Malcolm von Schantz
@mvonschantz.bsky.social
Assistant deputy gardener of academic plot of land and part-time researcher of sleep and circadian rhythms. Tetraglot consumer of culture, nature, and science.
Both of these points are now facts. Government revenue is down 7% on excise receipts since the change and wine businesses are spending a lot more on “managing” the new system, which everyone I talk to describes as a nightmare. Once again none of this needed to happen with zero benefits achieved.
Now here is the link to the actual data. This data show as i forecasted and warned several times that the fundamental changes and increases would damage not only government revenue but would place a further unworkable burden on wine imports forever. www.gov.uk/government/s...
Alcohol Bulletin commentary (May 2025 to July 2025)
gov.uk
For those that have followed me from Twitter you will recall I put out many threads on the lunacy of the plan by Rishi Sunak to make the excise tax system for Alc be based on the strength rather than volume. This subtle change was devastating for the wine industry with yet more UK Brexit red tape.
Mit Eifer hab' ich mich der Studien beflissen; Zwar weiß ich viel, doch möcht' ich alles wissen.
Scoop: Trump has started demolishing the White House's East Wing facade to build his ballroom. The president had claimed construction of the $250 million building wouldn’t ‘interfere’ with the existing White House structure. /W @ddiamond.bsky.social wapo.st/4hqBNiU
White House begins demolishing East Wing facade to build Trump’s ballroom
The president had claimed construction of the $250 million ballroom wouldn’t ‘interfere’ with the existing White House structure.
wapo.st
Exclusive: A group of big banks is struggling to put together a $20 billion loan to Argentina without leaving themselves on the hook to the virtually bankrupt country
U.S. Banks Are Hunting for Collateral to Back $20 Billion Argentina Bailout
American banks are looking for assets or guarantees from the U.S. government that would back a private-sector loan to support Argentine President Javier Milei.
on.wsj.com
Oh my GOD.
Anna Bower@annabower.bsky.social · 10mo agoEXCLUSIVE: One Saturday afternoon in October, my phone lit up with a notification. I glanced down at the message. “Anna, Lindsey Halligan here,” it began. So began my text exchange with the woman who is prosecuting the president's perceived political enemies. www.lawfaremedia.org/article/anna...
This is extremely troubling news for those of us who conduct human subjects research.
Julia Lynch@jlynch13.bsky.social · 10mo agoRFK is undoing human subjects protections so he can conduct placebo trials of vaccines. That means infecting people knowingly. I wonder who will “volunteer” for these trials? If history is any guide, a lot of incarcerated and other powerless people.
I know he admires Harold Wilson, but the figure he most reminds me of is Frank Spencer
NEWS Trump urged Zelenskyy to accept Russia’s terms for ending its war in a volatile meeting on Friday, warning Putin had said he would “destroy” Ukraine if it did not agree. The meeting between the two descended many times into a “shouting match”, with Trump “cursing all the time.”
Trump urged Zelenskyy to accept Putin’s terms or be ‘destroyed’ by Russia
US president tossed aside maps of Ukraine frontline in volatile White House meeting
on.ft.com
Pilots and Flight Attendants Sending Free Food to Air Traffic Controllers During Shutdown - Business Insider www.businessinsider.com/atc-air-traf...
Pilots and flight attendants are sending free food to air traffic controllers. They're not getting paid during the shutdown.
Airline pilots and flight attendants are sending food to air traffic control towers around the US, as workers aren't getting paid during the shutdown.
businessinsider.com
heartbroken to learn the pope sympathizes with the poor. how can i continue to believe in god
I still have no idea what Number 10 was thinking intervening over policing. If they ‘win’ the standoff, Keir Starmer personally owns any incident that happens around the match. And he’s broken the precedent of interfering in operational matters, and so will be asked to do so relentlessly.
Intent upon my workmen, especially my joyners, who will make my dining room very pretty.
They're selling regular index cards, but because they call them "analog cards" it's $100.
The New York Times@nytimes.com · 10mo agoThis minimalist, paper-based to-do manager can help you focus on completing your important tasks while staying offline. nyti.ms/4h8ijiC
Binge watching White Lotus Season 3 on the plane. Struck by how odd it is that the camera lovingly lingers on sensual image of every water drop, flower, lizard, candle, and wine glass — but how odd how every one of the many servings of Thai food that are being consumed is being blurred out.
Right now, all over Britain, drunk robins are dismantling the system and making up their own rules.
Confirms what I’ve been telling Strangers On The Internet for years - the idea that Sweden is a super expensive place is a 90s hangover. It isn’t.
Recs be havin' ya@recs-be.bsky.social · 10mo ago@petefrasermusic.bsky.social Saw this and thought of you: www.visualcapitalist.com/where-beer-i...
The unification of the English kingdoms was, largely, a mistake.
Casmilus@casmilus.bsky.social · 10mo agoWhat's your most unhinged Britain opinion?
journal that took 16 months to review your manuscript when it wants something from you
After the West failed to stop Israel from bombing all of Syria's armaments and withheld support early on for the new government, Syria is now normalizing relations with Russia in an effort facilitate the handing over of Assad and revive preexisting trade & military agreements.
NEW Trying to make sense of the nonsensical decision to drop the Chinese spying prosecutions How the positions of neither the CPS nor the government stand up to scrutiny By me emptycity.substack.com/p/trying-to-...
