Thomas Y. Jones
@teawhynot.bsky.social
Teacher of EAP & business English, Buddhist (Gelugpa), amateur translator (Tibetan>English), lover of nature, believer in social equity. Preference for music that goes bleep/grrr/toot. (he/him) 🏳️🌈🇪🇺🇬🇧🇹🇼🇰🇷🇮🇳🇳🇵🇴🇲
Christmas Merry!
December 25, 2025 at 4:28 AM
Christmas Merry!
The contrast between GABA and Gabber is really striking. How does a non-rhotic English speaker distinguish between them?
December 19, 2025 at 12:23 PM
The contrast between GABA and Gabber is really striking. How does a non-rhotic English speaker distinguish between them?
Reposted by Thomas Y. Jones
Seen in a smallish temple Chishang: a bouquet of rice in place of the usual lilies.
December 15, 2025 at 11:40 PM
Seen in a smallish temple Chishang: a bouquet of rice in place of the usual lilies.
Today is Ganden Ngamchö, the anniversary of Je Tsongkhapa's parinirvāṇa. Hope you all have a lovely day!
December 14, 2025 at 12:54 AM
Today is Ganden Ngamchö, the anniversary of Je Tsongkhapa's parinirvāṇa. Hope you all have a lovely day!
Might have to revert to 'discrimination' or 'distinguishing', as they better capture the process of apoha. According to Diṅnāga and Dharmakīrti, an object is identified not by ascertaining positive qualities, but by excluding the opposite, an elegant way to avoid reifying objects.
Today's rabbit hole has led me to a new understanding of the mental factor (and aggregate) of saṁjñā, often translated as perception (too vague) or discrimination (too negative in modern usage). I'm now leaning towards 'identification', which fits well with both definition & etymology.
December 13, 2025 at 1:52 AM
Might have to revert to 'discrimination' or 'distinguishing', as they better capture the process of apoha. According to Diṅnāga and Dharmakīrti, an object is identified not by ascertaining positive qualities, but by excluding the opposite, an elegant way to avoid reifying objects.
Reposted by Thomas Y. Jones
🎵 Dashing through the snow, with our Naughty List in hand… 🦌🛷🌨️
Who's on our Naughty List this year? Well, these 10 brands are advertising on one or more of some of the most toxic media outlets in the UK, funding their relentless spread of hate, division, and misinformation.
Who's on our Naughty List this year? Well, these 10 brands are advertising on one or more of some of the most toxic media outlets in the UK, funding their relentless spread of hate, division, and misinformation.
December 11, 2025 at 2:23 PM
🎵 Dashing through the snow, with our Naughty List in hand… 🦌🛷🌨️
Who's on our Naughty List this year? Well, these 10 brands are advertising on one or more of some of the most toxic media outlets in the UK, funding their relentless spread of hate, division, and misinformation.
Who's on our Naughty List this year? Well, these 10 brands are advertising on one or more of some of the most toxic media outlets in the UK, funding their relentless spread of hate, division, and misinformation.
Reposted by Thomas Y. Jones
"that's a cool old jug with a ship on it this antique dealer just listed, i wonder what cheerful twee nautical verse is printed on the other side"
December 11, 2025 at 10:12 PM
"that's a cool old jug with a ship on it this antique dealer just listed, i wonder what cheerful twee nautical verse is printed on the other side"
The joy I get from clearing my email inbox makes me want to start shouting "Roof! Roof!" like an epsilon minus. Thankfully, it doesn't happen very often.
December 9, 2025 at 8:26 AM
The joy I get from clearing my email inbox makes me want to start shouting "Roof! Roof!" like an epsilon minus. Thankfully, it doesn't happen very often.
Troll 2 is Norway's National Treasure and I'm here for it. Strong memories of robing up in the crypt of Trondheim Cathedral in '96 and a random old lady appearing and telling the boys she was a troll.
December 6, 2025 at 10:53 AM
Troll 2 is Norway's National Treasure and I'm here for it. Strong memories of robing up in the crypt of Trondheim Cathedral in '96 and a random old lady appearing and telling the boys she was a troll.
TIL that Mādhyamikas have a different interpretation to Buddha's unanswered questions to the better-known Theravada one I learned at uni. Instead of these topics simply being irrelevant to awakening, they see this episode as the Buddha's expedience, avoiding both wrong and unwelcome answers.
December 6, 2025 at 6:46 AM
TIL that Mādhyamikas have a different interpretation to Buddha's unanswered questions to the better-known Theravada one I learned at uni. Instead of these topics simply being irrelevant to awakening, they see this episode as the Buddha's expedience, avoiding both wrong and unwelcome answers.
Reposted by Thomas Y. Jones
TIL that Insomnia is 10 years older than I thought. People were dancing to it when I was in 6th form.
November 27, 2025 at 1:37 PM
TIL that Insomnia is 10 years older than I thought. People were dancing to it when I was in 6th form.
