@mikedugdale.bsky.social
Pyrénées dweller; brexiled, guest house operator and occasional cyclist. Hates building hot tubs but it's too late to stop now.
www.pyreneescyclingcentre.co.uk
www.pyreneescyclingcentre.co.uk
I do like an eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month Remembrance post.
November 11, 2025 at 1:23 PM
I do like an eleventh hour on the eleventh day of the eleventh month Remembrance post.
Including the hand-wringing at the top over the fact that they can't possibly replace James Bond with someone called Bond because it will look like (s)he only got the job because of his/her name.
November 11, 2025 at 1:19 PM
Including the hand-wringing at the top over the fact that they can't possibly replace James Bond with someone called Bond because it will look like (s)he only got the job because of his/her name.
I believe that in order for the charges to stick, according to the law as it stood, China would need to have been considered an enemy at the time of the alleged offence.
November 11, 2025 at 1:15 PM
I believe that in order for the charges to stick, according to the law as it stood, China would need to have been considered an enemy at the time of the alleged offence.
Or is that some of the people all of the time?
November 11, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Or is that some of the people all of the time?
You can fool all of the people some of the time...
November 11, 2025 at 12:34 PM
You can fool all of the people some of the time...
Given that it was Churchill who put the particular one I was thinking of into operation, I think he would have at that time.
I'm not sure which politician has the courage to argue in favour of asylum these days which is a terrible indictment.
I'm not sure which politician has the courage to argue in favour of asylum these days which is a terrible indictment.
November 10, 2025 at 6:20 PM
Given that it was Churchill who put the particular one I was thinking of into operation, I think he would have at that time.
I'm not sure which politician has the courage to argue in favour of asylum these days which is a terrible indictment.
I'm not sure which politician has the courage to argue in favour of asylum these days which is a terrible indictment.
They will have little choice but to restrict access to the worst of the social media platforms.
November 10, 2025 at 2:48 PM
They will have little choice but to restrict access to the worst of the social media platforms.
It's impossible for UK govt to regulate Twitter, however, all of the hate speech on that platform and every other techbro hate disseminator passes across the networks of companies which require a license to operate in the UK, e.g. Vodafone, O2 etc.
Make them responsible for what they disseminate.
Make them responsible for what they disseminate.
November 10, 2025 at 2:48 PM
It's impossible for UK govt to regulate Twitter, however, all of the hate speech on that platform and every other techbro hate disseminator passes across the networks of companies which require a license to operate in the UK, e.g. Vodafone, O2 etc.
Make them responsible for what they disseminate.
Make them responsible for what they disseminate.
I don't see how you can possibly make the case that the BBC is standing in Farage's way. I'd say they were more like Garage enablers based on the exposure they have given him for decades.
November 10, 2025 at 1:20 PM
I don't see how you can possibly make the case that the BBC is standing in Farage's way. I'd say they were more like Garage enablers based on the exposure they have given him for decades.
Absolutely. Balanced reporting of the Nazis did not result in glowing reports of their administrative brilliance.
The BBC has lost its way.
The BBC has lost its way.
November 10, 2025 at 9:07 AM
Absolutely. Balanced reporting of the Nazis did not result in glowing reports of their administrative brilliance.
The BBC has lost its way.
The BBC has lost its way.
We'll see won't we? Could he herald the end of a 30 year experiment in political spin?
November 10, 2025 at 9:02 AM
We'll see won't we? Could he herald the end of a 30 year experiment in political spin?
He seems too blunt/honest/convinced to fall foul of gotchas. His politics are strongly enough held that no idiot reporter could rattle him with an attempt.
November 10, 2025 at 9:00 AM
He seems too blunt/honest/convinced to fall foul of gotchas. His politics are strongly enough held that no idiot reporter could rattle him with an attempt.
And I like the man. I heard him myself say you had to start the conversation and yet I think his enemies will be able to exploit this against him.
