Tasha Alden

delighted to inform you that, once again, not everything is completely terrible

every time there's political violence discourse i think about how jo cox was assassinated in broad daylight by a fascist who shouted "britain first" as he shot her, and now nine years later her party is dedicating every moment in power to placating the ideology of her murderer

The Telegraph Rayner tax scandal - £40k tax dodge - Statement Angela Rayner dodges £40,000 stamp duty Deputy Prime Minister reduces tax bill for Hove flat by declaring it as her main residence [Photo: Angela Rayner pictured at the weekend in Hove, where she has just bought a flat Credit: Dan Charity/The Sun on Sunday] Robert Mendick Chief Reporter. Amy Gibbons Political Correspondent 29 August 2025 8:57am BST

The Telegraph Money > Property > Second homes How to avoid tax on your second home From stamp duty to council tax, shield your wealth from Labour's tightening net [Photo of houses around a bay - Areas such as Cornwall have added a premium to council tax bills for second homes Credit: iStockphoto] Fran Ivens Senior Money Writer 29 August 2025 1:21pm BST

On the same day in the Telegraph:

It has aged well

Wikipedia editors trying to fend off the onslaught of AI crap have crowdsourced some telltale signs of LLM-generated writing; it might be handy for editors and proofreaders generally. Thanks to @ellenrykers.com for pointing me to it. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikiped...

If you are cis, please read this entire thread. It won't take much of your time

The Quakers are doing exactly what all public services are legally allowed to do even if the EHRC wants to pretend they're not: say gender-based toilets are inclusive and for anyone bothered by that as a matter of belief, there are stand-alone cubicles that they are very free to use. 1/

This, from the Quakers, is a pretty good example of how to resist pressure from bigot lobbying groups. Effectively “we legally can allow trans people to use the loo, we morally should, and we tried it and nothing bad happened”

everything we do should as teachers should be to throw sand in the gears of the neo-utilitarian machine that sees education in purely transactional terms. it really is the only thing —AI is a symptom not a cause

JK Rowling tweeting got a boycott of M&S, stretching facts to the breaking point, and making the world a worse place for absolutely everyone.

The employee asked the girl and her mother if they needed help shopping. That’s it. That’s all. The misinformation, the insinuations (because the facts are inconveniently benign) are EXACTLY what was done to lesbians in the 80s. This is the product of hate and fear, not reality.

Please help me share the CFP for this Literature Compass Special Issue dedicated to the work of Simon J James and covering key Victorian and Edwardian writers like H. G. Wells, George Gissing, Dickens, Wilde, George Du Maurier, and Conan-Doyle on behalf of Hadas Elber-Aviram.

Open letter from UK university staff: Request for biometric deferral and safe evacuation of incoming Palestinian students and scholars from Gaza to UK Universities More than 40 students currently trapped in Gaza with full scholarships to UK Universities are asking for a safe route to come and study. We, the academic community hoping to welcome these scholars, ca...

An open letter has been launched today (27/7/25) for members of the UK academic community (academics and other university staff) to sign, to press the UK Home Office to facilitate safe passage out of Gaza for 40+ students with offers for UK universities.

docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...

Quakers first British church to state belief that genocide underway in Gaza At their annual gathering this weekend, Quakers in Britain became the first British church to state their belief that the Israeli government is committing genocide in Gaza.

We need to heed the promptings of love and truth in our hearts and speak up now. We believe that genocide is underway in Gaza.

We use this word with the aim of opening eyes, minds and hearts. We use it in the deep hope that the actions it describes will stop.

www.quaker.org.uk/news-and-eve...

Quakers will be among thousands taking part in London Trans+ Pride tomorrow, the largest demonstration of its kind in the world.

We believe that all people are of equal spiritual worth, that each one of us is unique, precious, a child of God.

Read the full details here: londontranspride.org

Black background with red lines. White text reads; "Targeting children, killing civilians, starving people, killing the hungry, targeting medics, killing aid workers. Too many red lines continue to be crossed. #RedLineForGaza".

We have all watched in horror as Israel crosses red line after red line in Gaza. If you agree please share this post on, help us send this message across social media, then contribute a picture to our powerful visual at bit.ly/3HW2ePI
Let’s speak out, in our masses, right now. #RedLineForGaza #Gaza

Belief / comprehension / Coventry?

She writes beautifully about Francesco del Cossa’s frescos in both sections of How to be Both - I love the way you learn how to look with George in George’s half.

Decades of mechanistic talk about university degrees as if they were bundles of 'skills' and 'prep' are about to be proved completely wrong (obviously). Want to get a real boost? Do History or English.

99% of people crossing the channel in small boats apply for asylum.
About 70%+ receive it.
The manner of entry to seek asylum does not determine if someone is a "genuine refugee".
Nobody is risking their life crossing one of the world's busiest shipping routes to work for Deliveroo. #r4today

Red Line for Gaza

More than 15,000 children have already been killed by Israeli authorities in Gaza. Every single one of them was someone’s universe. Every child killed is a red line crossed.

Add your voice now: redlineforgaza.org.uk

3/4

It takes less than a minute to take part. By just hitting send on a short pre-prepared message to your MP, tens-of-thousands of us will ask the same question: What are they doing to stop the deaths of children in Gaza?

And we’ll keep on demanding action, until the killing ends.

2/4

Bold white text on black background reads 'RED LINE FOR GAZA' with a vertical red line separating the words.

Red Line For Gaza is a movement bringing together all of our voices to end the killing and suffering of children in Gaza: redlineforgaza.org.uk

Together, we will use our voice to demand action every week. Until the UK Government acts, we will not stop.

1/4

Oh good grief - that’s awful news. He was a lovely man and so incredibly warm and collegial. He’ll be missed by so many people.

Job Vacancy at Edge Hill University: Senior Lecturer/Lecturer in English We’re here to create and harness knowledge, to deliver opportunity for everyone.About the RoleAs Lecturer or Senior Lecturer in English, you will be required to make a significant contribution to the ...

ENGLISH LIT JOB! A rare beast spotted in the wild! Come work with us! I’ll provide snacks!

jobs.edgehill.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx...

Happy birthday! X

New from @englishassociation.bsky.social! English opens doors: fliers with info on skills and careers for English students, teachers, parents now available to download. englishassociation.ac.uk/english-open...

You wouldn't know it by the arrest and conviction rates in this country, but sexual assault is already actually illegal in the UK, regardless of whether you have a right to enter single-sex spaces or not.

There's not a single crime in the history of the UK that would have been prevented by a bathroom bill. Not one

Bathroom bills aren't about safety, they're about trying to exclude LGBT people from public life. That's it

Amen.

When the heck was that?!