Mark Appleby
@markappleby.bsky.social
Enterprise Architect, Bristol UK
Reposted by Mark Appleby
at one point in his life, Andreesen invented the graphical browser. Ever since then, he has done his level best to make sure that rather than this, his obituary will read "That Shitco Guy".
It amuses me how low the Conehead has fallen. open.substack.com/pub/infinite...
Marc Andreessen as Avatar for Societal Decay
How one venture capitalist represents everything wrong with social media
open.substack.com
November 10, 2025 at 3:13 PM
at one point in his life, Andreesen invented the graphical browser. Ever since then, he has done his level best to make sure that rather than this, his obituary will read "That Shitco Guy".
Reposted by Mark Appleby
"Hey, student, we saw you from across the bar and really dig your vibe. Can we buy you a drink?"
November 10, 2025 at 2:06 PM
"Hey, student, we saw you from across the bar and really dig your vibe. Can we buy you a drink?"
Reposted by Mark Appleby
Over the weekend, one British institution saw off the populist right - the National Trust, whose members once again swatted away the Tufton Street-funded 'Restore Trust' lobbyists
Today, another British institution, the BBC, is in grave danger from Trump, Farage & co
bsky.app/profile/sund...
Today, another British institution, the BBC, is in grave danger from Trump, Farage & co
bsky.app/profile/sund...
National Trust council elections saw a defeat for the Restore Trust campaign.
35k members voted to re-elect a slate of council candidates endorsed by the nominations committee
12k - 13.5k voted for candidates on Restore Trust slate
Non-slate candidated
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/who-we-are/a...
35k members voted to re-elect a slate of council candidates endorsed by the nominations committee
12k - 13.5k voted for candidates on Restore Trust slate
Non-slate candidated
www.nationaltrust.org.uk/who-we-are/a...
Voting results from the AGM
Read about the National Trust's 2025 Annual General Meeting and the results from the day.
www.nationaltrust.org.uk
November 10, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Over the weekend, one British institution saw off the populist right - the National Trust, whose members once again swatted away the Tufton Street-funded 'Restore Trust' lobbyists
Today, another British institution, the BBC, is in grave danger from Trump, Farage & co
bsky.app/profile/sund...
Today, another British institution, the BBC, is in grave danger from Trump, Farage & co
bsky.app/profile/sund...
Reposted by Mark Appleby
Meta take in $16 billion a year from running scams www.reuters.com/investigatio...
Meta is earning a fortune on a deluge of fraudulent ads, documents show
Meta projected 10% of its 2024 revenue would come from ads for scams and banned goods, and it internally estimates that its platforms show users 15 billion scam ads a day, company documents show.
www.reuters.com
November 8, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Meta take in $16 billion a year from running scams www.reuters.com/investigatio...
Reposted by Mark Appleby
I agree with Jennifer Lawrence in the New York Times
November 8, 2025 at 2:58 PM
I agree with Jennifer Lawrence in the New York Times
Reposted by Mark Appleby
How ever since Labour came to power, the British media has started to notice a whole series of problems they spent the previous 14 years completely ignoring
www.adambienkov.co.uk/p/the-great-...
www.adambienkov.co.uk/p/the-great-...
The 'Great Noticing' Era
Ever since Labour came to power, the British media has started to notice a whole series of problems they spent the previous 14 years completely ignoring
www.adambienkov.co.uk
November 8, 2025 at 12:23 PM
How ever since Labour came to power, the British media has started to notice a whole series of problems they spent the previous 14 years completely ignoring
www.adambienkov.co.uk/p/the-great-...
www.adambienkov.co.uk/p/the-great-...
Reposted by Mark Appleby
Ultimately, a reckoning is coming. There has to be an honest conversation with the public. The Budget is just stage one.
The problems are not just resources but can't be resolved without them.
These aren't unique to the UK by any means but have been exacerbated by stupid politics over a decade.
The problems are not just resources but can't be resolved without them.
