iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

William Lane @williamjtlane.bsky.social · 3h

'The people who are going to say “nasty party” will always say it. Quite frankly, the reason why we’re in this mess is because we kept pandering to those people and trying to make them like us. And did it work? No, it didn’t.' Kemi...it gave you 14 years in government...

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William Lane @williamjtlane.bsky.social · 3h

For me AV trips my 'compromise that satisfies nobody' alarm in the same way that EEA membership does (many apologies to the EEA enjoyers out there). It feels like it doesn't go far enough for those that want electoral reform, but goes too far for those that don't. That's a nasty dead zone to be in.

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Weedle @weedle.bsky.social · 3h

Pretty much all of modern warfare is Weaponized Math. The artillery officer can end your existence with a protractor.

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William Lane @williamjtlane.bsky.social · 8h

I'm more sympathetic to Burnham's politics than Stephen, but even so this is basically my position on him (with the caveat that 'not having a theory of growth' is arguably the norm for Labour in government aside from 1997-2008). Even where I disagreed with him the concrete ideas were so refreshing.

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William Lane @williamjtlane.bsky.social · 22h

Ranting about the Redcoats while weaing a pair of Oxfords. British soft power remains undefeated.

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William Lane @williamjtlane.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

Also, at least in the modern day, national governments tend to almost stereotype their own socities in a bid to gain more tourists (see every advert for London that has big ben, red buses, phoneboxes etc.), so this misunderstanding becomes something reinforced by the nation itself.

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William Lane @williamjtlane.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

A lot of my issue with all discussions of national culture is that we end up assuming so much about other places based on what's readily available through media and tourism. That fact that this information is inherently unrepresentative of nations of millions of people is rarely remarked upon.

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William Lane @williamjtlane.bsky.social · 30/09/2026

I'm really not sure this is a good idea from the Tories. I'm guessing they're hoping to deny the talks legitimacy by not attending, but they aren't seen as the main party of the right any more. If Reform attend along with Libs & Greens that will be enough to legitimise any outcomes.

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William Lane @williamjtlane.bsky.social · 29/09/2026

And this comes only hours after the previous poll from @yougov.co.uk that suggested that Brits wanted the triple lock maintained by 58% to 20% The moral of the story is that if you have an actual pitch, not a serious of slogans or scattergun policy announcements, the public will give you a hearing

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Rich @pibasedlifeform.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

I'd happily measure the Uk against anyother country in the world as an example of a successful multicultural democracy and society We should be proud of that, and its a shining example of what the UK is and what it stands for Shout it from the rooftops everyone It is a great thing

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Joel @snufkinlib.bsky.social · 10/05/2026

Indiana Jones? You mean American Tintin?

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William Lane @williamjtlane.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

This is also why I think the Lib Dems positioning themslves as 'kingmakers' is savvy from a comms perspective but not realistic politics. We all know they're never going into coalition with the Tories again, so in they're actually positioning to be Labour's coalition partner (at least for now).

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sianushka.bsky.social @sianushka.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

Read Ruth's excellent thread that shows real expertise on Russian economic and political reality, and Russia's societal response, the myths it tells itself. Spoiler alert - no secret Western plan.

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William Lane @williamjtlane.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

'Oh god oh god what can I write to get me through the next day of filming'

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William Lane @williamjtlane.bsky.social · 25/09/2026

I've mentioned this before, but Polanski's decision to go all in on the urban Green vote is quite a gift to Davey. The Greens were making some real inroads into the leafy shires, but that's going to be very hard to sustain with their new direction. And the LDs are right there as an alternative.

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William Lane @williamjtlane.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

I think the best way of thinking about Burnham's effect on Labour so far is that he's cauterised a very bloody wound, but he's not been able to heal it (at least not yet). Labour are no longer within touching distance of 100 seats, but nor are they anywhere close to a majority on current polling.

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Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

The difference between the performance of immigrants in England and Western Europe is staggering. (20 pts equals a year of learning.) I looked at this in detail in the post - it can't be explained away by language or relative advantage of different immigrant communities. There is a policy factor.

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William Lane @williamjtlane.bsky.social · 22/09/2026

Gaming culture also has a *fun* combination of being obsessed about prices and also being really attuned to low and high status behaviour. No gaming company wants their 'don't you guys have phones' moment but for AI.

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Mike Minotti @tolkoto.com · 22/09/2026

Renaming a developer to “Halo Studios” and now being like “btw they aren’t making the next Halo” is just incredible

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Conor Sewell @ccsewell.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

Probably Liberal Democrats, my new politically-themed They Might Be Giants tribute act

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Janel Comeau 🍁 @verybadllama.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

I mean if you really want to hear Ed Sheeran without any opening acts you can simply get put on hold with your bank

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William Lane @williamjtlane.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

To add to my analysis quoted here by my good friend @cosmichope.bsky.social, a further issue is the role of the Liberal party in British politics since 1945. Essentially the Liberal party existed to do two things; 1) push for Liberal values & 2) provide a home for the progressive middle class.

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William Lane @williamjtlane.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

I feel like option 2) here is a bit of a strawman, in that the actual difference is not about a concept of the 'soul' but rather whether a person views intelligence and self-awareness as a function of biological processes (as I do), or as something that can be achieved by non-biological means.

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John Oxley @joxley.jmoxley.co.uk · 18/09/2026

One of those videos I have to watch in full whenever it comes up.

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In Otter News @in-otter-news.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Obviously a really heavy night last night.....

Scene description: A group of five brown otters—including Steve—lying sprawled on a grassy patch in the shape of an “S,” captured in a naturalistic photograph.
Text in image: None.

