TL Roper https://frontrangedispatches.com/

TL Roper https://frontrangedispatches.com/

@den5280.bsky.social

Just experimenting with words to find the story.

2.2K followers2.5K following1.6K posts

TL Roper https://frontrangedispatches.com/ reposted

Governor JB Pritzker
@govpritzker.illinois.gov

ICYMI: Hyundai Translead’s expanded investment in Illinois is one of the largest job creation announcements in our state’s history.   Put simply: it’s jobs, jobs, jobs for Illinoisans.

cbsnews.comThousands of new manufacturing jobs coming to Joliet area as Pritzker, Hyundai announce expansionIllinois Gov. JB Pritzker announced Thursday that Hyundai Translead is expanding its commitment in Will County and bringing more than 3,700 new jobs to the Joliet area.

TL Roper https://frontrangedispatches.com/ reposted

Eoghan Daltun 🌍
@irishrainforest.bsky.social

South Terrace, Cork city centre: polypody, heart's tongue and maidenhair spleenwort ferns spring from a damp old brick wall. If your eyes are open to it, we're surrounded by the relics of our lost natural rainforest heritage.

TL Roper https://frontrangedispatches.com/ reposted

Al Cappuccino…☕️🇮🇹
@alcappuccinoit.bsky.social

I have to say, it’s really difficult to see how anybody could now be disappointed in Trump’s performance as president, because that means those people had some kind of high expectations for him in the first place, and that’s fucking crazy.

TL Roper https://frontrangedispatches.com/ reposted

Leicester Gazette
@leicestergazette.leicester.news

Two University of Leicester students speak out over ‘absurd’ and ‘Orwellian’ decision by the BBC and ITV Studios to edit out pride pins worn on University Challenge

leicester.newsBBC edits out pride pins on University Challenge in ‘Orwellian’ move* * * This story was published by **The Leicester Gazette** : a local, independent newspaper about Leicestershire. 1,000 people have already joined our community. Just use those buttons below to download our app and **sign up for free**. * * * Astrophysics student Samuel Carlier and History student Emmeline Hague-Wright were shocked to find that their LGBTQ+ pride pins had been edited out of their University Challenge appearance earlier this year. The episode, initially scheduled for BBC Two on 24 August, was delayed twice before airing on 7 September 2026. The pins showed the progressive LGBTQ+ pride flag, the bisexual pride flag and a rainbow feather. Speaking to the Leicester Gazette, Sam said: “Living in a liberal democracy and having the state broadcaster tell you ‘we’re editing how you look’, seems very Orwellian.” Sam described the choice to remove the pins before broadcast as “weird” and “absurd”. He said: “[Censoring] that seemed weird. If I had worn a rainbow shirt, would they have censored that? If the idea is to keep things impartial, where is that line in the sand?” A side by-side image of Sam wearing the pin and with it having been digitally removed. Photograph: supplied Sam contacted the BBC to try to understand why his pins had been edited out. He told the Gazette: “The BBC people said they’d ring me, and I chased them, they just said go to the complaints website and file a complaint there, that’s what I did.” Since then, Sam hasn’t had a response from the BBC as to why his pins were removed. After the episode had aired, Sam noted that his shirt ‘melted’ into itself occasionally, as a result of the editing. Photograph: supplied ## Students believe the decision was made following online transphobia Emmeline was also shocked when she found out that the feather pin she wore was due to be removed from the episode she was in. It was understood by Emmeline that there was online transphobia in response to previous episode of University Challenge, and she had been contacted by the BBC, anticipating support from the broadcaster. When the BBC contacted her, instead of an offer of support, she was told her pin was going to be removed. “At first it was mostly confusion,” she said. “I heard that they had received a lot of nastiness online from people and I thought they were going to call me to say ‘we have support services if needed,’ and that wasn't what I got at all.” Instead, Emmeline was notified that the episodes were going to be delayed. “It was out of left field, I was confused for a while,” she said. “This entire delay has been because of a feather and two badges on a teammate that were basically impossible [for viewers] to see.” Emmeline had expressed her frustrations with the repeated delays from the BBC, spanning from mid-July to early-September. She said: “We were announced on the website and then delayed again, and then announced on the website a second time, and delayed even further. Speaking about the removal, she said: “It takes a lot of time” she said. “Making it [the edit] look good would be even more expensive and time-consuming. It seems like drastically a lot of effort.” ## Join the conversation Our app is more than just a way to keep up – it's a gateway to award-winning journalism and the local community. __Want to support our work?__ Click here for membership__.__ ## Wider criticism on LGBTQ+ support The pins Sam wore during the episode. Photograph: supplied According to leading LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall UK, two in five LGBTQ+ students will hide their identities at university for fear of discrimination. Stonewall has reported that more than 36 per cent of trans students have received hostile conduct from university staff due to their gender identity. Reflecting on the digital removal of the pins, Sam spoke about how disheartening the choice was. He said: “There was maybe like a span of eight years where someone could be uncontroversially out in the open queer – now that’s gone again.” he said. The BBC has also been widely criticised for ‘an attack on the LGBTQ+ community’ by pulling its involvement with the popular show, RuPaul's Drag Race. The broadcaster pulled its involvement in September following “significant financial pressures” as the reason for axing their involvement. The criticism follows another recent controversial edit by the BBC. On its hit show, Strictly Come Dancing, a decision was made to edit out ‘Protect the Dolls’ from contestant Bethany Antonia’s T-shirt. It’s a slogan which has become widely used to support the rights of trans women. The BBC defended their decision, saying the changes were made to meet editorial guidelines. It comes as the LGBTQ+ community has faced challenges amid an increasingly less tolerant political climate. ## What the BBC had to say When we asked them about editing out the pins worn by Leicester’s University Challenge team, a BBC spokesperson said: “In line with our editorial guidelines, we advise that no badges, flags, and emblems or symbols are worn or visible during filming, along with clothing with obvious branding or slogans. If such items are not removed for any reason then a decision is made between the programme makers and the BBC regarding any edits to the programme.” The BBC said the delays to the episode were unrelated to the decision to edit out the pins. A spokesperson for ITV Studios said: “University Challenge is an entertainment quiz show and is made in accordance with the BBC Editorial Guidelines requirements for impartiality.” The University of Leicester refused to comment on the matter. * * * **Before you go…** We’ve recently surpassed 1,000 subscribers, which is amazing considering we’re a small team on a shoestring budget. Now, we’re ready for the next stage of the Leicester Gazette. **Download our new app and get all of our journalism anytime, anywhere.** The app connects with **Bluesky** , **Mastodon** and **Threads** , giving you access to a network of around 60 million people. It’s a safer, more meaningful alternative to mainstream social media – owned by the community. * * *

