Martin McDonald
@martymcd.bsky.social
UK & US Politics and other stuff from the kitchen table, one tweet at a time.
Some say 'a totally undiscovered twitter treasure' apparently. Also tax. And law
Some say 'a totally undiscovered twitter treasure' apparently. Also tax. And law
Reposted by Martin McDonald
Treason, toil and trouble - the many woes of Nigel Farage and his Reform party.
My Letter from London for @noosphere.app
www.noosphere.app/treason-toil...
My Letter from London for @noosphere.app
www.noosphere.app/treason-toil...
Treason, toil and trouble - Farage's Reform in crisis
Get news direct from reporters you trust.
www.noosphere.app
November 28, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Treason, toil and trouble - the many woes of Nigel Farage and his Reform party.
My Letter from London for @noosphere.app
www.noosphere.app/treason-toil...
My Letter from London for @noosphere.app
www.noosphere.app/treason-toil...
Reposted by Martin McDonald
“There was a law passed that makes it almost impossible not to certify them once they come in”
Trump knows his admin granted asylum to the Afghan shooter, so he’s blaming the law.
A judge ruled the National Guard deployment illegal.
If the law mattered, the troops would have been home.
Trump knows his admin granted asylum to the Afghan shooter, so he’s blaming the law.
A judge ruled the National Guard deployment illegal.
If the law mattered, the troops would have been home.
November 28, 2025 at 3:02 AM
“There was a law passed that makes it almost impossible not to certify them once they come in”
Trump knows his admin granted asylum to the Afghan shooter, so he’s blaming the law.
A judge ruled the National Guard deployment illegal.
If the law mattered, the troops would have been home.
Trump knows his admin granted asylum to the Afghan shooter, so he’s blaming the law.
A judge ruled the National Guard deployment illegal.
If the law mattered, the troops would have been home.
Reposted by Martin McDonald
This means these aircraft appear vulnerable 2 subatomic particles from space changing tiny bits of data in computer software causing said computer to malfunction.
This issue has been suspected to affect other planes, famously an Air Qantas flight. But it's v hard to be conclusive about such cases.
This issue has been suspected to affect other planes, famously an Air Qantas flight. But it's v hard to be conclusive about such cases.
November 28, 2025 at 10:14 PM
This means these aircraft appear vulnerable 2 subatomic particles from space changing tiny bits of data in computer software causing said computer to malfunction.
This issue has been suspected to affect other planes, famously an Air Qantas flight. But it's v hard to be conclusive about such cases.
This issue has been suspected to affect other planes, famously an Air Qantas flight. But it's v hard to be conclusive about such cases.
Reposted by Martin McDonald
🚨Airbus has just confirmed to me that this issue does indeed relate to single-event upsets, also known as bit flips🚨
This is pretty massive.
There is scant detail so far but they say "solar radiation" has caused problems for some aircraft.
This *could* be related to single-event upsets, where cosmic rays trigger computer errors. I've asked Airbus if they can share more detail.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cv...
There is scant detail so far but they say "solar radiation" has caused problems for some aircraft.
This *could* be related to single-event upsets, where cosmic rays trigger computer errors. I've asked Airbus if they can share more detail.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cv...
Flight disruption warning as Airbus requests modifications to 6,000 planes
The European aerospace giant said it had found that intense radiation from the Sun could corrupt data crucial to flight controls.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 28, 2025 at 10:07 PM
🚨Airbus has just confirmed to me that this issue does indeed relate to single-event upsets, also known as bit flips🚨
Reposted by Martin McDonald
Not a robot
November 28, 2025 at 8:32 PM
Not a robot
Reposted by Martin McDonald
One of the funniest things I've seen this year was the episode of Gogglebox just now where they react to Jonathan Bailey narrating Room on the Broom for CBeebies. "There's room on my broom." "Dripping wet wand." You get the idea.
a man wearing a white shirt that says drink your mind on it
ALT: a man wearing a white shirt that says drink your mind on it
media.tenor.com
November 28, 2025 at 10:11 PM
One of the funniest things I've seen this year was the episode of Gogglebox just now where they react to Jonathan Bailey narrating Room on the Broom for CBeebies. "There's room on my broom." "Dripping wet wand." You get the idea.
