Keith
@keithcowans.bsky.social
A space for books, art, film, comedy, the world, the universe. Manager and co-owner of @thebookvault.bsky.social, Barnsley. "Empathises with chickens", Andy Zaltzman, The Bugle.
Reposted by Keith
Wow - this guy must be really, REALLY bad with money if an extra £208 per month will “ruin” his retirement.
Let’s take a look at his situation based on what he told the @Telegraph
Because this does NOT add up!
No, this is not a “poor pensioner” scrabbling around for pennies…
🧵1/9
Let’s take a look at his situation based on what he told the @Telegraph
Because this does NOT add up!
No, this is not a “poor pensioner” scrabbling around for pennies…
🧵1/9
November 29, 2025 at 10:12 AM
Wow - this guy must be really, REALLY bad with money if an extra £208 per month will “ruin” his retirement.
Let’s take a look at his situation based on what he told the @Telegraph
Because this does NOT add up!
No, this is not a “poor pensioner” scrabbling around for pennies…
🧵1/9
Let’s take a look at his situation based on what he told the @Telegraph
Because this does NOT add up!
No, this is not a “poor pensioner” scrabbling around for pennies…
🧵1/9
Even more bizarre to see the BBC1 6pm news leading with this. Commentary as a news headline.
It's such a bizarre framing. Labour MPs think taking 450k kids out of poverty is putting the country first! That's why they wanted it to happen! It's not because they personally benefit.
Headline on The World at One just now:
"Sir Keir Starmer has denied putting the Labour Party before the country by ending the two-child benefit cap".
Can we please go back to reporting the actual news, not someone's partisan take on it?
"Sir Keir Starmer has denied putting the Labour Party before the country by ending the two-child benefit cap".
Can we please go back to reporting the actual news, not someone's partisan take on it?
November 27, 2025 at 7:31 PM
Even more bizarre to see the BBC1 6pm news leading with this. Commentary as a news headline.
Given that the BBC has (wrongly) made this decision on legal grounds, clearly it makes sense in that context that BBC staff can't say the line.
It was strange listening to this being covered on The Media Show complete with people saying the decision was wrong, but here we are.
It was strange listening to this being covered on The Media Show complete with people saying the decision was wrong, but here we are.
NEW: BBC tells staff they cannot quote Trump line removed from Reith Lecture
BBC News article & Media Show prevented from repeating Rutger Bregman’s corruption allegation in its coverage… of whether the BBC censored his speech!
BBC/Trump fallout continues
www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
BBC News article & Media Show prevented from repeating Rutger Bregman’s corruption allegation in its coverage… of whether the BBC censored his speech!
BBC/Trump fallout continues
www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
BBC tells staff they cannot quote Trump line removed from Reith Lecture
Journalists not allowed to repeat Rutger Bregman’s corruption claims against US president in coverage of edit
www.theguardian.com
November 27, 2025 at 2:17 PM
Given that the BBC has (wrongly) made this decision on legal grounds, clearly it makes sense in that context that BBC staff can't say the line.
It was strange listening to this being covered on The Media Show complete with people saying the decision was wrong, but here we are.
It was strange listening to this being covered on The Media Show complete with people saying the decision was wrong, but here we are.
Acceptance of what? Can AI have value as an analytical tool, e.g. on health scans - yes. Does AI have value as a generative tool? Demonstrably no. As repeated failures, making up facts, making up sources (e.g. for cretins who have used it in law), assisting suicide, have shown. 1/3
Is this platform still massively against AI or has it moved more towards acceptance?
November 26, 2025 at 10:48 AM
Acceptance of what? Can AI have value as an analytical tool, e.g. on health scans - yes. Does AI have value as a generative tool? Demonstrably no. As repeated failures, making up facts, making up sources (e.g. for cretins who have used it in law), assisting suicide, have shown. 1/3
The benefits of live breaking news, part 94. "Nothing happened."
BREAKING: Keir Starmer had a “brush by” with Chinese premier Li Qiang at G20 summit in Johannesburg at weekend - although reporters on trip were not told about this.
Understand this was a brief hello in leader’s lounge and nothing of substance was discussed.
Understand this was a brief hello in leader’s lounge and nothing of substance was discussed.
November 24, 2025 at 12:30 PM
The benefits of live breaking news, part 94. "Nothing happened."
Reposted by Keith
⏩️⏩️⏩️ Back in stock at #JunoRecords, grab your copy:
'orcan cerulean' - our colourful sonic gathering for the honour of Dave Muddyman aka Jamuud da Loop Guru and Echoflex, our #worldbeat #fusion to delight and #benefit #cancerresearch.
