Conn MacEvilly
@conmachiavel.bsky.social
Woodkern by inclination, kern by trade. Iraq and Afg vet. 40 years ago, aspired to be neutral good half-elf ranger: getting closer to that by the day, I think.
Interested in law and public policy, defence, information security and the climate emergency.
Interested in law and public policy, defence, information security and the climate emergency.
He’s donning a queen’s crown. Is that intentional?
October 19, 2025 at 4:22 PM
He’s donning a queen’s crown. Is that intentional?
Thank you. Yes, Ireland’s demographic history is striking:
1. In 1801, when it united with GB, its pop was 5.2M.
2. In 1922, at independence, it was only 4.2M (whole island).
3. The pop only resumed growing in the 1960s, 110 years after the famine.
1. In 1801, when it united with GB, its pop was 5.2M.
2. In 1922, at independence, it was only 4.2M (whole island).
3. The pop only resumed growing in the 1960s, 110 years after the famine.
October 18, 2025 at 9:21 AM
Thank you. Yes, Ireland’s demographic history is striking:
1. In 1801, when it united with GB, its pop was 5.2M.
2. In 1922, at independence, it was only 4.2M (whole island).
3. The pop only resumed growing in the 1960s, 110 years after the famine.
1. In 1801, when it united with GB, its pop was 5.2M.
2. In 1922, at independence, it was only 4.2M (whole island).
3. The pop only resumed growing in the 1960s, 110 years after the famine.
Some maps to illustrate how much less densely-populated Ireland is compared to England in particular. Sorry they are unsourced and uncredited.
It’s striking that Ireland’s population still hasn’t recovered to pre-Famine levels, whereas England’s is a multiple of what it was in 1845.
It’s striking that Ireland’s population still hasn’t recovered to pre-Famine levels, whereas England’s is a multiple of what it was in 1845.
October 18, 2025 at 8:52 AM
Some maps to illustrate how much less densely-populated Ireland is compared to England in particular. Sorry they are unsourced and uncredited.
It’s striking that Ireland’s population still hasn’t recovered to pre-Famine levels, whereas England’s is a multiple of what it was in 1845.
It’s striking that Ireland’s population still hasn’t recovered to pre-Famine levels, whereas England’s is a multiple of what it was in 1845.
🧐
I can feel a book brewing: “How British Naval History Sounds to Foreigners”
I can feel a book brewing: “How British Naval History Sounds to Foreigners”
October 13, 2025 at 2:35 PM
🧐
I can feel a book brewing: “How British Naval History Sounds to Foreigners”
I can feel a book brewing: “How British Naval History Sounds to Foreigners”
Mmmm - chocolate Guinness
October 10, 2025 at 11:58 PM
Mmmm - chocolate Guinness
Blimey. The YouTube description makes this whole Bluesky- and art-induced Weltschmerz-o-Rama even worse!
October 4, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Blimey. The YouTube description makes this whole Bluesky- and art-induced Weltschmerz-o-Rama even worse!
Adding this one to the pile. Starts off with a no-warning strike by North Korea on Washington DC and takes it from there to conclusion.
September 29, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Adding this one to the pile. Starts off with a no-warning strike by North Korea on Washington DC and takes it from there to conclusion.
I went to view the reconstructed Notre Dame cathedral and had ‘Baba Yetu’ brainworming like mad. Stunning work.
Declared culture victory for Macron right there.
My crummy attempts at photography below don’t do justice.
Declared culture victory for Macron right there.
My crummy attempts at photography below don’t do justice.
September 28, 2025 at 10:59 PM
I went to view the reconstructed Notre Dame cathedral and had ‘Baba Yetu’ brainworming like mad. Stunning work.
Declared culture victory for Macron right there.
My crummy attempts at photography below don’t do justice.
Declared culture victory for Macron right there.
My crummy attempts at photography below don’t do justice.
We did! A book, which does indeed involve swords.
September 28, 2025 at 12:11 PM
We did! A book, which does indeed involve swords.
I wonder how many people in Blighty know about the new geographic restriction on BBC Sounds. It must represent a loss to British ‘soft power’.
I get around the geo-lock by using a VPN, by the way.
I get around the geo-lock by using a VPN, by the way.
September 20, 2025 at 1:39 PM
I wonder how many people in Blighty know about the new geographic restriction on BBC Sounds. It must represent a loss to British ‘soft power’.
I get around the geo-lock by using a VPN, by the way.
I get around the geo-lock by using a VPN, by the way.
hit a ‘trust thermocline’ and collapsed.
