Gary Cheung
@garycheung.bsky.social
Retired haematologist, NHS worker and quality manager recently admitted to the rentier class as a pensioner
Still able to laugh
Still able to laugh
Politicians plural. Change, die and live. Trump, Putin, Zelensky
December 19, 2025 at 12:19 PM
Politicians plural. Change, die and live. Trump, Putin, Zelensky
The number of shadow fleet tankers at anchor waiting for someone to buy now rivals that of those carrying diesel in 2024. Ukraine could do with some help with those.
December 19, 2025 at 12:15 PM
The number of shadow fleet tankers at anchor waiting for someone to buy now rivals that of those carrying diesel in 2024. Ukraine could do with some help with those.
Reportedly one of those who commanded the infamous black ops unit within the GRU responsible for the Salisbury Cathedral Appreciation Society
December 19, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Reportedly one of those who commanded the infamous black ops unit within the GRU responsible for the Salisbury Cathedral Appreciation Society
change.org is bloody irritating in the way it tries to sign you up for a monthly direct debit and uses a wizard to make you think you haven't completed signing until you have shared but you don't need to do either of these to sign - just confirm vial email
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December 12, 2025 at 12:08 AM
change.org is bloody irritating in the way it tries to sign you up for a monthly direct debit and uses a wizard to make you think you haven't completed signing until you have shared but you don't need to do either of these to sign - just confirm vial email
There was massive debate about this in Europe. In France, where they take separation of church (any kind) & state very seriously, everyone (including all who have any sort of religious customs relating to clothing) is required to have their face visible for passports & all dealings with the state
August 24, 2025 at 3:01 PM
There was massive debate about this in Europe. In France, where they take separation of church (any kind) & state very seriously, everyone (including all who have any sort of religious customs relating to clothing) is required to have their face visible for passports & all dealings with the state
That's what I was trying to say (contrasting these signs with say Trump's rallies & the Russian state funded demos). At Trafalgar Sq Ukr demo it was a mix. Most factory made flags are produced by Ukr charities. Seeing Reform or SWP signs or obvious full time activists makes me uncomfortable.
July 24, 2025 at 6:39 PM
That's what I was trying to say (contrasting these signs with say Trump's rallies & the Russian state funded demos). At Trafalgar Sq Ukr demo it was a mix. Most factory made flags are produced by Ukr charities. Seeing Reform or SWP signs or obvious full time activists makes me uncomfortable.
For products that have short term impacts, the US would see some disruption to pharmaceuticals if India held out but their trade minister already said the country is prepared to switch for crude & oil products. Same probably true for Singapore & Egypt. Trump tariffs are nudges not cudgels
July 24, 2025 at 6:31 PM
For products that have short term impacts, the US would see some disruption to pharmaceuticals if India held out but their trade minister already said the country is prepared to switch for crude & oil products. Same probably true for Singapore & Egypt. Trump tariffs are nudges not cudgels
Plurality of thought & speech. When protests are dominated by mass produced signs & flags, someone is controlling you.
July 24, 2025 at 5:55 PM
Plurality of thought & speech. When protests are dominated by mass produced signs & flags, someone is controlling you.
RF has burnt thru Soviet stocks of vehicles & is weak on aircraft production. The stuff in US deserts that the US will never use could be shipped for a few hundred million & would make a big long term difference. Any other administration would send it.
July 24, 2025 at 5:50 PM
RF has burnt thru Soviet stocks of vehicles & is weak on aircraft production. The stuff in US deserts that the US will never use could be shipped for a few hundred million & would make a big long term difference. Any other administration would send it.
The best fruit wine I ever made was based heavily on damsons
July 24, 2025 at 5:39 PM
The best fruit wine I ever made was based heavily on damsons
What was it that Sting wrote? "I hope the Russians love their children too" Seems a little naive/hopeful ATM
July 24, 2025 at 12:26 AM
What was it that Sting wrote? "I hope the Russians love their children too" Seems a little naive/hopeful ATM
Indeed. It is not even much good at colonising territory. For some reason Russians long for the Motherland and happily returned to it after 1991. They are doing a terrible job of colonising the occupied parts of Ukraine and will suffer their demographic collapse
July 24, 2025 at 12:23 AM
Indeed. It is not even much good at colonising territory. For some reason Russians long for the Motherland and happily returned to it after 1991. They are doing a terrible job of colonising the occupied parts of Ukraine and will suffer their demographic collapse
Trouble is there is good evidence that the unit has been infiltrated. One SBU officer has been caught selling out to the Russians and even though great progress has been made in rooting out Kremlin friendly people at all levels, there is still some way to go - new ones are still being discovered
July 24, 2025 at 12:15 AM
Trouble is there is good evidence that the unit has been infiltrated. One SBU officer has been caught selling out to the Russians and even though great progress has been made in rooting out Kremlin friendly people at all levels, there is still some way to go - new ones are still being discovered
Mess is the right word from what I have read. Ukrainians rightly fear the independence of the anti corruption unit could be permanently compromised past the eventual end of the war or could concentrate too much power in the presidency (I wonder where they got the idea that could be a bad thing).
