Dr. Matt Loten
@intheinaka.bsky.social
Japanese Political Communication PhD | Working in Linguistic Validation by day; posting about politics on the internet by night
Reposted by Dr. Matt Loten
how advanced is your nation's sinophobia? very? extremely? you are like baby, we are inventing sinophobia the likes of which cannot be dreamt of
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...
The Chinese restaurants surrounding our most sensitive military bases
The Daily Mail can reveal a bizarre anomaly in the distribution of Chinese restaurants across the country.
www.dailymail.co.uk
January 21, 2026 at 7:28 AM
how advanced is your nation's sinophobia? very? extremely? you are like baby, we are inventing sinophobia the likes of which cannot be dreamt of
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article...
Now that it's clear everyone involved is okay, this might be the greatest thread Bluesky has yet produced
I just woke up from a nap and somehow while I was asleep, everyone on the bus has figured out we are not going to the right place
January 20, 2026 at 11:23 AM
Now that it's clear everyone involved is okay, this might be the greatest thread Bluesky has yet produced
Reposted by Dr. Matt Loten
Reposted by Dr. Matt Loten
Gary Larson: In my cartoon I invented Cow Tools as a cautionary tale
Cows: At long last, we have created the Cow Tools from classic newspaper comic Cow Tools
Cows: At long last, we have created the Cow Tools from classic newspaper comic Cow Tools
January 19, 2026 at 5:04 PM
Gary Larson: In my cartoon I invented Cow Tools as a cautionary tale
Cows: At long last, we have created the Cow Tools from classic newspaper comic Cow Tools
Cows: At long last, we have created the Cow Tools from classic newspaper comic Cow Tools
Overheard in a bookshop, one teenage girl explaining the concept of Animal Farm to another:
'You knows those memes about Keir Starmer and how he's always watching you? That came from this book!'
'You knows those memes about Keir Starmer and how he's always watching you? That came from this book!'
January 17, 2026 at 1:23 PM
Overheard in a bookshop, one teenage girl explaining the concept of Animal Farm to another:
'You knows those memes about Keir Starmer and how he's always watching you? That came from this book!'
'You knows those memes about Keir Starmer and how he's always watching you? That came from this book!'
Reposted by Dr. Matt Loten
pretty sure he meant the other thing, grok, but very cool that those are your two things
January 16, 2026 at 4:55 PM
pretty sure he meant the other thing, grok, but very cool that those are your two things
The quotes and replies are giving this energy (non-derogatory)
January 16, 2026 at 2:37 PM
The quotes and replies are giving this energy (non-derogatory)
Reposted by Dr. Matt Loten
every month features a headline saying "Boost/Blow to Rachel Reeves as GDP SURGES/COLLAPSES 0.1%" and then you read on and it's entirely dependent on whether Jaguar Land Rover have managed to turn on their computers
January 15, 2026 at 8:35 AM
every month features a headline saying "Boost/Blow to Rachel Reeves as GDP SURGES/COLLAPSES 0.1%" and then you read on and it's entirely dependent on whether Jaguar Land Rover have managed to turn on their computers
Reposted by Dr. Matt Loten
In 4th place, with 2271 points, is 2019's Disco Elysium
There is going to be at least one Disco Elysium fan reading this who suddenly decides they quite like First Past the Post after all
There is going to be at least one Disco Elysium fan reading this who suddenly decides they quite like First Past the Post after all
January 15, 2026 at 7:25 PM
In 4th place, with 2271 points, is 2019's Disco Elysium
There is going to be at least one Disco Elysium fan reading this who suddenly decides they quite like First Past the Post after all
There is going to be at least one Disco Elysium fan reading this who suddenly decides they quite like First Past the Post after all
I think better to just stop at seven rather than shoehorn Gullis in there
January 15, 2026 at 6:57 PM
I think better to just stop at seven rather than shoehorn Gullis in there
Reposted by Dr. Matt Loten
ahahahahahahahahahaha
January 15, 2026 at 11:12 AM
ahahahahahahahahahaha
Reposted by Dr. Matt Loten
Job!
