Gareth Millward
@millieqed.bsky.social
Historian, Univ. Southern Denmark, working on the history of the British Welfare State. Erstwhile Birmingham, Warwick, LSHTM.
Reposted by Gareth Millward
If only there were a cautionary tale about being too eager to accept the apparent time-saving capabilities of new technology.
Aardman Animations will ’embrace AI’ while also being ‘cautious’, says Nick Park
Aardman Animations will ’embrace AI’ while also being ‘cautious’, says Nick Park
Aardman Animations will ’embrace AI’ while also being ‘cautious’, says Nick Park
www.independent.co.uk
December 8, 2025 at 1:05 PM
If only there were a cautionary tale about being too eager to accept the apparent time-saving capabilities of new technology.
Reposted by Gareth Millward
The ever expanding externalized costs of AI.
I wish a notice like this wasn't necessary.
www.icrc.org/en/article/i...
www.icrc.org/en/article/i...
Important notice: AI-generated archival references
www.icrc.org
December 8, 2025 at 10:58 AM
The ever expanding externalized costs of AI.
Just had to navigate my way around a Wayback capture that was only giving that "Cloudflare is trying to work out if you're human or not" message. Yet again a reminder that our historical record is fragile in all sorts of ways...
December 8, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Just had to navigate my way around a Wayback capture that was only giving that "Cloudflare is trying to work out if you're human or not" message. Yet again a reminder that our historical record is fragile in all sorts of ways...
Reposted by Gareth Millward
Had to explain to a 20 year old medical student what "try the link in a different browser" meant. God help us all.
For a while, they said if you needed tech help, ask a 10yo. But current 10-20yos didn't have to explore and click around and futz with things to get them to work, so if it's not immediately obvious, they can't do it.
Basically if you're 30-50 you're just doing tech support for everyone forever.
Basically if you're 30-50 you're just doing tech support for everyone forever.
What we say is their kids know the tech of a phone. If it’s not on the phone they struggle
December 8, 2025 at 8:16 AM
Had to explain to a 20 year old medical student what "try the link in a different browser" meant. God help us all.
Reposted by Gareth Millward
The main fact that stuck with me after writing a book about British Xmases is that The Times was complaining about decorations going up in October back in the *1930s*, Selfridges has had decorations up in Oct since at least the 1950s and the whole “earlier every year” thing is generally bollocks
Middle class people love to pretend to be appalled at Christmas decorations being either early or fun to look at, the ideal Christmas tree is put up at midnight on Christmas day and decorated only by a black cloak and an unlit matchstick
December 8, 2025 at 8:07 AM
The main fact that stuck with me after writing a book about British Xmases is that The Times was complaining about decorations going up in October back in the *1930s*, Selfridges has had decorations up in Oct since at least the 1950s and the whole “earlier every year” thing is generally bollocks
Reposted by Gareth Millward
I can’t believe that in this day and age, people are still wearing fir.
December 7, 2025 at 2:46 PM
I can’t believe that in this day and age, people are still wearing fir.
Reposted by Gareth Millward
By the way everyone, what right-wing politicians say about immigrants is literally also what they believe about you.
You having an ordinary job is a kind of favour your generous employer and the nation has done you, allowing you to reproduce your existence despite not being AN ENTREPRENEUR
You having an ordinary job is a kind of favour your generous employer and the nation has done you, allowing you to reproduce your existence despite not being AN ENTREPRENEUR
December 7, 2025 at 9:13 AM
By the way everyone, what right-wing politicians say about immigrants is literally also what they believe about you.
You having an ordinary job is a kind of favour your generous employer and the nation has done you, allowing you to reproduce your existence despite not being AN ENTREPRENEUR
You having an ordinary job is a kind of favour your generous employer and the nation has done you, allowing you to reproduce your existence despite not being AN ENTREPRENEUR
Reposted by Gareth Millward
✨SSHM Mid-Career Online Writing Retreat✨ funded by Wellcome
Over 2 days: Friday 9th and Monday 12th January 2026
10am-5.30pm GMT
This event is for SSHM members.
To sign up and for more details see website
Deadline for sign-up: 17 December 2025 (23:59 GMT)
#histmed
Over 2 days: Friday 9th and Monday 12th January 2026
10am-5.30pm GMT
This event is for SSHM members.
