new research reports that cats vocalize more when greeting male owners. researchers suggest that this is because cats have apparently learned that men require additional explanation when provided with basic communication. I don't like the idea that cats are judging me this accurately.

Successful 'bird launch' today, but really weird being on the other side of it!

A joyous fat bear week to all 🐻

IKEA is releasing a Pallas Cat plush, and they have nailed the expression…

Scenes (smells) from the office today: "Update: something has fallen through the building and died and the cabbage smell is basically a dead animal decomposing and then the smell is coming through a vent at the side of the building". This follows last-year's Maggotgate and open sewer situation

The UK is likely to try to reduce ADHD & autism diagnoses this week even though its own National Health Service funded a report saying ADHD is underdiagnosed & undertreated. Autism's criteria are already narrowed. See my anchor post & gifted article previewing UK report: inews.co.uk/news/claims-...

ADHD is not being overdiagnosed, major Government report set to find

Landmark report expected to rule out mass overdiagnosis but warn support can be hard to obtain

inews.co.uk

Steven Kapp@drstevenkapp.bsky.social · last wk.

NHS-funded 2025 ADHD Taskforce: “ADHD is under-recognised, under-diagnosed and under-treated". www.bmj.com/content/391/... DSM-5 narrowed autism's criteria (link.springer.com/article/10.1...; link.springer.com/article/10.1...); diagnoses stable/declining in males pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC...

Started watching Sky’s War Game last night where Michael Gove is the PM during the Russian attack and I’m afraid it is just very difficult to watch it without thinking of this, one of the great cartoons ever published

On Sunday, I was one of a few people first on the scene of a horrible car accident with a fatality. I saw some stuff I didn't especially want to see, though not the worst of it, and didn't really do anything of much help to anyone. But I've learnt some stuff that genuinely astounds me...

If you or someone you know is starting Uni, share our student guide to the hidden curriculum with them. It’s a no nonsense guide to the things we might forget to explain, and it might just help them make sense of the first few weeks. What is a tutorial anyway? qaa.my.salesforce.com/sfc/p/#58000...

I decided I'm going to start a thread of things I love to add to now and then, just because. Music, art, games, whatever. First up: the viscacha, a rodent native to South America. They like to sit on rocks and warm themselves in the sun, which I can greatly emphasise with

Thoughts and prayers for all the other bird launchers who currently have a room in their house which looks like this (we've still got a week to go, that pile is only going to grow!) #Freshers

This is really good.

Tim Bale@timbale.bsky.social · 2w ago

This - from a psychologist who notes, btw, that "Even professors find making friends anxiety-provoking"- is great. If anyone you know is starting university this week or very soon, do flick it on. It might really help and reassure them.

My mum was a stalwart supporter of the RNLI, organising and attending countless events and activities over the years, and I've continued that with my only monthly donation. Maybe you could too - or buy some of the RNLI merch from their website, and wear it proudly to show support

Ilikecaketoo (UK)@ilikecaketoo.bsky.social · 3w ago

Disgraceful that the RNLI have to say this today, but here we are 😞. If you would like to donate👇🏻. rnli.org/support-us/g... #RNLI #RNLISavesLives

Happy Rice Truck Day to all who observe

Shiv Ramdas Mens Rice Activist@nameshiv.bsky.social · 2y ago

4 yrs ago today, a family member managed a truly spectacular own goal, splintered his domestic bliss, & in the process, united the world for a day. On popular request, I shall now recreate the livetweet thread from that day So gather around children, for this is the tale of The Rice Truck Saga

I well remember the milk round when I was at Cambridge, and in particular, the times I was asked by potential employers whether I had 'family working in the City' or 'useful connections'. I did not, and also had no intention of going anywhere near the City, or, in fact, the milk round, ever again

Tim Bale@timbale.bsky.social · 4w ago

This, from William Cash, son of Sir Bill Cash, has allowed me to start the working day with a huge smile on my face. Just glorious. Bravo!

This is set up for laughs, but it’s actually one of the best demonstrations I’ve seen of how being capable of producing convincing sounding language and understanding meaning are two completely different things. A chatbot does not understand you, it just has automated responses based on your words.

