John Bull

@garius.bsky.social

30553 Followers 1249 Following

He/Him. Writer. Historian. Host of "The Untitled History Podcast." Strategy streamer. Tech Strategist. Founding Editor of @lonrec. Orient fan. Business/Writing: business@longformist.co.uk. Agent: @pastpreservers.bsky.social

Although he doesn’t say so explicitly, going to the gym seems to have saved Stoltman’s life. Stoltman is on the autism spectrum, which often made him feel isolated as a young man. “My teachers said you’re not going to do anything with your life. I was getting bullied … I wouldn’t be able to go sleep over at a friend’s house. I wouldn’t be able to go on a train 10 minutes from my house. I’d always have to have my mum everywhere.” His difficulties were amplified after leaving school and seeing his friends begin to move away. “I was really, kind of, disheartened that I had autism … I was like ‘Why is it me who has it and not my brothers and sisters?’” Stoltman remembers. “I quit my football team because all my friends had left and I didn’t have anywhere to go. I locked myself in my house was like, ‘Right, I’m either going into [the social care system] or I’ll just kill myself.’”
black kitty asleep against my arm
bar chart showing me with "97% sleep efficiency" but with a mysterious 25min gao of waking time at about 4am
Earlier, No 10 reported that Burnham had told Trump that he hopes to show him "what Manchester has to offer" in a future visit.
game screenshot: an umamusume in a tracksuit runs alone round a training track in the dying light of an autumn day.
game screenshot: A young girl, in golden crown and long red dress, stands with her hands on hips in a dark castle corridor.
black kitty snoozing croissant-style on the bed, paw over his eyes
battered manila folder with a pic of disney's robin hood on it, and the words "rabbithole: disney's robin hood"
tortie sat on top of a GIANT box that has dining table chairs in it
red button meme with both buttons saying "dan burn"
black kitty snuggled up on my arm
About six o'clock, one morning, they fell upon us, with 800 horse and foot; the woods thereabout, favoring them so much, that our scouts had no notice of them, and no alarm was given, till they were ready to enter the town, which they might easily do, the guards being all asleep in houses; for in the beginning of the war, men were as impatient of duty, as. they were ignorant of it.
king of the hill meme with bobby holding up a picture of a headline saying "Argentina vice president brands England usurping pirates ahead of world cup semi-final" bottom panel is teacher telling him off, as a classroom of kids under the england flag look through the window confused, and the teacher says "if those kids could read they'd be very upset."
food shop sign saying Bánh mì YUM! by the Baguette King
black kitty snoozing against my arm
black kitty fainted like a regency girl across my arm, paw resting on my hand
black kitty being stroked
purple-haired horse girl (mejiro mcqueen) with her hand raised, shading her eyes against the summer sun.
Screenshot from Umamusume, with a be-hatted horse girl (Nakayama Festa) speaking to a purple-haired one (Mejiro McQueen) saying: "People who think they're the world are one thing, but people who constantly worry what the world thinks can be just as foolish."
black kitty nestled into the gap between my body and arm
MISSING BLACK CAT (above a clear photo showing his markings) Missing since 10th July around Boundary/Alexander Road. Distinctive white "heart" on chest, white across belly and foot pattern Call/text [number hidden on screenshot] if seen chipped and neutered.
black kitty sat on table trying to look nonchalant. right next to a laminated poster of him with the heading "MISSING BLACK CAT"
black kitty following a trail of snacks, warily.
small black kitty sat on top an old shed looking discombobulated.
my beautiful black kitty, with white belly patches and two white toes, stretched out asleep in happier times.
noel edmonds on the swap shop sofa looking a wee bit uncomfortable as a kid talks him through his collection of ww2 german gear, including a large swastika flag.
FM screenshot showing a journo saying me selecting a player born in Cardiff might disrupt the squad.
question in FM asking me if an English manager can truly manage Great Britain and shouldn't a native manager have the job
tortie sat on my lap in ridiculous position.
FM26 screenshot showing me being offered the job of GB Olympic women's football team manager for £10 a week.
cat snoozing in the exact centre of the bed.
To be clear, as of this moment, the RBFA has still not received any decision or any explanation from FIFA regarding this matter. It therefore has no alternative but to challenge the player's eligibility for the upcoming match. Regardless of the sporting outcome of this match, the RBFA is deeply concerned by the course of events and will continue to fight in the coming hours, days and months in defence of the fundamental principles of ethics, fair competition, and the interests of football as a whole.
