Elliot
@els76uk.bsky.social
🇩🇪 🇪🇺 🇬🇧 🏳️🌈 Gym. Cycling. Relocation coach. Woke, tofu eating, Guardian reading twitterati. Lover of all things four-legged and furry. Married to @eliotlovell.bsky.social
Before I lived in Germany, when I couldn't speak German, I said to myself I know I'm fluent when I can discuss the middle east peace process. Today I did just that!
#AchievementUnlocked #FTW
#AchievementUnlocked #FTW
December 15, 2025 at 2:56 PM
Before I lived in Germany, when I couldn't speak German, I said to myself I know I'm fluent when I can discuss the middle east peace process. Today I did just that!
#AchievementUnlocked #FTW
#AchievementUnlocked #FTW
Busy busy in Berlin today… my route to my first appointment took me through the cerntral government area, and I've never seen it so locked down. Lots of regular and military police, plus truck-proof bollards, and low flying helicopters.
December 15, 2025 at 10:31 AM
Busy busy in Berlin today… my route to my first appointment took me through the cerntral government area, and I've never seen it so locked down. Lots of regular and military police, plus truck-proof bollards, and low flying helicopters.
Just finished this… I started it on Friday and didn't want to go to bed each evening because I was so engrossed and wanting to read just one more page! Then one page more! Easy to read, a powerful story, and free because I borrowed it from the library. 5*
#libbyapp #booksky #bookerprize
#libbyapp #booksky #bookerprize
December 15, 2025 at 10:22 AM
Just finished this… I started it on Friday and didn't want to go to bed each evening because I was so engrossed and wanting to read just one more page! Then one page more! Easy to read, a powerful story, and free because I borrowed it from the library. 5*
#libbyapp #booksky #bookerprize
#libbyapp #booksky #bookerprize
Reposted by Elliot
7News Australia reports that the hero who jumped and disarmed one of the terrorist shooters
His name is Ahmed el-Ahmed
A 43 year old married father of two
He owns a fruit shop in Sutherland
No experience with guns
He was walking past
He has two bullets in his arm
His name is Ahmed el-Ahmed
A 43 year old married father of two
He owns a fruit shop in Sutherland
No experience with guns
He was walking past
He has two bullets in his arm
December 14, 2025 at 1:15 PM
7News Australia reports that the hero who jumped and disarmed one of the terrorist shooters
His name is Ahmed el-Ahmed
A 43 year old married father of two
He owns a fruit shop in Sutherland
No experience with guns
He was walking past
He has two bullets in his arm
His name is Ahmed el-Ahmed
A 43 year old married father of two
He owns a fruit shop in Sutherland
No experience with guns
He was walking past
He has two bullets in his arm
Reposted by Elliot
Fact-check: true
December 14, 2025 at 5:36 AM
Fact-check: true
Meta's auto translate is laughably bad. Remember Babelfish from Altavista? From the 1990s, it just dictionary translated each word and presented you with that as a a final text, and it rarely made enough sense to understand. Meta translate seems no better.
December 12, 2025 at 10:11 AM
Meta's auto translate is laughably bad. Remember Babelfish from Altavista? From the 1990s, it just dictionary translated each word and presented you with that as a a final text, and it rarely made enough sense to understand. Meta translate seems no better.
Meta tellling me "We'll start using your interactions with AIs to personalise your experiences and ads."
This isn't as bad as it seems, since Meta AI is hopelessly bad. Anyone stupid enough to use it deserves to to be used for its own training!
This isn't as bad as it seems, since Meta AI is hopelessly bad. Anyone stupid enough to use it deserves to to be used for its own training!
December 12, 2025 at 7:54 AM
Meta tellling me "We'll start using your interactions with AIs to personalise your experiences and ads."
This isn't as bad as it seems, since Meta AI is hopelessly bad. Anyone stupid enough to use it deserves to to be used for its own training!
This isn't as bad as it seems, since Meta AI is hopelessly bad. Anyone stupid enough to use it deserves to to be used for its own training!
Reposted by Elliot
Nearly every Take relating to this has been done except one, which is - why would the European leaders take advice from Starmer on how to beat the far right? Who among them envies his popularity or admires the sagacity of his advisors?
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/dec...
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/dec...
Starmer urges Europe’s leaders to curb ECHR to halt rise of far right
Exclusive: PM calls for members of European convention on human rights to allow tougher action to protect borders
www.theguardian.com
December 10, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Nearly every Take relating to this has been done except one, which is - why would the European leaders take advice from Starmer on how to beat the far right? Who among them envies his popularity or admires the sagacity of his advisors?
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/dec...
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/dec...
Reposted by Elliot
Trump Appears To Doze During Stroke
December 9, 2025 at 8:30 PM
Trump Appears To Doze During Stroke
USA is definitely off my travel list. The land of the free always had a shaky relationship with freedom of speech, but now it’s quite openly broken.
