Keith Haring, Untitled (Earth Day), 1985

Crude oil != Jet fuel or Diesel

Grim but useful read.

Global energy markets are on the verge of a disaster
economist.com/finance-and-...

Misogynists weaponise women’s safety to silence feminists who make progress for women. It’s a playbook. And nobody is demonstrating that more than Kevin McKenna and his daily diatribe against women in the Greens. bellacaledonia.org.uk/2026/04/22/a...

Tweet by Martina Navratilova. "Predator. That is how he should register. A sexual predator…" quote-tweeting a tweet by "Biology Rules OK" about Dr. Beth Upton, a trans woman

This tweet is highly defamatory and Martina Navratilova should be fired from BBC Sport for it.

It demonstrates an horrendous level of hatred for a trans woman (who was cleared of all wrongdoing in a recent tribunal) because she is a trans woman.

🚨🚨🚨New LEGO video
Losers First‼️ #EpsteinFiles

If the strait stays closed for 3m a global recession is pretty much nailed on. By my back of the envelope it will take 30-45 more days to completely exhaust buffer stocks and flex. Sometime before that we will start to see aggressive demand destruction.

Better Buses National Hustings Come and quiz candidates from Scotland’s main political parties about what they plan to do to deliver better buses.

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Please join our events in the run-up to the Scottish Parliament election on 7 May 👇🧵

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Start of spokes article #Holyrood2026 : Travelling Backwards The Holyrood election on 7 May is critical to active travel and wider transport policies and budgets for the next 5 years. Is there a local project being planned that you’re looking forward to? – in Edinburgh, say Meadows to George Street, or Portobello to Musselburgh? When and if such projects will happen depends largely on the existence and size of the Scottish Government active travel budget. Sadly and shockingly, in view of the climate crisis, the cost of living crisis, and the need for healthier lifestyles to help the NHS crisis this year’s manifestos mark a massive deterioration in active travel policies as compared to the 2021 election – or even 2016. This article includes an analysis of the various party manifestos, and lots of other relevant info. We will add more as it becomes available.

Table comparing AT investment promises in 2021 and 2026 manifestos. Sorry, tables don't come out well in ALT text! Key to tables below++Very good and/or best+good=mixed, unclear, or less good than other parties-poor (or unrealistic) - -very disappointing NNot in manifesto [N is generally disappointing, but depends on the issue, so think!] Page numbers shown are to pages of each party’s 2026 manifesto 2026 v 2021 comparison of AT Investment manifesto commitments Sadly and shockingly, in view of the climate crisis, the cost of living crisis, and the need for healthier lifestyles to help the NHS crisis the 2026 manifestos mark a massive deterioration in active travel policies as compared to the 2021 election – or even 2016. Only the Greens, and to a lesser extent the Lib Dems, retain positive approaches. Whilst this applies to many policies and promises, the astonishing contrast is seen clearly in this comparative table on the top issue, active travel investment AT Investment Conservative Green Labour LibDem Reform SNP 2021 manifestos [AT funding then was approx £116m, roughly 3.5% of total transport] + 10% by 2026 ++ £320m immediately [approx 10%] rising further + 10% [unclear if soon or by 2026] = “aim” to double existing [this would be approx 7%] N/A = 10% of “capital” bgt by 2026 [BUT this is less of the total transport bgt] 2026 manifestos [AT funding is now approx £163m, roughly 3.9% of total transport] - - p35; p75 cut the AT budget; end ring-fenced cash to councils ++ p26 at least 10%; multi-year funding N = p66 “Invest in active travel for the first and last mile” - - p11 End ring-fenced cash to councils = p64 £2.5m for bike repair; new fund for outdoor recreation paths

Table of party manifesto comparisons (page 1) 2026 manifesto overall comparisons Note that the manifestos include more transport policies/promises than are shown here, particularly on walk, bus and rail. We hope this table includes most of the items directly relevant to cycling, as well as some relevant wider transport issues. Also, note that if something is not in a manifesto, it doesn’t mean it won’t happen, though it is less likely to. Issue Conservative Green Labour LibDem Reform SNP AT Investment [from above table] - - ++ N = - - = Extent of cycle/AT routes/networks ambition - - p36 “End the obsession with cycle lanes” Cycle lanes only ok if not using road or pavement space ++ p26 “national blueprint of walking, cycle and wheeling networks“; faster Council AT project delivery N + p66 “Investing in active travel for the first and last mile” = p23 Rural Scotland: “support outdoor recreation ... cycling … with accessible paths” = p64 outdoor recreation paths fund; no Roseburn tram; support Powderhall AT path [see note 3 below] Is AT recognised and supported as a public health measure - p57 Only considers leisure centres & sport + p163 “space to walk, run, play, wheel and cycle is a right not a privilege” N ++ p33 & p61 “Supporting wellbeing by making it easier for people to use active travel” N N Neighbourhoods / Car-free lifestyles N + p118 “Support local living and 20-minute nbd approaches” N + p52 New towns “prioritising features such as rail links.. and 20-minute nbds” N N Disincentivise car use/ Demand management - - p35 “End the war on drivers”; No targets; stop any Workplace Parking levies or congestion charging ++ p22 Seek road-user taxation powers for Scotland ++ p33 Levy on out-oftown retail, to support towns + p89 Business rates replaced by a new levy favouring town centre retail & hospitality = p73 “Moving all forms of transport away from fossil fuels” – But carrotsonly approach - - p21 “End the war on the car“ N 20mph - p36 20mph only ok where locals…

