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r4g6.bsky.social
Ted
@r4g6.bsky.social
65 followers 67 following 28 posts
PhD Candidate in Classics and Ancient History
University of Exeter / University of Reading / The Roman Baths
SWWDTP funded
https://knowles06.medium.com/
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Reposted by Ted
badsocialism.bsky.social
I can take many personal insults but I will not stand for being called a yank
November 18, 2025 at 4:49 PM
r4g6.bsky.social
"get beyond being in hock to the bond markets" is genuinely disqualifying stuff from Burnham
stephenkb.bsky.social Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · Sep 25
I don't think 'the same magical thinking on tax and spend, with a more charismatic leader' is going to get Labour out of their mess, and more importantly, my read is that not enough people in the PLP think that it would either:
Starmer’s fragile position is not yet endangered by rivals
PM’s weakness puts Andy Burnham into spotlight, but the Manchester mayor does not appear to grasp UK’s problems
www.ft.com
September 25, 2025 at 11:42 AM
r4g6.bsky.social
I've been to ONE lecture with students and I'm already ill
September 25, 2025 at 11:27 AM
r4g6.bsky.social
The "negotiations" in question
August 24, 2025 at 3:30 PM
Reposted by Ted
histoftech.bsky.social
tenured academics writing their second/third/fourth books be like:
Political Science B.A. @InternetHippo (realizing I was wrong) Perhaps I was right in a new and unusual way
August 18, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Reposted by Ted
reshetz.bsky.social
August 1, 2025 at 6:04 AM
Reposted by Ted
abeardedpanda.bsky.social
"making efforts" is an enormously load bearing phrase given that clean water in the occupied Donbas has been a problem since 2014
lowrhoufo.bsky.social LOWρUFO 🇺🇦🇵🇸🇻🇪 @lowrhoufo.bsky.social · Jul 30
Kind of insane because despite active Russification efforts (importing of Russian families, pro-Russia school standards, kidnapping of orphans, etc), Russia is absolutely making efforts to meet basic humanitarian needs in occupied territories??
July 30, 2025 at 5:35 AM
r4g6.bsky.social
I wrote something about those houses being built in Flitwick that made it to the Telegraph last weekend. Rage is a great antidote to writer's block, it seems. I'll write something Classics-related soon...
Journalists need to get on board with solving the housing crisis
If we can’t build 170 houses in Flitwick without a media freakout, what’s the point?
knowles06.medium.com
July 14, 2025 at 11:56 AM
r4g6.bsky.social
Canada has risen massively in my list of hopeful holiday destinations. I'd either like to see the Toronto IndyCar race or drive the length and breadth of Nova Scotia
canadianpolling.bsky.social Polling Canada @canadianpolling.bsky.social · Jul 8
"Who is the greatest threat to Canada?"

United States: 59%
China: 17%
Russia: 11%

Pew Research / May 2025
July 8, 2025 at 7:12 PM
r4g6.bsky.social
Corbyn when there's an opportunity to make Labour lose another election:
July 4, 2025 at 2:27 PM
Reposted by Ted
bernietranders.bsky.social
Reposting with ALT-text:

A group of over 30 MPs have written to the EHRC with their concerns about the draft code of practice and the consultation period.

