Pinned
flyingrodent
@flyingrodent.bsky.social
· Nov 10
I think we’re several years past the point where “Whoops, it was just groupthink again, silly us” is going to cut it as an explanation for one avoidable shitshow after another, don’t you
Reposted by flyingrodent
Of course, in the UK "regulators" are never really regulators. Their raison d'etre is political: to dress political goals in regulatory clothing, to act as reputational buffer zones, to gaslight outsiders like you and I into thinking regulation exists. But never, god forbid, to regulate.
Ofcom *might* "undertake a swift *assessment* to determine *whether* there are *potential* compliance issues that *warrant investigation*."
Hard to believe, but we waste almost a quarter of a billion pounds of public money annually on this absolute shower of a regulator.
Hard to believe, but we waste almost a quarter of a billion pounds of public money annually on this absolute shower of a regulator.
January 5, 2026 at 6:57 PM
Of course, in the UK "regulators" are never really regulators. Their raison d'etre is political: to dress political goals in regulatory clothing, to act as reputational buffer zones, to gaslight outsiders like you and I into thinking regulation exists. But never, god forbid, to regulate.
Reposted by flyingrodent
"did you try to bribe the president of the united states by giving him your nobel peace prize so he will declare that you are in charge of venezuela after abducting its leader by military force" is just a thing that someone can be asked in an interview now and we all have to deal with that
Hannity: Did you at any point offered to give him the Nobel peace prize?
Machado: It hasn’t happened yet. We want to give it to him. Share it with him.
Machado: It hasn’t happened yet. We want to give it to him. Share it with him.
January 6, 2026 at 5:54 AM
"did you try to bribe the president of the united states by giving him your nobel peace prize so he will declare that you are in charge of venezuela after abducting its leader by military force" is just a thing that someone can be asked in an interview now and we all have to deal with that
Reposted by flyingrodent
Another example of the fact that there are very few technically difficult questions of economics; "difficult questions" are just difficult because you don't like the obvious answer
January 6, 2026 at 8:21 AM
Another example of the fact that there are very few technically difficult questions of economics; "difficult questions" are just difficult because you don't like the obvious answer
I’m not certain that - given the disastrous situation that has directly resulted from these people getting 96% of what they demanded - giving them 100% of it is likely to improve matters.
January 6, 2026 at 9:01 AM
I’m not certain that - given the disastrous situation that has directly resulted from these people getting 96% of what they demanded - giving them 100% of it is likely to improve matters.
It’s very awkward, because Trump is demonstrating that British support for almost anything America does - once presented as optional, done by democratic consent - is plainly mandatory and non-negotiable, no matter what they’re doing. Which casts at least our recent history in a different light.
January 6, 2026 at 7:43 AM
It’s very awkward, because Trump is demonstrating that British support for almost anything America does - once presented as optional, done by democratic consent - is plainly mandatory and non-negotiable, no matter what they’re doing. Which casts at least our recent history in a different light.
Awesome how we just occasionally go “And of course, it’s bad that the police and the security services occasionally get fuckloads of people killed and then lie like hell about it, and nobody is willing to punish them or change anything beyond asking them to be nicer”, and then forget about it again.
Manchester Arena bereaved families say MI5 must be fully included in new law on cover-ups
The law follows campaigning by families affected by the 1989 Hillsborough disaster that claimed 97 lives.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 5, 2026 at 11:58 PM
Awesome how we just occasionally go “And of course, it’s bad that the police and the security services occasionally get fuckloads of people killed and then lie like hell about it, and nobody is willing to punish them or change anything beyond asking them to be nicer”, and then forget about it again.
Reposted by flyingrodent
🚨 NEW | Keir Starmer is less popular in Britain than Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
🟡 Maduro -31
⚫ Trump -56
🔴 Starmer -56
🟩 Hamas -58
Net favourability ratings via @YouGov, 4-5 Jan
🟡 Maduro -31
⚫ Trump -56
🔴 Starmer -56
🟩 Hamas -58
Net favourability ratings via @YouGov, 4-5 Jan
January 5, 2026 at 7:38 PM
🚨 NEW | Keir Starmer is less popular in Britain than Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro.
🟡 Maduro -31
⚫ Trump -56
🔴 Starmer -56
🟩 Hamas -58
Net favourability ratings via @YouGov, 4-5 Jan
🟡 Maduro -31
⚫ Trump -56
🔴 Starmer -56
🟩 Hamas -58
Net favourability ratings via @YouGov, 4-5 Jan
Reposted by flyingrodent
they literally wrote this into the national security strategy!
A reminder that this WH is staffed by people who very sincerely believe that liberal govts in Europe have caused a realtime civilizational collapse on the continent and existential crisis for the US that justifies overt interference in their affairs
January 5, 2026 at 6:06 PM
they literally wrote this into the national security strategy!
