banner
pauliewaulie.bsky.social
Paul Evans
@pauliewaulie.bsky.social
780 followers 1.8K following 3.2K posts
Representative Democracy ultra. History, economics, film/TV policy, workplace & unions. Posts often conversational gambits. Views mine only. NFFC & Mayo GAA. https://paul-evans.org & https://pauliewaulie.substack.com Banner quote: NeinQuarterly.
paul-evans.org
Posts Media Videos Starter Packs
Pinned
pauliewaulie.bsky.social
Paul Evans @pauliewaulie.bsky.social · Jan 1
Because we have stopped paying directly for news, we have made it possible for dark money to disenfranchise us.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
4 9 18
pauliewaulie.bsky.social
Paul Evans @pauliewaulie.bsky.social · 4h
"Antisemitism is a light sleeper." - Conor Cruise O'Brien.
1
Reposted by Paul Evans
dreamwisp.bsky.social
Jennifer Kretchmer @dreamwisp.bsky.social · 15h
Because it feels relevant as we continue to evaluate the media and our representatives’ statements, my favorite way to identify the active vs. passive voice.
A post by Rebecca Johnson: “I finally learned how to teach my guys to ID the passive voice. If you can insert "by zombies" after the verb, you have passive voice.” A tumblr respond from mightymur: “The final, brilliant word on passive voice. "She was killed [by zombies.]"<--passive "Zombies killed [by zombies] her." <-- active”
560 1.4K
pauliewaulie.bsky.social
Paul Evans @pauliewaulie.bsky.social · 16h
Tempted to add “wrong answers only?” to that question….
pauliewaulie.bsky.social
Paul Evans @pauliewaulie.bsky.social · 17h
Here’s a (possibly) economically ignorant policy question:

Shouldn’t we offer a stamp duty holiday to people who sell their *only* house to buy another one *of a higher value*?

Wouldn’t this supercharge the right sort of demand in the economy?
1
pauliewaulie.bsky.social
Paul Evans @pauliewaulie.bsky.social · 17h
I genuinely wonder if some of them have a private understanding that hastening a Tory collapse will get them selected as a Reform candidate in ‘29? Far fetched?
1 1
pauliewaulie.bsky.social
Paul Evans @pauliewaulie.bsky.social · 17h
Does anyone know what The Conservative Party’s broad plan is because I don’t.
1
Reposted by Paul Evans
sundersays.bsky.social
Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 17h
The Conservatives are obviously in a lot of political trouble, because they have lost support after their 24% worst ever result

A quirk that has not been noticed: resilient/loyal Conservatives are more likely to be ethnic minorities and Scottish voters than white British voters in England!
9 16 87
pauliewaulie.bsky.social
Paul Evans @pauliewaulie.bsky.social · 1d
He's running!
1
Reposted by Paul Evans
josiah.writes.news
Josiah Mortimer @josiah.writes.news · 1d
"Stories sent out by this AI-powered PR writing and distribution tool have already landed coverage in outlets including the Daily Mail, Nottingham World, Lancs Live and GB News"
pressgazette.co.uk/news/automat...
Automated PR tool is bombarding UK media with AI-generated content
'Olivia Brown' reads websites, writes press releases then 'relentlessly' sends emails.
pressgazette.co.uk
1 13 23
pauliewaulie.bsky.social
Paul Evans @pauliewaulie.bsky.social · 1d
I'd put the inverted commas around 'investigating' and not 'strange death' in this sub-head....
metro.co.uk/2025/10/06/r...
Russian newspaper head mysteriously falls 70ft to his death from a window
The veteran publisher died on Saturday. Police are investigating the 'strange death'.
metro.co.uk
2
pauliewaulie.bsky.social
Paul Evans @pauliewaulie.bsky.social · 1d
If such a mistake (or it were made in a deliberate form) by almost any other organisation apart from the BBC, it would be completely ignored. And in this case the BBC were making this mistake of amplifying disinformation that had been widely circulated already.
1
pauliewaulie.bsky.social
Paul Evans @pauliewaulie.bsky.social · 1d
Grounds for hope?
jensfoell.de
Dr. Jens Foell @jensfoell.de · 1d
This sounds plausible to me. But if it’s true, it means that the age of social media might be over soon, with only the old and wrinkled (like myself) spending any actual time there.
1 2
Reposted by Paul Evans
profjacob.bsky.social
Jacob Öberg @profjacob.bsky.social · 2d
🚨🚨 "The ECHR is not some foreign imposition that curtails our sovereignty. It was born of British leadership after the horrors of the Second World War, drafted with heavy British influence, and championed by Winston Churchill himself". Great stuff by Sir Robert Buckland KC:
16 240 490
Reposted by Paul Evans
financialtimes.com
Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 1d
New data shows the ways millions of people have integrated AI into their everyday lives. Also, it suggests that for now at least, AI is an individual productivity tool — both at work and in our personal lives — rather than the broader workplace disrupter many in Big Tech predicted. on.ft.com/47cKBVN
11 15 34
Reposted by Paul Evans
cleanpowerdave.bsky.social
Dave Jones @cleanpowerdave.bsky.social · 1d
NEW: GLOBAL RENEWABLES OVERTAKES COAL

