rab181.bsky.social
@rab181.bsky.social
Reposted by rab181.bsky.social
Paris pollution maps are a delight to behold
January 31, 2026 at 10:11 AM
Paris pollution maps are a delight to behold
Reposted by rab181.bsky.social
New substack: the Tories can have a viable economic policy, or they can cultivate the traditional class base of conservatism, but they cannot do both. chrisdillow.substack.com/p/the-death-...
The death of the centre-right
Liberal conservatism has been killed by the economic system it supported.
chrisdillow.substack.com
January 28, 2026 at 9:34 AM
New substack: the Tories can have a viable economic policy, or they can cultivate the traditional class base of conservatism, but they cannot do both. chrisdillow.substack.com/p/the-death-...
Reposted by rab181.bsky.social
if they can offer free AI training they could offer free media literacy training too. i know which of those would do more for the public good
January 28, 2026 at 10:19 AM
if they can offer free AI training they could offer free media literacy training too. i know which of those would do more for the public good
Reposted by rab181.bsky.social
Are you an academic already alarmed and upset by the prospect of Matt Goodwin MP?
Just think! If Reform wins the next general election, they'll probably make him higher education minister.
Just think! If Reform wins the next general election, they'll probably make him higher education minister.
January 27, 2026 at 2:29 PM
Are you an academic already alarmed and upset by the prospect of Matt Goodwin MP?
Just think! If Reform wins the next general election, they'll probably make him higher education minister.
Just think! If Reform wins the next general election, they'll probably make him higher education minister.
Reposted by rab181.bsky.social
wikipedia turns 25 today! the last unenshittified major website! backbone of online info! triumph of humanity! powered by urge of unpaid randos to correct each other! somehow mostly reliable! "good thing wikipedia works in practice, because it sure doesn't work in theory" - old wiki adage
January 15, 2026 at 1:47 PM
wikipedia turns 25 today! the last unenshittified major website! backbone of online info! triumph of humanity! powered by urge of unpaid randos to correct each other! somehow mostly reliable! "good thing wikipedia works in practice, because it sure doesn't work in theory" - old wiki adage
Reposted by rab181.bsky.social
This is clearly depressing and radicalising in a way a tax wouldn't have been.
January 15, 2026 at 7:53 AM
This is clearly depressing and radicalising in a way a tax wouldn't have been.
Reposted by rab181.bsky.social
You’re right—swallowing the bird was a half-measure. The bird did eat the spider, as planned, but now you have a bird in you. It reminds you of swallowing the spider to catch the fly. You’re seeing the pattern.
Would you like me to suggest some animals which could eat the bird?
Would you like me to suggest some animals which could eat the bird?
January 11, 2026 at 3:01 PM
You’re right—swallowing the bird was a half-measure. The bird did eat the spider, as planned, but now you have a bird in you. It reminds you of swallowing the spider to catch the fly. You’re seeing the pattern.
Would you like me to suggest some animals which could eat the bird?
Would you like me to suggest some animals which could eat the bird?
Reposted by rab181.bsky.social
A very long and important THREAD -
The real reason the US is invading Venezuela goes back to a deal Henry Kissinger made with Saudi Arabia in 1974.
And I'm going to explain why this is actually about the SURVIVAL of the US dollar itself.
Not drugs. Not terrorism. Not "democracy." 1/
The real reason the US is invading Venezuela goes back to a deal Henry Kissinger made with Saudi Arabia in 1974.
And I'm going to explain why this is actually about the SURVIVAL of the US dollar itself.
Not drugs. Not terrorism. Not "democracy." 1/
January 4, 2026 at 9:40 AM
A very long and important THREAD -
The real reason the US is invading Venezuela goes back to a deal Henry Kissinger made with Saudi Arabia in 1974.
And I'm going to explain why this is actually about the SURVIVAL of the US dollar itself.
Not drugs. Not terrorism. Not "democracy." 1/
The real reason the US is invading Venezuela goes back to a deal Henry Kissinger made with Saudi Arabia in 1974.
And I'm going to explain why this is actually about the SURVIVAL of the US dollar itself.
Not drugs. Not terrorism. Not "democracy." 1/
Reposted by rab181.bsky.social
This targeting of an individual International Criminal Court judge is mind-blowing
The obstruction of justice is a key US export under Trump. He has attempted to interfere in the criminal trial of Jair Bolsonaro, tried to get charges dropped against Benjamin Netanyahu and is tightening the screws on the International Criminal Court. www.irishtimes.com/world/us/202...
