Alun Ephraim
@alunephraim.bsky.social
History PhD student, bookseller, artist and problematic crank.
He understood that great artists need (usually!) a hinterland, and his was immense. Listen to his Beethoven (no, seriously, listen to his Beethoven), but also read The Lady from Arezzo, his delightful and beautifully written book about Dada and kitsch.
June 18, 2025 at 6:19 PM
He understood that great artists need (usually!) a hinterland, and his was immense. Listen to his Beethoven (no, seriously, listen to his Beethoven), but also read The Lady from Arezzo, his delightful and beautifully written book about Dada and kitsch.
I would combine this with tighter ballot access restrictions. They're far too lax at the moment.
June 11, 2025 at 5:22 PM
I would combine this with tighter ballot access restrictions. They're far too lax at the moment.
I hate* to be that guy, but it's often the way over housing that you have to quietly note that a lot of this crowd have various vested interests in the issue.
*A lie and I was never any good at lying.
*A lie and I was never any good at lying.
June 11, 2025 at 5:21 PM
I hate* to be that guy, but it's often the way over housing that you have to quietly note that a lot of this crowd have various vested interests in the issue.
*A lie and I was never any good at lying.
*A lie and I was never any good at lying.
I mean, I'm biased. I have a huge affection for Edgbaston: Tolkien, Joseph Southall, my successful transplant, etc.
June 11, 2025 at 4:53 PM
I mean, I'm biased. I have a huge affection for Edgbaston: Tolkien, Joseph Southall, my successful transplant, etc.
And is easy to get to! The trouble with having anything in Inner West London is that... uh...
(fine with having a tournament there - that's not the issue - but I don't like how it has been done)
(fine with having a tournament there - that's not the issue - but I don't like how it has been done)
June 11, 2025 at 4:49 PM
And is easy to get to! The trouble with having anything in Inner West London is that... uh...
(fine with having a tournament there - that's not the issue - but I don't like how it has been done)
(fine with having a tournament there - that's not the issue - but I don't like how it has been done)
Yeah. The internet is a cesspit, but one can use manure to grow roses, right? That's the only way to look at things.
June 11, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Yeah. The internet is a cesspit, but one can use manure to grow roses, right? That's the only way to look at things.
(Edgbaston also has better courts...)
June 11, 2025 at 4:47 PM
(Edgbaston also has better courts...)
I'm just interested as to how, exactly, this helps the development of the game in this country at a grassroots level, as we are assured it does? I understand why it is preferable for our country's sports journalists and broadcast teams, of course.
June 11, 2025 at 4:46 PM
I'm just interested as to how, exactly, this helps the development of the game in this country at a grassroots level, as we are assured it does? I understand why it is preferable for our country's sports journalists and broadcast teams, of course.
I've tried others over the years. Wordpress was good but then got awful and fiddly, Substack has some positive elements but feels like an MLM scam.
June 11, 2025 at 4:44 PM
I've tried others over the years. Wordpress was good but then got awful and fiddly, Substack has some positive elements but feels like an MLM scam.
How is medium to use, in practical terms?
June 11, 2025 at 4:36 PM
How is medium to use, in practical terms?
The DE Greens (who have a very specific history in any case, quite unusual) are basically a left liberal party. Given the present absolute state of whatever is left of the FDP, you could argue that they are the liberal party of record full stop.
June 11, 2025 at 4:21 PM
The DE Greens (who have a very specific history in any case, quite unusual) are basically a left liberal party. Given the present absolute state of whatever is left of the FDP, you could argue that they are the liberal party of record full stop.
I have come to the view (which I did not used to hold) that we are, as a People, probably petty enough to make proper STV work.
June 11, 2025 at 3:20 PM
I have come to the view (which I did not used to hold) that we are, as a People, probably petty enough to make proper STV work.
Are we quite sure that Mel Stride is not actually a semi-disgraced National Party MP for somewhere in rural Victoria?
June 11, 2025 at 3:18 PM
He was a notoriously cruel martinet on his estate, harsher than usual. Any points he gains for not being a Fire Eater, he loses for that.
June 11, 2025 at 3:17 PM
He was a notoriously cruel martinet on his estate, harsher than usual. Any points he gains for not being a Fire Eater, he loses for that.
Are we quite sure that Mel Stride is not actually a semi-disgraced National Party MP for somewhere in rural Victoria?
June 11, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Are we quite sure that Mel Stride is not actually a semi-disgraced National Party MP for somewhere in rural Victoria?
He wasn't an active local MP by current standards, but e.g. Dick Crossman lived near his Coventry constituency, visited pretty often and kept in close touch with CLP figures. This grounded him somewhat, and he was a man who always needed that.
June 11, 2025 at 3:13 PM
He wasn't an active local MP by current standards, but e.g. Dick Crossman lived near his Coventry constituency, visited pretty often and kept in close touch with CLP figures. This grounded him somewhat, and he was a man who always needed that.
I support PR, but am adamant for this reason that it needs to be a version that maintains some form of that, as it leads to better policy.
June 11, 2025 at 3:12 PM
I support PR, but am adamant for this reason that it needs to be a version that maintains some form of that, as it leads to better policy.
Peter Bowles was a wonderful actor. Especially recommend his turn as a prosecuting barrister in Pennies From Heaven if you ever get a chance to see it. Really, really, outstandingly hilarious performance.
June 10, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Peter Bowles was a wonderful actor. Especially recommend his turn as a prosecuting barrister in Pennies From Heaven if you ever get a chance to see it. Really, really, outstandingly hilarious performance.
We all know how this film ends* the question is the runtime and what happens in between.
*Well, all right, actuarial stats mean it's more a case of 'we all know of a range of possible endings'.
*Well, all right, actuarial stats mean it's more a case of 'we all know of a range of possible endings'.
June 10, 2025 at 3:58 PM
We all know how this film ends* the question is the runtime and what happens in between.
*Well, all right, actuarial stats mean it's more a case of 'we all know of a range of possible endings'.
*Well, all right, actuarial stats mean it's more a case of 'we all know of a range of possible endings'.