Four-year PhD fellowship in Chinese Studies at Leiden University
Deadline: 1 March
careers.universiteitleiden.nl/job/Four-yea...
Four-year PhD fellowship in Chinese Studies at Leiden University
Deadline: 1 March
careers.universiteitleiden.nl/job/Four-yea...
Four-year PhD fellowship in Chinese Studies sponsored by the Hulsewé-Wazniewski Foundation
Four-year PhD fellowship in Chinese Studies sponsored by the Hulsewé-Wazniewski Foundation
careers.universiteitleiden.nl
January 14, 2026 at 5:11 PM
Job!
Four-year PhD fellowship in Chinese Studies at Leiden University
Deadline: 1 March
careers.universiteitleiden.nl/job/Four-yea...
Four-year PhD fellowship in Chinese Studies at Leiden University
Deadline: 1 March
careers.universiteitleiden.nl/job/Four-yea...
Reposted by Dr. Matt Loten
Everybody thinks 'https://' stands for 'hypertext transfer protocol secure' but it actually stands for 'head to this place, sucka' followed by a colon and two laser sounds
January 13, 2026 at 8:17 PM
Everybody thinks 'https://' stands for 'hypertext transfer protocol secure' but it actually stands for 'head to this place, sucka' followed by a colon and two laser sounds
And the government's umming and ahhing over X/Twitter this week has demonstrated that the problem is that they don't just operate comms like they're in the 90s; they fundamentally *don't understand* how comms works in 2026. Which makes the process of change so much harder.
DJ on the grid: we still operate like we're in the 90s. Vast numbers of people consume news on YouTube and gov doesn't do anything on it. There are also too many brands within gov. We bid against other bits of gov inflating prices for advertising slots. Lots of change coming to gov comms.
January 13, 2026 at 3:34 PM
And the government's umming and ahhing over X/Twitter this week has demonstrated that the problem is that they don't just operate comms like they're in the 90s; they fundamentally *don't understand* how comms works in 2026. Which makes the process of change so much harder.
Reposted by Dr. Matt Loten
As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from unsettling dreams, he found himself transformed into an enormous Bug-type.
January 12, 2026 at 4:58 PM
As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from unsettling dreams, he found himself transformed into an enormous Bug-type.
I think Freddie Potts may have come up with the worst dream dinner party lineup ever suggested in the history of humankind. Absolutely, positively no notes.
January 13, 2026 at 12:44 PM
I think Freddie Potts may have come up with the worst dream dinner party lineup ever suggested in the history of humankind. Absolutely, positively no notes.
Reposted by Dr. Matt Loten
The utterly shameless & widely covered "report" out today, claiming net zero will "cost" £9tn is based on:
* Assuming free fossil-fuel energy, free petrol cars, free gas boilers, free gas power plants etc
AND
* Including climate damages in the "cost" of net zero
I kid you not, it is that stupid
* Assuming free fossil-fuel energy, free petrol cars, free gas boilers, free gas power plants etc
AND
* Including climate damages in the "cost" of net zero
I kid you not, it is that stupid
🧵A political/media guide to the "truth" about net-zero
1) Add up costs to install & run a net-zero energy system
2) Pretend fossil-fuelled alternatives wld be free
3) Do say "eco zealots are bankrupting us"
4) Don't say "free cars if we scrap net-zero" cos it sounds ridiculous
5) That's it!
1/10
1) Add up costs to install & run a net-zero energy system
2) Pretend fossil-fuelled alternatives wld be free
3) Do say "eco zealots are bankrupting us"
4) Don't say "free cars if we scrap net-zero" cos it sounds ridiculous
5) That's it!
