Richard Tonkin
@richt2.bsky.social
Data, statistics, policy and cats. Brit in Bangkok.
Genuinely intrigued whether the writer feels £200 for a chair and £150 for a desk is too expensive, or whether they’re concerned Torsten’s buying cheap stuff which will turn out to be a false economy…
October 27, 2025 at 11:22 AM
Genuinely intrigued whether the writer feels £200 for a chair and £150 for a desk is too expensive, or whether they’re concerned Torsten’s buying cheap stuff which will turn out to be a false economy…
I mean, it’s one bell tent, Michael. What could it cost? Ten thousand pounds?
Honey I’m afraid Yurtel went bust and now we’re yurtless for our glamping. No they didn’t take credit card. Anyway we’re out over ten thousand pounds and they’re not doing refunds
May 23, 2025 at 5:57 AM
I mean, it’s one bell tent, Michael. What could it cost? Ten thousand pounds?
My time living in NYC was two years of people being constantly confused by what I was saying.
FYI - telling your gym instructor you really need new trainers is a good way to cause unintended offence.
FYI - telling your gym instructor you really need new trainers is a good way to cause unintended offence.
for the rest of my days I will think of the time I tried to order a burger at a Wendy's in North Carolina and the cashier went "I'm sorry but YOU SOUND LIKE DOBBY THE ELF HAHAHAHAHA" and then made me talk again in front of her colleagues
So weird how much of a language barrier there is for a brit in America.
May 8, 2025 at 12:44 AM
My time living in NYC was two years of people being constantly confused by what I was saying.
FYI - telling your gym instructor you really need new trainers is a good way to cause unintended offence.
FYI - telling your gym instructor you really need new trainers is a good way to cause unintended offence.
I have fallen in love with the cryptic one line descriptions of films on Fiji Airways. What are any of the films actually about? Who knows
March 30, 2025 at 7:49 AM
I have fallen in love with the cryptic one line descriptions of films on Fiji Airways. What are any of the films actually about? Who knows
There’s something about this song which makes me feel physically ill whenever I hear it *shudders*
Seeing a lot of Toploader - Dancing in the moonlight. I get it, but I personally love that song
DAAANCIN IN THE MOONLIGHT!
DAAANCIN IN THE MOONLIGHT!
a man with a beard is driving a car with two other men behind him
ALT: a man with a beard is driving a car with two other men behind him
media.tenor.com
March 30, 2025 at 7:05 AM
There’s something about this song which makes me feel physically ill whenever I hear it *shudders*
Completely agree with this sentiment- if I had to limit myself to one streaming subscription, it would definitely be Apple TV+
March 29, 2025 at 12:11 PM
Completely agree with this sentiment- if I had to limit myself to one streaming subscription, it would definitely be Apple TV+
Reposted by Richard Tonkin
This wouldn’t have happened if Pete Hook was still a member
March 7, 2025 at 12:59 AM
This wouldn’t have happened if Pete Hook was still a member
This wouldn’t have happened if Pete Hook was still a member
March 7, 2025 at 12:59 AM
This wouldn’t have happened if Pete Hook was still a member
Very good to see new data from the Wealth and Assets Survey!
Like Tom I also think this is a great visualisation from ONS for highlighting the extent of wealth inequality in GB
Like Tom I also think this is a great visualisation from ONS for highlighting the extent of wealth inequality in GB
New official wealth data just out
Covers pandemic and energy crunch, yet wealth keeps getting bigger
And is still (as per this fab ONS chart) VERY unequal
Follow @resfoundation.bsky.social for @simonpittaway.bsky.social's take
Covers pandemic and energy crunch, yet wealth keeps getting bigger
And is still (as per this fab ONS chart) VERY unequal
Follow @resfoundation.bsky.social for @simonpittaway.bsky.social's take
January 24, 2025 at 2:34 PM
Very good to see new data from the Wealth and Assets Survey!
Like Tom I also think this is a great visualisation from ONS for highlighting the extent of wealth inequality in GB
Like Tom I also think this is a great visualisation from ONS for highlighting the extent of wealth inequality in GB
Reposted by Richard Tonkin
It's genuinely astonishing how people will sit and type a sentence in which they claim that 'genuine SEN' and 'academic merit' are contradictions in terms while thinking they are virtuous because they're slagging off private schools at the same time.
January 19, 2025 at 11:17 PM
It's genuinely astonishing how people will sit and type a sentence in which they claim that 'genuine SEN' and 'academic merit' are contradictions in terms while thinking they are virtuous because they're slagging off private schools at the same time.