Reposted by Thomas Y. Jones
This petition calling for a public inquiry into Russian influence on UK politics & democracy already has over 30,000 signatures. Let’s get it to 100,000 this week.
Please sign and share 🙏
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/74...
Please sign and share 🙏
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/74...
Petition: Call a public inquiry into Russian influence on UK politics & democracy
We are concerned about reported efforts from Russia to influence democracy in the US, UK, Europe and elsewhere. We believe we must establish the depth and breadth of possible Russian influence campaig...
petition.parliament.uk
November 25, 2025 at 7:32 AM
This petition calling for a public inquiry into Russian influence on UK politics & democracy already has over 30,000 signatures. Let’s get it to 100,000 this week.
Please sign and share 🙏
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/74...
Please sign and share 🙏
petition.parliament.uk/petitions/74...
I absolutely love light-jacket-in-the-evening weather and would love to spend a great deal more time outside. Shame about the pollution. Shame on all of us for not preventing this.
November 25, 2025 at 9:58 AM
I absolutely love light-jacket-in-the-evening weather and would love to spend a great deal more time outside. Shame about the pollution. Shame on all of us for not preventing this.
Didn't get a picture, but saw an oriental magpie-robin on my morning walk. Exquisite bird, and just as brave as a European robin, quite unintimidated by human attention.
November 25, 2025 at 3:11 AM
Didn't get a picture, but saw an oriental magpie-robin on my morning walk. Exquisite bird, and just as brave as a European robin, quite unintimidated by human attention.
Classic example of why I still can't return to my home country. This is one of the best jobs in my field in the UK I've seen advertised in ages, and the pay is completely unliveable-on. FML
United Kingdom, Reading: EFL Teacher
United Kingdom, Reading: EFL Teacher
Your role will involve ensuring that students receive the maximum benefit from their course by ensuring the highest possible level of academic standards in all aspects of the job to enhance the student learning experience.
dlvr.it
November 25, 2025 at 3:06 AM
Classic example of why I still can't return to my home country. This is one of the best jobs in my field in the UK I've seen advertised in ages, and the pay is completely unliveable-on. FML
Deeply annoyed to be barred from another relief pay-out due to my immigration status (first in Korea due to covid, now in Taiwan due to Krasnov's tariffs) despite paying the same taxes as citizens and permanent residents. FML
November 25, 2025 at 2:42 AM
Deeply annoyed to be barred from another relief pay-out due to my immigration status (first in Korea due to covid, now in Taiwan due to Krasnov's tariffs) despite paying the same taxes as citizens and permanent residents. FML
Reposted by Thomas Y. Jones
Happy World Philosophy Day! 🧡
November 20, 2025 at 11:14 AM
Happy World Philosophy Day! 🧡
Reposted by Thomas Y. Jones
The actual secret to why I know stuff is that I ask a question any time I don’t understand literally anything. I don’t care how simple it is. Anybody who makes fun of you for asking a simple question likely doesn’t know the answer either
November 20, 2025 at 12:32 AM
The actual secret to why I know stuff is that I ask a question any time I don’t understand literally anything. I don’t care how simple it is. Anybody who makes fun of you for asking a simple question likely doesn’t know the answer either
Reposted by Thomas Y. Jones
At the Budget, the Green Party's message is clear: Cut Bills. Tax Billionaires.
November 19, 2025 at 8:20 AM
At the Budget, the Green Party's message is clear: Cut Bills. Tax Billionaires.
This adorable elementary Tibetan vocab book just dropped. The style reminds me a lot of similar monolingual books used in the monasteries in India. www.loplao.com/product-page...
My First 650 Tibetan Words (ངའི་ཆེས་ཐོག་མའི་མིང་ཚིག ༦༥༠། | Loplao
My First 650 Tibetan Words is designed for both beginners and advanced learners of Tibetan. It contains 650 commonly used words with clear pronunciation guides, English translations, and example sente...
www.loplao.com
November 20, 2025 at 2:39 AM
This adorable elementary Tibetan vocab book just dropped. The style reminds me a lot of similar monolingual books used in the monasteries in India. www.loplao.com/product-page...
We do people clap after a group photo?
November 18, 2025 at 4:02 AM
We do people clap after a group photo?
Stumbled upon this quotation recently, and it's been popping up regularly ever since, in the way these things do. How apt for our times.
November 15, 2025 at 9:15 AM
Stumbled upon this quotation recently, and it's been popping up regularly ever since, in the way these things do. How apt for our times.
I really hope shouting "That's my pasty!" at seagulls becomes a thing.
theconversation.com/yes-shouting...
theconversation.com/yes-shouting...
Yes, shouting at seagulls actually works, scientists confirm
This is one of the few times shouting might actually help.
theconversation.com
November 15, 2025 at 8:52 AM
I really hope shouting "That's my pasty!" at seagulls becomes a thing.
theconversation.com/yes-shouting...
theconversation.com/yes-shouting...