James Monk
@twoev.bsky.social
Physics, dodge and burn. Wow, this place really is a rip off of twitter - someone's gonna get sued
Surely the easiest thing to do is just to credibly threaten to release the unredacted Epstein files? Do it in segments, escalating each time. Or whatever other dirt there is on the leadership. The US isn’t the only power capable of destabilising a foreign government
If I was advising the EU—and I 100% should be—my advice is that you prepare three sets of sanction packages:
1. Deliberate targeting of personal/corporate assets of Trump, Musk, Andressen, Sacks, etc like they’re Russian oligarchs by doing stuff like seizing Gigafactory Berlin. This gets used first.
1. Deliberate targeting of personal/corporate assets of Trump, Musk, Andressen, Sacks, etc like they’re Russian oligarchs by doing stuff like seizing Gigafactory Berlin. This gets used first.
January 12, 2026 at 12:11 AM
Surely the easiest thing to do is just to credibly threaten to release the unredacted Epstein files? Do it in segments, escalating each time. Or whatever other dirt there is on the leadership. The US isn’t the only power capable of destabilising a foreign government
This is true, but there are governments with literal nuclear deterrents that are too afraid to do their job and ban X for fear of the backlash, so we can hardly expect corporations, even very rich ones, to take the initiative here
Something I think gets missed in all the regulation / legislation / enforcement conversation - and wilfully ignored by the "free speech / what about consenting adults / no censorship" brigade - is that Apple and Google are under no obligation to keep X their app stores if it breaks terms of service!
NEW: Last night, Democratic Senators urged Apple and Google to remove X and Grok from their app stores over sexual deepfakes.
Hours later, X restricted Grok's abilities on the app.
www.nbcnews.com/tech/interne...
Hours later, X restricted Grok's abilities on the app.
www.nbcnews.com/tech/interne...
January 11, 2026 at 5:57 PM
This is true, but there are governments with literal nuclear deterrents that are too afraid to do their job and ban X for fear of the backlash, so we can hardly expect corporations, even very rich ones, to take the initiative here
Reposted by James Monk
Yet another person has DMd me. Sorry. I can see there are messages, but I can't read them because I won't verify my age.
The absurdity that I can't see my DMs here, to protect children online, while Grok is spitting out child sexual abuse images with no restriction, is not lost on me.
The absurdity that I can't see my DMs here, to protect children online, while Grok is spitting out child sexual abuse images with no restriction, is not lost on me.
January 7, 2026 at 1:21 PM
Yet another person has DMd me. Sorry. I can see there are messages, but I can't read them because I won't verify my age.
The absurdity that I can't see my DMs here, to protect children online, while Grok is spitting out child sexual abuse images with no restriction, is not lost on me.
The absurdity that I can't see my DMs here, to protect children online, while Grok is spitting out child sexual abuse images with no restriction, is not lost on me.
Reposted by James Monk
Surely at least one European nation’s intelligence agency has by now obtained the full unredacted Epstein files and can threaten to release them? Hell, the UK could just prosecute the Andrew formerly known as Prince with the same effect
January 7, 2026 at 6:04 PM
Surely at least one European nation’s intelligence agency has by now obtained the full unredacted Epstein files and can threaten to release them? Hell, the UK could just prosecute the Andrew formerly known as Prince with the same effect
Amazed by how low the stakes are here. This regime insider is doing corruption and probably treason, war crimes etc. for a measly $200k
This person went on a buying spree over the past 24 hours. Fresh wallet. Only existed since Dec 27th and has only bet on Venezuela-related markets.
polymarket.com/@0x31a56e9E6...
polymarket.com/@0x31a56e9E6...
January 3, 2026 at 9:58 AM
Amazed by how low the stakes are here. This regime insider is doing corruption and probably treason, war crimes etc. for a measly $200k
The fact that this could reasonably be about either of the main parties and I initially assumed it’s about the Tories, but in fact it’s about Labour, explains a great deal about current politics
The first major political party in the world to, basically, wank itself to death.
January 2, 2026 at 11:03 PM
The fact that this could reasonably be about either of the main parties and I initially assumed it’s about the Tories, but in fact it’s about Labour, explains a great deal about current politics
Christmas was literally cancelled in very recent memory, and the person that did it was that famously woke Boris Johnson
The UK far right is increasingly infiltrating the Anglican church so this is bang on trend.
