Iain MacGilleBhràith
@aeonmach.bsky.social
I LIKE a *lot* of shit: sci & tech (my day job!), environment & energy (ecomodernism), politics (~moderate, social-liberalism), culture & language(s), outdoors (mountains, cycling/MTB, sailing), travel, nuance & irony.
I HATE black-&-white simplism!
I HATE black-&-white simplism!
It’s an excellent quite +ive piece.
A not-v-serious point: given the astute point that 🇺🇸 is obsessed with 🇪🇺 bc they‘re “white nationalists that want America to be populated by people of European descent…” perhaps it’s less like a bad ex & more like blaming one’s parents for everything? 😏
A not-v-serious point: given the astute point that 🇺🇸 is obsessed with 🇪🇺 bc they‘re “white nationalists that want America to be populated by people of European descent…” perhaps it’s less like a bad ex & more like blaming one’s parents for everything? 😏
🇺🇸 attempts to force 🇺🇦 surrender are currently 0 from 3. Europe is winning, even if it doesn't realise.
Trump's national security strategy exposes weakness. Its attitude to Europe is like the obsessive ex stalking the former partner, wondering who that new guy is.
open.substack.com/pub/arthursn...
Trump's national security strategy exposes weakness. Its attitude to Europe is like the obsessive ex stalking the former partner, wondering who that new guy is.
open.substack.com/pub/arthursn...
America's Weakness, Europe's Strength
The 'new' national security strategy is the admission of defeat from a declining country
open.substack.com
December 8, 2025 at 6:00 PM
It’s an excellent quite +ive piece.
A not-v-serious point: given the astute point that 🇺🇸 is obsessed with 🇪🇺 bc they‘re “white nationalists that want America to be populated by people of European descent…” perhaps it’s less like a bad ex & more like blaming one’s parents for everything? 😏
A not-v-serious point: given the astute point that 🇺🇸 is obsessed with 🇪🇺 bc they‘re “white nationalists that want America to be populated by people of European descent…” perhaps it’s less like a bad ex & more like blaming one’s parents for everything? 😏
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
This is the best analysis I’ve read about Trump’s alignment with Putin, and the future for Ukraine and Europe
And it accords with my optimism. On the ground, Ukraine and Europe can resist the globalist oligarchs
arthursnell.substack.com/p/americas-w...
And it accords with my optimism. On the ground, Ukraine and Europe can resist the globalist oligarchs
arthursnell.substack.com/p/americas-w...
America's Weakness, Europe's Strength
The 'new' national security strategy is the admission of defeat from a declining country
arthursnell.substack.com
December 8, 2025 at 1:03 PM
This is the best analysis I’ve read about Trump’s alignment with Putin, and the future for Ukraine and Europe
And it accords with my optimism. On the ground, Ukraine and Europe can resist the globalist oligarchs
arthursnell.substack.com/p/americas-w...
And it accords with my optimism. On the ground, Ukraine and Europe can resist the globalist oligarchs
arthursnell.substack.com/p/americas-w...
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
Me talking about my book: karenchristensen.substack.com/p/how-cars-m...
How Cars Make Life Worse and What to Do about It
Daniel Knowles of the Economist talks about his book Carmaggedon
karenchristensen.substack.com
December 8, 2025 at 3:02 PM
Me talking about my book: karenchristensen.substack.com/p/how-cars-m...
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
Mini thread on the ET decision in Peggie
Top line: It says exactly what we have been saying for months. The decision of the Supreme Court was not to turn the Equality Act 2010 into a nationwide bathroom ban - regardless of how anti-trans organisations have sought to misrepresent the law.
🧵👇
Top line: It says exactly what we have been saying for months. The decision of the Supreme Court was not to turn the Equality Act 2010 into a nationwide bathroom ban - regardless of how anti-trans organisations have sought to misrepresent the law.
🧵👇
December 8, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Mini thread on the ET decision in Peggie
Top line: It says exactly what we have been saying for months. The decision of the Supreme Court was not to turn the Equality Act 2010 into a nationwide bathroom ban - regardless of how anti-trans organisations have sought to misrepresent the law.
