@thestubbseffect.bsky.social
Tricky Tree up north. Music, footy, books, film, theatre, faith and all things Italian.
That's handy!
December 27, 2025 at 9:14 PM
That's handy!
A welcome win too!
December 27, 2025 at 8:07 PM
A welcome win too!
We (Jazz Leeds) also get many of these on the circuit before or after Sheffield. Not heard the new Laura Judd yet but it sounds wonderful. The playlists are things of beauty, and impressive in their range. Music is a wonderful gift.
December 27, 2025 at 11:05 AM
We (Jazz Leeds) also get many of these on the circuit before or after Sheffield. Not heard the new Laura Judd yet but it sounds wonderful. The playlists are things of beauty, and impressive in their range. Music is a wonderful gift.
Hugely impressive. I bet you enjoyed tucking into them!
December 27, 2025 at 10:50 AM
Hugely impressive. I bet you enjoyed tucking into them!
A question about names and regions. When we lived in Rome, and elsewhere in the south, they're called cornetti. Is croissant or brioche more of a northern thing?
December 27, 2025 at 10:49 AM
A question about names and regions. When we lived in Rome, and elsewhere in the south, they're called cornetti. Is croissant or brioche more of a northern thing?
An old school friend has got me a ticket to Fulham away on Monday,as he did last season. I'm hoping for better than last season's lame defeat. I've been to Craven Cottage 3 times now. All defeats. Still, my first game, aged 10, was a 0-1 loss to Liverpool, and I remain undaunted!
December 16, 2025 at 4:54 PM
An old school friend has got me a ticket to Fulham away on Monday,as he did last season. I'm hoping for better than last season's lame defeat. I've been to Craven Cottage 3 times now. All defeats. Still, my first game, aged 10, was a 0-1 loss to Liverpool, and I remain undaunted!
Hugely entertaining and fascinating. I love Italian food but the fact that even in a huge city like Rome it's virtually impossible to find anything resembling a good curry (available on most UK high streets) is frustrating. There's a sense that if it's not Italian it's not worth eating.
December 15, 2025 at 7:30 PM
Hugely entertaining and fascinating. I love Italian food but the fact that even in a huge city like Rome it's virtually impossible to find anything resembling a good curry (available on most UK high streets) is frustrating. There's a sense that if it's not Italian it's not worth eating.
Did you get one? I'm always intrigued by how we end up with our teams. How did a Somerset boy end up with Everton? I knew nothing of football till I moved from Kent to Notts at 10, then had to have a team. My choice of Forest was based purely on colour. My first match sealed a lifelong love.
December 15, 2025 at 4:58 PM
Did you get one? I'm always intrigued by how we end up with our teams. How did a Somerset boy end up with Everton? I knew nothing of football till I moved from Kent to Notts at 10, then had to have a team. My choice of Forest was based purely on colour. My first match sealed a lifelong love.
Where's the detail about the safe and legal routes? When will they start? Afghans and Syrians are being refused now? Why, when we can't remove them and not long ago acknowledged that they needed a safe pathway?
December 13, 2025 at 11:23 PM
Where's the detail about the safe and legal routes? When will they start? Afghans and Syrians are being refused now? Why, when we can't remove them and not long ago acknowledged that they needed a safe pathway?
You can't actually be sure of that, and why should anyone wait 20 years? I don't see anything here about permission to work, which would reduce costs and give people some dignity rather than forcing them to be 'scroungers' while they wait, often a very long time, for a decision.
December 13, 2025 at 11:21 PM
You can't actually be sure of that, and why should anyone wait 20 years? I don't see anything here about permission to work, which would reduce costs and give people some dignity rather than forcing them to be 'scroungers' while they wait, often a very long time, for a decision.
I worked with asylum seekers for 18 years. I do have some understanding of the system. That doesn't make it OK to cut off routes without opening up new safe and legal pathways. People use risky routes because they don't see any alternative.
December 13, 2025 at 11:19 PM
I worked with asylum seekers for 18 years. I do have some understanding of the system. That doesn't make it OK to cut off routes without opening up new safe and legal pathways. People use risky routes because they don't see any alternative.
Starting work on safe and legal routes is not deterring people from crossing. If there's no legal alternative they'll still try to cross if they can. The weather will have been a factor. It's naive to think this is all down to Labour actions. Pulling up the drawbridge because we can isn't laudable.
December 13, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Starting work on safe and legal routes is not deterring people from crossing. If there's no legal alternative they'll still try to cross if they can. The weather will have been a factor. It's naive to think this is all down to Labour actions. Pulling up the drawbridge because we can isn't laudable.
