Conn MacEvilly
@conmachiavel.bsky.social
1.4K followers 1.8K following 1.2K posts
Woodkern by inclination, kern by trade. Iraq and Afg vet. 40 years ago, aspired to be neutral good half-elf ranger: getting closer to that by the day, I think. Interested in law and public policy, defence, information security and the climate emergency.
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
conmachiavel.bsky.social
Your pal Tim quote-tweeted me to his followers rather than engaging with me in reply to my post. Weak, for a fellow barrister.

I accepted his fair point, though.

He has liked each of your loyal but foul-mouthed replies to me, but stayed out of the chat. Coward.
conmachiavel.bsky.social
Right you are, Dermot.

And while I do that, you can spend some time with people like the TUV who use leprechaun as a racist slur.

Like I say, it’s not on the same level as “the K-word” but it’s definitely a slur and used as such. Are you defending this by trying to scold/swear me into silence?
conmachiavel.bsky.social
Fair point. Kaffir is on a different level to leprechaun as a slur.

But the fact that some Irish people make money from the stereotype doesn’t disarm it.

“Leprechaun economics” is used by NI and GB types to deny Irish achievement and agency, to oppose unification, and to justify 🇬🇧 exceptionalism.
conmachiavel.bsky.social
Should we be selling our houses and buying gold? 🧐
conmachiavel.bsky.social
Fair point. Kaffir is on a different level to leprechaun as a slur.

But the fact that some Irish people make money from the stereotype doesn’t disarm it.

“Leprechaun economics” is used by NI and GB types to deny Irish achievement and agency, to oppose unification, and to justify 🇬🇧 exceptionalism.
conmachiavel.bsky.social
Beautifully-written and poignant.
conmachiavel.bsky.social
Fair point. Kaffir is on a different level to leprechaun as a slur.

But the fact that some Irish people make money from the stereotype doesn’t disarm it.

“Leprechaun economics” is used by NI and GB types to deny Irish achievement and agency, to oppose unification, and to justify 🇬🇧 exceptionalism.
Reposted by Conn MacEvilly
4nikkolas.bsky.social
after millions of views and shares of my Portland Frog art. (thank you all🙏🏾) I got requests to highlight priests, and chickens, and Chicagoans, and T-Rexes, and more… all of us who refuse to bend the knee. so this is for US.
𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚃𝚊𝚕𝚕.
𝚆𝚎 𝚆𝚒𝚕𝚕 𝚆𝚒𝚗.
conmachiavel.bsky.social
Yes. Also, to be fair to PK, maybe he sees cuteness (“Ye’ll never get me Lucky Charms!”) rather than belittlement.

A bit like how “Mowgli economics” might be intended affectionately (yet mockingly) but interpreted as incendiary, with its echoes of colonialism and patronisation.
Reposted by Conn MacEvilly
rincewind.run
this is absolutely my favorite protest innovation of 2025

"my opponents are violent antifa extremist terrorists"

"your opponents are dressed as giant inflatable frogs"

solid fuck you to the pepe crowd too
oregonian.com
Things are happening at Portland's ICE facility tonight.

Read more of our protest coverage here: www.oregonlive.com/crime/2025/1...
conmachiavel.bsky.social
I wish he’d retire it. Even if he meant it inoffensively (eg, GDP distortion by pot-of-gold-finding), the phrase - and his status - have empowered NI politicians and common Brexiters to claim that Ireland’s entire economy is fictitious.

It fits their views about the Irish character and ethics.
Reposted by Conn MacEvilly
thebulwark.com
George was just trying to get to work.

ICE pepper-sprayed him, dragged him from his car, locked him in a detention center, and placed him on suicide watch. He even missed his young daughter’s birthday in the process.

This man is a veteran and American citizen. Don't look away.
thebulwark.com
"They put me on suicide watch and they put me in the cell, I'm naked, in like a hospital dress and just a concrete bed with like a mattress, like a thin mattress and, they leave the light on 24/7."

@timmiller.bsky.social talked to a veteran who ICE wrongly detained and brutalized
conmachiavel.bsky.social
How much pleasure this racist term has given those, especially in NI and Britain, who cannot cope with Ireland’s economic success.

