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David Allsopp

@doublehelix.bsky.social

3K followers 2.3K following 4.3K posts

Scientist turned software engineer. He/him

🏹 Field archery 🐀 Rats 😷 COVID cautious 🏃 Parkrun

https://medium.com/@davidallsopp
@[email protected]
@doublehelix on the birdsite

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David Allsopp @doublehelix.bsky.social · Nov 17

A short thread of my essays on Medium - mostly debunking anti-trans disinformation and other bigotry

1) "Sex-based rights" are contradictory nonsense

The term is a dog-whistle slogan, coined just to exclude trans people, with multiple meanings — none of which make sense
medium.com/@davidallsop...

“Sex-based rights” are contradictory nonsense

The term is a dog-whistle slogan, coined just to exclude trans people, with multiple meanings — none of which make sense.

medium.com

Reposted by David Allsopp

Stephen Blackmoore

@stephenblackmoore.com

Translation: "If you don't use AI then the guys using our chips can't pretend to make money and can't pay the loans they took out to pay for the original loans they took out for all the money they're not making and it all falls apart and we can't sell chips to fuel the money they're not making."

Futurism @futurism.com · 15h

Is that right?

Nvidia CEO Says You're "Insane" If You Don't Use AI to Do Literally Everything

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang said it was "insane" to suggest his employees not use AI to do everything possible.

trib.al

November 27, 2025 at 1:32 AM

Reposted by David Allsopp

Pete Miles

@petermiles.bsky.social

"Based on the empirical evidence we now have, the assertion that the electorate shifted right in accordance with Trump's agenda is simply untenable."

The claim that Trump's victory was a clear-cut expression - an immediate manifestation! - of the will of the people always stood in obvious tension with the narrow election result. Based on the empirical evidence we now have, the assertion that the electorate shifted right in accordance with Trump's agenda is simply untenable. Let's look at the picture that emerges from the latest American Values Survey (AVS), for instance. Since 2010, the AVS is conducted annually by the Public Religion Research Institute (PRRI) in partnership with the Brookings Institution. It's a high-quality survey that stands out because it is not so much concerned with the day-to-day political business, but aims at exploring the underlying attitudes, values, and shifts in national identity. The latest AVS makes very clear why Trump is so unpopular: His economic policy is judged as a disaster (something basically every serious poll confirms) - and his authoritarian ambitions are widely perceived as acutely dangerous. Even two thirds of self-proclaimed independents, those roughly 40 percent of the electorate who are not registered with either party, view Trump as a "dangerous dictator."

A stable majority of Americans - consistently between 55 and 65 percent, according to the AVS - are not only critical of Trump, but also reject core tenets of the rightwing agenda, preferring the vision of a pluralistic liberal democracy instead: They support a right to abortion in most cases and envision a country that is defined by religious pluralism rather than Christian domination; they reject Trump's assault on the modern state and the free university; they believe immigration ultimately strengthens America and demand a path to citizenship even for people who entered the country illegally. On all of

