Author | Lightnews

The Other David Harper @theotherdavidh.bsky.social · 6h

It makes me very happy that important science continues to come out of the Cassini mission, 8 years after the spacecraft itself was flown into the planet. I had a small role in the pre-launch planning for Cassini, so I follow news about it with great interest.

Reposted by The Other David Harper

Brittany Trang @brittanytrang.com · 1d

A Sharon Begley byline, almost 5 years after her death.

Upon hearing the news James Watson had died, a STAT reporter said in our Slack, "I wish I could read what Sharon would have written."

Incredible news: Sharon in fact did pre-write a Watson obit. And it is masterful and excoriating.
🧪🧬🧫

James Watson, dead at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers

James Watson, the co-discoverer of the structure of DNA who died Thursday at 97, was a scientific legend and a pariah among his peers.

www.statnews.com

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The Other David Harper @theotherdavidh.bsky.social · 1d

Delivery tracking apps work in much the same way as the apps that tell you when the next bus is due. Both are demonstrations of the danger of extrapolation.

Reposted by The Other David Harper

Harmit Singh Malik @harmitmalik.bsky.social · 2d

When people celebrate the individual genius of folks in science, they should also
mourn the collective loss of genius of folks who were actively discouraged or disadvantaged from a career in science because of the same person(s)

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The Other David Harper @theotherdavidh.bsky.social · 2d

I lived in London as a student in the early 1980s, and again in the 1990s. The centuries-old mix of cultures is part of what makes it a truly great global city. And everyone gets along. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Say what you like about ‘Sadiq Khan’s no-go hellscape’ – Britain’s cities prove the rightwing agitators wrong | Jonathan Liew

To rightwing populists, places of fluidity and freedom will always be the enemy, says Guardian columnist Jonathan Liew

www.theguardian.com

The Other David Harper @theotherdavidh.bsky.social · 2d

You couldn't make this stuff up. Newmarket is, famously, the home of British horse-racing. There's even a giant statue of a horse on one of the main roads into Newmarket. And yet ... www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

Newmarket horse owner receives notice of complaint over ‘constant neighing’

Local council contacts Mandy Young about animals she kept at her home 10 miles from famous racecourse

www.theguardian.com

Reposted by The Other David Harper

Meredith Nudo 🤌🏻 @meredithnudo.blacksky.app · 2d

Haha yesss. Japanese copyright law doesn't fuck around.

Since I get challenged on this a lot: U.S. and Japan are both Berne Convention signatories, meaning the copyright is recognized between countries. They CAN go after American companies. And they are. And I love it.

variety.com/2025/digital...

Trade Group Representing Studio Ghibli, Other Japanese Companies Tells OpenAI to Stop Using Their Content to Train Sora 2 Video Generator

Japanese content trade group CODA, whose members include Studio Ghibli, issued a letter to OpenAI demanding the AI company stop using their content to train Sora 2.

variety.com

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The Other David Harper @theotherdavidh.bsky.social · 2d

Back in the 1970s, my school taught us about the African slave trade, including the diagram showing how enslaved Africans were packed into the hold of the Brooks. That's an image that I will never ever forget. But our school houses were named Drake, Clive etc, so, mixed messages.

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The Other David Harper @theotherdavidh.bsky.social · 2d

And yet, it's obviously Boris Johnson.

The Other David Harper @theotherdavidh.bsky.social · 2d

That brings back happy memories of the astronomy seminars at QMW, held in a warm, dark room late on a Friday afternoon. Often an effective cure for insomnia. Always enlivened by IWR asking a really pointed question at the end.

Reposted by The Other David Harper

Victoria Redfern @victoriaredfern.bsky.social · 3d

Always remember this place is run by Yanks, so this advice is vitally important. Remember those people will shoot each other in the face but absolutely freak out at the word 'cunt'.

