Chris Brooke
@chrisbrooke.bsky.social
"an already elusive subject is considered here from a variety of oblique angles"
We have all been weighed in the balance and found wanting. Sorry, Ozymandias. #thewritingonthewall
November 27, 2025 at 8:31 AM
We have all been weighed in the balance and found wanting. Sorry, Ozymandias. #thewritingonthewall
Badenoch is an embarrassment.
November 26, 2025 at 1:55 PM
Reposted by Chris Brooke
Today we launch a new @empirepoduk.bsky.social mini-series to mark the beginning of the Ashes:
A FOREIGN FIELD:
THE HISTORY OF COLONIAL CRICKET
With Tim Wigmore @timwig
Author of Test Cricket: A History
Winner of this year's William Hill Sports Book of the Year
share.google/rukQ1zLzMQT8...
A FOREIGN FIELD:
THE HISTORY OF COLONIAL CRICKET
With Tim Wigmore @timwig
Author of Test Cricket: A History
Winner of this year's William Hill Sports Book of the Year
share.google/rukQ1zLzMQT8...
November 26, 2025 at 3:51 AM
Today we launch a new @empirepoduk.bsky.social mini-series to mark the beginning of the Ashes:
A FOREIGN FIELD:
THE HISTORY OF COLONIAL CRICKET
With Tim Wigmore @timwig
Author of Test Cricket: A History
Winner of this year's William Hill Sports Book of the Year
share.google/rukQ1zLzMQT8...
A FOREIGN FIELD:
THE HISTORY OF COLONIAL CRICKET
With Tim Wigmore @timwig
Author of Test Cricket: A History
Winner of this year's William Hill Sports Book of the Year
share.google/rukQ1zLzMQT8...
Reposted by Chris Brooke
Happy St Katherine's Day to all scholars, librarians, and Katherines. May you win an argument against an annoying man today, in the true spirit of Katherine herself.
November 25, 2025 at 7:08 AM
Happy St Katherine's Day to all scholars, librarians, and Katherines. May you win an argument against an annoying man today, in the true spirit of Katherine herself.
Reposted by Chris Brooke
If Glasman really does have influence in Number 10 Labour’s poll rating has further to fall
November 25, 2025 at 8:59 AM
If Glasman really does have influence in Number 10 Labour’s poll rating has further to fall
Reposted by Chris Brooke
Just occurred to me that the Blue in Blue Labour might be something to do with Maurice Glasman being prevented from having sex with his wife. Please read my forthcoming article "From Ed Balls Labour to Blue Balls Labour"
November 24, 2025 at 9:16 PM
Just occurred to me that the Blue in Blue Labour might be something to do with Maurice Glasman being prevented from having sex with his wife. Please read my forthcoming article "From Ed Balls Labour to Blue Balls Labour"
Reposted by Chris Brooke
Proud to find my definition of 'super trouper' on p.651 of the 2024 edition of @vizcomic.bsky.social's disgusting work of genius, Roger's Profanisaurus
November 24, 2025 at 8:56 PM
Proud to find my definition of 'super trouper' on p.651 of the 2024 edition of @vizcomic.bsky.social's disgusting work of genius, Roger's Profanisaurus
Reposted by Chris Brooke
Can't wait until Wednesday when we can finally stop speculating about what's in the Budget, and start speculating about what'll be in the Spring Statement.
November 24, 2025 at 1:29 PM
Can't wait until Wednesday when we can finally stop speculating about what's in the Budget, and start speculating about what'll be in the Spring Statement.
Reposted by Chris Brooke
Jimmy Cliff, Jamaican reggae singer, actor and cultural icon, dies aged 81
Jimmy Cliff, Jamaican reggae singer, actor and cultural icon, dies aged 81
Star of The Harder They Come had hits including You Can Get It If You Really Want and I Can See Clearly Now
www.theguardian.com
November 24, 2025 at 11:48 AM
Jimmy Cliff, Jamaican reggae singer, actor and cultural icon, dies aged 81
For #WorldWalrusDay, my 2014 #walrusselfie (on the occasion of my mum's 75th birthday) with the one-and-only Horniman Walrus (of course).
November 24, 2025 at 11:38 AM
For #WorldWalrusDay, my 2014 #walrusselfie (on the occasion of my mum's 75th birthday) with the one-and-only Horniman Walrus (of course).
Reposted by Chris Brooke
and then I asked him with my eyes to ask again yes and then he asked me would I yes to say yes my mountain flower and first I put my arms around him yes and drew him down to me so he could feel my breasts all perfume yes and his heart was going like mad and yes I said yes I will Yes, Charlie Brown
God is dead. God remains dead. And it is we who have killed him, Charlie Brown.
My name is Maximus Decimus Meridius, commander of the Armies of the North, General of the Felix Legions, loyal servant to the true emperor, Marcus Aurelius, father to a murdered son, husband to a murdered wife, and I will have my vengeance, Charlie Brown, in this life or the next.
