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David Rafferty

@davidrafferty.bsky.social
4.5K followers 4.5K following 9.6K posts

Roman historian in South Australia. Current project: “How Republics Die: Rome’s democratic breakdown in the 1st century BCE”. Husband and father. I’m the one who set cats and dogs against each other.

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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 7h
Liverpool supporters famously threw bananas on the pitch when Barnes first signed. And Everton supporters were…unsubtle…in what they chanted in his first Merseyside derby.
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Chris Brooke @chrisbrooke.bsky.social · 9h
Pelicans were relaunched a few years ago, and there are some very fine titles, e.g.
penguin.co.uk
Greek and Roman Political Ideas
What is politics? What are the origins of political philosophy? What can we learn from the Greeks and Romans? In Greek and Roman Political Ideas, acclaimed classics scholar Melissa Lane introduces t...
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 7h
Obligatory
static.klipy.com
Derry Girls
ALT: Derry Girls
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 8h
Case in point: Villarreal www.theguardian.com/football/202...
theguardian.com
Villarreal confirm Partey signing and address sexual offence charges in statement
Villarreal have confirmed the signing of Thomas Partey on a free transfer two days after he appeared in court charged with six sexual offences
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 8h
If they make Anne Twomey Governor-General I hope she interprets the role as being like a proactive and plenipotentiary High Court Justice.
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National Trust @nationaltrust.org.uk · 06/10/2026
You're never too old to get excited about seeing a really big tree.
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FPL Hippie @fplhippie.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
It turns out that the guys who bought a football team so that people wouldn't talk about slavery etc might be a bit dodgy #fpl
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 10h
The only people I know like this are academics, and they’re all people who got permanent jobs before 2015.
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 11h
Look. There was no water in the sink before. Then you pulled a lever, and water appeared. I think that counts.
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 12h
“Tell Al-Fayed it was me”.
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 12h
“There’s Diego Sola, he clips it to the back post and it’s bundled over the line…” Writes itself.
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 18h
I dunno. 700,000+ cops is a lot.
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WHAT A FUCKING RECORD @whatafuckingrecord.bsky.social · 19h
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SNEAKER PIMPS 6 UNDERGROUND
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 20h
This is the backstory to a remake of First Blood set in Melbourne: the non-tipping drifter, trudging from town to town.
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 20h
Are you basing this on the people you talk to on Bluesky? Because you totally could.
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 20h
For a work, social group? Yeah maybe. Not for a family. We’ve had a family tipping competition more than 20 years. One year my Nan won, submitting all her tips before the season started. This is not so different.
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 20h
For a work, social group? Yeah maybe. Not for a family. We’ve had a family tipping competition more than 20 years. One year my Nan won, submitting all her tips before the season started. This is not so different.
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 21h
Unpopular opinion: this is actually a totally reasonable response. There are heaps of things we do as social obligations which it would be nice to put less effort into. …perfectly reasonable up until he uses the word “sportsball”, which is always a sign someone should be fired into the sun.
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 23h
static.klipy.com
Michael Caine as Alfred: Watch the World Burn Quote
ALT: Michael Caine as Alfred: Watch the World Burn Quote
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 23h
It used to be Football Manager. Then I did a PhD. That exercised the same muscles.
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
The village council in Hot Fuzz is the twee version of this problem.
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Note: recent advances in football have also been the work of nerds.
static.klipy.com
Pep Guardiola at Manchester City
ALT: Pep Guardiola at Manchester City
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
When there’s not yet any reason to be scared of the Teutoberg Forest?
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Expecting a normal, sensible Green Party in the Anglosphere is like expecting disciplined defensive control from Spurs. Ain’t gonna happen.
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
I agree that’s not what you’re arguing. But I think there is a base assumption of restraint which lies under the argument.
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
This is a good piece, as is the Levitsky/Way article. But all these faintly optimistic takes rely on the Admin’s restraint. They *might* be restrained this time because 2026 is not 2028. But I do not expect them to stay restrained when the alternative is losing power.
