Rachel
@nerak3l.bsky.social
Posting about languages, UK politics, faith/church, London, general stuff
Ecclesiastes 12:12
Ecclesiastes 12:12
Amused to see a local church describing itself by emphasising a new heating system (and using exclamation marks to really hammer it home). That’s good comms that is.
November 29, 2025 at 10:19 PM
Amused to see a local church describing itself by emphasising a new heating system (and using exclamation marks to really hammer it home). That’s good comms that is.
Reposted by Rachel
The subcategorization/tropefication of popular fiction has been very bad in general, both for authors and readers.
The death of browsing is part of the reason art is the way it is now. Our opinions are largely fed to us by algorithms. Spending a spare 15 minutes wandering around a bookstore or comic shop or video rental place was how you found stuff you wouldn't ordinarily pick up and thereby expanded your taste
Bookselling is like the most "people go to the store and buy what looks cool to them without a particular agenda" type business left, and your purchases have a huge influence on what is ordered, what is displayed, and what is recommended.
November 29, 2025 at 6:52 PM
The subcategorization/tropefication of popular fiction has been very bad in general, both for authors and readers.
Reposted by Rachel
Reposted by Rachel
Cheapside in rainy London today – originally, nothing to do with being inexpensive. The name derives instead from the older meaning of 'cheap', being a street for markets and trade (in Old English: ċēap).
This makes it related to various European words for buying, like Dutch kopen and Czech koupit.
This makes it related to various European words for buying, like Dutch kopen and Czech koupit.
November 29, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Cheapside in rainy London today – originally, nothing to do with being inexpensive. The name derives instead from the older meaning of 'cheap', being a street for markets and trade (in Old English: ċēap).
This makes it related to various European words for buying, like Dutch kopen and Czech koupit.
This makes it related to various European words for buying, like Dutch kopen and Czech koupit.
“No, we can’t rename them the Chicago Papal Bulls ‘just because I’m pope’”
November 29, 2025 at 5:10 PM
“No, we can’t rename them the Chicago Papal Bulls ‘just because I’m pope’”
Reposted by Rachel
Finally getting some theological clarity on the ethics of reclining in one’s plane seat
November 29, 2025 at 12:13 PM
Finally getting some theological clarity on the ethics of reclining in one’s plane seat
Reposted by Rachel
Again, I would advise people to go read the media from 50 years ago. Sure, there was absolutely an awkward stiffness that the death of deference got rid of and I prefer it but they talked to you like adults in a way that very few newspapers do today.
I don't think it's all of it by any measure but I do absolutely believe that the political media's raging anti-intellectual streak has got worse with time and has ended up influencing the way MPs talk, and what they choose to talk/think about
I don’t think this is a “politicians have got dumber” issue for the most part. If you look at the *actual CVs* of previous cohorts of MPs, their background is not radically different when you account for, you know, the fact the economy is different! It is primarily a media and ecosystem issue.
November 28, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Again, I would advise people to go read the media from 50 years ago. Sure, there was absolutely an awkward stiffness that the death of deference got rid of and I prefer it but they talked to you like adults in a way that very few newspapers do today.
Reposted by Rachel
“I said, ‘and the Son.’” ⚓️
November 29, 2025 at 3:26 PM
“I said, ‘and the Son.’” ⚓️
Oh I wish it could be Your Party every daaaa-aaay
Please can we have a Your Party conference every weekend?
November 29, 2025 at 3:01 PM
Oh I wish it could be Your Party every daaaa-aaay
Reposted by Rachel
Say what you like about Change UK, at least they managed a dinner
November 29, 2025 at 2:44 PM
Say what you like about Change UK, at least they managed a dinner
She’s here and she’s beautiful 😍🚃
November 29, 2025 at 3:00 PM
She’s here and she’s beautiful 😍🚃
Reposted by Rachel
"What part of 'what you do for the least among you, you do for me' do you not understand?"
November 29, 2025 at 1:42 PM
"What part of 'what you do for the least among you, you do for me' do you not understand?"
Reposted by Rachel
Maybe we should build HS2 in full and increase capacity on the network. It was never just about speed.
Soon-to-be-axed 7am Manchester-London train will still run – but without passengers
Soon-to-be-axed 7am Manchester-London train will still run – but without passengers
Exclusive: Rail regulator pulls Avanti service from timetable from mid-December but it is needed for staff travel
The good news for rail travel between Manchester and London is that a morning train will continue to link England’s biggest cities in under two hours. The bad news: passengers will no longer be able to get onboard.
The rail regulator has axed one of Britain’s fastest and most lucrative intercity services, the 7am Avanti West Coast from Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston, as part of a timetable shake-up that will take effect in mid-December. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
November 29, 2025 at 11:48 AM
Maybe we should build HS2 in full and increase capacity on the network. It was never just about speed.
