can honestly say that spending a summer working in an environment with large proportion of Latinos (+ having a Mexican gf for the best part of 5 months) has taught me more Spanish than I learned at any point on Duolingo, which I've had a couple of mildly impressive streaks on since 2017
My father has a 1200+ day Spanish streak on Duolingo. We went on holiday to Spain recently and he could hardly string two sentences together. What the fuck is the point of that app?
November 27, 2025 at 9:02 PM
can honestly say that spending a summer working in an environment with large proportion of Latinos (+ having a Mexican gf for the best part of 5 months) has taught me more Spanish than I learned at any point on Duolingo, which I've had a couple of mildly impressive streaks on since 2017
Reposted by J
[blind date]
WOMAN: When I saw your photo I assumed you would be the man *holding* the fish.
FISH: [flipping and flopping about on the table] Can we talk about this later.
WOMAN: When I saw your photo I assumed you would be the man *holding* the fish.
FISH: [flipping and flopping about on the table] Can we talk about this later.
November 27, 2025 at 10:47 AM
[blind date]
WOMAN: When I saw your photo I assumed you would be the man *holding* the fish.
FISH: [flipping and flopping about on the table] Can we talk about this later.
WOMAN: When I saw your photo I assumed you would be the man *holding* the fish.
FISH: [flipping and flopping about on the table] Can we talk about this later.
Reposted by J
One of the most beautiful emotions there is is feeling the heartbeat of the person you love close to you. The great artist R.D. Riccoboni translates this feeling into this painting.
Art becomes a love story in a lyricism of vivid and real color and composition that moves me deeply with its truth...
Art becomes a love story in a lyricism of vivid and real color and composition that moves me deeply with its truth...
November 27, 2025 at 2:01 AM
One of the most beautiful emotions there is is feeling the heartbeat of the person you love close to you. The great artist R.D. Riccoboni translates this feeling into this painting.
Art becomes a love story in a lyricism of vivid and real color and composition that moves me deeply with its truth...
Art becomes a love story in a lyricism of vivid and real color and composition that moves me deeply with its truth...
Reposted by J
This is something that really bothers me in so much talk about benefits including from some policy wonks.
Not everyone who is given something from the state is Oliver Twist, nor should they be.
The state should provide help to all sorts of people in different circs, not just gruel for the needy
Not everyone who is given something from the state is Oliver Twist, nor should they be.
The state should provide help to all sorts of people in different circs, not just gruel for the needy
Sorry, no, Motability was not about 'helping the most vulnerable' - it was about providing people who need modified vehicles modified vehicles!
November 26, 2025 at 1:19 PM
This is something that really bothers me in so much talk about benefits including from some policy wonks.
Not everyone who is given something from the state is Oliver Twist, nor should they be.
The state should provide help to all sorts of people in different circs, not just gruel for the needy
Not everyone who is given something from the state is Oliver Twist, nor should they be.
The state should provide help to all sorts of people in different circs, not just gruel for the needy
Reposted by J
box of cereal is like a quid more than it was six months ago but at least now disabled people can't put their own money towards a car that's nicer than the government thinks they deserve
November 26, 2025 at 4:22 PM
box of cereal is like a quid more than it was six months ago but at least now disabled people can't put their own money towards a car that's nicer than the government thinks they deserve
have learned over the past 9 days that my level of fluency in Spanish can best be described as "knows most basic phrases, able to get the jist of most written passages, decent but not perfect at conjugation, completely forgets all of it whenever a native speaker starts speaking to me"
November 27, 2025 at 12:18 AM
have learned over the past 9 days that my level of fluency in Spanish can best be described as "knows most basic phrases, able to get the jist of most written passages, decent but not perfect at conjugation, completely forgets all of it whenever a native speaker starts speaking to me"
Reposted by J
new favourite New York Times term for a British thing just dropped
November 26, 2025 at 10:05 AM
new favourite New York Times term for a British thing just dropped
it's 27 degrees where I am currently btw
November 26, 2025 at 12:39 AM
it's 27 degrees where I am currently btw
Reposted by J
Imagine praising "Latino parents are now so afraid to be seen out and about that they have a rota to walk the Latino children" and not wondering where your humanity went?
