I've just signed and I hope you will too.

A planning application has been submitted for a cruel and exploitative “parrot experience” in Blackpool – tell the council to object to this “attraction” petauk.org/4l1

A sad day for me, a lover of savoury produce, as for the last time in her 41 year tenure, the lovely Ann Taylor has served me the country's finest meat & potato pie in Greenhalgh's in Bury. I've known Ann for 65 years & I'll miss her greatly. Happy retirement Love! #QueenofBury

🚨 Muslims Taking Over the UK? An important message from Shah Lalon Amin, group director of award-winning Delhi 6 street food group, who in 2023 won the Curry King title at the inaugural Nation's Curry Awards. “I never thought I’d have to write this. But I keep seeing people say Muslims are trying to take over the UK, bring in Sharia law, or push the country toward civil war. And I know some of that fear feels real. So I’m speaking plainly, not to argue, not to attack, just to bring this back to reality. This is not a Muslim-majority country. It is a parliamentary democracy and a country with Christian heritage. Laws are made by elected representatives. Muslims make up around 6–7% of the population in a country of roughly 70 million people. There is no legal, political, or demographic pathway for replacing British law with any religious law. That isn’t secretly unfolding. It isn’t slowly building. It isn’t a hidden long-term plan. The average Muslim in Britain does not spend their time plotting political change. There are no secret strategy meetings. No takeover conversations. No coordinated agenda. And no, we don’t have some secret WhatsApp group discussing who’s arriving by boat next week. The only WhatsApp groups we have are about exam results, family gossip, and who’s bringing dessert for Ramadan. When Muslims get together, the conversations are painfully ordinary. Football results. Who’s top of the league. Ronaldo vs Messi debates. The cost of living. Mortgage rates. Trump being unpredictable. Children’s school reports. Business worries. Holiday plans. During Ramadan, it’s fasting and food. That’s the reality. That’s because we are British, our daily lives look very similar to the average person in this country. What people call “Sharia courts” in the UK are religious councils that mostly deal with marriage and divorce paperwork or mediation. They cannot override British courts. They cannot enforce criminal punishments. They cannot replace Parliament. If anything conflicts with UK law, UK law wins every single time. It’s no different in principle from Jewish Beth Din courts that handle religious matters within British law. Religious arbitration exists under the legal system. It does not replace it. Yes, many asylum arrivals are young men. Dangerous journeys are often made by the strongest family member first so they can seek safety and claim asylum and if approved, reunite with their families legally. This pattern has been seen throughout migration history. Wanting secure borders is reasonable. Wanting efficient processing is reasonable. Criminal behaviour should be punished. But that’s immigration policy, not proof of a coordinated religious invasion. Sometimes I hear people say, “We want our country back,” or “We just want to protect our country.” I understand that feeling. Wanting safety, stability, and a sense of identity isn’t wrong. But Britain hasn’t been taken. It hasn’t been stolen. It’s still here. Its laws, institutions, culture, and democracy are intact. Protecting a country doesn’t mean hating your neighbours, it means upholding fairness, rule of law, and shared values. There is no secret Muslim lobby running Westminster. British Muslims are not politically unified, do not vote as one bloc, and do not answer to a central authority. Most British Muslims are doing what everyone else is doing: working, paying taxes, raising children, worrying about bills, hoping their kids succeed, wanting safe streets and a stable country. We don’t want to change Britain into something else. We are part of Britain. You can want law and order. You can want borders controlled. You can want your country protected. That’s fair. But if anti-Muslim panic exists on your screen and nowhere in your real life, that’s not society—that’s an algorithm selling you fear.” 🇬🇧

I’m devastated. A good friend and dormmate of mine, Amin Pourfarhang, has been sentenced to death after protesting in Iran 😭 He’s one of the kindest people I’ve ever known. Please share. Visibility raises the cost for the Islamic Republic and may stop this execution!

There really is no substitute for class, experience, knowledge through study, and self-effacement rather than the lowest common denominator, fresh young faces, ad-libbing and self-aggrandisement.

Any help would be appreciated I'm sure.

I create my photos using recent research so they alleviate stress & are likely to lift mood when you look at them. If you'd like to own paper or electronic versions & support me at the same time I have high res screensaver sets or you can buy me a coffee (click 'tip') here: ko-fi.com/emmamitchell/shop ...or there are my 2026 calendars, sets of 6 greetings cards & individual limited edition signed mounted prints here: etsy.com/uk/shop/silverpebbl… Every single RT & screensaver you buy helps hugely as I've been very unwell (with a full breakdown) in the last year. Thankyou so much x🌿

Good morning buddy, here's something you should see. I bet your dad would have related to this.

See a huge flock of Birds? They aren't just "hanging out"—they’re refueling for survival. Every time they’re forced to fly because someone gets too close, they burn vital energy. It’s called Cumulative Impact. One disturbance might seem small, but happening dozens of times a day

🌍 Sweden has declared the Snowy Owl nationally extinct after a decade with no nesting or breeding. But it's not only in Sweden: Snowy Owls have declined by ~30 % across their range in just 25–30 years. Rapid Arctic warming is disrupting prey cycles and habitat. In this wide-ranging, nomadic species, their global decline is a serious warning. Sources in 🧵

Now here are a couple of people who make Christmas worth celebrating. Lifelong love, something in short supply these says. God bless 'em!