Orne de Basilic
@basilgarnish.bsky.social
West country, ex Music Teacher, semi-retired and fully detached. Relearning French. Saints supporter and cricket watcher. Love a good book. #FBPE
Reposted by Orne de Basilic
The US pays for Europe's defence? No it doesn't!
Of a $968bn global defence budget, only $33bn is spent in Europe, mostly on US bases which are not NATO bases.
The actual US funding of NATO is approx $600m a year, the same as Germany.
The myth dies on contact with arithmetic.
Of a $968bn global defence budget, only $33bn is spent in Europe, mostly on US bases which are not NATO bases.
The actual US funding of NATO is approx $600m a year, the same as Germany.
The myth dies on contact with arithmetic.
January 19, 2026 at 11:29 AM
The US pays for Europe's defence? No it doesn't!
Of a $968bn global defence budget, only $33bn is spent in Europe, mostly on US bases which are not NATO bases.
The actual US funding of NATO is approx $600m a year, the same as Germany.
The myth dies on contact with arithmetic.
Of a $968bn global defence budget, only $33bn is spent in Europe, mostly on US bases which are not NATO bases.
The actual US funding of NATO is approx $600m a year, the same as Germany.
The myth dies on contact with arithmetic.
Surely now is the time to reset this blatant absurdity. We are European. We need to trade smoothly with our nearest neighbours and biggest market. A total farce. French apples that can't be sold in France. #Brejoin
January 19, 2026 at 11:34 AM
Surely now is the time to reset this blatant absurdity. We are European. We need to trade smoothly with our nearest neighbours and biggest market. A total farce. French apples that can't be sold in France. #Brejoin
Reposted by Orne de Basilic
This hilarious tale featuring Welsh great Ray Gravell and the sort of formidable Welsh nan that everyone knows, might also be the most Welsh thing you will ever read wp.me/p8Mk4U-1bme
December 25, 2025 at 7:45 PM
This hilarious tale featuring Welsh great Ray Gravell and the sort of formidable Welsh nan that everyone knows, might also be the most Welsh thing you will ever read wp.me/p8Mk4U-1bme
100%. Arse. Plate.
December 12, 2025 at 10:00 AM
100%. Arse. Plate.
Wait for him to lose a game and then appoint him. Tis the Saints way. #saintsfc
www.theguardian.com/football/202...
www.theguardian.com/football/202...
Southampton name Tonda Eckert as manager after successful interim spell
Southampton have appointed their under-21s coach, Tonda Eckert, as manager with a contract taking him through to 2027
www.theguardian.com
December 6, 2025 at 9:39 AM
Wait for him to lose a game and then appoint him. Tis the Saints way. #saintsfc
www.theguardian.com/football/202...
www.theguardian.com/football/202...
Reposted by Orne de Basilic
Instead of $1 billion, the #BBC should just give him an award. May I suggest 'The World Achievement Trophy'. That'll fix it for all sides.
November 11, 2025 at 1:12 PM
Instead of $1 billion, the #BBC should just give him an award. May I suggest 'The World Achievement Trophy'. That'll fix it for all sides.
100% agree.
It's getting darker. Traffic is heavy. Commuting is tedious. But if you sit in a stationary queue with your foot jammed on the brake pedal you are blinding the people behind with your ridiculously bright lights. Stop it.
October 17, 2025 at 10:07 AM
100% agree.
Well, can't say the spider didn't warn us.
October 15, 2025 at 10:33 AM
Well, can't say the spider didn't warn us.
This needs to be repeated and repeated.
October 4, 2025 at 1:33 PM
This needs to be repeated and repeated.
Reposted by Orne de Basilic
This is really excellent news!
Great news!
JSTOR now have a free account with an Independent Researcher category. You can access 100 documents per month
www.jstor.org/action/showL...
JSTOR now have a free account with an Independent Researcher category. You can access 100 documents per month
www.jstor.org/action/showL...
September 29, 2025 at 5:02 PM
This is really excellent news!
It's the law that every pub in the UK has to play 'Summer of 69' at 9pm on a Saturday night.
September 27, 2025 at 8:48 PM
It's the law that every pub in the UK has to play 'Summer of 69' at 9pm on a Saturday night.
I wonder if this guy is related to "Boris Johnson" who introduced "voter id" as Prime Minister in 2023 ... off the back of some crazy US conspiracy theories ... and in the process, made digital ID pretty much inevitable.
September 27, 2025 at 9:16 AM
Ditto
September 26, 2025 at 10:23 AM
Ditto
Ed Davey is spot on.
Ed Davey, "It's so frustrating, so infuriating that Nigel Farage gets such an easy ride from the media"
"As he lies, as he divides, the BBC and others given Farage so much time and attention"
"But they never hold him to account for all the damage he has already done"
"The damage of Brexit"
"As he lies, as he divides, the BBC and others given Farage so much time and attention"
"But they never hold him to account for all the damage he has already done"
"The damage of Brexit"
September 24, 2025 at 4:05 PM
Ed Davey is spot on.
