David Stuart Platt, PhD, MLIS
@spoilheap.bsky.social
Archivist, archaeologist, librarian, historian. 20th century Brit, 21st century USAian. Manc. "spoilheap"/ "SmallFind" on the Bird site. Former circuit digger. Roman & salvage archaeology, ruins, libraries & book history, archaeological archives. (GPA+VT)
Pinned
Quick reminder about my SDUC/ CPDS (UWTSD/ PCYDDS) list. Please "hit me up," if you'd like to be added or removed. #UniversityOfWales, #PrifysgolCymru, #Lampeter, #Llambed. bsky.app/profile/spoi...
Passed this on to my Partner in Crime who is teaching English novel this semester. She’s teaching quite a different list!
December 2, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Passed this on to my Partner in Crime who is teaching English novel this semester. She’s teaching quite a different list!
Reposted by David Stuart Platt, PhD, MLIS
Look around. The case for more, not less, liberal arts education - actual, real education in reading, writing, thinking, arguing, analyzing, & synthesizing by doing the actual hard work for which there is no substitute - is stronger than it’s ever been at any point in human history.
November 30, 2025 at 12:07 AM
Look around. The case for more, not less, liberal arts education - actual, real education in reading, writing, thinking, arguing, analyzing, & synthesizing by doing the actual hard work for which there is no substitute - is stronger than it’s ever been at any point in human history.
Reposted by David Stuart Platt, PhD, MLIS
I've been working on the script for a game based on #Welsh myth. You can wishlist it on Steam here: store.steampowered.com/app/3067260/...
Tales from the Mabinogion on Steam
Venture into the medieval kingdom of Dyfed in Tales from the Mabinogion. As King Pryderi, traverse dense forests, rugged mountains, and windswept coastlines. Uncover long-held secrets, face the forces...
store.steampowered.com
December 1, 2025 at 3:48 PM
I've been working on the script for a game based on #Welsh myth. You can wishlist it on Steam here: store.steampowered.com/app/3067260/...
Reposted by David Stuart Platt, PhD, MLIS
Hi, friends! We are hosting the Association of Ancient Historians meeting here in April (16-18, 2026) and today is the last day to submit an abstract to present. Whether you give a paper or not, tho, you should come! Registration is also open. aah.conference.uiowa.edu See you in the IC, y'all.
AAH Annual Conference 2026 | The University of Iowa
CFP: Association of Ancient Historians Meeting 2026: Iowa City: The 2026 AAH Annual Meeting will take place in person at the University of Iowa in Iowa City, IA from April 16-18, 2026. We invite abstr...
aah.conference.uiowa.edu
December 1, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Hi, friends! We are hosting the Association of Ancient Historians meeting here in April (16-18, 2026) and today is the last day to submit an abstract to present. Whether you give a paper or not, tho, you should come! Registration is also open. aah.conference.uiowa.edu See you in the IC, y'all.
Bad cold. AP (Advanced Placement, for non-USAians) US History in the archives classes coming up. An “unfortunate“ backlog of archival accessioning to complete BEFORE those classes. Grant reporting to get done. Letter of reference to write. It is going to be a “bumpy” couple of weeks.
December 1, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Bad cold. AP (Advanced Placement, for non-USAians) US History in the archives classes coming up. An “unfortunate“ backlog of archival accessioning to complete BEFORE those classes. Grant reporting to get done. Letter of reference to write. It is going to be a “bumpy” couple of weeks.
Reposted by David Stuart Platt, PhD, MLIS
Slowly (very slowly), beginning to think about the archaeology of Vermont & New England. Any folks in the Blue Sky I should follow?
December 20, 2024 at 1:08 PM
Slowly (very slowly), beginning to think about the archaeology of Vermont & New England. Any folks in the Blue Sky I should follow?
Meanwhile, I would be immensely grateful for good surveys of the claims regarding modern Abenaki nations and Vermont. DMs are A-OK.
December 1, 2025 at 12:31 PM
Meanwhile, I would be immensely grateful for good surveys of the claims regarding modern Abenaki nations and Vermont. DMs are A-OK.
#nowReading Eleanor Janega’s “The Once and Future Sex.” www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews...
THE ONCE AND FUTURE SEX | Kirkus Reviews
A British scholar revisits the medieval era to investigate long-held beliefs about women’s roles, bodies, and sexuality.
www.kirkusreviews.com
December 1, 2025 at 12:29 PM
#nowReading Eleanor Janega’s “The Once and Future Sex.” www.kirkusreviews.com/book-reviews...
