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meadoak.bsky.social
Lurking in London
@meadoak.bsky.social
120 followers 260 following 280 posts
South Londoner, trying to find moments of sanity in a mad world
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meadoak.bsky.social
Wot, the Peruvian-born Danny, who arrived at his English boarding school clutching Paddington's suitcase?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daniel_Hannan Early life Hannan was born on 1 September 1971 in Lima, Peru.[6][7] His mother was a Scot who had been working in the British Embassy in Lima. His father, whose family origins are Ulster Catholic,[8] had been educated in the UK and had served in Italy during the Second World War with the North Irish Horse of the British Army.[8][better source needed] Hannan grew up on his parents' farm outside Lima, attending school and university in Britain.[7] He was educated at Winchester House School and Marlborough College.[7]
November 12, 2025 at 12:41 PM
meadoak.bsky.social
#NationalTrust #NT members have followed the board's recommendations and elected sane candidates to the NT's Council at the 2025 AGM

The right-wing #RestoreTrust candidates were defeated again.
Elected to the Council • Marcus Buck - • Jane Dean - • Richard Grayson - • Ismail Kholwadia - • Anne Marie McAleese - • Stephen McMahon - • Will Wilkin
November 8, 2025 at 12:40 PM
meadoak.bsky.social
What appears to be the restaurant's entry at Companies House shows various winding up and liquidation statements for the last couple of years
find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk/company/1180...

Would appear there's a bit more history than just the whine on the website.
Screenshot of Companies House entry for YouEatItalian Ltd showing winding up and liquidation statements Official London Gazette notice to creditors from the restaurant's liquidator
October 20, 2025 at 12:56 PM
meadoak.bsky.social
Choose male vs female black poplar trees carefully - there's a female BP nearby which produces fluffy cotton wool-like seeds in abundance, covering the street, houses and vehicles for weeks in spring. Understandably, female trees were/are considered a nuisance and very rare these days.
Picture of fluffy and prolific female seeds of black poplar trees Picture from: https://www.nationalparks.uk/2025/07/28/discover-how-you-can-help-to-save-britains-most-endangered-tree/
October 16, 2025 at 12:44 PM
meadoak.bsky.social
For those unfamiliar, there's a wonderful OFCOM document that lists the public's perception of "rude" words being used on TV and radio.
37 pages of it, including words not in English ...
PDF: www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/r...

bsky.app/profile/jame...
Table from linked Ofcom doc with a table of general swear words
July 15, 2025 at 12:40 PM
meadoak.bsky.social
There's at least four and an ex Chronicle journalists with the Chronicle on this platform ... maybe they can explain the editorial strategy?
Bluesky users with bios referencing Newcastle Chronicle
July 2, 2025 at 9:43 AM
meadoak.bsky.social
As usual Goodwin & co are claiming that anyone of Irish descent living here is "foreign".

Section 2 of the Ireland Act 1949 is clear: Ireland is not a foreign country.
Republic of Ireland not a foreign country. (1)It is hereby declared that, notwithstanding that the Republic of Ireland is not part of His Majesty's dominions, the Republic of Ireland is not a foreign country for the purposes of any law in force in any part of the United Kingdom or in any colony, protectorate or United Kingdom trust territory, whether by virtue of a rule of law or of an Act of Parliament or any other enactment or instrument whatsoever, whether passed or made before or after the passing of this Act, and references in any Act of Parliament, other enactment or instrument whatsoever, whether passed or made before or after the passing of this Act, to foreigners, aliens, foreign countries, and foreign or foreign-built ships or aircraft shall be construed accordingly. (2)The person who, in the United Kingdom, is the chief representative of the Republic of Ireland or of the Government thereof shall, whatever the style of his office, have the same privileges and exemptions as to taxation and otherwise as fall to be accorded under the law for the time being in force to High Commissioners and Agents General within the meaning of section nineteen of the [13 & 14 Geo. 5. c. 14.] Finance Act, 1923, and his staff shall have the same privileges and exemptions as to taxation and "otherwise as fall to be accorded under the law for the time being in force to their staffs.
July 1, 2025 at 11:52 AM
meadoak.bsky.social
Don't know about Wilson, but every time I see Starmer with his beloved red folders, I think he looks like Eamonn Andrews*

(*ask your grandma)
Eamonn Andrews with his famous red "This is Your Life" folder Kier Starmer with a red folder preparing for PMQs
July 1, 2025 at 9:52 AM
meadoak.bsky.social
The users of this platform are making good use of the block and block-list features.
Clearsky stats for the Vance account Clearsky stats for the Vance account
June 19, 2025 at 8:35 AM
meadoak.bsky.social
#BlueSky has the juice!

Take the roasting of @smartdublin.bsky.social for it's AI tourist bot:

👇 Bluesky post: 1.4k replies, 817 quotes, flamed
bsky.app/profile/smar...
Xitter post: 👇 28 replies, 25 quotes.
x.com/smartdublin/...
screenshot of the linked bluesky post screenshot of the linked x post
June 7, 2025 at 4:34 PM
meadoak.bsky.social
I'll leave maritime lawyers to argue that point, while I sit here and giggle
Container ship half afloat, half wedged on land with the bow next to a small house.
May 22, 2025 at 8:21 AM
meadoak.bsky.social
Looks like Altar Mitty Calvin Robinson has exited Xitter too
@calvinrobinson This account doesn’t exist Try searching for another.
May 15, 2025 at 12:25 PM
meadoak.bsky.social
Alternatively, local supermarkets are offering roles at £15.20/hour.
The care sector is important for all the reasons folk are pointing out, but pay (often funded by the state) needs to improve significantly to create a stable, committed workforce.
(cc @duncanweldon.bsky.social )
Job on Sainsbury's website: Home Delivery Driver Company Logo Rate: £15.20 per hour Location: Sutton Store, Sutton, SM1 1LL Hours: Part time, 20 hours per week Contract type: Permanent Business area: Retail Requisition ID: 301040
May 12, 2025 at 10:54 AM
meadoak.bsky.social
Garfield SRA registration: www.sra.org.uk/consumers/re...
Appears to focus on small claims: www.garfield.law