FIFA bases its decision on Article 27 of the FIFA Disciplinary Code. This provision states that the FIFA Disciplinary Committee may decide to suspend the enforcement of a previously imposed disciplinary sanction. However, Article 66.4 of the same FIFA Disciplinary Code clearly provides that a red card (sending-off) automatically results in a suspension for the team's next match, as has been the case for all previous red cards issued during this FIFA World Cup. Furthermore, and irrespective of the above, the decision is in direct contradiction with the provisions of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Competition Regulations, as set out in Article 10.5: "If a player or team official is sent off as a result of a direct or indirect red card (second caution), they will automatically be suspended from their team's subsequent match. In addition, further sanctions may be imposed." The automatic nature of such a suspension was also explicitly reaffirmed in FIFA World Cup 2026 Circular No. 16, which was distributed to all participating member associations on 12 May 2026. The same rule is reiterated at every FIFA World Cup 2026 Match Coordination Meeting prior to each match and is included in all FIFA World Cup 2026 workshop presentations. In order to safeguard the legitimate rights of all participating teams and to protect the fundamental principles of fair play in our sport, both at this FIFA World Cup and at future editions of the tournament, the RBFA is investigating all potential options.
Following its previous statement, the RBFA wishes to publicly explain the events of the past few hours. After learning through media reports of FIFA’s decision to lift the automatic suspension of player Balogun, the RBFA sent a letter to FIFA requesting a copy of the decision, an explanation of the process that had been followed, and setting out its position regarding the applicable regulations. As its only response, FIFA sent a letter to the RBFA stating that it considered this correspondence to constitute an appeal, that a judge had been appointed, and that the RBFA had only a few hours to complete that appeal. No information whatsoever was provided by FIFA. For an appeal to be admissible, FIFA’s own regulations state that the reasoned decision must first have been communicated to the appellant. While the RBFA was merely seeking legitimate explanations, FIFA itself created an appeal and immediately ensured that it would be declared inadmissible. All of this occurred while FIFA simultaneously refused to respond to the RBFA’s legitimate requests. Furthermore, during the match coordination meeting, FIFA deliberately removed the section concerning the automatic suspension of players from its presentation. This topic had nonetheless been part of all such meetings before each of the previous four matches. The RBFA questioned FIFA, both orally and in writing, about the reasons for this change, yet once again received no response. To be clear, as of this moment, the RBFA has still not received any decision or any explanation from FIFA regarding this matter. It therefore has no alternative but to challenge the player's eligibility for the upcoming match. Regardless of the sporting outcome of this match, the RBFA is deeply concerned by the course of events and will continue to fight in the coming hours, days and months in defence of the fundamental principles of ethics, fair competition, and the interests of football as a whole.
black kitty stretched out asleep on bed
a scarred, middle-aged queen in bright gold armour stands on the walls of Byzantium, overlooking a burning city.
black kitty curled up on his side, snoozing fitfully
view into albert hall with live violinst up high as the lights dance and intros are underway
view out into the centre of the albert hall, with classic lifting equipment ready to go
tortie stretched out happily on the table
black kitty stretched out asleep on bed
a grey-blue box.
restaurant board announcing the mezzaluna. half pizza half calzone
OG magic card form River Merfolk, showing a swole half-fish boi with a trident in a river. card includes a flavour quote that reads: "Dwelling in icy mountain streams near their Goblin and Orcish foes, the River Merfolk were known for their stoicism"
black kitty snoozing in gjant fluffy donut
person QTing my suggestion of maybe offering delivery drivers a softie with: Thanks for telling me to buy a toxic corporate product, I don't shop online and thus, no package deliveries Besides, I haven't consumed colored sugar-water in decades
wright flyer, all cables and delicate wings, just about taking to the air.
uk map with live tracked birds of many varieties descending on london.
screenshot showing me unlocking a Stellers Sea Eagle
in app map showing a snail inbound
a golden-headed quetzal!!!
screen showing me unlocking a tricolored heron
app screenshot showing a mix of birbs, from waterfowl to birds of prey, with different flight speeds
screenshot of the Kuro girls in tanks in Girls und Panzer, wearing VERY carefully genericised black uniforms with zero insignia that could even be vaguely interpreted as a bit SS-ish
headline: ryanair says it will reluctantly not charge parents to sit next to children.
me next to a portable aircon unit.
selfie of me, a twitter egg of a human, wearing a very brightly patterned and beautiful light linen shirt from the caribbean.
tortie on her back beneath a garden table, derping happily and staring up at her brother Napoleon, the black serious kitty trying to snooze on the table above.
bbc headline: world's oldest football in miami for scotland's game against brazil.