Michael Birtwhistle
@salfordmh.bsky.social
Consultant Community and Rehabilitation Psychiatrist. Rides bicycles. Politically engaged. Likes a good discussion. http://mas.to/@SalfordMH just in case. And here.
Reposted by Michael Birtwhistle
Basically, less than 2% of Britons are more likely to vote for Your Party than any other party, with only about 0.5% open solely to Your Party.
85% of those who would consider Your Party are also considering (mostly more so) the Greens.
85% of those who would consider Your Party are also considering (mostly more so) the Greens.
Just 14% of those who would consider voting for Your Party say it is the party they are most likely to consider voting for, including only 4% who are not considering voting for any 'main party' other than Your Party
yougov.co.uk/politics/art...
yougov.co.uk/politics/art...
November 27, 2025 at 9:43 AM
Basically, less than 2% of Britons are more likely to vote for Your Party than any other party, with only about 0.5% open solely to Your Party.
85% of those who would consider Your Party are also considering (mostly more so) the Greens.
85% of those who would consider Your Party are also considering (mostly more so) the Greens.
Introduce yourselves with five favourite organs you posses
Brain (including eyes)
Heart
Skin
Lungs
Buttocks (gluteus maximus)
Brain (including eyes)
Heart
Skin
Lungs
Buttocks (gluteus maximus)
Introduce yourselves with five internal organs you posses
Heart
Pancreas
Duodenum
Lung (left)
Thyroid gland
Heart
Pancreas
Duodenum
Lung (left)
Thyroid gland
November 30, 2025 at 5:36 PM
Introduce yourselves with five favourite organs you posses
Brain (including eyes)
Heart
Skin
Lungs
Buttocks (gluteus maximus)
Brain (including eyes)
Heart
Skin
Lungs
Buttocks (gluteus maximus)
Reposted by Michael Birtwhistle
Introduce yourselves with five internal organs you posses
Heart
Pancreas
Duodenum
Lung (left)
Thyroid gland
Heart
Pancreas
Duodenum
Lung (left)
Thyroid gland
November 30, 2025 at 12:56 PM
Introduce yourselves with five internal organs you posses
Heart
Pancreas
Duodenum
Lung (left)
Thyroid gland
Heart
Pancreas
Duodenum
Lung (left)
Thyroid gland
Reposted by Michael Birtwhistle
Reposted by Michael Birtwhistle
Between diffusion models and LLMs, tech has inflated a trillion dollar bubble around automating activities that have immense social and cultural capital—writing, art, photography—but little actual capital. It’s harmful to education, culture, and society with minimal overall benefit
November 30, 2025 at 10:20 AM
Between diffusion models and LLMs, tech has inflated a trillion dollar bubble around automating activities that have immense social and cultural capital—writing, art, photography—but little actual capital. It’s harmful to education, culture, and society with minimal overall benefit
Reposted by Michael Birtwhistle
Im also a writer for money. My concern with this is always that the people who hire us can rarely tell bad vs good vs great. They just want it over with. People still say to me “I’ll send this to you and you can figure out where to put the commas”
November 30, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Im also a writer for money. My concern with this is always that the people who hire us can rarely tell bad vs good vs great. They just want it over with. People still say to me “I’ll send this to you and you can figure out where to put the commas”
Reposted by Michael Birtwhistle
Trufax. I've had some awkward moments during "tell me about your career" interviews w/ local high schoolers, where the kid was like, " . . . Oh. I make more than that as a part-time nursing assistant."
November 30, 2025 at 2:23 PM
Trufax. I've had some awkward moments during "tell me about your career" interviews w/ local high schoolers, where the kid was like, " . . . Oh. I make more than that as a part-time nursing assistant."
Reposted by Michael Birtwhistle
One reason I was skeptical of LLMs is that I've been scraping out a life as a writer for nearly 20 yrs.
Do you know how cheaply and quickly humans will produce words for you? Or how little you have to increase the compensation to get very high quality words indeed?
I do. ☠️
Do you know how cheaply and quickly humans will produce words for you? Or how little you have to increase the compensation to get very high quality words indeed?
I do. ☠️
“AI sceptics” who work on policy and education continue to overestimate the utility of LLMs—portraying it as a potential revolution even as they warn against overhype—simply because they can’t see that generating seemingly coherent text has very little economic value, all evidence to the contrary
November 30, 2025 at 11:53 AM
One reason I was skeptical of LLMs is that I've been scraping out a life as a writer for nearly 20 yrs.