Currently enduring the early symptoms of the cold that clobbered my Partner-in-Crime. Early to bed tonight to get a jump on some writing & maybe explore UVM’s OPAC? #archaeology #libraries #librarianship
November 30, 2025 at 9:58 PM
Currently enduring the early symptoms of the cold that clobbered my Partner-in-Crime. Early to bed tonight to get a jump on some writing & maybe explore UVM’s OPAC? #archaeology #libraries #librarianship
Critical commentary on universities, society, & LLM AI: 🧵
An issue we're seeing at all levels of university is that many students are simply refusing to do *anything*. They aren't reading the syllabus, aren't following assignment guidelines, aren't engaging with material, ignoring deadlines. And this might seem like old news, but it truly has ramped up.
November 29, 2025 at 12:40 PM
Critical commentary on universities, society, & LLM AI: 🧵
Reposted by David Stuart Platt, PhD, MLIS
Report: "Gmail Can Read Your Emails and Attachments to Train Its #AI, Unless You Opt Out" (via @malwarebytes.com) www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/20... #privacy
November 21, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Report: "Gmail Can Read Your Emails and Attachments to Train Its #AI, Unless You Opt Out" (via @malwarebytes.com) www.malwarebytes.com/blog/news/20... #privacy
Friends, I am looking for archaeological opportunities & opportunities in archaeology in Vermont. I have been a site technician, supervised trenches and zones, co-directed an international project, trained as a human osteoarchaeologist, curated exhibits, … (1/2)
November 21, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Friends, I am looking for archaeological opportunities & opportunities in archaeology in Vermont. I have been a site technician, supervised trenches and zones, co-directed an international project, trained as a human osteoarchaeologist, curated exhibits, … (1/2)
I am so very tired of this nonsense, from Google and their ilk.
Are you using Gmail?
If so, you may not be aware that you've been automatically OPTED IN to allow Gmail to access all your private messages & attachments to train AI models. To OPT OUT you need to manually turn off Smart Features in the Setting menu in TWO locations
If so, you may not be aware that you've been automatically OPTED IN to allow Gmail to access all your private messages & attachments to train AI models. To OPT OUT you need to manually turn off Smart Features in the Setting menu in TWO locations
November 21, 2025 at 3:26 PM
I am so very tired of this nonsense, from Google and their ilk.
Reposted by David Stuart Platt, PhD, MLIS
Are you using Gmail?
If so, you may not be aware that you've been automatically OPTED IN to allow Gmail to access all your private messages & attachments to train AI models. To OPT OUT you need to manually turn off Smart Features in the Setting menu in TWO locations
If so, you may not be aware that you've been automatically OPTED IN to allow Gmail to access all your private messages & attachments to train AI models. To OPT OUT you need to manually turn off Smart Features in the Setting menu in TWO locations
November 21, 2025 at 3:00 PM
Are you using Gmail?
If so, you may not be aware that you've been automatically OPTED IN to allow Gmail to access all your private messages & attachments to train AI models. To OPT OUT you need to manually turn off Smart Features in the Setting menu in TWO locations
If so, you may not be aware that you've been automatically OPTED IN to allow Gmail to access all your private messages & attachments to train AI models. To OPT OUT you need to manually turn off Smart Features in the Setting menu in TWO locations
#NowReading: Just finishing up a "genre" novel & about to return to Jean Soderlund's "Separate Paths: Lenapes & Colonists in West New Jersey." After that, I have Haviland & Power's "The Original Vermonters: Native Inhabitants, Past & Present" lined up.
November 17, 2025 at 2:14 PM
#NowReading: Just finishing up a "genre" novel & about to return to Jean Soderlund's "Separate Paths: Lenapes & Colonists in West New Jersey." After that, I have Haviland & Power's "The Original Vermonters: Native Inhabitants, Past & Present" lined up.
Reposted by David Stuart Platt, PhD, MLIS
Does anyone have or know of a decent reconstruction drawing of the stoa at Brauron? I know there's the isometric drawing from Bouras (that's the one Ekroth uses), but I want something a bit fuller in interpretation (and specifically showing the courtyard). #ClassicsBluesky
November 17, 2025 at 11:43 AM
Does anyone have or know of a decent reconstruction drawing of the stoa at Brauron? I know there's the isometric drawing from Bouras (that's the one Ekroth uses), but I want something a bit fuller in interpretation (and specifically showing the courtyard). #ClassicsBluesky
Reposted by David Stuart Platt, PhD, MLIS
Quick reminder about my SDUC/ CPDS (UWTSD/ PCYDDS) list. Please "hit me up," if you'd like to be added or removed. #UniversityOfWales, #PrifysgolCymru, #Lampeter, #Llambed. bsky.app/profile/spoi...
July 20, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Quick reminder about my SDUC/ CPDS (UWTSD/ PCYDDS) list. Please "hit me up," if you'd like to be added or removed. #UniversityOfWales, #PrifysgolCymru, #Lampeter, #Llambed. bsky.app/profile/spoi...