To sign up and for more details see website
Deadline for sign-up: 17 December 2025 (23:59 GMT)
#histmed
UPCOMING SSHM EVENTS
SSHM Mid-Career Writing Retreat funded by Wellcome Friday 9th and Monday 12th January 2026 10am-5.30pm GMT Deadline for applications: 17 December 2025 (23:59 GMT) Led by Professor Rowena Murra…
sshm.org
December 5, 2025 at 10:11 AM
✨SSHM Mid-Career Online Writing Retreat✨ funded by Wellcome
Over 2 days: Friday 9th and Monday 12th January 2026
10am-5.30pm GMT
This event is for SSHM members.
To sign up and for more details see website
Deadline for sign-up: 17 December 2025 (23:59 GMT)
#histmed
Over 2 days: Friday 9th and Monday 12th January 2026
10am-5.30pm GMT
This event is for SSHM members.
To sign up and for more details see website
Deadline for sign-up: 17 December 2025 (23:59 GMT)
#histmed
Hey, @footballindenmark.bsky.social - when are we getting the Christmas jumper thread?
Here's Odense's offering.
Here's Odense's offering.
December 4, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Hey, @footballindenmark.bsky.social - when are we getting the Christmas jumper thread?
Here's Odense's offering.
Here's Odense's offering.
This is the disability angle to go with.
Have seen the idea that the UK is *causing* mental health and developmental conditions because it's so shit, and that's not the progressive take the people making it think it is.
Have seen the idea that the UK is *causing* mental health and developmental conditions because it's so shit, and that's not the progressive take the people making it think it is.
This just seems like the wrong end of the telescope to me. Review should be into barriers to employment, not diagnosis.
I really *do* have a fine motor condition, but in the 21st century this poses absolutely no barrier to me working in 90 per cent of jobs in the UK.
I really *do* have a fine motor condition, but in the 21st century this poses absolutely no barrier to me working in 90 per cent of jobs in the UK.
Wes Streeting orders review of mental health diagnoses as benefit claims soar
December 4, 2025 at 10:46 AM
This is the disability angle to go with.
Have seen the idea that the UK is *causing* mental health and developmental conditions because it's so shit, and that's not the progressive take the people making it think it is.
Have seen the idea that the UK is *causing* mental health and developmental conditions because it's so shit, and that's not the progressive take the people making it think it is.
Reposted by Gareth Millward
Note how these awful people are getting exactly the exclusions of children that they demanded and *that still isn’t enough for them*: they demand everyone be delighted about it and kiss their arses for being brilliant.
December 4, 2025 at 7:33 AM
Note how these awful people are getting exactly the exclusions of children that they demanded and *that still isn’t enough for them*: they demand everyone be delighted about it and kiss their arses for being brilliant.
Some pseudointellectual dipshit says something transphobic, and as I'm blocking them I'm always disappointed to see that people I respect follow them.
December 3, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Some pseudointellectual dipshit says something transphobic, and as I'm blocking them I'm always disappointed to see that people I respect follow them.
I appreciate this is peak blueskyjokeunderstanding on my part but...
... this what Christmas telly always is. The most inoffensive light entertainment to not scare away normies. It's not for us. And that's fine.
... this what Christmas telly always is. The most inoffensive light entertainment to not scare away normies. It's not for us. And that's fine.
And now, Christmas Day 2025 on BBC One:
December 3, 2025 at 2:08 PM
I appreciate this is peak blueskyjokeunderstanding on my part but...
... this what Christmas telly always is. The most inoffensive light entertainment to not scare away normies. It's not for us. And that's fine.
... this what Christmas telly always is. The most inoffensive light entertainment to not scare away normies. It's not for us. And that's fine.
Reposted by Gareth Millward
December 3, 2025 at 9:47 AM
Reposted by Gareth Millward
📢CfP: DIFFICULT COLLECTIONS📢
What can practitioners & researchers do with difficult heritage preserved in galleries, libraries, archives and museums?
- Paper Trails (a Book as Online Open Content) Special Issue
- Proposal deadline: 31/01/2026
- Details: blogs.ucl.ac.uk/special-coll...
🗃️ #GLAM
What can practitioners & researchers do with difficult heritage preserved in galleries, libraries, archives and museums?
- Paper Trails (a Book as Online Open Content) Special Issue
- Proposal deadline: 31/01/2026
- Details: blogs.ucl.ac.uk/special-coll...
🗃️ #GLAM
Call for Papers: Difficult Collections | UCL UCL Special Collections
UCL Homepage
blogs.ucl.ac.uk
December 3, 2025 at 8:24 AM
📢CfP: DIFFICULT COLLECTIONS📢
What can practitioners & researchers do with difficult heritage preserved in galleries, libraries, archives and museums?
- Paper Trails (a Book as Online Open Content) Special Issue
- Proposal deadline: 31/01/2026
- Details: blogs.ucl.ac.uk/special-coll...