Do you know how cheaply and quickly humans will produce words for you? Or how little you have to increase the compensation to get very high quality words indeed?
I do. ☠️
Do you know how cheaply and quickly humans will produce words for you? Or how little you have to increase the compensation to get very high quality words indeed?
I do. ☠️
Reposted by Michael Birtwhistle
Who knew that a chancellor who worked firstly for the Bank of England, and then HBOS, and who was investigated for misuse of funds before "taking voluntary redundancy", would choose billionaires over the rest of us? #ColourMeShocked
Rachel Reeves says on Laura Kuenssberg that she's asking working people to pay a little bit more.
This was all under the cover of a made up "black hole" whilst refusing to tax the super rich.
This Labour Government showing again exactly who they are and who they serve.
This was all under the cover of a made up "black hole" whilst refusing to tax the super rich.
This Labour Government showing again exactly who they are and who they serve.
November 30, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Who knew that a chancellor who worked firstly for the Bank of England, and then HBOS, and who was investigated for misuse of funds before "taking voluntary redundancy", would choose billionaires over the rest of us? #ColourMeShocked
Reposted by Michael Birtwhistle
Comical corner.
November 30, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Comical corner.
Reposted by Michael Birtwhistle
In highly important news from history today, it’s the 80th anniversary of the 21st birthday of Christopher Tolkien, notable now for the wording (especially the small print) of the invitation to the party
November 21, 2025 at 9:55 AM
In highly important news from history today, it’s the 80th anniversary of the 21st birthday of Christopher Tolkien, notable now for the wording (especially the small print) of the invitation to the party
Reposted by Michael Birtwhistle
Public transport generally is inadequate in south-east Manchester. To get to other parts of the conurbation you have to go into town and out. Oh for the 400 Airport-Bolton Trans Lancs Express to return, or orbital Metrolink… that would be transformative.
November 29, 2025 at 5:33 PM
Public transport generally is inadequate in south-east Manchester. To get to other parts of the conurbation you have to go into town and out. Oh for the 400 Airport-Bolton Trans Lancs Express to return, or orbital Metrolink… that would be transformative.
Reposted by Michael Birtwhistle
*sigh* The glacial speed of it all is one of the most depressing aspects. Quite clear that extending & improving Metrolink is key - compare sub/urban transport network between e.g. Munich & Mcr. But it is SO SLOW. I guess mainly as there's no investment, + Council cash-strapped & borrowing banned.
November 30, 2025 at 1:10 PM
*sigh* The glacial speed of it all is one of the most depressing aspects. Quite clear that extending & improving Metrolink is key - compare sub/urban transport network between e.g. Munich & Mcr. But it is SO SLOW. I guess mainly as there's no investment, + Council cash-strapped & borrowing banned.
Reposted by Michael Birtwhistle
I grew up in a smallish town, with a 12-minute daytime frequency on the bus ride into the big town.
The buses were full of people commuting. When they stopped at the hospital, half the bus would get off, on their way to work.
Now it's hourly, and everyone needs parking spaces. 🤦♂️
The buses were full of people commuting. When they stopped at the hospital, half the bus would get off, on their way to work.
Now it's hourly, and everyone needs parking spaces. 🤦♂️
November 29, 2025 at 8:07 PM
I grew up in a smallish town, with a 12-minute daytime frequency on the bus ride into the big town.
The buses were full of people commuting. When they stopped at the hospital, half the bus would get off, on their way to work.
Now it's hourly, and everyone needs parking spaces. 🤦♂️
The buses were full of people commuting. When they stopped at the hospital, half the bus would get off, on their way to work.
Now it's hourly, and everyone needs parking spaces. 🤦♂️
Reposted by Michael Birtwhistle
Stockport has a car problem. And no wonder: there are only four 'high-frequency' (12 mins or less) bus services, and only one goes south of the town centre.
November 29, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Stockport has a car problem. And no wonder: there are only four 'high-frequency' (12 mins or less) bus services, and only one goes south of the town centre.
"Um, we didn't say *fixing* the cost of living crisis!"
