Bede's World! Bede's World! Party time! Venerable!

Having one of those "I wish Bluesky had a downvote system so I could register disapproval at shitty takes without engaging in a pointless debate" kind of days.

I never buy coffee shop coffee but we're on holiday and I forgot my own cafetière. £3.30 Norfolk Americano is deeply deeply disappointing. But a good lesson learned. Then I notice this in the cottage kitchen. WTAF are these?!

Today's realisation: Napoleon was Archduke Franz Ferdinand's great-uncle-in-law

Oh, I know this! I'd have just started at British Celanese (later ICI) with little formal education apart from an engineering apprenticeship. But within a decade, I'd have invented a machine for spinning rayon, which enabled me to build a house in Derbyshire.

Revan@revan.eurosky.social · 7d ago

Enough “what would you do on the commune questions” If you got sent back 100 years and were given your grandparent’s job, what are you doing?

People like to think about which dystopian future we're crashing into. 1984? Brave New World? Neuromancer? The Expanse? Then I read thing like this and realise, I need to re-watch Terry Gilliam's Brazil... Pointless tech meets bureaucratic impossibilities arstechnica.com/tech-policy/...

Zeno's VAT paradox. Forgot to pay the VAT bill on time, and got a penalty letter. Chunky too. But the letter arrived over a week after it was dated. Paid the penalty... but in the meantime another penalty levied for the period between the letter being sentand payment. New penalty dated... 4 days ago

Very happy to have nailed the last one. My first perfect round five! www.maptap.gg July 26 96🏅 96🏅 100🎯 98🔥 100🎯 Final score: 986

every time you write overly defensively you should remember that you are pursuing a strategy of writing careful sentences specifically for people who demonstrably either won't or can't read them

BeijingPalmer@beijingpalmer.bsky.social · 2w ago

there is literally no amount of caveats or careful wording that will protect you from stupidity or bad faith, so you might as well say things straightforwardly and strongly to begin with.

Whenever people post this - because it's fun to dunk on that prick Musk - I remind myself that I am "Facebook IPO was a disaster" old. www.kairostrue.com/2026/06/face...

Lou Mannheim@loumannheim87.bsky.social · 2w ago

You hate to see it

I do get it, and I bow to the Westminster-watchers. But it's still expensive in aggregate and relatively meagre for individuals. So 'symbolism' feels like something for the backbenchers rather than something that makes people feel much better (and certainly not much more able to meet their bills...)

George Eaton@georgeeaton.bsky.social · 2w ago

The political symbolism of removing VAT on energy bills exceeds the small savings (£45 a year). This could easily have been Starmer's first defining policy rather than winter fuel cuts.

VAR for everything that isn't football.

Pete Woods@thatpetewoods.bsky.social · 2w ago

I think the thing I resent most about gen AI- and this is a selfish thing to say but it’s true- is that it’s put an asterix on my sense of wonder. What I mean is that now when I see an amazing or beautiful image I can’t have that initial “wow!” reaction. I doubt. I have to verify. I hate it.

The problem with Starmer was that he promised change, but couldn't be honest about the need to raise core taxes to fix a poor fiscal position, and tinkered at the edges with policies that were big in aggregate but barely moved the dial for individuals 🧐

Rather good Sarah Ditum piece about why we can't just respond to a piece of art on its own terms any more. (I fear the same is true of historical events and interpretations...) sarahditum.substack.com/p/the-odysse...

All I can think with this music is

G.O.B. Bluth's Epic Celebration

ALT: G.O.B. Bluth's Epic Celebration

static.klipy.com

80,000? Leeds would have taken more.

Hydration break FECK

Drink Need Drink

ALT: Drink Need Drink

static.klipy.com

He could add you to the list of things he's failed to control.

Saying Argentina shouldn't do snide fouls and crowd the ref is like demanding Emu is out of order for assaulting Rod Hull, or Dick Dastardly shouldn't spread tacks on the road in front of the Ant Hill Mob. It's what we've paid to see!

Mark Copelovitch@mcopelov.bsky.social · 2w ago

The Argentina behavior on every foul - encircling the ref & yelling at him - is illegal & no other team does it as comprehensively & often as they do, & it should not be tolerated.

Wayne Rooney to be new BBC commentator for Eurovision. #VoteBinface

Some notable exceptions but my impression:

We are all Wayne Rooney tonight.

Certain irony of having The Count muppet when the score is 0-0.

Sesame Street: The Count Laughs

ALT: Sesame Street: The Count Laughs

static.klipy.com

if its going to be physical, commit to the bit Argentina.

Week three of the couch to 5K for reading is here! naomialderman.substack.com/p/reading-is...

'reading is a radical act'

"Couch to 5k" for reading week 3. includes: an interview with Emma Gannon! a celebration of reading plays! and: how to memorise a poem! (if you want to)

naomialderman.substack.com

Look, apart from the high valuations, soaring deficits, ageing society pushing up interest rates, irresponsible pro cyclical regulation, a return to Great Power conflict, overreliance on the AI profit machine and the end of orderly government in the USA, you've got nothing to worry about

Will Davies@will-davies.bsky.social · 3w ago

don't say we weren't warned www.ft.com/content/de29...

I’m “I saw this exactly same thing happen with Facebook after its IPO” years old. (For the avoidance of doubt, I absolutely don’t think SpaceX is worth this much, and I hope I breaks Musk’s hold on his fanboys. And obvs the valuation and business are very different. But the glee? Identical.)

Robin Wigglesworth@robinwigglesworth.ft.com · 3w ago

Watching SpaceX collapse below its IPO price.

A scribe’s effort to correct an omission - The words that were accidentally left out are pulled along by one man who passes them to another who waits between the fourth and fifth lines to receive them - c. 1300, Walters Ms. W.102, f. 39v

Doing this in book group tomorrow night, and it's a hard recommend. (I'm switching between reading and listening to the very good audio version because I'm worried if I take my kindle out of the house the information about TINAD might be erased...)

qntm@qntm.org · 4w ago

UK paperback edition of THERE IS NO ANTIMEMETICS DIVISION is coming on *3rd September 2026* Preorders are open

There is a weird building halfway along your commute. Every time you pass it you look at it and think, "That place looks weird. I wonder what it is? I should find out." By the time you get where you're going you have forgotten about it. Every time Everyday example of antimemetic shielding