Rick Gaehl
@rickgaehl.bsky.social
Retired bloke in Devon who identifies as European and is interested in politics, the environment, photography, the arts, history, cycling, and stuff.
All photos are mine unless credited elsewhere.
Also to be found here: https://mstdn.social/@RickGaehl
All photos are mine unless credited elsewhere.
Also to be found here: https://mstdn.social/@RickGaehl
Pinned
Rick Gaehl
@rickgaehl.bsky.social
· Nov 14
Lots of new people joining BlueSky just now, which is a good thing.
I try to post a new photo every day, but also post stuff about politics, climate change, and other issues.
I welcome new followers, but I tend not to follow back if you have a scant bio or posting history, or unless I know you.
I try to post a new photo every day, but also post stuff about politics, climate change, and other issues.
I welcome new followers, but I tend not to follow back if you have a scant bio or posting history, or unless I know you.
Here is the view from the back of our house on a sunny, autumn day.
#Photography #ThickTrunkTuesday #Autumn #Nature #Trees #Landscape
#Photography #ThickTrunkTuesday #Autumn #Nature #Trees #Landscape
November 11, 2025 at 9:44 AM
Here is the view from the back of our house on a sunny, autumn day.
#Photography #ThickTrunkTuesday #Autumn #Nature #Trees #Landscape
#Photography #ThickTrunkTuesday #Autumn #Nature #Trees #Landscape
Reposted by Rick Gaehl
This is the back of a very old gate at Hay-on-Wye Castle. I'm really admiring the textures and the rustic carpentry...
#Photography #MonochromeMonday #WoodWorking #Gate #Castle
#Photography #MonochromeMonday #WoodWorking #Gate #Castle
November 10, 2025 at 9:34 AM
This is the back of a very old gate at Hay-on-Wye Castle. I'm really admiring the textures and the rustic carpentry...
#Photography #MonochromeMonday #WoodWorking #Gate #Castle
#Photography #MonochromeMonday #WoodWorking #Gate #Castle
Reposted by Rick Gaehl
Reposted by Rick Gaehl
Want to know why the prisons system seems to be suddenly falling apart?
Well, it's not sudden. It's just suddenly being REPORTED. This rot was a deliberate policy choice, and I kept the receipts. Because I'm not the BBC.
(A note on what Tories did to cause this, from The Decade In Tory)
Well, it's not sudden. It's just suddenly being REPORTED. This rot was a deliberate policy choice, and I kept the receipts. Because I'm not the BBC.
(A note on what Tories did to cause this, from The Decade In Tory)
November 10, 2025 at 9:56 AM
Want to know why the prisons system seems to be suddenly falling apart?
Well, it's not sudden. It's just suddenly being REPORTED. This rot was a deliberate policy choice, and I kept the receipts. Because I'm not the BBC.
(A note on what Tories did to cause this, from The Decade In Tory)
Well, it's not sudden. It's just suddenly being REPORTED. This rot was a deliberate policy choice, and I kept the receipts. Because I'm not the BBC.
(A note on what Tories did to cause this, from The Decade In Tory)
Reposted by Rick Gaehl
For all the talk of 'Broken Britain', so many things have got better.
Even a simple factoid like this gets overlooked, but it was not long ago that *everyone* directly knew multiple examples of people taken away by this at something preposterous like age 22
November 10, 2025 at 1:48 PM
For all the talk of 'Broken Britain', so many things have got better.
Reposted by Rick Gaehl
Maybe they have all missed BBCQT, Politics Live, Daily Politics, and This Week for the last two decades, for which Farage has his own dressing room.
Farage accuses the BBC of bias on Europe, immigration, the environment, Gaza, and Trump - to a hall of toadies roaring their approval.
And in the blink of an eye, turns to his actual employer "a much perkier GB News," then remembers "although I have to declare an interest." ~AA
And in the blink of an eye, turns to his actual employer "a much perkier GB News," then remembers "although I have to declare an interest." ~AA
November 10, 2025 at 1:18 PM
Maybe they have all missed BBCQT, Politics Live, Daily Politics, and This Week for the last two decades, for which Farage has his own dressing room.
Reposted by Rick Gaehl
Excellent analysis of this unfolding horror show
What you’re witnessing is a populist assault on the BBC.
