Mark Elliott
@thatmarkelliott.bsky.social
Music, cycling, political and other random ramblings. Work: computer scientist/language tester/psychometrican in some order. Once drew trees and was told it was "better than felling them", which is a start, I guess. Views my own, cat photos will happen.
Pinned
Mark Elliott
@thatmarkelliott.bsky.social
· Jan 11
This is Hněvín Castle – a picturesque little Czech castle atop a hill, poking out above a sea of clouds. But what fairytale village lies beneath those clouds – are you perhaps already packing your bags to visit? If so, hold on for one moment before you do, for this is The Most 🧵. It will be long. 1/
Introduce yourself with 5 concerts you’ve seen:
Nirvana
Loop
Nina Nastasia
Radiohead
The Pumpkin Fairies
Nirvana
Loop
Nina Nastasia
Radiohead
The Pumpkin Fairies
The Rolling Stones
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Steve Earle
Richard Thompson
Paul Simon.
Creedence Clearwater Revival
Steve Earle
Richard Thompson
Paul Simon.
Carter the Unstoppable Sex Machine
Primal Scream
Manic Street Preachers
REM
The Rolling Stones
Primal Scream
Manic Street Preachers
REM
The Rolling Stones
November 28, 2025 at 3:17 PM
Introduce yourself with 5 concerts you’ve seen:
Nirvana
Loop
Nina Nastasia
Radiohead
The Pumpkin Fairies
Nirvana
Loop
Nina Nastasia
Radiohead
The Pumpkin Fairies
Introduce yourself with 5 animals you have seen in the wild
- barn owl (in the Fens, in flight around midday - majestic)
- marmot (in Switzerland)
- blue starfish (in sea at Hainan)
- red deer stag (in a field just outside Cambridge)
- gecko (in Shanghai, including in my bedrrom once 🙂)
- barn owl (in the Fens, in flight around midday - majestic)
- marmot (in Switzerland)
- blue starfish (in sea at Hainan)
- red deer stag (in a field just outside Cambridge)
- gecko (in Shanghai, including in my bedrrom once 🙂)
Introduce yourself with 5 animals you have seen in the wild
- wildcat (in Scotland. Yes it was a wildcat)
- stingray (in South Australia)
- hare (both times on international borders, they are liminal creatures)
- skunk (near Boston. Man called it a ‘stink badger’)
- muntjac deer (Essex)
🐈 🐇 🦨 🦌
- wildcat (in Scotland. Yes it was a wildcat)
- stingray (in South Australia)
- hare (both times on international borders, they are liminal creatures)
- skunk (near Boston. Man called it a ‘stink badger’)
- muntjac deer (Essex)
🐈 🐇 🦨 🦌
Introduce yourself with 5 animals you have seen in the wild
- beaver (in Scotland)
- platypus (in Queensland)
- skunk (in California)
- raccoon (in Massachusetts)
- boar (in Italy)
- beaver (in Scotland)
- platypus (in Queensland)
- skunk (in California)
- raccoon (in Massachusetts)
- boar (in Italy)
November 28, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Introduce yourself with 5 animals you have seen in the wild
- barn owl (in the Fens, in flight around midday - majestic)
- marmot (in Switzerland)
- blue starfish (in sea at Hainan)
- red deer stag (in a field just outside Cambridge)
- gecko (in Shanghai, including in my bedrrom once 🙂)
- barn owl (in the Fens, in flight around midday - majestic)
- marmot (in Switzerland)
- blue starfish (in sea at Hainan)
- red deer stag (in a field just outside Cambridge)
- gecko (in Shanghai, including in my bedrrom once 🙂)
This is all very James Ellroy, and like Ellroy is entertaining and terrifyingly bleak in roughly equal measures.
It’s the 72nd anniversary of the death of Frank Olson, who’d been spiked with LSD as part of the CIA’s remarkably named Operation Midnight Climax, part of Project MKUltra. I haven’t had time to write about this myself but...
'Midnight Climax': The CIA mixed LSD and sex at this SF house
There's a house on Telegraph Hill where the CIA secretly gave men LSD and then watched, through a one-way mirror, as the men had sex with sex workers. The experiment lasted 10 years.
www.sfgate.com
November 28, 2025 at 11:02 AM
This is all very James Ellroy, and like Ellroy is entertaining and terrifyingly bleak in roughly equal measures.
Gutted to learn that my chances of retiring in my 40s have just gone down.
If you're in your 40s and 50s, it's just got harder to retire
In targeting pensions, the Chancellor is punishing prudent savers
inews.co.uk
November 27, 2025 at 9:21 AM
Gutted to learn that my chances of retiring in my 40s have just gone down.
