xtaldave

PSA #Jimothy

"in an age of technofeudalism, open source hardware development is an act of armed resistance."

AI godfathers warn of runaway ‘intelligence explosion’ Intelligence? Chance would be a fucking fine thing. https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2026/sep/28/ai-godfathers-warn-of-runaway-intelligence-explosion

Jodrell Bank's Lovell telescope faces axe in science cuts, BBC understands - BBC News Out-Fucking-Rageous. I grew up near here and used to spend so much time during summer holidays playing with the mock control panel in the old visitor centre. All the money is going on magic bean AI shit, not actual facilities with proven worth and outcomes. See also, Diamond, ISIS, Central Laser Facility. Why do actual science when spicy autocorrect can just guess the fucking answer? https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5y6r9rdxygo

Also love this little factoid: "Watson and Crick’s DNA paper was never sent to external referees; an endorsement from the head of the Cavendish was enough."

Are we cooked chat? "Jaw-dropping’ El Niño bursts through temperature record months before peak" https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/sep/21/super-el-nino-temperature-record

Remember when Tom Watson used to pretend not to be a massive douche?

Good to see Mitch McConnell is back representing the voters of Kentucky.

@Ebly@mstdn.social simpler, more corrupt times.

Sunclock.net Left: London, Summer Solstice. Right: London, Winter Solstice. Different bars are: Golden hour (yellow) > sunset (red line)> Civil dusk (light blue) > Nautical dusk (dark blue)> Astronomical night (black - none at summer solstice) > nautical dawn > civil dawn > sunrise > golden hour. Note that solar noon (when sun is highest) in summer is 13:03 because of daylight savings time, whereas in winter it is 11:59 My favourite clock. Anyway happy solstice, no I do not have a diagnosis yet. #HappySolstice #solstice

Algorithm serving me this first thing on a Sunday. The very nerve. Is 47 the Most Miserable Age? https://economicsofpower.substack.com/p/economics-of-everyday-life-7

OpenAI's Sam Altman says world 'right to be afraid' but 'should trust' AI firms - BBC News https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cqx2zpj4y525o

#UKPol Tories and Reform trying to outflank each other on the right this morning. It's been kicked off by a pitiful attempt by Reform to reframe the narrative around (guess what?) immigration to try and distract from the fact that they are all dodgy sleazy thieving bastards. Reform are wanging on about "Operation Fortress, the biggest naval operation in the Channel since WWII" and the Tories are gleefully talking about leaving the ECHR so that they can withdraw basic rights from refugees to (I quote) "stop modern slavery legislation applying to them" Stupid bloody country.

... And this morning the BBC is taking about the AI designed virus paper. Is someone at the BBC deliberately pumping AI stories, or is the whole world beginning to suffer from some mass AI psychosis, and the BBC are simply reporting on it?

Damn that's dark. I love it.

Gonna start a rumour that Farage did it as Widdecombe had access to the Reform finances and was pissed that Farage was cooking the books

Boy George: Pro false imprisonment. Pro Genocide. Pro AI slop. https://www.theguardian.com/music/2026/jul/27/you-say-genocide-i-say-war-boy-george-releases-pro-israel-song-we-will-dance-again

#StarTrek #Jimothy

Only 4 years too late, but hopefully the first of many.

I am going to Diamond tomorrow. If you aren't aware, or haven't been, Diamond is the most amazing place to do science in the UK. https://www.diamond.ac.uk/Home.html

Proud of my borough - first borough of Sanctuary, now this - a very British version of "Fuck ICE". Green-led Lewisham council will not assist in immigration raids - BBC News https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cgq591pq35eo

Diamond Light Source is the jewel in the UK's scientific crown. Supporters (users or not) can sign this open letter to STFC leadership to try and ensure it is properly funded and supported. https://openletter.earth/open-letter-in-response-to-funding-pressures-affecting-diamond-light-source-ee231c6e

Like, Starmer is a twat, but Streeting is a cunt. Definitely a downgrade. It's got to be Ange or Burnham if they want to turn anything around.

Farage isn't even the most attacked politician in Reform 👀

Holy crap, it was murder! "They are looking for a white male in connection with their investigation, which they say is "moving at a significant pace""

BBC leading on wildfires threatening Madrid and Bordeaux. Almost a quarter of a million people displaced. Also wildfires in the Cairngorms (Scotland) and North Wales. The Climate emergency is very much emergency-ing. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czjlenp0xk8o

Thanks, I hate it. https://www.aljazeera.com/features/longform/2026/7/6/are-you-older-or-younger-than-the-rest-of-the-world?traffic_source=rss

OpenAI agent hacks Australia's Medicare in world's first known AI breach of government body - BBC News https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cvgl73pxgndwt

Suffolk wildfire updates: Homes and caravan park evacuated as major incident declared - BBC News Suffuck on fire as well now. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/ce8l03d90n3t

We are all dried out. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/ckgv657e1yko Also: "Levels are lowest in the South West, with Wimbleball and Blagdon classed as exceptionally low. " -- you will not convince me that these are real place names.

Andy Burn'em's Cabinet not looking great. ➡️ Transphobic Minister for Women and equalities. ➡️ Department of Innovation of Science and Technology scrapped, and moved under business. This has been down before and it has never worked. ➡️ Former (widely respected) Science Minister Patrick Valance has gone. ➡️ Science and Tech no longer attends Cabinet. ➡️ Some dude I have never heard of is now Minister for Magic Beans (AI) and will attend cabinet.

DeFinItelY A FaLse fLAG OPERatiON

AI is just NFTs for people with jobs.

Some dipshit in China has been gene editing kids again. Girl died. https://www.science.org/content/article/four-takeaways-our-investigation-hidden-gene-editing-death "Mei’s parents scraped together more than $800,000 to pay the team that developed her gene-editing treatment, under informal arrangements" These guys were duped into paying some quack to kill their kid. The quack faced zero consequences, natch.

@quincy@chaos.social huh. I guess that's the answer then. I wonder if he has any stock in Google, OpenAI etc etc.

Need a Fuckeulogy for Widdecombe

Surely the point with mental health provision is to help people get better, not get the good little proles back into the workforce. https://www.channel4.com/news/new-mental-health-hub-will-get-people-back-to-work-says-health-secretary-yvette-cooper

US government targets Cop City protester over phone operating system | Atlanta | The Guardian TL;DR version 🔸Guy has Pixel running GrapheneOS. 🔸Guy is pulled in for inspection when returning to US, because the feds put him on a watch list because he protested about Cop City. 🔸During interrogation, cops demand he enters phone PIN. 🔸He gives them the "Duress PIN" 🔸Duress PIN wipes the phone including the encryption key 🔸Guy arrested for destroying evidence, even though they were just on a fishing expedition. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/23/cop-city-protester-phone

@fesshole@mastodon.social let me tell you about the Battle of Trafalgar....

"My fitness tracker knew I was pregnant before I did" - BBC News Me: "this is some cool biometric data" @clacksee@wandering.shop: "so folks in the US probably need to stop wearing these" https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cr474z1qyn6o