Giles
@gdeejay.bsky.social
Applied economist working in international development policy
🇹🇴🇸🇧🇻🇺🇫🇯🇦🇺🇲🇲 (etc),
Mostly memes.
Sometimes post about #publicpolicy, research, data science, #PFM and #Rstats
Economist | Independent Consultant
All views my own
🇹🇴🇸🇧🇻🇺🇫🇯🇦🇺🇲🇲 (etc),
Mostly memes.
Sometimes post about #publicpolicy, research, data science, #PFM and #Rstats
Economist | Independent Consultant
All views my own
Listening to this rock opera again after finishing the book.
Such a banger.
👌
(Somebody also scanned the album art and made it available here: drive.google.com/file/d/1hop5...)
Such a banger.
👌
(Somebody also scanned the album art and made it available here: drive.google.com/file/d/1hop5...)
January 19, 2026 at 3:39 AM
Listening to this rock opera again after finishing the book.
Such a banger.
👌
(Somebody also scanned the album art and made it available here: drive.google.com/file/d/1hop5...)
Such a banger.
👌
(Somebody also scanned the album art and made it available here: drive.google.com/file/d/1hop5...)
I'm not feeling well ATM so have started reading War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells. I'll get back to Chomsky.
I already know how it ends as I got right into the Jeff Wayne version in my 20s, but I'm enjoying reading it so far.
It's a nice light read to accompany feeling like death.
I already know how it ends as I got right into the Jeff Wayne version in my 20s, but I'm enjoying reading it so far.
It's a nice light read to accompany feeling like death.
January 17, 2026 at 3:23 AM
I'm not feeling well ATM so have started reading War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells. I'll get back to Chomsky.
I already know how it ends as I got right into the Jeff Wayne version in my 20s, but I'm enjoying reading it so far.
It's a nice light read to accompany feeling like death.
I already know how it ends as I got right into the Jeff Wayne version in my 20s, but I'm enjoying reading it so far.
It's a nice light read to accompany feeling like death.
For my next book, I'm *reading "Manufacturing Consent" by Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky.
*I've already started reading it and it seems like another one of those books that could have been a briefing or working paper. So I'm expecting that 'reading' will be selectivity skimming.
*I've already started reading it and it seems like another one of those books that could have been a briefing or working paper. So I'm expecting that 'reading' will be selectivity skimming.
January 15, 2026 at 10:20 PM
For my next book, I'm *reading "Manufacturing Consent" by Edward S. Herman and Noam Chomsky.
*I've already started reading it and it seems like another one of those books that could have been a briefing or working paper. So I'm expecting that 'reading' will be selectivity skimming.
*I've already started reading it and it seems like another one of those books that could have been a briefing or working paper. So I'm expecting that 'reading' will be selectivity skimming.
It worked!
It's garbage, but it's pretty solid garbage for 30 minutes of messing around.
It's garbage, but it's pretty solid garbage for 30 minutes of messing around.
January 15, 2026 at 3:35 AM
It worked!
It's garbage, but it's pretty solid garbage for 30 minutes of messing around.
It's garbage, but it's pretty solid garbage for 30 minutes of messing around.
A great TLDR of why the book might be a frustrating read:
😂
😂
January 14, 2026 at 11:52 PM
A great TLDR of why the book might be a frustrating read:
😂
😂
Feels like an eternity since the last one 😌
January 13, 2026 at 8:31 PM
Feels like an eternity since the last one 😌
My dad, who's subscribed to my Goodreads, sent me this today:
😂
Credit: Tom Gould
😂
Credit: Tom Gould
January 13, 2026 at 10:14 AM
My dad, who's subscribed to my Goodreads, sent me this today:
😂
Credit: Tom Gould
😂
Credit: Tom Gould
Never guess what I decided to read next:
January 12, 2026 at 6:57 AM
Never guess what I decided to read next:
Here's a Goodreads review that will give you the gist of why I found the main character annoying:
😂
(Again, I think this is the point. The main character is not portrayed as a hero in any real sense. And while you feel sorry for him, it's for his own failings, not for the actions of Nastasya.)
😂
(Again, I think this is the point. The main character is not portrayed as a hero in any real sense. And while you feel sorry for him, it's for his own failings, not for the actions of Nastasya.)