I like how the Garfield terms-of-use prevent you using automated tools and robots to use their AI engine 🤷
May 5, 2025 at 12:00 PM
meadoak.bsky.social
As you'll be aware, there's a wonderful OFCOM document that lists the public's perception of "rude" words being used on TV and radio.
37 pages of it, including words not in English ...
PDF: www.ofcom.org.uk/siteassets/r...
Table from linked Ofcom doc with a table of general swear words
April 25, 2025 at 10:15 AM
meadoak.bsky.social
UKIP's candidate for London Mayor, Peter Gammons, who believed there were "4,000,000km of secret tunnels and chambers hidden under London" that could "ease London's congestion problems"
Screenshot of a Xitter post by Peter Gammons (@Gammons4London) "Did you know that there are 4,000,000km of secret tunnels and chambers hidden under London that, until recently, no one know even existed? Large stretches of these tunnels can be used to ease London's congestion problems" Nov 16, 2020 with a link to a mylondon news article (which Gammons hadn't read)
April 21, 2025 at 11:05 AM
meadoak.bsky.social
Consistent with the pictures reportedly of interior of his New York Trump Tower apartment with faux Louis XIV.

Expect the Oval Office will be incrementally blinged until it matches.
Living room scene with gold blinged furniture, chandelier, painted ceilings.
April 18, 2025 at 2:15 PM
meadoak.bsky.social
This was the UKIP transport policy in 2022, with skateboard lanes down the middle of roads 🤪

Alas, the link to the 2022 pdf is long dead
UKIP 2022 policy on ebikes escooters pedestrianised streets and the Hyperloop UKIP 2022 end the war on drivers policies
April 16, 2025 at 8:33 AM
meadoak.bsky.social
How many postage stamps are the Septics buying from Norfolk island?

www.countryreports.org/country/Norf...
Norfolk Island Imports and Exports Exports $1,500,000 (USD) Major Exports postage stamps, seeds of the Norfolk Island pine and Kentia palm, small quantities of avocados Top Export Partners Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe Imports $0 (USD) Top Import Partners Australia, other Pacific island countries, NZ, Asia, Europe
April 2, 2025 at 9:28 PM
meadoak.bsky.social
"We've made sure we have a FRONT SEAT on the new DLR trains as well"

Important political commitment by @london.gov.uk, interviewed by @rosslydall.bsky.social (via another platform in Feb'23)
April 2, 2025 at 6:38 PM
meadoak.bsky.social
Looking forward to hearing that the Faragiste court makes of the agreement, given that they thought it was "treachery" a few weeks ago
Reform UK post on X: Nigel F: “I think what the British government are doing over Chagos is not far short of an act of treachery!” Reform oppose Starmer’s Chagos Betrayal." Includes a still of the Reform leader speaking on video, with a courtier kneeling behind him devotedly pointing a camera in his direction.
April 1, 2025 at 12:47 PM
meadoak.bsky.social
They're worried: "After several weeks of wild speculation, the Pentagon is formally denying it has the ability to remotely disable Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets."

www.flightglobal.com/fixed-wing/t...
After several weeks of wild speculation, the Pentagon is formally denying it has the ability to remotely disable Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jets. Dubbed the “kill switch”, the concept seemingly began as an unsubstantiated rumour on social media. It gained enough traction to receive news coverage in Europe and North America. “There is no kill switch,” the Pentagon’s F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) said on 18 March. “The programme operates under well-established agreements that ensure all F-35 operators have the necessary capabilities to sustain and operate their aircraft effectively.” The JPO oversees contract negotiations, aircraft deliveries and sustainment for all global operators of the single-engined jet. Twenty countries have signed on to the multinational fighter programme, with 10 of those already operating the F-35 on home soil, according to Lockheed. In January, the airframer reported an F-35 order backlog of 408 aircraft.
March 20, 2025 at 7:22 PM
meadoak.bsky.social
No, Penelope Keith didn't shoot JFK ... she was a decoy for the real assassin ...
Black and white picture of Peter Bowles, holding a pistol, in a scene from the 1970 film Eyewitness.
March 20, 2025 at 5:44 PM
meadoak.bsky.social
There's some right crap in those responses, e.g. the "teacher" that commutes a long distance to a school in the zone, but has a (presumably BTL) property nearby that they don't live in

Pay for your parking permit with your BTL income, love.
I wholly object to this proposal. 1. As a teacher working at a school within this zone, will not be able to afford the permit 2. I will not feel safe parking further away and walking. Previously when the LTN was in place, crime increased in the area 3. It will add to traffic idling around the school as parents will not be able to park close enough to pick up/drop off their children and this will contribute to additional pollution around the school 4. I already commute a long distance to work, adding additional time to my journey (if I park out of the permit zone) will not be feasible and I would look to move schools, driving people out of the area for work 5. We own a property on Valleyfield Road and the restricted parking zones will mean that people will be parking there, making it a less desirable place to rent/buy so we would be faced with financial implications there too
March 14, 2025 at 4:32 PM
meadoak.bsky.social
2/ ... and decide whether to tell JC Decaux who say they ain't happy about guerrilla posting on their advertising sites
JCDecauxUK @JCDecaux_UK This is illegal activity and we send out our teams to repost as soon as we identify it ourselves or it’s reported to us. 2:25 PM · Mar 12, 2025
March 12, 2025 at 2:33 PM