Johnathan O’Foreigner
@johnnyforeign.bsky.social
Waging a one-man war on mediocrity
I can see why they moved you
December 17, 2025 at 11:14 AM
I can see why they moved you
I sometimes play online poker with friends. I’m in a country which forbids it. The poker site makes it almost impossible to play, using VERY robust techniques, because they will be prosecuted if they don’t. It’s clearly possible to enforce law on platforms - if the regulators took it seriously.
November 25, 2025 at 8:43 AM
I sometimes play online poker with friends. I’m in a country which forbids it. The poker site makes it almost impossible to play, using VERY robust techniques, because they will be prosecuted if they don’t. It’s clearly possible to enforce law on platforms - if the regulators took it seriously.
True. And pretty much everything else is some variation of “well basically it originated in China and was brought to Europe along the Silk Road by Arabic traders”.
November 15, 2025 at 6:09 PM
True. And pretty much everything else is some variation of “well basically it originated in China and was brought to Europe along the Silk Road by Arabic traders”.
I don’t think it’s just a grammatical sense of finality. There *is* something about the feeling of contempt for someone that is very hard to come back from. Dislike, anger, even hatred are all in a sense “reversible” but once I’ve felt contempt I find it almost impossible to displace the feeling.
November 13, 2025 at 1:15 PM
I don’t think it’s just a grammatical sense of finality. There *is* something about the feeling of contempt for someone that is very hard to come back from. Dislike, anger, even hatred are all in a sense “reversible” but once I’ve felt contempt I find it almost impossible to displace the feeling.
I don’t doubt Trump is lying but it is important to note that the photo of the piece shown from Home Depot is not identical to the one on the wall.
I’m no expert in the design of tacky pseudo-classical wall frimframs but it could well be that Home Depot’s supplier copied something “real”
I’m no expert in the design of tacky pseudo-classical wall frimframs but it could well be that Home Depot’s supplier copied something “real”
November 12, 2025 at 1:21 PM
I don’t doubt Trump is lying but it is important to note that the photo of the piece shown from Home Depot is not identical to the one on the wall.
I’m no expert in the design of tacky pseudo-classical wall frimframs but it could well be that Home Depot’s supplier copied something “real”
I’m no expert in the design of tacky pseudo-classical wall frimframs but it could well be that Home Depot’s supplier copied something “real”
Good question. I ask myself this and I don’t have great answers.
Mostly parent stuff I guess, and quite a lot of cooking. I make marmalade and kimchi and other stuff plus all meals for family. Takes a surprising amount of time.
I also read a fair bit of stuff on The Internet. Does that count?
Mostly parent stuff I guess, and quite a lot of cooking. I make marmalade and kimchi and other stuff plus all meals for family. Takes a surprising amount of time.
I also read a fair bit of stuff on The Internet. Does that count?
November 12, 2025 at 11:57 AM
Good question. I ask myself this and I don’t have great answers.
Mostly parent stuff I guess, and quite a lot of cooking. I make marmalade and kimchi and other stuff plus all meals for family. Takes a surprising amount of time.
I also read a fair bit of stuff on The Internet. Does that count?
Mostly parent stuff I guess, and quite a lot of cooking. I make marmalade and kimchi and other stuff plus all meals for family. Takes a surprising amount of time.
I also read a fair bit of stuff on The Internet. Does that count?
“The Donald Trump Special Boy Participation Trophy”
November 5, 2025 at 6:07 PM
“The Donald Trump Special Boy Participation Trophy”
Legally not a biscuit. My sister’s father in law pleaded the case to HMRC and won. All hinges on what happens when it goes stale. Biscuits go soft. Cakes go hard.
As a luxury good, biscuits attract a higher tax rate. Cakes are (somehow) seen as a staple food.
As a luxury good, biscuits attract a higher tax rate. Cakes are (somehow) seen as a staple food.
November 1, 2025 at 8:43 PM
Legally not a biscuit. My sister’s father in law pleaded the case to HMRC and won. All hinges on what happens when it goes stale. Biscuits go soft. Cakes go hard.
As a luxury good, biscuits attract a higher tax rate. Cakes are (somehow) seen as a staple food.
As a luxury good, biscuits attract a higher tax rate. Cakes are (somehow) seen as a staple food.
Good to see people donate time, money and resources to supporting others. One of the few “good” outcomes of this shutdown might be that people develop the habits and networks of mutual aid that will allow a full general strike.
The seeds of a future victory can be fertilized by today’s bullshit.
The seeds of a future victory can be fertilized by today’s bullshit.
October 26, 2025 at 5:53 PM
Good to see people donate time, money and resources to supporting others. One of the few “good” outcomes of this shutdown might be that people develop the habits and networks of mutual aid that will allow a full general strike.
The seeds of a future victory can be fertilized by today’s bullshit.
The seeds of a future victory can be fertilized by today’s bullshit.
Couldn’t have said it better. Have a good one.
October 24, 2025 at 4:57 PM
Couldn’t have said it better. Have a good one.
I don’t disagree. Knowing these people exist makes it even more infuriating that, in spite of all the “checks and balances” existing in theory, there’s this gaping loophole waiting for a shameless power freak to jump right through. Mind you he’s found quite a few other weak spots to exploit as well
October 24, 2025 at 4:41 PM
I don’t disagree. Knowing these people exist makes it even more infuriating that, in spite of all the “checks and balances” existing in theory, there’s this gaping loophole waiting for a shameless power freak to jump right through. Mind you he’s found quite a few other weak spots to exploit as well
Absolutely. It’s like a cheat code in a video game.
You can use a cheat code to win but then “winning” doesn’t actually mean anything so using them has a certain level of shame associated with it.
Unless you’re a shameless arsehole who thinks “winning” by cheating still counts.
