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Smylers

@smylers.uk

Ilkley Christian geek board-gamer puzzle/quiz/crossword fan and parent

7390 Posts573 Follower737 Folgt
Jason Hazeley@jasonhazeley.bsky.social · 3d ago

My daughter’s university scrutinizes each essay for evidence of AI. The goal is to get a 0% score. This AI-hunting is done by… AI. A recent essay scored 17%. She questioned what the AI thought was AI, since she hadn’t used it. The answer: the uni-issued cover page showing student ID, faculty etc. 🤦🏻‍♂️

Smylers@smylers.uk · 7d ago

All 4 of us enjoyed this David Hockney film — interviews about 2 big exhibitions, cut with art from the exhibitions — at Ilkley Cinema yesterday. Recommended if its on near you: www.ilkleycinema.co.uk/film/exhibit...

Exhibition on Screen: Remembering David Hockney | Showtimes and Tickets | Ilkley Cinema

Book online for Exhibition on Screen: Remembering David Hockney at Ilkley Cinema! We were deeply saddened to hear of the passing of Bradford-born artist David Hockney. To honour his extraordinary life...

ilkleycinema.co.uk

Smylers@smylers.uk · last wk.

It was kind of Royal Mail to email about a new parcel locker near me, but given we already have a sorting office nearby, on balance I'll stick to the 10-minute walk there and back, rather than the 92-hour walk (plus sleep) to get to our “local” parcel locker and back in, erm, Market Harborough.

“There's a new parcel locker near you. Our new Parcel Lockers are a simple and secure way to ship your pre-paid parcels and returns without the hassle of queueing or rushing to meet shop hours. Your local locker’s open day and night – so you can get sorted on your schedule. Find your new local Parcel Locker at Sainsbury's, St. Mary's Place MARKET HARBOROUGH, LE16 7DR”OpenStreetmap directions showing 46 hours and 18 minutes to walk the 207 km from Ilkley to Market Harborough
Smylers@smylers.uk · last wk.

I've just replaced all 3 kitchen lightbulbs (bayonet, candle, clear, dimmable) and all 4 in our bedroom (G9, dimmable). This is of no interest at all to you, but hopefully it will be to me the next time one of them goes and I'm wondering how long it lasted (and what I need to replace it with).

Smylers@smylers.uk · 2w ago

If you like board games and you're anywhere near #Ilkley, do come along this afternoon, anytime from 14:00 onwards. We're back in All Saints Ilkley church this month:

Ilkley Board Gamers: a big pile of board games on a table in the foreground, with groups of people at tables and chairs beyond, between the arches of a church, with stained-glass windows in the background
Smylers@smylers.uk · 2w ago

At Birmingham New Street where screens say go to Green Zone for the front of my train, Red Zone for the rear. A different screen says “Formation - G I J L front a c d r - Rear”. My seat reservation says I'm in coach F.

Smylers@smylers.uk · 2w ago

A rail-replacement bus service to start the day. The bus driver was wearing a shirt covered in the BR logo. I was too shy to ask for a photo, presuming I'd be able to find a pic online, but I can't.

Dan Neidle@danneidle.bsky.social · 2w ago

Seen that opinion poll in which millionaires say they're in favour of a wealth tax on millionaires? It's an absolute masterclass in how to get the polling result that you want. And the detail shows the opposite of what we're told it shows. Thread:

Bild
madeline odent@oldenoughtosay.com · 3w ago

not to come back to this again but i read the statement in full and once again, respectfully, DANG “We are not called to the legal minimum of hospitality. We are called to the radical welcome of the one who sought out the excluded and the overlooked.”

Anupama Ranawana@msamrc.bsky.social · 3w ago

Incredible statement from the Church in Wales on the ignominious Code of Practice: "The Church in Wales will not use equality law exemptions to exclude trans people from our worship, our sacraments, our pastoral care, or our common life." www.churchinwales.org.uk/en/news-and-...

still last@lastnotlost.bsky.social · last mo.

#WarOnDrivers "Why is the DVLA and other driving-related agencies losing money?" "Cos Coalition, Tory and Labour govts haven't raised the fees on drivers for < check notes > 15-20 years" bsky.app/profile/dft-...

