Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 09/07/2026Labels are funny things. Trump claims this FIFA World Cup is the most "successful" and I tend to agree. By most accounts and stats this is the most "successfully corrupt" FIFA World Cup. 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 07/07/2026www.theguardian.com/books/ng-int...theguardian.comHow AI is changing languageAs allegations of LLM use rock the literary and media worlds, linguists explain what really distinguishes human and machine writing, while novelists including Jennifer Egan and Jeanette Winterson refl... 010 1
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 07/07/2026So now the integrity of the rest of the tournament should be called into question. "I am good at this stuff." 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 07/07/2026Can we all agree that future host nation presidents take a "Basics of Football" test to determine their efficacy for hosting an event of this magnitude. Trump clearly wouldn't pass the test of drawing a football correctly. 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 06/07/2026Are we all really surprised that FIFA, one of the most corrupt institutions on earth, overturned a red card given to the host country--itself governed a corrupt institution (those in the White house)? Corruption begets corruption. 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 02/07/2026Read this in conversation with Richard Reeves's On Boys and Men, which speaks to many of the core issues despite speaking from USA data. www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026...dailymaverick.co.zaWhy boys lag at school in SA, and what masculinity has to do with itAcross the globe, boys are increasingly becoming disconnected from education and at times, dropping out of school. The belief is that it has to do with toxic masculinity.… 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 01/07/2026From one of the horse's mouths. Won't be long until they stop selling us consoles too. Or modualirise accessories down to components. We truly are beginning to own nothing, pay more, and be forced to be happy with this arrangement. More thoughts on this coming in my Substack @ceterisnonparibus 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 01/07/2026"The accusation matters less than the social function it performs: the scapegoat comes to embody what the community fears, resents or does not understand." www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/...dailymaverick.co.zaRoots of xenophobia: Before ‘Abahambe’ there were AmaMpondo and AmankulaThere is something eerily familiar about the narrative that immigrants, documented or not, are the source of our pain in South Africa, with the phrase ‘Abahambe’ gaining dangerous traction.… 100 1
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 23/06/2026The area holds a place in my memories. It would be a shame to see it disappear. We need to work to regenerate the spaces that surround the Plaza maybe akin to the work done in Cincinnati. This requires community participation and not division. www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026...dailymaverick.co.zaDecaying Fordsburg in danger of turning historic Oriental Plaza into ‘a dinosaur’The Oriental Plaza used to be a hub of bustling activity but now locals fear the degradation around Fordsburg is driving people away – and will turn the former shoppers’ paradise and historic marketpl... 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 18/06/2026Conference presentations are just vehicles for doors to open. Had a great time listening to such a diverse range of topics, voice, and perspectives at the Regional Studies Association 2026 Conference in Gothenburg. 020 2
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 17/06/2026When the state gets you to work against each other instead of working for you, you need a new politics and political settlement. 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 11/06/2026FIFA should be disbanded. The absolute joke that they have allowed this WC to become before the first kick-off. The last couple hosts should have been stripped of hosting rights due to numerous human rights abuses and warmongering. Trumpie has made it even more political. Disgrace. 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 10/06/2026groundup.org.za/article/unem...groundup.org.za 100 1
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 10/06/2026jacobin.com/2026/06/sout...jacobin.comSouth Africa's Left Can Rebuild — If It Rejects CorruptionThe South African left today is dominated by parties of patronage and corruption and small sectarian groupings. If the Left is to rebuild itself, it needs to break with these elements and forge a move... 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 10/06/2026I still love these books. And even more so episodes like this. pca.st/episode/f45d...pca.stThis Is Your Brain on Pollution (Update)As the Trump administration rolls back environmental regulations, we revisit a 2022 episode that explored the hidden cost of an invisible threat: air pollution. SOURCES: Angela Duckworth,… 100 1
