You see the darnedest things on the tube.

The BBC are trying SO HARD get me to feel Feelings around Wonder At Human Ingenuity, and Altruistic Exploration of the Universe for Science, and I understand why, because everything else they tell me is incredibly shit and hell-in-a-handcart, but that's not a) where we are, or b) what's happening.

This is my favorite climate change chart. Japanese monks, aristocrats, and emperors kept meticulous records of cherry blossom festivals for 1,200 years and accidentally built the world's longest climate dataset.

Drives me nuts to hear ministers bleat "Buy petrol as usual", without ever acknowledging that the cost of a tank has gone up by £12 already, and at the current rate of increase, filling up at half a tank instead of waiting until it's empty is likely to save you another £1.50, every single time.

It's not like WE bombed Iran and closed the Straights, now, is it? The US created this mess all by themselves.

Remember everyone flipping out that @zackpolanski.bsky.social suggested we need to start planning for a future without NATO and y’all acted like that was ridiculous. 🙃

Strikes me as an absurd threat, either we need the 4000 new training places or we don’t

Knight Rider for 8 cellos YouTube video by Samara Ginsberg

For some reason this just appeared on my YouTube homepage. But who am I to fight the algorithm.

youtu.be/eYf595EJAc4?...

It’s been a rough week for air travelers but also (especially) for pilots and controllers.

The number of children & young people struggling with anxiety & depression continues to rise says the NHS. Why? Because no child can thrive without a stable sense of being safe, seen, secure & soothed when needed. But instead, our society leaves too many feeling stressed, forgotten & lonely.

If we made the green energy transition this war would be unthinkable and these authoritarians wouldn’t be in power — not in the US, not in Iran, not in Saudi Arabia, not in Russia. Hydrocarbons are killing our freedom and just plain killing us.

1/2
This is crucially important point.

1) "No quarter" is indeed specifically war-crime term

2) Under Geneva Conventions, after sinking an enemy ship, the attackers must "take all positive measures" to find and rescue any survivors. Text in next post

No evidence US sub did so after attack, AFAIK

(1) The accused declared, ordered, or otherwise indicated that there shall be no survivors or surrender accepted; (2) The accused thereby intended to threaten an adversary or to conduct hostilities such that there would be no survivors or surrender accepted; (3) It was foreseeable that circumstances would be such that a practicable and reasonable ability to accept surrender would exist; (4) The accused was in a position of effective command or control over the subordinate forces to which the declaration or order was directed; and (5) The conduct took place in the context of and was associated with hostilities.

✋ Former USG war crimes lawyer here.

Apropos of SecDef's remarks this morning:

Denial of quarter—even the declaration of no quarter—is a war crime.

And recognized as such by the US Government.

From DoD's Manual for Military Commissions.

We have awarded these people contracts in the Ministry of Defence. What the fuck are we doing.

I was in a 2 hour briefing today on the Iran War. All the briefings are closed, because Trump can't defend this war in public.

I obviously can't disclose classified info, but you deserve to know how incoherent and incomplete these war plans are.

1/ Here's what I can share:

Just when there were signs the UK economy was turning a corner, Trump does something else to absolutely fuck it. And then he has the gall to question whether we're a good ally.

Just fascinating to see Blair, a man whose reputation was ruined by the Iraq war, advocate joining a war that is exponentially stupider and more chaotic. How is it possible to learn nothing from the worst mistake of your life?

Everything old is new again

"Today’s OBR projections reveal two competing realities in government right now. The OBR and Treasury forecast an upturn in net migration, which makes their fiscal numbers add up – while the Home Office says it is determined to drive net migration down still further. They can’t have it both ways".

Good lord. What an abject failure the Blue Labour strategy has been.

Kind of incredible. I was just sitting down to write about how Starmer should be given credit for keeping us out of this mess when he does this. Unutterably foolish and obsequious. Why in God's name should we have anything to do with this shortsighted madness.

“We cannot say that the United States’ actions are against international law, but we condemn Iran’s retaliatory actions as against international law,” is neither a coherent nor a compelling position.

Permission for illegal military action from British bases?

I disagree. I think it's conclusive proof that bomb-makers are rubbish, and YOU are ace.

Letter explains why Liverpool's LIPA School is being shut down Leaders of troubled school detail range of issues behind major decision to close city centre school

Letter explains exactly why Liverpool’s LIPA school is being shut down

I’m afraid this letter shows why so many Labour MPs think Starmer needs to go. His political antenna is non-existent. If you have just been humbled in a by-election it might not be the best idea to slag off the choices of the voters who deserted you in their droves.

Picture 1: doctor looking at chart tells patient, "Your body has run out of magnesium." Picture 2: patient replies with a smile, "0mg"

What we have seen in Gorton and Denton is what we saw in Caerphilly in October.

A lot of people really don’t want the hateful politics of Reform and will work hard and smart to try and keep them out.

Labour must now listen to this and stop the grim attempts to mimic Farage.

Well, that's decisive!