richardlmac
@richardlmac.bsky.social
I laughed at Barney Ronay’s demolition piece on Will Jacks but also felt uncomfortable about it. And then I read this: The Thick Of It open.substack.com/pub/arrangem...
The Thick Of It
A story in three parts as Adelaide says fuckity-bye to England
open.substack.com
December 23, 2025 at 10:58 AM
I laughed at Barney Ronay’s demolition piece on Will Jacks but also felt uncomfortable about it. And then I read this: The Thick Of It open.substack.com/pub/arrangem...
Reposted by richardlmac
The #Ashes defeat is not simply a failure of the structure of English #cricket. But an example of how British institutions are run by, and in the interests of, the privately educated.
I think (as #ICEC achieved briefly) the conversation needs to be widened:
www.suttontrust.com/our-research...
I think (as #ICEC achieved briefly) the conversation needs to be widened:
www.suttontrust.com/our-research...
Elitist Britain 2019 - The Sutton Trust
Analysis of the educational backgrounds of 5,000 of Britain's leading people.
www.suttontrust.com
December 21, 2025 at 11:16 AM
The #Ashes defeat is not simply a failure of the structure of English #cricket. But an example of how British institutions are run by, and in the interests of, the privately educated.
I think (as #ICEC achieved briefly) the conversation needs to be widened:
www.suttontrust.com/our-research...
I think (as #ICEC achieved briefly) the conversation needs to be widened:
www.suttontrust.com/our-research...
Reposted by richardlmac
Will Jacks and decline of civilisation
www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/d...
www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/d...
Waste of Jacks’ talent speaks volumes for England’s bodged Ashes planning | Barney Ronay
The highly talented England player is simply being used for when either the batting or bowling goes wrong
www.theguardian.com
December 19, 2025 at 8:47 PM
Will Jacks and decline of civilisation
www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/d...
www.theguardian.com/sport/2025/d...
Reposted by richardlmac
I think this post nails the actual problem, for researchers at least—AI hallucinations would simply not be a problem in academic work if we’d not normalized citation-as-signaling rather than actual engagement—you can only cite a fake paper if you’re not in the habit of reading the papers you cite
Do not cite an academic paper unless you’ve read it
AI Is Inventing Academic Papers That Don't Exist -- And They're Being Cited in Real Journals
Academic articles from authors using large language model are creating an ecosystem of fake research that threatens human knowledge itself.
www.rollingstone.com
December 19, 2025 at 7:01 PM
I think this post nails the actual problem, for researchers at least—AI hallucinations would simply not be a problem in academic work if we’d not normalized citation-as-signaling rather than actual engagement—you can only cite a fake paper if you’re not in the habit of reading the papers you cite
Reposted by richardlmac
Closing out my year with a journal editor shocker 🧵
Checking new manuscripts today I reviewed a paper attributing 2 papers to me I did not write. A daft thing for an author to do of course. But intrigued I web searched up one of the titles and that's when it got real weird...
Checking new manuscripts today I reviewed a paper attributing 2 papers to me I did not write. A daft thing for an author to do of course. But intrigued I web searched up one of the titles and that's when it got real weird...
December 19, 2025 at 5:20 PM
Closing out my year with a journal editor shocker 🧵
Checking new manuscripts today I reviewed a paper attributing 2 papers to me I did not write. A daft thing for an author to do of course. But intrigued I web searched up one of the titles and that's when it got real weird...
Checking new manuscripts today I reviewed a paper attributing 2 papers to me I did not write. A daft thing for an author to do of course. But intrigued I web searched up one of the titles and that's when it got real weird...
Love this, especially the mournful 41 which carries 67’s ghost.
I have written an elegy to Six-Seven, which is dead, or at least dying. It is not a meme—memes are the purview of greedy adulthood attention thirst—but a case of Childlore. Though irritating, it should have been left alone.
‘Six-Seven’ Is Over
Grown-ups killed it.
www.theatlantic.com
December 12, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Love this, especially the mournful 41 which carries 67’s ghost.
