David Hopps
@davidkhopps.bsky.social
Freelance cricket and travel writer (just), ex ESPNcrinfo & Guardian. Social
Liberal. Beach hotel at suitelanka.com. Leeds fan. Often exasperated.
Liberal. Beach hotel at suitelanka.com. Leeds fan. Often exasperated.
Reposted by David Hopps
Google at its peak was basically the best information retrieval system in human history and they and every competitor decided going from there to “you didn’t want answers you wanted half-assed auto-complete 80%-wrong hallucinations” in a few years was the right idea
November 25, 2025 at 1:57 AM
Google at its peak was basically the best information retrieval system in human history and they and every competitor decided going from there to “you didn’t want answers you wanted half-assed auto-complete 80%-wrong hallucinations” in a few years was the right idea
Nearly 2 million views already for this. It's so tempting to be cynical about the John Lewis Christmas ad, but this one is a real tear-jerker.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1bR...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1bR...
Where Love Lives | John Lewis & Partners | Christmas Ad 2025
YouTube video by John Lewis
www.youtube.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Nearly 2 million views already for this. It's so tempting to be cynical about the John Lewis Christmas ad, but this one is a real tear-jerker.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1bR...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1bR...
England to prepare with pink golf balls ahead of day-night Brisbane Test.
November 22, 2025 at 9:55 AM
England to prepare with pink golf balls ahead of day-night Brisbane Test.
Nice to know at a time when Test cricket is barely recognisable that Yorkshire, at least, are keeping up traditions by having another row over Geoffrey Boycott. 🤣
archive.is/Pb1ID
archive.is/Pb1ID
archive.is
November 22, 2025 at 8:35 AM
Nice to know at a time when Test cricket is barely recognisable that Yorkshire, at least, are keeping up traditions by having another row over Geoffrey Boycott. 🤣
archive.is/Pb1ID
archive.is/Pb1ID
I blame this Test match on mobile phones personally.
November 21, 2025 at 1:01 PM
I blame this Test match on mobile phones personally.
Nice. Macbeth particularly apt methinks.
November 21, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Nice. Macbeth particularly apt methinks.
The days when you remember how good Sky's cricket coverage is...
November 21, 2025 at 9:07 AM
The days when you remember how good Sky's cricket coverage is...
I’ve just watched Steve Smith’s excruciating pre-Ashes, smug sledge of Monty Panesar. OK, Monty’s appearance on Celebrity Mastermind was a guilty pleasure, but I reckon even Monty could answer the question about whether Smith was being a bit of a c***. #ashes
November 20, 2025 at 6:17 PM
I’ve just watched Steve Smith’s excruciating pre-Ashes, smug sledge of Monty Panesar. OK, Monty’s appearance on Celebrity Mastermind was a guilty pleasure, but I reckon even Monty could answer the question about whether Smith was being a bit of a c***. #ashes
New take on Covid. 🤣
Trump on the covid pandemic: "We became the king of ventilators. What a period of time that was for all of us. It was an amazing time."
November 20, 2025 at 12:28 PM
New take on Covid. 🤣
I do find these sort of vacuous questions utterly tiresome. Why can't the BBC take a lead, underline its worth, and aim to be more intelligent?
www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/202...
www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/202...
Burnham refuses to rule out leadership challenge against Starmer
Mayor of Manchester deflects questions on his ambitions after Labour MP offers to give up seat for him
www.telegraph.co.uk
November 20, 2025 at 12:26 PM
I do find these sort of vacuous questions utterly tiresome. Why can't the BBC take a lead, underline its worth, and aim to be more intelligent?
www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/202...
www.telegraph.co.uk/politics/202...
I've compromised. I'm up at 5am and plan to whizz through the first 2 sessions with the fast forward button. I mean, who needs to watch people walking back to their mark? (Some people question my ability to get up at 5 anyway). Slightly more faith in England than the TNT commentary team. We'll see.
November 20, 2025 at 11:35 AM
I've compromised. I'm up at 5am and plan to whizz through the first 2 sessions with the fast forward button. I mean, who needs to watch people walking back to their mark? (Some people question my ability to get up at 5 anyway). Slightly more faith in England than the TNT commentary team. We'll see.