This is not an institutional scandal in any meaningful sense of the word. It is an attack on public service broadcasting.
iandunt.substack.com/p/extra-edit...
This is not an institutional scandal in any meaningful sense of the word. It is an attack on public service broadcasting.
iandunt.substack.com/p/extra-edit...
November 10, 2025 at 12:28 PM
Excellent analysis of this unfolding horror show
Reposted by Rick Gaehl
Tonight was a very bad night.
November 10, 2025 at 3:09 AM
Tonight was a very bad night.
Reposted by Rick Gaehl
Four days to go - and about 50 tickets left.
Live on November 14 in Totnes - come and join us.
George Monbiot - journalist and author
Anthea Simmons - co-founder of the South Devon Primary
Jonathon Porritt - former director of Friends of the Earth
Klina Jordan - former CEO of Make Votes Matter
mvm-totnes-time-for-real-change.eventbrite.co.uk
George Monbiot - journalist and author
Anthea Simmons - co-founder of the South Devon Primary
Jonathon Porritt - former director of Friends of the Earth
Klina Jordan - former CEO of Make Votes Matter
mvm-totnes-time-for-real-change.eventbrite.co.uk
TIME FOR REAL CHANGE: democracy and climate justice
A live conversation about our shared future, with insights from distinguished speakers and activists.
MVM-Totnes-Time-for-Real-Change.eventbrite.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 12:29 PM
Four days to go - and about 50 tickets left.
Reposted by Rick Gaehl
We have a great line-up for this event on Friday. Do please come if you're in the area.
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/time-for-r...
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/time-for-r...
TIME FOR REAL CHANGE: democracy and climate justice
A live conversation about our shared future, with insights from distinguished speakers and activists.
www.eventbrite.co.uk
November 10, 2025 at 12:15 PM
We have a great line-up for this event on Friday. Do please come if you're in the area.
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/time-for-r...
www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/time-for-r...
Reposted by Rick Gaehl
They haven’t. They’ve got exactly the predictable and predicted consequences of what Farage spent years advocating. And those who believed him knew what they were voting for anyway (apparently).
www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
Farage says small business owners who thought Brexit would cut regulation have been betrayed – UK politics live
Reform UK leader claims that burden of regulation is worse than before the referendum
www.theguardian.com
November 10, 2025 at 12:15 PM
They haven’t. They’ve got exactly the predictable and predicted consequences of what Farage spent years advocating. And those who believed him knew what they were voting for anyway (apparently).
www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...
There's hope for us all...
A new start after 60: I found my feet in midlife, became a park ranger at 85 – and retired happily at 100
A new start after 60: I found my feet in midlife, became a park ranger at 85 – and retired happily at 100
At 104, Betty Reid Soskin has had the most extraordinary life, from protest singing to civil rights activism to meeting the Obamas. She reflects on what it takes to stay strong and keep going
www.theguardian.com
November 10, 2025 at 11:14 AM
There's hope for us all...
This is the back of a very old gate at Hay-on-Wye Castle. I'm really admiring the textures and the rustic carpentry...
#Photography #MonochromeMonday #WoodWorking #Gate #Castle
#Photography #MonochromeMonday #WoodWorking #Gate #Castle
November 10, 2025 at 9:34 AM
This is the back of a very old gate at Hay-on-Wye Castle. I'm really admiring the textures and the rustic carpentry...
#Photography #MonochromeMonday #WoodWorking #Gate #Castle
#Photography #MonochromeMonday #WoodWorking #Gate #Castle
Reposted by Rick Gaehl
Today is #RemembranceSunday in the UK, and this is the 'Cross of Sacrifice'. There's one in every Commonwealth War Graves site with over 40 graves. This example is in Tyne Cot, in Belgium, which is a sobering place to visit.
More information at: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_o...
#Photography
More information at: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_o...
#Photography
November 9, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Today is #RemembranceSunday in the UK, and this is the 'Cross of Sacrifice'. There's one in every Commonwealth War Graves site with over 40 graves. This example is in Tyne Cot, in Belgium, which is a sobering place to visit.
More information at: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_o...
#Photography
More information at: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_o...
