Stephen JC

I think we all know how.

Fun fact: Flávio didnt actually want to run. He's always been a lazy low profile bum who just wanted to quietly steal. The plan was for his brother Eduardo to do so, but he fucked up and is now in exile. He only did because his father made him, as he wanted power to stay in the family.

In fact I will say the Earnest and Pious Charismatic Ethnic Minority political figure (AOC, Mamdani, El-Sayed) has been a pretty good bet for the American left so far, whereas the Disaffected Gruff White Guy Showcasing True Masculinity (Fetterman, Platner) has been a worse bet. Just an observation.

If rejoining the EU gets stopped in its tracks, the Today programme will have had a big part to play in it.

Well, fuck me. 😮 #Brazil

Availability of good-quality chocolate. Cancer treatment. Woman composers’ work being played at concerts. People generally look younger and healthier because they hydrate better. Same-sex marriage. Clean air in cities.

"70% of the internet" is a much bandied phrase at mo. Its bollocks. 70% of the internet does not run on PHP. You probably have a sense of that from all the many sites peeps use that arent down. Using that phrase does security work a diservice since it can panic people, including less techie Execs

OK, folks, how seriously should I take all the prepping stuff the BBC is pushing?

I am theologically confident, even as the chief of sinners, that JD Vance will experience hell

I’ve only seen ‘The Devils’ once, but my summarised recollection is that it was beautifully designed but mostly just silly.

Please read my lil exposé of what AI is doing to property listings. Estate agents are jazzing up the photos without declaring it so now they all look identical - these three ‘photos‘ are of entirely different properties: heawood.substack.com/p/its-the-de...

Tribalism is an incredibly strong force.

Robinson is pushing Rayner to answer a question on NEET benefits he knows she cant answer (whatever 'it' is, the policy hasnt been announced yet). It makes for tedious radio. Dont bother Nick - you're just seeking clickbait scoop and its boring. #bbcr4today

My stepmother, born in 1933, was head teacher of a multi-ethnic school where all religious holidays were celebrated (long before it became commonplace to do so). She was briefly hounded by the press for reporting a racist police officer.

Well, indeed.

Oh thank God. I was worried his presidential campaign might get some traction in ‘28.

Two days in a stuffy side office on my own, calling up microfilmed documents from a database and photocopying them. No interaction with any other human. No one said it was a temp contract, so when I showed up the third day they asked why I was there.

And if I could recommend one thing, right now, for every trans person hearing the news with dread: making a plan helps. What's your medical plan in case of emergency? Who are the people you can rely on? Do you know the local and national groups who can support you? Friendship trees? Mutual aid?

Leaving X has, I'm pretty sure, hit my bookings and career. But it comes at the massive bonus of a) my own mental wellbeing and b) not providing free content for the owner of Starlink:

I work with a lot of organisations to write their acceptable use policies for AI - these are typically quite granular and specific. This charter is, I think, completely useless and it points to the OECD framework which is, likewise, a bit of well-meaning fluff www.unesco.org/en/artificia...

Have touchscreens become more sensitive? I constantly find myself accidentally swiping, or opening an ad, just touching a micromillimetre into the wrong area.

It's really remarkable how in race after race, Republicans are saddled with the worst candidates imaginable - Paxton, Whatley, Husted, Rogers, Marshall, Moody, M. Collins, Graham... Some of them may win, but my god what a collection of losers, crooks, and dumbasses

I hate when they set films in the olden days because they didn't have cameras then. Not very realistic!

Smelly Heroes

Can’t stop listening to this. Satie’s 1st Gnossienne, but with the score inverted. It actually sounds great (and, in a major key, pretty good-natured). Played through a midi, so the performance is mechanical, but you get the idea. youtu.be/5C6YV4nxv3E?...

"You crossed the wrong people, motherfucker."

I tried to look up that Amazon profile thing, and discovered that it’s so long since I last used Amazon that it no longer recognises my login.

The idea that "EU doesn't want Brits back in" is absurd as the claim that the "EU will let Brits back on British terms". The EU will want certain things if the UK wants to join, and if the UK government and its voters accept those things the Brits can become members of the EU again.

Funny this has cropped up, but this is the first year I’ve noticed how rapidly the sun sets in October. Bright at 6pm, pitch dark at 6.30pm. None of those slow, gentle, languorous sunsets we get in July.

If you see this we IMPLORE you to post a picture from whatever device you’re using without explanation.

@deeplyclassical.bsky.social I just had a quick listen to parts of Rattle’s new Bavarian Mahler 2. Really not keen on the acoustic, I wonder if its being live is a factor. Quite boomy, I feel. Also he seems to be getting faster each time he records it. Berlin was better, CBSO still best IMO.

If there’s one thing I’ve learned from 40 years of following politics, it’s that voters are always sure the stove won’t be hot this time. Or at the very least, “it can’t be as hot as the kettle was when I touched that.” www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

“By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our use of cookies.” No, you’re supposed to give me an opt-out option. If my only opt-out option is not to use your site, I’m not using your fucking site.

... yet all of their policies are more of the same. 50,000 prison places (60% more than now) is ridiculous in its own right, let alone funding (we dont have that much foreign aid left). Conservatism is hollowed out - and she's doing nothing. bsky.app/profile/drje...

On the importance of asking the right questions in politics.

Can’t see myself using it as I no longer frequent any of the areas it covers, but any network that allows one to get more easily around outer London is welcome. Also I gather the WLO would be very easy to build as much of the track is already in place.

Was curious about the whole going "we need to be where we were 40 years ago" thing. Found this from the ONS - real disposable incomes today are almost twice that of 1986. Obviously there's a lot that needs fixing (housing!). But I feel like this is relevant...? www.ons.gov.uk/economy/gros...