Jonathan Boff
@jfb1066.bsky.social
Military Historian. Author, ‘The Age of Mammon and Mars: Money and War in the Twentieth Century’ (OUP, March 2027). IEconomic Statecraft; Strategy; Money. Author of 2 award-winning books on the First World War. Professor at University of Birmingham.
Of all the decisions we make as citizens, there are few as consequential as those for - or against - war. Good journalism plays an important role in keeping us - as citizen, not just consumers, informed, so this, from an experienced and very talented defence correspondent is important
Mark Urban@markurban.bsky.social · 2h agoI’ve been thinking about the coverage of defence and conflict - who’s stepping up, and who isn’t markurban.substack.com/p/making-sen...
This is a very well deserved award of a highly prestigious prize. Well done!
David Morgan-Owen@dmorganowen.bsky.social · 12h agoHad some wonderful news yesterday - the WW1 Historical Association awarded Framing the First World War the Norman B. Tomlinson Prize for 2025! Very grateful to our wonderful contributors and their hard work, series editor Bill Allison and the team at @univpressofkansas.bsky.social -
This move has relevance for analysts of foreign policy and security too. This is not - as one of the quotes in the article says- the USA acting alone but part of an attempt to help Japan respond to unwelcome Yen weakness. Japan has been intervening for weeks. It therefore represents….1/3
Financial Times@financialtimes.com · 2d agoThe historic attempt led by the US Treasury secretary to prop up another nation’s currency has stunned investors and economists. What could be behind Washington’s move? ft.trib.al/z7TF1Ev
FIFA is so corrupt that any attempt to fight this by the rules is doomed. The only way to be stop it is for UEFA to boycott. IDF necessary set up an alternative World Cup with most of the best teams in it.
Financial Times@financialtimes.com · last wk.The controversial plan by Fifa to spin out a commercial entity and sell a stake to investors has prompted backlash from lawmakers, including Britain’s new prime minister and European football’s governing body Uefa. ft.trib.al/V8dngKX
He needs to read up on the Battle of Britain, for a start
Ian Kikuchi@curatorian.bsky.social · 2w agoOccasionally I think that senior government figures around the world must be highly capable people doing their best to manage incredibly complex situations under immense pressure and I probably couldn't do it any better. This makes me think something else.
One of the weirder aspects of University sector management behaviour over the last decade has been the alacrity with which they have followed instructions - or even just hints - from a series of incompetent governments that have clearly had no clue about higher education - or indeed anything else…
The book which sat on my bookshelves unlooked at for 34 years, and so gave to the charity shop this summer, is, inevitably, the one I need this morning.
No it’s not. Not in any meaningful common sense, sense. I believe it exists, all right, but this kind of over-promising PR guff is precisely one of the things that ordinary voters have found frustrating from politicians recently and it’d be really nice if the Pol Comms tribe lost this habit
Sunder Katwala (sundersays)@sundersays.bsky.social · 2w agoNumber 10 North is up and running, bringing the centre of the UK government to the M2 postcode. (Heron House in Albert Square). www.ft.com/content/4776...
Clever politics by Burnham to send Streeting to MoD. If Defence goes badly, Streeting will be stuck with it. If it goes well, Healey (and No 10) will take the credit. Whether Brand Streeting is what Defence needs, is another question. Don’t expect the reform it needs anytime soon….
spybrary.com/top-spy-book... @helenebismarck.bsky.social
Tim Shipman's Top Spy Thriller Books of 2025 : Spybrary - Discover the Best Spy Books, Spy Movies, TV and More With Spybrary
What are the best spy books of 2025 so far? Spybrary's Tim Shipman gives you the lowdown on his best spy fiction books of the year
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Argentina performance tonight makes me even grumpier that 🏴 failed so lamely
If you want a picture of FIFA’s future, imagine a football boot stamping on a human face - for ever.
The flip side to this is that the withdrawal of Allied escorts from normal convoy duties to protect the TORCH force meant that this was the single worst month in the whole war for sinkings by U-Boat (730k GRT).
Peter Ricketts@lordrickettsp.bsky.social · 2w agoOn the night of 5/6 November 1942, a vast Allied convoy passed undetected through the Strait of Gibraltar, carrying the assault forces for the Torch landings in N Africa. It was a major feat of military planning, but its success hinged on the diplomatic skills of our man in Madrid. 1/7
If I thought we would be any good at anything else, I’d say England should give up sport and do something we are better at instead. Like watching telly or stealing hubcaps
Very exciting to see "How to Win a Trade War" given a special spot in Waterstones! "An insightful, accessible and timely explainer of our new economic climate ... [an] informative and frequently very funny guide" Waterstones link (UK): www.waterstones.com/book/how-to-...
Saw this last night and it was dynamite. Great show, stunning surroundings garsingtonopera.org/whats-on/la-...
La traviata | Garsington Opera
Garsington Opera gives performances of great artistic quality in a setting of extraordinary natural beauty. Performances take place in the spectacular Opera Pavilion, which sits within the rolling lan...
garsingtonopera.org
I have been lucky beyond my wildest dreams in my academic career. However, we all have to learn how to handle rejections: with applications for jobs; for grants; and today it was an article submission. It’s not fun, not always easy, but it’s important to remember it’s just part of the gig. #lucky
If that’s what he was trying then Tuchel should be fired because he can’t get his message through to the players. If it wasn’t and he was being more defensive, he should be fired for a terrible tactical call. Either way, he blew the biggest game and our best chance I can remember.
Sam Freedman@samfr.bsky.social · 3w agoIt was a bad call but he was actually trying to encourage them forward by giving them the security of three CBs. It just didn't work at all. And then he gave in and put Dan Burn on for Rice.
I would never pretend to be a football tactical genius but giving Argentina the ball for half an hour and expecting them not to rattle your goal a few times seems a basic mistake
I’ve never been more confident that 🏴 will win the ⚽️ World Cup this year
