Stephanie Rains 🪼
@acidrains.bsky.social
Mainly politics and cute animals, with occasional images from the archives. For the day job, follow the Irish Cultural and Media History blog at irishmediahistory.com
Reposted by Stephanie Rains 🪼
Hey, when someone cites gen AI as an authoritative source of info, send them to: stopcitingai.com
Stop Citing AI
A response to ‘But ChatGPT said…’
stopcitingai.com
December 14, 2025 at 4:09 PM
Hey, when someone cites gen AI as an authoritative source of info, send them to: stopcitingai.com
Reposted by Stephanie Rains 🪼
Soncho-san, a warm and nostalgic southern rockhopper penguin, is the mascot for Penguin Village, who promote SDGs and regional revitalization.
December 14, 2025 at 2:31 AM
Soncho-san, a warm and nostalgic southern rockhopper penguin, is the mascot for Penguin Village, who promote SDGs and regional revitalization.
I’ve only just discovered that there’s a Hallmark Christmas princess movie not only filmed in Ireland and using Powerscourt as the palace, but much of it is set and filmed in Tayto/Emerald Park!!
Royal-ish (TV Movie 2025) ⭐ 6.6 | Romance
1h 24m | TV-G
m.imdb.com
December 13, 2025 at 7:15 PM
I’ve only just discovered that there’s a Hallmark Christmas princess movie not only filmed in Ireland and using Powerscourt as the palace, but much of it is set and filmed in Tayto/Emerald Park!!
This is a genius idea, but I suspect would have no impact on me starting each morning picking up the baubles our cats fecked off the tree overnight 🌲
I hadn't seen one of these before (like a hollow doughnut around the tree)
December 13, 2025 at 6:35 PM
This is a genius idea, but I suspect would have no impact on me starting each morning picking up the baubles our cats fecked off the tree overnight 🌲
Reposted by Stephanie Rains 🪼
There isn't a single problem "solved" by edtech that couldn't be fixed with smaller classes led by well-paid teachers given real academic freedom
December 12, 2025 at 6:23 PM
There isn't a single problem "solved" by edtech that couldn't be fixed with smaller classes led by well-paid teachers given real academic freedom
Is it just me, or is it not ok that this shite is for sale at an official Dublin Corporation Xmas market stall on Henry St? #speirgorm
December 12, 2025 at 2:36 PM
Is it just me, or is it not ok that this shite is for sale at an official Dublin Corporation Xmas market stall on Henry St? #speirgorm
Reposted by Stephanie Rains 🪼
A serious win here from the @fsuireland.bsky.social with “maximum flexibility” agreed that will now allow hundreds of staff members to go back to common sense remote working arrangements. Always forward, never back.
www.thejournal.ie/aib-staff-to...
www.thejournal.ie/aib-staff-to...
Win for remote work as hundreds of AIB staff reach agreement over return-to-work policies
The Financial Services Union (FSU) and AIB have been negotiating the issue following “significant backlash” to the bank’s return-to-office order in July.
www.thejournal.ie
December 11, 2025 at 4:06 PM
A serious win here from the @fsuireland.bsky.social with “maximum flexibility” agreed that will now allow hundreds of staff members to go back to common sense remote working arrangements. Always forward, never back.
www.thejournal.ie/aib-staff-to...
www.thejournal.ie/aib-staff-to...
Hahahaha 🤣 imagine voluntarily giving your DNA to the US government!!
NEW: Five years of social media history is only a fraction of what the US Government will shortly demand of overseas visitors.
The full requirements will end tourism in the United States.
Below is the full, mind-blowing list.
🚨THEY. WANT. YOUR. DNA.🚨
1/
The full requirements will end tourism in the United States.
Below is the full, mind-blowing list.
🚨THEY. WANT. YOUR. DNA.🚨
1/
December 11, 2025 at 5:04 PM
Hahahaha 🤣 imagine voluntarily giving your DNA to the US government!!
surely it's the ruling-class graft which is destablizing the country?
A wave of street protests against ruling class graft is destabilizing Bulgaria just weeks before the Balkan nation is set to join the euro
Bulgarian Protests Throw Euro Area’s Next Member Into Crisis
A wave of street protests against ruling class graft is destabilizing Bulgaria just weeks before the Balkan nation is set to join the euro.
bloom.bg
December 11, 2025 at 9:17 AM
surely it's the ruling-class graft which is destablizing the country?
