Another Matt
@mattlav83.bsky.social
Recently joined, semi- annoying but Mostly Correct reply guy from The Other Place.
Interests include despairing snark about UK US and EU politics, kayaking tours and getting caught in the rain.
No relation to the Other Matts on social media.
Interests include despairing snark about UK US and EU politics, kayaking tours and getting caught in the rain.
No relation to the Other Matts on social media.
Pinned
Another Matt
@mattlav83.bsky.social
· Sep 5
very interesting in depth study with field data, confirming what you already knew...
Starmer-style pandering on immigration does nothing to help you win RW votes,
but it DOES make your own supporters hate you and turn against you,
whilst raising the salience of the (RW) issue
Great Work Keir!
Starmer-style pandering on immigration does nothing to help you win RW votes,
but it DOES make your own supporters hate you and turn against you,
whilst raising the salience of the (RW) issue
Great Work Keir!
Reposted by Another Matt
NEW: "Wicked: For Good" is a potent fascism allegory that speaks in the language of one of America's most successfully enduring pieces of mass culture.
I interviewed Oscar winning costume designer Paul Tazewell about designing aesthetics of freedom for @thecut.com.
I interviewed Oscar winning costume designer Paul Tazewell about designing aesthetics of freedom for @thecut.com.
The Costumer Who Changed Hollywood For Good
Oscar-winning costume designer Paul Tazewell shares the inspiration behind his textured designs for the world of Oz.
www.thecut.com
November 14, 2025 at 3:19 PM
NEW: "Wicked: For Good" is a potent fascism allegory that speaks in the language of one of America's most successfully enduring pieces of mass culture.
I interviewed Oscar winning costume designer Paul Tazewell about designing aesthetics of freedom for @thecut.com.
I interviewed Oscar winning costume designer Paul Tazewell about designing aesthetics of freedom for @thecut.com.
Reposted by Another Matt
I'm kind of baffled how the "moderates" have apparently all decided to turn against climate policy at once, just as China reaches green electrostate liftoff mode. I thought these people were all about National Greatness and making Hard Choices
November 14, 2025 at 3:12 PM
I'm kind of baffled how the "moderates" have apparently all decided to turn against climate policy at once, just as China reaches green electrostate liftoff mode. I thought these people were all about National Greatness and making Hard Choices
Reposted by Another Matt
the astonishing thing about this wave of denialism is that we have more or less decidedly hit the point where clean energy is the *cheaper* option by some distance
I'm kind of baffled how the "moderates" have apparently all decided to turn against climate policy at once, just as China reaches green electrostate liftoff mode. I thought these people were all about National Greatness and making Hard Choices
November 14, 2025 at 3:25 PM
the astonishing thing about this wave of denialism is that we have more or less decidedly hit the point where clean energy is the *cheaper* option by some distance
Reposted by Another Matt
This is why when people whine about kids this age not wanting to do anything but look at screens I just laugh. Your fear of screens is not their apathy.
November 14, 2025 at 1:48 PM
This is why when people whine about kids this age not wanting to do anything but look at screens I just laugh. Your fear of screens is not their apathy.
Reposted by Another Matt
I am pleased to report that Gilbert, who was brutally attacked by a stray dog 7 months ago, is totally healed, feeling great, and openly lobbying to be the cover model for our 2026 calendar. You deserve it buddy!
November 14, 2025 at 1:20 PM
I am pleased to report that Gilbert, who was brutally attacked by a stray dog 7 months ago, is totally healed, feeling great, and openly lobbying to be the cover model for our 2026 calendar. You deserve it buddy!
Reposted by Another Matt
Important to remember that on top of the fascism and incompetence, everybody in the Trump admin is also stealing everything they can as quickly as possible.
NEW: DHS invoked the “national emergency” at the border to skirt competitive bidding rules for a $220 million taxpayer-funded ad campaign.
We found that a firm with deep ties to Kristi Noem secretly benefited from the deal.
