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David Cottam @davidcottam6.bsky.social · 16h

ie: Any person/state that gets lucky should pull up the ladder & pursue self interest. (right wing tenets)
Geography, genetic endowment , property, inherited wealth, educational & social privilege all create powerful feedback loops.
Some are born to sweet delight
Some are born to endless night

David Cottam @davidcottam6.bsky.social · 18h

Are they portraying Artemis and Actaeon?

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Richard Corbett @richardcorbett.bsky.social · 1d

Farage and his allies have a long history of being associated with Russian funding and trying to avoid scrutiny and investigation of it. This from 2015:

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David Cottam @davidcottam6.bsky.social · 1d

Reform MP’s are required to swear the hypocritic oath on Farage’s EU passport.

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David Osland @davidosland.bsky.social · 1d

Abolition of stamp duty would be worth £80,000 to the average person whose girlfriend buys him a £900,000 second home in Clacton

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Dr. Jonathan N. Stea @jonathanstea.bsky.social · 2d

Brandolini’s Law (also known as the bullshit asymmetry principle):

The amount of energy needed to refute bullshit is an order of magnitude bigger than that needed to produce it.

H/t @unbiasedscipod.bsky.social

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Ben Goldacre @bengoldacre.bsky.social · Aug 12

Lots of these problems are better solved with an annual property value tax, like US states do, ~1-2% per year. We could let people defer it against their house if they wish, taken at death. Can't be dodged: the house is there. And progressive: the rich pay more www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Treasury targeting inheritance tax reforms to help plug UK deficit

Exclusive: Chancellor also looking at tweaks to capital gains tax to try to bridge £40bn-plus spending gap before budget

www.theguardian.com

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Ben Goldacre @bengoldacre.bsky.social · 4d

Here's a mediocre idea for a webapp or twitter bot: "Is It Just Me Or Are The Trains Crap". You tell it the train you're on, and how late it is; you get, in return, contextual information about how unusual that is.

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David Cottam @davidcottam6.bsky.social · 2d

The great Ben Goldacre! I remember his books when he was making the case for the full release of research data to remove selection bias . He was such an important voice on the public understanding of science. What’s he doing now?

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David Cottam @davidcottam6.bsky.social · 2d

Just a reminder for those easily distracted..

Frank Bascombe @frankbascombe.bsky.social · 4d

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David Cottam @davidcottam6.bsky.social · 3d

music.apple.com/gb/album/tom...
For those who need inspiration to withstand tyranny, Dick Gaughan sings about Tom Paine, one of the fathers of the American Revolution.

Tom Paine's Bones by Dick Gaughan on Apple Music

Song · 2001 · Duration 3:45

music.apple.com

David Cottam @davidcottam6.bsky.social · 3d

They’re waiting to make sure that creep, Farage, doesn’t put a spanner in the works before making a move.

David Cottam @davidcottam6.bsky.social · 3d

With two, and a sharp knife, you could pare a pair of pears 🍐 🍐

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Tom Scott @tom--scott.bsky.social · 3d

Nigel Farage fiddled his EU parliamentary expenses, failed to declare political donations, tried to avoid tax through an offshore trust fund & said he greatly admires Putin.

Clearly not a man who'd have anything to do with Russian bribes as taken by his close associate Nathan Gill.

Leeds for Europe @leedseurope.bsky.social · 4d

“This is most definitely not a fringe political scandal. It is a direct admission that Russian-aligned money penetrated Farage’s immediate orbit during a pivotal chapter in Brexit.”

Reform's Russian 'asset' - the Kremlin shadow over Nigel Farage | Searchlight

Nathan Gill - Russian asset On 26 September, former Welsh Brexit Party MEP and Reform UK official Nathan Gill pleaded guilty at the Old Bailey to eight coun ...

searchlightmagazine.com

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David Cottam @davidcottam6.bsky.social · 3d

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David Cottam @davidcottam6.bsky.social · 3d

The plot thickens!

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David Cottam @davidcottam6.bsky.social · 3d

He will have to inaugurate a Big Beautiful Trump Prize, (shaped like a golden toilet- “for services to autocracy and corruption” ) and award it to himself.
He can put it with the rest of his vulgar golden crap and show it off to visitors.

David Cottam @davidcottam6.bsky.social · 4d

He’s a desperate little nonentity trying to make his mark in a moribund party. It’s dying because the last few decent tories were kicked out by Johnson , taking many of their voters with them. Jenrick would make a pact with Farage if he thought it would save his seat.

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Lewis Goodall @lewisgoodall.com · 4d

Am wondering if all of those suddenly deciding they’re against communities living “parallel lives” might reconsider their support of religious schools? Or indeed private ones?

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Heather e^-1/x^2 @heathermoandco.bsky.social · 5d

#NigelFarage (surprise!) lied about his ties to paid Putin stooge, #NathanGill.

Kremlin influence operations just keep turning up around Farage. 🤔🧐

bylinetimes.com/2025/10/04/t... #ReformUK

Article by @peterjukes.bsky.social @bylinetimes.bsky.social

‘Thick as Thieves’: Nathan Gill and Nigel Farage’s Putin Problem

Far from being distant from the Reform UK Leader, insiders told Byline Times that the former MEP convicted of bribery was one of Farage’s closest aides, while we reveal how Gill worked on the Kremlin’...

bylinetimes.com

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David Cottam @davidcottam6.bsky.social · 4d

If he lacks the expertise, he should shut his gob and get someone qualified to present the evidence. That’s why research is conducted in double blind clinical trials by highly trained scientists and then peer reviewed. Someone should tell him that he’s not qualified so STFU.

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David Osland @davidosland.bsky.social · 5d

Reform-led Kent county council is set to increase council tax next year. It's almost as if the 'wasteful local authority spending' Farage keeps banging on about isn't really a thing.

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Tom Scott @tom--scott.bsky.social · 5d

In other news, Robbie Gibb, former spin doctor for a Tory PM, former editorial adviser to GB News, & leader of the consortium that bought the Jewish Chronicle in 2020, is still responsible for "upholding the editorial independence of the BBC".

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Anthony Glees @anthonyglees.bsky.social · 5d

It sounds trite to say Putin & Russian supporters have no right to rob this beautiful girl of her life but that’s the truth. They don’t have that right & we must put him ban in his box www.dailystar.co.uk/news/world-n...

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David Cottam @davidcottam6.bsky.social · 5d

To the Shitehouse?

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