Tom Holbrook
@thomholbrook.bsky.social
Director of @5th_Studio, architect, Professor @RMIT, generalist, sailor.
Reposted by Tom Holbrook
A quiz question.
What links these seven countries: Iceland, Norway, Albania, Bhutan, Costa Rica, Paraguay and Uruguay?
It may surprise you....
What links these seven countries: Iceland, Norway, Albania, Bhutan, Costa Rica, Paraguay and Uruguay?
It may surprise you....
After COP30, what now? It’s actually good news
It’s the shape of story across all ages and human cultures. You’re in a hole. Then you get out
eastangliabylines.co.uk
November 30, 2025 at 7:17 AM
A quiz question.
What links these seven countries: Iceland, Norway, Albania, Bhutan, Costa Rica, Paraguay and Uruguay?
It may surprise you....
What links these seven countries: Iceland, Norway, Albania, Bhutan, Costa Rica, Paraguay and Uruguay?
It may surprise you....
“Steve Witkoff… representing the US on the world stage …has admitted he knows little history, telling the Atlantic in May that he had been watching some Netflix documentaries to rectify this.” www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
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 10:12 PM
“Steve Witkoff… representing the US on the world stage …has admitted he knows little history, telling the Atlantic in May that he had been watching some Netflix documentaries to rectify this.” www.theguardian.com/world/2025/n...
Reposted by Tom Holbrook
Still reeling from the Stanford report on Brexit. Reduced GDP by up to 8% and investment by as much as 18%. The UK Treasury would have £40 billion more each year if Britain had remained in the EU. Devastating self-immolation.
The Economic Impact of Brexit
Other
siepr.stanford.edu
November 24, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Still reeling from the Stanford report on Brexit. Reduced GDP by up to 8% and investment by as much as 18%. The UK Treasury would have £40 billion more each year if Britain had remained in the EU. Devastating self-immolation.
Reposted by Tom Holbrook
“violent fantasy became an obsession, according to former Trump administration officials…“Fucking kill them all,” Trump would say. “An eye for an eye.” Other times he’d snap at his staff: “You just got to kill these people…Other countries do it all the time.” www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...
Textbook war crime/extrajudicial killing
"Two survivors were clinging to the smoldering wreck. The Special Operations commander overseeing the Sept. 2 attack ... ordered a second strike to comply with Hegseth’s instructions."
Report by @alexhorton.bsky.social @ellenwapo.bsky.social o.bsky.social
"Two survivors were clinging to the smoldering wreck. The Special Operations commander overseeing the Sept. 2 attack ... ordered a second strike to comply with Hegseth’s instructions."
Report by @alexhorton.bsky.social @ellenwapo.bsky.social o.bsky.social
Hegseth order on first Caribbean boat strike, officials say: Kill them all
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth issued a verbal order to kill all crew members in the Sept. 2 strike on a suspected drug boat. Navy SEALs fired a second missile.
www.washingtonpost.com
November 28, 2025 at 8:01 PM
“violent fantasy became an obsession, according to former Trump administration officials…“Fucking kill them all,” Trump would say. “An eye for an eye.” Other times he’d snap at his staff: “You just got to kill these people…Other countries do it all the time.” www.rollingstone.com/politics/pol...
Reposted by Tom Holbrook
Oooh, is this the line that claims that Trump is: “the most openly corrupt president in American history” ?
BBC tells staff they cannot quote Trump line removed from Reith Lecture
BBC tells staff they cannot quote Trump line removed from Reith Lecture
Journalists not allowed to repeat Rutger Bregman’s corruption claims against US president in coverage of edit
BBC presenters and journalists have been told they cannot quote a line removed from its prestigious annual lecture, in which a Dutch writer accused Donald Trump of being “the most openly corrupt president in American history”.
Rutger Bregman accused the BBC of cowardice after the decision to remove the line from the first of his Reith Lectures, which he was invited to give by the corporation. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
November 27, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Oooh, is this the line that claims that Trump is: “the most openly corrupt president in American history” ?
