Paul Evans
@pauliewaulie.bsky.social
Representative Democracy ultra. History, economics, film/TV policy, workplace & unions.
Posts often conversational gambits. Views mine only. NFFC & Mayo GAA.
https://paul-evans.org & https://pauliewaulie.substack.com
Banner quote: NeinQuarterly.
Posts often conversational gambits. Views mine only. NFFC & Mayo GAA.
https://paul-evans.org & https://pauliewaulie.substack.com
Banner quote: NeinQuarterly.
Pinned
Paul Evans
@pauliewaulie.bsky.social
· Jan 1
Because we have stopped paying directly for news, we have made it possible for dark money to disenfranchise us.
substack.com/home/post/p-...
substack.com/home/post/p-...
‘In The Swarm’ by Byung Chul-Han is very dense but still worth a go.
November 28, 2025 at 7:01 PM
‘In The Swarm’ by Byung Chul-Han is very dense but still worth a go.
Earlier, I suggested (accurately - to @katebevan.com) that an Audible subscription is a good gift.
I have an almost incalculably strong recommendation that everyone should listen to Kevin Barry's 'City of Bohane' on it. It's a fine book but it takes spoken word story-telling to the next level.
I have an almost incalculably strong recommendation that everyone should listen to Kevin Barry's 'City of Bohane' on it. It's a fine book but it takes spoken word story-telling to the next level.
November 28, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Earlier, I suggested (accurately - to @katebevan.com) that an Audible subscription is a good gift.
I have an almost incalculably strong recommendation that everyone should listen to Kevin Barry's 'City of Bohane' on it. It's a fine book but it takes spoken word story-telling to the next level.
I have an almost incalculably strong recommendation that everyone should listen to Kevin Barry's 'City of Bohane' on it. It's a fine book but it takes spoken word story-telling to the next level.
Most people I know think I'm terrifically left-wing, but with a few 'revisionist' tendencies.
But my version of the old saying that, "the problem with the left is that 99% of them give the rest of us a bad name" is this:
👇👇👇
But my version of the old saying that, "the problem with the left is that 99% of them give the rest of us a bad name" is this:
👇👇👇
November 28, 2025 at 5:12 PM
Most people I know think I'm terrifically left-wing, but with a few 'revisionist' tendencies.
But my version of the old saying that, "the problem with the left is that 99% of them give the rest of us a bad name" is this:
👇👇👇
But my version of the old saying that, "the problem with the left is that 99% of them give the rest of us a bad name" is this:
👇👇👇
Friday afternoon thought for you: Rosie Frater-Taylor is fantastic. rosiefratertaylor.bandcamp.com/album/feathe...
Featherweight, by Rosie Frater-Taylor
10 track album
rosiefratertaylor.bandcamp.com
November 28, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Friday afternoon thought for you: Rosie Frater-Taylor is fantastic. rosiefratertaylor.bandcamp.com/album/feathe...
Reposted by Paul Evans
There is a lot of appalling shit in the world right now. But this really made my blood boil
Money buys *everything*, even things that were previously beyond its reaches
www.theguardian.com/football/202...
Money buys *everything*, even things that were previously beyond its reaches
www.theguardian.com/football/202...
Cristiano Ronaldo clear to start World Cup after Fifa suspends two games of his ban
Cristiano Ronaldo will serve the final two games of his ban only if he is guilty of a similar infringement in the next year
www.theguardian.com
November 28, 2025 at 8:35 AM
There is a lot of appalling shit in the world right now. But this really made my blood boil
Money buys *everything*, even things that were previously beyond its reaches
www.theguardian.com/football/202...
Money buys *everything*, even things that were previously beyond its reaches
www.theguardian.com/football/202...
Bluetones - Slight Return
I've got a 7pm submission deadline, so of course I'm messing around here until it's so time critical it actually just gets done (journalists are a weird bunch). So...
Name a band where their one good song is truly excellent but everything else they do is just, well, not.
Mansun - Wide Open Space
Name a band where their one good song is truly excellent but everything else they do is just, well, not.
Mansun - Wide Open Space
November 27, 2025 at 10:27 PM
Bluetones - Slight Return
Reposted by Paul Evans
It's such a bizarre framing. Labour MPs think taking 450k kids out of poverty is putting the country first! That's why they wanted it to happen! It's not because they personally benefit.
Headline on The World at One just now:
"Sir Keir Starmer has denied putting the Labour Party before the country by ending the two-child benefit cap".
Can we please go back to reporting the actual news, not someone's partisan take on it?
"Sir Keir Starmer has denied putting the Labour Party before the country by ending the two-child benefit cap".
Can we please go back to reporting the actual news, not someone's partisan take on it?
November 27, 2025 at 1:16 PM
It's such a bizarre framing. Labour MPs think taking 450k kids out of poverty is putting the country first! That's why they wanted it to happen! It's not because they personally benefit.
