Alex Briggs
@tickyw.bsky.social
Retired but still curious. Numbers, not waffle
https://cityboykan.blogspot.com/
https://cityboykan.blogspot.com/
Top tip for bloggers:
Say what you're gonna say.
Say it.
Say that you've said it.
The first stricture is important because unless you tell your reader what your hypothesis is, the middle part where you present the evidence to confirm your hypothesis will resemble random ramblings
Say what you're gonna say.
Say it.
Say that you've said it.
The first stricture is important because unless you tell your reader what your hypothesis is, the middle part where you present the evidence to confirm your hypothesis will resemble random ramblings
November 14, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Top tip for bloggers:
Say what you're gonna say.
Say it.
Say that you've said it.
The first stricture is important because unless you tell your reader what your hypothesis is, the middle part where you present the evidence to confirm your hypothesis will resemble random ramblings
Say what you're gonna say.
Say it.
Say that you've said it.
The first stricture is important because unless you tell your reader what your hypothesis is, the middle part where you present the evidence to confirm your hypothesis will resemble random ramblings
Reposted by Alex Briggs
For all the media scaremongering on tax rises, a small reminder of how it was with tax cutting Tories, from just last year ......
November 13, 2025 at 1:36 PM
For all the media scaremongering on tax rises, a small reminder of how it was with tax cutting Tories, from just last year ......
Those people are free to do as they want. Let them do it. The government should not change its policy to appease these people
NEW - we've data showing huge numbers of people reducing their income to avoid high marginal income tax rates. Not just at the £100k point (as previously reported). But at the £50k point:
November 14, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Those people are free to do as they want. Let them do it. The government should not change its policy to appease these people
@oldtrotter.bsky.social
Finally rec'd a copy of Healey's The Time of My Life!
Am looking forward to a good read
Finally rec'd a copy of Healey's The Time of My Life!
Am looking forward to a good read
November 14, 2025 at 12:22 PM
@oldtrotter.bsky.social
Finally rec'd a copy of Healey's The Time of My Life!
Am looking forward to a good read
Finally rec'd a copy of Healey's The Time of My Life!
Am looking forward to a good read
Reposted by Alex Briggs
What He said....
November 13, 2025 at 4:41 PM
What He said....
Look at wind power go!
UK Wind Power has risen to 19.4GW this morning. With 0.04GW of Solar we are burning 7.7GW of Gas as well as importing 1.5GW. Hydro is 0.7GW. Nuclear is 3.3GW and the awful Biomass 3.2GW. The price of wholesale electricity over the past 24 hours was £70 per MWh. #renewables
November 14, 2025 at 10:27 AM
Look at wind power go!
Reposted by Alex Briggs
Good morning to a fabulous #Foxfriday! Did you know that foxes are highly important for the eco system? They help control populations of small mammals like rodents and reduce the spread of Lyme disease by preying on mice. And they are so pretty.
[📷 Nikon D5600 f/5,6 1/50 300mm ISO3200]
#foxoftheday
[📷 Nikon D5600 f/5,6 1/50 300mm ISO3200]
#foxoftheday
November 14, 2025 at 5:34 AM
Good morning to a fabulous #Foxfriday! Did you know that foxes are highly important for the eco system? They help control populations of small mammals like rodents and reduce the spread of Lyme disease by preying on mice. And they are so pretty.
[📷 Nikon D5600 f/5,6 1/50 300mm ISO3200]
#foxoftheday
[📷 Nikon D5600 f/5,6 1/50 300mm ISO3200]
#foxoftheday
Reposted by Alex Briggs
Has anyone tried turning the government off and back on again?
November 14, 2025 at 8:37 AM
Has anyone tried turning the government off and back on again?
Reposted by Alex Briggs
Is AI making job recruitment less meritocratic? We're getting some v interesting research studies on this question now, and the news is... not good. @jburnmurdoch.ft.com & I dive in, in the latest edition of our newsletter The AI Shift www.ft.com/content/e5b7...
November 14, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Is AI making job recruitment less meritocratic? We're getting some v interesting research studies on this question now, and the news is... not good. @jburnmurdoch.ft.com & I dive in, in the latest edition of our newsletter The AI Shift www.ft.com/content/e5b7...
Breaking:
Chris Mason of the BBC reports that Starmer said boo to a goose.
In other news, the Third World War has broken out
Chris Mason of the BBC reports that Starmer said boo to a goose.
In other news, the Third World War has broken out
November 14, 2025 at 10:19 AM
Breaking:
Chris Mason of the BBC reports that Starmer said boo to a goose.
In other news, the Third World War has broken out
Chris Mason of the BBC reports that Starmer said boo to a goose.
In other news, the Third World War has broken out
Reposted by Alex Briggs
Yes I know all economists love a policy trilemma. But what we have now is a simple dilemma: you can pay attention to political reporters; or you can have intelligent economic policy. Choose one.
November 14, 2025 at 10:06 AM
Yes I know all economists love a policy trilemma. But what we have now is a simple dilemma: you can pay attention to political reporters; or you can have intelligent economic policy. Choose one.
