Rumour Control here. Burnham's dearest project Doggy-Paddling v Scotland. "Glasgow in 2023 managed to deliver significantly more new-build affordable homes compared with other cities within the United Kingdom. Figures 2025/26, show 4,249 in Glasgow v 3,362 in Birmingham and 2,769 in Manchester"

Glasgow misses Scottish Government target but still has massive, 135 times more, genuinely affordable social rent homes than Manchester

From BBC Scotland yesterday: Targets for the delivery of new affordable homes in Glasgow were missed last year, with construction hampered by rising costs. The Scottish government provided £127.75m…

talkingupscotlandtwo.com

BILD has published a photo of the explosive-laden drone found beside a Ukrainian An-124 at Leipzig Airport. Explosive-laden drones operating at the heart of NATO are no longer a hypothetical threat but a reality.

🦋Special Kherson Cat🐈🇺🇦@specialkhersoncat.bsky.social · 16h ago

❗️A drone fitted with an explosive detonator was discovered beside a Ukrainian Antonov An-124 cargo aircraft at Leipzig Airport, BILD reports. Airport operations were temporarily suspended, and German police are investigating possible sabotage.

Rumour Control here: 'Tory MP Andrew Bowie: “plummeting teacher numbers, spiralling school violence” made it a difficult year for pupils'. Codswallop FACTS 'Scot pupil-teacher ratios: 2025 – 13.2/1 p-T ratio 2024 – 13.3/1 2023 – 13.2/1 England? Awful – 17.9/1 Labour Wales? Even worse – 18.9/1'

Shadowy Secretary of State for Scotland cannot read teacher numbers trend as it ‘plummets’ up the way

In the BBC Scotland analysis of today’s exam results this ridiculous claim un-moderated by the editor: Scottish Conservative MP Andrew Bowie said “plummeting teacher numbers and spirall…

talkingupscotlandtwo.com

Consistently, Comfortably Numb & Dumb "The US military has burned through nearly four-fifths of its THAAD missile inventory compared to pre-war numbers and roughly half of its Patriot interceptors since the start of the war, according to two sources familiar with the latest inventory report"

Nearly 80% of interceptors for a key missile defense system depleted, sources say | CNN Politics

The US military has exhausted nearly 80% of its interceptors for a key missile defense system as senior US military commanders are warning that the Pentagon’s munitions stockpile is “dangerously low,”...

edition.cnn.com

... While the Beckham clan vacation offshore from the S of France in their respective maga-yachts OooOops, Mega-yachts

Murderous heat, an endangered food supply, decimated landscapes: embrace the Mediterranean life | George Monbiot

As climate disaster stares us in the face, the radical right says ‘Embrace the Mediterranean life’. Embrace death, more like it, says Guardian columnist George Monbiot

theguardian.com

This Thursday, SpaceX insiders will be released from their first post-IPO stock lockup and can cash out early. As I've been saying, this has all the hallmarks of a Ponzi scheme.

Jeezus f**king Christ... In essence that ruling says that any time your side doesn't win an election, just ransack the capitol, and everything will be okay...

US judge grants DOJ request to dismiss January 6 cases against Oath Keepers

By Andrew Goudsward WASHINGTON, Aug 4 (Reuters) - A U.S. judge on Tuesday granted the U.S.

yahoo.com

Somewhat incredibly Badenoch has just been defending this man on the Today programme

Otto English@ottoenglish.bsky.social · 2d ago

Joshua Bonehill-Paine Self-styled "nationalist, fascist, theorist and supporter of white rights” who was jailed in 2015 for antisemitic online posts.... Selected as a Tory candidate.

Deadly serious 😲

George Monbiot@georgemonbiot.bsky.social · 18h ago

My column on how capital becomes a death cult. Faced with a choice between profit and human life, the radical right chooses profit. Then it tries to persuade us that mass death is what we want. It's the new phase of climate denial: accept your fate, earthlings. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Latest; Trump's cutting the throats of his own Base voters. Why!? Who knows ¯⁠\⁠_⁠(⁠ツ⁠)⁠_⁠/⁠¯

Jayszip 🇺🇸 💙 🖼 🐄 🇺🇦 🏳️‍🌈🌐@jayszip.bsky.social · 5d ago

Trump administration ends Medicare drug subsidy. | AP News 67% of retired recipients of the drug subsidy via Medicare are Trump supporters and members of MAGA. #FAFO

It stinks to high heaven. Or for Tolkien fans, to the top of Saruman's Tower 🗼 "Software group benefits from global systems and accounting practices ‘that enable tax to be shirked’, says union boss" www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

Palantir paid just £2m corporation tax in UK in 2024 despite lucrative public sector contracts

