One thing I have learned: you have to attack far-right/anti-democratic voices in the places and on the issues where they appear to be the strongest. You have to remove their assumption that they have *any* easy wins. The more pointless the battle feels, the more important it is to fight it.

Went to a great demo today in Worcester to counter the anti-migrant flagshaggers. There were a lot of them just constantly filming us, so I’m definitely ending up on far-right facebook groups 😇 Oh well. Time to stand up and be counted.

Esther Krakpot on BBCQT

Utterly shocked and gutted by the death of Rob Grant. So much of my life’s imagination and humour came from a near-lifelong love of Red Dwarf. Rest in peace.

Watched the L S Lowry doc on BBC Two tonight. Very interesting that he was a self-described ‘out and out conservative’ considering he refused several honours including a knighthood.

People take the piss out of us British for saying chooseday or choon (tune) or choona (tuna), but would they say future? Fyoo-tur? Fuh-terr?

'left behind' is a smooth brained media frame to avoid talking about rigorous concepts like inequality

Lost my phone in London, with four credit cards and £150 cash in the case. Returned to me within 21 minutes. This hellhole of a city eh.

Started recording my food consumption, more to look at the nutrition than calorie-counting. I believe the term is fibremaxxing! Not intentional.

Big, beautiful branch of broccoli

What if something were to happen to the AI data centres?

EXT: Day. The grave of Noel Edmonds. A figure lies face down in the freshly dug soil, sobbing inconsolably. CAPTION: GREYFRIARS BLOBBY.

When I was young, there was a paucity of entertainment: fuck all on tv, radio sometimes played decent songs, albums £15 a pop. We relied on ‘family credit’ for things - cheap swimming, tennis. Now, there’s SO much entertainment it explodes my brain. I want to consume it all but have no time.

Interesting that there is no Double Skeleton event. And no mixed event with a Luge on the bottom and a Skeleton on the top. Could be useful for dating profiles - Lonely Skeleton seeking slippery Luge.

I have many phobias: flying, heights, enclosed spaces. But I’d LOVE a blast at the luge!

Jim Ratcliffe is rather dim, isn’t he?

just billionaire Sir Jim Ratcliffe throwing out some serious made-up numbers on TV

We're getting close to Wuthering Heights' release date. I am excited to see how they've portrayed Joseph more than anything.

There’s an NFL team called Sea Horse?

I can’t stand Starmer and his cabal, so I hate to admit that they were practically impeccable in the year or two running up to the 2024 election. Astonishing how utterly shit they’ve been from that moment onwards. Incompetent, naïve, weak.

Getting out of bed this week just feels like an absurd piss-take.

OK, this is great. Everything works. Bonus points for respecting the original arrangement and lyric (e.g. 'Marilyn French'). It may be from a junket but it's hardly a trifle and significantly more enjoyable than a blancmange. 🥁 #Pulp #ABBA www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Wd1...

Think it’s important for people on the left to ask wtf was Chomsky doing with Epstein? He does not get a pass!

Just started series 5 of Stranger Things. Will is a terrible character.

Night-time Question Time with my daughter tonight: 1. Daddy, what happened in the olden days? 2. Dad, what is knitting wool made out of? 3. Why do only womans knit? 4. When people move house, do they have to take everything back? Why?

Spent the day at home with 5-year-old daughter today, mucking about, watching telly, doing her phonics homework. Happy as Larry, me.

Listening to 6 Music this morning, a trail says, ‘We’ll be speaking to the filmmaker Akinola Davies Jr this week.’ Took a moment to process, but realised he was on my course at Brighton uni! He was also a barman at Falmer student union. Will have to check out his films now.

The Washington Post published a clear video of federal agents removing Alex Pretti's handgun moments before he was fatally shot. There's nothing in the video to suggest Pretti even reached for his weapon. wapo.st/49Zqv1L

A bheil duine sam bith air fhàgail gun phodcast no fiaclan Turcach?

You're watching BBC Scotland.

Interesting that hand make-up man is, quite clearly, deliberately baiting allies with his Afghanistan comments. He desperately wants a reaction. Same with Chagos comments.

My wife was quite upset this afternoon when she heard that Joanie (online women's fashion co) has closed. It was almost a bereavement; she was gutted that a shop where she gets dresses that fit well and she gets compliments for, is no more. I was almost moved.

I say this from a position of privilege: I will take the economic pain that comes from standing up to Trump. It has to be worth it to resist a fascist.

To make veganuary more achievable, I inserted a clause to allow myself one cheat meal per week to cover birthdays, roasts round the in-laws', etc. Got two-thirds through the month now without having to use it! Quite pleased.

I'm good thanks. I think I probably won't move to the country where the authorities pump out neo-Nazi memes and masked militias roam the streets.

Deutsche Bank here with the good stuff. Game on.

Senegal deserve great credit for their courage. They were completely justified in walking off the pitch. Why the hell should they just meekly accept very, very blatant injustice?

Officiating of this AFCON final is outrageous. Fully support Senegal taking their team off.

Thinking about him (the man standing in front of me at a The Fall gig, who, about two songs in, loudly exclaimed “oh, no. No thank you” downed his pint and left

Just rediscovered Grizzly Bear, after forgetting their existence for 13 years

Buddha on a bike! When will European leaders stop being amateurs and realise it's gloves-off with Trump? Appeasement and flattery only work temporarily. He needs to be stood up to; attacked, even. Yes: attacked. Let's boot them off UK/Euro airbases.

Tom Lehrer famously said that satire died when Kissinger won the Nobel Peace Prize. If so, giving it to Maria Corina Machado, rabid Trump supporter and cheerleader for Israel's genocide in Gaza who has called for foreign invasion of Venezuela and would "bury socialism forever", pisses on its grave.

I'm gonna say that accepting Jenrick is an own-goal for Reform: personally dislikable but will have ambitions to dislodge Farage as leader.

Finished the brilliant Seascraper by Benjamin Wood - a short novel that was absorbing and evocative from beginning to end. What to make of it? I'm still digesting it, which can only be good.

Breaking! Greenland and Denmark in talks to buy the US saying the failing and rogue state’s value is falling quickly but it does have a number of resources worth pillaging. No name change is anticipated but there will be changes in the top leadership.

Third world country

Looking forward to more extensive coverage of the civil war about to break out in our hellhole cities.

Interview with Paul from the Chuckle Brothers in the Guardian asks if he'd ever like to do Shakespeare. He says, "To me, or not to me, that is the question."

I don't know anything about D. H. Lawrence's writing, but his delivery company is a joke.

Today I had a five-yearly health check at the GP surgery. After weighing and heighing me, a nurse asked how much time I habitually spend weekly on football, cycling, walking, childcare and chores. She didn't ask how much I dedicate to reading.