Happy New Year London

Cancer shows no mercy

Attending a theater party in London that had attracted a fair number of paparazzi (not because of me, of course), a photographer came near me as an attractive young woman leaned against me. The photographer snapped a photo. The woman quickly moved away. I asked who she was. "Princess Beatrice."

Mousseline de crevettes avec Estragon Beurre Blanc & Pointes d’Aspèrges

Immigrant-hating Stephen Miller talks about Americans being "first to harness the atom." But the first controlled, self-sustaining nuclear chain reaction was conducted by a team led by Italian immigrant Enrico Fermi, who didn't become a U.S. citizen until a year and a half later.

We are thinking of replacing the UK automobile with a new one. Any recommendations?

On another walk in Gwydir Forest

If this is true, it is the most impeachable offense ever.

"My best decision was to get chickens" www.hotpress.com/opinion/my-2...

From a walk along the edge of Gwydir Forest

Mercenary secret police. Aren't we fascist enough already?

For Christmas dinner - crown rack of lamb

Merry Christmas Everyone

Cloudy day from the flat near the airport

This is genuinely horrifying. Fact-free far-right agitprop given accolades by credible media across the political spectrum.

Clinicians who actually saw the horrors of COVID (and didn’t get infected, because masks fucking work 🤷🏻‍♂️) are pretty pissed at this. Especially the @newyorker.com - I expect better 🤦🏻‍♂️

Mitt Romney said the quiet part out loud: the rich should pay more in taxes. The Wall Street Journal attacked him for it. But he’s right—and ignoring the math is how democracies crack. open.substack.com/pub/adamkinz...

Stage 4 pancreatic cancer is a fearful diagnosis. It was but two months between Charlie's diagnosis and his death. My sympathy to Mr Sasse and his family.

Casual reminder that the myth of “pulling yourself up by your bootstraps” is a cruel hoax designed to convince poor people from all walks of life that the injustices they face are a result of their own actions, rather than an oppressive system rigged against them.

The rollout of a type of genetic technology called a gene drive for tackling malaria could be edging closer after a lab study supports its success

Current issue of @theonion.com nails it again.

Heading to the UK. A couple days in London, then Christmas in Wales, where Tom's parents will join us.

Pantone just updated their Color Of The Year

Amici che fanno una passeggiata serale.

I can hardly wait for the memorial status to come true.

Unsolicited writing advice, no. 1726: Fiction hates coincidences. Just because it happens in real life doesn't mean it will work in fiction. In 1379, in Yorkshire, there was born a girl named Diot Coke. This, although actually true, still doesn't mean you can use her name in your historical novel.

With this level of understanding of mathematics, it's easy to see how Trump could manage to bankrupt a casino.

Galleria Vittorio Emanuele

The White House claims the vote to rename the Kennedy Center was “unanimous.” That is false. I was muted on the call and denied the opportunity to speak or register my opposition. That is not consensus. That is censorship.

Sospiro la sera

utterly incapable of grace

When you think about it, RFK Jr. tenure as HHS Sec. has been a remarkable success (not even 1 yr in)--it's just too bad all of his accomplishments center on efforts that put people at risk or directly in harm. 🙄🤦‍♂️ Another way to see it: how easy it's been to undermine the US public health system.

This is appalling. Again, Trump and ICE have had the option to deport Abrego Garcia to Costa Rica for weeks and weeks. They won't explain why they refuse to do this. But we know why: Because they've decided it isn't dehumanizing or cruel enough. newrepublic.com/article/2043...

My nephew Julian has come for a visit.

The US government is now a mafia organization.

I am seeing this paper being used to claim that mRNA vaccines consistently cause myocarditis in mice. Let's look at this: The average mouse weighs ~20 grams. The dose of vaccine that consistently caused myocarditis was 2 micrograms. (cont.)

"We want patients to become consumers again." I hope he's no longer a practicing physician if he thinks of his patients as consumers.

Now Tom will never come with me to the US. He refuses to let our son enter the U.S., too. U.S. Plans to Scrutinize Foreign Tourists’ Social Media History Even visitors from countries like Britain and France would have to share five years’ worth of social media. www.nytimes.com/2025/12/09/t...

US Navy unveils new logo

Murder wasn't enough. Now he's added piracy.

This is INSANE www.nytimes.com/2025/12/09/t... and these are our closest allies!

Tumour growth is reduced by exercise due to a shift in the body’s metabolism that means muscle cells outcompete cancer cells in the race to get sugar to grow

It was bad enough when they were ludicrously incompetent. Now, they are murderously incompetent.

If Admiral Bradley didn’t realize before that these cowards were setting him up to take the fall, he knows it now. Time to hire a good lawyer.