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Iain MacGilleBhràith

@aeonmach.bsky.social

I LIKE a *lot* of shit: sci & tech (my day job!), environment & energy (ecomodernism), politics (~moderate, social-liberalism), culture & language(s), outdoors (mountains, cycling/MTB, sailing), travel, nuance & irony. 
I HATE black-&-white simplism!

3881 Posts2087 Follower2168 Folgt
Dorian Lynskey@dorianlynskey.bsky.social · 5h ago

Are you politically savvy enough not to say something that would allow your name to appear in the same headline as the word "neo-Nazi"? Congratulations! You're sharper than at least two UK party leaders

Iain MacGilleBhràith@aeonmach.bsky.social · 5h ago

If Reform are making political capital out of your (antisemitic) racism then that’s probably a sign that you have crossed a line. (Also of course that Reform are shamelessly hypocritical.)

Hughster@hughster.bsky.social · 11h ago

And yes, far right, not just right. Even though he's standing as a Tory candidate it was clearly his second choice—he obviously wanted to stand as a Reform candidate but they apparently blocked him (about which they're obviously now crowing)

Bonehill-Paine has meanwhile hit back at Reform UK after its leader, Nigel Farage, joined in the criticism of the Conservatives. An image of an email in which Reform thanked him for applying to be a party candidate and informed him that he had passed vetting checks was shared on X by Bonehill-Paine. He also provided evidence indicating that the chair of Reform’s Yeovil branch had written to him as recently as June to ask if he would like to meet to discuss the prospect of standing for the party. A Reform UK spokesperson said: “There’s a reason why Mr Bonehill-Paine wasn’t selected as a Reform UK candidate. Meanwhile, while Kemi Badenoch claims to have a new generation of Tory candidates and says she supports the fight against antisemitism, she is selecting a convicted antisemite to stand for the Conservatives. The hypocrisy is breathtaking.”
Michael Le Page@mjflepage.bsky.social · 9h ago

This really surprised me: a major source of certain pesticides in rivers is hand-washing by pet 🦮🐈 owners 🧪 “We detected [pesticides] in the wash-off even before we asked people to stroke their pets, so they’re just constantly on the hands of pet owners” www.newscientist.com/article/2583...

Should you stop using preventive flea treatments on your pets? | New Scientist

It has been assumed for decades that tick and flea treatments for pets pose no threat to wildlife or people, but there’s growing evidence that we have got it wrong

newscientist.com

Thomas I-G@thomasig.bsky.social · 10h ago

A side note to this insanity. There's a clear pattern from Badenoch of demeaning local public service, diminishing their contributions to society - hence why she thinks 'nice Lib Dems fix church roofs' is such a derogatory statement. It's going to become a lot more jarring with talk of devolution.

James Austin@jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 11h ago

This is *such* a revealing line about Kemi's world view and contempt for those who do the day to day work of keeping our society functioning

Iain MacGilleBhràith@aeonmach.bsky.social · 11h ago

Interesting analysis of the Telegraph’s recent flirtation with climate change reality. Possible factors: good (/s) old editorial like of noise, new ownership, Tory infighting. It concludes - wisely - with a quote from @leohickman.carbonbrief.org to be cautious about this supposed change of heart.

Right turn on green: is the Telegraph changing its tune on the climate?

Flurry of articles has raised eyebrows and prompted a response from Kemi Badenoch defending stance on net zero

theguardian.com

@ironeconomist.bsky.social · 13h ago

It’s true that North Sea oil extraction would have declined anyway but ‘short term’ is doing a lot of work here. The effective tax rate in North Sea profits is now 78%, as there are four extra levies paid that normal corporations don’t pay. researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN...

researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk

Ewan Gibbs@ewangibbs.bsky.social · 5d ago

BP exiting the North Sea is a big moment in the history of the industry and Scotland’s economy. It’s been a long time coming, and marks an end to over a century of petroleum activities and more than 50 years of North Sea drilling. BP’s exit cannot be explained by short term tax policy changes 🧵

Ewan Gibbs@ewangibbs.bsky.social · 5d ago

BP exiting the North Sea is a big moment in the history of the industry and Scotland’s economy. It’s been a long time coming, and marks an end to over a century of petroleum activities and more than 50 years of North Sea drilling. BP’s exit cannot be explained by short term tax policy changes 🧵

BP puts North Sea business up for sale

Chief executive Meg O’Neill says the business would be ‘better positioned as part of another company’, sparking recriminations over the basin’s high tax regime

thetimes.com

John Cotter@drjohncotter.bsky.social · 22h ago

It’s a feature of the English right that the more they bang on about the war, the less knowledgable they seem to be about that war; the more they insist on the primacy of the English language, the lesser their own grip on it; the more they insist on Christian values, the more unchristian they are.

Deidre Lynch@drbibliomane.bsky.social · 23h ago

You can/should read Emily Wilson's latest take on the Odyssey, but I'm logging on to convey my hairdresser's reaction. She was AGHAST that Nolan, with his million $ budget, gave Matt Damon ONLY 6 hair extensions. As a result, his hair did not blow around properly, & that ruined the film for her.

Ben Ansell@benansell.bsky.social · yesterday

Rob hints at this but it’s worth reiterating that a major failure of the Starmer government was their inability to convey a consistent antiracist message or uphold norms. They confused anger about ‘the boats’ with generalised racism and since they couldn’t denounce the former they avoided the latter

Rob Ford@robfordmancs.bsky.social · yesterday

This is what happens when anti-racism norms erode, and elites bear a lot of the responsibility for norm erosion, as they have disproportionate power to set and enforce norms

Iain MacGilleBhràith@aeonmach.bsky.social · yesterday

More than you might want to know about clegs (aka horseflies for southerners) by @countrysideben.bsky.social in @walkhighlands.co.uk newsletter. If you read until the end you will discover why imitating a zebra might deter them! PS I hate clegs 👍 www.walkhighlands.co.uk/news/clegs-w...

Clegs: we really must stop horsing around!

Yes, I know I wrote about ticks last time. And yes, I know that makes it two articles on the trot about nasty wee beasties, but inspiration for subjects comes from whatever has crossed my path in the ...

walkhighlands.co.uk

Hugh Brechin@hughrbrechin.bsky.social · yesterday

the left, defined very very broadly, probably isn't going to win elections forever, which means we all have a vested interest in the existence of a centre right with a firm cordon sanitaire. that ... isn't looking good.

Jonn Elledge@jonnelledge.bsky.social · 2d ago

"Don't speak ill of the recently dead" is generally a good rule - they can't see it, their loved ones might, those it hurts don't necessarily deserve it etc. But I can't help but think "if I'm an arsehole people might say so even when it hurts my loved ones the most" might sometimes be motivating.

Kate Watson@loreandordure.com · 3y ago

Once again for those at the back: ‘Don’t speak ill of the dead’ is about your great aunt Elsie, who liked a long gin with a short tonic at elevenses, and blew your inheritance money betting on the horses. Speaking ill of absolute monsters is a moral obligation, actually.

Anna Orridge@anna-orridge.bsky.social · yesterday

I don't want to add to any ratios here, but there have been a few incidences of 'I am deeply saddened and shocked at the reaction to the death of [X very nefarious journalist and proven abuser]' Yes, that's kind of the point. These responses act as a warning and deterrent against abusing your power.

Kate Watson@loreandordure.com · 3y ago

Once again for those at the back: ‘Don’t speak ill of the dead’ is about your great aunt Elsie, who liked a long gin with a short tonic at elevenses, and blew your inheritance money betting on the horses. Speaking ill of absolute monsters is a moral obligation, actually.