Paul Pod
@paulpod.bsky.social
Designer. Ex GOV, NHS, startups. Lives in Wales, London @paulpod on most things
🏴 website: Neuromantics.net
📨 signal: paulpod.404
🏴 website: Neuromantics.net
📨 signal: paulpod.404
Reposted by Paul Pod
Jesus CHRIST
Threshold for repaying student loans to converge with minimum wage on.ft.com/3M2AYkD
Threshold for repaying student loans to converge with minimum wage
Surprise move from chancellor means some university graduates in England may have to pay back debts sooner
on.ft.com
November 26, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Jesus CHRIST
Makes that weird breakfast briefing with Rachel look even weirder now tho
November 26, 2025 at 3:59 PM
Makes that weird breakfast briefing with Rachel look even weirder now tho
So furious i am, i have had to deploy The Big Cat to lower my anger with scritches and lap sitting
November 26, 2025 at 3:50 PM
So furious i am, i have had to deploy The Big Cat to lower my anger with scritches and lap sitting
Reposted by Paul Pod
The government can stick to this plan, or the government can get re-elected. Unlikely it can do both. Therefore either the government has a death wish or the 27-29 figures are yet another budgetary fairy tale. Remember when this government promised to be serious and not to duck the hard choices?
The government’s spending plans are “25-27: spending increases, 27-29: paaaain” which, uh…the election is 2028-9!
November 26, 2025 at 3:04 PM
The government can stick to this plan, or the government can get re-elected. Unlikely it can do both. Therefore either the government has a death wish or the 27-29 figures are yet another budgetary fairy tale. Remember when this government promised to be serious and not to duck the hard choices?
Reposted by Paul Pod
Periodic reminder that Aaron Banks Twitter DMs got leaked & he was immediately linked to Russian agents & absolutely nothing was done about it.
The UKIP/Reform Russian money trail has been going on for over 8 years now
The UKIP/Reform Russian money trail has been going on for over 8 years now
November 26, 2025 at 3:26 PM
Periodic reminder that Aaron Banks Twitter DMs got leaked & he was immediately linked to Russian agents & absolutely nothing was done about it.
The UKIP/Reform Russian money trail has been going on for over 8 years now
The UKIP/Reform Russian money trail has been going on for over 8 years now
Reposted by Paul Pod
"I'm paying more tax"
"Its not a tax rise, you're just richer"
"No I'm not"
"SHHHHH! ITS JUST MAGIC"
"Its not a tax rise, you're just richer"
"No I'm not"
"SHHHHH! ITS JUST MAGIC"
a man holding a hula hoop in front of a box of sugar flakes cereal
ALT: a man holding a hula hoop in front of a box of sugar flakes cereal
media.tenor.com
November 26, 2025 at 3:08 PM
"I'm paying more tax"
"Its not a tax rise, you're just richer"
"No I'm not"
"SHHHHH! ITS JUST MAGIC"
"Its not a tax rise, you're just richer"
"No I'm not"
"SHHHHH! ITS JUST MAGIC"
Reposted by Paul Pod
Honest to fuck, the mobility scheme change is very revealing of the fucking Workhouse mentality some people have. How dare disabled people have spare money to put towards having a slightly nicer car. It won't save any money and I'd lay odds on having to make changes to the scheme costing money.
November 26, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Honest to fuck, the mobility scheme change is very revealing of the fucking Workhouse mentality some people have. How dare disabled people have spare money to put towards having a slightly nicer car. It won't save any money and I'd lay odds on having to make changes to the scheme costing money.
Reposted by Paul Pod
Motability users pay more upfront for the more expensive cars
November 25, 2025 at 2:42 PM
Motability users pay more upfront for the more expensive cars
Government hates young people part n
Cash ISA limit cut to £12,000 as expected - though only for under 65s! A new bias in the tax system towards pensioners is introduced....
November 26, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Government hates young people part n
And they half arsed it on gambling too - "face to face" gambling untouched ... citing bingo and racecourses, but bookies shops and the high street "gaming" plague are the absolute worst, rotting out communities right there. Disgusting.
committees.parliament.uk/committee/15...
committees.parliament.uk/committee/15...