Trevor Philips in the Times, calling for a Trump/Miller-style of random deportations based on skin colour.
archive.ph/RlXPj
archive.ph/RlXPj
November 24, 2025 at 9:26 PM
Imagine praising "Latino parents are now so afraid to be seen out and about that they have a rota to walk the Latino children" and not wondering where your humanity went?
Reposted by J
It is genuinely insane to see a judge describe Graham Linehan as a “generally credible witness” in a trial where he claimed Sophia Brooks has been engaged in “trans activism” since 2013 (when she would’ve been 6 years old), then, when challenged, claimed her drivers license lied about her age.
November 25, 2025 at 12:34 PM
It is genuinely insane to see a judge describe Graham Linehan as a “generally credible witness” in a trial where he claimed Sophia Brooks has been engaged in “trans activism” since 2013 (when she would’ve been 6 years old), then, when challenged, claimed her drivers license lied about her age.
Reposted by J
The government’s decision to halve the time limit for refugees to leave Home Office accommodation is driving people into homelessness and exploitation, according to migrant rights campaigners and homelessness charities
By me, for @theleaduk.bsky.social national.thelead.uk/p/new-asylum...
By me, for @theleaduk.bsky.social national.thelead.uk/p/new-asylum...
New asylum policies making homeless refugees “targets for the far right”
Labour’s abrupt return to the 28-day move-on period is pushing vulnerable people into rough sleeping and exposing them to fraud and abuse.
national.thelead.uk
November 25, 2025 at 1:20 PM
The government’s decision to halve the time limit for refugees to leave Home Office accommodation is driving people into homelessness and exploitation, according to migrant rights campaigners and homelessness charities
By me, for @theleaduk.bsky.social national.thelead.uk/p/new-asylum...
By me, for @theleaduk.bsky.social national.thelead.uk/p/new-asylum...
Reposted by J
I'd like to see the response to this if the question added "if that that means universities have less money to spend on UK students".
With Rachel Reeves reportedly set to apply a new tax on tuition fees paid by overseas students, most Britons support such a move at the previously mooted level of 6%
Support: 57%
Oppose: 18%
yougov.co.uk/topics/socie...
Support: 57%
Oppose: 18%
yougov.co.uk/topics/socie...
November 24, 2025 at 4:41 PM
I'd like to see the response to this if the question added "if that that means universities have less money to spend on UK students".
remember when I first arrived in NYC in June and went to buy some toiletries I messaged my American friend in disbelief at some of the prices. what would have been ~£20-25 in Savers back home came to nearly $70
on the other hand UK supermarkets are *so much* better than US ones at this point. Just night and day in terms of quality, range, accessibility, and price.
November 24, 2025 at 5:22 PM
remember when I first arrived in NYC in June and went to buy some toiletries I messaged my American friend in disbelief at some of the prices. what would have been ~£20-25 in Savers back home came to nearly $70
funny how despite how far social media and technology have advanced in the past 2 decades, the most effective way of finding out about events in your local area is still through physical notice boards and flyers
November 24, 2025 at 3:47 PM
funny how despite how far social media and technology have advanced in the past 2 decades, the most effective way of finding out about events in your local area is still through physical notice boards and flyers
currently on a dopamine rush having obtained a vintage overcoat from a thrift store for 150 pesos (£6.20)
November 24, 2025 at 1:13 AM
currently on a dopamine rush having obtained a vintage overcoat from a thrift store for 150 pesos (£6.20)
Reposted by J
Selecting "Strictly Spoiler Guy" as occupation on a mortgage application.
Seeing the guy who spoils the #Strictly results having a meltdown over the BBC not doing a DO this weekend warms my cold heart
November 23, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Selecting "Strictly Spoiler Guy" as occupation on a mortgage application.
