Tom Spoors
@tomspoors.bsky.social
Brit in Brussels, Belgium Ex teacher, RAF officer, training director, university lecturer (Critical Thinking, English and Statistics). Private tutor English GCSE and maths. I love books, sci-fi, science, data science and science communication.
Answer the bloody question! How many times have I had to get this point across to students? Argue your points in line with academic standards, build an argument, cite your evidence, draw a sound and valid conclusion and do not attack people with offensive doctrine.
youtube.com/shorts/ZgdGe...
youtube.com/shorts/ZgdGe...
Evangelical Republicans Are Hateful Bigoted Morons #duet #religion #gender #fail #academics #bible
YouTube video by Hawk's Podcasts / mdg650hawk
youtube.com
December 3, 2025 at 5:52 PM
Answer the bloody question! How many times have I had to get this point across to students? Argue your points in line with academic standards, build an argument, cite your evidence, draw a sound and valid conclusion and do not attack people with offensive doctrine.
youtube.com/shorts/ZgdGe...
youtube.com/shorts/ZgdGe...
Reposted by Tom Spoors
This is not an effort to end the war in Ukraine. If they are genuine about their intentions to end the war, Russia can just declare an end to their invasion of Ukraine and withdraw their troops immediately.
No, this is just more subterfuge and devious ploys to rob the Ukrainians blind of more land.
No, this is just more subterfuge and devious ploys to rob the Ukrainians blind of more land.
December 2, 2025 at 4:58 PM
This is not an effort to end the war in Ukraine. If they are genuine about their intentions to end the war, Russia can just declare an end to their invasion of Ukraine and withdraw their troops immediately.
No, this is just more subterfuge and devious ploys to rob the Ukrainians blind of more land.
No, this is just more subterfuge and devious ploys to rob the Ukrainians blind of more land.
Reposted by Tom Spoors
Agree with @jomichell.bsky.social here.
My earlier piece: "The claim that that MMT means that a future government can dodge hard choices about how to pay for decent public services is just plain nonsense."
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/econom...
My earlier piece: "The claim that that MMT means that a future government can dodge hard choices about how to pay for decent public services is just plain nonsense."
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/econom...
December 3, 2025 at 4:00 PM
Agree with @jomichell.bsky.social here.
My earlier piece: "The claim that that MMT means that a future government can dodge hard choices about how to pay for decent public services is just plain nonsense."
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/econom...
My earlier piece: "The claim that that MMT means that a future government can dodge hard choices about how to pay for decent public services is just plain nonsense."
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/econom...
Reposted by Tom Spoors
The "peace" negotiations are like a litmus test for understanding Russia. Those who take the negotiations seriously prove they haven't understood Russia the slightest.
December 3, 2025 at 4:01 PM
The "peace" negotiations are like a litmus test for understanding Russia. Those who take the negotiations seriously prove they haven't understood Russia the slightest.
Disappointed to find I didn't have a dormant account with a million euros in it!
Comptes dormants : en une semaine, 1500 Belges ont demandé à récupérer leur argent
Comptes dormants : en une semaine, 1500 Belges ont demandé à récupérer leur argent
Cette forte augmentation fait suite à l'annonce du gouvernement De Wever de vouloir transférer plus rapidement l'argent...
www.rtbf.be
December 3, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Disappointed to find I didn't have a dormant account with a million euros in it!
Just get rid of the unelected house or replace it with an elected body. Quite how we can claim that we are a democracy when unelected, privileged people get to vote on laws is beyond me. Giving foreign nationals and your mates peerages is simply corruption.
This 🔽 is the sort of vital work that the @equalitytrust.bsky.social does as they work to highlight the harm of excessive #inequality in the UK today... www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
‘Unelected power’ of ultra-rich is reshaping British politics, report claims
Equality Trust study shows how House of Lords appointments, big donations and media ownership affect political decisions
www.theguardian.com
December 3, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Just get rid of the unelected house or replace it with an elected body. Quite how we can claim that we are a democracy when unelected, privileged people get to vote on laws is beyond me. Giving foreign nationals and your mates peerages is simply corruption.
Russia's Black Sea Fleet cannot protect ships coming into Russian ports. This lack shows that Russia is not the power that it claims to be.
Anders Puck explains:
youtu.be/6hNpMT5OwGo?...
Anders Puck explains:
youtu.be/6hNpMT5OwGo?...
Ukraine launches new tanker war
YouTube video by Anders Puck Nielsen
youtu.be
December 3, 2025 at 9:10 AM
Russia's Black Sea Fleet cannot protect ships coming into Russian ports. This lack shows that Russia is not the power that it claims to be.