These aren't unique to the UK by any means but have been exacerbated by stupid politics over a decade.
November 8, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Ultimately, a reckoning is coming. There has to be an honest conversation with the public. The Budget is just stage one.
The problems are not just resources but can't be resolved without them.
These aren't unique to the UK by any means but have been exacerbated by stupid politics over a decade.
The problems are not just resources but can't be resolved without them.
These aren't unique to the UK by any means but have been exacerbated by stupid politics over a decade.
Reposted by Mark Appleby
The theory of change thus far has been: push systems harder and they will deliver. The problem is numerous public systems are fundamentally broken:
- Criminal justice
- Local Government
- Housing/planning
- Tax
- Trade relations
- HE
- Childcare
- Some benefits
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/f...
- Criminal justice
- Local Government
- Housing/planning
- Tax
- Trade relations
- HE
- Childcare
- Some benefits
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/f...
Flashing Red
Why the criminal justice system should be top of No. 10's "shit list"
open.substack.com
November 8, 2025 at 9:44 AM
The theory of change thus far has been: push systems harder and they will deliver. The problem is numerous public systems are fundamentally broken:
- Criminal justice
- Local Government
- Housing/planning
- Tax
- Trade relations
- HE
- Childcare
- Some benefits
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/f...
- Criminal justice
- Local Government
- Housing/planning
- Tax
- Trade relations
- HE
- Childcare
- Some benefits
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/f...
Reposted by Mark Appleby
This is like the alternate history in which Kim Philby became head of MI6.
Tulsi Gabbard wants to transfer significant counterintelligence authority away from the FBI—and to her office, Shane Harris and Quinta Jurecic report:
Tulsi Gabbard’s Quest to Bring the ‘Deep State’ Under Her Control
A memo circulating within the federal government lays out her office’s reasoning for wanting to transfer counterintelligence work away from the FBI.
bit.ly
November 7, 2025 at 9:03 PM
This is like the alternate history in which Kim Philby became head of MI6.
Reposted by Mark Appleby
While US polarisation predates social media it doesn’t really predate the end of broadcasting impartiality
Basically the US has been living with social media style partisan bias for decades, and now Europe is catching up (with similarly disastrous consequences)
Will policy makers now respond?
Basically the US has been living with social media style partisan bias for decades, and now Europe is catching up (with similarly disastrous consequences)
Will policy makers now respond?
"Why American-style polarisation is spreading across the West"
Two words: algorithms and incentives. Mostly incentives. Until we modify or eliminate incentives, all we can do is watch as the fabric of society is pulled apart, strand by strand. www.ft.com/content/5060...
Two words: algorithms and incentives. Mostly incentives. Until we modify or eliminate incentives, all we can do is watch as the fabric of society is pulled apart, strand by strand. www.ft.com/content/5060...
November 7, 2025 at 7:07 PM
While US polarisation predates social media it doesn’t really predate the end of broadcasting impartiality
Basically the US has been living with social media style partisan bias for decades, and now Europe is catching up (with similarly disastrous consequences)
Will policy makers now respond?
Basically the US has been living with social media style partisan bias for decades, and now Europe is catching up (with similarly disastrous consequences)
Will policy makers now respond?
Reposted by Mark Appleby
Insane data from Germany shows how social media is geared towards more fringe political views. The left bar shows the share of uploaded videos by party on TikTok and the right bar shows what videos are shown in the feed. Social media loves the extremes and is NOT a fair mirror of reality.
November 7, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Insane data from Germany shows how social media is geared towards more fringe political views. The left bar shows the share of uploaded videos by party on TikTok and the right bar shows what videos are shown in the feed. Social media loves the extremes and is NOT a fair mirror of reality.
