Saturday 25 July
The Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Devon, Stuart Brocklehurst, stands ready to cut the ribbon to open Barnstaple’s new Planetary Lab. It is the creation of two dynamic women, Dr Alice Mills (centre) and Dr Natalie Whitehead. Their mission is to encourage young people to take up STEM subjects at school - but also to stimulate all of us to think creatively and positively about the future. Well done to North Devon Council for making a space available in the Green Lanes Shopping Centre. May it thrive!
North Devon XR met at Barnstaple Library in the afternoon. We discussed the environmental impact of the so-called Data ‘Campus’ (ie Centre) proposed by XLinks for an 850 acre site in Torridge. Many agree with me, as stated here previously, that there has simply been no cost/benefit of AI at a national level. Isn’t it similar to the adoption of the wonder-material plastic, last century, with no thought of its possible downsides? (Now we all, including foetuses contain the material). Many of us favour a moratorium on data centre construction until that analysis has taken place. We learned from one of our younger members that there are two distinct branches of AI - Machine Learning Models (which can be super-useful in scientific / medical research) and Large Language Models. The latter consume far more power and have fewer benefits to society. Promoters of AI like Sam Altman conflate the two but we need to consider them separately.
Photo by Rosie Haworth-Booth
Saturday was also the day of the Landkey Fête. I joined two other Swimbridge residents to judge the Dog Show. Being from a village a mile away from Landkey, the impartiality of us three judges was considered above reproach. The categories were demanding: best rescue dog, best dog of seven years or more, waggiest tail, cutest. None of us had a wagometer app on our phones so judging was done with the naked eye. What splendid dogs we met and what a lovely time we had making our choices and handing out rosettes (three in each category).
Sunday 26 July
Glorious, blowsy, umbelliferous, over-abundant late July. A Sunday on which I wrote very few official emails but did minor gardening things: barrowing weed raked from the pond (and left overnight for critters to return to the water) up to the compost bins. I read some more of Emily Watson’s translation of the Odyssey and was impressed by these words to Odysseus by the tender-hearted young princess Nausicaa:
I wondered if they had made it into Christopher Nolan’s ICE-era Hollywood epic. A friend tells me that the film doesn’t even include Nausicaa so presumably not.
Monday 27 July
The BBC, far from speaking truth to power on Gaza and the West Bank, are not even trying to speak to ministers on the horrors being enacted by so-called Israeli ‘Settlers’ (aka violent colonists). My comment to the BBC this was prompted by a segment on Today this morning:
There was coverage of the new wave of extreme Settler violence against Palestinian residents in the West Bank, including murders. The presenter, Jonny Dymond, interviewed an eye-witness who gave unequivocal testimony that Settler violence is condoned and supported by the Israeli government. Dymond said that the programme had asked for an Israeli government official to comment but no one had been available. Why did Today not seek an interview with a British government minister? When did Today last question a minister? Today and its editors are completely out of touch with public opinion on Gaza and the West Bank and our government’s failure to act in any meaningful way to prevent further land theft and violence.
Tuesday 28 July
Latest NHS news: https://www.royaldevon.nhs.uk/services/maternity-and-obstetrics-birth-and-babies/nddh-birth-services-temporary-changes/
After 11 August North Devon mothers in labour are recommended to travel to Exeter, Plymouth, Taunton or Truro! Outrageous.
Wednesday 29 July
What is this mystery item - answer later in the blog
The BBC has an irritating ad about itself (‘What has the BBC ever done for me?’). It is losing appeal because it is out of touch. It thinks it is major news that Zack Polanski made an understandable error on social media but - as drought affects over half of our country - it doesn’t challenge politicians on the Right (Badenoch, Farage etc) who undermine efforts to address climate change (or those who are appear to have weakening resolve, like Burnham). Instead, it finds time for an item of the decline in popularity of beach huts. I wish there was an alternative to the sometimes excellent but often disappointing national broadcaster.
Thursday 30 July
Guardian, Tuesday - thank you!
As if to confirm my remarks yesterday about the BBC, Green Press briefing this morning includes this: New polling has found that more than half of people in Britain have become more fearful about the future after this summer's heatwaves, while a majority have said tackling climate change should now be a higher priority for government and business.
Friday 31 July
Rampant Willowherb along a stream in the garden
Wildlife: the mystery item shared on Wednesday is a bar of soap my wife left in an airing cupboard - to add a little scent to the bed linen etc - which was gnawed by mice. I wonder what they made of it. Perhaps: ‘Humans can’t even make a decent mouse-trap cheese these days without adding fancy ingredients’. ‘Yeah, just like all those new herbal boutique gins they make on Exmoor’. My contributions to the Big Butterfly Count continued with sightings of Brimstones, Common Blues, Gatekeepers and Painted Ladies. The Swifts have gone, the Blackberries and Autumn Raspberries are arriving early. Booking for the Appledore Book Festival opens tomorrow. I’ll be reading nature poems with Jane Lovell on Friday 25 September at 1230 in the Osprey Tent at Skern. Finally, I recommend the new exhibition at the Burton Art Gallery. Thank you for reading.
