Tom Gleeson
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tggleeson.bsky.social
Tom Gleeson
@tggleeson.bsky.social
Datasmith (retired) same handle on the Bird Site.
Pinned
As per tradition, a cat picture for the first post on a new platform. Biscuit aka Ginger Puss
Reposted by Tom Gleeson
This is something the Nazis used to do to Jewish children in the camps. It happened to a man I knew when he was a child in Auschwitz. The camp guards thought it was funny as hell.
On Thanksgiving, the immigrant children held at the Dilley detention center gathered in the gym for what they thought was a holiday feast.

The kids salivated over a spread of turkey, sandwiches, pastries and pies, a family told me.

But the food wasn’t for detainees — it was for the staff.
February 13, 2026 at 8:09 PM
Reposted by Tom Gleeson
learning from coworkers there is apparently a constructed slavic language that is mutually intelligible slavic speakers
February 13, 2026 at 5:19 PM
Reposted by Tom Gleeson
Prime Minister Frederiksen:

We cannot be dependent on anyone.We should never have been dependent on Russian oil&gas.It’s also wrong that we have made ourselves dependent on China for new technologies.

In other words, Europe has a lot of work to do.That is essentially the most important conclusion.
February 12, 2026 at 8:10 PM
Reposted by Tom Gleeson
New @nrc.nl essay on euro internationalisation.

The euro’s gap with the dollar is narrowing: Europe is rebuilding military strength, and it increasingly stands as the world’s rule-of-law anchor.

Whether it builds deeper markets & more safe assets is up to Europe itself.

www.nrc.nl/nieuws/2026/...
Opinie | Wat gebeurt er na de val van de dollar?
Economie: De zekerheid van de dollar als wereldanker neemt af. Dat schept een kans voor Europa, stelt Sander Tordoir, als het tenminste durft te kiezen.
www.nrc.nl
February 13, 2026 at 2:32 PM
Reposted by Tom Gleeson
Five-year-old Michael Jackson has a cooling drink during a game of cricket at Shadwell Recreation Ground in London's East End, July 26th 1948. The London County Council employed 3000 people to staff 70 play centres for children over the summer holidays
February 13, 2026 at 2:23 PM
Reposted by Tom Gleeson
A Bloomberg News analysis of satellite imagery finds the level of light at night has dropped as much as 50% across Cuba amid Trump's oil blockade
Much of Cuba Goes Dark as Trump Chokes Oil Supply
A Bloomberg News analysis of satellite imagery finds the level of light at night has dropped as much as 50% across Cuba amid Trump's oil blockade
bloom.bg
February 13, 2026 at 2:00 PM
Reposted by Tom Gleeson
Surge in new EVs licensed in January
Surge in new EVs licensed in January
Petrol and diesel cars see a further decline in market share
www.irishtimes.com
February 13, 2026 at 1:35 PM
Reposted by Tom Gleeson
Tired: The UK is a two party system (Lab & Con)

Wired: This is the age of political fragmentation

Inspired: The UK is a two party system (Green & Ref)
We’re not in Kansas anymore latest:

Green + Reform 57%
Labour + Conservative 38.6%

In 2024 (18 months ago!) Lab + Con was 81.6%
Fletton & Woodston (Peterborough) Council By-Election Result:

➡️ RFM: 29.4% (New)
🌍 GRN: 27.6% (+16.2)
🌳 CON: 21.8% (-11.8)
🌹 LAB: 16.8% (-31.2)
🔶 LDM: 4.4% (-0.7)

No TUSC (-1.9) as previous.

Reform GAIN from Labour.
Changes w/ 2024.
February 13, 2026 at 8:44 AM
Reposted by Tom Gleeson
Old Etonian Nadhim Zahawi was sacked as Tory chairman for breaching the ministerial code, didn't stand for re-election because he was going to lose, even though his seat had been a Tory stronghold since 1950, begged Kemi for a life peerage but was turned down, then defected to Reform to spread lies.
February 13, 2026 at 1:23 PM
Reposted by Tom Gleeson
It really has been a dark start to the year. I pulled this off of met.ie this morning.

Long term average solar radiation in January is approx 7200 J/cm^2. This January was 6588, well below average.

