Steve Bullock
@guitarmoog.bsky.social
Large, slow-moving, land mammal. Bed-dweller. Horizontal guitarist. Loser of remote controls, vapes and plectrums in blankets. Deactivater of account for no reason sometimes. Late adopter of fuzz. Haver of Long Covid. He/him/Moog
Pinned
Steve Bullock
@guitarmoog.bsky.social
· Sep 23
Europe is at the centre of a new Cold War, but this time the two main protagonists - Putin’s Russia and Trump’s America - want the same thing. An authoritarian, anti-democratic Europe, scared and subservient to them, and devoid of its Enlightenment values.
Reposted by Steve Bullock
I’ve been reading about influential new “conservative intellectuals” or “post-liberals” for at least a decade now and every time it’s just racism with a different hat on. Whatever the spin, it’s always fundamentally the same idea
January 4, 2026 at 7:25 PM
I’ve been reading about influential new “conservative intellectuals” or “post-liberals” for at least a decade now and every time it’s just racism with a different hat on. Whatever the spin, it’s always fundamentally the same idea
Reposted by Steve Bullock
Many with ME/CFS and other chronic illnesses may be able to relate some if not many of these
This was posted as a comment on my FB page today, but I'm not sure who created it originally.
#LongCovid #MEcfs #chronicillness #hiddenillness #invisibleillness #ChronicIllnesses #Spoonies #Spoonie
This was posted as a comment on my FB page today, but I'm not sure who created it originally.
#LongCovid #MEcfs #chronicillness #hiddenillness #invisibleillness #ChronicIllnesses #Spoonies #Spoonie
January 4, 2026 at 7:26 PM
Many with ME/CFS and other chronic illnesses may be able to relate some if not many of these
This was posted as a comment on my FB page today, but I'm not sure who created it originally.
#LongCovid #MEcfs #chronicillness #hiddenillness #invisibleillness #ChronicIllnesses #Spoonies #Spoonie
This was posted as a comment on my FB page today, but I'm not sure who created it originally.
#LongCovid #MEcfs #chronicillness #hiddenillness #invisibleillness #ChronicIllnesses #Spoonies #Spoonie
The European response can be summarised as “Yeah but he did it to a right bastard and we’re scared shitless of pissing him off so it’s basically fine [insert oblique non-committal reference to international law].”
January 4, 2026 at 5:43 PM
The European response can be summarised as “Yeah but he did it to a right bastard and we’re scared shitless of pissing him off so it’s basically fine [insert oblique non-committal reference to international law].”
Seen a few comments that Trump’s abduction of Maduro opens the door to Putin doing the same, so once again reminding people that Putin already attempted to capture or kill Zelenskyy in the first days of his invasion of Ukraine.
Trump is emulating Putin, his role-model, because he admires him.
Trump is emulating Putin, his role-model, because he admires him.
Even aside from the fact that it very obviously didn’t happen for the reasons below, I think it’s also worth remembering that Putin sent a snatch/kill squad to get Zelenskyy during Russia’s 2022 invasion, prompting the US to offer Zel extraction.
He replied “I need ammunition, not a ride”
He replied “I need ammunition, not a ride”
PSA: The reason Ukraine isn't targetting Putin's residences with drones and missiles are that both are finite resources and:
a) It's not clear killing him would help;
b) The residences are heavily protected by air defense;
c) They include bunkers;
d) They are huge so you can hit and still miss.
a) It's not clear killing him would help;
b) The residences are heavily protected by air defense;
c) They include bunkers;
d) They are huge so you can hit and still miss.
January 4, 2026 at 3:50 PM
Seen a few comments that Trump’s abduction of Maduro opens the door to Putin doing the same, so once again reminding people that Putin already attempted to capture or kill Zelenskyy in the first days of his invasion of Ukraine.
Trump is emulating Putin, his role-model, because he admires him.
Trump is emulating Putin, his role-model, because he admires him.
Told you he wanted to emulate Putin.
The danger is *because* it is by Trump’s own volition, choice and preference. He wants to emulate Putin. He wants to remake the US in the image of Putin’s Russia and shares a view of how the world should be with him and a handful of other strong-man despots.