‘Scaremongering has failed’: Meg Hillier statement on gambling tax changes announced in Budget - Committees - UK Parliament
Chair of the Treasury Committee, Dame Meg Hillier, has issued a statement following the announcement by the Treasury that they are raising taxes on online gambling while protecting face-to-face gambli...
committees.parliament.uk
November 26, 2025 at 3:10 PM
And they half arsed it on gambling too - "face to face" gambling untouched ... citing bingo and racecourses, but bookies shops and the high street "gaming" plague are the absolute worst, rotting out communities right there. Disgusting.
committees.parliament.uk/committee/15...
committees.parliament.uk/committee/15...
Reposted by Paul Pod
there were plans announced today to sequester carbon under the North Sea
the most efficient sequestering is leaving fossil fuels where they are. when they're in the ground they ARE carbon sequestering
the most efficient sequestering is leaving fossil fuels where they are. when they're in the ground they ARE carbon sequestering
Announced while everyone's reacting to the budget, Labour are backtracking from their already weak position on new fossil fuel extraction.
Wildly irresponsible in the face of the climate emergency.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Wildly irresponsible in the face of the climate emergency.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
More North Sea exploration to be allowed in new Labour plan - BBC News
The chancellor will unveil the North Sea Strategy in her Budget speech, the BBC understands.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 26, 2025 at 2:49 PM
there were plans announced today to sequester carbon under the North Sea
the most efficient sequestering is leaving fossil fuels where they are. when they're in the ground they ARE carbon sequestering
the most efficient sequestering is leaving fossil fuels where they are. when they're in the ground they ARE carbon sequestering
Oh and they did get rid of ECO4 schemes, fucks sake. What is the point of Labour?
November 26, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Oh and they did get rid of ECO4 schemes, fucks sake. What is the point of Labour?
Reposted by Paul Pod
If Thiel had actual courage, he'd just name himself the pope and start building a replica of Avignon. But, no, all we get is this anti-christ shite lecture series.
In newly leaked audio, Peter Thiel admits he urged JD Vance to ignore Pope Leo XIV on moral questions — including the ethical development of AI.
He goes even further, branding Leo “the woke American pope” and suggesting he’s a tool of the Antichrist.
He goes even further, branding Leo “the woke American pope” and suggesting he’s a tool of the Antichrist.
NEW: JD Vance’s Top Donor Suggests Pope Leo XIV is Antichrist
In a leaked lecture, Peter Thiel says he’s urged Vance to ignore the pope on moral questions — and simply pray for him.
www.thelettersfromleo.com
November 26, 2025 at 1:14 PM
If Thiel had actual courage, he'd just name himself the pope and start building a replica of Avignon. But, no, all we get is this anti-christ shite lecture series.
They did "premium brand" thing on motability cars? Pure shitheadedness. Costs the same, just people get to sneer. Arseholes
November 26, 2025 at 2:52 PM
They did "premium brand" thing on motability cars? Pure shitheadedness. Costs the same, just people get to sneer. Arseholes
Reposted by Paul Pod
Say it with me now: un-funded-spen-ding-cuts
November 26, 2025 at 12:24 PM
Say it with me now: un-funded-spen-ding-cuts
Reposted by Paul Pod
tax them till they sound like the payout on a slot machine
UK gambling industry made £15.6bn in 2024 (£16.8bn in 2025)
Most companies holed up in Gibraltar & Malta, dodge UK taxes. Some pay corporation tax at the rate of 3%-4%. No VAT on gambling.
Public bears the cost of gambling addiction.
Firms resent paying extra tax to clear their mess.
Tax them.
Most companies holed up in Gibraltar & Malta, dodge UK taxes. Some pay corporation tax at the rate of 3%-4%. No VAT on gambling.
Public bears the cost of gambling addiction.
Firms resent paying extra tax to clear their mess.
Tax them.
UK's Online Gambling Industry: The £3.8 Billion Tax Question Nobody's Answering
UK's online gambling industry generates £15.6bn annually but pays minimal tax. With £3.8bn in receipts, experts say it's time for reform Here's why.
www.thelondoneconomic.com
November 25, 2025 at 7:01 PM
tax them till they sound like the payout on a slot machine
Reposted by Paul Pod
*Slop of the Year #neologism #significant
November 26, 2025 at 10:57 AM
*Slop of the Year #neologism #significant
Reposted by Paul Pod
Immunocompromised people have long known tattoos f w/yr immune system. Now science is catching up:
Study on “immune responses to tattoo ink accumulating in the lymph nodes… tattoo ink commonly reaches & persists in this organ in most tattooed subjects, often lifelong.”
