David Rafferty

Putting this out there: the argument the Supreme Court will accept for allowing Trump to run again in 2028 is that he won in 2020, making this already his third term, meaning the disqualifying amendment is irrelevant anyway.

I’ve worked out my stance: in politics, you are only (morally) justified in pushing your opponents to extreme measures if that helps you win. Otherwise, the political system suffers unnecessary damage and you have still lost. Better to surrender up front. This is (partly) why I hate Cato.

Books are, relatively, cheaper than when I was a teenager. The books I wanted to buy in the 90s mostly cost $12-15. The ones my daughter wants to buy now are still under $20. That’s a very low increase over thirty years.

That question the other day about what frivolous thing you would do with $25 million? I would get perfect replicas of the Boscoreale frescos painted in my house. I love them so much.

Fresco details of bedroom from the Villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale buried by the eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD. 🔎 It has a striking resemblance w/ details in Sienese art, don’t you think? More: substack.com/@ideasroadshow 🗃️ #arthistory #skystorians #frescofriday 🏺 #frescofriday #art

When the Glazers came in to Man Utd, I remember saying that the club would essentially be paying €50 million a year for the privilege of being owned by them rather than by someone else. The fact was obvious, but I’m surprised the amount was also right. £1 billion over 21 years.

Both sides are going into this election so supremely confident they’ll win that, if they don’t, it can only be because the other side cheated. Against a background of one side cheating. This won’t go well.

Looking for something to do on a Wednesday night? Did you enjoy the Odyssey? Come along to the City Library and learn more about the inspiration for the film with the La Trobe Classics in the City series! www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/la-trobe-cla...

Just scheduling this so it posts DEEP into the North American timezone www.instagram.com/reel/Dei1tQI...

We need to take all these possibilities seriously.

Who had a better 2012: Lionel Messi or dril?

What’s the deal with the Brentford supporters booing MacAllister all the time?

Wall paintings from a 'cubiculum nocturnum' (bedroom) Roman, Late Republican, c. 50-40 BC. From the villa of P. Fannius Synistor at Boscoreale (Room M). In the collections of The Met, NYC (1903 03.14.13 a-g). Photo is my own. #FrescoFriday

It’s Malaya. Trump wants to give a job to that charismatic winner, Arthur Percival.

As someone who has published an article on Roman voting: it was harder than this to vote in ancient Rome. But not by much. Also you got bribes to show up.

Two-seater quadcopter. And all the Loebs.

Ok gotta admit the new Tesla release somehow cut through all my cynicism straight to my child core & reminded me that sometimes shit is just cool. I truly cannot wait to get my own hat (yes I think it’s stylish fuck the haters) full of infinite rabbits

The question, always, is not how it takes to earn an amount, but how long to save it.

@radiofreetom.bsky.social Tom, it’s your time to shine:

You guys should check out Tool

My brain instinctively processes “Luchador” as “Brazilian central midfielder who decided to play for Portugal”.

I lost interest in Plato’s Socratic dialogues because of the lack of speaking parts for Darryl.

Man Utd v Spurs was a very English sitcom style of comedy: plenty for the viewer to laugh at, yet built on the feeling that the characters lead very sad, depressing lives. A bit like Open All Hours or Men Behaving Badly.

Closest equivalent: the Japanese letting US-to-Soviet Lend Lease pass through.

My “I am not the wallet inspector” tshirt is raising a lot of questions already answered by my shirt.

With alt text

I worked in (mostly) ethical tech for 29 years to pay the bills. One of my favorite pro bono projects is LatLex, The Latin Lexicon, an online Latin dictionary. I'm the jack-of-all-trades -- and I do mean all -- proprietor of the alive and active latinlexicon.org. Click the links for updates!

You know how sometimes you get the title and the story flows from that? Anyway, i wish we’d got a Terry Pratchett book (a witches book) called Faetal Attraction.

I only just realised City’s first game is at Liverpool. If Anfield were to put on a giant tifo, what should it say?

Your #ErinPhillipsMedal Heat One Top 40 Number 15 (20 votes) Cornflake Girl - Tori Amos youtu.be/w_HA5Czhtx4?...

Your #ErinPhillipsMedal Heat One Top 40 Number 14 (21 votes) Teardrop - Massive Attack youtu.be/u7K72X4eo_s?...

I only just realised City’s first game is at Liverpool. If Anfield were to put on a giant tifo, what should it say?

James Connolly has entered the chat.

Voting is open in the #ErinPhillipsMedal. The list below contains 100 songs sung by women. Give us your 3-2-1.

Pessimism of the intellect, optimism of the will...? tdunlop.substack.com/p/pessimism-...

Uncle Junior and Carmela

As bad for mental health as sites like Bluesky are, let us remember that some people voluntarily watch morning television.

Sejanus can’t say fuck you. Only Tiberius can.

i have a new theory of Social Media Bad. a lot of ink has been spilled about the addictive qualities of twitterlike social media, including many allegations of developer use of "dark patterns" and self conscious "engagement maximizing", but i'd like to propose something a little more mundane.

the reason twitterlikes have this two-attractors structure is that they're low-throughput, high-latency, stochastic, unpredictable communication channels. i get on here because i want to have conversations. intellectual stimulation, learning, clever debating. i don't get that IRL, and i crave it.

back of the envelope math: a ship of the line was 100 times* more expensive than a trireme leading to the obvious question, could 100 triremes take a ship of the line?

Pelicans were relaunched a few years ago, and there are some very fine titles, e.g.