TJM
@tjmarsden.bsky.social
Long term lurker, might actually post the odd thing here...
Reposted by TJM
Exactly. The best way to help Ukriane's democracy is to give them the weapons they need to win the war so martial law can be lifted and there can be elections.
I stand with Ukrainians, who have shown time and again that they will not abide tyranny, whether it comes from without or within. Zelensky made a mistake. He will pay the price when elections come. But Ukrainians will not thank us now or later if we use this as an excuse to abandon their defense.
July 22, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Exactly. The best way to help Ukriane's democracy is to give them the weapons they need to win the war so martial law can be lifted and there can be elections.
In the words of perhaps the greatest copper merchant in history, 'if you want to take them, take them; if you do not want to take them, go away'...
Copper market reels as Trump threatens 50% tariff https://on.ft.com/4eOnNhy
Live news: Copper market reels as Trump threatens 50% tariff
US price soars as president targets imports of the industrial metal
on.ft.com
July 9, 2025 at 9:36 AM
In the words of perhaps the greatest copper merchant in history, 'if you want to take them, take them; if you do not want to take them, go away'...
A vision of peace, order and good government, hopefully... Happy Canada Day to those who celebrate.
July 1, 2025 at 4:31 PM
A vision of peace, order and good government, hopefully... Happy Canada Day to those who celebrate.
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Two posts to summarise the UK political moment from @stephenkb.bsky.social
May 2, 2025 at 7:47 AM
Two posts to summarise the UK political moment from @stephenkb.bsky.social
Reposted by TJM
Almost forgot my obligatory posting of this clip
April 28, 2025 at 11:28 PM
Almost forgot my obligatory posting of this clip
Reposted by TJM
April 25, 2025 at 5:04 PM
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Liz Truss was PM for just 49 days but her name will go down in history as a verb to describe both creating an economic crisis and killing an eldery and respected leader. Impressive.
April 21, 2025 at 8:30 AM
Liz Truss was PM for just 49 days but her name will go down in history as a verb to describe both creating an economic crisis and killing an eldery and respected leader. Impressive.
Reposted by TJM
woooooo ladies, she's going to make some friends with this week's newsletter
April 15, 2025 at 1:19 PM
woooooo ladies, she's going to make some friends with this week's newsletter
Reposted by TJM
My column in today’s paper: why the “it’s a Studio Ghibli filter!” is so depressing to me:
Anime lessons in the limits of AI
Generative images show us the risks of endowing the technology with magical powers
www.ft.com
April 1, 2025 at 7:42 AM
My column in today’s paper: why the “it’s a Studio Ghibli filter!” is so depressing to me:
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Seriously, if you worry that upholding the law might be politically bad for the 'optics‘, and could give a boost to the people you want nowhere near power, you have already given up on the principles you claim to be defending.
March 31, 2025 at 6:26 PM
Seriously, if you worry that upholding the law might be politically bad for the 'optics‘, and could give a boost to the people you want nowhere near power, you have already given up on the principles you claim to be defending.
This is what actually worries me, although an actively hostile US would of course be worse, I fear the balance of probability is that at some point sooner rather than later the new administration kicks over something seriously loadbearing and the US spends a decade entirely focused on fixing that.
A basic dynamic taught in 1st year history modules is that domestic instability rapidly undermines a state's ability to project power abroad.
Yet with the US under Trump too often analysis of his foreign policy goals is disconnected from effects of his chaotic domestic policy.
Yet with the US under Trump too often analysis of his foreign policy goals is disconnected from effects of his chaotic domestic policy.
Ex-head of US Social Security Admin:
“Ultimately, you’re going to see the system collapse and an interruption of benefits. I believe you will see that within the next 30 to 90 days. … people should start saving now.”
www.cnbc.com/2025/03/01/d...
“Ultimately, you’re going to see the system collapse and an interruption of benefits. I believe you will see that within the next 30 to 90 days. … people should start saving now.”
www.cnbc.com/2025/03/01/d...
March 3, 2025 at 6:18 PM
This is what actually worries me, although an actively hostile US would of course be worse, I fear the balance of probability is that at some point sooner rather than later the new administration kicks over something seriously loadbearing and the US spends a decade entirely focused on fixing that.