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 03/06/2026This is one of the best examples of "useless information" out there. At least for the general public. But still immensely fascinating! www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-...scientificamerican.comHow the Guinness Brewery Invented the Most Important Statistical Method in ScienceThe most common test of statistical significance originated from the Guinness brewery. Here’s how it works 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 01/06/2026I think that Graham Platner's politics throws a slight spanner in the Left vs Right debate and reframes it toward a more vertical orientation of bottom-up vs top-down politics. 100 1
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 31/05/2026We're seeing more examples of bottom-up community action taking ownership of the spaces they live in. It's great. share.google/aP8jJTiW2veX...share.googleCommunity volunteers lead the way in keeping Lyttelton cleanResidents are dedicating their weekends to grass cutting, tree pruning and general upkeep across Lyttelton, turning community spirit into visible action throughout the suburb. 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 30/05/2026I can safely say that Graham's, and similarly Zohran's, bottom-up politics is a much need breath of fresh air. And shows the political elite that they can lose their places if they get too comfortable and forget who they serve, the people. youtube.com/watch?v=nlRs...youtube.comThe Most Shocking Election In AmericaYouTube video by More Perfect Union 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 29/05/2026What kind of society would you design if you didn't know whether you'd be born in Sandton or Soweto? That question should make us deeply uncomfortable with the one we've built. In this new post on my Substack @ceterisnonparibus,i ruminate on notions of privilege. open.substack.com/pub/jasonfbe...open.substack.comLifting our veils of ignoranceRuminating on privilege and poverty in South Africa 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 29/05/2026www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/...dailymaverick.co.zaAI is eating the academic publishing industry alive, but some good might come of itIn a publish-or-perish environment where numbers count much more than quality, artificial intelligence has become the great disruptor. But what this could ultimately lead to is universities rebuilding... 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 27/05/2026Meat as industrial policy www.theguardian.com/environment/...theguardian.com‘Humanity’s favourite food’: how to end the livestock industry but keep eating meatBruce Friedrich argues the only way to tackle the world’s insatiable but damaging craving for meat is like-for-like replacements like cultivated and plant-based meat 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 26/05/2026open.substack.com/pub/kaguura/...open.substack.comThe Mathematical Reason Most People Never "Make It"The uncomfortable truth about effort, outcome, and the math that connects them all 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 18/05/2026Mathematics is out there aeon.co/essays/for-s...aeon.co 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 14/05/2026How I Became a Manufacturing Skeptic by Dani Rodrik @projectsyndicate.bsky.social prosyn.org/Q5HJhUWprosyn.orgHow I Became a Manufacturing SkepticDani Rodrik reviews the evidence that convinced him that developing countries’ hope lies in services. 100 1
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 14/05/2026www.linkedin.com/posts/samuel...linkedin.comInfrastructure development is often framed as a smooth journey from planning to delivery. However, project failure is not the exception but a routine outcome, with far-reaching social, economic, and… ...Infrastructure development is often framed as a smooth journey from planning to delivery. However, project failure is not the exception but a routine outcome, with far-reaching social, economic, and e... 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 11/05/2026jacobin.com/2026/05/mark...jacobin.comHow Socialism in the 21st Century Could WorkA socialism with a role for markets but not capitalists can deliver human flourishing without the pitfalls of fully planned economies. 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 07/05/2026www.linkedin.com/posts/dr-kyl...linkedin.com#urbaneconomy #urbanplanning #sociology #cities #sustainabledevelopment | Dr. Kyle FarrellWhat Urban Planning Can Learn from a 40 Year Old Economics Book I was recently thumbing through an almost forgotten economics book from grad school: Micromotives and Macrobehavior by Thomas Schellin... 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 07/05/2026pca.st/episode/28a8...pca.stWas Adam Smith Really a Right-Winger? (Update)Economists and politicians have turned him into a mascot for free-market ideology. Some on the left say the right has badly misread him. In this updated replay of a 2022 episode, we hold a very… 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 06/05/2026www.businessday.co.za/lifestyle/tr...businessday.co.zaPublic spaces should meet ageing population’s needsUrban areas should be accessible and safe for the elderly and people with disabilities 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 05/05/2026www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...sciencedirect.comThe coevolution of culture and industrial paths in regional restructuring and transition: A cultural toolkit approachHow regional industrial paths unfold and what contributes to their evolution and directionality are crucial questions for many regions. While the path… 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 05/05/2026If there ever was an example of "don't mess with the recipe" it is ProNutro. Now available in cement flavour. 111 1