Reposted by Orne de Basilic
"Where is the world? Where are the Arab nations?"
This Palestinian girl broke down as she described an Israeli attack that targeted her family’s shelter in Gaza City.
This Palestinian girl broke down as she described an Israeli attack that targeted her family’s shelter in Gaza City.
September 15, 2025 at 1:52 PM
"Where is the world? Where are the Arab nations?"
This Palestinian girl broke down as she described an Israeli attack that targeted her family’s shelter in Gaza City.
This Palestinian girl broke down as she described an Israeli attack that targeted her family’s shelter in Gaza City.
A hundred times this
Until the government is willing have an honest discussion about the negative impact of Brexit - Britain’s growth, productivity & living standards will continue to be weighed down by the structural handicap it has inflicted on the country & economy
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
No prospect of UK rejoining EU in my lifetime, says Starmer’s reset negotiator
Comments by Nick Thomas-Symonds underline view in top government circles despite thaw in relations with Brussels
www.theguardian.com
September 12, 2025 at 5:24 PM
A hundred times this
'Nothing says national pride like a defaced mini-roundabout.' Succinct, brutal and very, very funny. Bravo.
🛑 LATEST: It's the ALL NEW #RealDailyBriefing from our Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
👇 Please watch, like and share this video.
youtu.be/2m7oqDMg8sE
👇 Please watch, like and share this video.
youtu.be/2m7oqDMg8sE
BREAKING: The #RealDailyBriefing [4th September 2025] - Larry and Paul
YouTube video by Larry & Paul
youtu.be
September 8, 2025 at 12:19 PM
'Nothing says national pride like a defaced mini-roundabout.' Succinct, brutal and very, very funny. Bravo.
Reposted by Orne de Basilic
Reposted by Orne de Basilic
We’re over 10k. Thx folks! Now, could we possibly get to 100kin 2 weeks? Wouldn’t that be something? 13th Sept is deadline. We want to hear ALL our parties regularly -not just one. We elected a parliament &parliaments regardless of opinion polls. Sign sign sign petition.parliament.uk/petitions/71...
August 31, 2025 at 7:00 AM
We’re over 10k. Thx folks! Now, could we possibly get to 100kin 2 weeks? Wouldn’t that be something? 13th Sept is deadline. We want to hear ALL our parties regularly -not just one. We elected a parliament &parliaments regardless of opinion polls. Sign sign sign petition.parliament.uk/petitions/71...
A small crowd watching park cricket in the late afternoon. Occasional sounds of a band from a local pub waft through on a southern breeze. People walking dogs. Hints of autumn in the trees and colour of the sunlight. Don't believe the #tinderbox bollocks
August 16, 2025 at 4:03 PM
A small crowd watching park cricket in the late afternoon. Occasional sounds of a band from a local pub waft through on a southern breeze. People walking dogs. Hints of autumn in the trees and colour of the sunlight. Don't believe the #tinderbox bollocks
The seagulls have all left the quay to go and scavenge on the school playgrounds at end of the school day. Don't they know it's school holidays. Ha. Suckers!
August 1, 2025 at 2:20 PM
The seagulls have all left the quay to go and scavenge on the school playgrounds at end of the school day. Don't they know it's school holidays. Ha. Suckers!
Reposted by Orne de Basilic
Jim Laker signs autographs as he leaves Old Trafford after his 19 wickets, July 31st 1956. He drove back from Manchester to London as he had a Surrey game the next day. Stopping in a pub on the way, he sat unrecognised in a corner as everyone discussed his amazing feat
July 31, 2025 at 2:00 PM
Jim Laker signs autographs as he leaves Old Trafford after his 19 wickets, July 31st 1956. He drove back from Manchester to London as he had a Surrey game the next day. Stopping in a pub on the way, he sat unrecognised in a corner as everyone discussed his amazing feat
Reposted by Orne de Basilic
This would be Farage in government too. A rinse-and-repeat of:
- over-promising
- failing
- blame-shifting.
Nothing will ever be his or his party’s fault. See also Brexit.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
- over-promising
- failing
- blame-shifting.
Nothing will ever be his or his party’s fault. See also Brexit.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Reform UK councillors obstructed by officials, Nigel Farage says
The Reform leader tells the BBC his councillors are being "hamstrung" by existing bureaucracies.
www.bbc.com
July 22, 2025 at 5:36 AM
This would be Farage in government too. A rinse-and-repeat of:
- over-promising
- failing
- blame-shifting.
Nothing will ever be his or his party’s fault. See also Brexit.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
- over-promising
- failing
- blame-shifting.
Nothing will ever be his or his party’s fault. See also Brexit.
www.bbc.com/news/article...