@cheltpaul.bsky.social
British writer | science, history, politics, military, natural history| allergic to bullshit
Pinned
I post about science, politics, and the places where certainty quietly falls apart.
Dry humour. Occasional heresy. Curiosity over certainty.
Tea optional.
Dry humour. Occasional heresy. Curiosity over certainty.
Tea optional.
10 annoying inventions
1. QR code menus
2. Youtube Shorts
3. Self-checkout machines
4. OneDrive
5. Unskippable cutscenes in video games
6. Residents parking fees
7. Train ticket pricing by “Escape Room”
8. V.A.R.
9. Zoom meetings
10. Subscription models
11 lists with more than 10 things
1. QR code menus
2. Youtube Shorts
3. Self-checkout machines
4. OneDrive
5. Unskippable cutscenes in video games
6. Residents parking fees
7. Train ticket pricing by “Escape Room”
8. V.A.R.
9. Zoom meetings
10. Subscription models
11 lists with more than 10 things
February 13, 2026 at 11:22 AM
10 annoying inventions
1. QR code menus
2. Youtube Shorts
3. Self-checkout machines
4. OneDrive
5. Unskippable cutscenes in video games
6. Residents parking fees
7. Train ticket pricing by “Escape Room”
8. V.A.R.
9. Zoom meetings
10. Subscription models
11 lists with more than 10 things
1. QR code menus
2. Youtube Shorts
3. Self-checkout machines
4. OneDrive
5. Unskippable cutscenes in video games
6. Residents parking fees
7. Train ticket pricing by “Escape Room”
8. V.A.R.
9. Zoom meetings
10. Subscription models
11 lists with more than 10 things
Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars Trilogy depicts ultra-powerful transnational megacorps eclipsing nation-states. The story begins in... 2026. Life imitating art? With @elonmusk
SpaceX's merger + looming $1.5T IPO, are we watching the rise of metanats in real time?
SpaceX's merger + looming $1.5T IPO, are we watching the rise of metanats in real time?
February 12, 2026 at 2:14 PM
Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars Trilogy depicts ultra-powerful transnational megacorps eclipsing nation-states. The story begins in... 2026. Life imitating art? With @elonmusk
SpaceX's merger + looming $1.5T IPO, are we watching the rise of metanats in real time?
SpaceX's merger + looming $1.5T IPO, are we watching the rise of metanats in real time?
Friedmann gave us a powerful bookkeeping tool.
Elevating it into a literal description of the universe’s global dynamics, complete with a cosmological constant, underpins modern cosmology, and may be where it quietly lost the plot.
Elevating it into a literal description of the universe’s global dynamics, complete with a cosmological constant, underpins modern cosmology, and may be where it quietly lost the plot.
February 10, 2026 at 5:22 PM
Friedmann gave us a powerful bookkeeping tool.
Elevating it into a literal description of the universe’s global dynamics, complete with a cosmological constant, underpins modern cosmology, and may be where it quietly lost the plot.
Elevating it into a literal description of the universe’s global dynamics, complete with a cosmological constant, underpins modern cosmology, and may be where it quietly lost the plot.
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is the final proof for me that Paramount Global no longer understands Star Trek at any level. I opposed a Netflix takeover, but at this point it may be the only way to save a once-great franchise from terminal mismanagement.
February 10, 2026 at 1:43 PM
Star Trek: Starfleet Academy is the final proof for me that Paramount Global no longer understands Star Trek at any level. I opposed a Netflix takeover, but at this point it may be the only way to save a once-great franchise from terminal mismanagement.
It is now clear the the UK intelligence did not have access to the Epstein files when Mandelson was appointed as ambassador to the USA. America on the other hand did, which begs the question, why did they grant agrément (formal diplomatic acceptance)?
February 4, 2026 at 3:40 PM
It is now clear the the UK intelligence did not have access to the Epstein files when Mandelson was appointed as ambassador to the USA. America on the other hand did, which begs the question, why did they grant agrément (formal diplomatic acceptance)?
Anyone else think that the real reason that Musk has transferred the ownership of xAi and Grok from X to SpaceX is to protect it from the huge barrel of regulation and lawsuits being prepped against X?
February 4, 2026 at 10:44 AM
Anyone else think that the real reason that Musk has transferred the ownership of xAi and Grok from X to SpaceX is to protect it from the huge barrel of regulation and lawsuits being prepped against X?
Epstein's DOJ files scream Russian op, Putin named 1K+ times, Moscow 9K, FBI says he managed Putin's wealth, sourced Russian girls for honeytraps. Ties to Bannon's anti-EU push, Russian-funded AfD, & Brexit bribes like Nathan Gill's prove Kremlin interference. #Epstein #Russia
February 3, 2026 at 1:19 PM
I woke up this morning feeling proudas last night I had prepped my desk, organised my notes and laid out my clothing. Sadly, all that prep went to hell as I got distracted whilst putting on my trousers and fell over my own feet… Welcome to late 50s balance issues!!