Reposted by David Hopps
Here’s a good one for yer. Got up at 515am to clear all snow off daughter’s car for her. She was at work at 6.In me Dressing gown & trainers I was. Cleared it all off,she came out,got in car,thanked me & drove off, Went back to get int house. She’d fkin locked me out. Had to get out lass up. 😂😂
November 20, 2025 at 5:59 AM
Here’s a good one for yer. Got up at 515am to clear all snow off daughter’s car for her. She was at work at 6.In me Dressing gown & trainers I was. Cleared it all off,she came out,got in car,thanked me & drove off, Went back to get int house. She’d fkin locked me out. Had to get out lass up. 😂😂
Well, I’ve finished The Hack, and, yes, the sub-plot is overly protracted in the early episodes, but I am still bewildered by The Guardian’s critical review of a series that lauds it for a necessary and lonely battle against phone hacking. Seriously, with all due respect, with friends like that…. 🤷♂️
November 18, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Well, I’ve finished The Hack, and, yes, the sub-plot is overly protracted in the early episodes, but I am still bewildered by The Guardian’s critical review of a series that lauds it for a necessary and lonely battle against phone hacking. Seriously, with all due respect, with friends like that…. 🤷♂️
Reposted by David Hopps
POV: you are a young woman celebrating a recent academic success
November 17, 2025 at 7:20 PM
POV: you are a young woman celebrating a recent academic success
Reposted by David Hopps
Qualifying reminding us why the World Cup is the greatest thing ever. If only there were…
www.amazon.co.uk/Secret-Histo...
www.amazon.co.uk/Secret-Histo...
November 17, 2025 at 7:09 AM
Qualifying reminding us why the World Cup is the greatest thing ever. If only there were…
www.amazon.co.uk/Secret-Histo...
www.amazon.co.uk/Secret-Histo...
Reposted by David Hopps
A problem with politicians - our Prime Minister Keir Starmer seems to be a paradigm example - trying to appeal to views they don't really understand or empathise with - that generates lurid overcompensation: so "control" becomes not control + decency + fairness but control as performative cruelty
November 17, 2025 at 3:26 PM
A problem with politicians - our Prime Minister Keir Starmer seems to be a paradigm example - trying to appeal to views they don't really understand or empathise with - that generates lurid overcompensation: so "control" becomes not control + decency + fairness but control as performative cruelty
Reposted by David Hopps
Such sad news. Rachel was such a great journalist and a lovely, super-smart person. Thoughts are with Tony and her family.
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
Remembering Rachel Cooke | The Observer
observer.co.uk
November 14, 2025 at 11:03 PM
Such sad news. Rachel was such a great journalist and a lovely, super-smart person. Thoughts are with Tony and her family.
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
observer.co.uk/news/nationa...
Reposted by David Hopps
Reform UK Leicestershire are crooks.
They announced consultants Newton would do a £1.4m savings review.
That’s ballooned to £30m in 6 just days.
Leader Dan Harrison is a con man.
Leicestershire you’ve been had.
leicestermercury.co.uk/news/local-n...
#ReformLies
They announced consultants Newton would do a £1.4m savings review.
That’s ballooned to £30m in 6 just days.
Leader Dan Harrison is a con man.
Leicestershire you’ve been had.
leicestermercury.co.uk/news/local-n...
#ReformLies
Firm leading council savings review could receive £30m
The county council currently needs to plug an expected £90 million gap in its day-to-day spending
leicestermercury.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Reform UK Leicestershire are crooks.
They announced consultants Newton would do a £1.4m savings review.
That’s ballooned to £30m in 6 just days.
Leader Dan Harrison is a con man.
Leicestershire you’ve been had.
leicestermercury.co.uk/news/local-n...
#ReformLies
They announced consultants Newton would do a £1.4m savings review.
That’s ballooned to £30m in 6 just days.
Leader Dan Harrison is a con man.
Leicestershire you’ve been had.
leicestermercury.co.uk/news/local-n...
