Alfred Russell Wallace (1869) #degrowth

Does your work involve 'dangerous writing'? Interpret as you wish. This is a truly interdisciplinary project and the most interesting one I've been involved with for years. Jan 16th deadline for 250-word abstract submissions.

At the recent #DangerousWriting symposium experts explored how texts from prison blogs to protest theatre can both empower & harm asking how do we care for stories that carry pain?

www.manchester.ac.uk/about/news/m...

@criminologyuom.bsky.social @marionvannier.bsky.social @jonshute.bsky.social

GAZA LIVE: ‘Humanity, the law and reason must prevail’ in Gaza, UN relief chief tells Security Council The Security Council met in New York to discuss the horror unfolding in Gaza, where humanitarians warn of “a critical risk of famine” and aid shipments have been blocked by Israel for over 70 days. UN...

news.un.org/en/story/202...

Also loved the cast who were narrator, chorus and crowd; brilliantly choreographed. And a worldweary Les Dennis. What’s not to like?

Saw Peter Mullan as Bill Shankly in a stage adaptation of David Peace’s ‘Red or Dead’ yesterday in Liverpool. Comprehensively marvellous. Charisma and pathos in equal measure, plus an hilarious Kevin Keegan hairstyle from 1973. With my tribe!

First day of spring.

Results rather - the performance was terrible!

I also want to belatedly record my joy at observing the parade of planets last week. I only saw 5 as Mercury and Saturn were too low on the horizon. Mars not in this view but that was also a clear, red treat.

Been supporting them for 44 years and this is one of the very best away performances; Allison 11/10.

I hardly ever do social media these days but have to say engaging tonight with many decent, funny and insightful US folks in my thread has cheered me right up. There is always hope.

Book #6. Good ‘un. Volcanoes, storms, Peru, foment, stifled revolution, Andean natural history, polar ice, battles, deus ex machina rescue.

Book #5. Commuter read. V light but fun. Written for TV, adapted v well.

Playing around with an older laptop today, I was really happy with how google chrome ‘synced’ my bookmarks: turns out this means ‘overwrite & destroy dozens and dozens semi-randomly & in a way that is unrecoverable’. Really useful feature.

Book #4

Book #3

Trump’s Gaza plan could amount to war crime, say experts Academics fear US president’s lack of reference to international law could lead to global breakdown of peace and security

I teach atrocity crime to criminologists & have been using Project 25/campaign speeches to predict Trump’s engagement with ongoing conflicts. My grimmest predictions couldnt capture something as unhinged as ethnic cleansing for resort development. www.theguardian.com/law/2025/feb...

Dry Jan done. No fuss. Wine tasted super strong. Enjoyed greatly with game stew and cheese.

UK Poverty 2025: The essential guide to understanding poverty in the UK This report sets out the nature of poverty in the UK in the run-up to 2024's General Election. It also sets out the scale of action necessary for the Government to deliver the change it has promised.

www.jrf.org.uk/uk-poverty-2...

What would Heathrow third runway mean for pollution, emissions and noise? As UK chancellor backs expansion at London’s biggest airport, we assess the possible environmental impacts

We’re gonna fly, baby fly. As degrowth/MMT & other positions make clear, growth at any cost is immoral, deadly & doomed. Staggeringly reckless. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Book #2. 16/21! Those who know, know.

Bryan Adams Collection The Bryan Adams Collection features 36 paintings, each a collaboration between rock icon Bryan Adams, who painted the base coats, and ape artists from Save the Chimps, who added the brushstrokes.

I think this may be the best thing I’ve ever seen on a website. shop.savethechimps.org/product-cate...

Not sure I qualify as a ‘young pianist’, mind.

New piano book

Piano book contents page.

New piano book. Can play the Beethoven; learning the Jazz etudiette.

Sunrise over the fell

Sun low over the snow

Freezing fog along the valley floor

Sunrise over the fog.

Morning walk best-of from the last couple of gelid days.

Reeves mulls deeper cuts to public services as borrowing costs soar Chancellor could slash departmental spending in spring after ruling out tax increase, officials reveal

The Labour tragedy: stunned/surprised at being in power, with no vision, pointless self-imposed limitations & essentially the same failed macro-economic model of the last 15 years, they resemble a miserabilist, bureaucratic wing of the Tory party. Failure opens space for deep(-er) Faragism.

NB, I note that Bluesky isn't yet a sharing option for this journal. It should be!

This looks great, and there are a number of open access articles.

Gott in Himmel, is nothing I value safe from this man?! I’m not migrating to Everton (‘bluecry’?)!

Very good but stops with Istanbul - no Klopp at all!