February 2, 2026 at 2:34 PM
I woke up this morning feeling proudas last night I had prepped my desk, organised my notes and laid out my clothing. Sadly, all that prep went to hell as I got distracted whilst putting on my trousers and fell over my own feet… Welcome to late 50s balance issues!!
With a day off yesterday, I settled down to watch Marvel's Wonder-man. What a pleasant surprise! Sir Ben Kingsley shows exactly why he is regarded as one of the worlds best actors. Well done Marvel.
January 29, 2026 at 1:30 PM
With a day off yesterday, I settled down to watch Marvel's Wonder-man. What a pleasant surprise! Sir Ben Kingsley shows exactly why he is regarded as one of the worlds best actors. Well done Marvel.
Lions are unique among cats being the only ones who are fully social. I have often wondered whether this developed as a response to sharing the plains of Africa with our hominid ancestors. I shall explore this, and other animal adaptions to humans in my upcoming book due out later this year.
January 26, 2026 at 4:49 PM
Lions are unique among cats being the only ones who are fully social. I have often wondered whether this developed as a response to sharing the plains of Africa with our hominid ancestors. I shall explore this, and other animal adaptions to humans in my upcoming book due out later this year.
My week: Donald Trump=mad, Greenland=Denmark, Mark Carney=Grown up in the room, Macron grew a pair, Nato allies losses Trump shitshow, Farage wears a penguin suit. Sleep
My weekend: How will Aston Villa cope without Kamara? and why does StarTrek Starfleet academy suck so much? Beer
My weekend: How will Aston Villa cope without Kamara? and why does StarTrek Starfleet academy suck so much? Beer
January 24, 2026 at 10:29 AM
My week: Donald Trump=mad, Greenland=Denmark, Mark Carney=Grown up in the room, Macron grew a pair, Nato allies losses Trump shitshow, Farage wears a penguin suit. Sleep
My weekend: How will Aston Villa cope without Kamara? and why does StarTrek Starfleet academy suck so much? Beer
My weekend: How will Aston Villa cope without Kamara? and why does StarTrek Starfleet academy suck so much? Beer
Calling all zoos in the Northern hemisphere, I fear one of your penguins may have been kidnapped.
January 23, 2026 at 11:31 PM
Calling all zoos in the Northern hemisphere, I fear one of your penguins may have been kidnapped.
Anyone noticed that Trump's Board of peace members are nearly all OPEC or major oil producers?
January 22, 2026 at 4:08 PM
Anyone noticed that Trump's Board of peace members are nearly all OPEC or major oil producers?
Seriously, does anyone actually believe that the 11th Airborne Division, arctic warfare specialists and Paratroopers have been activated for use in Minnesota? This is the USA's core cold weather fighting force not a peacekeeping brigade.
January 19, 2026 at 1:48 PM
Seriously, does anyone actually believe that the 11th Airborne Division, arctic warfare specialists and Paratroopers have been activated for use in Minnesota? This is the USA's core cold weather fighting force not a peacekeeping brigade.
Very quietly, British companies in the UK have, with the agreement of Denmark and Greenland purchased 1/3 of all the mining licenses in Greenland. www.politico.eu/article/uk-g...
UK closes in on critical minerals deal with Greenland
The self-ruling Danish territory, coveted by Donald Trump, has vast caches of rare earth elements.
www.politico.eu
January 18, 2026 at 1:28 AM
Very quietly, British companies in the UK have, with the agreement of Denmark and Greenland purchased 1/3 of all the mining licenses in Greenland. www.politico.eu/article/uk-g...
Hey @vivaldi.com hope you are enjoying the new sign ups and getting lots of downloads as users move away from American services!
January 17, 2026 at 7:41 PM
Hey @vivaldi.com hope you are enjoying the new sign ups and getting lots of downloads as users move away from American services!
Trump slaps tariffs on UK & EU goods.
Fine. Raise the Digital Services Tax on US tech to match.
If trade is now political, digital dominance isn’t neutral.
#TrumpTariffs
Fine. Raise the Digital Services Tax on US tech to match.
If trade is now political, digital dominance isn’t neutral.
#TrumpTariffs
January 17, 2026 at 6:48 PM
Trump slaps tariffs on UK & EU goods.
Fine. Raise the Digital Services Tax on US tech to match.
If trade is now political, digital dominance isn’t neutral.
#TrumpTariffs
Fine. Raise the Digital Services Tax on US tech to match.
If trade is now political, digital dominance isn’t neutral.
