Paul Connell
@paulcconnell.bsky.social
Founder @OpenInnovates non-profit, mission-led, innovation with data. Co-founder @TheDataCity mapping the world's economy with data.
Also #MDANT
Life is for living - let's get on with it.
Also #MDANT
Life is for living - let's get on with it.
This is fine
Japanese giant SoftBank said Tuesday it has sold its entire stake in tech giant Nvidia for $5.83 billion.
Click here to read more: https://cnb.cx/49LCIs8
Click here to read more: https://cnb.cx/49LCIs8
November 11, 2025 at 1:20 PM
This is fine
Time to face up to this.
"Research released this month by economists at the Bank of England, the Bundesbank, King’s College London and the universities of Stanford and Nottingham underscored the economic hit from leaving the EU. Brexit had reduced UK GDP by 6-8%"
on.ft.com/4p1NoHv
on.ft.com/4p1NoHv
Rachel Reeves signals she will break manifesto pledge with Budget tax rises
Chancellor hopes to win support from Labour MPs by lifting two-child benefit cap
on.ft.com
November 11, 2025 at 7:17 AM
Time to face up to this.
Reposted by Paul Connell
Quick thread on the BBC and the political and societal significance of recent developments:
One of the main reasons the UK has historically been so much less polarised than the US, is that Britain has a shared source of information, consumed and trusted by most people regardless of their politics.
One of the main reasons the UK has historically been so much less polarised than the US, is that Britain has a shared source of information, consumed and trusted by most people regardless of their politics.
November 10, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Quick thread on the BBC and the political and societal significance of recent developments:
One of the main reasons the UK has historically been so much less polarised than the US, is that Britain has a shared source of information, consumed and trusted by most people regardless of their politics.
One of the main reasons the UK has historically been so much less polarised than the US, is that Britain has a shared source of information, consumed and trusted by most people regardless of their politics.
Reposted by Paul Connell
This is the Canadian Premier League soccer finals and we have a bicycle kick goal in the middle of a blizzard … and that’s the most Canadian thing I’ve ever seen 😂
November 10, 2025 at 2:38 AM
This is the Canadian Premier League soccer finals and we have a bicycle kick goal in the middle of a blizzard … and that’s the most Canadian thing I’ve ever seen 😂
Reposted by Paul Connell
PSB are excited to announce “Obscure Pet Shop Boys”, a special run of five intimate shows in April
2026 at London’s Electric Ballroom. The concerts will feature a setlist of non-single album tracks, b-sides and fan favourites. Full details to be revealed here this Wednesday, 12th November.
November 10, 2025 at 10:02 AM
PSB are excited to announce “Obscure Pet Shop Boys”, a special run of five intimate shows in April
2026 at London’s Electric Ballroom. The concerts will feature a setlist of non-single album tracks, b-sides and fan favourites. Full details to be revealed here this Wednesday, 12th November.
Reposted by Paul Connell
Wow! Just discovered a high-quality recording of Kraftwerk performing Autobahn live on the Midnight Special in 1975. Watch it here
🚘📺▶️ youtu.be/UYi30uTkYHU?...
🚘📺▶️ youtu.be/UYi30uTkYHU?...
November 8, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Wow! Just discovered a high-quality recording of Kraftwerk performing Autobahn live on the Midnight Special in 1975. Watch it here
🚘📺▶️ youtu.be/UYi30uTkYHU?...
🚘📺▶️ youtu.be/UYi30uTkYHU?...
Excellent journalism
Nigel Farage says this summer’s Raise the Colours movement was led by ‘ordinary people’ expressing their patriotism. Our reporters in five cities had a look and that’s not what we found.
November 9, 2025 at 6:37 PM
Excellent journalism
Listening to this again- perfect Sunday album.
Will Cookson & Tom Harvey have created a fabulous record 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Will Cookson & Tom Harvey have created a fabulous record 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
November 9, 2025 at 12:01 PM
Listening to this again- perfect Sunday album.