Reposted by J
Another older watercolour drawing showing St Edward's Passage in Cambridge next to the Arts Theatre and David's Bookshop when it had a shop on that side of the church (now it only has one on the other side)
#watercolour #fineart #cambridge
#watercolour #fineart #cambridge
November 22, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Another older watercolour drawing showing St Edward's Passage in Cambridge next to the Arts Theatre and David's Bookshop when it had a shop on that side of the church (now it only has one on the other side)
#watercolour #fineart #cambridge
#watercolour #fineart #cambridge
Reposted by J
On November 22 we recall two world-changing incidents of unexpected headroom
November 22, 2025 at 4:56 PM
On November 22 we recall two world-changing incidents of unexpected headroom
Reposted by J
New advert on Netflix, in which it suggests using Gemini to tell you what episodes of Stranger Things you 'actually' need to watch before the fifth season returns. Something bleakly on the nose about a streamer merrily running 'some of this is disposable!' ads about itself.
November 22, 2025 at 10:35 PM
New advert on Netflix, in which it suggests using Gemini to tell you what episodes of Stranger Things you 'actually' need to watch before the fifth season returns. Something bleakly on the nose about a streamer merrily running 'some of this is disposable!' ads about itself.
checking in on the careers page for the company where I (unfortunately) had my first grad job and seeing the previous 'director' listing has now been edited to 'executive' and another job has also been rolled into it, presumably for lower pay than the original listing
November 21, 2025 at 7:02 PM
checking in on the careers page for the company where I (unfortunately) had my first grad job and seeing the previous 'director' listing has now been edited to 'executive' and another job has also been rolled into it, presumably for lower pay than the original listing
Reposted by J
That American politics went off the rails after Barack Obama and British ethnonationalism has reared its head after Rishi Sunak is the real tell about how committed some people are to integration and post racial politics.
A country where Sadiq Khan can lead London, Humza Yousaf can lead Scotland, and Rishi Sunak can lead Britain is a country where the racists had *lost*. So much of this vicious bile has come directly after that and almost no one seems to draw the connection
November 19, 2025 at 5:02 PM
That American politics went off the rails after Barack Obama and British ethnonationalism has reared its head after Rishi Sunak is the real tell about how committed some people are to integration and post racial politics.
Reposted by J
To clarify: prime ministers don't *know* who is competent or not and then goes 'eh, give 'em a go at the wheel for a bit, for funsies'. E.g. I don't think anyone could have fairly predicted 'Lisa Nandy will be anonymous in government'.
A first term government could just appoint competent ministers to begin with?
November 19, 2025 at 3:57 PM
To clarify: prime ministers don't *know* who is competent or not and then goes 'eh, give 'em a go at the wheel for a bit, for funsies'. E.g. I don't think anyone could have fairly predicted 'Lisa Nandy will be anonymous in government'.
Oaxaca! shout-out to whoever decided to start playing Selected Ambient Works 85-92 at full blast in the city centre last night
November 19, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Oaxaca! shout-out to whoever decided to start playing Selected Ambient Works 85-92 at full blast in the city centre last night
Reposted by J
"Among the reasons cited by analysts for the Social Democrats’ decline in Copenhagen were voter fatigue over the prime minister’s hardline policies on issues such as integration and immigration, which have partly inspired a newly unveiled asylum and migration policy in Britain."
Can we now finally stop with “the Danish Model”?
Social Democrats in Denmark suffer sweeping election losses
PM Mette Frederiksen’s centre-left party loses control of Copenhagen for first time in more than 100 years
www.theguardian.com
November 19, 2025 at 12:31 PM
"Among the reasons cited by analysts for the Social Democrats’ decline in Copenhagen were voter fatigue over the prime minister’s hardline policies on issues such as integration and immigration, which have partly inspired a newly unveiled asylum and migration policy in Britain."
can't believe they snubbed the guy working at the comic shop in Bucktown who let me have an 80s Garfield happy meal toy for free (was meant to be $5)
From everyone’s favorite high school choir to a certain holy father, these Chicagoans of the Year brought pride to this city in a tumultuous time.
Chicagoans of the Year
From everyone’s favorite high school choir to a certain holy father, these honorees brought pride to this city in a tumultuous time.
buff.ly
November 18, 2025 at 7:07 PM
can't believe they snubbed the guy working at the comic shop in Bucktown who let me have an 80s Garfield happy meal toy for free (was meant to be $5)