‘It’s surreal’: US sanctions lock International Criminal Court judge out of daily life
Canadian judge Kimberly Prost is unable to use credit cards, transfer money or book everyday services in what she calls an attack on the independence of the judiciary
www.irishtimes.com
January 4, 2026 at 7:29 AM
This targeting of an individual International Criminal Court judge is mind-blowing
Reposted by rab181.bsky.social
During Fiona Hill's testimony to Congress on Oct 14, 2019, she described how Trump and Putin discussed exchanging Ukraine for Venezuela. The quid pro quo was if Trump refuses to help Ukraine fight off a Russian invasion, Putin would not help Venezuela (a Russian ally) resist a US takeover.
January 4, 2026 at 2:36 AM
During Fiona Hill's testimony to Congress on Oct 14, 2019, she described how Trump and Putin discussed exchanging Ukraine for Venezuela. The quid pro quo was if Trump refuses to help Ukraine fight off a Russian invasion, Putin would not help Venezuela (a Russian ally) resist a US takeover.
Reposted by rab181.bsky.social
The thing Starmer still has going for him is that on a day like today having any of the alternatives to him in charge would undoubtedly be very bad news for the UK. And it’s clear that days like today are going to be more frequent over the coming years, not less.
January 3, 2026 at 4:29 PM
The thing Starmer still has going for him is that on a day like today having any of the alternatives to him in charge would undoubtedly be very bad news for the UK. And it’s clear that days like today are going to be more frequent over the coming years, not less.
Reposted by rab181.bsky.social
A return to spheres of influence could make sense if you are a great power. If you aren't one, cheering it seems foolhardy. Once again, too many people are living mentally like Americans, not realising they are citizens of the periphery.
January 3, 2026 at 3:51 PM
A return to spheres of influence could make sense if you are a great power. If you aren't one, cheering it seems foolhardy. Once again, too many people are living mentally like Americans, not realising they are citizens of the periphery.
Reposted by rab181.bsky.social
When I was a little boy (i.e. early 1970's) my grandfather told me the story of how he, as a young apprentice, visited Germany in 1935 on a journey to upskill his agricultural crafts. At the time he didn't think much about the regime there, but considered them an operatic clown-show that had somehow
December 20, 2025 at 11:26 AM
When I was a little boy (i.e. early 1970's) my grandfather told me the story of how he, as a young apprentice, visited Germany in 1935 on a journey to upskill his agricultural crafts. At the time he didn't think much about the regime there, but considered them an operatic clown-show that had somehow
Reposted by rab181.bsky.social
If it were steel works we would have a government bailout plan, yet losing thousands of jobs at unis is met with a shrug. & unlike steelworks universities were profitable when they had foreign students.
You are killing the golden goose… one of our best exports…
HOW IS THIS HELPING GROWTH?!
You are killing the golden goose… one of our best exports…
HOW IS THIS HELPING GROWTH?!
Every sympathy for University of Essex (and pressures facing them) but this is very bad news for Southend.
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... Essex university to cut 400 jobs as overseas student numbers plummet
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... Essex university to cut 400 jobs as overseas student numbers plummet
Essex university to cut 400 jobs as overseas student numbers plummet
Roles to be lost are part of wave of redundancy programmes across UK’s higher education sector
giftarticle.ft.com
December 3, 2025 at 8:14 AM
If it were steel works we would have a government bailout plan, yet losing thousands of jobs at unis is met with a shrug. & unlike steelworks universities were profitable when they had foreign students.
You are killing the golden goose… one of our best exports…
HOW IS THIS HELPING GROWTH?!
You are killing the golden goose… one of our best exports…
HOW IS THIS HELPING GROWTH?!
Reposted by rab181.bsky.social
The war will end when Russia stops fighting. Therefore, pressure has to be put on Russia, so that they stop believing that they will win. Why is that so hard to understand?
November 27, 2025 at 1:49 AM
The war will end when Russia stops fighting. Therefore, pressure has to be put on Russia, so that they stop believing that they will win. Why is that so hard to understand?
Reposted by rab181.bsky.social
Utterly surreal that a key part of the pre Budget narrative from the government hasn’t been ‘Russian planes keep buzzing the Essex coast, US support for NATO is looking shaky, and thanks to the Tories our army fits in Old Trafford - that’s why we need to raise taxes’.
November 26, 2025 at 8:00 AM
Utterly surreal that a key part of the pre Budget narrative from the government hasn’t been ‘Russian planes keep buzzing the Essex coast, US support for NATO is looking shaky, and thanks to the Tories our army fits in Old Trafford - that’s why we need to raise taxes’.
Reposted by rab181.bsky.social
Idiom Origin
“pull yourself up by your bootstraps”
This was originally *sarcasm* & meant to convey that the act was impossible.
A boot strap is a loop used to help put your boot on.
This 1921 cartoon from the “Nonpartisan Leader” showcases that you can’t pull upward on your boots to levitate.
“pull yourself up by your bootstraps”
This was originally *sarcasm* & meant to convey that the act was impossible.
