Andy Shuttleworth

The #FireAndIce festival is boldly going with a sci-fi theme this year #StarTrek #Durham

An amazing film. One of my all time favourites. I met Greenwood at a con once. His line was shockingly non-existent & he was kind enough to spend half an hour talking about this film, how it was made, etc. A con highlight for me. Enjoy the watch!

I’ll charge mates-rates, Jon!

It is/was. I have some leftover for dinner later. One of my favourite little recipes.

Coconut Harissa Lamb Meatballs.

Delicious!

“To escape and sit quietly on the beach - that’s my idea of paradise.”

- Emilia Wickstead

1. Baker Beach, San Francisco, CA
2. Bamburgh Beach, Northumberland
3. Bamburgh Beach , Northumberland
4. Embleton Bay, Northumberland

I once charged £5/bin bag for ironing in uni. I find it strangely relaxing. May need to bring it back as a side hustle. Surely there’s an app for it? OnlyIron? IronFans?

Sorry to hear, TG. He sounds nice and companionable, but I hope you find your happiness.

I’ve missed John Oliver.

Once again, I am out on the town and treating myself to a tasting menu. This time at #RestaurantFaru in Durham.

The last three courses. The chocolate covered dates were a joyous surprise. Lamb was excellent, but as always could have done with more garlic.

Who said being single means you can’t have a fancy solo dining experience? If you could point them out to me, I’ll raise my champagne in their general direction to show signal how wrong they are.

My evening so far for #DurhamRestaurantWeek at #FIIK.

The soufflé has been the stand-out so far, closely followed by the Dill Mash that was served with the Cod.

Best of luck, TG. Not that you need the affirmation from a random male on the ol’ internet but you got this!

It’s #DurhamRestaurantWeek, which means a week of tasting menus for me. First up is #FIIK, which combines a traditional atmosphere and tasty creations to the tunes of Avril Lavigne and Shania Twain and I AM DOWN FOR THIS!

As others have said, have a chat with him. Tell him how this makes you feel. How he responds will be the key. Hope it goes/has gone well.

Just a reminder: one of the primary causes of the fall of the Roman Empire was taxes. Don’t know why that is pertinent in today’s world, but it seemingly is.

I’m not actually worried about all this hate for Nu-Trek. We’ve been here before, numerous times, for each successive series that followed TOS.

It’ll be like Enterprise, with ever growing appreciation as time passes. DISC, SNW, SFA will all have a resurgence ten years from now.

Each of which would have their counterbalance. But the main counter for anything will be/needs to be the American people as a whole; who need to once again rally behind the founding principles & laws of the Republic. Only the people can stop absolutism.

I think that there are many steps towards that eventuality, of which annexation of Greenland is potentially one. What such an action will do is align the US with the de facto ideology of Russia and China in terms of foreign policy. There are many other steps that would need to be taken for WW3.

A not insignificant part of me truly feels he’ll do it, and that we’re all about to experience something similar to the political climate that was prevalent pre-1914: boisterous nationalism, webs of national alliances, arms races, territorial expansion, and gunpowder just waiting for a spark.

This sounds like the mechanisations of the Tea Goddess. Hope the burn wasn’t too severe.

If the US invades Greenland, NATO ceases to exist.

Does this mean we can get a sequel to Team America: World Police?

I’m not saying Trump and his court (for that is what it is) aren’t fascist, I think the term absolutist is better applied.

I think we’re seeing an attempt to bring American Absolutism to life.

Even in terms of economy there are comparisons. Louis left the state near bankrupt while he lived in coddled luxury, and the economic policies of Trump will do the same for the vast amount of Americans.

Trump is doing the same, even with the gaudy decoration of the White House and the new Ballroom; making it is Versailles.

He’a consolidated patronage, ignored or bypassed congress, and made the existing nobility (GOP, Democrats, whatever) subservient or powerless. Greenland and Venezuela add to it

Louis XIV consolidated his power and patronage around himself, he ignored the decision making bodies of the Estate General, made the existing nobility subservient to him. He undertook expansionism in costly wars. All symbolised by the Palace of Versailles and himself.

It’s called Absolutism.

Now, the label one could associate with Trump (besides ‘orange’) would likely be fascism. I’ve seen that ascribed to him, and in many ways that’s an apt fit. But in reading about Louis XIV I increasingly see parallels between the Sun King and Trump.

It’s interesting because as with all history it allows us to reflect on our modern times; learning lessons, offering solutions, managing expectations. That sort of thing.

Which bring me to Louis XIV and Trump.