Chris M
@josefka.bsky.social
From the divine Lake District
Dealing with energy infrastructure in Iraq
American voters: what have you done?
Dealing with energy infrastructure in Iraq
American voters: what have you done?
Reposted by Chris M
UK's Reform party is making me think twice about using the word "reform", which is a shame. Reform should not mean 'vandalise your country's national interest while pretending to be patriotic'.
January 26, 2026 at 5:22 PM
UK's Reform party is making me think twice about using the word "reform", which is a shame. Reform should not mean 'vandalise your country's national interest while pretending to be patriotic'.
Reposted by Chris M
Hell, the admin is beyond authoritarian, and "fascist" is the right word for many of them, including Trump, but yes, the point is that we are not living under fascism and all is not lost.
For this observer it seems that people want you to commit to saying “we live in a fascist state”
Fwiw, I think you’re right to say that’s not the case, as words matter, and it would cheapen the word
Although I think it’s safe to say that the admin is showing authoritarian tendencies- increasingly so
Fwiw, I think you’re right to say that’s not the case, as words matter, and it would cheapen the word
Although I think it’s safe to say that the admin is showing authoritarian tendencies- increasingly so
January 26, 2026 at 4:43 PM
Hell, the admin is beyond authoritarian, and "fascist" is the right word for many of them, including Trump, but yes, the point is that we are not living under fascism and all is not lost.
Media: “Conflicting views as to what happened”
Maybe try watching one of the videos. You know, the things that actually show what happened.
Maybe try watching one of the videos. You know, the things that actually show what happened.
Holy crap.
This is the most damning video yet.
It shows Border Patrol agents clearly taking Alex's firearm, running it away, and THEN executed him in cold blood by emptying a clip into his face.
Murder.
This is the most damning video yet.
It shows Border Patrol agents clearly taking Alex's firearm, running it away, and THEN executed him in cold blood by emptying a clip into his face.
Murder.
January 25, 2026 at 1:52 PM
Media: “Conflicting views as to what happened”
Maybe try watching one of the videos. You know, the things that actually show what happened.
Maybe try watching one of the videos. You know, the things that actually show what happened.
Reposted by Chris M
Holy crap.
This is the most damning video yet.
It shows Border Patrol agents clearly taking Alex's firearm, running it away, and THEN executed him in cold blood by emptying a clip into his face.
Murder.
This is the most damning video yet.
It shows Border Patrol agents clearly taking Alex's firearm, running it away, and THEN executed him in cold blood by emptying a clip into his face.
Murder.
January 24, 2026 at 9:39 PM
Holy crap.
This is the most damning video yet.
It shows Border Patrol agents clearly taking Alex's firearm, running it away, and THEN executed him in cold blood by emptying a clip into his face.
Murder.
This is the most damning video yet.
It shows Border Patrol agents clearly taking Alex's firearm, running it away, and THEN executed him in cold blood by emptying a clip into his face.
Murder.
Reposted by Chris M
So important. What they say is not the story. That is never the story. What happened is the story. Write what happened.
Media: do not lead with the false government framing of what happened
January 25, 2026 at 12:05 AM
So important. What they say is not the story. That is never the story. What happened is the story. Write what happened.
Reposted by Chris M
They know what they say is untrue, they do not care it is untrue.
The media know that what they repeat is untrue, they do not care it is untrue.
Their supporters know what they are told is untrue, they do not care it is untrue.
Telling the truth is not enough, unless people care about the truth.
The media know that what they repeat is untrue, they do not care it is untrue.
Their supporters know what they are told is untrue, they do not care it is untrue.
Telling the truth is not enough, unless people care about the truth.
January 24, 2026 at 11:25 PM
They know what they say is untrue, they do not care it is untrue.
The media know that what they repeat is untrue, they do not care it is untrue.
Their supporters know what they are told is untrue, they do not care it is untrue.
Telling the truth is not enough, unless people care about the truth.
The media know that what they repeat is untrue, they do not care it is untrue.
Their supporters know what they are told is untrue, they do not care it is untrue.
Telling the truth is not enough, unless people care about the truth.
Beware Google image search dating today’s gun photo as something put on the internet a few days ago. As Eliot explains below 👇
I'm seeing people mistakenly claim the gun photo was posted before today, but its just how Google sometimes dates images based on the original date of the thread its posted in, not when it was posted. The photo was posted an hour ago in this 5 day old thread
www.reddit.com/r/fivethirty...
www.reddit.com/r/fivethirty...
January 24, 2026 at 10:54 PM
Beware Google image search dating today’s gun photo as something put on the internet a few days ago. As Eliot explains below 👇
He’s a treacherous turd. He was bad mouthing the UK in front of a congressional committee not long back.
The Right seem happy to undermine the UK providing it’s done by a person they agree with.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
The Right seem happy to undermine the UK providing it’s done by a person they agree with.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
January 24, 2026 at 3:54 PM
He’s a treacherous turd. He was bad mouthing the UK in front of a congressional committee not long back.
