Ken Crook
@kencrook.bsky.social
Reposted by Ken Crook
There is, to my mind, no justification for the continued use by the UK Government of X as a platform for official comms. There hasn't been for some time, in fact, but if the latest developments around AI-generated image abuse and CSAM don't change the policy I really don't know what will.
NEW: People are using Elon Musk's chatbot, Grok, to alter images to depict real women being sexually abused, humiliated, hurt, and even killed.
futurism.com/future-socie...
futurism.com/future-socie...
Grok Is Being Used to Depict Horrific Violence Against Real Women
People are asking Elon Musk's Grok chatbot to alter images to depict women being sexually abused, humiliated, and even killed.
futurism.com
January 2, 2026 at 9:18 PM
There is, to my mind, no justification for the continued use by the UK Government of X as a platform for official comms. There hasn't been for some time, in fact, but if the latest developments around AI-generated image abuse and CSAM don't change the policy I really don't know what will.
Reposted by Ken Crook
Thanks to the monumentally stupid decision to invade Ukraine, Russia is even less of a great power than it was 4 years ago. If your military capacity relies on DPRK and Iran, and you've turned yourself into a dependent of China, you’re not a great power. carnegieendowment.org/russia-euras...
With Putin in Charge, Russia’s Vassalage to China Will Only Deepen
Moscow should be looking for ways to correct its course and restore balance in its foreign policy, instead of putting all its eggs in the China basket. But Putin is no pragmatic decision-maker, and th...
carnegieendowment.org
January 1, 2026 at 4:55 PM
Thanks to the monumentally stupid decision to invade Ukraine, Russia is even less of a great power than it was 4 years ago. If your military capacity relies on DPRK and Iran, and you've turned yourself into a dependent of China, you’re not a great power. carnegieendowment.org/russia-euras...
Reposted by Ken Crook
"Maddeningly, voters want contradictory things: low prices when they shop, high wages for themselves; not many immigrants but lots of cheap labour; rising house prices when they own and lower ones when their children want to buy"
www.economist.com/leaders/2025...
From The Economist
www.economist.com/leaders/2025...
From The Economist
The truth about affordability
Voters in rich countries are angry about prices. Politicians could make things worse
www.economist.com
January 2, 2026 at 11:26 AM
"Maddeningly, voters want contradictory things: low prices when they shop, high wages for themselves; not many immigrants but lots of cheap labour; rising house prices when they own and lower ones when their children want to buy"
www.economist.com/leaders/2025...
From The Economist
www.economist.com/leaders/2025...
From The Economist
Reposted by Ken Crook
"Oxford's High Street booming, bucking national trend"
And this in a city where we've removed city centre parking and put in a congestion charge. Almost as if it's people who shop, not cars.
www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/2573227...
And this in a city where we've removed city centre parking and put in a congestion charge. Almost as if it's people who shop, not cars.
www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/2573227...
Oxford high street demand returns to pre-pandemic levels
Oxford’s high street is bucking the national trend, with demand rising and vacancy rates low
www.oxfordmail.co.uk
January 1, 2026 at 10:36 AM
"Oxford's High Street booming, bucking national trend"
And this in a city where we've removed city centre parking and put in a congestion charge. Almost as if it's people who shop, not cars.
www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/2573227...
And this in a city where we've removed city centre parking and put in a congestion charge. Almost as if it's people who shop, not cars.
www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/2573227...
Reposted by Ken Crook
Just watched the fireworks and hoping 2026 is going to be a year of Londoners continuing to stick two fingers up to provincial oddballs and Internet grifters trying to make a living by slagging off one of the world’s greatest cities
January 1, 2026 at 10:11 AM
Just watched the fireworks and hoping 2026 is going to be a year of Londoners continuing to stick two fingers up to provincial oddballs and Internet grifters trying to make a living by slagging off one of the world’s greatest cities
Reposted by Ken Crook
Gosh. So this malarkey of bringing extinct species back to life is a multi billion dollar performative racket, not real science.
(My son works in biodiversity - he’ll tell you it’s a tough, unglamorous and badly paid role but it’s the way to stop species from becoming extinct.)
(My son works in biodiversity - he’ll tell you it’s a tough, unglamorous and badly paid role but it’s the way to stop species from becoming extinct.)
‘They didn’t de-extinct anything’: can Colossal’s genetically engineered animals ever be the real thing?
“Charles Darwin summed it up when he said, ‘when a group has once wholly disappeared, it does not reappear; for the link of generation has been broken.’
