Peter Sketch
@petersketch.bsky.social
Dragonfly-obsessed environmental consultant
Reposted by Peter Sketch
Hello. Former Index On Censorship staffer here. To be very clear, having your request to speak at a society of which you are not a member does not count, in any sense whatsoever, as censorship. nation.cymru/news/uproar-...
Uproar as Reform policy chief threatens to defund Welsh university
Martin Shipton Reform UK’s head of policy Zia Yusuf launched a culture war in Wales by threatening to withhold funding from Bangor University after its student debating society refused to host two lea...
nation.cymru
February 10, 2026 at 5:45 PM
Hello. Former Index On Censorship staffer here. To be very clear, having your request to speak at a society of which you are not a member does not count, in any sense whatsoever, as censorship. nation.cymru/news/uproar-...
Reposted by Peter Sketch
A reformed character, photographed this evening (so much more of a homebody these days).
February 10, 2026 at 6:34 PM
A reformed character, photographed this evening (so much more of a homebody these days).
Banana republic.
House Oversight hearing on ICE opens with the rules:
"It is also a clear violation of the rules of the House to make statements that might personally be offensive to the President or the Vice President of the United States."
"It is also a clear violation of the rules of the House to make statements that might personally be offensive to the President or the Vice President of the United States."
February 10, 2026 at 3:42 PM
Banana republic.
Reposted by Peter Sketch
Yeah, British politics is simple. You just need to improve public services without any meaningful tax increases, reduce immigration without any labour market impacts, and deliver growth and you'll be hugely successful.
Right, but if you strip out the hyperbole it's just "the public are angry about the cost of living, immigration and the NHS and don't particularly understand any of them" which, sure, but what do I do with that?
You may not like it, but strip out the hyperbole and abuse and it's quite hard to argue with this Cummings asssessment of the public mood
February 10, 2026 at 3:18 PM
Yeah, British politics is simple. You just need to improve public services without any meaningful tax increases, reduce immigration without any labour market impacts, and deliver growth and you'll be hugely successful.
Sounds great. And sounds pretty much like what he actually believes. Where's this version of Keir Starmer been for the last couple of years?
Starmer:
"The real fight is not in the Labour Party. It's with the right-wing politics that challenges that. The politics of Reform... Divide, divide, divide. Grievance, grievance, grievance. That will tear our country apart... I will be in that fight as long as I have breath in my body."
"The real fight is not in the Labour Party. It's with the right-wing politics that challenges that. The politics of Reform... Divide, divide, divide. Grievance, grievance, grievance. That will tear our country apart... I will be in that fight as long as I have breath in my body."
February 10, 2026 at 3:19 PM
Sounds great. And sounds pretty much like what he actually believes. Where's this version of Keir Starmer been for the last couple of years?
The new pope being a baseball fan is certainly a great source of meme worthy photos.
February 10, 2026 at 1:20 PM
The new pope being a baseball fan is certainly a great source of meme worthy photos.
Reposted by Peter Sketch
"The outcry in allied nations has derailed top government careers — and is threatening to tank Starmer, a man who never even met Epstein. But in the U.S., officials and some wealthy figures remain largely unscathed," Axios reported.
#EpsteinCoverUp
#EpsteinCoverUp
Europe is confronting its Epstein shame. Trump wants to move on.
The avalanche of files have buried some — while others have weathered scrutiny.
www.axios.com
February 10, 2026 at 11:01 AM
"The outcry in allied nations has derailed top government careers — and is threatening to tank Starmer, a man who never even met Epstein. But in the U.S., officials and some wealthy figures remain largely unscathed," Axios reported.
#EpsteinCoverUp
#EpsteinCoverUp
Reposted by Peter Sketch
Today is Plimsoll Day, an annual celebration of the life of social reformer and MP Samuel Plimsoll (born 1824), and his radical campaign to improve ship safety and protect seafarers' lives. (1/6)
February 10, 2026 at 12:30 PM
Today is Plimsoll Day, an annual celebration of the life of social reformer and MP Samuel Plimsoll (born 1824), and his radical campaign to improve ship safety and protect seafarers' lives. (1/6)
Reposted by Peter Sketch
German place-names rendered into English (morphologically reconstructed from historical forms)
February 10, 2026 at 11:59 AM
German place-names rendered into English (morphologically reconstructed from historical forms)
Reposted by Peter Sketch
I find the apathy about Trump’s wholesale corruption - by US and overseas institutions- among the most perturbing indicators about our current era.
