Lieven Vandelanotte
@lieven.bsky.social
English lang & ling academic @UNamur & @KU Leuven. THE LANGUAGE OF MEMES out now https://www.cambridge.org/languageofmemes. He/him. https://www.unamur.be/en/profil/lvdlanot
Pinned
Call for papers: "𝐌𝐞𝐭𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐜𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝐬𝐨𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥 𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚" (deadline: 31 January 2026)
Theme session as part of the @essenglish.bsky.social conference in Santiago de Compostela (31 Aug-4 Sept), co-convened with Anna Piata. Full details & submissions via metasocial.unamur.be
Theme session as part of the @essenglish.bsky.social conference in Santiago de Compostela (31 Aug-4 Sept), co-convened with Anna Piata. Full details & submissions via metasocial.unamur.be
Reposted by Lieven Vandelanotte
Europe (including the UK) should introduce "exchange controls" (ie bans) for all blockchain tokens like Bitcoin.
They serve no legitimate economic purpose, none. They're great for crime and cause terrible envrionmental damage.
/1
They serve no legitimate economic purpose, none. They're great for crime and cause terrible envrionmental damage.
/1
crypto is a big weak spot for the US too. would europe care if it all died?
January 18, 2026 at 7:13 PM
Europe (including the UK) should introduce "exchange controls" (ie bans) for all blockchain tokens like Bitcoin.
They serve no legitimate economic purpose, none. They're great for crime and cause terrible envrionmental damage.
/1
They serve no legitimate economic purpose, none. They're great for crime and cause terrible envrionmental damage.
/1
De navond komt zoo stil, zoo stil,
zoo traagzaam aangetreden,
dat geen en weet, wanneer de dag
of waar hij is geleden.
't Is avond, stille... en, mij omtrent,
is iets, of iemand, onbekend,
die, zachtjes mij beroerend, zegt:
‘'t Is avond en 't is rustens recht.’
1st stanza of a poem by Guido Gezelle
zoo traagzaam aangetreden,
dat geen en weet, wanneer de dag
of waar hij is geleden.
't Is avond, stille... en, mij omtrent,
is iets, of iemand, onbekend,
die, zachtjes mij beroerend, zegt:
‘'t Is avond en 't is rustens recht.’
1st stanza of a poem by Guido Gezelle
January 18, 2026 at 6:33 PM
De navond komt zoo stil, zoo stil,
zoo traagzaam aangetreden,
dat geen en weet, wanneer de dag
of waar hij is geleden.
't Is avond, stille... en, mij omtrent,
is iets, of iemand, onbekend,
die, zachtjes mij beroerend, zegt:
‘'t Is avond en 't is rustens recht.’
1st stanza of a poem by Guido Gezelle
zoo traagzaam aangetreden,
dat geen en weet, wanneer de dag
of waar hij is geleden.
't Is avond, stille... en, mij omtrent,
is iets, of iemand, onbekend,
die, zachtjes mij beroerend, zegt:
‘'t Is avond en 't is rustens recht.’
1st stanza of a poem by Guido Gezelle
Reposted by Lieven Vandelanotte
I recently had someone in the LGBTQIA+ community tell me that non-binary individuals don't exist. I remember years ago being told by others that bisexual individuals didn't exist. We do not help each other by denying others identities. We all need to stand together, and yes, I damn well do exist.
January 18, 2026 at 6:02 PM
I recently had someone in the LGBTQIA+ community tell me that non-binary individuals don't exist. I remember years ago being told by others that bisexual individuals didn't exist. We do not help each other by denying others identities. We all need to stand together, and yes, I damn well do exist.
"Bigmouth strikes again"?
Kemi Badenoch is on Desert Island Discs next week?!?!?!
a drag queen with red hair is making a funny face with her mouth open
ALT: a drag queen with red hair is making a funny face with her mouth open
media.tenor.com
January 18, 2026 at 11:13 AM
"Bigmouth strikes again"?
Reposted by Lieven Vandelanotte
I think my concern is less about the bad takes, but more that the UK media in general has the memory of a goldfish in the sense they keep returning to people with takes this bad for new takes and never bring up the previous bad takes.
They do it for politicians, but not political media operatives.
They do it for politicians, but not political media operatives.
January 18, 2026 at 10:48 AM
I think my concern is less about the bad takes, but more that the UK media in general has the memory of a goldfish in the sense they keep returning to people with takes this bad for new takes and never bring up the previous bad takes.
They do it for politicians, but not political media operatives.
They do it for politicians, but not political media operatives.