I now have a new favourite football photo.
November 26, 2025 at 10:28 AM
I now have a new favourite football photo.
Wes Streeting is obviously a cappuccino man - gone up in my estimation.
Milkshakes and lattes to be hit with sugar tax, Wes Streeting announces
Milkshakes and lattes will be hit with a sugar tax for the first time in a bid to tackle obesity, Health Secretary Wes Streeting has said.
news.sky.com
November 25, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Wes Streeting is obviously a cappuccino man - gone up in my estimation.
Maurice Glasman, who moved from his home in London to study at university first in Cambridge, then in York, lastly in Florence, explains why young people should be discouraged from leaving home to study at universities in distant cities.
November 25, 2025 at 11:21 AM
Maurice Glasman, who moved from his home in London to study at university first in Cambridge, then in York, lastly in Florence, explains why young people should be discouraged from leaving home to study at universities in distant cities.
Of all the brave quests a govenment could wish to take up, they have chosen "making drivers happy" - the brave's brave quest.
A telling nugget from transport Qs on Thurs. Heidi Alexander: "There are no proposals to introduce a national pay-per-mile scheme. This Govt [is] firmly on the side of drivers.
"We are pumping £24bn of capital into motorways & local roads, with a record £1.6bn for local roads maintenance this year"
"We are pumping £24bn of capital into motorways & local roads, with a record £1.6bn for local roads maintenance this year"
November 24, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Of all the brave quests a govenment could wish to take up, they have chosen "making drivers happy" - the brave's brave quest.
Today was always going to be a nailed-on porridge morning.
November 21, 2025 at 9:06 AM
Today was always going to be a nailed-on porridge morning.
Never mind Glenn Close, what really fascinates me aboutAll's Fair is the involvement of Naomi Watts - the leading actor in arguably the greatest film of all time...
‘Kim Kardashian had no pretensions that she was a great actress’: Glenn Close hits back at zero-star All’s Fair reviews
Actor praises co-star in abominably reviewed Ryan Murphy legal drama, and claims show deserved more appreciation
www.theguardian.com
November 20, 2025 at 1:22 PM
Never mind Glenn Close, what really fascinates me aboutAll's Fair is the involvement of Naomi Watts - the leading actor in arguably the greatest film of all time...
Reposted by Mark Elliott
Have I ever mentioned my mortal fear of former BBC News substitute presenter Mishal Husain? Probably not, since it's not a big issue generally.
Anyway, best get to work
Anyway, best get to work
November 19, 2025 at 9:38 AM
Have I ever mentioned my mortal fear of former BBC News substitute presenter Mishal Husain? Probably not, since it's not a big issue generally.
Anyway, best get to work
Anyway, best get to work
Well played, Scotland - once Wales get through their play-off, Steve Clarke, Thomas Tuchel and Craig Bellamy can start the bidding war for my services next summer 🔥
November 19, 2025 at 12:13 AM
Well played, Scotland - once Wales get through their play-off, Steve Clarke, Thomas Tuchel and Craig Bellamy can start the bidding war for my services next summer 🔥
I saw this fixture today, and it reminded me of one of my favourite flag facts: the Shetland flag is a mixture of the Saltire and a Nordic cross - effectively the Danish flad in Scottish coours, to reflect the islsnds' history and culture (formerly part of Norway until 1472).
November 18, 2025 at 10:26 AM
I saw this fixture today, and it reminded me of one of my favourite flag facts: the Shetland flag is a mixture of the Saltire and a Nordic cross - effectively the Danish flad in Scottish coours, to reflect the islsnds' history and culture (formerly part of Norway until 1472).
My local shop sells a pack of 40 Yorkshire Gold teabags for £2.55 and a pack of 80 for £5.15. It's difficult to put into words quite the feeling of victory I get every time I go there and buy two packs of 40 Yorkshire Gold teabags. This is winning.
November 17, 2025 at 4:28 PM
My local shop sells a pack of 40 Yorkshire Gold teabags for £2.55 and a pack of 80 for £5.15. It's difficult to put into words quite the feeling of victory I get every time I go there and buy two packs of 40 Yorkshire Gold teabags. This is winning.
Crisp & Autumnal
November 17, 2025 at 3:18 PM
Crisp & Autumnal
True performative cruelty has never been tried.
Mahmoud has listened to same clique of senior Home Office officials who have advised for 30+ years that loud announcements of punitive policies will deter refugees from coming to UK to seek asylum.
Labour did this extensively last time. It didn’t work.
A history thread. +
Labour did this extensively last time. It didn’t work.
