Giles Brown
@polkapiquee.bsky.social
In some way you're a lot like me.
Reposted by Giles Brown
“Dutch people cycle an average of 2.6km each per day. If this pattern was replicated worldwide, annual carbon emissions would drop by 686 million tonnes.
This mammoth figure exceeds the entire carbon footprint of most countries, including the UK, Canada, Saudi Arabia and Australia.” @euronews.com
This mammoth figure exceeds the entire carbon footprint of most countries, including the UK, Canada, Saudi Arabia and Australia.” @euronews.com
Cycling like the Dutch would slash the world’s carbon footprint
If everybody cycled like the Dutch, we could offset the UK or Australia’s entire carbon footprint.
www.euronews.com
December 13, 2025 at 10:01 PM
“Dutch people cycle an average of 2.6km each per day. If this pattern was replicated worldwide, annual carbon emissions would drop by 686 million tonnes.
This mammoth figure exceeds the entire carbon footprint of most countries, including the UK, Canada, Saudi Arabia and Australia.” @euronews.com
This mammoth figure exceeds the entire carbon footprint of most countries, including the UK, Canada, Saudi Arabia and Australia.” @euronews.com
Reposted by Giles Brown
I don't really post anymore, but I would like to carry on writing books at some point in the future.
Hate to be annoying, but any chance you could retweet so old twitter followers can find me if they want to? Going to delete my twitter, or at least abandon it on lock and let it die a slow death.
Hate to be annoying, but any chance you could retweet so old twitter followers can find me if they want to? Going to delete my twitter, or at least abandon it on lock and let it die a slow death.
December 11, 2025 at 5:31 PM
I don't really post anymore, but I would like to carry on writing books at some point in the future.
Hate to be annoying, but any chance you could retweet so old twitter followers can find me if they want to? Going to delete my twitter, or at least abandon it on lock and let it die a slow death.
Hate to be annoying, but any chance you could retweet so old twitter followers can find me if they want to? Going to delete my twitter, or at least abandon it on lock and let it die a slow death.
Will anything bad happen if I mix these?
December 11, 2025 at 8:09 PM
Will anything bad happen if I mix these?
Good luck with your work everyone.
December 9, 2025 at 5:00 PM
Good luck with your work everyone.
Hope this helps clarify how things stand. The gift to Putin is from Trump of course.
December 9, 2025 at 5:16 AM
Hope this helps clarify how things stand. The gift to Putin is from Trump of course.
Reposted by Giles Brown
TIL about a memorial ceremony in Iceland in 2019 to mark the end of a glacier, changing the place name from Okjökull to Ok (jökull = glacier). Uncompromising wording on the bronze plaque:
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
December 7, 2025 at 5:17 PM
TIL about a memorial ceremony in Iceland in 2019 to mark the end of a glacier, changing the place name from Okjökull to Ok (jökull = glacier). Uncompromising wording on the bronze plaque:
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
"This is to acknowledge that we know what is happening and what needs to be done. Only you know if we did it".
The tl;dr to Europeans is that the USA wants to reduce its involvement in your politics but also has a bunch of demands about how you run your continent. Have I got that right?
A few thoughts on the new US national security strategy that was released today.
🧵
www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/u...
🧵
www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/u...
December 7, 2025 at 4:45 PM
The tl;dr to Europeans is that the USA wants to reduce its involvement in your politics but also has a bunch of demands about how you run your continent. Have I got that right?
The times they are a-changing.
Germany votes to bring in voluntary military service programme for 18-year-olds
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg9drg8pg1o
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/ckg9drg8pg1o
December 7, 2025 at 12:21 AM
The times they are a-changing.
Reposted by Giles Brown
Occasionally, I read something and fall deeply in love, all over again, with the German language.
Today's unbearably cute discovery is the colloquialism for toddler: "dreikäsehoch". Literally, "three-cheeses tall".
Today's unbearably cute discovery is the colloquialism for toddler: "dreikäsehoch". Literally, "three-cheeses tall".
December 4, 2025 at 9:33 PM
Occasionally, I read something and fall deeply in love, all over again, with the German language.
Today's unbearably cute discovery is the colloquialism for toddler: "dreikäsehoch". Literally, "three-cheeses tall".
Today's unbearably cute discovery is the colloquialism for toddler: "dreikäsehoch". Literally, "three-cheeses tall".
Reposted by Giles Brown
Brilliant choice of Misha Glenny for In Our Time! He interviewed me at the Vienna Humanities festival a few weeks ago and he had the perfect wide-ranging interests and intelligence. As a fan of IOT I am cheering. www.bbc.com/mediacentre/...
