Bijan Parsia
@bparsia.bsky.social
I am a Prof of Comp Sci at Uni of Manchester, UK. UCU NEC disabled member rep (2023-24). UCUCommons. All posts are my own behalf alone. He/him/they.
Taking my time to really listen and learn from the very valid concerns of the MAHA movement:
Memento (artemis) Morty 🌙@mementomorty.bsky.social · 28m agowe should hear MAHA out about this they might be onto something
I don’t really want to get into debates about this but this is pretty odd? Not their experience which is quite possible but the generalisation. Claude is quite useful at lots of things. It does have a learning curve for many things.
Honestly, if this doesn’t send investors running into the night…
George Pearkes@peark.es · 20h agoElon is talking about using robots to build a mass accelerator on the moon in support of an economy 1000x to 1 million times the current earth economy. It's a bad sci fi novel not an earnings call.
Elon is talking about using robots to build a mass accelerator on the moon in support of an economy 1000x to 1 million times the current earth economy. It's a bad sci fi novel not an earnings call.
Decision makers in federal, state, and local governments, along with the people charged with shepherding your retirement funds, cannot stop giving this guy as much money as they possibly can.
George Pearkes@peark.es · 20h agoElon is talking about using robots to build a mass accelerator on the moon in support of an economy 1000x to 1 million times the current earth economy. It's a bad sci fi novel not an earnings call.
"What's the most unhinged argument we can make to criticize people for doing something that doesn't affect us in any way? No bad ideas, let's get some concepts on the whiteboard."
lmfao The Atlantic is seriously running an article where you should not have another kid because one sibling may sexually abuse the other.
Michael Hobbes@michaelhobbes.bsky.social · 1h ago"What's the most unhinged argument we can make to criticize people for doing something that doesn't affect us in any way? No bad ideas, let's get some concepts on the whiteboard."
Office for Students softens free speech approach as complaints scheme nears - and in wake of Sussex ruling www.timeshighereducation.com/news/ofs-sof... via @helenpacker.bsky.social
OfS softens free speech approach as complaints scheme nears
Updated guidance reflects European Convention on Human Rights, which could make it easier for universities to restrict extreme views
timeshighereducation.com
Here is a starter pack of people and organizations working for trans rights in the UK, plus people who regularly post on the topic. The UK press is hopelessly anti-trans, so give these folks a boost: bsky.app/starter-pack...
Of all the things to admit on the internet, “I don’t know how bananas work” is one of the funniest
Jess Calarco@jessicacalarco.com · 13h agoSpoken like a man who has never had to shop for himself.
I am not that old. In the early years of my career before i comprehensively put my foot down i would regularly find books in my work mailbox with notes from male colleagues instructing me to copy this chapter or that for them
Dr Space Junk (Alice Gorman)@drspacejunk.bsky.social · 18h agoBecause admin staff were mostly women, female academics were considered equivalent. There to perform service, not to undertake intellectual work. Of course it was more complex than this, but that's the broad picture. #AcademicSky
See also the proportion of junior female academics organising seminar series, taking on additional student support roles (oh it me), attending EDI workshops...
Catherine Frieman@cjfrieman.bsky.social · 17h agoI am not that old. In the early years of my career before i comprehensively put my foot down i would regularly find books in my work mailbox with notes from male colleagues instructing me to copy this chapter or that for them
In other Michigan news, the state looks set to elect it's first transgender lawmaker. Joanna Whaley won her Democratic primary and will compete in November for a state house seat, beating a primary opponent who tried and failed to disqualify her for not running under her deadname
Foreign leaders can be so difficult when you kill their families and launch surprise attacks on their countries. www.nytimes.com/2026/08/04/u...
An Angry Trump Struggles to Understand Iran’s Defiant Leaders
Iran’s leaders have perplexed several American presidents, perhaps none more than President Trump.
nytimes.com
I’m telling you this as a political scientist. The person who is electable is the one who is elected. This can and does change over time. Any and all speculation about “electability” is either puffery or anxiety and is often both.
Julia Azari@juliaazari.bsky.social · 14h agoOne way to be safe is to never write an electability take
The Equality and Human Rights Commission’s (EHRC) Code of Practice for Services, Public Functions and Associations officially comes into effect today. See our full statement with @transsolidarity.bsky.social and @transactualuk.bsky.social on our website here: www.scottishtrans.org/ehrcs-code-o...
Do try to remember that the EHRC guidance only affects service providers and not employment, so if you work somewhere where there are toilets or changing rooms for employees that aren’t open to the public then your employers are wrong if they try to stop you from using facilities for your gender
The Kindle version of 'Made In Manchester: A People's History of the City That Shaped the Modern World' is currently available for just 99p at Amazon and bookshop.org. Fill your boots!
I am sorry but anyone who took even a slight peak at the Space X S-1 form would have understood that Musk is overselling investors on future prospects. Surely investors are not so naive as to believe Musk's multifarious claims at this point.
The Associated Press@apnews.com · yesterdaySpaceX shares are down by half from their June peak as investors worry Musk may have oversold them on its future prospects.
Rod Liddle was an active and enthusiastic member of the truly crazy rump SDP. Feel this important detail has been somewhat absent from his obituaries.
You can/should read Emily Wilson's latest take on the Odyssey, but I'm logging on to convey my hairdresser's reaction. She was AGHAST that Nolan, with his million $ budget, gave Matt Damon ONLY 6 hair extensions. As a result, his hair did not blow around properly, & that ruined the film for her.
Yeah again coulda stayed quiet. Could have googled a bit.
Dex Anderson@dexanderson.com · 23h agobabe his column about "maybe we shouldn't punish people for watching child porn" was 23 years ago
You mean you got taken by the guy who's entire existence is a scam who has never created anything ever and is only thought of a a genius because a style reporter from the WaPo said so? Weird. I cannot believe this is happening
The Associated Press@apnews.com · yesterdaySpaceX shares are down by half from their June peak as investors worry Musk may have oversold them on its future prospects.
de beauvoir and sartre were both monsters ('very young' here means 16 or 17) www.newyorker.com/magazine/200...
Nick (derogatory) ✨@slothropsmap.bsky.social · yesterdayIn some ways, this is a game about how much French theory you’ve read.
One thing that bugs me is presenting things which need accommodations as "superpowers". In my experience, this mostly comes around various forms of neurodivergence. And, obviously, if it helps you to think of it that way, go for it! But when I read it as an inducement to employers...ick.
The only time I even remotely intersected with Rod Liddle is when I was part of the efforts to show solidarity to black and trans students at Durham, after he (entirely predictably) insulted them during a speech he was unaccountably invited to give after a college Christmas Party.
Statement from Durham UCU in response to the events at the South College Christmas formal held on 3 December 2021 and their aftermath: – Durham UCU
durhamucu.org.uk
These people fantasizing about nonexistent covid camps actively cheer for the real camps ICE is filling with people right now. They don't give a shit about suffering, they want to feed their victim complex.
Jonathan Howard@joho.bsky.social · yesterdayThese guys are freaking out over their own imaginations again.