#Photography
Yup, it would be nice not to have a Tory stooge in the top job.
Davie and Turness resign from the BBC, ironically after the Right whip up confected outrage about a Trump documentary.
Now there’s a chance to get someone sympathetic to the BBC into the top job.
Now there’s a chance to get someone sympathetic to the BBC into the top job.
BBC director general Tim Davie and News CEO Deborah Turness resign over Trump documentary edit
Deborah Turness, the CEO of news, says “mistakes have been made”.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 9, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Yup, it would be nice not to have a Tory stooge in the top job.
Reposted by Rick Gaehl
I’ve just announced I’ll be leading a National Emergency Briefing on 27 November . At a time when climate is in free fall on the political agenda , it’s vital our leaders realise what is at stake if we do not accelerate a just , green transition for all .
@nebriefing.bsky.social 🇬🇧
@nebriefing.bsky.social 🇬🇧
November 9, 2025 at 12:46 PM
I’ve just announced I’ll be leading a National Emergency Briefing on 27 November . At a time when climate is in free fall on the political agenda , it’s vital our leaders realise what is at stake if we do not accelerate a just , green transition for all .
@nebriefing.bsky.social 🇬🇧
@nebriefing.bsky.social 🇬🇧
Reposted by Rick Gaehl
It is both ethically wrong & fundamentally anti-democratic for one man to command this much wealth and power.
States spent centuries trying to tame the power of over-mighty subjects. The rise of the global barons is not compatible with democracy as we've understood it.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
States spent centuries trying to tame the power of over-mighty subjects. The rise of the global barons is not compatible with democracy as we've understood it.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Elon Musk's $1tn pay deal approved by Tesla shareholders
The richest man in the world will get hundreds of millions of new shares if he hits his targets.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 7, 2025 at 8:31 AM
It is both ethically wrong & fundamentally anti-democratic for one man to command this much wealth and power.
States spent centuries trying to tame the power of over-mighty subjects. The rise of the global barons is not compatible with democracy as we've understood it.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
States spent centuries trying to tame the power of over-mighty subjects. The rise of the global barons is not compatible with democracy as we've understood it.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Rick Gaehl
Yknow even if Labour summoned dread Cthulhu to shipwreck all the boats and make the channel impassable it wouldnt appease the racists cause there still would be brown people in the town centre you ghoul and you know it
It would now take a miracle for Labour to avoid defeat at the next election
November 9, 2025 at 10:47 AM
Yknow even if Labour summoned dread Cthulhu to shipwreck all the boats and make the channel impassable it wouldnt appease the racists cause there still would be brown people in the town centre you ghoul and you know it
Today is #RemembranceSunday in the UK, and this is the 'Cross of Sacrifice'. There's one in every Commonwealth War Graves site with over 40 graves. This example is in Tyne Cot, in Belgium, which is a sobering place to visit.
More information at: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_o...
#Photography
More information at: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_o...
#Photography
November 9, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Today is #RemembranceSunday in the UK, and this is the 'Cross of Sacrifice'. There's one in every Commonwealth War Graves site with over 40 graves. This example is in Tyne Cot, in Belgium, which is a sobering place to visit.
More information at: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_o...
#Photography
More information at: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cross_o...
#Photography
Reposted by Rick Gaehl
Reposted by Rick Gaehl
Good stuff
#NationalTrust #NT members have followed the board's recommendations and elected sane candidates to the NT's Council at the 2025 AGM
The right-wing #RestoreTrust candidates were defeated again.
The right-wing #RestoreTrust candidates were defeated again.
November 8, 2025 at 4:20 PM
Good stuff
To work well, every joke must contain a kernel of truth. 😊
November 8, 2025 at 10:36 AM
To work well, every joke must contain a kernel of truth. 😊
Yes, "everything is connected". I came across Mark very shortly after I joined Bluesky, and he's proved a very valuable source of untainted news. If you don't follow him already, I can recommend.
Mission statement.
Why I’m Here
A mission statement of a kind
chadbourn.substack.com
November 8, 2025 at 10:14 AM
Yes, "everything is connected". I came across Mark very shortly after I joined Bluesky, and he's proved a very valuable source of untainted news. If you don't follow him already, I can recommend.