Adrian Bowyer
@adrianbowyer.bsky.social
No worthwhile human achievement has ever been instigated on the basis of demonstrable cost effectiveness.
https://adrianbowyer.com
📍Europe
https://adrianbowyer.com
📍Europe
Pinned
Most areas of human thought are wrong because they assume they're right. Science is mostly right because it assumes it is wrong.
Most ways of achieving things fail because they assume they'll work. Engineering mostly works because it assumes things will go wrong.
Most ways of achieving things fail because they assume they'll work. Engineering mostly works because it assumes things will go wrong.
Never understood that Sally Ride and 100 tampons anecdote. Were none of the men who asked her if that was the right number for a six-day mission married to a woman, or in a relationship with one?
I don't mean that they should have asked them instead. Simply living gives the needed knowledge.
I don't mean that they should have asked them instead. Simply living gives the needed knowledge.
Halftime show producer: ok and how many guitars do you think you’ll need? Probably just one right?
Jack white: just one? Just one?! Would you send a woman astronaut to space with just one hundred tampons??
Jack white: just one? Just one?! Would you send a woman astronaut to space with just one hundred tampons??
November 27, 2025 at 8:20 PM
Never understood that Sally Ride and 100 tampons anecdote. Were none of the men who asked her if that was the right number for a six-day mission married to a woman, or in a relationship with one?
I don't mean that they should have asked them instead. Simply living gives the needed knowledge.
I don't mean that they should have asked them instead. Simply living gives the needed knowledge.
One of the reasons that Polanski is so effective is that he is very good at a difficult thing: remembering the question that you were asked by a journalist all the time that you are making the remarks that you need to make to preface your answer, then actually answering that question.
Thanks for all the kind words on my Radio 4 interview tonight on the economy!
Vital to ask about this idea of "radicalism" - radical is actually what this Labour Government are doing.
Protecting the interests of the super rich over people and nature.
Join.greenparty.org.uk
Vital to ask about this idea of "radicalism" - radical is actually what this Labour Government are doing.
Protecting the interests of the super rich over people and nature.
Join.greenparty.org.uk
Join the Green Party
Join the Green Party from just £6 a year. Become a member today - join the only party standing up for people and planet.
Join.greenparty.org.uk
November 27, 2025 at 7:51 PM
One of the reasons that Polanski is so effective is that he is very good at a difficult thing: remembering the question that you were asked by a journalist all the time that you are making the remarks that you need to make to preface your answer, then actually answering that question.
Reposted by Adrian Bowyer
Nice. I think NY subway girder man wins though
November 27, 2025 at 6:07 PM
Nice. I think NY subway girder man wins though
Friend of mine once got on the tube at rush hour with the oar from a rowing eight...
Respect to the guy carrying a 7 foot palm and planter through Kings Cross tube station at rush hour.
November 27, 2025 at 6:03 PM
Friend of mine once got on the tube at rush hour with the oar from a rowing eight...
In my first ever trip to America in the 1980s I encountered this stuff at, of all places, a conference in the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, NY.
AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY MILK AS AN ALTERNATIVE.
AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY MILK AS AN ALTERNATIVE.
Europeans have been finding out what 'coffee creamer' is in America and the transatlantic divide has never felt wider
www.thepoke.com/2025/11/27/europeans-have-been-finding-out-what-coffee-creamer-is-in-america-and-the-transatlantic-divide-has-never-felt-wider/
www.thepoke.com/2025/11/27/europeans-have-been-finding-out-what-coffee-creamer-is-in-america-and-the-transatlantic-divide-has-never-felt-wider/
November 27, 2025 at 5:59 PM
In my first ever trip to America in the 1980s I encountered this stuff at, of all places, a conference in the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center in Yorktown Heights, NY.
AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY MILK AS AN ALTERNATIVE.
AND THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY MILK AS AN ALTERNATIVE.
Reposted by Adrian Bowyer
Want low-carbon steel & cement? Buy it!
Public procurement is key to climate success.
Spot on by Casier, @jorenverschaeve.bsky.social & Deboffe via @projectsyndicate.bsky.social
prosyn.org/fECHpKy
Public procurement is key to climate success.
Spot on by Casier, @jorenverschaeve.bsky.social & Deboffe via @projectsyndicate.bsky.social
prosyn.org/fECHpKy
Europe Must Stop Squandering the Power of Its Purse
Liesbeth Casier, Joren Verschaeve and Christophe Deboffe show how the European Union could be using public procurement more effectively to advance its climate goals.
prosyn.org
November 27, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Want low-carbon steel & cement? Buy it!
Public procurement is key to climate success.
Spot on by Casier, @jorenverschaeve.bsky.social & Deboffe via @projectsyndicate.bsky.social
prosyn.org/fECHpKy
Public procurement is key to climate success.
