Steve Parks
@steveparks.me
Geeking out about writing, entrepreneurship, journalism, food, tech — or ideally a combination.
European, living/writing in France & running a business in UK.
https://www.steveparks.me
European, living/writing in France & running a business in UK.
https://www.steveparks.me
The raid was a turning point. Not just strategically for the allies, but also morally for the French who began to believe they would be librated.
To this day, the town of Saint Nazaire has a memorial to the raiders, with the cannon from the Campbeltown installed on the roof of the submarine base.
To this day, the town of Saint Nazaire has a memorial to the raiders, with the cannon from the Campbeltown installed on the roof of the submarine base.
November 9, 2025 at 9:19 PM
The raid was a turning point. Not just strategically for the allies, but also morally for the French who began to believe they would be librated.
To this day, the town of Saint Nazaire has a memorial to the raiders, with the cannon from the Campbeltown installed on the roof of the submarine base.
To this day, the town of Saint Nazaire has a memorial to the raiders, with the cannon from the Campbeltown installed on the roof of the submarine base.
But the core mission was achieved with incredible success.
The Campbeltown was embedded in the crucial dry dock gates.
8 hours later its timed detonators would trigger the 5 tons of hidden explosives to destroy the dock and inflict massive casualties.
(Photo: Bundesarchiv, CC-BY-SA 3.0)
The Campbeltown was embedded in the crucial dry dock gates.
8 hours later its timed detonators would trigger the 5 tons of hidden explosives to destroy the dock and inflict massive casualties.
(Photo: Bundesarchiv, CC-BY-SA 3.0)
November 9, 2025 at 8:52 PM
But the core mission was achieved with incredible success.
The Campbeltown was embedded in the crucial dry dock gates.
8 hours later its timed detonators would trigger the 5 tons of hidden explosives to destroy the dock and inflict massive casualties.
(Photo: Bundesarchiv, CC-BY-SA 3.0)
The Campbeltown was embedded in the crucial dry dock gates.
8 hours later its timed detonators would trigger the 5 tons of hidden explosives to destroy the dock and inflict massive casualties.
(Photo: Bundesarchiv, CC-BY-SA 3.0)
Great news out of the US as it’s clear America has turned against Trump en masse, even in Republican strongholds.
FT has it top story, nails angle.
BBC has it 2nd to story about immigrants working illegally 🙄, makes it only about New York, doesn’t mention turn against Trump, says problems ahead 🙄
FT has it top story, nails angle.
BBC has it 2nd to story about immigrants working illegally 🙄, makes it only about New York, doesn’t mention turn against Trump, says problems ahead 🙄
November 5, 2025 at 7:56 AM
Great news out of the US as it’s clear America has turned against Trump en masse, even in Republican strongholds.
FT has it top story, nails angle.
BBC has it 2nd to story about immigrants working illegally 🙄, makes it only about New York, doesn’t mention turn against Trump, says problems ahead 🙄
FT has it top story, nails angle.
BBC has it 2nd to story about immigrants working illegally 🙄, makes it only about New York, doesn’t mention turn against Trump, says problems ahead 🙄
Not a cake I'm going to rush to try
November 1, 2025 at 10:14 AM
Not a cake I'm going to rush to try
Attended an event at the Turkish consulate tonight expecting a stuffy diplomatic do with canapés. But this was the star of the catering! Very happy with that result.
October 29, 2025 at 8:53 PM
Attended an event at the Turkish consulate tonight expecting a stuffy diplomatic do with canapés. But this was the star of the catering! Very happy with that result.
Seeking all those piled up crunchy onions, crispy bacon, and that oozing sauce, I opened it up
October 26, 2025 at 8:19 AM
Seeking all those piled up crunchy onions, crispy bacon, and that oozing sauce, I opened it up
Made a rare visit to McDonalds the other day.
This was the burger I was given vs the picture of it on the poster taunting me next to where I sat. Can you guess which is which?
This was the burger I was given vs the picture of it on the poster taunting me next to where I sat. Can you guess which is which?
October 26, 2025 at 8:18 AM
Made a rare visit to McDonalds the other day.
This was the burger I was given vs the picture of it on the poster taunting me next to where I sat. Can you guess which is which?
This was the burger I was given vs the picture of it on the poster taunting me next to where I sat. Can you guess which is which?
The Economist email newsletter has this chart, and some commentary on why people are 'becoming surprisingly less grumpy'.
Is it possible there could have been some kind of global event in '20-22 that peaked worry/stress/anxiety and reduced enjoyment, so levels now are just returning from a spike?
Is it possible there could have been some kind of global event in '20-22 that peaked worry/stress/anxiety and reduced enjoyment, so levels now are just returning from a spike?
October 24, 2025 at 4:24 PM
The Economist email newsletter has this chart, and some commentary on why people are 'becoming surprisingly less grumpy'.
Is it possible there could have been some kind of global event in '20-22 that peaked worry/stress/anxiety and reduced enjoyment, so levels now are just returning from a spike?
Is it possible there could have been some kind of global event in '20-22 that peaked worry/stress/anxiety and reduced enjoyment, so levels now are just returning from a spike?
... in trying anything to get it to work I click "Je me connecte" in the paywall to login again... but because I am logged in already, it shows a 404 error.