TL Roper https://frontrangedispatches.com/ reposted

Jon Cooper
@joncooper-us.bsky.social

🚨Ex-GOP political strategist Steve Schmidt has called for the “immediate removal” of Donald Trump’s son-in-law from “every diplomatic assignment” following an explosive report alleging that Jared Kushner secretly had access to roughly $1.75 billion in Gulf money while serving in the White House.

rawstory.comEx-GOP strategist calls for Trump envoy's 'immediate removal' over 'treason' accusationsA prominent political strategist has called for the “immediate removal” of President Donald Trump’s son-in-law from “every diplomatic assignment” following an explosive report alleging that Jared Kush...

TL Roper https://frontrangedispatches.com/ reposted

Jake
@jake2404663.bsky.social

The fucking idiot in the White House picked the wrong fight. BBC is not backing down. This is amazing.

TL Roper https://frontrangedispatches.com/ reposted

Mina Kimes
@minakimes.bsky.social

Lots of questions here, chief of which is: Did *anyone* step in and say this seems like a bad idea?

Ian Rapoport@rapsheet.bsky.social

Eagles QB Jalen Hurts, who is out for the season after several blood clots were revealed in his lungs. Before the London game, Hurts was in the hospital until 4 am and did not sleep because sleep was a risk. He played the game without having slept. Crazy.

TL Roper https://frontrangedispatches.com/ reposted

The Sgt Joker
@thesgtjoker.bsky.social

Tommy is the epitome of the “men” who the media claim are suffering from “male loneliness.” I say let them suffer.

TL Roper https://frontrangedispatches.com/ reposted

Kim Wexler's Ponytail 🐝💛🎗
@madisonkittay.bsky.social

MacKenzie Scott donated $7 billion in 2025 bringing her five-year total to $26.2 billion, even as she stays out of the spotlight. fortune.com/article/mack...

fortune.comMacKenzie Scott alone accounted for one-third of America's $19.2 billion in megagifts last year | FortuneMacKenzie Scott donated $7 billion in 2025—a third of all U.S. megagifts—bringing her five-year total to $26.2 billion, even as she stays out of the spotlight.