Crows Outside

'... a kind of spaciousness in which things appear to happen, things which have no significance or meaning of any kind...'

[Henry Winter @henrywinter]

This is the year when the game of two halves became the game of four quarters. And the greatest sport and event was damaged for fistfuls of dollars. Hydration breaks ruin the game’s flow and frustrates fans and viewers. If hydration breaks were solely about player welfare then they would be linked to the temperature in the stadia. It’s a nonsense having a three-minute break in an air-conditioned arena.

Fifa should long ago have established a working party of coaches, sports scientists, national team doctors and Fifpro to agree a set temperature at kickoff, say 25C, which triggers the breaks. That would prove the breaks were for player welfare. At the moment, and to nobody’s surprise, it is widely accepted that these breaks are for US TV to accommodate commercials. Big bucks for the small screen.

Fifa should have thought more about the effect on games and to fan (and viewer) experience when negotiating. Coaches’ desire for a mid-half tactical time-out masquerading as a drinks stop should be resisted anyway. Games have been played for 150 years without needing such intervention. Coaches can shout instructions. And who says that 22 mins and 67 mins is when a coach needs to intervene anyway. It’s nonsense. It’s about money.

Respected and sane footballing voices from Virgil van Dijk to Mauricio Pochettino have spoken out against the breaks. Fifa should listen to them not appear only to listen to the rustle of dollar bills. It’s important that there is resistance to this from all over. Because if we tolerate this, our TV games could be next. BBC can’t do ads, ITV says it won’t follow its US counterparts. But it has been discussed by TV people. It’ll come one day. #FIFAWorldCup.

[Wolf of X @WolfofX]

When Marcelo Bielsa became Leeds United manager in 2018, he asked a simple question: how long does the average supporter have to work to afford a match ticket?

After learning the answer was around three hours, Bielsa gathered his players and assigned them an unusual task.

Instead of training, they spent the next three hours picking up litter around the club’s training ground.

The exercise wasn’t meant as punishment. Bielsa wanted his squad to understand the effort, sacrifice, and hard work that ordinary fans put in to support their team.

By spending the same amount of time doing manual work, the players were reminded that every ticket purchased represents hours of labor by loyal supporters.

The story became one of the most famous examples of Bielsa’s unique leadership style and his deep respect for football fans.

[Crows Outside @CrowsOutside]

@DanCollins2011 There's no need for a formal break, it completely destroys the rhythm of the game.

It's shite.

[Omar Montoya Suárez @OmarMontoyaSua1]

La idea de "odias el capitalismo pero consumes sus productos" es uno de los sofismas más recurrentes de la retórica neoliberal. Este sofisma no solo es superficial, sino q demuestra una total incomprensión de cómo funciona la economía y de qué es, en realidad, el capitalismo.1/4

[Stephanie Kelton @StephanieKelton]

I really should have gone with one "magic computer" keystroke at a time.

[Crows Outside @CrowsOutside]

@JeremyAndrew11 @TomHickmore @malcolm_reavell Yeah, "bombarding the BBC" is about as useful as a chocolate teapot.

[Crows Outside @CrowsOutside]

@DanNeidle @JGS952 @mmt_action He's an RM-MMT advocate, not an MMT advocate.

He's made up his own version and goes around telling anyone who will listen that his version is really MMT.

[Crows Outside @CrowsOutside]

@JGS952 @litewhisperer @RollingHedge Clara Mattei talks about it in terms of three pillars: fiscal policy, monetary policy and labour relations.

Her book "The Capital Order
How Economists Invented Austerity and Paved the Way to Fascism" is worth reading if you haven't already.

[Neil Jarman @jarmanic]

Lee Dixon could commentate on a bank robbery, a UFO landing and a T-Rex riding a unicycle at the same time and still sound like he's describing a rainy Tuesday afternoon trip to pick up his dog’s ashes.

[Ben Timberley @BTimberley]

I believe Keir Starmer was coup'd into leadership of Labour, and the British Government, by elements of British intelligence, their peers in the US & Israel, as well as Pierre Omidyar, Carnegie UK and others.

McSweeney is Starmer's handler, and always has been. Democracy died.

[Crows Outside @CrowsOutside]

@IanGreenwood6 @ndndn If they weren't signed up to the ideology, they wouldn't get the job in the first place.

IMO it's a mistake to believe they don't understand how our money system works.

It's not a benign misunderstanding.

[Crows Outside @CrowsOutside]

@paul_d_stevens @Steven_Swinford Tbf, that's the reason he will be Labour Party leader.

[Crows Outside @CrowsOutside]

@Hario337 @AyUpSunshine @FredThePet @WillAddedDigits It means he hasn't got a fucking clue about the NHS has been pretty much privatised and huge amounts of public money are poured into the pockets of private providers.

[Crows Outside @CrowsOutside]

@samuelfeckwit @DLRogKingston I understand that.

I've had similar discussions with other llms.

I was referring to claude here.

[Crows Outside @CrowsOutside]

@GeorgeMiler3 Maybe.

Ask the question and see how it replies 🤷

[Crows Outside @CrowsOutside]

@ADavies61517 @ProfHall1955 @SUTONGIROTCIP

[Crows Outside @CrowsOutside]

@ADavies61517 @ProfHall1955 @SUTONGIROTCIP Progress, maybe?

Here's what it told me it would do 👇 does it match your experience?

Also, the question I asked wasn't political in any way.

[Crows Outside @CrowsOutside]

@TMSallis @tonywestonuk @litewhisperer Sure 👍

[Crows Outside @CrowsOutside]

@TMSallis @tonywestonuk @litewhisperer I call bullshit on your bullshit.

We have a Uniparty.