Ben
@tazeek.bsky.social
Green tech consultant constantly finding new interests. Dark choc digestive eater, step-child raiser, gardener... Like helping people, if I can.
Reposted by Ben
Who does this description of Kaiser Wilhelm II remind you of? (Written by Christopher Clark in 2015).
April 19, 2026 at 6:04 PM
Who does this description of Kaiser Wilhelm II remind you of? (Written by Christopher Clark in 2015).
Reposted by Ben
New post just out:
Can Trump steal the midterms?
He certainly wants to but it's no so easy. I look at all the things he could try and the challenges with each.
And why his attempts may hurt the Republicans rather than boost their chances.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...
Can Trump steal the midterms?
He certainly wants to but it's no so easy. I look at all the things he could try and the challenges with each.
And why his attempts may hurt the Republicans rather than boost their chances.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...
The lifeline election (part two)
Can Trump steal the midterms?
open.substack.com
March 19, 2026 at 8:40 AM
New post just out:
Can Trump steal the midterms?
He certainly wants to but it's no so easy. I look at all the things he could try and the challenges with each.
And why his attempts may hurt the Republicans rather than boost their chances.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...
Can Trump steal the midterms?
He certainly wants to but it's no so easy. I look at all the things he could try and the challenges with each.
And why his attempts may hurt the Republicans rather than boost their chances.
(£/free trial)
open.substack.com/pub/samf/p/t...
Reposted by Ben
"Welcome to Decline" -- still one of my favourite graphs from last year. In the late 1970s, Britain's economic fate very clearly split in two. How much you blame Thatcher will depend on your politics, but her leadership is useful to understand the timing. tomforth.co.uk/welcometodec...
January 2, 2026 at 6:15 PM
"Welcome to Decline" -- still one of my favourite graphs from last year. In the late 1970s, Britain's economic fate very clearly split in two. How much you blame Thatcher will depend on your politics, but her leadership is useful to understand the timing. tomforth.co.uk/welcometodec...
Reposted by Ben
*eternal screaming*
December 9, 2024 at 11:43 AM
*eternal screaming*
That first time you put card details in without having to check the new card, feels sweet. Yes memory, you're working!
December 8, 2024 at 11:51 AM
That first time you put card details in without having to check the new card, feels sweet. Yes memory, you're working!
Reposted by Ben
One thing which leaps out about this speech is how thoughtless and lazy it is. On the one hand talks of the importance of equality before the law, no matter "who you are or where you're from". Then criticises laws that means can't distinguish between citizens. You can't have both!
Perhaps not surprising that Kemi Badenoch would quote Baudelaire ("la plus belle des ruses du Diable est de vous persuader qu'il n'existe pas!", Le Spleen de Paris, 1869) without realising that this line had been lifted by the scriptwriters of The Usual Suspects.
An excerpt from a new Kemi Badenoch speech in which she says the Conservatives “talked Right, but governed Left” and appears to accuse her opponents of “smuggling” in communism:
December 6, 2024 at 2:08 PM
One thing which leaps out about this speech is how thoughtless and lazy it is. On the one hand talks of the importance of equality before the law, no matter "who you are or where you're from". Then criticises laws that means can't distinguish between citizens. You can't have both!
Reposted by Ben
Madrid tripled the length of its metro system in just 12 years, faster and cheaper than almost any other city in the world.
Left: in 1994
Right: after 2007
Cost per mile: £64–91 million
(around 7x cheaper than London's Jubilee & Northern line expansions & 14x cheaper than Toronto's Ontario line)
Left: in 1994
Right: after 2007
Cost per mile: £64–91 million
(around 7x cheaper than London's Jubilee & Northern line expansions & 14x cheaper than Toronto's Ontario line)
December 6, 2024 at 1:23 PM
Madrid tripled the length of its metro system in just 12 years, faster and cheaper than almost any other city in the world.
Left: in 1994
Right: after 2007
Cost per mile: £64–91 million
(around 7x cheaper than London's Jubilee & Northern line expansions & 14x cheaper than Toronto's Ontario line)
Left: in 1994
Right: after 2007
Cost per mile: £64–91 million
(around 7x cheaper than London's Jubilee & Northern line expansions & 14x cheaper than Toronto's Ontario line)
Reposted by Ben
Madrid's metro expansion means that people can reach around 198 sq km (!) of the central business district within 30 minutes in public transport on peak hours.
In contrast, Londoners can only reach 40 sq km 😭
In contrast, Londoners can only reach 40 sq km 😭
December 6, 2024 at 2:24 PM
Madrid's metro expansion means that people can reach around 198 sq km (!) of the central business district within 30 minutes in public transport on peak hours.