Reposted by David Stuart Platt, PhD, MLIS
Join us on Saturday 6 December, 10:00 to 14:15, for our online AGM and #Conference, where we'll explore topics including woods, land use, John Constable and watermeadows.
It's free to attend.
More details and bookings at www.landscapestudies.com/society-even...
Please share! #landscape #history
It's free to attend.
More details and bookings at www.landscapestudies.com/society-even...
Please share! #landscape #history
Society for Landscape Studies AGM and December Online Conference 2025 – The Society for Landscape Studies
www.landscapestudies.com
November 16, 2025 at 12:41 PM
Join us on Saturday 6 December, 10:00 to 14:15, for our online AGM and #Conference, where we'll explore topics including woods, land use, John Constable and watermeadows.
It's free to attend.
More details and bookings at www.landscapestudies.com/society-even...
Please share! #landscape #history
It's free to attend.
More details and bookings at www.landscapestudies.com/society-even...
Please share! #landscape #history
Reposted by David Stuart Platt, PhD, MLIS
If you're interested in landscapes and landscape history, this online conference should be right up your street...
Join us on Saturday 6 December, 10:00 to 14:15, for our online AGM and #Conference, where we'll explore topics including woods, land use, John Constable and watermeadows.
It's free to attend.
More details and bookings at www.landscapestudies.com/society-even...
Please share! #landscape #history
It's free to attend.
More details and bookings at www.landscapestudies.com/society-even...
Please share! #landscape #history
Society for Landscape Studies AGM and December Online Conference 2025 – The Society for Landscape Studies
www.landscapestudies.com
November 16, 2025 at 12:50 PM
If you're interested in landscapes and landscape history, this online conference should be right up your street...
I have a client asking about software to OCR 18th century manuscripts. To date, I have only done this the old-fashioned way. Do archival professionals have any recommendations? (Ideally, not LLM & something that doesn’t require us to upload images to a third party’s database.)
November 15, 2025 at 6:27 PM
I have a client asking about software to OCR 18th century manuscripts. To date, I have only done this the old-fashioned way. Do archival professionals have any recommendations? (Ideally, not LLM & something that doesn’t require us to upload images to a third party’s database.)
Reposted by David Stuart Platt, PhD, MLIS
*skull callipers snap*
A new paper suggests a photo can tell a recruiter much about an applicant’s personality
Should facial analysis help determine whom companies hire?
A new paper suggests a photo can tell a recruiter much about an applicant’s personality
econ.st
November 7, 2025 at 9:26 AM
*skull callipers snap*
Recently pulled out my (made by own fair hand) German-language flash cards from grad school.
October 10, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Recently pulled out my (made by own fair hand) German-language flash cards from grad school.
Reposted by David Stuart Platt, PhD, MLIS
Do any UK peeps remember the author of the Mark’s Gospel commentary that was a set text for the NEA Religious Studies GCSE, c. 1985-1989?
October 3, 2025 at 1:08 PM
Do any UK peeps remember the author of the Mark’s Gospel commentary that was a set text for the NEA Religious Studies GCSE, c. 1985-1989?
FWIW, there ARE problems with the Windows 10 Extended Support Updates—but I think I have the privacy settings set correctly AND it buys me some time to switch to Linux.
October 10, 2025 at 1:22 PM
FWIW, there ARE problems with the Windows 10 Extended Support Updates—but I think I have the privacy settings set correctly AND it buys me some time to switch to Linux.
Reposted by David Stuart Platt, PhD, MLIS
If you, like me, have no desire to upgrade to Windows 11 but Microsoft is rattling their metaphorical "no more protections for YOU!" saber,
Enroll in extended security updates. Took me less than five minutes for both devices.
Do it before October 14!!!!!
windowsforum.com/threads/how-...
Enroll in extended security updates. Took me less than five minutes for both devices.
Do it before October 14!!!!!
windowsforum.com/threads/how-...
How to Enroll in Windows 10 Extended Security Updates (ESU) Before Support Ends
As the end of official support for Windows 10 approaches on October 14, 2025, many users are seeking ways to maintain their system's security without transitioning to Windows 11. Microsoft's Extended ...
windowsforum.com
October 8, 2025 at 6:43 PM
If you, like me, have no desire to upgrade to Windows 11 but Microsoft is rattling their metaphorical "no more protections for YOU!" saber,
Enroll in extended security updates. Took me less than five minutes for both devices.
Do it before October 14!!!!!
windowsforum.com/threads/how-...
Enroll in extended security updates. Took me less than five minutes for both devices.
Do it before October 14!!!!!
windowsforum.com/threads/how-...