So yes, I will watch this quite carefully. It will be interesting to see what evidence emerges of good faith efforts to engage on either side 10/fin

The other non-individual bringing the claim is The Land Justice Coalition Ltd, which seems to a not-for-profit company run by the individual claimant, and is no relation to the Land Justice Network, which definitely would be comfortable talking about ESG. But seems to be defunct /9

I am going to go out on a limb here and suggest that The Countryside Alliance is not going to stand up and say "the UK's ESG processes are not good enough." But that is sort of what it is arguing. /8

But I guess developed nations can't lecture less developed countries about their ESG processes and not really practice engagement with affected communities themselves /7

The CA claims to be up in the mix, but is not listed as a party to the application. And I think it is fair to say it might be opposed to pylons in principle? The CPRE - which IS a party - definitely does not much like overhead pylons. /6

Tables turn on Green GEN Cymru as over 300 Welsh farmers launch High Court challenge over land access Countryside Alliance Wales has reported that more than 300 farmers and landowners have taken High Court action against energy developer Green GEN Cymru.

There's a release from the Countryside Alliance saying both that agents were cold-calling landowners (high pressure at best) and that there was quite a lengthy impasse over access, which suggests that there may have been engagement. /5 www.countryside-alliance.org/news-content...

Generally these are meant to be last resort, but as threat they can be wielded subtly or unsubtly. It's not clear from the coverage how much good faith effort there was in this instance. /4

It happens quite frequently that developers or their agents get bored of the time and cost of engaging with affected landowners and just say "Section 174 powers allow us to access your land without your consent. EAT MY NOTICE". /3

Development consent orders and compulsory purchase powers will often be needed to build essential infrastructure. Local planning processes are just not up to snuff. HOWEVER, the onus is on developers to treat affected communities fairly. /2

Pylons firm challenged by 500 farmers in landmark legal case More than 500 farmers take action against a firm planning new electricity pylon routes across Wales.

Regardless of the motives of the challengers to the Green GEN Cymru project, infrastructure developers relying on development consent orders do =sometimes= abuse section 174 powers. /1

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Somewhere Bismarck is looking down in confusion as Germany projects power by sending 4,000 pensioners, 12 buffet stations and a TUI loyalty program through the Strait of Hormuz

Also it was Justin Webb, wasn't it. It's always Justin Webb

Seems like a good time for the confession that I once, while living in NYC, pronounced the name of the Wu Tang production godfather as "Are-Zed-Ay". To compensate I now pronounce the name of the legendary Nottinghamshire/Lincolnshire border town as Noo-uk-on-Trent.

The way to square this is of course to suggest that all of Hawkwind APART FROM Lemmy hated the Beatles, and that Lemmy was not solely ejected from Hawkwind because of That Drug Bust. Which means that Glen Matlock would not be the first bassist to depart a Significant Band for liking the Beatles?

Tree of the Day this beauty in one of Orban’s many mansions that most Hungarians don’t know about because of his grip on the media. Great drone work Caolan! Tomorrow a chance for Hungary to say no to corruption, no to Russian and US interference, and goodbye to Orban, the populists’ populist

Gentleman’s Relish is toast after its maker axes the pungent anchovy spread Falling sales end production of spread created in 1828 but reborn London restaurant Simpson’s keeps it on the menu Fans of traditional British cuisine were heartbroken by news that Gentleman’s Relish was being discontinued by its manufacturer. But Jeremy King, who last month reopened Simpson’s in the Strand, has instructed his chef to create a version of the pungent anchovy-based condiment almost identical to the real thing for the 198-year-old London restaurant. Continue reading...

Gentleman’s Relish is toast after its maker axes the pungent anchovy spread

all these universities kept axing medieval history departments as if they thought tyrants beefing with the Pope was going to stop being relevant

Right that's it. Have a good Easter/Solstice/Post Eid period. I am going to exercise. BOO. 26/FIN

In case you felt this thread was getting a little too highbrow. /25

Red Tide, by Temple Of The Fuzz Witch 7 track album

Oh whoops. Nearly forgot. Here's "Red Tide", some name-your-price stoner-death-doom from Detroit's very own Temple of the Fuzz Witch /24 templeofthefuzzwitch.bandcamp.com/album/red-tide

The Elements, by Joe Henderson 4 track album

It mentions that she "guested on The Elements, a thrilling slice of spiritual jazz recorded with her old Detroit jazz pal, Joe Henderson." That hits a lot of enthusiasms of mine, so we shall give it a whirl. joehenderson.bandcamp.com/album/the-el... /23

Alice Coltrane and Eternity in 1976 | The Quietus Andy Beta's new book Cosmic Music traces the spiritual and musical history of one of jazz's true outliers, Alice Coltrane

The last one is also a Quietus recommendation, though a little bit older. This appears on an excerpt it ran of Andy's Beta's "Cosmic Music" - a biography of Alice Coltrane. By whom I have a few records. thequietus.com/culture/book... /22

Organic Intelligence III: Wonky Techno | The Quietus DJ Rush We’re not luddites, we just feel you deserve better than some unsatisfying algorithmic advice when it comes to music. This is the third edition of our new Low Culture subscriber’s newsletter, ...

This is via a Tidal playlist, which in turn comes via the Quietus, to which you should subscribe, at any tier that you feel works. A couple of tracks on that playlist appeared on the Bleeps comp thequietus.com/subscriber-a... /21

All The Bleeps, by All Those I Play 15 track album

More techno, now. Wonky techno in a Canadian wonky techno compilation. The compilation is Canadian. The wonky techno might not be. It has the ambitious name of "All The Bleeps" fitm.bandcamp.com/album/all-th... /20

I think I ended up here because @harrysword.bsky.social pointed to one of Ruskin's DJ mixes. Which I have not listened to yet. bsky.app/profile/harr... /19

Point 2, by James Ruskin 10 track album

Next up, here's "Point 2" by James Ruskin. Minimal Anglo-German techno. Presented as something of a bridge between UK (headbanging) and Detroit (sleek, futuristic) styles. That seems simplistic, but I do not have anywhere near the knowledge to argue. /18 tresorberlin.bandcamp.com/album/point-2

The Album That Made Me Fall Back in Love With Heavy Metal Neurosis’s new record makes the right kind of noise to stand out in this overwhelming moment.

This only the second Neurosis record I own - you can hear about their rebirth in any number of outfits. But having got many records by ISIS (THE BAND, as they have to be known on Bandcamp), I am probably ready. Here's a review in The Atlantic, of all places. www.theatlantic.com/culture/2026... /17

An Undying Love For A Burning World, by Neurosis 8 track album

Gosh, skeet 16, and we have not started the downloads yet. And this was meant to be a stopgap deep Underground Bandcamp Friday. OK, right, we got the new Neurosis record. neurosis.bandcamp.com/album/an-und... /16

On the one hand, I respect Blues Funeral for putting both volumes in the same series (to have them straddle two would have been... a little predatory). On the other, I think I am starting to look for a little more variety. Perhaps I am not going to be a god-tier stoner metal fan for ever /15

Kal-El - Astral Voyager Vol 2 View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 2026 Vinyl release of "Astral Voyager Vol 2" on Discogs.

The seond is "Astral Voyager Vol 2" by Norwegian stoner metal band Kal-El. This is very straightahead fare for its genre and done very well, but the higher-pitched vocals are slightly wearing. www.discogs.com/release/3679... /14