Karl McDonald
@karlusss.bsky.social
For if I triumph I must make men mad. Occasional columnist
Have these attempts at overlaying some kind of left-compatible theory over right-wing anti-immigration sentiment ever worked, or helped in any way? People either hate it because they think you're morally wrong or they hate it because they think you're factually wrong.
February 12, 2026 at 1:34 AM
Have these attempts at overlaying some kind of left-compatible theory over right-wing anti-immigration sentiment ever worked, or helped in any way? People either hate it because they think you're morally wrong or they hate it because they think you're factually wrong.
Keep forgetting to develop or learn a theory as to why so many pubs in Dublin have photos of Michael Collins. Ideas welcome.
February 12, 2026 at 1:21 AM
Keep forgetting to develop or learn a theory as to why so many pubs in Dublin have photos of Michael Collins. Ideas welcome.
Remain baffled by the level of resources in US gardening vs UK where they are often telling you to reuse a yoghurt container. Someone put an electric fence around their cherry tree to stop pests getting the fruit which, firstly squirrels can jump and birds can fly, and secondly cmon.
February 11, 2026 at 11:53 AM
Remain baffled by the level of resources in US gardening vs UK where they are often telling you to reuse a yoghurt container. Someone put an electric fence around their cherry tree to stop pests getting the fruit which, firstly squirrels can jump and birds can fly, and secondly cmon.
Shout out to the figure skater from Kazakhstan who appears to be skating to the Dune soundtrack
February 10, 2026 at 9:38 PM
Shout out to the figure skater from Kazakhstan who appears to be skating to the Dune soundtrack
It is, you have to admit, class that Wes Streeting managed to leak texts with Peter Mandelson that outlined his policy differences with the current leadership
February 10, 2026 at 1:01 AM
It is, you have to admit, class that Wes Streeting managed to leak texts with Peter Mandelson that outlined his policy differences with the current leadership
Reposted by Karl McDonald
I used to leave my notes app ready to record ideas for drawings/tweets etc that’d barely be hanging on in my consciousness as I’d wake from dreams. One morning I reached for my phone immediately, knowing I’d typed something that seemed of great import during the night. It read:
“Adult Hitler”
“Adult Hitler”
February 9, 2026 at 10:20 PM
I used to leave my notes app ready to record ideas for drawings/tweets etc that’d barely be hanging on in my consciousness as I’d wake from dreams. One morning I reached for my phone immediately, knowing I’d typed something that seemed of great import during the night. It read:
“Adult Hitler”
“Adult Hitler”
Chess police here: the number of squares on board remains the same through the opening, the middlegame and the endgame
February 9, 2026 at 11:20 PM
Chess police here: the number of squares on board remains the same through the opening, the middlegame and the endgame
Incredible rebrand. It is probably the case that Keir Starmer would beat Nigel Farage in a fight, and that is a strength Labour should absolutely highlight in the coming weeks and months.
February 9, 2026 at 8:07 PM
Incredible rebrand. It is probably the case that Keir Starmer would beat Nigel Farage in a fight, and that is a strength Labour should absolutely highlight in the coming weeks and months.
Reposted by Karl McDonald
One of my favourite Bernhard snaps...
Thomas Bernhard, hangjng with the roofers after buying his second house (in 1971)
February 9, 2026 at 7:54 PM
One of my favourite Bernhard snaps...
The two things I have noticed Anas Sarwar do recently are: make an enormous fuss out of trans prisoners for what seemed like quite obviously political reasons and then call a press conference to express disloyalty to his party leader for what seemed like quite obviously political reasons.
February 9, 2026 at 3:05 PM
The two things I have noticed Anas Sarwar do recently are: make an enormous fuss out of trans prisoners for what seemed like quite obviously political reasons and then call a press conference to express disloyalty to his party leader for what seemed like quite obviously political reasons.
"Deputy heads must roll"
Keir Starmer’s director of communications Tim Allan steps down
Keir Starmer’s director of communications Tim Allan steps down
Exclusive: Decision follows departure of chief of staff Morgan McSweeney over Peter Mandelson scandal
Tim Allan, Keir Starmer’s director of communications, has stepped down after just five months in the job, his resignation coming a day after the prime minister’s chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney, also resigned.
Allan said in a brief statement: “I have decided to stand down to allow a new No10 team to be built. I wish the PM and his team every success.” Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
February 9, 2026 at 12:12 PM
"Deputy heads must roll"
Like to see Guehi centre backing.
February 8, 2026 at 10:39 PM
Like to see Guehi centre backing.
