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Jon Gurr

@jongurr.bsky.social
797 followers 426 following 89 posts

Tree inspector, conservation, travelling, pro-Europe, people and life.

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Reposted by Jon Gurr
Brian @brianscant.bsky.social · 11h
The barrister who cleared Jukes and Orr is Reform’s own barrister, Adam Richardson. Investigations, internal or otherwise, are more credible if the lawyer isn’t the company’s own lawyer! For anyone interested in Richardson, a failed UKIP candidate, read this. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
theguardian.com
Reform’s ‘Trumpian’ legal threats hint at more aggressive approach to media
Ultimatums sent to publications appear to intensify as Nigel Farage’s party rises in polls
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Chris @oakymoron.bsky.social · 7h
The Co-op should be ashamed of themselves They used to be the friendly place people went to work. Now it is one of the most overbearing www.theguardian.com/technology/2...
theguardian.com
‘Dystopian’: Co-op becomes latest firm to put staff under AI surveillance
Whistleblower says recording and analysis of all probate calls in Co-op Legal Services is oppressive
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Alex Harvey @alexharvv.bsky.social · 13h
Oh this can just fuck off An AI-'written' complete copy of my own book is now on Amazon; same title, more-or-less the same blurb, and exactly the same impetus. Reviewers of Amazon, I urge you to absolutely dive-bomb this plagiaristic piece of shit: www.amazon.co.uk/FORGOTTEN-VI...
A hollow copy of my book with a shit AI-generated cover
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Reform Party UK Exposed @reformexposed.bsky.social · 13h
Reform defends councillor over social media post calling immigrants ‘third world animals’ www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
independent.co.uk
Reform defends councillor over Facebook post calling immigrants ‘third world animals’
Reform insisted people would ‘sympathise’ with the comments, but councillors say it has sparked fear in the community
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Paul Fernandez @exilefromgroggs.bsky.social · 14h
Should lay this myth to rest finally, one assumes.
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Mike D London @mikedlondon.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
So the Tory plan to cut recorded pollution incidents, like sewage spills by water firms, is to scrap the agency doing the recording...
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Reform Party UK Exposed @reformexposed.bsky.social · 16h
Reform councillor 'whipping up racism' with video of protestors hurling abuse at migrants on RNLI boat www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
mirror.co.uk
Reform councillor accused of 'whipping up racism' by posting migrant rescue clip
Councillor George Madgwick, the leader of Reform UK in Hampshire, was accused of "disgraceful behaviour" after he posted videos of protestors screaming "f***ing traitors" and "f*** off home" at RNLI…
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Guardian Environment @environment.theguardian.com · 16h
Stockpile food – and wash your hands: is that really how to prepare for environmental catastrophe? | George Monbiot
theguardian.com
Stockpile food – and wash your hands: is that really how to prepare for environmental catastrophe? | George Monbiot
The UK state is dumping its responsibilities on our doorsteps, while green-lighting policies that lead us closer to crisis, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot
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George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 15h
The threats to our resilience are the same as the threats to our democracy: corporate lobbyists shaping policy, with dire consequences for our ability to withstand crises. Burnham seems to want to change this. But is he aware of scale of the task? My column. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
theguardian.com
Stockpile food – and wash your hands: is that really how to prepare for environmental catastrophe? | George Monbiot
The UK state is dumping its responsibilities on our doorsteps, while green-lighting policies that lead us closer to crisis, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot
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Guy Shrubsole @guyshrubsole.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Superb thread on who gets to claim legitimacy in debates about land, nature and the countryside bsky.app/profile/tony...
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Rachel Parris @rachelparris.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Hey folks. In total honesty my tour is NOT selling well. I’ve sold 30 tickets in a 400 seater in Birmingham, and not much more elsewhere. If you like musical comedy, if you like standup, then please come see my show! And spread the word! The Rachel Parris Songbook tour starts in Nov! Link in bio! 🎶
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Matt Ford @mford.bsky.social · 24/09/2026
Ezra Klein asked Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang about AI making kids worse at math and reading. Huang’s reply: “Does it matter?” Then he said he doesn’t know his own address or phone number. “We’re going to lose some fine intellectual dexterity.” www.nytimes.com/2026/09/23/o...
So the message of this research out of China, where you were seeing a lot of kids using A.I. to help them, was that when they were using the A.I., they were getting things done faster. But it turned out that the skills they were learning were not holding, that their actual personal performance, at least in the way we traditionally measure it, was degrading.

What do you think when you hear that?

The last part — I completely agree. Try to get a kid to do long division right now. The multiplication table is starting to be forgotten. Doing square roots, my goodness. Basic math is being forgotten. Does it matter?

That’s my question for you.

