Fifty Four
@fiftyfloor.bsky.social
Surely the only relevant question, especially while Trump is in place, is how Europe can rapidly build a credible deterrent to Putin going again.
Because I can't see any way negotiations can prevent it being an option available to him.
Because I can't see any way negotiations can prevent it being an option available to him.
December 9, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Surely the only relevant question, especially while Trump is in place, is how Europe can rapidly build a credible deterrent to Putin going again.
Because I can't see any way negotiations can prevent it being an option available to him.
Because I can't see any way negotiations can prevent it being an option available to him.
Are there any possible in-between outcomes though?
Any truce is surely based on negotiating a line of control, stopping shooting, and lifting sanctions.
If you do that Putin can rearm and go again at his convenience.
But what other truce is there?
Any truce is surely based on negotiating a line of control, stopping shooting, and lifting sanctions.
If you do that Putin can rearm and go again at his convenience.
But what other truce is there?
December 9, 2025 at 9:54 AM
Are there any possible in-between outcomes though?
Any truce is surely based on negotiating a line of control, stopping shooting, and lifting sanctions.
If you do that Putin can rearm and go again at his convenience.
But what other truce is there?
Any truce is surely based on negotiating a line of control, stopping shooting, and lifting sanctions.
If you do that Putin can rearm and go again at his convenience.
But what other truce is there?
I don't really see why the other country is going to accept the deportation.
Do they really want to see anyone with dual nationality who commits a crime in the other country deported to the UK?
Do they really want to see anyone with dual nationality who commits a crime in the other country deported to the UK?
December 9, 2025 at 1:27 AM
I don't really see why the other country is going to accept the deportation.
Do they really want to see anyone with dual nationality who commits a crime in the other country deported to the UK?
Do they really want to see anyone with dual nationality who commits a crime in the other country deported to the UK?
Arguably in 2017 everything was clear. There was no obvious route to anything other than what we used to call a 'canada' style deal. And that's eventually what we got.
It only got a bit wobbly in 2018 when May negotiated a temporary customs union that would last until brexiteers could invent magic.
It only got a bit wobbly in 2018 when May negotiated a temporary customs union that would last until brexiteers could invent magic.
December 8, 2025 at 9:42 PM
Arguably in 2017 everything was clear. There was no obvious route to anything other than what we used to call a 'canada' style deal. And that's eventually what we got.
It only got a bit wobbly in 2018 when May negotiated a temporary customs union that would last until brexiteers could invent magic.
It only got a bit wobbly in 2018 when May negotiated a temporary customs union that would last until brexiteers could invent magic.
It's incredibly boring to say. But this thread is why radical right is a terrible term as is far left.
If you start from a normal Tory government and keep walking past labour, you don't eventually reach Stalin. Equally Fascism isn't 'the Tories but more so'.
If you start from a normal Tory government and keep walking past labour, you don't eventually reach Stalin. Equally Fascism isn't 'the Tories but more so'.
December 8, 2025 at 3:48 PM
It's incredibly boring to say. But this thread is why radical right is a terrible term as is far left.
If you start from a normal Tory government and keep walking past labour, you don't eventually reach Stalin. Equally Fascism isn't 'the Tories but more so'.
If you start from a normal Tory government and keep walking past labour, you don't eventually reach Stalin. Equally Fascism isn't 'the Tories but more so'.
The classic committee approach of pretending a different committee of the same people will do their job brilliantly and ignoring the hospital pass that today's committee is sending to tomorrow's.
December 8, 2025 at 3:00 PM
The classic committee approach of pretending a different committee of the same people will do their job brilliantly and ignoring the hospital pass that today's committee is sending to tomorrow's.
Non-london rail fares are 10B. So a 1% rise raises 100M at best.
My guess. 100M was considered a decent price for the headline in the room where it was decided. That room would ofc also note that investment spending was a decision for a different room and no one is forced to link it to fares.
My guess. 100M was considered a decent price for the headline in the room where it was decided. That room would ofc also note that investment spending was a decision for a different room and no one is forced to link it to fares.
December 8, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Non-london rail fares are 10B. So a 1% rise raises 100M at best.
My guess. 100M was considered a decent price for the headline in the room where it was decided. That room would ofc also note that investment spending was a decision for a different room and no one is forced to link it to fares.
My guess. 100M was considered a decent price for the headline in the room where it was decided. That room would ofc also note that investment spending was a decision for a different room and no one is forced to link it to fares.
Not sure I'd argue the pandemic and AI are causal so much as a nudge to reveal a problem.
Businesses have been stepping back from the model of seeking to hire inexperienced people and train them long before that.
Where corporates take on a batch of grads now it is seen as a citizenship initiative.
Businesses have been stepping back from the model of seeking to hire inexperienced people and train them long before that.
Where corporates take on a batch of grads now it is seen as a citizenship initiative.
