Steven Martin

@grok @AlexDaviesEnts @grok List some of the more egregious things Beckham wrote that were revealed in the leaks.

The 2017 email leak revealed David Beckham's frustration over not receiving a knighthood, with messages suggesting he managed charity work and public image to pursue it (e.g., calling the committee "unappreciative"). Brooklyn's recent allegations of his parents controlling family narratives and press stories for a "perfect" facade echo this pattern of image orchestration. Sources like The Guardian and Mirror confirm the leak details, while recent reports from People and Page Six detail Brooklyn's claims.

Brooklyn Beckham has just torched his mum and dad. Absolute scenes.

@Ukrainolution @Weegiecharlieb @adrianweckler You consider grok being restricted from removing clothes from non consenting and potentially underage people, publicly distributed to millions of people, as punishment to you, personally? Poisening is exactly the reason some substances are illegal. You talk about silly arguments!

@Weegiecharlieb @adrianweckler That’s a silly argument. Do you support people having the means to poison others? People should be punished for their actual actions not the potential actions for others.

Grok took the image of Renee Good, killed by ICE in Minnesota, and replaced her clothes with a bikini as she was slumped at the wheel, dead. Did so by request of an X user. Hard to pick a low point for Grok this week, but that might be it. (Not posting the image.)

@patrnoel @POCOGlobal I've been using esim.me for a few generations of Poco f series, now.

@POCOGlobal eSIM or not ?

Power that dominates. Precision that defines. 🔥 POCO F8 Ultra — the leading technology flagship built to go beyond the limits. UltraPower Ascended.

@kimmonismus At this point, it's just about picking which one of these 'creations' will end me. And I have to say, this is a contender.

Yes! I want one! Give this robot the ability to speak and I'll finally have my own personal R2D2! A dream come true. LimX Dynamics Bipedal Robot TRON 1 A few more examples

@macmylo @SpencerHakimian I'm starting to feel as though you view the world through the internet. You don't accurately describe your own country, nor do you come close to describing mine. I had low expectations of SF prior to going and it was beautiful. Even the hotspots that the internet said to avoid.

On a side note — I’ve also stopped traveling to the UK, though for a slightly different, yet somehow familiar reason. It’s not a boycott — just a quiet choice. After hearing too much about changes in public behavior, rising crime, and the general atmosphere, it simply stopped feeling inviting. Britain — London especially, but also places like Edinburgh, St Andrews, and others — won my heart over 30 years ago. Not only through its stunning architecture, but through the people I met, even briefly, on the streets. Even the smallest encounters — with taxi drivers or ticket kiosk sellers — carried a sense of natural politeness and quiet friendliness, something that stayed with me far longer than I ever expected. After multiple visits and longer stays, I decided it’s better to leave those memories untouched, rather than risk trading them for impressions I didn’t ask for. Of course, my oldest daughter lives in London now. She assures me everything is absolutely fine — and I believe her, at least within the part of London visible from an office window and through a circle of good friends. In any case, she visits me a few times a year — so we’ve struck a very fair arrangement: she restores the travel imbalance, and I get to keep my Britain exactly as it was

The Europeans are just completely boycotting the U.S. Tourism industry going to get decimated in the states.

@macmylo @SpencerHakimian None of that is accurate with relation to my boycott. The border is risky as due process isn't assured. Your leaders are antagonistic to my country. I don't consider it safe. I DON'T avoid cities, I think they're great. I just don't want to vote for this with my participation.