We found that a firm with deep ties to Kristi Noem secretly benefited from the deal.
Kristi Noem-Tied Firm Secretly Got Piece of $220 Million DHS Campaign
The company is run by the husband of Noem’s chief DHS spokesperson and has personal and business ties to Noem and her aides. DHS invoked the “emergency” at the border to skirt competitive bidding rules for the taxpayer-funded campaign.
www.propublica.org
November 14, 2025 at 2:01 PM
Important to remember that on top of the fascism and incompetence, everybody in the Trump admin is also stealing everything they can as quickly as possible.
Reposted by Another Matt
This is literally the Finnish system.
And TOTALLY COINCIDENTALLY, they're one of the best educated and most equal societies on earth.
And TOTALLY COINCIDENTALLY, they're one of the best educated and most equal societies on earth.
November 14, 2025 at 2:30 PM
This is literally the Finnish system.
And TOTALLY COINCIDENTALLY, they're one of the best educated and most equal societies on earth.
And TOTALLY COINCIDENTALLY, they're one of the best educated and most equal societies on earth.
Reposted by Another Matt
As a long time Summers hater, i feel like they wrote this one for my personal benefit theonion.com/no-not-larry...
‘No! Not Larry Summers!’ Wails Devastated Nation
WASHINGTON—Responding to recent revelations suggesting the prominent economist was a close associate of the late child sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein, a devastated nation reportedly joined together to...
theonion.com
November 14, 2025 at 2:04 PM
As a long time Summers hater, i feel like they wrote this one for my personal benefit theonion.com/no-not-larry...
Reposted by Another Matt
BlueSky could have shared a screenshot of my tweet showing the Oct 10 timestamp and that I was using Johnny Cash lyrics to quote-tweet about an article on Johnny Cash. Instead, they made it look like I issued a random death threat and falsely claimed I posted it this week. They should apologize.
November 14, 2025 at 1:57 PM
BlueSky could have shared a screenshot of my tweet showing the Oct 10 timestamp and that I was using Johnny Cash lyrics to quote-tweet about an article on Johnny Cash. Instead, they made it look like I issued a random death threat and falsely claimed I posted it this week. They should apologize.
Reposted by Another Matt
I'm profoundly grateful to BlueSky users who supported me and called for my reinstatement. When I got suspended, I was not told why the first two times I inquired, or that it was for 72 hours. You forced BlueSky to respond and to issue a correction for one of the lies they told about me. Thank you.
November 14, 2025 at 1:49 PM
I'm profoundly grateful to BlueSky users who supported me and called for my reinstatement. When I got suspended, I was not told why the first two times I inquired, or that it was for 72 hours. You forced BlueSky to respond and to issue a correction for one of the lies they told about me. Thank you.
Reposted by Another Matt
I’m back.
substack.com/@sarahkendzi...
substack.com/@sarahkendzi...
November 14, 2025 at 1:48 PM
I’m back.
substack.com/@sarahkendzi...
substack.com/@sarahkendzi...
Reposted by Another Matt
This is as much a symptom as newsroom leadership being stuck in the 90s as anything else. It’s like assuming people who root for the Cowboys are just bandwagon fans.
The right thinks the left will fight to protect Bill Clinton. The actual left thinks the middle will fight to protect Bill Clinton. But I want to believe — tonight as winter creeps closer, and even the tiniest glimmer of hope is impossibly precious — that nobody would protect Bill Clinton.
November 14, 2025 at 12:40 PM
This is as much a symptom as newsroom leadership being stuck in the 90s as anything else. It’s like assuming people who root for the Cowboys are just bandwagon fans.
Reposted by Another Matt
It rocks - absolutely so - how much Trumpland elites in recent weeks really thought or at least kept saying they thought Trump had survived the Epstein stuff and the worst was over and it was no longer prominent in the media and politics anymore and that the admin had gotten a handle on things….
