Michael Jones
@mikej2387.bsky.social
Frustrated strategist and big-picture thinker. Even more frustrated long-time, UK-based fan of the Miami Dolphins. There's probably a connection....
It's not just Trump. Here in County Durham (UK), the Reform council leadership is all about "re-industrialisation". They want to go back to the days of deep coal mines and opencast. It's all about where their money comes from. Reform UK gets about 80% of their income from fossil fuel businesses...
February 11, 2026 at 5:58 PM
It's not just Trump. Here in County Durham (UK), the Reform council leadership is all about "re-industrialisation". They want to go back to the days of deep coal mines and opencast. It's all about where their money comes from. Reform UK gets about 80% of their income from fossil fuel businesses...
The odd thing is the way they get upset when that's pointed out.
February 6, 2026 at 5:31 PM
The odd thing is the way they get upset when that's pointed out.
As @garrykasparov.bsky.social has previously noted: "The point of modern propaganda isn't only to misinform or push an agenda. It is to exhaust your critical thinking, to annihilate truth".
Part of that will be to feed in convenient truths for their supporters to hold on to and promote.
Part of that will be to feed in convenient truths for their supporters to hold on to and promote.
January 25, 2026 at 12:34 PM
As @garrykasparov.bsky.social has previously noted: "The point of modern propaganda isn't only to misinform or push an agenda. It is to exhaust your critical thinking, to annihilate truth".
Part of that will be to feed in convenient truths for their supporters to hold on to and promote.
Part of that will be to feed in convenient truths for their supporters to hold on to and promote.
I probably still have my "Prefect" badge from the sixth-form...
January 16, 2026 at 10:28 PM
I probably still have my "Prefect" badge from the sixth-form...
I'm now waiting for someone to gift him a Medal of Hono(u)r that they picked up from eBay after it had been sold by a veteran or their family.
Trump: "And they said I was a draft-dodger!"
Trump: "And they said I was a draft-dodger!"
January 16, 2026 at 12:14 PM
I'm now waiting for someone to gift him a Medal of Hono(u)r that they picked up from eBay after it had been sold by a veteran or their family.
Trump: "And they said I was a draft-dodger!"
Trump: "And they said I was a draft-dodger!"
Two heads are better than one:
January 14, 2026 at 1:23 PM
Two heads are better than one:
That sure doesn't look like it's all down to bad luck.
January 11, 2026 at 10:52 PM
That sure doesn't look like it's all down to bad luck.
Given their track record, it's kind of hard to believe that "all options are on the table". The options that might involve upsetting Musk - and Trump, for that matter - likely won't be.
January 7, 2026 at 4:01 PM
Given their track record, it's kind of hard to believe that "all options are on the table". The options that might involve upsetting Musk - and Trump, for that matter - likely won't be.
I'm not saying Mike McDaniel actually wants to get sacked, but what would the Dolphins do differently if he did?
December 21, 2025 at 9:30 PM
I'm not saying Mike McDaniel actually wants to get sacked, but what would the Dolphins do differently if he did?
She's done a great job demonstrating that she's never been in the same time zone as any of the writings of Hannah Arendt.
That's pretty amazing for someone with so many "opinions" on the subject of cultural reaction to totalitarianism.
The "banality of evil" indeed...
That's pretty amazing for someone with so many "opinions" on the subject of cultural reaction to totalitarianism.
The "banality of evil" indeed...
December 17, 2025 at 12:08 PM
She's done a great job demonstrating that she's never been in the same time zone as any of the writings of Hannah Arendt.
That's pretty amazing for someone with so many "opinions" on the subject of cultural reaction to totalitarianism.
The "banality of evil" indeed...
That's pretty amazing for someone with so many "opinions" on the subject of cultural reaction to totalitarianism.
The "banality of evil" indeed...
Watching this all unfold from the UK. My view is that it doesn't matter why someone decides to break away from the cult - just as long as they help the splinter effect. Only through that kind of thing will people realise that perpetual Trumpist control is NOT inevitable.