November 27, 2025 at 8:03 AM

Reposted by David Allsopp

Randall Munroe

@xkcd.com

Fifteen Years

xkcd.com/3172/

Comic. Panels up to the 10-year point are grayed out. New panels since the Ten Years comic, which chronicles the first ten years of PERSON 1's journey with cancer: (1) [two people in bed] PERSON 1 (woman): One more chapter? PERSON 2 (man): Don’t we both have to get up early? PERSON 1: Nnnnnggggh PERSON 2: Sure, good point. (2) [many people wearing masks, walking while looking at graphs on their phones] (3) [birds landing on people] PERSON 2 in beanie and scarf: Hah! They like *my* seeds best. PERSON 1 in scarf holding phone with a bird sitting on it: Wait, how do I take a picture of this one? (4) [two people rowing boats with tree landscape] (5) [Person 1 carries overflowing stack of things to Person 2 in bed] PERSON 1: I brought you honey lemon tea, more pillows, a cinnamon roll, Tylenol, another blanket, a– PERSON 2: It was just Appendicitis, I’m really– PERSON 1: *It is my turn to take care of you and I am going to do it right!* (6) [Two people in car] (7) [still in car) PERSON 1: Oh my god. PERSON 2: Oh my god. (8) [car driving] PERSON 1: Pull over! PERSON 2: I am! (9) [both people get out of car] (10) [Large colored panel of aurora borealis over water with both people looking on] (11) [Person 1 sits against tree while Person 2 lies on the ground] PERSON 1: Fifteen years. No sign of the cancer. (12) I *am* having some weird symptoms. Joint pain. Fatigue. I think I’m losing my close-up vision. PERSON 2: Yeah. Me too. (13) PERSON 2: I think we’re getting old. (14) PERSON 1: I guess that’s okay. PERSON 2: It’s all I wanted.

November 26, 2025 at 10:32 PM

Reposted by David Allsopp

David Bier

@davidjbier.bsky.social

ICE deported a woman who owned a home in the US for 30 years. A judge banned ICE from deporting her to Sierra Leone where she had been tortured, so it deported her to Ghana, which kidnapped her and sent her back Sierra Leone anyway. ICE is part of this illegal conspiracy.

November 25, 2025 at 4:40 PM

Reposted by David Allsopp

Riding With Robots

@ridingrobots.bsky.social

I don't know why this idea is suddenly flaring up online so early, but yeah, this time next year, Voyager 1 will be one light-DAY away – meaning it will take light a whole 24 hours to travel between Earth and the spacecraft. For comparison: Mars is a few light MINUTES from Earth!

Artist rendering of a Voyager spacecraft moving through stylized blue gas and stars in deep space.

November 26, 2025 at 9:01 PM

Reposted by David Allsopp

Mark Chadbourn

@chadbourn.bsky.social

Interviewer: “What do you say to trans kids who are starting their transition?”

Zohran Mamdani: "We're gonna make this a city that doesn't just protect trans kids, but also celebrates and cherishes them."

November 26, 2025 at 1:46 PM

David Allsopp

@doublehelix.bsky.social

"exceedingly proud to be misaligned with this administration's vision" 🔥🔥🔥

Sarabande Books @sarabandebooks.bsky.social · 14h

When the NEA asked us to promise not to publish trans, nonbinary, or gender fluid authors, we told them to kick rocks. (Actually, formally, with a unanimous vote by the Board of Directors, we told them to kick rocks.) So the NEA rescinded our funding.

"Your project
to promote 'gender ideology'
unfortunately does not align with our priorities."
—NEA Notice of Termination

Sarabande is exceedingly proud to be misaligned with this administration's vision for the arts.
We refuse to become demoralized, soft-pedal our values, or sell out our authors for federal funding.
We know you share our values and determination. Help us bridge the gap left by the NEA with a recurring monthly donation or gift of any size.

November 26, 2025 at 8:37 PM

Reposted by David Allsopp

Snigdha

@snig.bsky.social

Nigel Farage has been a lifelong racist. He's been a racist since his school days. David Lammy was forced to apologise for saying Farage flirted with the Hitler Youth - but what do you call it when someone sings Hitler Youth songs? Read Chloe Deakin's letter on Farage's fascism and racism at school.

From Chloe Denkin

01-734 1717 and 1778

E3 ALBANY

PICCADILLY

WIV ORH

4th June 1981

Dear Master,

I am happy to say that I am not acquainted with N. P. Farage, of ASRY happy, because judging from hereporis i haveter ceived he is not someone with whom I would wish to be acquainted; and becaure I am, therefore, able to write on the ground of no personal prejedice, but on that conceraing p. inciple.

