Andy Mabbett
@pigsonthewing.org.uk
Man of many talents-some of them useful. Multiple monomaniac. Author, 'Pink Floyd: The Music & The Mystery'.
Also Wikipedia, Wikidata &c. OpenStreetMap. Birds. Birmingham. Open data. FoI. Art. Architecture. History. FRSA.
Everything is interesting.
Also Wikipedia, Wikidata &c. OpenStreetMap. Birds. Birmingham. Open data. FoI. Art. Architecture. History. FRSA.
Everything is interesting.
Reposted by Andy Mabbett
There's such beauty in the cosmos.
This is a view from #JWST of a portion of the Helix Nebula, an expanding shell of ionised gas moving away from a central star that shed most of its mass about 10,000 years ago.
And these smaller structures are cometary knots... each larger than the Solar System.
This is a view from #JWST of a portion of the Helix Nebula, an expanding shell of ionised gas moving away from a central star that shed most of its mass about 10,000 years ago.
And these smaller structures are cometary knots... each larger than the Solar System.
January 21, 2026 at 11:04 PM
There's such beauty in the cosmos.
This is a view from #JWST of a portion of the Helix Nebula, an expanding shell of ionised gas moving away from a central star that shed most of its mass about 10,000 years ago.
And these smaller structures are cometary knots... each larger than the Solar System.
This is a view from #JWST of a portion of the Helix Nebula, an expanding shell of ionised gas moving away from a central star that shed most of its mass about 10,000 years ago.
And these smaller structures are cometary knots... each larger than the Solar System.
They repeated the headline three times and I still don't know what the article is about
Netflix videos could be about to turn the other way up
Netflix videos could be about to turn the other way up
Netflix videos could be about to turn the other way up
www.independent.co.uk
January 21, 2026 at 11:05 PM
They repeated the headline three times and I still don't know what the article is about
I mean, @bhamcitycouncil.bsky.social are on here, but there is no indication that they read, let alone acknowledge, mentions.
Every time I report a highways fault to Birmingham City Council, they reply asking for the location as "Unfortunately, we cannot solely rely on the location indicated on the map as FixMyStreet is a third party website."
CC @mysociety.org
[AFAICT BCC have no active presence of Bluesky?]
[1/2]
CC @mysociety.org
[AFAICT BCC have no active presence of Bluesky?]
[1/2]
January 21, 2026 at 4:25 PM
I mean, @bhamcitycouncil.bsky.social are on here, but there is no indication that they read, let alone acknowledge, mentions.
Every time I report a highways fault to Birmingham City Council, they reply asking for the location as "Unfortunately, we cannot solely rely on the location indicated on the map as FixMyStreet is a third party website."
CC @mysociety.org
[AFAICT BCC have no active presence of Bluesky?]
[1/2]
CC @mysociety.org
[AFAICT BCC have no active presence of Bluesky?]
[1/2]
January 21, 2026 at 4:15 PM
Every time I report a highways fault to Birmingham City Council, they reply asking for the location as "Unfortunately, we cannot solely rely on the location indicated on the map as FixMyStreet is a third party website."
CC @mysociety.org
[AFAICT BCC have no active presence of Bluesky?]
[1/2]
CC @mysociety.org
[AFAICT BCC have no active presence of Bluesky?]
[1/2]
Wikipedia and sister projects have hundreds of links to pages on Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery's "bmagic [dot] org [dot] uk" site.
The domain now points to a dodgy-looking online casino service.
The domain now points to a dodgy-looking online casino service.
January 21, 2026 at 4:11 PM
Wikipedia and sister projects have hundreds of links to pages on Birmingham Museum & Art Gallery's "bmagic [dot] org [dot] uk" site.
The domain now points to a dodgy-looking online casino service.
The domain now points to a dodgy-looking online casino service.
@tagishsimon.bsky.social Check your DMs, please
January 21, 2026 at 2:02 PM
@tagishsimon.bsky.social Check your DMs, please
Reposted by Andy Mabbett
Facebook reminds me that on this day in 2017 a woman turned to me in the veg section of Sainsbury's and said "hopefully now we've left the EU we can have loose carrots that aren't wet"
January 21, 2026 at 6:56 AM
Facebook reminds me that on this day in 2017 a woman turned to me in the veg section of Sainsbury's and said "hopefully now we've left the EU we can have loose carrots that aren't wet"
Is the reversal half-way through some kind of metaphor?
We’re changing how public services work — to move fast and fix things and make sure they’re there when you need them most.
January 20, 2026 at 11:27 PM
Is the reversal half-way through some kind of metaphor?