November 15, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Watching this all unfold from the UK. My view is that it doesn't matter why someone decides to break away from the cult - just as long as they help the splinter effect. Only through that kind of thing will people realise that perpetual Trumpist control is NOT inevitable.
Playing (and coaching) down to the level of their opponents.
November 2, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Playing (and coaching) down to the level of their opponents.
She'd definitely know about "fake"...
November 1, 2025 at 9:17 AM
She'd definitely know about "fake"...
It really does seem difficult for individuals to acknowledge this about themselves. The mental gymnastics required to believe that supporting racism *doesn't* mean you are racist, are quite something.
October 1, 2025 at 11:20 AM
It really does seem difficult for individuals to acknowledge this about themselves. The mental gymnastics required to believe that supporting racism *doesn't* mean you are racist, are quite something.
My conclusion is that either: a) Starmer is so weak intellectually that he believes his close advisers when they say this is no big deal (and on whose behalf would they do that...?) or b) he simply wanted to be PM because he thought is was his turn to play i.e. a Johnson-scale sense of entitlement.
September 14, 2025 at 10:52 AM
My conclusion is that either: a) Starmer is so weak intellectually that he believes his close advisers when they say this is no big deal (and on whose behalf would they do that...?) or b) he simply wanted to be PM because he thought is was his turn to play i.e. a Johnson-scale sense of entitlement.
An interesting part of the Statement of Affairs for United Hygiene & Catering Equipment is the money owed to business lenders: £200k to Funding Circle, over £121k to NatWest and just shy of £200k to another cash flow finance provider. Most of that is post-Covid. Looks like he can spin a good yarn.
August 27, 2025 at 10:58 AM
An interesting part of the Statement of Affairs for United Hygiene & Catering Equipment is the money owed to business lenders: £200k to Funding Circle, over £121k to NatWest and just shy of £200k to another cash flow finance provider. Most of that is post-Covid. Looks like he can spin a good yarn.
Brought to my mind the Harry Chapin song "30,000 Pounds of Bananas", which was inspired by an incident in 1965 that also took place in Pennsylvania.
August 2, 2025 at 10:21 AM
Brought to my mind the Harry Chapin song "30,000 Pounds of Bananas", which was inspired by an incident in 1965 that also took place in Pennsylvania.
"What would it take for a new British left-wing party to succeed?"
For a start, it could try ditching Corbyn...
For a start, it could try ditching Corbyn...
July 11, 2025 at 4:05 PM
"What would it take for a new British left-wing party to succeed?"
For a start, it could try ditching Corbyn...
For a start, it could try ditching Corbyn...
From my position the UK, what consistently strikes me every time Vance appears is just how mindlessly awful he is. I mean, truly horrible. If it's not bad enough that he appears to be utterly useless as a politician, he is just disgusting as an individual as well.
April 3, 2025 at 4:53 PM
From my position the UK, what consistently strikes me every time Vance appears is just how mindlessly awful he is. I mean, truly horrible. If it's not bad enough that he appears to be utterly useless as a politician, he is just disgusting as an individual as well.
Or, Roberts unexpectedly retires and the appointment of one new Trump loyalist cements his control.
March 5, 2025 at 4:27 PM
Or, Roberts unexpectedly retires and the appointment of one new Trump loyalist cements his control.
Personally, I don't think it matters too much. As a self-confessed cynic when it comes to politics, sometimes cynicism isn't helpful or relevant.
What's important here is that the PM's approach is being backed. What can't happen is that our adversaries see a country divided along partisan lines.
What's important here is that the PM's approach is being backed. What can't happen is that our adversaries see a country divided along partisan lines.
March 2, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Personally, I don't think it matters too much. As a self-confessed cynic when it comes to politics, sometimes cynicism isn't helpful or relevant.
What's important here is that the PM's approach is being backed. What can't happen is that our adversaries see a country divided along partisan lines.
What's important here is that the PM's approach is being backed. What can't happen is that our adversaries see a country divided along partisan lines.