JanetM Sage Observer

As I noted a while back, this is a new feature on the blog, aiming not to make me rich (ha!) but just to defray some of the cost of running the shop. The articles retail for £4, this is the first one. @alanallport.bsky.social @jeffcrutherford.bsky.social @rgpoulussen.bsky.social

In a few weeks, I'll be starting a new role as Research Associate in Natural History Humanities at Cambridge, based at the @sedgwickmuseum.bsky.social. As part of @camglamresearch.bsky.social, my project will be about 'Re-Excavating the Cambridge School of Geology, 1850–1914'.

We were all up early as the prof wanted to take #sophiefromromania for a walk before heading off on a business trip for a week - we’re both going to miss her

Brexit wasn’t abstract, writes The Bear. It stripped out the NHS’s stabilisers – staff, medicines, safety nets – and left us running on fumes. The cost isn’t just GDP points. It’s lives.

Something people aren't talking about enough is how often Charlie Kirk invoked the Fifth Amendment when testifying before Congress about the domestic terrorists he provided buses to get to Washington on January 6, 2021.

Letter in The Observer today. “I am a refugee. The UK made me a surgeon.”

We had a lovely time, raising money for @cancerresearchuk.org this afternoon. Many generations enjoying textiles and conviviality. 💖

Silk embroidered fox created by Helen Richman, professional hand embroiderer, based in Somerset, UK #womensart

After this weekend, I'm leaving X. Follow my work stuff on Instagram @nicolakellywrites. I'll mainly be posting there. www.instagram.com/nicolakellyw...

What was going to take place on Saturday 18th October 2025 has now been postponed! See pic (copied over from another platform). Have to say I’m disappointed. Right now we need to stand with Europe more than ever!🤔🥺🇬🇧🇪🇺🤝

Wishing, threatening, or doing harm to people who are doling no harm to anyone except making them uncomfortable by their mere existence. Attitudes like this are always with us, unfortunately. The difference today is that those holding them are being encouraged to express, even act on, these views.

My, my, my. How the tone has changed.

The Brexit ref of 2016 accelerated a trend in which age & education, rather than class, are best predictors of voting behaviour. Study, shows how this is splitting left-leaning young graduates from right-leaning pensioners Voters see parties clustered in two ideological blocs; the left & the right

“we will not stand for assaults on police officers doing their job or for people feeling intimidated on our streets because of their background or the colour of their skin” Keir Starmer news.sky.com/story/politi...

The myth that racism is primarily driven by economic conditions must die, especially on the left. It is a misdiagnosis and a kind of excuse

The far-right mob in London paled into insignificance compared to our Remain marches. Especially the one in 2018. Between 700,000 and a million people turned out. The Labour front bench stayed away. They also ignored its message. But the voters who took part in it haven't disappeared. #RejoinEU 🇬🇧🇪🇺

"I don't think everyone realised quite how much democratic systems and electoral systems were targets..... We [Electoral Commission] now have to be really up to speed with the threats," Elections watchdog admits 'painful lessons learned' after Chinese hack - Via BBC News

Can Toyota make up for the time they lost while ignoring the EV market? They were ahead of the curve with hybrids, then got lost for a decade w/o a competitive EV offering, while making news about forthcoming solid-state battery tech. We may find out next year if they’re back in the game.

Everyone saying PM shd condemn far right violence in London yday (Shabana Mahmood already has)/ leave X is right. But same for Kemi Badenoch. No Conservative Party can condone thugs attacking police horses & calls for violent uprising. Even Farage has gone up against Yaxley-Lennon ffs.