December 8, 2025 at 10:58 AM
Not sure I'd argue the pandemic and AI are causal so much as a nudge to reveal a problem.
Businesses have been stepping back from the model of seeking to hire inexperienced people and train them long before that.
Where corporates take on a batch of grads now it is seen as a citizenship initiative.
Businesses have been stepping back from the model of seeking to hire inexperienced people and train them long before that.
Where corporates take on a batch of grads now it is seen as a citizenship initiative.
I'm sure they'd be completely happy going back to the pre financialisation era when their equivalents simply didn't ever retire.
December 5, 2025 at 11:54 AM
I'm sure they'd be completely happy going back to the pre financialisation era when their equivalents simply didn't ever retire.
Same applies to schools and SEND. We're diagnosing things we didn't understand in the past and need to work out how to support kids that would have struggled in prior generations.
Problem is people quite reasonably fear that reform will primarily focus on stopping diagnosis instead.
Problem is people quite reasonably fear that reform will primarily focus on stopping diagnosis instead.
December 5, 2025 at 11:33 AM
Same applies to schools and SEND. We're diagnosing things we didn't understand in the past and need to work out how to support kids that would have struggled in prior generations.
Problem is people quite reasonably fear that reform will primarily focus on stopping diagnosis instead.
Problem is people quite reasonably fear that reform will primarily focus on stopping diagnosis instead.
I didn't even think there was a year zero.
But today I learned ISO and some space guys decided not having a year zero was annoying and that they renamed the year formerly known as 1BC, as zero.
So that's fun.
But today I learned ISO and some space guys decided not having a year zero was annoying and that they renamed the year formerly known as 1BC, as zero.
So that's fun.
December 5, 2025 at 9:34 AM
I didn't even think there was a year zero.
But today I learned ISO and some space guys decided not having a year zero was annoying and that they renamed the year formerly known as 1BC, as zero.
So that's fun.
But today I learned ISO and some space guys decided not having a year zero was annoying and that they renamed the year formerly known as 1BC, as zero.
So that's fun.
Sure. There was a good faith argument for the ban on formula discounts based on sincerely held views.
But it was very much a left wing good faith argument.
You could very reasonably call the regulations 'woke'.
But it was very much a left wing good faith argument.
You could very reasonably call the regulations 'woke'.
December 4, 2025 at 9:09 AM
Sure. There was a good faith argument for the ban on formula discounts based on sincerely held views.
But it was very much a left wing good faith argument.
You could very reasonably call the regulations 'woke'.
But it was very much a left wing good faith argument.
You could very reasonably call the regulations 'woke'.
On top of which, regulating baby formula was an entirely left wing campaign. Introduced because of a directive from the dastardly EU.
It used to be very fashionable for student unions to ban nestle products because they (checks notes)... gave hospitals free formula in developing countries.
It used to be very fashionable for student unions to ban nestle products because they (checks notes)... gave hospitals free formula in developing countries.
December 4, 2025 at 1:52 AM
On top of which, regulating baby formula was an entirely left wing campaign. Introduced because of a directive from the dastardly EU.
It used to be very fashionable for student unions to ban nestle products because they (checks notes)... gave hospitals free formula in developing countries.
It used to be very fashionable for student unions to ban nestle products because they (checks notes)... gave hospitals free formula in developing countries.
You bring up another fun obstacle though, I can't imagine any politician who lived 2016 to 2019 ever countenancing a referendum on anything ever again.
If it happens, I think it needs to be by a party winning an election on it.
If it happens, I think it needs to be by a party winning an election on it.
December 4, 2025 at 1:37 AM
You bring up another fun obstacle though, I can't imagine any politician who lived 2016 to 2019 ever countenancing a referendum on anything ever again.
If it happens, I think it needs to be by a party winning an election on it.
If it happens, I think it needs to be by a party winning an election on it.
This seems right. I can't see a credible path from here to a rejoin or a realistic world where we don't ever agree anything.
But there is a huge range of outcomes between the two.
But there is a huge range of outcomes between the two.
December 3, 2025 at 9:26 PM
This seems right. I can't see a credible path from here to a rejoin or a realistic world where we don't ever agree anything.
But there is a huge range of outcomes between the two.
But there is a huge range of outcomes between the two.
It is also a complete fallacy to say the EU sticks to a rigid menu for anyone. Both the May and Johnson deals were unique. Almost all those steps are unique one country deals.
The stairs just illustrate the EU's view of an escalating balance of rights and responsibilities.
The stairs just illustrate the EU's view of an escalating balance of rights and responsibilities.
December 3, 2025 at 9:22 PM
It is also a complete fallacy to say the EU sticks to a rigid menu for anyone. Both the May and Johnson deals were unique. Almost all those steps are unique one country deals.
The stairs just illustrate the EU's view of an escalating balance of rights and responsibilities.
