Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1526409
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 8 SEPTEMBER 2024 5 ALMANAC Nature Notebook 935. Ground Thistles NOBODY usually looks twice at thistles – we mutter "Pesky prickly weeds!" and move on. But let's forget their prickly nature for a mo- ment, and we'd discover a group of plants as elegant as they are di- verse. One odd member of this group is the ground thistle (M. xewk tal-mixta), which flowers at this time of year. If you look at this plant you'd know why it's called ground thistle: it grows its pink pom- pom-like flowers directly on the ground without bothering to grow a stalk! There it lies, sitting surrounded by a mesh of grey foliage. Ah but the wise thistle has dispensed with stalks to put its resources in a deep root to tap precious water from the ground. And that mesh of now-withered leaves had spent spring and early summer harnessing the sun's energy that now enables the plant to flower and seed anoth- er generation. Respect! Urban skills training & Cycling Ride Join Friends of the Earth Malta on Friday 20 September for the Urban Cycling Skills training and group ride! The training will start at 17:30 at the Friends of the Earth Malta Green Resource Centre in Floriana, and will conclude with a group ride from 19:00-21:00, returning to the start- ing point at the end. We will offer snacks and drinks to ensure everyone is fuelled for the ride! This training is part of our Micromobi project, promoting micromobility such as bicycles and scooters as a cool, fast and green alternative to private cars. Please note that to participate, you need to bring a working bicycle, front and rear lights (white front, red rear) and a helmet if you prefer to wear one. People using other modes of wheeled micromobility, such as kickscooters or cargo bikes are welcome to join the training and ride! Please note that to participate, you need to bring a working bicycle, a helmet, and front and rear lights (white front, red rear) for your bicycle. Victor Falzon www.birdlifemalta.org Green idea of the week 802 Register here: https://foemalta.org/event/urban_cycling_skills-group-ride/ Visit Friends of the Earth's website for more information about our work, as well as information about how to join us. You can also support us by sending us a donation – www.foemalta.org/donate Don't miss this VERDI REQUIEM 23 November Place: Mediterranean Conference Centre The Valletta Cultural Agency proudly presents a transcendent performance of Verdi's Requiem, featuring the esteemed Chorus of the Accademia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia from Rome. Comprising 60 choristers, this Italian institution of excellence, celebrated worldwide for its performances, will be joined by the Malta Philharmonic Orchestra and KorMalta in an unforgettable musical collaboration. Give nature a voice. Become a BirdLife member Puerto Flamenco 11, 12 October Place: Teatru Salesjan Extraordinary evening of Flamenco at Teatru Salesjan, where tradition seamlessly blends with contemporary flair in a performance that promises to captivate and inspire. A GOOD WEEK Good Week/Bad Week A BAD WEEK A popular independent bookshop has announced it will close after more than a century in business. Broadhursts on Market Street, in Southport, confirmed it would cease trading with "immediate effect", adding "all booksellers have been made redundant". The UK competition regulator has launched an investigation into the sale of Oasis tickets, including the use of "dynamic pricing". The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is investigating whether ticket-selling platform Ticketmaster breached consumer protection law. The four-floor store in the town centre opened in 1920 and has been visited by famous figures including HG Wells, Rudyard Kipling and Johnny Cash. Dynamic pricing meant that, on Ticketmaster, where tickets to the reunion tour were originally sold, prices rose in line with demand.