Impossible to photograph, but this morning in Maynooth village there was an amazing murmuration of rooks, hundreds and hundreds of them wheeling low in the sky and filling every treetop. I’ve only seen this a couple of times before, and it’s always on winter mornings.
December 11, 2025 at 8:58 AM
Impossible to photograph, but this morning in Maynooth village there was an amazing murmuration of rooks, hundreds and hundreds of them wheeling low in the sky and filling every treetop. I’ve only seen this a couple of times before, and it’s always on winter mornings.
My immediate presumption here is that all of his human-shield-children have grown too heavy for him to lift onto his shoulders.
this feels like a positive thing since he was doing Nazi salutes
December 11, 2025 at 7:38 AM
My immediate presumption here is that all of his human-shield-children have grown too heavy for him to lift onto his shoulders.
I wonder if real Irish filmmakers know that Udárás na Gaeltachta are not only running a competition for “AI filmmaking”, but have decided to name it after “storytelling”. Ffs.
filmfreeway.com/AnTograScealai
filmfreeway.com/AnTograScealai
An Togra Scéalaí - Project Scéalaí
Tugaimid cuireadh duit iarratas a chur isteach ar an gcomórtas físeáin AI, an chéad cheann dá leithéid don Ghaeilge.
Fáiltímid roimh iarratais ó dhaoine 1...
filmfreeway.com
December 10, 2025 at 4:03 PM
I wonder if real Irish filmmakers know that Udárás na Gaeltachta are not only running a competition for “AI filmmaking”, but have decided to name it after “storytelling”. Ffs.
filmfreeway.com/AnTograScealai
filmfreeway.com/AnTograScealai
“It's being referred to as "Operation Irish Goodbye."” And like much else in America’s descent into open fascism, masterminded by a parade of Irish-Americans too, I’ll wager. Fuck them all, I hope they die roaring.
Exclusive: ICE has developed a plan to arrest undocumented migrants who try to voluntarily leave the U.S. via the Mexico border, so they can face formal removal.
Why bother? Possibly to juice deportation numbers.
It's being referred to as "Operation Irish Goodbye."
www.huffpost.com/entry/ice-pl...
Why bother? Possibly to juice deportation numbers.
It's being referred to as "Operation Irish Goodbye."
www.huffpost.com/entry/ice-pl...
ICE Has A Surprising New Plan To Arrest People Already Leaving The U.S.
“Operation Irish Goodbye,” as it’s being called, could be aimed at boosting numbers for Trump’s much-hyped deportation campaign.
www.huffpost.com
December 10, 2025 at 3:49 PM
“It's being referred to as "Operation Irish Goodbye."” And like much else in America’s descent into open fascism, masterminded by a parade of Irish-Americans too, I’ll wager. Fuck them all, I hope they die roaring.
Any other business
December 10, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Any other business
for those of you already tired of your Christmas tree on December 10th, Kildare County Council has got you covered. Very fecking festive 🙄
December 10, 2025 at 2:58 PM
for those of you already tired of your Christmas tree on December 10th, Kildare County Council has got you covered. Very fecking festive 🙄
"The pictures posted by Sheridan were taken at a Christmas party in Nashville, Tennessee, hosted by Alp, a nicotine pouch brand launched by Carlson". Not just politically-poisonous, but also absolutely tragic individuals.
Former Áras hopeful Gareth Sheridan defends pictures with Russell Brand and Tucker Carlson
Sheridan was backed by Kerry and Tipperary Councils in the presidential election.
www.thejournal.ie
December 10, 2025 at 11:23 AM
"The pictures posted by Sheridan were taken at a Christmas party in Nashville, Tennessee, hosted by Alp, a nicotine pouch brand launched by Carlson". Not just politically-poisonous, but also absolutely tragic individuals.
Reposted by Stephanie Rains 🪼
Long Distance by Man Ray, 1916
https://botfrens.com/collections/212/contents/137688
https://botfrens.com/collections/212/contents/137688
December 10, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Long Distance by Man Ray, 1916
https://botfrens.com/collections/212/contents/137688
https://botfrens.com/collections/212/contents/137688
Reposted by Stephanie Rains 🪼
🎶…it’s the end of the world as we know it🎶
December 9, 2025 at 4:17 PM
🎶…it’s the end of the world as we know it🎶
A missed opportunity surely, when everyone knows that Garamond is the One True Font #RETVRN
Marco Rubio ordered diplomats to return to using Times New Roman font in official communications, calling his predecessor's decision to adopt Calibri a “wasteful” diversity move
Rubio Stages Font Coup: Times New Roman Ousts Calibri
The secretary of state called it a "wasteful" diversity move, according to an internal department cable seen by Reuters.
www.huffpost.com
December 10, 2025 at 7:22 AM
A missed opportunity surely, when everyone knows that Garamond is the One True Font #RETVRN
I actually didn’t realise O’Brien was this genuinely funny. I yelped with laughter at end!