🧪🧬🐺
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
“Charles Darwin summed it up when he said, ‘when a group has once wholly disappeared, it does not reappear; for the link of generation has been broken.’
🧪🧬🐺
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
‘They didn’t de-extinct anything’: can Colossal’s genetically engineered animals ever be the real thing?
The bioscience startup has attracted billions in investment – and a flurry of criticism, but founder tells the Guardian plans to bring back the woolly mammoth will not be derailed
www.theguardian.com
December 31, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Gosh. So this malarkey of bringing extinct species back to life is a multi billion dollar performative racket, not real science.
(My son works in biodiversity - he’ll tell you it’s a tough, unglamorous and badly paid role but it’s the way to stop species from becoming extinct.)
(My son works in biodiversity - he’ll tell you it’s a tough, unglamorous and badly paid role but it’s the way to stop species from becoming extinct.)
Reposted by Ken Crook
These fucking people.
“I just don’t know how you go around, asking everyone first. I just don’t see how that would work.”
From May 2025: www.theverge.com/news/674366/...
From May 2025: www.theverge.com/news/674366/...
December 31, 2025 at 12:05 AM
These fucking people.
Reposted by Ken Crook
Excellent thread by @robfordmancs.bsky.social
I also believe that Starmer's tenure as PM will come to an abrupt end in 2026. Will we be wrong?
I also believe that Starmer's tenure as PM will come to an abrupt end in 2026. Will we be wrong?
Time for some more 2026 predictions, I've covered everything from Trump to beans so far, but now we get on to the hard stuff: polls, leaders, seats - follow on in the thread below
No idea but as an avid baked bean consumer I hope we aren’t going to face shortages or price spikes
bsky.app/profile/maai...
bsky.app/profile/maai...
December 30, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Excellent thread by @robfordmancs.bsky.social
I also believe that Starmer's tenure as PM will come to an abrupt end in 2026. Will we be wrong?
I also believe that Starmer's tenure as PM will come to an abrupt end in 2026. Will we be wrong?
Reposted by Ken Crook
tfw you forgot to register the domain name, and someone else snatched it.
December 30, 2025 at 3:43 AM
tfw you forgot to register the domain name, and someone else snatched it.
Reposted by Ken Crook
I have sincerely wrestled with Alaa Abd el-Fattah, weighing up the trollish nature of some of his tweets, the casual antisemitism of others, the fact his connection to Britain is tenuous at best, and my belief that revoking citizenship is fundamentally wrong.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Britain Should Have Read the Tweets First
The case of Alaa Abd el-Fattah is a test of Britain’s values.
www.theatlantic.com
December 30, 2025 at 5:59 PM
I have sincerely wrestled with Alaa Abd el-Fattah, weighing up the trollish nature of some of his tweets, the casual antisemitism of others, the fact his connection to Britain is tenuous at best, and my belief that revoking citizenship is fundamentally wrong.
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2025/1...
Reposted by Ken Crook
The weird roots of wokeness – holiday read from me on why the politics that comes from US universities seems so strange to traditional left-wingers
comment.press/woke30
comment.press/woke30
The weird roots of wokeness
Why modern leftism feels so strange
comment.press
December 30, 2025 at 3:12 PM
The weird roots of wokeness – holiday read from me on why the politics that comes from US universities seems so strange to traditional left-wingers
comment.press/woke30
comment.press/woke30
Reposted by Ken Crook
Parth Patel and Nick Garland essay on national identity and ethnonationalism for @ippr.org
www.ippr.org/articles/the...
www.ippr.org/articles/the...
Reclaiming Britain: The nation against ethno-nationalism | IPPR
Last summer, after the most widespread racist rioting since 1919, IPPR wrote it was “a testament to progress” that deporting black and brown people living
www.ippr.org
December 30, 2025 at 2:14 PM
Parth Patel and Nick Garland essay on national identity and ethnonationalism for @ippr.org
www.ippr.org/articles/the...
www.ippr.org/articles/the...
Reposted by Ken Crook
It’s worth mentioning, though it’s been said repeatedly: the Lizzie Line carries 1/6th of UK daily rail passengers (not including the Tube) and has already paid off its entire costs.
And if HS2 had been committed to, without plans being tweaked every 5 minutes, Phase 1 would be opening next year.
And if HS2 had been committed to, without plans being tweaked every 5 minutes, Phase 1 would be opening next year.
