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Reposted by Eliot Whittington

Pete Paphides @petepaphides.bsky.social · 4d

I'd love to know what every comedian who played the Riyadh Comedy Festival thinks of this piece by Jonathan Liew. It's an electrifying read. And really hard to think what any counter-justification from the participating comics would consist of. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

We know what the comedians got out of the Riyadh comedy festival. What about the Saudi regime? | Jonathan Liew

The tawdry event was an ultimately doomed attempt by the Saudi government to buy the kind of authentic grassroots culture it is unwilling to countenance, says Guardian columnist Jonathan Liew

www.theguardian.com

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Nicolai von Ondarza @nvondarza.bsky.social · 5d

Looking back at yesterday's motions of censure against the EU Commission, they really drove down how France's political crisis is spilling over into the EU:

-> Both the far-left and the far-right motions of censures came from French MEPs, uploading their fight against 'centrists'

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Eliot Whittington @whittso.bsky.social · 8d

They are but some of them trigger additional cloud formation which traps heat and adds to climate change

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John Rentoul @rentouljohn.bsky.social · 8d

I had no idea about contrails: @_HannahRitchie explains that they add to global warming & would be cheap to avoid www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com/p/eliminatin...

Eliminating contrails from flying could be incredibly cheap

Could we halve aviation's climate impact at a fraction of the cost of sustainable aviation fuels?

www.sustainabilitybynumbers.com

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Olaf Falafel @ofalafel.bsky.social · 10d

Never thought I'd say this. It's
gonna be harsh and might
give you angry feelings when
you see it. I've come
up with one simple life rule:
Never ever (I know you're
gonna, but please don't)
let yourself feel stupid when
you look at the first words
down the left side of this post

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Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · 11d

Really good thread. A thing I completely got wrong is that I thought we had already reached the limits of how anti-business a government was willing to be when it came to immigration - turns out as big of a journey as the Tories went on from 2016, Labour could in fact go further.

James Bowes @jamesbowes01.bsky.social · 11d

With the government bringing in new restrictions against immigration, many people assume net immigration will nevertheless remain high. However, the evidence actually suggests that immigration will fall dramatically over the coming years and reach lows not seen for decades (pandemic aside). (1/x)

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Eliot Whittington @whittso.bsky.social · 11d

This is brilliant

Madeleine Brettingham @littlemaddles.bsky.social · 13d

"The wallpaper was busier maybe, the world was browner, but essentially it was the same world, where telephones were answered with a string of digits and time flowed begrudgingly forwards like gravy."

I wrote about my favourite sitcom of all time.

madeleinebrettingham.substack.com/p/that-is-wh...

Reposted by Eliot Whittington

Louise Ankers @louiseankers.bsky.social · 11d

@crookedfootball.bsky.social I thought this was excellent

crookedtimber.org/2025/01/29/t...

The death of the hope of progress and the fear of being left behind — Crooked Timber

crookedtimber.org

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Katie Martin @katie0martin.ft.com · 12d

more than a whiff of self-censorship in markets at the moment. No-one wants to call BS on, ya know, everything, for fear of angering the president

on.ft.com/4pRyTHp

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Eliot Whittington @whittso.bsky.social · 12d

Any UK newspapers want to do a version of connections that uses British rather than US cultural references???

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Eliot Whittington @whittso.bsky.social · 13d

"UK energy policy is a result of a succession of governments - both Labour and Conservative. The Conservative Party would be better placed if it faced up to the challenges it has to grapple with rather than wishing away real issues like climate. " 5/5

Eliot Whittington @whittso.bsky.social · 13d

"- the impact of which is likely to be to make the environment for business and investment more uncertain and expensive. This would be bad for business, bad for UK energy policy, and bad for UK bill payers. 4/5

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Eliot Whittington @whittso.bsky.social · 13d

"The Climate Change Act also helps the UK prepare for the real and building impact of climate on Britain's businesses and communities.It is confusing and disappointing that the Conservative Party seems to want to throw out long-term thinking and evidence 3/5

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Eliot Whittington @whittso.bsky.social · 13d

"The Climate Change Act exists to give an economic, scientific and social evidence base and framework for government decision making around climate. Decision making still sits with Parliament and Government, although the Government has to take note of the CCC's advice and set long term targets. 2/5

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Eliot Whittington @whittso.bsky.social · 13d

So @kemibadenochmp.bsky.social has declared she would scrap the UK climate change act - a move that would create uncertainty, raise costs and cut the government off from a source of informed advice and evidence. Quote from me giving a response for @cisl.cam.ac.uk's @clg-uk.bsky.social follows: 1/5

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Michael Liebreich @mliebreich.bsky.social · 14d

And if no @Conservatives MP challenges her by Xmas, I will resign from the party after 28 years as a member. I know what it means to be a conservative, even if others do not. We have a responsibility to people, planet, the vulnerable and future generations.

