Thomas Batchelor
@tobbinatorscw.bsky.social
Linguistics PhD, Sydney > Köln > 台北
Linguistics (Creoles, Australia, Asia-Pacific, morphosyntax, policy, endangerment), politics (Syria, Taiwan, Australia in particular ig), history and other ramblings
Anarchist at heart
@tobbinatorscw in most places
Linguistics (Creoles, Australia, Asia-Pacific, morphosyntax, policy, endangerment), politics (Syria, Taiwan, Australia in particular ig), history and other ramblings
Anarchist at heart
@tobbinatorscw in most places
Reposted by Thomas Batchelor
This is just unconscionable man
February 13, 2026 at 1:43 AM
This is just unconscionable man
Reposted by Thomas Batchelor
The IOC: lets keep sports and politics separate
Also the IOC:
Also the IOC:
February 12, 2026 at 9:38 PM
The IOC: lets keep sports and politics separate
Also the IOC:
Also the IOC:
Reposted by Thomas Batchelor
There's been much written about China filling the Western aid gap. Here's China's aid in action
Have a personal luxury car please don't support Taiwan, thx bye
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...
Have a personal luxury car please don't support Taiwan, thx bye
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...
‘A free limo is hard to turn away’: how car diplomacy turbo charges politics in the Pacific
A luxury Chinese sedan gifted to Fiji is the latest in a string of vehicles donated by foreign countries to deepen partnerships and seek influence in the region
www.theguardian.com
February 11, 2026 at 2:38 AM
There's been much written about China filling the Western aid gap. Here's China's aid in action
Have a personal luxury car please don't support Taiwan, thx bye
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...
Have a personal luxury car please don't support Taiwan, thx bye
www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...
Reposted by Thomas Batchelor
Hong Kong is putting a senior citizen in jail because they disagree with his daughter's political views
Father of U.S.-based Hong Kong activist is convicted under national security law
Kwok Yin-sang, 69, was arrested in the Chinese territory last year and accused of trying to handle financial assets for his daughter Anna, who has a police bounty on her head.
www.nbcnews.com
February 11, 2026 at 1:15 PM
Hong Kong is putting a senior citizen in jail because they disagree with his daughter's political views
Reposted by Thomas Batchelor
Important read by @ginollopez.bsky.social on an act of union busting by Taidoc—apart from being flagrantly illegal, this is likely to draw more attention to the labor struggle by what is only Taiwan’s third migrant worker union
"Taiwanese Medtech Company Taidoc Fires Union Leaders, Steps Up Union Crackdown" by @ginollopez.bsky.social
Taiwanese Medtech Company Taidoc Fires Union Leaders, Steps Up Union Crackdown | New Bloom Magazine
Priminent Taiwanese medtech company Taidoc Technology Corporation has fired all leaders of its company-based union, all of whom are Filipino migrant workers in Taiwan. Such termination marks a major…
newbloommag.net
February 11, 2026 at 1:20 PM
Important read by @ginollopez.bsky.social on an act of union busting by Taidoc—apart from being flagrantly illegal, this is likely to draw more attention to the labor struggle by what is only Taiwan’s third migrant worker union
Reposted by Thomas Batchelor
GovHK: The national security law is necessary, fair and just, and only impacts a tiny minority of ppl.
Also GovHK: If we can't jail you, we'll jail your family members for not disowning you.
Also GovHK: If we can't jail you, we'll jail your family members for not disowning you.
The father of HK democrat Anna Kwok has been found guilty of handling funds linked to an "absconder" - the first family member of a wanted activist to be convicted of a national security offence. In full: buff.ly/Bf7KIGh
Father of wanted HK activist convicted over funds linked to 'absconder'
The father of HK democrat Anna Kwok has been found guilty of handling funds linked to an "absconder" - the first family member of a wanted activist to be convicted of a national security offence.
buff.ly
February 11, 2026 at 6:45 AM
GovHK: The national security law is necessary, fair and just, and only impacts a tiny minority of ppl.
