@jamesneill.bsky.social
Reposted
Labour’s foreign interference inquiry needs to go *much* further
Had an excellent conversation with the equally excellent @petergeoghegan.bsky.social for his 'Democracy for Sale' substack: foreign influence on UK politics, Russia, my book Homo Criminalis... open.substack.com/pub/democrac...
Had an excellent conversation with the equally excellent @petergeoghegan.bsky.social for his 'Democracy for Sale' substack: foreign influence on UK politics, Russia, my book Homo Criminalis... open.substack.com/pub/democrac...
Labour’s foreign interference inquiry needs to go *much* further
Plus: Mark Galeotti on Russia’s foreign political influence, the war in Ukraine and how crime organises the world
open.substack.com
December 19, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Labour’s foreign interference inquiry needs to go *much* further
Had an excellent conversation with the equally excellent @petergeoghegan.bsky.social for his 'Democracy for Sale' substack: foreign influence on UK politics, Russia, my book Homo Criminalis... open.substack.com/pub/democrac...
Had an excellent conversation with the equally excellent @petergeoghegan.bsky.social for his 'Democracy for Sale' substack: foreign influence on UK politics, Russia, my book Homo Criminalis... open.substack.com/pub/democrac...
Reposted
I wrote a piece about translation earlier in the year, talking about how a good translation isn't, and can't be, just matching words one-for-one:
whatever.scalzi.com/2025/02/03/h...
whatever.scalzi.com/2025/02/03/h...
How Translation Works, Book Title Edition
As any translator will tell you, translating a piece of fiction isn’t about simply transcribing words one-to-one from one language to another. It’s about capturing a vibe — making…
whatever.scalzi.com
December 18, 2025 at 10:15 PM
I wrote a piece about translation earlier in the year, talking about how a good translation isn't, and can't be, just matching words one-for-one:
whatever.scalzi.com/2025/02/03/h...
whatever.scalzi.com/2025/02/03/h...
Reposted
Authors, remember that you CAN insist on human translation for your foreign-language editions and have it written into your contracts. You can no longer just assume you're going to get a human to work on the book whose every word you wrote with intent.
December 18, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Authors, remember that you CAN insist on human translation for your foreign-language editions and have it written into your contracts. You can no longer just assume you're going to get a human to work on the book whose every word you wrote with intent.
Reposted
Fuck all of you saying "this is inevitable" or "it's here deal with it" or even "it's fine"/"it's not a big deal". Be antihuman on your own time. This is a moveable needle. It's ruining lives (mine included already), ruining the environment, ruining art and creativity, isn't needed and isn't wanted.
The AI Backlash Keeps Growing Stronger
As generative artificial intelligence tools continue to proliferate, pushback against the technology and its negative impacts grows stronger.
www.wired.com
December 18, 2025 at 8:08 PM
Fuck all of you saying "this is inevitable" or "it's here deal with it" or even "it's fine"/"it's not a big deal". Be antihuman on your own time. This is a moveable needle. It's ruining lives (mine included already), ruining the environment, ruining art and creativity, isn't needed and isn't wanted.
Reposted
Ian Curtis on stage with Joy Division at the Bains Douches, Paris. 18th December #otd in 1979 #JoyDivision #IanCurtis Photo by Danny Dupic.
December 18, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Ian Curtis on stage with Joy Division at the Bains Douches, Paris. 18th December #otd in 1979 #JoyDivision #IanCurtis Photo by Danny Dupic.
Reposted
That's so stupid and so odd. I mean why would you investigate interference and then ignore the biggest and most important examples of potential interference in the last 50 years?
Why?
Why?
Labour are launching an investigation into historical foreign interference in UK politics. But they are explicitly excluding the Brexit referendum from the investigation.
That's like pledging to investigate instances of arson while ignoring the wall of flames spanning the horizon.
That's like pledging to investigate instances of arson while ignoring the wall of flames spanning the horizon.
December 17, 2025 at 10:40 AM
That's so stupid and so odd. I mean why would you investigate interference and then ignore the biggest and most important examples of potential interference in the last 50 years?
Why?
Why?
Reposted
Labour are launching an investigation into historical foreign interference in UK politics. But they are explicitly excluding the Brexit referendum from the investigation.