In contrast, Londoners can only reach 40 sq km 😭
In contrast, Londoners can only reach 40 sq km 😭
Reposted by Ben
Great to see this report from the Work Foundation. Interesting findings on how important access to flexible working is for enabling people with health conditions stay in work.
Our report on tackling economic inactivity is finally out and it’s one we’ve been working on for a while.🥳
The key takeaway? Flexibility, autonomy, and support during the first year after ill health onset are game changers for keeping people in work.
A ~long~ thread to unpack our key findings🧵
The key takeaway? Flexibility, autonomy, and support during the first year after ill health onset are game changers for keeping people in work.
A ~long~ thread to unpack our key findings🧵
December 6, 2024 at 2:05 PM
Great to see this report from the Work Foundation. Interesting findings on how important access to flexible working is for enabling people with health conditions stay in work.
Reposted by Ben
Measles vaccines have saved around 94 million lives in the last 50 years. Of those, 92 million were children.
Measles vaccines rank highest in total lives saved by different childhood vaccines.
Measles vaccines rank highest in total lives saved by different childhood vaccines.
December 2, 2024 at 2:25 PM
Measles vaccines have saved around 94 million lives in the last 50 years. Of those, 92 million were children.
Measles vaccines rank highest in total lives saved by different childhood vaccines.
Measles vaccines rank highest in total lives saved by different childhood vaccines.
Reposted by Ben
🇰🇿🇺🇦👀 Ukrainian flag during Putin's visit to Kazakhstan: hackers broke the LED screen…
November 27, 2024 at 7:26 PM
🇰🇿🇺🇦👀 Ukrainian flag during Putin's visit to Kazakhstan: hackers broke the LED screen…
Reposted by Ben
🇬🇧👀 22-years-old British man Jake Reeves admitted on Friday that he carried out an arson attack on a London commercial property linked to 🇺🇦Ukraine, and that he had accepted pay from a foreign intelligence agency, in a case prosecutors have linked to Russia, — Reuters
November 22, 2024 at 6:56 PM
🇬🇧👀 22-years-old British man Jake Reeves admitted on Friday that he carried out an arson attack on a London commercial property linked to 🇺🇦Ukraine, and that he had accepted pay from a foreign intelligence agency, in a case prosecutors have linked to Russia, — Reuters
Reposted by Ben
Summer UK temperatures have warmed faster than global average temperature.
But the very hottest days have warmed 4x faster than the global average, especially in south-east England.
Global warming is not "just" 1°C or 2°C. The effects of climate change are non-linear, especially for extremes.
But the very hottest days have warmed 4x faster than the global average, especially in south-east England.
Global warming is not "just" 1°C or 2°C. The effects of climate change are non-linear, especially for extremes.
November 21, 2024 at 10:39 AM
Summer UK temperatures have warmed faster than global average temperature.
But the very hottest days have warmed 4x faster than the global average, especially in south-east England.
Global warming is not "just" 1°C or 2°C. The effects of climate change are non-linear, especially for extremes.
But the very hottest days have warmed 4x faster than the global average, especially in south-east England.
Global warming is not "just" 1°C or 2°C. The effects of climate change are non-linear, especially for extremes.
Reposted by Ben
November 21, 2024 at 10:39 AM
Reposted by Ben
Saturday night: The Russian/Iranian Shahed attack drones are closing in, with the shape of the alerts on the map looking like a monster is about to bite Kyiv. Luckily, I have a bottle of Scottish ale bought from my local Silpo supermarket in Kyiv to protect me.
P.S. Please send more air defenses.
P.S. Please send more air defenses.
November 16, 2024 at 9:17 PM
Saturday night: The Russian/Iranian Shahed attack drones are closing in, with the shape of the alerts on the map looking like a monster is about to bite Kyiv. Luckily, I have a bottle of Scottish ale bought from my local Silpo supermarket in Kyiv to protect me.
P.S. Please send more air defenses.
P.S. Please send more air defenses.
Reposted by Ben
Andrew Bailey is right. Most people don't realise how shockingly *bad* is the UK's goods trade performance after Brexit and the pandemic. UK exports are 23% lower than the pre-2020 trend and imports are 16% below the trend.
November 15, 2024 at 1:09 PM
Andrew Bailey is right. Most people don't realise how shockingly *bad* is the UK's goods trade performance after Brexit and the pandemic. UK exports are 23% lower than the pre-2020 trend and imports are 16% below the trend.
Reposted by Ben
7.KEY TAKEAWAY(for me):
This decision reinforces corporate responsibility for climate action but with legal caution. It recognises the role of companies in climate mitigation but hesitates to enforce rigid,generalized targets without specific legal or scientific consensus, especially on scope 3.
This decision reinforces corporate responsibility for climate action but with legal caution. It recognises the role of companies in climate mitigation but hesitates to enforce rigid,generalized targets without specific legal or scientific consensus, especially on scope 3.