#TrumpTariffs
I heard a German on the news today being interviewed and he said "I hate France"
Cue my look of "Oh my god, you cant say that"
turned out what he actually said was
"I hate Vance"
Well that is okay then.
Cue my look of "Oh my god, you cant say that"
turned out what he actually said was
"I hate Vance"
Well that is okay then.
January 15, 2026 at 4:44 PM
I heard a German on the news today being interviewed and he said "I hate France"
Cue my look of "Oh my god, you cant say that"
turned out what he actually said was
"I hate Vance"
Well that is okay then.
Cue my look of "Oh my god, you cant say that"
turned out what he actually said was
"I hate Vance"
Well that is okay then.
Multiple European military aircraft have been heading to Greenland today, notably Danish c-130js but also several Boeing C-17 Globemasters from Canada. You can follow yourself on globe.adsbexchange.com select button U
ADS-B Exchange - track aircraft live
ADS-B Exchange - track aircraft live - aircraft flight history
globe.adsbexchange.com
January 14, 2026 at 6:34 PM
Multiple European military aircraft have been heading to Greenland today, notably Danish c-130js but also several Boeing C-17 Globemasters from Canada. You can follow yourself on globe.adsbexchange.com select button U
Reform UK have taken a huge step forward in marginalizing asylum seekers in an effort to make them irrelevant, they have hired one. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Former Tory Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi defects to Reform UK
Zahawi is the latest former Conservative MP to join Nigel Farage's party, as a Tory source claims he had approached Kemi Badenoch seeking a nomination for the Lords.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 12, 2026 at 4:27 PM
Reform UK have taken a huge step forward in marginalizing asylum seekers in an effort to make them irrelevant, they have hired one. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Condemning Tehran for bullets, defending Minneapolis for bullets.
Has Trump invented an infinite-energy spinning moral compass?
Has Trump invented an infinite-energy spinning moral compass?
January 12, 2026 at 9:57 AM
Condemning Tehran for bullets, defending Minneapolis for bullets.
Has Trump invented an infinite-energy spinning moral compass?
Has Trump invented an infinite-energy spinning moral compass?
Watching Pluribus, I felt like I’d spent a week with Rhea Seehorn. No surprise the Golden Globes noticed.
Meanwhile everyone else obeys the hive, unquestioning, as certainty quietly replaces judgement.
An intentional mirror to how we behave?
Meanwhile everyone else obeys the hive, unquestioning, as certainty quietly replaces judgement.
An intentional mirror to how we behave?
January 12, 2026 at 9:36 AM
Watching Pluribus, I felt like I’d spent a week with Rhea Seehorn. No surprise the Golden Globes noticed.
Meanwhile everyone else obeys the hive, unquestioning, as certainty quietly replaces judgement.
An intentional mirror to how we behave?
Meanwhile everyone else obeys the hive, unquestioning, as certainty quietly replaces judgement.
An intentional mirror to how we behave?
No surprise that Andor got no recognition at the Golden Globe Awards.
Awards bodies are comfortable with political drama at a safe distance, less so when it looks uncomfortably like the present.
Awards bodies are comfortable with political drama at a safe distance, less so when it looks uncomfortably like the present.
January 12, 2026 at 9:14 AM
No surprise that Andor got no recognition at the Golden Globe Awards.
Awards bodies are comfortable with political drama at a safe distance, less so when it looks uncomfortably like the present.
Awards bodies are comfortable with political drama at a safe distance, less so when it looks uncomfortably like the present.
Germany and France talking about troops in Greenland is being read as a tripwire against the US.
But if the outcome is Europe assuming responsibility and cost for Greenland’s defence, the objective may already have been met.
Strategic ambiguity is cheaper than occupation.
But if the outcome is Europe assuming responsibility and cost for Greenland’s defence, the objective may already have been met.
Strategic ambiguity is cheaper than occupation.
January 11, 2026 at 8:43 PM
Germany and France talking about troops in Greenland is being read as a tripwire against the US.
But if the outcome is Europe assuming responsibility and cost for Greenland’s defence, the objective may already have been met.
Strategic ambiguity is cheaper than occupation.
But if the outcome is Europe assuming responsibility and cost for Greenland’s defence, the objective may already have been met.
Strategic ambiguity is cheaper than occupation.
I post about science, politics, and the places where certainty quietly falls apart.
Dry humour. Occasional heresy. Curiosity over certainty.
Tea optional.
Dry humour. Occasional heresy. Curiosity over certainty.
Tea optional.
January 11, 2026 at 7:59 PM
I post about science, politics, and the places where certainty quietly falls apart.
Dry humour. Occasional heresy. Curiosity over certainty.
Tea optional.
Dry humour. Occasional heresy. Curiosity over certainty.
Tea optional.