Labour....one of my priorities is the cost of living crisis
Labour...we're asking working people to pay a little bit more
Which is it? It can't be both.
Labour...we're asking working people to pay a little bit more
Which is it? It can't be both.
November 30, 2025 at 4:34 PM
"Um, we didn't say *fixing* the cost of living crisis!"
Reposted by Michael Birtwhistle
Been paying just a bit more my entire career now.
Just a bit more. Tax thresholds don't change. More rent every year. Higher bills. Huge food and drink inflation. Just a bit more.
Net result is my job would have bought me a home 10 years ago. Now it can't even rent one.
Just a bit more. Tax thresholds don't change. More rent every year. Higher bills. Huge food and drink inflation. Just a bit more.
Net result is my job would have bought me a home 10 years ago. Now it can't even rent one.
November 30, 2025 at 11:48 AM
Been paying just a bit more my entire career now.
Just a bit more. Tax thresholds don't change. More rent every year. Higher bills. Huge food and drink inflation. Just a bit more.
Net result is my job would have bought me a home 10 years ago. Now it can't even rent one.
Just a bit more. Tax thresholds don't change. More rent every year. Higher bills. Huge food and drink inflation. Just a bit more.
Net result is my job would have bought me a home 10 years ago. Now it can't even rent one.
Reposted by Michael Birtwhistle
Rachel Reeves says on Laura Kuenssberg that she's asking working people to pay a little bit more.
This was all under the cover of a made up "black hole" whilst refusing to tax the super rich.
This Labour Government showing again exactly who they are and who they serve.
This was all under the cover of a made up "black hole" whilst refusing to tax the super rich.
This Labour Government showing again exactly who they are and who they serve.
November 30, 2025 at 11:38 AM
Rachel Reeves says on Laura Kuenssberg that she's asking working people to pay a little bit more.
This was all under the cover of a made up "black hole" whilst refusing to tax the super rich.
This Labour Government showing again exactly who they are and who they serve.
This was all under the cover of a made up "black hole" whilst refusing to tax the super rich.
This Labour Government showing again exactly who they are and who they serve.
Reposted by Michael Birtwhistle
These Labour types pretending they would vote Green if not for this *one* thing
November 30, 2025 at 1:17 PM
These Labour types pretending they would vote Green if not for this *one* thing
Reposted by Michael Birtwhistle
Your yearly reminder that it’s almost time to prepare the prune Krampus
Forget cheese and pineapple hedgehog, every party needs an edible Krampus. Especially knowing how much children love prunes.
(From a 1970s edition of Child Education magazine)
(From a 1970s edition of Child Education magazine)
November 30, 2025 at 11:33 AM
Your yearly reminder that it’s almost time to prepare the prune Krampus
Reposted by Michael Birtwhistle
What do we keep saying? That the Reasonable Moderates are the midwives of fascism. And what keeps happening? The Reasonable Moderates insist on proving us right
This is the most alarming story I’ve read today. Giving up the fight before it’s started
November 30, 2025 at 11:51 AM
What do we keep saying? That the Reasonable Moderates are the midwives of fascism. And what keeps happening? The Reasonable Moderates insist on proving us right
Reposted by Michael Birtwhistle
This is the most alarming story I’ve read today. Giving up the fight before it’s started
November 30, 2025 at 9:57 AM
This is the most alarming story I’ve read today. Giving up the fight before it’s started
Reposted by Michael Birtwhistle
ideally I'd like them to have a conference once a month, for morale
November 30, 2025 at 10:57 AM
ideally I'd like them to have a conference once a month, for morale
This would fit with the "why aren't people using AI transcription for meetings?" question too. Although that's closer than whatever this is.
I don't understand what is written on the screen in this photo, but it gives me life. Is it Dostoevsky?
November 30, 2025 at 1:29 PM
This would fit with the "why aren't people using AI transcription for meetings?" question too. Although that's closer than whatever this is.
Reposted by Michael Birtwhistle
“Dogs put down the Queens tail Antique real jump.
Ridiculous. Join their laughter. The brothers are legal now.”
Ridiculous. Join their laughter. The brothers are legal now.”
November 30, 2025 at 11:22 AM
“Dogs put down the Queens tail Antique real jump.
Ridiculous. Join their laughter. The brothers are legal now.”
Ridiculous. Join their laughter. The brothers are legal now.”