Richard Beach
@mrseaside.bsky.social
Short, Nerd, Jew, AFOL, Centrist Dad.
Antisemites and judeofascists equally unwelcome.
Author of "Ten Lies My Family Told me”.
Occasional Gaming Project Director.
Antisemites and judeofascists equally unwelcome.
Author of "Ten Lies My Family Told me”.
Occasional Gaming Project Director.
Sound drums and trumpets!
February 8, 2026 at 2:24 PM
Sound drums and trumpets!
When I was canvassing for Labour in 2024 I had a long chat with a Reform-curious lady; back then, she was willing to consider that a Starmer govt might at least manage migration more competently rather than just “talking tough”. I assured her that’s what would happen; I was wrong.
This @samfr.bsky.social piece on what might or might not change in government strategy, policy or voice includes a discussion of immigration: there is a very vibes-based debate about "toughness" but Labour needs to be smarter, not tougher, on controlling immigration
samf.substack.com/p/after-star...
samf.substack.com/p/after-star...
After Starmer
What would Labour do differently under a new leader?
samf.substack.com
February 8, 2026 at 11:02 AM
When I was canvassing for Labour in 2024 I had a long chat with a Reform-curious lady; back then, she was willing to consider that a Starmer govt might at least manage migration more competently rather than just “talking tough”. I assured her that’s what would happen; I was wrong.
Stupidity plus greed is a very dangerous combination.
Hate-filled fake videos about London are everywhere. We've obtained a recording of a TikToker confessing to secretly filming Londoners in their homes for clicks.
He says it's not political. He just wants to make money from far-right anger.
Read what he says: www.londoncentric.media/p/london-tik...
He says it's not political. He just wants to make money from far-right anger.
Read what he says: www.londoncentric.media/p/london-tik...
February 8, 2026 at 10:57 AM
Stupidity plus greed is a very dangerous combination.
Reposted by Richard Beach
Trump is a vile racist bully
We should all condemn this without hesitation. But something tells me Farage will find a way to make excuses for his best mate Trump. I hope I’m wrong.
We should all condemn this without hesitation. But something tells me Farage will find a way to make excuses for his best mate Trump. I hope I’m wrong.
February 6, 2026 at 10:46 AM
Trump is a vile racist bully
We should all condemn this without hesitation. But something tells me Farage will find a way to make excuses for his best mate Trump. I hope I’m wrong.
We should all condemn this without hesitation. But something tells me Farage will find a way to make excuses for his best mate Trump. I hope I’m wrong.
Priests & Kings are order muppets, prophets are chaos muppets.
Would LOVE to see the Muppet Tanach with casting based on that principle.
Would LOVE to see the Muppet Tanach with casting based on that principle.
hey yetzer hatov can be chaos muppet tyvm
February 5, 2026 at 6:55 PM
Priests & Kings are order muppets, prophets are chaos muppets.
Would LOVE to see the Muppet Tanach with casting based on that principle.
Would LOVE to see the Muppet Tanach with casting based on that principle.
Reposted by Richard Beach
So true. Also, many of the Americans doing literally nothing about Epstein’s American ‘associates’ are precisely the ones lying about Europe & particularly the UK being overrun with child-rapists. It’s insane.
This is preying on my mind a bit. Jeffrey Epstein was not primarily a British scandal! So far we've removed a Prince from the Royal family, fired our US ambassador who was one of the most important political figures of the last few decades and banned the CEO of Barclays from the financial industry..
One by one, Europeans mentioned in the Epstein files who still hold political office are beginning to resign or are being forced out of office.
Meanwhile, ruled by an administration almost entirely made up of Epstein associates, the US carries on as if nothing really happened.
Meanwhile, ruled by an administration almost entirely made up of Epstein associates, the US carries on as if nothing really happened.
February 5, 2026 at 6:10 PM
So true. Also, many of the Americans doing literally nothing about Epstein’s American ‘associates’ are precisely the ones lying about Europe & particularly the UK being overrun with child-rapists. It’s insane.
“Warfighters”. What a bellend.
(Trump, not you James)
(Trump, not you James)
February 5, 2026 at 6:50 PM
“Warfighters”. What a bellend.
(Trump, not you James)
(Trump, not you James)
In every generation. In EVERY BLOODY GENERATION, we need to be reminded of the same lessons. These are old evils, so old words can be the right ones to rail against them.