Thank you for sharing — and honestly, I completely understand your decision Our border control has been a mess for decades. Long before the current ideological battles, travelers were already greeted by huge, outdated halls, endless lines, and conversations that felt more like mild interrogations than a welcome. It’s not a new phenomenon — it’s simply been neglected by every administration, without much public discussion, let alone serious reform. And yes, the tightening at the Canadian border surely made it worse. What once felt like a simple crossing now comes with the same heavy, uninviting atmosphere — not exactly a tourism strategy, is it? Of course, there’s the ironic invention called Global Entry — pay your fee, wait a couple of months for an interview (if you’re lucky), and then finally enjoy slightly less humiliation on arrival. A system so perfectly American: acknowledging the problem but monetizing the workaround rather than fixing it. Naturally, it’s useless for casual tourism. For a real travel experience, the border itself should be welcoming, fast, and efficient — a basic idea that somehow never made it onto the agenda of any government, regardless of who was in charge. And as I mentioned before in discussion, even beyond the borders, since COVID the cities themselves have changed: safety and quality of life have deteriorated sharply. I personally avoid them too, for exactly that reason. So yes, your boycott makes perfect sense. Sad, but hard to argue with

@macmylo @SpencerHakimian Sorry for posting again but I need to add. I didn't drop in the US this year when I was in Canada because of border concerns and not wanting to provide wealth whilst it's on its current ideological path. I am indeed boycotting the US.

@macmylo @SpencerHakimian I live in the UK and usually go to the big cities in the US, though I've done thousands of miles on rural roads too. Loved my time in Montana last year. Loved Seattle and Portland the year before that. As an actual tourist I don't skip cities. Not sure what else to tell you.

@macmylo @SpencerHakimian If poverty does play a role why don't we just fix that? We can absolutely do something about that, we can't make people 'aspire' for a life they can never realistically achieve and telling them to 'clean their curtains' is a deeply self serving proposition.

I get your point, and yes—poverty plays a role But from what I’ve seen, it’s not the whole story. There are plenty of places where people don’t have much, but still take pride in how they live. Kids are respectful, homes are tidy, and the streets are clean. That comes from how people are raised, not how much they earn If parents don’t set limits or teach basic respect, kids grow up without it — rich or poor. It really comes down to culture and what’s expected from people, day to day. And honestly, some of the same problems show up among the rich too. There’s a growing idea that being rude, selfish, or obsessed with buying things is somehow “normal” if you’re wealthy. But not everywhere. In many places, like small towns in northern Italy or Austria, you’ll see something different. Not in luxury areas, just regular villages. You might pass a roadside vegetable stand with no one there, just a price list and a box where people leave their money. Or a church with donations left out in the open. That’s not about money—it’s about trust and how people choose to live. Same goes for some of the most basic homes I’ve seen—like the ones carved into hillsides in Morocco. No high ceilings, no floor tiles, not even doors inside…—but they’re clean, and welcoming. Because someone cared. Yet, in other places, you see the opposite: graffiti, trash, that look of defiance in people’s eyes. That’s not poverty. That’s something else. And when it becomes normal, the whole place starts to fray. So yes, inequality matters. But what really shapes a place is how people treat it — and each other

@macmylo @SpencerHakimian Social degradation correlates closely with poverty. It's not a chicken or egg scenario. Poor behaviour isn't exclusive to the poor, it's arguable that it's even the worst. Your window theory only explains propagation, not origin. It's not about excusing, but understanding cause.

@macmylo @SpencerHakimian I appreciate the interaction. I don't however pay for twitter so my answers have to be economical. I don't want to multipost as I know unpleasant that is to respond to. I will follow this post with my reply, I just wanted to caveat it with this incase it reads a little too sharp.

@macmylo @SpencerHakimian City population densities can make problems seem more abundant but it exists everywhere in greater and lesser ratios, the point I was making. If the US continues down its path of impoverishing the many to enrich the few the erosion doesn't stop. It's coming to a town near you.

Some still say San Francisco is beautiful — and yes, it was my favorite city once too. But a friend of mine moved from Frisco to Bellevue just a bit over a year for just one reason: when the first thing you do stepping outside is look down to avoid human feces, it kind of redefines “urban charm.” He ended up ordering everything by courier just to avoid leaving the house Sure, it’s still beautiful once you filter out reality. But let’s not pretend this is a minor tourist stop — cities like SF, Chicago, and New York are international destinations. That’s exactly why it matters. These aren’t quiet little villages where you/I go for a weekend escape — they’re global icons, magnets for culture, food, history. And if they were simply clean and safe, regardless of politics, everything else would fall back into place quickly. People want to love them. They just need a reason not to flinch. That said, in recent weeks, the news from San Francisco suggests things might be improving. and honestly, I hope it’s on the right path. It deserves better. It can be extraordinary again

