Yuriy Akopov
@yakopov.me
Just recycling comfortable mantras about how it is good actually and will happen on its own once nasty Farage and boomers leave the scene is simply delusional. This project requires bold vision and readiness to make sacrifices.
Otherwise you will be "talking" for decades like Norway and Switzerland
Otherwise you will be "talking" for decades like Norway and Switzerland
December 5, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Just recycling comfortable mantras about how it is good actually and will happen on its own once nasty Farage and boomers leave the scene is simply delusional. This project requires bold vision and readiness to make sacrifices.
Otherwise you will be "talking" for decades like Norway and Switzerland
Otherwise you will be "talking" for decades like Norway and Switzerland
It is going to be 18 recent vs. 47 distant years, even if we don't diverge more, membership will become distant memory. There will be voters that won't remember the EU.
Seriously, if it is difficult and not inevitable, hard work is required to make rejoining (which I would like to see!) happen.
Seriously, if it is difficult and not inevitable, hard work is required to make rejoining (which I would like to see!) happen.
December 5, 2025 at 2:35 PM
It is going to be 18 recent vs. 47 distant years, even if we don't diverge more, membership will become distant memory. There will be voters that won't remember the EU.
Seriously, if it is difficult and not inevitable, hard work is required to make rejoining (which I would like to see!) happen.
Seriously, if it is difficult and not inevitable, hard work is required to make rejoining (which I would like to see!) happen.
It had been a member for 47 years. It is going to be 10 years since the referendum next year, roughly 20% of that time already. And it flew very fast! Now assuming rejoining doesn't happen during this Parliament, it's 3 more years, and then 5 more years if it's a Reform/Tory government.
December 5, 2025 at 2:33 PM
It had been a member for 47 years. It is going to be 10 years since the referendum next year, roughly 20% of that time already. And it flew very fast! Now assuming rejoining doesn't happen during this Parliament, it's 3 more years, and then 5 more years if it's a Reform/Tory government.
No country is the UK except for the UK itself. Not a great argument.
Of course there are big differences between the UK and Turkey, but arguably it is still a better example than Iceland with its a population of one London borough or Norway that is a petrostate.
Of course there are big differences between the UK and Turkey, but arguably it is still a better example than Iceland with its a population of one London borough or Norway that is a petrostate.
December 5, 2025 at 2:25 PM
No country is the UK except for the UK itself. Not a great argument.
Of course there are big differences between the UK and Turkey, but arguably it is still a better example than Iceland with its a population of one London borough or Norway that is a petrostate.
Of course there are big differences between the UK and Turkey, but arguably it is still a better example than Iceland with its a population of one London borough or Norway that is a petrostate.
A skeet with a deep lore.
December 5, 2025 at 2:12 PM
A skeet with a deep lore.
While it's true that Brits largely regrets Brexit, the country is absolutely not ready to face the realities of rejoining.
December 5, 2025 at 1:54 PM
While it's true that Brits largely regrets Brexit, the country is absolutely not ready to face the realities of rejoining.
I am not saying that CU membership alone is a good policy, and I would have also preferred full membership having voted Remain.
My point is that it not impossible, and that "just rejoin" is a non-starter right now despite the polls. The only part promising that is polling at 10-15%.
My point is that it not impossible, and that "just rejoin" is a non-starter right now despite the polls. The only part promising that is polling at 10-15%.
December 5, 2025 at 1:53 PM
I am not saying that CU membership alone is a good policy, and I would have also preferred full membership having voted Remain.
My point is that it not impossible, and that "just rejoin" is a non-starter right now despite the polls. The only part promising that is polling at 10-15%.
My point is that it not impossible, and that "just rejoin" is a non-starter right now despite the polls. The only part promising that is polling at 10-15%.
"Are talking", right, that's fine then.
There are no Western European countries like this, but a large country in the CU but not in the SM or the EU is Turkey.
There are no Western European countries like this, but a large country in the CU but not in the SM or the EU is Turkey.
December 5, 2025 at 1:51 PM
"Are talking", right, that's fine then.
There are no Western European countries like this, but a large country in the CU but not in the SM or the EU is Turkey.
There are no Western European countries like this, but a large country in the CU but not in the SM or the EU is Turkey.
a) Gen X votes are converging to boomers' political views, so Faragism is not going away (and if anything the successor is going to be far more brazen, same as how Vance is further down the radicalisation road than Trump).
b) It still works for some countries and may similarly work for the UK.
b) It still works for some countries and may similarly work for the UK.
