Simon Watkins
@simonywaking.bsky.social
Interested in finance, economics, politics, philosophy, literature and childish humour.
Isn’t your question itself an example of a possibly flawed nostalgic assumption? ie. Is it true that people in the past were less likely to expect government to solve things?
(Genuine question and I am open to hearing evidence that this is so.)
(Genuine question and I am open to hearing evidence that this is so.)
November 23, 2025 at 12:39 PM
Isn’t your question itself an example of a possibly flawed nostalgic assumption? ie. Is it true that people in the past were less likely to expect government to solve things?
(Genuine question and I am open to hearing evidence that this is so.)
(Genuine question and I am open to hearing evidence that this is so.)
Ah, so it doesn’t even mean what I thought. Yoinks!
November 22, 2025 at 10:55 AM
Ah, so it doesn’t even mean what I thought. Yoinks!
But I recognise that the Simpsons may have made it more cromulent.
November 22, 2025 at 10:41 AM
But I recognise that the Simpsons may have made it more cromulent.
I feel old because that for me is an exclamation (albeit in the plural ‘yoinks!’) that is used by Shaggy from Scooby Doo (70s cartoons).
November 22, 2025 at 10:39 AM
I feel old because that for me is an exclamation (albeit in the plural ‘yoinks!’) that is used by Shaggy from Scooby Doo (70s cartoons).
Cat reaches up and knocks paradox off the top shelf.
November 22, 2025 at 9:54 AM
Cat reaches up and knocks paradox off the top shelf.
I hear it like this:
“He’s betting against thermodynamics, man.”
“He’s betting against thermodynamics, man.”
November 19, 2025 at 4:58 PM
I hear it like this:
“He’s betting against thermodynamics, man.”
“He’s betting against thermodynamics, man.”
It was precisely the ‘does a pint = 16 or 20floz?’ that I could not remember.
The British measurements situation is like speaking two or more languages, but being fluent in none of them. None work on their own, but using them in combination allows understanding. And is quite good mental exercise.
The British measurements situation is like speaking two or more languages, but being fluent in none of them. None work on their own, but using them in combination allows understanding. And is quite good mental exercise.
November 19, 2025 at 11:37 AM
It was precisely the ‘does a pint = 16 or 20floz?’ that I could not remember.
The British measurements situation is like speaking two or more languages, but being fluent in none of them. None work on their own, but using them in combination allows understanding. And is quite good mental exercise.
The British measurements situation is like speaking two or more languages, but being fluent in none of them. None work on their own, but using them in combination allows understanding. And is quite good mental exercise.
2/2
1 litre of water weighs 1kg. There are c. 2 pints in a litre, so a half pint of water (typical mug) weighs about 250g. I happen to that there are about 28g in an ounce (er… misspent youth). So half a pint of water weighs very roughly 9 ounces and so an 11 fl oz mug is probably a normal mug.
1 litre of water weighs 1kg. There are c. 2 pints in a litre, so a half pint of water (typical mug) weighs about 250g. I happen to that there are about 28g in an ounce (er… misspent youth). So half a pint of water weighs very roughly 9 ounces and so an 11 fl oz mug is probably a normal mug.
November 18, 2025 at 9:38 PM
2/2
1 litre of water weighs 1kg. There are c. 2 pints in a litre, so a half pint of water (typical mug) weighs about 250g. I happen to that there are about 28g in an ounce (er… misspent youth). So half a pint of water weighs very roughly 9 ounces and so an 11 fl oz mug is probably a normal mug.
1 litre of water weighs 1kg. There are c. 2 pints in a litre, so a half pint of water (typical mug) weighs about 250g. I happen to that there are about 28g in an ounce (er… misspent youth). So half a pint of water weighs very roughly 9 ounces and so an 11 fl oz mug is probably a normal mug.
Son was buying a mug online the other day and asked me whether 11 fluid ounces was a normal size.
I never think in fluid oz and did not know how many there are in a pint, but I assumed a fl oz of water weighs roughly one ounce.
