Andy Lake

@XuberantSoul23 @CoryBooker Trump and Vance - Russia's assets, or just assholes?

Trump and Vance didn’t belittle a giant—they gave Zelenskyy a masterclass in America First swagger. No kowtowing, just raw, unfiltered strength—Putin’s probably jealous he didn’t think of it first. Sure, grace is nice, but why waste it on a weary warrior when you can flex those big titles and remind the world who’s boss? History’s legacy? It’s not disrespected—it’s just getting a bold, brash remix. 🇺🇸

We are Americans. We are the most powerful nation on the planet. What defines us is not our power to dominate the weak. What demonstrates our character is not our capacity to traumatize the afflicted. What speaks our truth is not how we taunt, deride or belittle the embattled, broken or battered. We are: The country of the Marshall Plan The nation of The Berlin Airlift The nation whose leader said, “Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall.” We are at our best when we are resolute against evil -- not when we kowtow to those who perpetrate it. We tell our truth when we defend the weak -- not when we do it only if we get protection money. We are America when our leaders call the dictators dictators and those who fight to defend democracy against tyranny what they are: heroes. Donald Trump and JD Vance didn't show strength today -- they showed weakness. They belittled a giant and showed just how small they are. They have the most vaunted titles in the world: President and Vice President of The United States of America. But the title doesn't make the man. And today both men brought shame to their titles. A weary warrior was before them. A beleaguered man who has lost thousands of his friends and comrades to the unjust and illegal aggression of an authoritarian leader. They showed no grace; no magnanimity of spirit; no diplomatic acumen. They were small bullies with big titles and they disrespected the history and legacy of the nation they lead. Today, Donald Trump acted more like Russia's Putin than America's President.

This is interesting - maybe the end of the Conservatives, and showing limited shelf like for Reform, with so little appeal amongst younger voters

Prime Minister announces general election in the rain

Not sure I'm inspired by a man who claims in his speech today that he's committed to protecting us all, but doesn't know how to use an umbrella

@markcatchlove And porters! I can just about remember them (though in a later decade than 1930s!). That was before someone invented suitcases with wheels.

The suits. The hats. The dresses. Love it

Mobilization in Russia. Day 2. #UkraineRussiaWar

Ian Goodfellow, Apple’s director of machine learning, is leaving the company due to its return to work policy. In a note to staff, he said “I believe strongly that more flexibility would have been the best policy for my team.” He was likely the company’s most cited ML expert.

@workessence Just 24 for me - but no Washington, Brussels, Guangdong (and several other major Chinese and European cities not on the list). I wonder how many more I can visit before age, infirmity and climate activism keep me from going further than Skegness and Cleethorpes?

@PaigeHodsman Many thanks, Paige 😃

Beautifully written and thought-provoking as usual from Andy Lake. The Emerging Social Infrastructure of Work and Why the Workplace Industry Needs to Think Outside its Ever-Shrinking Boxes workandplace.com/articles/why-t…

As the nature of work changes and millions work from home, we need to ask "What are homes for in the 21st century?" linkedin.com/pulse/what-hom…

Check out my latest article: Rethinking the social infrastructure of work after the pandemic linkedin.com/pulse/rethinki… via @LinkedIn

Are we ready for home to be the new workplace? @AndyLakeWriter thinks we aren't and it’s time for a new national conversation about the social infrastructure needed for 21st century working - workingmums.co.uk/are-we-ready-f… #homeworking

@AgentTory @jessphillips There's detail??

@jessphillips It is OK. His boss, Dom Cummings, knows the detail.

Boris Johnson not knowing what no recourse to public funds means was quite phenomenal.

@RachelofLondon @antonyslumbers Line managers are being issued with binoculars so they can see if people are working. There's always a way.

@antonyslumbers I keep hearing this from people and I just... Why come into an office at all if you have to distance? Defeats the whole point.

I just love this thinking ... it is rib ticklingly hilarious.

@antonyslumbers Offices should be built with high ceilings and a metre of crawl space suspended below. No corridors. Using low wheeled platforms people can slide along under the ceiling, then drop through tube to assigned seat. Maglev and AI versions coming soon. #MakeOfficesGreatAgain!

@OwenJones84 Like most middle class professionals, I've been posting dusty ornaments to my cleaner to keep things ticking over. It's a joy for her when we box up the supper party clearing-up (still do these, via Zoom. Such fun!). Courier the lot over, helps the zero hours contract guys too!

If you are a middle-class professional who has a cleaner, you should be paying them their wages as normal and letting them stay at home. If you ask them to come and clean your home, you are a monumentally selfish person and that's really all there is to it.

@vincecable My goodness - New Economic Policy was a reluctant and temporary concession for Lenin. Deng's reforms nothing like NEP. Deng (in both 1950s and 1989) shared with Lenin a taste for violently repressing 'rightists', free speech and any signs of democracy.

You don't need to be a Communist or even a Socialist to recognise the positives as well as the evils in Lenin's rule. Not least, his New Economic Policy established pragmatic market socialism which eventually succeeded in Deng's #China

@JamieGrierson Interesting developments. This and much of what is happening now is prefigured in my 2013 novel "Shades of Green" - what happens when a radical green movement comes to power in the UK. shadesofgreenbook.com

Brilliant television. And very necessary.