@neilfoxlee.bsky.social
My suggestion was based on Marie describing herself as "awkward" as a teenager. For e.g. a monarch feeling awkward (in an awkward situation), I'd suggest "“mal à l'aise”.
December 17, 2025 at 9:34 AM
My suggestion was based on Marie describing herself as "awkward" as a teenager. For e.g. a monarch feeling awkward (in an awkward situation), I'd suggest "“mal à l'aise”.
As I've suggested elsewhere in this thread, both they and we have "gauche", if that's the sense of "awkward" you mean.
December 17, 2025 at 9:16 AM
As I've suggested elsewhere in this thread, both they and we have "gauche", if that's the sense of "awkward" you mean.
See www.quora.com/What-does-sa... (Yves Granger, 2nd comment). He suggests "heavy moron" (new to me!), but "moron" is seen as ableist these days. "Fucking idiots/twats" (UK) or "dumb assholes" (US)?
What does 'sale conne' mean in French?
Answer (1 of 7): As most people have already answer “conne” is the feminine of “con” which literally means “cunt” but can also means “asshole” (in the insulting way not the actual physiological… hum… ...
www.quora.com
December 17, 2025 at 9:12 AM
See www.quora.com/What-does-sa... (Yves Granger, 2nd comment). He suggests "heavy moron" (new to me!), but "moron" is seen as ableist these days. "Fucking idiots/twats" (UK) or "dumb assholes" (US)?
As a Reddit post noted 8 years ago, "sale" in this context is an amplifier: "une sale conne isn’t une pauvre conne, it’s worse… (BTW this graduation is the same for the masculine: con, pauvre con, sale con). [Con] means ‘moron’ or ‘twat’ (I definitely wouldn't think of ‘bitch’ as a translation)."
December 17, 2025 at 9:01 AM
As a Reddit post noted 8 years ago, "sale" in this context is an amplifier: "une sale conne isn’t une pauvre conne, it’s worse… (BTW this graduation is the same for the masculine: con, pauvre con, sale con). [Con] means ‘moron’ or ‘twat’ (I definitely wouldn't think of ‘bitch’ as a translation)."
Ofc, it all depends what, in context, you mean by 'awkward', but in some contexts, there's a word common to French and English: 'gauche'. You could argue that it's usually used to describe other people rather than oneself, though (unlike Marie above).
December 16, 2025 at 6:10 PM
Ofc, it all depends what, in context, you mean by 'awkward', but in some contexts, there's a word common to French and English: 'gauche'. You could argue that it's usually used to describe other people rather than oneself, though (unlike Marie above).
"We want those [enforced deportations] to be as seamless as possible, particularly with children. So we are going to ramp up our appetite there."
Seamless? Ramp up our appetite???
www.thenational.scot/news/2567530...
Seamless? Ramp up our appetite???
www.thenational.scot/news/2567530...
Labour minister wants 'seamless' deportation of UK-born children
THE Home Office hopes the deportation of UK-born children will be “seamless”, a minister has said.
www.thenational.scot
December 7, 2025 at 10:00 AM
"We want those [enforced deportations] to be as seamless as possible, particularly with children. So we are going to ramp up our appetite there."
Seamless? Ramp up our appetite???
www.thenational.scot/news/2567530...
Seamless? Ramp up our appetite???
www.thenational.scot/news/2567530...
' Why Warren Buffett recommends index funds for most investors.' The legendary American investor has instructed the trustees of his estate to invest 90% of his wife’s inheritance in an S&P 500 index fund and 10% in short-term government bonds after his death. www.trustnet.com/investing/13...
Why Warren Buffett recommends index funds for most investors | Trustnet
News archive including articles on Fund Managers, Fund Selection, Asset Allocation, Absolute Return, Offshore Investments, Tax Shelters, Insurance bonds. Why Warren Buffett recommends index funds for ...
www.trustnet.com
November 29, 2025 at 10:15 AM
' Why Warren Buffett recommends index funds for most investors.' The legendary American investor has instructed the trustees of his estate to invest 90% of his wife’s inheritance in an S&P 500 index fund and 10% in short-term government bonds after his death. www.trustnet.com/investing/13...
Although it only very partially reflects my own, someone who has his taste in music can't be all bad. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p...
BBC Radio 4 - Desert Island Discs, Rt Hon Kenneth Clarke MP
Sue Lawley's castaway is Chancellor of the Exchequer Kenneth Clarke
www.bbc.co.uk
November 22, 2025 at 1:56 PM
Although it only very partially reflects my own, someone who has his taste in music can't be all bad. www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p...
The biggest problem with (and for) Streeting is that he hasn't got a safe seat (528 majority).
November 12, 2025 at 8:15 AM
The biggest problem with (and for) Streeting is that he hasn't got a safe seat (528 majority).
Alternative view, in line with public opinion. bsky.app/profile/stev...
Ahead of Budget, where do voters stand on tax and the dilemmas facing government?
Big new @persuasionuk.bsky.social report out today on this.
TL;DR as risky as breaching the manifesto is for Lab - failing on public services, cost of living and child poverty is *far riskier* for Lab.
🧵
Big new @persuasionuk.bsky.social report out today on this.
TL;DR as risky as breaching the manifesto is for Lab - failing on public services, cost of living and child poverty is *far riskier* for Lab.
🧵
October 29, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Alternative view, in line with public opinion. bsky.app/profile/stev...
I'm getting a "401 - Page not found" message when I click on this. I've also searched and looked on the home page. What's up?
October 6, 2025 at 11:10 AM
I'm getting a "401 - Page not found" message when I click on this. I've also searched and looked on the home page. What's up?