Software group benefits from global systems and accounting practices ‘that enable tax to be shirked’, says union boss

theguardian.com

They're ARGUING about this!? "In mid-March, 2 detectives, an Ohio county Division of Children caseworker, and a Cleveland Clinic physician met on Zoom to discuss how the 2-year-old daughter of a congressman and granddaughter of a US senator wound up with a broken collarbone"

Assault, misogyny, verbal threats: Records detail new allegations against Rep. Max Miller

Police reports and filings in a bitter custody dispute raise new questions about the conduct of an Ohio Republican as he campaigns for a third term.

motherjones.com

Badenoch's Booming Band of Bovver Boys "A former neo-Nazi activist with convictions including for harassing a Jewish MP has been selected as a Conservative candidate for a local election in Somerset" Oh so that's all good then lads🙄🦨🙈

Former neo-Nazi activist selected as Tory candidate for Somerset council election

Joshua Bonehill-Paine, creator of satirical Crewkerne Gazette, has convictions including for harassing a Jewish MP

theguardian.com

🚨 NEW: $36 million payment from ICE to GEO Group, for-profit prison company, on July 24 for detention services at Mesa Verde and Golden State ICE detention facility in California. ICE is a for-profit scheme paid for by taxpayers, using immigrants as commodities. www.quiverquant.com/news/Governm...

Government Contract Update: $36M payment to THE GEO GROUP, INC | GEO Stock News

We just received data on a $36M payment to THE GEO GROUP, INC. from the Department of Homeland Secur

quiverquant.com

The effective federal corporate income tax rate: 1950: 50% 1990: 25% 2020: 13% Stop asking "but how we will pay for it?" Restore the corporate tax rate. That is how we will pay for it.

"Odyssey" fights White Right Might 🤪📽️🎬 "The new film extols the value of a rules-based world order. Nolan’s take on 'xenia' is unmistakably modern. To me, it feels like an allegory for the fraying, rules-based international system"

The right hates The Odyssey because of its ‘wokeness’ – but it missed an even bigger threat to its worldview | Peter Swallow

The new film extols the value of a rules-based world order. That’s far more radical than any casting decision says Labour MP and classicist Peter Swallow

theguardian.com

"11.4 million people had watched in Australia on Channel 7 and close to four million in Canada on CBC. However, they did not say how many people had watched in Britain, either live on TNT/HBO Max, or on Five’s highlights show" Very few, it was tucked behind a TNT AllSports £30.99/mth PayWall

‘Ready for next 100 years’: Glasgow 2026 chief hails revamped Commonwealth Games

Phil Batty said the event can carry on for another 100 years, saying: ‘The Commonwealth Games are relevant, matter and are here to last’

theguardian.com

Wildfire response:

I went for But then the Spiked/Tele Venn diagram is a circle these days bsky.app/profile/colf...

Barry Lyndon LaRouche@colfer.bsky.social · 4d ago

I give it two months before you've a regular Spiked column

My books will be on my shelves where they belong. A few friends used to laugh at me for keeping what they called obsolete things like vinyl records and old books. They all agree it was a good idea now.

Just a random reminder that immigrants are good for society and good for the economy.

The Truth About Immigrants and the Economy | Robert Reich

No matter what you hear on Fox News, immigrants are good for the economy and our society. Watch.

youtube.com

The ridiculous RFK Jr has a teeny tears tantrum as he's held to account by a far smarter, far better informed CNN journalist. It's excellent youtu.be/YNrEjDnQa8g?...

Things Heat Up Fast After CNN Host Presses RFK Jr. About The COVID-19 Response And Future Pandemics

YouTube video by Forbes Breaking News

youtu.be

It's all about priorities. The tech bros gave politicians a lot of money.

When enough rain falls in Maltahöhe, Namibia, millions of desert lilies bloom across the landscape for just a few days each year. This natural phenomenon briefly transforms the arid desert into a sea of flowers almost overnight. IG: @ earthpix

Bad Day, RFK 😜

Scott Galloway@profgalloway.com · 3d ago

RFK Jr.: “You probably don’t understand this as you’re not a scientist.” Dana Bash: “You’re not a scientist either.”

Pro tip for photos of your dog

Omg dad dancing 🤯

Reparations.now@reparations.now · 4d ago

Big congratulations to NBA superstar Donovan Mitchell and actress-singer Coco Jones on tying the knot! 🎉 #BlackLove #Blacksky #NBA

Payback

#TuckFrump@realtuckfrumper.bsky.social · 3d ago

Protest outside Moroccan Embassy in Madrid after Ceuta crisis #AssociatedPress