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John Rowan

@jrowanbxl.bsky.social

1.2K followers 1.5K following 2.8K posts

Artisanal bureaucrat. Faceless and unelected during office hours. Does health emergency stuff for the European Commission. Posts likely to be about EU and UK politics, movies, history, Brussels, rugby (Leicester Tigers fan), food.

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John Rowan @jrowanbxl.bsky.social · 2h

That's interesting, I must have a skewed sample. Good to know that others are sticking to principles.

John Rowan @jrowanbxl.bsky.social · 3h

I mean, it didn't really come as a surprise. But I wondered if any of them had managed to identify at least some cognitive dissonance and...no.

John Rowan @jrowanbxl.bsky.social · 3h

I used to occasionally read some US libertarian bloggers back in the early noughties. Small government/Tea Party types. Went back to see where they're at now. They are predictably full-on MAGA. 2020 election truthers, endlessly furious about the tyranny of the pandemic lockdowns.

Reposted by John Rowan

BeijingPalmer @beijingpalmer.bsky.social · 5h

V.S. Naipaul was one of the greatest writers of the 20th century and I would be entirely unsurprised if it was ever revealed he was a serial killer.

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Reposted by John Rowan

Tollytb🇮🇪🇪🇺🇨🇦🇬🇧 @tollytb.bsky.social · 2d

"Do you still get paid in Roubles Ted?"
🐢💨

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John Rowan @jrowanbxl.bsky.social · 10h

I am a recent convert to these and I endorse this whole-heartedly.

Prof Christina Pagel @chrischirp.bsky.social · 12h

I found swimming headphones a game changer - I now love my 35 minute swims listening to history podcasts!

John Rowan @jrowanbxl.bsky.social · 13h

This year's nerds weekend away was the Breskens pocket and the battle of the Scheldt.

John Rowan @jrowanbxl.bsky.social · 23h

YES. The good 90s.

John Rowan @jrowanbxl.bsky.social · 23h

youtu.be/GAZAKdBHaCk?...

Asian Dub Foundation - Buzzin' (OFFICIAL MUSIC VIDEO)

YouTube video by London Records

youtu.be

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John Rowan @jrowanbxl.bsky.social · 23h

With AI, soon we'll all be able to have low-budget porn parodies of ourselves.

John Rowan @jrowanbxl.bsky.social · 1d

Pretty sure this is my wife's least favourite photo of me.

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John Rowan @jrowanbxl.bsky.social · 1d

2015

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John Rowan @jrowanbxl.bsky.social · 1d

Not for the first time, I am quite impressed by how well the Dutch kids' TV news programme NOS Jeugdjournaal is covering a major event, today the events in Gaza.

John Rowan @jrowanbxl.bsky.social · 1d

To cross the Bluesky streams a bit, can we somehow manipulate the internet so all the awful people using ChatGPT to boost themselves on dating apps all end up proposing it as a date?

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John Rowan @jrowanbxl.bsky.social · 1d

along with e.g. "Son of Saul"

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John Rowan @jrowanbxl.bsky.social · 1d

yeah, might stay on my "to watch" list for a while longer

John Rowan @jrowanbxl.bsky.social · 1d

So, Come and See...should I watch it? It's been on my list since I first read about it but never actually had the moral courage to stick it on...

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John Rowan @jrowanbxl.bsky.social · 1d

I hope you're right, but the rise in antivax sentiment in the UK makes me question that. I fear it's the canary in the coal mine: if you can persuade people to be antivax, you can persuade them to believe anything.

John Rowan @jrowanbxl.bsky.social · 1d

I have family members who don't understand why someone they know has lost the plot, because they are just not aware of what a rabbit hole so much of Online is, or can be, now.

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John Rowan @jrowanbxl.bsky.social · 1d

Completely agree, but I think part of the challenge is people who are not at least Quite Online not understanding what is going on when this stuff has real world consequences (increasingly aggressive behaviour towards pedestrians; poorer behaviour amongst a minority of fans in the stadium).

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John Rowan @jrowanbxl.bsky.social · 1d

In a myriad of small ways, and we're not yet connecting the dots. I can see it in discussions about public transport and bike lanes in my local area; I can see it in discussions in online fan forums for my rugby team. A lot of people have lost plot, perspective, and a sense of propriety.

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Reposted by John Rowan

jaythechou.bsky.social @jaythechou.bsky.social · 1d

I Photoshop Paddington into a movie, TV show, or pop culture until I forget: Day 1673

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John Rowan @jrowanbxl.bsky.social · 1d

This is, to put it mildly, Very Bad.

www.theguardian.com/world/2025/o...

Sharp global rise in antibiotic-resistant infections in hospitals, WHO finds

Experts describe findings as deeply concerning and predict 70% increase in related deaths by 2050

www.theguardian.com

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John Rowan @jrowanbxl.bsky.social · 1d

I have no idea what the answer is. I think holding social media companies to account for what circulates on them is probably part of it. Perhaps treating it like a public health issue may be a way forward as well.

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John Rowan @jrowanbxl.bsky.social · 1d

Taps the sign: bsky.app/profile/did:...

John Rowan @jrowanbxl.bsky.social · 5d

I am increasingly convinced that the only route to salvation lies in a nationwide Campaign For Better Epistemology.

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