Yeah. I don’t think it does. I don’t think it does.

But there must be some set of skills that matter.

Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah. But maybe not those. We’re going to discover new ones. Just maybe not those.

There are a lot of skills that don’t matter. My first confession, I actually don’t know my address.And I ——

I don’t really believe that to be true.

It’s completely true. Janine will tell you and Lori will tell you.

One day I had to pump gas — it was a few years ago. They needed my ZIP code, and I panicked. I didn’t know my ZIP code. I don’t know my telephone number. I forget these things. I can live with it.

But let me take the other side because I don’t want to fall into a thing where, because some skills can be safely offloaded ——

Yeah.

I also can’t get anywhere without a mapping system now. Never could, frankly. But I’m a big reader. And one of the skills I really value, one of the capacities I have that I really value is an attention span formed on physical books.

You’re a big reader. I’ve read about the kind of reading you do. And there is, prior to A.I., a lot of concern and noticing among college professors and others that the way people use the internet has probably shortened attention spans.
Some skills can be safely given away. Others are valuable. They are capacities that are needed for that flexibility, for that creative thinking, for that focus. It can’t be the case that everything can be traded off.Some skills can be safely given away. Others are valuable. They are capacities that are needed for that flexibility, for that creative thinking, for that focus. It can’t be the case that everything can be traded off.

Yeah. Well, I think that we’re going to lose some finer intellectual dexterity, but we’re going to be better systems thinkers.

Today’s engineers are far better systems thinkers than I was when I graduated from school. But I was a much better transistor thinker.

What do you mean by systems thinker?

They think of large systems. Today’s computers have trillions, hundreds of trillions of transistors in them. When I first graduated from school, the first chip I worked on had 200 transistors. I knew every one of them by name. No engineer does that today. Most engineers now work well above the transistor, well above the functionality, and they’re cobbling things together to do things.