🧵👇
Top line: It says exactly what we have been saying for months. The decision of the Supreme Court was not to turn the Equality Act 2010 into a nationwide bathroom ban - regardless of how anti-trans organisations have sought to misrepresent the law.
🧵👇
This might be one of the most Dunning-Kruger proof sentences ever written on Bluesky? 😬
I have a degree in mathematical-physics (taught by Prof Higgs of eponymous boson and Nobel fame) and I barely understand it (even if I vaguely understand the context)…
The frontiers of knowledge are distant 🙏
I have a degree in mathematical-physics (taught by Prof Higgs of eponymous boson and Nobel fame) and I barely understand it (even if I vaguely understand the context)…
The frontiers of knowledge are distant 🙏
Anti-Wick quantization has its natural home in Segal-Bargmann space: the Hilbert space of Gaussian-integrable holomorphic functions, where creation and annihilation operators correspond to multiplication and derivative wrt to the complex phase space variable.
December 8, 2025 at 3:25 PM
This might be one of the most Dunning-Kruger proof sentences ever written on Bluesky? 😬
I have a degree in mathematical-physics (taught by Prof Higgs of eponymous boson and Nobel fame) and I barely understand it (even if I vaguely understand the context)…
The frontiers of knowledge are distant 🙏
I have a degree in mathematical-physics (taught by Prof Higgs of eponymous boson and Nobel fame) and I barely understand it (even if I vaguely understand the context)…
The frontiers of knowledge are distant 🙏
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
«The European reaction to his MAGA movement went through three stages: first, denial (“He won’t win.”). Second, belittlement (“He’s not serious.”). Third, submission (“If we give in to him, he won’t bite us.”).» My crack at Trump's attack on the EU for La Matinale. open.substack.com/pub/europemo...
We Are On Our Own Now
Good morning!
open.substack.com
December 8, 2025 at 9:51 AM
«The European reaction to his MAGA movement went through three stages: first, denial (“He won’t win.”). Second, belittlement (“He’s not serious.”). Third, submission (“If we give in to him, he won’t bite us.”).» My crack at Trump's attack on the EU for La Matinale. open.substack.com/pub/europemo...
From a useful supplementary commentary thread on Customs Unions.
But I do love @samlowe.bsky.social’s closing rejoinder (or, ahem, rejoin-der?😏):
“But more importantly, if you’ve just read all of that and have no clue what I’m talking about … you really shouldn’t be talking about customs unions.”
But I do love @samlowe.bsky.social’s closing rejoinder (or, ahem, rejoin-der?😏):
“But more importantly, if you’ve just read all of that and have no clue what I’m talking about … you really shouldn’t be talking about customs unions.”
In any case, do read the whole thing: mostfavourednation.substack.com/p/customs-un...
Customs Union
What do you know? You know ...
mostfavourednation.substack.com
December 8, 2025 at 6:22 AM
From a useful supplementary commentary thread on Customs Unions.
But I do love @samlowe.bsky.social’s closing rejoinder (or, ahem, rejoin-der?😏):
“But more importantly, if you’ve just read all of that and have no clue what I’m talking about … you really shouldn’t be talking about customs unions.”
But I do love @samlowe.bsky.social’s closing rejoinder (or, ahem, rejoin-der?😏):
“But more importantly, if you’ve just read all of that and have no clue what I’m talking about … you really shouldn’t be talking about customs unions.”
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
@samuelmarclowe.bsky.social has a good discussion on customs unions in his newsletter. Just a couple points: the below is true, but I don't think it matters all that much - since if the UK wanted to impose significantly higher tariffs than the EU, it would presumably to reroute trade through the EU.
December 8, 2025 at 5:46 AM
@samuelmarclowe.bsky.social has a good discussion on customs unions in his newsletter. Just a couple points: the below is true, but I don't think it matters all that much - since if the UK wanted to impose significantly higher tariffs than the EU, it would presumably to reroute trade through the EU.
