Richard Buckle
@richardbuckle.bsky.social
He/him. Mostly retired. Mostly harmless. Delightfully married: we've a sprocker and a chihuahua. #critter #vamily Mastodon: https://techhub.social/@RichardBuckle Can't use DMs cos my stupid govt requires that I disclose PII to prove my age.
Sometimes — EXTREMELY rarely, but *sometimes* — I'm wrong about something. So, mea culpa: yup. There's at least ONE green star. www.scientificamerican.com/article/gree... 🧪 🔭
Green stars do exist—and others shine pink or purple, too
The colors of dead stars come in a surprising rainbow of choices
scientificamerican.com
The Reformer's crossword alone will be worth the wait. 14 Down: Typical Reform candidate, anagram of "arctic nuts" (6, 4).
I'm sure Anti-Reform won't mind me pinching these delightful fellows from their Facebook pages... 😂🤮
Week after week, Nigel Farage is allowed to host his show on GB News. Even though Ofcom rules say broadcasters cannot use politicians as newsreaders, interviewers or reporters in any news programmes. Ask Ofcom to investigate ⬇️
Farage on GB News: Demand that Ofcom takes immediate action - Best for Britain
bestforbritain.org
It’s hard to think of a better definition of a traitor to the West than someone who deliberately sabotages a European democracy’s military operation against a barbaric Russian invasion.
I too am proud to support the RNLI, which gets no government funding at all, contrary to any lies you may have been told.
Adrian Littlejohn@yorksfella59.bsky.social · 7d agoHear hear, Zack! 👏👏👏 I'm an ordinary member and supporter of the Green Party, and of the RNLI. People can find them at www.RNLI.org, where they can make a donation or, even better, sign up for membership! 👍
Oh superb! Someone has got the glorious screenshot, of Russian Brexit bottery at its best. bsky.app/profile/marc...
Marc Morris@marcmorris.bsky.social · last wk.
Wonderful Obit for Anna Picard - a close family friend, one of many, many people who encourage and in part inspired my love of music and my committment to writing. She will be missed.
Anna Picard obituary: Punchy Times classical music critic
Journalist who held her own in a male-dominated area and performed at the Proms as a soprano dies aged 60
thetimes.com
I wholeheartedly recommend Boost Blue. Not affiliated in any way.
Boost Blue@boostblue.bsky.social · last wk.Boost Blue is 40% off through Friday! As a (late) celebration of the anniversary of Boost Premium, our yearly plan is 40% off this week. This is the same deal we offered at launch, and the lowest price Boost Premium has ever been: less than $1 a month!
Boost Blue is 40% off through Friday! As a (late) celebration of the anniversary of Boost Premium, our yearly plan is 40% off this week. This is the same deal we offered at launch, and the lowest price Boost Premium has ever been: less than $1 a month!
Boost Blue
Boost your Bluesky experience
onelink.to
‘For years the Observer tried to get to the truth of Russian interference until we sacked the reporter involved for participating in union activities’
It comes after years of cover-ups & denials not least from Boris Johnson who was in charge of MI6 as foreign minister at the time & whose first act as PM was to ennoble the Baron of Siberia. But it also went beyond Johnson & Starmer continued it too. We now finally need some sunlight. 2/
NEW: Prime Minister Andy Burnham finally breaks a decade of UK govt silence…& reveals there was ‘clear’ Russian interference in the Brexit vote. 1/
treat your body like a data center. consume as much water, art and literature as possible. upset local municipalities with your existence.
New working paper: the Norwegian wealth tax was a huge success. The "exodus" of wealthy people never happened (less than 100 individuals left). Tax revenue increased by 71.5%. No changes in business activity or investment. www.nber.org/papers/w35854
Do we really need to explain to people that it is really, REALLY important to read to young children? Like, you, personally, need to read to your child - your voice, your face, your hand gestures, your lap, your arms, your closeness. What kind of parent doesn't know this in their bones?
This is unsurprising because ai generated code *is* ai generated text. Code is text. People think code is different because you can test to see if it runs. But that just tells you if it runs (or passed the tests defined in the code) It does not and *cannot* tell you if it makes sense
The Quigadook@quiggy.itch.io · 2w agoI really need to make it clear to folks that AI-generated code closely resembles AI-generated text, by which I mean it is syntactically correct, easy to produce, and can approach what a human can make, but very clearly lacks the forethought and holistic nature of when a skilled human makes it.
A very touching obit for my dear, lifelong friend Anna Picard, from which I learned a lot, not least about facing sexism. Not many people get an obit in The Times (of London): it's a considerable honour. I in turn feel honoured to have known her. RIP dear friend. www.thetimes.com/article/e59b...
Anna Picard obituary: Punchy Times classical music critic
Journalist who held her own in a male-dominated area and performed at the Proms as a soprano dies aged 60
thetimes.com
As a society, we have forgotten that the phone still works when you hold it up to your ear
I lost a very dear friend on Tuesday. We went back all the way to primary school. 60 is too young. operahollandpark.com/news/opera-h...
Our Dear Colleague and Friend, Anna Picard - Opera Holland Park
It is with great sadness that we announce that our deeply loved colleague and friend, Anna Picard, Head of Communications and Insight at Opera Holland Park, has died.
operahollandpark.com
Great chance to post my all-time favorite headline
Nick Pettigrew@nick-pettigrew.bsky.social · 8mo agoI'm convinced AI is our generation's radium - a discovery with genuinely useful applications in specific, controlled circumstances that we stupidly put in everything from kid's toys to toothpaste until we realised the harm far too late where future generations will ask if we were out of our minds.
"with far-right actors like Daniel Thomas ... and Dan Wootton calling Piddington the ground zero of the coming civil war" We should be in no doubt that we are back in the #1930s and face a nasty, brutal future if our politicians do not push back and stamp on this. They are not. It is disturbing.
All civilised countries consider the death penalty barbarian and abhorrent. Regardless of what she did, this is barbarian and abhorrent. I cannot escape the conclusion that the USA govt is barbarian and abhorrent. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Christa Pike in critical condition after surviving two lethal injections, lawyer says
Pike’s lawyers have asked for her death sentence to be commuted following the botched execution.
bbc.co.uk
Only Reform will take £5 million bribes, accept illegal foreign donations, let convicted fraudsters bankroll them, buy houses in their girlfriend's name to avoid tax, help crypto billionaires get richer and do fuck all for ordinary people. 😊
“That, to me, was an implicit threat. It feels very Palantir. Very Big Brother”: MP @labourlewis.bsky.social reveals Tom Watson has warned him over criticising Palantir By @carolecadwalla.bsky.social www.thenerve.news/p/clive-lewi...
Picard diversity tip: The fact that a crewmember looks alien to you does not make them any less of a Starfleet officer.
A guide for complete beginners to some of the gameplay, concepts, systems, language and outright tribal knowledge in #EliteDangerous that us old-timers take for granted :) /w @cmdrrheeney.bsky.social o7
GUIDE: Essential New Commander FAQ in Elite Dangerous (Flight, Docking & Travel)
YouTube video by The Buur Pit
youtube.com