Reposted by Andy Mabbett
How did a toilet photo become a breakthrough for science? 📸🦦
Scott Loarie of @inaturalist.bsky.social shares how a camper in a remote Colombian cabin snapped the first confirmed photos of a living Colombian weasel, a species once known only from 1800s museum skins.
Scott Loarie of @inaturalist.bsky.social shares how a camper in a remote Colombian cabin snapped the first confirmed photos of a living Colombian weasel, a species once known only from 1800s museum skins.
January 20, 2026 at 9:56 PM
How did a toilet photo become a breakthrough for science? 📸🦦
Scott Loarie of @inaturalist.bsky.social shares how a camper in a remote Colombian cabin snapped the first confirmed photos of a living Colombian weasel, a species once known only from 1800s museum skins.
Scott Loarie of @inaturalist.bsky.social shares how a camper in a remote Colombian cabin snapped the first confirmed photos of a living Colombian weasel, a species once known only from 1800s museum skins.
Can anyone ID this rare six-wheeled car I found on Google Street View?
maps.app.goo.gl/4nCodjCDkc5w...
maps.app.goo.gl/4nCodjCDkc5w...
January 20, 2026 at 12:36 PM
Can anyone ID this rare six-wheeled car I found on Google Street View?
maps.app.goo.gl/4nCodjCDkc5w...
maps.app.goo.gl/4nCodjCDkc5w...
@willperrin.bsky.social Not your birthday, is it?
One of the Bellingcat Discord members has made Wordle, but for identifying warships
keel-fawn.vercel.app
keel-fawn.vercel.app
Keel - Daily Warship Guessing Game
A daily challenge game for naval history enthusiasts. Identify warships from silhouettes in 5 guesses or less.
keel-fawn.vercel.app
January 20, 2026 at 10:48 AM
@willperrin.bsky.social Not your birthday, is it?
The most appalling thing in this remarkable thread is the appalling lack of response from the police
I just woke up from a nap and somehow while I was asleep, everyone on the bus has figured out we are not going to the right place
January 20, 2026 at 8:57 AM
The most appalling thing in this remarkable thread is the appalling lack of response from the police
Reposted by Andy Mabbett
Cloudy here, but if you're luckier...
Get and look at the Northern Lights now if you have a clear view of sky North.
January 19, 2026 at 10:40 PM
Cloudy here, but if you're luckier...
Reposted by Andy Mabbett
Anyway, I built a bot to find prominent* BlueSky users who don't use alt text.
bsky.app/profile/eden...
Some blocked me after being added to it.
I wish I knew a better way to encourage decent behaviour other than publicly shaming. Polite requests get nowhere.
(*Based on my own vague criteria.)
bsky.app/profile/eden...
Some blocked me after being added to it.
I wish I knew a better way to encourage decent behaviour other than publicly shaming. Polite requests get nowhere.
(*Based on my own vague criteria.)
January 19, 2026 at 7:05 PM
Anyway, I built a bot to find prominent* BlueSky users who don't use alt text.
bsky.app/profile/eden...
Some blocked me after being added to it.
I wish I knew a better way to encourage decent behaviour other than publicly shaming. Polite requests get nowhere.
(*Based on my own vague criteria.)
bsky.app/profile/eden...
Some blocked me after being added to it.
I wish I knew a better way to encourage decent behaviour other than publicly shaming. Polite requests get nowhere.
(*Based on my own vague criteria.)
Reposted by Andy Mabbett
You would have thought that Labour MPs would be keen on making their posts accessible to their blind and partially sighted constituents.
I've yet to find an MP who consistently uses alt text.
I've yet to find an MP who consistently uses alt text.
As a dad and MP, I worry about the impact of social media on our children. Over 250 people in #WorsleyAndEccles have contacted me on this.
I’ve written to the Secretary of State to push for action - promoting safety while preserving access to positive, interest-based spaces.👇
I’ve written to the Secretary of State to push for action - promoting safety while preserving access to positive, interest-based spaces.👇
January 19, 2026 at 7:02 PM
You would have thought that Labour MPs would be keen on making their posts accessible to their blind and partially sighted constituents.
I've yet to find an MP who consistently uses alt text.
I've yet to find an MP who consistently uses alt text.
I have a second account on Wikipedia, without power tools, used for training and demo purposes.
It's now famous!
(If you don't blink)
It's now famous!
(If you don't blink)
Meet Jimmy, who dreamed up Wikipedia and watched humanity turn it into a global public good #Wikipedia25
January 19, 2026 at 7:44 PM
I have a second account on Wikipedia, without power tools, used for training and demo purposes.
It's now famous!