Reposted by Paul Evans
Headline on The World at One just now:
"Sir Keir Starmer has denied putting the Labour Party before the country by ending the two-child benefit cap".
Can we please go back to reporting the actual news, not someone's partisan take on it?
"Sir Keir Starmer has denied putting the Labour Party before the country by ending the two-child benefit cap".
Can we please go back to reporting the actual news, not someone's partisan take on it?
November 27, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Headline on The World at One just now:
"Sir Keir Starmer has denied putting the Labour Party before the country by ending the two-child benefit cap".
Can we please go back to reporting the actual news, not someone's partisan take on it?
"Sir Keir Starmer has denied putting the Labour Party before the country by ending the two-child benefit cap".
Can we please go back to reporting the actual news, not someone's partisan take on it?
Reposted by Paul Evans
Budget quite literally taxes the rich and even contains a actual wealth tax (with a lower threshold than Zack's fantasy one) but, you know, facts arent that important to him
November 26, 2025 at 4:52 PM
Budget quite literally taxes the rich and even contains a actual wealth tax (with a lower threshold than Zack's fantasy one) but, you know, facts arent that important to him
Reposted by Paul Evans
After nearly 30 years, France is set to reintroduce military service — another sign that Russian President Vladimir Putin is reshaping Europe’s security landscape.
France joins Europe’s military service bandwagon
Emmanuel Macron’s new scheme is likely to be a voluntary 10-month stint
www.politico.eu
November 27, 2025 at 8:10 AM
After nearly 30 years, France is set to reintroduce military service — another sign that Russian President Vladimir Putin is reshaping Europe’s security landscape.
Reposted by Paul Evans
I tend to avoid BBC bashing, but there seems to be a real issue with keeping a consistent standard of just simple straight reporting and editing
November 26, 2025 at 10:19 PM
I tend to avoid BBC bashing, but there seems to be a real issue with keeping a consistent standard of just simple straight reporting and editing
Reposted by Paul Evans
Edi director's comments suggest that GB News could see "should Britain expel the Muslims" as one topic for fair and balanced debate
This news channel did broadcast White saying all the Muslims should be told to leave. I guess they probably wouldn't host identical sentiments about Jews/Hindus/Sikhs
This news channel did broadcast White saying all the Muslims should be told to leave. I guess they probably wouldn't host identical sentiments about Jews/Hindus/Sikhs
November 26, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Edi director's comments suggest that GB News could see "should Britain expel the Muslims" as one topic for fair and balanced debate
This news channel did broadcast White saying all the Muslims should be told to leave. I guess they probably wouldn't host identical sentiments about Jews/Hindus/Sikhs
This news channel did broadcast White saying all the Muslims should be told to leave. I guess they probably wouldn't host identical sentiments about Jews/Hindus/Sikhs
Reposted by Paul Evans
V interesting to see Giles and @chrisdillow.bsky.social coalescing around the strategic need to reduce private consumption in order to stimulate investment. Maybe they have done before, but it's the first time I've seen it so explicit.
Just before that OBR document dropped, I wrote this about why sluggish household spending is part of the grim plan
open.substack.com/pub/gileswil...
open.substack.com/pub/gileswil...
the chart of misery, and also a sign of success
stagnant household real consumption is what we were told we needed
open.substack.com
November 26, 2025 at 6:58 PM
V interesting to see Giles and @chrisdillow.bsky.social coalescing around the strategic need to reduce private consumption in order to stimulate investment. Maybe they have done before, but it's the first time I've seen it so explicit.
Reposted by Paul Evans
In politics, you don’t get many days like today - when a campaign you have worked on for eight years finally wins. The 2 child limit is going, 1.6m kids will benefit and 450k will move out of poverty. Take a moment, everyone: we did this
November 26, 2025 at 7:45 PM
In politics, you don’t get many days like today - when a campaign you have worked on for eight years finally wins. The 2 child limit is going, 1.6m kids will benefit and 450k will move out of poverty. Take a moment, everyone: we did this
Reposted by Paul Evans
Everyone needs to calm down a bit. It’s an embarrassing and stupid leak. But we knew all the detail anyway- the Treasury had leaked it. Markets have reacted well. This bit of process won’t be anything close to the most politically difficult thing about today.
Keir Starmer: "The Chancellor will set out the Budget in just a few minutes time."
In fact, the OBR did it just a few minutes ago.
In fact, the OBR did it just a few minutes ago.
November 26, 2025 at 12:27 PM
Everyone needs to calm down a bit. It’s an embarrassing and stupid leak. But we knew all the detail anyway- the Treasury had leaked it. Markets have reacted well. This bit of process won’t be anything close to the most politically difficult thing about today.