Worked example of the crippling effects or Treasury brain here
Elizabeth Line would ‘never’ be built, Michael Portillo wrote when urging cancellation
Former Treasury minister warned that Crossrail London link was too costly and unnecessary, newly released papers show
www.ft.com
December 30, 2025 at 12:17 PM
It’s worth mentioning, though it’s been said repeatedly: the Lizzie Line carries 1/6th of UK daily rail passengers (not including the Tube) and has already paid off its entire costs.
And if HS2 had been committed to, without plans being tweaked every 5 minutes, Phase 1 would be opening next year.
And if HS2 had been committed to, without plans being tweaked every 5 minutes, Phase 1 would be opening next year.
Reposted by Ken Crook
Worked example of the crippling effects or Treasury brain here
Elizabeth Line would ‘never’ be built, Michael Portillo wrote when urging cancellation
Former Treasury minister warned that Crossrail London link was too costly and unnecessary, newly released papers show
www.ft.com
December 30, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Worked example of the crippling effects or Treasury brain here
Reposted by Ken Crook
So Boris Johnson, Prince Phillip, Andrew Bonar Law, Freddie Mercury, George I, George II, Richard E Grant, Douglas Carswell, Rudyard Kipling, Cliff Richard, Joanna Lumley and Spike Milligan weren't British?
Interesting
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Interesting
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Number of people who say Britons must be born in UK is rising, study shows
Exclusive: Research finds ‘worrying’ surge in support for hard-right narratives on national identity
www.theguardian.com
December 29, 2025 at 11:21 PM
So Boris Johnson, Prince Phillip, Andrew Bonar Law, Freddie Mercury, George I, George II, Richard E Grant, Douglas Carswell, Rudyard Kipling, Cliff Richard, Joanna Lumley and Spike Milligan weren't British?
Interesting
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Interesting
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Reposted by Ken Crook
“The U.S. government just banned five people from entering the country because it doesn’t like their speech. This ban, according to the State Department, is necessary to protect free speech.
If that sounds insane to you, congratulations on your reading comprehension.”
Via @mmasnick.bsky.social
If that sounds insane to you, congratulations on your reading comprehension.”
Via @mmasnick.bsky.social
Opinion | Marco Rubio is using real censorship to fight fake censorship
Mike Masnick: In the name of protecting free speech, the U.S. government just banned five Europeans from entering the country because it doesn’t like their speech.
www.ms.now
December 27, 2025 at 6:03 PM
“The U.S. government just banned five people from entering the country because it doesn’t like their speech. This ban, according to the State Department, is necessary to protect free speech.
If that sounds insane to you, congratulations on your reading comprehension.”
Via @mmasnick.bsky.social
If that sounds insane to you, congratulations on your reading comprehension.”
Via @mmasnick.bsky.social
Reposted by Ken Crook
A reasonable interpretation of the Trump-Vance play is they are telling Europe that in unless it gifts Greenland to the US we will abandon Europe to Russia.
So our madman leader is now simultaneously attempting to take all of Venezuela's oil and a big chunk of mineral-rich European territory.
So our madman leader is now simultaneously attempting to take all of Venezuela's oil and a big chunk of mineral-rich European territory.
This dramatically enhanced pressure on Europe/Denmark and the new outrageous sanctions on info researchers coming at a time when Putin is escalating his physical attacks on Ukraine suggests that the US is now *coordinating* with Russia to weaken Europe and Ukraine.
bsky.app/profile/donm...
bsky.app/profile/donm...
Denmark lost more troops per capita in the post 9/11 war on Afghanistan. Saying they “are not a good ally” because they won’t surrender their territories to the US is lunacy. We are betraying our allies to satisfy the whims of a would-be Emperor for whom the US is not enough.
December 27, 2025 at 8:16 PM
A reasonable interpretation of the Trump-Vance play is they are telling Europe that in unless it gifts Greenland to the US we will abandon Europe to Russia.
So our madman leader is now simultaneously attempting to take all of Venezuela's oil and a big chunk of mineral-rich European territory.
So our madman leader is now simultaneously attempting to take all of Venezuela's oil and a big chunk of mineral-rich European territory.
Reposted by Ken Crook
Miniature musical instrument makers admit defeat as violin size requirement for story is declared "too small to build."
December 27, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Miniature musical instrument makers admit defeat as violin size requirement for story is declared "too small to build."
