iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 20h

From Attenborough on down, the entire remit of the Beeb is to make stuff that no other platform would reasonably do because it's not commercial enough to be rolled out on a grand scale by pretty much anyone on any platform. Jesus HFC.

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 20h

But but but wastage reductions... which obviously weren't going on for 14 years and every public body is just spaffing money like there's no tomorrow... which is why there are huge waiting lists, massive security holes from old software and purchasing hasn't happened basically since 2010.

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Sorry. Is that a typo or am I being out of date on my racist hate speech. I'm not sure I want to know but what on earth is an I word.

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

In fairness, I'm always getting those two mixed up. You should have heard the response when I mistakenly said Jesus's Reich caused the Holocaust. I was a little red faced.

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Should also say that this policy can take a fucking jump. It would benefit me probably more than most, meaning I'd pay barely anything, and probably nothing at all. But it's just keeping money in the hands of rich who are only rich because their parents are. She can fuck the fuck off

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Seems easy to game. Oh no, I'm retired 75 and have a huge property empire. I'll just have to sell it all and buy a fuck off farm.

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

I hope she's not referring to his thick coating of back and chest hair. I especially hope she's not suggesting it's sticky like it has marmalade in it.

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

I would definitely count myself in the group that would benefit the most from that policy. My parents got lucky: good jobs and from the baby boom generation. It would remove virtually all tax from me. That seems one of the most regressive policies I've ever heard and she should be ashamed.

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 07/10/2026

Have not been. Always wondered if Matt was right and there's just crass base ball photos and none of its (on brand for the restaurant) history

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 06/10/2026

Love when they take the time to do that. In a past life with the Giro/RCS races, was travelling through Italy with Matt Rendell off of the ITV and the cycling books. He told me the place where they came up with the idea of the TdF was (12 years ago) a TGI Fridays. With zero cycling in it.

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Suspect they were surveyed but didn't differ from many others so combined into all EU. Surprising that they'd exclude given the history / culture etc of Ireland and the potential for vitriol given the less shared oppression. But graphs are easy to overlook nuance when cobbling together quickly.

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

God yes, the attitude difference on the days we walked vs the days we drove was like night and day.

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 05/10/2026

Indeed - well, about 1.5 miles for my kids in rural Saddleworth. Thankfully a government had put in things like foot path trails through the woods, through fields and along a converted/disused rail line. I crossed two roads, one via a zebra. If only the Tories had some sort of power to do that.

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 03/10/2026

Absolutely That Chicago sold it's parking spaces and the company that bought them were able to jack up prices so much shows you just how undervalued parking is. Driving needs to be the costly option. The stick is needed.

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

This is definitely true. My kids are now out of primary and on a bus to the nearest secondary, but the 30-40 minute walk through the woods to the school with them was the best part of my day and they were visibly far less grumpy on days they walked vs when we had to drive.

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

What, are you saying societies have evolved in the 3,000 years since a bunch of nomadic goat herders tried to figure out why the sky was blue, the grass was green, how there was so much rather-fantastical life on the planet, and what should be done to people who touch pig skin / wear mixed cloths?

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

Just how big is this weirdo's closet?

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 01/10/2026

It seems completely non sensical: Does it deter? Correlations say no. Are there miscarriages? 10% of people in jails are wrongfully convicted. Does it help victims? Some, but many no. Not worth it. Is it cheaper than locking them up? Legal costs mean very much NO! So what is it for?

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Doesn't matter how many times you shout it. On this side of the sea, the definition has it squarely in there. I have learned that on your side the definition doesn't. I thank you for the knowledge but the Irish changing it's definition literally doesn't change ours. Goodbye.

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

I don't know a single hirer that would bat an eyelid. Far more important, how did they talk to junior staff or the receptionist? Did they clean any mess, ask for a coaster or take it away / ask if there was a bin. Were they pleasant, bright, capable.

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Like oh no, someone who you don't know from Adam, from a different country used a name that your country changed and England didn't. Does it fucking matter?. Am I the pm making a diplomatic faux pas? No Is GB and Ireland called the British isles in England, yes. I hope this is goodbye.

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Genuinely, I have never met a better reason to continue calling it a (to you) insensitive name that is factually accurate here, when knowing it's insensitive, than your repeated rants. Get a life. And learn persuasion or at least how not to be a petulant knob.

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Sure you call them what you want. But being a twat and demanding random people you've never met call it a name that (for their country) it's not is a bit twattish, especially when they weren't being nasty to the Irish when using it. You may as well demand we say Deutschland or never use Holland.