Also GovHK: If we can't jail you, we'll jail your family members for not disowning you.
Also GovHK: If we can't jail you, we'll jail your family members for not disowning you.
Reposted by Thomas Batchelor
Mattis is a military man and as a military man he recognizes that the settlement policy is basically designed to create perpetual military conflicts
A fun fact is that James Mattis is on the record as being more critical of Israel's segregationist regime in the occupied West Bank than Schumer or Jeffries or Biden or even, well, Obama.
February 10, 2026 at 8:04 PM
Mattis is a military man and as a military man he recognizes that the settlement policy is basically designed to create perpetual military conflicts
Reposted by Thomas Batchelor
One thing that Americans don’t get is that Chinese mainstream culture is still fundamentally conservative in a lot of ways lmfao
February 11, 2026 at 2:08 AM
One thing that Americans don’t get is that Chinese mainstream culture is still fundamentally conservative in a lot of ways lmfao
Reposted by Thomas Batchelor
"Taiwanese Medtech Company Taidoc Fires Union Leaders, Steps Up Union Crackdown" by @ginollopez.bsky.social
Taiwanese Medtech Company Taidoc Fires Union Leaders, Steps Up Union Crackdown | New Bloom Magazine
Priminent Taiwanese medtech company Taidoc Technology Corporation has fired all leaders of its company-based union, all of whom are Filipino migrant workers in Taiwan. Such termination marks a major…
newbloommag.net
February 11, 2026 at 7:08 AM
"Taiwanese Medtech Company Taidoc Fires Union Leaders, Steps Up Union Crackdown" by @ginollopez.bsky.social
Reposted by Thomas Batchelor
While Ukrainians freeze, Russia is stealing their power plants to make fake money
Russian appointed Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant chief Yuriy Chernychuk said the occupying authorities plan to use the plant’s capacity for cryptocurrency mining. According to him, the project was developed from 2022 to 2025 and is expected to start in 2026 after receiving Russian licenses.
February 10, 2026 at 8:30 PM
While Ukrainians freeze, Russia is stealing their power plants to make fake money
Reposted by Thomas Batchelor
Ring is a wildly dangerous company. Always has been. But it has sort of flown under the radar the last couple years as it tried to soften its image. Make no mistake that this is an extremely dangerous surveillance dragnet:
www.404media.co/with-ring-am...
www.404media.co/with-ring-am...
With Ring, American Consumers Built a Surveillance Dragnet
Ring's 'Search Party' is dystopian surveillance accelerationism.
www.404media.co
February 10, 2026 at 3:09 PM
Ring is a wildly dangerous company. Always has been. But it has sort of flown under the radar the last couple years as it tried to soften its image. Make no mistake that this is an extremely dangerous surveillance dragnet:
www.404media.co/with-ring-am...
www.404media.co/with-ring-am...
Idk I feel like there's a hint of racism in framing this like the vast global francophonie doesn't exist (because a huge portion is in Africa?)
Spanish is clearly now the world’s coolest language. So why do we push British children to learn French? | Gary Nunn
Spanish is clearly now the world’s coolest language. So why do we push British children to learn French? | Gary Nunn
As Bad Bunny showed at the Super Bowl, español is the coming thing. No wonder it’s now the top GCSE language choice, says journalist Gary Nunn
www.theguardian.com
February 10, 2026 at 12:22 PM
Idk I feel like there's a hint of racism in framing this like the vast global francophonie doesn't exist (because a huge portion is in Africa?)
Reposted by Thomas Batchelor
TaiDoc, the company that has seen the formation of the third migrant worker union in Taiwan among its members, has fired all union officers from the company in an act of unionbusting
www.facebook.com/TTLU.tw/post...
www.facebook.com/TTLU.tw/post...