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William Lane @williamjtlane.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Tag yourself, I'm Dare to innovate Your soul

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William Lane @williamjtlane.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

This is Mercantalism as farce. The point of imports is that they increase the products available to the consumer, and raise their living standards as a result. You are not 'losing money' if you import bananas. You are in fact providing your population with access to cheap, quality nutrition.

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William Lane @williamjtlane.bsky.social · 18/09/2026

Chaminda is right, every 30 seconds there's a new developments in the song's awfulness. It's morbidly fascinating, like watching a particularly disgusting autopsy.

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Ben Wood @cosmichope.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

"All we do know, and that to a large extent by direct experience, is that evil labours with vast power and perpetual success – in vain: preparing always only the soil for unexpected good to sprout in. So it is in general, and so it is in our own lives." (JRR Tolkien, Letter 64).

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Emma Yeomans @yeomans.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

The RNLI has said the abuse of volunteers in Portsmouth has forced it to close the lifeboat station there and stop operating since September 10. Nearby stations have been providing cover to the area instead. One of the UK's largest coastal cities without a lifeboat because of the far-right.

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William Lane @williamjtlane.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

I broadly agree with the comments that argue 'The LDs could have done it, but only if Davey had resigned'. I also don't think that would have been a good outcome for them, given that it would have meant a return to 'all things to all men' Kennedyism, just on the cusp of a potential coalition.

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William Lane @williamjtlane.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

I remember reading an article before the Indy ref that was an English journo asking English people what they thought about Scottish independence. A barber that he asked responded 'wait, haven't they already left?' This is far closer to the median English position than anything you'll see on Bsky.

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Julianna 💎 @batariangal.eurosky.social · 17/09/2026

Two days in a row of discourse where I feel at odds with everyone because I’m a nat-sympathetic unionist. Please, give me a break

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William Lane @williamjtlane.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

I agree with this, but it also points at my issue with the way 'middle power' is often used (not by OP). Most 'middle powers' simply won't be able to afford the billions and billions it costs to develop and maintain nuclear weapons, hell even those that already have them are finding it challenging!

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William Lane @williamjtlane.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

More grist to my mill that the split on the right is permanent (at least in the short-to-medium term). This is new territory for the British right, who have enjoyed a split left opposition since the turn of the 20th century.

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Josiah Mortimer @josiahmortimer.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

The Bloomberg Economics forecast on energy bills is a bit terrifying. Forecasting a jump of 25% in bills this coming Jan - average hike of £427 p/a to around £2,150 a year for avg household. I'm sure Govt will be forced to act if it approaches that, but still. Get solar and insulation if you can...

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Chaminda Jayanetti @cjayanetti.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

NEW: A Tory council is lobbying the government to increase housing benefit, just as Kemi Badenoch pledges to cut it An Enfield Council cabinet report said the housing benefit cap should be three times higher than the level Badenoch wants to cut it to By me, for @politicshome.bsky.social

politicshome.com

Tory Council Asks For Housing Benefit Boost Despite Kemi Badenoch Calling For Cuts

A Conservative-run council is lobbying the government to increase housing benefit, just as party leader Kemi Badenoch pledges to cut it.

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Claire Cullingworth @ccullingworth.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

This made me smile, attached to an ordinary cast iron drainpipe on a house in Durham. #TinyJoys

A cast iron drain pipe going down the side of a white-painted house. A crest of red feathers and a bright orange beak made from something solid have been attached around it. It looks remarkably like "Feathers McGraw", the evil criminal penguin from The Wrong Trousers.

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William Lane @williamjtlane.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

Having read 40s & 50s Sci-Fi: this is more true than you can possibly imagine. Oh and also space colonisation is directly conceptualised as manifest destiny, with american style homesteading and thinly disguised Native American alien analogues.

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Sarah O'Connor @sarahoconnorft.ft.com · 14/09/2026

In both China and the west, the gig economy has become a sort of safety net/labour market shock absorber. But automation is coming for a lot of this work. Which means the biggest impact of AI/robots might unfold in the dark, in the part of the economy hardest to track. www.ft.com/content/a2c3...

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William Lane @williamjtlane.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

IMO One reason why fantasy tends to age better than sci-fi is that fantasy stories tend to focus on more universal or at least long standing themes (honour, loyalty, courage, justice etc.). Whereas Sci-Fi is more speculative and so tends to reflect the themes and ideas of its own time period more.

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William Lane @williamjtlane.bsky.social · 13/09/2026

This feels about right to me for where the country is currently at. In reality I think Labour and the Lib Dems would do slightly better due to tactical voting, enough to get a small majority between them. Equally as important is how much of a disaster this would be for Farage.

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William Lane @williamjtlane.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Yeah I think sometimes people assume that if you just cover social media with ads then you can make people like a brand/person/product. You actually can't, at least not by itself ('overexposure' is a thing for a reason), but it is a good way of just getting people to notice you/raise your profile.

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Yunze Wang @yz18.bsky.social · 12/09/2026

Technically, I can agree that some regulations in Europe/UK could be simplified. But the end state of America’s current deregulation is clearly less “hiring is easier” and more “the lettuce and blueberries in the supermarket could kill you.”

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Dr Florence H R Scott @florencehrscott.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

Bayeux Tapestry good but massively upstaged by seeing a cat in a ruff right before

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William Lane @williamjtlane.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

With Brexit (rise of right populism) and now Truss (economic illiteracy leading to a market revolt), I think there's an interesting argument that instead of the UK right following the US's political lead, it's now the other way around Ofc the real story is just how utterly out of ideas the right is

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William Lane @williamjtlane.bsky.social · 10/09/2026

So Blood of the Dawnwalker looks like what you'd get if you remade the Witcher 3, added a big scoop of Kingdom Come: Deliverance and then transferred in the power system from Dishonoured. I...am actually intrigued.

youtu.be

The Blood of Dawnwalker

YouTube video by videogamedunkey

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