Mark Berry
@boulezian.bsky.social
Musicology and history (intellectual, political, etc.). Writing a book on the complete Mozart operas in eighteenth-century historical context. Views, for better or worse, my own. He/him/his https://boulezian.blogspot.com/
Reposted by Mark Berry
Antisemitism is a lot like Qanon child abuse conspiracies in that there’s this real and bad phenomenon and, parallel to that, what can only be described as a large scale mass psychosis about a mostly fictional version of the same phenomenon
November 16, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Antisemitism is a lot like Qanon child abuse conspiracies in that there’s this real and bad phenomenon and, parallel to that, what can only be described as a large scale mass psychosis about a mostly fictional version of the same phenomenon
There are, alas, many things we must remember about the rotten, rancid Labour Right. One is their prizing party control over all else, certainly over government. They will engineer 100 Tory/Reform govts over losing what they consider theirs. With that, what is otherwise incomprehensible makes sense.
November 16, 2025 at 9:04 PM
There are, alas, many things we must remember about the rotten, rancid Labour Right. One is their prizing party control over all else, certainly over government. They will engineer 100 Tory/Reform govts over losing what they consider theirs. With that, what is otherwise incomprehensible makes sense.
McSweeney put Mahmood on the NEC, where she promptly seconded Starmer’s (i.e. McSweeney’s, i.e. Mandelson’s) motion to prevent Jeremy Corbyn from being a Labour candidate.
Listening to the FT podcast where they say Mahmood is McSweeney's top choice of successor and the idea that Starmer will go but the man most responsible for his catastrophic unpopularity will get to choose the next PM is, um, optimistic on his part
November 16, 2025 at 8:11 PM
McSweeney put Mahmood on the NEC, where she promptly seconded Starmer’s (i.e. McSweeney’s, i.e. Mandelson’s) motion to prevent Jeremy Corbyn from being a Labour candidate.
Reposted by Mark Berry
Behind the weasel words and prevaricating euphemisms, Britain's politics of immigration are rooted in an antipathy to the presence of negatively racialised people in this country *on any terms*. If we'd confronted that reality decades ago, and faced it down, we wouldn't be where we are now.
the video goes on and on about illegal immigration and yet the new proposal will target legal migration by confirmed refugees
November 15, 2025 at 11:11 AM
Behind the weasel words and prevaricating euphemisms, Britain's politics of immigration are rooted in an antipathy to the presence of negatively racialised people in this country *on any terms*. If we'd confronted that reality decades ago, and faced it down, we wouldn't be where we are now.
Three books awaiting me on returning home.
November 16, 2025 at 7:37 PM
Three books awaiting me on returning home.
Reposted by Mark Berry
The Italian right-wing coalition has two clear advantages over their opponents.
They agree on who constitutes the bulk of their electorate -- to whom they need to throw some bones. And they have found a simple system to select their PMs, which everybody within it has shown they will respect.
They agree on who constitutes the bulk of their electorate -- to whom they need to throw some bones. And they have found a simple system to select their PMs, which everybody within it has shown they will respect.
November 16, 2025 at 9:46 AM
The Italian right-wing coalition has two clear advantages over their opponents.
They agree on who constitutes the bulk of their electorate -- to whom they need to throw some bones. And they have found a simple system to select their PMs, which everybody within it has shown they will respect.
They agree on who constitutes the bulk of their electorate -- to whom they need to throw some bones. And they have found a simple system to select their PMs, which everybody within it has shown they will respect.
I looked at ‘Truth Social’, never having done so before. This is - honestly - what I found at the top of Trump’s account. I think I’ll leave it.
November 16, 2025 at 7:09 PM
I looked at ‘Truth Social’, never having done so before. This is - honestly - what I found at the top of Trump’s account. I think I’ll leave it.
It will probably be a centrist dad, who is also in the top 10% dispensers of online harassment.
I know this is mean and reductive and petty but it pisses me off when I see somebody saying "i've received more online harassment than you can even imagine" and then it's a straight white guy. like, okay, well i doubt it lol
November 16, 2025 at 5:04 PM
It will probably be a centrist dad, who is also in the top 10% dispensers of online harassment.
Figaro in Paris last night given as Les Noces de Figaro. I wondered if typical usage in French, and if so why. To distinguish it from Beaumarchais's 'Mariage'? A sense that nozze/noces entails something broader? It seems that, when Beaumarchais adapted the opera in 1793 for Paris, he used mariage.
November 16, 2025 at 4:46 PM
Figaro in Paris last night given as Les Noces de Figaro. I wondered if typical usage in French, and if so why. To distinguish it from Beaumarchais's 'Mariage'? A sense that nozze/noces entails something broader? It seems that, when Beaumarchais adapted the opera in 1793 for Paris, he used mariage.
Reposted by Mark Berry
Bringing weapons on church grounds to enforce misdemeanor immigration law is really historically bad. 'Trump administration’s decision to rescind the sensitive locations policy, raises questions as to whether the incident violated a judge’s injunction in their case.'