Reposted by richardlmac
🧵
I was driving my quite elderly mother around this wkd and put on one of my fav songs: Gil Scott-Heron’s “Lady Day and John Coltrane.”
“What’s this about?” she asked
“How greats like Billie Holiday can transport you."
"I saw her, you know," mom said. "At the end."
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aRN...
I was driving my quite elderly mother around this wkd and put on one of my fav songs: Gil Scott-Heron’s “Lady Day and John Coltrane.”
“What’s this about?” she asked
“How greats like Billie Holiday can transport you."
"I saw her, you know," mom said. "At the end."
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aRN...
Gil Scott-Heron - Lady Day And John Coltrane (Official Audio)
YouTube video by Ace Records
www.youtube.com
December 9, 2025 at 7:01 PM
🧵
I was driving my quite elderly mother around this wkd and put on one of my fav songs: Gil Scott-Heron’s “Lady Day and John Coltrane.”
“What’s this about?” she asked
“How greats like Billie Holiday can transport you."
"I saw her, you know," mom said. "At the end."
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aRN...
I was driving my quite elderly mother around this wkd and put on one of my fav songs: Gil Scott-Heron’s “Lady Day and John Coltrane.”
“What’s this about?” she asked
“How greats like Billie Holiday can transport you."
"I saw her, you know," mom said. "At the end."
www.youtube.com/watch?v=7aRN...
Absolutely dripping in condescension. As usual.
Make a political hero of Zack Polanski if you want. Just don’t forget to engage your brain | Marina Hyde
Make a political hero of Zack Polanski if you want. Just don’t forget to engage your brain | Marina Hyde
The Green party leader is riding high in the polls. But across the political spectrum, uncritical adulation leads nowhere fast, says Guardian columnist Marina Hyde
www.theguardian.com
December 9, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Absolutely dripping in condescension. As usual.
Before wading in on the Ashes, quips about golf, the presumed arrogance of Bazball, hooting about training too hard etc etc folks should read this: Journey to the End of the Night open.substack.com/pub/arrangem...
Journey to the End of the Night
Cricket turns toxic in the very week it's reminded again of why it shouldn't
open.substack.com
December 8, 2025 at 12:31 PM
Before wading in on the Ashes, quips about golf, the presumed arrogance of Bazball, hooting about training too hard etc etc folks should read this: Journey to the End of the Night open.substack.com/pub/arrangem...
Reposted by richardlmac
I’ve written a piece on the curious lack of media and political interest in the issues faced by our national @britishlibrary.bsky.social. This is strange given we live in a world where ideas, knowledge and research are a long-term source of innovation and insight
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
The British library is in crisis: why does nobody care?
The widespread indifference to the British Library's crippling cyberattack demonstrates a perilous failure to value the knowledge infrastructure vital for national prosperity
www.cityam.com
November 18, 2025 at 6:27 AM
I’ve written a piece on the curious lack of media and political interest in the issues faced by our national @britishlibrary.bsky.social. This is strange given we live in a world where ideas, knowledge and research are a long-term source of innovation and insight
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
www.cityam.com/the-british-...
Reposted by richardlmac
Irony being that the entire Farage-isation of British politics is built on the phenomenon of white right-wingers who don't want to "integrate" with the reality of multi-ethnic Britain, don't want to accept migrants as their fellow citizens, and don't want people of colour moving into their street.
Wow. Robert Jenrick doubles down by branding a black journalist's questions "ridiculous" and saying that the problem is not his comments, but "journalists like you who pop up and try to knock me down", adding that "this is the reason why terrorist attacks happen". ~AA
October 7, 2025 at 9:16 AM
Irony being that the entire Farage-isation of British politics is built on the phenomenon of white right-wingers who don't want to "integrate" with the reality of multi-ethnic Britain, don't want to accept migrants as their fellow citizens, and don't want people of colour moving into their street.