December 13, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Christmas was literally cancelled in very recent memory, and the person that did it was that famously woke Boris Johnson
Reposted by James Monk
Makes me question how much of the craziness in our politics is just US hegemonic break down. Starmer trying to preserve the old order, but it’s gone. Europe’s version of the Arab Spring is politicians becoming unpopular because they endorse a far right US position
Asked repeatedly about Donald Trump calling Sadiq Khan "disgusting" and suggesting that he was only elected because of immigrants, Keir Starmer's spokesman says only that the PM has a "strong relationship" with the President which has "yielded positive results for this country"
December 9, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Makes me question how much of the craziness in our politics is just US hegemonic break down. Starmer trying to preserve the old order, but it’s gone. Europe’s version of the Arab Spring is politicians becoming unpopular because they endorse a far right US position
Everyone saying it’s inflation, but we should at least consider the possibility that Starmer not being very good and punching his own base, and that Trump doing mad fash stuff, is simply not popular for good reason. It doesn’t have to be complicated
A thought. In 2022-24 incumbents did terribly everywhere and the most common explanation was voters hating inflation.
Today inflation is much lower. And Merz, Starmer & Trump are all deeply unpopular.
Today inflation is much lower. And Merz, Starmer & Trump are all deeply unpopular.
He's done it! Merz is now less popular than Olaf Scholz at his lowest low.
Nobody could have predicted this, of course. www.n-tv.de/politik/Kanz...
Nobody could have predicted this, of course. www.n-tv.de/politik/Kanz...
December 2, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Everyone saying it’s inflation, but we should at least consider the possibility that Starmer not being very good and punching his own base, and that Trump doing mad fash stuff, is simply not popular for good reason. It doesn’t have to be complicated
The sad thing is that solving this sort of problem algorithmically is quite interesting (np-hard). There’s quite a large literature just on pcb layout, which is basically the same thing. Naturally I’d just solve it with a Monte Carlo and brute force
December 1, 2025 at 11:22 PM
The sad thing is that solving this sort of problem algorithmically is quite interesting (np-hard). There’s quite a large literature just on pcb layout, which is basically the same thing. Naturally I’d just solve it with a Monte Carlo and brute force
Reposted by James Monk
This is my third go at M45 (the Pleiades) this season, because I wasn’t happy with the other two. About half of this was taken in the presence of the 1st quarter moon. #Astronomy #Astrophotography
November 28, 2025 at 3:46 PM
This is my third go at M45 (the Pleiades) this season, because I wasn’t happy with the other two. About half of this was taken in the presence of the 1st quarter moon. #Astronomy #Astrophotography
New discourse just dropped
Median hhld wealth by region:
North East: £179,900
North West: £222,400
Scotland: £239,500
*Checks notes* LONDON(!): £244,800
Yorkshire & Humber: £245,600
W Midlands: £260,800
E Midlands: £261,000
Wales: £266,900
S West: £347,700
E England: £400,700
S East: £489,800
North East: £179,900
North West: £222,400
Scotland: £239,500
*Checks notes* LONDON(!): £244,800
Yorkshire & Humber: £245,600
W Midlands: £260,800
E Midlands: £261,000
Wales: £266,900
S West: £347,700
E England: £400,700
S East: £489,800
November 27, 2025 at 10:10 PM
New discourse just dropped
Not to disagree with the point, but why is everything a “doom loop,” these days? Are people trying to find ever more alarming ways of highlighting a problem? Is it In fact a doom loop of doom loop?
Today's migration stats illustrate the migration doom loop in action...
(from my presentation at the IMF last week)
(from my presentation at the IMF last week)
November 27, 2025 at 3:29 PM
Not to disagree with the point, but why is everything a “doom loop,” these days? Are people trying to find ever more alarming ways of highlighting a problem? Is it In fact a doom loop of doom loop?
It’s pretty clear that inflation is going to be the mechanism by which Osborne’s tax cuts and realignment are going to be reversed. After many years, things will be in balance again and the higher rate can be cut to ~30%, with the top 45% rate effectively becoming the new higher rate
November 27, 2025 at 9:47 AM
It’s pretty clear that inflation is going to be the mechanism by which Osborne’s tax cuts and realignment are going to be reversed. After many years, things will be in balance again and the higher rate can be cut to ~30%, with the top 45% rate effectively becoming the new higher rate
Aargh, this drives me mad. I don’t drink a lot of fizzy drinks, but occasionally on a hot day, one of these goes down very well. Now I can only get it when I’m abroad. I wouldn’t even mind paying the tax, but it’s just not available
Changes to the San Pelligrino Limonata recipe after the sugar tax was introduced briefly turned me into Ayn Rand.
