ELECTRICITY

If I am interpreting this graph correctly – more than half the electricity we produce is ‘Conversion, Transmission and distribution losses? Surely this could be made more efficient? More local electricity generation? Although the National Grid are spending billions to connect up with new Hinkley Point.

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CLIMATE CHANGE

Surely we should have weekly or at lest monthly press briefings on the Covid style regarding climate change.What progress has been made, what new threats are appearing? Scientists and experts could support whoever leads the briefings. I suspect not Johnson as his knowledge of the environment is almost certainly less than my grandchildren’s!

WATER COMPANIES

These privatised companies without competition and a licence to print money for shareholders have a problem brewing. Whilst they are struggling to justify pumping shit into rivers and the sea, they know that most people probably do not care.

SEALS

Numbers of seals born in the Frame Islands this year are predicted to be higher than previous recent years. I know there are no predators (although I believe a wandering orca may have been seen in the past). Can I be positive here and assume that despite a morality rate of 50%, there must be plenty of food available? And if so presumably some of our sea birds will also have done well this summer. We need good news after yesterdays news about the number of formerly common birds being moved to the red list, swifts, greenfinches, house martins and Berwick swans.

PLACE NAMES

I know I am weird so do not bother telling me – again! But I was looking up places I have never been on Google Maps and thought of xxxxxxxxx. OMG – it is surrounded by the most prosaic names. Ab Kettleby; Scalford; Ashfordby; Frisby on Wreake; Kirby Bellars; Gaddesbury; Whissendine; Quenibrough; Syston; Seagrave;Grimston.

So what is the name of the town surrounded by these exotic sounding places?

COVID VARIANT OMICRON

Numbers in the UK increasing – not all related to foreign travel so it is probably here already. A couple of numbers – Vaccines bought by richer countries = 7billion; Vaccines bought by lower-income countries = 300million. We are not safe until we are all safe.

OMICRON VARIANT

Typical mixed messages in the press regarding the latest variant. When scientists do not know the level of danger it would seem prudent to be cautious. The government seems to be doing this, although it may need to put more countries on the red list as the case of a man in Belgium with the variant, had travelled in Egypt and Turkey, not Southern Africa. Cases have also been detected in Israel and Hong Kong.