You will recati that at the recent, and longthy, moeting about the selection of prefects, the nomads by a hegy that Sara was "a fascist, but that was no reason why ho would not make a good prefect" invoked considerable reaction from members of the Common Room. Another collesgue, who teaches the boy, des-cribed his publicly professed racist and neo-fascist views; and he citod a particular inciler in which Farage was so offensive to a boy in his set, that he had to be removed from the lesson. This mastor stated his view that that behaviour was precisely why the boy should not he made a prefect. Yet another colleague deseribed how, at a CCE camp organized by the College, Farage and others had marched through a quiet Sussex village very late at night shout-in Hitler-you songs; and when it was suggested by a master thie boys who expressed such views "don't really mean them", the College Chaplain himself commented that, on the contrary, in his experience views of that kind expressed by boys of that age are onted, and are mennt,

At the end of that meeting I had not a scintilla of doubt that after the facts disclosed to you, Farage's nomination would no longer be considered. Nor, I imagine, had my colleagues; other-wise, we would have expressed ourselves even more strongly.

But yesterday I was told by a senior boy, in terms of st that Farage was indeed to be selected; and today, of course, his appointment was announced in Assembly an announcement, I gather, which was met with disbelief and derision. To say that is too late to reverse this decision, or that Farage', acdir 3 will be restricted to particular areas of College te, or that he will be supervised within them, is futile. His appointment will have four immediate consequences.

First, it will vastly increase his own confidence, and sense of self-justification. Secondly, he will have the privilege of listing his appointment as a profect at Dulwich College in his uni-versity and other applications. Thirdly, his peers, according to their own views, will either adopt him as an exemplar, or, as is much more likely, regard his appointment with disillusionment and cynicism when Ley observe that his notorious views and behaviour, well known to poth Master and members of the staff, are, as it would aptent, condoned by them. Fourthly, those members of the Common Room, such as myself, who believed that a firm daca fon had been reached through a democratic process, will be shock, saddened, angered, and disheartened.

You will appreciate that I regard this as a very serious matter. i have often heard you tell our senior boys that they are the nation's future leaders. It is our collective responsibility

to ensure that these lenders are enlightened and compassionate.

As you know, the national and educational press has recently given much prominence to the growing concern at the exploitation of school pupils by extremists of all kinds. A school of the stature and high roputation of Dulwich College which openly con-domned the recent troubles in Brixton, and offered its facilities freely to the foreca of law and order, ought not to be seen laside or outside its confines to be giving its endorsement, expressly or by implication, to budding extremists of the opposite kind.

A school which is proud of its selectiveness, conservatism, and discipline, cught not to allow these characteristics to degen erate into intolerance, political extremism, or bullying of the nastiest kind, in its pupils. The matter of the appointment of Farage as a prefect may be thought by some to be minuscule

against these deep considerations. It is not so.

I am by disposition, tolerant; and in politics, moderate. But as a member of the Common Room, I find it distasteful that a boy such as Farage should have bestowed upon him the prestige of office and authority: wore I a parent or a pupil, I would find it profoundly so.

In view, as I am aware, of the wide concern within the College about this matter, I am sending a copy of this letter to the chairman of the Common Room.

Yours very sincerely,

David Emms, Esq., MA,

The Master of Dulwich College.

October 1, 2025 at 9:00 AM

Reposted by David Allsopp

THE FAR SIDE DAILY

@bot.cowtools.org

“A cat killer? Is that the face of a cat killer? Cat chaser maybe. But hey—who isn’t?”

September 17, 2025 at 12:10 PM

Reposted by David Allsopp

THE FAR SIDE DAILY

@bot.cowtools.org

The first cruise arrow is tested.

October 11, 2025 at 12:09 PM

Reposted by David Allsopp

THE FAR SIDE DAILY

@bot.cowtools.org

“Oh, look, this get better …‘F’ in history! You even flunk something not happen yet?”

October 25, 2025 at 12:09 PM

Reposted by David Allsopp

Alejandra Caraballo

@esqueer.net

The Trump administration has joined the war on HIV/AIDS, on the side of HIV/AIDS.

