Gideon Mitchell
@gideon-mitchell.bsky.social
Old guy with a beard. Unhealthy obsession with the state of democracy in the world. Teaches data visualisation. Talks on mental health. Publishes the Substack 'Untethered' about motivation, addiction and recovery. North Wales, UK.
The flag shaggers have been out hanging their St George's flags in Westferry, London. (The blurry picture is through my dirty hotel window.) It is a shame the council allow them to co-opt our flag as a symbol of their right-wing nationalism.
November 26, 2025 at 8:19 AM
The flag shaggers have been out hanging their St George's flags in Westferry, London. (The blurry picture is through my dirty hotel window.) It is a shame the council allow them to co-opt our flag as a symbol of their right-wing nationalism.
Are you surprised?
November 18, 2025 at 5:21 PM
Are you surprised?
(nominated by angry customers like me) and sends in some techies to build the tech structures needed to make things more efficient?
Let's put some intelligence into this and replace Reform's 'Slash and Burn' with targeted help for local authorities.
Let's put some intelligence into this and replace Reform's 'Slash and Burn' with targeted help for local authorities.
November 5, 2025 at 6:41 PM
(nominated by angry customers like me) and sends in some techies to build the tech structures needed to make things more efficient?
Let's put some intelligence into this and replace Reform's 'Slash and Burn' with targeted help for local authorities.
Let's put some intelligence into this and replace Reform's 'Slash and Burn' with targeted help for local authorities.
Here's the critical survey chart.
October 28, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Here's the critical survey chart.
I often wonder why Trump's team look so dead-eyed. Think of Pam Bondi or Stephen Miller. Is it because the only way they can continue to sacrifice their principles and enable Trump's dismantling of America is to 'keep the eyes on the prize' and imagine dollar signs floating in front of them?
October 25, 2025 at 3:28 PM
I often wonder why Trump's team look so dead-eyed. Think of Pam Bondi or Stephen Miller. Is it because the only way they can continue to sacrifice their principles and enable Trump's dismantling of America is to 'keep the eyes on the prize' and imagine dollar signs floating in front of them?
Jeremy Clarkson says that wealth taxes are 'batty'. Several countries raise billions each year using wealth taxes. For a hard-up country like the UK, this looks like a good kind of batty, like my charming old granny used to be. Let's do it.
October 20, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Jeremy Clarkson says that wealth taxes are 'batty'. Several countries raise billions each year using wealth taxes. For a hard-up country like the UK, this looks like a good kind of batty, like my charming old granny used to be. Let's do it.
Coming along nicely...
October 2, 2025 at 2:12 PM
Coming along nicely...
The dilemma facing every decent democratic leader as it gradually becomes clear that appeasement was never going to work.
September 25, 2025 at 5:59 PM
The dilemma facing every decent democratic leader as it gradually becomes clear that appeasement was never going to work.
I have started going to the gym after a break of about 20 years. You know those men who like to drop their weights with a great 'CLANG'? There is one at my gym, but my intense irritation with him has worn off slightly since I christened him 'Major Clanger'.
July 10, 2025 at 4:18 PM
I have started going to the gym after a break of about 20 years. You know those men who like to drop their weights with a great 'CLANG'? There is one at my gym, but my intense irritation with him has worn off slightly since I christened him 'Major Clanger'.
This beautiful and very sad gravestone is in my local graveyard. I wonder whether the two 4 year-olds would have survived if they had been born after vaccinations.
April 20, 2025 at 3:45 PM
This beautiful and very sad gravestone is in my local graveyard. I wonder whether the two 4 year-olds would have survived if they had been born after vaccinations.
Take a look at my new post on Substack. gideonmitchell01.substack.com/p/simon-scha...
April 8, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Take a look at my new post on Substack. gideonmitchell01.substack.com/p/simon-scha...
As Bluesky is full of educated, sane people, it is easy to forget that 47% of Americans still approve of Donald Trump. OK, the sample is dominated by male, young, white idiots (see the graph below) but even so, it's hard to understand how they can be so stupid.
