Simon Johnson🇺🇦
@simonrjohnson.bsky.social
Risk manager, quant, physicist, Bayesian. I must study politics and war, that my sons may have liberty to study mathematics and philosophy.
Reposted by Simon Johnson🇺🇦
One of the greatest moments of orchestral music
November 27, 2025 at 7:05 AM
One of the greatest moments of orchestral music
Reposted by Simon Johnson🇺🇦
![Comic. Panels up to the 10-year point are grayed out. New panels since the Ten Years comic, which chronicles the first ten years of PERSON 1's journey with cancer: (1) [two people in bed] PERSON 1 (woman): One more chapter? PERSON 2 (man): Don’t we both have to get up early? PERSON 1: Nnnnnggggh PERSON 2: Sure, good point. (2) [many people wearing masks, walking while looking at graphs on their phones] (3) [birds landing on people] PERSON 2 in beanie and scarf: Hah! They like *my* seeds best. PERSON 1 in scarf holding phone with a bird sitting on it: Wait, how do I take a picture of this one? (4) [two people rowing boats with tree landscape] (5) [Person 1 carries overflowing stack of things to Person 2 in bed] PERSON 1: I brought you honey lemon tea, more pillows, a cinnamon roll, Tylenol, another blanket, a– PERSON 2: It was just Appendicitis, I’m really– PERSON 1: *It is my turn to take care of you and I am going to do it right!* (6) [Two people in car] (7) [still in car) PERSON 1: Oh my god. PERSON 2: Oh my god. (8) [car driving] PERSON 1: Pull over! PERSON 2: I am! (9) [both people get out of car] (10) [Large colored panel of aurora borealis over water with both people looking on] (11) [Person 1 sits against tree while Person 2 lies on the ground] PERSON 1: Fifteen years. No sign of the cancer. (12) I *am* having some weird symptoms. Joint pain. Fatigue. I think I’m losing my close-up vision. PERSON 2: Yeah. Me too. (13) PERSON 2: I think we’re getting old. (14) PERSON 1: I guess that’s okay. PERSON 2: It’s all I wanted.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cz73r7iyiqn26upot4jtjdhk/bafkreihwhjblp5lyiwp63ouar7ocfea7evmckytoeo7rkfuoo4gw5rnrra@jpeg)
November 26, 2025 at 10:32 PM
Dinner with the old Lehman gang
November 26, 2025 at 10:14 PM
Dinner with the old Lehman gang
Reposted by Simon Johnson🇺🇦
Gosh these are from local news coverage of the Hong Kong fire.
November 26, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Gosh these are from local news coverage of the Hong Kong fire.
Nus Ghani 🔥🔥🔥
November 26, 2025 at 12:35 PM
Nus Ghani 🔥🔥🔥
Reposted by Simon Johnson🇺🇦
Sorry I haven't been active on social media today, I've been flat out making sure everything goes smoothly on my first day as website manager for the OBR.
November 26, 2025 at 12:23 PM
Sorry I haven't been active on social media today, I've been flat out making sure everything goes smoothly on my first day as website manager for the OBR.
The great news is there is now political cover to disband the OBR
November 26, 2025 at 12:16 PM
The great news is there is now political cover to disband the OBR
Reposted by Simon Johnson🇺🇦
Putting this amazing result - consistent with everywhere the HPV vaccine has good uptake - side by side with news from the US: a third child killed by whooping cough in Kentucky this year (population 4.5m). All unvaccinated, mothers and children.
November 26, 2025 at 11:19 AM
Putting this amazing result - consistent with everywhere the HPV vaccine has good uptake - side by side with news from the US: a third child killed by whooping cough in Kentucky this year (population 4.5m). All unvaccinated, mothers and children.
Reposted by Simon Johnson🇺🇦
This is beginning to matter. That is encouraging. Corbyn never sued over anti-Semitism allegations. Farage won't either. There is a reason why.
"My most vivid memories of my school life is Farage repeatedly coming up to me, knowing that I was Jewish, saying 'Hitler was right' and 'gas em' and that was frequently followed by imitating the sound of escaping gas."
Peter Ettedgui, ex classmate of Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage.
Peter Ettedgui, ex classmate of Reform UK Leader Nigel Farage.
November 26, 2025 at 7:59 AM
This is beginning to matter. That is encouraging. Corbyn never sued over anti-Semitism allegations. Farage won't either. There is a reason why.
Hoping for "BBC Verify" to actually *verify* things is a bit optimistic IMO
It’s probably true that some (many?) MAGA grifters on Twitter aren’t even from America, but a little bit of caution/scepticism is warranted. takes.jamesomalley.co.uk/p/the-twitte...
The Twitter/X account geolocation feature should be treated with scepticism
And surely BBC Verify should actually... verify... things?
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk
November 26, 2025 at 7:59 AM
Hoping for "BBC Verify" to actually *verify* things is a bit optimistic IMO
Reposted by Simon Johnson🇺🇦
You don't hear many people claiming that a particular banned organisation are non violent these days
I'm also not hearing many apologies
I'm also not hearing many apologies
November 25, 2025 at 7:07 PM
You don't hear many people claiming that a particular banned organisation are non violent these days
I'm also not hearing many apologies
I'm also not hearing many apologies
Reposted by Simon Johnson🇺🇦
The government’s stated number one goal is growth.
Its actual number one goal is scrabbling together enough money to meet the fiscal rules while trying not to actually make any tough decisions or piss anyone off. It is not very good at that goal, not least because it’s a stupid one.
Its actual number one goal is scrabbling together enough money to meet the fiscal rules while trying not to actually make any tough decisions or piss anyone off. It is not very good at that goal, not least because it’s a stupid one.
