Charles Beckett
@charlesbeckett.bsky.social
'These musings are as inadequately supported as they are gratuitous.'
(borrowed from: Sotomayor, Kagan, and Jackson, JJ.: Concurrence in Trump vs. Anderson, SCOTUS 23-719. March 4th, 2024.)
Londoner in Barcelona
(borrowed from: Sotomayor, Kagan, and Jackson, JJ.: Concurrence in Trump vs. Anderson, SCOTUS 23-719. March 4th, 2024.)
Londoner in Barcelona
Pinned
‘What could my mother be to yours?
What kin is my father to yours anyway?
And how did you and I meet ever?
But in love
Our hearts have mingled
Like red earth and pouring rain.’
What he said, from Kurontokai, trans. AK Ramanujan
What kin is my father to yours anyway?
And how did you and I meet ever?
But in love
Our hearts have mingled
Like red earth and pouring rain.’
What he said, from Kurontokai, trans. AK Ramanujan
Walking up the back way from Martinet to Travesseres at sunset, coming across a field with horses quietly grazing, opposite the Serra del Cadí -
December 1, 2025 at 3:11 PM
Walking up the back way from Martinet to Travesseres at sunset, coming across a field with horses quietly grazing, opposite the Serra del Cadí -
That chance at the end with Gyökeres coming in and Timber jumping in front of him and just nicking it off his head is going to haunt me for a long time.
November 30, 2025 at 7:40 PM
That chance at the end with Gyökeres coming in and Timber jumping in front of him and just nicking it off his head is going to haunt me for a long time.
Do not, under any circumstances, ’get involved’ on BBC Football’s live coverage.
November 30, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Do not, under any circumstances, ’get involved’ on BBC Football’s live coverage.
Immense challenge from Rice
November 30, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Immense challenge from Rice
To me, this is key: and obviously not entirely within Govt remit or control, but at least fiscal and monetary working in the same direction gives us a chance.
This helps interest rates, cut 5 times since the election, keep falling, giving businesses the confidence to invest. That is the macro choice made in the Budget to support growth
November 30, 2025 at 2:55 PM
To me, this is key: and obviously not entirely within Govt remit or control, but at least fiscal and monetary working in the same direction gives us a chance.
The tragedy of Your Party is that Labour’s authoritarian instincts and some of its, yes, Blairite tendencies, do need to be continually challenged from the left, and perhaps especially now. But the comedy is just too good.
November 30, 2025 at 1:44 PM
The tragedy of Your Party is that Labour’s authoritarian instincts and some of its, yes, Blairite tendencies, do need to be continually challenged from the left, and perhaps especially now. But the comedy is just too good.
Not usually one to get my hopes up too soon, but if we win tomorrow at Stamford Bridge, a tiny little (big) part of me is going to start believing.
November 29, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Not usually one to get my hopes up too soon, but if we win tomorrow at Stamford Bridge, a tiny little (big) part of me is going to start believing.
et in Arcadia is
November 29, 2025 at 6:11 PM
et in Arcadia is
Your Party is just pure joy, and I will always be grateful to Corbyn for that, if nothing else.
November 29, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Your Party is just pure joy, and I will always be grateful to Corbyn for that, if nothing else.
‘How does it become a man to behave toward this American government to-day? I answer, that he cannot without disgrace be associated with it.’
November 29, 2025 at 7:48 AM
‘How does it become a man to behave toward this American government to-day? I answer, that he cannot without disgrace be associated with it.’
re: anti-intellectualism in politics and in the media reporting on politics: a) I think it is always, always a huge mistake to underestimate or talk down to your audience, and, b) people can admire the quality of a debate precisely *because* they don't understand every point being made.
November 28, 2025 at 5:33 PM
re: anti-intellectualism in politics and in the media reporting on politics: a) I think it is always, always a huge mistake to underestimate or talk down to your audience, and, b) people can admire the quality of a debate precisely *because* they don't understand every point being made.
