A. Ayya
@akshiye.bsky.social
Probably wouldn’t have made a difference on impeachment but I wonder how different contemporary history would have been if Ossoff and Warnock hadn’t won.
January 23, 2026 at 1:06 AM
Probably wouldn’t have made a difference on impeachment but I wonder how different contemporary history would have been if Ossoff and Warnock hadn’t won.
The fact that this group still screams about Liz Cheney - when it was obviously about pointing out that *even the Cheneys that Trump is a wannabe dictator!* - shows that to be true.
January 23, 2026 at 1:04 AM
The fact that this group still screams about Liz Cheney - when it was obviously about pointing out that *even the Cheneys that Trump is a wannabe dictator!* - shows that to be true.
Labour would be more popular if they leaned into Neo-Blairite, Cool Britannia neoliberalism
January 21, 2026 at 1:10 AM
Labour would be more popular if they leaned into Neo-Blairite, Cool Britannia neoliberalism
Hence his sympathy for the PRC, pessimism about the west, and increasing contempt for western liberals
January 17, 2026 at 12:30 AM
Hence his sympathy for the PRC, pessimism about the west, and increasing contempt for western liberals
I mean he says he’s a left liberal (and his earlier books certainly show an admiration - ironically - for muscular liberalism). But he gets swept up in grand historical narratives, weltgeist, romanticism towards raw power.
January 17, 2026 at 12:29 AM
I mean he says he’s a left liberal (and his earlier books certainly show an admiration - ironically - for muscular liberalism). But he gets swept up in grand historical narratives, weltgeist, romanticism towards raw power.
I feel like some the UK’s challenges in the bond market are driven by the extremely negative (both trad and social media) discourse.
January 12, 2026 at 6:52 PM
I feel like some the UK’s challenges in the bond market are driven by the extremely negative (both trad and social media) discourse.
Like, various provinces and ethnic groups don’t use (or historically haven’t used) Farsi as a first language, but that’s not the same as considering themselves “non-Persian” or seeing Farsi speakers as one coherent group opposed to other groups.
January 9, 2026 at 5:28 PM
Like, various provinces and ethnic groups don’t use (or historically haven’t used) Farsi as a first language, but that’s not the same as considering themselves “non-Persian” or seeing Farsi speakers as one coherent group opposed to other groups.
My understanding is this CIA World Factbook ethnic division of Iran between “Persians” and “Non-Persians” isn’t a real thing.
January 9, 2026 at 5:25 PM
My understanding is this CIA World Factbook ethnic division of Iran between “Persians” and “Non-Persians” isn’t a real thing.
I rarely see the comparison made, but there are a *lot* of parallels between Zionism and Hellenism - ie the foundation of modern Greece is quite a similar story. Post-Ottoman Turkey also has a lot of parallels.
January 6, 2026 at 6:10 PM
I rarely see the comparison made, but there are a *lot* of parallels between Zionism and Hellenism - ie the foundation of modern Greece is quite a similar story. Post-Ottoman Turkey also has a lot of parallels.
Also it’s funny that most Americans profess hate for British food but love Thanksgiving food, which is largely the same thing.
January 6, 2026 at 6:06 PM
Also it’s funny that most Americans profess hate for British food but love Thanksgiving food, which is largely the same thing.
Traditional British food IMO is fine - done well it can be quite good, done poorly (as it frequently is in random pubs) it’s appallingly bland. That said British food overall isn’t really any worse than most traditional European food.
January 6, 2026 at 6:06 PM
Traditional British food IMO is fine - done well it can be quite good, done poorly (as it frequently is in random pubs) it’s appallingly bland. That said British food overall isn’t really any worse than most traditional European food.
WWI was Germany’s fault
January 6, 2026 at 3:56 PM
WWI was Germany’s fault
Ha they could even pick Mark Carney
January 6, 2026 at 3:53 PM
Ha they could even pick Mark Carney
Also interestingly if you look back at the early 20th C, Brits themselves mostly used “England” as a catchall short form for the whole country / empire.
December 31, 2025 at 11:09 PM
Also interestingly if you look back at the early 20th C, Brits themselves mostly used “England” as a catchall short form for the whole country / empire.
Well “Andrew” specifically seems to literally be a Nazi
December 19, 2025 at 9:19 PM
Well “Andrew” specifically seems to literally be a Nazi
TBF this did get through committee last night (albeit with provisions allowing Trump to block wind projects in NJ and MD specifically)
December 17, 2025 at 6:54 PM
TBF this did get through committee last night (albeit with provisions allowing Trump to block wind projects in NJ and MD specifically)
December 17, 2025 at 6:54 PM
TBF this did get through committee last night (albeit with provisions allowing Trump to block wind projects in NJ and MD specifically)
Coupled with weird incentives - their funding doesn’t usually come from the people they service but from donors, govt, foundations. So poorly run orgs can survive so long as they have the ear of / good connections with funders.
December 14, 2025 at 9:18 PM
Coupled with weird incentives - their funding doesn’t usually come from the people they service but from donors, govt, foundations. So poorly run orgs can survive so long as they have the ear of / good connections with funders.
Also often toxic workplace dynamics. Both very privileged people who don’t need to work and people with no money (who may not be employable elsewhere).
December 14, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Also often toxic workplace dynamics. Both very privileged people who don’t need to work and people with no money (who may not be employable elsewhere).
Nonprofits often attract personality types that are very passionate and committed but kind of difficult
December 14, 2025 at 9:01 PM
Nonprofits often attract personality types that are very passionate and committed but kind of difficult
Hard lines on immigration and the EU are hitting higher ed and the care sector and reducing potential gains from trade. On tax they’re forced into welfare cutting measures or cludge-y, distorting tax gimmicks to avoid bad headlines
December 10, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Hard lines on immigration and the EU are hitting higher ed and the care sector and reducing potential gains from trade. On tax they’re forced into welfare cutting measures or cludge-y, distorting tax gimmicks to avoid bad headlines
There’s also the issue that their immigration promises (and red lines on Brexit and tax) are also getting in the way of improving the economy or services
December 10, 2025 at 6:18 PM
There’s also the issue that their immigration promises (and red lines on Brexit and tax) are also getting in the way of improving the economy or services
The takeaway from 90s debates was that Dems were tolerant and pro-immigration, Republicans intolerant extremists
December 10, 2025 at 6:16 PM
The takeaway from 90s debates was that Dems were tolerant and pro-immigration, Republicans intolerant extremists