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
After the little Musk-Sikorski spat this, and Musk's statement to abolish the EU (after the Commission fined X), let's ask ourselves simply:
HOW ARE EUROPEAN COMMISSIONERS USING X NOW?
In this 🧵 I'll document it, Commissioner by Commissioner. When did they last post? How often do they post?
HOW ARE EUROPEAN COMMISSIONERS USING X NOW?
In this 🧵 I'll document it, Commissioner by Commissioner. When did they last post? How often do they post?
December 7, 2025 at 8:18 PM
After the little Musk-Sikorski spat this, and Musk's statement to abolish the EU (after the Commission fined X), let's ask ourselves simply:
HOW ARE EUROPEAN COMMISSIONERS USING X NOW?
In this 🧵 I'll document it, Commissioner by Commissioner. When did they last post? How often do they post?
HOW ARE EUROPEAN COMMISSIONERS USING X NOW?
In this 🧵 I'll document it, Commissioner by Commissioner. When did they last post? How often do they post?
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
Elon Musk shares far right advocate and former holocaust denier Peter Sweden to explain that remigration isn't far right
December 7, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Elon Musk shares far right advocate and former holocaust denier Peter Sweden to explain that remigration isn't far right
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
Quite simply, Parr invented a political, humanist and instantly accessible photographic language which confronted the absurdity of working class life but also its kitsch, mischief and its tenderness
✏️ Jason Solomons
✏️ Jason Solomons
Martin Parr, the people's photographer
A new film celebrates Martin Parr, recorder of the mischief and tenderness of British working class life
www.thenewworld.co.uk
December 7, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Quite simply, Parr invented a political, humanist and instantly accessible photographic language which confronted the absurdity of working class life but also its kitsch, mischief and its tenderness
✏️ Jason Solomons
✏️ Jason Solomons
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
“It can't be bargained with. It can't be reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop... ever, until you are dead!”
December 6, 2025 at 1:07 PM
“It can't be bargained with. It can't be reasoned with. It doesn't feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And it absolutely will not stop... ever, until you are dead!”
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
Book review: A Heavy Affair with the Mountains by David ‘Heavy’ Whalley BEM MBE | TGO Magazine www.thegreatoutdoorsmag.com/outdoor-book...
Book review: A Heavy Affair with the Mountains by David ‘Heavy’ Whalley BEM MBE
'A Heavy Affair with the Mountains' is a riveting read for anyone who loves wild places - and testimony to a great man, says Kev Mitchell.
www.thegreatoutdoorsmag.com
December 6, 2025 at 9:23 PM
Book review: A Heavy Affair with the Mountains by David ‘Heavy’ Whalley BEM MBE | TGO Magazine www.thegreatoutdoorsmag.com/outdoor-book...
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
“The point of modern propaganda isn't only to misinform or push an agenda.
It is to exhaust your critical thinking, to annihilate truth.”
- Garry Kasparov
It is to exhaust your critical thinking, to annihilate truth.”
- Garry Kasparov
December 6, 2025 at 4:20 PM
“The point of modern propaganda isn't only to misinform or push an agenda.
It is to exhaust your critical thinking, to annihilate truth.”
- Garry Kasparov
It is to exhaust your critical thinking, to annihilate truth.”
- Garry Kasparov
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
Great piece from Ian. You won’t get attacked by Nazis here, but there’s a good chance you might be trampled to death by a High Horse. Yet for all that it’s still a place and people I call my own.
Thank God for Bluesky: A little love letter to the people who would not compromise with Nazis iandunt.substack.com/p/thank-god-...
Thank God for Bluesky
Yes, it's eager. Yes, it's censorious. But it has the very considerable advantage of not being fascist.
iandunt.substack.com
December 5, 2025 at 10:12 PM
Great piece from Ian. You won’t get attacked by Nazis here, but there’s a good chance you might be trampled to death by a High Horse. Yet for all that it’s still a place and people I call my own.
