iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

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The Empty City @davidallengreen.bsky.social · 23/06/2026

NEW at the Empty City Getting rid of 6 Prime Ministers in 10 years is a sign of a working political system It is that we keep appointing poor Prime Ministers that is the problem, not that we are deft at getting rid of them: an input issue not an output issue emptycity.substack.com/p/getting-ri...

There is an old adage that a litigator should not be “surprised” (or similar) by what their opponent does in litigation - one may be disappointed perhaps, but one should never be surprised. If a litigator is genuinely surprised by what their opponent does, they are probably in the wrong job.

A similar thing may be said about political commentators who are “baffled” (or similar) by a politician losing substantial support. A number of commentators seem bewildered by why and how the current Prime Minister Keir Starmer has lost political support so rapidly and widely that he announced his resignation yesterday, despite winning an emphatic majority at the last general election only two years ago. Again, if a pundit is genuinely baffled by a politician losing substantial amounts of political support they too are probably in the wrong job.

The answer this blog will offer as to whether losing six prime ministers in ten years is a sign of our political system functioning or dtysfunctioning is that, given each departure was justified, it is a sign of a working polity.

But the constant production of prime ministers who so quickly lose their support is, in contrast, a sign of the system not working.

It is not that we keep getting rid of poor Prime Minister that is the problem, but that we keep appointing them.

It is an input issue, not an output issue.

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Paul Bassett Davies @thewritertype.bsky.social · 25/05/2026

ALL PURPOSE HEATWAVE ALERT: Don't leave a dog in your car with a child while watering your garden after making unnecessary journeys to check on elderly neighbours using a disposable barbecue on dry grassland without sunscreen.

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Olaf Falafel @ofalafel.bsky.social · 11/04/2026

Recreate your own Artemis splashdown with three Tunnocks teacakes and a Nespresso pod

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RedruM @dorsalstream.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

The horse op-ed is an instant classic. I can't tell you how much joy this piece gives me. It should be taught in every introductory writing class in no small part because the horse arguments are so compelling. "I have noticed that human children get to eat cake. But I am bigger than the children."

I Work Very Hard, And I Would Like To Try Cake

By A Horse

Hello. I am a horse. I work very hard at my job of being a horse. When humans say move the heavy thing, I move the heavy thing. When humans sit on top of me and pull on my head, I carry them where they want to go. The main food the humans give me is hay and oats. But I am thinking it would be nice to have a different food.

I am thinking I would like to try cake.

Yes, yes. Cake. I know all about it. When humans eat cake, it is in glad times. It is the food for a celebration, such as when a woman becomes 47. I have seen cake on the Fourth of July. When humans have a cake, they stand around it and clap hands and smile and say happy birthday at each other. Sometimes there are beautiful markings on a cake, such as balloons or a pink shape.

Sometimes the top of a cake is on fire and a boy must blow on the fire with mouth wind. This is the scariest cake. I do not want this kind. But I will eat any other cake. Any cake that is not the fire cake that tries to kill the boy.

Please understand: I do not get money for doing work. I do not get to go inside the house. All I am either doing my horse job or standing in my pen or eating food off the floor. I always do these things. But I have never once gotten cake and I would like it very much.

I have noticed that human children get to eat cake. But I am bigger than the children. I am more helpful to the farm. Children do not move the heavy things like me or let anyone ride on them. And yet they get cake. Maybe the humans will realize this. Maybe they will say, "You know who deserves cake? That horse. That horse whose back we are always on."

Every day I dream about what it will be like if I get to eat cake. Here is what will happen. First, I will walk to the cake and putt my nose at it like hrrfff to make and stomping my hooves to make sure it is not a snake. Then I will trot in a circle to show that I am a horse and I am large. After that, I will nuzzle the cake to …

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Rob North @scotracing.bsky.social · 03/04/2026

Nijinsky Sea Pigeon Aldaniti Desert Orchid Inglis Drever Long Run

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Andy Wheatley @andywheatley.bsky.social · 04/03/2026

"When crazy people have nuclear weapons bad things happen," says crazy person with nuclear weapon.