March 31, 2025 at 8:47 AM
As Bluesky is full of educated, sane people, it is easy to forget that 47% of Americans still approve of Donald Trump. OK, the sample is dominated by male, young, white idiots (see the graph below) but even so, it's hard to understand how they can be so stupid.
I was excited to see a pair of Dippers on the river at the weekend. Here is one of them doing its characteristic bouncing.
March 24, 2025 at 1:24 PM
I was excited to see a pair of Dippers on the river at the weekend. Here is one of them doing its characteristic bouncing.
Cook on medium high heat for 5-10 minutes until the shallots start to brown. Add 3 large sprigs of fresh rosemary from your Welsh beach (or a dessert spoonful of dried rosemary it you ain't so lucky) and a large piece of cassia bark, or a cinnamon stick.
March 8, 2025 at 6:22 PM
Cook on medium high heat for 5-10 minutes until the shallots start to brown. Add 3 large sprigs of fresh rosemary from your Welsh beach (or a dessert spoonful of dried rosemary it you ain't so lucky) and a large piece of cassia bark, or a cinnamon stick.
In preparation, I went to one of my favourite beaches in North Wales where there is the largest rosemary bush I have ever seen. I took my secateurs and brought home a small branch.
March 8, 2025 at 6:22 PM
In preparation, I went to one of my favourite beaches in North Wales where there is the largest rosemary bush I have ever seen. I took my secateurs and brought home a small branch.
I am making another North Wales stiffado. It is probably unwise to call it that because I will get all the culinary purists telling me that it isn't the traditional version. I DON'T CARE! Whatever you call it, it tastes delicious.
March 8, 2025 at 6:22 PM
I am making another North Wales stiffado. It is probably unwise to call it that because I will get all the culinary purists telling me that it isn't the traditional version. I DON'T CARE! Whatever you call it, it tastes delicious.
For plant lovers: my daughter lives in London and recommends going to the orchid festival at the magnificent Kew Gardens, which is on until March. Here are some of her pictures.
February 15, 2025 at 8:56 AM
For plant lovers: my daughter lives in London and recommends going to the orchid festival at the magnificent Kew Gardens, which is on until March. Here are some of her pictures.
Friends in the US might have heard of the UK's shortest-serving Prime Minister Liz Truss. She was so awful that a newspaper made a bet that a lettuce would last longer than her. The lettuce won.
January 31, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Friends in the US might have heard of the UK's shortest-serving Prime Minister Liz Truss. She was so awful that a newspaper made a bet that a lettuce would last longer than her. The lettuce won.
I rashly made a joke about how at the awards ceremony I could make jokes about data visualisation, but they thought I was serious. What have I done?! Anyone know anything funny to say about pie charts? Oh well. Here's a cat showing that correlation does not imply causation.
January 30, 2025 at 6:21 PM
I rashly made a joke about how at the awards ceremony I could make jokes about data visualisation, but they thought I was serious. What have I done?! Anyone know anything funny to say about pie charts? Oh well. Here's a cat showing that correlation does not imply causation.
Is it just me or do Jeff Bezos' eyes look as if they are looking inwards?
January 17, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Is it just me or do Jeff Bezos' eyes look as if they are looking inwards?
Should we all be preparing to take direct action to keep Elon Musk from destroying our democracies? I don't feel completely prepared.
December 22, 2024 at 6:04 PM
Should we all be preparing to take direct action to keep Elon Musk from destroying our democracies? I don't feel completely prepared.
Here's a list of sexual accusations that women have made against Donald Trump just to remind the people of America of the letch you have just elected as President of America. They are only accusations and only one of them has been proved in court, but this would get most people fired, not promoted.
December 6, 2024 at 6:53 PM
Here's a list of sexual accusations that women have made against Donald Trump just to remind the people of America of the letch you have just elected as President of America. They are only accusations and only one of them has been proved in court, but this would get most people fired, not promoted.