James Hopkins
@jamesw91.bsky.social
Wildlife photography, Edinburgh
There's a convincing case to say that Shumer is good at his actual job (whipping votes in the Senate) and fucking terrible at what is assumed to be his job (messaging on behalf of his party).
January 29, 2026 at 6:11 PM
There's a convincing case to say that Shumer is good at his actual job (whipping votes in the Senate) and fucking terrible at what is assumed to be his job (messaging on behalf of his party).
A personal favourite is the review of a documentary about Princess Diana that called it car-crash TV.
January 28, 2026 at 12:09 PM
A personal favourite is the review of a documentary about Princess Diana that called it car-crash TV.
I found playing Hogwarts Legacy a fascinating experience as you could simultaneously see the love the developers had for the Harry Potter world whilst also pretty explicitly rejecting JKR's... views with a pointedly diverse cast of characters, including a sympathetic trans witch.
January 27, 2026 at 12:40 PM
I found playing Hogwarts Legacy a fascinating experience as you could simultaneously see the love the developers had for the Harry Potter world whilst also pretty explicitly rejecting JKR's... views with a pointedly diverse cast of characters, including a sympathetic trans witch.
You've essentially just got to follow the David Mitchell dress code strategy imo www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WU5...
When does being so unnoteworthy become noteworthy? | Would I Lie to You? - BBC
YouTube video by BBC
www.youtube.com
January 25, 2026 at 2:03 PM
You've essentially just got to follow the David Mitchell dress code strategy imo www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WU5...
There's a dark irony that the right have created what socialists always dreamed of: a political movement whose adherents are more loyal to their ideological kin than their fellow countrymen.
January 22, 2026 at 10:08 AM
There's a dark irony that the right have created what socialists always dreamed of: a political movement whose adherents are more loyal to their ideological kin than their fellow countrymen.
Unless I'm being wilfully naïve there's a decent chance that in a few days or even just hours the Supreme Court substantially curbs Trump's ability to impose tariffs at will and this all just fizzles out without the EU having to really do anything.
January 20, 2026 at 11:22 AM
Unless I'm being wilfully naïve there's a decent chance that in a few days or even just hours the Supreme Court substantially curbs Trump's ability to impose tariffs at will and this all just fizzles out without the EU having to really do anything.
"For all its critical acclaim, The Wire isn’t mentioned as much any more in popular culture. You don’t see it in the reaction gifs on social media." Absolute sacrilege
Dis Belief Surprised GIF
ALT: Dis Belief Surprised GIF
media.tenor.com
January 17, 2026 at 10:48 AM
"For all its critical acclaim, The Wire isn’t mentioned as much any more in popular culture. You don’t see it in the reaction gifs on social media." Absolute sacrilege
It's the glaring contradiction at the heart of Starmerism. I can understand the argument that there is a constituency for this left-on-economy, right-on-culture schtick, but the idea that a nasal former human rights lawyer is the right figurehead for this politics is ???
January 15, 2026 at 2:12 PM
It's the glaring contradiction at the heart of Starmerism. I can understand the argument that there is a constituency for this left-on-economy, right-on-culture schtick, but the idea that a nasal former human rights lawyer is the right figurehead for this politics is ???
I once had a job finding ways to carry large numbers of mahseer fish, making me very good at finding tray tors
January 14, 2026 at 10:01 PM
I once had a job finding ways to carry large numbers of mahseer fish, making me very good at finding tray tors
Reposted by James Hopkins
I've got this accolade two years in a row now, I'm honestly fuming and feel the need to develop a bitter rivalry with whoever in Scotland is buying more Sainsbury's farfalle than me.
January 7, 2026 at 10:00 PM
I've got this accolade two years in a row now, I'm honestly fuming and feel the need to develop a bitter rivalry with whoever in Scotland is buying more Sainsbury's farfalle than me.
It also touches on the strange tension between the claim that the FCO was fixated on the case and the implicit (and unstated, because if openly stated we'd all see how ludicrous an idea it is) criticism that they didn't fully vet him by combing through his social media posts.