One of these collages Google photos comes out with unprompted. (Always amuses me how it consistently uses 'silent reflection' as a header for church/cathedral pics)
January 18, 2026 at 10:49 AM
One of these collages Google photos comes out with unprompted. (Always amuses me how it consistently uses 'silent reflection' as a header for church/cathedral pics)
Many reasons to despise the 'journalism' of Webb. In the In Our Time handover interview between Melvyn Bragg and Misha Glenny, he couldn't help but wedge in a bit of a good old 'woke' moan. Meanwhile tragically unfunny comedian Matt Chorley cosplays as presenter of the husk that is left of Newsnight
When are people going to be held accountable for the nonsense slop and puff they emit.
January 18, 2026 at 10:38 AM
Many reasons to despise the 'journalism' of Webb. In the In Our Time handover interview between Melvyn Bragg and Misha Glenny, he couldn't help but wedge in a bit of a good old 'woke' moan. Meanwhile tragically unfunny comedian Matt Chorley cosplays as presenter of the husk that is left of Newsnight
Reposted by Lieven Vandelanotte
formats over apps
A Social Filesystem — overreacted
Formats over apps.
overreacted.io
January 18, 2026 at 7:05 AM
formats over apps
Reposted by Lieven Vandelanotte
📸 | Coventry, England (2026)
#ConeHotline (on Sunday)
#ConeHotline (on Sunday)
January 18, 2026 at 8:11 AM
📸 | Coventry, England (2026)
#ConeHotline (on Sunday)
#ConeHotline (on Sunday)
Reposted by Lieven Vandelanotte
[1/6] A reminder: Europe has cards to use against the US. Lots of them.
To cite some examples:
- Tighten screws on US digital giants (taxes, fines, even bans)
- Export taxes disrupting US supply chains eg pharma
- Exclude US firms from European procurement, inc defence
ecfr.eu/publication/...
To cite some examples:
- Tighten screws on US digital giants (taxes, fines, even bans)
- Export taxes disrupting US supply chains eg pharma
- Exclude US firms from European procurement, inc defence
ecfr.eu/publication/...
Brussels hold’em: European cards against Trumpian coercion – European Council on Foreign Relations
Faced with an aggressive United States, Europe has more leverage than it realises. Across trade, technology, infrastructure, finance and people-to-people relati
ecfr.eu
January 17, 2026 at 8:10 PM
[1/6] A reminder: Europe has cards to use against the US. Lots of them.
To cite some examples:
- Tighten screws on US digital giants (taxes, fines, even bans)
- Export taxes disrupting US supply chains eg pharma
- Exclude US firms from European procurement, inc defence
ecfr.eu/publication/...
To cite some examples:
- Tighten screws on US digital giants (taxes, fines, even bans)
- Export taxes disrupting US supply chains eg pharma
- Exclude US firms from European procurement, inc defence
ecfr.eu/publication/...
Reposted by Lieven Vandelanotte
Paul Krugmans first take:
January 17, 2026 at 9:07 PM
Paul Krugmans first take:
Arte has this very charming Australian sitcom up, Rosehaven. (I guess it's been shown in the UK given, you know, the Anglosphere and all that, but I'd never heard of it)
www.arte.tv/en/videos/RC...
www.arte.tv/en/videos/RC...
Rosehaven - Series | ARTE in English
Friends Emma and Daniel find themselves in Daniel’s hometown of Rosehaven in Tasmania, ostensibly to help his mother with the family business. But the duo finds the more unusual aspects of local life ...
www.arte.tv
January 17, 2026 at 10:27 PM
Arte has this very charming Australian sitcom up, Rosehaven. (I guess it's been shown in the UK given, you know, the Anglosphere and all that, but I'd never heard of it)
www.arte.tv/en/videos/RC...
www.arte.tv/en/videos/RC...
Reposted by Lieven Vandelanotte
Worth noting that the EU’s reluctant tariff concessions to the US, agreed between VdL and Trump at Turnberry, haven’t yet been approved by the European Parliament.
There’s no realistic prospect of the US deal going through now.
There’s no realistic prospect of the US deal going through now.
January 17, 2026 at 7:37 PM
Worth noting that the EU’s reluctant tariff concessions to the US, agreed between VdL and Trump at Turnberry, haven’t yet been approved by the European Parliament.
There’s no realistic prospect of the US deal going through now.
There’s no realistic prospect of the US deal going through now.
Reposted by Lieven Vandelanotte
Can the US impose tariffs on some members of the EU and not others? Yes (and there is precedent).
