1. I like dogs, but I had a very traumatic experience with one 20 odd years ago (chased and bitten), and I wish some dog owners would be more considerate. I was walking in the woods today when quite a large dog started following me and snarling, then barking. I start to back away 2. clearly scared. The owner, who is about 30 odd feet, saunters over, half-heartedly calling the dog’s name. ‘It’s okay, he’s very friendly’. Dog continues to stare and snarl at me, in a way that does not come across as friendly. ‘It might be your hat’ grins the owner. I take...

1. Last night, I almost certainly should have had a glass of water and a nice little bowl of beans and nuts to nibble on. Instead, I had hot buttered crumpets and a delicious half of ruby ale. I knew it was bad for me, but if someone had turned up and earnestly pointed out the... 2. cholesterol content and carcinogenic properties of the delicious gloop I had just gobbled up, and then lectured me on the long-term deleterious effects of sugar consumption, I doubt my reaction would have been a polite or grateful one. And this is despite the fact I know full

1/ Merry Christmas everyone! I'm a very odd and eccentric person, so after some Yuletide joy and wine drinking, my thoughts turn to what archaeologists of the future might make of my remains if I were to die in a sudden disaster, like the Vesuvius eruption.
(Quick disclaimer... 2/ I'm not an archaeologist - just someone who takes a keen amateur interest in these things)
After, let's say, a thousand years, and without very particular conditions of preservation that are unlikely in this climate, it's likely that all skin, gristle and textiles would have

#HookWatch I like this empathy for carp. I approve #HookWatch I've fed carp with bread too. It's fun - they have these lovely, satisfyingly gummy eclipses of mouths.

This piece created quite a stir yesterday on #Nature Twitter. My own initial reaction was interest and slightly squirmy amusement. I've seen a number of responses by writers who have been name-checked and are quite hurt. And I can see why, actually...
the-fence.com/issues/issue-6… 2/ There's clearly a personal animus at play here - particularly against Rob Macfarlane. I do actually like Rob, both as a writer and a person. He's been generous to emerging writers and environmental activists. His prose does sometimes verge a bit towards the...

I live in a very safe Tory constituency. Not very Brexity, but stolidly, solidly Tory. (I’m not a Tory, tbc). Been talking, from a distance, to neighbours. And, oh boy,Joh*son has misjudged this. His voters haven’t been able to see their kids and grandkids.
The anger... This tweet has clearly struck a nerve. A few people have replied it won't make any difference because Tories always vote Tory. I agree a lot of my neighbours are very unlikely to vote Labour. It clashes with their identity in a way they just couldn't stomach. BUT - I can see