The UK crime rate has halved in the last ~30 years.

Michael Druker 🇨🇦@mdruker.app · 2d ago

Social media loves talking about how everything is getting worse. But what’s something that you’ve seen get _better_ in your lifetime?

I'm really surprised by the reaction to the general advice of 'if you can, hold a few days worth of food and water'. I've been cut off from water a couple of times, and my city was without electricity for a week in the middle of winter (I was away).

@footballcliches.bsky.social Bournemouth were just described as being in Dreamland on Talk Sport and on the BBC minute-by-minute. You'd normally say 2-0 wasn't enough for a Dreamland, but does the red card and the relative size and history of the clubs legitimise it?

@hockeyviz.com I found some beautiful data viz for you

Oh no, I just thought about politics for a moment, and now I want Oblivion. *Luckily*, I'm at Alton Towers, about 5th in the queue for just that ride.

C'mon Joe Hart. Everyone there has *absolutely* tried their hardest. Nobody there didn't give everything they had to win today. That's always true of top level athletes - you just don't get to be top level athletes otherwise.

@footballcliches.bsky.social 'Dreamland, the ball was' from Shearer about 55 mins just after the restart. Can a *ball* be Dreamland? And if so, do I pay an extra monthly fee?

I yellow in your general direction!

The pregame chat was all about Messi as their key man, the best player ever etc. And the key to countering Argentina being Bellingham and Kane. Surely the counter to a 10 is a good 6 - so Anderson.

Ok, I'm really starting to see why @philippeauclair.bsky.social was so anti this Argentina team. It's such an aggro approach to the game.

And with that formation change only Kane, Anderson and Pickford look like they will play all the way through in the same position.

Somewhere there's a Jawopractor shouting that Djed should still be protecting his chin.

So Jordan Henderson hasn't played, but has managed to get a yellow card and to get stretchered off? The guy is showing John Terry lessons in how to pretend you're involved.

I think this might be the worst ~30 minutes of my life coming up

So, if Alito does retire now, we'll just see Trump appoint another, younger horror?

Ok, that one was a bit better.

I really like the halftime interviews with the assistant coach Anthony Barry - specific, detailed and informative. Then Pugatch says it sounds like 'corporate talk'. It's like Poogs just doesn't understand the technical language, which is a massive failure of the presenter.

So nice to be able to stop focusing on the political horror around the world cup, and focus on the smaller, more personal stories. Like the guy starting for Ghana who stands trial next year for 7 charges of rape. And didn't disclose that on his Canadian visa application, missing the opener.

But how will I possibly know about the thing that's absolutely impossible to avoid!?

Kate Bevan@katebevan.com · 4mo ago

you know, you could, idk, just not make that emergency podcast?

'A 6 and a 9 are the same thing from different perspectives' 'Yes, that's true. But I can only put you in touch with the emergency services. We don't have The Beast.'

Stephen Bush@stephenkb.bsky.social · 4mo ago

“Is that with a v or a ph?” “Oh, I’m not bothered about that.” “But your email address is, right?” I have this exchange a worrying amount.

This WC is throwing up some very strange emotions. As an underdog supporter recognising the impact these events have, I'm really pleased by Curacao and Cape Verde having massive moments. But knowing a little about the political situations, I find it harder to be joyous about Qatar and Saudi Arabia.

I'm really conflicted by the World Cup. Obviously, it's massively corrupt and surrounded by absolute horror. But I love sport, and the personal stories of endeavour and achievement.

This is a really tough read - I (like most people, partly because Petra wasn't supported in publicising this analysis) had no idea that The Sport was quite so vile.

Petra Boynton@petraboynton.bsky.social · 5mo ago

Not commenting directly. Relatedly, I analysed the Sport for its first year as a daily. It ran a disproportionate amount of lurid sex crime coverage (of younger victims). Often with sexy photos. Positioned to promote vast numbers of chat lines and adult products www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

I'm catching up on Daredevil Born Again, and it feels like the actual news often makes Kingpin feel unambitious. One city? Pffft.

Interesting to hear @footballcliches.bsky.social wondering if 'Ode to Joy' was a bit too Brexit, given it's the EU anthem 😀

Do visual versions of this game work? @footballcliches.bsky.social

Stephen Collins@stephencollins.bsky.social · last yr.

@footballcliches.bsky.social I'm at the Morecambe FC 'being saved' celebration (which was nearly a wake). Can this setup of 3 ex-players and a journo ever again not start with a reference to The Overlap?

A guy in the pub just said he'd get his arse out if Rice scored another free kick, and now *I* look weird because I believe in verbal contracts, and am shouting 'get year arse out' at a stranger

I'm at a wedding, and the pseudo-live performer just closed with the same song I selected for my mum's funeral (albeit as a kid). Can people just choose if art in general, and Good Riddance (Time of Your Life) in particular, is happy or sad?

Listening to @totallyshow.bsky.social podcast (not the live stream sadly), and it seems like the biggest benefit of the new format is being missed. Small teams get to play twice against not just the top dogs, but also similar teams.