February 10, 2026 at 9:44 AM
TaiDoc, the company that has seen the formation of the third migrant worker union in Taiwan among its members, has fired all union officers from the company in an act of unionbusting
www.facebook.com/TTLU.tw/post...
www.facebook.com/TTLU.tw/post...
Reposted by Thomas Batchelor
Chinese technology underpins Iran’s internet control, report finds – The Guardian: ‘The report by Article 19 says the technologies include facial recognition tools used on Uyghurs in western China and a Chinese alternative to the US-based GPS system, BeiDou.’
Chinese technology underpins Iran’s internet control, report finds
The technologies include facial recognition tools used on Uyghurs in western China, say experts
www.theguardian.com
February 10, 2026 at 12:14 PM
Chinese technology underpins Iran’s internet control, report finds – The Guardian: ‘The report by Article 19 says the technologies include facial recognition tools used on Uyghurs in western China and a Chinese alternative to the US-based GPS system, BeiDou.’
Reposted by Thomas Batchelor
The IOC would like to remind you that sports are non-political which is why everyone competes under the banner of a political entity and also why you can't call Taiwan, Taiwan.
February 10, 2026 at 12:35 AM
The IOC would like to remind you that sports are non-political which is why everyone competes under the banner of a political entity and also why you can't call Taiwan, Taiwan.
No matter how much dissent they crush, everything is national security and the national security state precedes all else
A day after Jimmy Lai's 20-year sentence, Beijing's State Council released a paper outlining plans to strengthen national security in Hong Kong, focusing on areas such as finance, shipping, and protecting overseas interests.
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
China to Deepen HK Security Focus as Jimmy Lai Case Stirs Outcry
China signaled greater efforts to protect national security in Hong Kong after the sentencing of Jimmy Lai renewed foreign governments’ calls for the former media mogul’s release.
www.bloomberg.com
February 10, 2026 at 8:38 AM
No matter how much dissent they crush, everything is national security and the national security state precedes all else
Reposted by Thomas Batchelor
ICE has now spent over half a BILLION dollars just on purchasing warehouses around the country to convert into detention camps.
If these mega-camps are utilized to the full capacity ICE intends, they'll be the largest prisons in the country, with little real oversight. www.ajc.com/politics/202...
If these mega-camps are utilized to the full capacity ICE intends, they'll be the largest prisons in the country, with little real oversight. www.ajc.com/politics/202...
ICE to begin detaining immigrants inside Social Circle warehouse in April
Homeland Security plans to build warehouse detention facilities in other cities being met with opposition.
www.ajc.com
February 9, 2026 at 5:56 PM
ICE has now spent over half a BILLION dollars just on purchasing warehouses around the country to convert into detention camps.
If these mega-camps are utilized to the full capacity ICE intends, they'll be the largest prisons in the country, with little real oversight. www.ajc.com/politics/202...
If these mega-camps are utilized to the full capacity ICE intends, they'll be the largest prisons in the country, with little real oversight. www.ajc.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Thomas Batchelor
This is rather concerning that this took place during Chinese drills
www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/...
www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/...
February 10, 2026 at 7:05 AM
This is rather concerning that this took place during Chinese drills
www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/...
www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/...
It's great how the world continues to act like it's just those intractable Arabs blocking the way to a two-state solution
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
February 9, 2026 at 10:11 PM
It's great how the world continues to act like it's just those intractable Arabs blocking the way to a two-state solution
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Reposted by Thomas Batchelor
1/In the sentencing decision, the court offered numerous technical justifications for the severe penalty against Jimmy and other defendants, but these rationales are indefensible under the liberal rule of law tradition Hong Kong enjoyed for decades.
