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Piali Das Gupta

@pialidg.bsky.social
2.4K followers 379 following 248 posts

Basically, I'm a lot about #localgov, public services, place, travel, art, culture, photography and London. And sometimes a little bit about Canada too. Migrant and citizen, at the same time.

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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 25/05/2026
When I was a kid in Ottawa, the city didn't have a team so I fell for the Habs. My heart is now pounding as it did for the Oilers last year. The last Canadian team to win the Cup - 🙏🏽 bring it back this year! #gohabsgo #allezcanadiensallez
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 09/03/2026
Stunning shot. (Go Canada!)
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Adam Terry @adamterryfgf.bsky.social · 20/11/2025
What can No 10 learn from My Little Pony? A lot, it turns out - you need Applejacks, Raritys, Fluttershys, Rainbow Dashes & Twilight Sparkles as well as Pinkie Pies... Great blog by @pollymackenzie.bsky.social on @futuregovforum.bsky.social substack: futuregovforum.substack.com/p/friendship...
futuregovforum.substack.com
Friendship is magic.
Lessons for No10 from the My Little Ponyverse
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 17/11/2025
When exactly did the concept of "deportation" become one to throw around casually? Not sure if it would be worse for it to be performative cruelty or genuine policy. Is this *really* the kind of country the UK wants to be?
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 10/11/2025
Blows my mind how much we're learning about our earliest history. www.fossewaytreeservices.co.uk/10-11-2025/1...
fossewaytreeservices.co.uk
Human history set to be rewritten after a groundbreaking finding at a Kenyan archaeological excavation
Small stones, long walks, and a hint of early foresight. New data from a Kenyan site indicates that our ancestors hauled specific stones across the
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 03/11/2025
Everything we learn about the Inca impresses me more and more. And I find myself fuming (futilely) about the records and knowledge Spanish colonisers destroyed and suppressed. share.google/mJD7Hzc9dn5Z...
share.google
This Inca Building—the Only Surviving Structure of Its Kind—Might Have Been Designed to Amplify Sound and Music
Researchers will use 3D modeling to assess what the "carpa uasi" in Huaytará, Peru, originally looked like and how sound traveled through it
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 31/10/2025
Ok @torontobluejays.bsky.social I'm thrilled you've got 2 shots to win the World Series but please get it done tonight. I could really use an unbroken night's sleep soon.
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Sara @sportsandsuffering.bsky.social · 29/10/2025
I regret to inform everyone that my pedantic brain couldn’t let me live until I knew whether or not dodger blue and blue jays blue are the same blue. They are ONE PANTONE NUMBER APART.
a graphic showing the pantone numbers for the two core colors of the toronto blue jays. they are skydome blue (pantone 293) and Stieb Navy (pantone 282)a hat and canvas tote with the pantone number for Dodger Blue (294 C)
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 25/10/2025
The thin thread to my beloved Expos via Vladimir Guerrero Jr feels unbelievably precious. Let's go @torontobluejays.bsky.social! #NosAmours www.bbc.com/news/article...
bbc.com
The $500m slugger who is taking Canada to the World Series
For the first time in 32 years, the Toronto Blue Jays are competing in the World Series, and they have Vladimir Guerrero Jr to thank.
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 24/10/2025
My body is in London, sure, but my spirit is in Toronto. Conjuring up 1992 vibes...let's go @torontobluejays.bsky.social! youtu.be/U9pCrFxwjeo?...
youtu.be
92 WS, GM 6, TOR@ATL: Blue Jays win the World Series
YouTube video by MLB
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 23/10/2025
With Toronto very much on my mind right now, I'm assuaging the loneliness of being an ex-pat at a time like this by plunging down a YouTube vortex. youtube.com/shorts/LYlKl...
youtube.com
When Kawhi Leonard Hit "The Shot" 🏀
YouTube video by SPORTSNET
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 21/10/2025
Not gonna lie - I wept with joy. Go @torontobluejays.bsky.social go! youtube.com/shorts/g5zXI...
youtube.com
The George Springer Home Run That Sent The Blue Jays To The World Series 💣
YouTube video by SPORTSNET
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Alan White @aljwhite.bsky.social · 02/10/2025
Scoop from @cjayanetti.bsky.social - Some of London’s poorest areas could see their share of funding for children’s services halved in under local govt grant reform plans www.politicshome.com/news/article...
politicshome.com
London Councils Face Losing Half Their Share Of Children's Services Funding
Some of London’s poorest areas could see their share of funding for children’s services halved under Labour’s plans to reform local government gran...
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Pete Apps @peteapps.bsky.social · 29/09/2025
Can't think of many better illustrations of how badly we have botched housing policy than the fact that our bill for housing homeless families (£2.8bn pa) is now higher than the money we spend each year on new affordable housing (£2.3bn) www.insidehousing.co.uk/news/english...
insidehousing.co.uk
English councils’ temporary accommodation bill rises to £2.8bn
Councils in England spent a record £2.8bn on temporary accommodation last year, with the annual bill rising by 25% as the homelessness crisis deepens.
