the news, Moderna stock surged 20%. Its execs have become billionaires.And yet Moderna still refuses to share its licenses & knowledge with @WHO so that more people around the world can get vaccinated. https://t.co/3RznE6Jli4

Global Justice Now on Twitter: ""If we do not want Covid-19 to continue exacerbating the racist and colonial world order, we need change. You cannot build high enough walls to keep the consequences of vaccine inequality out."@_HassanF on #Omicron and #VaccineApartheidhttps://t.co/iTbW49e936 / Twitter"

"If we do not want Covid-19 to continue exacerbating the racist and colonial world order, we need change. You cannot build high enough walls to keep the consequences of vaccine inequality out."@_HassanF on #Omicron and #VaccineApartheidhttps://t.co/iTbW49e936

Progressive International on Twitter: "BREAKING: 2.5 million nurses from 28 countries have filed for a UN investigation of human rights violations by the EU, UK, Switzerland, Norway, and Singapore for blocking the waiver on Covid-19 vaccine patents as new strains proliferate: https://t.co/Pq4YAqw2op pic.twitter.com/Rj37RqDA4J / Twitter"

BREAKING: 2.5 million nurses from 28 countries have filed for a UN investigation of human rights violations by the EU, UK, Switzerland, Norway, and Singapore for blocking the waiver on Covid-19 vaccine patents as new strains proliferate: https://t.co/Pq4YAqw2op pic.twitter.com/Rj37RqDA4J

UK has blocked relaxation of patents on coronavirus vaccines. UK is sitting on stocks of vaccines that it is unlikely to use. These stocks, within a month of expiry, should be shipped to poorer countries to help with their vaccination programmes.

• Omicron Netherlands: 13 air passengers test positive for new variant
• Covid: Health Secretary Sajid Javid to detail new measures

England new coronavirus restrictions was originally published in Light on a Dark Mountain on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Black Friday, the day people rush out to buy stuff they neither need nor want.

Consumerism, a symptom of greed and capitalism that is destroying the planet.

Like all sinister death cults an unwanted American export.

One retailer marks Black Friday, others feel obliged to follow suit or lose trade. Though if walked in a few stores, not many had worthwhile deals on offer, an excuse to get shot of trash that does not sell, or bought in junk to put on offer.

But not everyone.

Mark Thomas donated 20% of everything sold to Trussell Trust, a network of food banks (biggest growth are of the economy).

Riverford gave all their loyal customers £15 credit to say thank you. Or at least I thought they had. Sadly something of a con, refer a friend and you both receive £15, and not new as an existing scheme.

Lush refused to participate as wanton consumerism. And all credit to Lush, have pulled the plug on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and SnapChat.

Black Friday was originally published in Light on a Dark Mountain on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Zero, a community hub cum zero waste shop with focus on climate.

Keith Parkins on Twitter: "Zero #Guildford pic.twitter.com/8Wx0AI6Plw / Twitter"

Zero #Guildford pic.twitter.com/8Wx0AI6Plw

Keith Parkins on Twitter: "Zero #Guildford pic.twitter.com/8Wx0AI6Plw / Twitter"

Zero #Guildford pic.twitter.com/8Wx0AI6Plw

Keith Parkins on Twitter: "Zero #Guildford pic.twitter.com/5KjvBwNBpr / Twitter"

Zero #Guildford pic.twitter.com/5KjvBwNBpr

Keith Parkins on Twitter: "Zero #Guildford pic.twitter.com/Ig9iQKkeh1 / Twitter"

Zero #Guildford pic.twitter.com/Ig9iQKkeh1

Keith Parkins on Twitter: "Zero #Guildford pic.twitter.com/ZqvucA6I1V / Twitter"

Zero #Guildford pic.twitter.com/ZqvucA6I1V

Keith Parkins on Twitter: "Zero #Guildford pic.twitter.com/7Ztp7ARhog / Twitter"

Zero #Guildford pic.twitter.com/7Ztp7ARhog

Keith Parkins on Twitter: "Zero #Guildford pic.twitter.com/WEIGlxRYZY / Twitter"

Zero #Guildford pic.twitter.com/WEIGlxRYZY

Keith Parkins on Twitter: "Zero #Guildford pic.twitter.com/NUzj6gJGDW / Twitter"

Zero #Guildford pic.twitter.com/NUzj6gJGDW

Keith Parkins on Twitter: "Zero #Guildford pic.twitter.com/tYQRZKefRs / Twitter"

Zero #Guildford pic.twitter.com/tYQRZKefRs

Keith Parkins on Twitter: "Zero #Guildford pic.twitter.com/Fa35PWjEm1 / Twitter"

Zero #Guildford pic.twitter.com/Fa35PWjEm1

Keith Parkins on Twitter: "Zero #Guildford pic.twitter.com/AhjOqmVuB6 / Twitter"

Zero #Guildford pic.twitter.com/AhjOqmVuB6

Keith Parkins on Twitter: "Zero #Guildford pic.twitter.com/yaPAwhrOfi / Twitter"

Zero #Guildford pic.twitter.com/yaPAwhrOfi

ReSpace in action, a large empty retail unit, recycled on behalf of the local community, run by volunteers, lots of little areas suitable for informal meetings, a small stage to host talks, a little eatery (but by no means a coffee shop), a zero waste area (but so far no stock), a seed bank, books, visual displays.

