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gideon-mitchell.bsky.social
Old guy with a beard. Unhealthy obsession with the state of democracy in the world. Teaches data visualisation. Talks on mental health. Publishes the Substack 'Untethered' about motivation, addiction and recovery. North Wales, UK.
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ICE’s own director *said it out loud*: agents wear masks so they won’t be ID’d online. Not for “safety”—but so they can keep terrorizing families in secret. Cowards. If you volunteer to carry out racist raids, don’t cry when the public holds you accountable. Actions have consequences.

submitted 1 day ago • 152 comments

I have a confession to make. I am teaching this week in Milton Keynes and have been making ironic, snarky remarks about 'stylish' Milton Keynes. But now I am here it is really pleasant. Lots of big open spaces and trees all along the main roads. So I apologise to MK and its residents!

submitted 3 days ago • 0 comments

After the Big Ugly Bill, is anyone seriously trying to argue that Trumplestiltskin is in the job for any reason other than to make himself and his rich friends richer?

submitted 7 days ago • 0 comments

Spain is telling it like it is - France, Canada and the UK have just begun to - the tide may be turning. Israel is committing genocide - the right response to that is sanctions.

submitted 10 days ago • 12 comments

It's good to see that at long last the BBC is starting speak out about Gaza.

submitted 20 days ago • 0 comments

Rep. Julie Johnson to Noem: "Are you aware that ICE agent jackets are available on Etsy for $20? Anybody can throw a mask on and run around and terrorize people of color without any regard for the law because your agency does not have proper protocols to make sure your agents are clearly identified"

submitted 21 days ago • 1590 comments

Nigel Farage has released ReformUK’s “manifesto” via the Daily Mail, and it’s every bit as unhinged and unserious as you’d expect. Let’s break it down—with facts. A 🧵

submitted 25 days ago • 26 comments

Birmingham City Council need to do some serious work on their signage. Many train journeys require a walk from New Street to Moor Street. But there are hardly any signs! I have wasted 45 minutes lost in the shopping centres - but maybe that's what they want.

submitted 30 days ago • 0 comments

I am teaching in Belgium this week and trying to speak French as much as possible. I have managed to ask the taxi driver if my voucher (for one) covered the journey or whether the people who shared the journey needed to pay too. But I couldn't think how to ask the pretty waitress for the wine list.

submitted 37 days ago • 0 comments

This beautiful and very sad gravestone is in my local graveyard. I wonder whether the two 4 year-olds would have survived if they had been born after vaccinations.

submitted 45 days ago • 0 comments

If you are feeling stressed, here is 30 minutes of fabulous, breath-taking bread being made in France. www.youtube.com/watch?v=i7n5...

submitted 47 days ago • 0 comments

'Fund managers quietly fear Trump doesn’t have a tariff plan and that he "might be insane"'. Along with the rest of the GOP, perhaps? www.independent.co.uk/news/world/a...

submitted 53 days ago • 0 comments

How many mainstream news outlets are reporting the grassroots campaigns against Musk in the UK @peterstefanovic.bsky.social? And are people getting to hear about it on the us @alexwinter.com? @bylinesnetwork.co.uk is proud to throw the spotlight on this. Help us do it more!

submitted 53 days ago • 1 comment

It's official. He's an economic moron. www.youtube.com/watch?v=6D2R...

submitted 54 days ago • 0 comments

Take a look at my new post on Substack. gideonmitchell01.substack.com/p/simon-scha...

submitted 57 days ago • 0 comments

The attitude of the rest of the world to America and, yes, Americans, has changed. www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_RB...

submitted 60 days ago • 0 comments

Do you know the hilarious story of how Trump came to believe in tariffs? It's quite a tale. In part of it, Peter Navarro, who came to be Trump's economic advisor in his first term, quotes in his books an expert called 'Ron Vara'. Only thing is, 'Ron Vara' never existed, he is just an

submitted 61 days ago • 1 comment

If we are talking about Freedom of Speech and Libertarianism, can we please get back to JS Mill's version that includes the Harm Principle? It's much better than the version we have now that is just a pseudo-philosophical justification for selfishness.

submitted 63 days ago • 1 comment

As Bluesky is full of educated, sane people, it is easy to forget that 47% of Americans still approve of Donald Trump. OK, the sample is dominated by male, young, white idiots (see the graph below) but even so, it's hard to understand how they can be so stupid.

submitted 66 days ago • 1 comment

In 1950s westerns you could tell the goodies from the baddies by the colour of their hats. (The baddies always had the dark hats.) In a strange, inverted echo from the past, is seems you can tell which is the only sane voice on Fox News by the fact that she is the only woman who does NOT

submitted 67 days ago • 1 comment

It's interesting to hear Rahm Emanuel's informed views about the Trump administration. His quote from Colin Powell that, 'If you break it, you own it' seems particularly relevant, considering the amount of breaking going on. www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaKl...

submitted 68 days ago • 0 comments

If Starmer is to find his moment to stand up to the orange playground bully, this is it. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

submitted 68 days ago • 0 comments

Last year I taught a programme on data visualisation for an American consultancy firm. Each student on the course had to create a project based on real data that they had collected. One person did a fascinating project on the link between literacy levels in countries in Africa

submitted 69 days ago • 1 comment

I just did a little investigation using Scholar GPT to discover how easy the Russian security services might have found it to penetrate Steve Witkoff's phone when he waws on the Signal chat. Looks pretty straightforward. Take a look. chatgpt.com/share/67e3ec...

submitted 70 days ago • 0 comments