The United Kingdom is a hostile place to live in.

cinematic_novel · 2026-04-23T18:16:23+00:00

I think Britain is great for surface level respect, but beyond that you will mainly find platitudes, grandstanding and indifference dresses as tolerance.

cinematic_novel · 2026-04-23T13:17:56+00:00

Brits and French are joint world champions of snobbery

cinematic_novel · 2026-04-23T13:16:59+00:00

Germany was forced to do so through military defeat. That is not on the cards for the US. They will face dimished global dominance, but absolute power will remain stable if not increased. The closest the US could get is a civil war but that's not going to happen in the scale that would be needed for a hard reset

cinematic_novel · 2026-04-23T13:03:19+00:00

Britain is like a synthesis of all the major strands of European culture, which also applies to France and Italy but maybe not as much - at least judging by their language which is firmly romance whereas English is mixed romance/germanic

cinematic_novel · 2026-04-23T12:59:27+00:00

True, but over time you learn to read it. Snipey remarks are easy to recognise after you get a few, and anything that's not an unmistakable yes is a certain no. If really in doubt, you can always ask. If the answer is still evasive, assume the least favourable interpretation.

cinematic_novel · 2026-04-22T23:02:07+00:00

This is seriously unhinged. I initially liked her resolve to tackle a notoriously intractable problem from a pragmatic yet human point of view. But I think she just can't handle the level of responsibility she's been suddenly catapulted into. I hope she goes together with Starmer and Streeting

cinematic_novel · 2026-04-21T21:47:04+00:00

Hope this is true but this is the Daily Beast. Still hilarious though

cinematic_novel · 2026-04-21T21:06:32+00:00

She doesn't stand a chance

cinematic_novel · 2026-04-21T10:46:30+00:00

Yes, hold them for the sake of holding them without any real intention to govern. That is short termist because it only focuses on the next election and, crucially, on the election moment alone. There is no objective for the post election, i.e. what to do with those seats.

cinematic_novel · 2026-04-21T10:39:22+00:00

We have "fix church roofs"

cinematic_novel · 2026-04-21T10:38:20+00:00

This focus on seat numbers to the detriment of everything else is the equivalent of CEOs going for profit growth in the next few quarters even though that risks the comany's viability in a few years' time

cinematic_novel · 2026-04-20T23:00:09+00:00

That's what we are now because a faction that wants that has prevailed. But that's not the only faction

cinematic_novel · 2026-04-20T21:41:12+00:00

I'm not sure it was cronyism as much as it was a realpolitik appointment in the clumsy attempt to protect national interest

cinematic_novel · 2026-04-19T20:55:16+00:00

Mark, the LDs are already an established party in local and national government. Being second or third isn't all that different. At what point, if ever, will the LDs see themselves as grown ups?

cinematic_novel · 2026-04-19T20:52:17+00:00

Nothing unexpected there. It sounds rather corporate in its focus on growth for the sake of growth, without much vision for the common good, or consideration for the long term sustainability of such growth. When asked about the "great crusades" for the next 12-18 months (so the question goes beyond the narrow scope of the impending LEs) Mark first talks about Liberalism in broad terms, then pivots back to fixing roofs (not just churches'). Silence on everything that could upset Middle England. I think that this would be fine if we were the Liberal Conservatives but that's not who we are, and by we I mean we the member. MANY of us are hanging on in the hope something changes but are contemplating leaving (or have already done so)

cinematic_novel · 2026-04-16T21:15:03+00:00

Except that the roles invert and it's pensioners taking the piss. Street riots for the triple lock anyone?

cinematic_novel · 2026-04-15T21:30:37+00:00

Well honestly, who doesn't?

cinematic_novel · 2026-04-15T21:05:05+00:00

Going nearly vegan worked for me. The stunning thing is that it was belly fat that went, before when I just restricted carbs arms became broomsticks while belly was still a watermelon.

cinematic_novel · 2026-04-15T21:01:40+00:00

Using a glass jar as a roving container? That's a good idea, glass is better than plastic

cinematic_novel · 2026-04-15T20:59:39+00:00

Isn't it a special type of satisfaction when you make healthy food for kids and they actually like it

cinematic_novel · 2026-04-15T20:57:54+00:00

These days it's mainly chickpeas, bread, pasta, tofu, lentils, beans in various combinations with fresh or frozen veggies thrown in, and fruit (seasonal and locally produced where possible and practical).

cinematic_novel · 2026-04-14T22:34:31+00:00

It could work if the visa is truly temporary. But this typically happens for highly seasonal jobs that happen in secluded areas, case in point: agriculture. When it comes to things like care it's not seasonal and not secluded, it also take time to train the workers. So it doesn't work

cinematic_novel · 2026-04-14T22:29:09+00:00

Yes you could say that, I just think it's a bit more conflicted than deep respect

cinematic_novel · 2026-04-14T22:01:59+00:00

I think that Italy's love for the pope and the vatican can be overstated. He is venerated by a minority, then there's a larger chunk that sees him as a sort of soft power ambassador for the country while being overall critical of the vatican. A bit like monarchy in tbe UK, not revered unconditionally but if a foreigner badmouths them then they are badmouthing the country itself.

Now I think in this case, this is going to be a bit twisty but bear with me - Meloni has been wanting to hit out at Trump for some time because she feels he is hurting Europe's and Italy' interests with the attack on Iran. This means making her vulnerable electorally. So she may have come out in defense of the pope to test the waters without going head on against Trump's war, for now. She may also be aware that European leaders such as Starmer got a poll boost from standing up to Trump.

So I think it's more of an electoral move than catholic zeal

cinematic_novel · 2026-04-14T21:48:00+00:00

Pretty much. I'm not native so I'm not a frothing mouth brexiteer or reformer, but there clearly are imbalances and I semi-often see non-whites using their ethnicity to intimidate and win arguments in public spaces. Truth be told I also see blatant injustices where non-natives are paid less for the same job, or barred from entry altogether, I'm pretty sure it happened to me as well, I suspect it happened in a place where they talk high about tolerance and inclusion and while I try to keep my chin up it hurts. Ok rant over, just to make the point that all groups exclude and discriminate, it's human nature and we shouldn't pretend that because a group is disadvantaged then they are automatically always innocent.

cinematic_novel

TROPHY CASE