July 24, 2025 at 12:13 AM
Mess is the right word from what I have read. Ukrainians rightly fear the independence of the anti corruption unit could be permanently compromised past the eventual end of the war or could concentrate too much power in the presidency (I wonder where they got the idea that could be a bad thing).
I had to scroll 20 pages to find the first black artist mentioned. No Diana Ross or Tina Turner or Stevie Wonder nominations. And what about Hugh Masekela or Fela Kuti (first album 1970)?
July 23, 2025 at 11:53 PM
I had to scroll 20 pages to find the first black artist mentioned. No Diana Ross or Tina Turner or Stevie Wonder nominations. And what about Hugh Masekela or Fela Kuti (first album 1970)?
This is FALSE - they are not used, so no material can remain). Pharmaceutical regulations are very strict in the USA, UK and EU and prohibit the use of fetal calf serum (because of BSE transmission risk) so human serum is used instead. This is sourced from blood donors not foetuses.
May 16, 2025 at 2:44 PM
This is FALSE - they are not used, so no material can remain). Pharmaceutical regulations are very strict in the USA, UK and EU and prohibit the use of fetal calf serum (because of BSE transmission risk) so human serum is used instead. This is sourced from blood donors not foetuses.
The fact that fetal calf serum is used almost universally in cell culture media (TRUE) somehow got mutated to "human fetal cells are used to culture cells used to produce vaccines (and other drugs and therapeutic treatments) so some debris remains in the final drug product
May 16, 2025 at 2:40 PM
The fact that fetal calf serum is used almost universally in cell culture media (TRUE) somehow got mutated to "human fetal cells are used to culture cells used to produce vaccines (and other drugs and therapeutic treatments) so some debris remains in the final drug product
Yes, there was a big furore in the US about research that used fetal cells for human stem cell research, which went the way it did largely because the powerful "pro-life" lobby views all use of reproductive cells or early fetal material (even if donated with informed consent) as a fundamental sin.
May 16, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Yes, there was a big furore in the US about research that used fetal cells for human stem cell research, which went the way it did largely because the powerful "pro-life" lobby views all use of reproductive cells or early fetal material (even if donated with informed consent) as a fundamental sin.
And in so doing handed the lead in a very important research field to the UK (& EU). However, I don't think that this is the whole story about the myth.
May 16, 2025 at 2:37 PM
And in so doing handed the lead in a very important research field to the UK (& EU). However, I don't think that this is the whole story about the myth.
It may also be worth referencing pharmacological texts on Thiomersal and pointing out that decades of pharmacovigilance have only shown a mild, transient neutropaenia as a side effect. I usually also post links to the original Andrew Wakefield Lancet paper & the fraud investigation.
May 16, 2025 at 6:28 AM
It may also be worth referencing pharmacological texts on Thiomersal and pointing out that decades of pharmacovigilance have only shown a mild, transient neutropaenia as a side effect. I usually also post links to the original Andrew Wakefield Lancet paper & the fraud investigation.
Shame they can't make it the Glorious Twelfth but it will still be in season at Balmoral, so maybe CR3 could arrange something like the shooting scene in The Missionary
April 18, 2025 at 3:55 PM
Shame they can't make it the Glorious Twelfth but it will still be in season at Balmoral, so maybe CR3 could arrange something like the shooting scene in The Missionary
He had "snow on his boots" long before he got to Vermont
March 12, 2025 at 9:42 AM
He had "snow on his boots" long before he got to Vermont
And god help you if you put your hand over the muzzle of your rifle or rested it muzzle down on anything or pointed it within 90 degrees of anyone
January 21, 2025 at 9:00 PM
And god help you if you put your hand over the muzzle of your rifle or rested it muzzle down on anything or pointed it within 90 degrees of anyone
My sister always says that Americans are basically children both emotionally and intellectually and it's difficult to disagree. OTOH, I knew v little about British imperial history until after school as it barely features on the syllabus.
January 21, 2025 at 8:50 PM
My sister always says that Americans are basically children both emotionally and intellectually and it's difficult to disagree. OTOH, I knew v little about British imperial history until after school as it barely features on the syllabus.
Can anyone tell me about the story of the man who promises an invader that he can keep as much land as he can circumnavigate so long as he returns by sunset? I use it to reply to the "Russians are winning because they are advancing & capturing land everywhere" narrative but can't remember the author
January 21, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Can anyone tell me about the story of the man who promises an invader that he can keep as much land as he can circumnavigate so long as he returns by sunset? I use it to reply to the "Russians are winning because they are advancing & capturing land everywhere" narrative but can't remember the author