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Michael Liebreich @mliebreich.bsky.social · 14d

The Climate Change Act did not give the UK the world's highest power prices, it was policy mistakes by successive governments. Tomorrow @kemibadenochmp.bsky.social will say she wants to repeal it. I will support any #Turquoise candidate that challenges her for @conservatives.bsky.social leadership.

conservatives.bsky.social

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Reposted by Eliot Whittington

Asher Hellbein @asherelbein.bsky.social · 15d

I can't emphasize enough how much this speech is just the monologue @kierongillen.bsky.social wrote for the titular character in 2010's DARK AVENGERS: ARES, which is supposed to be a joke

Asher Hellbein @asherelbein.bsky.social · 15d

Live footage from Hegseth’s big speech

Four panels of Marvel’s Ares standing against an American flag background, the camera tighter on his face in each panel. He is delivering a monologue to the camera and offscreen troops.

“ NOW. AS THE LEARNED BOOKWORMS
AMONG YOU MAY KNOW. TWO GODs OF WAR HAIL FROM OLYMPUS. WE HAVE DIVERGENT INTERESTS. THE CHAIN OF COMMAND. RULES OF ENGAGEMENT THIS GENEVA CONVENTION THING. MEDICAL EVAC. SUPPLY LINES. THE WHITE FLAG. THE RED CROSS. WORRYING ABOUT EVACUEES AND REFUGEES. TAKING PRISONERS. LOSING THE BATTLE BUT WINNING THE WAR. CURSED DIPLOMATS. THE PROPER STANDARD OF GROOMING. SENSIBLE THINGS LIKE HAVING ENOUGH BULLETS BEFORE YOU GO INTO BATTLE.”

Marvel’s Ares, arms crossed, in front of an American flag:

“THATS THE DUNG MY SISTER CARES ABOUT. I’M THE OTHER GOD OF WAR.”

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Natalie Jones @nataliejones.bsky.social · 15d

I'm writing today to share some (rare) good climate news!

New research released today by @energy.iisd.org @oilchange.bsky.social @foeus.bsky.social shows that members of the Clean Energy Transition Partnership have cut their international public finance for fossil fuels by up to 78%.

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Eleanor Morton @eleanormorton.bsky.social · 18d

You can't joke about anything anymore. Because you signed a multi figure contract with the Saudi government that said they wouldn't pay you if you did.

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Ben Ansell @benansell.bsky.social · 15d

Non-voters and Lib Dems really do look a lot like Labour voters and it’s their PMC members who are most capturable. So a plan to lean against PMCs not only hurts Labour’s base it also hurts the people who aren’t voting for Labour who should be easiest to attract. Seems kinda dumb. 18/n

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Eliot Whittington @whittso.bsky.social · 17d

In itself this feels like another reason to try and resist the development of too little diversity in the market

Eliot Whittington @whittso.bsky.social · 17d

This is an interesting article - but it also illustrates how sectors dominated by a few big players are incredibly beholden to government - which we can see in how effectively the IS government is leaning on its media ecosystem

Financial Times @financialtimes.com · 17d

Why CEOs are right to stick close to Trump on.ft.com/48JqpMm | opinion

Why CEOs are right to stick close to Trump

The history of antitrust policy in America shows that executives ignore Washington at their peril

on.ft.com

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Eliot Whittington @whittso.bsky.social · 17d

Really useful thread

Stuart Hoddinott @stuarthoddinott.bsky.social · 17d

The govt published its strategy to revitalise local communities last week

There is a heavy focus on directing funding to high streets and community spaces, which is part of the reason for declining "pride in place"

But it seems misguided for a few reasons

Short thread

www.gov.uk/government/p...

Pride in Place Strategy

The Pride in Place Strategy will help build stronger communities, create thriving places and empower local people.

www.gov.uk

Eliot Whittington @whittso.bsky.social · 18d

Very much enjoying the levels of scorn and derision the @financialtimes.com political fix podcasters are heaping on the whole set of Labour senior figures right now.