Charlie Bavington
@cbavington.bsky.social
Translation (Fr-Eng) and teaching English for a living.
Music (rock/metal), sport (football), history (ignorant dabbling) for fun.
Politics if I feel my mood dropping below incandescent & I need a fury booster.
Seldom, if ever, actually gruntled.
Music (rock/metal), sport (football), history (ignorant dabbling) for fun.
Politics if I feel my mood dropping below incandescent & I need a fury booster.
Seldom, if ever, actually gruntled.
I think this aspect probably counts for something.
December 10, 2025 at 12:55 PM
I think this aspect probably counts for something.
I've mainly voted Green in my 40+ years of voting🙂
I did vote Lab in 2019 in the (possibly vain) hope Corbyn might have held a 2nd ref since it was a straight Lab v Tory race here at the time.
But yes, the next GE is a l-o-n-g way off....
I did vote Lab in 2019 in the (possibly vain) hope Corbyn might have held a 2nd ref since it was a straight Lab v Tory race here at the time.
But yes, the next GE is a l-o-n-g way off....
December 10, 2025 at 10:45 AM
I've mainly voted Green in my 40+ years of voting🙂
I did vote Lab in 2019 in the (possibly vain) hope Corbyn might have held a 2nd ref since it was a straight Lab v Tory race here at the time.
But yes, the next GE is a l-o-n-g way off....
I did vote Lab in 2019 in the (possibly vain) hope Corbyn might have held a 2nd ref since it was a straight Lab v Tory race here at the time.
But yes, the next GE is a l-o-n-g way off....
I dunno, if this is true, Slavia fans will get an even better view of it. Sling "Glad to be gay" and "YMCA" over the tannoy at half time, and it's all groovy.
December 9, 2025 at 5:29 PM
I dunno, if this is true, Slavia fans will get an even better view of it. Sling "Glad to be gay" and "YMCA" over the tannoy at half time, and it's all groovy.
Absolutely. I just *hope* that, when the time comes, and assuming it hasn't all reverted to Lab v Con (I really don't think it will), we don't fall into a tactical voting trap as if the old order still applied. Mindless #GTTO with insistence only Lab could do that has got us where we are now.
December 9, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Absolutely. I just *hope* that, when the time comes, and assuming it hasn't all reverted to Lab v Con (I really don't think it will), we don't fall into a tactical voting trap as if the old order still applied. Mindless #GTTO with insistence only Lab could do that has got us where we are now.
When the time comes, there will be 3 or 4 parties in contention in many places. There won't be any need to vote Labour unless you actually want what Labour offer.
December 9, 2025 at 3:45 PM
When the time comes, there will be 3 or 4 parties in contention in many places. There won't be any need to vote Labour unless you actually want what Labour offer.
Funnily enough it was France snaffling players from its former colonies in West Africa that originally made me mentally respond "pure? I think not, old bean". And now you mention PSG. And we're supposed to be l'Albion perfide? 🙂 Bloomin' cheek of it!
December 5, 2025 at 11:59 PM
Funnily enough it was France snaffling players from its former colonies in West Africa that originally made me mentally respond "pure? I think not, old bean". And now you mention PSG. And we're supposed to be l'Albion perfide? 🙂 Bloomin' cheek of it!
I'm inclined to suggest that shenanigans around eligibility to play for national sides rather tarnishes the idea it is entirely "pure", to say nothing of the corruption of the bodies that organise international competitions. It's all a bit stinky, really.
December 5, 2025 at 11:17 PM
I'm inclined to suggest that shenanigans around eligibility to play for national sides rather tarnishes the idea it is entirely "pure", to say nothing of the corruption of the bodies that organise international competitions. It's all a bit stinky, really.
Surely a "pardon" = yes you did it, but I forgive you.
If Trump thinks it was a wrongful conviction (i.e. he didn't do it), surely the idea would be to overturn the conviction, not pardon it?
If Trump thinks it was a wrongful conviction (i.e. he didn't do it), surely the idea would be to overturn the conviction, not pardon it?
November 30, 2025 at 11:42 PM
Surely a "pardon" = yes you did it, but I forgive you.
If Trump thinks it was a wrongful conviction (i.e. he didn't do it), surely the idea would be to overturn the conviction, not pardon it?
If Trump thinks it was a wrongful conviction (i.e. he didn't do it), surely the idea would be to overturn the conviction, not pardon it?
yeah, it doesn't sound like her stance is "integrate and contribute" to me. Just a bog standard racist.
November 28, 2025 at 7:30 PM
yeah, it doesn't sound like her stance is "integrate and contribute" to me. Just a bog standard racist.
I suppose it's futile to suggest these plants aren't actually obliged to churn out pollutants. They could just keep to the existing standards anyway, to do the right thing. I mean, yes, Trump's a c*** but that doesn't force everyone else to act like c***s as well.
November 28, 2025 at 4:40 PM
I suppose it's futile to suggest these plants aren't actually obliged to churn out pollutants. They could just keep to the existing standards anyway, to do the right thing. I mean, yes, Trump's a c*** but that doesn't force everyone else to act like c***s as well.
I'm sure we'd both like that.
Google's response is that the "open web is in rapid decline". I'm not sure exactly what that means in terms of consequences, but they're gonna want to make $$ somewhere.
I doubt them dropping AI is on the cards, it would be a huge admission of failure, surely?