Names of signatories in the thread below - if they’re your MP, send them a thank you message!
黨 HOUSE OF COMMONS LONDON SWIA DAA The Baroness Falkner of Margravine Chair, Equality and Human Rights Commission Arndale House, The Arndale Centre Manchester M4 3AQ 30 June 2025 Dear Baroness Falkner, RE: EHRC Consultation on Draft Code of Practice following For Women Scotland case We write as Labour Members of Parliament to express our serious concerns regarding the Equality and Human Rights Commission's (EHRC) consultation on the Code of Practice for services, public functions and associations, following the Supreme Court's ruling in For Women Scotland v Scottish Ministers. We are grateful for the opportunity to respond, but we must highlight that the process and substance of this consultation raise significant issues for Parliament, service providers, and the communities we represent. Consultation process: insufficient time As a preliminary point, we are deeply concerned that the consultation window-running from 20 May to 30 June 2025—has provided only six weeks for responses. The consultation document is lengthy (58 pages) and the questionnaire of 21 pages is impenetrable to most. The consultation timeframe is far shorter than the standard 12-week period for statutory consultations and is inadequate for stakeholders, particularly those from marginalised and under-resourced communities, to digest the lengthy and complex documentation, consult with their members or service users, and submit meaningful responses via the online survey. The consultation events were arranged at very short notice to stakeholders and poorly publicised. The signatories to this letter (bar one) were either unaware of these events or were given such short notice that they were unable to attend. The proposed changes in the Draft Code are not merely technical; they affect the basic dignity of trans people in our society and the ability of service providers to comply with the law. However, many frontline services and advocacy groups simply do not have the capacity to engage properly within t… Supreme Court ruling did not mandate erosion of trans rights On the Supreme Court's ruling, we stress three key points. First, the Supreme Court was very careful to explain that "this interpretation would not be disadvantageous to or remove protection from trans people with or without a [Gender Recognition Certificate]." Second, the decision was concerned only with the question of what sex (or "woman") meant in the Equality Act 2010 - and not in any other piece of legislation. Third, the decision was concerned only with trans people who have a GRC - not with trans people who do not have a GRC. We emphasise those points because the EHRC and its Commissioners have presented the ruling as if it rolls back rights for trans people; as having legal consequences extending beyond the Equality Act; and as impacting trans people without a gender recognition certificate - contrary to the above three points. Distress and confusion caused by Interim Guidance We are concerned that the EHRC has caused real harm by rushing out interim guidance, which was widely implemented, causing distress and fear amongst our trans constituents, and confusion among service providers, employers and others. The EHRC now seems to have resiled from at least part of that document. For example, the Interim Guidance mandated segregation of toilets at work based on "biological sex". However, following a public and legal backlash, the EHRC has abandoned this position, in spite of the EHRC's claim that the law is clear and the consultation can be done quickly. We think a responsible and independent regulator ought to have taken the time to get interim guidance right - and to have qualified it where (as is inevitable) doubts remained as to the legal position. We also consider the EHRC ought to have invited duty-bearers to have waited for the outcome of the statutory consultation before changing their practice. The EHRC's response to the Supreme Court ruling has undermined confidence in the EHRC's ability to… Act 2018. These provisions risk harassment, forced outing, and distress for trans people and others perceived not to conform to gender stereotypes. Indeed, many of us are aware of examples of where this has already happened. Key questions raised by the Draft Code A key issue with the Draft Code is that, even when it does try to answer key questions, it leaves service providers uncertain as to what is required. This is because even questions as simple as who can use which toilets, who can attend a single-sex therapy group etc - frequently boil down to a complicated, legalistic "proportionality" assessment. That assessment must be made by each and every service provider based on: • their organisation's circumstances and resources (how many toilets, can individual access be policed and checked, will staff participate in such checking etc) and • the circumstances of the person wishing to use them (how do they present, who is objecting and why, what ID do they have on them etc). Once the organisation makes its proportionality assessment, it remains unclear how it should document this. Documenting the decision will be critical because the assessment can be challenged in the courts, which may disagree with their assessment and find them guilty of discrimination. We think that this scheme is unworkable. Vast numbers of every-day decisions will be vulnerable to legal action; and both trans people and the smaller businesses and service providers - who lack legal and HR departments - will be most impacted. If service providers follow the Draft Code's current advice without balancing competing rights in the exact way required, they risk unlawful discrimination under the Equality Act and potential breaches of the Human Rights Act 1998. The draft Code, as currently framed, leaves many critical questions unanswered. It falls to the EHRC to answer them with real world solutions. They include: • How can a service provider or association remain trans-inclusive if they wish to do so, … • How can public bodies provide "third spaces" or mixed facilities where there is no space or budget to do so, and what are the requirements for such facilities-are floor-to-ceiling doors and sinks statutory requirements or merely recommendations? • How does the proposed Code of Practice comply with the Human Rights Act and the UK's obligations under international human rights law, particularly in light of concerns raised