The Right seem happy to undermine the UK providing it’s done by a person they agree with.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
The Right seem happy to undermine the UK providing it’s done by a person they agree with.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Chris M
What ICE is discovering is that sheer terror is not enough, and any policing of a large population needs the consent or at least the forbearance/cooperation of the community.
Even the Gestapo and Stasi knew this.
Turning the local population actively against you is Keystone capers.
Even the Gestapo and Stasi knew this.
Turning the local population actively against you is Keystone capers.
January 23, 2026 at 7:44 PM
What ICE is discovering is that sheer terror is not enough, and any policing of a large population needs the consent or at least the forbearance/cooperation of the community.
Even the Gestapo and Stasi knew this.
Turning the local population actively against you is Keystone capers.
Even the Gestapo and Stasi knew this.
Turning the local population actively against you is Keystone capers.
And every self-respecting news reporter should point out that US allies sacrificed a lot and that when article 5 was invoked, these allies the US “didn’t need” came to assist the US, shedding blood and money in the process.
When Trump lied and slandered European troops by saying that they avoided the front lines in Afghanistan, it was no mistake. It was a deliberate attempt to run down NATO in American eyes, to try and condition the American people to accept the end of the alliance.
January 23, 2026 at 2:42 PM
And every self-respecting news reporter should point out that US allies sacrificed a lot and that when article 5 was invoked, these allies the US “didn’t need” came to assist the US, shedding blood and money in the process.
Interesting thread 🧵
1. This short thread is about the issue that dominates almost every aspect of politics, and causes or exacerbates most of our problems: the extreme wealth of a small number of people. Here’s the amazing thing: almost the entire political class aligns with the ultra-rich against the rest. 🧵1/10
January 23, 2026 at 12:00 PM
Interesting thread 🧵
And it’ll go down as either “he didn’t mean it like that” or “well, that’s just Donald Trump 🤷♂️ “, not the diplomatic uproar and apology it should bring.
Death toll in Afghanistan when NATO answered the US’s call:
- 453 Britons
- 158 Canadians
- 89 French
- 59 Germans
- 53 Italians
- 44 Danes
- 17 Spaniards
“Stayed a little back, off the front lines “!
No one in the media will call him out over this lie or any of the others he spouts.
- 453 Britons
- 158 Canadians
- 89 French
- 59 Germans
- 53 Italians
- 44 Danes
- 17 Spaniards
“Stayed a little back, off the front lines “!
No one in the media will call him out over this lie or any of the others he spouts.
Trump on NATO: "I've always said, will they be there if we ever needed them? That's really the ultimate test. I'm not sure of that. We've never needed them. They'll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan and this or that. And they did. They stayed a little back, off the front lines."
January 22, 2026 at 7:34 PM
And it’ll go down as either “he didn’t mean it like that” or “well, that’s just Donald Trump 🤷♂️ “, not the diplomatic uproar and apology it should bring.
“We’ve never needed them”
“They stayed a little back, off the frontline”
457 British personnel were killed in Afghanistan.
Every one of them worth 10 of this worthless human being and his coterie of malicious incompetents.
“They stayed a little back, off the frontline”
457 British personnel were killed in Afghanistan.
Every one of them worth 10 of this worthless human being and his coterie of malicious incompetents.
Trump on NATO: "I've always said, will they be there if we ever needed them? That's really the ultimate test. I'm not sure of that. We've never needed them. They'll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan and this or that. And they did. They stayed a little back, off the front lines."
January 22, 2026 at 2:04 PM
“We’ve never needed them”
“They stayed a little back, off the frontline”
457 British personnel were killed in Afghanistan.
Every one of them worth 10 of this worthless human being and his coterie of malicious incompetents.
“They stayed a little back, off the frontline”
457 British personnel were killed in Afghanistan.
Every one of them worth 10 of this worthless human being and his coterie of malicious incompetents.
Reposted by Chris M
Trump’s Board of Peace logo is basically the UN logo, except dipped in gold and edited so the world only includes America.
January 22, 2026 at 10:16 AM
Trump’s Board of Peace logo is basically the UN logo, except dipped in gold and edited so the world only includes America.
Great overview as usual, with some very quotable parts. If you find Trump taxing (as I do), this blog always brings a good level of clarity and a few reasons not to despair.
On Trump, Nato, and what Europe might do (and in some cases is already doing)
On Trump, Nato, and what Europe might do (and in some cases is already doing)
January 22, 2026 at 11:38 AM
Great overview as usual, with some very quotable parts. If you find Trump taxing (as I do), this blog always brings a good level of clarity and a few reasons not to despair.
On Trump, Nato, and what Europe might do (and in some cases is already doing)
On Trump, Nato, and what Europe might do (and in some cases is already doing)
Reposted by Chris M
When the US acquired the US Virgin Islands from Denmark, it did so through a negotiated treaty and purchase with congressionally appropriated funds.
It was not/not done unilaterally by the US President.