November 14, 2025 at 3:55 AM
It rocks - absolutely so - how much Trumpland elites in recent weeks really thought or at least kept saying they thought Trump had survived the Epstein stuff and the worst was over and it was no longer prominent in the media and politics anymore and that the admin had gotten a handle on things….
Reposted by Another Matt
November 14, 2025 at 12:50 PM
Reposted by Another Matt
We are invited to assume that the New York Times did not know what Epstein was telling Landon Thomas about Trump. I decline to extend that charity.
If Epstein wanted the NYT to write about it, he should have made it about a Democrat and gotten a white nationalist hacker to leak it to them.
If Epstein wanted the NYT to write about it, he should have made it about a Democrat and gotten a white nationalist hacker to leak it to them.
November 13, 2025 at 7:07 PM
We are invited to assume that the New York Times did not know what Epstein was telling Landon Thomas about Trump. I decline to extend that charity.
If Epstein wanted the NYT to write about it, he should have made it about a Democrat and gotten a white nationalist hacker to leak it to them.
If Epstein wanted the NYT to write about it, he should have made it about a Democrat and gotten a white nationalist hacker to leak it to them.
Reposted by Another Matt
No one demanded the market distorting effects of personalist dictatorship more than capital, they should be happy with their choice. bsky.app/profile/carl...
YELLEN: “.. businesses feel paralyzed by the uncertainty about policies that represent the strong but really personal whims of a single individual.”
@bloomberg.com
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
@bloomberg.com
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
November 14, 2025 at 1:02 PM
No one demanded the market distorting effects of personalist dictatorship more than capital, they should be happy with their choice. bsky.app/profile/carl...
Reposted by Another Matt
Dropping this the week of some more Epstein news is bananas.
November 13, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Dropping this the week of some more Epstein news is bananas.
Reposted by Another Matt
"For too long, Britain has been held back by governments that, because they lack a relentless focus on long-term ends, are buffeted about by events."
Kier Starmer, Labour Manifesto 2024
Kier Starmer, Labour Manifesto 2024
November 14, 2025 at 8:59 AM
"For too long, Britain has been held back by governments that, because they lack a relentless focus on long-term ends, are buffeted about by events."
Kier Starmer, Labour Manifesto 2024
Kier Starmer, Labour Manifesto 2024
Reposted by Another Matt
And we knew this. This wasn't speculation. We studied it, we had the talking points. We trained volunteers to explain this to people. It's not a surprise. Rich people don't flee places with good quality of life when we increase the quality of life. They might try to cheat us, but they don't leave.
NEW: The first two years of Massachusetts' millionaire tax has raised $3 billion more than expected.
And rather than driving the rich away, IPS researchers found that the number of millionaires has *increased.*
Tax the rich. Greg Ryan in @bloomberg.com:
And rather than driving the rich away, IPS researchers found that the number of millionaires has *increased.*
Tax the rich. Greg Ryan in @bloomberg.com:
Millionaire Tax That Inspired Mamdani Fuels $5.7 Billion Haul in Massachusetts
A millionaire levy in Massachusetts that New York City mayoral frontrunner Zohran Mamdani holds up as a model for taxing the rich has generated $3 billion more in revenue than expected without forcing...
www.bloomberg.com
November 14, 2025 at 4:16 AM
And we knew this. This wasn't speculation. We studied it, we had the talking points. We trained volunteers to explain this to people. It's not a surprise. Rich people don't flee places with good quality of life when we increase the quality of life. They might try to cheat us, but they don't leave.
Reposted by Another Matt
if microsoft just made outlook search not suck they'd see triple the productivity gains of any AI integration
November 14, 2025 at 12:18 AM
if microsoft just made outlook search not suck they'd see triple the productivity gains of any AI integration
Reposted by Another Matt
This is what it’s like to read about the American governing elite right now.
![At least five Tang dynasty (618–907) emperors were incapacitated and killed by immortality elixirs. In historic recurrences, the newly enthroned emperor understandably executed the Daoist alchemists whose elixirs had killed his predecessor, and then subsequently came to believe in other charlatans enough to consume their poisonous elixirs.