Sir Ian McKellen performing a monologue from Shakespeare’s Sir Thomas More on the Stephen Colbert show. Never have I heard this monologue performed with such a keen sense of prescience. Nor have I ever been in this exact historical moment.TY Sir Ian, for reaching us once again.
#Pinks #ProudBlue
#Pinks #ProudBlue
February 5, 2026 at 2:45 PM
In every generation. In EVERY BLOODY GENERATION, we need to be reminded of the same lessons. These are old evils, so old words can be the right ones to rail against them.
"If you want a picture of the future, imagine an empty car driving aimlessly around looking for somewhere to park, forever" is an image both hilarious and utterly terrifying.
"But surely the biggest issue is we simply have a different legal relationship with our streets from that of almost any major US city. It’s not so much that jaywalking is legal here, as that it’s an entirely non-existent concept."
Of self-driving cars, and the non-existence of jaywalking
Also this week: the unexpected indeterminacy of rivers; and a barcode map of the UK.
jonn.substack.com
February 5, 2026 at 12:23 PM
"If you want a picture of the future, imagine an empty car driving aimlessly around looking for somewhere to park, forever" is an image both hilarious and utterly terrifying.
If the halls of power are awash with talk of who could possibly replace Starmer, surely the most sensible choice (yes, I'm sure there are internal party faction reasons why not, but anyway) is Yvette Cooper?
(Disclaimer: I don't actually want to see Starmer go)
(Disclaimer: I don't actually want to see Starmer go)
February 5, 2026 at 9:42 AM
If the halls of power are awash with talk of who could possibly replace Starmer, surely the most sensible choice (yes, I'm sure there are internal party faction reasons why not, but anyway) is Yvette Cooper?
(Disclaimer: I don't actually want to see Starmer go)
(Disclaimer: I don't actually want to see Starmer go)
It's entirely possible that both left and right are getting this verse wrong: "the stranger" in this scenario is more like Native Americans in the contemporary US - i.e. the remnant of the (Canaanite) conquered/occupied population once the Israelites had established themselves in the Land.
Speaking on behalf of a religion that actively sought to spread itself to every country in the world whether invited or not, Speaker Johnson would like to share with you the Biblical case for strong borders.
February 4, 2026 at 12:37 PM
It's entirely possible that both left and right are getting this verse wrong: "the stranger" in this scenario is more like Native Americans in the contemporary US - i.e. the remnant of the (Canaanite) conquered/occupied population once the Israelites had established themselves in the Land.
Reposted by Richard Beach
'They spent the child benefit in the pub' was a 1970s cliche about the very worst sort of parents. Now it's Farage's policy.
NEW: Reform UK says it would re-impose the two-child benefit cap - scrapped by Labour - for most families to fund £3bn support package for pubs.
February 3, 2026 at 4:47 PM
'They spent the child benefit in the pub' was a 1970s cliche about the very worst sort of parents. Now it's Farage's policy.
Well, that would explain why the French infantry were called Les Pantalons Rouges..
I really shouldn’t have to say this, but… don’t put archaeological artifacts in your rectum. 🏺🧪
Frenchman hospitalized after inserting WWI munition up his rear
The shell, unexploded at the time of removal, resulted in the evacuation of the hospital, with an EOD squad called to clear the area.
www.militarytimes.com
February 3, 2026 at 2:07 PM
Well, that would explain why the French infantry were called Les Pantalons Rouges..
Very strong Downfall/bunker “now is ze perfect time for ze counterattack zat vill vin us ze war!” vibes here.
January 31, 2026 at 8:51 AM
Very strong Downfall/bunker “now is ze perfect time for ze counterattack zat vill vin us ze war!” vibes here.
Genuine question: who, in the Express’s hive mind, is the “you” in this headline? If Farage, Badenoch and the Failed Blond Twat are backing this “campaign”, who are they talking to?
It’s almost as if it’s a meaningless, performative howl into the void from a failed worldview….
It’s almost as if it’s a meaningless, performative howl into the void from a failed worldview….
Daily Express: NOW YOU MUST GIVE BRITAIN A PROPER BREXIT #TomorrowsPapersToday
January 31, 2026 at 12:00 AM
Genuine question: who, in the Express’s hive mind, is the “you” in this headline? If Farage, Badenoch and the Failed Blond Twat are backing this “campaign”, who are they talking to?
It’s almost as if it’s a meaningless, performative howl into the void from a failed worldview….