Spot on by Casier, @jorenverschaeve.bsky.social & Deboffe via @projectsyndicate.bsky.social
prosyn.org/fECHpKy
Today I realised that the literal opposite of "exhibition" is "inhibition"...
November 27, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Today I realised that the literal opposite of "exhibition" is "inhibition"...
Reposted by Adrian Bowyer
Ages ago I had a student doing a journalism internship in DC. After speaking to groups of lawmakers, she called and sheepishly asked, "Prof, is it me, or are some of these powerful people . . . not always that smart?"
November 27, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Ages ago I had a student doing a journalism internship in DC. After speaking to groups of lawmakers, she called and sheepishly asked, "Prof, is it me, or are some of these powerful people . . . not always that smart?"
Reposted by Adrian Bowyer
#Enshitification
Alexa: Also, I have found a routine that ends your day with upbeat music at 5:30. Would you like to enable it?
Self & Wife in unison: NO!
Alexa: Also, I have found a routine that ends your day with upbeat music at 5:30. Would you like to enable it?
Self & Wife in unison: NO!
November 15, 2025 at 4:12 PM
#Enshitification
Alexa: Also, I have found a routine that ends your day with upbeat music at 5:30. Would you like to enable it?
Self & Wife in unison: NO!
Alexa: Also, I have found a routine that ends your day with upbeat music at 5:30. Would you like to enable it?
Self & Wife in unison: NO!
Reposted by Adrian Bowyer
Technical and economic supremacy, China vs America...
"Engineers specialise in construction, whereas lawyers specialise in obstruction."
Dan Wang on Chanel 4 now.
"Engineers specialise in construction, whereas lawyers specialise in obstruction."
Dan Wang on Chanel 4 now.
November 17, 2025 at 7:55 PM
Technical and economic supremacy, China vs America...
"Engineers specialise in construction, whereas lawyers specialise in obstruction."
Dan Wang on Chanel 4 now.
"Engineers specialise in construction, whereas lawyers specialise in obstruction."
Dan Wang on Chanel 4 now.
Reposted by Adrian Bowyer
American electronic component manufacturers!
Great products at competitive prices! Well done!
But you know that little flag top right on your website where people can select the language they want?
PLEASE also add one that flips your site from inches to metric...
Great products at competitive prices! Well done!
But you know that little flag top right on your website where people can select the language they want?
PLEASE also add one that flips your site from inches to metric...
November 18, 2025 at 11:23 AM
American electronic component manufacturers!
Great products at competitive prices! Well done!
But you know that little flag top right on your website where people can select the language they want?
PLEASE also add one that flips your site from inches to metric...
Great products at competitive prices! Well done!
But you know that little flag top right on your website where people can select the language they want?
PLEASE also add one that flips your site from inches to metric...
Reposted by Adrian Bowyer
"But by far, people said their biggest anxiety was what could happen if a battery overheats and catches fire."
Each one of whom had one of the same batteries in their pocket...
Each one of whom had one of the same batteries in their pocket...
Massachusetts' goals for grid-scale battery storage faces a growing challenge: The anti-battery movement sweeping the state and country 🔌💡 @wbur.org
www.wbur.org/news/2025/11...
www.wbur.org/news/2025/11...
As Mass. pushes for big batteries on the grid, some communities push back
Massachusetts officials says batteries will bring down energy costs and help the grid run on more renewables. But there's a growing movement of people who say they don't want this technology in their ...
www.wbur.org
November 20, 2025 at 1:57 PM
"But by far, people said their biggest anxiety was what could happen if a battery overheats and catches fire."
Each one of whom had one of the same batteries in their pocket...
Each one of whom had one of the same batteries in their pocket...
Reposted by Adrian Bowyer
The growth in solar is truly extraordinary. Soon the whole human race (except for people living in countries governed by morons) will have energy that's virtually free of recurrent costs.
**NEW CHINA SOLAR EXPANSION STORY**
China has doubled the export of solar cells+wafers to assemble abroad in the last several months.
It still exports about the same amount of solar panels.
In October - for the first time - it exported more cell+wafers than panels 🧵
China has doubled the export of solar cells+wafers to assemble abroad in the last several months.
It still exports about the same amount of solar panels.
In October - for the first time - it exported more cell+wafers than panels 🧵
November 21, 2025 at 1:03 PM
The growth in solar is truly extraordinary. Soon the whole human race (except for people living in countries governed by morons) will have energy that's virtually free of recurrent costs.
Reposted by Adrian Bowyer
When it comes to eating the rich, I'd start with baronets and work up...
November 22, 2025 at 2:28 PM
When it comes to eating the rich, I'd start with baronets and work up...
Reposted by Adrian Bowyer
Well. I choose to name her Hetmiazongonfaroushkin.