So you need to think much more about systems and interactions of systems. So some of the lower-level knowledge is gone.
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Caroline Lucas @carolinelucas.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
“The only sensible solution at this point is a moratorium on datacentres until very basic questions about how many we need, what for, where, and how pollution will be avoided are answered satisfactorily by the government” - @olliehayes.bsky.social 👏
theguardian.com
Drax datacentre could create nearly twice the yearly emissions of all Gatwick flights
Exclusive: Campaign group’s analysis of North Yorkshire plans finds datacentre would have to burn 4.9m tonnes of wood a year
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James Murray @james-bg.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
The most likely outcome remains that we get both a global clean tech revolution and intensifying climate disasters.
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James Murray @james-bg.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Fascinating report on how the clean energy transition is accelerating and fossil fuel demand and emissions will be slashed by 2050, but we're currently on track to only reach net zero by the 2090s, meaning temperatures are set to increase by well over 2C. www.businessgreen.com/news/4536880...
businessgreen.com
Study: World is on track to reach net zero - but not until the 2090s
DNV forecasts energy-related emissions will fall sharply by mid-century, but a two-paced clean energy transition means global economy remains on track for well over 2C of warming
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paulusthewoodgnome @paulusthewoodgnome.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
On-brand. 'Reform UK MP Sarah Pochin completed the purchase of an £800,000 Grade-II listed property on the southern coast of Anglesey (Ynys Môn) two days after raising concerns in parliament about the impact of second homes on rural communities.' www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
theguardian.com
Reform MP raises concerns about second homes – then buys one for £800,000
Sarah Pochin bought Anglesey property two days after writing to minister about impact of second homes on rural communities
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Alex Gibney @alexgibneyfilm.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
The women in "Musk" are extraordinarily impressive.
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Guardian Environment @environment.theguardian.com · 07/10/2026
New Zealand greenhouse gas levels hit record highs threatening catastrophic glacier melts
theguardian.com
New Zealand greenhouse gas levels hit record highs threatening catastrophic glacier melts
Government report finds the country could be hit with more frequent and intense heatwaves, as well as damaging storms and cyclones
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Marc Elias @marcelias.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
🚨BREAKING: GOP lawyer Cleta Mitchell and convicted election denier Tina Peters are pushing a scheme to have Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick seize voting machines, as part of a broader effort for the Trump administration to interfere with the midterm vote. www.democracydocket.com/news-alerts/...
democracydocket.com
Election deniers Cleta Mitchell and Tina Peters want Trump’s commerce secretary to seize voting machines
The problem? No federal official can seize control of election administration from the states and counties, who hold the power run elections under the U.S. Constitution.
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Kyle Clark @kylec.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
NEW: GOP Gov nominee Victor Marx told backers on a Zoom call last night that he doesn't regret slamming his wife into a door to teach her a lesson about self-defense. "I'd do it again," Marx said. Marx says she fake cried and physicality is just the nature of their relationship.
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Steve Peers @stevepeers.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
The "protect women" folks
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Prof Ian Hall @ianhall.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
It's almost as if these companies don't care about the environment… UK oil refinery broke toxic pollution limits dozens of times, documents reveal www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
bbc.co.uk
UK oil refinery broke toxic pollution limits dozens of times
Pollution was spilled into local rivers and protected sites, documents shared with the BBC suggest.
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Otto English @ottoenglish.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Sarah Pochin raised "concerns" in parliament about the impact of second homes on rural communities. Two days later she purchased an £800,000 second home on Anglesey. Remarkable stuff. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
theguardian.com
Reform MP raises concerns about second homes – then buys one for £800,000
Sarah Pochin bought Anglesey property two days after writing to minister about impact of second homes on rural communities
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Reform Party UK Exposed @reformexposed.bsky.social · 07/10/2026
Reform UK accused of 'doing nothing' at Cornwall Council by other councillors www.cornwalllive.com/news/cornwal...
cornwalllive.com
Reform UK accused of 'doing nothing' at Cornwall Council
Their leader says the accusations are 'absolute nonsense' over concerns that 'it's whoopee doo time for the administration because they're unopposed - they can vote anything through'
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Tits McGee @scientits.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
The daily sea surface temperature is now so high, they had to add more chart because the previous version only went up to 30C
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Reform Party UK Exposed @reformexposed.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Reform UK Derbyshire leader denies allegation he looked at meeting on phone while driving Bentley www.derbytelegraph.co.uk/news/local-n...
derbytelegraph.co.uk
Reform leader denies allegation he looked at meeting on phone while driving
Councillor Alan Graves said he was listening to the meeting on Bluetooth
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Rachel Maddow @maddow.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
ICE is now separating children from their parents in the nation’s interior and deeming them “unaccompanied.” www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
“You kidnapped my son”
ICE is now separating children from their parents and deeming them “unaccompanied.”
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Reform Party UK Exposed @reformexposed.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Investigation into Nottinghamshire group linked to Reform UK councillors that allegedly had '£10,000 of debt' One of the councillors says the group was a 'deeply divided' organisation www.nottinghampost.com/news/local-n...
nottinghampost.com
Investigation into group linked to Reform cllrs that allegedly had '£10k debt'
One of the councillors says the group was a 'deeply divided' organisation
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Paul Lewis @paullewismoney.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
The King’s cut from your electricity bill bit.ly/4yx46ng he gets 12% of crown estate profits through the Sovereign Grant
bit.ly
Crown Estate sea bed auctions could add £38 a year to energy bills
The business that manages the King’s land has put wind farm projects at risk with move away from capped fees for developers, a University of Oxford study warns
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Al Jazeera English @aljazeera.com · 05/10/2026
Israel is developing a reservoir on land in the occupied West Bank, with water syphoned off from Palestinians.
aljazeera.com
What is ‘Herod's Pool', and why is Israel developing it in the West Bank?
Israel is developing a reservoir on land in the occupied West Bank, with water syphoned off from Palestinians.
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George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
There aren't many days when you can kayak off Start Point, renowned for one of Britain's most dangerous tidal races. But yesterday the stars aligned, so I bunked off work. Delighted to see Rupert Kirkwood (the Lone Kayaker) out there. He took this picture of me +1. Before you ask: yes, it's real. 🧵
In my kayak, watching a bluefin tuna leaping beside me.
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Eoghan Daltun 🌍 @irishrainforest.bsky.social · 05/12/2023
Irish state radio RTE 1 currently running Coillte ads almost nonstop, telling us they're planting forests for nature, climate, and people. They're *complete* spoofers and, what's more, they know it. Otherwise there'd be no need for the relentless, but futile, propaganda.
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Josiah Mortimer @josiahmortimer.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Oh and "Would-be [Tory] candidates must sign a "memorandum of understanding" backing ECHR withdrawal" and scrapping Net Zero targets. I'm sure Lib Dems will come flooding back!
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Neil Mackay @neilmackay.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
This is absolutely horrifying. How do we even know these men are ICE? They could be a gang of murderers taking her away. America, why the fuck won’t you rise up?!
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George Monbiot @georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
There was a time when the Tories, however hypocritically, claimed to want to protect our natural heritage. Now they're just a party of vandals, ripping down the few protections the living world has for the sake of their rich chums. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
theguardian.com
Tories to pledge to scrap Environment Agency and Natural England
Shadow chancellor will also promise to scrap affordable homes regulations as part of strategy to refocus on growth
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Prof Katherine Schofield 🇬🇧🇦🇺🇪🇺 @katherineschof8.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
It's that time of year again when we need to remind National Trust members that Restore Trust is a dark-money funded right-wing astroturfing entryist outfit. Please vote, and vote for literally anyone else.
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God @thegodshow.com · 05/10/2026
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Rachel Maddow @maddow.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
"Among the first to appear before the judge was Angel, a 13-year-old. He had no attorney. “Would you like to request voluntary departure, or should I issue a removal order?” the judge asked “I don’t know,” Angel said, bursting into tears: “I have no one. I have nothing.” www.cnn.com/2026/09/28/p...
cnn.com
Inside the Texas courtroom where toddlers face immigration judges | CNN Politics
Migrant children as young as 2 are showing up at immigration courts nationwide, many without attorneys, to try make their case to stay in the US and avoid deportation.
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Jamie MacKinnon🇨🇦 @jamiemackinnon.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
The “strongest El Niño in a millennium” is is seeing ocean “surface temps over 6 °C warmer than normal.” This Week in Collapse: “One scientist said, “this record breaking El Niño will double the amount of sea level rise we’ve seen from climate change overnight.” #climate
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Guardian Environment @environment.theguardian.com · 04/10/2026
Tories to pledge to scrap Environment Agency and Natural England
theguardian.com
Tories to pledge to scrap Environment Agency and Natural England
Shadow chancellor will also promise to scrap affordable homes regulations as part of strategy to refocus on growth
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Guy Shrubsole @guyshrubsole.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
The Tories have announced they would abolish Natural England, support a Third Runway & pull the UK out of the Aarhus Convention - in further signs they’ve totally given up on Middle England, don’t give a toss about the environment & just want to please some wealthy grouse moor owners & raving YIMBYs
Tory party press release: “[We will leave the Aarhus] Convention that powers the lawfare hindering every major infrastructure project in this country.”