Reposted by Rachel
Guardian also reporting that asylum seekers are being “banned” from doing something they were being forced to do, it apparently being compulsory to help the Home Office blame refugees for its own errors
UK asylum seekers to be banned from taking taxis to medical appointments
Move, which is part of crackdown on costs, comes after it emerged Home Office spends £15.8m a year on service
www.theguardian.com
November 29, 2025 at 11:54 AM
Guardian also reporting that asylum seekers are being “banned” from doing something they were being forced to do, it apparently being compulsory to help the Home Office blame refugees for its own errors
Reposted by Rachel
General Post Office poster, 1960
November 29, 2025 at 10:30 AM
General Post Office poster, 1960
Reposted by Rachel
If somebody had to travel 250 miles for a medical appointment then yes there’s a problem but the taking a taxi ain’t it
November 29, 2025 at 9:33 AM
If somebody had to travel 250 miles for a medical appointment then yes there’s a problem but the taking a taxi ain’t it
If you were free on a Sunday morning/lunchtime in Manchester, what would you do?
November 29, 2025 at 11:01 AM
If you were free on a Sunday morning/lunchtime in Manchester, what would you do?
Have I mentioned how great Griff is at music? No killer all filler, absolutely stunning vocals, catchy tunes, pathos. What a talent.
November 29, 2025 at 10:59 AM
Have I mentioned how great Griff is at music? No killer all filler, absolutely stunning vocals, catchy tunes, pathos. What a talent.
Reposted by Rachel
More generally, wherever you are in the world: if you have kids’ toys, books, clothes or anything else in just-about-giftable condition that you were thinking of decluttering some time soon, please do it now, this week ideally, and get them to your local charity shop.
Hey Ottawa folks: I gave some kids' books to Twice Upon a Time and they said they've receved fewer donations than usual for this time of year. So if you have any kids' books in good condition, or time or money to spare, here's the info:
Donate - Twice Upon a Time
twiceuponatime.ca
November 24, 2025 at 8:11 PM
More generally, wherever you are in the world: if you have kids’ toys, books, clothes or anything else in just-about-giftable condition that you were thinking of decluttering some time soon, please do it now, this week ideally, and get them to your local charity shop.
Reposted by Rachel
Don’t worry I’m sure there will be reliable public transport available to make up for this.
…Right?
…Right?
What the fuck? Every paragraph of this article is more depressing and aggravating than the last
Government to ban asylum seekers from using taxis
The ban is set to come in February and any exemptions will have to be signed off by the Home Office.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 29, 2025 at 9:37 AM
Don’t worry I’m sure there will be reliable public transport available to make up for this.
…Right?
…Right?
Reposted by Rachel
I keep a little mental library of "How much government projects cost", and my favourite benchmark (which even I think seems quite wildly inflated) is £130 million to upgrade one roundabout in Gateshead. Anything cheaper than £130m feels trivial to me now. www.gov.uk/government/n...
£130 million upgrade set to unlock huge benefits for thriving North East
After more than a million hours of work – around 60 per cent of that time coming from a local workforce – a £130 million junction improvement in the North East is complete.
www.gov.uk
November 29, 2025 at 9:38 AM
I keep a little mental library of "How much government projects cost", and my favourite benchmark (which even I think seems quite wildly inflated) is £130 million to upgrade one roundabout in Gateshead. Anything cheaper than £130m feels trivial to me now. www.gov.uk/government/n...
Reposted by Rachel
it’s funny how when people who own big houses are alive they had nothing to do with its value, but when they die their kids shouldn’t have to pay any inheritance tax because they worked VERY hard all their lives for it
November 29, 2025 at 10:12 AM
it’s funny how when people who own big houses are alive they had nothing to do with its value, but when they die their kids shouldn’t have to pay any inheritance tax because they worked VERY hard all their lives for it
Reposted by Rachel
“i was afraid because i was cringe.”
“who told you that you were cringe? have you been on the timelines of the posters whose posts i commanded you not to view?”
“who told you that you were cringe? have you been on the timelines of the posters whose posts i commanded you not to view?”
November 29, 2025 at 10:14 AM
“i was afraid because i was cringe.”
“who told you that you were cringe? have you been on the timelines of the posters whose posts i commanded you not to view?”
“who told you that you were cringe? have you been on the timelines of the posters whose posts i commanded you not to view?”
Reposted by Rachel
Huge respect to the papers for finding both an 88 year old worried about the tax bill on her 6 bedroom Kensington house and a 20 year old fretting about only being able to save £12k a year tax free.
Top work all around. These are not easy case studies to find.
Top work all around. These are not easy case studies to find.
November 29, 2025 at 9:24 AM
Huge respect to the papers for finding both an 88 year old worried about the tax bill on her 6 bedroom Kensington house and a 20 year old fretting about only being able to save £12k a year tax free.
Top work all around. These are not easy case studies to find.
Top work all around. These are not easy case studies to find.