Reposted by TJM
“The paradox is that 500 million Europeans are asking 300 million Americans to defend them against 150 million Russians. We have to rely on ourselves, being fully aware of our own potential and believing that we are a global power”.
- Donald Tusk, PM Poland
- Donald Tusk, PM Poland
March 2, 2025 at 2:25 PM
“The paradox is that 500 million Europeans are asking 300 million Americans to defend them against 150 million Russians. We have to rely on ourselves, being fully aware of our own potential and believing that we are a global power”.
- Donald Tusk, PM Poland
- Donald Tusk, PM Poland
Reposted by TJM
Every single one of the Trump supporters sounds like a domestic abuser. "You should've let him hit you, you shouldn't have complained in public, you're never grateful, you never say thank you."
March 1, 2025 at 7:26 AM
Every single one of the Trump supporters sounds like a domestic abuser. "You should've let him hit you, you shouldn't have complained in public, you're never grateful, you never say thank you."
Algorithmic Complacency and the effects of automation of the media space on, well, everything.
Very much worth a watch.
Very much worth a watch.
Surely this new video won't make me seem like a crank.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEJp...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEJp...
Algorithms are breaking how we think
YouTube video by Technology Connections
www.youtube.com
February 22, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Algorithmic Complacency and the effects of automation of the media space on, well, everything.
Very much worth a watch.
Very much worth a watch.
Reposted by TJM
So Nigel Farage has chosen to explain away Trump’s outrageous remarks about President Zelensky instead of doing the right thing and condemning them. Deeply disappointing but not at all surprising.
He sounds like a spokesman for Trump. He certainly doesn’t speak for Britain.
He sounds like a spokesman for Trump. He certainly doesn’t speak for Britain.
February 20, 2025 at 1:54 PM
So Nigel Farage has chosen to explain away Trump’s outrageous remarks about President Zelensky instead of doing the right thing and condemning them. Deeply disappointing but not at all surprising.
He sounds like a spokesman for Trump. He certainly doesn’t speak for Britain.
He sounds like a spokesman for Trump. He certainly doesn’t speak for Britain.
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It is crucial for Europeans to realise that at the rate Musk and Trump are shredding US state capacity, by the summer the US might not be able to substantially help defend Europe even if it wants to.
February 16, 2025 at 10:11 PM
It is crucial for Europeans to realise that at the rate Musk and Trump are shredding US state capacity, by the summer the US might not be able to substantially help defend Europe even if it wants to.
Reposted by TJM
About once every half-million years, Earth's magnetic poles switch. After day 1 of #MSC2025, I can't think of a better metaphor for the European politics of the transatlantic alliance: everything is reversing.
February 14, 2025 at 9:01 PM
About once every half-million years, Earth's magnetic poles switch. After day 1 of #MSC2025, I can't think of a better metaphor for the European politics of the transatlantic alliance: everything is reversing.
Reposted by TJM
Fifth and last point on Hegseth. ‘Overwhelming share of lethal and non-lethal aid’ to be provided by Europe. That’s the wake-up call. US is setting the terms then walking away. There’s no escaping the need for big increase in UK defence spending now and close UK/EU defence industrial cooperation 7/7
February 13, 2025 at 11:07 AM
Fifth and last point on Hegseth. ‘Overwhelming share of lethal and non-lethal aid’ to be provided by Europe. That’s the wake-up call. US is setting the terms then walking away. There’s no escaping the need for big increase in UK defence spending now and close UK/EU defence industrial cooperation 7/7
An army too busy trying to root out progressive social attitudes to fight, an administration that's more a heist than it is a government. In Europe, Canada and around the world we'll have to manage ourselves, or not at all...
All the talk of what the US will do or won't do towards Europe or Asia misses the point that the Trump administration is ripping out so much of the basic wiring of the its state capacity that very soon the US won't be able to do very much at all
"We could find a trillion dollars (of government waste and fraud), but we're being hindered by the courts," adds President Trump. "The Department of Education is going to be a disaster."
February 12, 2025 at 10:25 PM
An army too busy trying to root out progressive social attitudes to fight, an administration that's more a heist than it is a government. In Europe, Canada and around the world we'll have to manage ourselves, or not at all...