New: Binance holds 87% of the Trump family's stablecoin—$4.7 billion—a higher concentration than any other major stablecoin has at any single exchange.
Its U.S. affiliate holds $1,119.
me, for @forbes.com
Its U.S. affiliate holds $1,119.
me, for @forbes.com
Trump's Stablecoin USD1: Binance Holds 87% After Founder's Pardon
World Liberty Financial's founding document describes the company as "pioneering a new era of Decentralized Finance." Its flagship stablecoin is anything but.
www.forbes.com
February 10, 2026 at 11:35 AM
I find the apathy about Trump’s wholesale corruption - by US and overseas institutions- among the most perturbing indicators about our current era.
Reposted by Peter Sketch
As usual, plenty of fascinating papers here, but in particular for those living in coastal regions, a gem about Necklacepod (Sophora tomentosa) seeds found on British & Irish beaches.
@barrabirder.bsky.social & @peediepuss.bsky.social, the game is afoot!
@barrabirder.bsky.social & @peediepuss.bsky.social, the game is afoot!
The latest issue of #BritishandIrishBotany is out!
It's our Open Access, online scientific journal.
6 papers inc @bsbiscience.bsky.social on garden escapes, a new hybrid grass, @floodplainmead.bsky.social on Scotland's wet grasslands, a hawkweed, drift seeds & sea bindweed:
bsbi.org/about/news/l...
It's our Open Access, online scientific journal.
6 papers inc @bsbiscience.bsky.social on garden escapes, a new hybrid grass, @floodplainmead.bsky.social on Scotland's wet grasslands, a hawkweed, drift seeds & sea bindweed:
bsbi.org/about/news/l...
February 10, 2026 at 11:28 AM
As usual, plenty of fascinating papers here, but in particular for those living in coastal regions, a gem about Necklacepod (Sophora tomentosa) seeds found on British & Irish beaches.
@barrabirder.bsky.social & @peediepuss.bsky.social, the game is afoot!
@barrabirder.bsky.social & @peediepuss.bsky.social, the game is afoot!
Also, it's much more obvious if you've seen pictures of dinosaurs drawn with feathers the way they are now, rather than as giant lizards like when I was young.
Quite a few people replying “oh but it’s obvious that birds are dinosaurs”. Yes, once you know they are. Before, perhaps not.
February 10, 2026 at 9:26 AM
Also, it's much more obvious if you've seen pictures of dinosaurs drawn with feathers the way they are now, rather than as giant lizards like when I was young.
Reposted by Peter Sketch
Stop scrolling!
We are as far from Punk as Punk was from the 1920s.
...continue scrolling.
We are as far from Punk as Punk was from the 1920s.
...continue scrolling.
February 10, 2026 at 8:08 AM
Stop scrolling!
We are as far from Punk as Punk was from the 1920s.
...continue scrolling.
We are as far from Punk as Punk was from the 1920s.
...continue scrolling.
Reposted by Peter Sketch
Just received an advance hardback copy of ‘Dragonflies’ with masses of fantastic new photos, mostly by Steve Cham, and many new artworks. Also received, a reprint of ‘Bees’, both excellently printed in China.
February 9, 2026 at 6:06 PM
Just received an advance hardback copy of ‘Dragonflies’ with masses of fantastic new photos, mostly by Steve Cham, and many new artworks. Also received, a reprint of ‘Bees’, both excellently printed in China.
Reposted by Peter Sketch
Not today's main point, but I do find it odd that ministers are signalling their support of Keir Starmer - pretty important as their silence is interpreted as a sign they might quit and force him to resign! - by... posting on X.