If you are too scared to say this @labouruk.bsky.social then you’re not fit to govern If you are too scared to act you are not fit to govern If you fear the BBC & Sky etc will promote these thugs’ angle then you can get back some semblence of impartiality in the BBC but that means you have to ACT

I’m not surprised at the large turn out yesterday. Our media ecosystem - as @carolecadwalla.bsky.social has often pointed — has completely collapsed, and people are motivated by outright inflammatory lies on social media. It’s a crisis of information and the dark side of the digital revolution

Interesting that the US "centrist" take on Kirk, which boils down to "he did his politics the right way" aka a polite white supremacist, I mean we don't want to frighten the children do we "why won't someone think of the children" has infected the UK mainstream discourse on him [sigh]

Only just got round to reading yesterday's @jenwilliamsft.bsky.social masterpiece. Again, the sense of dislocation, of insecurity, which is surely what is behind so many protests on so many subjects. A world transformed by technology into facelessness. www.ft.com/content/7068...

1/ Alexander Vindman warned of Musk's links to Putin and his collaboration in Putin's war against democracy. So free speech absolutist Musk wanted him silenced. Fascists demand free speech until they gain the power to suppress it.

Epstein: Vicky Ward in her articles + podcasts (Chasing Ghislaine) revealed Epstein’s links to arms dealer Sir Douglas Leese & his son Nick. This Times article describes how they eased him into establishment circles by members of Oxford’s infamous Bullingdon Club, including his eldest son, Nick.

Elon Musk is in the middle of approvals for a new $1 TRILLION pay deal from Tesla, one condition of which is him involving himself in politics less. Yesterday he called for the overthrow of the UK government at a far-right rally, just days before that government hosts a Trump state visit.

At least 15 people including journalists and teachers have been fired or suspended for criticising Charlie Kirk online, Reuters reports. Free speech for us, not for you. #NorthKoreaShit

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Mind boggling. Now is a golden opportunity for the PM to condemn the violence, call for calm, and try to bring the country together. It's a "there is more that unites us" moment. The silence is a vacuum being filled by the far right.

Certainly not "Freedom of Speech" on any measure for anyone. Freedom of Speech that does not denigrate other people is hard in practice for rabble rousers. Even "Christian v Heathen" that Sunday Schools tried to instill. Do as I say, ignore what I do? Old as time

Don't fall for this kind of comment on Starmer and government. We have stable and established ministers in the main getting on with overhauling the damage underfunded Departments have sustained. Major international political storms addressed calmly. Ignore paid soap opera politics by Trump & Musk🙄

I'm running a textiles collage workshop today, in aid of @cancerresearchuk.org. #Suffolk

Immigration law firm making £1.7m in legal aid loses contract over standards

Not to downplay the remaining work, real progress has already been made. To suggest otherwise is to ignore the size and momentum of the fastest energy transition in history. #auspol #energy #greenenergy

Check your backups, go remove the batteries from stored electronics, go contact that someone you’ve been thinking of lately and go chase up that weird thing your body has been doing lately.

Guns or children, America. This shouldn't be a difficult call...

Landscaped by owner William Aislabie in the 18th century Fall Wood, (Hackfall), lies north-east of the village of Grewelthorpe. The wood is a Grade I listed Historic Garden containing several follies one of which is The Ruin at Hackfall. It was originally built

Bookmark for the sensible tax reform ideas

Realism: 14 months is not long enough to put right 14 yrs of Tory damage. When Starmer told you it would take two terms he was accused of talking down the economy. He’s making strong in roads. He has my total confidence. I do not expect his term to be unblemished and error free

The reporting on Charlie Kirk’s killer in the UK & US highlights again how fundamentally ill equipped mainstream media is to report on political violence in the digital age. They do not know anything about online far right meme culture & it’s starting to do real harm. #r4today

Every American needs to watch this segment and keep themselves updated regarding this unprecedented authoritarian power grab.

More news about how solar energy landscapes can support ecosystems and reverse desertification. On a large scale, the land use impacts of solar could have a beneficial impact on climate (beyond their mitigating benefits of drawing down carbon emissions) by supporting evapotranspiration.

i will say the tonal shift since they found the guy has been insane. not a shocker but the administration really wanted an excuse to hurt other people and they didn't get that, so they're going "oh well" and burying their golden chump and calling it a day. unreal