Kendal woman recreated from her 900-year-old skull is named Agnes after public vote. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Kendal woman reconstructed from 900-year-old remains named
The woman, whose skull was found in Kendal, is named Agnes after a public vote.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 26, 2025 at 2:25 PM
Well. I choose to name her Hetmiazongonfaroushkin.
Reposted by Adrian Bowyer
Pharrell Williams confirmed as another world famous multi-millionaire who chose to live in a house that looks like it should be called the North Strabane Esat-Digifone Retail Hub & Business Park.
November 26, 2025 at 11:51 PM
Pharrell Williams confirmed as another world famous multi-millionaire who chose to live in a house that looks like it should be called the North Strabane Esat-Digifone Retail Hub & Business Park.
If you want to tell the UK Government that their proposed mileage tax on electric vehicles is a bad environmental idea and that they should raise fuel duty more instead, you can fill out their survey here:
www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/eVEDconsul...
www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/eVEDconsul...
Consultation of the Introduction of Electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED)
Please take the time to complete our survey. Your feedback is important.
www.smartsurvey.co.uk
November 27, 2025 at 8:53 AM
If you want to tell the UK Government that their proposed mileage tax on electric vehicles is a bad environmental idea and that they should raise fuel duty more instead, you can fill out their survey here:
www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/eVEDconsul...
www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/eVEDconsul...
Reposted by Adrian Bowyer
Those who do not remember history are doomed to be tried by it.
November 26, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Those who do not remember history are doomed to be tried by it.
TIL...
If you want to see neat non poo thing—skunks like to eat bees. But they like it better if they are dead and not stinging. So in cold weather, when bees clean house, the skunk comes along and collects the dead bees in cheek pockets, then squeezes the good stuff out. Then he spits out these:
November 26, 2025 at 10:07 PM
TIL...
Reposted by Adrian Bowyer
Laying awake in bed unparalleled for considering plumbing problems.
November 26, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Laying awake in bed unparalleled for considering plumbing problems.
I have a chancellor's autumn statement bingo card with just one word on it: smorgasbord. I got it within two minutes of starting hearing commentary on the radio.
November 26, 2025 at 7:04 PM
I have a chancellor's autumn statement bingo card with just one word on it: smorgasbord. I got it within two minutes of starting hearing commentary on the radio.
Reposted by Adrian Bowyer
Reminds me of, "IndyCar is like Formula One, though both the cars, and the fans, are a little slower."
November 26, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Reminds me of, "IndyCar is like Formula One, though both the cars, and the fans, are a little slower."
Reposted by Adrian Bowyer
What do you do when your media org is captured? You start your own.
Introducing....The Nerve!!! @thenerve-news.bsky.social
We're all-female, journalist-owned & launching next week.
Please help us build a truly independent, progressive new media!👊👊👊
Introducing....The Nerve!!! @thenerve-news.bsky.social
We're all-female, journalist-owned & launching next week.
Please help us build a truly independent, progressive new media!👊👊👊
Former Observer big-hitters inc @carolecadwalla.bsky.social launch new title The Nerve with redundancy payouts
After Observer sale: "We decided to launch a title that the journalists themselves would own, that would be truly independent"
pressgazette.co.uk/news/former-...
After Observer sale: "We decided to launch a title that the journalists themselves would own, that would be truly independent"
pressgazette.co.uk/news/former-...
Former Observer big-hitters launch new title with redundancy payouts
Five former Observer journalists including Carole Cadwalladr have launched their own culture publication using their redundancy money.
pressgazette.co.uk
September 26, 2025 at 11:03 AM
What do you do when your media org is captured? You start your own.
Introducing....The Nerve!!! @thenerve-news.bsky.social
We're all-female, journalist-owned & launching next week.
Please help us build a truly independent, progressive new media!👊👊👊
Introducing....The Nerve!!! @thenerve-news.bsky.social
We're all-female, journalist-owned & launching next week.
Please help us build a truly independent, progressive new media!👊👊👊
That's about 1/1500 the distance to the nearest star*.
It was launched just under 50 years ago, so it'd take 70,000 years to get there (if it was heading that way).
---
* Other than the Sun, you pedant.
It was launched just under 50 years ago, so it'd take 70,000 years to get there (if it was heading that way).
---
* Other than the Sun, you pedant.
This is on a Sunday. Marking it on the calendar now... will figure out how one celebrates Light Day Day sometime in the next year. Astronaut ice cream whilst listening to the golden record? Food from 1977?
Voyager 1 is almost one light-day from Earth
The intrepid spacecraft will cross a major distance milestone in November 2026.
www.popsci.com
November 26, 2025 at 2:51 PM
That's about 1/1500 the distance to the nearest star*.
It was launched just under 50 years ago, so it'd take 70,000 years to get there (if it was heading that way).
---
* Other than the Sun, you pedant.
It was launched just under 50 years ago, so it'd take 70,000 years to get there (if it was heading that way).
---
* Other than the Sun, you pedant.