Table of party manifestos (page 2) Potholes - - p33 Fund pothole filling by cutting (scrapping?) the AT budget N + (or - -) p49 £350m fund [see note 1 below] + p64 “fair funding” for councils; use of new technology + p21 “Fix potholes” + p72 “up to £350m” for potholes & resurfacing Air pollution including Low Emission Zones - - p36 Halt more LEZs and reduce fines in existing ++ p118 expand LEZs, plus stronger monitoring N - - p21 Abolish LEZs N Transport integration, with respect to active travel = p38 Rail, bus & tram integration; no mention of walk/ bike + p22, p26 Better AT links to public transport; All new rail, bus, tram to carry bikes N N N N Road building - - p34 New law to fasttrack trunk road upgrades; dual A9 by 2031; many other trunk projects + p22 Future-proof roads like A83 vulnerable to climate change; no mention of expansion - - p49 Dual A9 by 2035, look into dualling A77 and A75, & create National Roads Plan - - p64 Dual A9 & A96; - - p21 “plan to upgrade major trunk roads” [see note 2 below] - - p71 Dual A9 by 2035, also parts of A96; and consider A75, A77 Air travel taxation ADT= Air departure tax - - p39 oppose any new taxes; reduce long-haul tax ++ p34 frequent flyer levy; private jet tax; more.. N + p66 Higher tax for private jet passengers N + p27 private jet tax; including for ‘ghost’ flights USP – unique selling points (good and bad!) picked out by Spokes - - p33 1. AT schemes are “ideological projects” 2. ban bikes in all pedestrian areas + p16, p156 Universal rail card; £2 max bus fares + p122 Council powers to enforce traffic contraventions + p55 “Crush illegal e-bikes, using drones to track & trace unlicensed bikes” + p64 ”Dangerous Roads Programme“ - - p21 “End the war on the car“ + p38 £2 bus fare cap [1] Labour £350m pothole fund. The manifesto does not say where the money would come from. In early campaign speeches Anas Sarwar had said it would be from cutting Active Travel funding. On our estimate this would mean a 40% cut on curre…

#Holyrood2026 #SP26

Our #manifesto analysis
--> www.spokes.org.uk/2026/04/holy...

We looked at #activetravel, mainly 🚲, and some related transport/environment, but not at 🚌🚆

1 Greens, excellent
2 LibDem, positive in a fairly modest way
3= Labour & SNP, poor
5 Reform, bad
6 Conservative, terrible

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The demand for 'consensus' comes from parties who know the Council Tax is horrendously unfair, but who don't want to do anything about it and need someone else to blame.

The @scottishgreens.org are the only party to set out plans to scrap and replace CT in our manifesto.

Maggie Smith in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969)
#bikesky #filmsky #bici #vintage #photography #bicycle #bike #fahrrad #自転車 #cycling #cyclinglife #bikelife #biking #bicicleta #cycle #vélo 🚲🚴‍♀️

Same with Don't Look Up.

This is fucking mental.

Your right, but can you imagine the freak out if you bought another Chelsea player.

Scottish Green co-leader Gillian Mackay is standout contributor on Channel4 News' Scots leaders’ debate. Like Ross Greer in BBC debate her stance is crystal clear - opposing North Sea drilling, calling for wealth Tax & slamming Malcolm Offord who claims Glasgow is a ‘dumping ground’ for refugees.

current status: weeping with laughter

We can't be complicit in Donald Trump's war crimes.

His military must not be allowed to use Scottish infrastructure for his illegal wars.

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Did Fraser Nelson ever share this view with his columnists at the Spectator?

In the first big leaders' debate of the election, @ross-greer.bsky.social spoke up strongly for a welcoming Scotland and against the racism of the far right.

And most of the audience agreed - rejecting Reform's lies and dogwhistles.

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#BBCDN

I can’t get over the cartoon ears on the snapchat video of this British Lebanese girl Naya as she suddenly hears and sees the Israeli military fire missiles all around her. Powerful piece by Sky’s Yalda Hakim.

Beyond the headlines, the Scottish Parliament election is passing voters by.

To discuss 'Scotland's Forgettable Election', Coll McCail is joined on Nest of Fearties by freelance journalist Jamie Maxwell and Bella Caledonia's Mike Small.

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SUVs are making Britain’s potholes worse, say scientists Engineers link reduced lifespan of roads to shift to heavier cars, some bought to navigate damaged surfaces Drivers who choose SUVs are compounding the pothole problem, experts have warned, as research showed hundreds of thousands of people bought bigger cars to navigate damaged roads. Scientists said the cumulative effect of increasing numbers of heavier vehicles was a contributory factor in Britain’s potholes getting worse. Continue reading...

SUVs are making Britain’s potholes worse, say scientists

The Guardian. Israel's attacks on Lebanon should not be happening, says Keir Starmer.

The UK provides intelligence to Israel.
The UK provides weapons to Israel.
The UK trains Israeli soldiers.

Keir Starmer should immediately withdraw his support and work with other countries to hold those guilty of war crimes accountable.

Giving first time buyers money will increase the price of houses. A wealth tax would do more to help fist time buyers.

"they have no cards, other than a short term extortion of the World by using International Waterways"

Those feel like... pretty solid cards?