🗃️ #GLAM
What can practitioners & researchers do with difficult heritage preserved in galleries, libraries, archives and museums?
- Paper Trails (a Book as Online Open Content) Special Issue
- Proposal deadline: 31/01/2026
- Details: blogs.ucl.ac.uk/special-coll...
🗃️ #GLAM
Reposted by Gareth Millward
Oxford Brookes University has a huge raft of AHRC-funded PhD studentships in the Arts, Humanities and allied subjects! Both fees and a stipend covered. Take a look at the ad below - the closing date is 30th January 2026. Anyone interested at all, get in touch!
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPM937/p...
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPM937/p...
PhD Studentship : AHRC Landscape Award PhD Studentship in the Arts and Humanities at Oxford Brookes University
Start your UK & international job search for academic jobs, research jobs, science jobs and managerial jobs in leading universities and top...
www.jobs.ac.uk
December 2, 2025 at 10:10 AM
Oxford Brookes University has a huge raft of AHRC-funded PhD studentships in the Arts, Humanities and allied subjects! Both fees and a stipend covered. Take a look at the ad below - the closing date is 30th January 2026. Anyone interested at all, get in touch!
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPM937/p...
www.jobs.ac.uk/job/DPM937/p...
Speaking of Coventry politics...
(Sultana is MP for Cov South - the Modern Records Centre's home!)
(Sultana is MP for Cov South - the Modern Records Centre's home!)
For an "alternative" take on carol singers and #FestiveLights (or lanterns)
'Coventry News', a political newspaper from the 1980s, had a slightly different take on festivities.
mrc-describe.epexio.com/records/ANC/...
'Coventry News', a political newspaper from the 1980s, had a slightly different take on festivities.
mrc-describe.epexio.com/records/ANC/...
December 2, 2025 at 10:05 AM
Speaking of Coventry politics...
(Sultana is MP for Cov South - the Modern Records Centre's home!)
(Sultana is MP for Cov South - the Modern Records Centre's home!)
OK, the details appear to be that she refused to vote for Tory candidates for the Select Committee, making a show on Twitter of never voting for a Tory. Despite the fact the seats are allocated to a party in advance, so only Tories could stand for that particular seat.
This has reminded me, isn't she the MP that refused to vote for Select Committee members because there were Tories on them?
Refusing to read beyond the first four lines of the New Statesman paywalled article from 2020 suggests "maybe?"
I am a professional researcher.
Refusing to read beyond the first four lines of the New Statesman paywalled article from 2020 suggests "maybe?"
I am a professional researcher.
Sultana says she wants to ‘nationalise the entire economy’ - Stalin left the collective farms in nominal peasant ownership so she’s going beyond that. Or, just guessing, she employs empty platitudes and has never thought about any of this in any detail.
December 2, 2025 at 9:41 AM
OK, the details appear to be that she refused to vote for Tory candidates for the Select Committee, making a show on Twitter of never voting for a Tory. Despite the fact the seats are allocated to a party in advance, so only Tories could stand for that particular seat.
This has reminded me, isn't she the MP that refused to vote for Select Committee members because there were Tories on them?
Refusing to read beyond the first four lines of the New Statesman paywalled article from 2020 suggests "maybe?"
I am a professional researcher.
Refusing to read beyond the first four lines of the New Statesman paywalled article from 2020 suggests "maybe?"
I am a professional researcher.
Sultana says she wants to ‘nationalise the entire economy’ - Stalin left the collective farms in nominal peasant ownership so she’s going beyond that. Or, just guessing, she employs empty platitudes and has never thought about any of this in any detail.
December 2, 2025 at 9:26 AM
This has reminded me, isn't she the MP that refused to vote for Select Committee members because there were Tories on them?
Refusing to read beyond the first four lines of the New Statesman paywalled article from 2020 suggests "maybe?"
I am a professional researcher.
Refusing to read beyond the first four lines of the New Statesman paywalled article from 2020 suggests "maybe?"
I am a professional researcher.
Reposted by Gareth Millward
Reposted by Gareth Millward
To be clear, there’s a big difference between criticizing the anti-vaccine movement & discrediting their influencers/leaders vs shaming vax-hesitant or quietly vax-refusing parents. The latter backfires; the former is essential. But SciComm folks often conflate them. Cc @ryanmarino.bsky.social
December 1, 2025 at 11:11 PM
To be clear, there’s a big difference between criticizing the anti-vaccine movement & discrediting their influencers/leaders vs shaming vax-hesitant or quietly vax-refusing parents. The latter backfires; the former is essential. But SciComm folks often conflate them. Cc @ryanmarino.bsky.social