You know, the site condemned for being an AI porn hellscape last month
You know, the site condemned for being an AI porn hellscape last month
February 9, 2026 at 4:21 PM
Not today's main point, but I do find it odd that ministers are signalling their support of Keir Starmer - pretty important as their silence is interpreted as a sign they might quit and force him to resign! - by... posting on X.
You know, the site condemned for being an AI porn hellscape last month
You know, the site condemned for being an AI porn hellscape last month
Reposted by Peter Sketch
Already read Italian journalists joking that in comparison to Meloni (started in October 2022, almost in parallel to Truss) that Meloni might soon meet her 4th UK Prime Minister while in office.
Meanwhile at the EU Commission in Brussels:
"Wait, they lost another Prime Minister?"
"Wait, they lost another Prime Minister?"
February 9, 2026 at 2:27 PM
Already read Italian journalists joking that in comparison to Meloni (started in October 2022, almost in parallel to Truss) that Meloni might soon meet her 4th UK Prime Minister while in office.
Reposted by Peter Sketch
Sting got sued for unpaid royalties to his bandmates and in doing so he’s the only person so far to successfully defund the police.
a man is playing a saxophone and another man is playing a trumpet in a pink room .
Alt: Paul Simon and Chevy chase doing a comical dance in the You Can Call Me Al video
media.tenor.com
February 9, 2026 at 12:24 PM
Sting got sued for unpaid royalties to his bandmates and in doing so he’s the only person so far to successfully defund the police.
Reposted by Peter Sketch
They're creepy and they're kooky
Mysterious and spooky
Their lungs were very goopy
The Bronte Family
They all were dreadful teachers
Their dad & beaus were preachers
They died on moors and beaches
The Bronte Family www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Mysterious and spooky
Their lungs were very goopy
The Bronte Family
They all were dreadful teachers
Their dad & beaus were preachers
They died on moors and beaches
The Bronte Family www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
You're Dead to Me - Dead Funny History - The Brontës - BBC Sounds
Tragedy and triumph in the Brontë story.
www.bbc.co.uk
February 9, 2026 at 1:01 PM
They're creepy and they're kooky
Mysterious and spooky
Their lungs were very goopy
The Bronte Family
They all were dreadful teachers
Their dad & beaus were preachers
They died on moors and beaches
The Bronte Family www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Mysterious and spooky
Their lungs were very goopy
The Bronte Family
They all were dreadful teachers
Their dad & beaus were preachers
They died on moors and beaches
The Bronte Family www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Reposted by Peter Sketch
It's always funny when you get to the 'people denying stories that they have clearly forgotten that they were themselves the source for' stage.
February 9, 2026 at 11:56 AM
It's always funny when you get to the 'people denying stories that they have clearly forgotten that they were themselves the source for' stage.
Reposted by Peter Sketch
Most politicians and advisers seem to way underestimate the stakes they're playing with. The fantasists, conspiracists and wreckers of Reform UK deeply sympathise with the dictators we face. Idea of them with executive power and access to the panoply of state functions dwarfs most else we've faced.
February 9, 2026 at 8:42 AM
Most politicians and advisers seem to way underestimate the stakes they're playing with. The fantasists, conspiracists and wreckers of Reform UK deeply sympathise with the dictators we face. Idea of them with executive power and access to the panoply of state functions dwarfs most else we've faced.
Reposted by Peter Sketch
February 8, 2026 at 6:53 AM
Reposted by Peter Sketch
Always an exciting moment when we see les grues (the cranes) flying north over our part of France… a sign that spring is on the way.
February 7, 2026 at 5:27 PM
Always an exciting moment when we see les grues (the cranes) flying north over our part of France… a sign that spring is on the way.
Reposted by Peter Sketch
"Suspected political message" = in Spanish so the mouth noises scared me
February 9, 2026 at 3:27 AM
"Suspected political message" = in Spanish so the mouth noises scared me
Reposted by Peter Sketch
February 9, 2026 at 8:01 AM
Reposted by Peter Sketch
Macbeth: SHIT
February 9, 2026 at 2:50 AM
Macbeth: SHIT