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Rob North @scotracing.bsky.social · 20/01/2026

If anyone wants an Excel version it can be found at the following location: www.britishhorseracing.com/racing/fixtu...

britishhorseracing.com

Full Year | British Horseracing Authority

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Rhodri Marsden @rhodri.biz · 09/01/2026

Just listening to the Rest Is History’s series on Joan of Arc, and Tom Holland just said “the proof is in the pudding”, and I’m seriously considering cancelling my subscription as a consequence THE PROOF IS NOT IN THE GODDAMN PUDDING

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EveryDoctor @everydoctor.org.uk · 24/12/2025

This Christmas Eve, we’re sending our heartfelt thanks to NHS staff for caring every day. 💙 🎄 Your dedication is the gift that keeps on giving. 🎁 Thank you! 💙 🙂

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Merlyn Edwards @allmanbros2.bsky.social · 03/11/2025

Sorry Quizzers, I've been out and about today, with no phone! I forgot to put up a message telling that there would be no quiz, until now🍻.

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Sooz Kempner @soozuk.bsky.social · 16/06/2025

Today marks nine years since Jo Cox was assassinated by a far-right extremist, a terrible loss to those who knew and loved her and to politics. Zero lessons were learned though and the far-right continues to be pandered to. With more political assassinations in the US it all feels too familiar.

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Judd Legum @juddlegum.bsky.social · 05/04/2025

Trump promised to: 1. Immediately lower prices 2. Immediately end the wars in Ukraine and Gaza 3. Cut taxes Trump actually: 1. Increased prices 2. Failed to end the war in Ukraine of Gaza 3. Unilaterally implemented one of the largest tax increases in history

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Paul Walbyoff 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿 🇬🇧 🇺🇦 @p-jwally.bsky.social · 05/04/2025

@mcyeeehaaa.bsky.social has just provided an update on Broadway Boy & Celebre d'Allen... Fingers crossed for good recovery. ##GrandNational #HorseRacing

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Rob North @scotracing.bsky.social · 01/04/2025

Dilemma for the jockeys here. Big question is whether card or coins will add less weight?

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Jonathan Healey @jonathanhealey.bsky.social · 24/03/2025

‘Okay which one of you accidentally added Robert Cecil to the chat?’

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Albion Obsessed 🔵⚪️ @albionobsessed.bsky.social · 21/02/2025

Please help save Reading Football Club from their awful ownership and sign this petition. ✍️ t.co/0U9qcChMqz #SellBeforeWeDai #ReadingFC #FansUnited

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Billy Bragg @billybragg.bsky.social · 05/02/2025

Imagine you were the richest man in the world. You could have anything you wanted, go anywhere you wished, do whatever took you fancy. How would you spend your weekend? Depriving the poorest people in the world of food and healthcare and boasting about it?

Elon Musk tweet: We spent the wekend feeding USAID

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WG RumblePants @wgrumblepants.bsky.social · 30/01/2025

Today’s beautiful cricket ground is the home of Englefield CC in Berkshire #cricket #cricketgrounds #cricketground #villagecricket #clubcricket #beautifulcricketgrounds #cricketuk #cricketuk🇬🇧 🏏

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A Funny Old Game @sidlambert.bsky.social · 22/01/2025

This week in 1993: QPR and Man City gave us the most appalling 20 seconds of association football since records began. These men are heroes. We thank them for their service.

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Josh Self @josh.politics.co.uk · 21/01/2025

Keir Starmer: “If this trial had collapsed because I or anyone else had revealed crucial details while the police were investigating,... then the vile individual who committed these crimes would have walked away a free man. The prospect of justice, destroyed for the victims and their families.”

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Phil Sturgeon 🌳🚵⚓️ @philsturgeon.com · 14/01/2025

🚨 Tree Planting Crisis 🚨 Planting 11,500 trees next week and our usually reliable supplier cannot come through. We have no wooden stakes or guards. Does anyone have a few thousand spares knocking around? Can pay and pick up. Site is north Wales (Nannerch). @northwaleswt.bsky.social

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Dan Barber @danbarbertf.bsky.social · 07/01/2025

Enjoyed this lighthearted update ahead of Wetherby on Saturday...

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Sue Finley @suefinley.bsky.social · 03/01/2025

Happy New Year from the @thetdn.bsky.social cartoonist Remi Bellocq!

