Book text Nor was there a plan for governimg. 'The first conversatiom I had wiyh Eddie,' one aide said, 'was about whether you could claim air miles im government' (you can't).
From Tim Shipman's book (just been reading this chapter) about the first thing Eddie Lister did on being appointed to the No 10 team
They were on a bill a few years back at the Alarm Clock Britain festival with The Tofu Eating Wokerati and Enemies of the People, if I recall.
"Oh, a new historical-political drama set in the late 18th century" he thought, before Googling disappointedly
So same story as with lots of smaller purchases (a phone, car, choosing an estate agent or solicitor), I ask someone who I think is generally savvy what they have, then copy them
When I chaired a MAT, the sponsors (who were on ST rich list) kindly put some of their own funds into a managed pot to sit beside reserves. If I ever have funds to invest personally I'm not doing my own research (it would be Dunning Kruger city), I'm just using the exact same firm they trusted.
If I'm ever in a position where I have a decent amount of money (lol) to manage sensibly, I'm immediately handing it over to a professional who's not an investment dunce like me, saying "my risk appetite the cautious side of medium" and leaving them to it.
Whats your take on the "kid has just wilfully walloped mine and their parent is nowhere to be seen, shall I tell them off" conundrum
Leo XIII 🤝 Leo XIV
When we're pension age in the 2050s we'll be living in a Mad Max simulcrum, fighting hyenas for food, defending our homes from motorbike war lords in boar masks and white-knuckling through thunderdrome battles, and all the diligent organised millenials with retro things like savings will look silly.
Costa del Beeston 😎
There's a real issue with maths questions ostensibly there to test maths knowledge, that confuses with extraneous info. Q about how to calc the area of a circle that starts "a cricket groundsman needs enough bags of seed.. each bag covers 12sq metres" etc, kids thinking about cricket and not maths
This week our company lost a million dollars - and here's the thing - we all cheered.
Because [suprising clickbaity hook] isn't just [adjective], it's [contrasting adjective in italics].
And honestly? That's [schmaltzy conclusion]
"Mr Parnell! Peterborough Standard. Would you mind giving us a quick comment for the paper?"
"Certainly! Well, I'd describe it as one remony atremony aresony at the library."
"Perfect. Thank you."
Coincidentally, I've also put multiple Freebirds in a jukebox. It's the right thing to do
:(
#2 a great shout
The bit in 'Pain' when the guitar solo distorts is just so so so good
I'd personally arrive at 8am, 30 mins before it opens, to find ~20-30(?) people in the queue, hoping to be in by 8.50-9am for a 10-20 min visit. You have to leave by 9.10.
This is a really good selection
1. How to disappear completely. Radiohead
2. I don't live here anymore. War on drugs
3. Things behind the sun. Nick Drake
4. I am the walrus. The Beatles
5. Talkin about a revolution. Tracey Chapman
#FridayFive
Whilst the excuse is, the FCDO decided to overlook Mandelson failing his vetting, so it's their fault and nothing to do with the PM, surely they only overlooked it as they had the sense that the PM was strongly invested in the appointment? They didn't over-rule for the fun of it.
If you're interested in buying a set for your school, I am selling packs of "Read's Question Wellingtons". They're different coloured wellington boots for for teachers, and you pull on different ones depending on the type of question you're about to ask the class.
I still remember reading 'Hannibal' when I was about 13 and there's an unneccessary bit where a character boots up their PC and goes on mapquest.com (Harris may have even used the full URL) to get directions to Hannibal Lecter's prison or somewhere
The sign in your cool neighbourhood cafe that lists prices like this: "Flat white - 3.4"
Stop being hip. It should say "Flat white - £3.40"
The upshot being we think of the 60s through the lens of counterculture, but most people then (as now) were normies
Isn't a Dominic Sandbrook classic a
party piece Sound of Music topping the sales charts in the same year both Rolling Stones and the Beatles released two albums each?
A new dawn has broken, has it not?
It will also neccessitate the creation of a demilitarized zone running roughly from Muswell Hill to Walthamstowe, with UN supervision
Would like to be able to tap into the inner monologue of Archie Gray right about now...