Osbert Lancaster
@osbert.realise.earth
What if we created the conditions for people & the rest of nature to thrive – whatever happens? Facilitator. Improv.
📍Portobello, Edinburgh, Scotland
Thrivable Field Notes https://notes.realise.earth
Podcasters of Edinburgh https://heylo.group/podedi
📍Portobello, Edinburgh, Scotland
Thrivable Field Notes https://notes.realise.earth
Podcasters of Edinburgh https://heylo.group/podedi
Reposted by Osbert Lancaster
It seems like many people are groping, in their own various ways, toward some version of, "we need more meatspace interactions and real-world relationships." Revive unions, revive local politics, revive the social practices of gathering & talking repeatedly.
November 17, 2025 at 10:20 PM
It seems like many people are groping, in their own various ways, toward some version of, "we need more meatspace interactions and real-world relationships." Revive unions, revive local politics, revive the social practices of gathering & talking repeatedly.
Reposted by Osbert Lancaster
Den Haag will close this 300m stretch of road on Monday and turn it into a cycle path, despite a 1,800 signature petition and attempts from right wing politicians to scrap it. Bravo!
November 17, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Den Haag will close this 300m stretch of road on Monday and turn it into a cycle path, despite a 1,800 signature petition and attempts from right wing politicians to scrap it. Bravo!
Reposted by Osbert Lancaster
The plan has admirable goals and some fine ideas. Talks about the problems of lack of passive surveillance and community infrastructure isolated by major roads - populated by drivers who predominantly do not reside in the area.
The plan: install some seats and a bit of landscaping.
Score: 1/10
The plan: install some seats and a bit of landscaping.
Score: 1/10
November 17, 2025 at 8:50 PM
The plan has admirable goals and some fine ideas. Talks about the problems of lack of passive surveillance and community infrastructure isolated by major roads - populated by drivers who predominantly do not reside in the area.
The plan: install some seats and a bit of landscaping.
Score: 1/10
The plan: install some seats and a bit of landscaping.
Score: 1/10
No Substack, I did not enjoy this post - it was f@cking depressing. But worth reading all the same.
November 17, 2025 at 8:40 PM
No Substack, I did not enjoy this post - it was f@cking depressing. But worth reading all the same.
Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (“SLAPPs”) are abusive lawsuits which suppress public participation; used by powerful actors to suppress freedom of expression in the public interest.
Scottish Govt has committed to adopting anti-SLAPP legislation
www.abdn.ac.uk/law/news-eve...
Scottish Govt has committed to adopting anti-SLAPP legislation
www.abdn.ac.uk/law/news-eve...
Anti-SLAPP Research Hub Model Law Endorsed by the Scottish Government: Legislation to be Introduced
www.abdn.ac.uk
November 17, 2025 at 6:39 PM
Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (“SLAPPs”) are abusive lawsuits which suppress public participation; used by powerful actors to suppress freedom of expression in the public interest.
Scottish Govt has committed to adopting anti-SLAPP legislation
www.abdn.ac.uk/law/news-eve...
Scottish Govt has committed to adopting anti-SLAPP legislation
www.abdn.ac.uk/law/news-eve...
Reposted by Osbert Lancaster
Can you suggest a guest - working in Scotland - for our new podcast?
Thrivable Scotland, Thrivable Planet is a podcast for people building a better world, people hungry for genuine hope and meaningful action amid the climate, nature and political crises.
Thrivable Scotland, Thrivable Planet is a podcast for people building a better world, people hungry for genuine hope and meaningful action amid the climate, nature and political crises.
November 14, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Can you suggest a guest - working in Scotland - for our new podcast?
Thrivable Scotland, Thrivable Planet is a podcast for people building a better world, people hungry for genuine hope and meaningful action amid the climate, nature and political crises.
Thrivable Scotland, Thrivable Planet is a podcast for people building a better world, people hungry for genuine hope and meaningful action amid the climate, nature and political crises.
Tax justice is human rights justice.