Very much work in progress, my thoughts should therefore bear that in mind.

Please no, the sweets, the only stock in the zero waste zone, focus on quality, loose nuts, cereals, grains, muesli, rice etc. In addition, washing up liquid, shampoo. Never loose coffee beans. They oxidise.

Olive oil and rapeseed oil is a possibility, but I have reservations. It very quickly goes rancid. I would rather see high quality cold pressed, extra virgin, rapeseed oil and olive oil in bottles.

I buy green olive oil in Athens, it is the very first pressing, and it will have a provenance of where it came from.

A visit to Hisbe in Brighton to check out what they do, is a must.

Serious thought needs to be given to an in-house coffee shop. But not easy. Needs a crowd funder to buy or lease a decent espresso machine (cheap machines a waste of money). Then need a skilled barista or baristas. Would there be baristas in Guildford willing to put in a few volunteer hours? They in turn could show others how to, a valuable life skill. Next it would need planning consent for A3 use. Currently a bean -to-cup machine, a stop gap but by no means ideal. I was though pleasantly surprised to find sourcing specialty coffee from a roastery in Brighton. If source locally, try Coffee Gems in Farnham.

ReSpace: We recycle materials, why do we not recycle people and buildings? A planning designation, owner pays no businesses rates, peppercorn rent, building brought back into productive use. For the owner, if the building in use, it does not deteriorate.

DiEM25 on Twitter: "🔴 Missed our Alternative Climate Conference?No problem. You can watch all sessions of #CopOff now: 👉 https://t.co/3ENKU3lX8xWith @yanisvaroufakis, @AnnPettifor, @jasonhickel, @ChomskyDotInfo, @CarolineLucas, @lucasfebraro, @DusanPajovic_ and many more!#COP26 pic.twitter.com/8VRGStwU0C / Twitter"

🔴 Missed our Alternative Climate Conference?No problem. You can watch all sessions of #CopOff now: 👉 https://t.co/3ENKU3lX8xWith @yanisvaroufakis, @AnnPettifor, @jasonhickel, @ChomskyDotInfo, @CarolineLucas, @lucasfebraro, @DusanPajovic_ and many more!#COP26 pic.twitter.com/8VRGStwU0C

It was depressing, COP26 a complete and utter failure, delegates fly in in their private jets, largest delegation oil and gas industry, climate activists not invited, attacked on the streets by the police. We are now on course for 2.5C rise in global warming.

Zero was originally published in Light on a Dark Mountain on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

amber ruffin on Twitter: "In case you needed to be reminded of this after today's verdict. pic.twitter.com/CufF7l3vtw / Twitter"

In case you needed to be reminded of this after today's verdict. pic.twitter.com/CufF7l3vtw

White racist crosses state lines carrying an illegal assault weapon, shoots in cold blood Black protesters.

It would have been different if defending his own property from a violent mob, like the mob that attacked the Capitol earlier this year.

He crossed state lines armed with an illegal assault weapon.

Nor should we forget the Police officers who facilitated the killing.

Then people question why were the Black Panthers formed.

A racist judge facilitated the acquittal by a mainly white jury of a murderer who killed in cold blood.

Wisconsin Judge Bruce Schroeder, who presided over the Rittenhouse trial, consistently made rulings in the best interest of the white gunman. He refused to punish Rittenhouse for violating the terms of his bail; excluded evidence of Rittenhouse’s behaviour before and after the shooting that spoke to his intent and lack of remorse; allowed the defence to mischaracterize the people Rittenhouse killed as “rioters”; yelled at prosecutors in front of the jury; dismissed an illegal gun charge against the gunman; and had the jury clap for one of Rittenhouse’s expert witnesses.

Others might want to argue about why Schroeder was biased toward the defendant (the judge’s MAGA ringtones and off-colour jokes tell you all you need to know about why he was sympathetic to a white gunman who shot up anti–police violence protesters at the height of the Black Lives Matter movement). But that he was biased toward Rittenhouse was obvious to those watching the trial without blinkers.