That's like pledging to investigate instances of arson while ignoring the wall of flames spanning the horizon.
That's like pledging to investigate instances of arson while ignoring the wall of flames spanning the horizon.
December 17, 2025 at 3:00 AM
Labour are launching an investigation into historical foreign interference in UK politics. But they are explicitly excluding the Brexit referendum from the investigation.
That's like pledging to investigate instances of arson while ignoring the wall of flames spanning the horizon.
That's like pledging to investigate instances of arson while ignoring the wall of flames spanning the horizon.
Reposted
This builds on earlier @peterjukes.bsky.social @bylinetimes.bsky.social stories
Whilst Manuel “I know nothing” Farage would have us believe he was stunned to hear of Gill’s Russian asset work it really is not remotely believable.
See my 🧵 below outlining for how long Farage’s been a 🇷🇺 helper rôle
Whilst Manuel “I know nothing” Farage would have us believe he was stunned to hear of Gill’s Russian asset work it really is not remotely believable.
See my 🧵 below outlining for how long Farage’s been a 🇷🇺 helper rôle
Thorough piece on Farage’s close colleague and friend Nathan Gill and the Kremlin cash he took
www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...
www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...
Reform UK, the Russian spy and rolls of Kremlin cash: the inside story of Nathan Gill
How did a former Mormon bishop end up pleading guilty to taking bribes to make statements in favour of Russia in the European parliament?
www.theguardian.com
November 1, 2025 at 9:17 AM
This builds on earlier @peterjukes.bsky.social @bylinetimes.bsky.social stories
Whilst Manuel “I know nothing” Farage would have us believe he was stunned to hear of Gill’s Russian asset work it really is not remotely believable.
See my 🧵 below outlining for how long Farage’s been a 🇷🇺 helper rôle
Whilst Manuel “I know nothing” Farage would have us believe he was stunned to hear of Gill’s Russian asset work it really is not remotely believable.
See my 🧵 below outlining for how long Farage’s been a 🇷🇺 helper rôle
Reposted
“Political communication by mainstream parties plays a central role in the electoral success of the far right”
How much more research do journalisten, politicians, pundits and strategists need before they finally change course?
How much more research do journalisten, politicians, pundits and strategists need before they finally change course?
German far right setting agenda as opponents amplify its ideas, study finds
Normalisation of far-right stances likely to affect success of such parties at ballot boxes across Europe, say researchers
www.theguardian.com
October 18, 2025 at 1:06 PM
“Political communication by mainstream parties plays a central role in the electoral success of the far right”
How much more research do journalisten, politicians, pundits and strategists need before they finally change course?
How much more research do journalisten, politicians, pundits and strategists need before they finally change course?
Reposted
My friend Sascha is a professional musician and he's lost a viola bow on the way to Heathrow. Please signal boost to help him get it back.
October 11, 2025 at 7:17 PM
My friend Sascha is a professional musician and he's lost a viola bow on the way to Heathrow. Please signal boost to help him get it back.
Reposted
Don’t do this
Did you know If a pepper ball or tear gas is deployed and leaking, or you can place it in a secondary sealed container (rigid plastic bin) to prevent exposure or place a bucket over it. you must wear chemical resistant gloves (nitrile or thicker) if you can pick it up use shovel or long tongs
October 11, 2025 at 9:43 AM
Don’t do this
Reposted
Don’t handle tear gas grenades with nitrile gloves. Also don’t handle them at all as some may be flashbangs that have nit functioned properly
In case helpful, you can neutralize tear gas canisters with a cone / jug with wide opening / large plastic containers with lids and water. Just be sure to wear nitrile gloves, a gas mask, goggles, and to move fast! More to come every now and then 🖤
October 11, 2025 at 9:45 AM
Don’t handle tear gas grenades with nitrile gloves. Also don’t handle them at all as some may be flashbangs that have nit functioned properly
Reposted
All this extra cost (time & money) for *less* fucking access to our continent. Brexit is such ridiculous "self harm"
For god's sake UK, stop with your Gammon Curtain & do what rest of Europe doing: join the EU/reciprocate FoM; join Schengen. Embrace freedom
share.google/JzWU7bHyBxKy...