And the US Secretary of State included this declaration when signing the treaty.
It was not/not done unilaterally by the US President.
And the US Secretary of State included this declaration when signing the treaty.
January 21, 2026 at 6:27 PM
When the US acquired the US Virgin Islands from Denmark, it did so through a negotiated treaty and purchase with congressionally appropriated funds.
It was not/not done unilaterally by the US President.
And the US Secretary of State included this declaration when signing the treaty.
It was not/not done unilaterally by the US President.
And the US Secretary of State included this declaration when signing the treaty.
Reposted by Chris M
Attn news commentators: Trump saying he could use force to obtain Greenland but won’t is not Trump saying he won’t use force to obtain Greenland. It is Trump using force as a threat to obtain Greenland. That is why he mentions it.
January 21, 2026 at 2:16 PM
Attn news commentators: Trump saying he could use force to obtain Greenland but won’t is not Trump saying he won’t use force to obtain Greenland. It is Trump using force as a threat to obtain Greenland. That is why he mentions it.
He can’t remember the name of the country he’s threatening to annex, just told people in the German speaking part of Switzerland that they’d be speaking German if it wasn’t for the US, and revealed the ‘real’ reason WW1 ended was due to Spanish flu.
No one can be watching this Davos speech and reach any conclusion but that the President of the United States is mentally disturbed and that something is deeply wrong with him. This is both embarrassing and extremely dangerous.
January 21, 2026 at 3:04 PM
He can’t remember the name of the country he’s threatening to annex, just told people in the German speaking part of Switzerland that they’d be speaking German if it wasn’t for the US, and revealed the ‘real’ reason WW1 ended was due to Spanish flu.
Reposted by Chris M
Macron: "What we need is more Chinese foreign direct investment in Europe in some key sectors to contribute to our growth."
January 20, 2026 at 2:59 PM
Macron: "What we need is more Chinese foreign direct investment in Europe in some key sectors to contribute to our growth."
Reposted by Chris M
Honestly if you are - for whatever reason - looking at this and mainly thinking about the Chagos deal being scuppered by it, you are looking through the wrong end of the telescope
Trump on his website laying in to the UK over Diego Garcia as an act of “GREAT STUPIDITY”, cites it as a reason the US should “acquire” Greenland
January 20, 2026 at 8:17 AM
Honestly if you are - for whatever reason - looking at this and mainly thinking about the Chagos deal being scuppered by it, you are looking through the wrong end of the telescope
Reposted by Chris M
Trump versus reality on the Chagos Islands:
1. UK is not ‘giving away’ the Chagos Islands. It is restoring them to Mauritius having split them off from the former colony when it became independent in 1965.
2. There is a very compelling reason: in 1965 the UN objected …
1. UK is not ‘giving away’ the Chagos Islands. It is restoring them to Mauritius having split them off from the former colony when it became independent in 1965.
2. There is a very compelling reason: in 1965 the UN objected …
January 20, 2026 at 8:19 AM
Trump versus reality on the Chagos Islands:
1. UK is not ‘giving away’ the Chagos Islands. It is restoring them to Mauritius having split them off from the former colony when it became independent in 1965.
2. There is a very compelling reason: in 1965 the UN objected …
1. UK is not ‘giving away’ the Chagos Islands. It is restoring them to Mauritius having split them off from the former colony when it became independent in 1965.
2. There is a very compelling reason: in 1965 the UN objected …
Good piece. Hopefully it’ll be read by many Americans.
It is not up to the armed forces to put a stop to Trump’s ghastly ideas of war against NATO. The United States is not run by the military, nor should it be. Americans, and their elected representatives, must take this burden away from the armed forces—now.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0...
The Military Is Being Forced to Plan for an Unthinkable Betrayal
Attacking an ally would be a perversion of everything the armed forces have been trained to do.
www.theatlantic.com
January 20, 2026 at 12:17 AM
Good piece. Hopefully it’ll be read by many Americans.
If it is broke, that’s coming from the man who’s taking the detritus from the very party that broke it, as well as conning the country into arguably the worst geopolitical decision since beyond Suez.
Britain isn't broken.
You just hate multiculturalism and wish we were living in shitty 1942.
Be honest.
You just hate multiculturalism and wish we were living in shitty 1942.
Be honest.
January 19, 2026 at 11:40 PM
If it is broke, that’s coming from the man who’s taking the detritus from the very party that broke it, as well as conning the country into arguably the worst geopolitical decision since beyond Suez.
Reposted by Chris M
A US early-warning radar of one sort or another has been on Greenland for nearly 70 years—without the need for US sovereignty. Greenland is also covered by Article Five & US could protect it v Russia or China. Conflating Greenland's military importance with the issue of US ownership is dishonest.
January 14, 2026 at 1:12 PM
A US early-warning radar of one sort or another has been on Greenland for nearly 70 years—without the need for US sovereignty. Greenland is also covered by Article Five & US could protect it v Russia or China. Conflating Greenland's military importance with the issue of US ownership is dishonest.