This is inspiring www.theguardian.com/environment/...
‘We like it a lot’: how Romania created the largest deposit return scheme in the world
In the two years since the system was launched, beverage-packaging collection and recycling has risen to 94%
www.theguardian.com
November 27, 2025 at 1:03 PM
This is inspiring www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Back on the charmingly designed e320
November 27, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Back on the charmingly designed e320
Reposted by Tom Holbrook
Leaked transcripts unveil Trump envoy's closeness to Russians: 'I have the utmost respect for President Putin'
Leaked transcripts unveil Trump envoy's closeness to Russians: 'I have the utmost respect for President Putin'
Bloomberg has revealed conversations illustrating the close relationship between the Steve Witkoff and his contacts in Moscow.
www.lemonde.fr
November 26, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Leaked transcripts unveil Trump envoy's closeness to Russians: 'I have the utmost respect for President Putin'
It’s gone full Buster Keaton in the White House
November 25, 2025 at 10:23 PM
It’s gone full Buster Keaton in the White House
This story is as mad as a sack full of badgers
Trump envoy reportedly told Kremlin official that Ukraine must cede land for peace deal
Trump envoy reportedly told Kremlin official that Ukraine must cede land for peace deal
Steve Witkoff told Yuri Ushakov in October phone call that peace would require Russia gaining control of Donetsk
Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff told a senior Kremlin official last month that achieving peace in Ukraine would require Russia gaining control of Donetsk and potentially a separate territorial exchange, according to a recording of their conversation obtained by Bloomberg.
In the 14 October phone call with Yuri Ushakov, the top foreign policy aide to Russian president Vladimir Putin, Witkoff said he believed the land concessions were necessary all while advising Ushakov to congratulate Trump and frame discussions more optimistically. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
November 25, 2025 at 10:06 PM
This story is as mad as a sack full of badgers
Reposted by Tom Holbrook
Trump envoy reportedly told Kremlin official that Ukraine must cede land for peace deal
Trump envoy reportedly told Kremlin official that Ukraine must cede land for peace deal
Steve Witkoff told Yuri Ushakov in October phone call that peace would require Russia gaining control of Donetsk
Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff told a senior Kremlin official last month that achieving peace in Ukraine would require Russia gaining control of Donetsk and potentially a separate territorial exchange, according to a recording of their conversation obtained by Bloomberg.
In the 14 October phone call with Yuri Ushakov, the top foreign policy aide to Russian president Vladimir Putin, Witkoff said he believed the land concessions were necessary all while advising Ushakov to congratulate Trump and frame discussions more optimistically. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
November 25, 2025 at 9:57 PM
Trump envoy reportedly told Kremlin official that Ukraine must cede land for peace deal
Here we go – this is ‘balance’
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 9:50 AM
Here we go – this is ‘balance’
That Oz moment when GOP realise that all they have is a tin can full of farts, corruption and hate.
November 25, 2025 at 8:22 AM
That Oz moment when GOP realise that all they have is a tin can full of farts, corruption and hate.
Reposted by Tom Holbrook
This is one of the big accounts boosting Tommy Robinson, Farage and Reform and ‘English Patriots’.
It’s Russian.
It’s Russian.
November 24, 2025 at 9:29 AM
This is one of the big accounts boosting Tommy Robinson, Farage and Reform and ‘English Patriots’.
It’s Russian.
It’s Russian.
Why not just sack toxic vandal Robbie Gibb? www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
BBC to expand standards panel and add deputy director general after bias row
Planned overhaul of editorial guidelines committee would dilute influence of Tory board appointment Robbie Gibb
www.theguardian.com
November 23, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Why not just sack toxic vandal Robbie Gibb? www.theguardian.com/media/2025/n...
Reposted by Tom Holbrook
So the line is that he wasn't getting paid for any of this
November 22, 2025 at 5:33 PM
So the line is that he wasn't getting paid for any of this
WTF?
