Alun Ephraim
@alunephraim.bsky.social
History PhD student, bookseller, artist and problematic crank.
I'm not very active here now* but am briefly logging on to note that to-day is the third anniversary of my successful transplant.
*Partly because I'm busy at the moment, but also because this place, in my view anyway, has become tedious and unhealthy.
*Partly because I'm busy at the moment, but also because this place, in my view anyway, has become tedious and unhealthy.
August 6, 2025 at 12:50 PM
I'm not very active here now* but am briefly logging on to note that to-day is the third anniversary of my successful transplant.
*Partly because I'm busy at the moment, but also because this place, in my view anyway, has become tedious and unhealthy.
*Partly because I'm busy at the moment, but also because this place, in my view anyway, has become tedious and unhealthy.
Trying to explain why the now sadly late Alfred Brendel was one of the very greatest of pianists is a lot harder than simply linking to a recording, but he was good with words as well so it is owed. He had a style that was precise and intelligent, but so very human. There was life and humour there.
June 18, 2025 at 6:17 PM
Trying to explain why the now sadly late Alfred Brendel was one of the very greatest of pianists is a lot harder than simply linking to a recording, but he was good with words as well so it is owed. He had a style that was precise and intelligent, but so very human. There was life and humour there.
Someone has to say it. And I don't live in Northern Ireland. I will note that no one has firebombed Jeffrey Donaldson's house. That's all.
(Yes, Mr Donaldson has not been convicted of anything, but neither have the two young men accused in this case. In neither case do I make comment on guilt).
(Yes, Mr Donaldson has not been convicted of anything, but neither have the two young men accused in this case. In neither case do I make comment on guilt).
June 11, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Someone has to say it. And I don't live in Northern Ireland. I will note that no one has firebombed Jeffrey Donaldson's house. That's all.
(Yes, Mr Donaldson has not been convicted of anything, but neither have the two young men accused in this case. In neither case do I make comment on guilt).
(Yes, Mr Donaldson has not been convicted of anything, but neither have the two young men accused in this case. In neither case do I make comment on guilt).
For all the triumphalism in certain quarters about there being a women's tournament at Queens this year, I will rather sourly note that this has mostly come at the expense of the Edgbaston tournament, which moved to the last week of RG and was further downgraded. Is this actually progress?
June 11, 2025 at 4:43 PM
For all the triumphalism in certain quarters about there being a women's tournament at Queens this year, I will rather sourly note that this has mostly come at the expense of the Edgbaston tournament, which moved to the last week of RG and was further downgraded. Is this actually progress?
That's as his budget has been slashed *so hard* that departmental spending projections have actually increased substantially, due to complex laws of physics understood only by breathless political gossipmongers and beyond the ken of mere mortals.
One of the biggest winners? Ed Miliband! The minister who commentators keep insisting is imminently for the chop or is having his budget slashed, whispering net zero is in doubt or GB Energy is being quietly binned.
The reality is he got the the biggest increase in capital and GBE alone got £8bn.
The reality is he got the the biggest increase in capital and GBE alone got £8bn.
June 11, 2025 at 1:41 PM
That's as his budget has been slashed *so hard* that departmental spending projections have actually increased substantially, due to complex laws of physics understood only by breathless political gossipmongers and beyond the ken of mere mortals.
Some things presently available on the BBC iPlayer: the peerless 1995 adaptation of Persuasion, Britten conducting his own War Requiem, every episode of 'The Ascent of Man' and 'Civilisation', a lot of Schama art docs, John Freeman interviewing Jung and MLK, and the Agincourt episode of War Walks.
June 10, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Some things presently available on the BBC iPlayer: the peerless 1995 adaptation of Persuasion, Britten conducting his own War Requiem, every episode of 'The Ascent of Man' and 'Civilisation', a lot of Schama art docs, John Freeman interviewing Jung and MLK, and the Agincourt episode of War Walks.
I understand that the Pope has met the victorious Napoli team and has publicly denied earlier reports that he is a Roma fan.
May 30, 2025 at 3:29 PM
I understand that the Pope has met the victorious Napoli team and has publicly denied earlier reports that he is a Roma fan.
Reposted by Alun Ephraim
To take my tongue out of my cheek, the joy of having worked on a daily newsletter for the best part of 12 years now is having a physical reminder that I am not being nostalgic - the dominant question from 2013 to 2021 really wasn’t “how will this play electorally” EVERY DAY.
What George doesn't understand is that in the UK, we decided in 2020 that 'governing' was actually a tedious distraction from 'speculating about, and positioning for, the next general election'. It's core to our culture and it is *very* disrespectful to criticise it.
this is a very strange message from Starmer. First, you're boosting the far right which is, uh, risky. Second, your government was elected LAST YEAR why are you talking like the election campaign is under way?!?!!
*STARMER: TORIES SLIDING INTO ABYSS, CHOICE IS LABOUR OR REFORM
*STARMER: TORIES SLIDING INTO ABYSS, CHOICE IS LABOUR OR REFORM
May 29, 2025 at 11:13 AM
To take my tongue out of my cheek, the joy of having worked on a daily newsletter for the best part of 12 years now is having a physical reminder that I am not being nostalgic - the dominant question from 2013 to 2021 really wasn’t “how will this play electorally” EVERY DAY.
I have of late acquired a taste for Scandinavian 'Remoulade', a fact that many find to be disturbing.