Strictly speaking, you can't 'prebut' something (a claim, criticism or argument) unless you can reasonably anticipate what it's going to be (clearly not the case here). It's more a question of getting the facts out ASAP to forestall malicious rumours & speculation (eg abt the identity of a suspect).
Procatalepsis - Wikipedia
en.m.wikipedia.org
October 4, 2025 at 1:32 PM
Strictly speaking, you can't 'prebut' something (a claim, criticism or argument) unless you can reasonably anticipate what it's going to be (clearly not the case here). It's more a question of getting the facts out ASAP to forestall malicious rumours & speculation (eg abt the identity of a suspect).
Transcript here for those interested: www.ukpol.co.uk/neil-kinnock...
Neil Kinnock – 1985 Labour Party Conference Speech
Below is the text of a speech made by the then Leader of the Labour Party, Neil Kinnock, at the Labour Party Conference in Bournemouth in 1985. Thank you. Comrades, Alan, I think you must be all We…
www.ukpol.co.uk
September 29, 2025 at 10:51 AM
Transcript here for those interested: www.ukpol.co.uk/neil-kinnock...
"Department of Justice (DOJ) officials’ public statements regarding Luigi Mangione have likely broken court rules, a federal judge overseeing the case said Wednesday." thehill.com/regulation/c...
thehill.com
September 26, 2025 at 9:50 PM
"Department of Justice (DOJ) officials’ public statements regarding Luigi Mangione have likely broken court rules, a federal judge overseeing the case said Wednesday." thehill.com/regulation/c...
NB: referring to 'traditions, habits, feel, “the spirit of [a political] party”', not - along with pathos and logos - one of Aristotle's three modes of persuasion in the Rhetoric!
September 24, 2025 at 4:41 PM
NB: referring to 'traditions, habits, feel, “the spirit of [a political] party”', not - along with pathos and logos - one of Aristotle's three modes of persuasion in the Rhetoric!
And I've recently finished this from the same source. Superb scholarship and very timely, with coverage right up to the present.
The West
A comprehensive intellectual history of the idea of the West
press.princeton.edu
September 24, 2025 at 4:29 PM
And I've recently finished this from the same source. Superb scholarship and very timely, with coverage right up to the present.
@chrisgrey.bsky.social "Apologies - the news report linked to in footnote 1 is no longer available." Here's an alternative: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
The road to Royston where flags are sparking pride and panic
The man responsible for the flags says he is motivated by national pride, but some feel uneasy.
www.bbc.co.uk
September 20, 2025 at 4:09 PM
@chrisgrey.bsky.social "Apologies - the news report linked to in footnote 1 is no longer available." Here's an alternative: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Like other political -isms, 'liberalism' is not one thing: it has different strands. It's a contested concept, both in terms of its definition(s) and its evaluation, whether positive or negative. See Ian Dunt's How To Be a Liberal: www.amazon.co.uk/How-Be-Liber... (other suppliers are available)
How to Be a Liberal: The Story of Freedom and the Fight for its Survival: Amazon.co.uk: Dunt, Ian: 9781912454457: Books
Buy How to Be a Liberal: The Story of Freedom and the Fight for its Survival by Dunt, Ian (ISBN: 9781912454457) from Amazon's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
www.amazon.co.uk
September 19, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Like other political -isms, 'liberalism' is not one thing: it has different strands. It's a contested concept, both in terms of its definition(s) and its evaluation, whether positive or negative. See Ian Dunt's How To Be a Liberal: www.amazon.co.uk/How-Be-Liber... (other suppliers are available)
Some context... en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah_N%C...
Mah Nà Mah Nà - Wikipedia
en.m.wikipedia.org
September 13, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Some context... en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mah_N%C...
Sam Bright's report on the Steve Akehurst research I link to above. www.desmog.com/2025/07/15/e...
Exposing Reform’s Oil Ties Significantly Reduces Party Support, New Research Finds
Reform UK’s oil industry interests are a major turn-off for voters, new research reveals. The think tank Persuasion UK tested five anti-Reform messages on 6,000 adults. According to the research, “by ...
www.desmog.com
September 9, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Sam Bright's report on the Steve Akehurst research I link to above. www.desmog.com/2025/07/15/e...
Probably as reported here: strongmessagehere.substack.com/p/what-messa...
What messages might Reform be vulnerable to?
Exploring weaknesses in the Farage brand - an experiment.
strongmessagehere.substack.com
September 9, 2025 at 3:41 PM
Probably as reported here: strongmessagehere.substack.com/p/what-messa...
Thanks - I'm 100 pages in already!
September 7, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Thanks - I'm 100 pages in already!
One of my birthday presents! Read the ToC and preface here: press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691177182/the-west?srsltid=AfmBOopuzyP_FokmQ5MrNH1Cd2jDOEGtafcQ9y7cQt5_ULA6o3XbEfmv#preview Personally, I'd have described it as a conceptual rather than an intellectual history, but no matter...
The West
A comprehensive intellectual history of the idea of the West
press.princeton.edu
September 7, 2025 at 5:59 PM
One of my birthday presents! Read the ToC and preface here: press.princeton.edu/books/hardcover/9780691177182/the-west?srsltid=AfmBOopuzyP_FokmQ5MrNH1Cd2jDOEGtafcQ9y7cQt5_ULA6o3XbEfmv#preview Personally, I'd have described it as a conceptual rather than an intellectual history, but no matter...
A simple question for those who claim to be showing their patriotism by using the St George's flag when it's not St George's Day and England aren't playing: if you're not supporting far-right policies and you're not an English nationalist, why don't you use the Union Jack?
August 29, 2025 at 10:20 AM
A simple question for those who claim to be showing their patriotism by using the St George's flag when it's not St George's Day and England aren't playing: if you're not supporting far-right policies and you're not an English nationalist, why don't you use the Union Jack?