Professor Angela O’Hagan, Chair, Scottish Human Rights Commission, sets out why fair and progressive taxation is essential to realising rights like housing, health, and education in Scotland. #TaxJusticeScotland
taxjustice.scot/blog/tax-jus...
Professor Angela O’Hagan, Chair, Scottish Human Rights Commission, sets out why fair and progressive taxation is essential to realising rights like housing, health, and education in Scotland. #TaxJusticeScotland
taxjustice.scot/blog/tax-jus...
Tax justice is a human rights issue - Tax Justice Scotland
taxjustice.scot
November 17, 2025 at 5:54 PM
Tax justice is human rights justice.
Professor Angela O’Hagan, Chair, Scottish Human Rights Commission, sets out why fair and progressive taxation is essential to realising rights like housing, health, and education in Scotland. #TaxJusticeScotland
taxjustice.scot/blog/tax-jus...
Professor Angela O’Hagan, Chair, Scottish Human Rights Commission, sets out why fair and progressive taxation is essential to realising rights like housing, health, and education in Scotland. #TaxJusticeScotland
taxjustice.scot/blog/tax-jus...
Reposted by Osbert Lancaster
A reminder that the Cowgate closed in one direction for more than 18 months so a Virgin Hotel could be built. If that could be done at short notice why not to protect people from DYING?! Edinburgh has its priorities but why is it always student flats, cars, hotels and not people?
Ahead of the @edinburghcouncil.bsky.social Transport and Environment committee meeting on Thursday members of @edcriticalmass.bsky.social protested about lack of action on Cowgate
November 17, 2025 at 2:31 PM
A reminder that the Cowgate closed in one direction for more than 18 months so a Virgin Hotel could be built. If that could be done at short notice why not to protect people from DYING?! Edinburgh has its priorities but why is it always student flats, cars, hotels and not people?
Reposted by Osbert Lancaster
Open data friends,
If you could recommend only one resource (book, website, organisation, social media account, video, tool, other) what would you recommend to someone starting on their #opendata journey?
Something that will help them learn and explore.
If you could recommend only one resource (book, website, organisation, social media account, video, tool, other) what would you recommend to someone starting on their #opendata journey?
Something that will help them learn and explore.
November 17, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Open data friends,
If you could recommend only one resource (book, website, organisation, social media account, video, tool, other) what would you recommend to someone starting on their #opendata journey?
Something that will help them learn and explore.
If you could recommend only one resource (book, website, organisation, social media account, video, tool, other) what would you recommend to someone starting on their #opendata journey?
Something that will help them learn and explore.
What's the difference between an "executive" summary and a summary?
Surely we've got beyond the 1970s idea of flattering people by refering to them as "executives"? (cf Likely Lads for those of us old enough to remember)
Surely we've got beyond the 1970s idea of flattering people by refering to them as "executives"? (cf Likely Lads for those of us old enough to remember)
November 17, 2025 at 11:37 AM
What's the difference between an "executive" summary and a summary?
Surely we've got beyond the 1970s idea of flattering people by refering to them as "executives"? (cf Likely Lads for those of us old enough to remember)
Surely we've got beyond the 1970s idea of flattering people by refering to them as "executives"? (cf Likely Lads for those of us old enough to remember)
“Being difficult needs us to be compassionate and collaborative. To build systems, processes, and indeed societies that meet everyone’s needs, rather than the needs of a dominant few. It’s much more difficult than being competitive. It’s hard work, requiring patience, empathy, and understanding.”
November 17, 2025 at 9:59 AM
“Being difficult needs us to be compassionate and collaborative. To build systems, processes, and indeed societies that meet everyone’s needs, rather than the needs of a dominant few. It’s much more difficult than being competitive. It’s hard work, requiring patience, empathy, and understanding.”
Reposted by Osbert Lancaster
The corollary of confiscating jewellery from asylum seekers is, of course, that any type of benefits claimants are now potentially liable to similar thinking.