Reposted by Mark Appleby
Hundreds of thousands of people, dead because of a decision made by the world's richest man
One analytical model shows that, as of November 5th, the dismantling of U.S.A.I.D. has already caused the deaths of 600,000 people, two-thirds of them children. https://newyorkermag.visitlink.me/jUzNSc
The Shutdown of U.S.A.I.D. Has Already Killed Hundreds of Thousands
The short documentary “Rovina’s Choice” tells the story of what goes when aid goes.
newyorkermag.visitlink.me
November 7, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Hundreds of thousands of people, dead because of a decision made by the world's richest man
Reposted by Mark Appleby
BBC really burying the lede there
November 7, 2025 at 12:07 PM
BBC really burying the lede there
Reposted by Mark Appleby
It is both ethically wrong & fundamentally anti-democratic for one man to command this much wealth and power.
States spent centuries trying to tame the power of over-mighty subjects. The rise of the global barons is not compatible with democracy as we've understood it.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
States spent centuries trying to tame the power of over-mighty subjects. The rise of the global barons is not compatible with democracy as we've understood it.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Elon Musk's $1tn pay deal approved by Tesla shareholders
The richest man in the world will get hundreds of millions of new shares if he hits his targets.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 7, 2025 at 8:31 AM
It is both ethically wrong & fundamentally anti-democratic for one man to command this much wealth and power.
States spent centuries trying to tame the power of over-mighty subjects. The rise of the global barons is not compatible with democracy as we've understood it.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
States spent centuries trying to tame the power of over-mighty subjects. The rise of the global barons is not compatible with democracy as we've understood it.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Mark Appleby
After 20 complaints news presenter is found to have broken BBC rules by correcting ‘pregnant people’ to pregnant ‘women’ because her facial expression when she did it was ‘giving a strong impression’ of having a personal view about the issue bit.ly/49LV9wK
Martine Croxall broke rules over ‘pregnant people’ on-air correction
The BBC News presenter had 20 complaints against her upheld after she rolled her eyes and changed the phrase ‘pregnant people’ to ‘women’
bit.ly
November 7, 2025 at 8:42 AM
After 20 complaints news presenter is found to have broken BBC rules by correcting ‘pregnant people’ to pregnant ‘women’ because her facial expression when she did it was ‘giving a strong impression’ of having a personal view about the issue bit.ly/49LV9wK
Reposted by Mark Appleby
Presumably the first of many peace prizes all awarded to one vain and rather orange man
November 5, 2025 at 3:47 PM
Presumably the first of many peace prizes all awarded to one vain and rather orange man
Reposted by Mark Appleby
Huge wins for the Democrats in state elections across the US last night.
Chaotic authoritarianism is not popular.
Chaotic authoritarianism is not popular.
A 15-point win for VA gov. A 5-point win for VA AG in a race he was expected to lose. A 13-point win for NJ gov, in a race that was expected to be close. An outright majority in NYC in a three-way race. A 30-point win for Prop 50 in CA. #BlueWave #Election2025
November 5, 2025 at 7:29 AM
Huge wins for the Democrats in state elections across the US last night.
Chaotic authoritarianism is not popular.
Chaotic authoritarianism is not popular.
Reposted by Mark Appleby
1. In the wake on Mamdani’s win, we’ll see a lot more far right anti-urban sentiment. Here’s a thread on its roots and evolution.
The idea that the city is evil and corrupt, and the countryside innocent and pure, goes back a long way: to Theocritus in Alexandria, and to the Old Testament. 🧵
The idea that the city is evil and corrupt, and the countryside innocent and pure, goes back a long way: to Theocritus in Alexandria, and to the Old Testament. 🧵
November 5, 2025 at 7:58 AM
1. In the wake on Mamdani’s win, we’ll see a lot more far right anti-urban sentiment. Here’s a thread on its roots and evolution.