So talked him through the following back of an envelope calculation: 1/2
I never think in fluid oz and did not know how many there are in a pint, but I assumed a fl oz of water weighs roughly one ounce.
So talked him through the following back of an envelope calculation: 1/2
November 18, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Son was buying a mug online the other day and asked me whether 11 fluid ounces was a normal size.
I never think in fluid oz and did not know how many there are in a pint, but I assumed a fl oz of water weighs roughly one ounce.
So talked him through the following back of an envelope calculation: 1/2
I never think in fluid oz and did not know how many there are in a pint, but I assumed a fl oz of water weighs roughly one ounce.
So talked him through the following back of an envelope calculation: 1/2
I was on a City Desk at the time. From a UK perspective my very strong memory of the Lastminute.com IPO (March 2000) was that it was very touch and go. And I am fairly sure the widespread feeling was ‘even if this succeeds it will be the very last hurrah’.
November 18, 2025 at 12:21 PM
I was on a City Desk at the time. From a UK perspective my very strong memory of the Lastminute.com IPO (March 2000) was that it was very touch and go. And I am fairly sure the widespread feeling was ‘even if this succeeds it will be the very last hurrah’.
OK I have realised that Alfred Jameson Sports was a sports kit retailer who had kit branded with their own name. Nevertheless, any further info would be gratefully received.
November 18, 2025 at 8:48 AM
OK I have realised that Alfred Jameson Sports was a sports kit retailer who had kit branded with their own name. Nevertheless, any further info would be gratefully received.
It’s more efficient. If you start off as two parties inside the same organisation, it’s much easier when you split.
November 17, 2025 at 12:38 PM
It’s more efficient. If you start off as two parties inside the same organisation, it’s much easier when you split.
No. Stoking hatred and proposing vile policies is damaging to people’s lives in itself and shifts the centre of policy debate horrifically rightwards.
And arguing that ‘it’s all a lie and they will not actually do it’ is not a great moral defence.
And arguing that ‘it’s all a lie and they will not actually do it’ is not a great moral defence.
November 17, 2025 at 11:10 AM
No. Stoking hatred and proposing vile policies is damaging to people’s lives in itself and shifts the centre of policy debate horrifically rightwards.
And arguing that ‘it’s all a lie and they will not actually do it’ is not a great moral defence.
And arguing that ‘it’s all a lie and they will not actually do it’ is not a great moral defence.
Rule of thumb for newspaper coverage of a public policy that faces a legal challenge:
We hate the policy = ‘it is against the law’
We like the policy = ‘lawyers are against it’
We hate the policy = ‘it is against the law’
We like the policy = ‘lawyers are against it’
November 17, 2025 at 9:44 AM
Rule of thumb for newspaper coverage of a public policy that faces a legal challenge:
We hate the policy = ‘it is against the law’
We like the policy = ‘lawyers are against it’
We hate the policy = ‘it is against the law’
We like the policy = ‘lawyers are against it’
To my mind this becoming Starmer’s Iraq War. Whatever other good this government may or may not achieve, it will be dwarfed by an appalling moral stain.
November 15, 2025 at 1:18 PM
To my mind this becoming Starmer’s Iraq War. Whatever other good this government may or may not achieve, it will be dwarfed by an appalling moral stain.
Judas Iscariot is available.
November 15, 2025 at 12:11 AM
Judas Iscariot is available.
I downloaded the app. Texting with Jesus is free at first, but you have to register and pay for more than 4 texts. Apostles and leading prophets are available for text chats for an extra 4.99 a month each. (I am not making this up.)
November 15, 2025 at 12:08 AM
I downloaded the app. Texting with Jesus is free at first, but you have to register and pay for more than 4 texts. Apostles and leading prophets are available for text chats for an extra 4.99 a month each. (I am not making this up.)
Apologies. I forgot to put the irony symbol on my previous post.
November 14, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Apologies. I forgot to put the irony symbol on my previous post.
That’s just taking a delicious flavour and mixing it with something disgusting.
November 14, 2025 at 8:59 PM
That’s just taking a delicious flavour and mixing it with something disgusting.