Also finishes like a Happy Eater Trump about to enjoy something pointy.

With a split infinitive?

So that’s where they got the templates for the outlines of US states.

The most famous warm-up in football history.

On this day in 1989, Napoli faced Bayern Munich at Olimpiastadion in Munich and Diego (inadvertently) created a piece of art for the ages 🥹

The three stages of life:

1. Too young
2. Too busy
3. Too old

Migrants are making false domestic abuse allegations to stay in the UK, BBC investigation finds In the third part of an undercover investigation, the BBC reveals how rules aimed at protecting abuse victims are being exploited.

Alternative headline:

Vulnerable people exploited by profiteering fraudsters who stand to make millions by posing as legal advisors.

As I wrote in 'Anywhere But Here', these advice sharks have networks as entrenched as smugglers. Nothing is being done to stop them.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

I had occasion in the past few weeks to make many trips past the lake between Castlemartyr and Midleton and see so many of the great great great etc grandchildren of Lir there, on the water in all weather.

One cheer for falling income inequality Income inequality has fallen slightly. This does not mean inequality isn't a problem.

New substack: income inequality has fallen slightly, but inequalities of power are a big problem: chrisdillow.substack.com/p/one-cheer-...

The hidden-away bill charting a course back to Europe No-one wants you to look at the product safety and metrology bill. And there's a really good reason for that.

Readers of Striking 13 have had a year's head start on the govt's plans to use statutory instruments to secure dynamic alignment with Europe. The newsletter acts like an editorial vehicle for me to call people a cunt, but sometimes I accidentally put news in it

open.substack.com/pub/iandunt/...

Yes, looking like a bit of a stretch now but one can dream.

Shane for me, though that might be fading at the moment but imagine the green jacket hand over if he could manage a win.

Reminds me of a construction project management lesson. If a job is behind schedule, remember that it’s football, not rugby. A single score won’t put you back in the lead. You have to draw level before you can get ahead. Hungary might have just drawn level. I’ll cheer that full throatedly.

Third Policeman is a formative gem for me and an unimpeachable masterpiece but, in terms of belly laughs per page, Well Remembered Days by Arthur Mathews probably beats it to the top spot. No sensible chuckles or wry smirks. Just punishingly, stupidly funny from start to finish.

Made the mistake of trying to suppress my laughter while reading it on a crowded commuter train and wound up with snot on my coat for my troubles.

A nail giving a hammer a hug - line drawing.

Absolutely love this brilliantly simple cartoon in @financialtimes.com, illustrating @jemima.bsky.social's timely article on forgiveness (www.ft.com/content/d76c...). Artist is Ben Hickey (website here: benhickey.ie)

EasyJet advert: “Derry-Londonderry flights from £25 one way”

that’s quite a short flight, even for twenty five quid

In my case, it would be an apparently startling number until you factor in that 80s beer’s APV almost always started with a 3.

Excellent!

Godwin's Second Law of the Internet is that eventually every BlueSky discussion of any subject can be traced back to @stephenkb.bsky.social's post on the weekend about Star Trek.

Spot on.

This is bang on point

Patrick Gwynne, the hero of sexy English modernism The architect’s homes were louche party palaces. Time to give him his due

Free to read: Patrick Gwynne. www.ft.com/content/1d3b... Patrick Gwynne, the hero of sexy English modernism

True but it’s because if the sheer numbers of such homes that even a modest improvement should have a decent cumulative effect. By the same token, ever increasing thermal efficiency standards for new builds must be reaching the point where they are so marginal as to have little economic value.

Love that!

Never trusted Cork.

Good on you.

Hedges are good for carbon sequestration. They work the same way as trees.

Author Steven Vickers wrote on Threads, "To confirm, this '100% AI generated' passage is the opening of Chapter 5 from Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. I think authors are going to get screwed in these AI witch hunts."

I agree 100% with Steven Vickers that authors will be falsely accused of using AI in the coming years. In particular, authors like myself whose works were stolen to train AI systems are at risk. When we write in our own unique styles, AI trained on us will quite likely flag us as using AI.

Great article. Though UK democracy also potentially fragile, given the scale of discretionary power the executive possesses. V-Dem report shows the UK falling in terms of freedom of speech and right to protest, IIRC. Worrying how much we rely on government by “good chaps”, let alone competent.