@davidallengreen@mastodon.green
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davidallengreen

@davidallengreen@mastodon.green

Law and policy commentary from UK.

I also geek out here about lore and fantasy, which are my real interests, as well as about other cultural stuff.

I am often ironic and not always earnest, and so please don't take some of the things I post at face value.

This profile is from a federated server and may be incomplete. Browse more on the original instance.

davidallengreen, to random
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Those of us wanting Braverman to resign should be careful about getting what we ask for.

An actually competent replacement as a hardline Home Secretary is a worrying prospect.

Braverman's cavalier approach to her job means she should go.

But.

Oh, but.

davidallengreen, to random
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Prequels

This is perhaps an unpopular opinion, but a sincere one.

Star Wars (and, no, not "A New Hope" thank you) was better without prequels

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe is a far more wonderful story with no origins for the lamppost, Narnia, the witch and indeed the wardrobe.

Even prequels by the author undermine the original piece of work

Hard to think of many prequels in film or literature that are worthwhile and do not diminish

Godfather perhaps, maybe? But other than that?

davidallengreen, to random
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Help please!

I am trying to find illustrations of what some call the "forever fallacy" - the idea that the good times will last forever.

I am looking for fables, proverbs, tropes, quotes - or historical or literary examples.

Eg, here is a news item with it applied to tech companies: https://www.inc.com/jason-aten/tech-companies-keep-falling-for-forever-fallacy-why-smart-leaders-should-know-better.html

I am writing an essay on how so many politicians assume once they have archived power they will always have power.

And then they are gone, and they usually seem surprised.

davidallengreen, to random
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I have just dealt with an irksome IT problem, after trying many other ways, and panicky Googling, by simply turning the device on and off again

And now I feel the hot sun of ten million IT helpdesk people staring hard at me for not doing that first

davidallengreen, to random
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BLOGPOST

Why the dropping of the REUL sunset clause may be very bad news for Rejoiners

Rejoiners may be tempted to gloat, but they should be concerned instead

https://lawandlore.substack.com/p/why-the-dropping-of-the-reul-sunset

davidallengreen, to random
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Remainers should not be self-congratulatory about the REUL sunset being dropped.

Indeed, Remainers should perhaps be concerned.

For it means Brexiter silly season is ending - and the government is now getting real, and realistic, about divergence.

davidallengreen, to random
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BLOGPOST

Today’s Metropolitan Police apology shows they are still failing over Daniel Morgan

https://davidallengreen.com/2023/05/todays-metropolitan-police-apology-shows-they-are-still-failing-over-daniel-morgan/

davidallengreen, to random
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Am going to put my lore and fantasy stuff on this channel, rather than maintaining a separate account.

If you just follow me for the earnest, serious stuff, please be patient with my posts on my real interests.

davidallengreen, to random
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Interesting and informative post from George R R Martin - in the context of the US writers' strike - about the nature of writing for television

https://georgerrmartin.com/notablog/2023/05/08/writers-on-set/

davidallengreen, to random
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Am reading the "Johnson at Ten" study by Anthony Seldon

This detailed account of the triviality and recklessness of Johnson's premiership should be read by anyone with a serious interest in UK government and politics

For this is what happened - and which our political system let happen

And we need to know the detail so we can try to make sure it can be avoided in future

davidallengreen, to random
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BLOGPOST

Coronation notes from a non-militant republican

Working out the constitutional significance of yesterday's ceremony

https://lawandlore.substack.com/p/coronation-notes-from-a-non-militant

davidallengreen, to random
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BLOGPOST

“The King’s Champion”

Why a confident monarchy should welcome challenges on coronation day

For that was once part of the purpose of a coronation

https://lawandlore.substack.com/p/the-kings-champion

davidallengreen, to random
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If you don’t know the western midlands, please note the Tories losing Tamworth is a pretty big deal.

davidallengreen, to random
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We value your privacy, says the unwanted intruder on my screen.

davidallengreen, to random
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I don't know anything about drones over the Kremlin

But I do remember how daft Mathias Rust made Moscow look in 1987 when he managed to land his plane by Red Square

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mathias_Rust

davidallengreen, to random
@davidallengreen@mastodon.green avatar

I know a lot of people came over to Mastodon with me in November.

Some have since given up on this site - or on social media generally.

Some have gone back to Twitter.

However, I quite like it here - it is a site for nerds and geeks.

And even though I once had near-on a quarter of a million followers on Twitter, the engagement here is generally so much more sensible and grown-up.

davidallengreen, to random
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Remember everyone: that someone can get the top BBC job while not disclosing a relationship with the Prime Minister does not mean they are the "elite".

Oh no, the "elite" are those watching all this happen from the outside.

davidallengreen, to random
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Takeover blocked?

Microsoft should regret making it so difficult for UK lawyers to format documents in Word.

Random tabs, random font changes, clause and paragraph numbering everywhere.

A living nightmare for UK lawyers for years.

Now, this is the UK lawyers' revenge.

Pwnallthethings, to random
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Dumb random factoid of the day:

Humans invented bread about 8000 BCE.

At the time, there were about 5 million humans, total.

We now have several global bakeries that could each individually output enough bread or baked products to have sustained the entire global population at the point when their own product was invented

davidallengreen,
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@Pwnallthethings

D'oh

(Sorry.)

davidallengreen, to random
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"ELITE"

In all seriousness, the only thing I associated with this word for most of my teens was that space-trading computer game with those glorious line graphics.

I know I am supposed to take the arguments of those opposed to the "elite" seriously, but I can only think of docking my space ship to sell narcotics.

image/png

davidallengreen, to random
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My Substack note on the Diane Abbott apology, and how one part of the text of the apology makes no sense

https://substack.com/profile/22568035-david-allen-green/note/c-15195446

davidallengreen,
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@dave Had you read my note at the link before typing all that?

davidallengreen,
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@dave

I do not question the sincerity of her apology, indeed I expressly state that the apology may be sincere:

I said: "This is not to gainsay her apology, which may be sincere."

You did not read the post on which you commented.

Please try again.

davidallengreen,
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@dave

You falsely stated that my post doubted the sincerity of her apology, when my post went out of its way to expressly accept the apology may be sincere. I do not think you actually had read my post before you typed out your comment.

On the substance of the matter, I think the apology would have been stronger without the "initial draft" excuse. There are no conceivable final edits that could have changed the meaning of the letter published.

davidallengreen, to random
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When I was younger, before the WWW and (for most of us) the internet, you spent only a small part of each day checking correspondence and perhaps looking at the letter pages of the press.

And then you got on with the day.

It was and is such a sensible way of dealing with communications and media.

For that reason, I am trying to only to check in on social media at certain points each day, rather than having it always on.

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