December 10, 2025 at 11:05 AM
USA is definitely off my travel list. The land of the free always had a shaky relationship with freedom of speech, but now it’s quite openly broken.
Hasta la vista, baby.
December 9, 2025 at 11:32 AM
Hasta la vista, baby.
My brother used to work in a driving theory test centre. He has so many stories!
Can the British state stop this obvious and easily solved scam? Let’s find out!
December 7, 2025 at 10:27 AM
My brother used to work in a driving theory test centre. He has so many stories!
I think my cat deserves a peace prize. He's not bitten me in days. And he hardly ever uses his claws these days!
Did you all see the Fifa Peace Prize BS? How is this man-baby POTUS?
December 6, 2025 at 9:57 AM
I think my cat deserves a peace prize. He's not bitten me in days. And he hardly ever uses his claws these days!
My friend just returned from the US with high fructose corn syrup-based snacks. He described these as like crack. He's not wrong!
December 5, 2025 at 9:53 AM
My friend just returned from the US with high fructose corn syrup-based snacks. He described these as like crack. He's not wrong!
I bought myself a new electric shaver, and because I'm 49 and no-one ever taught me, I decided to teach myself with YouTube (using incognito mode!).
Literally every vid I clicked on was a barely disguised and over long advert for an expensive shaver.
I clicked away, not sure I learned anything
Literally every vid I clicked on was a barely disguised and over long advert for an expensive shaver.
I clicked away, not sure I learned anything
December 5, 2025 at 6:53 AM
I bought myself a new electric shaver, and because I'm 49 and no-one ever taught me, I decided to teach myself with YouTube (using incognito mode!).
Literally every vid I clicked on was a barely disguised and over long advert for an expensive shaver.
I clicked away, not sure I learned anything
Literally every vid I clicked on was a barely disguised and over long advert for an expensive shaver.
I clicked away, not sure I learned anything
US senator plans to ban dual citizenship. If passed, a US citizen who acquires foreign would have to relinquish their US.
If they don't, they'll lose US after a year.
They might change that, after realising all the people who'll no longer be filing their taxes from abroad.
If they don't, they'll lose US after a year.
They might change that, after realising all the people who'll no longer be filing their taxes from abroad.
thehill.com
December 4, 2025 at 8:42 PM
US senator plans to ban dual citizenship. If passed, a US citizen who acquires foreign would have to relinquish their US.
If they don't, they'll lose US after a year.
They might change that, after realising all the people who'll no longer be filing their taxes from abroad.
If they don't, they'll lose US after a year.
They might change that, after realising all the people who'll no longer be filing their taxes from abroad.
The meat lobby is seeking to cause confusion, not resolve or, by insisting that non meat burgers can't be called burgers. Same as the milk or plant milk argument.
This whole discussion is an enormous waste of time, it should be focused on food fraud not on food habits. People are not that stupid and the lobby should be ignored.
Is anyone really misled by the term 'veggie burger?' Our research suggests consumers are savvy
The European Parliament recently backed changes to the rules around the labeling and marketing of plant-based meat alternatives. New definitions specify that words like "burger," "sausage," or "steak,...
phys.org
December 4, 2025 at 2:32 PM
The meat lobby is seeking to cause confusion, not resolve or, by insisting that non meat burgers can't be called burgers. Same as the milk or plant milk argument.
Episode one asks what they're for; parts two and three are more like “Is the Monarchy a Giant Ponzi Scheme?” and “Are the Monarchy Personally Repellent?” …
"Next week we’ll learn just how staggeringly expensive the royals are, and for what? As demonstrated here: not much."
"Next week we’ll learn just how staggeringly expensive the royals are, and for what? As demonstrated here: not much."
What’s the Monarchy For? review – David Dimbleby’s demolition of the royals is hugely entertaining
Now he’s free of the BBC, he’s gone combative. He drives a horse and cart through a piece of Dominic Grieve sophistry, and tries his best to skewer the institution based around a jewelled velvet hat
www.theguardian.com
December 3, 2025 at 11:13 AM
Episode one asks what they're for; parts two and three are more like “Is the Monarchy a Giant Ponzi Scheme?” and “Are the Monarchy Personally Repellent?” …
"Next week we’ll learn just how staggeringly expensive the royals are, and for what? As demonstrated here: not much."
"Next week we’ll learn just how staggeringly expensive the royals are, and for what? As demonstrated here: not much."