Top Tip for the BBC:
Invite Trump on to Desert Island Discs. Use the opportunity to flatter the man baby's ego by telling him that he will be the bigliest star they've ever had and that no one will have heard anything like it before. Ever. Since time began. Every one will say so.
Invite Trump on to Desert Island Discs. Use the opportunity to flatter the man baby's ego by telling him that he will be the bigliest star they've ever had and that no one will have heard anything like it before. Ever. Since time began. Every one will say so.
November 14, 2025 at 10:14 AM
Top Tip for the BBC:
Invite Trump on to Desert Island Discs. Use the opportunity to flatter the man baby's ego by telling him that he will be the bigliest star they've ever had and that no one will have heard anything like it before. Ever. Since time began. Every one will say so.
Invite Trump on to Desert Island Discs. Use the opportunity to flatter the man baby's ego by telling him that he will be the bigliest star they've ever had and that no one will have heard anything like it before. Ever. Since time began. Every one will say so.
"Imagine our lives without storytelling. I mean, it would be bleak". Peak BBC middle-classness.
Imagine our lives without food. Or shelter. Or healthcare. Now THAT would be truly bleak and is the experience of millions of people across the world.
Imagine our lives without food. Or shelter. Or healthcare. Now THAT would be truly bleak and is the experience of millions of people across the world.
November 12, 2025 at 3:50 PM
"Imagine our lives without storytelling. I mean, it would be bleak". Peak BBC middle-classness.
Imagine our lives without food. Or shelter. Or healthcare. Now THAT would be truly bleak and is the experience of millions of people across the world.
Imagine our lives without food. Or shelter. Or healthcare. Now THAT would be truly bleak and is the experience of millions of people across the world.
Excellent!
NEW
The letter the BBC could send back to Trump
A proposal for a reply to his $1bn claim
By me. Enjoy.
emptycity.substack.com/p/the-letter...
The letter the BBC could send back to Trump
A proposal for a reply to his $1bn claim
By me. Enjoy.
emptycity.substack.com/p/the-letter...
The letter the BBC could send back to Trump
A proposal for a reply to his $1bn claim
emptycity.substack.com
November 12, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Excellent!
Breaking! That AI recruitment algorithm revealed:
Q: Did the candidate attend a fee-paying school?:
A: No.
Action: Send out a rejection letter wishing the candidate luck in their future career;
A: Yes.
Action: Proceed with application to the next stage
Q: Did the candidate attend a fee-paying school?:
A: No.
Action: Send out a rejection letter wishing the candidate luck in their future career;
A: Yes.
Action: Proceed with application to the next stage
November 12, 2025 at 12:07 PM
Breaking! That AI recruitment algorithm revealed:
Q: Did the candidate attend a fee-paying school?:
A: No.
Action: Send out a rejection letter wishing the candidate luck in their future career;
A: Yes.
Action: Proceed with application to the next stage
Q: Did the candidate attend a fee-paying school?:
A: No.
Action: Send out a rejection letter wishing the candidate luck in their future career;
A: Yes.
Action: Proceed with application to the next stage
Reposted by Alex Briggs
Intelligent question: what, if any, social democratic policies might rejuvenate the economy & defeat the far right? Stupid question: should Streeting replace Starmer? The fact that the political class are discussing one rather than the other is the problem.
November 12, 2025 at 8:17 AM
Intelligent question: what, if any, social democratic policies might rejuvenate the economy & defeat the far right? Stupid question: should Streeting replace Starmer? The fact that the political class are discussing one rather than the other is the problem.
Reposted by Alex Briggs
My post yesterday on the $Ibn Trump legal threat against the BBC has been picked up by newspapers around the world. It would appear few had gone through the letter and spotted that, well, it contained no evidence in support of its claims of damage.
>
>
November 12, 2025 at 8:37 AM
My post yesterday on the $Ibn Trump legal threat against the BBC has been picked up by newspapers around the world. It would appear few had gone through the letter and spotted that, well, it contained no evidence in support of its claims of damage.
>
>
Reposted by Alex Briggs
What kind of board member does his best to magnify BBC’s exposure to financial and reputational harm for partisan political goals? Gibb is unfit to serve and should be forced out by ministers. No organization should have to accommodate wreckers. www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
BBC board member with Tory links ‘led charge’ in systemic bias claims, say insiders
Sources say Robbie Gibb amplified criticisms of Trump, Gaza and trans rights coverage, and had ‘a lot of oxygen in the room’
www.theguardian.com
November 11, 2025 at 9:30 AM
What kind of board member does his best to magnify BBC’s exposure to financial and reputational harm for partisan political goals? Gibb is unfit to serve and should be forced out by ministers. No organization should have to accommodate wreckers. www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
Reposted by Alex Briggs
Impartiality versus objectivity:#
Imagine the BBC has two guests arguing over the nature of the earth. One guest holds the earth is flat, the other claims it's a sphere.
An impartial BBC would give both arguments equal value.👀
An objective BBC would dismiss the claim of the flat-earther.
Imagine the BBC has two guests arguing over the nature of the earth. One guest holds the earth is flat, the other claims it's a sphere.
