Dan Farthing

Looks like the US Appeaser in Chief has already rolled over to have his tummy tickled by Putin.

I just don’t understand how is perceived as strong by so many in the US when he displays such weakness in the face of Russian aggression.

If the Gulf of Mexico needs renaming then I suggest it becomes the Gulf of Understanding to represent the increasing polarisation that this debate encapsulates.

I’m worried about Wes Streeting’s social care plan. Assuming that he is successful in building a cross party consensus to protect an unpopular but necessary proposal, do we really believe that consensus will include the populists? Won’t they use it as evidence of a cosy elite who are all the same?

Why do senior politicians delude themselves that they can control the criteria by which their record will be judged by the precise wording in manifesto that virtually no voter reads? The public’s assumptions and expectations are far more electorally relevant.

Prince Andrew shouldn't be privy to information sensitive enough to make him a worthwhile target for Chinese espionage in the first place.

He’s being reported as describing sandwiches as a ‘great British institution.’

Am I the only one who is uncomfortable with Starmer attacking Badenoch’s views on sandwiches by implying they are unbritish.

This feel particularly important in our age of polarization and misinformation. Its all too easy to acribe ill intent to those who sinmply disagree with us.

"A very large part of Liberalism consists in extending goodwill to your opponents, trusting their sincerity, leaving them free, understanding their point of view and eradicating one's own prejudices." Gilbert Murray 1956 "The Meaning of Freedom"

I really wish so much civil society capacity wasn't required to unpick the reality behind the numbers the Scottish Government chooses to present in its budget. A short thread with reference to one specific example:

To get back in we will need to convince EU members that we can be trusted and are fully committed. They won’t want to let us back in only for us to quit again in a few decades. That means we need to build a new consensus well beyond party affiliations.

I’m disappointed enough that the Starmer Government is still wedded to their “we’ll make Brexit work” position. However, for them to so strongly lean into the “immigration is bad” narrative as well is enough to make you weep. We must stand up for a dynamic and open society or we won’t get one.

It’s #WorldAIDSDay today which is as good a day as any to remember all those bleeding disorders families who were amongst the first people in the UK to be diagnosed. Treatment was non-existent and the stigma at hysterical. So many lives were lost and many more still live with the grief and trauma.

Quite right, who wants to be normal anyway?

This is impressive progress in the face of the cost of living / inflation challenges. Do you subscribe to any theories about what is driving the downward trend. I’m wondering if there are lesson for us in Scotland.

Thank you!

Only a normal member these days. Can I be added too?

Just saw a friend who tried our long tail cargo bike in the summer cycle past with her two kids on the back. When we got our first cargo bike 4 years ago it felt rare. Now it feels like it would be rare be out in my part of Edinburgh and not see any. I love it.

I created a feed for people who are interested in suicidology, or research on suicide, self harm, and related topics. It also tends to pick up other public reports, like newspaper articles, and job postings, which feels like more of a feature than a bug.

bsky.app/profile/did:...
#suicideresearch

I’m not too worried that this will become a progressive echo chamber. I’m not here to argue with people. I just want to see the views well informed and interesting people and to learn more about the issues I care about. Xitter hasn’t been good for that in a long time.

I’m doing my best but I’m struggling to come up with a less menacing name for a storm than Bert.

It’s old fashioned appeasement. History has clear lessons about what happens when a county that invades its neighbours is appeased. If the line isn’t held in Ukraine then we’ll all pay a higher price to hold it further west.

Not saying Islamophobia isn’t the key way anti-refugee feeling is expressed in Germany- it very clearly is.

Anti-Muslim hate is seen across the political spectrum & to a worrying extent.

But the easy narrative that it was Merkel’s welcome of Syrians to blame is lazy & inadequate. #r4today

Every time I hear about Elon Musk’s new job I can’t help thinking he is America’s new Minister for Administrative Affairs.

I’m hearing a lot of analysis that the Trump US is going to force the EU/UK to pick a side between the US & China. In the context of a policy of stepping back from EU security to appease Putin they may do permanent damage to the transatlantic relationship, particularly in terms of public opinion.

Is any progress being made on reciprocal membership between the UK and Scottish movements?

Post from Latino pollster Mike Madrid: “Doing some research for an upcoming article on the last “mass deportation” of Mexicans during the 1930’s. Over half of those deported were US citizens.”

Indeed. When they rounded up the Japanese Americans, myself and my family included, for internment during WWII out of fear over Japanese spies and saboteurs, two thirds of us were U.S. citizens.

Don’t think it won’t happen again when they come for the “undocumented.”

A massive missile assault has just been launched on Ukraine - hitting cities & vital infrastructure across the country.

This is Putin’s clear answer to recent diplomatic outreach. Appeasement will only fuel further aggression.

Ukrainians have show such courage & strength. We can’t abandon them.

This is the best thing since…