A atmospheric Sun looms large over Stoke-on-Trent

Posted by my friend Rosie to her Corners of my mind blog a couple of days ago. It's as if the trees see the Sun for what it is – a life giver. Very atmospheric.

Nottingham City Transport's NHS fundraiser you can wear, read and use to wrap gifts

Here I am a couple of days after taking delivery of two masks, a book and seasonal wrapping paper I bought from Nottingham City Transport, which they are selling to raise money for local NHS staff and patients.

The wrapping paper has already been put to good use, wrapping Christmas presents. The labels were made at home by Susan and printed on 220gsm white card.

Here is a link to the NCT website news story about the masks, book and wrapping paper: https://www.nctx.co.uk/read-all-about-it-nct-branded-face-coverings-and-book-written-nct-customers-sale-raise-money-local

A great idea. I wish them well. I also love the fact that Buster is back again. I still think he makes a great logo, despite being close to 40 years old. Here's Buster earning his keep on the front of my favourite NCT Route Map and Pocket Guide, dated October 1983 (click on the images to enlarge):

Perhaps next year NCT will create a fundraising 'Santa Bus', which will spend time on all the routes, collecting the wishes of passengers young and old and, perhaps, helping to deliver donated gifts to those who do not have a chimney for Santa to use. A few of his reindeer on the front and along the sides, plus his sleigh of course. I can't wait...!

In the meantime, enjoy the next few days as best you can in these difficult times. I am of an age when I tend to remember those no longer with us, who shared their happiness with me, and try to do the same.

Take care and thanks again to Nottingham City Transport for their generosity.

Why informing the public about Covid-19 is a mess

 Lifted from the BBC News website a few minutes ago. If the BBC newsroom's editor was managing the service better, then the two stories below would not have headlines likely to confuse many readers. Are things going to get worse or do fewer Covid-19 related deaths mean things are getting better, so let's all enjoy the seasonal break?

Click on the images to enlarge.

It is a mess. In this case I think we should take heed and read what the medical press has to say.

General Election % Turnouts 1945–2019 and how Labour does better the lower the turnout

 I will let my tables/graphs speak for themselves. High turnouts are worth little if your majorities are small. Click on graphs to enlarge:

A Beeston winter Robin

 

I saw this little fella out and about during the summer in his swimming trunks but he was too quick for me. 

Can we turn all the lights off please? Imagine Beeston in total darkness for one hour only on a cloudless, New Moon winter's night?

In the last few days, news that the Yorkshire Dales and North York Moors have been designated 'Dark Sky Reserves' (see BBC link here).

It is years since I last saw the Milky Way in all its glory and I suspect there are millions of young people who never have — hence my blog post title. It doesn't seem much to ask and the magic of it could well change a good few lives.

This is a (cropped) picture from The Guardian news item about the new dark sky reserves (click here to see news item):

This is the Ribblehead Viaduct on the Settle–Carisle railway line. It's a long way to go and see the Milky Way, so...

...why not bring the experience a little closer to home and use the Bennerley Viaduct, once it has been restored by the Friends of Bennerley Viaduct, as Broxtowe's own 'Dark Sky viewing platform'?

The chances are they are ahead of me and this idea is already on their list of things to do. In the meantime, can we turn all the lights off in Beeston before the winter's out for an hour (when the sky is cloudless and it's dark of course) and have our very own peek at the Milky Way?

I have odd thoughts like this most days and, yes, they make me happy, so it's nice to share the odd one or two.

The higher the turnout in General Elections the more likely Labour will lose MPs

 The table/graph below has taken me a couple of days to compile and has been prompted by an exchange of emails with our grandson Curtis, who is now at Nottingham-Trent doing an MA and a Labour Party member. It seems odd to me (and I have said this in previous Beeston Week blog posts) that we pay so little attention to trying to predict turnouts, when it tells us more about whether Labour will win or lose than asking voters if they intend to vote Labour? The evidence on this is clear (click on image to enlarge):

Is it a coincidence that the three Nottinghamshire constituencies Labour has held onto also happen to be the three constituencies that are at the bottom of the turnout list in 2001 and 2020 and on most occasions in-between? 

Use the blank table below to plot any group of constituencies you choose and see if the same happens?