You can use a cheat code to win but then “winning” doesn’t actually mean anything so using them has a certain level of shame associated with it.
Unless you’re a shameless arsehole who thinks “winning” by cheating still counts.
October 24, 2025 at 11:10 AM
Absolutely. It’s like a cheat code in a video game.
You can use a cheat code to win but then “winning” doesn’t actually mean anything so using them has a certain level of shame associated with it.
Unless you’re a shameless arsehole who thinks “winning” by cheating still counts.
You can use a cheat code to win but then “winning” doesn’t actually mean anything so using them has a certain level of shame associated with it.
Unless you’re a shameless arsehole who thinks “winning” by cheating still counts.
This feels like it is true at constitutional level but I think it also applies to day to day laws that get created but do not have workable mechanisms for enforcement.
Or where enforcement is unequal for different groups.
Or where enforcement is unequal for different groups.
October 24, 2025 at 11:06 AM
This feels like it is true at constitutional level but I think it also applies to day to day laws that get created but do not have workable mechanisms for enforcement.
Or where enforcement is unequal for different groups.
Or where enforcement is unequal for different groups.
I’ll have a go.
Piers (noun, plural):
A rusty legacy of a bygone era. Considered popular and entertaining many years ago but in spite of repeated attempts to reinvent, they are now largely irrelevant, derelict and often a public nuisance.
Piers (noun, plural):
A rusty legacy of a bygone era. Considered popular and entertaining many years ago but in spite of repeated attempts to reinvent, they are now largely irrelevant, derelict and often a public nuisance.
October 23, 2025 at 9:19 AM
I’ll have a go.
Piers (noun, plural):
A rusty legacy of a bygone era. Considered popular and entertaining many years ago but in spite of repeated attempts to reinvent, they are now largely irrelevant, derelict and often a public nuisance.
Piers (noun, plural):
A rusty legacy of a bygone era. Considered popular and entertaining many years ago but in spite of repeated attempts to reinvent, they are now largely irrelevant, derelict and often a public nuisance.
Seems they want to send a message that withdrawing labour is a powerful bargaining tool.
They are correct.
A General Strike is about the only peaceful option left for the USA to stop this regime.
They are correct.
A General Strike is about the only peaceful option left for the USA to stop this regime.
October 22, 2025 at 5:41 AM
Seems they want to send a message that withdrawing labour is a powerful bargaining tool.
They are correct.
A General Strike is about the only peaceful option left for the USA to stop this regime.
They are correct.
A General Strike is about the only peaceful option left for the USA to stop this regime.
I was wondering about this. Do you think things like the shit bombing vid were retweets or did someone connected with the administration do it on spec and send it to him? Or (my suspicion) did some pathetic toady in his orbit act on a throwaway remark by Trump about wanting to shit on protestors?
October 21, 2025 at 10:39 AM
I was wondering about this. Do you think things like the shit bombing vid were retweets or did someone connected with the administration do it on spec and send it to him? Or (my suspicion) did some pathetic toady in his orbit act on a throwaway remark by Trump about wanting to shit on protestors?
Our family have been obsessed with it for years. We developed Byzantine rules about what constitutes “yellow” (versus greenish or orangish). Also about types of vehicle (JCBs don’t count) and what % has to be yellow (>50%). Eventually we had to agree a ceasefire and have now banned it.
Mostly.
Mostly.
October 20, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Our family have been obsessed with it for years. We developed Byzantine rules about what constitutes “yellow” (versus greenish or orangish). Also about types of vehicle (JCBs don’t count) and what % has to be yellow (>50%). Eventually we had to agree a ceasefire and have now banned it.
Mostly.
Mostly.
It’s what Picasso said, right?
October 20, 2025 at 10:44 AM
It’s what Picasso said, right?
Marmalade??? Made with foreign-grown oranges from Seville? What on earth was the point of Brexit if we can’t keep that foreign muck off the toast in our precious breakfasts?
October 18, 2025 at 11:40 AM
Marmalade??? Made with foreign-grown oranges from Seville? What on earth was the point of Brexit if we can’t keep that foreign muck off the toast in our precious breakfasts?
Suppressing violence is a profitable business for fascists, both literally (cops, soldiers earn overtime) but also profitable for propaganda.
October 16, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Suppressing violence is a profitable business for fascists, both literally (cops, soldiers earn overtime) but also profitable for propaganda.
I feel the only solution is to cut off the energy that fascism relies on: money. Building support and resources and mutual aid for a ground-up, months-long general strike and rent strike will bring these fuckers to the table faster than any form of violent resistance.
October 16, 2025 at 3:22 PM
I feel the only solution is to cut off the energy that fascism relies on: money. Building support and resources and mutual aid for a ground-up, months-long general strike and rent strike will bring these fuckers to the table faster than any form of violent resistance.
Now you’ve got me wondering if I could create a paper machete out of papier-mâché
October 16, 2025 at 7:01 AM
Now you’ve got me wondering if I could create a paper machete out of papier-mâché
She’s making a powerful speech whose impact lies in her words and the authenticity of her delivery.
So why the background of moody piano chords, slowly building to arpeggiated crescendos to signify her triumph over adversity?
WTF? It’s not a fucking ad.
So why the background of moody piano chords, slowly building to arpeggiated crescendos to signify her triumph over adversity?
WTF? It’s not a fucking ad.
October 16, 2025 at 6:59 AM
She’s making a powerful speech whose impact lies in her words and the authenticity of her delivery.
So why the background of moody piano chords, slowly building to arpeggiated crescendos to signify her triumph over adversity?
WTF? It’s not a fucking ad.
So why the background of moody piano chords, slowly building to arpeggiated crescendos to signify her triumph over adversity?
WTF? It’s not a fucking ad.