Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
@ianford.bsky.social
Recent emigrant from the Other Place.
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
Hilarious video by a South African knobhead desperately willing a pleasant London street to be a war zone. Nearest he gets to danger is a woman telling him to stop talking nonsense.
November 30, 2025 at 5:40 PM
Hilarious video by a South African knobhead desperately willing a pleasant London street to be a war zone. Nearest he gets to danger is a woman telling him to stop talking nonsense.
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
There's going to be a lot more pain – and regrettably there *needs* to be a lot more pain – for Farage supporters before this is out.
The Farage way is costly. That's the lesson. And you will damn well learn it.
The Farage way is costly. That's the lesson. And you will damn well learn it.
Around 26,000 of the neediest people in County Durham will have to start paying council tax next year...
About 2,400 others who already pay some council tax will lose part of their rebate.
Women and the disabled will be disproportionately affected.
Not quite what Reform UK had promised.
About 2,400 others who already pay some council tax will lose part of their rebate.
Women and the disabled will be disproportionately affected.
Not quite what Reform UK had promised.
Council tax shock for thousands of Durham’s poorest – thanks to Reform UK
Durham will scrap full council-tax rebates, forcing 26,000 low-income working-age residents to start paying for the first time
northeastbylines.co.uk
November 30, 2025 at 6:19 PM
There's going to be a lot more pain – and regrettably there *needs* to be a lot more pain – for Farage supporters before this is out.
The Farage way is costly. That's the lesson. And you will damn well learn it.
The Farage way is costly. That's the lesson. And you will damn well learn it.
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
Still recall how frustrating it was, looking up some seismic moment in the BBC archive, only to find the reporter focused on who was winning the horserace. Much more of an issue I think post1997.
Wd be interesting to interview lobby anonymously about what they fear wd happen if they didnt do this.
Wd be interesting to interview lobby anonymously about what they fear wd happen if they didnt do this.
Have to say it’s deeply frustrating that the BBC News team simply cannot ask a tough question about POLICY rather than politics. It is infantilising the audience - unless the audience is other journalists in the lobby.
I’ll give Laura K some questions for free:
Are you really going to introduce tax on salary sacrifice pension contributions on your own voters months before the election?
Where will the money for special educational needs come from when it’s moved from local government to central?
Are you really going to introduce tax on salary sacrifice pension contributions on your own voters months before the election?
Where will the money for special educational needs come from when it’s moved from local government to central?
November 30, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Still recall how frustrating it was, looking up some seismic moment in the BBC archive, only to find the reporter focused on who was winning the horserace. Much more of an issue I think post1997.
Wd be interesting to interview lobby anonymously about what they fear wd happen if they didnt do this.
Wd be interesting to interview lobby anonymously about what they fear wd happen if they didnt do this.
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
Russian linked shadow fleet tanker Mersin (IMO 9428683) currently sinking off West Africa.
Fog of war, but seems it was attacked, probably by a USV, in past few days.
Third picture unladen for reference so you can see how low in the water it now is
Fog of war, but seems it was attacked, probably by a USV, in past few days.
Third picture unladen for reference so you can see how low in the water it now is
November 30, 2025 at 2:33 PM
Russian linked shadow fleet tanker Mersin (IMO 9428683) currently sinking off West Africa.
Fog of war, but seems it was attacked, probably by a USV, in past few days.
Third picture unladen for reference so you can see how low in the water it now is
Fog of war, but seems it was attacked, probably by a USV, in past few days.
Third picture unladen for reference so you can see how low in the water it now is
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
Farage has vowed to cut funding to universities that undermine ‘free speech’. This is just the beginning of the Trump playbook and we know from Johnson’s time there are few constitutional guardrails to stop the abuse of power. Cosying up isn’t going to cut it.
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
Cambridge University cosies up to Reform
The vice-chancellor expects Nigel Farage to model his policies on Trump and says other Russell Group members are meeting his allies
www.thetimes.com
November 30, 2025 at 10:29 AM
Farage has vowed to cut funding to universities that undermine ‘free speech’. This is just the beginning of the Trump playbook and we know from Johnson’s time there are few constitutional guardrails to stop the abuse of power. Cosying up isn’t going to cut it.
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
Basques beware! Icelanders hold grudges.
November 30, 2025 at 2:49 PM
Basques beware! Icelanders hold grudges.
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
I think about this as being part of tech’s midlife crisis, and to differentiate tech from technology. Tech was a class of software that came up between 2000-2012ish that was genuinely disruptive and innovative, but now, over a decade later, is an established and mature business.
i think it's useful to look at areas where the *tech* has gotten much better while tech *interactions* have gotten way worse. streaming has gotten worse, google search has gotten worse, digital cameras are leaps better. apple's silicone is so good it's threatening their user upgrade cycle
it’s so weird to look around and realize like, tech and media are materially worse than a decade ago
November 30, 2025 at 1:58 PM
I think about this as being part of tech’s midlife crisis, and to differentiate tech from technology. Tech was a class of software that came up between 2000-2012ish that was genuinely disruptive and innovative, but now, over a decade later, is an established and mature business.
