sam

sam

@sambiguous.bsky.social

road closure enjoyer 🏳️‍🌈

128 followers250 following324 posts

It's been a big day for people who've never lived in a city in their life having opinions on what's best for people who live in cities

some da from Dump-upon-Shithole who replies to every one of Sadiq Khan's tweets despite his only experience of London being driving to wembley for play off final in 2011 suddenly has a lot of concerns about wheelchair access to Oxford Street Zara

sam reposted

Again, it’s important to understand that the transgender terror did not arise organically from the public. It was imposed from above, by the world’s most hateful and poisonous media class.

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. * * *

sam reposted

Define ‘helpful’. I suspect it just means the chatbot said what they wanted to hear. We have to fight this stuff.

Social Market Foundation@smfthinktank.bsky.social

🚨 NEW POLLING🚨 AI is now so good at mimicking empathy that many people prefer it to their friends. 1 in 5 UK adults have used an AI chatbot for personal or relationship advice – and 54% of them found it more helpful than talking to friends or family.

sam reposted

ADHD packing list: • 7 books you won’t read • ipad full of movies/shows you won’t watch • random crap that sounded important 5 minutes before you left • extra toothbrush? Stuff forgotten: • toothpaste • an entire category of clothing • one REALLY important cable

I can (sort of) do one of these obviously people who listen to stuff without headphones for prolonged periods are rude but I do think most of the blame lies with tech companies who have decided that every app needs to immediately autoplay video

Jim Waterson@jim.londoncentric.media

"In defence of browsing TikTok without headphones on public transport." "Public performance of music is one of England's oldest folk traditions. Why are we letting this modern day Oliver Cromwell take it away from us?" "What Andy Burnham forgets — headphone dodgers also vote."

Fairly sure all of the ones below holibobs were made up on twitter to be ironic 'british style nicknames of these things' (and there's no shortage of weird British idioms that are actually used so it's just very lazy from whoever commissioned this)

YouGov@yougov.co.uk

While The Telegraph has deemed 'picky bits' "the most revolting phrase in the English language", more Britons have a positive view of the term (43%) than a negative one (25%), with 31% neutral yougov.com/en-gb/articl...

very funny watching americans clucthing their pearls about french people damaging old buildings you all willingly bulldozed your city's heritage buildings so that you could park your ford super duty closer to your office

Any momentum for that happening has gone It was a huge failure of Starmer for not leaning on MPs/public orgs etc to leave during that mad summer of 2024 when was Musk was using it to attack him relentlessly and spread insane conspiracies about the UK which encouraged the rioting

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There a loads of these type of YouGov polls where the public are asked 'to have a guess' about something that can be actually be proven with research and data - but we then treat the public's 'guess' as the definitive truth (could i be talking about immigration polls too? maybe...)

YouGov@yougov.co.uk

With much media coverage of a government report that ADHD and autism are being over-diagnosed, a claim which some experts have disputed, half of Britons now believe that the conditions are being over-diagnosed Over-diagnosed: 50% Under-diagnosed: 17% About right: 17% yougov.com/en-gb/daily-...

sam reposted

Yes enforcement. But there are a whole series of car-related offences for which there needs to be consequences not standard criminal justice/penal responses. This is a case in point. It should be met with licence suspension and asset forfeiture.

Josiah Mortimer@josiahmortimer.bsky.social

"An investigation uncovered more than 130 official suppliers in the UK willing to sell cloned number plates" This is such a clear example of where the UK is good at creating laws, and often terrible at enforcing them. Laws are pointless if they're not implemented and *seen* to be implemented.

What do you mean it's 'not fair' ? If someone makes a video and uploads it to YouTube, and I watch it at home via my WiFi then there is not one single bit of BBC infractruture involved at any part of that process. Why should you receive any money?

sam reposted

no offence but why is the British public being asked about my medical diagnosis, would it also like to check out my ankles and my elbows to decide whether I really have hypermobile joints, should I cough on them next time I have a cold so they can confirm that I'm ill

YouGov@yougov.co.uk

With much media coverage of a government report that ADHD and autism are being over-diagnosed, a claim which some experts have disputed, half of Britons now believe that the conditions are being over-diagnosed Over-diagnosed: 50% Under-diagnosed: 17% About right: 17% yougov.com/en-gb/daily-...