Trying to decide whether an output is of ‘profound influence’ or merely ‘lasting influence’ #REF2029
a red robot with big eyes and a yellow smile on its face
ALT: a red robot with big eyes and a yellow smile on its face
media.tenor.com
October 2, 2025 at 8:17 AM
Trying to decide whether an output is of ‘profound influence’ or merely ‘lasting influence’ #REF2029
Reposted by richardlmac
Very pleased to see this piece on HS2 and intra-green contention out in the world. Much thanks to the team at Environmental Politics, including two very supportive and patient peer reviewers. @mediacomgold.bsky.social
New article!
NIMBYs, shills and liars: ancient woodland, high-speed rail and the legibility of justifications by Richard MacDonald
doi.org/10.1080/0964...
NIMBYs, shills and liars: ancient woodland, high-speed rail and the legibility of justifications by Richard MacDonald
doi.org/10.1080/0964...
September 18, 2025 at 7:13 AM
Very pleased to see this piece on HS2 and intra-green contention out in the world. Much thanks to the team at Environmental Politics, including two very supportive and patient peer reviewers. @mediacomgold.bsky.social
Reposted by richardlmac
I'm sorry, worldwide, irrevocable, non-exclusive, transferable permission to my voice and likeness? For what now? In any manner for any purpose???
This is in academia/.edu's new ToS, which you're prompted to agree to on login. Anyway I'll be jumping ship. You can find my stuff at hcommons.org.
This is in academia/.edu's new ToS, which you're prompted to agree to on login. Anyway I'll be jumping ship. You can find my stuff at hcommons.org.
September 17, 2025 at 5:16 PM
I'm sorry, worldwide, irrevocable, non-exclusive, transferable permission to my voice and likeness? For what now? In any manner for any purpose???
This is in academia/.edu's new ToS, which you're prompted to agree to on login. Anyway I'll be jumping ship. You can find my stuff at hcommons.org.
This is in academia/.edu's new ToS, which you're prompted to agree to on login. Anyway I'll be jumping ship. You can find my stuff at hcommons.org.
The article addresses a viral controversy that circulated extensively on Twitter from 2019 onwards. As the article shows HS2, and in particular its environmental impact, has been a lively topic of polarised debate on social media.
September 18, 2025 at 7:14 AM
Very pleased to see this piece on HS2 and intra-green contention out in the world. Much thanks to the team at Environmental Politics, including two very supportive and patient peer reviewers. @mediacomgold.bsky.social
New article!
NIMBYs, shills and liars: ancient woodland, high-speed rail and the legibility of justifications by Richard MacDonald
doi.org/10.1080/0964...
NIMBYs, shills and liars: ancient woodland, high-speed rail and the legibility of justifications by Richard MacDonald
doi.org/10.1080/0964...
September 18, 2025 at 7:13 AM
Very pleased to see this piece on HS2 and intra-green contention out in the world. Much thanks to the team at Environmental Politics, including two very supportive and patient peer reviewers. @mediacomgold.bsky.social
Reposted by richardlmac
"SUV loophole" allows heavier and more polluting cars, which cause disproportionate damage to roads & increased safety risk to pedestrians and cyclists, to escape with 20x less tax than other European countries
This partly explains the surge in SUV sales in UK
www.theguardian.com/money/2025/s...
This partly explains the surge in SUV sales in UK
www.theguardian.com/money/2025/s...
UK could raise nearly £2bn by taxing SUVs in line with European countries, study shows
Thinktank says an ‘SUV loophole’ means UK buyers pay up to 20 times less tax on biggest models than in neighbouring nations
www.theguardian.com
September 16, 2025 at 6:28 AM
"SUV loophole" allows heavier and more polluting cars, which cause disproportionate damage to roads & increased safety risk to pedestrians and cyclists, to escape with 20x less tax than other European countries
This partly explains the surge in SUV sales in UK
www.theguardian.com/money/2025/s...
This partly explains the surge in SUV sales in UK
www.theguardian.com/money/2025/s...
