Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Doug Bamford @dougbamford.bsky.social · 3h

...unless they have shares in a land owning company like British Land, of course. It won't happen because British people use property as their main investment vehicle. How would nationalisation of property go down? LVT is short of nationalisation (just the land value, not the buildings), but similar

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Doug Bamford @dougbamford.bsky.social · 3h

Could be. Inheritance tax (or something along those lines) is a no brainer, yet it often polls as the least popular tax. Capital gains makes a huge amount of sense, but there is a massive loophole when it comes to 'primary residence' - hence the focus on house ownership in the UK.

Doug Bamford @dougbamford.bsky.social · 4h

It would be a bad idea because it would tax one form of wealth but not others. Land values would drop by the amount of the tax. It's like pass the parcel. Whoever owns their wealth as land when it is introduced faces a massive transfer of their wealth to govt. while those with wealth in shares don't

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Doug Bamford @dougbamford.bsky.social · 7h

I don't know if it is just a corporate thing. Labour in the 70s looked into it and didn't bother. The problem is it is a huge faff and has unwanted economic impacts but you don't raise much money from it. I'm open to the possibility, but it isn't exactly a panacea.

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Doug Bamford @dougbamford.bsky.social · 19h

If she wants videos: Crash Course, Sandel's Justice lectures.
If she wants podcasts: Philosophy Bites, Partially Examined Life. Warburton's book is available as a podcast. As is Russell's Problems of Philo. Quite a few classics are available thanks to libra vox.

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Doug Bamford @dougbamford.bsky.social · 19h

Nagel's What Does It All Mean? is very straightforward, Plato's apology, Philosopher Queens.
I'll also add a vote for Blackburn's "Think" which we use for our introductory course: lifelong-learning.ox.ac.uk/courses/intr...

Introduction to Philosophy

We think we know, but do we? We think we are free, but are we? We think our actions are moral, but are they? What is this reality we take ourselves to live in? The oldest questions meet the newest te...

lifelong-learning.ox.ac.uk

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Doug Bamford @dougbamford.bsky.social · 1d

At least Munchen and Paris are in the same time zone so you get a two-fer there!

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Reverend Jesus "Ł" Christ @reverendjesus.com · 4d

Blessed are the frogs, for they keep making authoritarians look incredibly stupid

Three persons in inflatable frog costumes. One of them is holding a nicely painted sign with two little cartoon frogs holding hands, below the text "FROGS TOGETHER STRONG"

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David Owen @artsofdenial.bsky.social · 4d

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Mark Bray @mark-bray.bsky.social · 14d

I teach a history of antifascism course @ruhistorydept.bsky.social and figured I'd start an ongoing thread this semester to share some insights from course readings and recommend some great works on antifascism.

🧵

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Jason Dinh @byjasonpdinh.bsky.social · 7d

Some sad news: Yesterday, @atmosmag.bsky.social notified me that they eliminated their climate editor position. After 2.5 years there, I’m out of a job. 🧪🌎

I’m surprised and saddened by the suddenness. But I’m proud of the work I produced there.

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Angie Hobbs @profangiehobbs.bsky.social · 6d

BBC4 is repeating Bryan Magee’s 1987 series, The Great Philosophers, and I introduce it next Monday 13th at 22.30. I remember being very impressed when it went out that my wonderful PhD supervisor, Myles Burnyeat, was in the very first episode!

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Sunder Katwala (sundersays) @sundersays.bsky.social · 6d

The Bishop of Birmingham has written to the Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick about his comments about Handsworth

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Energy Stats UK @energystatsuk.bsky.social · 8d

Greener Nights/Mornings Score by @Octopus.Energy

Aimed to forecast how green the grid will over the coming nights

Could you delay your overnight usage until a greener time?

For more information about Greener Days visit: http://energy-stats.uk/octopus-greener-days/

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Doug Bamford @dougbamford.bsky.social · 9d

Been to see these guys reunited. Reliving my teenage angst phase.

Doug Bamford @dougbamford.bsky.social · 10d

I think that the 'centrist' types labelled here would be sceptical that left-wing policies would be effective at either improving living standards or (perhaps as a result) hurting the far right. If left-wing policies impoverish everyone then won't that help the far right? Isn't that the dispute?

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Emily J @emexastris.bsky.social · 10d

I think a lot of people don't know this Zoom feature exists: under "React" there's a "Be Right Back" button that mutes your audio, turns off your camera, and puts a label on your square. And then when you come back you just click the "Back" button.

Repost to save us all from "BRB" chat messages!

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Doug Bamford @dougbamford.bsky.social · 11d

Finally made some good writing progress this morning with a deadline looming. During lunch office decided to update itself and I lost all the work. 😡 How is your day going?

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Kate Kirkpatrick @philosofemme.bsky.social · 11d

JOB: Associate Professor or Professor in the Faculty of Philosophy, in association with a Tutorial Fellowship at Merton College. AoS Ethics and/or Political Philosophy, with at least an AoC in Feminist Philosophy.
#PhilJobs
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DOW474/a...

Associate Professorship or Professorship of Philosophy - Philosophy APTFC at University of Oxford

Explore an exciting academic career as a Associate Professorship or Professorship of Philosophy - Philosophy APTFC. Don't miss out on other academic jobs. Click to apply and explore more opportunities...

www.jobs.ac.uk

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Energy Stats UK @energystatsuk.bsky.social · 11d

Greener Nights/Mornings Score by @Octopus.Energy

Aimed to forecast how green the grid will over the coming nights

Could you delay your overnight usage until a greener time?

For more information about Greener Days visit: http://energy-stats.uk/octopus-greener-days/

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Reposted by Doug Bamford

Josiah Mortimer @josiah.writes.news · 13d

Some good news.

London is meeting legal limits for toxic NO2 pollution for the first time – almost 200 years earlier than predicted – following the Mayor’s "world leading air pollution policies," City Hall announces.

The Ultra Low Emissions Zone - and similar policies - really do work.

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Octopus Energy @octopus.energy · 11d

SURPRISE - we’ve got a 2 HOUR #FREEELECTRICITY SESSION TOMORROW!

📆12-2pm Sat 4th October
⚡Extra power is free
✅Octoplus members, emails are on the way

Share your pics to show us what you get up to 🤳

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Doug Bamford @dougbamford.bsky.social · 11d

Perfect - car is getting a bit low and could use a top-up. Have been waiting for the wind!

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Kevin Elliott @kjephd.bsky.social · 11d

Excluding any kind of wealth from a wealth tax makes it much more administratively difficult & complex, plus it creates immense perverse incentives to direct all income into the tax-sheltered types

FinTwitter @fintwitter.bsky.social · 11d

FRENCH PM LECORNU HAS PROPOSED TO SOCIALISTS TO INCLUDE A TAX ON FINANCIAL WEALTH EXCLUDING PROFESSIONAL WEALTH TO BREAK BUDGET IMPASSE — TWO SOURCES CLOSE TO HIM

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Doug Bamford @dougbamford.bsky.social · 11d

WTF dude.

Laura Jedeed @laurajedeed.bsky.social · 11d

I'm sorry: "if I wish to see a virgin on-screen"?

My Favorite Actress Is Not Human
Tilly Norwood doesn’t need a hairstylist, has no regrettable posts, and if you wish to see a virgin on-screen, this is one of your better chances. That’s because she’s AI.

A picture of some AI girl standing on an AI landscape with an AI monster behind her. I'm gonna be so real: she looks about 14

By Tyler Cowen