Paul Hopwood
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acousticsinuk.bsky.social
Paul Hopwood
@acousticsinuk.bsky.social
480 followers 320 following 2.7K posts
Acoustics and radio engineer in the UK, aka @acoustics_in_uk on Twitter and @zark_off on Mastodon
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Paul Hopwood
justbrady.bsky.social
December 15, 2025 at 9:00 PM
Reposted by Paul Hopwood
ianvisits.co.uk
Picked up the best mince pies you'll ever taste from @TheClinkCharity
December 15, 2025 at 7:40 PM
acousticsinuk.bsky.social
Imagines ken absent mindedly tripping and butt surfing the Lillehammer Cresta run
thekenchilds.com Ken Childs @thekenchilds.com · 8h
Had a VERY busy weekend of sliding this past weekend with IBSF in Lillehammer featuring a double four-man weekend and FIL in Park City with the teamstaffel to wind things up. Odds are you missed part of it, but I didn't so here's a full rundown of what you may have missed!

(Thread, obviously)
December 15, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Reposted by Paul Hopwood
ozkitsch.bsky.social
We are one, but we are many
December 15, 2025 at 11:00 AM
Reposted by Paul Hopwood
ottocr.at
Great British Railways update
Whatsapp exchange: Im in a standing only packed train from Oxford to London. High fury 09:55 Reform UK guy exploiting it 09:55 Very very poor 09:55 "At least Trump gets things done" 09:58 Wait, seriously? Someone seriously suggesting that Trump would get the trains to run on time?? 10:01
December 15, 2025 at 10:09 AM
acousticsinuk.bsky.social
@rostaylor.bsky.social I strongly feel we were promised roller skates tomorrow, not skateboards..
December 15, 2025 at 6:33 PM
Reposted by Paul Hopwood
ryanwright.bsky.social
With this piece of bread on the ground in Ottawa, Canada and the one below in Perth, Australia, @drstip.bsky.social and I have successfully created an Earth sandwich.

The hot dog vs sandwich debate is concluded.

If the Earth is sandwiched, everything is a sandwich.

HAPPY EARTH SANDWICH DAY!
A piece of white bread on the snow covered ground in Ottawa, Ontario. Multi coloured shoes may be seen in the frame. It is -14C.
December 14, 2025 at 1:09 PM
Reposted by Paul Hopwood
robfordmancs.bsky.social
Many Poles arrive. Daily Mail: “THIS IS A CATASTROPHE OUR COUNTRY IS DYING”

Many Poles leave again. Daily Mail: “THIS IS A CATASTROPHE PUR COUNTRY IS DYING”

Do you want Poles or not?
December 13, 2025 at 6:43 PM
Reposted by Paul Hopwood
robfordmancs.bsky.social
WHY ARE YOU ANNOYED THIS IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO HAPPEN
December 13, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Reposted by Paul Hopwood
ianvisits.co.uk
Don't watch the new Animal Farm movie trailer.
December 13, 2025 at 6:58 PM
Reposted by Paul Hopwood
brainchain.ca
I love the name and the whole brand ethos of this store in Etobicoke.
A photo of a black brick wall with a sign that says’Dungeness Crap’ video games, and collectables. This sign has pixelated, black and red font on a white background. with an old video game controller that has crab claws coming out of it.
December 13, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Reposted by Paul Hopwood
banditelli.org
FINALLY GOT IT!

I've taken well over 100,000 pelican pictures, maybe 200,000.

Over 20,000 the past month alone.

Today, I snagged "The One That Got Away"

In my infinite optimism, I give you, a very rare:

Fish success story.

🪶
a pelican with their mouth open, and two fish are above to fall into their pouch, but one is above another and may take a path out the pelicans mouth is closed, and there's a fish out the pelican looks at the camera, miffed, the fish is far away from its head at this point the pelican opens its beak and tries to go for it, but i can report back it failed, the fish was long gone
December 12, 2025 at 4:47 AM
Reposted by Paul Hopwood
beijingpalmer.bsky.social
persecuting the Church, eh? well, they must be unprepared for *this*
December 13, 2025 at 4:42 AM
Reposted by Paul Hopwood
beijingpalmer.bsky.social
Evil cannot recognize good, and they apparently can’t recognize bad PR either.
christopherjhale.bsky.social Christopher Hale @christopherjhale.bsky.social · 3d
NEW: The Trump-Vance White House has falsely accused an ally of Pope Leo — Sr. Norma Pimentel — of illegal activity tied to migrant aid, and cut off all federal funding to Catholic Charities in Texas.