November 16, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Bringing weapons on church grounds to enforce misdemeanor immigration law is really historically bad. 'Trump administration’s decision to rescind the sensitive locations policy, raises questions as to whether the incident violated a judge’s injunction in their case.'
Reposted by Mark Berry
At a rugby club in small-town Leicestershire. This was on the window ledge in the toilet. Fearing the worst, I scanned the QR & opened it in an incognito window…
It’s a link to Amnesty International’s explainer on asylum & refugees 😍
It’s a link to Amnesty International’s explainer on asylum & refugees 😍
November 15, 2025 at 1:52 PM
At a rugby club in small-town Leicestershire. This was on the window ledge in the toilet. Fearing the worst, I scanned the QR & opened it in an incognito window…
It’s a link to Amnesty International’s explainer on asylum & refugees 😍
It’s a link to Amnesty International’s explainer on asylum & refugees 😍
Reposted by Mark Berry
Labour is a “godsend” for Farage says the far-right.
November 16, 2025 at 7:11 AM
Labour is a “godsend” for Farage says the far-right.
I know this may sound pompous, pretentious, generally insufferable, etc. to some, but I don’t care. Why have people started laughing at ‘Contessa perdono’? What can they possibly find funny? And even if they do, can they not stop ruining everything with their bellyaching disruption? Stfu. Please.
November 15, 2025 at 10:40 PM
I know this may sound pompous, pretentious, generally insufferable, etc. to some, but I don’t care. Why have people started laughing at ‘Contessa perdono’? What can they possibly find funny? And even if they do, can they not stop ruining everything with their bellyaching disruption? Stfu. Please.
Reposted by Mark Berry
No, I'd say it's racists and those pandering to them.
November 15, 2025 at 9:58 PM
No, I'd say it's racists and those pandering to them.
Les Noces de Figaro
November 15, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Les Noces de Figaro
Café gourmand (cc. @carolinefrmus.bsky.social)
November 15, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Café gourmand (cc. @carolinefrmus.bsky.social)
If anyone were ever in need of deportation…
Just some British patriots in Benidorm, taking over a street in Spain to shout in their own language about unwanted foreigners. It’s a blessing that they are too thick to understand irony.
November 15, 2025 at 1:22 PM
If anyone were ever in need of deportation…
Reposted by Mark Berry
The BBC, quite consciously, sets out to demean and belittle trans people. This is both morally contemptible and in breach of its Charter obligations. We've made it super easy for you to write to the BBC and tell it to stop.
Please use - and share with your networks.
goodlaw.social/2j5q
Please use - and share with your networks.
goodlaw.social/2j5q
The BBC must stop attacking trans people | Good Law Project
The right wing accusations of ‘pro-trans’ bias are back to front. It’s time for the BBC to live up to its duty to be impartial on trans issues.
goodlaw.social
November 14, 2025 at 12:39 PM
The BBC, quite consciously, sets out to demean and belittle trans people. This is both morally contemptible and in breach of its Charter obligations. We've made it super easy for you to write to the BBC and tell it to stop.
Please use - and share with your networks.
goodlaw.social/2j5q
Please use - and share with your networks.
goodlaw.social/2j5q
Don’t worry. ‘Sources close to’ Reform UK Ltd will find a ‘Red Wall’ Marinus van der Lubbe.
A final decision on how to repair Britain’s crumbling parliament is likely to be postponed beyond the next general election, according to four people familiar with the matter.
Final decision on fate of crumbling UK parliament delayed to 2030s
It’s a fire-hazard that’s prone to tumbling masonry — but fear of a public backlash is again delaying repairs to the world famous building.
www.politico.eu
November 15, 2025 at 1:16 PM
Don’t worry. ‘Sources close to’ Reform UK Ltd will find a ‘Red Wall’ Marinus van der Lubbe.
Paying my respects
November 15, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Paying my respects
So when she was Leader of the Opposition, four years before the onset of her asset-stripping, community-destroying, lower-middle-class ‘respectability’ reign of terror. And we were members of the European Communities.
November 15, 2025 at 9:06 AM
So when she was Leader of the Opposition, four years before the onset of her asset-stripping, community-destroying, lower-middle-class ‘respectability’ reign of terror. And we were members of the European Communities.
Reposted by Mark Berry
Trampling on the olive branches:: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Record settler attacks in West Bank opening up rifts within Israel
More than 260 settler attacks in October resulted in Palestinians being injured or having property damaged, according to the UN.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 15, 2025 at 8:17 AM
Trampling on the olive branches:: www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Mark Berry
Oh wow @reuters.com got the photo here:
November 14, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Oh wow @reuters.com got the photo here:
Reposted by Mark Berry
And so the genocide continues in hushed silence, with the rest of the world lulled into a false sense that it has ended... www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
US military planning for divided Gaza with ‘green zone’ secured by international and Israeli troops
Exclusive: Almost all Palestinians have been displaced to ‘red zone’ where no reconstruction is planned
www.theguardian.com
November 14, 2025 at 9:30 PM
And so the genocide continues in hushed silence, with the rest of the world lulled into a false sense that it has ended... www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...