So the US was aware that the world thought the document was US endorsed, yet waited until now to clarify that it wasn't?
How could the US have communicated to Ukraine that they had to accept the proposal or lose US support without clarifying that the Russian proposal wasn't actually their proposal?
How could the US have communicated to Ukraine that they had to accept the proposal or lose US support without clarifying that the Russian proposal wasn't actually their proposal?
November 23, 2025 at 10:05 AM
WTF?
One desultory poorly stocked veg stall on #Cambridge market today – a unique 7-day market ground down by neglect & tourist pressure. I’m in the middle of the Fens and I have to buy Kenyan broccoli from M&S.
November 22, 2025 at 7:04 PM
One desultory poorly stocked veg stall on #Cambridge market today – a unique 7-day market ground down by neglect & tourist pressure. I’m in the middle of the Fens and I have to buy Kenyan broccoli from M&S.
Reposted by Tom Holbrook
NEW: Reform UK’s former leader in Wales, Nathan Gill, has been jailed at the Old Bailey for 10 and a half years for taking bribes to make statements in favour of Russia when he was an MEP. Full story 👇
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reform UK’s former Wales leader jailed for taking bribes for pro-Russia speeches
Police say Nathan Gill received at least £40,000 while he was an MEP from Oleg Voloshyn, an alleged Russian asset
www.theguardian.com
November 21, 2025 at 1:46 PM
NEW: Reform UK’s former leader in Wales, Nathan Gill, has been jailed at the Old Bailey for 10 and a half years for taking bribes to make statements in favour of Russia when he was an MEP. Full story 👇
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
A brief news summary from Berlin, 1933 / oh sorry I mean Washington yesterday.
November 21, 2025 at 8:46 AM
A brief news summary from Berlin, 1933 / oh sorry I mean Washington yesterday.
Not now three-metre palace messenger of doom
Three-metre giant oarfish, ‘palace messenger’ of doom, washes up on Tasmanian beach
Three-metre giant oarfish, ‘palace messenger’ of doom, washes up on Tasmanian beach
The enormous, serpentine fish, regarded in Japanese folklore as a herald of disaster, usually live deep below the surface and are only sighted when sick or dying
www.theguardian.com
November 21, 2025 at 7:58 AM
Not now three-metre palace messenger of doom
Well well– Epstein and Italian fascists all cozying down with Bannon and Farage.
🚨EXCLUSIVE: Dinner with Mr Brexit: Bannon’s European Revolution – Planned with Farage, Backed by Epstein
'The Movement'. Farage's partner Ferrari started it. Steve Bannon and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were providing almost daily support
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/19/d...
'The Movement'. Farage's partner Ferrari started it. Steve Bannon and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were providing almost daily support
bylinetimes.com/2025/11/19/d...
Dinner with Mr Brexit: Bannon’s European Revolution – Planned with Farage, Backed by Epstein
Nigel Farage was the figurehead and his partner Laure Ferrari started it. Steve Bannon and convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein were providing almost daily support
bylinetimes.com
November 19, 2025 at 8:16 PM
Well well– Epstein and Italian fascists all cozying down with Bannon and Farage.
With much in the news about Westminster's streets and spaces, here's a film from exactly two years ago, reflecting on how the public realm in Soho took the strain during Covid:
November 19, 2025 at 12:03 PM
With much in the news about Westminster's streets and spaces, here's a film from exactly two years ago, reflecting on how the public realm in Soho took the strain during Covid:
Reposted by Tom Holbrook
This is very concerning. In future the BBC should submit any proposals for the Reith Lectures to Karoline Leavitt at the White House so that President Trump can sign off on them. Maye Pete Hegseth next year?
November 16, 2025 at 7:31 PM
This is very concerning. In future the BBC should submit any proposals for the Reith Lectures to Karoline Leavitt at the White House so that President Trump can sign off on them. Maye Pete Hegseth next year?