Ian Kenway @iankenway@qoto.org

#botany #plants #agave #stalk #blooms #symi #greece.

Life on Symi is always surprising. At 03.00 last Saturday, just as I was heading for bed, I heard a strange crashing sound outside. I took a torch and discovered that the stalk of the soon-to-flower Agave americana at the bottom of the Vigla (mountain as 'look out') had crashed into the courtyard and roof. Fortunately it appears not to have caused any structural damage to the house despite the size and length of the stalk.

see:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agave

also:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agave_americana

#phidoc #books #literature #music #greece #symi

The Book of the Month for June is The History Man by Ray Bradbury and the Track of the Month is the Andante from the Cello Sonata in G minor by Sergei Rachmaninov

https://www.phidoc.net/book_of_the_month.html

https://www.phidoc.net/track_of_the_month.html

#tories #labour #print_media #social_media #electorate #politicians #democracy #crisis #UK #global #future

Toot Redux (first published 25th May 2021)

#pandemic #covid #NHS #carers #tories #politicians #hypocrisy #UK #global

Toot Redux (first published 19th April 2020)

#education #propaganda #loyalty_test #faux_celebration #nationalism #insecurity #tories #uk #germany #north_korea #global

Education department challenged over support for One Britain One Nation day

https://www.theguardian.com/education/2021/jun/22/education-department-challenged-over-support-for-one-britain-one-nation-day

#IT #bill_gates #microsoft #customers #fidelity #global #future

#covid #brexit #tories #macmillan #johnson #contrast #electorate #politics #democracy #uk

#IT #data #data_protection #regulation #compliance #liberalisation #GDPR #DPA #johnson #tories #politics #uk #eu #global

UK government to consider gutting GDPR rules

https://www.itpro.co.uk/policy-legislation/data-protection/359915/government-to-consider-gutting-gdpr-rules

#accountability #whatsapp #self_deletion #westminster
#whitehall #DCMS #government #tories #citizens #politics #uk #global

UK government admits ministers can use self-deleting messages

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/jun/13/uk-government-admits-ministers-can-use-self-deleting-messages

#IT #internet #walled_gardens #social_media #facebook #business_model #free_basics #digital_colonialism #india #global

Big Brother is still watching you and he goes by the name Facebook

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jun/12/big-brother-is-still-watching-you-and-he-goes-by-the-name-facebook-john-naughton

#STEM #biodiversity #ecology #environment #brecon_beacons #powys #cymru #wales #uk #global #future

BIS BULLETIN - June 2021

https://mailchi.mp/b9de86f8a249/biodiversity-information-service-news-events-information-5172970?e=d550a80ad5

#IT #facial_recognition #privacy #Clearview_AI #AI #RCMP #law #canada #global

Canadian mounted police broke law with Clearview AI deal

https://www.itpro.co.uk/technology/artificial-intelligence-ai/359848/canadian-mounted-police-broke-law-with-clearview-ai

#G7 #pandemic #usa #brazil #india #uk #trump #bolsonaro #modi #johnson #law #court #global

#johnson #the_atlantic #christianity #ethics #religion #politics #uk #usa #eu #global

#overseas_aid #sunak #johnson #tories #economics #realpolitik #populism #pandering #poverty #uk #global

Toot Redux (first published 26th November 2020)

Why now? Do the homework!

#STEM #mathematics #bayes #bayesian #hume #rationality #enlightenment #religion #europe #global #future

The Guardian view on the god of science: a divine but rational disagreement

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2021/jun/06/the-guardian-view-on-the-god-of-science-a-divine-but-rational-disagreement

#IT #technology #artificiality #intelligence #microsoft #crawford #interview #ethics #power #global #future

Microsoft’s Kate Crawford: ‘AI is neither artificial nor intelligent’

https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/jun/06/microsofts-kate-crawford-ai-is-neither-artificial-nor-intelligent

#pandemic #covid #johnson #symonds #wedding #death #bereavement #displacement #insensitivity #hypocrisy

#phidoc #books #literature #music #greece #symi

The Book of the Month for May is The Fool by Enid Welsford and the Track of the Month is 'The Tourist' by Radiohead.

https://www.phidoc.net/book_of_the_month.html

https://www.phidoc.net/track_of_the_month.html

#twain #fooled #politics #democracy #UK #global #future

"Won't Get Fooled Again"

- Are You Having A Laugh?