not much to ask is it?

I wish to enjoy the poetic justice of Karen Pierce becoming head of the FCDO

Madonna offers reward for return of missing Coachella costume The items, which she says are

OMG it's the plot of one of the greatest movies of all time - qui a volé la robe de la diva? someone call JJ Beineix www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Accepted forms of photo ID You need to show photo ID when voting at polling stations in some UK elections. Find out about the different types of photo ID accepted.

not sure that's right, is it? - this page implies that out of date ID is OK for all age groups - it's only my post that specified for an elderly person, just because that's my motivation for looking it up today www.electoralcommission.org.uk/voting-and-e...

Accepted forms of photo ID You need to show photo ID when voting at polling stations in some UK elections. Find out about the different types of photo ID accepted.

PSA 🚨 - the Electoral Commission website says that out of date photo ID is OK for voting - for anyone else out there responsible for getting someone very elderly to the polling station on May 7 - electoralcommission.org.uk/voting-and-e...

a masterpiece

that's a photo to kill for

Zarah In-Sultana, more like

Yes thank you! and you! If I do more than the minimum my glands swell up like eggs tho and my throat is still sore two entire weeks later - glad that the lung angle has pretty much been resolved, that was the worst bit. Commiserations!

It's going to be even worse the next time they appoint Peter Mandelson

Delighted that my voice has finally come back but lordy it's not as if there's much cheery to say about all this, is there? And if you are on a bus and someone starts coughing or spluttering GET OFF THE BLOODY BUS YOU DO NOT WANT THIS VIRUS IT LASTS FOR EVER. And is horrible.

does make you love parliamentary democracy a bit. if you wanna be PM you really have to be ok with standing in the middle of a room and being bullied by 650 people. that's intense!

so true

On the more clingy/more crying boys, this is "just" what mothers say. It is, tho, well documented that from as early as age 6, once school and a load of adult preconceptions get to work on them, girls start talking down their own chutzpah, abilities and skills - I'm just pushing back on assumptions

Choose wisely.

www.ft.com/content/dddf...

commiserations comrade in guck

so good - I don't know that one - I don't want to offend but he is my favourite - incredible at creating atmosphere

Kate it's so PAINFUL - have you got guck? I don't understand why I don't feel better and where the stuff in my lungs suddenly came from. Total disaster re work etc.

little girls don't cry any more than boys - arguably less. I really hate these unthinking phrases that associate being female with shame. Like calling someone 'an old woman' as if that's dreadful to be. Also girls tend to be more adventurous and brave when v small. SO THERE. Yours Millie Tant

How to deal with NHS doctors in revolt The Conservative plan to ban strikes is doomed to fail

.. and today a very interesting piece from Henry Hill, ex Con Home now at the Critic, on what's wrong with the Tory idea to ban NHS doctors from striking: lessons from Thatcher's long game. Also points out neither main party actually has a plan for how to relate to the BMA www.ft.com/content/b7d2...

A great moment to remember why Scruton's FT column came to an abrupt end.

Why I will always love Canary Wharf The business district in London’s Docklands demonstrates what innovation and invention can achieve

lweekend catch up service - lovely piece from @stephenkb.bsky.social about growing up within the sight of Canary Wharf and what it means to him www.ft.com/content/362b...

oh man - thanks - i didn't have a cold at the start that's the weird bit, so the guck on my lungs seems to have come from nowhere - throat like broken glass

Celebratory dance in Hungary

day SIX and still zero voice and now my lungs have joined in - what the hell is this bug? honestly, this winter has been a total disaster.

will text!

so day three of this bloody virus (is it?) I actually feel quite a lot better but my voice is entirely gone. is it laryngitis? anyone else fallen silent in this way? 🔕 having to cancel a lot of things, apologies all the people I owe a phone call.

heavenly

Whan that Aprille with his shoures soote,
The droghte of March hath perced to the roote,
And bathed every veyne in swich licóur
Of which vertú engendred is the flour;

Fat bloody chance of that in southern parts so far - many dead plants

Donald Trump with his hand on the back of a costumed Easter bunny on the White House balcony

"would you like to be Secretary of War?"