I still listen to BBC World Service Global News and ‘More or Less’ as podcasts. These seem to be the last redoubts of fact-based journalism within the BBC. Listen occasionally to other BBC Sounds podcasts.
But music is my background listen now. /end
I still listen to BBC World Service Global News and ‘More or Less’ as podcasts. These seem to be the last redoubts of fact-based journalism within the BBC. Listen occasionally to other BBC Sounds podcasts.
But music is my background listen now. /end
September 20, 2025 at 1:26 PM
hit a ‘trust thermocline’ and collapsed.
I still listen to BBC World Service Global News and ‘More or Less’ as podcasts. These seem to be the last redoubts of fact-based journalism within the BBC. Listen occasionally to other BBC Sounds podcasts.
But music is my background listen now. /end
I still listen to BBC World Service Global News and ‘More or Less’ as podcasts. These seem to be the last redoubts of fact-based journalism within the BBC. Listen occasionally to other BBC Sounds podcasts.
But music is my background listen now. /end
Eleanor, thank you for gathering us together and for expressing the loss.
I grew up listening to R4, starting with the Friday evening comedy gateway output and then moving on to Today, PM and ultimately all-day listening (when not at work). Brian Redhead on Today was a big influence on me. /1
I grew up listening to R4, starting with the Friday evening comedy gateway output and then moving on to Today, PM and ultimately all-day listening (when not at work). Brian Redhead on Today was a big influence on me. /1
September 20, 2025 at 1:10 PM
Eleanor, thank you for gathering us together and for expressing the loss.
I grew up listening to R4, starting with the Friday evening comedy gateway output and then moving on to Today, PM and ultimately all-day listening (when not at work). Brian Redhead on Today was a big influence on me. /1
I grew up listening to R4, starting with the Friday evening comedy gateway output and then moving on to Today, PM and ultimately all-day listening (when not at work). Brian Redhead on Today was a big influence on me. /1
Yes. A smart term I learned about, and am therefore chuffed to be able to talk about, is the “trust thermocline”.
It’s a bit like a Malcolm Gladwell tipping point except it’s about belief, not inputs, and it’s about taking trust *for granted* until it’s blown.
Seems apt here.
It’s a bit like a Malcolm Gladwell tipping point except it’s about belief, not inputs, and it’s about taking trust *for granted* until it’s blown.
Seems apt here.
September 20, 2025 at 12:35 AM
Yes. A smart term I learned about, and am therefore chuffed to be able to talk about, is the “trust thermocline”.
It’s a bit like a Malcolm Gladwell tipping point except it’s about belief, not inputs, and it’s about taking trust *for granted* until it’s blown.
Seems apt here.
It’s a bit like a Malcolm Gladwell tipping point except it’s about belief, not inputs, and it’s about taking trust *for granted* until it’s blown.
Seems apt here.
True and I love them all but I’m not sure how many of them played effortlessly stylish French baddies.
There seems to be a sub internet out there of people trying to buy his Panama hat, suit, safari jacket etc (which totally doesn’t involve me as an interested party, no not at all).
There seems to be a sub internet out there of people trying to buy his Panama hat, suit, safari jacket etc (which totally doesn’t involve me as an interested party, no not at all).
September 20, 2025 at 12:29 AM
True and I love them all but I’m not sure how many of them played effortlessly stylish French baddies.
There seems to be a sub internet out there of people trying to buy his Panama hat, suit, safari jacket etc (which totally doesn’t involve me as an interested party, no not at all).
There seems to be a sub internet out there of people trying to buy his Panama hat, suit, safari jacket etc (which totally doesn’t involve me as an interested party, no not at all).
Indeed they have. Look at the state of the malevolent gazes off the three of these characters. Terrifying.
September 17, 2025 at 12:59 PM
Indeed they have. Look at the state of the malevolent gazes off the three of these characters. Terrifying.
If it naturally fades away, fine.
But so long as the NI-🇬🇧 identity exists, the Irish constitution and EU and ECHR law will protect it.
It’s the failure to recognise that which leads DUP to stupidly trust 🏴 politicians. Fear - of having their identity wiped out - drives that failure.
But so long as the NI-🇬🇧 identity exists, the Irish constitution and EU and ECHR law will protect it.
It’s the failure to recognise that which leads DUP to stupidly trust 🏴 politicians. Fear - of having their identity wiped out - drives that failure.
September 12, 2025 at 6:56 AM
If it naturally fades away, fine.