Google's response is that the "open web is in rapid decline". I'm not sure exactly what that means in terms of consequences, but they're gonna want to make $$ somewhere.
I doubt them dropping AI is on the cards, it would be a huge admission of failure, surely?
November 25, 2025 at 6:44 PM
I'm sure we'd both like that.
Google's response is that the "open web is in rapid decline". I'm not sure exactly what that means in terms of consequences, but they're gonna want to make $$ somewhere.
I doubt them dropping AI is on the cards, it would be a huge admission of failure, surely?
Google's response is that the "open web is in rapid decline". I'm not sure exactly what that means in terms of consequences, but they're gonna want to make $$ somewhere.
I doubt them dropping AI is on the cards, it would be a huge admission of failure, surely?
They're not search engines any more, they're designed to be answer engines. Hence the idea of AI serving up answers, rather than old google etc. serving up stuff that might be what you want, but might not. I read recently that this means fewer clicks = less ad income = unintended consequence?
November 25, 2025 at 3:29 PM
They're not search engines any more, they're designed to be answer engines. Hence the idea of AI serving up answers, rather than old google etc. serving up stuff that might be what you want, but might not. I read recently that this means fewer clicks = less ad income = unintended consequence?
I suppose technically, geographically Alicante airport is in Europe. But it's basically an enclave of Essex or somewhere, really.
November 21, 2025 at 3:40 PM
I suppose technically, geographically Alicante airport is in Europe. But it's basically an enclave of Essex or somewhere, really.
Anecdotally, it does seem to push more content of a more political nature once you've made the mistake of clicking on it once. I mean, I clicked on a thing about cryptic xword clues & I see some more sporadically.
A pal clicked a thing about Tr*mp, & it's all he sees now!
A pal clicked a thing about Tr*mp, & it's all he sees now!
November 20, 2025 at 7:25 PM
Anecdotally, it does seem to push more content of a more political nature once you've made the mistake of clicking on it once. I mean, I clicked on a thing about cryptic xword clues & I see some more sporadically.
A pal clicked a thing about Tr*mp, & it's all he sees now!
A pal clicked a thing about Tr*mp, & it's all he sees now!
I suspect there is something in that theory, yes. I'm only on FB for local music news, & that is all I actually follow, but it serves me up other stuff I've taken a passing interest in (e.g. posts about football). Whereas I see nothing about chem trails or vaccines or small boats, etc.
November 20, 2025 at 4:19 PM
I suspect there is something in that theory, yes. I'm only on FB for local music news, & that is all I actually follow, but it serves me up other stuff I've taken a passing interest in (e.g. posts about football). Whereas I see nothing about chem trails or vaccines or small boats, etc.
I've never seen a single one of the posts that Fullfact debunks while claiming they are widespread, on FB or anywhere else.
November 20, 2025 at 3:42 PM
I've never seen a single one of the posts that Fullfact debunks while claiming they are widespread, on FB or anywhere else.
I dunno, I think they were elected on a mandate of not being the Tories. All that mindless #GTTO with little consideration of the consequences of assuming Starmer + acolytes would really be any better.
November 17, 2025 at 2:01 PM
I dunno, I think they were elected on a mandate of not being the Tories. All that mindless #GTTO with little consideration of the consequences of assuming Starmer + acolytes would really be any better.
Sharon O accusing someone else of being greedy?
Oh my aching sides.
Oh my aching sides.
November 14, 2025 at 4:06 PM
Sharon O accusing someone else of being greedy?
Oh my aching sides.
Oh my aching sides.
Pretty sure history shows people have felt life was better 50 years ago since the dawn of time (notwithstanding the idea that the figure of '50' might have been a bit less back in the day when lifespans were shorter)
November 14, 2025 at 4:02 PM
Pretty sure history shows people have felt life was better 50 years ago since the dawn of time (notwithstanding the idea that the figure of '50' might have been a bit less back in the day when lifespans were shorter)
That bit did make me LOL, with the 'OL' genuinely audible (unusually for me)
November 12, 2025 at 3:12 PM
That bit did make me LOL, with the 'OL' genuinely audible (unusually for me)
More than a third of Americans still think Trump is doing a good job. I wouldn't set too much store in US public opinion.
And even if you do, you're basically saying a RW country (even Dems are not especially of the left) likes a RW news source. Quelle surprise.
And even if you do, you're basically saying a RW country (even Dems are not especially of the left) likes a RW news source. Quelle surprise.
November 11, 2025 at 11:27 AM
More than a third of Americans still think Trump is doing a good job. I wouldn't set too much store in US public opinion.
And even if you do, you're basically saying a RW country (even Dems are not especially of the left) likes a RW news source. Quelle surprise.
And even if you do, you're basically saying a RW country (even Dems are not especially of the left) likes a RW news source. Quelle surprise.
Tell @iandunt.bsky.social - he seems to think people still trust it.
I think you're absolutely right.
I think you're absolutely right.
November 10, 2025 at 3:36 PM
Tell @iandunt.bsky.social - he seems to think people still trust it.
I think you're absolutely right.
I think you're absolutely right.
They don't seem to be "struggling to dominate" it from where I'm sitting.
November 10, 2025 at 1:30 PM
They don't seem to be "struggling to dominate" it from where I'm sitting.
True on both counts.
November 6, 2025 at 10:35 PM
True on both counts.