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Richard Nicholls @richardnicholls.net · 01/01/2025

Happy New Year everyone! I'm aiming to make as many people smile this year as I can. So here's day 1 of 365 days of smiles. It's a panda playing with a snowman. #365DaysOfSmiles

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Merlyn Edwards @allmanbros2.bsky.social · 23/12/2024

Afternoon all, hopefully all of you good people are fully prept for crimbo and are not out last minute shopping. Today's xmas feast is made up of 2 closed 2 current of which 1 is Irish. The answers will be at the normal time of 6.30pm all your Likes Guesses and Reposts are very much appreciated Thks

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Rob North @scotracing.bsky.social · 21/12/2024

The most overused combination of words in horse racing commentary, "already they".

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Miles King @milesking.bsky.social · 11/12/2024

As another #farmersprotest takes place today in London, I thought it would be useful to create a "damage to UK farming" timeline, from 2016 to 2024: 2016 Tories Boris Johnson & Michael Gove win the Brexit referendum, meaning UK will leave the Common Agricultural Policy. No farmer protests. 1/9

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Rob North @scotracing.bsky.social · 09/12/2024

Do TV presenters who say "we'll see you again..." know something we don't?

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EPR @elmparkroyals.bsky.social · 07/12/2024

Full time, and absolutely not one for the purists, but a 1-1 draw away at top of the table Wycombe and the points tick up. Thoughts using #EPR3

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Rob North @scotracing.bsky.social · 30/11/2024

Can someone please tell Coral that a 'barraca' is a shed? Presumably they mean 'marraca' which is shaky thing...

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Rob North @scotracing.bsky.social · 29/11/2024

For the majority of my life I don't remember it. Then commercial operations in the UK 'discovered' it and proceeded to ram it down the throats of the population.

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Adrian Edmondson @adrianedmondson.bsky.social · 29/11/2024

Bizarre thing happened to me yesterday that my teenage self would not believe. I was playing at the gig to celebrate the life of the genius that was Neil Innes. Whilst waiting backstage to go on, Michael Palin sang the lumberjack song to me, in German.

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Rob North @scotracing.bsky.social · 23/11/2024

Excellent performance by Brighterdaysahead to beat State Man at Punchestown, and if she learns to hudle a bit better she will advance even more.

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Rob North @scotracing.bsky.social · 21/11/2024

I notice Berkshire is the latest county to acquire 'National status' with the running of the Berkshire NationalHandicap Chase at Ascot on Saturday. In my 40 years of living and/or working in the Royal County I don't remember it being a hotbed of local nationalism, but life often surprises!

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Robert Thomson @robertthomson54.bsky.social · 19/11/2024

Without doubt one of the best trainer blogs in racing. Always thoughtful and eloquent www.kinneston.com

kinneston.com

Kinneston | Nick Alexander – Racehorse trainer in Scotland

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Ascot Racecourse @ascotracecourse.bsky.social · 13/11/2024

First past the Bluesky Winning Post... where's everyone else? #HorseRacing #Ascot

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David Simpkin @simplerdave.bsky.social · 13/11/2024

In his splendid autobiography 'A Moment Towards the End of the Play', Tim West suggests the following for his tombstone, in memory of many terrible detective thrillers from his early days in Rep: "Is he...?" "I'm afraid so"

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Rob North @scotracing.bsky.social · 14/11/2024

Snow Dragon clearly had the Wetherby juvenile hurdle chaos well planned! A big bag of carrots on the 11/1 winner?

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Jim Gath @jdgath.bsky.social · 12/11/2024

For all of you……

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Paul @fucktheracists.bsky.social · 13/11/2024

Just a little perspective..

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Rob North @scotracing.bsky.social · 13/11/2024

#UselessFactAlert Kinbara Firstdraft, hurdles winner at #AyrRacecourse today, is the only jumping runner to date for his sire Koropick(IRE) who ended up gelded and running in handicap sprints off official marks in the 40s.

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Just Jack @just-jack-1.bsky.social · 13/11/2024

Q: What happens when you overpay for a social media platform, drive away most of your advertisers, alienate half its users, making it worth less than a third of what you paid for it within a year? A: You get put in charge of government efficiency.

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Rob North @scotracing.bsky.social · 13/11/2024

Blow A Fortune caught my eye at Kelso first time out. Stayed on nicely here in the novice hurdle at #AyrRacecourse and will be interesting handicapped and up in trip.

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