Britain’s military dependence on American technology

The government was warned that the MoD’s reliance on Palantir risks becoming a strategic vulnerability for the U.K. — and flies in the face of the government’s promise to boost the U.K.’s “sovereign capabilities” in AI and other key technologies. The contract, worth three times more than a previous MoD agreement with Palantir signed in 2022, will see the company play a key role in modernizing the U.K.’s armed forces A technology company with close ties to the Trump […]

https://activitypub.writeworks.uk/2026/01/britains-military-dependence-on-american-technology/

Blackpool – Kicking the Poorest People into the Gutter

Improving the lives of people "entrenched in poverty" would be praiseworthy if this project did that but gentrification removes poverty from an area by forceable displacement of the current poverty stricken residents. The council fails to clarify how the lives of the evicted are being improved. Hundreds of families in one of England’s poorest neighbourhoods will be evicted under a £90m plan described by critics as a “mass dispersion” of vulnerable people. 400 homes in Blackpool will […]

https://activitypub.writeworks.uk/2026/01/blackpool-kicking-the-poorest-people-into-the-gutter/

UK #Railcard discounts to be cut without passengers knowing

Train operators preparing to trim railcard discounts. Pro-rail group describing the move as a step in the wrong direction

#Railcards which will be affected include those held by passenger groups such as people aged 16-30 or 60 and over, families travelling with children, people with a disability, and military veterans.

https://www.thenational.scot/news/24556040.railcard-discounts-cut-without-passengers-knowing/

#PeopleNotProfits #trains #PublicTransport #rail #transport #discounts #CapitalismFails

#IsleOfWight Boots customer refuses to use store

Returned from trip to #Boots on High Street. I had several items worth about £50

Some were age restricted, some had security tags, all needed staff

Waited at tills. I went forward & was asked if I was paying by cash or card

I replied card & was told I had to use self checkout; she wouldn't serve me at till

I was shocked

Left times at till

As a customer, it is surely my choice?

https://www.countypress.co.uk/news/24498755.isle-wight-boots-customer-refuses-use-newport-store/

#Boots #CapitalismFails #capitalism

East Germany invented unbreakable drinking #glasses

#Superfes, East Germany’s unbreakable #glass. Superfest was designed to make them last 5 times longer than regular drinking glasses. They were found to be 10x more durable.

The reason for its decline was its strength

Glass retailers live off the fact their products break. A glass that doesn't break is a threat to #profits

https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/article/2024/aug/06/superfest-unbreakable-drinking-glasses-east-germany

#capitalism #PeopleNotProfits #DDR #CapitalismFails #cups

Smashing idea: how East Germany invented ‘unbreakable’ drinking glasses

In the 1980s, a company called Superfest pioneered extra strong glass – but it disappeared with the fall of the Berlin Wall. Now it’s making a comeback

The Guardian

Mission to revive a forgotten, life-saving #cancer drug

#Aclarubicin, unavailable in Europe for 20 years, could have helped 100k with blood cancer

“There’s no patent on this compound, so industry isn’t interested.” says #Neefjes

Since the patent expired, there's no incentive for #BigPharma to invest in it, since competitors are free to produce the drug

That leaves small grants, charity & independent funding – and for Neefjes

https://www.theguardian.com/science/article/2024/jul/27/one-mans-mission-to-revive-a-forgotten-life-saving-cancer-drug

#CapitalismFails #BigPharma

One man’s mission to revive a forgotten, life-saving cancer drug

Dutch immunologist Jacques Neefjes believes the drug aclarubicin, unavailable in Europe for 20 years, could have helped 100,000 people with a rare blood cancer

The Guardian

#UK #children getting shorter, fatter, sicker due to poor diets, #FoodInsecurity, poverty

Average height of 5-year-olds is falling, obesity increased by almost 1/3 & number of young people being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes has risen more than 1/5, #Food Foundation report said

Aggressive marketing of cheap ultra-processed food, lack of essential nutrition, high poverty levels, deprivation driving decline in childrens health

https://www.theguardian.com/society/article/2024/jun/19/uk-children-shorter-fatter-and-sicker-amid-poor-diet-and-poverty-report-finds

#ToryScum #ToryCorruption #CapitalismFails

UK children shorter, fatter and sicker amid poor diet and poverty, report finds

Food Foundation says height of five-year-olds falling, child obesity up by a third and type 2 diabetes by a fifth

The Guardian

The #UK has seen an “explosion” in insecure, low-paid #work in the past 14 years, according to a new report.

The #TUC said its study had found that the number of people in insecure work had reached a record high of 4.1 million

Analysis of official statistics shows number of people in precarious #employment – such as #ZeroHours contracts, low-paid self-employment & casual or seasonal work – increased ~1 million between 2011 & 2023

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jun/14/uk-explosion-in-insecure-work-tuc-report

#WageSlaves #poverty #CapitalismFails

UK has seen ‘explosion’ in insecure work since 2011, says TUC report

Record high of 4.1 million people found to be in precarious employment such as zero-hours contracts and casual work

The Guardian