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
It's not jury trials that cause delays in the legal system; the kids are alright on social media; how examination syllabuses exclude women from school history; a history of social housing in Leicester; the Isle of Lewis chessmen; Jethro Tull: Living in the Past
The Joy of Six 1445
"Whether it is the private contractors paid enormous sums of public money to bring prisoners to court failing to bring prisoners to court, o...
liberalengland.blogspot.com
December 5, 2025 at 3:04 PM
It's not jury trials that cause delays in the legal system; the kids are alright on social media; how examination syllabuses exclude women from school history; a history of social housing in Leicester; the Isle of Lewis chessmen; Jethro Tull: Living in the Past
I love the outdoors passionately and I’m sure it is good for my - and most people’s - mental health but yes <taps bio re hating black and white simplism> I think we need to be careful of the allure of simple appeals to nature as some magical cure…
December 6, 2025 at 3:21 PM
I love the outdoors passionately and I’m sure it is good for my - and most people’s - mental health but yes <taps bio re hating black and white simplism> I think we need to be careful of the allure of simple appeals to nature as some magical cure…
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
When the Hills Wear Stripes | Walkhighlands: www.walkhighlands.co.uk/news/when-th... @walkhighlands.co.uk
When the Hills Wear Stripes
Have you noticed stripey patterns on high hillsides? I’ve noticed a lot recently. That’s undoubtedly because I’m spending so much time in the Cairngorms these days, where such patterns are common, but...
www.walkhighlands.co.uk
December 3, 2025 at 9:49 PM
When the Hills Wear Stripes | Walkhighlands: www.walkhighlands.co.uk/news/when-th... @walkhighlands.co.uk
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
A wee bit I wrote about the hammerblow of watching people from the country that gave us the Glasgow girls and Kenmure Street turn to the right. And about the opportunism of Farage as he heads north. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Nigel Farage was once run out of Edinburgh. Now Scottish voters are embracing his rabble-rousing | Dani Garavelli
The Reform leader is exploiting growing resentment towards migrants and hosting a sold-out event - something unimaginable just a few years ago, says freelance columnist Dani Garavelli
www.theguardian.com
December 6, 2025 at 8:12 AM
A wee bit I wrote about the hammerblow of watching people from the country that gave us the Glasgow girls and Kenmure Street turn to the right. And about the opportunism of Farage as he heads north. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
I wrote about the single worst thing happening on social media – perhaps in the whole world – this week: www.thenewworld.co.uk/james-ball-y...
Please shut up about your Spotify Wrapped
In fact, it’s a total abomination, dreamed up by the company’s marketing department as a way of appealing to your inner narcissist
www.thenewworld.co.uk
December 6, 2025 at 10:45 AM
I wrote about the single worst thing happening on social media – perhaps in the whole world – this week: www.thenewworld.co.uk/james-ball-y...
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
For all the talk of Andrew Tate and Adolescence, I wrote about the more dangerous phenomenon we’re all choosing to ignore: the radicalisation of middle aged men
For the @thenewworldmag.bsky.social
www.thenewworld.co.uk/zoe-grunewal...
For the @thenewworldmag.bsky.social
www.thenewworld.co.uk/zoe-grunewal...
December 6, 2025 at 10:16 AM
For all the talk of Andrew Tate and Adolescence, I wrote about the more dangerous phenomenon we’re all choosing to ignore: the radicalisation of middle aged men
For the @thenewworldmag.bsky.social
www.thenewworld.co.uk/zoe-grunewal...
For the @thenewworldmag.bsky.social
www.thenewworld.co.uk/zoe-grunewal...
This (from 6 years ago) really does stand up VERY well: capturing Lab success even as their vote ⬇️ (split opposition) & for the system to extravagantly reward mad random rolls of the dice…
…and the potential for the then Brexit Party - now Reform Ltd - to win big if the right wing isn’t so split.