For sure, PK might be right in what he *describes*. But calling it “golliwog economics” or “kaffirnomics” or “coolienomics” doesn’t help the argument. So why do it?
pkrugman.bsky.social
So today's Substack about the impact of tariffs concluded:

"in many ways the level of the tariffs is less important than the huge uncertainty Trump’s policies have created. And that uncertainty hasn’t abated at all."

Ya don't say. paulkrugman.substack.com/p/leprechaun...
Leprechauns, Effective Tariffs and Inflation
Yes, tariffs are hurting us. No, Trump wasn’t right.
paulkrugman.substack.com
Reposted by Conn MacEvilly
strictlychristo.bsky.social
Portland is so good at trolling these fascists.

I ❤️ Portland
conmachiavel.bsky.social
Such courage.
auschwitzmemorial.bsky.social
10 October 1944 | SS detained four female Jewish prisoners: Ella Gartner, Róża Robota, Regina Safir & Estera Wajsblum.

They were involved in smuggling explosives that were used by the Sonderkommando prisoners during their revolt on 7 October 1944.

The women were hanged on 6 January 1945.
Black-and-white portrait of a woman with curly hair and a light-colored jacket, looking directly at the camera.
Black and white portrait of a woman smiling, wearing a light blouse with a floral pattern.
Black and white passport-style photo of a woman with light hair and a neutral expression, set against a patterned background.
Black and white portrait of a woman wearing a hat and a collared shirt, looking slightly to the side with a subtle smile.
conmachiavel.bsky.social
“Bringing facts to a vibes fight.”

Sigh.

Reminds me of trying to explain the impact on Northern Ireland, peace in Europe and food security (my three obsessions) to Brexiters.

Is there any point? Can’t *we* try vibes-based argument this time?
profmarkelliott.bsky.social
Really enjoyed this piece.

"Lawyers and academics therefore find themselves in the difficult position of ... trying to reason people away from a view or belief they never reasoned themselves into to begin with. We are bringing facts to a vibes fight."
ukcla.bsky.social
Alan Greene: Bringing facts to a vibes fight: Kayfabe and debates on the UK and the ECHR ukconstitutionallaw.org/2025/10/09/a...
Reposted by Conn MacEvilly
epicciuto.bsky.social
I agree. It busts up their warfighting fantasies.
Reposted by Conn MacEvilly
epicciuto.bsky.social
Blown away by how good an idea the costumes are. More shareable and fun than pics of a regular protest, and it’s immediately clear that the protestors are non-violent.
caitlinmoriah.bsky.social
there are SO many more inflatable costumes tonight. clearly we have settled on a motif
Wide shot of many people in inflatable costumes
conmachiavel.bsky.social
I’m so glad Prof P is still doing this.
chrischirp.bsky.social
After a long pause, I've just done another England Covid & NHS update as we head into the autumn/winter season.

TLDR: we're in a significant Covid wave now, the NHS is stretched, get boosted if you're eligible.

christinapagel.substack.com/p/england-is...
England is now experiencing a significant Covid wave, after 10 months of relative quiet
The latest Covid situation in England and a look at where NHS services are as we head into winter
christinapagel.substack.com
Reposted by Conn MacEvilly
davidallengreen.bsky.social
This is a timely, excellent and important report on how "arms length" bodies in UK are vulnerable to political manipulation.

Kudos @chrischirp.bsky.social and @martinmckee.bsky.social for putting this together.
chrischirp.bsky.social
🧵🚨

The UK’s independent scientific bodies are highly vulnerable to politicisation - over the past 5 months I've been working with @martinmckee.bsky.social to map out their vulnerabilities and it's not good news.

Today our report is published!
www.ucl.ac.uk/policy-lab/n...

1/11
UK’s arm’s length public bodies are highly vulnerable to politicisation
Seven in ten Britons say it is important for top scientific institutions to be independent in exclusive new polling.
www.ucl.ac.uk
Reposted by Conn MacEvilly
mattgreencomedy.com
My new tour starts in ONE WEEK! Very excited to get back out on the road with this show. To be brutally honest, sales have been lower than I would have hoped after last year's tour, but I know times are tough and there are a lot of people on tour at the moment! 1/2