A history thread. +
November 17, 2025 at 11:24 AM
True performative cruelty has never been tried.
Hard to comment on this without descending into a raw primal scream, but immiserating people (jewellery is an obvious way to carry some fund in a portable way) in order to pay for their accomodation when you're then going to prevent them from working to pay for their accommodation ...
The Sun has been told Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood will on Monday propose confiscating jewellery, watches, necklaces from asylum seekers to meet asylum costs
This reflects the most controversial aspect of the Danish scheme - the Jewellery Law. The toughest Labour MPs thought this was OTT
This reflects the most controversial aspect of the Danish scheme - the Jewellery Law. The toughest Labour MPs thought this was OTT
November 17, 2025 at 9:32 AM
Hard to comment on this without descending into a raw primal scream, but immiserating people (jewellery is an obvious way to carry some fund in a portable way) in order to pay for their accomodation when you're then going to prevent them from working to pay for their accommodation ...
Having a bit of a Nina weekend. This one's a banger:
Don't think you are exceptional
Don't dream you're better than anyone else
You're only feeling good
A sober night would do you good
Don't think you are exceptional
Don't dream you're better than anyone else
You're only feeling good
A sober night would do you good
November 16, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Having a bit of a Nina weekend. This one's a banger:
Don't think you are exceptional
Don't dream you're better than anyone else
You're only feeling good
A sober night would do you good
Don't think you are exceptional
Don't dream you're better than anyone else
You're only feeling good
A sober night would do you good
Reposted by Mark Elliott
In proper parliamentary style I have to declare an interest in this, as I’m a private renter and before moving to Sittingbourne I was a council housing tenant
Improving renters rights has been one of the biggest things for me so far in parliament, as is providing £39bn for building social housing
Improving renters rights has been one of the biggest things for me so far in parliament, as is providing £39bn for building social housing
On 1 May 2026, we will abolish Section 21 ‘no-fault’ evictions when we switch on the new private rented sector tenancy system.
More details in our roadmap for implementing the Renters’ Rights Act published today 👇🏻
www.gov.uk/government/p...
More details in our roadmap for implementing the Renters’ Rights Act published today 👇🏻
www.gov.uk/government/p...
Implementing the Renters' Rights Act 2025: Our roadmap for reforming the Private Rented Sector
www.gov.uk
November 14, 2025 at 8:15 AM
In proper parliamentary style I have to declare an interest in this, as I’m a private renter and before moving to Sittingbourne I was a council housing tenant
Improving renters rights has been one of the biggest things for me so far in parliament, as is providing £39bn for building social housing
Improving renters rights has been one of the biggest things for me so far in parliament, as is providing £39bn for building social housing
Reposted by Mark Elliott
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
November 16, 2025 at 11:27 AM
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
Reposted by Mark Elliott
Note, the far right guys aren’t going ‘we can vote Labour now they’re speaking our language’, they’re going ‘look, these idiots are smoothing the way for the extremist parties we have very openly said we’ve going to vote for for several years now.’
November 16, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Note, the far right guys aren’t going ‘we can vote Labour now they’re speaking our language’, they’re going ‘look, these idiots are smoothing the way for the extremist parties we have very openly said we’ve going to vote for for several years now.’
I really, really hope no one dies when the place does actually burn down, because it seems that's what's inevitably going to happen.
A final decision on how to repair Britain’s crumbling parliament is likely to be postponed beyond the next general election, according to four people familiar with the matter.
Final decision on fate of crumbling UK parliament delayed to 2030s
It’s a fire-hazard that’s prone to tumbling masonry — but fear of a public backlash is again delaying repairs to the world famous building.
www.politico.eu
November 16, 2025 at 10:14 AM
I really, really hope no one dies when the place does actually burn down, because it seems that's what's inevitably going to happen.
Currently listening to:
Nina Nastasia - Brad Haunts a Party
YouTube video by Andrea Danani
www.youtube.com
November 15, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Currently listening to:
Reposted by Mark Elliott
Check out the most recent volume of the Annual Review of Applied Linguistics on AI in Applied Linguistics, co-edited by program alum, Dr. Andrea Révész (EdD '07), and with articles co-authored by Dr. ZhaoHong Han and program alum, Dr. Evelina Galaczi (EdD '03). www.cambridge.org/core/journal...
November 14, 2025 at 6:21 PM
Check out the most recent volume of the Annual Review of Applied Linguistics on AI in Applied Linguistics, co-edited by program alum, Dr. Andrea Révész (EdD '07), and with articles co-authored by Dr. ZhaoHong Han and program alum, Dr. Evelina Galaczi (EdD '03). www.cambridge.org/core/journal...