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Why are you still showing up in notifications. stop trying to get the last word in on everything. You have pointed out, the Irish don't call it part of the British isles. And I get why. But English do. The name didn't change on this side of the water because we didn't see the name as oppressive.

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

What a strange use of the word strength. Stereotyping would suggest these huddled masses are weak, poor and just yearning to breathe free. Whereas the British army has well fed, well trained staff with guns, bombs and missiles. That's not a match of strength. ADHD rant over

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

This is the internet. Worse, it is social media, full of people who think they're right - me included. I now know that there is an insensitivity. May still use British Isles. But your approach has just alienated. Use nuance and persuasion. Else you look like a weird forthright dick. Take care now.

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Without explaining that 1) You're Irish 2) The name is insensitive to Irish people 3) Possibly why (English being pricks since before Cromwell) With out that you're just a nutter shouting things that according to our dictionaries and encyclopaedias (and our Google results) are simply wrong.

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

And no, I can't really give a shit about politics to someone who comes into a conversation uninvited spouting off that the name we've used wrong (it's not, it's arguably naive political insensitivity) without explaining anything. An explanation could have pointed out.

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

We have used the term, which is the official name of the islands in the United Kingdom it to describe the islands that sit off the West of France. I have Welsh family and get fully why the English are hated by most. But it's not being used to oppress, it's just the name they have here.

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

And yes, I get that the Irish fought for freedom because England were really exceptionally cuntish to Ireland for a very, very long time. That you still have bugger all trees is testament to that. But there's politics and there's geography.

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Don't give a shit about the empire, am a republican (even if English), don't particularly like the way the country has been ruled , certainly hate where it's heading. If I were Northern Irish I would totally vote for reunification. But to everyone outside Ireland, they are the British Isles.

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Sorry. Missed your last part in that. Again no. www.google.com/search?q=why...

google.com

Google Search

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

I'm beginning think this is a comedy performance but I can't hear the wind whooshing just over my head

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

Eh. No www.google.com/search?q=bri.... Ireland is most definitely one of the British isles.

google.com

Google Search

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 24/09/2026

You might want to Google that. The Republic of Ireland is not part of the UK, but the island of Ireland is one of the British isles. It's not a political thing it's just the name... Hence great Britain for the large one.

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Just wait till you see who Welsh cricket players compete for. This however is the best description of all sports teams youtube.com/shorts/dTjFd...

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Yeah. Spotted my typo too late. Poor proofing, which is worrying as I write for a living.

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Yeah - thought you might have ... sadly only after I'd clicked post. And yeah - Definitely not British Isles, but definitely not Great Britain. Had forgot that she was going for British rather than UK when I wrote my first.

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Sorry ;o) But controversial or not, NI is definitely part of UK. A bloody lucky one that has free movement at that. Until it chooses to vote otherwise (which, if I had a vote, I'd probably go for reunification - so can't blame them if they do).

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

Incredibly interesting. Was there an idea if this is due to private school kids being driven disproportionately more? Or at the same levels, but the added vehicles tripped congestion disproportionately more than it was when only state school kids were driven? Say if in report and I missed.

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 23/09/2026

The Welsh sure as fuck won't have that hateful wazzock. Doubt the Scots or Northern Irish would either.

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

I took my former company to tribunal after I caught them taking but not paying pension contributions and the CEO threatened my job. He claimed he'd never used the word interloper as it was archaic. Not only did he do that, he also used behoove. Epic cunt... Albeit mostly for the pensions

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

What's with the weird background cackle on "backchannel connections"

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

The picture editors on the Telegraph used to be brilliant, choosing pictures of lots of cyclists waiting patiently at lights to illustrate a story or law-breaking cyclists. I miss those days.

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

There are several online historic value converters online. I'd give one buy my phone is being a dick.

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

God that's depressing - even when over 2/3 people see him as the toady he is, he was still odds on favourite to be the next PM. Hopefully this is changing but Jesus H F C.

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

He's not saying the person isn't being an arse, he's highlighting the attitudinal difference of people against bikes vs cars. Cars do this shit all the time. Ask anyone with a pram how many times they've considered "scraping past" a car parked on the pavement with not quite enough space.

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Rob Ashwell @cyclistandstats.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

You might not put your own bike like that but you should have seen the 4x4 on the pavement outside the hairdresser in my village on Friday. I guess technically it wasn't on the double yellow, but blocking the entire pavement with with a car is definitely blighting and exceptionally inconsiderate.

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