Department for Transport: Executive Agencies Show full question Question for Department for Transport UIN 10742, tabled on 17 June 2026 Question Mr Richard Holden Conservative Basildon and Billericay Commons To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the estimated financial deficits of the a) Vehicle Certification Agency b) Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency, c) Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency and d) Maritime and Coastguard Agency are in monetary terms and as a percentage of full cost recovery; and what are the causes of these deficits. Hide full question Answer Simon Lightwood Labour Wakefield and Rothwell Commons Answered on 22 June 2026 The Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) reported a net deficit of £8.8m in its accounts for the 2024/25 financial year. Income was reported at £22.252m against costs of £31.031m. This is primarily because the hourly rate charged by the VCA for technical work has not increased since 2006. The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) reported a deficit of £9.3m in respect of all fees and charges excluding the cherished transfers in its accounts for the 2024/25 financial year. This shortfall is because of fees remaining unchanged since 2014. Further detail on income and expenditure by operating segment is set out in Note 2 on page 88 of the 2024/25 Annual Report and Accounts. The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) reported a net deficit of £56.7 million in its accounts for the 2024/25 financial year. Income was reported at £424.6 million against costs of £481.3 million. This is primarily because most fees have remained unchanged for the last 15 years. The Maritime & Coastguard Agency (MCA) reported a net deficit of £3.1m on its chargeable statutory services in its accounts for the 2024/25 financial year. Income was reported at £10.9m against costs of £14.0m. This is primarily because the rates charged by MCA have not increased since 2019.
DfT Answers@dft-answers.bsky.social · last mo.

A question on #DepartmentForTransport #ExecutiveAgencies tabled by Mr Richard Holden on 17-06-2026 has been answered by Simon Lightwood. https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-questions/detail/2026-06-17/10742

Emma Monk@monkemma.bsky.social · 4w ago

So, rough sleepers in London are disproportionately non-UK nationals, in particular non-Europeans. The number 1 reason anyone with a stable, known last address became a rough sleeper is that they were granted refugee status. That's a grim indictment of our asylum system... 19/

Smylers@smylers.uk · 4w ago

Ooops — I think I must've left a holiday home TV connected to my Channel 4 account; there are some programmes I don't recognize in here:

Screenshot of Channel 4, on the My4 watching page, showing I am watching 6 shows: ‘Help! We Bought a Village’ (2 episodes), ‘Countdown’. ‘The Marlow Murder Club’, ‘Married at First Sight Australia’, and ‘The Great Celebrity Bake Off for SU2C’
Smylers@smylers.uk · 4w ago

It's 8 years since our youngest left Bright Beginnings at Leeds Uni, but I still follow their blog and I still love that they do things like having preschoolers using fires: brightbeginningschildcare.co.uk/news/breakfa...

Breakfast by the Fire: A Preschool Adventure - Bright Beginnings Childcare Centre

Preschool children enjoy toasting bread over a garden fire, developing independence, social skills, fire safety awareness, and real-life learning through outdoor experiences.

brightbeginningschildcare.co.uk

Gareth Dennis@garethdennis.uk · last mo.

Every time I pass through the east of Knaresborough I think "why on earth haven't we built a station here?" - and, of course, the answer is*: "because if we did, there'd be no money for new feasibility reports".

front cover of an Arup report, titled "Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council Manse Farm Rail Station Consolidated Project Inception Report" dated July 2012aerial view showing scale of new housing development and distance from central Knaresborough
Smylers@smylers.uk · last mo.

The 13yo this morning getting a useful media studies lesson in the distinction between “set to announce” and “has announced” when reading headlines. Thank you, Fifa — possibly the most beneficial thing you'll do this year.

Smylers@smylers.uk · last mo.

The menu at this ‘corporate fun’ day doesn't seem very … balanced. Spouse has suggested I take my own snack box of vegetables. I think they were joking, but I'm now actually considering it.

OUR WHOLE MENU IS SERVED SHARING STYLE - GET STUCK IN! SMALL PLATES BARBACOA PULLED BEEF EMPANADAS Golden and crisp Argentinian empanadas packed with slow-cooked beef in rich barbacoa, finished with chilli salt and BBQ dip MAC & CHEESE BITES Little pockets of pasta glory, crispy bites stuffed with mac & cheese. Rich, creamy and loaded with smoky bacon, parmesan, and a hit of baconnaise KOREAN BBQ CAULIFLOWER BITES (VG) Crispy cauliflower bites tossed in sticky Korean BBQ sauce, topped with spring onion, crispy onions & toasted sesame, finished with a punchy salt and chilli kick CRISPY COCONUT PRAWNS Skewered prawns in a crunchy coconut crust, fired up with sweet chilli, red chilli, and fresh spring onion THREE-CHEESE & JALAPEÑO EMPANADAS (VE) CAJUN CORN RIBS (VG & GF) Crispy Argentinian empanadas oozing with a three-cheese blend and jalapeño heat, finished with spring onion, pickled red onion, fresh chillies, and chipotle mayo CHICKEN A loaded line-up of our fried favourites BONELESS BITES GOLDEN CHICKEN TENDERS JUICY CHICKEN WINGS (GF) Tossed in chilli salt Tossed in chilli salt and drizzled with golden syrup SIDE KICKS FRIES (VG & GF) Tossed in chilli salt SWEET POTATO FRIES Tossed in chilli salt and drizzled with golden syrup