Well it Groundhog Day... Again.
February 2, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Well it Groundhog Day... Again.
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If Viktor Orban really blocks European sanctions at a key moment for the war, it’ll be absolutely clear that in this big game for the security and future of Europe, he is playing in Putin’s team, not in ours. With all the consequences of this fact.
January 25, 2025 at 12:49 PM
If Viktor Orban really blocks European sanctions at a key moment for the war, it’ll be absolutely clear that in this big game for the security and future of Europe, he is playing in Putin’s team, not in ours. With all the consequences of this fact.
Reposted by TJM
There is something to be said for a removals lorry in Downing Street in the early dawn of the day after the general election.
A far better way to show the transfer of political power.
A far better way to show the transfer of political power.
January 20, 2025 at 5:23 PM
There is something to be said for a removals lorry in Downing Street in the early dawn of the day after the general election.
A far better way to show the transfer of political power.
A far better way to show the transfer of political power.
Well, the answer is in. That should be the end of the topic now, unless and until the House Speaker starts lining up funding for an expedition.
And now the EU Commission has officially answered the question, confirming that Greenland would fall under the EU's mutual defence clause:
bsky.app/profile/jano...
bsky.app/profile/jano...
Answering questions by @jorgeliboreiro.bsky.social and @davidcarretta.bsky.social, the EU Commission confirmed that Greenland falls under the EU treaty’s Mutual Defense Clause.
January 8, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Well, the answer is in. That should be the end of the topic now, unless and until the House Speaker starts lining up funding for an expedition.
Glad to see this. Here's hoping the provisional government is able to implement a programme of transition from Russian backed dictatorship to a freer and safer society, and that all Europe has the geopolitical nous to back it up.
Today, @abaerbock.diplo.de and @jnbarrot.bsky.social are in Damascus, representing the EU, and on my behalf.
Our message to Syria’s new leadership: respecting the principles agreed with regional actors and ensuring the protection of all civilians and minorities is of the utmost importance.
Our message to Syria’s new leadership: respecting the principles agreed with regional actors and ensuring the protection of all civilians and minorities is of the utmost importance.
Aujourd’hui, je me rends à Damas avec @abaerbock.diplo.de.
Ensemble, la France et l’Allemagne se tiennent aux côtés du peuple syrien, dans toute sa diversité.
En Syrie, nous voulons favoriser une transition pacifique et exigeante au service des Syriens et pour la stabilité régionale.
Ensemble, la France et l’Allemagne se tiennent aux côtés du peuple syrien, dans toute sa diversité.
En Syrie, nous voulons favoriser une transition pacifique et exigeante au service des Syriens et pour la stabilité régionale.
January 3, 2025 at 10:31 PM
Glad to see this. Here's hoping the provisional government is able to implement a programme of transition from Russian backed dictatorship to a freer and safer society, and that all Europe has the geopolitical nous to back it up.
Did we get Brexit done, Boris? Is it proper now? Are we at the sunlit uplands yet? Like hell we are.
Anyway, now that we've wasted a decade on that, how about let's sort out a customs union, so we can help with the European defence industrial base for when the Americans really start withdrawing, hm?
Anyway, now that we've wasted a decade on that, how about let's sort out a customs union, so we can help with the European defence industrial base for when the Americans really start withdrawing, hm?
Boris Johnson, "Once we voted to leave the EU in 2016, I think we were in a real hole"
"Because the British establish couldn't work out what to do, and they weren't ready to deliver a proper Brexit, and I had to do that"
"Because the British establish couldn't work out what to do, and they weren't ready to deliver a proper Brexit, and I had to do that"
December 18, 2024 at 6:32 PM
Did we get Brexit done, Boris? Is it proper now? Are we at the sunlit uplands yet? Like hell we are.
Anyway, now that we've wasted a decade on that, how about let's sort out a customs union, so we can help with the European defence industrial base for when the Americans really start withdrawing, hm?
Anyway, now that we've wasted a decade on that, how about let's sort out a customs union, so we can help with the European defence industrial base for when the Americans really start withdrawing, hm?