Reposted by Richard Tonkin
My concern about comments like this is that they overlook:
a) as a matter of deliberate policy since 2010, SEND have been shifted out of mainstream schools.
b) many parents end up choosing private because their state school has been so hostile to getting their kid diagnosed.
a) as a matter of deliberate policy since 2010, SEND have been shifted out of mainstream schools.
b) many parents end up choosing private because their state school has been so hostile to getting their kid diagnosed.
Glad the issue of private schools gaming the system to get extra exam time for their pupils has been picked up because I heard this a couple of weeks ago and felt it completely outrageous.
Quite possible that state school pupils have received lower grades as a result.
Quite possible that state school pupils have received lower grades as a result.
January 19, 2025 at 10:05 PM
My concern about comments like this is that they overlook:
a) as a matter of deliberate policy since 2010, SEND have been shifted out of mainstream schools.
b) many parents end up choosing private because their state school has been so hostile to getting their kid diagnosed.
a) as a matter of deliberate policy since 2010, SEND have been shifted out of mainstream schools.
b) many parents end up choosing private because their state school has been so hostile to getting their kid diagnosed.
I spent many years thinking ‘hyperbowl’ was one of those words people never use only in books, unlike hyperbully (sp?) which never seems to get written down
January 6, 2025 at 1:17 PM
I spent many years thinking ‘hyperbowl’ was one of those words people never use only in books, unlike hyperbully (sp?) which never seems to get written down
How on earth can the NYT app be taking up over 4GB of storage on my phone?
January 6, 2025 at 7:18 AM
How on earth can the NYT app be taking up over 4GB of storage on my phone?
I’ve just been watching Total Recall on the flight back to BKK and I suddenly realised why the Cybertruck looks familiar
January 3, 2025 at 12:13 PM
I’ve just been watching Total Recall on the flight back to BKK and I suddenly realised why the Cybertruck looks familiar
Ahh, brings back fond memories of iPads asking whether you’d like to tip 25%, 30% or 40% on the bottled drink you’ve just picked out of the fridge yourself
I still thank my American colleagues for teaching me to work through the social awkwardness and say no to such nonsense
I still thank my American colleagues for teaching me to work through the social awkwardness and say no to such nonsense
Absolutely horrifying to see that the coffee shop custom of swivelling round an iPad to prompt you to tip is beginning to pop up in London. The suggested percentages are low, but it's the thin end of the wedge. We need to cut the fibre-optic cables connecting the UK to America.
January 1, 2025 at 7:01 PM
Ahh, brings back fond memories of iPads asking whether you’d like to tip 25%, 30% or 40% on the bottled drink you’ve just picked out of the fridge yourself
I still thank my American colleagues for teaching me to work through the social awkwardness and say no to such nonsense
I still thank my American colleagues for teaching me to work through the social awkwardness and say no to such nonsense
Ouch. I think I might have written a couple of blogposts on this topic in my time
10. GDP. "We" are all obsessed with GDP but it isn't everything, is it?
December 29, 2024 at 3:42 PM
Ouch. I think I might have written a couple of blogposts on this topic in my time
Reposted by Richard Tonkin
Merry Christmas! #duvetknowitschristmas from the in-laws
December 25, 2024 at 8:24 AM
Merry Christmas! #duvetknowitschristmas from the in-laws
Turkey’s done - that means it’s present time! @jonnelledge.bsky.social
December 25, 2024 at 4:35 PM
Turkey’s done - that means it’s present time! @jonnelledge.bsky.social
Merry Christmas! #duvetknowitschristmas from the in-laws
December 25, 2024 at 8:24 AM
Merry Christmas! #duvetknowitschristmas from the in-laws
Renting an EV for the first time this Christmas. Overall experience very good, but annoying how many different apps I’ve already needed to download to use public chargers
December 23, 2024 at 9:32 PM
Renting an EV for the first time this Christmas. Overall experience very good, but annoying how many different apps I’ve already needed to download to use public chargers
I think it’s already reached perfection
December 21, 2024 at 2:55 PM
I think it’s already reached perfection
I remember for a long while after Kid A came out, it seemed to make up about 50% of all second hand CDs for sale. Was one of the many very disappointed with it on release (though didn’t sell my copy!)
just found that the Guardian gave Kid A a two-star review upon its release in 2000 - the same day it gave Billie Piper's sophomore album the same rating www.theguardian.com/friday_revie...
December 20, 2024 at 5:58 PM
I remember for a long while after Kid A came out, it seemed to make up about 50% of all second hand CDs for sale. Was one of the many very disappointed with it on release (though didn’t sell my copy!)
May no longer live in the US, but any excuse to have pie…
November 28, 2024 at 2:03 PM
May no longer live in the US, but any excuse to have pie…