Reposted by flyingrodent
Amazing wrongness here.
1. If you're arresting 00s of peaceful pro-Gazan protestors, you don't believe in free speech.
2. Even if you do believe in it, it doesn't extend to child porn.
3. You can't debate with fascists.
4. You can put a counter-narrative (if you have one) onto civilized platforms.
1. If you're arresting 00s of peaceful pro-Gazan protestors, you don't believe in free speech.
2. Even if you do believe in it, it doesn't extend to child porn.
3. You can't debate with fascists.
4. You can put a counter-narrative (if you have one) onto civilized platforms.
Cabinet Office Minister Baroness Anderson tells the Lords the Government will keep on using X.
"I still believe that X is an appropriate platform to use because I believe in freedom of speech..."
"It is incredibly important that there is a counter narrative on those platforms," she says.
"I still believe that X is an appropriate platform to use because I believe in freedom of speech..."
"It is incredibly important that there is a counter narrative on those platforms," she says.
January 5, 2026 at 6:31 PM
Amazing wrongness here.
1. If you're arresting 00s of peaceful pro-Gazan protestors, you don't believe in free speech.
2. Even if you do believe in it, it doesn't extend to child porn.
3. You can't debate with fascists.
4. You can put a counter-narrative (if you have one) onto civilized platforms.
1. If you're arresting 00s of peaceful pro-Gazan protestors, you don't believe in free speech.
2. Even if you do believe in it, it doesn't extend to child porn.
3. You can't debate with fascists.
4. You can put a counter-narrative (if you have one) onto civilized platforms.
I am not certain that even America is in a position to openly dictate to the whole of the Americas in the most crass and insulting terms as well as - at least - the Middle East. I suspect we’ll be looking at this as catastrophic, vainglorious idiocy by this time next year, if not today.
January 5, 2026 at 6:17 PM
I am not certain that even America is in a position to openly dictate to the whole of the Americas in the most crass and insulting terms as well as - at least - the Middle East. I suspect we’ll be looking at this as catastrophic, vainglorious idiocy by this time next year, if not today.
Reposted by flyingrodent
Occasionally they spell it out.
Here's the US at the UN security council this afternoon
Here's the US at the UN security council this afternoon
January 5, 2026 at 5:07 PM
Occasionally they spell it out.
Here's the US at the UN security council this afternoon
Here's the US at the UN security council this afternoon
Sure, but would we say that an average punter who judged the Scottish party by looking at the behaviour of the UK one, would get a misleading impression? Probably not, I reckon.
Scottish Labour urges Keir Starmer to stay out of Holyrood campaign
Anas Sarwar says prime minister’s missteps have left party clear underdogs in run-up to May election
www.theguardian.com
January 5, 2026 at 4:56 PM
Sure, but would we say that an average punter who judged the Scottish party by looking at the behaviour of the UK one, would get a misleading impression? Probably not, I reckon.
Reposted by flyingrodent
Whenever people spoke about the harms and chilling effect on speech caused by the OSA, these guys were right in with "so you love child porn huh?"
Once again: there are no rules, there are no principles, there are no standards. There is just whatever these people want, forever.
Once again: there are no rules, there are no principles, there are no standards. There is just whatever these people want, forever.
Cabinet Office Minister Baroness Anderson tells the Lords the Government will keep on using X.
"I still believe that X is an appropriate platform to use because I believe in freedom of speech..."
"It is incredibly important that there is a counter narrative on those platforms," she says.
"I still believe that X is an appropriate platform to use because I believe in freedom of speech..."
"It is incredibly important that there is a counter narrative on those platforms," she says.
January 5, 2026 at 4:35 PM
Whenever people spoke about the harms and chilling effect on speech caused by the OSA, these guys were right in with "so you love child porn huh?"
Once again: there are no rules, there are no principles, there are no standards. There is just whatever these people want, forever.
Once again: there are no rules, there are no principles, there are no standards. There is just whatever these people want, forever.
Reposted by flyingrodent
I have a hunch that if you or I were running a website doing this the "urgent contact" would involve door rams and handcuffs so I struggle to see why it can't be slightly more pugnacious than this.
Ofcom, which enforces the UK's Online Safety Act, says it is aware of "serious concerns" about Grok undressing people including children on X
“We have made urgent contact with X and xAI to understand what steps they have taken to comply with their legal duties to protect users in the UK," it says
“We have made urgent contact with X and xAI to understand what steps they have taken to comply with their legal duties to protect users in the UK," it says
January 5, 2026 at 2:57 PM
I have a hunch that if you or I were running a website doing this the "urgent contact" would involve door rams and handcuffs so I struggle to see why it can't be slightly more pugnacious than this.
You could already do a pretty amazing YouTube video of “news show presenters who cannot believe what they are fucking hearing from actual ministers”. Start with the Taylor Swift tickets, move on to the collective punishment ones and finish with this.