But so long as the NI-🇬🇧 identity exists, the Irish constitution and EU and ECHR law will protect it.
It’s the failure to recognise that which leads DUP to stupidly trust 🏴 politicians. Fear - of having their identity wiped out - drives that failure.
But so long as the NI-🇬🇧 identity exists, the Irish constitution and EU and ECHR law will protect it.
It’s the failure to recognise that which leads DUP to stupidly trust 🏴 politicians. Fear - of having their identity wiped out - drives that failure.
On the signalling: the name in Irish for the Irish Defence Forces is “Óglaigh na hÉireann”, which is Irish for “Irish Volunteers”.
Same name (but not the same organisation) as one of the participating liberation armies in the 1916 Easter Rising.
Different signals in different languages. Smart.
Same name (but not the same organisation) as one of the participating liberation armies in the 1916 Easter Rising.
Different signals in different languages. Smart.
August 16, 2025 at 12:48 PM
On the signalling: the name in Irish for the Irish Defence Forces is “Óglaigh na hÉireann”, which is Irish for “Irish Volunteers”.
Same name (but not the same organisation) as one of the participating liberation armies in the 1916 Easter Rising.
Different signals in different languages. Smart.
Same name (but not the same organisation) as one of the participating liberation armies in the 1916 Easter Rising.
Different signals in different languages. Smart.
Ireland’s 105 at Westminster in the 1918 general election.
To me, this explains why Irish “neutrality” has been conflated with pacifism and even anti-militarism from the beginning. …/4
To me, this explains why Irish “neutrality” has been conflated with pacifism and even anti-militarism from the beginning. …/4
August 15, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Ireland’s 105 at Westminster in the 1918 general election.
To me, this explains why Irish “neutrality” has been conflated with pacifism and even anti-militarism from the beginning. …/4
To me, this explains why Irish “neutrality” has been conflated with pacifism and even anti-militarism from the beginning. …/4
Amazing narrative opportunities based on that idea include:
a. The nuclear attack having been thwarted (with extreme prejudice - arf!), humanity survives by unleashing ropey soaps from around the world
b. The Fair City cast survive, emerging into a wasteland akin to 1980s Dublin, and thrive
a. The nuclear attack having been thwarted (with extreme prejudice - arf!), humanity survives by unleashing ropey soaps from around the world
b. The Fair City cast survive, emerging into a wasteland akin to 1980s Dublin, and thrive
July 31, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Amazing narrative opportunities based on that idea include:
a. The nuclear attack having been thwarted (with extreme prejudice - arf!), humanity survives by unleashing ropey soaps from around the world
b. The Fair City cast survive, emerging into a wasteland akin to 1980s Dublin, and thrive
a. The nuclear attack having been thwarted (with extreme prejudice - arf!), humanity survives by unleashing ropey soaps from around the world
b. The Fair City cast survive, emerging into a wasteland akin to 1980s Dublin, and thrive
Dear God. I am so mid. Just back in Blighty after two weeks in northern Spain. Here are my AirBnB and Booking.com musings from my time away.
But it also gave me real pause. Maybe the whole concept of flying to places as the world burns is possibly, slightly, wrong?
But it also gave me real pause. Maybe the whole concept of flying to places as the world burns is possibly, slightly, wrong?
July 1, 2025 at 9:22 PM
Dear God. I am so mid. Just back in Blighty after two weeks in northern Spain. Here are my AirBnB and Booking.com musings from my time away.
But it also gave me real pause. Maybe the whole concept of flying to places as the world burns is possibly, slightly, wrong?
But it also gave me real pause. Maybe the whole concept of flying to places as the world burns is possibly, slightly, wrong?
Not a source that supports the 68% figure but interesting nonetheless. Data from 2019 but published in 2025:
www.statista.com/statistics/2...
www.statista.com/statistics/2...
June 29, 2025 at 12:10 PM
Not a source that supports the 68% figure but interesting nonetheless. Data from 2019 but published in 2025:
www.statista.com/statistics/2...
www.statista.com/statistics/2...
Don’t worry - if you do watch it, your appetite for muppets will be catered for, if not sated.
June 24, 2025 at 1:03 PM
Don’t worry - if you do watch it, your appetite for muppets will be catered for, if not sated.
I’ve loved that kind of thing since 1979. Detail in the alt text.
June 24, 2025 at 8:45 AM
I’ve loved that kind of thing since 1979. Detail in the alt text.
“Sterling work for the City.” I like what you did there.
June 23, 2025 at 2:51 PM
“Sterling work for the City.” I like what you did there.