November 17, 2025 at 9:17 AM
The corollary of confiscating jewellery from asylum seekers is, of course, that any type of benefits claimants are now potentially liable to similar thinking.
Reposted by Osbert Lancaster
November 17, 2025 at 9:24 AM
Reposted by Osbert Lancaster
Proposed Midlothian response to the tram:
“worried about commercial viability”
Strange. Will the new link road it is building be commercially viable?
What other public investment should be commercially viable in the face of low density Midlothian home building?
“worried about commercial viability”
Strange. Will the new link road it is building be commercially viable?
What other public investment should be commercially viable in the face of low density Midlothian home building?
November 16, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Proposed Midlothian response to the tram:
“worried about commercial viability”
Strange. Will the new link road it is building be commercially viable?
What other public investment should be commercially viable in the face of low density Midlothian home building?
“worried about commercial viability”
Strange. Will the new link road it is building be commercially viable?
What other public investment should be commercially viable in the face of low density Midlothian home building?
Reposted by Osbert Lancaster
And a reminder that in 2024 jewelley stolen in similar historical policies was returned to families because it was wrong www.independent.co.uk/news/world/e...
November 17, 2025 at 7:49 AM
And a reminder that in 2024 jewelley stolen in similar historical policies was returned to families because it was wrong www.independent.co.uk/news/world/e...
“Other PR execs want to “cash a big cheque from some company that tests on animals,” he says. “We walk down the street and somebody goes ‘my granny loved her care home, thank you for keeping it open’. That’s worth its weight in gold.”“
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2562480...
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2562480...
In Scotland, one “disruptor” company has set about doing PR rather differently ...
Public relations is universally hated. However, a new ‘socialist’ lobbying firm has launched, promising to fight for the poor, not the rich and…
www.heraldscotland.com
November 16, 2025 at 9:58 AM
“Other PR execs want to “cash a big cheque from some company that tests on animals,” he says. “We walk down the street and somebody goes ‘my granny loved her care home, thank you for keeping it open’. That’s worth its weight in gold.”“
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2562480...
www.heraldscotland.com/news/2562480...
Reposted by Osbert Lancaster
Reposted by Osbert Lancaster
“Someone who says I’m against abortion but is in favor of the death penalty is not really pro-life. And someone who says I’m against abortion but I’m in agreement with the inhuman treatment of immigrants in the United States, I don’t know if that’s pro-life.”
- Pope Leo XIV
buff.ly/om7o2D9
- Pope Leo XIV
buff.ly/om7o2D9
What does ‘pro-life’ mean? There’s no one answer – even for advocacy groups that oppose abortion
The term ‘pro-life’ can seem simple – but how Americans and advocacy groups interpret it varies widely.
buff.ly
November 16, 2025 at 5:35 AM
“Someone who says I’m against abortion but is in favor of the death penalty is not really pro-life. And someone who says I’m against abortion but I’m in agreement with the inhuman treatment of immigrants in the United States, I don’t know if that’s pro-life.”
- Pope Leo XIV
buff.ly/om7o2D9
- Pope Leo XIV
buff.ly/om7o2D9
Reposted by Osbert Lancaster
"We need to rethink what “community” looks like across generations, across the global diaspora and across the climate crisis. This is our story of survival, solidarity, and the ongoing fight for justice in the face of multiple crises in Birmingham and back home."
Storms, Solidarity, and Survival
How Hurricane Melissa is affecting the Jamaican Diaspora in Birmingham
www.birminghamdispatch.co.uk
November 15, 2025 at 8:51 AM
"We need to rethink what “community” looks like across generations, across the global diaspora and across the climate crisis. This is our story of survival, solidarity, and the ongoing fight for justice in the face of multiple crises in Birmingham and back home."
Reposted by Osbert Lancaster
Heading through to Glasgow today for the climate march. Please join us if you can.
🚨TODAY!
Demand climate action today at Scotland's Climate March!
