It’s the dream. I consider a person’s approach to the airport to be a moral issue.

100% this. Sitting down with a book and a cup of coffee, unable to go anywhere else, is a veritable dream for me these days. The stress of cutting it fine for a flight can put me on edge for days. My wife was raised to be an EVEN EARLIER person than me, and I love her (and her parents) for it.

…but I have seen so, so many criminal clients in absolute dire straits because of gambling addictions. Utterly miserable. And you’re right that it mainly impacts those with fewer resources to begin with. There’s no way football matches should be quite so inundated with gambling adverts.

I would absolutely be in favour of banning gambling adverts. It’s so easy to fall into a trap of assuming gambling is harmless simply because I don’t have a problem with it - couple of quid on the grand national and the odd bet during the World Cup…

It is unfortunately the reality we inhabit.

We had something brilliant.

We now have something utterly terrible.

We have the chance to adopt something that is just a *bit* bad.

It’s not the sexiest campaign slogan: “Still shit, but not as shit as now”

It must surely be true that rejoining would be on significantly worse terms than those which we left behind. The opt outs and exemptions were carved over decades - I can’t imagine we’d get much of it back. Nonetheless, I’d still be just about in favour of rejoining.

I completely get this. I have a great deal of kinship with our friends on the continent, but in terms of my personal identity I 100% feel British, not European. I am however in favour of rejoining for purely financial, practical and logistical reasons. “Rejoin” needs to be a big church.

I don’t see it that way. I see every policy and enforcement decision as using a certain amount of political and executive capital. Some things are easy wins. Some things are deceptively complex. Change feels lower priority than the rest of the whole country that’s on fire.

I think the point is that we are doing relatively well, and so further change may not at this time be a priority.

Cool!

I don’t think it’s ruined entirely. I called one of them this morning and they said they know lots of other twins online and their view is that there are a huge number of twins with opposite handedness. So perhaps not *always* but perhaps overrepresented.

I know twins both of whom are right handed.

*This Address Does Not Exist*

An anthology of epistolary haunted house stories.

Premiers Friday, May 1, 2026

A vintage post card with the words "Post Card" at the top right in green block script. On the left side of the post card is written "Ben Rowe as Henry Thorne, Tania Gabbidon as Bella Warren" The right side reads "A Function of Power, written by: Fay Roberts, Edited by: Ash Seguinte, Sound Designed by: Erik Seguinte" There is a blue postage stamp in the top right corner that reads "This Address Does Not Exist"

*A Function of Power*

Featuring @benrowe.uk as Henry Thorne and @tegabbidonvo.bsky.social as Bella Warren

Written by @fayroberts.bsky.social
Edited by @ash-alder.bsky.social
Sound Designed by @erikseguinte.com

(It should be led by Jonny Kim, who could well be the most accomplished human on earth)

Unless Christina Koch is part of Artemis IV, and by extension the first woman on the moon, I am going to have a serious problem with some of the people at NASA.

I don’t even read the tweets before replying let alone links.

was that Melania speech one of Iran’s demands

I hate jumpers.

I also hate temperatures over about 12C.

Late autumn is my paradise. Shirt sleeves, shorts, perfectly warm. Perfect.

Oh, also, I loved “Oak”, in Bath. Superb vegan restaurant and worth a visit. Couple it with a day in Toppings and Mr B’s and I think it might be a perfect weekend.

Ah you’re probably very right about that. I am steadily decreasing the amount of meat I eat: I still love it but the sustainability issue nags the back of my mind constantly.

It will be no surprise to you that I absolutely adored Gauthier on a recent visit. Less impressed by Tendril.

I assumed it was a “kids say the funniest things” sort of situation, with a 2 or 3 year old who knew no better and parents and waiters laughed it off. I now realise I was desperately, horribly wrong.

Last time I was blown away by a meal was now nearly four years ago: Delta, in Athens.

Stars now hold little interest for me - but I will stand by the Bib Gourmand. I’m yet to have anything less than an excellent experience at any BG restaurant.

Oh come on now, perhaps the little tyke didn’t really know what… oh… oh no… he’s TWENTY?!

If you’re having to do that at 15, it’s too late. Children emulate the lives of their role models, as a base upon which to build their own lives. If they don’t have role models at home, they find them elsewhere.

Ties are cool. Grow up.

Someone asked me if I wanted an air fryer for Christmas, and I responded by asking if they wanted to be uninvited from Christmas lunch.

We have postponed our upcoming Dubai event and encourage UK lawyers in the Middle East to register with the FCDO and follow the travel advice for the country, the advice of the local authorities and from the relevant British embassy or consulate.
www.barcouncil.org.uk/resource/mid...

My son’s school - first 10 mins of every lesson today is quiet reading time. The final lesson will be everyone getting a chance to talk about a book they love - either their current book or one they’ve read before.

Aside from exams we are having a hard time of it in pupillage recruitment. Our estimate is that at the (very) least 50% of applicants have used some form of GenAI. We will put them all through their paces in interview, but the concern is getting the right people through the door in the first place.