May 28, 2025 at 12:09 PM
I have of late acquired a taste for Scandinavian 'Remoulade', a fact that many find to be disturbing.
Earlier today I visited an exhibition of Rembrandt drawings (largely etchings with some drypoint) at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. It was absolutely fantastic and genuinely fascinating. Runs for another week. If you get a chance, go. Certain things are one-offs.
May 25, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Earlier today I visited an exhibition of Rembrandt drawings (largely etchings with some drypoint) at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery. It was absolutely fantastic and genuinely fascinating. Runs for another week. If you get a chance, go. Certain things are one-offs.
Sunderland *winning* the play-offs in dramatic circumstances is the exact opposite of what you train yourself to expect as a Sunderland fan, but isn't it a nice surprise?
May 24, 2025 at 5:32 PM
Sunderland *winning* the play-offs in dramatic circumstances is the exact opposite of what you train yourself to expect as a Sunderland fan, but isn't it a nice surprise?
This is an excellent idea, especially with such an emphasis on pre-and-post transplant physio and fitness:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
'One stop shop' transplant centre opens at Birmingham hospital
The Edmonds Transplant Centre enables patients to receive all of their care in one place.
www.bbc.co.uk
May 22, 2025 at 6:59 PM
This is an excellent idea, especially with such an emphasis on pre-and-post transplant physio and fitness:
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Alun Ephraim
Ah well you see very often if I describe something or someone as 'odd' it is a deadly insult.
May 20, 2025 at 5:15 PM
Ah well you see very often if I describe something or someone as 'odd' it is a deadly insult.
'Bad for bills' - come on, how? Does she think that if bills go up that's good because line go up is good, so that if bills are more stable that's bad?
May 20, 2025 at 12:07 PM
'Bad for bills' - come on, how? Does she think that if bills go up that's good because line go up is good, so that if bills are more stable that's bad?
Reposted by Alun Ephraim
I’m old fashioned enough to think the BBC should be leading on what the deal is and what it means. Rather than the political claims from both sides.
May 19, 2025 at 4:25 PM
I’m old fashioned enough to think the BBC should be leading on what the deal is and what it means. Rather than the political claims from both sides.
I just want to state on the record, as one does, that I am in favour of things that stabilize food prices and reduce the likelihood of periodic shortages of this or that item. Might be a little like paracetamol to the national mood once the effects are percolating.
May 19, 2025 at 3:47 PM
I just want to state on the record, as one does, that I am in favour of things that stabilize food prices and reduce the likelihood of periodic shortages of this or that item. Might be a little like paracetamol to the national mood once the effects are percolating.
Reposted by Alun Ephraim
Call me Andrea Dworkin, but I just think it’s corrosive that there are quite so many references to sexual acts in the British right’s response to this deal.
Entirely predictable reaction from Britain's maga media. But makes you think, if they were going to react like this anyway what was the cost to Starmer of going bigger.
May 19, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Call me Andrea Dworkin, but I just think it’s corrosive that there are quite so many references to sexual acts in the British right’s response to this deal.
This is a really useful thread on a difficult, thorny issue where nothing is entirely what it seems at first and it can be difficult to know quite what to think:
The debate around care visas in the political space boils down to people saying stuff like this - we desperately need people.
It's a good soundbite but...
A significant surge in care visas were issued since 2020 in response to sector demand and yet the problem of shortage has persisted.
Why?
It's a good soundbite but...
A significant surge in care visas were issued since 2020 in response to sector demand and yet the problem of shortage has persisted.
Why?
BREAKING: “We will be closing the care worker visa for overseas recruitment” - Home Secretary Yvette Cooper
Don’t we have a desperate shortage of care workers?
Don’t we have a desperate shortage of care workers?
May 11, 2025 at 11:14 PM
This is a really useful thread on a difficult, thorny issue where nothing is entirely what it seems at first and it can be difficult to know quite what to think:
Random linguistic observation: a lot of peripheral estates are often described as 'overspill estates' even when they were not actually built for 'overspill' purposes: e.g. Becontree or Wythenshawe (which were not) as contrasted with Chelmsley Wood (which was).
May 11, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Random linguistic observation: a lot of peripheral estates are often described as 'overspill estates' even when they were not actually built for 'overspill' purposes: e.g. Becontree or Wythenshawe (which were not) as contrasted with Chelmsley Wood (which was).
Migration is a thing that people do and states try to manage rather than the other way around. Attempts to restrict flows when they're rising tend to be unsuccessful as do attempts to increase them when they're falling. It's a strange phenomenon, not that well understood despite everything.
May 11, 2025 at 11:59 AM
Migration is a thing that people do and states try to manage rather than the other way around. Attempts to restrict flows when they're rising tend to be unsuccessful as do attempts to increase them when they're falling. It's a strange phenomenon, not that well understood despite everything.
Going to repeat this on a loop for a few years, I suppose.
The next General Election isn't for another three or (much more likely) four years. No one normal thinks about politics much here at other times, and polling and elections between GEs are often pretty wild and have been getting increasingly so for a while.
May 9, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Going to repeat this on a loop for a few years, I suppose.
I gather that the new Pope is One Of Us (i.e. a Tennis nut).
May 8, 2025 at 11:58 PM
I gather that the new Pope is One Of Us (i.e. a Tennis nut).
The Namierite theory of Papal elections wins again.
May 8, 2025 at 5:50 PM
The Namierite theory of Papal elections wins again.