How the heck did that happen so quickly?!...🧵
14 170 420
pauliewaulie.bsky.social
Paul Evans @pauliewaulie.bsky.social · 1d
Ok I’m struggling to believe this. I tried and concluded that no-one *could* read it.
1
pauliewaulie.bsky.social
Paul Evans @pauliewaulie.bsky.social · 1d
This *looks* quite like an open declaration of war to me... www.irishtimes.com/world/europe...
1
pauliewaulie.bsky.social
Paul Evans @pauliewaulie.bsky.social · 1d
Damn! I was right and you were wrong all along!
pauliewaulie.bsky.social
Paul Evans @pauliewaulie.bsky.social · 2d
I do mean that. A daft choice of words on my part.
1
pauliewaulie.bsky.social
Paul Evans @pauliewaulie.bsky.social · 2d
... but anyone interested in engaging with the arguments can find them here: medium.com/@pauliewauli...
Imagine we could re-design democracy from scratch? What would it look like?
We may have reached a point in history where the trajectory that democracy has taken needs to change dramatically, if it is to survive as a…
medium.com
pauliewaulie.bsky.social
Paul Evans @pauliewaulie.bsky.social · 2d
Perhaps one day we will look back and say "what made us think that electoral politics was the best way to drive a Representative Democracy?"

It contains *so* many incentives that work against good governance.

(yes, I know, that's an incredibly counterintuitive argument).
jackkessler.bsky.social
Jack Kessler @jackkessler.bsky.social · 2d
Has Labour learned anything from Remain?

The government actually has to make a case for the things it believes — or risk proving the populists right.

✍️ www.linestotake.com/p/has-labour...

My newsletter, out now.
All governments relied upon — if not revelled in — claiming they couldn’t do things because of the EU, whether that be state aid restrictions or free movement of people. For example, every time a failing sector appealed to ministers for a bailout, the Treasury would always reply with words to the effect of: “We’d absolutely love to help. We’d like nothing more than to pour billions of pounds of taxpayer money into this bottomless pit. But EU state aid rules prevent us from doing so. Such a shame though!” Where on Earth did voters get the idea that EU membership was more trouble than it was worth? Why did governments never bother explaining the reason for state aid regulations, and the fact that Britain was so often the one pushing for them in Brussels (answer: to stop those sneaky French and Germans from unfairly supporting their own national champions). In other words, over multiple political generations, we got used to simply abandoning the principle of advocating for things on their own merits. This is not a purely British disease, mind you. Friend of the newsletter and Director of UK in a Changing Europe Anand Menon, recalled a conversation with a European Commission official, who told him of a visit from a French minister begging them to block more state aid to Air France, before adding: “Obviously, we’ll criticise you if you do it.”
1 2
pauliewaulie.bsky.social
Paul Evans @pauliewaulie.bsky.social · 2d
I've spoken to moderate Ulster Unionists who look with real envy at the GAA bonds, with all of their social capital. Some only struggle to stomach going to games in parks named after republicans.
pauliewaulie.bsky.social
Paul Evans @pauliewaulie.bsky.social · 2d
In some ways this applies in England as well. Many of us are passionately loyal to our locality - and our local football teams. As a football supporter, the support for England often feels confected. One thing that unites many Englishmen is a hatred of the International Breaks.
pauliewaulie.bsky.social
Paul Evans @pauliewaulie.bsky.social · 2d
it's interesting the way that the national flag is used in Ireland. Usually, county and parish flags are absolutely everywhere - particular if there are big games coming up.

In many ways the real motivating loyalty is to the local lot the national. The appearance of a tricolour can be jarring.
lauramca.bsky.social
Laura McAtackney @lauramca.bsky.social · 3d
Let’s not kid ourselves there isn’t something very sinister about allowing city centres to be covered by tricolours erected by the Far Right in Ireland and few moves to take them down. The national flag is not the problem but how it’s being used as an intimidatory and exclusionary symbol.
3 2
Reposted by Paul Evans
jackkessler.bsky.social
Jack Kessler @jackkessler.bsky.social · 2d
Has Labour learned anything from Remain?

The government actually has to make a case for the things it believes — or risk proving the populists right.

✍️ www.linestotake.com/p/has-labour...

My newsletter, out now.
All governments relied upon — if not revelled in — claiming they couldn’t do things because of the EU, whether that be state aid restrictions or free movement of people. For example, every time a failing sector appealed to ministers for a bailout, the Treasury would always reply with words to the effect of: “We’d absolutely love to help. We’d like nothing more than to pour billions of pounds of taxpayer money into this bottomless pit. But EU state aid rules prevent us from doing so. Such a shame though!” Where on Earth did voters get the idea that EU membership was more trouble than it was worth? Why did governments never bother explaining the reason for state aid regulations, and the fact that Britain was so often the one pushing for them in Brussels (answer: to stop those sneaky French and Germans from unfairly supporting their own national champions). In other words, over multiple political generations, we got used to simply abandoning the principle of advocating for things on their own merits. This is not a purely British disease, mind you. Friend of the newsletter and Director of UK in a Changing Europe Anand Menon, recalled a conversation with a European Commission official, who told him of a visit from a French minister begging them to block more state aid to Air France, before adding: “Obviously, we’ll criticise you if you do it.”
1 12 16