From a wikipedia rabbit hole last night An old lady in France did a deal to bequeath her apartment on condition that she could live there until her death and receive an allowance But she went on to live to age 122

and not to be dismissive if people genuinely do need the money but I've no idea how the people who list stuff for like £3 (before expenses) justify it as worth their time and effort

Marie Le Conte@youngvulgarian.marieleconte.com

[I Know I've Already Lost That Battle voice] I dislike Vinted because I feel like unless you REALLY need the money it's just better to donate to charity shops, then buy second hand from charity shops also, but what do I know

Subscription services vastly overestimate how willing I am to give up a cup of coffee per week I'd like to start seeing coffee shops advertise by doing the opposite - 'You never watch anything on Disney+, but you need that second flat white on a Monday'

sam reposted

The irony that the BBC blurred out the Protect the Dolls slogan on a Strictly contestant’s tshirt for their social accounts as “political” but will happily dedicate a two-part doc to the woman who uses her billions to fund lawsuits to persecute transgender people www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/...

bbc.co.ukTwo-part documentary on J.K. Rowling announced by BBC Factual and BBC ScotlandThe documentary will use her life as a lens through which to explore three decades of profound social, political and technological change

guys if you really do want to cure cancer at some point you're going to have to stop making b2b SaaS products that analyse employee toilet breaks and actually do it

The closest thing I have to a boomer 'Health and safety gone mad' opinion is the there is just no need for hideous yellow lines at these lovely little stations that see a few slow trains a day

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James C@iguandonjim.bsky.social

Weetman skull-measuring incident has reminded me of people who used to "be a thing" on twitter. It's inspired me to do an occasional thread. Feel free to chip in with suggestions/lore/questions.

sam reposted

30,000 job losses in one of the few sectors we are still genuinely world-leading, and zero national conversation beyond tuition fees and loans. UK Higher Ed is sinking and apparently no-one has noticed.

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The Sun trying to work out who they hate more, trans people or The BBC

Andrew Clifford@tscnewschannel.bsky.social

12 October 2026: The Sun leads on a row over the BBC and Strictly Come Dancing after a contestant’s pro-trans T-shirt slogan was reportedly edited out of coverage, sparking accusations of censorship. #TomorrowsPapersToday

Always think this about the Cumberland basin in Bristol, it could be one of the nicest points in the city - end of the harbour, foot of Clifton village, wonderful views of the gorge and suspension bridge - but there's a horrendous flyover going over it so it's completely wasted

Push The Needle@pushtheneedle.bsky.social

I don’t think city planners and architects understand cities at all if they can illustrate this type of graphic without asking the question of why that space isn’t used? Freeways are loud, unpleasant gashes in cities and the only way to create this level of vibrancy is to remove them

Reading this at the moment, which is every bit as enjoyable as I hoped I just love that the back cover has a Caledonian Sleeper train, and a quote from Sophie Ellis-Bextor For those fans of overnight british rail services and turn of the millennium disco pop (me)

Send this bit to someone out of context and ask them to guess what they think it's describing

Scott Bryan@scottygb.bsky.social

Channel 4 have announced celebrities for next series of Handcuffed, where celebs are handcuffed. - Katie Price and Suella Braverman - Neil Ruddock and Bimini - Kerry Katona and Mark-Francis Vandelli - Lady Victoria Hervey and Georgia Harrison MBE - DJ Fat Tony and Princess Olga Romanov

I assume it's just the wind and he doesn't actually have hair like Kim Jong Un

David Ornstein@david-ornstein.bsky.social

🚨 Alex Scott out of England squad & returning to Bournemouth through injury. 23yo shone on 1st #ENG start but now sidelined by quadriceps issue; checks ongoing amid fears of 2mnth absence. Blow to midfielder + #AFCB with Kroupi also missing @theathleticfc.bsky.social www.nytimes.com/athletic/766...

Two things happened to me on Thursday I had my adhd med review and got moved to higher dose, and I suffered a serious cruciate injury to my knee playing football So I've had the bizarre experience this weekend of being more energised than I've ever been in my life but completely unable to walk

Angela Rayner STUNS in satirical embroidery

Jim Waterson@jim.londoncentric.media

This is clearly already Angela Rayner’s WhatsApp pic. Anyway probably most revealing is which friendly journalists are on the Conservative tapestry.

Guitar YouTubers will tell you about how digital modelling could never replace the feel and authenticity of a real analogue amplifier in a video with an AI generated thumbnail

sam reposted

Not a novel observation by any means but the irony here, of course, is that it is precisely the UK’s successful approach to multiculturalism that has allowed us to generate a brown white nationalist.

Farrukh@implausibleblog.bsky.social

Suella Braverman suggests on #BBCQT that you can't be English unless you are white, and have a lineage or heritage going back some generations

istg Americans think socialism is having any form of functioning government whatsoever

Just over two months into his tenure as U.K. prime minister, Andy Burnham is laying the groundwork for an unabashedly socialist overhaul of the British state.