It’s almost as if it’s a meaningless, performative howl into the void from a failed worldview….
Reposted by Richard Beach
It is literally false that the Jews being hunted by Nazis were citizens, because the first step toward genocide was stripping them of citizenship and making them stateless. As Arendt reminds us, citizenship is a legal category created to facilitate a machinery of exclusion of the out-group.
January 28, 2026 at 4:19 AM
It is literally false that the Jews being hunted by Nazis were citizens, because the first step toward genocide was stripping them of citizenship and making them stateless. As Arendt reminds us, citizenship is a legal category created to facilitate a machinery of exclusion of the out-group.
Worth reading. Not sure what else I can add, except…. None of this surprises me at all. It depresses me, but it doesn’t surprise me.
I think I might take one of these "under 20 minutes" AI skills courses the UK Govt. seems very keen on everyone doing and live-post it here... Maybe we can all learn something together! The press release sends me to aiskillshub.org.uk/aiskillsboost/ - let's go and see!
AI Skills Boost - AI Skills Hub
aiskillshub.org.uk
January 29, 2026 at 10:33 PM
Worth reading. Not sure what else I can add, except…. None of this surprises me at all. It depresses me, but it doesn’t surprise me.
Snowflakes!!!
🚨 NEW: Reform UK has threatened to sue Kemi Badenoch unless she publicly apologises to Suella Braverman by 4pm tomorrow over the Tories’ now-retracted mental health reference
January 29, 2026 at 10:16 PM
Snowflakes!!!
I was a Swiftie Dad as far back as 2009, when I took my daughter (then 7 years old) to see Hannah Montana: The Movie - with a cameo from 20-year old Ms. Swift.
(She was old enough to take herself to the Eras tour - which she didn't do, but her twin brother did!)
(She was old enough to take herself to the Eras tour - which she didn't do, but her twin brother did!)
In 2023 I became obsessed with videos of dads in cargo shortswaiting in parking lots during Taylor Swift's Eras Tour. So when she came to town, I grabbed a camera and headed down to talk to them. I thought it'd be funny. It turned out to be something else entirely.
January 29, 2026 at 1:40 PM
I was a Swiftie Dad as far back as 2009, when I took my daughter (then 7 years old) to see Hannah Montana: The Movie - with a cameo from 20-year old Ms. Swift.
(She was old enough to take herself to the Eras tour - which she didn't do, but her twin brother did!)
(She was old enough to take herself to the Eras tour - which she didn't do, but her twin brother did!)
Those who agree with her on policy are leaving.
Those who don't agree with her on policy, she's telling to fuck off.
So who exactly does she think is going to support her?
Those who don't agree with her on policy, she's telling to fuck off.
So who exactly does she think is going to support her?
January 28, 2026 at 12:00 PM
Those who agree with her on policy are leaving.
Those who don't agree with her on policy, she's telling to fuck off.
So who exactly does she think is going to support her?
Those who don't agree with her on policy, she's telling to fuck off.
So who exactly does she think is going to support her?
Paging @originstorypodcast.bsky.social .....
Someone should do a daily podcast this May on the General Strike one century on.
15 min episodes 4th to 12th May.
(I will happily write and present this podcast if some organisation wants to pay me).
15 min episodes 4th to 12th May.
(I will happily write and present this podcast if some organisation wants to pay me).
January 28, 2026 at 11:24 AM
Paging @originstorypodcast.bsky.social .....
Reposted by Richard Beach
To avoid the possibility Holocaust remembrance might lead to empathy for migrants, Trump's antisemitism envoy claims Anne Frank "was in Amsterdam legally."
In reality, Margot Frank received a summons to go to a labor camp on July 5, 1942. After ignoring this call, they were in Amsterdam illegally.
In reality, Margot Frank received a summons to go to a labor camp on July 5, 1942. After ignoring this call, they were in Amsterdam illegally.
January 27, 2026 at 3:28 PM
To avoid the possibility Holocaust remembrance might lead to empathy for migrants, Trump's antisemitism envoy claims Anne Frank "was in Amsterdam legally."
In reality, Margot Frank received a summons to go to a labor camp on July 5, 1942. After ignoring this call, they were in Amsterdam illegally.
In reality, Margot Frank received a summons to go to a labor camp on July 5, 1942. After ignoring this call, they were in Amsterdam illegally.
Reposted by Richard Beach
January 27, 2026 at 8:46 AM