Reposted by richardlmac
Let me elaborate my disagreement with @zackpolanski.bsky.social in a 🧵. The scenes on our streets are not "the consequences of decades of austerity" but of centuries of racism propagated by the British ruling classes to rationalise the social order they have constructed at home and abroad.
I'm genuinely grateful for the solidarity, irrespective of how rare this is from a politician. But fascism can't be reduced to displaced economic concerns. It doesn't stand up analytically, it won't help politically or strategically, and I really wish the left (of which I'm part) wouldn't do this.
The scenes on our streets are shameful consequences of decades of austerity - government after government fanning the flames of anti migration instead of tackling inequality.
We can & must make different choices. Solidarity to all communities under attack. We stand together.
We can & must make different choices. Solidarity to all communities under attack. We stand together.
September 14, 2025 at 9:50 AM
Let me elaborate my disagreement with @zackpolanski.bsky.social in a 🧵. The scenes on our streets are not "the consequences of decades of austerity" but of centuries of racism propagated by the British ruling classes to rationalise the social order they have constructed at home and abroad.
Reposted by richardlmac
It's physically unsafe for people like me to go into the centre of our home city this Saturday on account of the colour of our skin.
Most politicians are either failing to stand up to this or actively contributing to the situation.
We don't owe any of those politicians our votes. Not one of them.
Most politicians are either failing to stand up to this or actively contributing to the situation.
We don't owe any of those politicians our votes. Not one of them.
September 13, 2025 at 2:01 PM
It's physically unsafe for people like me to go into the centre of our home city this Saturday on account of the colour of our skin.
Most politicians are either failing to stand up to this or actively contributing to the situation.
We don't owe any of those politicians our votes. Not one of them.
Most politicians are either failing to stand up to this or actively contributing to the situation.
We don't owe any of those politicians our votes. Not one of them.
Reposted by richardlmac
Interviewer: "A siege is appropriate? Cutting off power, cutting off water?"
Keir Starmer: "I think that Israel does have that right."
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...
Keir Starmer: "I think that Israel does have that right."
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...
Israel committing genocide in Gaza, world’s top scholars on the crime say
International Association of Genocide Scholars resolution backed by 86% of members who voted
www.theguardian.com
September 1, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Interviewer: "A siege is appropriate? Cutting off power, cutting off water?"
Keir Starmer: "I think that Israel does have that right."
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...
Keir Starmer: "I think that Israel does have that right."
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/s...
Just as with higher education the extensive use of chatbots in the funeral industry reveals something that was already rotten in the business of dying.
New: A few weeks ago, when my father-in-law died, the funeral home asked if we wanted to use AI to write his obituary. So I dug into it and found that it's the biggest new trend in "death care." Tens of thousands of AI obits have been made already. Often the families don't even know wapo.st/4okuxIg
The rise of AI tools that write about you when you die
Families and funeral directors are using AI obituary generators to more efficiently memorialize the dead. What happens when they get it wrong?
wapo.st
August 3, 2025 at 2:58 PM
Just as with higher education the extensive use of chatbots in the funeral industry reveals something that was already rotten in the business of dying.
Reposted by richardlmac
We don't have to push children into poverty.
We don't have to make life harder for the sick and disabled.
We don't have to aid and abet genocide.
For too long, people have been denied a real political choice. Not anymore.
Join us at yourparty.uk
We don't have to make life harder for the sick and disabled.
We don't have to aid and abet genocide.
For too long, people have been denied a real political choice. Not anymore.
Join us at yourparty.uk
July 28, 2025 at 5:34 PM
We don't have to push children into poverty.
We don't have to make life harder for the sick and disabled.
We don't have to aid and abet genocide.
For too long, people have been denied a real political choice. Not anymore.
Join us at yourparty.uk
We don't have to make life harder for the sick and disabled.
We don't have to aid and abet genocide.
For too long, people have been denied a real political choice. Not anymore.
Join us at yourparty.uk