Emperor Xianzong (r. 805–820) indirectly lost his life due to elixir poisoning. The Xu Tongzhi (Supplement to the Historical Collections) says, "Deluded by the sayings of the alchemists, [Xianzong] ingested gold elixirs and his behaviour became very abnormal. He was easily offended by those officials whom he daily met, and thus the prisons were left with little vacant space." In response, an official wrote an 819 memorial to the throne that said:
Of late years, however, (the capital) has been overrun by a host of pharmacists and alchemists ... recommending one another right and left with ever wilder and more extravagant claims. Now if there really were immortals, and scholars possessing the Tao, would they not conceal their names and hide themselves in mountain recesses far from the ken of man? ... The medicines of the sages of old were meant to cure bodily illnesses, and were not meant to be taken constantly like food. How much less so these metallic and mineral substances which are full of burning poison! ... Of old, as the Li Chi says, when the prince took physic, his minister tasted it first, and when a parent was sick, his son did likewise. Ministers and sons are in the same position. I humbly pray that all those persons who have elixirs made from transformed metals and minerals, and also those who recommend them, may be compelled to consume (their own elixirs) first for the space of one year. Such an investigation will distinguish truth from falsehood, and automatically clarify the matter by experiment.
After the emperor rejected this appeal, the palace eunuchs Wang Shoucheng and Chen Hongzhi 陳弘志 assassinated him in 820.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:4d2snfeymcblmvoaxvgfs7i6/bafkreicj4uaxsxrzzrod3yxa3uihy7odewkf4jpynd6mplgxek23u2rx5q@jpeg)
![When Xianzong's son and successor Emperor Muzong (r. 820–824) came to the throne, he executed the alchemists who had poisoned his father, but later began to take immortality elixirs himself. An official wrote Muzong an 823 memorial that warned:
Medicines are for use against illnesses, and should not be taken as food. ... Even when one is ill medicines must be used with great circumspection; how much more so when one is not ill. If this is true for the common people how much more so will it be for the emperor! Your imperial predecessor believed the nonsense of the alchemists and thus became ill; this your majesty already knows only too well. How could your majesty still repeat the same mistake?[27]
The emperor appreciated this reasoning but soon afterwards fell ill and died from poisoning. Palace eunuchs supposedly used poisonous elixirs to assassinate Muzong's young successor Emperor Jingzong (r. 824–827).](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:4d2snfeymcblmvoaxvgfs7i6/bafkreieltlwjzprlfasqdo67fgciczehab5vw7qrdojwhixyyet6f33yc4@jpeg)
November 14, 2025 at 6:46 AM
This is what it’s like to read about the American governing elite right now.
Reposted by Another Matt
Every day there are multiple instances of blatant corruption. Our government policy is for sale to the highest bidder and every bad actor in the world knows it. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/w...
November 14, 2025 at 11:28 AM
Every day there are multiple instances of blatant corruption. Our government policy is for sale to the highest bidder and every bad actor in the world knows it. www.nytimes.com/2025/11/13/w...
Reposted by Another Matt
Reposted by Another Matt
Worth adding even further: having looked several times with "mixed reality" as I reference:
I think actually the answer is both are true. I dont think the mum, son and dog are "fake" at all.
I think its real footage of them reacting to something real, which he's cut out then put in a fake scene.
I think actually the answer is both are true. I dont think the mum, son and dog are "fake" at all.
I think its real footage of them reacting to something real, which he's cut out then put in a fake scene.
November 14, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Worth adding even further: having looked several times with "mixed reality" as I reference:
I think actually the answer is both are true. I dont think the mum, son and dog are "fake" at all.
I think its real footage of them reacting to something real, which he's cut out then put in a fake scene.
I think actually the answer is both are true. I dont think the mum, son and dog are "fake" at all.
I think its real footage of them reacting to something real, which he's cut out then put in a fake scene.