Nobody’s forcing him. He wants this.
Nobody’s forcing him. He wants this.
January 4, 2026 at 3:44 PM
Told you he wanted to emulate Putin.
Reposted by Steve Bullock
And what’s the lesson here
Ms. Machado had “gone out of her way to please [Trump], calling him a ‘champion of freedom,’ mimicking his talking points on election fraud in the United States and even dedicating her Peace Prize to him.
“It was in vain.”
@nytimes.com 🇻🇪
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/04/w...
“It was in vain.”
@nytimes.com 🇻🇪
www.nytimes.com/2026/01/04/w...
January 4, 2026 at 1:36 PM
And what’s the lesson here
Reposted by Steve Bullock
Love how all those “checks and balances” neither check nor balance. Loving that for all of us as the Mad King continues his rampage.
Honour systems only work if literally anyone involved has any honour. 😕
Honour systems only work if literally anyone involved has any honour. 😕
January 4, 2026 at 11:37 AM
Love how all those “checks and balances” neither check nor balance. Loving that for all of us as the Mad King continues his rampage.
Honour systems only work if literally anyone involved has any honour. 😕
Honour systems only work if literally anyone involved has any honour. 😕
Reposted by Steve Bullock
We must hear the excuses before we start repeating them, otherwise we might give contradictory justifications.
January 3, 2026 at 3:53 PM
We must hear the excuses before we start repeating them, otherwise we might give contradictory justifications.
Reposted by Steve Bullock
There’s a reason you usually see 4’33 done with a piano. It doesn’t work on guitar. After 10 seconds the performer would start trying to check that their strings are still in tune before moving on to absentmindedly playing Wonderwall.
January 4, 2026 at 10:45 AM
There’s a reason you usually see 4’33 done with a piano. It doesn’t work on guitar. After 10 seconds the performer would start trying to check that their strings are still in tune before moving on to absentmindedly playing Wonderwall.
I have a higher tolerance level than most of distastefully maintaining a diplomatic public front for the sake of good relations, as I’d suspect Dave, with his extensive experience also has, but it’s hard to disagree with him that it’s gone beyond that into credibility-sapping appeasement.
One by one, European leaders are tossing their remaining credibility on Ukraine into the bonfire of Trump appeasement.
Unbelievable hypocrisy.
Unbelievable hypocrisy.
Venezuela será libre.
People in Venezuela deserve to live free after years of oppression.
As the European Parliament has consistently affirmed, we do not consider Nicolás Maduro to be the legitimate, elected leader of Venezuela.
People in Venezuela deserve to live free after years of oppression.
As the European Parliament has consistently affirmed, we do not consider Nicolás Maduro to be the legitimate, elected leader of Venezuela.
January 4, 2026 at 2:30 AM
I have a higher tolerance level than most of distastefully maintaining a diplomatic public front for the sake of good relations, as I’d suspect Dave, with his extensive experience also has, but it’s hard to disagree with him that it’s gone beyond that into credibility-sapping appeasement.
Reposted by Steve Bullock
now, it might seem odd that political commentators who advocated for the uk to leave the eu because of their belief in “the nation state” to be supportive of america’s annexation of venezuela, but what you have to remember is that those people didn’t actually think that, they were lying for money
January 3, 2026 at 8:18 PM
now, it might seem odd that political commentators who advocated for the uk to leave the eu because of their belief in “the nation state” to be supportive of america’s annexation of venezuela, but what you have to remember is that those people didn’t actually think that, they were lying for money
Reposted by Steve Bullock
So l, surely Formula 1 will remove the American races just like they did the Russian GP? Keep it consistent right?
January 3, 2026 at 8:18 PM
So l, surely Formula 1 will remove the American races just like they did the Russian GP? Keep it consistent right?
Reposted by Steve Bullock
Amazing record for the FIFA
January 3, 2026 at 3:46 PM
Amazing record for the FIFA
Reposted by Steve Bullock
Expect to see a lot of this classic Onion headline, from 23 years ago, over the coming weeks.
January 3, 2026 at 5:40 PM
Expect to see a lot of this classic Onion headline, from 23 years ago, over the coming weeks.