Evil Bat Witch @evilbatwitch.cryptoanarchy.network · 5d

If you aren't seeing skeets from some of your fave people, they might have been labeled "Rude" by bsky mods. Idk what they are thinking, I don't need a mommy to tell me who to be buddies with. Anyway, go into Settings > moderation > bluesky moderation (advanced) and turn Rude off.

Rude
Rude or impolite, including crude language and disrespectful comments, without constructive purpose.
Highlighted Off, darkened Warn, and darkened Hide buttons.

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The Other David Harper @theotherdavidh.bsky.social · 4d

At least, from this side.

The Other David Harper @theotherdavidh.bsky.social · 4d

That popping sound you can hear this morning is the sounds of racists' heads exploding in London and New York.

The Other David Harper @theotherdavidh.bsky.social · 4d

This actually makes me very happy. I learned Latin for two years at grammar school in the 1970s, and it's one of my lifelong regrets that I had to give it up because of timetabling clashes as I started my O-level studies and focussed on sciences. Latin is such an elegant language.

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The Other David Harper @theotherdavidh.bsky.social · 4d

The National Archives has a handy explainer, although it's actually part of their Latin primer, and includes gerundives. www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/latin/stage-...

Lesson 11 - Gerunds and gerundives - Latin

Gerunds A gerund is what is called a verbal noun. This means that it occupies a middle ground between a verb and a noun and shows characteristics of both. It is active in meaning and only exists in th...

www.nationalarchives.gov.uk

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The Other David Harper @theotherdavidh.bsky.social · 4d

Top catting by Daphne!

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The Other David Harper @theotherdavidh.bsky.social · 4d

Wasn't Gerund the name of the gorilla in the "Not The Nine O'Clock News" sketch. (I may be showing my age here.)

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The Other David Harper @theotherdavidh.bsky.social · 4d

Disapproving Daphne disapproves.

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The Other David Harper @theotherdavidh.bsky.social · 4d

So apparently there was supposed to be a giant beaver mooning the sky last night. Did anyone see the beaver? I missed it. Maybe it was only in Canada?

Reposted by The Other David Harper

Andrew Copson @andrewcopson.bsky.social · 5d

Today marks 75 years of the European Convention on Human Rights. The product of high aspirations & the ultimate step in taking seriously the idea that every human being should be treated with equal dignity 🧵 #ECHR #ECHR75

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The Other David Harper @theotherdavidh.bsky.social · 6d

Not acceptable. I'd write to the publisher and demand that all unsold copies are pulped without delay. There are standards, you know.

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Reposted by The Other David Harper

David Gura @davidgura.bsky.social · 6d

“There are some people who hate London, and hate New York,” Mayor Sadiq Khan told me, on Bloomberg TV. “There's a reason why they demonize London, and now, indeed, New York. Why? Because we are progressive cities. We are liberal cities. We are multicultural cities. And we are incredibly successful.”

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The Other David Harper @theotherdavidh.bsky.social · 6d

Yes, it still sets the gold standard for April Fool's pranks, although the Guardian's 1977 tourist guide to the island nation of San Seriffe deserves an honourable mention. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Ser...

San Serriffe - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

Reposted by The Other David Harper

Carl Bovis @carlbovisnature.bsky.social · 6d

Pied Wagtail over water. 😍
Taken recently at the Huntspill seawall in Somerset. 🐦
#birds 🪶

You can buy my exclusive 2026 birds calendars here;
www.carlbovis.com/2026-birds-c...

Pied Wagtail flying low over water with reflection

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Reposted by The Other David Harper

Sarah Murphy @13sarahmurphy.bsky.social · 7d

Hannan and Frost in the Telegraph.
Sunak in the Times.
Kwasi Kwarteng in the iPaper.
Johnson in the Mail.
Gove editing the Spectator.
Farage everywhere.
All of them shamelessly honking out their ‘Listen to me!’ garbage, as the country flails around in the unbelievable mess they’ve made.
Nauseating.

Roland Smith @rolandmcs.bsky.social · 8d

A Brexiter writes...

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