Ian Tracy

Decline, what decline? The myth of dying Europe There is a widespread view that, by comparison with the USA, Europe is in economic and social decline. But, Zucman argues, it's not true

🔥🇪🇺 “Europeans enjoy more free time than Americans, a higher life expectancy and lower levels of inequality – all with roughly comparable productivity.

Whichever way you look at it, this is a significantly superior economic performance.”

Happy New Year from Dún Laoghaire, Dublin!

Proud of my hometown fireworks tonight!! 🎆 brilliant ❤️

#Dublin #NYFDublin #DunLaoghaire

Today's soundtrack. The Amazing World of Doctor Who, thrilling adventures in time and space! 🤩

#DoctorWho #TomBaker #Vinyl #LouiseJameson #Leela #BBC

WHY ARE YOU ANNOYED THIS IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO HAPPEN

A sign advertising 07949020598 wasps £50

absolute bargain if any of yous have a use for 7,949,020,598 wasps

🔥 Are you Team Land?
🌊 Or Team Sea? (Boo!)

🧵 Tomorrow night on BBC Four, join Jon Pertwee,
@manningofficial.bsky.social, and Roger Delgado…

Basil Fawlty (John Cleese) points out the Doctor Who spinoff on the horizon to the belligerent Mrs. Richards (Joan Sanderson) in Fawlty Towers: Communication Problems (1979)

"You *can* see the War; It's over there, between the Land and the Sea!"
#DoctorWho

One of the greatest voices in popular music is 80 today 🎈❤️
#Frida #ABBA 📸 CharlieGrey

Everyone went on about Agnetha but Anni-Frid looks like she knows some filthy jokes, could drink you under the table and slap the taste out of your mouth. Now that's a woman. #TOTP

Tom Baker at his MBE Investiture wearing his Doctor costume in the TARDIS

Tom Baker at his MBE Investiture with Louise Jameson, both looking like the Doctor and Leela

Tom Baker at his MBE Investiture with a Dalek

Tom Baker at his MBE Investiture being given his medal with K9 in the background

Just taking a moment to appreciate these wonderful pictures of Tom Baker with @louisejameson.bsky.social & friends at his MBE investiture this week. How does he get *more* like the Doctor the older he gets? #TomBaker MBE - it's about time.🧣🏅

I like the Carry On films but the lore is too confusing, impossible for modern audiences to accept these people could play a major part in the French Revolution AND lose their bras on camping holidays

The BBC are accidentally running the subtitles to Mrs Marple over the Mercury Prize, and it’s rather wonderful. A few of lines could plausibly have been written by Jarvis.

BBC Two - Call My Bluff, 27/05/1977 Robert Robinson hosts a game of word definitions and deceptions. With Tom Baker.

An episode of Call My Bluff with Tom Baker is on BBC4 tonight at 9pm

www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

Transvision Vamp’s Wendy James on scandals, reunions and her beef with Elvis Costello She became an 80s pop icon – and a media hate figure. Now, reforming her group after more than 30 years, James recalls her painful path through through the music business, surviving ‘Harvey Weinstein-type’ situations, and working with punk’s finest

Transvision Vamp’s Wendy James on scandals, reunions and her beef with Elvis Costello

Temu's Colin Baker range goes live.

Irish presidential election candidates confirmed as three-way race begins Fine Gael’s Heather Humphreys, Fianna Fáil’s Jim Gavin and leftwing independent Catherine Connolly in running for job

Irish Prez Election 2025.
This will either be the smeariest, dirtiest election ever... or a load of tedious nonsense. At least the Steen person hasn't been given a platform. #PresidentialElection2025 #Election2025

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...

High quality journalism is paywalled, right wing propaganda is funded by cunts and free

Saint Etienne's new album International

Saint Etienne's new album International

Saint Etienne's new album International

Saint Etienne's new album International

Been travelling, so haven't had time to listen to this, my most anticipated album this year. And it's wonderful. On this, their 13th (and last-ever) LP, Saint Etienne are as smart and clever pop magicians as they ever were.

Too late to say goodbye, but too young to die 💙
@bobpetesarah.bsky.social

The Strange World Of… Saint Etienne | The Quietus In the April 1993 issue of Select (a key text in the run-up to Britpop) the first band interviewed in its famous ‘Yanks Go Home’ feature wasn’t its cover stars, Suede. It was Saint Etienne, a trio nam...

“Britpop’s best foundational band. From day one – in the post-perestroika summer of Italia 90 – their approach to music, lyrics, and films has always crossed borders, been open-minded, and kept time-travelling.” Thank you Jude Rogers. thequietus.com/interviews/s...

cat

Ireland may not contest Eurovision if Israel takes part RTÉ has announced this lunchtime that it will not take part in the 2026 Eurovision Song contest "if the participation of Israel goes ahead."

Big move from RTÉ regarding Eurovision 2026. Better late than never, and I'd suspect they won't be the only participating broadcaster choosing this stance. www.rte.ie/entertainmen...

BANANARAMA LOVE TRUTH AND HONESTY

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𝘕𝘰 𝘌𝘹𝘪𝘵 is back! The remastered and expanded deluxe edition arrives on October 31 digitally, on CD, and on vinyl for the very first time. Until then, stream the bonus track “Hot Shot.”

Pre-order No Exit: blondie.lnk.to/NoExit2025
Listen to "Hot Shot": blondie.lnk.to/HotShot2025Mix

This is phenomenal.

This is A+ trolling

Take Me To The Pilot Saint Etienne · Take Me To The Pilot · Song · 2025

BEATS! 😍👯‍♂️
New single from #SaintEtienne Take Me To The Pilot
The new album is shaping up to be bloody brilliant!

@bobpetesarah.bsky.social @stetiennedisco.bsky.social
open.spotify.com/track/2FsJ6j...

Handwritten sign reads "Credit & Debit Card machine is not working. Apologize."

I’m sorry.

The Sears Tower looking insanely creepy during a blackout, including the impression of a scary face topped by a crown of spikes. It looks like a giant humanoid evil robot or a demonic Minecraft creature.

"It's ok, honey. The Sears Tower experiencing a blackout won't hurt you!"

The Sears Tower experiencing a blackout:

I want to read Peter something. In August 2023, a handwritten letter from William Hartnell, addressed to a fan, sold at auction. Dated 15 February 1966 (the second day of rehearsals for the opening episode of March ’66 serial The Ark), it begins: “Dear Philip. Thank you for your letter. Although I can work the TARDIS, between you and me and the gatepost, I am very vague as to how it works! So I am sure your guess is as good as mine.” But the letter soon becomes more personal: “I was very, very sorry when our original team split up – we all got on very well together – but Barbara [sic] wanted to be free to go over to Canada with her husband, and Ian and Susan [sic] both wanted to go back to work in the theatre. However, I like Peter Purves, who plays Steven, very much indeed, and I hope he will stay with me a long time.” When I finish reading, Peter’s eyes are glistening. “Oomph,” he breathes. “Wow. That’s… remarkable.” He seems genuinely taken aback. “Oh, I’m sorry, that’s… I’m welling up. That’s so touching.” A teary smile. “Ohh. Bugger.” We sit in silence for a moment. Those words – “I hope he will stay with me a long time” – hang in the air. Interviews with Hartnell are rare, so any glimpse into his thoughts, especially about the show and his co-stars, feels precious.

Lovely interview with Peter Purves in the latest DWM.