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 22/09/2025
I was 38 when I decided to move from Canada to the UK on a highly-skilled migrant visa. I knew I was taking a risk leaving behind a secure job with potential for progression and the option to live in cities with a lower cost of living than UK cities. (1/2)
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FE Week @feweek.bsky.social · 12/09/2025
🚨Breaking: Apprenticeships will shift to the Department for Work and Pensions in the Whitehall skills policy shakeup, Jacqui Smith confirms feweek.co.uk/dwp-will-tak...
feweek.co.uk
DWP will take over apprenticeships policy, minister confirms
Shifting adult skills and apprenticeships will give "bigger emphasis on skills", Jacqui Smith claims
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 08/09/2025
Thinking about all in #localgov waiting on ministerial decisions. Another drawback of a centralised state. Reshuffles and stasis afterward obvs can happen anywhere and at any tier. But in most OECD countries you wouldn't see this many decisions about local matters held up after political churn.
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 31/08/2025
I grew up watching baseball - the crack of a bat hitting the ball and the low murmur of the crowd are the soundtrack to my childhood. Watching @bluejays.com live on BBC as I eat supper feels like time travel. Normally I huddle in bed with my app, hoping the game finishes by 5 am. #basescoveredlive
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 29/08/2025
www.thetimes.com/us/news-toda...
thetimes.com
Hurricane Katrina: from first warnings to chilling aftermath
Twenty years on, we recount one of the worst natural disasters in US history, which left a death toll of more than 1,800 and caused billions of dollars of damage
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 29/08/2025
I will be incredibly disappointed if this turns out to be true. When I was growing up, my hometown #yeg was an oasis of sanity in a rabidly redneck province. www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
cbc.ca
The Handmaid's Tale among more than 200 books to be pulled at Edmonton public schools | CBC News
A list confirmed by CBC News shows titles like The Handmaid's Tale and Brave New World are among books to be pulled. The development comes after a policy from Alberta's education minister outlines new...
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 23/08/2025
And breathe...
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 07/08/2025
The William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow is such a little gem. The current Morris Mania exhibition is well worth catching.
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 03/08/2025
Right to buy in England ‘fuelled housing crisis and cost taxpayers £200bn’ www.theguardian.com/society/2025...
theguardian.com
Right to buy in England ‘fuelled housing crisis and cost taxpayers £200bn’
Common Wealth report calls discounted sales of council homes one of the ‘largest giveaways in UK history’
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 28/07/2025
What amazes me about Stockholm is not the excellence of its public transport system nor its residents' willingness to commute by active travel measures. It's how badly its city centre is still scarred by the legacy of motorway-enthralled planners.
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 24/07/2025
Damn it's hard to leave a job you love, even when you know it's time to seek a new challenge. Cannot thank London Councils colleagues, members and officers at boroughs, and partners across the capital enough for a magical three years. Getting to serve a place you love truly madly deeply is 🤩.
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 07/07/2025
I ❤️ London
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Brittlestar @brittlestar.com · 01/07/2025
Explaining Canada Day To Americans
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 01/07/2025
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 30/06/2025
What makes me laugh about the current weather in London is that I'm persuaded that my Italian friends would be wearing a jacket if they were here. Or a cardigan, minimum. 🥵
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 26/06/2025
Just shared a laugh with a stranger of a different ethnic background at a London bus stop. But I suspect that, like me, the other may be foreign-born. Can't work out if that counts as integration in Goodwin's world view.
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 26/06/2025
L😍ND😍N
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Tom Hollenstein @tomhollenstein.bsky.social · 05/06/2025
My Canadian university, Queen's, is offering TWENTY 4-year funded PhDs (40k CAD/yr) for a student of ANY citizenship who has been accepted at a top 100 US university but have had offer rescinded OR are reconsidering offer due to US policy. Details found here👇 www.queensu.ca/grad-postdoc...
queensu.ca
Queen’s Special U.S. Doctoral Recruitment Initiative | School of Graduate Studies and Postdoctoral AffairsDown arrowDown arrowDown arrowDown arrowDown arrowDown arrowDown arrowDown arrowDown arrowDown...
Queen’s University is a globally engaged, research-intensive institution dedicated to attracting and supporting exceptional PhD students who will significantly advance our research mission.
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 20/06/2025
A reminder that households in poverty in London spend a significantly higher proportion of their net income on housing costs than similar households in the rest of England. London's streets are not paved with gold but even if that were the case, council tax is regressive, not redistributive.
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 18/06/2025
www.popsci.com/science/rune...
popsci.com
Runes found in Canadian wilderness baffle archaeologists
'Why was it carved here? Why this text? There are no answers.'
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 14/06/2025
It may be unseemly how much I love the Elizabeth Line.
