I really wanted to like The Copenhagen Test. Great concept and brilliant cast. But sadly the script has so many lazy plot contrivances it's impossible to suspend disbelief. If you want espionage I recommend Berlin Station, The Agency, or Deep State.

Dear [whatever gods may be available] as I enter the working week please don't let anyone ask me about M******k.

«Of the three homicides in Minneapolis this year, two were committed by federal agents.»

talia jane@taliajane.bsky.social · 8mo ago

Want to talk more about this specific point but this whole @adamserwer.bsky.social piece is pristine & well worth reading: www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/0... The dynamics in the Twin Cities are so hard to grasp from a distance, and become tremendously clear as soon as you encounter people there.

If I wanted to make a culturally relevant series about a scifi military academy I would shamelessly rip off The Lords Of Discipline. It would make Andor look tame. The book remains an invaluable resource for understanding the US. Just saying... en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lor...

The Lords of Discipline (film) - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Stuck in the house ill, so pruning my IT bookcase. Java is all but gone, and I'm almost ready to say goodbye to my Scala books. On the other hand I actually read (and wrote!) some Modern C++ this year. Not what I would have predicted a decade ago - history makes fools of us all.

This is it folks! Only two days remain to submit to @nidc.bsky.social After that our distinguished, impartial, and expert panel of reviewers will rate the talks, and an agenda will be constructed. You have to be in it to win it!

NIDC@nidc.bsky.social · last yr.

Please remember you only have till Sunday to submit a talk!! Too late, too late will be the cry, when the NIDC CFP has passed you by! If you have any issues, doubts or queries please let us know. sessionize.com/nidc-2025

TFW The kids have been dropped to school, all the overnight messages have been answered, and you have 5 mins to yourself before the first meeting of the day...

Am on leave and going through a classic cinema phase. Have bought my first Blu-ray player because most of what I'm after isn't available online, and the DVD release is discontinued 😟. Today's viewing is this forgotten gem starring Ed Harris.

At Belfast Mela to support my boys and the Ojika Dojo. Always a great event! Music, food, culture, and swords. What's not to like? 😉🙂 If you've ever wanted to give Kendo a go come down and visit: ojikani.com

In with my Physio. He has a BLK BOX functional trainer with the ultimate chin-up bar. Any width any angle!!!! I had no idea such a thing existed...

Success! Last night's debate on GenAI went exceptionally well. Six excellent speeches leading to in-depth, impassioned, and enlightening discussion. The £665 in door fees all went directly to charity work at Farset Labs, thanks to the sponsorship of Liberty IT. Congratulations to everyone!!

Unboxing the shirt I've saved 3 months for just the right occasion. Come along tomorrow night for a public debate on "GenAI will revolutionise our lives for the good in the next 5 Years". 📣 When: Thursday 7th Aug 📍Where: Black Box in Belfast 🎟️ Get your ticket: lu.ma/d94zscul

Garth Gilmour@garthgilmour.bsky.social · last yr.

This is on Thursday! Sign up via the link below for £10, all proceeds to charity. Tickets also available at the door (cash only). lu.ma/d94zscul Come along to hear passinate and informed debate, and to ask your own questions. Non-technologists especially welcome.

This is on Thursday! Sign up via the link below for £10, all proceeds to charity. Tickets also available at the door (cash only). lu.ma/d94zscul Come along to hear passinate and informed debate, and to ask your own questions. Non-technologists especially welcome.

Garth Gilmour@garthgilmour.bsky.social · last yr.

New event! I'm helping Farset Labs organise a public debate, based on the proposition "GenAI will revolutionise our lives for the good in the next 5 Years". We have an amazing panel and a great venue. Fun, informative and a chance to participate in debate as it was meant to be. lu.ma/d94zscul

This has happened to me (and I believe @antonarhipov.bsky.social ) many times in hotel gyms. Fortunately ceiling tiles don't hurt that much 🙂. There seems to be some rule that "the rack with the weird bar goes under the lowest ceiling - clearly it's just for decoration". youtu.be/6BC1DS_38WU?...

I Survived BEST vs WORST Gym in My City!

YouTube video by Will Tennyson

youtu.be

This episode hit a nerve with me. 3 points: * You don't voluntarily abandon faith. You incrementally realise it's unsustainable * You have to choose between your beliefs and your community * There is a very real fear that you are loved only for believing the right things youtu.be/eDQoan2pm6U?...