Reposted by Martin McDonald
She’s defined working class as anyone who needs to work to pay the mortgage and buy food which would be about 98% of us
November 28, 2025 at 10:03 PM
She’s defined working class as anyone who needs to work to pay the mortgage and buy food which would be about 98% of us
Reposted by Martin McDonald
ok the advance team should have sorted out the mic height
schoolboy error
schoolboy error
November 28, 2025 at 9:49 PM
ok the advance team should have sorted out the mic height
schoolboy error
schoolboy error
Reposted by Martin McDonald
"we will not tolerate a culture of leaks to right-wing journalists"
I can't be 100% but I think she means The Guardian
I can't be 100% but I think she means The Guardian
November 28, 2025 at 10:01 PM
"we will not tolerate a culture of leaks to right-wing journalists"
I can't be 100% but I think she means The Guardian
I can't be 100% but I think she means The Guardian
Reposted by Martin McDonald
She's just described Zohran Mamdani as working class which will come as a shock to his parents
November 28, 2025 at 9:59 PM
She's just described Zohran Mamdani as working class which will come as a shock to his parents
Reposted by Martin McDonald
Ordering no quarter, as Hegseth effectively did, isn't a newfangled modern war crime. It was understood as a crime as far back as the Revolutionary War. Washington threatened to do reprisals over it. The bad guy in 'The Patriot' is (very loosely) based off a British officer who was notorious for it.
November 28, 2025 at 8:34 PM
Ordering no quarter, as Hegseth effectively did, isn't a newfangled modern war crime. It was understood as a crime as far back as the Revolutionary War. Washington threatened to do reprisals over it. The bad guy in 'The Patriot' is (very loosely) based off a British officer who was notorious for it.
Reposted by Martin McDonald
"Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war" wasn't "havoc" in just the modern sense of chaos, it was a particular order that was understood as heinous even in Shakespeare's day, authorization after battle was over to slaughter and pillage, both debilitated enemies and noncombatants, without restraint.
November 28, 2025 at 8:48 PM
"Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war" wasn't "havoc" in just the modern sense of chaos, it was a particular order that was understood as heinous even in Shakespeare's day, authorization after battle was over to slaughter and pillage, both debilitated enemies and noncombatants, without restraint.
Reposted by Martin McDonald
Reposted by Martin McDonald
Back to prison, shitheads!
November 28, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Back to prison, shitheads!
Reposted by Martin McDonald
I must say, I am beguiled by the idea that the next president, should he or she be sane, might instantly undo all of Trump’s executive orders and pardons.
It should go without saying, but the president has no authority to do this, and anyone reporting the story needs to say as such.
November 28, 2025 at 9:54 PM
I must say, I am beguiled by the idea that the next president, should he or she be sane, might instantly undo all of Trump’s executive orders and pardons.
Reposted by Martin McDonald
From the BBC's Theo Leggett:
"intense solar radiation [...] corrupted data in a computer used to help control the aircraft. [...] the majority [of planes] can be fixed with a relatively simple software update. However, some 900 older planes will need replacement computers"
"intense solar radiation [...] corrupted data in a computer used to help control the aircraft. [...] the majority [of planes] can be fixed with a relatively simple software update. However, some 900 older planes will need replacement computers"
November 28, 2025 at 9:54 PM
From the BBC's Theo Leggett:
"intense solar radiation [...] corrupted data in a computer used to help control the aircraft. [...] the majority [of planes] can be fixed with a relatively simple software update. However, some 900 older planes will need replacement computers"
"intense solar radiation [...] corrupted data in a computer used to help control the aircraft. [...] the majority [of planes] can be fixed with a relatively simple software update. However, some 900 older planes will need replacement computers"
Reposted by Martin McDonald
This is pretty massive.
There is scant detail so far but they say "solar radiation" has caused problems for some aircraft.
This *could* be related to single-event upsets, where cosmic rays trigger computer errors. I've asked Airbus if they can share more detail.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cv...
There is scant detail so far but they say "solar radiation" has caused problems for some aircraft.
This *could* be related to single-event upsets, where cosmic rays trigger computer errors. I've asked Airbus if they can share more detail.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cv...
Flight disruption warning as Airbus requests modifications to 6,000 planes
The European aerospace giant said it had found that intense radiation from the Sun could corrupt data crucial to flight controls.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 28, 2025 at 8:48 PM
This is pretty massive.
There is scant detail so far but they say "solar radiation" has caused problems for some aircraft.
This *could* be related to single-event upsets, where cosmic rays trigger computer errors. I've asked Airbus if they can share more detail.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cv...
There is scant detail so far but they say "solar radiation" has caused problems for some aircraft.