Apoorva Mandavilli @apoorvanyt.bsky.social · 15h

SCOOP: The Trump administration has instructed employees and grantees not to use U.S. funds to commemorate World AIDS Day — because the observance was started by the World Health Organization.

www.nytimes.com/2025/11/26/h...

Trump Administration Cancels U.S. Observance of World AIDS Day

www.nytimes.com

November 26, 2025 at 7:40 PM

David Allsopp

@doublehelix.bsky.social

Just remembering the time I happened to see a game of snooker on TV, and a player who was faced with an incredibly awkward, difficult shot spent so long, motionless, staring at it, that the commentator eventually said (deadpan):

"I think he's trying to mesmerise the balls"

November 26, 2025 at 8:03 PM

Reposted by David Allsopp

Jane

@localnotail.bsky.social

If Rachel Reeves gets challenged about this bullseye on Farage being a Russian asset, she should simply reply that it was not meant in a hurtful way.

Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 21h

"We are freezing known Russian assets" says Rachel Reeves

"But let me be clear, I don't actually mean the member for Clacton"

November 26, 2025 at 3:11 PM

Reposted by David Allsopp

Robin Ince

@robinince.bsky.social

I know it is just the law and all that , but it still jars to see ‘Graham Linehan cleared of harassment’ when I think of just how much he has harassed (and spread lies about) friends of mine and never been shy of bothering me either .

November 26, 2025 at 6:22 PM

Reposted by David Allsopp

Colin Dickey

@colindickey.com

Handing back student work that’s been written by ChatGPT with a 0 followed by the comment “This essay will never stand in authentic wonder before the Beauty of God’s creation.”

Vulture @vulture.com · 19h

Pope Leo XIV told students not to use artificial intelligence for homework, saying that AI ‘won’t stand in authentic wonder before the beauty of God’s creation.’

Even God Is Worried About ChatGPT

Pope Leo XIV told students not to use artificial intelligence for homework, saying that AI ‘won’t stand in authentic wonder before the beauty of God’s creation.’

www.vulture.com

November 26, 2025 at 3:35 PM

Reposted by David Allsopp

Steven Johnson

@boredomfestival.bsky.social

November 26, 2025 at 4:09 PM

Reposted by David Allsopp

Anders :) 🇧🇻🏳️‍🌈

@annesh.no

So this happened in Oslo yesterday. Four articulated buses got stuck in a roundabout.

Four articulated buses blocking each other in a roundabout making them stuck.

November 25, 2025 at 8:23 AM

Reposted by David Allsopp

Kirsti Miller

@kirstimiller30.bsky.social

Study In The Journal Of Pediatrics Finds Trans Youth Care Lowers Suicidality, Few Detransition

The groundbreaking study found that suicidality dropped for transgender youth receiving HRT by nearly 70%, with only 7 patients of 432 discontinuing treatment.

www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

November 26, 2025 at 6:33 AM

Reposted by David Allsopp

Alan Driscoll

@alandriscoll.com

Here's a thread from Twitter shared with Sophia's permission in which she finally is able to talk about Graham using the police as HIS personal goon squad and getting Sophia arrested at home by EIGHT armed police officers, somewhat putting the standard Heathrow armed cops in perspective.

November 25, 2025 at 6:19 PM

Reposted by David Allsopp

รℓσαɳε ℓყรɓεƭɦ 🏳️‍🌈

@sloanelysbeth.bsky.social

this must be all that 'the bbc is captured by gender ideology' that @maitlis.bsky.social, @jonsopel1.bsky.social, and @lewisgoodall.com were bravely standing up against when they helped propagate a whole bunch of dangerous medical disinformation, that has got several kids killed since, on newsnight.

รℓσαɳε ℓყรɓεƭɦ 🏳️‍🌈 @sloanelysbeth.bsky.social · 1d

the bbc changed their article from saying 'trans woman' to saying 'biological male who identifies as a woman'.

even if you don't care about trans ppl it should alarm you just how captured the bbc has become.

they will no longer even say 'trans woman'. that's not normal and shows massive bias.

November 26, 2025 at 9:56 AM