January 6, 2026 at 11:16 AM
It also touches on the strange tension between the claim that the FCO was fixated on the case and the implicit (and unstated, because if openly stated we'd all see how ludicrous an idea it is) criticism that they didn't fully vet him by combing through his social media posts.
It's essentially just this. Most people's personal experiences are fine, but they're convinced that the country is a hellscape.
How good do Britons think 2026 will be for...
Themselves personally
Good: 39%
Average: 33%
Bad: 15%
The UK
Good: 9%
Average: 26%
Bad: 52%
yougov.co.uk/society/arti...
Themselves personally
Good: 39%
Average: 33%
Bad: 15%
The UK
Good: 9%
Average: 26%
Bad: 52%
yougov.co.uk/society/arti...
January 6, 2026 at 9:57 AM
It's essentially just this. Most people's personal experiences are fine, but they're convinced that the country is a hellscape.
A zombie apocalypse could be a boost to struggling British pubs as we all go for a nice cold pint and wait for it to blow over.
January 5, 2026 at 9:37 AM
A zombie apocalypse could be a boost to struggling British pubs as we all go for a nice cold pint and wait for it to blow over.
Reading my 'leather' bound Path of the Dark Eldar on the tube and getting a carriage to myself >
January 5, 2026 at 8:41 AM
Reading my 'leather' bound Path of the Dark Eldar on the tube and getting a carriage to myself >
Dunno, I think Betz explains his position pretty convincingly here.
Racist Dwarf | In Bruges (2008) | Big Screen Laughs
YouTube video by Big Screen Laughs
www.youtube.com
January 4, 2026 at 2:31 PM
Dunno, I think Betz explains his position pretty convincingly here.
If Labour are smart* they'd come down on any disturbance with the force of Thor's hammer. Banging up violent racists is a great way to appeal to both normie social conservatives and their liberal base while Badenoch won't be able to resist the temptation to support the thugs. Easy win-win
* yeah...
* yeah...
January 4, 2026 at 2:19 PM
If Labour are smart* they'd come down on any disturbance with the force of Thor's hammer. Banging up violent racists is a great way to appeal to both normie social conservatives and their liberal base while Badenoch won't be able to resist the temptation to support the thugs. Easy win-win
* yeah...
* yeah...
"I believe in locking up racists who incite violence on our streets and I'll do it again" is a great way of appealing to both social liberals and normal social conservatives while leaving Reform etc. to stew in their Twitter echo chamber. Alas...
December 31, 2025 at 2:35 PM
"I believe in locking up racists who incite violence on our streets and I'll do it again" is a great way of appealing to both social liberals and normal social conservatives while leaving Reform etc. to stew in their Twitter echo chamber. Alas...
In retrospect I think it will seem extraordinary that Starmer didn't double down on this after the right adopted Lucy Connelly as a cause célèbre. A government obsessed with socially conservative voters didn't recognise that the right were leading with their chin coming out in support of a criminal.
December 31, 2025 at 2:31 PM
In retrospect I think it will seem extraordinary that Starmer didn't double down on this after the right adopted Lucy Connelly as a cause célèbre. A government obsessed with socially conservative voters didn't recognise that the right were leading with their chin coming out in support of a criminal.
I felt the film took two really interesting concepts - Eddie Redmayne going round like a magic David Attenborough finding cute animals in a family-friendly adventure, and a tense spy thriller about the rise of budget Voldemort - and shoved them together in a slightly incoherent but mostly fun mess.
December 27, 2025 at 8:25 PM
I felt the film took two really interesting concepts - Eddie Redmayne going round like a magic David Attenborough finding cute animals in a family-friendly adventure, and a tense spy thriller about the rise of budget Voldemort - and shoved them together in a slightly incoherent but mostly fun mess.
I went to see it after university exams had finished, and you could palpably feel the cinema collectively decide this shit had overstayed its welcome and it was time for the pub.
December 27, 2025 at 6:10 PM
I went to see it after university exams had finished, and you could palpably feel the cinema collectively decide this shit had overstayed its welcome and it was time for the pub.