For god's sake UK, stop with your Gammon Curtain & do what rest of Europe doing: join the EU/reciprocate FoM; join Schengen. Embrace freedom
share.google/JzWU7bHyBxKy...
Overflow sites lined up in case ESS brings Port of Dover delays
Port of Dover bosses insist there will not be delays due to the new system on day one.
share.google
October 11, 2025 at 2:52 AM
All this extra cost (time & money) for *less* fucking access to our continent. Brexit is such ridiculous "self harm"
For god's sake UK, stop with your Gammon Curtain & do what rest of Europe doing: join the EU/reciprocate FoM; join Schengen. Embrace freedom
share.google/JzWU7bHyBxKy...
For god's sake UK, stop with your Gammon Curtain & do what rest of Europe doing: join the EU/reciprocate FoM; join Schengen. Embrace freedom
share.google/JzWU7bHyBxKy...
Reposted
AKSHULLY, I wrote a separate piece on Hegseth's military jamboree, and again, my issue was one I chose: The declining mental acuity of the man with the nuclear codes. You can read it here:
www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/...
www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/...
October 9, 2025 at 2:44 AM
AKSHULLY, I wrote a separate piece on Hegseth's military jamboree, and again, my issue was one I chose: The declining mental acuity of the man with the nuclear codes. You can read it here:
www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/...
www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/...
Reposted
I wrote about this in "The Unaccountability Machine" - when you describe leveraged buyouts to ordinary people, half of them say that it should be illegal and the other half are often convinced that it already is.
Buying a company by taking out a massive loan, then making the company you bought responsible for paying off that loan, is so patently evil that it should be beyond illegal. The kind of thing that inspires enlightened societies without corporal punishment to bring back the death penalty as a one-off
September 29, 2025 at 4:21 PM
I wrote about this in "The Unaccountability Machine" - when you describe leveraged buyouts to ordinary people, half of them say that it should be illegal and the other half are often convinced that it already is.
Reposted
This is the person the GOP are seeking to canonise.
Charlie Kirk Sept 27 2024: "Just so we're clear, the Haitians that are in Huntsville that are raping your women and hunting you down at night - it's only gonna get worse - unless Donald Trump wins
There will be hundreds of thousands of Haitians brought into Alabama and they will become your masters"
There will be hundreds of thousands of Haitians brought into Alabama and they will become your masters"
September 21, 2025 at 9:28 AM
This is the person the GOP are seeking to canonise.
Reposted
For those that cosplay and yearn for a civil war: they have no clue. Half of them would die from not having insulin
Civil War? The REALITY You NEED to Understand
youtu.be/YqAqYMHe6Gk
Civil War? The REALITY You NEED to Understand
youtu.be/YqAqYMHe6Gk
Civil War? The REALITY You NEED to Understand
YouTube video by Adam Kinzinger
youtu.be
September 16, 2025 at 1:23 AM
For those that cosplay and yearn for a civil war: they have no clue. Half of them would die from not having insulin
Civil War? The REALITY You NEED to Understand
youtu.be/YqAqYMHe6Gk
Civil War? The REALITY You NEED to Understand
youtu.be/YqAqYMHe6Gk
Reposted
on.ft.com/4nqr2P2 Moscow holds Ukrainian children at hundreds of sites across Russia
Moscow holds Ukrainian children at hundreds of sites across Russia
Yale University reports thousands are being indoctrinated and forced to undertake military training
on.ft.com
September 16, 2025 at 5:44 AM
on.ft.com/4nqr2P2 Moscow holds Ukrainian children at hundreds of sites across Russia
Reposted
It’s unforgivable. Who the hell does he think he is to deny a perfectly reasonable political ambition from millions of old and especially young for the arbitrary duration of his pointless “lifetime”… he’ll be political dust long before then, thankfully.
September 12, 2025 at 7:01 PM
It’s unforgivable. Who the hell does he think he is to deny a perfectly reasonable political ambition from millions of old and especially young for the arbitrary duration of his pointless “lifetime”… he’ll be political dust long before then, thankfully.
Reposted
Reposted
They can go fuck themselves then..