#newmusic #vinyl #vinylrecords #electronic #compilation #charity
'orcan cerulean' - our colourful sonic gathering for the honour of Dave Muddyman aka Jamuud da Loop Guru and Echoflex, our #worldbeat #fusion to delight and #benefit #cancerresearch.
#newmusic #vinyl #vinylrecords #electronic #compilation #charity
November 23, 2025 at 10:34 PM
⏩️⏩️⏩️ Back in stock at #JunoRecords, grab your copy:
'orcan cerulean' - our colourful sonic gathering for the honour of Dave Muddyman aka Jamuud da Loop Guru and Echoflex, our #worldbeat #fusion to delight and #benefit #cancerresearch.
#newmusic #vinyl #vinylrecords #electronic #compilation #charity
'orcan cerulean' - our colourful sonic gathering for the honour of Dave Muddyman aka Jamuud da Loop Guru and Echoflex, our #worldbeat #fusion to delight and #benefit #cancerresearch.
#newmusic #vinyl #vinylrecords #electronic #compilation #charity
A little later, but the Backbeat band immediately comes to mind - Greg Dulli, Thurston Moore, Dave Grohl and others brought together specifically to try and recreate the life and energy of the early Beatles. Still have the records, music snobs are always tedious. Enjoy what you want!
As someone who is this guy's age I can tell you 100% that if you were into Pixies, Nirvana, 120 Minutes stuff, etc. but didn't like the Beatles you had to have worked hard to contort yourself into that special little box. Your enemy, if you absolutely needed one, was hair metal. GTFO here with this.
November 23, 2025 at 6:23 PM
A little later, but the Backbeat band immediately comes to mind - Greg Dulli, Thurston Moore, Dave Grohl and others brought together specifically to try and recreate the life and energy of the early Beatles. Still have the records, music snobs are always tedious. Enjoy what you want!
Half Man Half Biscuit - Peel Session 1985
YouTube video by Vibracobra23
www.youtube.com
November 20, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Reposted by Keith
"don't unpack yer suitcase, Paddington" - Labour
November 17, 2025 at 6:25 PM
"don't unpack yer suitcase, Paddington" - Labour
Reposted by Keith
Yesterday, we put out a report on the most important issues to voters.
We know that immigration now tops the traditional most important issues question (see below from @yougov.co.uk).
But that doesn't tell the full story.
Here is a rundown of the experiments we did to test this out (A THREAD):
We know that immigration now tops the traditional most important issues question (see below from @yougov.co.uk).
But that doesn't tell the full story.
Here is a rundown of the experiments we did to test this out (A THREAD):
November 17, 2025 at 11:41 AM
Yesterday, we put out a report on the most important issues to voters.
We know that immigration now tops the traditional most important issues question (see below from @yougov.co.uk).
But that doesn't tell the full story.
Here is a rundown of the experiments we did to test this out (A THREAD):
We know that immigration now tops the traditional most important issues question (see below from @yougov.co.uk).
But that doesn't tell the full story.
Here is a rundown of the experiments we did to test this out (A THREAD):
Reposted by Keith
![[Scene is a kitchen - a middle aged woman called JANET is boiling peas at the stove. A younger more colourfully dressed woman named LIZ approached her.]
JANET:
Ugh...
LIZ:
What's up?
JANET:
I am so bored of cooking peas!
LIZ:
Have you tried...
AI peas?
JANET:
AI peas?
LIZ:
They're peas with AI!
[Liz holds up to us a packet of peas labelled: Pea-i AI - Peas with AI].
LIZ:
Al-powered peas harness the potential of your peas
JANET:
What
LIZ [Now a voiceover as we cut to a whizzy technology diagram of peas all connected by meaningless dotted lines]
Why not take your peas to the next level with Al Peas' new Al tools to power your peas?
[Show a techno diagram of a pea with a label reading 'AI' pointing to a random zone in it]
LIZ:
Each pea has Al in a way we haven't quite worked out yet but it's fine
[Show Janet and Liz now in a Matrix-style world of peas]
LIZ:
With Al peas you can supercharge productivity and make AI work for your peas!
JANET:
What
LIZ:
Shut up
LIZ:
Our game-changing Pea-Al gives you the freedom to unlock the potential of the power of the future of your peas workflow
From opening the bag of peas
to boiling the peas
to eating the peas
To spending millions on adding Al to the peas and then having to work out what that even means.
