Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

ilmar @ilmarinen7.bsky.social · 14h

Wait I have this fantastic new investment opportunity:

Artificial Tulips.

Buy quick before more discover it and the price is bid up higher.

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ilmar @ilmarinen7.bsky.social · 18h

Such handsome boys. Well done, treats all 'round.

ilmar @ilmarinen7.bsky.social · 19h

"I don't mean this to sound critical"

Oh yes you do. That's the point. To show how pure you are by pointing out sin in someone else.

ilmar @ilmarinen7.bsky.social · 23h

Do they know you're attached? Brutal.

Do they not but think you're cool? Gentle.

So long as he accepts you're not interested.

IMO

ilmar @ilmarinen7.bsky.social · 23h

You do what you have to do.

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ilmar @ilmarinen7.bsky.social · 1d

Pathetic. Incompetent fools steering the US onto the rocks. And half the country is cheering as they do it.

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Reposted by ilmar

Mira of Kyiv 🇺🇦 @reshetz.bsky.social · 1d

Nuclear apocalypse can’t come soon enough

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ilmar @ilmarinen7.bsky.social · 1d

The only way you're winning it is if the oppo are using Grok.

Reposted by ilmar

Chris Giles @chrisgiles.ft.com · 1d

My column annoyed somebody this week

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ilmar @ilmarinen7.bsky.social · 1d

It's how you can tell Brexit was a plot by Britain's enemies...

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ilmar @ilmarinen7.bsky.social · 1d

"Löyly" is Finnish for the steam that rises when you pour water on hot rocks in the sauna. So I really hope that's a good Finnish-style sauna.

I'll shut up about Finnish now. Sorry.

Happy sauna-bathing.

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ilmar @ilmarinen7.bsky.social · 1d

There's a Finnish saying that goes something like (cloudy memory):

"Jos sauna, viina tai terva ei autta, sitten edelleen hauta."

Which is roughly:

"If sauna, booze or tar don't help, then ahead is the grave."

= Finnish folk-wisdom says you're right. But do try vodka or tar too, just in case.

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ilmar @ilmarinen7.bsky.social · 2d

Just for fun, a favourite clip.

It starts with the bit on British foreign policy, but the first half of it's pretty topical on ID cards too...

youtu.be/ZVYqB0uTKlE?...

Why the UK is in the EU

YouTube video by André Cunha

youtu.be

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ilmar @ilmarinen7.bsky.social · 2d

It's a great show, but I have a background worry it's convinced everyone the UK's still run like that.

I mean, it is, but Yes Minister's an exaggeration for comedic effect, and 40 years ago now. Even the Civil Service changes a bit in that length of time.

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Reposted by ilmar

dag @davidallengreen.bsky.social · 2d

Non-Substack version now at davidallengreen.com/2025/10/what...

What the Chinese spying case witness statements reveal

16th October 2025 The Crown Prosecution Service appears to have made at least one serious error, while the government’s position now makes sense * Yesterday this blog sought to make sense of …

davidallengreen.com

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Reposted by ilmar

dag @davidallengreen.bsky.social · 2d

NEW

What the Chinese spying case witness statements reveal

The Crown Prosecution Service appears to have made at least one serious error, while the government's position now makes sense

By me

emptycity.substack.com/p/what-the-c...

Yesterday this blog sought to make sense of the decision to drop the Chinese Spying prosecutions on the information then available, and averred that both the positions of the government and the Crown Prosecution Service did not make sense.

Now the government has published three witness statements, the picture now changes. The government’s position now makes sense, and the CPS looks as if it made at least one serious mistake and possibly another.

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ilmar @ilmarinen7.bsky.social · 2d

Apologies if that's what you're making an oblique reference to. Am very tired.

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ilmar @ilmarinen7.bsky.social · 2d

They were on the wrong side of the Wakefield/MMR story for some time. Were too eager to believe the charlatan's "crusader against authority" schtick.

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Reposted by ilmar

Chris Giles @chrisgiles.ft.com · 3d

There is no need for a moral panic about the UK's welfare system.

Far from perfect but recent discourse is nuts

Spending is controlled, not spiralling

Worklessness is near record lows

My column www.ft.com/content/ee67...

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ilmar @ilmarinen7.bsky.social · 3d

Solid jumper game.

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ilmar @ilmarinen7.bsky.social · 4d

He signed up at 17 to fight Nazis in WWII. Royal Navy on the convoys: got sunk, picked up, went out again.

We didn't get on, but he had guts and put his life on the line to defeat fascism. He had plenty of faults and I recognise them in me, so it's hard to maintain teenage resentment.

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Reposted by ilmar

Tony Yates @t0nyyates.bsky.social · 5d

If you are looking for someone to teach something next term, I might be able to help. Macro, econometrics, maths 4 econ, finance, money, whatever, UG or MSc.

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Reposted by ilmar

Tony Yates @t0nyyates.bsky.social · 5d

All of you still on X should think about what you are supporting.

Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 5d

Elon Musk (the X-owner and advocate of pre-emptive political violence) is funding the legal fees of his ally Tommy Robinson (the activist who last month platformed Musk's call for civil war in Britain)

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Tommy Robinson says Elon Musk is paying his legal costs as trial begins

Far-right activist is accused of refusing to comply with counter-terrorism police request at Channel tunnel

www.theguardian.com

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ilmar @ilmarinen7.bsky.social · 6d

"Market cap" referring to crypto irks me.

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ilmar @ilmarinen7.bsky.social · 6d

Turns out your friends are lizards.

18C here... 64.4F?

68F would be what, 20C. They reckon that's cold? Do they never move from their rock?

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