The Hello You Sunday Supplement, Issue 8

Your weekly signpost to the good stuff

Hello, you. How’re you doing? The clocks have gone back, it’s cosy season, so cuddle up, kittens, and let’s get to it …

But first: why not join the Hello You family by subscribing, if you haven’t already?

Welcome to the Hello You Sunday Supplement, Issue 8

Social media’s not what it should be. Algorithms have flattened everything so it’s harder to find stuff to read that’s worth your time. Our newsfeeds are just a slop conduit serving us rubbish and nonsense.

Hence the Hello You Sunday Supplement. It’s a weekly delivery of links to articles that I think you’ll find interesting to read whilst enjoying your Sunday morning coffee.

Do a friend a favour. Hit this button, and share the Sunday Supplement with someone?

And do me a favour? Hit ‘Like’ or the little heart symbol at the top or bottom of this email?

Last week’s experiment - ditching the category headings, and just serving up a big ol’ gumbo of online goodness - worked a treat, with way more people reading the newsletter and a big jump in the number of readers who clicked through to articles. So, that’s the way we’ll continue! Plenty to read this week, but first:

Something to listen to while you read

These are the Surfrajettes. Brilliant name, wonderful band. I loved their gig last Monday night at my new favourite venue, Digbeth The Night Owl in Birmingham.

Their new album is called Easy As Pie, and it’s great fun. While reading this newsletter why not listen to it on Spotify?

The answer to the question is ‘Because Spotify’s royalty rates are insulting low, meaning musicians are in penury while the owner of Spotify is insanely rich’, so a better idea would be to buy Easy As Pie from Hi-Tone Records, who can also offer you a wide range of whacked-out wax for your weirdo listening pleasure

What went right this week

New York mulled criminal charges for oil execs, Egypt beat malaria, and urban greening was shown to save lives, plus more good news from the good people at Positive News

Here comes more good stuff. Click, read and share?

How much of this is happening in Shropshire? And how do we stop it?

Scary, dangerous and bad for your weekends: Going undercover with the far-right

"You Want Lies With That?" This is part-paywalled, but every sentence is as good as the stinging headline. And Parker Molloy's key message is this: Journalists need to stop reacting to political stunts like babies with keys jingling in front of their faces

Live, laugh, love leopard print

In despair about Earth’s future? Look for green shoots

The picture of mental health stigma in the UK is mixed: there's cause for both concern and hope

Are you ready to go dusking?

Media doesn’t have to be a breeding ground for hate. (Are you going to tell them, or shall I?)

Don’t you just love Nora Ephron in the fall? (Nora Ephron was never in The Fall, obv)

An American explains the marmalade sandwich

"Rock and roll helped change the way we age, saying it’s okay to make a spectacle of yourself and still seek an audience even when you’re not the new young thing"

When Malcolm X visited 'the most racist town in Britain'

Chilling out this weekend? Good. What we call 'rest' is actually recovery

'The job of a public service news provider is to make the world a less stupid place' (more on this in this week’s If you read one thing this week, make it this, further down the page)

What does early morning sound like, where you are? Is it traffic and chatter? Footsteps and dogs barking? Wind, sea, wildlife?

Hello You 69: A Welsh Village at Dawn

This week’s episode of my podcast Hello You ventures outside of Shropshire for a soundscape. It brings you the sounds of Hawarden in Flintshire around 7am. It’s ideal for ASMR, relaxing, or paradoxically, bedtime!

Hello You is about people, stories and ‘the complexities of life’. To make sure you don’t miss anything, whether it’s an episode of the Hello You podcast or the Sunday Supplement, why not subscribe? If you really love what I do, you can take out a paid subscription (and I’d be very happy and grateful) but you don’t have to. Hello You will remain free for everyone, for ever. You might just help keep it - and me - going, though

Incidentally, this coming week marks the first anniversary of Hello You! Happy birthday to the Hello You family. That’s you, if you’re reading this, and doubly so if you’re a subscriber. I have a plan for a project tied in with Hello You’s first year, but I’m just thinking it through. If all goes well I’ll launch it later this week, so make sure you’re subscribed so you don’t miss it!

I’ll post a bonus Substack of pictures from Digbeth and the gig last Monday soon, too.

OK, back to your weekly good-stuff round-up!

On the theme of soundscapes: A vinyl soundscape from Torbay, fifty years ago

This isn't weird in the least. Nope. Not at all

Who takes the photo, tells the story: The founder of Women Photograph on how diversity in photojournalism can change the conversation. (Yes, it really matters.)

Now on Fuxsake TV 1: ITV criticised by creatives over ‘depressing’ AI role Meanwhile, on Fuxsake TV 2: A sideways look at the news about Fuxsake TV 1 Why not join our colleagues on Fuxsake FM, or newly networked Fuxsake Gold?

An innovative river ‘reset’ project could provide a template for tackling some of the impacts of more extreme weather events ... like flooding in Shropshire, for example?

‘My uneasiness reflects the discomfort that I feel in response to the larger flattening of news and “content” on social media. They all exist in the same feeds now, and they must use similar tactics to compete for viewers’ limited attention' - *clears throat* I ENDORSE THIS MESSAGE

It shouldn't need saying, but ... Christians are (supposed to be) against fascism

A friendship with an older woman isn't just a blessing, it's an essential

Artificial intelligence is supercharging the threat of election disinformation worldwide, making it easy for anyone with a smartphone and a devious imagination to create fake — but convincing — content aimed at fooling voters

Brilliant new anthology tells more of the story of ‘How Women Made Music’

See Joe Lycett's 'Greatest Ever Painting,' The Mona Lisa Scott-Lee, at Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery

The Washington Post ran Trump's rambling response to a question verbatim. It was brilliant … and yet the paper has opted not to endorse either candidate. 'There’s no way to see this decision other than as an appalling display of cowardice and a dereliction of their public duty'. Meanwhile, '... recent episodes involving major U.S. news organizations have stoked fears that outlets are preemptively self-censoring coverage that could offend former President Donald Trump' (and don’t imagine there aren’t people in the UK watching this and planning similar moves)

When do you stop being two people? And, equally, when did you start?

And if you’re missing the Surfrajettes already … Let’s return to the go-go boots era!

If you read one thing this week, make it this

Ray Snoddy is the absolute doyen of media commentators. He says axing HardTalk weakens the BBC’s reason to exist

I’ve made it this far without mentioning Halloween

But if you want a classic horror to watch, here’s Vincent Price at his Vincent Priciest in The House on Haunted Hill, from 1959

Final Thought, à la Jerry Springer

*feels seen*

This is from the wonderful book Wintering by Katherine May

How was that for you?

I hope you enjoyed the Hello You Sunday Supplement, Issue 8. If you have thoughts, questions, suggestions, whatever then leave a comment

And I’m always glad to hear from you

Once again, I’d be thrilled beyond words if you could hit Like on this, or wherever you’ve found it, or both. And my joy would be complete if you would subscribe

… and share Hello You with a friend, colleague or family member

Thank you for being there

Take care of yourself, and take care of the people around you. I hope they’re taking care of you, too