An impartial BBC would give both arguments equal value.👀
An objective BBC would dismiss the claim of the flat-earther.
November 12, 2025 at 12:11 AM
Impartiality versus objectivity:#
Imagine the BBC has two guests arguing over the nature of the earth. One guest holds the earth is flat, the other claims it's a sphere.
An impartial BBC would give both arguments equal value.👀
An objective BBC would dismiss the claim of the flat-earther.
Imagine the BBC has two guests arguing over the nature of the earth. One guest holds the earth is flat, the other claims it's a sphere.
An impartial BBC would give both arguments equal value.👀
An objective BBC would dismiss the claim of the flat-earther.
Impartiality versus objectivity:#
Imagine the BBC has two guests arguing over the nature of the earth. One guest holds the earth is flat, the other claims it's a sphere.
An impartial BBC would give both arguments equal value.👀
An objective BBC would dismiss the claim of the flat-earther.
Imagine the BBC has two guests arguing over the nature of the earth. One guest holds the earth is flat, the other claims it's a sphere.
An impartial BBC would give both arguments equal value.👀
An objective BBC would dismiss the claim of the flat-earther.
November 12, 2025 at 12:11 AM
Impartiality versus objectivity:#
Imagine the BBC has two guests arguing over the nature of the earth. One guest holds the earth is flat, the other claims it's a sphere.
An impartial BBC would give both arguments equal value.👀
An objective BBC would dismiss the claim of the flat-earther.
Imagine the BBC has two guests arguing over the nature of the earth. One guest holds the earth is flat, the other claims it's a sphere.
An impartial BBC would give both arguments equal value.👀
An objective BBC would dismiss the claim of the flat-earther.
Reposted by Alex Briggs
NEW
A close look at Trump's $1 billion claim against the BBC
The litigation letter is weak, but his underlying practical position is not weak
By me:
emptycity.substack.com/p/a-close-lo... (Substack)
(Non-Substack link to follow.)
A close look at Trump's $1 billion claim against the BBC
The litigation letter is weak, but his underlying practical position is not weak
By me:
emptycity.substack.com/p/a-close-lo... (Substack)
(Non-Substack link to follow.)
A close look at Trump's $1 billion claim against the BBC
The litigation letter is weak, but his underlying practical position is not weak
emptycity.substack.com
November 11, 2025 at 1:18 PM
NEW
A close look at Trump's $1 billion claim against the BBC
The litigation letter is weak, but his underlying practical position is not weak
By me:
emptycity.substack.com/p/a-close-lo... (Substack)
(Non-Substack link to follow.)
A close look at Trump's $1 billion claim against the BBC
The litigation letter is weak, but his underlying practical position is not weak
By me:
emptycity.substack.com/p/a-close-lo... (Substack)
(Non-Substack link to follow.)
Reposted by Alex Briggs
This a big deal: "China’s carbon dioxide emissions have been flat or falling for 18 months"
China's economy has grown by ~5% in the last year, so this comprehensively debunks the idea (again) that emissions are tied to growth. So yes, faster progress needed, but this is how you turn the corner.
China's economy has grown by ~5% in the last year, so this comprehensively debunks the idea (again) that emissions are tied to growth. So yes, faster progress needed, but this is how you turn the corner.
China’s CO2 emissions have been flat or falling for past 18 months, analysis finds
World’s biggest polluter on track to hit peak emissions target early but miss goal for cutting carbon intensity
www.theguardian.com
November 11, 2025 at 9:20 AM
This a big deal: "China’s carbon dioxide emissions have been flat or falling for 18 months"
China's economy has grown by ~5% in the last year, so this comprehensively debunks the idea (again) that emissions are tied to growth. So yes, faster progress needed, but this is how you turn the corner.
China's economy has grown by ~5% in the last year, so this comprehensively debunks the idea (again) that emissions are tied to growth. So yes, faster progress needed, but this is how you turn the corner.
Reposted by Alex Briggs
‘I once planned to sue the bbc for suggesting I encouraged an insurrection the time I encouraged an insurrection on live tv’
November 10, 2025 at 4:25 PM
‘I once planned to sue the bbc for suggesting I encouraged an insurrection the time I encouraged an insurrection on live tv’
Reposted by Alex Briggs
Labour timidity in defending the BBC is a great shame, but explicable. To defend them here you have to point out that notwithstanding the unfortunate edit Trump *did* incite the riots, having falsely claimed the election was fraudulent, and later lauding and pardoning the rioters.
November 11, 2025 at 8:47 AM
Labour timidity in defending the BBC is a great shame, but explicable. To defend them here you have to point out that notwithstanding the unfortunate edit Trump *did* incite the riots, having falsely claimed the election was fraudulent, and later lauding and pardoning the rioters.
Reposted by Alex Briggs
On the one hand it’s useful to have a reasoned and measured debate on the perceived bias inherent in BBC news, on the other hand Donald Trump is a cunt.
November 11, 2025 at 4:32 PM
On the one hand it’s useful to have a reasoned and measured debate on the perceived bias inherent in BBC news, on the other hand Donald Trump is a cunt.