Tom Ward
@tomafro.net
Full stack developer for Go Free Range, GDS, Basecamp and now Head of Engineering at Farillio. Based in Leyton, interested in everything. https://signal.me/#eu/VYEdXcif6akF_w3m3s8gNgLfTn9BKVuEDGp8joQCC3ch-oiK7wVJl4hpzc8foJQm
Reposted by Tom Ward
Maybe Keir should demand the heads of major US news networks any time they imply Britain is on the brink of civil war or that we live under sharia law. Or does it not work both ways?
November 10, 2025 at 11:29 AM
Maybe Keir should demand the heads of major US news networks any time they imply Britain is on the brink of civil war or that we live under sharia law. Or does it not work both ways?
My son asking for a Funko Pop for his birthday is one of the only occasions I’ve flat out refused to get him something for reasons other than cost or age appropriateness. Can’t stand the things.
An excellent second mention, but also: if the tariffs take out Funko Pop that will at least be one positive benefit for humanity. God, how I hate those banal, witless, overpriced lumps of plastic junk, taking up space on your shelves until inevitably they must take up space in landfill, for eternity
November 9, 2025 at 9:12 AM
My son asking for a Funko Pop for his birthday is one of the only occasions I’ve flat out refused to get him something for reasons other than cost or age appropriateness. Can’t stand the things.
I was headbutted in the late 90s in Winchester. WINCHESTER FFS. Group of lads just hanging around, hassled me and @drjennings.bsky.social on our way back from the pub, and the leader bust my nose with his head. Just random violence. Does this not happen any more?
yeah I was a teenager in the 1990s and there was a level of possible casual violence - of, say, getting headbutted by a random group of dickheads on the way home from school, as happened to me one time - that largely seems to have disappeared from British life. I blame videogames.
Violent crime peaked in 1995 according to the Crime Survey for England and Wales..
November 3, 2025 at 10:50 PM
I was headbutted in the late 90s in Winchester. WINCHESTER FFS. Group of lads just hanging around, hassled me and @drjennings.bsky.social on our way back from the pub, and the leader bust my nose with his head. Just random violence. Does this not happen any more?
It was striking to me that in 2024 my MP @stellacreasy.bsky.social had her vote fall 16%, all of which went to the greens. She’s a hard working popular MP so I don’t think she’s under any threat, but I could definitely see her share fall further. If she wasn’t the Labour candidate, who knows?
Younger people who voted Labour are going Green, young people who couldn't vote or didn't vote are going Green. Many uncertainties in politics but here's one sure thing: this group will be bigger at next GE than now - voting age going down and more people becoming eligible.
Where is the Green vote coming from? Only 4 in 10 current Green voters backed the Party last July. 1 in 5 opted for Labour while a similar number didn’t/couldn’t vote in a mirror of Reform UK’s attraction of previous non voters.
October 29, 2025 at 11:13 AM
It was striking to me that in 2024 my MP @stellacreasy.bsky.social had her vote fall 16%, all of which went to the greens. She’s a hard working popular MP so I don’t think she’s under any threat, but I could definitely see her share fall further. If she wasn’t the Labour candidate, who knows?
Used my extra hour to watch One Battle After Another. Really enjoyed it, fantastical, though a little too believable and prescient at times. The car chase one of the best sequences I’ve seen in years. Definitely worth seeing at the cinema.
October 26, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Used my extra hour to watch One Battle After Another. Really enjoyed it, fantastical, though a little too believable and prescient at times. The car chase one of the best sequences I’ve seen in years. Definitely worth seeing at the cinema.
For me this seems more like an argument *for* electoral reform. When every election you have to vote to prevent something, rather than for what you believe in it, it can only make you more apathetic and cynical.
Fear (and tactical voting) in Caerphilly.
Yesterday's by-election shows voters don’t *need* electoral reform to get the outcome they want (or, at least, prevent the one they most want to avoid).
✍️ www.linestotake.com/p/fear-and-t...
My newsletter, out now.
Yesterday's by-election shows voters don’t *need* electoral reform to get the outcome they want (or, at least, prevent the one they most want to avoid).
✍️ www.linestotake.com/p/fear-and-t...
My newsletter, out now.
October 24, 2025 at 1:45 PM
For me this seems more like an argument *for* electoral reform. When every election you have to vote to prevent something, rather than for what you believe in it, it can only make you more apathetic and cynical.
Come and work with me! If you've got a background in a language other than clojure and are interested in picking up a new language, give me a shout.