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 13/06/2025
A map, a myth and a pre-Incan lagoon: the man who brought water back to a drought-ridden town www.theguardian.com/global-devel...
theguardian.com
A map, a myth and a pre-Incan lagoon: the man who brought water back to a drought-ridden town
When historian Galo Ramón uncovered a long-forgotten pre-Incan water system in Ecuador, he set about restoring it, and helped transform the landscape and livelihoods
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 12/06/2025
‘It was simply mind-blowing’: readers remember seeing Star Wars for the first time www.theguardian.com/film/2025/ju...
theguardian.com
‘It was simply mind-blowing’: readers remember seeing Star Wars for the first time
As the original 1977 theatrical version screens in London this week, fans recall being ‘blown away’ by their first impressions of the mesmerising space opera
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 10/06/2025
Rachel Reeves to unveils £39bn housing boost in spending review shake-up www.theguardian.com/politics/202...
theguardian.com
Rachel Reeves to unveils £39bn housing boost in spending review shake-up
Chancellor promises biggest investment in social and affordable homes in a generation to hit 1.5m target
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 07/06/2025
"The Treasury is hardwired to act as a secretive controller of a strongly bilateral process that hands out the spending bottom line to departments with no place for meaningful collective political and official discussion and trade-offs..." www.civilservicereformuk.com/single-post/...
civilservicereformuk.com
The avoidable demise of mission led government
Prime Minister Starmer promised that five Missions would be the North Star for his government.Almost 12 months later they are obscured by cloud. And a storm of cabinet disunity is looming.There is a s...
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 05/06/2025
It's positive that councillors will now be given the ability to attend meetings remotely. But I'm Canadian enough to question why this had to be a national government decision and not a matter left to local discretion.
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Teddy Wilson @reportbywilson.bsky.social · 05/06/2025
May one day you love anything as much as Edmonton loves the Oilers.
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 01/06/2025
This definitely reflects my experience of having worked in NHS Test and Trace. The most frustrating part was that few in central govt seemed to recognise, let alone value, the expertise of #localgov, esp Directors of Public Health. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
theguardian.com
UK is no better prepared: key takeaways from Covid inquiry’s test, trace and isolation module
While a test was quickly developed, weaknesses in the early pandemic response included no plan for nationwide testing and ineffective contact tracing
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 30/05/2025
In the early 80s, we took it for granted that my hometown @edmontonoilers.bsky.social would not only make the Stanley Cup Finals but would emerge the victors. It's much more hard fought just to get to the last round in back to back years so extra proud and excited now. #LetsGoOilers
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Iain Roberts @slowbikeiain.bsky.social · 19/05/2025
If you want to know how insanely centralised England has always been, here's a 1969 story about the Ministry of Transport making the decision on allowing a new pedestrian crossing (the Minister didn't permit it - not enough pedestrians and they could dash across in gaps in the traffic, apparently).
CROSSING TURNED DOWN 
The Minister of Transport has turned down a request by the borough council for a pedestrian crossing at Lil-lie Road near Normand Park. The Minister said in a let-ter to the borough council that a pedestrian crossing was not justified at this site be-cause there was an in-sufficient traffic volume and a lack of demand by pedes-trians and that there were sufficient gaps in the traffic to enable pedestrians to cross provided that reasonable care 
and patience were exercised. The possibility of installing a "pelican" crossing at Lillie Road had also been investi-gated by the Minister but again it had been found that vehicle and pedestrian traffic volumes did not justify this. 
The borough's technical services' group committee ex-pressed their disappointment at the Minister's decision and they have decided to continue to press for the inclusion of ta sub-way in a road widening scheme.
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 11/05/2025
Still pinching myself after getting to attend the launch night for Soho Theatre Walthamstow earlier this month. London Borough of Waltham Forest took a smart risk in investing to bring the building back to life and worked closely with partners to secure apprenticeships & jobs for local people.
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 04/05/2025
May the 4th be with you. youtu.be/Sv5iEK-IEzw?...
youtu.be
Suzy Eddie Izzard- Death Star Canteen
YouTube video by Thorn2200
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Sam Freedman @samfr.bsky.social · 04/05/2025
Once you've reduced immigration, closed some universities, accepted Brexit is permanent and told everyone how patriotic you are - what then? How are you growing the economy? Improving public services? Reducing poverty? Etc etc...
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 29/04/2025
Come on, @edmontonoilers.bsky.social. Let's sustain the good vibes for Canada. www.nytimes.com/athletic/631...
nytimes.com
How the Oilers gained the advantage in a war of attrition with the Kings
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Piali Das Gupta @pialidg.bsky.social · 28/04/2025
What I'm watching: www.youtube.com/live/5vfaDsM...
youtube.com
LIVE: Latest breaking news and analysis | CBC News Live
YouTube video by CBC News
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McSweeney's @mcsweeneys.net · 27/04/2025
NIMBY – Stands for “Not in My Backyard.” From the Old English "nimm bæc yarde," meaning “no change shall occur within sightline of my bird feeder.”
buff.ly
A Disillusioned Urban Planning Glossary
Compiled while sitting through a three-hour public hearing and rethinking life choices. - - -Are you a citizen trying to understand urban planning?...
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