The £ rises after the OBR cock-up! Is this a case of Downing Street being cruelly denied the opportunity to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory (which it would have managed otherwise).
November 26, 2025 at 12:33 PM
The £ rises after the OBR cock-up! Is this a case of Downing Street being cruelly denied the opportunity to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory (which it would have managed otherwise).
Reposted by Paul Evans
This was a super interesting analysis of why the US feels so broken. It reminded me of a plumber I met while working as a janitor in Maine (hi, @colbycollege.bsky.social!) who refused to ever work overtime because it would bump him into another tax bracket: He knew working more meant earning less.
This is an insightful but deeply upsetting article about why everyone in the US feels poor, and why the current political situation emerges as a direct result.
www.yesigiveafig.com/p/part-1-my-...
www.yesigiveafig.com/p/part-1-my-...
Part 1: My Life Is a Lie
How a Broken Benchmark Quietly Broke America
www.yesigiveafig.com
November 26, 2025 at 9:57 AM
This was a super interesting analysis of why the US feels so broken. It reminded me of a plumber I met while working as a janitor in Maine (hi, @colbycollege.bsky.social!) who refused to ever work overtime because it would bump him into another tax bracket: He knew working more meant earning less.
Reposted by Paul Evans
This whole judges vs juries thing is pointless and outdated; we can make justice administratively simple, socially accountable and indeed financially viable by selling TV rights to trials and doing the verdict by a public vote. I foresee no problems with this.
November 26, 2025 at 9:59 AM
This whole judges vs juries thing is pointless and outdated; we can make justice administratively simple, socially accountable and indeed financially viable by selling TV rights to trials and doing the verdict by a public vote. I foresee no problems with this.
Reposted by Paul Evans
😂😂😂 🏴
November 25, 2025 at 6:09 PM
😂😂😂 🏴
The divisions on Trans Rights are a Very Online thing aren’t they? Most people I know offline are on either side of a disagreement that has a big “let’s not be a dick about it either” caveat.
November 25, 2025 at 6:28 PM
The divisions on Trans Rights are a Very Online thing aren’t they? Most people I know offline are on either side of a disagreement that has a big “let’s not be a dick about it either” caveat.
Such a turd.
Everything about this might be the saddest thing I’ve ever seen
November 24, 2025 at 9:03 PM
Such a turd.
Reposted by Paul Evans
Toby Young, self-appointed king of free speech, is speaking in Hungary tomorrow about UK “censorship”.
He’ll be addressing a group funded by Viktor Orbán’s autocratic regime, which has seized control of the country’s media, judiciary, and routinely harasses its critics
He’ll be addressing a group funded by Viktor Orbán’s autocratic regime, which has seized control of the country’s media, judiciary, and routinely harasses its critics
Toby Young to Address Orbán-Backed Group on UK ‘Censorship’
Conservative peer and right-wing commentator Toby Young is due to deliver a talk tomorrow (25 November) at the in-house think tank of Hungarian autocrat Viktor Orbán. Young is being interviewed by Mat...
www.desmog.com
November 24, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Toby Young, self-appointed king of free speech, is speaking in Hungary tomorrow about UK “censorship”.
He’ll be addressing a group funded by Viktor Orbán’s autocratic regime, which has seized control of the country’s media, judiciary, and routinely harasses its critics
He’ll be addressing a group funded by Viktor Orbán’s autocratic regime, which has seized control of the country’s media, judiciary, and routinely harasses its critics
Reposted by Paul Evans
A reminder that the median book deal for a debut author in the UK is £7000, paid over 12-18 months. (from 2022 Society of Authors report). Some of your favourite writers are struggling. societyofauthors.org/2022/12/06/a....
A profession struggling to sustain itself - The Society of Authors
ALCS report on author incomes shows 60% drop in median incomes since 2006
societyofauthors.org
November 24, 2025 at 5:34 PM
A reminder that the median book deal for a debut author in the UK is £7000, paid over 12-18 months. (from 2022 Society of Authors report). Some of your favourite writers are struggling. societyofauthors.org/2022/12/06/a....
The fact that an original edition of a comic book can be worth £7m tells me that there are quite a lot of complete wankers in the world.
November 24, 2025 at 12:56 PM
The fact that an original edition of a comic book can be worth £7m tells me that there are quite a lot of complete wankers in the world.
We can have a laissez-faire approach to the Information economy, or we can have a liberal democracy.
Twitter pays people based on engagement (views, retweets, comments, etc). It appears that many MAGA accounts are based abroad and they use AI technology to generate low-effort rage bait.
My guess is that this will get worse as AI tech improves. For instance, fake videos of minorities doing crime.
My guess is that this will get worse as AI tech improves. For instance, fake videos of minorities doing crime.
November 23, 2025 at 12:21 PM
We can have a laissez-faire approach to the Information economy, or we can have a liberal democracy.