Farillio is searching for: Mid-level Full Stack #Clojure Developer #RemoteWork #London 🇬🇧 #elasticsearch #wfh #react
🇬🇧 Remote Clojure job: Mid-level Full Stack Clojure Developer at Farillio (London, United Kingdom)
Mid-level Full Stack Clojure Developer Who we are: Farillio is an innovative legal and business tech start-up, offering a unique platform that combines best-in-class technology with expert-led content. Our solution serves SMEs, landlords, individuals, households, and families, providing guidance
ClojureJobboard.com
October 22, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Come and work with me! If you've got a background in a language other than clojure and are interested in picking up a new language, give me a shout.
Reposted by Tom Ward
Farillio is searching for: Mid-level Full Stack #Clojure Developer #RemoteWork #London 🇬🇧 #elasticsearch #wfh #react
🇬🇧 Remote Clojure job: Mid-level Full Stack Clojure Developer at Farillio (London, United Kingdom)
Mid-level Full Stack Clojure Developer Who we are: Farillio is an innovative legal and business tech start-up, offering a unique platform that combines best-in-class technology with expert-led content. Our solution serves SMEs, landlords, individuals, households, and families, providing guidance
ClojureJobboard.com
October 20, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Farillio is searching for: Mid-level Full Stack #Clojure Developer #RemoteWork #London 🇬🇧 #elasticsearch #wfh #react
This AWS outage sucks. Can't work because sites are broken, can't procrastinate because other sites are broken.
October 20, 2025 at 9:26 AM
This AWS outage sucks. Can't work because sites are broken, can't procrastinate because other sites are broken.
Reposted by Tom Ward
Reposted by Tom Ward
FOR WEDNESDAY:
Here is the route of the march against Trump & the far right
GATHER: 2pm Portland Place (BBC)
MARCH: at 3pm
RALLY: 5pm at Parliament Square!!
Here is the route of the march against Trump & the far right
GATHER: 2pm Portland Place (BBC)
MARCH: at 3pm
RALLY: 5pm at Parliament Square!!
September 15, 2025 at 12:53 PM
FOR WEDNESDAY:
Here is the route of the march against Trump & the far right
GATHER: 2pm Portland Place (BBC)
MARCH: at 3pm
RALLY: 5pm at Parliament Square!!
Here is the route of the march against Trump & the far right
GATHER: 2pm Portland Place (BBC)
MARCH: at 3pm
RALLY: 5pm at Parliament Square!!
Can't make the full march, but I'll be at Parliament Square at 5pm Wednesday for the demo against Trump's state visit. It feels important to counter the far-right march on Saturday, where my friends and neighbours were made to feel unwelcome in their own city.
September 15, 2025 at 11:35 AM
Can't make the full march, but I'll be at Parliament Square at 5pm Wednesday for the demo against Trump's state visit. It feels important to counter the far-right march on Saturday, where my friends and neighbours were made to feel unwelcome in their own city.
Reposted by Tom Ward
Political violence disproportionately hurts people with less power, not people with more power. Political violence will disproportionately hurt people of color and women and LGBTQ people. It’s not fair, but that’s the way it works. Celebrating political violence means at best indifference to that.
Political violence is bad. It usually begets more political violence.
Celebrating political violence is bad. It usually encourages more political violence, against various targets.
Campus shootings are bad. They make everyone on campus less safe.
It's bad that what I wrote here is controversial.
Celebrating political violence is bad. It usually encourages more political violence, against various targets.
Campus shootings are bad. They make everyone on campus less safe.
It's bad that what I wrote here is controversial.
September 10, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Political violence disproportionately hurts people with less power, not people with more power. Political violence will disproportionately hurt people of color and women and LGBTQ people. It’s not fair, but that’s the way it works. Celebrating political violence means at best indifference to that.
Reposted by Tom Ward
well on the one hand it's bad for democracy and social cohesion that Keir Starmer is trying to appeal to the racists by pretending to be one of them, but on the other hand it's not actually working and the racists still don't want to vote for him
September 1, 2025 at 3:06 PM
well on the one hand it's bad for democracy and social cohesion that Keir Starmer is trying to appeal to the racists by pretending to be one of them, but on the other hand it's not actually working and the racists still don't want to vote for him
Reposted by Tom Ward
Sunday protests seem to be < 500 nationwide, maybe < 300, across 4-6 locations
Yet ITV news using language of "erupt nationwide" (!)
Epping: 100-150
London: 20
Birmingham: 30
Stevenage: 30-50
Norwich: ? anything of any scale
Manchester: ? anything of any scale
Dudley: ? anything of any scale?
Yet ITV news using language of "erupt nationwide" (!)