JANET:
Is it really necessary to-
LIZ [Grabbing Janet by the collar]:
THE PEAS HAVE GOT AI, JANET
[Cut to an advert ending screen, with the bag of peas and the slogan:
AI PEAS: Just 'Peas' for god's sake buy the AI peas.
[Ends]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:4m3we4apbjayclzcnhwe3pfp/bafkreiayqa37f7kik7l7s7fbtfp2sir5ckb662ry2lylinyjrfa2rkvvka@jpeg)
Typical, early news-leek.
Exciting news for the Welsh economy coming tomorrow
November 12, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Typical, early news-leek.
Just popped up in my podcast app. An excellent show generally and will listen to the new ep. later. They did cover the drumpf doc amongst other things last week, before the bbc resignations.
Classic BBC to have two BBC journalists, who cover the media industry, having to do an episode on the crisis at the BBC itself — well worth a listen
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
The Media Show - How do we fix the BBC? - BBC Sounds
Two resignations and a billion-dollar lawsuit - the BBC in crisis.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 12, 2025 at 6:54 PM
Just popped up in my podcast app. An excellent show generally and will listen to the new ep. later. They did cover the drumpf doc amongst other things last week, before the bbc resignations.
Reposted by Keith
Trump sues Everybody!
November 11, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Trump sues Everybody!
I got one of these codes and caught up and listened again to the downloaded tracks. Excellent music, will be exploring the rest.
Some free d/l codes here, for Falling but not Alone, a record from 2023:
a777-c3w3
hlsw-uep5
fclh-bu5e
pqe4-ecg5
rr74-3w2f
hx57-e5w2
lhd5-eaes
4e4g-ubrd
4rsn-ehhh
cl4l-u5p5
ccph-ju3r
worriedaboutsatan.bandcamp.com/yum
a777-c3w3
hlsw-uep5
fclh-bu5e
pqe4-ecg5
rr74-3w2f
hx57-e5w2
lhd5-eaes
4e4g-ubrd
4rsn-ehhh
cl4l-u5p5
ccph-ju3r
worriedaboutsatan.bandcamp.com/yum
November 10, 2025 at 5:13 PM
I got one of these codes and caught up and listened again to the downloaded tracks. Excellent music, will be exploring the rest.
If this is true then good, though if it is an ethical decision then the ethics haven't changed between the election and now. I would imagine there will be similar areas of spending to justify tax rises, not complex to figure out.
NEW: Rachel Reeves signals she intends to remove the two-child cap *in full*
"I don't think a child should be penalised because they're in a bigger family through no fault of their own," she tells BBC.
"I don't think a child should be penalised because they're in a bigger family through no fault of their own," she tells BBC.
November 10, 2025 at 4:27 PM
If this is true then good, though if it is an ethical decision then the ethics haven't changed between the election and now. I would imagine there will be similar areas of spending to justify tax rises, not complex to figure out.
Reposted by Keith
Headline from a serious and long working paper on the economic impact of Brexit. Possible that this has been feeding into OBR and HMT discussions?
November 10, 2025 at 9:33 AM
Headline from a serious and long working paper on the economic impact of Brexit. Possible that this has been feeding into OBR and HMT discussions?
Every economics-based analysis I read before the election said the same thing. Labour knew they were going to win and could have been more progressive in this area. Despite many warnings, they chose the path they took.
While going through the proofs for "The British General Election of 2024" (out very soon!) I came across this - Paul Johnson of the IFS's verdict on Labour's manifesto last year. Labour's current attempts to claim the need to break their tax pledges was impossible to forsee don't stack up
November 10, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Every economics-based analysis I read before the election said the same thing. Labour knew they were going to win and could have been more progressive in this area. Despite many warnings, they chose the path they took.
Reposted by Keith
The Mamdani political sign generator is kinda fun https://homes.luddy.indiana.edu/ccshan/for/for.html
November 8, 2025 at 3:06 PM
The Mamdani political sign generator is kinda fun https://homes.luddy.indiana.edu/ccshan/for/for.html
My seat and many around me are a straight LAB/RFM contest at the moment. More votes to LD/G would mean they don't finish 4th and 5th in the next GE.
LAB/LD/GN will probably have more votes between them than RFM/CON, as they do now, and we will have a RFM MP.
LAB/LD/GN will probably have more votes between them than RFM/CON, as they do now, and we will have a RFM MP.
Notable in today's YouGov that the centre/left bloc - Lab/Green/LD/SNP are on 54%. With Reform/Tories on 43%. That's the biggest differential in a long time.