(If you don't blink)
It's now famous!
(If you don't blink)
Reposted by Andy Mabbett
Why hasn't this vicious policy of a number of university managements, been taken to court yet? What are #UCU @ucu.org.uk doing about this?
Well that’s me locked out. No pay for the foreseeable future, all because I refuse to reschedule lost teaching, for which I have already lost pay as part of the strike. Please donate to support @sheffielducu.bsky.social members like me at www.gofundme.com/f/heubvb-sup...
January 19, 2026 at 6:28 PM
Why hasn't this vicious policy of a number of university managements, been taken to court yet? What are #UCU @ucu.org.uk doing about this?
Sad that Chris Mason on the BBC "both sided" Trump's comment about not getting the Nobel Peace Prize, reporting only that "The PM of Norway said his government" does not award it, as though that could be disputed.
January 19, 2026 at 6:37 PM
Sad that Chris Mason on the BBC "both sided" Trump's comment about not getting the Nobel Peace Prize, reporting only that "The PM of Norway said his government" does not award it, as though that could be disputed.
Reposted by Andy Mabbett
Started off a list earlier this week & struggled to find all the MPs that have actually set up profiles on Bluesky rather than just be on X. So built a little utility via TheyWorkForYou and Bluesky APIs to see if I could make it more comprehensive, so far I think I've found about 353
mps.dowu.uk
mps.dowu.uk
UK MPs on Bluesky
mps.dowu.uk
January 9, 2026 at 4:05 PM
Started off a list earlier this week & struggled to find all the MPs that have actually set up profiles on Bluesky rather than just be on X. So built a little utility via TheyWorkForYou and Bluesky APIs to see if I could make it more comprehensive, so far I think I've found about 353
mps.dowu.uk
mps.dowu.uk
Reposted by Andy Mabbett
Other work of the Ladybird artists
‘Thaw’
Artist: CF Tunnicliffe
‘Thaw’
Artist: CF Tunnicliffe
January 17, 2026 at 8:32 AM
Other work of the Ladybird artists
‘Thaw’
Artist: CF Tunnicliffe
‘Thaw’
Artist: CF Tunnicliffe
"Taking Back Control", episode 94
Is this the behaviour of a "friend and ally"? Obviously not
And we certainly don't want terrible, and declining, US standards on food safety, chemical regulation, environmental rules!
www.politico.eu/article/dona...
And we certainly don't want terrible, and declining, US standards on food safety, chemical regulation, environmental rules!
www.politico.eu/article/dona...
Trump administration demands Britain adopt US standards in trade talks
The U.S. push would derail Britain’s post-Brexit relationship with the European Union.
www.politico.eu
January 19, 2026 at 9:17 AM
"Taking Back Control", episode 94
Are they still there?
So this happened in Oslo yesterday. Four articulated buses got stuck in a roundabout.
January 18, 2026 at 11:04 PM
Are they still there?
Today, someone for whom I had done a favour told my Dad "You've got a good lad, there", so maybe not so old, after all.
#ukgc26
#ukgc26
I talked to a couple of people (who made me feel very old) at #ukgc26 yesterday, about the early days of running a local government website, in the 1990s.
Here's a guest blog post I wrote about it, in 2021.
I didn't write the headline!
Here's a guest blog post I wrote about it, in 2021.
I didn't write the headline!
GUEST POST: The first man who had the idea to use the internet in local government
Once, there was no internet and no web communications. Andy Mabbett remembers the day when he suggested maybe the sector to use it. It’s a snapshot in history. Twenty-five years ago on May 14…
danslee.co.uk
January 18, 2026 at 6:27 PM
Today, someone for whom I had done a favour told my Dad "You've got a good lad, there", so maybe not so old, after all.
#ukgc26
#ukgc26
I talked to a couple of people (who made me feel very old) at #ukgc26 yesterday, about the early days of running a local government website, in the 1990s.
Here's a guest blog post I wrote about it, in 2021.
I didn't write the headline!
Here's a guest blog post I wrote about it, in 2021.
I didn't write the headline!
GUEST POST: The first man who had the idea to use the internet in local government
Once, there was no internet and no web communications. Andy Mabbett remembers the day when he suggested maybe the sector to use it. It’s a snapshot in history. Twenty-five years ago on May 14…
danslee.co.uk
January 18, 2026 at 5:28 PM
I talked to a couple of people (who made me feel very old) at #ukgc26 yesterday, about the early days of running a local government website, in the 1990s.
Here's a guest blog post I wrote about it, in 2021.
I didn't write the headline!
Here's a guest blog post I wrote about it, in 2021.
I didn't write the headline!