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Study on “immune responses to tattoo ink accumulating in the lymph nodes… tattoo ink commonly reaches & persists in this organ in most tattooed subjects, often lifelong.”
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Tattoo ink induces inflammation in the draining lymph node and alters the immune response to vaccination | PNAS
Despite safety concerns regarding the toxicity of tattoo ink, no studies have reported
the consequences of tattooing on the immune response. In thi...
www.pnas.org
November 26, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Immunocompromised people have long known tattoos f w/yr immune system. Now science is catching up:
Study on “immune responses to tattoo ink accumulating in the lymph nodes… tattoo ink commonly reaches & persists in this organ in most tattooed subjects, often lifelong.”
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Study on “immune responses to tattoo ink accumulating in the lymph nodes… tattoo ink commonly reaches & persists in this organ in most tattooed subjects, often lifelong.”
www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...
Thread is amazing
My usual experiment to find out how bad LLMs are at technical instructions (wiring a UK plug) as applied to grok. It's just as bad as any other LLM out there:
November 26, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Thread is amazing
This country is built on cheaper option Bs and cancelled phase twos. Now to have a read of that Ai plan
November 26, 2025 at 9:22 AM
This country is built on cheaper option Bs and cancelled phase twos. Now to have a read of that Ai plan
I dunno my tolerance for really stupid shit is at a low point this morning.
November 26, 2025 at 8:39 AM
I dunno my tolerance for really stupid shit is at a low point this morning.
Reposted by Paul Pod
Utterly surreal that a key part of the pre Budget narrative from the government hasn’t been ‘Russian planes keep buzzing the Essex coast, US support for NATO is looking shaky, and thanks to the Tories our army fits in Old Trafford - that’s why we need to raise taxes’.
November 26, 2025 at 8:00 AM
Utterly surreal that a key part of the pre Budget narrative from the government hasn’t been ‘Russian planes keep buzzing the Essex coast, US support for NATO is looking shaky, and thanks to the Tories our army fits in Old Trafford - that’s why we need to raise taxes’.
Reposted by Paul Pod
Those Nigel Farage racism denials in full:
- That didn't happen.
- It was a long time ago. I don't remember.
- Well if I did I didn't really mean it.
- Hitler was right.
- That didn't happen.
- It was a long time ago. I don't remember.
- Well if I did I didn't really mean it.
- Hitler was right.
November 26, 2025 at 8:26 AM
Those Nigel Farage racism denials in full:
- That didn't happen.
- It was a long time ago. I don't remember.
- Well if I did I didn't really mean it.
- Hitler was right.
- That didn't happen.
- It was a long time ago. I don't remember.
- Well if I did I didn't really mean it.
- Hitler was right.
Reposted by Paul Pod
This is absolutely magnificent!
Listen to the rapturous applause as a student does the job our press and media won’t, and holds Reform UK’s Richard Tice to account over his lies RE his connection to ex-REFUK Wales leader Nathan Gill, recently jailed for 10+ yrs for taking Russian bribes as an MEP.
Listen to the rapturous applause as a student does the job our press and media won’t, and holds Reform UK’s Richard Tice to account over his lies RE his connection to ex-REFUK Wales leader Nathan Gill, recently jailed for 10+ yrs for taking Russian bribes as an MEP.
November 26, 2025 at 1:04 AM
This is absolutely magnificent!
Listen to the rapturous applause as a student does the job our press and media won’t, and holds Reform UK’s Richard Tice to account over his lies RE his connection to ex-REFUK Wales leader Nathan Gill, recently jailed for 10+ yrs for taking Russian bribes as an MEP.
Listen to the rapturous applause as a student does the job our press and media won’t, and holds Reform UK’s Richard Tice to account over his lies RE his connection to ex-REFUK Wales leader Nathan Gill, recently jailed for 10+ yrs for taking Russian bribes as an MEP.
Reposted by Paul Pod
Budget day at last.
November 26, 2025 at 8:31 AM
Budget day at last.