@contrarybass.bsky.social
Housing, France, bicycles, food, inept sewing, sport, and anything else that piques my curiosity. Hythe (Kent). My Like might be just a bookmark. #NotAllPPEists
Hasn’t Macron been saying this for years?
December 6, 2025 at 7:14 AM
Hasn’t Macron been saying this for years?
So much this. There were recent grads on my (social science/policy) masters who didn’t know what the Cold War was.
I dropped history at 14 (didn’t enjoy how it was taught). But I enjoy history books and podcasts now. And the more I learn, the more I get out of it!
I dropped history at 14 (didn’t enjoy how it was taught). But I enjoy history books and podcasts now. And the more I learn, the more I get out of it!
December 4, 2025 at 3:33 PM
So much this. There were recent grads on my (social science/policy) masters who didn’t know what the Cold War was.
I dropped history at 14 (didn’t enjoy how it was taught). But I enjoy history books and podcasts now. And the more I learn, the more I get out of it!
I dropped history at 14 (didn’t enjoy how it was taught). But I enjoy history books and podcasts now. And the more I learn, the more I get out of it!
Nope. It was entirely possible to leave school without knowing we’d had one. Perhaps relatedly, anything about N Ireland was too toxic to teach. Whereas I did WW1 trench poetry 3 times in 4 years (across English, History and junior/secondary schools).
December 4, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Nope. It was entirely possible to leave school without knowing we’d had one. Perhaps relatedly, anything about N Ireland was too toxic to teach. Whereas I did WW1 trench poetry 3 times in 4 years (across English, History and junior/secondary schools).
Shame they didn’t do that for lots of other policy areas. (I suppose this one doesn’t have budget implications, in this Parliament at least - low hanging fruit etc.)
December 3, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Shame they didn’t do that for lots of other policy areas. (I suppose this one doesn’t have budget implications, in this Parliament at least - low hanging fruit etc.)
Yes and no? I can see the big trend in it easily but I don’t really understand what the details mean. That no Lib Dem’s read hard-copy papers anymore? That only Lib Dems used to read the FT? Help!
December 3, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Yes and no? I can see the big trend in it easily but I don’t really understand what the details mean. That no Lib Dem’s read hard-copy papers anymore? That only Lib Dems used to read the FT? Help!
Language attrition is totally a thing for people living abroad! After periods spent in Poland and France my English acquired some very odd turns of phrase.
December 1, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Language attrition is totally a thing for people living abroad! After periods spent in Poland and France my English acquired some very odd turns of phrase.
Just a wee festoonette
November 30, 2025 at 6:13 PM
Just a wee festoonette
I’d say festoon Zig, but I suppose he may have views on that.
November 30, 2025 at 6:12 PM
I’d say festoon Zig, but I suppose he may have views on that.
Bring a branch in and festoon it with coloured knitting yarn. In fact, festoon anything with anything. It’s all about the festooning.
November 30, 2025 at 6:09 PM
Bring a branch in and festoon it with coloured knitting yarn. In fact, festoon anything with anything. It’s all about the festooning.
Is there any, in practice?
November 30, 2025 at 8:44 AM
Is there any, in practice?
I’m the only person in my family who likes it. No family to cater for this year, so I might go out and buy an individual portion.
November 29, 2025 at 12:36 PM
I’m the only person in my family who likes it. No family to cater for this year, so I might go out and buy an individual portion.
What happens when the church is restored? Does it get put to community use? (Has it fallen out of use because not enough people worshipped there to justify the cost of upkeep?)
November 29, 2025 at 12:34 PM
What happens when the church is restored? Does it get put to community use? (Has it fallen out of use because not enough people worshipped there to justify the cost of upkeep?)
My Dad was in a fairly ‘balanced’ fund in his 90s!
November 29, 2025 at 7:46 AM
My Dad was in a fairly ‘balanced’ fund in his 90s!
The cry is not “stealing our jobs” but “stealing our homes”
November 28, 2025 at 10:39 AM
The cry is not “stealing our jobs” but “stealing our homes”
Are we? Eg look at the resentment of DFLs pushing up house prices in places like Whitstable or Deal.
November 28, 2025 at 10:37 AM
Are we? Eg look at the resentment of DFLs pushing up house prices in places like Whitstable or Deal.
That one won’t fit on your hand.
November 25, 2025 at 2:35 PM
That one won’t fit on your hand.
How civilised, tea at teatime.
November 21, 2025 at 11:04 AM
How civilised, tea at teatime.
Not alone. But lonely.
November 21, 2025 at 10:57 AM
Not alone. But lonely.
Not that surprising if you’ve read The Spirit Level?
November 20, 2025 at 12:29 PM
Not that surprising if you’ve read The Spirit Level?
Because it needs ripping up & completely rethinking, with implications for LG funding, what LG competencies should be, property taxation, NHS reform… That’s a lot of scary complicated change all at once & plenty of groups who’d lose out. No govt has the bandwidth/courage/appetite/competence for it.
November 16, 2025 at 10:34 AM
Because it needs ripping up & completely rethinking, with implications for LG funding, what LG competencies should be, property taxation, NHS reform… That’s a lot of scary complicated change all at once & plenty of groups who’d lose out. No govt has the bandwidth/courage/appetite/competence for it.
Hard to see how they can ban it for kids when their mums are glued to the devices. I wonder how much psychological and social damage is being done because parents would rather be on their phones than interact with their kids.
November 15, 2025 at 8:00 AM
Hard to see how they can ban it for kids when their mums are glued to the devices. I wonder how much psychological and social damage is being done because parents would rather be on their phones than interact with their kids.