The fact that VP JD Vance and Richard Grenell went to Romania—on behalf of the Trump Administration— to advocate for Andrew and Tristan Tate, who by all accounts, were rapists running a coercive sex ring, then permitted them to come to Florida, should be a crazy, crazy scandal.

Another example of political perceptions of the world not matching reality. Freelancing is becoming more important to the economy as there are fewer large employers, but governments treat this as an aberration to be squashed.

UK friends. Time to fill in yet another skewed and pre-loaded government "consultation". HMRC really hates creatives, eh? Short version: UKG wants writers etc. to pay tax monthly and change our "projections" online every time we ... don't get paid regularly. BECAUSE WE ARE FREELANCERS.

Wait does everyone here know the life-changing secret re: finding books? You photograph your bookshelves/book piles and then you can text-search in the photos.

“There is a concerted effort from all sides of society to ensure that young adults are stuck in a teenage existence inset their twenties.” Marie Le Conte identifies what’s holding a generation back

Frightening.

Its Canada's PEAT on fire. "The fires that are burning in Canada are burning both above ground and below ground in the peat bogs, and they're not going to be put out by the time winter falls. So we're thinking that winter is going to be what finally puts them out." www.nytimes.com/2025/07/31/w...

This a very good review, by Emily Hauser, a classicist, of the Nolan film. She still says it’s great, but talks about Nolan’s changed emphasis. www.theguardian.com/film/2026/ju...

Happy Bastille Day. Post a French banger. www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmgJ...

Madness. Utter madness. Badenoch is quietly turning what used to be a broad church into an even narrower sect.

Not hyperbole to point out that mass removal of citizenship was a Nazi policy

I've heard the claim twice in the last 24 hours that Reform politicians are under more severe threat because they bravely call out Islamism. And this story has got very little attention. BBC News - Twelve arrested over threat to Islamic event www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Absolutely this point.

Once you start mass removal of citizenship on political grounds you've stopped functioning as a viable democratic state. But that was always where this agenda was heading.

In case there was any doubt. Restricting access to benefits isn't enough for Conservatives/Badenoch. They want to deport/"remigrate" people who came here on legal work visas, not because of (debunked) claims about benefits/fiscal costs but because they've embraced an openly ethnonationalist agenda

The French Nazis that Loyalists brought over to Sandy Row last night have spray painted a message of support for Gisèle Pelicot's rapist husband just in case you thought the "protect our women" brigade are anything other than human tumours

!! !! !!

I've signed and sent a letter - from authors, broadcasters, journalists, artists, scholars and performers - to express our deep concern at @exeter.ac.uk’s troubling plans to make mass redundancies within the Humanities Dept @uniofexeterhass.bsky.social. I would love it if you read and shared widely.

“But this is what the BBC does best, and it must be protected. I say this with great joy, and a little bit of jealousy: this is the programme I dreamt of making. This is your licence fee right here.”

Rather an understatement. One of the most harmful influences in US clownship is gone. A relief.

Hats off to whoever created this.

Sadly, absolutely this.

Heather Today, Scottish Borders, Scotland!💙🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿

With immeasurable sadness I must announce that Napoleon, our best boy, went missing a few nights back. if you see a small black kitty with two white toes around Boundary/Markhouse roads in #walthamstow do DM me. if i post no photos of him anymore, this will be why. he was my very best boy 💔

Webinar: Emergency Panel Calling for the Cessation of Torture and the Immediate Release of Dr. Abu Safiya and Thirteen Other Palestinian Physicians Detained in Israel cugh.org/events/webin...

A friend of mine found these three kittens behind a Bay Area gas station. They are tame, vaccinated, and incredibly affectionate. Unfortunately, she's unable to keep them and I'm trying to find them a home. They are at risk of going to a shelter. Bay Area people, are you open to adopting?

In Moygashel, County Tyrone, there is a plan is to burn a mosque on a July 12th bonfire. An effigy of refugees in a boat was burnt last year. There are calls for the police to intervene on grounds of stirring up hatred www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Klaxon.

We all know this is what Israel -not Ben-Gvir, not Neyanyahu, but Israel - has become. The only question for us here is what we say and do. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...

Gift link: www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...

Wonderful article. ‘Nigel Farage’s “I Have a Crooked Dream” speech’ Farage’s speech ‘full of self-pity and venom’

So much this.

Further reading - this superb but shocking piece by @alanbeattie.bsky.social in the FT www.ft.com/content/913f... Trump’s drug price crusade puts Europe on guard

Nigel Farage to Sky News, "If you harass my family any more, there'll be serious consequences" Sky News, "Sky News has not contacted my Farage's family over the story"

Hope this gets publicised.

🚨 WATCH: Nigel Farage threatens a Sky News journalist who asks about his undeclared gifts from convicted criminal George Cottrell "You harass my family anymore, there will be serious consequences"

Kidnapped Gaza Doctor Faces ‘Life-Threatening Condition’ in Israeli Captivity 'This is the last time you’ll see me,' Dr. Hussam Abu Safiya told his lawyer. 'They brought me here to kill me.' @premthakker.bsky.social zeteo.com/p/kidnapped-...

Poor man. God help us all.

🔴 NEW: Edinburgh Attacks Expose ‘Two-Tier’ Coverage of Racism in UK, New Data Shows The Edinburgh attacks on five Muslim men received seven times less coverage than a comparable antisemitic attack in London two months earlier, reports Hugh Wilkinson Read the full story below.

Heavens, @stephenkb.bsky.social , is Daquise under threat from its landlord?

Dodgy shops on your local high street? They're still paying rent. And what if they're actually *pricing out* the legitimate cafes, restaurants, thanks to the option of "simply not paying your taxes" and therefore having more budget to pay landlords. www.londoncentric.media/p/who-wants-...

There's no attempt to try and cloak the racism now. (Also Lord Mayors don't run cities and he knows that.)

This petition needs as many signatories as the Exeter one. Please sign and share — don’t let Hertfordshire managers get away with this just because a Russell Group one took the spotlight. #UKHE

"The Univ. of Hertfordshire has decided to close all eight Humanities undergraduate programmes in English Language and Linguistics, English Literature, Creative Writing, History and Philosophy.... PLEASE sign this petition to support staff and students in Humanities" www.change.org/p/save-the-h...

Shocking news about redundancies in the Humanities at the University of Hertfordshire, despite their exceptional research activities. I have signed the petition against these actions: it would be great if you would as well: c.org/kDQynZV7J4 @bbkhistorical.bsky.social @bisa-bkk.bsky.social

This ⬇️

I wonder how well any set of institutions can work when the commitment to republican virtue is so corrupted: when a president who tries to overthrow an election is reelected, when Republicans in Congress are too servile to uphold the constitution & when judges have so corrupted a sense of their role

An open letter, to readers, about Charity and Sylvia. I am very pained to feel the need to write this. #queerhistory #pride