My greatest fear of Brexit was that soured UK-EU relations could spill-over into destabilising NATO.
It has not, thankfully, and though Trump has done so, the European alliance (+Canada) remains.
But if the UK and the EU+MSs’ responses to Trump’s aggression are very different, it still well could.
It has not, thankfully, and though Trump has done so, the European alliance (+Canada) remains.
But if the UK and the EU+MSs’ responses to Trump’s aggression are very different, it still well could.
January 3, 2026 at 7:12 PM
My greatest fear of Brexit was that soured UK-EU relations could spill-over into destabilising NATO.
It has not, thankfully, and though Trump has done so, the European alliance (+Canada) remains.
But if the UK and the EU+MSs’ responses to Trump’s aggression are very different, it still well could.
It has not, thankfully, and though Trump has done so, the European alliance (+Canada) remains.
But if the UK and the EU+MSs’ responses to Trump’s aggression are very different, it still well could.
I’d laugh if it wasn’t so serious.
Fat chance of either of these things happening.
Cometh the hour, cometh the wrong man.
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
Fat chance of either of these things happening.
Cometh the hour, cometh the wrong man.
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
January 3, 2026 at 7:04 PM
I’d laugh if it wasn’t so serious.
Fat chance of either of these things happening.
Cometh the hour, cometh the wrong man.
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
Fat chance of either of these things happening.
Cometh the hour, cometh the wrong man.
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...
Most of the commentary on Trump/Maduro/Venezuela, including any I could attempt to provide, has this tragic-naive feel of being from a long-gone era when things were very, very different.
January 3, 2026 at 6:38 PM
Most of the commentary on Trump/Maduro/Venezuela, including any I could attempt to provide, has this tragic-naive feel of being from a long-gone era when things were very, very different.
Reposted by Steve Bullock
"international law must be followed" is european for "thoughts and prayers"
January 3, 2026 at 2:08 PM
"international law must be followed" is european for "thoughts and prayers"
I’m certainly not watching or reading what he says, but I’m assuming that such a stalwart defender of the principle of national sovereignty, opponent of foreign interference, defender of parliamentary rights, and hater of administrative, judicial and executive over-reach opposes the US’s actions?
The political media in the UK tripping over themselves to report, broadcast and comment on Nigel Farage’s remarks on the situation in Venezuela.
And that’s exactly why we’re in the situation we’re in right now.
And that’s exactly why we’re in the situation we’re in right now.
January 3, 2026 at 5:54 PM
I’m certainly not watching or reading what he says, but I’m assuming that such a stalwart defender of the principle of national sovereignty, opponent of foreign interference, defender of parliamentary rights, and hater of administrative, judicial and executive over-reach opposes the US’s actions?
Reposted by Steve Bullock
Reposted by Steve Bullock
"We will bomb you into becoming the 51st state"
There's no legal difference between kidnapping Maduro and kidnapping Mark Carney.
January 3, 2026 at 3:03 PM
"We will bomb you into becoming the 51st state"
Reposted by Steve Bullock
these days you get arrested and thrown in jail just for saying you're the president of venezuela
January 3, 2026 at 3:14 PM
these days you get arrested and thrown in jail just for saying you're the president of venezuela
I could have sworn that a country’s own laws only applied on their own territories, or occasionally to their own citizens outside that territory.
Must have dreamt that.
Must have dreamt that.
January 3, 2026 at 4:27 PM
I could have sworn that a country’s own laws only applied on their own territories, or occasionally to their own citizens outside that territory.
Must have dreamt that.
Must have dreamt that.
Okay, real motorsport might be substantially harder than sim racing, but I bet Max, Lewis, Lando and the others don’t have to deal with returning to this if they nip off for a pre-race piss.
January 3, 2026 at 4:22 PM
Okay, real motorsport might be substantially harder than sim racing, but I bet Max, Lewis, Lando and the others don’t have to deal with returning to this if they nip off for a pre-race piss.
Reposted by Steve Bullock
I'm old enough to remember a time when the president would at least have put some effort into lying to Congress first
January 3, 2026 at 12:51 PM
I'm old enough to remember a time when the president would at least have put some effort into lying to Congress first