November 26, 2025 at 11:35 AM
Aargh, this drives me mad. I don’t drink a lot of fizzy drinks, but occasionally on a hot day, one of these goes down very well. Now I can only get it when I’m abroad. I wouldn’t even mind paying the tax, but it’s just not available
To zeroth order the front end is just supermarkets, and they already have those annoying clubcard systems. You’d just need to standardise the clubcard interface across supermarkets and allow it to be used for payment. Then you can fix the price of bread as 1 clubcard pt or whatever
Trying to imagine an insane financial system that uses a front and back end currency. Front end is artificially restrained such that prices never shift or experience inflation and is only permitted for individual consumer use. Then a backend real currency licensed buyer/sellers do business with.
November 25, 2025 at 11:32 AM
To zeroth order the front end is just supermarkets, and they already have those annoying clubcard systems. You’d just need to standardise the clubcard interface across supermarkets and allow it to be used for payment. Then you can fix the price of bread as 1 clubcard pt or whatever
Reposted by James Monk
The UK government are holding a consultation on the proposed absolutely fucking ghoulish changes to immigration law
You can fill it out here, but I'd recommend going through carefully, as some questions feel intentionally written to trip you up
You can fill it out here, but I'd recommend going through carefully, as some questions feel intentionally written to trip you up
Earned settlement
The government is consulting on how the current settlement system should be reformed and how those reforms should be implemented.
www.gov.uk
November 24, 2025 at 2:48 PM
The UK government are holding a consultation on the proposed absolutely fucking ghoulish changes to immigration law
You can fill it out here, but I'd recommend going through carefully, as some questions feel intentionally written to trip you up
You can fill it out here, but I'd recommend going through carefully, as some questions feel intentionally written to trip you up
Reposted by James Monk
Yours for a bit shy of one million of your finest English pounds: one crack den.
They really don't want to share any interior shots but when they do, you just know that unspeakable acts have been committed within... www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/1...
Check out this 3 bedroom end of terrace house for sale on Rightmove
3 bedroom end of terrace house for sale in 75 Camden Mews, Camden, London, NW1 9BY, NW1 for £925,000. Marketed by Auction House London, Hampstead
www.rightmove.co.uk
November 24, 2025 at 3:28 PM
Yours for a bit shy of one million of your finest English pounds: one crack den.
1500 people die each year in road accidents due to relaxed safety standards
"Motorways wouldn't be very useful if we all drove at five miles an hour but that's sort of what we're doing in nuclear safety"
Yes, but motorways don't have the potential to spead radiation across a continent and take many thousands of lives - a la Chernobyl
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Yes, but motorways don't have the potential to spead radiation across a continent and take many thousands of lives - a la Chernobyl
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
UK is world's most expensive place to develop nuclear power, report says
Experts criticise “overly complex” rules and call for an overhaul of Britain's nuclear strategy.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 24, 2025 at 11:41 AM
1500 people die each year in road accidents due to relaxed safety standards
The reality is Britain had an average outcome in the pandemic, with some nasty draconian rules. Places with better outcomes had them because of stronger social safety nets, less poverty, better health and obesity. We should prioritise those things if society is to better withstand the next pandemic
BREAKING: UK’s response to Covid was “too little too late”. Acting faster could have saved 23,000 lives in England according to the public inquiry.
Boris Johnson presided over a “toxic, sexist, chaotic culture” in No10, where rule-breaking seriously undermined public confidence.
Boris Johnson presided over a “toxic, sexist, chaotic culture” in No10, where rule-breaking seriously undermined public confidence.
November 23, 2025 at 1:41 PM
The reality is Britain had an average outcome in the pandemic, with some nasty draconian rules. Places with better outcomes had them because of stronger social safety nets, less poverty, better health and obesity. We should prioritise those things if society is to better withstand the next pandemic
I live next to a tube station and I find it mad that just across the road there’s a big car park for a drive through retail park. What a waste of a prime location that should be mid-rise flats with some nice green space in between
Building density near facilities also increases disposable income as your travel (car) costs fall dramatically.
November 22, 2025 at 12:31 PM
I live next to a tube station and I find it mad that just across the road there’s a big car park for a drive through retail park. What a waste of a prime location that should be mid-rise flats with some nice green space in between
Reposted by James Monk
Just one more cliff edge bro. I promise bro just one more cliff edge and it’ll fix everything bro. Bro. Just one more cliff edge. Please, just one more. One more cliff edge and we can fix this whole problem bro.
i: Reeves privately tells Labour MPs: I’ll hit wealthy with a mansion tax in Budget #TomorrowsPapersToday
November 18, 2025 at 11:04 PM
Just one more cliff edge bro. I promise bro just one more cliff edge and it’ll fix everything bro. Bro. Just one more cliff edge. Please, just one more. One more cliff edge and we can fix this whole problem bro.
Reposted by James Monk