January 5, 2026 at 3:52 PM
You could already do a pretty amazing YouTube video of “news show presenters who cannot believe what they are fucking hearing from actual ministers”. Start with the Taylor Swift tickets, move on to the collective punishment ones and finish with this.
Damn, I was planning to get way more mileage out of calling myself and other fans “Nancy Boys”.
January 5, 2026 at 3:18 PM
Damn, I was planning to get way more mileage out of calling myself and other fans “Nancy Boys”.
Reposted by flyingrodent
once again i want to point out that as soon as the OSA came into effect, posts reporting news from palestine were immediately restricted with no recourse to appeal.
so far none of these genAI CSAM images have even touched the filter. effectively the 'for you' tab has become a minefield.
so far none of these genAI CSAM images have even touched the filter. effectively the 'for you' tab has become a minefield.
Ofcom, which enforces the UK's Online Safety Act, says it is aware of "serious concerns" about Grok undressing people including children on X
“We have made urgent contact with X and xAI to understand what steps they have taken to comply with their legal duties to protect users in the UK," it says
“We have made urgent contact with X and xAI to understand what steps they have taken to comply with their legal duties to protect users in the UK," it says
January 5, 2026 at 2:34 PM
once again i want to point out that as soon as the OSA came into effect, posts reporting news from palestine were immediately restricted with no recourse to appeal.
so far none of these genAI CSAM images have even touched the filter. effectively the 'for you' tab has become a minefield.
so far none of these genAI CSAM images have even touched the filter. effectively the 'for you' tab has become a minefield.
Incredible, really. Talks about US forces killing Venezuelan soldiers “in self-defence”, while they were literally invading the country with no legal justification whatsoever. Does nobody have even a shred of self-respect left, at this point? abcnews.go.com/amp/Politics...
'What he ate': Inside the meticulously planned operation to capture Maduro
abcnews.go.com
January 5, 2026 at 2:32 PM
Incredible, really. Talks about US forces killing Venezuelan soldiers “in self-defence”, while they were literally invading the country with no legal justification whatsoever. Does nobody have even a shred of self-respect left, at this point? abcnews.go.com/amp/Politics...
If the giant throbbing brains of political commentary cannot possibly be wrong, then it must be someone else’s fault. Like I say: we should expect a full court press on “the public are just needy, whiny little piggies who don’t understand how good they have it”, this year.
January 5, 2026 at 2:21 PM
If the giant throbbing brains of political commentary cannot possibly be wrong, then it must be someone else’s fault. Like I say: we should expect a full court press on “the public are just needy, whiny little piggies who don’t understand how good they have it”, this year.
Reposted by flyingrodent
It's only necessary if you're trying to cover up a genocide. 👍
Israeli authorities have told the Supreme Court that a ban on international media access to Gaza should remain in place, arguing that it is necessary for security reasons, according to a government submission filed by the public prosecutor
Israel says ban on Gaza media access should remain
Israeli authorities have told the Supreme Court that a ban on international media access to Gaza should remain in place, arguing it is necessary for security reasons, according to a government submiss...
www.rte.ie
January 5, 2026 at 11:21 AM
It's only necessary if you're trying to cover up a genocide. 👍
Reposted by flyingrodent
"... there are no crimes even the most extreme, reckless, and right wing American president in history can commit that would cause our country to step away from its subordination to Washington."
Playing the Supplicant
Every time Donald Trump commits an outrage , he causes a comms nightmare for Downing Street. Keir Starmer cannot and will not ever risk pub...
averypublicsociologist.blogspot.com
January 5, 2026 at 12:13 PM
"... there are no crimes even the most extreme, reckless, and right wing American president in history can commit that would cause our country to step away from its subordination to Washington."
You will recall that we were supposed to be absolutely terrified of the Labour Party because it was purportedly in hock to aggressive foreign powers. How’s that looking now, folks
January 5, 2026 at 11:58 AM
You will recall that we were supposed to be absolutely terrified of the Labour Party because it was purportedly in hock to aggressive foreign powers. How’s that looking now, folks
What are we doing here, lads. Have we thought this through, at all.
January 5, 2026 at 11:53 AM
What are we doing here, lads. Have we thought this through, at all.
To believe this, you would have to believe that everyone from Nixon to Reagan to Bush II was a We Are The World altruist snowflake. This man is just a Nazi, and by that I mean he is a straightforward Third Reich skull-on-the cap Nazi, and he is open and proud about being one.
January 5, 2026 at 11:43 AM
To believe this, you would have to believe that everyone from Nixon to Reagan to Bush II was a We Are The World altruist snowflake. This man is just a Nazi, and by that I mean he is a straightforward Third Reich skull-on-the cap Nazi, and he is open and proud about being one.