JD Roberts
@jdroberts.bsky.social
Musican, historian and biologist. Melodic ambient soundscapes and parasitic worms. He/him
Researching hookworm, guinea worm, environmental history, parasitology, ecology, and Caribbean & Cornish history.
Researching hookworm, guinea worm, environmental history, parasitology, ecology, and Caribbean & Cornish history.
Week after next, I should say. This week has been such a washout I'm already mentally in next week
November 7, 2025 at 11:25 AM
Week after next, I should say. This week has been such a washout I'm already mentally in next week
3) The wider issue here is inequality - the more wealth gets hoovered up by the 0.1%, the less money there is in the bits of the economy which employ people to do useful and productive work. Landlordism does not create jobs, it destroys them
November 3, 2025 at 9:37 AM
3) The wider issue here is inequality - the more wealth gets hoovered up by the 0.1%, the less money there is in the bits of the economy which employ people to do useful and productive work. Landlordism does not create jobs, it destroys them
2a) Big business in this country has been allowed to get far too comfortable about offloading its costs to other (usually state or charitible) organisations
2b) If you're hiring for a job which requires any kind of qualification, you should be contributing towards paying for the teaching staff
2b) If you're hiring for a job which requires any kind of qualification, you should be contributing towards paying for the teaching staff
November 3, 2025 at 9:37 AM
2a) Big business in this country has been allowed to get far too comfortable about offloading its costs to other (usually state or charitible) organisations
2b) If you're hiring for a job which requires any kind of qualification, you should be contributing towards paying for the teaching staff
2b) If you're hiring for a job which requires any kind of qualification, you should be contributing towards paying for the teaching staff
2) If employers want so much experience and so many skills and qualifications, they should grow up and train their employees instead of expecting other people to do their job for them
November 3, 2025 at 9:37 AM
2) If employers want so much experience and so many skills and qualifications, they should grow up and train their employees instead of expecting other people to do their job for them
In N England I'd try Marten Mere for swans & waterfowl, Leighton Moss for bittern & water rail, Parkgate for owls, Pennington Flash for willow tit, Burton Mere for egrets, waders & rails. I saw divers off the pier at Whitby late last month, as well, so that's worth a try - good luck!!
October 24, 2025 at 10:51 AM
In N England I'd try Marten Mere for swans & waterfowl, Leighton Moss for bittern & water rail, Parkgate for owls, Pennington Flash for willow tit, Burton Mere for egrets, waders & rails. I saw divers off the pier at Whitby late last month, as well, so that's worth a try - good luck!!
But anyways, I talk about some of this sort of thing in the context of colonial health programmes in chapters 5 and 8 of my PhD thesis - please give it a read! etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/id/eprint/36...
People, Parasites and Places: Biological and Social aspects of human hookworm infection and eradication in British territories, c.1900-1936 - White Rose eTheses Online
etheses.whiterose.ac.uk
October 16, 2025 at 10:19 AM
But anyways, I talk about some of this sort of thing in the context of colonial health programmes in chapters 5 and 8 of my PhD thesis - please give it a read! etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/id/eprint/36...
'Trust me, I'm a scientist' does not cut with people who do not trust your science or your authority. I think you have to show WHY people should trust the science - where your scientific knowledge comes from and why it can be trusted, and fundementally, why anyone should care what scientists think
October 16, 2025 at 10:19 AM
'Trust me, I'm a scientist' does not cut with people who do not trust your science or your authority. I think you have to show WHY people should trust the science - where your scientific knowledge comes from and why it can be trusted, and fundementally, why anyone should care what scientists think
Authoritarians want to discredit expertise because expertise is a source of (epistemic) authority and they hate anyone else having any kind of authority whatsoever. But saying 'these people are idiots, I know best' usually ends up with you discrediting yourself
October 16, 2025 at 10:19 AM
Authoritarians want to discredit expertise because expertise is a source of (epistemic) authority and they hate anyone else having any kind of authority whatsoever. But saying 'these people are idiots, I know best' usually ends up with you discrediting yourself
I am very much in favour of biomedicine and science! But if you're an expert it's your job to share your knowledge and explain why you think something is the best course of action, not to demand everyone do as you say because you know better than everyone else
October 16, 2025 at 10:19 AM
I am very much in favour of biomedicine and science! But if you're an expert it's your job to share your knowledge and explain why you think something is the best course of action, not to demand everyone do as you say because you know better than everyone else
My main irritation with the humanities literature is the tendency to talk like they're launching an intellectual revolution while writing stuff which is so obtuse and jargon-heavy that only people who basically already agree with them can understand what they're saying
October 13, 2025 at 5:02 PM
My main irritation with the humanities literature is the tendency to talk like they're launching an intellectual revolution while writing stuff which is so obtuse and jargon-heavy that only people who basically already agree with them can understand what they're saying