And so I'm getting no value from paying for a subscription, and am unlikely to renew.
And so I'm getting no value from paying for a subscription, and am unlikely to renew.
October 22, 2025 at 7:30 PM
... in trying anything to get it to work I click "Je me connecte" in the paywall to login again... but because I am logged in already, it shows a 404 error.
And so I'm getting no value from paying for a subscription, and am unlikely to renew.
And so I'm getting no value from paying for a subscription, and am unlikely to renew.
... But now I want to browse the local news, and all the articles get interrupted by a paywall box saying I need to subscribe.
I keep checking the header and it shows I am logged in, but the paywall still shows...
I keep checking the header and it shows I am logged in, but the paywall still shows...
October 22, 2025 at 7:28 PM
... But now I want to browse the local news, and all the articles get interrupted by a paywall box saying I need to subscribe.
I keep checking the header and it shows I am logged in, but the paywall still shows...
I keep checking the header and it shows I am logged in, but the paywall still shows...
I really try to support news media by subscribing, but so many titles make it so very hard, with terrible websites and apps.
For example, my local paper.
I subscribe to their digital edition (and pay extra to not have ads)... and I'm currently logged in:
For example, my local paper.
I subscribe to their digital edition (and pay extra to not have ads)... and I'm currently logged in:
October 22, 2025 at 7:26 PM
I really try to support news media by subscribing, but so many titles make it so very hard, with terrible websites and apps.
For example, my local paper.
I subscribe to their digital edition (and pay extra to not have ads)... and I'm currently logged in:
For example, my local paper.
I subscribe to their digital edition (and pay extra to not have ads)... and I'm currently logged in:
Oh @theguardian.com don’t go the way of the NYT. This headline is so bad and irresponsible.
It’s not ‘contentious’ it is a lie.
And don’t simply repeat the lie as the first part of the headline.
Should be: “Trump makes false claims about paracetamol, amplifying health disinformation again”
It’s not ‘contentious’ it is a lie.
And don’t simply repeat the lie as the first part of the headline.
Should be: “Trump makes false claims about paracetamol, amplifying health disinformation again”
September 23, 2025 at 8:04 AM
Oh @theguardian.com don’t go the way of the NYT. This headline is so bad and irresponsible.
It’s not ‘contentious’ it is a lie.
And don’t simply repeat the lie as the first part of the headline.
Should be: “Trump makes false claims about paracetamol, amplifying health disinformation again”
It’s not ‘contentious’ it is a lie.
And don’t simply repeat the lie as the first part of the headline.
Should be: “Trump makes false claims about paracetamol, amplifying health disinformation again”
A lovely late summer evening. Cheers!
September 18, 2025 at 5:44 PM
A lovely late summer evening. Cheers!
Funny, I could have sworn that during the enormous (and entirely peaceful) protest marches against Brexit, the Met said it was not their police to release attendance numbers
September 13, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Funny, I could have sworn that during the enormous (and entirely peaceful) protest marches against Brexit, the Met said it was not their police to release attendance numbers
I’ve got a bit of whiplash from following the commentary in this FT analysis piece
September 13, 2025 at 8:42 AM
I’ve got a bit of whiplash from following the commentary in this FT analysis piece
Yep, really really fortunate to live here.
End of my road:
End of my road:
September 7, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Yep, really really fortunate to live here.
End of my road:
End of my road:
Ok kitchen geeks. What is this kitchen tool for please?
It was bundled in with some assorted kitchen items at the second hand shop.
I can’t figure it out at all.
One part of the nose is longer, and flattens out. The nose pieces don’t meet to grip anything.
It was bundled in with some assorted kitchen items at the second hand shop.
I can’t figure it out at all.
One part of the nose is longer, and flattens out. The nose pieces don’t meet to grip anything.
July 13, 2025 at 8:58 AM
Ok kitchen geeks. What is this kitchen tool for please?
It was bundled in with some assorted kitchen items at the second hand shop.
I can’t figure it out at all.
One part of the nose is longer, and flattens out. The nose pieces don’t meet to grip anything.
It was bundled in with some assorted kitchen items at the second hand shop.
I can’t figure it out at all.
One part of the nose is longer, and flattens out. The nose pieces don’t meet to grip anything.
Crikey, what's Musk done with AI now?!?
July 11, 2025 at 10:46 PM
Crikey, what's Musk done with AI now?!?
Call me a traditionalist
July 10, 2025 at 6:55 PM
Call me a traditionalist
I like the style of this oyster bar
July 10, 2025 at 5:18 PM
I like the style of this oyster bar
July 8, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Eating fresh mulberries from the tree outside my office door
July 7, 2025 at 2:51 PM
Eating fresh mulberries from the tree outside my office door
Today’s post-market beer is going down very nicely
(Along with failing to resist temptation and tucking into a chunk of warm baguette)
(Along with failing to resist temptation and tucking into a chunk of warm baguette)
July 5, 2025 at 10:59 AM
Today’s post-market beer is going down very nicely
(Along with failing to resist temptation and tucking into a chunk of warm baguette)
(Along with failing to resist temptation and tucking into a chunk of warm baguette)
Well, one bit of government is taking the edict to "be more like private sector" seriously...
July 4, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Well, one bit of government is taking the edict to "be more like private sector" seriously...