Varina
@varinajr.bsky.social
Librarian and open knowledge advocate at UofAberdeen. Lover of cats, yarn, tea, and liberation for all. All views my own. 🍵💙💜💗✡️🫒🍉
Without downloading any new pics, describe your vibe for today using an image from your gallery
December 4, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Without downloading any new pics, describe your vibe for today using an image from your gallery
Should I cause drama on the listserv by pointing out an event is scheduled for when the employees of the host institution are on strike?
December 4, 2025 at 12:02 PM
Should I cause drama on the listserv by pointing out an event is scheduled for when the employees of the host institution are on strike?
You may not like it, but this is what peak performance looks like
December 3, 2025 at 6:57 PM
You may not like it, but this is what peak performance looks like
It's misleading that the Lucy Worsley documentary on the Six Wives of Henry the VIII didn't even mention that lots of European kings had wives, some more than one in their lifetime.
2. That the BBC is being misleading by making a series on the British Empire that focuses on the British Empire.
December 3, 2025 at 8:58 AM
It's misleading that the Lucy Worsley documentary on the Six Wives of Henry the VIII didn't even mention that lots of European kings had wives, some more than one in their lifetime.
Reposted by Varina
Great thread on the Ponzi scheme that is academic publishing. Public funds funnelled into obscene private profits using free labour of (publicly funded) Academics. AI slop contaminating the literature.
Since AI slop is again all over Scientific Reports, a thread on the economics of grey-zone publishing.
Why does slop keep getting published? What does it mean for science? How can we stop this?
Background readings:
Understand the strain: tinyurl.com/2b6wxx5r
Stop the drain: tinyurl.com/3jfscscy
Why does slop keep getting published? What does it mean for science? How can we stop this?
Background readings:
Understand the strain: tinyurl.com/2b6wxx5r
Stop the drain: tinyurl.com/3jfscscy
December 2, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Great thread on the Ponzi scheme that is academic publishing. Public funds funnelled into obscene private profits using free labour of (publicly funded) Academics. AI slop contaminating the literature.
I've starting mentally substituting 'cocaine' for 'AI' in a lot of the arguments about AI inevitability and it really shows why that's a silly argument. 'Many academics are already using cocaine to prepare their work, so we should create guidelines for using cocaine responsibly and effectively'...
December 2, 2025 at 10:35 AM
I've starting mentally substituting 'cocaine' for 'AI' in a lot of the arguments about AI inevitability and it really shows why that's a silly argument. 'Many academics are already using cocaine to prepare their work, so we should create guidelines for using cocaine responsibly and effectively'...
I'm absolutely feral about the belief among LLM-boosters that anyone who doesn't want to use this technology is just ignorant of what it can do. Like, dawg, you just finished saying this technology is biased, prone to hallucination, unreliable, and poses cyber-security risks. Why would I use that?
December 1, 2025 at 12:57 PM
I'm absolutely feral about the belief among LLM-boosters that anyone who doesn't want to use this technology is just ignorant of what it can do. Like, dawg, you just finished saying this technology is biased, prone to hallucination, unreliable, and poses cyber-security risks. Why would I use that?
UK politics is very difficult if you have mild face blindness. 'Sorry which white lady with bangs who doesn't think governments can spend money on services is this? The 'left-wing' kind or the right wing kind? Wasn't she already forced to resign or was that a different identical woman'
December 1, 2025 at 8:50 AM
UK politics is very difficult if you have mild face blindness. 'Sorry which white lady with bangs who doesn't think governments can spend money on services is this? The 'left-wing' kind or the right wing kind? Wasn't she already forced to resign or was that a different identical woman'
She has come to remind me that my work day is finished and she requires a warm lap and some pets
November 28, 2025 at 4:07 PM
She has come to remind me that my work day is finished and she requires a warm lap and some pets
"Why are your couch cushions so lumpy?"
November 28, 2025 at 8:11 AM
"Why are your couch cushions so lumpy?"
Second section of the yoke finished! These are jelly doughnuts, a modern Hannukah tradition, not as my partner suspected cupcakes, which have nothing to do with Hanukkah. The cat remains neutral
fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/varinas...
fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/varinas...
November 27, 2025 at 6:46 PM
Second section of the yoke finished! These are jelly doughnuts, a modern Hannukah tradition, not as my partner suspected cupcakes, which have nothing to do with Hanukkah. The cat remains neutral
fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/varinas...
fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/varinas...
Tag yourself. I'm the 0.93 Autism Bike
November 27, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Tag yourself. I'm the 0.93 Autism Bike
I know this is shooting fish in a barrel, but read another book for goodness sake. Most English novels are about class. Among the main contenders for earliest English novel is Oroonoko, about a captured slave. Then there's Dickens who I think wrote about poor people once or twice, the list goes on
November 27, 2025 at 7:37 AM
I know this is shooting fish in a barrel, but read another book for goodness sake. Most English novels are about class. Among the main contenders for earliest English novel is Oroonoko, about a captured slave. Then there's Dickens who I think wrote about poor people once or twice, the list goes on
This creature just zoomed across the back of the sofa and headbutted me at all speed.
