"The idea of deporting people with settled status is disgusting, and anyone proposing it should be immediately drummed out of polite society. Breaking promises made in good faith to our friends and neighbours is racist, extremist and immoral." I'm basically shouting at the sky here, but still.

Larst furr wartchd #letterboxdfriday

Ironically, there's a pretty robust argument for 'No Kings' being the foundational truth of the republic.

"The liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than their democratic state itself." -FDR (definitely antifa)

I just saw someone use the abbreviation “AI;DR” and I’ll be laughing for a while.

les quatre derniers, mes amis #letterboxdfriday

Let nothing be called natural in an age of bloody confusion, ordered disorder, planned caprice, and dehumanised humanity, lest all things be held unalterable! - Brecht

Liberation theology, baby.

Reporting the last 4 watchd #letterboxdfriday

Spot on, Søren. Instant follow.

Breaking: last four watchd #letterboxdfriday stumbled on Hitchcock's silent era boxing pic 'The Ring' so had me a mini-boxing season: not great, two maudlin masculine redemption fantasies

Was going to say John Cage, 4'33" (club mix) but I couldn't find a link to it on-line. So how about Tame Impala, 'Let It Happen' instead? youtu.be/NMRhx71bGo4?...

Excellent primer. Another pull quote: "Fascists like to be able to do things that they deny others."

dems me last four watchd, me hearties #letterboxdfriday

Can't be too careful.

In less jest - yes, it's good if universities can help students develop skills for the labour market. However, the pointless venom of the current government about one of the few world class sectors in the British economy is tiring, enervating and just plain sad. Get a grip lads.

Queen

This exchange says it all.

BLITZER: Now we’re getting reports that one of the bullet casings was engraved with a message saying that if you are reading the casing, you are gay. We must warn our viewers we’re about to show the photo and don’t know at this time whether the engraving is what makes you gay or if it just tells you

random bunch of films, most recently watchd #letterboxfriday

An aggressive, militant political culture has spread. It provides fertile ground for political violence, which has been rising and comes overwhelmingly from the Right. And no one has contributed more to this distinctly dangerous political culture than the leaders of the Right.

If I may interest you in a new fable, one that is neither political nor especially pessimistic, a rare occurence for me, then please visit my website: richardparkin.co.uk/more-fables/

It's important to remember that Trump has used more than just rhetoric to foment political violence. His entire 2nd term has been a theater of cruelty in which violence is portrayed and practiced as the ultimate measure of political seriousness and resolve.

Why doesn’t the White House replace Trump’s Secret Service protection with thoughts and prayers?

Actually, it turned out more laundry was involved than anticipated.

'spose you don't need to know, but here they are: last four watchd #letterboxdfriday

This is a pretty eye-opening thread.

Concern over low birth rates was what the theocracy in Margaret Atwood’s Handmaid’s Tale used to come to power.

Labour's cowardice in the face of extremism iandunt.substack.com/p/labours-co...

Hear ye, the last four watchd, the last four watch. #letterboxdfriday

One of the most pernicious delusions social media spreads in our age faux-populism is that there is an alternative to having an ‘expert class’. There is not. Yes, they can have biases. Yes, they can be wrong. Yes, they can even be corrupt. There still is no alternative. The world is complicated.

Oh, man. Dmitry makes me laugh even as the subject makes me seethe with frustration.

Do it. Do it now.

They're 'doing their own research' in Conservative HQ now (and getting their answers from the US)

Skip

Yeah, stop trusting experts and start trusting people who don't know what they're talking about, but sound like they do, wellness grifters, Substack contrarians, snake oil salesman. If the vibes are right, you can't go wrong.

Your periodic reminder that voter "concern" over immigration doesn't correlate whatsoever with actual immigration levels; instead it tracks almost exactly the AMOUNT OF MEDIA COVERAGE IMMIGRATION RECEIVES This is newsrooms availability cascading people's futures for clicks

Some notable wars ended with the unconditional surrender of the aggressor. Just sayin'.

Wow.

Once more for the dimwits at the back: a) Lucy Connolly pleaded guilty. b) She was convicted under legislation introduced under Thatcher. c) She was sentenced under guidance brought in under Boris Johnson. d) fuck off.

For the Pritzker fans (like me), this is a great speech he made:

dems de last four watchd #letterboxdfriday

"How bad slavery was" is worse. Much worse. Much worse than you think, much worse than you're taught, much worse than museums depict. Worse.

One party system. Installing...

Understatement, but yeah.

This:

Are 'legitimate concerns' really legitimate if they are based on vibes and misinformation, or even just a poor grasp of the issue?

Does it mean 'gluten-free'?

"Male loneliness epidemic? As far as I'm concerned some of you guys aren't lonely enough." Harsh, but fair.