@macmylo @SpencerHakimian But that's all anecdotal. I've been to New York and SF in the last couple of years and had nothing but pleasant interactions. Actual statistics tell a broader truth the experiences of one person. Again though, you're comparing cities with states. It's a flawed premise.

statistics… The final refuge of those who haven’t been outside in a while Look, I’m from Chicago, studied in New York, worked in the Bay Area, and have friends scattered coast to coast. Do I need a bar chart to tell me what I’ve lived? And Georgia… surprise! isn’t a hamlet tucked behind a Waffle House. Beyond Atlanta, there are whole swaths of the state, including Appalachian towns and suburbs, where kids still ride their bikes…and… their parents are relaxed at the same time I planned trips for my teens last year and again this year, and here’s a revolutionary idea: when choosing a destination, safety actually matters. Imagine that)

@macmylo @SpencerHakimian You're comparing cities with states. Atlanta, Georgia has a violent crime rate of around 87 per 10,000 Charlotte, North Carolina 74 Nashville, Tennessee 94 New York City sits at 74.4 San Francisco at 69.6 Chicago at 54.0

People keep wondering why European tourism to the U.S. is dropping, but honestly, have they been here lately? Big cities like New York, Chicago, San Francisco—they used to be world-class. Now? Hard to walk around without feeling like you’re part of some social collapse documentary. Families with kids? Good luck finding a place that feels truly safe, let alone welcoming. And the prices? Sky high, for half the experience. I’m from the U.S., and I’ve always loved those cities. Still do, in some way. But lately, I’ve found more peace in small towns in North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee. Nature’s perfect, people are decent, and you don’t have to watch your back the whole time. would u agree? And let’s be honest, Trump’s not the reason cities are falling apart. If anything, as a developer, he helped build some of what made them shine. Trump Tower in New York, in Chicago—those weren’t just buildings, they were destinations. He knew how to attract people, not drive them away So, if tourists are skipping the U.S. now, it’s not politics. It’s just common sense

@amuse @MorganLaidler Cheap shot and shrugged it off like it was nothing. Good contribution!

Dear America, We're not booing your hockey players. We're not booing your country. We're not even booing you. We're booing your asshole of a president who keeps threatening our sovereignty for zero reason. Once he leaves us alone it'll stop. Hope that clears it up for you.

@mrjamesob It's not about truth but the likes/impressions. Notoriety is the new adulation.

There's someting about Friday nights on here that sees people who really should know better jumping on obvious, easily provable nonsense & thinking they've found an amazing new way to 'own the libs'. I wonder what it could be... and how stupid they feel on Saturday mornings.

@rpg_haven @AbroadInJapan Yes, yes we do, and have always done. It's a form of behavioural regulation within societies that in many ways is why laws don't traditionally 'overreach'. Ostracisation from groups creates standards for the rest of us. It's a fundamental principal on which societies exist.

@AbroadInJapan That was years ago, dude. We don’t do the whole eternal shaming thing in our culture

Got some things off my chest today on stream with Connor. So sick of YouTubers and streamers. Shocked the world’s largest YouTuber gleefully partnered with a guy who filmed/mocked someone who took their own life in Japan in 2018. What world do we live in where this is normal?

HAHA

@Dannynn__ @Holdenmagroin75 @gmpolice They think they're playing some kind of intellectually superior game. It's all part of the grift. Give 'in groups' a toxically high level of confidence in an opinion, who fold at the tiniest hint of nuance. erininthemorning.com/p/cisgender-is…

@stemrtn @Holdenmagroin75 @gmpolice He's all about free speech but blocks anyone who doesn't agree, no wonder he loves Elon 😂

#APPEAL | We are investigating an outbreak of disorder which took place on Oldham Road in Newton Heath on Wednesday 31 July 2024 and are seeking to identify this man If you recognise the man pictured, contact police through the MIPP portal Public Portal orlo.uk/3gMSj