The Hardest Thing About Leaving Fundamentalism - #exvangelical #deconstruction

YouTube video by C. J. Cornthwaite

youtu.be

If you need a train ticket to Dublin in Belfast's brand new £340 Million Grand Central Station you can't use the ticket machines. Instead you go to Customer Support at the other end of the cavernous hall, to queue behind folks paying for coach trips with loose change. Apparently, this is progress.

Not to burst anyone's bubble, but we had Specification Driven Development in the 1990s. We just called it Waterfall 😉.

The Larne line timetables have vanished from the NI Railways website this morning. A bit disconcerting to see your neighbourhood erased from the public record...

New event! I'm helping Farset Labs organise a public debate, based on the proposition "GenAI will revolutionise our lives for the good in the next 5 Years". We have an amazing panel and a great venue. Fun, informative and a chance to participate in debate as it was meant to be. lu.ma/d94zscul

Public Debate: Will GenAI Revolutionise our Lives for the Good? · Luma

Public Debate at the Black Box An in-depth and wide ranging public debate on the impact of GenAI Cross-disciplinary speakers providing expert input from…

lu.ma

Click to the story for Northern Ireland in a single infographic. Where else in the world do you build a bonfire between two major hospitals, adjacent to their power supply and near a pile of asbestos? www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Bonfire: Police declare site a major incident

There are concerns of a risk to the power supply at two major hospitals as the bonfire is near an electricity substation.

bbc.co.uk

Excited about tomorrow, which will be the highlight of my summer here in beautiful, bright, Belfast. Can't wait for the series finale of Murderbot. Everything else not so much.

"The future of American politics may ultimately be defined by the struggle between the MAGA fascist movement and the newer resistance." My new Kibitizing with Lincoln. Please subscribe. lincolnmitchell.substack.com/p/the-new-hy...

The New Hybrid American Regime

On this Fourth of July it is evident that we are experiencing regime change in the US.

lincolnmitchell.substack.com

For reasons best known to themselves, Sync NI were kind enough to do a profile of me 😉 syncni.com/interview/13...

Garth from Liberty IT on AI Revolution, Coding Fundamentals, Career Changes, and Northern Ireland's Tech Scene

Garth Gilmour plays a key role in keeping Liberty IT's engineers ahead of the curve, leading training programmes, internal tech events, and community outreach to help shape the next generation of tale...

syncni.com

Absolutely loved this book. Really hoping the movie lives up to it... www.youtube.com/watch?v=m08T...

Project Hail Mary - Official Trailer

YouTube video by Amazon MGM Studios

youtube.com

The kind of thinking that implicitly promotes and condones this kind of insanity is why I left the north coast and became an atheist.

The Irish News@irishnews.com · last yr.

Second man (20) arrested over slurry incident in Ballymena bailed as 19-year-old due in court

Every so often I reflect on how much of Demolition Man has come to pass. Freaky.

A customer told me she couldn't believe this store would put up a Pride display, because what if children see it?? Anyway, it was my display, and I'm proud of it, and you (and your children) should all see it. #BookSky 📚💙

Even if you don't like Kotlin or IDEA I would recommend this unreservedly. The exuberance, expertise, focus on quality, knowledge, mastery of the tooling, and sheer nerdiness just shine through 😉 🤣 . Thank you @dmitrykandalov.bsky.social and Duncan McGregor. www.youtube.com/watch?v=SwNT...

47 Refactorings in 45 minutes | Duncan McGregor and Dmitry Kandalov

YouTube video by Kotlin by JetBrains

youtube.com

“backrooms” and “liminal spaces” are the defining horror format for a generation who saw the facades of capitalism crumble to reveal the emptiness within

The final article in our series on manifestations of Imposter Syndrome, and how to mitigate them. We discuss the internalised shame associated with never having worked for a 'real software company' and never having done a 'real degree'. brightnessbalance.com/imposter-syn...

Imposter Syndrome in Tech Part 4 : Internalised Shame - Brightness & Balance Psychotherapy

The final part in the series describes how the tech industry can invalidate us if we don't have the 'right' career history, and some final thoughts on how to overcome Imposter Syndrome.

brightnessbalance.com