…and the potential for the then Brexit Party - now Reform Ltd - to win big if the right wing isn’t so split.
wp.me/pDsIG-Tu
Six years ago I did an analysis showing how loopy our electoral system is when everyone is near level pegging
"at around 20% the Brexit Party explodes into the Commons, effectively taking over from a Conservatives already gravely weakened by the loss of voters to the LibDems" 1/
Six years ago I did an analysis showing how loopy our electoral system is when everyone is near level pegging
"at around 20% the Brexit Party explodes into the Commons, effectively taking over from a Conservatives already gravely weakened by the loss of voters to the LibDems" 1/
The voting system drives our politicians mad
After the first big Brexit Postponement, the Euro elections and all that excitement, the day job in No10 became somewhat dull. There are limits to what an administration that is definitely, unavoid…
wp.me
December 6, 2025 at 10:29 AM
This (from 6 years ago) really does stand up VERY well: capturing Lab success even as their vote ⬇️ (split opposition) & for the system to extravagantly reward mad random rolls of the dice…
…and the potential for the then Brexit Party - now Reform Ltd - to win big if the right wing isn’t so split.
…and the potential for the then Brexit Party - now Reform Ltd - to win big if the right wing isn’t so split.
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
It really stands the test of time!
Now The Economist has done a much more professional job. I'd humble suggest you don't need a *very* sophisticated model to make the point.
We need to start thinking soon about what to replace this with. 2/
www.economist.com/interactive/...
Now The Economist has done a much more professional job. I'd humble suggest you don't need a *very* sophisticated model to make the point.
We need to start thinking soon about what to replace this with. 2/
www.economist.com/interactive/...
Our new model captures the lottery of Britain’s electoral system
Similar results, our data analysis shows, can yield strikingly different outcomes
www.economist.com
December 6, 2025 at 10:16 AM
It really stands the test of time!
Now The Economist has done a much more professional job. I'd humble suggest you don't need a *very* sophisticated model to make the point.
We need to start thinking soon about what to replace this with. 2/
www.economist.com/interactive/...
Now The Economist has done a much more professional job. I'd humble suggest you don't need a *very* sophisticated model to make the point.
We need to start thinking soon about what to replace this with. 2/
www.economist.com/interactive/...
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
wp.me/pDsIG-Tu
Six years ago I did an analysis showing how loopy our electoral system is when everyone is near level pegging
"at around 20% the Brexit Party explodes into the Commons, effectively taking over from a Conservatives already gravely weakened by the loss of voters to the LibDems" 1/
Six years ago I did an analysis showing how loopy our electoral system is when everyone is near level pegging
"at around 20% the Brexit Party explodes into the Commons, effectively taking over from a Conservatives already gravely weakened by the loss of voters to the LibDems" 1/
The voting system drives our politicians mad
After the first big Brexit Postponement, the Euro elections and all that excitement, the day job in No10 became somewhat dull. There are limits to what an administration that is definitely, unavoid…
wp.me
December 6, 2025 at 10:16 AM
wp.me/pDsIG-Tu
Six years ago I did an analysis showing how loopy our electoral system is when everyone is near level pegging
"at around 20% the Brexit Party explodes into the Commons, effectively taking over from a Conservatives already gravely weakened by the loss of voters to the LibDems" 1/
Six years ago I did an analysis showing how loopy our electoral system is when everyone is near level pegging
"at around 20% the Brexit Party explodes into the Commons, effectively taking over from a Conservatives already gravely weakened by the loss of voters to the LibDems" 1/
Reposted by Iain MacGilleBhràith
This stuff really is snake oil. Would be a great shame if @zackpolanski.bsky.social fell for it. Politically it’s a one way ticket to nowhere. Important under current circumstances to have an articulate and credible voice on the left. Zack needs to steer clear.
www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2025/11...
www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2025/11...
MMT matters because it reveals power – and gives us back the right to choose
I think modern monetary theory (MMT) matters. That is not because it is perfect, because no theory is. Instead, it is because it explains something that almost no one in mainstream economics has ever ...
www.taxresearch.org.uk
December 2, 2025 at 10:05 PM
This stuff really is snake oil. Would be a great shame if @zackpolanski.bsky.social fell for it. Politically it’s a one way ticket to nowhere. Important under current circumstances to have an articulate and credible voice on the left. Zack needs to steer clear.
www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2025/11...
www.taxresearch.org.uk/Blog/2025/11...