#march2026

Looking forward to the heady scent of Ransoms accompanying springtime woodland walks at locations like this in East Durham, NE England. Better known as 'Wild Garlic', I was surprised to discover the plant goes by quite a few other names. One such name is cow's leek as seemingly cows love to eat them. I was reading that down in Devon, dairy farmers have occasionally had the milk of their herds rejected because of the garlic flavour imparted to it by the cows having grazed upon the plant. I'm sure, with appropriate promotion, there is a marketing opportunity somewhere for garlic-flavoured milk! #england #durham #spring #march2026 #ramsons #countryside #woodland #photography

COMPREHENSIVE FACT-CHECK: PRESIDENTIAL STATEMENTS (MARCH 2026) - PART 3 PERIOD COVERED: March 1 - March 29, 2026 SUBJECT: President Donald Trump METHODOLOGY: Claims are cross-referenced with the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and energy market analysts. CATEGORY 8: ENERGY, CLIMATE & ENVIRONMENT CLAIM 13: U.S. Energy Independence The Statement: During a rally focusing on domestic manufacturing early this month, the President claimed: "Under the previous administration, we had no energy. We were begging other countries for oil. Now, we are finally energy independent again." 🔴 VERDICT: FALSE The Facts: The United States did not lose its energy independence before the current administration took over. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), the U.S. has been producing record levels of crude oil and natural gas continuously over the past several years. The U.S. remained a net exporter of petroleum products throughout the early 2020s and into 2026. CLAIM 14: The "Ban" on Gasoline Cars The Statement: Criticizing environmental regulations on social media, the President stated: "The radical left completely banned gasoline cars. They forced everyone to buy expensive EVs that don't go far." 🟠 VERDICT: MISLEADING The Facts: There has never been a federal ban on the sale or ownership of gasoline-powered vehicles in the United States. Previous EPA regulations implemented strict emissions standards for automakers, designed to incentivize the production of hybrid and electric vehicles (EVs). While these regulations favored a market shift toward EVs, consumers have always remained free to purchase and drive internal combustion engine vehicles. CLAIM 15: Wind Energy Reliability The Statement: Discussing the Texas power grid, the President claimed: "Windmills are a disaster. When the wind doesn't blow, you have no power, and they cause blackouts everywhere." 🟠 VERDICT: MISLEADING The Facts: While wind is an intermittent energy source, modern power grids are designed to balance multiple sources of energy. Independent grid operators (like ERCOT in Texas) report that while extreme weather can affect wind turbines, the most significant causes of major grid failures in recent years have been the freezing or failure of natural gas infrastructure and thermal power plants, not solely the lack of wind. SOURCES CONSULTED: EIA - U.S. Oil Production Data: https://www.eia.gov/dnav/pet/pet_crd_crpdn_adc_mbblpd_m.htm EPA - Emission Standards: https://www.epa.gov/regulations-emissions-vehicles-and-engines ERCOT - Grid Reports: https://www.ercot.com/gridinfo TAGS: #FactCheck #USPolitics #Energy #Climate #March2026 #Accountability

Sailing towards spring with a River Wear vista in NE England, captured late afternoon during this week's Springtime taster. It was lovely to see the slight haziness diffusing the warmer hues of the sun's rays across Sunderland's city skyline. Bit of a weather blip today (Friday), but the sun is forecast to be back on Saturday. #england #sunderland #wearside #landscape #march2026 #weather #photography

High tide on the River Wear below Queen Alexander Bridge in Sunderland, NE England this afternoon. Officially opened by The Earl of Durham, on behalf of Queen Alexandra on 10 June 1909, at the time it initially held the record as the heaviest bridge in the United Kingdom. The bridge structure is also framing the central pylon further upstream of the Northern Spire crossing which opened to traffic on 29 August 2018. #england #sunderland #bridge #landscape #march2026 #photograph