#ReformLies
Reposted by David Hopps
Robbie Gibb was appointed to the BBC Board by Boris Johnson, was an editorial advisor for GB News, and worked as Theresa May's Director of Comms.
He is not impartial or neutral. The government should remove him from the Board immediately to protect the BBC's independence.
He is not impartial or neutral. The government should remove him from the Board immediately to protect the BBC's independence.
November 11, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Robbie Gibb was appointed to the BBC Board by Boris Johnson, was an editorial advisor for GB News, and worked as Theresa May's Director of Comms.
He is not impartial or neutral. The government should remove him from the Board immediately to protect the BBC's independence.
He is not impartial or neutral. The government should remove him from the Board immediately to protect the BBC's independence.
Reposted by David Hopps
I've been reading in public all my life purely for the pleasure of reading and long before The Independent existed... they can fuck off with this kind of pearl-clutching, mocking, attempt to make me feel bad about it.
November 9, 2025 at 4:30 PM
I've been reading in public all my life purely for the pleasure of reading and long before The Independent existed... they can fuck off with this kind of pearl-clutching, mocking, attempt to make me feel bad about it.
Reposted by David Hopps
"These estimates suggest that by 2025 Brexit had reduced UK GDP by 6% to 8%, with the impact accumulating gradually over time."
New NBER report is quietly devastating about the impact of Brexit on the UK economy.
We need to cut away the drag anchor of Brexit.
We need to rejoin the EU!
New NBER report is quietly devastating about the impact of Brexit on the UK economy.
We need to cut away the drag anchor of Brexit.
We need to rejoin the EU!
November 10, 2025 at 12:40 PM
"These estimates suggest that by 2025 Brexit had reduced UK GDP by 6% to 8%, with the impact accumulating gradually over time."
New NBER report is quietly devastating about the impact of Brexit on the UK economy.
We need to cut away the drag anchor of Brexit.
We need to rejoin the EU!
New NBER report is quietly devastating about the impact of Brexit on the UK economy.
We need to cut away the drag anchor of Brexit.
We need to rejoin the EU!
Reposted by David Hopps
The fact that the BBC has made serious culpable errors does not negate the point that there is a real and concerted right-wing media campaign to destroy it. Both points can be true at the same time and the campaign would not end even if the errors did.
November 10, 2025 at 1:08 PM
The fact that the BBC has made serious culpable errors does not negate the point that there is a real and concerted right-wing media campaign to destroy it. Both points can be true at the same time and the campaign would not end even if the errors did.
Look, I despise the populist far right, and I hate the attacks on the BBC by biaised media groups with an agenda, but stop giving this Panorama edit a free pass - it was a dishonest, unprofessional edit and it has given the BBC's critics a field day. The journalists concerned are undefendable.
November 10, 2025 at 9:24 AM
Look, I despise the populist far right, and I hate the attacks on the BBC by biaised media groups with an agenda, but stop giving this Panorama edit a free pass - it was a dishonest, unprofessional edit and it has given the BBC's critics a field day. The journalists concerned are undefendable.
Reposted by David Hopps
Vital piece of investigative reporting from Sky. They've uncovered the X algorithm which feeds users extremist right wing material from the moment they join the site. It is a far-right radicalisation engine, by design.
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
Elon Musk is boosting the British right - and this shows how
Elon Musk is boosting the British right - and this shows how
news.sky.com
November 6, 2025 at 7:23 AM
Vital piece of investigative reporting from Sky. They've uncovered the X algorithm which feeds users extremist right wing material from the moment they join the site. It is a far-right radicalisation engine, by design.
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
news.sky.com/story/the-x-...
Reposted by David Hopps
Farage coins in £1000s a month for a few hours "work" yet he thinks the economic woes of the UK are caused by an 18 year old getting a tenner an hour working their arse off in Burger King.
November 4, 2025 at 6:49 AM
Farage coins in £1000s a month for a few hours "work" yet he thinks the economic woes of the UK are caused by an 18 year old getting a tenner an hour working their arse off in Burger King.