Anders Puck explains:
youtu.be/6hNpMT5OwGo?...
Anders Puck explains:
youtu.be/6hNpMT5OwGo?...
Reposted by Tom Spoors
December 3, 2025 at 12:00 AM
This is a good development. The only thing keeping Russian aggression going is money. The sooner the Russia economy dries up the better. Putin has overestimated his hand and underestimated Ukraine. Energy security is vital to independence and sovereignty.
Guerre en Ukraine : l’UE entend se passer du gaz russe d’ici à fin 2027
Guerre en Ukraine : l’UE entend se passer du gaz russe d’ici à fin 2027
L'importation de GNL sera totalement interdite à partir de fin 2026. Pour le gaz russe acheminé par gazoduc,...
www.rtbf.be
December 3, 2025 at 7:22 AM
This is a good development. The only thing keeping Russian aggression going is money. The sooner the Russia economy dries up the better. Putin has overestimated his hand and underestimated Ukraine. Energy security is vital to independence and sovereignty.
This is what the BBC does well. Let's hope that this has an impact for the good.
Let's also hope that the BBC focuses such an investigative lens on the grifting right-wingers in UK politics such as Farage.
Let's also hope that the BBC focuses such an investigative lens on the grifting right-wingers in UK politics such as Farage.
“Documented, verified, exposed — thanks to the BBC.”
Today in Tbilisi, activists gathered with messages thanking the BBC for its investigative story, which exposed Georgian Dream’s use of a WWI-era chemical agent during last year’s crackdowns on peaceful protesters.
Day 370 of protests.
📷 Publika
Today in Tbilisi, activists gathered with messages thanking the BBC for its investigative story, which exposed Georgian Dream’s use of a WWI-era chemical agent during last year’s crackdowns on peaceful protesters.
Day 370 of protests.
📷 Publika
December 2, 2025 at 7:59 PM
This is what the BBC does well. Let's hope that this has an impact for the good.
Let's also hope that the BBC focuses such an investigative lens on the grifting right-wingers in UK politics such as Farage.
Let's also hope that the BBC focuses such an investigative lens on the grifting right-wingers in UK politics such as Farage.
It's certainly true in the Belgian system. If my daughter puts a comma in the wrong place for a mathematical definition she will lose marks. It's all about easy to mark filtration of children. There's little assistance given and what is seems grudging. Almost as if "I survived, so you must".
‘Children with SEND just have to survive school.’ How have we got here, #EduSky? And what are we (urgently) going to do about it? All of these children featured should be able to have their needs met, and thrive in mainstream state education.
December 2, 2025 at 7:54 PM
It's certainly true in the Belgian system. If my daughter puts a comma in the wrong place for a mathematical definition she will lose marks. It's all about easy to mark filtration of children. There's little assistance given and what is seems grudging. Almost as if "I survived, so you must".
Brussels, the centre of the EU, is not as democratic as they would want you to believe. ☹️
Record mondial sans gouvernement à #Bruxelles : et maintenant, on fait quoi ?
Record mondial sans gouvernement à Bruxelles : et maintenant, on fait quoi ?
Et si on retournait aux urnes ?
C'est vrai que ça semble logique, comme sortie de crise, ça se...
www.rtbf.be
December 2, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Brussels, the centre of the EU, is not as democratic as they would want you to believe. ☹️
What a good job the information is not false then, eh?
The BBC’s recent investigation, suggesting Georgian police used a WWI-era chemical against protesters in November–December 2024, has triggered strong reactions across ruling and opposition circles.
🔗 Read more: oc-media.org/false-inform...
🔗 Read more: oc-media.org/false-inform...
December 2, 2025 at 5:54 PM
What a good job the information is not false then, eh?
Inflation has never been zero, so it's impossible that prices are lower. With any value of inflation above 0 prices are going up.
The inability of many lawmakers to comprehend rate of change as opposed to change is staggering.
The inability of many lawmakers to comprehend rate of change as opposed to change is staggering.
Donald is on CNN lying his ass off as usual. He claims the prices are lower now than they were when Biden was President. Hey Donnie, people do their own shopping and they see how much MORE they have to pay because of YOU. Your illegal tariffs have caused everything to go up you COMPULSIVE LIAR.
December 2, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Inflation has never been zero, so it's impossible that prices are lower. With any value of inflation above 0 prices are going up.
The inability of many lawmakers to comprehend rate of change as opposed to change is staggering.
The inability of many lawmakers to comprehend rate of change as opposed to change is staggering.