They deserve everything coming to them..fuck all growth. & Brexit still isn't yet (TCA, WF or EES) fully done
No prospect of UK rejoining EU in my lifetime, says Starmer’s reset negotiator | Foreign policy | The Guardian share.google/vekn4wn5Y4Ah...
They deserve everything coming to them..fuck all growth. & Brexit still isn't yet (TCA, WF or EES) fully done
No prospect of UK rejoining EU in my lifetime, says Starmer’s reset negotiator | Foreign policy | The Guardian share.google/vekn4wn5Y4Ah...
No prospect of UK rejoining EU in my lifetime, says Starmer’s reset negotiator
Comments by Nick Thomas-Symonds underline view in top government circles despite thaw in relations with Brussels
share.google
September 12, 2025 at 11:25 PM
They can go fuck themselves then..
They deserve everything coming to them..fuck all growth. & Brexit still isn't yet (TCA, WF or EES) fully done
No prospect of UK rejoining EU in my lifetime, says Starmer’s reset negotiator | Foreign policy | The Guardian share.google/vekn4wn5Y4Ah...
They deserve everything coming to them..fuck all growth. & Brexit still isn't yet (TCA, WF or EES) fully done
No prospect of UK rejoining EU in my lifetime, says Starmer’s reset negotiator | Foreign policy | The Guardian share.google/vekn4wn5Y4Ah...
Reposted
The artist Banksy acknowledges his work by publishing photographs of it on his website. So we know that this is his latest work. But look more closely at the images.
rozenberg.substack.com/p/more-damag...
rozenberg.substack.com/p/more-damag...
More damage to the courts
But Banksy’s greatest offence is to coarsen public debate
rozenberg.substack.com
September 9, 2025 at 5:08 AM
The artist Banksy acknowledges his work by publishing photographs of it on his website. So we know that this is his latest work. But look more closely at the images.
rozenberg.substack.com/p/more-damag...
rozenberg.substack.com/p/more-damag...
Reposted
An increasingly global problem…
The British Political-Media Class’s Mainstreaming of the Populist Radical-Right
Julian Petley explores how hard-right views have increasingly been normalised as the ‘common sense’ of the more mainstream right
www.bylinesupplement.com
September 8, 2025 at 11:13 AM
An increasingly global problem…
Reposted
Evolve Politics:
Estate agents are legally required to verify the source of funds in property purchases.
Nigel Farage’s partner bought the £900k Clacton home in cash.
If Farage is the source of funds, and HMRC prove he’s the true beneficial owner, he’s evaded Stamp Duty.
That’s tax evasion.
Estate agents are legally required to verify the source of funds in property purchases.
Nigel Farage’s partner bought the £900k Clacton home in cash.
If Farage is the source of funds, and HMRC prove he’s the true beneficial owner, he’s evaded Stamp Duty.
That’s tax evasion.
September 7, 2025 at 6:35 PM
Evolve Politics:
Estate agents are legally required to verify the source of funds in property purchases.
Nigel Farage’s partner bought the £900k Clacton home in cash.
If Farage is the source of funds, and HMRC prove he’s the true beneficial owner, he’s evaded Stamp Duty.
That’s tax evasion.
Estate agents are legally required to verify the source of funds in property purchases.
Nigel Farage’s partner bought the £900k Clacton home in cash.
If Farage is the source of funds, and HMRC prove he’s the true beneficial owner, he’s evaded Stamp Duty.
That’s tax evasion.
Reposted
But, if Starmer were to say,
"We're falling behind. It is the fault of Brexit. It is the fault of the ladies and gentlemen opposite me - Mr Farage, Ms Badennoch, Mr Jenrick, Mr Tice, and their sponsors in the Kremlin"
he would be met with a favourable audience.
Time for Mr Starmer to pivot.
Ends
"We're falling behind. It is the fault of Brexit. It is the fault of the ladies and gentlemen opposite me - Mr Farage, Ms Badennoch, Mr Jenrick, Mr Tice, and their sponsors in the Kremlin"
he would be met with a favourable audience.
Time for Mr Starmer to pivot.
Ends
a man and a woman are carrying a large piece of furniture up a staircase
ALT: a man and a woman are carrying a large piece of furniture up a staircase
media.tenor.com
August 23, 2025 at 8:36 AM