I was not holding a cheez-it at the time
I was not holding a cheez-it at the time
November 24, 2025 at 7:29 PM
This creature just zoomed across the back of the sofa and headbutted me at all speed.
I was not holding a cheez-it at the time
I was not holding a cheez-it at the time
The Running Man is a fun action movie, but it feels like it wants to say something about the present moment, but isn't totally sure what so ends up sort a vaguely fuck the system
November 23, 2025 at 6:07 PM
The Running Man is a fun action movie, but it feels like it wants to say something about the present moment, but isn't totally sure what so ends up sort a vaguely fuck the system
I'm watching the new Frankenstein. The chiffon budget must have been incredible
November 22, 2025 at 8:04 PM
I'm watching the new Frankenstein. The chiffon budget must have been incredible
I bought this Moomin tea simply because it was cute, but it turns out it's really nice tea?
November 22, 2025 at 4:05 PM
I bought this Moomin tea simply because it was cute, but it turns out it's really nice tea?
I had a slightly zany idea to knit myself a kitschy Hannukah cardigan, that may not have gone anywhere except I saw Cancer Research UK are holding a fundraiser where people "sponsor" you knitting a holiday jumper. Please consider donating
fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/varinas...
fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/varinas...
Varina's Giving Page
Thanks for visiting my fundraising page. I'm challenging myself to complete a full-sized self-drafted Hanukkah cardigan in December to raise money for Cancer Research UK. Once completed, I'll also pos...
fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org
November 20, 2025 at 4:57 PM
I had a slightly zany idea to knit myself a kitschy Hannukah cardigan, that may not have gone anywhere except I saw Cancer Research UK are holding a fundraiser where people "sponsor" you knitting a holiday jumper. Please consider donating
fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/varinas...
fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/varinas...
My partner and I are both working from home, in different rooms so we're texting each other pictures of the cat sitting near us.
November 20, 2025 at 2:37 PM
My partner and I are both working from home, in different rooms so we're texting each other pictures of the cat sitting near us.
The penguin walk is so shockingly effective. You'll look like a twat, but you won't have to go to A&E
Also you can get snow cleats to make any shoes snow shoes for about £10 on Amazon
Also you can get snow cleats to make any shoes snow shoes for about £10 on Amazon
If you must go out:
• dress warmly
• wear shoes with good grip
• take extra care on icy surfaces
🐧 Walk like a penguin to reduce your risk of falling:
🔹 arms out for balance
🔹 loose knees
🔹 feet slightly turned out
• dress warmly
• wear shoes with good grip
• take extra care on icy surfaces
🐧 Walk like a penguin to reduce your risk of falling:
🔹 arms out for balance
🔹 loose knees
🔹 feet slightly turned out
a penguin is standing on top of a snow covered surface .
ALT: a penguin is standing on top of a snow covered surface .
media.tenor.com
November 20, 2025 at 9:25 AM
The penguin walk is so shockingly effective. You'll look like a twat, but you won't have to go to A&E
Also you can get snow cleats to make any shoes snow shoes for about £10 on Amazon
Also you can get snow cleats to make any shoes snow shoes for about £10 on Amazon
This is so charming to me. AI could never
Best Friends on a Night Out, painting by Lucy Manfredi (b. 1974).
November 20, 2025 at 8:50 AM
This is so charming to me. AI could never
You've heard of Doggy Bark Mitzvahs, get ready for....
November 18, 2025 at 5:18 PM
You've heard of Doggy Bark Mitzvahs, get ready for....
What should have been a 15 minute ride home took 40 minutes because of Christmas traffic and I arrived soaked to the skin in sleet. Only a warm cat and a huge mug of very fancy hot chocolate can fix what ails me
November 18, 2025 at 5:09 PM
What should have been a 15 minute ride home took 40 minutes because of Christmas traffic and I arrived soaked to the skin in sleet. Only a warm cat and a huge mug of very fancy hot chocolate can fix what ails me
I keep thinking about the Objects every American Jewish family I know has. The ring a grandmother managed to hide knotted up in her hair from Nazi deportation officers when the family left, the menorah a great grandmother wrapped in dirty laundry and threw in the cart as they fled two steps ahead...
November 17, 2025 at 7:16 PM
I keep thinking about the Objects every American Jewish family I know has. The ring a grandmother managed to hide knotted up in her hair from Nazi deportation officers when the family left, the menorah a great grandmother wrapped in dirty laundry and threw in the cart as they fled two steps ahead...