Alan Beattie
@alanbeattie.bsky.social
Opiner for Financial Times in London. Globalisation, econ, snark. RT≠👍. Views own. [email protected]. Sign up to my FT Trade Secrets newsletter https://subs.ft.com/spa3_tradesecrets?segmentId=357afa03-959c-93ed-0842-58e2115025d4.
“I remember growing up fearing quarter-day, and worrying we didn’t have enough groats to pay the tithe.”
November 18, 2025 at 5:14 PM
“I remember growing up fearing quarter-day, and worrying we didn’t have enough groats to pay the tithe.”
Reality has a pronounced euro-bleakness bias.
TBF it has a pronounced bleakness bias in general.
TBF it has a pronounced bleakness bias in general.
November 18, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Reality has a pronounced euro-bleakness bias.
TBF it has a pronounced bleakness bias in general.
TBF it has a pronounced bleakness bias in general.
The American Pie pastiche was April 2000, so I'm dating it then.
www.wsj.com/articles/SB9...
www.amiright.com/parody/60s/d...
www.wsj.com/articles/SB9...
www.amiright.com/parody/60s/d...
November 18, 2025 at 11:28 AM
The American Pie pastiche was April 2000, so I'm dating it then.
www.wsj.com/articles/SB9...
www.amiright.com/parody/60s/d...
www.wsj.com/articles/SB9...
www.amiright.com/parody/60s/d...
It's like you got a precocious 13-year-old to do a Hunter S. Thompson pastiche randomly set in Washington DC.
November 17, 2025 at 3:53 PM
It's like you got a precocious 13-year-old to do a Hunter S. Thompson pastiche randomly set in Washington DC.
Is this one of those Larry Summers - Jeffrey Epstein emails?
November 17, 2025 at 3:51 PM
Is this one of those Larry Summers - Jeffrey Epstein emails?
It's striking that this is a government where "boosting British stock sales" could refer either to tax incentives for saving or the criminal justice system.
November 17, 2025 at 12:00 PM
It's striking that this is a government where "boosting British stock sales" could refer either to tax incentives for saving or the criminal justice system.
You’re suggesting Britain should be self-sufficient in Aura? Not sure about that, mate, that’s why Robert Peel repealed the Aura Laws back in 1846.
November 15, 2025 at 11:08 PM
You’re suggesting Britain should be self-sufficient in Aura? Not sure about that, mate, that’s why Robert Peel repealed the Aura Laws back in 1846.
The trade nerd in me (i.e. me) immediately thinks about what subsidies are available to farm auras and whether they come with onerous environmental safeguards.
November 15, 2025 at 10:29 PM
The trade nerd in me (i.e. me) immediately thinks about what subsidies are available to farm auras and whether they come with onerous environmental safeguards.
I believe my parents called it "showing off".
November 15, 2025 at 10:24 PM
I believe my parents called it "showing off".
What's the lag on publishing FOMC transcripts? Five years or so? Because this one will be a collector's item.
November 14, 2025 at 9:58 PM
What's the lag on publishing FOMC transcripts? Five years or so? Because this one will be a collector's item.
So they brought bubonic plague AND botulism to Europe? Good effort lads.
November 14, 2025 at 9:16 PM
So they brought bubonic plague AND botulism to Europe? Good effort lads.
Most things that cause a chuffing great recession will in the end be deflationary.
November 14, 2025 at 8:18 PM
Most things that cause a chuffing great recession will in the end be deflationary.
He called it American because of its English origins?
November 14, 2025 at 5:41 PM
He called it American because of its English origins?
It's exceedingly confusing. I think they basically mean it's hamburger. Except they don't cook it.
November 14, 2025 at 5:23 PM
It's exceedingly confusing. I think they basically mean it's hamburger. Except they don't cook it.
Hi, I'm Alan, and I believe Ramsay Macdonald was notably worse than Starmer. I've now refrained from publicly expressing this opinion for three months and ten days. Every day is a struggle, but I get through it.
November 14, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Hi, I'm Alan, and I believe Ramsay Macdonald was notably worse than Starmer. I've now refrained from publicly expressing this opinion for three months and ten days. Every day is a struggle, but I get through it.
Now sitting here rocking backwards and forwards, caught in the realisation that I've totally been triggered but not wanting to admit it.
November 14, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Now sitting here rocking backwards and forwards, caught in the realisation that I've totally been triggered but not wanting to admit it.
"Both Sides Now" and use the Joni Mitchell song as the theme tune?
November 14, 2025 at 10:48 AM
"Both Sides Now" and use the Joni Mitchell song as the theme tune?