If the Government do go ahead with the mooted plan in here to (effectively) remove workplace pensions from salary sacrifice schemes I am genuinely a little in awe of how bad their "growth strategy is."
www.ft.com/content/ca5e...
www.ft.com/content/ca5e...
The four audiences Reeves’ ‘high-wire’ Budget must satisfy
Chancellor needs a lot to go right if she is to somehow reconcile interests of Labour MPs, markets, business and the public
www.ft.com
November 26, 2025 at 12:47 AM
The government’s stated number one goal is growth.
Its actual number one goal is scrabbling together enough money to meet the fiscal rules while trying not to actually make any tough decisions or piss anyone off. It is not very good at that goal, not least because it’s a stupid one.
Its actual number one goal is scrabbling together enough money to meet the fiscal rules while trying not to actually make any tough decisions or piss anyone off. It is not very good at that goal, not least because it’s a stupid one.
Reposted by Simon Johnson🇺🇦
Three things about the Witkoff tapes:
1) It appears Western intelligence services have decided to let Witkoff (and Trump) know they have recordings of their traitorous conversations w/Russia.
2) This Ukraine "deal" was all Witkoff's idea.
3) Congressional leaders should demand he be fired.
1) It appears Western intelligence services have decided to let Witkoff (and Trump) know they have recordings of their traitorous conversations w/Russia.
2) This Ukraine "deal" was all Witkoff's idea.
3) Congressional leaders should demand he be fired.
EXCLUSIVE: US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff advised Russia on how to pitch Ukraine plans to Trump, in audio files reviewed by Bloomberg
Witkoff Advised Russia on How to Pitch Ukraine Plan to Trump
US presidential envoy Steve Witkoff, fresh from the triumph of the Gaza peace deal, held a phone call last month with a senior Kremlin official to suggest they work together on a similar plan for Ukraine — and that Vladimir Putin should raise it with Donald Trump.
bloom.bg
November 25, 2025 at 8:40 PM
Three things about the Witkoff tapes:
1) It appears Western intelligence services have decided to let Witkoff (and Trump) know they have recordings of their traitorous conversations w/Russia.
2) This Ukraine "deal" was all Witkoff's idea.
3) Congressional leaders should demand he be fired.
1) It appears Western intelligence services have decided to let Witkoff (and Trump) know they have recordings of their traitorous conversations w/Russia.
2) This Ukraine "deal" was all Witkoff's idea.
3) Congressional leaders should demand he be fired.
You’ve been kidnapped. The characters from the last TV show you watched are trying to rescue you. Who’s coming to save you?
👌
👌
November 25, 2025 at 7:58 PM
You’ve been kidnapped. The characters from the last TV show you watched are trying to rescue you. Who’s coming to save you?
👌
👌
🫡
...and when he tried “Do let me go: you do not know who I am, nor what I am”, her response was the magnificent “Who you are I don’t care, but what you are I plainly see”
November 25, 2025 at 9:46 AM
🫡
Reposted by Simon Johnson🇺🇦
I think that's the biggest lesson I've had from the Social Media Commentariat Politician Journalist Era ... huge numbers of people in British public life are in fact Galaxy Class, three-masted-under-full-sail oceangoing morons.
Out of their depth in a roadside puddle.
Couldn't lace velcro shoes.
Out of their depth in a roadside puddle.
Couldn't lace velcro shoes.
November 25, 2025 at 5:58 AM
I think that's the biggest lesson I've had from the Social Media Commentariat Politician Journalist Era ... huge numbers of people in British public life are in fact Galaxy Class, three-masted-under-full-sail oceangoing morons.
Out of their depth in a roadside puddle.
Couldn't lace velcro shoes.
Out of their depth in a roadside puddle.
Couldn't lace velcro shoes.
Reposted by Simon Johnson🇺🇦
Properly moving xkcd
xkcd.com/3172/
xkcd.com/3172/
Fifteen Years
xkcd.com
November 24, 2025 at 10:51 PM
Properly moving xkcd
xkcd.com/3172/
xkcd.com/3172/
Properly moving xkcd
xkcd.com/3172/
xkcd.com/3172/
Fifteen Years
xkcd.com
November 24, 2025 at 10:51 PM
Properly moving xkcd
xkcd.com/3172/
xkcd.com/3172/
Reposted by Simon Johnson🇺🇦
Definitive Stars Wars ranking:
1. Yojimbo
2. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
3. Metropolis
4. Casablanca
5. Spaceballs
1. Yojimbo
2. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
3. Metropolis
4. Casablanca
5. Spaceballs
November 24, 2025 at 10:19 PM
Definitive Stars Wars ranking:
1. Yojimbo
2. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
3. Metropolis
4. Casablanca
5. Spaceballs
1. Yojimbo
2. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
3. Metropolis
4. Casablanca
5. Spaceballs
Reposted by Simon Johnson🇺🇦
All I'm saying, mate, is on Thursday you will be driving the burrito taxi and on Friday you're on shift at the sewage plant. As recompense, you'll get some meat in your Monday ration and a shiny glow of having helped everyone else out.
November 24, 2025 at 12:10 PM
All I'm saying, mate, is on Thursday you will be driving the burrito taxi and on Friday you're on shift at the sewage plant. As recompense, you'll get some meat in your Monday ration and a shiny glow of having helped everyone else out.
Bloody hell, Le Carré could write
November 24, 2025 at 8:00 AM
Bloody hell, Le Carré could write
Reposted by Simon Johnson🇺🇦
Help! this is so confusing
November 23, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Help! this is so confusing