November 9, 2025 at 8:41 PM
And I like the man. I heard him myself say you had to start the conversation and yet I think his enemies will be able to exploit this against him.
Polanski's argument seems ludicrous except that what's wrong with initiating a conversation about something of such enormous benefit to the world?
I guess it just seems the world is so unstable at the moment, it feels like a naive time to try to start the conversation.
I guess it just seems the world is so unstable at the moment, it feels like a naive time to try to start the conversation.
November 9, 2025 at 8:39 PM
Polanski's argument seems ludicrous except that what's wrong with initiating a conversation about something of such enormous benefit to the world?
I guess it just seems the world is so unstable at the moment, it feels like a naive time to try to start the conversation.
I guess it just seems the world is so unstable at the moment, it feels like a naive time to try to start the conversation.
They always look like they're flying backwards to me.
November 9, 2025 at 8:35 PM
They always look like they're flying backwards to me.
We had them too. Also, 3 bar electric fires of which the wire elements had been twisted together where they'd melted.
November 9, 2025 at 8:31 PM
We had them too. Also, 3 bar electric fires of which the wire elements had been twisted together where they'd melted.
I couldn't agree more.
We could have had a journalist class who painted them as courageous seekers for a better life for they and their families who had chosen Britain for our humanity and certainty of a better life.
But we got the likes of JR and even worse.
We could have had a journalist class who painted them as courageous seekers for a better life for they and their families who had chosen Britain for our humanity and certainty of a better life.
But we got the likes of JR and even worse.
November 9, 2025 at 8:23 PM
I couldn't agree more.
We could have had a journalist class who painted them as courageous seekers for a better life for they and their families who had chosen Britain for our humanity and certainty of a better life.
But we got the likes of JR and even worse.
We could have had a journalist class who painted them as courageous seekers for a better life for they and their families who had chosen Britain for our humanity and certainty of a better life.
But we got the likes of JR and even worse.
Also, and though I speak for myself I'm fairly sure I'm not alone, I do welcome asylum seekers. In many instances we've wronged them or contributed directly to their incredibly difficult lives. Offering them sanctuary is the very least we can do.
November 9, 2025 at 7:16 PM
Also, and though I speak for myself I'm fairly sure I'm not alone, I do welcome asylum seekers. In many instances we've wronged them or contributed directly to their incredibly difficult lives. Offering them sanctuary is the very least we can do.
I can see why you'd say that given the general hatred of small boats but officially, and by our signature of various international treaties, we do welcome asylum seekers. It just doesn't seem like it at the moment.
November 9, 2025 at 7:13 PM
I can see why you'd say that given the general hatred of small boats but officially, and by our signature of various international treaties, we do welcome asylum seekers. It just doesn't seem like it at the moment.
This is the issue on which the Polanski wave will falter.
I just can't imagine a majority of people reacting to a chat with Putin about scrapping nukes with sage nods of yeah, that'll work.
I just can't imagine a majority of people reacting to a chat with Putin about scrapping nukes with sage nods of yeah, that'll work.
November 9, 2025 at 7:10 PM
This is the issue on which the Polanski wave will falter.
I just can't imagine a majority of people reacting to a chat with Putin about scrapping nukes with sage nods of yeah, that'll work.
I just can't imagine a majority of people reacting to a chat with Putin about scrapping nukes with sage nods of yeah, that'll work.
Why does he think asylum seekers are uninvited?
November 9, 2025 at 7:04 PM
Why does he think asylum seekers are uninvited?
The BBC missed a massive opportunity here.
If they'd scheduled it better, the DG-ship could have been the prize on #CelebrityTraitors
If they'd scheduled it better, the DG-ship could have been the prize on #CelebrityTraitors
November 9, 2025 at 6:51 PM
The BBC missed a massive opportunity here.
If they'd scheduled it better, the DG-ship could have been the prize on #CelebrityTraitors
If they'd scheduled it better, the DG-ship could have been the prize on #CelebrityTraitors