@BpsmithUk

UK Company director, scientist & humanist. Opinions are my own, but are based on facts. If they upset you, don't take them seriously - but check your sources!

 In UK, Africa, EU or Ukraine
Joined October 2014
  • Tweets178K
  • Following1.1K
  • Followers5.5K
6.7KMedia
Giving up smoking - how to do it without distressing yourself (it depletes your vitamin levels that are vtal for a strong immune system)
Bryan Smith #RejoinEU same handle on BlueSky@BpsmithUk13 May 2020
Replying to @harriepw
Here's how I did it: Most cigarettes are "habit" (you have them at set times or stuations), ~10% are "addiction" (you need the nicotine). Start by cutting out "habit" cigs, 1 or 2 each day, over about 3wks. So, dont smoke at every tea break, or when you get to the lights etc. 1/2
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No wonder Media are saying its "boring"... No tax rises for most of us. No extra fuel, energy or alcohol duty. Another £100 in our pockets, gas standing charge ended (£130 saved), & electricity VAT gone (~£50) until July. Wages inflation-proof. All good! theguardian.com/uk-news/2026…

Budget 2026: key points at a glance

John Healey is announcing his financial update – here are the main points, with political analysis

theguardian.com
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News report tonight said if Netanyahu loses, its likely he will launch an attack on Iran, & declare Martial Law as an emergency, to cling onto power... This being backed up by Trump making similar noises about Iran today. Reminder: If out of power, his corruption trial resumes.
John Petrie #European@Petrie_JohnC21h
Exit polls show Netanyahu losing power. Bolsonaro, Netanyahu... USA you know what to do.
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The giveaway was ITV News tonight led on "gherkins aren't of interest to most", but did mention at the end of their "What's the point? £21/yr!" piece about heating oil, but #C4News (supplied by ITV) didn't bother... Heating oil change will save ~£80/yr for 1.5million households.
Bryan Smith #RejoinEU same handle on BlueSky@BpsmithUk22h
Replying to @LaindonFEMINIST
Its not been widely reported, but the main thing affected by Treasury removal of tariffs isn't "gherkins", "baked beans" or "marmalade", but *4% reduction in the price of heating oil used by 1.5million off-grid UK households*. That *should be* the headline gov.uk/government/news/every…

Everyday fixes to make life easier for millions of Britons

Chancellor unveils five everyday fixes to ease household costs, support working families and end the Carer’s Allowance cliff edge ahead of Wednesday’s Budget.

gov.uk
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Bryan Smith #RejoinEU same handle on BlueSky retweeted
Michael MacKay
@mhmckOct 27
This is horrific. Residents of occupied Oleshky who wish to escape to free Ukraine will not be allowed to cross the Dnipro River – which is less than 4 km away. They will be taken to occupied Crimea or to the Russian Federation, where they will be subjected to coercive measures.
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There's been a lot of sneering at this announcement today, Tories pointing at "cheaper gherkins", but in fact it removes import tariffs on kerosene heating oil (used by most of the off-grid 1.5million households for central heating) worth 4% off. gov.uk/government/news/every…

Everyday fixes to make life easier for millions of Britons

Chancellor unveils five everyday fixes to ease household costs, support working families and end the Carer’s Allowance cliff edge ahead of Wednesday’s Budget.

gov.uk
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Zack pretending he doesn't know 18-21yr olds minimum wage is lower than 22+yr olds, that Labour Manifesto pledges to remove the difference over 5yrs, & that Labour raised 18-21yr old wages by more than for 22+yr olds 1st 2yrs to bring them closer, & will give both 3.9% this time.
Zack Polanski@ZackPolanskiOct 27
Labour now briefing young people won't get the same minimum wage uplift. Even Starmer didn't break this pledge. Workers rights mean same rights, pay & conditions, same rate for the same job. What does this Labour government have against young people? inews.co.uk/news/politics/mi…

Minimum wage rise for 18- to 20-year-olds to £12.71 could be shelved

Labour had promised to bring the payment into line with those aged over 21

inews.co.uk
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Its astonishing that not only does everyone know it, but they accept it & allow him to stay in post - for two full trms - even though his actions damage the whole non-Russian affiliated world economically, politically & for many, fatally.
Craig Unger
@craigungerJun 11
1/ Last month I told a room of Baltic intelligence officers and diplomats that Donald Trump is an asset of Russian intelligence. Not one of them blinked. "Of course," they said. Ho hum. But in America, saying it out loud is still taboo. Why? 🧵
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Bryan Smith #RejoinEU same handle on BlueSky retweeted
Jan Rosenow@janrosenowOct 26
Solar has overtaken nuclear. A decade ago it supplied 1% of the world's power. In 2025 it met three quarters of global demand growth. Almost nobody saw it coming. I spoke to Jocelyn Timperley at BBC Future about why. bbc.co.uk/future/article/202…

'It's offensively cheap': How solar power is quietly becoming bigger than nuclear

After defying projections, solar's dramatic growth means it is overtaking nuclear as a global power source. Here are seven reasons for solar's success, and where it might go from here.