Will Cookson & Tom Harvey have created a fabulous record 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
Will Cookson & Tom Harvey have created a fabulous record 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼
The relative underperformance of North England’s economy is a mystery….
We can’t afford to do what every other country did years ago for our railways, but people need to drive their kids to school in a tank
Govt scraps all electrification investment. Midland Main Line to stay forever diesel Leicester Nottingham Derby Sheffield. Hugely embarrassing and inexplicable
www.ft.com/content/5ecd...
www.ft.com/content/5ecd...
November 9, 2025 at 8:25 AM
The relative underperformance of North England’s economy is a mystery….
Reposted by Paul Connell
“Though [CFO] Friar later walked back her suggestion, saying that she was advocating for structural support for AI in general, not just her company, it is likely true that some kind of huge subsidy or another is probably the only way that OpenAI’s preposterous business model […] can be sustained.”
“OpenAI is getting ready to run hat in hand to the taxpayer for subsidies.” After losing more than $13 billion this year, OpenAI officials are angling for a bailout. From @ryanlcooper.com:
trib.al/CUazMCQ
trib.al/CUazMCQ
OpenAI Is Maneuvering for a Government Bailout - The American Prospect
For artificial intelligence to ever pencil out, some truly enormous revenue streams will be required. And if you need trillions of dollars for data centers forever, there’s only one entity to turn to: Uncle Sam.
trib.al
November 9, 2025 at 7:07 AM
“Though [CFO] Friar later walked back her suggestion, saying that she was advocating for structural support for AI in general, not just her company, it is likely true that some kind of huge subsidy or another is probably the only way that OpenAI’s preposterous business model […] can be sustained.”
The relative underperformance of North England’s economy is a mystery…….
This isn't just poverty of aspiration, it is incompetence. www.ft.com/content/5ecd...
UK transport secretary says full electrification of railways ‘not affordable right now’
Heidi Alexander says focus will be on other projects such as HS2
www.ft.com
November 8, 2025 at 8:32 AM
The relative underperformance of North England’s economy is a mystery…….
Reposted by Paul Connell
Reposted by Paul Connell
This data is misleading.
Approximately half of the overall GVA quoted here is classified as
IT, Software, and Computer Services.
It also includes sectors such as Architectural Services.
We can make the argument without fudging the figures.
Approximately half of the overall GVA quoted here is classified as
IT, Software, and Computer Services.
It also includes sectors such as Architectural Services.
We can make the argument without fudging the figures.
🎬 The arts aren’t a luxury - they’re an export.
At #Lab25, @aiannucci.bsky.social reminds us that the UK’s Creative Industries make up 6% of our economy and 7% of our workforce - the GDP equivalent of oil + car industries combined.
🎥 Watch more clips from the Creative UK Pavilion hubs.ly/Q03QVhV90
At #Lab25, @aiannucci.bsky.social reminds us that the UK’s Creative Industries make up 6% of our economy and 7% of our workforce - the GDP equivalent of oil + car industries combined.
🎥 Watch more clips from the Creative UK Pavilion hubs.ly/Q03QVhV90
November 6, 2025 at 11:00 AM
This data is misleading.
Approximately half of the overall GVA quoted here is classified as
IT, Software, and Computer Services.
It also includes sectors such as Architectural Services.
We can make the argument without fudging the figures.
Approximately half of the overall GVA quoted here is classified as
IT, Software, and Computer Services.
It also includes sectors such as Architectural Services.
We can make the argument without fudging the figures.
The Creative sector is massively important - but I wish it made the point without fudging the figures.
🎬 The arts aren’t a luxury - they’re an export.
At #Lab25, @aiannucci.bsky.social reminds us that the UK’s Creative Industries make up 6% of our economy and 7% of our workforce - the GDP equivalent of oil + car industries combined.