Misha Glenny to present BBC Radio 4’s In Our Time
The much loved series returns on 15 January 2026
www.bbc.com
December 3, 2025 at 12:48 PM
Brilliant choice of Misha Glenny for In Our Time! He interviewed me at the Vienna Humanities festival a few weeks ago and he had the perfect wide-ranging interests and intelligence. As a fan of IOT I am cheering. www.bbc.com/mediacentre/...
Richtig.
With Germany’s president visiting the UK, we asked Germans what they think about Brexit.
👀 "It's just so stupid to cut the branch you're sitting on," one person said.
Here's what else they had to say ⬇️
👀 "It's just so stupid to cut the branch you're sitting on," one person said.
Here's what else they had to say ⬇️
December 3, 2025 at 11:56 PM
Richtig.
I'm going in. Wish me luck. 🤞
December 1, 2025 at 11:53 PM
I'm going in. Wish me luck. 🤞
Reposted by Giles Brown
"An exodus of UK citizens is being driven by tens of thousands of eastern Europeans moving home and taking British partners with them."
Going over there, taking their jobs, etc. ~AA
Going over there, taking their jobs, etc. ~AA
December 1, 2025 at 5:13 PM
"An exodus of UK citizens is being driven by tens of thousands of eastern Europeans moving home and taking British partners with them."
Going over there, taking their jobs, etc. ~AA
Going over there, taking their jobs, etc. ~AA
Reposted by Giles Brown
He had brain damage and was told he had to be put to sleep.
Today I took Stormzy to run on the beach.
I promise this will set you up for the weekend ❤️
Today I took Stormzy to run on the beach.
I promise this will set you up for the weekend ❤️
November 28, 2025 at 12:37 PM
He had brain damage and was told he had to be put to sleep.
Today I took Stormzy to run on the beach.
I promise this will set you up for the weekend ❤️
Today I took Stormzy to run on the beach.
I promise this will set you up for the weekend ❤️
Reposted by Giles Brown
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 9:26 AM
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
A movie that takes place where you're from.
November 23, 2025 at 10:52 PM
A movie that takes place where you're from.
Read the linked FCC letter. It will make you raise an eyebrow or two.
Trump v the BBC cont'd: an odd and desperate letter from the US media regulator
Or: why you should have your evidence in place before you threaten a law suit
A new post by me:
emptycity.substack.com/p/trump-v-th...
Or: why you should have your evidence in place before you threaten a law suit
A new post by me:
emptycity.substack.com/p/trump-v-th...
Trump v the BBC cont'd: an odd and desperate letter from the US media regulator
Or: why you should have your evidence in place before you threaten a law suit
emptycity.substack.com
November 22, 2025 at 5:16 PM
Read the linked FCC letter. It will make you raise an eyebrow or two.
Reposted by Giles Brown
“…and we want to assure those dark forces: we hear you, you have our full attention, we’ve got your backs. You can count on us.”
November 17, 2025 at 11:08 AM
“…and we want to assure those dark forces: we hear you, you have our full attention, we’ve got your backs. You can count on us.”
Reposted by Giles Brown
'They were those like Sir Oswald Mosley who were fascinated by the spectacle of brutal power. They would like to use it themselves. They grovelled to Nazi dictatorship in order that they could make people in their turn grovel to them'
Winston Churchill, 1936
Winston Churchill, 1936
Conservative Shadow Culture Secretary Nigel Huddleston tells GB News that the BBC should "grovel" to Trump.
Amazing how many British 'patriots' are spending their time telling our national broadcaster to prostrate itself before a hostile foreign leader
Amazing how many British 'patriots' are spending their time telling our national broadcaster to prostrate itself before a hostile foreign leader
November 11, 2025 at 12:23 PM
'They were those like Sir Oswald Mosley who were fascinated by the spectacle of brutal power. They would like to use it themselves. They grovelled to Nazi dictatorship in order that they could make people in their turn grovel to them'
Winston Churchill, 1936
Winston Churchill, 1936
Reposted by Giles Brown
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 Giles Brown
SUPERB and angrily unvarnished response, by former BBC chairman, Lord Patten.
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
November 10, 2025 at 6:40 PM
SUPERB and angrily unvarnished response, by former BBC chairman, Lord Patten.
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
"I don't think that we should allow ourselves to be bullied into thinking that the BBC is only any good, if it reflects the prejudice of the last person who shouted at it." ~AA
How can anyone take complaints about news bias seriously from anyone with any connection to GBNews?
That has to be a joke, right?
That has to be a joke, right?
November 10, 2025 at 3:30 PM
How can anyone take complaints about news bias seriously from anyone with any connection to GBNews?
That has to be a joke, right?
That has to be a joke, right?
Some concerns about AI as the future of healthcare.
November 9, 2025 at 10:05 PM
Some concerns about AI as the future of healthcare.