A boot strap is a loop used to help put your boot on.
This 1921 cartoon from the “Nonpartisan Leader” showcases that you can’t pull upward on your boots to levitate.
January 20, 2025 at 10:44 PM
Idiom Origin
“pull yourself up by your bootstraps”
This was originally *sarcasm* & meant to convey that the act was impossible.
A boot strap is a loop used to help put your boot on.
This 1921 cartoon from the “Nonpartisan Leader” showcases that you can’t pull upward on your boots to levitate.
“pull yourself up by your bootstraps”
This was originally *sarcasm* & meant to convey that the act was impossible.
A boot strap is a loop used to help put your boot on.
This 1921 cartoon from the “Nonpartisan Leader” showcases that you can’t pull upward on your boots to levitate.
Reposted by rab181.bsky.social
Reposted by rab181.bsky.social
"We cannot address the urgency of the climate and nature crisis without co-ordinated global action. A failure to act will cause environmental devastation, fuelling displacement, conflict and famine."
Keir Starmer's "Change" manifesto for Labour 2024.
2025:
Keir Starmer's "Change" manifesto for Labour 2024.
2025:
UK opts out of flagship fund to protect Amazon and other threatened tropical forests
UK opts out of flagship fund to protect Amazon and other threatened tropical forests
Decision is bitter blow to Brazil ahead of fund’s launch at Cop30 – and an embarrassment to Prince William
The UK will not contribute to a flagship fund for the world’s remaining tropical forests, in a bitter blow to the Brazilian hosts on the eve of the Cop30 climate summit.
Keir Starmer flew to Belém, at the mouth of the Amazon, on Wednesday to join the summit of world leaders hosted by Brazil’s president, Lula da Silva. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
November 5, 2025 at 6:40 PM
"We cannot address the urgency of the climate and nature crisis without co-ordinated global action. A failure to act will cause environmental devastation, fuelling displacement, conflict and famine."
Keir Starmer's "Change" manifesto for Labour 2024.
2025:
Keir Starmer's "Change" manifesto for Labour 2024.
2025:
Reposted by rab181.bsky.social
Mad example of this trend from real life though - we pitched an investigation to a commissioner at a major broadcaster, and they put the thing we were investigating and said “oh I’ve put it into ChatGPT and it says the answer is…”
And then we’re confused when we said “thats not true”!
And then we’re confused when we said “thats not true”!
November 4, 2025 at 7:00 AM
Mad example of this trend from real life though - we pitched an investigation to a commissioner at a major broadcaster, and they put the thing we were investigating and said “oh I’ve put it into ChatGPT and it says the answer is…”
And then we’re confused when we said “thats not true”!
And then we’re confused when we said “thats not true”!
Reposted by rab181.bsky.social
Sarah Pochin is a racist.
Reform is a racist party.
Her ‘apology’ makes no difference to that.
Trying to claim your words really meant something else is not an apology.
It’s a lie about who you are and what you think.
So, she’s a racist.
And, for all our sakes, that MUST be a shameful thing to be.
Reform is a racist party.
Her ‘apology’ makes no difference to that.
Trying to claim your words really meant something else is not an apology.
It’s a lie about who you are and what you think.
So, she’s a racist.
And, for all our sakes, that MUST be a shameful thing to be.
October 26, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Sarah Pochin is a racist.
Reform is a racist party.
Her ‘apology’ makes no difference to that.
Trying to claim your words really meant something else is not an apology.
It’s a lie about who you are and what you think.
So, she’s a racist.
And, for all our sakes, that MUST be a shameful thing to be.
Reform is a racist party.
Her ‘apology’ makes no difference to that.
Trying to claim your words really meant something else is not an apology.
It’s a lie about who you are and what you think.
So, she’s a racist.
And, for all our sakes, that MUST be a shameful thing to be.
Reposted by rab181.bsky.social
Reposted by rab181.bsky.social
This person is one hundred percent correct and it’s scary af. We will never “media literacy” our way out of this as a society. We are about to reap the whirlwind when it comes to misinformation, disinformation, and informational warfare.
October 23, 2025 at 12:25 AM
This person is one hundred percent correct and it’s scary af. We will never “media literacy” our way out of this as a society. We are about to reap the whirlwind when it comes to misinformation, disinformation, and informational warfare.
Reposted by rab181.bsky.social
The EU won't care about this chart. They'll be much more interested in the polling that shows parties that think Brexit was the right choice have 50%+ support. There is no prospect of rejoining until those parties are defeated into irrelevance.
October 20, 2025 at 7:18 AM
The EU won't care about this chart. They'll be much more interested in the polling that shows parties that think Brexit was the right choice have 50%+ support. There is no prospect of rejoining until those parties are defeated into irrelevance.
Reposted by rab181.bsky.social