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
My mum used to work at Oakleigh Coles. A noticeable thing: the elderly Greek men gossiping together out the front while their wives did the shopping. But the men had the money, so they would go up and pay. This was early 2000s.
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
The nurses can leave a message:
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
This more than anything shows the hollowing out of academia.
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
I was maybe four or five. Mum rented a kids’ video for me to watch. She put it on. She didn’t realise the wrong video was in the case: Michael Jackson’s Thriller.
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 26/09/2026
Empire Records (1995) has about six interwoven versions of (1), a single version of (2) (Rex Manning, although arguably Rex’s assistant too) and pivots to (3) in the last part of the film. This is why it is one of the all-time greats.
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
No matter how messed up you are with other things, having as a moral guiding star “Nazis are bad” will save you from the worst takes.
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
I think this is broadly the right attitude, but I also think most people are underplaying the “Supreme Court throws out batches of ballots it doesn’t like” option, which is how these things have worked since 2000. Also: will they keep up appearances? Why should they?
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Presumably there’s a massive influx of terrified economists on news programs screaming about “crowding out”. That has happened, right?
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
I always thought the main way modern economics differed from Marx is that it was specifically invented to negate him? Kinda like the relationship between Protestant theology and papal encyclicals.
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
They teach far more grammar at school now than they used to. It disappeared for about a generation c. 1980 but has returned.
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
Thinking about the rugby league Grand Final and particularly about the Roosters’ defence: 1. The Knights could barely get out of their own half: that’s brilliant defence! 2. Seemingly every other time the Knights *did* get out of their own half, they scored. That’s terrible defence.
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
*puts hand to ear* Sorry I’m just getting word that the UK Greens have also engaged in a completely unnecessary act of self-harm. New Zealand alone is left to light the way.
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
I’d argue that we also loved the Internet because it wasn’t about money. It took several years before you could reliably accept payments. Those several years were golden.
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
We need a true hegemon, like The Chief
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
I like 2 and 3. Am happy to back 5, or else an alternative of a 300 point deduction *in the Premier League* which they can work off every season they’re in it. 1 is inventive and just. As for 4: May I suggest they play for zero points this season? Play every game, but get no points for wins/draws.
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
An incredibly niche tool which we here on Aussie Bluesky need is something which translates Zizek into Phil Gould and vice versa.
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
“It was supposed to be an alternative! Not an exact copy!”
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
That part comes out clearer when you come to 2007: you were much stronger than two years before, Milan were much weaker, and they still looked superior.
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Yes! In the conversation. (Moreso for the FA Cup Final the following year, I reckon. Or maybe I just remember the goals.)
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
Has the metaphor of “Stephen Bradbury” crossed from Aus to the UK? The speed skater who won gold because everyone in front of him fell over? A tremendously useful metaphor for a mediocrity who manages to stand while everyone around them self-destructs.
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
The Clone Wars TV series is also in this category. For kids, but considerably better than the other stuff.
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
In honour of the day, I want to nominate Cleary’s last 20 minutes of the 2023 Grand Final as the greatest individual sporting performance I’ve ever seen. Better than anything I’ve seen Messi or Judd or Kerr do. Any other suggestions? From any team sport. youtu.be/sAp5roB0OLM?...
youtu.be
Every touch from the Nathan Cleary led comeback! | 2023 NRL Grand Final | Fox League
YouTube video by Fox League
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
I agree with pretty much everything @jonawils.bsky.social says here: www.theguardian.com/football/202...
theguardian.com
Let there be blanks instead of Manchester City’s name on trophies: there was no honour there | Jonathan Wilson
The spaces can stand as a memorial to these lost years both as a rebuke to an era of greed but also a tribute to the Premier League’s hunt for justice
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David Rafferty @davidrafferty.bsky.social · 04/10/2026
(If you don’t recognise the name, Wilfred Brambell was Paul’s grandfather in A Hard Day’s Night) The backseat byplay between the three supports would be out of this world.
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