Chuckles

here in Spain it has been met with more equanimity, and there's some belief that if the law was abused and pressure started being put on the elderly and disabled to "die already" society would consider it a problem and correct it. The fossil Roman Catholic bishopry provides a (somewhat) principled official opposition to the practice, and the qualification process is appropriately lengthy and difficult (even onerous), making the "bulldozers to the crematorium" scenario less likely.

2026-03-18 07:02:35 UTC

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That's a totally understandable perspective: in a political environment where anyone who cannot work is labeled a "scrounger", life-maintaining benefits are cut every year regardless of the party in power, carers are undervalued and often unpaid, and the wolves of Reform are scratching at the door, you'd have to be rather thick to assume good faith on the part of the present government (much less the *next* government).

2026-03-17 08:53:18 UTC

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When an MBA was pitched to me as part of my "professional development" I was told the following:
• "It's not about the course content, it's about building your network."
• "Make sure it's a top ranked school because that gives you the connections you need."
• "The MBA is just a signal that you understand the way things really work."
• "An advanced degree other than an MBA actually limits your career opportunities."
I was working at a software company, run into the ground by MBAs.

2026-03-17 08:16:32 UTC

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it's almost as if people with *actual subject matter expertise* are better placed to decide how new technologies should be applied in their fields rather than a bunch of business school graduates who are only trained how to conspire to raise prices, bribe politicians, and to reduce "headcount".

2026-03-08 10:59:27 UTC

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Very nice sentiments without actual proposals equals propaganda. "The electoral system must change" but Labour helped scuttle that the last time around. I feel for Mr Lewis, but at a certain point one has to recognize that one's party is no longer capable of effecting change. Who will be the first sitting Labour MP to cross the aisle to the Green Party?

2026-03-07 09:50:48 UTC

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Any journalist can write objectively about faraway places, the true measure of journalistic integrity is the ability to write factually about things staring one in the face.

2026-02-13 15:00:34 UTC

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Roko's Basilisk is not waiting around...

2026-01-30 07:54:45 UTC

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I believe the term "slumlord" needs revival

2026-01-19 07:43:21 UTC

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An entire generation of infrastructure spending based on China's manufacturing capacity for building solar, wind power, battery will relegate petroleum to fringe heavy industries. These communities will have a power grid that pays dividends after three short years. That will transform the economies of the equatorial latitudes with cheap power to power homes, public works, and industry.
China has no "excess capacity", it has planned capacity for strategic autonomy and global power.

2025-12-10 07:43:38 UTC

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Please keep in mind that these rules are not punitive! They were developed to ensure that potential member states are able to participate effectively and contribute in a meaningful way to the European project. The Copenhagen Criteria were approved in 1993/1995 with the support of then-member UK, so they're not monstrous.
If an applicant considers it unbearable to be held to the same membership standards as every other member of a club, then it's not a problem with the club.

2025-12-10 07:09:07 UTC

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It's healthy for states with aspirations of EU membership to acquaint themselves with EU institutions and their requirements.
Since the UK joined the EC before the Copenhagen Criteria were developed, Britons must familiarize themselves with the accession process and understand the changes the UK would need to make to join the union.
It's not an easy process: it requires hard things like a written constitution and a non-hereditary government.
https://enlargement.ec.europa.eu/enlargement-policy/steps-towards-joining_en

2025-12-03 18:14:13 UTC

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I'm going to slap the next person who suggests "market based solutions" within my reach.

2025-12-02 09:37:31 UTC

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build. public. housing. ffs.

2025-12-02 05:51:35 UTC

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so, Canada can afford the EU defense fund but the UK can't. Or: Canada is willing to pay its way, but the UK isn't. And not only is Canada part of NATO, it's also half of NORAD, so this is the biggest realignment in global security since the 2004 NATO expansion. #AirstripOne #RIPNATO #RIPNORAD #NATO #NORAD

2025-11-29 09:52:52 UTC

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anyone rich enough to be subject to meaningful taxation can afford an army of accountants and solicitors just in case their "lobbyists" fail them

2025-11-20 10:13:58 UTC

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I *loved* the Barbie Liberation Organization, they were truly inspiring.

2025-10-17 15:58:48 UTC

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you, sir, exhibit formidable restraint

2025-09-17 12:31:44 UTC

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"many more of us are boeing to die" 💀

2025-09-16 11:37:07 UTC

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Walkaway is one of my favourite books, thank you for writing it. It's nice to see a possible future beyond this interminable capitalist hellscape.

2025-08-17 12:56:15 UTC

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that sounds like a richly profitable point of view for someone strategically placed

2025-08-17 12:52:41 UTC

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pffffft

2025-06-05 09:26:02 UTC

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reminds me of the "Army Surplus" stores which littered rural areas throughout the cold war. Young me: "why does the army have such huge equipment surpluses?" My father: "they don't."

2025-04-22 07:38:28 UTC

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limiting benefits to children based on their number of siblings is eugenicist, racist, classist, and absolutely terrible public policy.

2025-03-25 16:40:35 UTC

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excellent 👌 let's get moving on ID cards as well.

2025-03-15 11:10:54 UTC

DAB+ radio is my favourite #EuropeanAlternative to streaming music. Not only is it free, there is no evil megacorp spying and putting you on lists, it connects you to your local community and supports local businesses.
All cars sold in the EU/EEA since 2021 have DAB+ built in; modern TVs have it as well, and lots of nice battery-operated radios like these are useful in emergencies as well (eg when Internet cables *ahem* "get cut").
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_Audio_Broadcasting
#europeanalternatives @npub19rj…sy2r
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/114/166/112/044/750/908/original/0734af45a93bca42.jpg
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/114/166/112/120/485/683/original/25de23591cd939f8.jpg
https://files.mastodon.social/media_attachments/files/114/166/112/190/971/353/original/fda79d5d7ec55e86.jpg

2025-03-10 20:46:02 UTC

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Let a thousand class action lawsuits bloom!

2024-08-27 16:12:43 UTC

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I feel *seen*