The stairs just illustrate the EU's view of an escalating balance of rights and responsibilities.
Also that the EU operates in this like a single rational actor and not a mess of contradictions arising from 27 polities.
You can be as proEU as to you like while still recognising just how incredibly difficult it would be for the EU to get *any* other country through the door right now.
You can be as proEU as to you like while still recognising just how incredibly difficult it would be for the EU to get *any* other country through the door right now.
December 3, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Also that the EU operates in this like a single rational actor and not a mess of contradictions arising from 27 polities.
You can be as proEU as to you like while still recognising just how incredibly difficult it would be for the EU to get *any* other country through the door right now.
You can be as proEU as to you like while still recognising just how incredibly difficult it would be for the EU to get *any* other country through the door right now.
Don't really understand how this should be different to any other form of extortion.
If there is any need for regulatory engagement, should focus on security standards in industries protecting customers and others.
Using out of date unpatched software is the issue. Not the response to the event.
If there is any need for regulatory engagement, should focus on security standards in industries protecting customers and others.
Using out of date unpatched software is the issue. Not the response to the event.
December 3, 2025 at 6:50 PM
Don't really understand how this should be different to any other form of extortion.
If there is any need for regulatory engagement, should focus on security standards in industries protecting customers and others.
Using out of date unpatched software is the issue. Not the response to the event.
If there is any need for regulatory engagement, should focus on security standards in industries protecting customers and others.
Using out of date unpatched software is the issue. Not the response to the event.
It's almost exactly a right wing equivalent of Corbyn.
December 3, 2025 at 1:26 PM
It's almost exactly a right wing equivalent of Corbyn.
I understand Avatar itself. It presented itself as a tech demo for 3d movies. Which were an enormous fad at the time.
But I have no idea who is still watching or how they manage to have zero cultural impact despite so many people that noone has ever met watching them.
Nice work if you can get it.
But I have no idea who is still watching or how they manage to have zero cultural impact despite so many people that noone has ever met watching them.
Nice work if you can get it.
December 2, 2025 at 10:54 PM
I understand Avatar itself. It presented itself as a tech demo for 3d movies. Which were an enormous fad at the time.
But I have no idea who is still watching or how they manage to have zero cultural impact despite so many people that noone has ever met watching them.
Nice work if you can get it.
But I have no idea who is still watching or how they manage to have zero cultural impact despite so many people that noone has ever met watching them.
Nice work if you can get it.
That said, the EU can use it's dominant position to ask for anything. Others are entitled to agree or disagree.
There is no righteous logic for fees being appropriate. The EU is just negotiating for economic advantage. Something it is good at.
There is no righteous logic for fees being appropriate. The EU is just negotiating for economic advantage. Something it is good at.
December 2, 2025 at 3:27 PM
That said, the EU can use it's dominant position to ask for anything. Others are entitled to agree or disagree.
There is no righteous logic for fees being appropriate. The EU is just negotiating for economic advantage. Something it is good at.
There is no righteous logic for fees being appropriate. The EU is just negotiating for economic advantage. Something it is good at.
This is a scheme where member states pay for things using a loan from the EU (which the member state pays back to the EU).
Does your bank expect a kickback from VW if you take a loan to buy a car?
Does your bank expect a kickback from VW if you take a loan to buy a car?
December 2, 2025 at 3:25 PM
This is a scheme where member states pay for things using a loan from the EU (which the member state pays back to the EU).
Does your bank expect a kickback from VW if you take a loan to buy a car?
Does your bank expect a kickback from VW if you take a loan to buy a car?
Presumably the law already has a way to handle it if someone shows up with a bag of cash?
Because this seems no different.
I imagine the actual issue is we don't have the bank records as evidence of the donator's id? It doesn't really explain the problem in the article.
Because this seems no different.
I imagine the actual issue is we don't have the bank records as evidence of the donator's id? It doesn't really explain the problem in the article.
December 2, 2025 at 12:43 PM
Presumably the law already has a way to handle it if someone shows up with a bag of cash?
Because this seems no different.
I imagine the actual issue is we don't have the bank records as evidence of the donator's id? It doesn't really explain the problem in the article.
Because this seems no different.
I imagine the actual issue is we don't have the bank records as evidence of the donator's id? It doesn't really explain the problem in the article.
They are less likely to be in position than any other party leadership team. So I really don't think they matter.
December 2, 2025 at 9:20 AM
They are less likely to be in position than any other party leadership team. So I really don't think they matter.
5 years is long enough to have some responsibility to have noticed an amateur hour approach to IT.
But I still don't see the actual event as a big deal.
But I still don't see the actual event as a big deal.
December 1, 2025 at 11:17 PM
5 years is long enough to have some responsibility to have noticed an amateur hour approach to IT.
But I still don't see the actual event as a big deal.
But I still don't see the actual event as a big deal.