Would those tariffs be difficult to enforce? Also yes.
Would those tariffs be difficult to enforce? Also yes.
January 17, 2026 at 5:07 PM
Can the US impose tariffs on some members of the EU and not others? Yes (and there is precedent).
Would those tariffs be difficult to enforce? Also yes.
Would those tariffs be difficult to enforce? Also yes.
Reposted by Lieven Vandelanotte
The Trump administration looks less like a presidency and more like an unofficial regency or, as I've said before, like late period Yeltsin. Those in it making decisions hate Europe and have a worldview grounded in a stupid version of Realism.
January 17, 2026 at 7:57 PM
The Trump administration looks less like a presidency and more like an unofficial regency or, as I've said before, like late period Yeltsin. Those in it making decisions hate Europe and have a worldview grounded in a stupid version of Realism.
Reposted by Lieven Vandelanotte
The best time to consciously decouple from America was 10 years ago, the next best time is now
Enough appeasement. Europe didn’t ask for this and doesn’t want this but if the Americans want to behave like this it’s time to stand up for ourselves.
January 17, 2026 at 6:03 PM
The best time to consciously decouple from America was 10 years ago, the next best time is now
Reposted by Lieven Vandelanotte
Bouie is right that Trump neither has state capacity or strategic skill to stop the mid-term elections. But there is a pretty high risk of a potentially violent confrontation between legislative and executive branches of the US system if Trump claims fraud after mid-terms
bsky.app/profile/jame...
bsky.app/profile/jame...
posted a video on the “canceled election” stuff on my youtube and it is unbelievable how many people on the ostensible left believe that trump is an all-powerful god king whose words shape reality. “buh buh but what if he says the election is fraud?” okay. he says the election is fraud. and?
January 17, 2026 at 3:52 PM
Bouie is right that Trump neither has state capacity or strategic skill to stop the mid-term elections. But there is a pretty high risk of a potentially violent confrontation between legislative and executive branches of the US system if Trump claims fraud after mid-terms
bsky.app/profile/jame...
bsky.app/profile/jame...
Reposted by Lieven Vandelanotte
Donald Trump threatens to increase Ozempic costs for Americans by 35%
January 17, 2026 at 4:39 PM
Donald Trump threatens to increase Ozempic costs for Americans by 35%
Reposted by Lieven Vandelanotte
This should share the Pulitzer photography prize with the subject
January 17, 2026 at 2:07 PM
This should share the Pulitzer photography prize with the subject
😍
Compact, cultured and effortlessly convivial, Leuven sits just east of Brussels but feels worlds apart.
Weekend break:
I’m Leuven it
Weekend break:
I’m Leuven it
www.brusselstimes.com
January 17, 2026 at 3:20 PM
😍
Reposted by Lieven Vandelanotte
I’m sure others have already said this better, but amazing as this Politico piece on UATX is, it is also astonishingly naive or apologist.
Many said FROM DAY1 that this was always a right-wing grift: the tone of “if only they’d lived up to ideals” here stinks
www.politico.com/news/magazin...
Many said FROM DAY1 that this was always a right-wing grift: the tone of “if only they’d lived up to ideals” here stinks
www.politico.com/news/magazin...
They Wanted a University Without Cancel Culture. Then Dissenters Were Ousted.
Inside the civil war at the anti-woke university backed by Bari Weiss.
www.politico.com
January 17, 2026 at 2:44 PM
I’m sure others have already said this better, but amazing as this Politico piece on UATX is, it is also astonishingly naive or apologist.
Many said FROM DAY1 that this was always a right-wing grift: the tone of “if only they’d lived up to ideals” here stinks
www.politico.com/news/magazin...
Many said FROM DAY1 that this was always a right-wing grift: the tone of “if only they’d lived up to ideals” here stinks
www.politico.com/news/magazin...
Reposted by Lieven Vandelanotte
The Doomsday Machine that is our university funding system will destroy everything in the end. First it destroys individual lives, then social mobility, then most universities, followed by the structure of income tax and the pension system. In the end it could threaten to destroy the economy itself.
I left university in 2019 with £49,600 of debt. A few months later, I became an MP and have since received a salary that puts me in the top 5% in the country. 6 years on, the repayments from my salary have brought this total to down to £48,600 - just £1,000 less.
January 17, 2026 at 10:34 AM
The Doomsday Machine that is our university funding system will destroy everything in the end. First it destroys individual lives, then social mobility, then most universities, followed by the structure of income tax and the pension system. In the end it could threaten to destroy the economy itself.