Watching Ken Burns' 'Benjamin Franklin'. I knew virtually nothing about Franklin before, and so am in no position to comment on the historical accuracy of the film, but have found it fascinating.
Above all, for me, the mishandling of the American colonists' appeals for fair treatment by the Crown.
Above all, for me, the mishandling of the American colonists' appeals for fair treatment by the Crown.
November 28, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Watching Ken Burns' 'Benjamin Franklin'. I knew virtually nothing about Franklin before, and so am in no position to comment on the historical accuracy of the film, but have found it fascinating.
Above all, for me, the mishandling of the American colonists' appeals for fair treatment by the Crown.
Above all, for me, the mishandling of the American colonists' appeals for fair treatment by the Crown.
Reposted by Charles Beckett
One thing this disclosure illustrates, once again, is the volatility of these forecasts. There's a swing of nearly £7bn, *within October* on the current budget forecast.
Lifting the two-child cap cost about £3bn. That could have been wiped out twice purely by the timing of the budget.
Lifting the two-child cap cost about £3bn. That could have been wiped out twice purely by the timing of the budget.
November 28, 2025 at 1:44 PM
One thing this disclosure illustrates, once again, is the volatility of these forecasts. There's a swing of nearly £7bn, *within October* on the current budget forecast.
Lifting the two-child cap cost about £3bn. That could have been wiped out twice purely by the timing of the budget.
Lifting the two-child cap cost about £3bn. That could have been wiped out twice purely by the timing of the budget.
Not entirely sure why the court should be cautious giving that question weight, tbh. Seems apposite enough to me.
The way Palestine Action ban was approved by MPs has been raised in the High Court, with Dame Victoria Sharp noting 2 unrelated groups were on the same order
She says MPs may have been "reluctant" to vote against it but the home sec lawyer says the court should be "cautious" giving that any weight
She says MPs may have been "reluctant" to vote against it but the home sec lawyer says the court should be "cautious" giving that any weight
Many MPs demanding explanation on why two other groups are on same banning order
Labour MP Kim Johnson says: "Lumping Palestine Action together with other two obscure groups to ensure it is proscribed is a disgraceful manipulation of parliamentary procedure"
Labour MP Kim Johnson says: "Lumping Palestine Action together with other two obscure groups to ensure it is proscribed is a disgraceful manipulation of parliamentary procedure"
November 27, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Not entirely sure why the court should be cautious giving that question weight, tbh. Seems apposite enough to me.
Got Charlie Parker’s ‘How Deep is the Ocean’ stuck in my head, and since it’s one of my favourite songs of all time, I never want it to leave.
November 27, 2025 at 12:29 PM
Got Charlie Parker’s ‘How Deep is the Ocean’ stuck in my head, and since it’s one of my favourite songs of all time, I never want it to leave.
There's been a lot of (probably justified) criticism of the Budget can-kicking on tax and debt, but I think it's possible that if (admittedly, a massive 'if') financial conditions ease sufficiently, trade picks up & growth surprises to the upside, the adjustments needed in 2029 will be less painful.
November 27, 2025 at 11:41 AM
There's been a lot of (probably justified) criticism of the Budget can-kicking on tax and debt, but I think it's possible that if (admittedly, a massive 'if') financial conditions ease sufficiently, trade picks up & growth surprises to the upside, the adjustments needed in 2029 will be less painful.
What you hope is that on the fiscal side lower yields lead to a virtuous circle of Bank lowering rates (looser mon pol), borrowing costs coming down, headroom increasing, space to do more active policy, meanwhile capital investment and planning reform starting to do some heavy lifting on growth.
November 26, 2025 at 5:39 PM
What you hope is that on the fiscal side lower yields lead to a virtuous circle of Bank lowering rates (looser mon pol), borrowing costs coming down, headroom increasing, space to do more active policy, meanwhile capital investment and planning reform starting to do some heavy lifting on growth.
