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Richard Woodcock @zedwally.bsky.social · 12h

Important piece..

Prospect Magazine @prospectmagazine.co.uk · 13h

Stephen Miller was raised a liberal. His cousin recently posted: “I grieve what you’ve become, Stephen.”

Jo-Ann Mort on his journey to Trump’s inner circle:

What happened to Stephen Miller?

Raised a liberal, he is now driving Trump's anti-immigration policies

www.prospectmagazine.co.uk

Reposted by Richard Woodcock

BladeoftheSun @bladeofthes.bsky.social · 13h

Margaret Thatcher Privatised Fossil Fuel.

Norway didn't.

It's called Socialism, which Richard Tice hates.

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Reposted by Richard Woodcock

Joris Luyendijk @jorisluyendijk.bsky.social · 6d

"The most devastating shortcoming of LLMs is that however many things they appear to know about the world, and however smoothly they express these things, they don’t actually know that there is a world." www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...

James Meek · Computers that want things

For all the fluency and synthetic friendliness of public-facing AI chatbots like ChatGPT, it seems important to remember...

www.lrb.co.uk

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Richard Woodcock @zedwally.bsky.social · 6d

Very interesting exploration of the possibilities around AGI and ASI by James Meek - in the London Review of Books: www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...

James Meek · Computers that want things

For all the fluency and synthetic friendliness of public-facing AI chatbots like ChatGPT, it seems important to remember...

www.lrb.co.uk

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Reposted by Richard Woodcock

Stephen Kinsella @stephenstroud.bsky.social · 10d

I would like to hear similar sentiments expressed with as much conviction by leading UK politicians.

Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · 10d

Macron remarks are notable- some quotes: "We have been incredibly naive in entrusting our democratic space to social networks that are controlled either by large American entrepreneurs or large Chinese companies, whose interests are not at all the survival or proper functioning of our democracies."

Defend Democracy @defenddemocracy.bsky.social · 10d

President Macron: “Europeans, let's wake up!

We have been incredibly naive in entrusting our democratic space to social networks.”

defenddemocracy.eu/macron-democ...

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Richard Woodcock @zedwally.bsky.social · 10d

www.wired.com/story/ice-so... Chilling stuff - Palantir will be running the NHS’s Federated Data Platform. Yippee..

ICE Wants to Build Out a 24/7 Social Media Surveillance Team

Documents show that ICE plans to hire dozens of contractors to scan X, Facebook, TikTok, and other platforms to target people for deportation.

www.wired.com

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Richard Woodcock @zedwally.bsky.social · 11d

Let's have some proper journalism, please. A quick look at the study shows its methodological weakness - based on a survey of just over 1000 people, for a start.

Reposted by Richard Woodcock

Humanists UK @humanists.uk · 15d

Very few people in the UK hold a Christian Nationalist political philosophy.

Yet due to well-positioned people in UK politics, friends in high places in the United States, and *millions of pounds* pouring in from the 'anti-rights movement' to fund highly visible CNat activism, you wouldn't know it.

Jeremy Rodell @jeremyr1.bsky.social · 15d

Useful reminder that Christian nationalism has negligible purchase in the UK. Much higher in the US, but still 6% - low by global standards.
What it doesn’t measure is “Christianism” - use of Christianity by populists as a racial/national identifier.
@humanists.uk

Conrad Hackett @conradhackett.bsky.social · 16d

Muslim nationalists in
Indonesia 46%
Nigeria 16%
Turkey 11%

Hindu nationalists in
India 24%

Christian nationalists in
Kenya 32%
Nigeria 13%
US 6%

Jewish nationalists in
Israel 9%
https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2025/01/28/comparing-levels-of-religious-nationalism-around-the-world/

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Richard Woodcock @zedwally.bsky.social · 15d

Here it is, thanks to #Distrokid for getting it out there. Now you have to listen to it!

An image of an audio cassette announcing the release of "Fractal" by Uncle Wally and Uncle Steve.

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Richard Woodcock @zedwally.bsky.social · 16d

Out now on Bandcamp, and available on all the streaming platforms tomorrow. Go on - have a listen. It's the fifth fabulous album from me and my talented friend Steve Andrews. unclewallyandunclesteve.bandcamp.com/album/fractal

Fractal, by Uncle Wally and Uncle Steve

9 track album

unclewallyandunclesteve.bandcamp.com

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Richard Woodcock @zedwally.bsky.social · 16d

Good piece from Caroline Lucas here: www.bylinesupplement.com/p/why-we-nee...

Why We Need to Talk About Englishness

English identity is not something to be afraid of or suppressed within the notion of ‘Britain’ – but to be valued and explored, writes Caroline Lucas

www.bylinesupplement.com

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Reposted by Richard Woodcock

darren32359.bsky.social @darren32359.bsky.social · 17d

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Richard Woodcock @zedwally.bsky.social · 18d

Yes - glib is the right word.

Richard Woodcock @zedwally.bsky.social · 18d

Shut him up, Paddy, for goodness' sake. #newsnight

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Richard Woodcock @zedwally.bsky.social · 18d

More presidential, statesmanlike stuff from the leader of the free world.

Richard Woodcock @zedwally.bsky.social · 19d

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Richard Woodcock @zedwally.bsky.social · 19d

What is it that makes people who don't fly the flag choose not to? I know why I don't. #bbcqt

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Richard Woodcock @zedwally.bsky.social · 19d

This cause is close to my heart - please sign: www.megaphone.org.uk/petitions/sa...

Save Square Chapel for the people

Square Chapel has a strong history of supporting community events and professional performances and is a popular venue in the local community.  Square Chapel was a popular arts centre with good ...

www.megaphone.org.uk

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Richard Woodcock @zedwally.bsky.social · 19d

open.substack.com/pub/bylinesu...

Farage's Trillion Pound Black Hole: The Real Cost of Reform UK's Mass Deportation Plan

Exclusive: Reform's plan, which it claims would net huge savings over the coming decades, would actually cost the UK about £70-90bn over the next ten years alone, new analysis suggests

open.substack.com

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Richard Woodcock @zedwally.bsky.social · 19d

Give up listening to it, like I did about fifteen years ago. Go for a swim instead :)

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Reposted by Richard Woodcock

Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social · 20d

The richest man on earth owns X.

The second richest man on earth is about to be a major owner of TikTok.

The third richest man owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp.

The fourth richest man owns The Washington Post.

See the problem here?

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Richard Woodcock @zedwally.bsky.social · 20d

Good news if true.

Richard Woodcock @zedwally.bsky.social · 20d

The sort of thing the #BBC does best.

Richard Woodcock @zedwally.bsky.social · 20d

Good discussion of the recognition of a Palestinian state on #UnspunWorld

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Richard Woodcock @zedwally.bsky.social · 20d

Absolutely this - it's so important. We need to teach young people how to ask good questions, to reflect on what they hear, and then ask better questions. It would make such a difference.

Eliot Higgins @eliothiggins.bsky.social · 20d

It would be good if this was matched with a call for embedding critical thinking skills in primary and secondary education across Europe.

POLITICO Europe @politico.eu · 20d

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen today backed a call to set a minimum age for accessing social media.