bbc.co.uk
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Bryan Smith #RejoinEU same handle on BlueSky retweeted
Geoffrey Lean@GeoffreyLeanOct 25
Electric cars are now up to nine times cheaper than petrol or diesel ones to drive in Britain, a Carbon Brief analysis calculates. If charged with off-peak power they cost 2.3p a mile, compared to 20.1p for petrol and 21p for diesel. carbonbrief.org/analysis-evs…

Analysis: EVs are now nine times cheaper than petrol or diesel to drive in the UK  - Carbon Brief

The latest surge in fossil-fuel prices means it is now up to nine times cheaper in the UK to drive an electric vehicle (EV) than a petrol or diesel car, shows Carbon Brief analysis.

carbonbrief.org
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Look, this isn't rocket science. Make a Law saying "Every Electric vehicle must use the same charger connection (not via adapter), & be capable of sending power either way; every charging unit must be bi-directional; paid chargers must also refund cards" theguardian.com/environment/…

UK looking to give carmakers incentives to turn EVs into ‘power plants on wheels’

V2G tech enables drivers to charge automatically when electricity is cheaper and then sell some back to the grid at times of high demand

theguardian.com
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If you did this, every paid charger would have to charge the same as domestic chargers to avoid losing money, & every EV would be cheaper as they'd all use the same unit. Formula One do it. Don't allow EVs to be different.
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Don still doesn't realise just how much of his feed & comments were supplied by Russian #troll & #bot accounts now silenced by Ukrainian data centre attacks... Personally, I welcome the scarcity of abusive attacks & whataboutery!
Don McGowan
@donmcgowanOct 26
Is it just me or is this place dead as a dodo at the moment? Feels like fewer and fewer people are posting. Even the trolls and bots are low and lacklustre. 🧌
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It would be nice to think Labour will decouple gas from electricity generation price - its crazy that even if a tiny amount of gas power generation is needed, *all* electricity is priced at the gas cost, specially when NESO has *paid renewables to switch off* due to grid weakness
Dr Paul Dorfman
@dorfman_pOct 25
UK to decouple #gas and #power prices . Under the current system, gas sets the wholesale electricity price whenever it is needed alongside #wind, #solar, and many #renewables generators are paid gas-linked prices. observer.co.uk/news/national…

Healey plans deep energy reforms to cut Britain’s bills

The chancellor’s first budget is set to target structural weakness by decoupling gas and power prices and supporting entrepreneurs

observer.co.uk
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When I lived in Africa for 5yrs, power went on & off all the time, often for days at a time. I froze 10 x 2litre bottles of water constantly, & if the power went off for more than a few hours, put a couple of bottles at a time into the fridge until they melted, then swapped them.
Ali D@allimarbleOct 25
It’s happened. Power in our area has been off since midnight and not expected to go on until 5:30pm tonight. All the food we stocked in the freezer and fridge is wasted.
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This is exactly how I imagined banks worked when I was a kid
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Bryan Smith #RejoinEU same handle on BlueSky retweeted
Marcial Cuquerella
@McuquerellaOct 25
Sigue siendo el mejor vídeo sobre adicción que se ha creado
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Greens...🙄 Lidl wouldn't invest there if there wasn't plenty of local demand - & it will be a big disappointment for developers who would have built & fitted out the store, suppliers who would have filled it, & the local people who would have worked there, as well as customers.
Cllr Joanna Wright@clrjoannawrightOct 20
Planning Application for a Lidl superstore on the London Road, Bath REFUSED
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Another "brilliant success" from Green Councillors, opposing an affordable supermarket & extra employment on grounds of "extra congestion"...🙄
Cllr Joanna Wright@clrjoannawrightOct 20
Planning Application for a Lidl superstore on the London Road, Bath REFUSED
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When I was growing up, *nobody* spat in the street - something I find totally unacceptable, unnecessary & disgusting - & that was due to a post WW1 edict issuing a fine for it, to restrict transmission of Tuberculosis (now rising again...) Every lampost had a fine notice affixed.
Bryan Smith #RejoinEU same handle on BlueSky@BpsmithUkOct 24
The article is a bit "bla-bla-bla", but what it boils down to is "yes". If you have fines for unacceptable behaviour, people do take notice. Those complaining about the behaviour are empowered, & can phone British Transport Police (who will sort it out) theguardian.com/lifeandstyle…

Andy Burnham has come for the headphone-dodgers. But is there any evidence fines work?

UK leaders past and present love to nudge us towards good or bad behaviour. Social scientists, though, say £100 on-the-spot fines may not prove an effective deterrent

theguardian.com
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The article is a bit "bla-bla-bla", but what it boils down to is "yes". If you have fines for unacceptable behaviour, people do take notice. Those complaining about the behaviour are empowered, & can phone British Transport Police (who will sort it out) theguardian.com/lifeandstyle…

Andy Burnham has come for the headphone-dodgers. But is there any evidence fines work?

UK leaders past and present love to nudge us towards good or bad behaviour. Social scientists, though, say £100 on-the-spot fines may not prove an effective deterrent

theguardian.com
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When I was growing up, *nobody* spat in the street - something I find totally unacceptable, unnecessary & disgusting - & that was due to a post WW1 edict issuing a fine for it, to restrict transmission of Tuberculosis (now rising again...) Every lampost had a fine notice affixed.
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