Ashley@ashleysays.bsky.social · last mo.

Chefs kiss

Oh no, not Dolly! 😭

The problem with trying to run with the dog at this time of year is the perpetual handbrake turns and hanging about while he spots and hoovers up all the blackberries he can find...

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... I see that various top names are having a bit of a disagreement. I also note that Professor Frith is in it, and now seemingly claiming that autistic researchers don't know what they're doing with autistic research, because they're...autistic. Never dull, is it... 👀

A split in the spectrum? The ongoing battle to define autism

There is a continuing row over whether it matters if such a broad spectrum of people are defined as having autism

bbc.co.uk

Congratulations to all parents and supporters who have, like me, survived their kids getting A Level and GCSE results all within 7 days. The relief is palpable, feel like I've been holding my breath since June!

Nobi Exchange: We Did It Celebration

Alt: A clip from Seinfeld in which the three main characters are celebrating with the caption 'we did it'

static.klipy.com

If anyone would like an antidote to the awfulness of everything, I recommend this half hour of utter joy www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Illuminated - The Grand North Atlantic Home Video Archive - BBC Sounds

Séamas O'Reilly unravels the mystery of his father's unusual film archive.

bbc.co.uk

I happened to spend quite a bit of time in a Nationwide branch last week and was very impressed with their Speak Easy cards. Working out how we might do something similar in Disability Services in HE.

Accessibility in the News@a11ynews.bsky.social · last mo.

Nationwide leads industry-wide effort to improve accessibility for people with communication difficulties businessbiscuit.com/esg-news/bus... #a11y

In totally unrelated news...

Black Students Are Disproportionately Falsely Accused Of Using AI To Cheat, Black Educators Want To Know Why

A 2024 study found that Black students were more likely to be accused of using AI to cheat than their white counterparts.

newsone.com

The ADHD conspiracy and the gender critical movement and the Prof Arday story and the crackdown on disability support are all the same story. There is a default ideal human: a cishet non-disabled white male. The further you deviate from that ideal, the more suspect you become.

Going to sleep listening to the sweet sound of thunderously heavy rain 🌧️

A similar thing happens with the number of disabled professors (somewhere around 4.8%, of those have told their uni they're disabled). People may think that % is higher...

Sunder Katwala (sundersays)@sundersays.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Presenter: [The argument was put that DEI advanced people not on merit] Woolley: "There are 975 Professors at Cambridge. How many do you think are black? Paddy O'Connell: "Its a fair question you're asking me. So I am going to say 30%" Woolley: "I tell you: less than half a per cent"

Presenter: [The argument was put that DEI advanced people not on merit] Woolley: "There are 975 Professors at Cambridge. How many do you think are black? Paddy O'Connell: "Its a fair question you're asking me. So I am going to say 30%" Woolley: "I tell you: less than half a per cent"

This is partly why I don’t like “superpower” that we see in eg the Disability Confident scheme. Disabled people deserve opportunities even if they don’t have superpowers. We can be ordinary folks just like most workers and that doesn’t mean we don’t deserve to live in the world and flourish.

Aparna Nair@disabilitystor1.bsky.social · 2mo ago

Ive been thinking (even without wanting to) about what the Arday story reveals about how dangerous the myth of the supercrip can be for disabled people in prominent positions, especially for Black and other poc disabled people. You must hyper-"perform" and we will hold you up as an "ideal".../

Thanks to @eicathomefinn.bsky.social for making clear the distinction and context that has been bugging the bejesus out of me. DEI is not EDI. Different laws, different frameworks, different drivers and perspectives, different definitions, different applications.

Margot Finn@eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 2mo ago

What you're saying when you say "DEI" when universities say "EDI" (as happens here) and vice versa. And why it actually matters. The great majority of UK (esp. British) universities use "EDI" while US universities use "DEI". Is that "just" semantic, or does it matter? A thread. 🧵1/8

All I would ask is if you work or study in a uni, check in with colleagues who may need help. And continue to do so. A duty of care should apply to ourselves and each other. Help here www.papyrus-uk.org www.thecalmzone.net anti-bullyingalliance.org.uk/tools-inform... blackbritishacademics.co.uk