Charlie W
@charlie-w.bsky.social
Officially … advocacy for low energy buildings and active travel. In reality, a running commentary on what I’m reading or doing. I also journal (intermittently) at groupbuilding.net. Passivhaus Certified Designer.
A bit of plausible-sounding legal commentary on the Epstein document release: lawyers for the victims also have the documents and can make a comparison.
November 20, 2025 at 5:39 PM
A bit of plausible-sounding legal commentary on the Epstein document release: lawyers for the victims also have the documents and can make a comparison.
Info out there as well about how weapon yields have dropped along with accuracy improvements (considerable) plus a general US / NATO switch away from countervalue (to counterforce) but not the person to comment really. There are many dimensions in which policy and technique interlock, let's say.
November 19, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Info out there as well about how weapon yields have dropped along with accuracy improvements (considerable) plus a general US / NATO switch away from countervalue (to counterforce) but not the person to comment really. There are many dimensions in which policy and technique interlock, let's say.
Tbh I don't think the Greens give this any more thought than Corbyn did. It's a footnote in their manifesto. I don't think they've thought much about transport or power generation either.
November 19, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Tbh I don't think the Greens give this any more thought than Corbyn did. It's a footnote in their manifesto. I don't think they've thought much about transport or power generation either.
In the broader view, disarmament is fairly obviously the correct direction of travel, and also for the most part fact until now. Freeman Dyson's 'Weapons & Hope' has a good history of how megaton yields dropped from the 1950s (a story of disarmament while remaining armed).
November 19, 2025 at 2:05 PM
In the broader view, disarmament is fairly obviously the correct direction of travel, and also for the most part fact until now. Freeman Dyson's 'Weapons & Hope' has a good history of how megaton yields dropped from the 1950s (a story of disarmament while remaining armed).
Not all countries are equally situated. The UK is not in the position of Ireland, let alone say Costa Rica. For the UK to disarm overnight would change a security architecture, perhaps unpredictably.
November 19, 2025 at 2:02 PM
Not all countries are equally situated. The UK is not in the position of Ireland, let alone say Costa Rica. For the UK to disarm overnight would change a security architecture, perhaps unpredictably.
The (UK) Green party nuclear weapons policy of disarm first, negotiate later is a bit of legacy that they could do without. Rationally, disarmament is a part of negotiation, embedded within it.
November 19, 2025 at 2:01 PM
The (UK) Green party nuclear weapons policy of disarm first, negotiate later is a bit of legacy that they could do without. Rationally, disarmament is a part of negotiation, embedded within it.
Reposted by Charlie W
man we should bring back the pamphlet
Hey historians 🗃️: Do you know of presses that publish short books (around 30K words / 90 pages plus notes)? I have been working on an article project that could easily turn into an great micro-history of that length, but I'm not sure it would make it to the usual full 60-90K words...
November 19, 2025 at 3:48 AM
man we should bring back the pamphlet
Social media has lots of ‘we need to get these people into therapy’ content. Perhaps you can just read it as calls to improve the state of morals. And better self-knowledge - and not just knowledge of consequences - might do it as well as any more traditional ‘ought’ formulation, I feel.
November 19, 2025 at 5:38 AM
Social media has lots of ‘we need to get these people into therapy’ content. Perhaps you can just read it as calls to improve the state of morals. And better self-knowledge - and not just knowledge of consequences - might do it as well as any more traditional ‘ought’ formulation, I feel.
Senate too now, which is interesting.
November 18, 2025 at 10:34 PM
Senate too now, which is interesting.
Epstein vote already through, possibly on its way to unanimity.
November 18, 2025 at 7:20 PM
Epstein vote already through, possibly on its way to unanimity.
The orange one really does seem rattled this time.
November 18, 2025 at 7:08 PM
The orange one really does seem rattled this time.
OK Trump’s U-turn. A real U-turn is that he just releases the documents (he is the one who effectively has them).
November 17, 2025 at 7:08 AM
OK Trump’s U-turn. A real U-turn is that he just releases the documents (he is the one who effectively has them).
Post (1971): “Physics … is remarkably unsuccessful”. Reassuring to read.
November 16, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Post (1971): “Physics … is remarkably unsuccessful”. Reassuring to read.
Also, isn’t the point of triangulation to park an issue so that you can use precious legislative & advocacy time for other things? This immigration thing just goes on and on (in addition to being crap).
November 16, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Also, isn’t the point of triangulation to park an issue so that you can use precious legislative & advocacy time for other things? This immigration thing just goes on and on (in addition to being crap).