December 5, 2025 at 1:43 PM
a) Gen X votes are converging to boomers' political views, so Faragism is not going away (and if anything the successor is going to be far more brazen, same as how Vance is further down the radicalisation road than Trump).
b) It still works for some countries and may similarly work for the UK.
b) It still works for some countries and may similarly work for the UK.
It's all fine unless you want to continue benefiting from being Europe's digital services hub and so having a bunch of unattended cables lying around.
December 5, 2025 at 12:03 PM
It's all fine unless you want to continue benefiting from being Europe's digital services hub and so having a bunch of unattended cables lying around.
Yeah, without Johnson and Gove giving Brexit the veneer of 'liberal normalcy' the vote would've been different (probably still Yes in high 30s, but I don't think higher than that)
December 5, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Yeah, without Johnson and Gove giving Brexit the veneer of 'liberal normalcy' the vote would've been different (probably still Yes in high 30s, but I don't think higher than that)
Britain is already 'not worth it' for Europeans - net migration among EU nationals has been negative since the Brexit vote and remains like that.
We may end up where the only people still willing to come will be from the poorest and dysfunctional nations Brits want to stop from coming here.
We may end up where the only people still willing to come will be from the poorest and dysfunctional nations Brits want to stop from coming here.
December 5, 2025 at 10:02 AM
Britain is already 'not worth it' for Europeans - net migration among EU nationals has been negative since the Brexit vote and remains like that.
We may end up where the only people still willing to come will be from the poorest and dysfunctional nations Brits want to stop from coming here.
We may end up where the only people still willing to come will be from the poorest and dysfunctional nations Brits want to stop from coming here.
Same people would tell you that if you raise taxes, rich people will just leave as their have other options (not entirely untrue tbh).
But people with skills in demand also have other options and so won't tolerate everything you keep throwing at them.
But people with skills in demand also have other options and so won't tolerate everything you keep throwing at them.
December 5, 2025 at 9:43 AM
Same people would tell you that if you raise taxes, rich people will just leave as their have other options (not entirely untrue tbh).
But people with skills in demand also have other options and so won't tolerate everything you keep throwing at them.
But people with skills in demand also have other options and so won't tolerate everything you keep throwing at them.
The frog and the scorpion are crossing the lake
December 5, 2025 at 9:08 AM
The frog and the scorpion are crossing the lake
Yeah, the advice here is straightforward and it's "have kids".
December 3, 2025 at 9:20 PM
Yeah, the advice here is straightforward and it's "have kids".
Badenoch, Yusuf and Mahmood: "This is the guy we are winning over!"
December 3, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Badenoch, Yusuf and Mahmood: "This is the guy we are winning over!"
Yes, plus it highly depends on the industry. Software engineers have been sharing professional secrets and published documentation very eagerly in comparison to many other professions, for instance, so YMMV depending on your field.
December 3, 2025 at 8:57 PM
Yes, plus it highly depends on the industry. Software engineers have been sharing professional secrets and published documentation very eagerly in comparison to many other professions, for instance, so YMMV depending on your field.
Now, would I ask it to write a blog post for me (even though it won't have my signature grammar mistakes)? Or to draw a postcard for a family member? Of course not.
December 3, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Now, would I ask it to write a blog post for me (even though it won't have my signature grammar mistakes)? Or to draw a postcard for a family member? Of course not.
"Oh but what if it hallucinates and the answer is wrong?"
* It happens way less often than some people believe
* I also make mistakes when I don't use an LLM, entirely on my own
* Just as with my own mistakes, this is what the tests are for. Duh.
* It happens way less often than some people believe
* I also make mistakes when I don't use an LLM, entirely on my own
* Just as with my own mistakes, this is what the tests are for. Duh.
December 3, 2025 at 8:45 PM
"Oh but what if it hallucinates and the answer is wrong?"
* It happens way less often than some people believe
* I also make mistakes when I don't use an LLM, entirely on my own
* Just as with my own mistakes, this is what the tests are for. Duh.
* It happens way less often than some people believe
* I also make mistakes when I don't use an LLM, entirely on my own
* Just as with my own mistakes, this is what the tests are for. Duh.
There are a lot of small problems resolving which on your own (also what is 'on your own'? with or without google and stack exchange?) isn't exciting, satisfying or educating, they just slow you down while your are dealing with a bigger task.
Such problem are the ideal fodder for an LLM!
Such problem are the ideal fodder for an LLM!
December 3, 2025 at 8:43 PM
There are a lot of small problems resolving which on your own (also what is 'on your own'? with or without google and stack exchange?) isn't exciting, satisfying or educating, they just slow you down while your are dealing with a bigger task.
Such problem are the ideal fodder for an LLM!
Such problem are the ideal fodder for an LLM!