1/10
January 13, 2026 at 7:37 AM
The utterly shameless & widely covered "report" out today, claiming net zero will "cost" £9tn is based on:
* Assuming free fossil-fuel energy, free petrol cars, free gas boilers, free gas power plants etc
AND
* Including climate damages in the "cost" of net zero
I kid you not, it is that stupid
* Assuming free fossil-fuel energy, free petrol cars, free gas boilers, free gas power plants etc
AND
* Including climate damages in the "cost" of net zero
I kid you not, it is that stupid
Reposted by Dr. Matt Loten
wrote about The Other Place www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
January 12, 2026 at 4:28 PM
wrote about The Other Place www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Reposted by Dr. Matt Loten
Of the 31 games that won the 'now' votes, rank as many as you can. That could be just voting for your favourite, or a top 3, or 10, or just go mad and rank all 31.
I will NOT count ties
I will NOT count the same game in multiple ranks
If you need help deciding: czeckd.github.io/preference-r...
I will NOT count ties
I will NOT count the same game in multiple ranks
If you need help deciding: czeckd.github.io/preference-r...
January 12, 2026 at 1:59 PM
Of the 31 games that won the 'now' votes, rank as many as you can. That could be just voting for your favourite, or a top 3, or 10, or just go mad and rank all 31.
I will NOT count ties
I will NOT count the same game in multiple ranks
If you need help deciding: czeckd.github.io/preference-r...
I will NOT count ties
I will NOT count the same game in multiple ranks
If you need help deciding: czeckd.github.io/preference-r...
Reposted by Dr. Matt Loten
Nadhim Zahawi MP: In Farage’s Britain, it would be legal to discriminate against me on the grounds of race
conservativehome.com/2015/03/23/n...
conservativehome.com/2015/03/23/n...
January 12, 2026 at 11:32 AM
Nadhim Zahawi MP: In Farage’s Britain, it would be legal to discriminate against me on the grounds of race
conservativehome.com/2015/03/23/n...
conservativehome.com/2015/03/23/n...
Reposted by Dr. Matt Loten
So... I've created a starter pack of UK government organisations currently on Bluesky: go.bsky.app/JHsY1Wz
(Currently includes all those listed under ministerial and non-ministerial departments here www.gov.uk/government/o... - let me know any I've missed, or got wrong)
(Currently includes all those listed under ministerial and non-ministerial departments here www.gov.uk/government/o... - let me know any I've missed, or got wrong)
January 11, 2026 at 7:09 PM
So... I've created a starter pack of UK government organisations currently on Bluesky: go.bsky.app/JHsY1Wz
(Currently includes all those listed under ministerial and non-ministerial departments here www.gov.uk/government/o... - let me know any I've missed, or got wrong)
(Currently includes all those listed under ministerial and non-ministerial departments here www.gov.uk/government/o... - let me know any I've missed, or got wrong)
Quora gang rise up
Monthly users on X
May 2023: 24.3m
May 2024: 22.1m (-2.1m)
May 2025: 18.9m (-1.8m)
On this trajectory, the monthly X users in the UK could easily dip below 18m now & so may fall behind surprisingly high monthly users of LinkedIn (18.4m in 2025) by May 2026!
May 2023: 24.3m
May 2024: 22.1m (-2.1m)
May 2025: 18.9m (-1.8m)
On this trajectory, the monthly X users in the UK could easily dip below 18m now & so may fall behind surprisingly high monthly users of LinkedIn (18.4m in 2025) by May 2026!
January 9, 2026 at 10:46 PM
Quora gang rise up
Reposted by Dr. Matt Loten
Yesterday I posted my last ever Tweet and called on the Government to do the same.
Read more below on why I think it’s time to leave the cesspit formerly known as Twitter.
www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...
Read more below on why I think it’s time to leave the cesspit formerly known as Twitter.
www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...
It is time to leave the cesspit formerly known as Twitter
Grok is just one of many reasons why Westminster should finally get off the website.
www.politicshome.com
January 9, 2026 at 11:55 AM
Yesterday I posted my last ever Tweet and called on the Government to do the same.
Read more below on why I think it’s time to leave the cesspit formerly known as Twitter.
www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...
Read more below on why I think it’s time to leave the cesspit formerly known as Twitter.
www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti...