being a fan of an often terrible international team is a real antidote to this
your standards can’t be too high when you’ve watched a 0-0 draw in Cyprus or a home defeat to Kazakhstan
your standards can’t be too high when you’ve watched a 0-0 draw in Cyprus or a home defeat to Kazakhstan
November 29, 2025 at 12:46 PM
being a fan of an often terrible international team is a real antidote to this
your standards can’t be too high when you’ve watched a 0-0 draw in Cyprus or a home defeat to Kazakhstan
your standards can’t be too high when you’ve watched a 0-0 draw in Cyprus or a home defeat to Kazakhstan
(also there's the bizarre culture of people who are fans of the transfer market, but not of watching football games, which is bananas to me)
November 29, 2025 at 12:15 AM
(also there's the bizarre culture of people who are fans of the transfer market, but not of watching football games, which is bananas to me)
terrifying to remember how much online football discourse is created by, and aimed at, 13 year-olds
like, I remember Liverpool being crap in 2012 (46 points in 39 league games) and 2002/03 (two league wins between November and March) but loads of the online fanbase weren't *born* then
like, I remember Liverpool being crap in 2012 (46 points in 39 league games) and 2002/03 (two league wins between November and March) but loads of the online fanbase weren't *born* then
November 29, 2025 at 12:13 AM
terrifying to remember how much online football discourse is created by, and aimed at, 13 year-olds
like, I remember Liverpool being crap in 2012 (46 points in 39 league games) and 2002/03 (two league wins between November and March) but loads of the online fanbase weren't *born* then
like, I remember Liverpool being crap in 2012 (46 points in 39 league games) and 2002/03 (two league wins between November and March) but loads of the online fanbase weren't *born* then
this really really long interview of the two of them from January 1993 is interesting on that score
by then they had both been MPs for about as long as Starmer or Sunak have now
youtu.be/b98QfIR_pBM?...
by then they had both been MPs for about as long as Starmer or Sunak have now
youtu.be/b98QfIR_pBM?...
Tony Blair and Gordon Brown discuss British Labour Party in 1993
YouTube video by ankskag
youtu.be
November 28, 2025 at 6:12 PM
this really really long interview of the two of them from January 1993 is interesting on that score
by then they had both been MPs for about as long as Starmer or Sunak have now
youtu.be/b98QfIR_pBM?...
by then they had both been MPs for about as long as Starmer or Sunak have now
youtu.be/b98QfIR_pBM?...
totally agree, which is why i'm surprised there's been no formal announcement, the way there was for Glasgow Southside
November 28, 2025 at 4:28 PM
totally agree, which is why i'm surprised there's been no formal announcement, the way there was for Glasgow Southside
has Lorna Slater actually been confirmed as running in Edinburgh Central? the Wikipedia sourcing relying on a clumsily-worded branch campaign invite is...questionable, to my eye
November 28, 2025 at 4:16 PM
has Lorna Slater actually been confirmed as running in Edinburgh Central? the Wikipedia sourcing relying on a clumsily-worded branch campaign invite is...questionable, to my eye
waiting on the progress of the Assisted Dying Bill, potentially?
(he's guaranteed the Presiding Officer job if he goes for it next term, imo)
(he's guaranteed the Presiding Officer job if he goes for it next term, imo)
November 28, 2025 at 4:15 PM
waiting on the progress of the Assisted Dying Bill, potentially?
(he's guaranteed the Presiding Officer job if he goes for it next term, imo)
(he's guaranteed the Presiding Officer job if he goes for it next term, imo)
the next US election should recreate the exact format of the 1960 Kennedy-Nixon ones - with eight minute opening statements and three minute closing ones
November 28, 2025 at 2:45 PM
the next US election should recreate the exact format of the 1960 Kennedy-Nixon ones - with eight minute opening statements and three minute closing ones
"some people are doing well out of the current economy, but that's bad" was pretty much Corbyn's argument as Labour leader!
November 28, 2025 at 12:38 PM
"some people are doing well out of the current economy, but that's bad" was pretty much Corbyn's argument as Labour leader!
the amount of true facts about Ed Davey that sound like bollocks is astounding
like how he got recruited to be a spy as a teenager, for example
like how he got recruited to be a spy as a teenager, for example
November 27, 2025 at 10:21 PM
the amount of true facts about Ed Davey that sound like bollocks is astounding
like how he got recruited to be a spy as a teenager, for example
like how he got recruited to be a spy as a teenager, for example
(but by the same token: no-one remembers all the offshore windfarms Ed Davey signed off in Cabinet, or gives him credit for it)
November 27, 2025 at 10:02 PM
(but by the same token: no-one remembers all the offshore windfarms Ed Davey signed off in Cabinet, or gives him credit for it)
oh yeah that's the big one, and more irreversible than people assume, because the infrastructure will be so built by 2029 that it will be literally more expensive to cancel than complete
November 27, 2025 at 10:01 PM
oh yeah that's the big one, and more irreversible than people assume, because the infrastructure will be so built by 2029 that it will be literally more expensive to cancel than complete
(2027 might not be the Starmer era etc. etc. but you get the gist)
November 27, 2025 at 9:40 PM
(2027 might not be the Starmer era etc. etc. but you get the gist)
weird to think about which Starmer-era policies will become permanent
my belief that politics is mostly bins and potholes makes me feel like the Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers (due 2027) will probs be one of the only things people notice and remember, tbh
my belief that politics is mostly bins and potholes makes me feel like the Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers (due 2027) will probs be one of the only things people notice and remember, tbh
November 27, 2025 at 9:40 PM
weird to think about which Starmer-era policies will become permanent
my belief that politics is mostly bins and potholes makes me feel like the Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers (due 2027) will probs be one of the only things people notice and remember, tbh
my belief that politics is mostly bins and potholes makes me feel like the Deposit Return Scheme for drinks containers (due 2027) will probs be one of the only things people notice and remember, tbh
it's the UK Government future-proofing themselves by setting up a tax on EVs that will eventually replace fuel duty as a source of tax revenue as EVs replace fossil-fuel vehicles
a Chancellor was going to have to do it at some point (but fuel duty is still too low imo)
a Chancellor was going to have to do it at some point (but fuel duty is still too low imo)
November 26, 2025 at 6:28 PM
it's the UK Government future-proofing themselves by setting up a tax on EVs that will eventually replace fuel duty as a source of tax revenue as EVs replace fossil-fuel vehicles
a Chancellor was going to have to do it at some point (but fuel duty is still too low imo)
a Chancellor was going to have to do it at some point (but fuel duty is still too low imo)
we need to bring back the tradition of the Chancellor having a themed beverage at the Dispatch Box too
doesn't have to be booze, could be a giant mocktail with a sparkler in it, or a mug of tea, or a Huel
doesn't have to be booze, could be a giant mocktail with a sparkler in it, or a mug of tea, or a Huel
November 26, 2025 at 10:35 AM
we need to bring back the tradition of the Chancellor having a themed beverage at the Dispatch Box too
doesn't have to be booze, could be a giant mocktail with a sparkler in it, or a mug of tea, or a Huel
doesn't have to be booze, could be a giant mocktail with a sparkler in it, or a mug of tea, or a Huel
the Loch Ness Monster being on this list just reminded me of the romantasy author that misgendered Nessie last year
www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/6398...
www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/6398...
New book about Loch Ness Monster sparks controversy over Nessie's gender
The novel portrays the famous mythical creature as male.
www.pressandjournal.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 10:36 PM
the Loch Ness Monster being on this list just reminded me of the romantasy author that misgendered Nessie last year
www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/6398...
www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/6398...
the man who sued the UK Government in the ECHR, leading to the legalisation of homosexuality in Northern Ireland in 1982, is *still alive*
November 25, 2025 at 5:57 PM
the man who sued the UK Government in the ECHR, leading to the legalisation of homosexuality in Northern Ireland in 1982, is *still alive*
consider, e.g. Coventry South - a voter gets a leaflet from Zarah Sultana saying "i'm the incumbent MP", a leaflet from Labour saying "we won here last time" and the Greens saying "we won this Council ward and are the biggest party on the Council"
who do they vote for to beat Reform?
who do they vote for to beat Reform?
November 25, 2025 at 12:12 PM
consider, e.g. Coventry South - a voter gets a leaflet from Zarah Sultana saying "i'm the incumbent MP", a leaflet from Labour saying "we won here last time" and the Greens saying "we won this Council ward and are the biggest party on the Council"
who do they vote for to beat Reform?
who do they vote for to beat Reform?
still, looking forward to reading about which currency traders get rich and make their name over shorting an independent Scotland’s currency and bonds when the time comes
November 25, 2025 at 11:45 AM
still, looking forward to reading about which currency traders get rich and make their name over shorting an independent Scotland’s currency and bonds when the time comes
amazed this viewpoint survived the real-world experiment of whether there are actually external economic constraints on a UK Government, which was conducted by Liz Truss, and concluded with 100% proof that there are
November 25, 2025 at 11:40 AM
amazed this viewpoint survived the real-world experiment of whether there are actually external economic constraints on a UK Government, which was conducted by Liz Truss, and concluded with 100% proof that there are
actual former Scottish Government Minister Lorna Slater is an on-the-record MMT believer, btw, definitely a thing in the Green ecosystem
November 25, 2025 at 11:36 AM
actual former Scottish Government Minister Lorna Slater is an on-the-record MMT believer, btw, definitely a thing in the Green ecosystem
the biggest red flag for Polanski was him having an MMT guy on his podcast who has been involved in Scottish indy circles
and the problem with attacking him politically over it, as in Scotland, is voters won't believe that the proposals are *that* crazy
(they are)
and the problem with attacking him politically over it, as in Scotland, is voters won't believe that the proposals are *that* crazy
(they are)
November 25, 2025 at 11:34 AM
the biggest red flag for Polanski was him having an MMT guy on his podcast who has been involved in Scottish indy circles
and the problem with attacking him politically over it, as in Scotland, is voters won't believe that the proposals are *that* crazy
(they are)
and the problem with attacking him politically over it, as in Scotland, is voters won't believe that the proposals are *that* crazy
(they are)
quite like the idea of a romcom/Hallmark movie plot where the chief strategist (a villain) wants to spend more time with his politician wife, so he tanks the political party he’s helping run so she loses her career and they can be together
November 24, 2025 at 11:05 PM
quite like the idea of a romcom/Hallmark movie plot where the chief strategist (a villain) wants to spend more time with his politician wife, so he tanks the political party he’s helping run so she loses her career and they can be together
if you think Westminster Committees are bad, try Holyrood or, heaven forbid, Stormont
November 24, 2025 at 5:02 PM
if you think Westminster Committees are bad, try Holyrood or, heaven forbid, Stormont