Epping: 100-150
London: 20
Birmingham: 30
Stevenage: 30-50
Norwich: ? anything of any scale
Manchester: ? anything of any scale
Dudley: ? anything of any scale?
August 24, 2025 at 8:42 PM
Sunday protests seem to be < 500 nationwide, maybe < 300, across 4-6 locations
Yet ITV news using language of "erupt nationwide" (!)
Epping: 100-150
London: 20
Birmingham: 30
Stevenage: 30-50
Norwich: ? anything of any scale
Manchester: ? anything of any scale
Dudley: ? anything of any scale?
Yet ITV news using language of "erupt nationwide" (!)
Epping: 100-150
London: 20
Birmingham: 30
Stevenage: 30-50
Norwich: ? anything of any scale
Manchester: ? anything of any scale
Dudley: ? anything of any scale?
Saw something remarkable on my run this morning. Follow a path along this shoreline…
August 14, 2025 at 8:45 AM
Saw something remarkable on my run this morning. Follow a path along this shoreline…
This would be amazing 🤞
Considering the owners of the Genesis want to sell up this could not be more welcome news www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Prince Charles cinema looks to expand to second venue in east London
Cult cinema also considers ‘third or fourth space’ as it negotiates over future of its Leicester Square site
www.theguardian.com
August 11, 2025 at 6:15 PM
This would be amazing 🤞
Reposted by Tom Ward
I admire Mo Salah's restraint.
"Farewell". Really?
Suleiman al-Obeid was killed by the IDF as he was queuing for food in Gaza. Say it, you cowards.
"Farewell". Really?
Suleiman al-Obeid was killed by the IDF as he was queuing for food in Gaza. Say it, you cowards.
August 9, 2025 at 5:27 PM
I admire Mo Salah's restraint.
"Farewell". Really?
Suleiman al-Obeid was killed by the IDF as he was queuing for food in Gaza. Say it, you cowards.
"Farewell". Really?
Suleiman al-Obeid was killed by the IDF as he was queuing for food in Gaza. Say it, you cowards.
Reposted by Tom Ward
Reposted by Tom Ward
He's one of Britain's richest men. So why does Asif Aziz's property company keep leasing London gift shops to overseas students based in abandoned offices or flytipped car parks — before vanishing without paying millions of pounds in taxes? www.londoncentric.media/p/asf-aziz-l...
The billionaire and the tax evading gift shops
Asif Aziz's Criterion Capital manages a row of high-profile shops at Piccadilly Circus. So why does his team keeping renting them to students who vanish without paying millions of pounds in taxes?
www.londoncentric.media
July 22, 2025 at 6:48 AM
He's one of Britain's richest men. So why does Asif Aziz's property company keep leasing London gift shops to overseas students based in abandoned offices or flytipped car parks — before vanishing without paying millions of pounds in taxes? www.londoncentric.media/p/asf-aziz-l...
Shortage of ingredients in the house, so made a sandwich by thinly slicing a Babybel then layering on a carefully deconstructed Cheestring. The last two remaining cherry tomatoes and some chilli jam and *chef's kiss*
July 14, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Shortage of ingredients in the house, so made a sandwich by thinly slicing a Babybel then layering on a carefully deconstructed Cheestring. The last two remaining cherry tomatoes and some chilli jam and *chef's kiss*
My partner's "If you don't like what's for dinner cook something yourself" has had predictable results. My 10 and 12 year old both trying to cook their own meals in the most chaotic way imaginable.
July 8, 2025 at 4:52 PM
My partner's "If you don't like what's for dinner cook something yourself" has had predictable results. My 10 and 12 year old both trying to cook their own meals in the most chaotic way imaginable.
Had no idea the war in Ukraine would strike so close to home (less than 1km 🫣) www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Three men found guilty of Wagner Group-linked arson attack in London
Around £1m worth of damage was caused in the arson attack on an industrial unit in Leyton, east London last year.
www.bbc.co.uk
July 8, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Had no idea the war in Ukraine would strike so close to home (less than 1km 🫣) www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
20 years ago I was working in Holborn. A strange day, latecomers to the office, rumours of electrical failures on the tube, then the awful truth slowly became apparent. Walking home through Regents Park, towards West Hampstead the atmosphere was tense but friendly.
Today, we mark 20 years since the horrendous 7 July terror attacks shook our city.
July 7, 2025 at 8:03 PM
20 years ago I was working in Holborn. A strange day, latecomers to the office, rumours of electrical failures on the tube, then the awful truth slowly became apparent. Walking home through Regents Park, towards West Hampstead the atmosphere was tense but friendly.