Six former Apple Daily employees have been jailed for up to 10 years in a landmark national security case, with judges saying they played "affirmative and extensive roles." In full: buff.ly/W9pLwnr
Judges cite 'extensive roles' as ex-Apple Daily staffers jailed for up to 10 years
Six former Apple Daily employees have been jailed for up to 10 years in a landmark national security case, with judges saying they played "affirmative and extensive roles."
buff.ly
February 9, 2026 at 7:31 AM
1/In the sentencing decision, the court offered numerous technical justifications for the severe penalty against Jimmy and other defendants, but these rationales are indefensible under the liberal rule of law tradition Hong Kong enjoyed for decades.
while we were out today the dog managed to somehow get into the butter dish from the countertop, then proceeded to take the butter over to the couch to enjoy as a snack (?) until it melted all through the cushions by the time we got home
February 9, 2026 at 8:09 PM
while we were out today the dog managed to somehow get into the butter dish from the countertop, then proceeded to take the butter over to the couch to enjoy as a snack (?) until it melted all through the cushions by the time we got home
Reposted by Thomas Batchelor
"On Thursday, state broadcaster CGTN reported that 'Dalai Lama' appeared at least 169 times in the Epstein files and mentioned an email in which an unknown sender told Epstein he was considering going to an event the Dalai Lama was set to attend."
Did they mention "Xi Jinping" appearing 134 times?
Did they mention "Xi Jinping" appearing 134 times?
The office of the Dalai Lama said on Sunday that he had never met convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after Chinese media reported the Tibetan Buddhist leader's name was mentioned in a cache of files released by the US government. In full: buff.ly/jAl87Ow
Dalai Lama never met Epstein, Tibetan spiritual leader's office says
The office of the Dalai Lama said on Sunday that he had never met convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, after Chinese media reported the Tibetan Buddhist leader's name was mentioned in a cache of files...
buff.ly
February 9, 2026 at 3:20 AM
"On Thursday, state broadcaster CGTN reported that 'Dalai Lama' appeared at least 169 times in the Epstein files and mentioned an email in which an unknown sender told Epstein he was considering going to an event the Dalai Lama was set to attend."
Did they mention "Xi Jinping" appearing 134 times?
Did they mention "Xi Jinping" appearing 134 times?
Reposted by Thomas Batchelor
When we say CCP politics often can’t be distinguished from MAGA and ultranationalists, we mean stuff like this:
February 9, 2026 at 1:02 AM
When we say CCP politics often can’t be distinguished from MAGA and ultranationalists, we mean stuff like this:
Reposted by Thomas Batchelor
Perhaps Okinawa should have self-determination as should Taiwan? Ironic that never seems to occur to Chinese state run media
www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/...
www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/...
China attempting to play ‘Ryukyu card’ once again - Taipei Times
Bringing Taiwan to the World and the World to Taiwan
www.taipeitimes.com
February 9, 2026 at 2:01 AM
Perhaps Okinawa should have self-determination as should Taiwan? Ironic that never seems to occur to Chinese state run media
www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/...
www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/...
Reposted by Thomas Batchelor
Pro-democracy media magnate Jimmy Lai, 76, has been sentenced to 20 years for national security crimes.
Since the day he was arrested, everyone has been predicting the government will make sure he dies behind bars. Everyone was, of course, right — but it’s still, to say the very least, a gut punch.
Since the day he was arrested, everyone has been predicting the government will make sure he dies behind bars. Everyone was, of course, right — but it’s still, to say the very least, a gut punch.
黎智英案判刑 官斥黎是主腦兼推動者並有預謀 判監20年
壹傳媒創辦人黎智英，被指用其國際人脈，在2019年更透過「重光團隊」，極力遊說多個國家，向中港兩地政府及官員作出制裁。他又同時利用旗下的《蘋
www.hk01.com
February 9, 2026 at 3:03 AM
Pro-democracy media magnate Jimmy Lai, 76, has been sentenced to 20 years for national security crimes.
Since the day he was arrested, everyone has been predicting the government will make sure he dies behind bars. Everyone was, of course, right — but it’s still, to say the very least, a gut punch.
Since the day he was arrested, everyone has been predicting the government will make sure he dies behind bars. Everyone was, of course, right — but it’s still, to say the very least, a gut punch.