There was a perfectly good voluntary returns programme until about 2015 when the HO took it in house and all returns plummeted to a trickle. If people believe their claim has been fully and fairly judged and they're refused they're far more likely to accept return. That happened before.
December 13, 2025 at 8:39 PM
There was a perfectly good voluntary returns programme until about 2015 when the HO took it in house and all returns plummeted to a trickle. If people believe their claim has been fully and fairly judged and they're refused they're far more likely to accept return. That happened before.
If HO worked properly (Tories made things much worse) then good decisions would be made more quickly, people would be out of hotels and those refused could be removed. Refusals have risen massively recently, so have appeals. Why? Poor decisions (eg refusing Afghans who will appeal successfully).
December 13, 2025 at 8:36 PM
If HO worked properly (Tories made things much worse) then good decisions would be made more quickly, people would be out of hotels and those refused could be removed. Refusals have risen massively recently, so have appeals. Why? Poor decisions (eg refusing Afghans who will appeal successfully).
The fact that other European countries adopt these measures doesn't make them good per se. Denmark receives a tiny number of refugees compared to the UK but has no real colonial history and so language and family connections aren't drivers as they are in people deciding to come here.
December 13, 2025 at 8:31 PM
The fact that other European countries adopt these measures doesn't make them good per se. Denmark receives a tiny number of refugees compared to the UK but has no real colonial history and so language and family connections aren't drivers as they are in people deciding to come here.
How are people expected to integrate and buy into British values if they are kept in limbo for years and years, never knowing if they'll finally be able to settle, or if they'll ever be reunited here with their families? These are real issues which should not be glossed over.
December 13, 2025 at 8:29 PM
How are people expected to integrate and buy into British values if they are kept in limbo for years and years, never knowing if they'll finally be able to settle, or if they'll ever be reunited here with their families? These are real issues which should not be glossed over.
Where are the settlement pathways? Stopping boats is fine, no more channel deaths, but it deprives people who would get refugee status of means of reaching the UK and applying for asylum. If you stop irregular entry without offering ways of regular entry you're simply pulling up the drawbridge.
December 13, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Where are the settlement pathways? Stopping boats is fine, no more channel deaths, but it deprives people who would get refugee status of means of reaching the UK and applying for asylum. If you stop irregular entry without offering ways of regular entry you're simply pulling up the drawbridge.
Refugee protection is,according to the HS's proposed changes, being made more precarious. If people can't get settlement for 20 years that leaves them in limbo for that time. If refugee status is reviewed every couple of years, that leaves people in limbo.
December 13, 2025 at 8:24 PM
Refugee protection is,according to the HS's proposed changes, being made more precarious. If people can't get settlement for 20 years that leaves them in limbo for that time. If refugee status is reviewed every couple of years, that leaves people in limbo.
Judges have some discretion Suspended sentences are viewed as a pretty serious alternative to immediate prison sentences if prison seems relevant. Suspended sentences emphasise the seriousness of the offence without sending people to prison who don't need to be sent there to 'learn' their lessons.
December 10, 2025 at 9:50 AM
Judges have some discretion Suspended sentences are viewed as a pretty serious alternative to immediate prison sentences if prison seems relevant. Suspended sentences emphasise the seriousness of the offence without sending people to prison who don't need to be sent there to 'learn' their lessons.
However, until safe and legal routes are actually in place the focus on smashing the gangs will lead to continued risky crossings and to more deaths. It's not possible to 'smash' the gangs unless you remove their reason for being, by giving people safe alternatives.
December 9, 2025 at 11:32 PM
However, until safe and legal routes are actually in place the focus on smashing the gangs will lead to continued risky crossings and to more deaths. It's not possible to 'smash' the gangs unless you remove their reason for being, by giving people safe alternatives.
Slightly Atomic Rooster Tomorrow Night-ish feel to the organ riff. Never heard of them before. Thanks for the tip.
December 8, 2025 at 7:42 PM
Slightly Atomic Rooster Tomorrow Night-ish feel to the organ riff. Never heard of them before. Thanks for the tip.
Slightly Atomic Rooster Tomorrow Night-ish feel.
December 8, 2025 at 7:39 PM
Slightly Atomic Rooster Tomorrow Night-ish feel.
We know they're interested in scare stories or in 'proving' Labour is failing, but do we have evidence that the low numbers are anything to do with Labour or just a result of bad weather in the Channel?
December 8, 2025 at 7:35 PM
We know they're interested in scare stories or in 'proving' Labour is failing, but do we have evidence that the low numbers are anything to do with Labour or just a result of bad weather in the Channel?