A racist judge and a predominately white jury are just standard gifts the criminal justice system gives to white boys accused of criminal violence.

Rittenhouse also enjoyed hero status among white supremacists and Republicans as well as favourable media coverage from Fox News and The New York Times.

Fox News will be running a documentary on the racist hero. Racists raised all the money for his defence.

Pause for a moment and imagine a Black teenager crosses state lines, with an illegal semi-automatic weapon, shoots at a rabid mob at a Trump rally. We do not even have to ask what the legal outcome would be. We know without asking. But that is even assuming the case gets to Court. The Black teenager would most likely be gunned down on the street.

This was not a “miscarriage of justice". It was a racist fascist justice system working as intended. This system is designed to free people like Rittenhouse: white vigilantes who kill to maintain the racist status quo. Blacks must not be allowed to rise above their station.

It doesn’t always work It did not work for the killer of George Floyd.

What happened was a mistrial with a judge unfit to preside over the case.

The judge must be removed from the Bench, a mistrial declared.

IREHR on Twitter: "The Proud Boys, who Rittenhouse posed with before his trial, are weeping tears of joy and gearing up for future street battles. pic.twitter.com/aU2V6lSJsX / Twitter"

The Proud Boys, who Rittenhouse posed with before his trial, are weeping tears of joy and gearing up for future street battles. pic.twitter.com/aU2V6lSJsX

IREHR on Twitter: "The Hammer thinks the Rittenhouse verdict will help create more white nationalists, ""Hopefully we get some riots this weekend. Get your popcorn ready, more nazis will be born tonight." pic.twitter.com/Yf6yUvZKzq / Twitter"

The Hammer thinks the Rittenhouse verdict will help create more white nationalists, ""Hopefully we get some riots this weekend. Get your popcorn ready, more nazis will be born tonight." pic.twitter.com/Yf6yUvZKzq

But what has happened was worse than a mistrial. Racists and fascist are now wanting to see protests on the street as they have just been given the green light to shoot and kill protesters in cold blood.

The Proud Boys, who Rittenhouse posed with before his trial, are weeping tears of joy and gearing up for future street battles.

Fascism thrives on societal breakdown, descent into violence. We have already seen two MPs killed, we see Tories stirring up hatred, in US the slide into fascism has begun with the acquittal of a racist cold blooded killer, a majority white jury presided over by a racist judge. Racists in US now see this as a green light to gun down Black protesters.

Fascism arose in Italy and Germany following political murders.

Frank Figliuzzi on Twitter: "Divide & conquer: A sample of 32,315 pro-Rittenhouse hashtag tweets, Nov 19-20, showed 29,609 with disabled geolocation. Of those, 17,701 were listed as "foreign", but a deep scrub revealed most of those were in Russia, China, and the EU. @Tara_Writer @TAPSTRIMEDIA #Rittenhouse / Twitter"

Divide & conquer: A sample of 32,315 pro-Rittenhouse hashtag tweets, Nov 19-20, showed 29,609 with disabled geolocation. Of those, 17,701 were listed as "foreign", but a deep scrub revealed most of those were in Russia, China, and the EU. @Tara_Writer @TAPSTRIMEDIA #Rittenhouse

An analysis of the pro-Rittenhouse hashtags shows something deeply disturbing where their origins are located. Hybrid warfare originating in the EU, China and Russia, deliberately designed to undermine democracy.

Today we have seen Tories speaking in unison, aided and abetted by friends in the media, whipping up hatred against migrants, fear of The Other, a distraction from Tory corruption on an industrial scale.

The battle lines were drawn a few days ago with the sacking of the editor of the Daily Mail for highlighting Tory corruption.

Tories claim migrants are losing them votes. A new one on migrants are stealing jobs.

I have yet to encounter a single person raise concern re migrants. I have had many raise concern corruption and lack of democracy.

• Rittenhouse: A new stage in American fascism
• Kyle Rittenhouse Has Gotten Away With Murder-as Predicted

Kyle Rittenhouse: Acquittal of a racist cold-blooded killer was originally published in Light on a Dark Mountain on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

This is not Saigon. -- US Sec of State Anthony Blinken

Christiane Amanpour on Twitter: "This has been a truly shocking and shameful 24 hours. All the attempts to cover themselves in some kind of honor will not protect the west from what's going to unfold. And the Afghan people, who've been through 40 years of war, will continue to suffer. pic.twitter.com/f9voCojW9d / Twitter"

This has been a truly shocking and shameful 24 hours. All the attempts to cover themselves in some kind of honor will not protect the west from what's going to unfold. And the Afghan people, who've been through 40 years of war, will continue to suffer. pic.twitter.com/f9voCojW9d

