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So, what we are seeing is a) a decline in the numbers of individual insects, but b) also a collapse of insect diversity. Major causes of this trend are land-use intensification in the form of greater use for agriculture, together with building development, climate change and the spread of invasive animal species. So, while many insect species decline or go extinct, others, including invasive species, thrive, which leads to an increasing homogenisation of the insect communities across habitats.
It's significant because, generally speaking, a decline in insect diversity threatens the stability of ecosystems. Fewer species means that there are fewer insects capable of pollinating plants and keeping pests in check. And, of course, this also means that there is less food available for insect-eating birds and other animals.
We desperately need measures to reduce the dispersal of invasive animal and plant species through our globalised trade and tourism.
Great book. Another one along similar lines is 'Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI' by American journalist David Grann, which inspired the film by Martin Scorsese (reading the book will probably take you much less time than watching the film which is, or felt like, three years long, and you'll learn an awful lot more in the process).
For film addicts, I've just finished a new one on Kubrick (Kubrick: An Odyssey by Robert P. Kolker and Nathan Abrams). Big fat book which I thought would last me the summer but is such a page-turner that I finished it under a week. Concentrates on the making of the films (together with fascinating accounts of those which ended up being never made) rather than being a standard biography, it's full of little gems that significantly improve our understanding of Kubrick's classics. Now trying to find a book to follow it ...
There's an extensive literature on this. One of the first books to challenge the classical view was 'The Spanish Inquisition' (1965) by Henry Kamen, who argued that the Inquisition was not nearly as cruel or as powerful as commonly believed. The book was very influential and largely responsible for subsequent studies in the 1970s to try to quantify (from archival records) the Inquisition's activities from 1480 to 1834. Those studies showed there was an initial burst of activity against 'conversos' suspected of relapsing into Judaism, and a mid-16th century pursuit of Protestants, but, according to these studies, the Inquisition served principally as a forum Spaniards occasionally used to humiliate and punish people they did not like: blasphemers, bigamists, foreigners, smugglers etc. Kamen went on to publish two more books (both called 'The Spanish Inquisition, A Historical Revision') that incorporated new findings, further supporting the view that the Inquisition was nowhere near as bad as once described by anti-Catholic polemicists. Along similar lines is Edward Peters's Inquisition (1988).
I never saw Hendrix, but saw pretty much everyone else (Clapton, Page, Van Halen, Gilmour etc) and Rory was the best rock guitarist I ever heard by a country mile, and a lovely, self-effacing bloke to boot - no trashing hotels or any of that sht. The guitar is a tad beyond my budget, but my most treasured possession is a Qpr Guinness shirt which he kindly signed for me in 1983.
Well said. Me and my cat were thinking the same thing.
Apart from the utterly graceless Liz Truss, so pleasing to see beaten candidates congratulate their opponent and not start sulking or demonising.
For the future, the defeat of Mourdant and the victory of Braverman may be crucial, being on 'left' and 'right' of the party respectively. The mainstream media's obsession with Farage also doesn't help, especially given the Lib Dems' success. I really hope we can avoid the often bitter polarisation we see in the US and parts of Europe.
Not especially weird as such, but has stayed with me ...
It was during the early Holloway era, maybe 2002-3. Went for a pee during the game to find two Qpr fans having an almighty scrap in the loo. Being that sort of guy, I tried to reason with them on some philosophically-inspired grounds of non-violence between friends, only to find myself being called a 'fkg interfering cnt', rounded on by both, thrown out on my arse, with blood pouring from a battered nose.
1. Cricket. Because the great Bob Willis got me into it at a tender age. Watching him and thinking cricket is slow and boring? I think not. 2. Pool. Because i'm really good. Oh yes. Who would have thought? 3. Tennis. Because of Roger Federer and Rafa Nadal. Great competitors and classy gentlemen to boot. 4. Baseball. Because my American-bred son's really into it. Blue Jays are soooo Qpr though.
Ps. I hate football. If there was a drug out there that would cure me of this distinctly irrational feeling for Qpr i 'd take it now.
A fair few in my area, but most are now souless gastropubs where a meal plus drinks for two will be the best part of £100; there is a fullers but a pint will set you back £7 although the food isn't bad. When at home i therefore drink wine, when going out i go down the Royal Oak near London bridge (Harveys beers around £5) and then go for a byo curry round the corner.
That would probably make it worse as wearing some sort of protective covering only makes people more comfortable using force. The head to head clashes would also in all likelihood be even more serious than they are now.
1. It may impede young players from developing safer heading technique in the future. If we do not teach players how to safely head the ball, then we could actually be exposing them to a higher risk of concussion at a later date.
2. Purposeful heading is a skill integral to the game - for example, between 20-25% of goals are scored by a header across international tournaments. A ban would therefore basically end the game as we know it.
3. Whether purposeful heading is associated with neurodegenerative diseases in later life is the subject of much debate, and still isn't conclusive.
4. We already have consistent coach education to support the way children are taught the important foot based skills of football (through small sided games, playing out from the back, short corners etc) so that most heading is naturally minimised in children’s football. So, heading is normally introduced in football as part of their skill development as players get older (13-14) and transition to a full pitch.
Most enjoyable, and excellent contributions from Clive.
Agree about VAR and the premiership. 'If I was a Coventry fan I'd still be at Wembley killing people... I don't think I'd go to football ever again if that had happened to me.' Spot on.
It was during the Hasselbaink era, I think, although it was Chris Ramsey who effectively brought him in after Millwall had declined to offer him a contract.
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