Reposted by Tom Spoors
on UK Corruption, from @equalitytrust.bsky.social
[edit to shorten]
equalitytrust.org.uk/evidence-bas...
[edit to shorten]
equalitytrust.org.uk/evidence-bas...
November 28, 2025 at 2:51 PM
on UK Corruption, from @equalitytrust.bsky.social
[edit to shorten]
equalitytrust.org.uk/evidence-bas...
[edit to shorten]
equalitytrust.org.uk/evidence-bas...
Home Depot noting that their sales are down due to not enough storms! That's right, they have a business models that depends on storms - the things that kill people, destroy infrastructure and make life miserable - and when it's not stormy enough they lose money.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tlzu...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tlzu...
Home Depot is Seeing What is Happening in the REAL Economy - THIS is What They Are Saying!
YouTube video by DIY with Dave
www.youtube.com
December 2, 2025 at 11:08 AM
Home Depot noting that their sales are down due to not enough storms! That's right, they have a business models that depends on storms - the things that kill people, destroy infrastructure and make life miserable - and when it's not stormy enough they lose money.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tlzu...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tlzu...
Camite (bromobenzyl cyanide) was first used in WWI but its use was discontinued in the 1930s due, in part, to its persistent toxicity. It's now back in use in Georgia.
‼️ JUST IN: the Georgian Dream could prosecute those persons who featured on the BBC documentary about the use of bromobenzyl cyanide against protesters in Georgia, and those who gathered scientific evidence on it.
1/
1/
December 2, 2025 at 10:35 AM
Camite (bromobenzyl cyanide) was first used in WWI but its use was discontinued in the 1930s due, in part, to its persistent toxicity. It's now back in use in Georgia.
It's always sad to see the UK at the 'wrong end' of these charts.
December 2, 2025 at 10:31 AM
It's always sad to see the UK at the 'wrong end' of these charts.
Remember don't just use those silly, soft lachrymogens. Use camite, it's much nastier, hangs around longer and, anyway, whose going to know?
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
December 2, 2025 at 10:25 AM
Remember don't just use those silly, soft lachrymogens. Use camite, it's much nastier, hangs around longer and, anyway, whose going to know?
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
A wonderful story but, if "Stoppard never learnt how many lives he saved by writing Arcadia", why didn't someone tell him in the intervening decades?
Not only is this amazing, it illustrates the issue with people who insists things must conform to economic theory because it’s “just math” instead of wondering if maybe we could have better tools.
December 2, 2025 at 10:20 AM
A wonderful story but, if "Stoppard never learnt how many lives he saved by writing Arcadia", why didn't someone tell him in the intervening decades?
Following on from my chemical warfare post yesterday...science scares the shit out of totalitarian regimes. Camite is bad shit to be spraying on your citizens.
Georgia’s SSS has now summoned pediatric doctor Konstantine Chakhunashvili for interrogation—one of the experts featured in the BBC’s investigation.
Konstantine co-authored a scientific study on the health impacts of the December 2024 crackdowns, which we now know involved a WW1-era chemical agent.
Konstantine co-authored a scientific study on the health impacts of the December 2024 crackdowns, which we now know involved a WW1-era chemical agent.
December 2, 2025 at 9:02 AM
Following on from my chemical warfare post yesterday...science scares the shit out of totalitarian regimes. Camite is bad shit to be spraying on your citizens.
It's all about image; about appearing on screen looking punchy when, in fact, you are punch drunk on your own brand of punch-down, toxic masculinity.
Can you imagine being this insecure.
fucking incredible
December 2, 2025 at 7:51 AM
It's all about image; about appearing on screen looking punchy when, in fact, you are punch drunk on your own brand of punch-down, toxic masculinity.
Reposted by Tom Spoors
⚖️ DoD Law of War Manual, page 1075:
"For example, orders to fire upon the shipwrecked would be clearly illegal."
ogc.osd.mil/Portals/99/d...
"For example, orders to fire upon the shipwrecked would be clearly illegal."
ogc.osd.mil/Portals/99/d...
December 1, 2025 at 4:08 PM
⚖️ DoD Law of War Manual, page 1075:
"For example, orders to fire upon the shipwrecked would be clearly illegal."
ogc.osd.mil/Portals/99/d...
"For example, orders to fire upon the shipwrecked would be clearly illegal."
ogc.osd.mil/Portals/99/d...
A rather sub-limb-inal joke!
Scientists created a dolphin with legs.
Animal rights groups want the legs removed.
But that would defeet the porpoise
Animal rights groups want the legs removed.
But that would defeet the porpoise
December 2, 2025 at 7:45 AM
A rather sub-limb-inal joke!