“Abolish Natural England and the Environment Agency, moving to a more streamlined regulatory landscape to protect our environment.”Tory PR: “Support a Third Runway at Heathrow Airport and wider expansion, increasing capacity to deliver cheaper flights, better connections for passengers, and more exports of high-value British goods.”
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Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.wsocial.eu · 04/10/2026
Nobody is prepared for the world of drone warfare that is coming, in fact is already here www.nytimes.com/2026/10/04/u...
nytimes.com
U.S. Rushes to Withdraw Bombers From U.K. Air Base After New Threats
The withdrawal came with unusual speed, following what U.S. officials said were threats of an Iran-based plot against the installation.
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David Corn @davidcorn.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
This is sad news. Simon was a big help with this story that showed Howard Lutnick apparently lied about his business entanglement with Jeffrey Epstein—a story that deserves more attention. www.motherjones.com/politics/202...
motherjones.com
New details from Epstein files reveal Lutnick had years-long business tie with sex offender
The commerce secretary apparently still hasn't come clean on his connection with Epstein.
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David Klemperer @dmk1793.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Unbelievably depressing... the kind of result that drains you of all hope for the future
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Daniel Walzer, Ph.D. @danielwalzer.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
I don't normally post political things but this is awful. Young children forced to make a decision on something they don't understand, and without legal representation.
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Guy Shrubsole @guyshrubsole.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Revealed: Government quietly dropped plan to prepare England for wildfires I discovered via an FOI request that DEFRA’s commitment in the National Adaptation Programme to run a “wildfire risk programme” since 2023 “was not brought into effect”. #ClimateCrisis www.theguardian.com/world/2026/o...
theguardian.com
Revealed: Government quietly dropped plan to prepare England for wildfires
FOI request shows wildfire risk scheme scrapped, as data highlights many fire services lack proper protective gear
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Guardian Environment @environment.theguardian.com · 04/10/2026
Revealed: Government quietly dropped plan to prepare England for wildfires
theguardian.com
Revealed: Government quietly dropped plan to prepare England for wildfires
FOI request shows wildfire risk scheme scrapped, as data highlights many fire services lack proper protective gear
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John Walker @earthfgardener.bsky.social · 03/10/2026
Ditto here in north Wales, where the ‘strimmers’ are primarily woolly i.e. sheep. This sessile oak/birch woodland is typical - a stalled ecology with maturing trees, lots of moss, but little else, including any younger trees, which don’t stand a chance🌳
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Nick Cohen @nickcohen.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Britain and Europe can never depend on America again - from my Lowdown interview with Anne Applebaum
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Zack Polanski @zackpolanski.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Labour just don't get it. They don't get how scared people are with extreme weather becoming our new normal. We need voices in parliament that will force them to take wildfires seriously, not quietly shirk responsibility.
Revealed: government quietly dropped plan to orepare England for wildfires
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