Not seeing a whole lot of ‘uniting the left’ activity from Labour today, tbf. They have the strongest position (most MPs), so are responsible for using it well, I would say.
November 16, 2025 at 11:51 AM
Not seeing a whole lot of ‘uniting the left’ activity from Labour today, tbf. They have the strongest position (most MPs), so are responsible for using it well, I would say.
There’s no breakthrough into a liberal nirvana, the best case is an uneasy truce, arrived at gradually. People don’t have the cognitive chops to re-order their values annually.
"my least woke opinion is---"
That's enough. We've had enough people indulging in the "thrill of a little conservatism", as a treat. Of considering reactionary thought to be a salacious and taboo in a world descending into reactionary mania.
Give me your MOST woke opinions. We're bringing it back.
That's enough. We've had enough people indulging in the "thrill of a little conservatism", as a treat. Of considering reactionary thought to be a salacious and taboo in a world descending into reactionary mania.
Give me your MOST woke opinions. We're bringing it back.
November 16, 2025 at 11:41 AM
There’s no breakthrough into a liberal nirvana, the best case is an uneasy truce, arrived at gradually. People don’t have the cognitive chops to re-order their values annually.
Hoping for Pluribus that the crunch issue of value - what do the Others live for, what is their purpose? - will be broached soon.
November 16, 2025 at 11:33 AM
Hoping for Pluribus that the crunch issue of value - what do the Others live for, what is their purpose? - will be broached soon.
In other news, Pluribus is not bad. The lead character reminds me of my ex, which is a bit triggering … but at the same time a brave decision by the show creators, and I applaud it.
November 16, 2025 at 11:31 AM
In other news, Pluribus is not bad. The lead character reminds me of my ex, which is a bit triggering … but at the same time a brave decision by the show creators, and I applaud it.
A full afternoon spent in the misery of coaching a special needs kid through maths homework. There is extra, remedial homework. And you go at a third of the normal speed. If a mis-step is possible, your kid will make it. What’s 80-9? Counts on fingers. 81.
November 15, 2025 at 7:01 PM
A full afternoon spent in the misery of coaching a special needs kid through maths homework. There is extra, remedial homework. And you go at a third of the normal speed. If a mis-step is possible, your kid will make it. What’s 80-9? Counts on fingers. 81.
Reposted by Charlie W
When Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico sneered at EU support for Ukraine and told students who defended it to “go fight there”, they simply stood up and walked out. In one quiet, powerful gesture, these young people showed more moral courage than the man leading their country.💙💛
November 15, 2025 at 11:37 AM
When Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico sneered at EU support for Ukraine and told students who defended it to “go fight there”, they simply stood up and walked out. In one quiet, powerful gesture, these young people showed more moral courage than the man leading their country.💙💛
Must go do tasks, but first: some chat on here about how Labour people divide. Are many of them dull white centrists because old (and actually a bit on the right)? Do they support 'sensibilism' and 'managerialism'? I don't see the divide that way. I see it as supporting the honest over careerists.
November 14, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Must go do tasks, but first: some chat on here about how Labour people divide. Are many of them dull white centrists because old (and actually a bit on the right)? Do they support 'sensibilism' and 'managerialism'? I don't see the divide that way. I see it as supporting the honest over careerists.
There will be a budget, our taxes will change by some moderate amount in one or more dimensions, hopefully it will be a bit fairer than before, the sun will continue to rise.
November 14, 2025 at 1:27 PM
There will be a budget, our taxes will change by some moderate amount in one or more dimensions, hopefully it will be a bit fairer than before, the sun will continue to rise.
Iiuir the Treasury _has_ to do a certain amount of inter-departmental consultation on its budget, because that's how the OBR has been set up. It's completely reasonable to model some proposals. It's not flip-flopping to evaluate them.
November 14, 2025 at 1:24 PM
Iiuir the Treasury _has_ to do a certain amount of inter-departmental consultation on its budget, because that's how the OBR has been set up. It's completely reasonable to model some proposals. It's not flip-flopping to evaluate them.
Well gosh, the BBC is reporting very moderately and carefully here. Which is good! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Rachel Reeves backs off from plans to raise income tax rates in Budget
The chancellor had been widely expected to increase income tax rates, which would have broken a manifesto promise.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 14, 2025 at 1:23 PM
Well gosh, the BBC is reporting very moderately and carefully here. Which is good! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Just to take a step back here. The below is, tbh, a fucking mess of an analysis.
November 14, 2025 at 9:51 AM
Just to take a step back here. The below is, tbh, a fucking mess of an analysis.