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
Underrated factor in the Trump-Witkoff-Kushner embarrassing Ukraine “peace” plan flop is the flood of praise they got for a Gaza plan that was also mostly “just tell everyone it’s over then think of how much money we’ll make.”
November 30, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Underrated factor in the Trump-Witkoff-Kushner embarrassing Ukraine “peace” plan flop is the flood of praise they got for a Gaza plan that was also mostly “just tell everyone it’s over then think of how much money we’ll make.”
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
Couldn't happen to a worse guy...
Dealership data shows that Tesla has only sold “just over” 100 cars in India since July, an exceedingly low number by any measure – especially when considering the India is now the most populous country in the world, with a population of just under 1.5 billion.
Tesla has sold ~100 cars since entering the world's largest country in July
After years of trying to enter the Indian market, Tesla finally opened its first store in July. It's not going great so far.
electrek.co
November 30, 2025 at 1:06 PM
Couldn't happen to a worse guy...
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
PLAY CHESS appeared in the BBC's Christmas 1980 morning schedules with an unfathomably menacing (though beautiful) title sequence. It's got real 'old-school Soviet' vibes.
November 30, 2025 at 1:09 PM
PLAY CHESS appeared in the BBC's Christmas 1980 morning schedules with an unfathomably menacing (though beautiful) title sequence. It's got real 'old-school Soviet' vibes.
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
this” routine. Then told my students that important thing wasn’t to get good grades, but to treat grades as indicators of their interests and talents.
Many will ignore this. But some have already told me this was a relief, and a way to get past parental pressure.
Many will ignore this. But some have already told me this was a relief, and a way to get past parental pressure.
November 29, 2025 at 2:21 PM
this” routine. Then told my students that important thing wasn’t to get good grades, but to treat grades as indicators of their interests and talents.
Many will ignore this. But some have already told me this was a relief, and a way to get past parental pressure.
Many will ignore this. But some have already told me this was a relief, and a way to get past parental pressure.
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
The Ukrainian front is not about to collapse. But the Russians want you to think that
understandingwar.org/research/rus...
understandingwar.org/research/rus...
Russian Offensive Campaign Assessment, November 28, 2025
The frontline in Ukraine is not facing imminent collapse despite recent Russian gains and Kremlin assertions.
understandingwar.org
November 29, 2025 at 10:37 PM
The Ukrainian front is not about to collapse. But the Russians want you to think that
understandingwar.org/research/rus...
understandingwar.org/research/rus...
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
There’s something uniquely crass—terminally-online-15-year-old-in-the-basement energy —about the Trump administration that I don’t see in other authoritarians. Even Erdoğan and Orbán still project some sense of dignity and stateliness.
I don’t see how this works to the advantage of MAGA
I don’t see how this works to the advantage of MAGA
The Trump administration is using the White House website to target journalists and outlets for coverage they don’t like.
The White House and the WH Press Secretary also use official government X accounts to direct people to the page in order to incite harassment.
www.whitehouse.gov/mediabias/
The White House and the WH Press Secretary also use official government X accounts to direct people to the page in order to incite harassment.
www.whitehouse.gov/mediabias/
Media Offenders
Explore the Media Bias Tracker that fact checks and holds Fake News accountable. False claims debunked, Hall of Shame for serial offenders, Leaderboard of networks ranked by Repeated Lies. Stay inform...
www.whitehouse.gov
November 29, 2025 at 10:18 PM
There’s something uniquely crass—terminally-online-15-year-old-in-the-basement energy —about the Trump administration that I don’t see in other authoritarians. Even Erdoğan and Orbán still project some sense of dignity and stateliness.
I don’t see how this works to the advantage of MAGA
I don’t see how this works to the advantage of MAGA
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
As good a summary as you’ll see
He wants the money, he wants the glory and praise, and he wants Ukraine to shut up and sacrifice themselves so he can have said money and glory, and win a big prize that proves he's the best ever.
“.. At the center of President Trump’s contentious plan to end the Russia-Ukraine war isn’t peace: it’s profit.”
@thedailybeast.bsky.social
www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-2-tri...
@thedailybeast.bsky.social
www.thedailybeast.com/trumps-2-tri...
November 29, 2025 at 10:16 PM
As good a summary as you’ll see
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
Trump’s simple-minded view is that countries will soak up any degree of bullying because they need access to the US market to keep their economies afloat. But we’re already seeing a slow pivot away from the US across the world. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.
November 29, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Trump’s simple-minded view is that countries will soak up any degree of bullying because they need access to the US market to keep their economies afloat. But we’re already seeing a slow pivot away from the US across the world. Once it’s gone, it’s gone.
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
I advocated for a radical, destabilising, and effectively irreversible project which has been an economic disaster. I now recognise it has been a disaster. However, luckily, I haven’t learned anything and it hasn’t led me to question my judgement in the slightest. Give me a column in the Telegraph.