Will Arnett was on Conan and told a story about how Conan dealt with the death of his parents by accusing Jason Bateman of killing them. It’s so funny.
December 9, 2025 at 6:28 PM
I actually didn’t realise O’Brien was this genuinely funny. I yelped with laughter at end!
Dead Ringers (Cronenberg, 1988). I wouldn't have stayed to the end except I was there with other people and we were in the middle of a full row, so I just put up with it for what seemed like days.
Never mind movies you’ve watched multiple times, name a movie you’ve watched once and would never watch again.
December 9, 2025 at 3:53 PM
Dead Ringers (Cronenberg, 1988). I wouldn't have stayed to the end except I was there with other people and we were in the middle of a full row, so I just put up with it for what seemed like days.
Reposted by Stephanie Rains 🪼
Please sign and share
There's a bill to ban hunting foxes with packs of dogs coming before the dail on Dec 17th.
Fuck 'rural pursuits' sign and share and contact your FF, FG, and SF TDs and tell them to support the ban my.uplift.ie/petitions/pe...
Fuck 'rural pursuits' sign and share and contact your FF, FG, and SF TDs and tell them to support the ban my.uplift.ie/petitions/pe...
Petition to Ban Fox Hunting in Ireland
Can you support this campaign to bring in legislation banning the hunting of foxes using packs of dogs and horses?
my.uplift.ie
December 9, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Please sign and share
This is brilliant. That box cover was SUCH a feature of my childhood and I always did wonder about it myself!
"If you put a kid on the cover, you’re telling buyers it’s a kid game. If you put adults on the cover, you’re telling kids it’s a gateway to adulthood. This is basic aspirational psychology. They’ll feel like tiny professors. Or tiny villains. Both sell."
The Mastermind Box Cover: What the Hell Were They Thinking?
- - -INVICTA GAMES, LTD. Packaging Team — Official Minutes Project: Mastermind / New Cover Presentation MARTIN SMITH (Marketing Senior Vice Presi...
buff.ly
December 8, 2025 at 9:03 PM
This is brilliant. That box cover was SUCH a feature of my childhood and I always did wonder about it myself!
I notice we’re all giving tech examples. Another one for me is loading and using a 35mm slide carousel for showing images in lectures. And learning the hard way that if you didn’t put the lid on before using it the slides would fly out and hit people on the front row in the face 😱
What skill did you master that you will never, ever use again?
While I'm hesitant to ever confine any skill of mine to the dustbin as Shit Does Come Up, I feel it is very unlikely that I will ever be asked to do column chemistry again. It remains useful knowledge however.
While I'm hesitant to ever confine any skill of mine to the dustbin as Shit Does Come Up, I feel it is very unlikely that I will ever be asked to do column chemistry again. It remains useful knowledge however.
What skill did you master that you will never, ever use again?
Summer of '95 I had a job assembling single-use film cameras, which I did enough that I can still perform the actions. I don't think they even sell them anymore, but even if they do I'm certainly never going to be making them again!
Summer of '95 I had a job assembling single-use film cameras, which I did enough that I can still perform the actions. I don't think they even sell them anymore, but even if they do I'm certainly never going to be making them again!
December 8, 2025 at 6:00 PM
I notice we’re all giving tech examples. Another one for me is loading and using a 35mm slide carousel for showing images in lectures. And learning the hard way that if you didn’t put the lid on before using it the slides would fly out and hit people on the front row in the face 😱
"The reduced-calorie meals could also be more appropriate for shorter men, who need to eat less than the average man". So waiters will have to do gender checks on women AND measure men's height before any of us get our dinner.
December 8, 2025 at 3:59 PM
"The reduced-calorie meals could also be more appropriate for shorter men, who need to eat less than the average man". So waiters will have to do gender checks on women AND measure men's height before any of us get our dinner.