November 24, 2025 at 10:07 AM
and then I asked him with my eyes to ask again yes and then he asked me would I yes to say yes my mountain flower and first I put my arms around him yes and drew him down to me so he could feel my breasts all perfume yes and his heart was going like mad and yes I said yes I will Yes, Charlie Brown
Reposted by Chris Brooke
Some more tweets based on my book: These on the Rise of Sectarianism in the first years of the C19th.
November 24, 2025 at 11:01 AM
Some more tweets based on my book: These on the Rise of Sectarianism in the first years of the C19th.
Reposted by Chris Brooke
The second problem with this — after the fact that it will bankrupt a bunch of institutions — is that the government doesn’t seem to know if it wants to a) raise lots of money from intentional students or b) discourage universities from relying on international students. You can’t have both!!
These are HEPI estimates of the 20 institutions affected: I think this illustrates the impact if the tariff is absorbed in full by institutions.
What share of the 6% tariff different universities may try to pass on to fees - or the impact might be on demand if they did - is not publicly known.
What share of the 6% tariff different universities may try to pass on to fees - or the impact might be on demand if they did - is not publicly known.
November 24, 2025 at 11:06 AM
The second problem with this — after the fact that it will bankrupt a bunch of institutions — is that the government doesn’t seem to know if it wants to a) raise lots of money from intentional students or b) discourage universities from relying on international students. You can’t have both!!
Reposted by Chris Brooke
They remain the only government in my lifetime without a theory of how economic growth happens and a determination that it definitely not be through universities, immigration, high skilled services, tax simplification, trade relations etc
November 24, 2025 at 8:34 AM
They remain the only government in my lifetime without a theory of how economic growth happens and a determination that it definitely not be through universities, immigration, high skilled services, tax simplification, trade relations etc
Shortly after sorting out the title and the cover, there's also the business of mentally casting the movie adaptation.
Once again starting to write a book in the only sensible way, viz, by thinking up a title and then working backwards from there to design the cover, construct the page layout, and make some key choices about the typography. Eventually I will begin to fill in the content. I am a very rational person.
November 22, 2025 at 6:05 PM
Shortly after sorting out the title and the cover, there's also the business of mentally casting the movie adaptation.
Reposted by Chris Brooke
"I somehow fell and landed directly on a ‘send mass-redundancy email’ button", said HR Director at University of Derby
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
University of Derby apologises for redundancy email blunder
Several staff members received confirmation of redundancy applications when they had not applied.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 22, 2025 at 3:09 PM
"I somehow fell and landed directly on a ‘send mass-redundancy email’ button", said HR Director at University of Derby
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
At Republic 439e-440a Plato's Socrates demonstrates the truth of his claim about the divided soul by describing someone who both wants and does not want to read about Olivia Nuzzi, Ryan Lizza, and RFK Jr.
1/2
1/2
November 22, 2025 at 2:46 PM
At Republic 439e-440a Plato's Socrates demonstrates the truth of his claim about the divided soul by describing someone who both wants and does not want to read about Olivia Nuzzi, Ryan Lizza, and RFK Jr.
1/2
1/2
Reposted by Chris Brooke
I have never been as envious of anyone as I am now of the normal people who don't know who Nuzzi/Lizza are and have not read RFK Jr's porn poetry and I want to be those people but I am not I have read the post and the poetry and I am now ruined for life and all I have is regret
November 22, 2025 at 1:40 PM
I have never been as envious of anyone as I am now of the normal people who don't know who Nuzzi/Lizza are and have not read RFK Jr's porn poetry and I want to be those people but I am not I have read the post and the poetry and I am now ruined for life and all I have is regret
Reposted by Chris Brooke
oh, that's... that's not... you can't call it that
November 21, 2025 at 7:48 PM
oh, that's... that's not... you can't call it that
Reposted by Chris Brooke
This sounds like the country’s worst minor league team
November 22, 2025 at 3:05 AM
This sounds like the country’s worst minor league team
Reposted by Chris Brooke
"If a government that won an Attlee-size majority on the promise of change won’t dare to break with the past, who will?"
The dishonesty of Rachel Reeves, by @philtinline.bsky.social
The dishonesty of Rachel Reeves, by @philtinline.bsky.social
The dishonesty of Rachel Reeves
Like every chancellor since the Thatcher era, Reeves is refusing to look the public in the eye
www.newstatesman.com
November 22, 2025 at 7:52 AM
"If a government that won an Attlee-size majority on the promise of change won’t dare to break with the past, who will?"
The dishonesty of Rachel Reeves, by @philtinline.bsky.social
The dishonesty of Rachel Reeves, by @philtinline.bsky.social
Reposted by Chris Brooke
One of the excellent things about the Test Match ending early is that there’s chat about what to do in Perth if you have a bit of time on your hands, and the word “quokkas” invariably features. #quokkas
November 22, 2025 at 8:29 AM
One of the excellent things about the Test Match ending early is that there’s chat about what to do in Perth if you have a bit of time on your hands, and the word “quokkas” invariably features. #quokkas