November 29, 2025 at 8:53 PM
I advocated for a radical, destabilising, and effectively irreversible project which has been an economic disaster. I now recognise it has been a disaster. However, luckily, I haven’t learned anything and it hasn’t led me to question my judgement in the slightest. Give me a column in the Telegraph.
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
AI won’t replace art, it will replace clipart. It won’t replace music, it will replace muzak. Cheap, ubiquitous, low quality… McDonalds exists but it didn’t replace proper chefs, from Michelin star pros to normies who
Cook Pretty Good at home.
Cook Pretty Good at home.
November 29, 2025 at 8:50 PM
AI won’t replace art, it will replace clipart. It won’t replace music, it will replace muzak. Cheap, ubiquitous, low quality… McDonalds exists but it didn’t replace proper chefs, from Michelin star pros to normies who
Cook Pretty Good at home.
Cook Pretty Good at home.
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
“We need something short and victorious to bring up the president’s poll numbers.”- Yeltsin adviser on the eve of Chechnya
"Surely a quick, violent, successful war of aggression is just what the ruler needs to shore up his legitimacy," said just about every failed monarch in history shortly before invading Serbia.
Creating a military conflict with Venezuela gives this administration a legal "hook" to invoke the Alien Enemies Act. In other words, the foreign war is being manufactured in order to facilitate court deference for its domestic mass deportation policy. It's a Stephen Miller Special.
November 29, 2025 at 8:50 PM
“We need something short and victorious to bring up the president’s poll numbers.”- Yeltsin adviser on the eve of Chechnya
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
One of the great trainings #art historians have is that we don’t just get hooked on what’s in the picture, we pay attention to what is not in front of our eyes as well.
Everyone should try it, particularly when it’s about the #news.
#ArtHistory
#AcademicSky
Everyone should try it, particularly when it’s about the #news.
#ArtHistory
#AcademicSky
November 29, 2025 at 7:32 PM
One of the great trainings #art historians have is that we don’t just get hooked on what’s in the picture, we pay attention to what is not in front of our eyes as well.
Everyone should try it, particularly when it’s about the #news.
#ArtHistory
#AcademicSky
Everyone should try it, particularly when it’s about the #news.
#ArtHistory
#AcademicSky
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
In the Eurostar, you are not allowed to attack anyone with a spear. I think.
November 29, 2025 at 5:01 PM
In the Eurostar, you are not allowed to attack anyone with a spear. I think.
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
November 29, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Cool. So we're doing this now, are we? Total free for all. Raw power. Might is right.
Get those centrifuges whirring everybody...
Get those centrifuges whirring everybody...
🤨US Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that the EU has no right to determine what constitutes international law, let alone dictate how America protects its interests.
November 29, 2025 at 7:53 PM
Cool. So we're doing this now, are we? Total free for all. Raw power. Might is right.
Get those centrifuges whirring everybody...
Get those centrifuges whirring everybody...
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
Excellent piece by @patrickwintour.bsky.social . "Europe has vowed to get its act together so often. Inertia, not Russia, may have become its own worst enemy". Failure of EU-UK talks on including the UK in SAFE programme of European defence procurement shows Europeans still don't realise danger.
The week Europe realised it stands alone against Russian expansionism
The week Europe realised it stands alone against Russian expansionism
Washington’s Putin-appeasing plan for peace in Ukraine has failed, but many heard death knell sounded for European reliance on US protection
www.theguardian.com
November 29, 2025 at 5:09 PM
Excellent piece by @patrickwintour.bsky.social . "Europe has vowed to get its act together so often. Inertia, not Russia, may have become its own worst enemy". Failure of EU-UK talks on including the UK in SAFE programme of European defence procurement shows Europeans still don't realise danger.
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
The death of browsing is part of the reason art is the way it is now. Our opinions are largely fed to us by algorithms. Spending a spare 15 minutes wandering around a bookstore or comic shop or video rental place was how you found stuff you wouldn't ordinarily pick up and thereby expanded your taste
Bookselling is like the most "people go to the store and buy what looks cool to them without a particular agenda" type business left, and your purchases have a huge influence on what is ordered, what is displayed, and what is recommended.
November 29, 2025 at 6:44 PM
The death of browsing is part of the reason art is the way it is now. Our opinions are largely fed to us by algorithms. Spending a spare 15 minutes wandering around a bookstore or comic shop or video rental place was how you found stuff you wouldn't ordinarily pick up and thereby expanded your taste
Reposted by Ian Ford 🇪🇺 🇺🇦
Authoritarianism needs the death of academic institutions because it needs the death of free discourse. And in a lot of places in the world, including where I’m from, they *did* destroy it with awful consequences. Here too it’s been a steady progression of turning universities into hedge funds.
November 29, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Authoritarianism needs the death of academic institutions because it needs the death of free discourse. And in a lot of places in the world, including where I’m from, they *did* destroy it with awful consequences. Here too it’s been a steady progression of turning universities into hedge funds.