Flora Alexander
@florainthesouth.bsky.social
68 followers 83 following 110 posts
Retired academic (English Literature), feminist, politically left. I come from the north, but I don’t live there now.
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Reposted by Flora Alexander
My son went to Portland last week. It was just fine.
I didn’t see many Black people when I visited Dorset.
And Moray. BBC weather people please take note.
Reposted by Flora Alexander
gsoh31.bsky.social
I just cannot comprehend how a massive bung for older rich homeowners, at the expense of sicker and younger people who have to bear all the cuts, is seen as some sort of 'win'. Britain has become a grotesque and narrow place indeed. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Conservatives would scrap stamp duty, Kemi Badenoch announces
The Tory leader says the move would help millions buy a home, in her annual conference speech.
www.bbc.co.uk
Reposted by Flora Alexander
stephenkb.bsky.social
Something grimly predictable about the way that the conversation about 'ripoff degrees' in the UK is always about degrees that aren't rip-offs, but are instead fairly obvious 'this student has chosen something unlikely to pay off economically' rather than the short tail of crap business degrees:
Everyone needs educating in the fight over university degrees
Political confusion over the purpose of these institutions means the obvious fixes are being neglected
www.ft.com
Reposted by Flora Alexander
profmarkelliott.bsky.social
Excellent (but depressing) analysis by @gsoh31.bsky.social on the fragile state of higher education in the UK. This passage particularly struck me. politicalquarterly.org.uk/blog/where-n...
Reposted by Flora Alexander
politicalquarterly.bsky.social
There have likely been 10,000 or more university redundancies in the academic year 2024-25.

@gsoh31.bsky.social, Professor of Modern and Contemporary History at Oxford Brookes, argues that the Higher Education system as we know it is coming to an end.
Where now for Britain’s Universities?
UK higher education now faces a very bleak future, retreating in the face of little public sympathy and limited political interest.
politicalquarterly.org.uk
Reposted by Flora Alexander
gsoh31.bsky.social
Here are two of the relevant sections on ECHR in the Belfast/ Good Friday Agreement (Cm 3883, pp 16-17). I'm as moderate a Nationalist as you can possibly be. Without ECHR I would regard the multilateral Agreement as terminated.
Reposted by Flora Alexander
jamesmcconnachie.bsky.social
One of the many benefits of my English degree (a degree in language and critical thinking, really) is that I can immediately see how narrow, short-sighted and stupid a policy this is.
eve.gd
This makes me so angry. These people view all life as training for lifelong servitude/work. There's no room for interest, enjoyment, and culture in their bleak vision of education. At least she'll never be in power to see it through. Though Reform are probably worse.
Badenoch: Curb students taking "rip-off" degrees such as English. The performing arts, sociology and anthropology are among the subjects the Conservatives would like to cut
Reposted by Flora Alexander
Reposted by Flora Alexander
davidgilbert.bsky.social
Over the weekend, Trump's deputy chief of staff for policy Stephen Miller repeatedly attacked judges, calling them part of an "organized terrorist attack" on the US government....

On Saturday, the home of a judge who ruled against Trump, went up in flames

time.com/7323442/sout...
House of South Carolina Judge Criticized by Trump Administration Set Ablaze
Authorities are investigating a fire at the home of a South Carolina judge who had reportedly received death threats in what could be the latest incident of political violence across the country.
time.com
Reposted by Flora Alexander
bladeofthes.bsky.social
UK protest plan.

You can only protest When, Where and IF we say you can.

Freedom...
Reposted by Flora Alexander
louiselocock.bsky.social
This refers to the Tories. But equally could be said of Labour. Stop pandering to racists.
peterwalker99.bsky.social
Curtice gets to the nub: trying to compete with Nigel Farage on migration doesn't seem to be working: “So the question I would pose to you is, does it necessarily make sense to try to out-Reform Reform, as opposed to try and go around onto issues which are different?"
Reposted by Flora Alexander
implausibleblog.bsky.social
We can all agree that the attack on the Synagogue in Manchester was terrorism

So why is setting a Mosque alight just 'arson' and a 'hate crime' and also not terrorism?
Reposted by Flora Alexander
louiselocock.bsky.social
Hard not to laugh as Reform discovers the reality of how underfunded local authorities are
grahambs.bsky.social
Reform vowed to save "a lot of money" by abolishing "wasteful" spending in Kent. Instead they are going to put our taxes up!
Headline: Reform poised to raise Kent council tax as Musk-inspired attack on costs falters
Reposted by Flora Alexander
mthrjo.bsky.social
This is a brilliant story
folklorewales.com
Six weeks ago, I picked up a year-old tawny owl with a broken leg off the main road near our home and dropped him off at our nearest vet.

After a few days, I received one of the most bizarre phone calls I’ve ever had, asking “So when are you coming to pick up your owl?” 🧵
Tawny owl
Reposted by Flora Alexander
c0nc0rdance.bsky.social
The buff-tip moth (Phalera bucephala) has mastered a very particular kind of camouflage.

When they close their wings up, they resemble a broken twig.

Native to large parts of Europe, there's regional pattern variation that reflects the local tree species. This one best resembles birch twigs?
Reposted by Flora Alexander
slnieckar.bsky.social
Two peregrines illustrating the size of their absurd nest.

#birds #WildlifeBrandenburg
Two peregrine falcons sit on a pylon, at the base of a ridiculously large and chaotic nest built between the struts.
Reposted by Flora Alexander
ncdominie.bsky.social
When Our human did not turn the rain off, and Our dignity was thereby compromised.
A damp and deeply reproachful greyhound.