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 19/04/2026What Governments get wrong when they commission Urban Advice www.linkedin.com/pulse/what-g...linkedin.comWhat Governments get wrong when they commission Urban AdviceThere is a peculiar ritual that plays out with remarkable consistency across the world's capital cities. A government, freshly energised by a new administration or a once-in-a-generation development m... 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 18/04/2026www.dailymaverick.co.za/opinionista/...dailymaverick.co.zaSA’s literacy crisis — reading for pleasure belongs at the heart of education policySouth Africa faces a literacy crisis, with 81% of Grade 4 learners unable to read meaningfully. Emphasising reading for pleasure is essential for fostering motivation and effective literacy developmen... 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 31/03/2026"Bell’s work demonstrated, with unsparing documentation, that apartheid was not merely a moral aberration but a system of race and class exploitation in which the corporate world was a willing, calculating participant." 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 31/03/2026www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2026...dailymaverick.co.zaTerry Bell, journalist who spent a lifetime speaking truth to power, dies at 84Veteran journalist Terry Bell, who spent decades in exile opposing apartheid before returning to hold democratic South Africa to account, has died at 84. Fiercely principled to the end, he remained a ... 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 29/03/2026open.substack.com/pub/pmresear...open.substack.comWhy Certain Places Immediately Feel Well DesignedEmergence 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 29/03/2026www.linkedin.com/posts/lucamo...linkedin.comBeyond Gap-Spotting: Evaluating Phenomenon-Based Research | Luca Mora posted on the topic | LinkedInDo we really need a problem in the literature (often framed as a gap) to justify every paper? No, but we often review as if we do. We’ve learned to narrate and argue contributions as missing links in... 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 29/03/2026Out of how many total pitches faced? This type of reporting is purely attempting to discredit officials. To miss a call by 0.3" is almost as close as it gets. Can we make a grandiose report every time a gold glove fielder fluffs their only fielding opportunity? 100 1
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 26/03/2026Someone deserves a raise for this headline www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...newyorker.comEngels in the OutfieldA radical history of the Mets insists that baseball can still be the people’s game. 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 26/03/2026Well I mean GOOD and rigorous research should be a public good that is not done solely for profit. Too often these consulting style outputs don't give enough weight to proper issues because the research is shallow. substack.com/@paulsweeney...substack.comPaul Sweeney (@paulsweeney)McKinsey has unwittingly proven their own model is bullshit… 100 1
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 25/03/2026substack.com/@pmresearche...substack.comNicole Williams (@pmresearcher)One of my favorites. 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 24/03/2026www.linkedin.com/posts/robsho...linkedin.comIncredible new tool alert! 🚨 DOUGHNUT ECONOMICS FOR POLICY MAKERS ✨ Whether you work on policy or want to help those who do, this incredible new guide - with lots of fantastic practical examples -… |...Incredible new tool alert! 🚨 DOUGHNUT ECONOMICS FOR POLICY MAKERS ✨ Whether you work on policy or want to help those who do, this incredible new guide - with lots of fantastic practical examples - is... 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 24/03/2026The fallout of mainstream gaming journalists' attempts to now walk-back their far-too-quick and knee-jerk reviews of Crimson Desert highlights a deeper issue with reviews and the unwillingness to review something on its full merit or as a complete product/work of art. 200 2
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 24/03/2026open.substack.com/pub/pmresear...open.substack.comWhy Systems Thinking Must Come Before Analytical ThinkingWhen most projects begin, the first instinct is to get into the weeds: create a timeline, define deliverables, assign tasks, and set up the Gantt chart. 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 24/03/2026open.substack.com/pub/unherd/p...open.substack.comIntroducing the EconoclastsThe new podcast from UnHerd 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 24/03/2026open.substack.com/pub/gracebla...open.substack.comCapitalism is Killing the FutureA system built on war, exploitation and ecological collapse makes apocalypse feel inevitable — but it doesn’t have to be. 000 0
Jason F. Bell @jasonfbell.bsky.social · 24/03/2026www.newyorker.com/magazine/202...newyorker.comWhat Does “Capitalism” Really Mean, Anyway?In a new global history, capitalism is an inescapable vibe—responsible for everything, everywhere, all at once. 000 0