This *could* be related to single-event upsets, where cosmic rays trigger computer errors. I've asked Airbus if they can share more detail.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cv...
Reposted by Martin McDonald
It should go without saying, but the president has no authority to do this, and anyone reporting the story needs to say as such.
November 28, 2025 at 9:16 PM
It should go without saying, but the president has no authority to do this, and anyone reporting the story needs to say as such.
Reposted by Martin McDonald
My Word of the Day: heteronomy
The state of being governed or ruled by another person or an outside force.
The state of being governed or ruled by another person or an outside force.
November 28, 2025 at 9:56 PM
My Word of the Day: heteronomy
The state of being governed or ruled by another person or an outside force.
The state of being governed or ruled by another person or an outside force.
Reposted by Martin McDonald
This is absolutely right, and also the cause of one of the funniest 'Dominic Cummings doesn't know ball', when he a) thought that Rishi Sunak could beat Liz Truss and b) said that Labour would win if they had a leader even 'half as talented as Tony Blair'. Gee, no kidding!
Blair is a bit like lot of truly élite sports players; it only looked that easy because he really was that good. Normal players cannot and should not try to do it the same way.
November 28, 2025 at 9:37 PM
This is absolutely right, and also the cause of one of the funniest 'Dominic Cummings doesn't know ball', when he a) thought that Rishi Sunak could beat Liz Truss and b) said that Labour would win if they had a leader even 'half as talented as Tony Blair'. Gee, no kidding!
Reposted by Martin McDonald
Not one for standing on ceremony but always a certain awkwardness when a witness addresses you by first name from the witness box.
November 28, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Not one for standing on ceremony but always a certain awkwardness when a witness addresses you by first name from the witness box.
Reposted by Martin McDonald
Here’s a six bedroom house in North Kensington, price £4m. You paid £4k for yours.
You have also received a full state pension for 28 years!
Nobody wants to pay more tax, but kindly fuck off with the “I worry” stuff.
You have also received a full state pension for 28 years!
Nobody wants to pay more tax, but kindly fuck off with the “I worry” stuff.
November 28, 2025 at 9:32 PM
Here’s a six bedroom house in North Kensington, price £4m. You paid £4k for yours.
You have also received a full state pension for 28 years!
Nobody wants to pay more tax, but kindly fuck off with the “I worry” stuff.
You have also received a full state pension for 28 years!
Nobody wants to pay more tax, but kindly fuck off with the “I worry” stuff.
Reposted by Martin McDonald
Tucker Carlson is a rightwing conspiracy theorist and Putin apologist who was sacked by FOX.... yes FOX
BUT The Spectator is happy to pay him to talk down our capital city... despite it thriving and crime falling.
Whose side are you on Mr Gove?
BUT The Spectator is happy to pay him to talk down our capital city... despite it thriving and crime falling.
Whose side are you on Mr Gove?
November 28, 2025 at 8:04 PM
Tucker Carlson is a rightwing conspiracy theorist and Putin apologist who was sacked by FOX.... yes FOX
BUT The Spectator is happy to pay him to talk down our capital city... despite it thriving and crime falling.
Whose side are you on Mr Gove?
BUT The Spectator is happy to pay him to talk down our capital city... despite it thriving and crime falling.
Whose side are you on Mr Gove?
Reposted by Martin McDonald
Offering the survivors of a missile strike no quarter and then ordering a second strike to finish them off puts Hegseth in deep, deep water. He gave an illegal order. This is either murder or a war crime. It doesn't matter what your title is, Secretary of Defense, or Fox Talk Show Host. It's murder.
November 28, 2025 at 9:04 PM
Offering the survivors of a missile strike no quarter and then ordering a second strike to finish them off puts Hegseth in deep, deep water. He gave an illegal order. This is either murder or a war crime. It doesn't matter what your title is, Secretary of Defense, or Fox Talk Show Host. It's murder.
Reposted by Martin McDonald
I have to speak generally but I can tell you there is and has for some time been a split at the Pentagon between those who are legally, morally, and/or
operationally appalled at Hegseth, and those who say—and this is the exact phrase—“we just work here.”
operationally appalled at Hegseth, and those who say—and this is the exact phrase—“we just work here.”
November 28, 2025 at 9:14 PM
I have to speak generally but I can tell you there is and has for some time been a split at the Pentagon between those who are legally, morally, and/or
operationally appalled at Hegseth, and those who say—and this is the exact phrase—“we just work here.”
operationally appalled at Hegseth, and those who say—and this is the exact phrase—“we just work here.”