📍 Glasgow Green
📅 Saturday 15th November
⏰ From 11am
Demand climate action today at Scotland's Climate March!
📍 Glasgow Green
📅 Saturday 15th November
⏰ From 11am
November 15, 2025 at 8:57 AM
Heading through to Glasgow today for the climate march. Please join us if you can.
Can you suggest a guest - working in Scotland - for our new podcast?
Thrivable Scotland, Thrivable Planet is a podcast for people building a better world, people hungry for genuine hope and meaningful action amid the climate, nature and political crises.
Thrivable Scotland, Thrivable Planet is a podcast for people building a better world, people hungry for genuine hope and meaningful action amid the climate, nature and political crises.
November 14, 2025 at 7:44 PM
Can you suggest a guest - working in Scotland - for our new podcast?
Thrivable Scotland, Thrivable Planet is a podcast for people building a better world, people hungry for genuine hope and meaningful action amid the climate, nature and political crises.
Thrivable Scotland, Thrivable Planet is a podcast for people building a better world, people hungry for genuine hope and meaningful action amid the climate, nature and political crises.
This is an excellent, nuanced discussion of an important and emotive subject. (And incidentally about how research outputs can take on an unexpected live of their own.)
All dog and climate lovers should read!
All dog and climate lovers should read!
🐕 The climate paradox of having a dog in @grist.org 🐶
The story includes the tale of the wild and misleading media circus that followed one of our recent papers, which @dgoldwert.bsky.social navigated brilliantly! It also features @kimberlynicholas.bsky.social!
grist.org/culture/the-...
The story includes the tale of the wild and misleading media circus that followed one of our recent papers, which @dgoldwert.bsky.social navigated brilliantly! It also features @kimberlynicholas.bsky.social!
grist.org/culture/the-...
The climate paradox of having a dog
My dog contributes to climate change. I love him anyway.
grist.org
November 14, 2025 at 7:01 PM
This is an excellent, nuanced discussion of an important and emotive subject. (And incidentally about how research outputs can take on an unexpected live of their own.)
All dog and climate lovers should read!
All dog and climate lovers should read!
Reposted by Osbert Lancaster
This is Not-Ship: a newsletter using data and visuals to navigate our turbulent world.
Everything is A LOT lately. It's all so uncertain. And the way I try to make sense of things is with data. So, that's what Not-Ship is all about. Come chart the chaos with me.
www.not-ship.com/its-not-just...
Everything is A LOT lately. It's all so uncertain. And the way I try to make sense of things is with data. So, that's what Not-Ship is all about. Come chart the chaos with me.
www.not-ship.com/its-not-just...
It's not just you. Uncertainty is through the roof.
The world is a lot right now.
www.not-ship.com
November 14, 2025 at 12:22 PM
This is Not-Ship: a newsletter using data and visuals to navigate our turbulent world.
Everything is A LOT lately. It's all so uncertain. And the way I try to make sense of things is with data. So, that's what Not-Ship is all about. Come chart the chaos with me.
www.not-ship.com/its-not-just...
Everything is A LOT lately. It's all so uncertain. And the way I try to make sense of things is with data. So, that's what Not-Ship is all about. Come chart the chaos with me.
www.not-ship.com/its-not-just...
Reposted by Osbert Lancaster
Very easy for Treasury to characterise heat pump grants as being kickbacks for middle class families, but they are primarily a mechanism for catalysing a market that will then benefit everyone. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Hundreds of thousands to lose heat pump subsidies in Reeves’s budget plan
Exclusive: Supporters say grants largely going to middle-class households, but experts warn move will slow transition from gas boilers
www.theguardian.com
November 13, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Very easy for Treasury to characterise heat pump grants as being kickbacks for middle class families, but they are primarily a mechanism for catalysing a market that will then benefit everyone. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
Reposted by Osbert Lancaster
i just want my kids to be able to walk to the store to get stuff so I don't have to.
November 13, 2025 at 8:38 PM
i just want my kids to be able to walk to the store to get stuff so I don't have to.