AFP News Agency on Twitter: "#UPDATE Victorious Taliban fighters patrolled #Kabul on Monday after a stunningly swift end to #Afghanistan's 20-year war, as thousands of people mobbed the city's airport trying to flee the group's feared hardline brand of Islamist rule https://t.co/LFVeeJAxrE pic.twitter.com/o7tvaOBb1R / Twitter"

UPDATE Victorious Taliban fighters patrolled #Kabul on Monday after a stunningly swift end to #Afghanistan's 20-year war, as thousands of people mobbed the city's airport trying to flee the group's feared hardline brand of Islamist rule https://t.co/LFVeeJAxrE pic.twitter.com/o7tvaOBb1R

AFP News Agency on Twitter: "VIDEO: 🇦🇫 Afghans crowd the airport in #Kabul on Monday, hoping to board flights to leave #Afghanistan and flee the Taliban's feared hardline brand of Islamist rule after the group retook control of the country pic.twitter.com/i8VREEbzsV / Twitter"

VIDEO: 🇦🇫 Afghans crowd the airport in #Kabul on Monday, hoping to board flights to leave #Afghanistan and flee the Taliban's feared hardline brand of Islamist rule after the group retook control of the country pic.twitter.com/i8VREEbzsV

Paul Mason on Twitter: "I saw first hand how liberal interventionism & expeditionary mania ripped thru the political and media elite in 2001: what we should ask for now is simply the admission: we were wrong, its over, never again 1/ https://t.co/xWRMZiksxA / Twitter"

I saw first hand how liberal interventionism & expeditionary mania ripped thru the political and media elite in 2001: what we should ask for now is simply the admission: we were wrong, its over, never again 1/ https://t.co/xWRMZiksxA

No, it is not Saigon, this is far far worse than Saigon.

US Sec of State Anthony Blinken claims a success. What would be a disaster?

War criminal Jack Straw, one of war criminal Tony Blairs cronies claims success.

Former UK Chief of Defence Staff claims not a failure, Afghanistan was able to form a cricket team.

Afghanistan, the people of Afghanistan, men, women and children, have been betrayed by Joe Biden, he has handed them to the Taliban to be massacred. This will be the legacy of Joe Biden.

The Taliban have never governed Afghanistan, they were Islamic fundamentalist terrorists who seized control of a country. Once again these Muslim fundamentalist terrorists have seized control of a country.

Taliban are no different to ISIS. the only difference, one group of terrorists have a black flag, the other a white flag.

Taliban say they will allow girls an education up to the age of twelve.

Think of the young women in their late teens and early twenties, now subject to repression by the Taliban.

Several years ago, I was with an Afghan filmmaker, who had filmed undercover in Afghanistan. I asked her was it as bad as portrayed in The Bookseller of Kabul. She said no, it was far far worse, women did not exist, half the population did not exist. She said the only advantage of being forced to wear a burqa, she could hid her cameras as she walked around.

The very least, the absolute minimum, the West can do, is offer every woman denied a university education a free university place, and indefinite leave to remain until the evil that is the Taliban is removed.

Women please show solidarity with women in Afghanistan, wear white shoes.

Bianca Jagger Nicaraguense por gracia de Dios 🇳🇮 on Twitter: "👉🏿You can see the difference between someone Duty bound and.. RT The UK Ambassador to Afghanistan stayed behind in Kabul to personally process visas for Afghans while Dominic Raab sat on a beach in Cyprus. https://t.co/GoRJqfOOAl / Twitter"

👉🏿You can see the difference between someone Duty bound and.. RT The UK Ambassador to Afghanistan stayed behind in Kabul to personally process visas for Afghans while Dominic Raab sat on a beach in Cyprus. https://t.co/GoRJqfOOAl

UK Parliament has been recalled for Wednesday. For what, weasel words from politicians who stood by and betrayed Afghanistan? It has taken Pepsi Trump longer to recall Parliament than the Taliban to seize a country.

Afghan Army fled in their armoured vehicles, leaving cities undefended, fled from terrorists armed with Kalashnikovs and RPGs.

A lack of Intelligence on the ground. A repetition of what happened on the ground in Iran. Intelligence supplied by a corrupt regime.

The West propped up a corrupt regime.

Several years ago I conversation with senior military, I was told as soon as we pulled out, it will collapse. It was likened to painting a rotten fence.

NATO aircraft were being charged every time they landed.

Structural changes should have taken place, corruption dealt with. Corrupt officials and their families stripped off their ill-gotten gains.

Are we now seizing assets?

We should not recognise an illegitimate government led by the Taliban.

China will fall over backwards to adopt a client state, as will Russia. That means UN Security Council will not be able to act.

Afghanistan betrayed by the West was originally published in Light on a Dark Mountain on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.