🎥 Watch more clips from the Creative UK Pavilion hubs.ly/Q03QVhV90
At #Lab25, @aiannucci.bsky.social reminds us that the UK’s Creative Industries make up 6% of our economy and 7% of our workforce - the GDP equivalent of oil + car industries combined.
🎥 Watch more clips from the Creative UK Pavilion hubs.ly/Q03QVhV90
November 6, 2025 at 10:57 AM
The Creative sector is massively important - but I wish it made the point without fudging the figures.
Let’s see if this works Bluey’s?
We’re heading to Prague next week for my Birthday, never been before what should we do ?
Thanks all 🙏
We’re heading to Prague next week for my Birthday, never been before what should we do ?
Thanks all 🙏
November 5, 2025 at 7:26 PM
Let’s see if this works Bluey’s?
We’re heading to Prague next week for my Birthday, never been before what should we do ?
Thanks all 🙏
We’re heading to Prague next week for my Birthday, never been before what should we do ?
Thanks all 🙏
Reposted by Paul Connell
Kwasi Kwarteng, the former UK chancellor whose infamous “mini” Budget under then-Prime Minister Liz Truss triggered a crisis in the gilts market, is backing the launch of a bitcoin investment company.
www.ft.com/content/c5a6...
www.ft.com/content/c5a6...
Former UK chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng backs bitcoin investment company
Ex-politician infamous for 2022 mini-Budget will become non-executive director of Stack Bitcoin Treasury
www.ft.com
November 4, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Reposted by Paul Connell
Adam Ant's "Prince Charming" from 1981 was and remains the zenith of queer goth pop perfection.
Play this loud if you've not heard this before, and even louder if you have 🔊🔊🔊
Play this loud if you've not heard this before, and even louder if you have 🔊🔊🔊
November 3, 2025 at 10:29 PM
Adam Ant's "Prince Charming" from 1981 was and remains the zenith of queer goth pop perfection.
Play this loud if you've not heard this before, and even louder if you have 🔊🔊🔊
Play this loud if you've not heard this before, and even louder if you have 🔊🔊🔊
Sheesh
My latest: Move over bat tunnel, here’s the wild story of how HS2 were forced to build a multi-million pound bridge for a road that… doesn’t actually exist.
How HS2 built a bridge to nowhere
A state-of-the-art road bridge has been built deep in the heart of rural Buckinghamshire. Designed to carry traffic over the HS2 railway, there's just one tiny problem - there's no actual road.
martinrobbins.substack.com
November 3, 2025 at 7:29 AM
Sheesh
Good afternoon 💥
November 2, 2025 at 1:05 PM
Good afternoon 💥
Reposted by Paul Connell
Great investigation of the Nazis, racists and criminals mobilising the flag-on-lamp-posts movement. This is the kind of journalism that the national media could and should have conducted:
manchestermill.co.uk/the-men-who-...
manchestermill.co.uk/the-men-who-...
November 2, 2025 at 7:45 AM
Great investigation of the Nazis, racists and criminals mobilising the flag-on-lamp-posts movement. This is the kind of journalism that the national media could and should have conducted:
manchestermill.co.uk/the-men-who-...
manchestermill.co.uk/the-men-who-...
Reposted by Paul Connell
People cannot ride on services that do not run.
It was told "a range of factors" had contributed to the drop-off in bus use, with service cuts appearing to be "a significant element". www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
It was told "a range of factors" had contributed to the drop-off in bus use, with service cuts appearing to be "a significant element". www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Steep fall in West Yorkshire bus use 'shock' to transport bosses
A report says the number of bus passengers in West Yorkshire fell by 8% this summer.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 2, 2025 at 6:24 AM
People cannot ride on services that do not run.
It was told "a range of factors" had contributed to the drop-off in bus use, with service cuts appearing to be "a significant element". www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
It was told "a range of factors" had contributed to the drop-off in bus use, with service cuts appearing to be "a significant element". www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...