Tax reforms in Berlin means many businesses being forced to pay way more than they can afford… Berghain now has to pay €90,000, up from €20,000 – while at riverside spot YAAM, the tax has risen by an unbelievable 1300% to €213,000.
via @20percentberlin.bsky.social
via @20percentberlin.bsky.social
Clubs und Biergärten vor „Existenzvernichtung“: Die Grundsteuerreform droht, das Berliner Stadtbild zu verändern
Die neue Grundsteuer basiert auf einer marktüblichen Verwertungslogik von Flächen. Für Clubs oder Gewerbe in deutschen Großstädten wird das zur Gefahr. Berlins Politik sucht eine Lösung.
www.tagesspiegel.de
December 2, 2025 at 7:06 PM
Tax reforms in Berlin means many businesses being forced to pay way more than they can afford… Berghain now has to pay €90,000, up from €20,000 – while at riverside spot YAAM, the tax has risen by an unbelievable 1300% to €213,000.
via @20percentberlin.bsky.social
via @20percentberlin.bsky.social
Oh joy! A letter from the local tax office (Finanzamt) asking me a question about my 2020 tax return 🤨
even my accountant (who’s amazingly responsive when there’s a short deadline) doesn’t understand why they’d send that to me now. She wondered if the letter is fake.
even my accountant (who’s amazingly responsive when there’s a short deadline) doesn’t understand why they’d send that to me now. She wondered if the letter is fake.
December 1, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Oh joy! A letter from the local tax office (Finanzamt) asking me a question about my 2020 tax return 🤨
even my accountant (who’s amazingly responsive when there’s a short deadline) doesn’t understand why they’d send that to me now. She wondered if the letter is fake.
even my accountant (who’s amazingly responsive when there’s a short deadline) doesn’t understand why they’d send that to me now. She wondered if the letter is fake.
German customer service just wished me "noch einen schönen ersten Advent.🕯️🎄" – a wonderful first advent day. Which was nice of them.
Honestly not sure I even knew. I'm sure no UK customer service would ever wish me that.
Honestly not sure I even knew. I'm sure no UK customer service would ever wish me that.
November 30, 2025 at 11:56 AM
German customer service just wished me "noch einen schönen ersten Advent.🕯️🎄" – a wonderful first advent day. Which was nice of them.
Honestly not sure I even knew. I'm sure no UK customer service would ever wish me that.
Honestly not sure I even knew. I'm sure no UK customer service would ever wish me that.
Just £2m (€2.3m) for this 2 bed, 70 sq m, 2-up 2-down house spitting distance from Covent Garden. Beautifully decorated, it would be considered any TV period drama producer's wet dream www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/1...
Check out this 2 bedroom town house for sale on Rightmove
2 bedroom town house for sale in Goodwin's Court, Covent Garden, London, WC2N for £2,000,000. Marketed by Unique Property Company, Unique Property Company
www.rightmove.co.uk
November 30, 2025 at 8:20 AM
Just £2m (€2.3m) for this 2 bed, 70 sq m, 2-up 2-down house spitting distance from Covent Garden. Beautifully decorated, it would be considered any TV period drama producer's wet dream www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/1...
Inspired by Bake Off, @eliotlovell.bsky.social made vegan, gluten free chocolate tart with berry compote. Was sooo good!
Delicious oaty tart case, a layer of mixed berry compote covered in a light and not too sweet chocolate cream filling made with chocolate and silken tofu.
Delicious oaty tart case, a layer of mixed berry compote covered in a light and not too sweet chocolate cream filling made with chocolate and silken tofu.
November 29, 2025 at 6:39 AM
Inspired by Bake Off, @eliotlovell.bsky.social made vegan, gluten free chocolate tart with berry compote. Was sooo good!
Delicious oaty tart case, a layer of mixed berry compote covered in a light and not too sweet chocolate cream filling made with chocolate and silken tofu.
Delicious oaty tart case, a layer of mixed berry compote covered in a light and not too sweet chocolate cream filling made with chocolate and silken tofu.
Today I almost crashed into two schoolgirls who ran across the road without looking. Mum had just dropped them off (late) and they ran from the car straight in front of me.
If it had been my mum, she'd have gone crazy yelling at me I shd have looked. This mum couldn't have been less bothered 🤨
If it had been my mum, she'd have gone crazy yelling at me I shd have looked. This mum couldn't have been less bothered 🤨
November 28, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Today I almost crashed into two schoolgirls who ran across the road without looking. Mum had just dropped them off (late) and they ran from the car straight in front of me.
If it had been my mum, she'd have gone crazy yelling at me I shd have looked. This mum couldn't have been less bothered 🤨
If it had been my mum, she'd have gone crazy yelling at me I shd have looked. This mum couldn't have been less bothered 🤨
BBC iPlayer has one episode of Fawlty Towers (the Orelly Men). I watched it yesterday – and it’s really not funny anymore.
The casual racism, overacting and hamming it up for the camera seems so outdated now.
I remember crying with laughter, but not these days. It’s not stood the test of time.
The casual racism, overacting and hamming it up for the camera seems so outdated now.
I remember crying with laughter, but not these days. It’s not stood the test of time.
November 28, 2025 at 8:58 AM
BBC iPlayer has one episode of Fawlty Towers (the Orelly Men). I watched it yesterday – and it’s really not funny anymore.
The casual racism, overacting and hamming it up for the camera seems so outdated now.
I remember crying with laughter, but not these days. It’s not stood the test of time.
The casual racism, overacting and hamming it up for the camera seems so outdated now.
I remember crying with laughter, but not these days. It’s not stood the test of time.