November 12, 2024 at 2:35 PM
7.KEY TAKEAWAY(for me):
This decision reinforces corporate responsibility for climate action but with legal caution. It recognises the role of companies in climate mitigation but hesitates to enforce rigid,generalized targets without specific legal or scientific consensus, especially on scope 3.
This decision reinforces corporate responsibility for climate action but with legal caution. It recognises the role of companies in climate mitigation but hesitates to enforce rigid,generalized targets without specific legal or scientific consensus, especially on scope 3.
Reposted by Ben
Some positive NHS news!
It looks as though hospital productivity in England is (finally) starting to recover. There’s still some way to go to get productivity back to pre-pandemic levels, and the NHS is still behind on its backlog recovery plan – but it's now heading in the right direction.
It looks as though hospital productivity in England is (finally) starting to recover. There’s still some way to go to get productivity back to pre-pandemic levels, and the NHS is still behind on its backlog recovery plan – but it's now heading in the right direction.
NEW: NHS hospital productivity has started to rebound.
Hospital activity across a range of measures has increased substantially this year. For some measures, 2024 is the first year with activity levels higher than 2019.
THREAD on our new briefing: ifs.org.uk/articles/nhs...
[1/4]
Hospital activity across a range of measures has increased substantially this year. For some measures, 2024 is the first year with activity levels higher than 2019.
THREAD on our new briefing: ifs.org.uk/articles/nhs...
[1/4]
November 12, 2024 at 8:40 AM
Some positive NHS news!
It looks as though hospital productivity in England is (finally) starting to recover. There’s still some way to go to get productivity back to pre-pandemic levels, and the NHS is still behind on its backlog recovery plan – but it's now heading in the right direction.
It looks as though hospital productivity in England is (finally) starting to recover. There’s still some way to go to get productivity back to pre-pandemic levels, and the NHS is still behind on its backlog recovery plan – but it's now heading in the right direction.
Reposted by Ben
a week left to apply to be my colleague at She Is Sustainable... happy to chat
I'm proud to be part of She Is Sustainable, a peer support network for women working in sustainability. We're entirely volunteer-led.
We're looking for new Directors of our Community Interest Company. Interested? Happy to chat. Details here sheissustainable.org/director-rec...
We're looking for new Directors of our Community Interest Company. Interested? Happy to chat. Details here sheissustainable.org/director-rec...
Director Recruitment 2024
Role:CIC Director (x6)Location: Remote/home based in the UKRemuneration:Unpaid / voluntary. Modest expenses coveredTerm:Minimum 18 months Purpose:To deliver aims of She is Sustainable, primarily to su...
sheissustainable.org
November 4, 2024 at 3:37 PM
a week left to apply to be my colleague at She Is Sustainable... happy to chat
Reposted by Ben
god this is a fascinating (and worrying) piece
October 14, 2024 at 9:14 AM
god this is a fascinating (and worrying) piece
Reposted by Ben
Never has an electoral pledge sounded more like a threat. Feels like it's missing "if you miss your next payment".
October 13, 2024 at 8:29 PM
Never has an electoral pledge sounded more like a threat. Feels like it's missing "if you miss your next payment".
Reposted by Ben
We all have two possible futures: we die young or we live long enough to become disabled.
A more accessible world benefits everyone, whether the issue is n95s in healthcare to reduce hospital-acquired illness or easier mobility in public spaces.
Disability justice is community care and self care.
A more accessible world benefits everyone, whether the issue is n95s in healthcare to reduce hospital-acquired illness or easier mobility in public spaces.
Disability justice is community care and self care.
October 13, 2024 at 3:08 PM
We all have two possible futures: we die young or we live long enough to become disabled.
A more accessible world benefits everyone, whether the issue is n95s in healthcare to reduce hospital-acquired illness or easier mobility in public spaces.
Disability justice is community care and self care.
A more accessible world benefits everyone, whether the issue is n95s in healthcare to reduce hospital-acquired illness or easier mobility in public spaces.
Disability justice is community care and self care.
Reposted by Ben
Who could have possibly foreseen that Big Tobacco buying an inhaler company was a ragingly terrible idea?
Three years on and sold for about a third of the price.
www.ft.com/content/b489...
Three years on and sold for about a third of the price.
www.ft.com/content/b489...
Marlboro maker sells asthma inhaler group at discount after health backlash
Philip Morris pivot from tobacco to healthcare with purchase of Vectura sparked opposition from doctors
www.ft.com
September 17, 2024 at 5:47 PM
Who could have possibly foreseen that Big Tobacco buying an inhaler company was a ragingly terrible idea?
Three years on and sold for about a third of the price.
www.ft.com/content/b489...
Three years on and sold for about a third of the price.
www.ft.com/content/b489...