The idea that the city is evil and corrupt, and the countryside innocent and pure, goes back a long way: to Theocritus in Alexandria, and to the Old Testament. 🧵
The idea that the city is evil and corrupt, and the countryside innocent and pure, goes back a long way: to Theocritus in Alexandria, and to the Old Testament. 🧵
Reposted by Mark Appleby
It’s so grim - and a depressing sign of the times - that Reform UK bigots are putting this absurd and offensive suggestion into the public arena
November 4, 2025 at 10:56 PM
It’s so grim - and a depressing sign of the times - that Reform UK bigots are putting this absurd and offensive suggestion into the public arena
Reposted by Mark Appleby
Firms that have huge pension surpluses refuse to use them to increase pensions paid to ex workers with inflation bit.ly/3JdafRq the last time firms were allowed (forced by Nigel Lawson) to snaffle surpluses (pension holidays) it led to pension schemes collapsing
Bill ‘will turn pensioners’ losses into boardroom bonuses’
Law going through parliament will make life easier for companies that have already frozen pre-1997 pension incomes for years, campaigners say
bit.ly
November 3, 2025 at 5:45 PM
Firms that have huge pension surpluses refuse to use them to increase pensions paid to ex workers with inflation bit.ly/3JdafRq the last time firms were allowed (forced by Nigel Lawson) to snaffle surpluses (pension holidays) it led to pension schemes collapsing
Reposted by Mark Appleby
This is really sinister kowtowing to China by a British university.
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
UK university halted human rights research after pressure from China
Exclusive: Leading professor at Sheffield Hallam was told to cease research on supply chains and forced labour in China after demands from authorities
www.theguardian.com
November 3, 2025 at 2:30 PM
This is really sinister kowtowing to China by a British university.
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
www.theguardian.com/education/20...
Reposted by Mark Appleby
🧵 This piece captures a core problem of the hollow democratic state: politics has become performance, optimised for visibility, not understanding.
Farage is winning because politics has been reduced to clickbait.
It’s a shallow spectacle that favours clowns and con-artists.
As @jemmaforte.bsky.social says here - politics has been “repackaged into junk food.”
But there are ways for the left to fight back 👇🏻
It’s a shallow spectacle that favours clowns and con-artists.
As @jemmaforte.bsky.social says here - politics has been “repackaged into junk food.”
But there are ways for the left to fight back 👇🏻
The political entertainment industry
📝 A guest essay...
writesbright.substack.com
November 3, 2025 at 8:57 AM
🧵 This piece captures a core problem of the hollow democratic state: politics has become performance, optimised for visibility, not understanding.
Reposted by Mark Appleby
My latest: Move over bat tunnel, here’s the wild story of how HS2 were forced to build a multi-million pound bridge for a road that… doesn’t actually exist.
How HS2 built a bridge to nowhere
A state-of-the-art road bridge has been built deep in the heart of rural Buckinghamshire. Designed to carry traffic over the HS2 railway, there's just one tiny problem - there's no actual road.
martinrobbins.substack.com
November 3, 2025 at 7:16 AM
My latest: Move over bat tunnel, here’s the wild story of how HS2 were forced to build a multi-million pound bridge for a road that… doesn’t actually exist.
Reposted by Mark Appleby
Have we stopped to consider that, contrary to received wisdom, we might be at the end rather than mid-way through the populist wave?
And have we given some thought to whether, without hubris, progressive politics can be more self-confident, bolder, ambitious?
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...
And have we given some thought to whether, without hubris, progressive politics can be more self-confident, bolder, ambitious?
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...
Rob Jetten: anti-Wilders, ‘yes we can’ candidate poised to be next Dutch PM
As liberal-progressive D66 party makes huge gains in election, former junior athlete with ‘positive story’ and ‘vision’ leads race for power
www.theguardian.com
November 2, 2025 at 1:27 PM
Have we stopped to consider that, contrary to received wisdom, we might be at the end rather than mid-way through the populist wave?
And have we given some thought to whether, without hubris, progressive politics can be more self-confident, bolder, ambitious?
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...
And have we given some thought to whether, without hubris, progressive politics can be more self-confident, bolder, ambitious?
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...