Paul Brownjohn @Paulos_the_fog@social.cleverlibre.org
Retired software engineer & woodworker.
Anglo-francophone.
Detest tories. Subscribe to green, leftish radical politics but not to any particular political party!.
Love the EU and all it stands for, moreover, I spent the last 10 years of my career working at an EU agency.
Enthusiastic photographer, especially wildlife and most especially butterflies.
Slightly knowledgeable gardener.
Atheist; loathe almost all religions and pity the people deluded enough to follow them. I make exceptions for Buddhism as it isn't really a religion in the strictest sense of the word as it doesn't postulate the existence of any god, and Jainism which is the epitome of peace.
For anyone who is interested, my header photo is of the most stupendous sunset I have ever seen. On the right is the waterfront of Vientiane, the capital of Laos, on the left is Thailand and in the middle, acting as the border between the two countries is the mighty Mekong river.
Joined Nov 2022
Paul Brownjohn
boosted
Conservatives conducted a gigantic act of social, economic, and political vandalism by leaving the EU.
They did it for the MPs.
Now that is over and they are looking at tearing up membership of the court of human rights.
"What can we thrash to appease the worst in society for their votes".
It is a downward dynamic. Dismantle civilisation to appease the knuckle dragging horde.
#GTTO #Brexit #ThisIsTheWorstTimelineIWantOneWithKindnessHumanitarianismAndFreeMaltesersForEveryone
Paul Brownjohn
boosted
What's going on with foreign direct investment (FDI) into the UK?
Measured by 'flows' UK has gone from FDI of 9.6% GDP to - 2.3% in 2021; a flow of capital out of the country.
But, our 'stock' of FDI remains largely unchanged over the same period.
So, while new #investment in the UK has stagnated, disinvestment has not (as yet at least) taken place.
Analysts suggests a key impediment to FDI is uncertainty... a few years of #Torychaos on economic policies & strategies has taken its toll!
Oddly, Freddie Frinton was never a drunk in real life; he was in fact a teetotaller!
Paul Brownjohn
boosted
The name Freddie Frinton popped up in a conversation between myself and my German boss. I said something like
"I'm sure you won't have heard of him but there was an English actor called Freddie Frinton who was famous for playing archetypal drunks".
To which my boss replied
"Freddie Frinton is one of the most famous English actors in Germany - everyone in Germany knows Freddie Frinton".
To which I replied
"EH!!!"
It turns out that Frinton playing the manservant in the sketch "Dinner for One" is shown every New Years Eve on German TV; it has become a veritable, unmissable institution.
https://www.comedy.co.uk/features/comedy_chronicles/freddie-frinton-dinner-for-one/
I think my absolute favourite part of the tory govt reshuffle is the fact that bringing in Cameron; an arch remainer, is in fact a tacit admission that there is no one left in the HoC out of the 350 MPs on the tory benches who is up to the job!
They've literately scraped the barrel dry!
Paul Brownjohn
boosted
Still perplexed about the large number of people from Germany and Austria who confuse "never again" with "never again but if this one country does it it's fine".
This is really personal for me having grown up in Austria (and having had actual Nazi grandparents) and I don't understand it.
Israeli politicians are using the exact same tone and language when talking about Palestinians as my grandfather did when talking about Jewish people. It's heartbreaking to have to hear this garbage again.
Typical Luxembourg; a supermarket checkout operator who speaks 7 languages!
Paul Brownjohn
boosted
In England, "booster shot" is spelled "borchestershire shot."
Paul Brownjohn
boosted
"There was a time when we looked to our politicians to heal divisions in society. Not to widen them. That point has long since passed with Suella and Rishi."
Paul Brownjohn
boosted
AFP: US approves first vaccine against chikungunya virus: drug regulator. #health
I never heard of it either. Here you go: https://www.cdc.gov/chikungunya/
Paul Brownjohn
boosted
At the end of the day, COVID-19 made people realize:
- They could work from home and that most offices are shitty places.
- Their job was really shitty.
- Governments could finance pretty much anything they wanted.
- Global warming could be stopped.
- The really important jobs were the ones that are the worst paid (nurses, for instance).
- Most governments are run by idiots, who are in the pocket of the wealthiest.
Paul Brownjohn
boosted
It's a busy night at Stonehenge as workers move the stones back one hour. #DaylightSavingTime #FallBack
Retired software engineer & woodworker.
Anglo-francophone.
Detest tories. Subscribe to green, leftish radical politics but not to any particular political party!.
Love the EU and all it stands for, moreover, I spent the last 10 years of my career working at an EU agency.
Enthusiastic photographer, especially wildlife and most especially butterflies.
Slightly knowledgeable gardener.
Atheist; loathe almost all religions and pity the people deluded enough to follow them. I make exceptions for Buddhism as it isn't really a religion in the strictest sense of the word as it doesn't postulate the existence of any god, and Jainism which is the epitome of peace.
For anyone who is interested, my header photo is of the most stupendous sunset I have ever seen. On the right is the waterfront of Vientiane, the capital of Laos, on the left is Thailand and in the middle, acting as the border between the two countries is the mighty Mekong river.
Joined Nov 2022