by UN experts and the European Court of Human Rights? Restoring Confidence and Ensuring Compliance We invite a response to these questions - and in particular your position on the 'three key points' about the Supreme Court ruling above. Given these concerns, we also urge the EHRC to: • Extend the consultation period to at least 12 weeks to allow for meaningful engagement from all affected groups. • In any event, hold back from publishing an updated version of the Code before the summer Parliamentary recess. It is vital that this Code is right first time. Taking time to review this properly, with additional resource, is vital if lay citizens are to implement the law correctly. • Engage meaningfully with trans-led organisations, legal experts, and those with lived experience before finalising the Code of Practice. • Set out the steps the EHRC will take to rebuild trust with trans communities and demonstrate its commitment to its statutory duties to promote equality and protect marginalised groups. • When providing the updated Code, please ensure that the following are addressed: accordance with the law. • Clarify what you consider are the legal and practical requirements for "sex checking" and explain how privacy and dignity can be protected in line with the Human Rights Act and data protection laws. • Commit to comprehensive training and support for service providers and staff to ensure lawful and sensitive implementation of the guidance. We would welcome a meeting with you to discuss these issues further and urge the EHRC to reconsider its approach…
July 2, 2025 at 3:30 PM
r4g6.bsky.social
Upgrade? Passed! Now to replace the fear of failing the upgrade with the fear of actually doing the rest of the PhD
June 19, 2025 at 11:03 AM
Reposted by Ted
gravitysra1nbow.bsky.social
A source has just given me this photograph depicting Elon Musk stepping out onto the balcony of the SpaceX launch center.
June 5, 2025 at 8:54 PM
Reposted by Ted
gravitysra1nbow.bsky.social
>bonds, stocks, oil, and crypto are all now tanking at the same time now
April 9, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Reposted by Ted
gravitysra1nbow.bsky.social
"Why would they want to absorb Ukraine," man asks as Russia marks 3 years since launching a war to annex portions of Ukraine
reshetz.bsky.social Mira of Kyiv 🇺🇦 @reshetz.bsky.social · Mar 22
Dumbest video I have ever seen on the internet
March 22, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Reposted by Ted
olafstorbeck.ft.com
Olaf Scholz mocked British railways over “broken tracks and bad trains”, claiming that "nothing works any more” in the UK. Turns out: Germany rail problems have become so bad that Deutsche Bahn long-distance service is less punctual than even the worst operator in Britain. www.ft.com/content/d3b6...
February 19, 2025 at 6:32 AM
r4g6.bsky.social
"We must never repeat the mistakes of the 2008 financial crisis"
"No new homeowners, got it"
"wait"
"got it"
UK housing market debt falls as older generations pay off mortgages
Fewer first time buyers have been able to get on housing ladder, Savills data shows
www.ft.com
February 16, 2025 at 2:20 PM
Reposted by Ted
reshetz.bsky.social
russia invading a country and getting what it wanted is a huge banner on the international arena reading ‘NUKES WORK! GET NUKES’
February 12, 2025 at 7:17 PM
r4g6.bsky.social
One of the first gigs I went to was to see Ichiko Aoba in the basement of a Turkish restaurant in North London in 2019. We all (maybe about 30 people) sat on the floor and listened in complete silence. Sad to miss out on the Barbican :(
February 11, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Reposted by Ted
josephpolitano.bsky.social
Jesus man he's such a sniveling coward stand up for your wife and kids like a normal human being
Tweets from JD Vance. The first is quote tweeting Ro Khanna, who says "Are you going to tell him to apologize for saying "Normalize Indian hate" before this rehire? Just asking for the sake of both of our kids.". JD Vance then says "For the sake of both of our kids? Grow up. Racist trolls on the internet, while offensive, don't threaten my kids. You know what does? A culture that denies grace to people who make mistakes. A culture that encourages congressmen to act like whiny children. I cannot overstate how much I loathe this emotional blackmail pretending to be concern. My kids, god willing, will be risk takers. They won't think constantly about whether a flippant comment or a wrong viewpoint will follow them around for the rest of their lives. They will tell stupid jokes. They will develop views that they later think are wrong or even gross. I made mistakes as a kid, and thank God I grew up in a culture that encouraged me to grow and learn and feel remorse when I screwed up and offer grace when others did. I don't worry about my kids making mistakes, or developing views they later regret. I don't even worry that much about trolls on the internet. You know what I do worry about, Ro? That they'll grow up to be a US Congressmen who engages in emotional blackmail over a kid's social media posts. You disgust me."
February 7, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Reposted by Ted
gravitysra1nbow.bsky.social
If Karl Marx was alive today Das Capital would be nothing but spreadsheets dedicated to the costs of preparing DoorDash meals and the political economy of burrito taxis.
January 5, 2025 at 2:55 PM
r4g6.bsky.social
It seems like every C18th account of Bath's history falls into one of two camps:

1. Bath was personally founded by Claudius, beautified by Caracalla, and was a centre of medicinal healing.
2. Bath was founded by a mythical British King and it had a university for druids who could do necromancy
December 17, 2024 at 5:57 PM
r4g6.bsky.social
Currently reading a 1728 treatise on the history of Bath by John Wynter and who on earth let him cook????
December 2, 2024 at 1:46 PM
r4g6.bsky.social
It's worth also noting that since the UK economy is far more reliant on services rather than goods, we're actually one of the better insualted economies when it comes to Trump's tariffs
bestforbritain.org Best for Britain @bestforbritain.org · Nov 18
Smaller economies will be hit harder by a Trump trade war.

Trade accounts for 65% of UK GDP.

Compared to only 15% of US GDP.

If Trump goes ahead with his plan on tariffs, the National Institute of Economic and Social Research estimates it could halve the UK's projected GDP growth.
November 18, 2024 at 2:51 PM