We’re also only at 2100 halfway through Feb - monthly LTA is 13k+.

And then there’s the rain.
February 13, 2026 at 12:43 PM
Reposted by Tom Gleeson
Merz reiterates the goal of the German Bundeswehr becoming “the strongest conventional military in Europe”.
#MSC2026
February 13, 2026 at 1:17 PM
Reposted by Tom Gleeson
Was great to take part in this and I agree with many of the other contributors.

If all scooters on our roads were compliant with regulations, a huge amount of the existing problems would surely decrease. Speed is generally central to accidents.

Targeting the sale of non-compliant scooters is key
February 13, 2026 at 1:16 PM
Reposted by Tom Gleeson
Merz reminds us that Article 42 TEU contains a real mutual assistance clause. Not symbolic. Not optional. A binding commitment. I have rarely heard it stated this clearly by a German Chancellor l. Btw, even neutral 🇦🇹 signed up to military assistance... #msc26 #DEinEU #EuSky 🇪🇺
February 13, 2026 at 1:16 PM
Reposted by Tom Gleeson
Wait what this seems important
MERZ SAYS I HAVE BEGUN CONFIDENTIAL TALKS WITH THE FRENCH PRESIDENT ON EUROPEAN NUCLEAR DETERRENCE
February 13, 2026 at 1:15 PM
Reposted by Tom Gleeson
It's happening...
February 13, 2026 at 1:15 PM
Reposted by Tom Gleeson
there are only two moods as an artist
July 1, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Reposted by Tom Gleeson
SpaceX has disabled unauthorized Russian access to its Starlink satellite internet terminals, curbing a battlefield advantage for Moscow in Ukraine.
Starlink Shutdown Blunts Russia’s Newest Battlefield Advantage
The limits have hobbled Russia’s use of drone-mounted terminals that had begun to ravage Ukrainian supply lines.
on.wsj.com
February 13, 2026 at 1:15 PM
Reposted by Tom Gleeson
Oddly, the government’s red tape reduction strategy doesn’t extend to this red tape (that’s regarded by some small businesses as so onerous that they’re choosing to close down instead).
Self-employed folks are facing a big change in how they file tax info in the UK. "Making Tax Digital" will require millions to send data to HMRC via software made by private firms - instead of just using HMRC's website. There's lots of confusion and a scramble going on to find free apps that work.
February 13, 2026 at 1:14 PM
Reposted by Tom Gleeson
Thus, to me, 2016 to 2024 was the exception, when the EU prized unity above everything. The shift towards more willingness to go ahead has been brewing for a while, and now the focus on multiple speed Europe is back, rather than new.
February 13, 2026 at 8:36 AM
Reposted by Tom Gleeson
Breaking News
Our ‘holiday from world history’ is over, German chancellor warns Europe — live updates
via Politico
February 13, 2026 at 1:10 PM
Reposted by Tom Gleeson
Dell Computer “has raised prices for some commercial laptops by as much as 30% .. And this could be just the beginning ..”

@wsj.com #$DELL #$HPQ #$AAPL
www.wsj.com/tech/a-memor...
February 13, 2026 at 12:41 PM
Reposted by Tom Gleeson
The reporting and discussion around the short term letting thing is batshit crazy. The change of the threshold from 10,000 to 20,000 is in no way shape or form any kind of a uturn. The 2 year grace period is the important part. #speirgorm www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...
Rory Hearne: U-turn on short-term lets is cynical
The Government's roll back on its restrictions for short-term lets shows the Fianna Fáil/Fine Gael coalition has capitulated to parish pump politics, writes Social Democrats TD Rory Hearne
www.irishexaminer.com
February 13, 2026 at 11:25 AM
Reposted by Tom Gleeson
Nothing says mental clarity more than a shirtless bloke in shorts walking around in the snow
🇷🇸 Over the past 15 years, Vladimir Stevanovic has been hiking icy slopes, meditating in deep snow and plunging into frozen lakes as part of a routine he believes offers health benefits and mental clarity
➡️ u.afp.com/S6JE
February 13, 2026 at 12:47 PM
Reposted by Tom Gleeson
Morning Bluesky
February 13, 2026 at 11:39 AM