Reposted by Ken Crook
A quick google informs me that after this surge, Australia provides about 4% of our beef imports, and our beef imports are about 25% of our consumption. So this headline is basically saying “anger as 0.6% becomes 1% of total” and I’m not sure that’s particularly justifiable
December 27, 2025 at 12:31 PM
A quick google informs me that after this surge, Australia provides about 4% of our beef imports, and our beef imports are about 25% of our consumption. So this headline is basically saying “anger as 0.6% becomes 1% of total” and I’m not sure that’s particularly justifiable
Reposted by Ken Crook
The decision of the Trump administration to target Imran Ahmed of the Center for Countering Digital Hate is deeply sinister.
Ahmed’s crime was to expose the merger of MAGA with Silicon Valley. If they can come for him, they can come for anyone
comment.press/2512im
Ahmed’s crime was to expose the merger of MAGA with Silicon Valley. If they can come for him, they can come for anyone
comment.press/2512im
Imran Ahmed's struggle against Musk and Trump
Fighting the merger of money and power
comment.press
December 25, 2025 at 11:40 AM
The decision of the Trump administration to target Imran Ahmed of the Center for Countering Digital Hate is deeply sinister.
Ahmed’s crime was to expose the merger of MAGA with Silicon Valley. If they can come for him, they can come for anyone
comment.press/2512im
Ahmed’s crime was to expose the merger of MAGA with Silicon Valley. If they can come for him, they can come for anyone
comment.press/2512im
Reposted by Ken Crook
“Prince” Andrew’s other scandal: How did such a minor royal become so majorly rich?
Holiday read from me (£ but free trial)
comment.press/andy26
Holiday read from me (£ but free trial)
comment.press/andy26
How did "Prince"Andrew get so rich? The other royal scandal
Christmas reads 2/
comment.press
December 26, 2025 at 8:23 AM
“Prince” Andrew’s other scandal: How did such a minor royal become so majorly rich?
Holiday read from me (£ but free trial)
comment.press/andy26
Holiday read from me (£ but free trial)
comment.press/andy26
Reposted by Ken Crook
Putin is out to destroy the UK and Europe. If we don’t accept that, we’re doomed.
Some Boxing Day cheer from me in @thenewworldmag.bsky.social
www.thenewworld.co.uk/luke-mcgee-p...
Some Boxing Day cheer from me in @thenewworldmag.bsky.social
www.thenewworld.co.uk/luke-mcgee-p...
Putin is out to destroy the UK and Europe. If we don’t accept that, we’re doomed
The dictator’s threats and dirty tricks go unanswered and unpunished. We can’t keep rolling over like this
www.thenewworld.co.uk
December 26, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Putin is out to destroy the UK and Europe. If we don’t accept that, we’re doomed.
Some Boxing Day cheer from me in @thenewworldmag.bsky.social
www.thenewworld.co.uk/luke-mcgee-p...
Some Boxing Day cheer from me in @thenewworldmag.bsky.social
www.thenewworld.co.uk/luke-mcgee-p...
Reposted by Ken Crook
A transatlantic showdown over tech policy (as opposed to, say, net zero) could actually have a unifying & galvanising political effect within the EU. The union’s digital regulations are broadly popular and many voters actually want more, not fewer, controls on Big Tech.
yougov.co.uk/technology/a...
yougov.co.uk/technology/a...
December 24, 2025 at 2:07 PM
A transatlantic showdown over tech policy (as opposed to, say, net zero) could actually have a unifying & galvanising political effect within the EU. The union’s digital regulations are broadly popular and many voters actually want more, not fewer, controls on Big Tech.
yougov.co.uk/technology/a...
yougov.co.uk/technology/a...
Reposted by Ken Crook
This is the first time Macron has retaliated so angrily against the provocations of his alleged "friend" Donald Trump. The policy of appeasement and flattery is breaking down.
December 24, 2025 at 2:17 PM
This is the first time Macron has retaliated so angrily against the provocations of his alleged "friend" Donald Trump. The policy of appeasement and flattery is breaking down.
Reposted by Ken Crook
Progressives don’t change the world by changing language
Holiday read from me on how and why the left middle class’s endless attempts to police language on race, sexuality and disability fail to deliver real change.
Holiday read from me on how and why the left middle class’s endless attempts to police language on race, sexuality and disability fail to deliver real change.
Progressives don’t change the world by changing language
The limits of linguistic policing
open.substack.com
December 24, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Progressives don’t change the world by changing language
Holiday read from me on how and why the left middle class’s endless attempts to police language on race, sexuality and disability fail to deliver real change.
Holiday read from me on how and why the left middle class’s endless attempts to police language on race, sexuality and disability fail to deliver real change.