You have to expect this when jestergooning I think. Can't embark on a period of jestergooning at the club without a strategy for something like this happening
we gotta open the schools…or close down the schools. not sure. yikes
February 7, 2026 at 9:51 PM
You have to expect this when jestergooning I think. Can't embark on a period of jestergooning at the club without a strategy for something like this happening
Would once again like to invite Wales to join a union of equals with Ireland and potentially Scotland depending on how they are feeling.
February 7, 2026 at 5:52 PM
Would once again like to invite Wales to join a union of equals with Ireland and potentially Scotland depending on how they are feeling.
One of the major issues with growing older is that you are no longer surprised by events in the Winter Olympics. Woman skiing slowly with a rifle on her shoulder? Seen it before. Skeleton? Seen it before.
February 7, 2026 at 3:41 PM
One of the major issues with growing older is that you are no longer surprised by events in the Winter Olympics. Woman skiing slowly with a rifle on her shoulder? Seen it before. Skeleton? Seen it before.
Uncritically in favour of any megainfrastructure benefiting Ireland that Britain is willing to pay for.
February 7, 2026 at 12:16 AM
Uncritically in favour of any megainfrastructure benefiting Ireland that Britain is willing to pay for.
Many years of practice booing a specific midfielder who left their club for a rival club as the ball gets passed to him over and over again during patient buildup play.
The Italian audience's ability to rapidly switch from cheering for the American team's entrance to booing JD Vance is honestly pretty impressive. Turned on a dime, and again the moment Vance was off screen
February 6, 2026 at 10:27 PM
Many years of practice booing a specific midfielder who left their club for a rival club as the ball gets passed to him over and over again during patient buildup play.
Reposted by Karl McDonald
Just saw a post with George Clinton citing the Beatles as his favorite band, which reminded me of this quote he once gave me
February 6, 2026 at 3:12 AM
Just saw a post with George Clinton citing the Beatles as his favorite band, which reminded me of this quote he once gave me
Coincidentally I am reading a Saramago book at the moment that opens at a polling station in Portugal during heavy rain. Things only go south from there.
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...
Calls to postpone presidential election as Storm Leonardo lashes Portugal and Spain
Portugal’s far-right Chega party has said vote should be delayed as state of calamity declared in 69 areas
www.theguardian.com
February 6, 2026 at 4:42 PM
Coincidentally I am reading a Saramago book at the moment that opens at a polling station in Portugal during heavy rain. Things only go south from there.
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...
You can listen to the earliest recorded sean nós, from An Rinn in 1905 and captured on wax cylinders, online.
www.itma.ie/playlists/he...
www.itma.ie/playlists/he...
ITMA — ITMA Henebry Cylinder Recordings 1, 1905
Championing the value and relevance of Irish traditional music
www.itma.ie
February 6, 2026 at 12:41 PM
You can listen to the earliest recorded sean nós, from An Rinn in 1905 and captured on wax cylinders, online.
www.itma.ie/playlists/he...
www.itma.ie/playlists/he...
Someone pointed out that while everything else is down suddenly, WD40 is doing great. Never gonna not need WD40!
February 5, 2026 at 7:33 PM
Someone pointed out that while everything else is down suddenly, WD40 is doing great. Never gonna not need WD40!
Reposted by Karl McDonald
Má thuiginn tú Gaeilge agus tá tú ag lorg podchraoladh nach mothann cosúil le hobair bhaile, táim ag baint an-sult ar fad as Dúchas ó Raidio Rí-Rá. Ag plé leis an mbéaloideas go ndáiríre ach greannmhar freisin (actually greannmhar not Gaeilge-greannmhar)
February 5, 2026 at 1:16 AM
Má thuiginn tú Gaeilge agus tá tú ag lorg podchraoladh nach mothann cosúil le hobair bhaile, táim ag baint an-sult ar fad as Dúchas ó Raidio Rí-Rá. Ag plé leis an mbéaloideas go ndáiríre ach greannmhar freisin (actually greannmhar not Gaeilge-greannmhar)
Increasingly clear that there is a difference between a technocracy and an ascendancy of briefcase wankers. European technocrats go to college for 15 years before becoming fellows of things called like the Wiesenberg-Spontina Institute of Complex Tax Theory. They have theories.
February 5, 2026 at 11:20 AM
Increasingly clear that there is a difference between a technocracy and an ascendancy of briefcase wankers. European technocrats go to college for 15 years before becoming fellows of things called like the Wiesenberg-Spontina Institute of Complex Tax Theory. They have theories.