I think useful to track blocs given instability between parties at the moment.
I think useful to track blocs given instability between parties at the moment.
November 4, 2025 at 1:58 PM
My seat and many around me are a straight LAB/RFM contest at the moment. More votes to LD/G would mean they don't finish 4th and 5th in the next GE.
LAB/LD/GN will probably have more votes between them than RFM/CON, as they do now, and we will have a RFM MP.
LAB/LD/GN will probably have more votes between them than RFM/CON, as they do now, and we will have a RFM MP.
Second listen, @clppng.bsky.social just as good. Checked and it is the same Kid Koala I remember listening to on John Peel xx years ago. Occasionally listen to old Peel shows and have come across early Captain Ahab, Drexciya, amongst all else.
Thanks NPR Music
clipping.: Tiny Desk Concert
YouTube video by NPR Music
youtu.be
October 31, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Second listen, @clppng.bsky.social just as good. Checked and it is the same Kid Koala I remember listening to on John Peel xx years ago. Occasionally listen to old Peel shows and have come across early Captain Ahab, Drexciya, amongst all else.
Reposted by Keith
The fundamental problem:
58% of voters want public spending maintained or increased.
67% want taxes to stay at their current level or be cut.
In reality, it’s a binary choice. Taxes go up, or spending is cut. That’s it.
58% of voters want public spending maintained or increased.
67% want taxes to stay at their current level or be cut.
In reality, it’s a binary choice. Taxes go up, or spending is cut. That’s it.
October 31, 2025 at 12:00 PM
The fundamental problem:
58% of voters want public spending maintained or increased.
67% want taxes to stay at their current level or be cut.
In reality, it’s a binary choice. Taxes go up, or spending is cut. That’s it.
58% of voters want public spending maintained or increased.
67% want taxes to stay at their current level or be cut.
In reality, it’s a binary choice. Taxes go up, or spending is cut. That’s it.
Reposted by Keith
Reposted by Keith
![[Scene is a high school classroom. A teacher is writing on the whiteboard 'ACT 2 SCENE 3'.]
TEACHER:
OK class - open up Macbeth to Act 2 Scene 3...
TEACHER:
So - does anybody have any ideas on Shakespeares meaning behind the character of 'the Porter' in this scene?
[A voice comes from off-scene, behind the teacher's back[.
VOICE:
ABSOLUTELY NOTHING.
TEACHER [turning round]:
Sorry….. who are you?
[We see a wider scene that shows it is the GHOST OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE, hovering over the heads of the startled students]
SHAKESPEARE:
I'm the Ghost of Shakespeare and I've come back to say: this scene means *absolutely nothing*.
The Porter is a funny drunk bloke I lobbed in to cover a costume change!
I mean like, not everything I did was genius OK? Stop giving me the ick.
TEACHER:
So um...what do you suggest we study?
SHAKESPEARE:
The most important text in British culture!
TEACHER:
Which is...?
SHAKESPEARE:
'Bollocks People Say on the Internet.'
TEACHER:
You think we should study... bollocks people say on the internet?
SHAKESPEARE:
Yes.
TEACHER:
But Mr Shakespeare... your Porter scene was a question in a past GCSE paper...
We need to analyse it so the kids don't end up failing their exams...
SHAKESPEARE:
Yes, and I'm just suggesting you should analyse Bollocks People Say on the Internet instead, so they don't end up painting flags on roundabouts.
[Silent pause]
TEACHER:
OK class - open up your phones to X...
[ends]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:4m3we4apbjayclzcnhwe3pfp/bafkreibtvzkb3yqcbhukrxomiex5bcmtrsgbqu7fgx44upb3fgyewmcxbi@jpeg)
Reposted by Keith
Nelson's Victory crew included a Brazilian and a Russian, 2 Indians, 2 Swiss, 2 Portuguese, 3 Danes and 3 Norwegian sailors. There were 3 Germans, 4 Italians, 6 Swedes, 7 Dutchmen, 9 West Indians and an African, as well as 21 Americans, 63 Irish, 64 Scots, 441 English.... oh, and 3 French men, too.
October 22, 2025 at 8:01 AM
Nelson's Victory crew included a Brazilian and a Russian, 2 Indians, 2 Swiss, 2 Portuguese, 3 Danes and 3 Norwegian sailors. There were 3 Germans, 4 Italians, 6 Swedes, 7 Dutchmen, 9 West Indians and an African, as well as 21 Americans, 63 Irish, 64 Scots, 441 English.... oh, and 3 French men, too.