Slideman

Mediaeval equivalent of getting yer passport stamped on entry & having 2 show it on exit. The Lombards in the 740s instituted a passport system on the Alpine frontier for pilgrims 2 Rome, giving them a sealed document which they expected back on the return journey.” (Wickham: Inheritance of Rome)

I’ve known this for a long time, but wasn’t allowed to say it. It’s nice I now can 😀

Elon Musk threatens Congress.

Republican candidate’s campaign website accidentally publishes AI prompt: “The president is not popular, so all messaging should be focused on local politics and needs." www.yahoo.com/news/politic...

All Russia has to do to end the war in Ukraine overnight is withdraw its troops to its own borders. What Ukraine would have to do to end the war so easily is die, whether quickly or slowly.

Fair Q

“Using an advanced surveillance capability such as a cell-site simulator against members of the free press for reporting stories that are unfavorable to the president is an appalling attack on the First Amendment...” www.wired.com/story/feds-g...

As the UK took centre stage at one of Europe’s biggest music showcases, access to the Schengen area and the 90/180 day rule is constantly hampering British artists’ and crews’ ability to tour the EU. There is a simple fix – and it is already on the Prime Minister’s desk | Tim Brennan

A German friend tried to visit Acadia National Park and learned that the non-resident entry fee is now $100/pp. MAGA has not a iota of interest in its version of Olympia’36, with enraptured visitors reporting home about how wonderful everything is www.nps.gov/aboutus/nonr...

"Among the first to appear before the judge was Angel, a 13-year-old. He had no attorney. “Would you like to request voluntary departure, or should I issue a removal order?” the judge asked “I don’t know,” Angel said, bursting into tears: “I have no one. I have nothing.” www.cnn.com/2026/09/28/p...

you will encounter more opportunities in life to change the batteries on a smoke alarm than you will to run into a burning building and no one gives a shit you changed those batteries but it is still very important and why are you waiting on a burning building, know what i’m saying, it’s a metaphor

Why does Google Translate offer me both PT and BR Portuguese when I’m on line, but only BR to download? #portuguese #portugal #brazil

Dr. Anthony Fauci urges Americans not to accept "Normalization of Untruths".

This serves as advertisement for Alex Gibney’s documentary, Musk, opening October 9. Pass it on.

Can’t believe no one has ever thought of the idea of selling us hot food. I, for one, am both excited and, if I’m honest, a little apprehensive about the idea of warm food. www.ft.com/content/bdb6... Subway rival bets hot sandwiches will sell in UK’s ‘cold and rain’

@timmiller.bsky.social and @anneapplebaum.wsocial.eu on the U.S.-controlled system for selling Venezuelan oil and assets: "Congress doesn’t have oversight...there’s just rogue bank accounts out there with Venezuelan money."

Word of the day: Bildungsaufsteiger.

Your regular reminder: If the Russians stop fighting, the war ends. If the Ukrainians stop fighting, their land will be occupied, their leaders will be killed, their history and language will be erased, their children will be kidnapped to serve Russia.

78% of identified microelectronics in the Iskander-M ballistic missile’s navigation system are of US origin, according to the B4Ukraine coalition of civil society organizations Cutting off access to these components should be a key export-control priority 📷 B4Ukraine

Apparently people are sharing this far and wide on social media, which I think is horrible. This could cripple ICE operations. PLEASE do not share this.

Donations apart… the immediate state of emergency; getting Parliament to sit 24 hours a day, 6 days a week; the threats to stuff the House of Lords, gut the Civil Service, and neuter the judiciary; and the policy of deporting immigrants en masse… ought to be ringing alarm bells.

Farage is making it very plain that if Reform wins power they will permit no change or scrutiny to their plans from parliament, the judiciary or officials, under a state of emergency. Anyone who objects will be replaced.

If they want the Bible to be taught in school, then I want science to be taught in church.

I got the shot. I've been scheming and hoping the conditions would work out for this for two weeks!! 🪶

One of the best job applications ever written came from the hands of Robert Pirosh in 1934. MGM loved it, took him on and in 1949 he won an Oscar for ‘Battleground’.

Rethinking this

I keep thinking about all white male liars in positions of power right now, who everyone knows are liars, are lying in a way that materially damages other people and whom everyone is pretending aren’t liars. The contrast.

Radoslav Vnenčák: Částečné zatmění slunce ve své největší fázi a moje milovaná Katedrála svatého Víta, Václava a Vojtěcha #viafb #cfoto #Prague

Stats on this (Census, British Social Attitudes Survey…), primarily about self-identity, not belief or practice. But identity is the issue here, so it’s a reasonable approach. Based on practice, >90% of us would be excluded (only about 10% attend a service at least monthly, far less weekly)

Around 50% of the country is non-religious, 10% non-Christian religious (mostly Muslim), 40% Christian, of which about half are neither Anglican or Catholic, many Pentecostal, or independent evangelical. 10-12% of Christians are non-white. By Restore‘s logic, 65% of us are non-British.

What is truly dreadful is that Somerset is a unitary authority so has responsibilities for children and vulnerable adults. It would be scandalous for such a person to receive safeguarding clearance.

Ruins, roots, that sort of thing

That's a good one. But I prefer this (used in our book):

My Scottish political contacts deriding #Sarwar ’s peerage.

If you’re picking fights with Canadians, you don’t have a friend in the world.

With a bit of careful planning and a small number of martyrs we could jail the entire set of FTSE 100 CEOs