January 11, 2026 at 11:51 PM
Here's a Goodreads review that will give you the gist of why I found the main character annoying:
😂
(Again, I think this is the point. The main character is not portrayed as a hero in any real sense. And while you feel sorry for him, it's for his own failings, not for the actions of Nastasya.)
😂
(Again, I think this is the point. The main character is not portrayed as a hero in any real sense. And while you feel sorry for him, it's for his own failings, not for the actions of Nastasya.)
Going with 'White Nights' by Dostoyevsky as I really enjoyed Crime and Punishment (the book, not the activity).
January 10, 2026 at 12:54 AM
Going with 'White Nights' by Dostoyevsky as I really enjoyed Crime and Punishment (the book, not the activity).
Just finished 'As a Man Thinketh' which is a 100+ year old book on mindfulness
⭐
(Out of five)
Although I agree with the basic premise that the quality of your thoughts informs the quality of your actions, character and health, this didn't need to be restated repeatedly over 30+ pages.
⭐
(Out of five)
Although I agree with the basic premise that the quality of your thoughts informs the quality of your actions, character and health, this didn't need to be restated repeatedly over 30+ pages.
January 9, 2026 at 11:41 PM
Just finished 'As a Man Thinketh' which is a 100+ year old book on mindfulness
⭐
(Out of five)
Although I agree with the basic premise that the quality of your thoughts informs the quality of your actions, character and health, this didn't need to be restated repeatedly over 30+ pages.
⭐
(Out of five)
Although I agree with the basic premise that the quality of your thoughts informs the quality of your actions, character and health, this didn't need to be restated repeatedly over 30+ pages.
As a side note: Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds rock opera is a personal favourite, so War of the Worlds is definitely on my radar.
January 9, 2026 at 4:41 AM
As a side note: Jeff Wayne's War of the Worlds rock opera is a personal favourite, so War of the Worlds is definitely on my radar.
I'm back to H.G. Wells. This time 'The Island of Dr Moreau'.
January 8, 2026 at 10:52 AM
I'm back to H.G. Wells. This time 'The Island of Dr Moreau'.
Ending the day with another dose of beach
January 8, 2026 at 6:28 AM
Ending the day with another dose of beach
Just finished Hemingway's 'The short happy life of Francis Macomber'.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
(Out of five).
It's a good short story.
A bit of a cliche hunting story, but he's probably one of the reasons it is a cliche.
Looking forward to reading more of his short stories (I have a book of them).
⭐⭐⭐⭐
(Out of five).
It's a good short story.
A bit of a cliche hunting story, but he's probably one of the reasons it is a cliche.
Looking forward to reading more of his short stories (I have a book of them).
January 8, 2026 at 12:38 AM
Just finished Hemingway's 'The short happy life of Francis Macomber'.
⭐⭐⭐⭐
(Out of five).
It's a good short story.
A bit of a cliche hunting story, but he's probably one of the reasons it is a cliche.
Looking forward to reading more of his short stories (I have a book of them).
⭐⭐⭐⭐
(Out of five).
It's a good short story.
A bit of a cliche hunting story, but he's probably one of the reasons it is a cliche.
Looking forward to reading more of his short stories (I have a book of them).
You'll never guess where I am!
January 7, 2026 at 10:01 PM
You'll never guess where I am!
By popular request:
(I found more beach)
(I found more beach)
January 7, 2026 at 1:22 AM
By popular request:
(I found more beach)
(I found more beach)
I'm currently reading 'Late Bloomer' by Clem Bastow.
I picked this up at a 2nd hand bookstore a while back and have been meaning to read it.
I have no idea who the author is, but it's a great book. She's a great writer and I love her amusing and informative take on living with autism.
👌🏼
I picked this up at a 2nd hand bookstore a while back and have been meaning to read it.
I have no idea who the author is, but it's a great book. She's a great writer and I love her amusing and informative take on living with autism.
👌🏼
January 6, 2026 at 2:55 AM
I'm currently reading 'Late Bloomer' by Clem Bastow.
I picked this up at a 2nd hand bookstore a while back and have been meaning to read it.
I have no idea who the author is, but it's a great book. She's a great writer and I love her amusing and informative take on living with autism.
👌🏼
I picked this up at a 2nd hand bookstore a while back and have been meaning to read it.
I have no idea who the author is, but it's a great book. She's a great writer and I love her amusing and informative take on living with autism.
👌🏼
