Steve Baxter

What I said about Prince Andrew in 2011 Yesterday, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, formerly Prince Andrew the Duke of York, was arrested in connection with his time as a British trade envoy.

i was telling someone the other day about the now show piece that @johnfinnemore.bsky.social did about andrew mountbatten-windsor in 2011, and what do you know, john's put a transcript up on his blog:

How far back in time can you understand English? An experiment in language change

This is super interesting.

The last one I can read fluently is 1600.

I can then still read it and figure out (almost) every word, with some puzzling, but then lose it almost completely at 1200.

www.deadlanguagesociety.com/p/how-far-ba...

Teanius

The Vetting Myth Understanding the realities of Mandelson's pre-appointment checks

A fair amount of nonsense has been written and said about the "security vetting" process for Mandelson's appointment. I wrote about what "Developed Vetting" really involves and why it's perfectly possible that it found nothing useful about Mandelson.

arthursnell.substack.com/p/the-vettin...

22.00 THE NIGHT GARDEN MANAGER Episode 12: Pine suspects that Makka Pikka sold the AK47s to the Tombliboos.

VIEWER'S COMPETITION SHORTLIST: we're posting two of fave #ceefauxviewscomp entries each weekday and will count up the most likes/comments/reshares in 24 hours. 2/20 by @geospacedman.bsky.social

We definitely do tax Christmas presents above a certain threshold (up to £3k). Above that they would be subject to IHT if the giver died within 7 years.

Quite

RFK Jr. Questions Efficacy Of Skin

RFK Jr. Questions Efficacy Of Skin https://theonion.com/rfk-jr-questions-efficacy-of-skin/

19.353 YOU BETJEMAN A silence falls upon the room The hush, so quiet, as of a tomb Face still, hearts that yearn Lead by one: Stephen Mulhern He calms them now, a little joke The focus falls on Ken, from Stoke 40 sausages, in just a munte/ Can he eat them? Will he win it? Gnashers whirl, he staggers dizily "I can't look" says Holly Willoughby But no! all gone, No trace of meat. With a second left. A mighty feat! The crow erupts - a "A win! A win" Ken smiles, then sicks in a bin An advert break, and after that "Can a postman outrun a cat?"

We don't usually do requests, but this title was suggested and was just too good not to do

Genius

In my ongoing attempts to give you a break from *gestures widely* THE HORRORS:

Let's talk about the utterly bizarre science of cats' purring.

Here's a weird starting point:
There are NO cats (Felidae) that can BOTH roar AND purr.

Cats that roar = genus Panthera
Cats that purr = genus Felis

Isn't it just the correct way of normalising the data? USA still obviously awful.

Zookeeper Holly Dorning entices the Capybara from their their heated enclosure during a brief snow shower to take part in the annual stocktake at London Zoo

A zookeeper poses with the humboldt penguins in their enclosure during the annual stocktake at London Zoo

A zookeeper submerges herself in a tank to count coral during the London Zoo stocktake

A lion in its enclosure during the annual stocktake at London Zoo

London Zoo are doing their annual stock take and it is a thing of joy (pics from Getty Images)

www.gettyimages.co.uk/editorial-im...

A drawing of a perfect phone that only has three buttons on it, one of them says IS HE DEAD one of them says AM I BROKE and the other one says RELAXING PUZZLE GAME

I invented a new phone to help save time in the morning

Comic. [Instructions on package] High Altitude Cooking Instructions: 3,500-6,500 ft: Add ½ cup water, increase cook time to 12 minutes. 6,500-9,500 ft: Add ¼ cups water, increase cook time to 18 minutes. 250,000-450,000 ft: Orient reentry vehicle for aerodynamic stability. Deploy parachutes at 10,000 ft. Descend, keeping crew capsule tightly covered, for 3-4 minutes. After splashdown, follow sea level cooking instructions.

High Altitude Cooking Instructions

xkcd.com/3187/

I remember the night I first introduced Count Dragomir Vasile Mihai Neculai Alexandru Constantin Dodos of Josenii Bârgäului to my wife. She grimaced and said "That's a terribly elaborate name for
such a small penis".

Icelandic folklore tells of the Yule Cat that terrorizes children if they don't have new socks for Christmas.

folklore does not specify whether the Yule Cat is adorable or not, tho. ❤️🐈‍⬛

White House Begins Christmas Season With Ceremonial Lighting Of Cross

White House Begins Christmas Season With Ceremonial Lighting Of Cross

I fucking love memes you can understand through the language barrier, holy shit

Ah that's a good tip!

Can you use the LNER first class lounge with a first class interrail pass even if you haven't been on an LNER train? Looks nicer than the Avanti one at Euston!

Man Who Thought Fleetwood Mac’s ‘The Chain’ Was Over In For Thrill Of His Fucking Life

Man Who Thought Fleetwood Mac’s ‘The Chain’ Was Over In For Thrill Of His Fucking Life https://theonion.com/man-who-thought-fleetwood-macs-the-chain-was-over-in-for-thrill-of-his-fucking-life/

‘I thought the grownups were back in charge!’: John Crace on how Labour shattered his expectations After 14 years of Tory rule, the Guardian’s parliamentary sketch writer thought he had seen it all. Westminster would surely tick along nicely once Keir Starmer’s party took over. How wrong he was ...

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

I’m not a great political analyst, but I do feel Labour have made a tactical error by opting to be cunts.

This is excellent

On incompetence Much of our political culture is fundamentally incompetent.

Terrific, thought-provoking piece by @chrisdillow.bsky.social:

How very artery of you

Rising Phoenix, Damp Nights

Moominpapapain

Artist: Urth https://b3ta.com/board/11422299
From the 'Two Authors One Book' challenge https://b3ta.com/challenge/twoauthorsonebook/popular/ #TwoAuthorsOneBook