VIII.
Last came Anarchy; he rode
On a white horse, splashed with blood;
He was pale even to the lips,
Like Death in the Apocalypse.
IX.
And he wore a kingly crown;
And in his grasp a sceptre shone;
And on his brow this mark I saw –
''I am God, and King, and Law!''
Last came Anarchy; he rode
On a white horse, splashed with blood;
He was pale even to the lips,
Like Death in the Apocalypse.
IX.
And he wore a kingly crown;
And in his grasp a sceptre shone;
And on his brow this mark I saw –
''I am God, and King, and Law!''
November 26, 2025 at 4:52 PM
VIII.
Last came Anarchy; he rode
On a white horse, splashed with blood;
He was pale even to the lips,
Like Death in the Apocalypse.
IX.
And he wore a kingly crown;
And in his grasp a sceptre shone;
And on his brow this mark I saw –
''I am God, and King, and Law!''
Last came Anarchy; he rode
On a white horse, splashed with blood;
He was pale even to the lips,
Like Death in the Apocalypse.
IX.
And he wore a kingly crown;
And in his grasp a sceptre shone;
And on his brow this mark I saw –
''I am God, and King, and Law!''
I suppose it's a cliché now to remark on how Shklar's Liberalism of Fear was mostly taken up by small government conservatives, and how they forgot about it when the big government is actually fascist. But anyway, still striking cognitive dissonance.
November 26, 2025 at 4:17 PM
I suppose it's a cliché now to remark on how Shklar's Liberalism of Fear was mostly taken up by small government conservatives, and how they forgot about it when the big government is actually fascist. But anyway, still striking cognitive dissonance.
TIL that George Eliot, writing in the Westminster Review, was one of the only critics to review Thoreau’s ‘Walden’ on its publication in 1854.
November 26, 2025 at 3:52 PM
TIL that George Eliot, writing in the Westminster Review, was one of the only critics to review Thoreau’s ‘Walden’ on its publication in 1854.
Feel some degree of sympathy for Reeves. She’s got a very tough job. But she has made it a lot harder for herself with some silly commitments and poor messaging. Doubt she’ll be bold enough today to start adressing the real problems.
November 26, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Feel some degree of sympathy for Reeves. She’s got a very tough job. But she has made it a lot harder for herself with some silly commitments and poor messaging. Doubt she’ll be bold enough today to start adressing the real problems.
Yesterday, France Culture (which we pick up over here) had a long discussion about the true meaning of <> et <>, as evoked in the work of Guy de Maupassant and Ivan Goncharov.
Listen again:
www.radiofrance.fr/francecultur...
Listen again:
www.radiofrance.fr/francecultur...
Paresse et gourmandise : épisode 1/1 du podcast Que faire de nos vices ?
AUDIO • Que faire de nos vices ? , épisode 1/1 : Paresse et gourmandise. Une série inédite proposée par France Culture. Écoutez Avec philosophie, et découvrez nos podcasts en ligne.
www.radiofrance.fr
November 25, 2025 at 8:56 AM
Yesterday, France Culture (which we pick up over here) had a long discussion about the true meaning of <> et <>, as evoked in the work of Guy de Maupassant and Ivan Goncharov.
Listen again:
www.radiofrance.fr/francecultur...
Listen again:
www.radiofrance.fr/francecultur...
Eze’s got the hat-trick but Trossard has been outstanding.
November 23, 2025 at 6:11 PM
Eze’s got the hat-trick but Trossard has been outstanding.
Great finish from Eze
November 23, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Great finish from Eze
Like, it's all well and good to urge the EU to get serious about Russian energy imports, but, er, they already have, and *full* phase-out of gas imports is on course for end of 2027.
November 23, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Like, it's all well and good to urge the EU to get serious about Russian energy imports, but, er, they already have, and *full* phase-out of gas imports is on course for end of 2027.