Church leaders say it’s a targeted, political reprisal against Pope Leo and the Catholic Church.
Trump-Vance White House Targets Beloved Nun in Texas, Retaliates Against Catholic Charities
Catholic Charities of the Rio Grande Valley — praised by Pope Leo as an “agent of hope” — now faces a six-year federal funding ban. Church leaders say it’s a vendetta by the Trump-Vance White House.
www.thelettersfromleo.com
December 13, 2025 at 4:12 AM
Reposted by Paul Hopwood
thegmcconnachie.bsky.social
Robin Ince reveals to last night’s audience at a recording of Infinite Monkey Cage that the BBC has forced him to resign over his support of trans people
December 13, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Reposted by Paul Hopwood
tudorcook.bsky.social
www.independent.co.uk/arts-enterta...
'Zed's dead baby...Zed's dead' was there for the taking!
Pulp Fiction star Peter Greene found dead at 60
‘Truly one of the great actors of our generation,’ the actor’s manager said in a statement
www.independent.co.uk
December 13, 2025 at 12:52 PM
Reposted by Paul Hopwood
robinince.bsky.social
Very sad that I felt I had no choice but to resign from The Infinite Monkey Cage - a victory for the transphobes and other bigots - I did it because so much of the media has chosen to believe the kind and empathetic people are a fiction - they are real and so often unrepresented.
This is the saddest day of my professional life. Today is not only the final recording of the latest series of The Infinite Monkey Cage, it is my last ever Monkey Cage. I never thought that I would have to leave the show. I always imagined going on until | dropped dead under the studio lights due to a brain aneurysm caused by my final attempt to understand notions of quantum gravity or the shock of being told about fly maggot infestations in the sacks of macaque monkeys. I resigned in September, after sixteen years of dedication to the show, A show that I named and helped develop over all those years. Unfortunately, my opinions outside the BBC have been considered problematic for sometime, whether it has been voicing support for the trans community, criticism of Donald Trump, numerous other outlandish opinions, including once gently criticising Stephen Fry. These things were considered to conflict with being a freelance BBC science presenter In a recent meeting where BBC Studio executives again voiced problems with me, I realised my choices. Obedience and being quieter to remain making Monkey Cage, or 'Resign and have the freedom to speak out against what I believe are injustices'. • I chose the latter. It broke my heart. I love this show and I love the audience, and it is because of the audience in particular, that this decision was so difficult to make. I kept thinking about all the extremist voices promoting hate and division. They are being given so many platforms, while voices that represent kindness, open mindedness, empathy seem to be scarcer and scarcer. I felt I couldn't pamper myself with the luxury of silence. One of my many privileges is that I am able to resign and I can speak out even if it is to the detriment of my career. I have thought a lot about my heroes, Sinead O Connor, James Baldwin, Audre Lorde, and so many more. I think of Sinead's words, "the job of an artist is to be themselves at any cost". James Baldwin said prejudice was really just a word for cowardice. Audre Lorde, viewing her life, wrote that her only regrets were her silences. I think of my father as I resign, he brought me up to believe in fairness , justice and kindness. Though my heart is broken, it is also full of fire. I apologise to our incredible listeners for my departure, your love of the show means a great deal. I am so sorry to let you down. I hope that you can understand my reasoning. I have to accept that I am not what the current BBC expects of their freelance presenters. Despite this I should add that I have always worked far more than my contracted hours to try and ensure the show was always the best it could be, as well as making myself accessible and responsive to the audience wherever and whenever I met them. Every night, we have recorded, I have been filled with determination to make the best show possible. This was not "just a job" I hope that with my departure I can be a better ally to the LGBTQ community, to the neurodivergent community, to activists fighting against those who aim to brutalise society, to those currently in prison on hunger strike, and to all those who fight for a more inclusive world. From many conversations, I know there are many Monkey Cage listeners who support these communities and activists too. The strawberry is dead. Long live the strawberry. B
December 13, 2025 at 12:02 AM
acousticsinuk.bsky.social
I met robin ince many years ago, he was more excited to meet me than I was to meet him I think... He asked seriously deep questions and follow ups when discussing my work.

I left thinking he was a truly decent chap his actions in leaving his show mean I continue that view today.
December 13, 2025 at 12:00 PM
Reposted by Paul Hopwood
cosmicshambles.com
An important statement from the desk of Robin Ince
December 13, 2025 at 12:27 AM
Reposted by Paul Hopwood
edzitron.com
I also address somebody I also have grown to loathe - Geoff Hinton, the so-called "Godfather of AI" who specifically made it clear that he believes Google "acts very responsibly," who never seems to have any direct criticisms of today's AI.
edzitronswheresyouredatghostio.outpost.pub/public/promo...
Let’s Talk About Geoffrey Hinton Geoffrey Hinton - Nobel Prize in Physics Winner and the “Godfather of AI” - famously left Google in 2023 because, and I quote: In the NYT today, Cade Metz implies that I left Google so that I could criticize Google. Actually, I left so that I could talk about the dangers of AI without considering how this impacts Google. Google has acted very responsibly. I think everybody needs to remember that the very first thing Geoff Hinton did was to say “actually, Google has acted very responsibly,” and I imagine that has nothing to do with any Google stock he might or might not own. I assume when Hinton said that he was referring to in 2020, when The Intercept reported that Customs and Border Protection “accepted a proposal to use Google Cloud technology to facilitate the use of artificial intelligence deployed by the CBP Innovation team, which the CBP’s deputy assistant commissioner said was “an absolute game-changer” in 2024. I also assume that Google was acting “very responsibly,” in Hinton’s eyes, when it worked with the CIA in 2020, or when it bid for the Joint Warfighter Cloud Capability Contract (which it won along with a few other cloud companies), per WIRED, in 2021, which added that Google had “made it clear they want to pursue business with the Department of Defense.” You know what I assume Hinton thinks is “very responsible”? Google investing in multiple different weapons technology companies.
December 12, 2025 at 11:32 PM
Reposted by Paul Hopwood
explaintrade.com
The only logical explanation for this abomination is that the entire film is a cunning plot by venture capitalists to try and make AI slop look good by comparison.
everyfilmnow.bsky.social Every Film Now @everyfilmnow.bsky.social · 3d
First trailer for Andy Serkis’ ‘ANIMAL FARM’ has dropped.

In theaters May 1.

#AnimalFarm #AndySerkis
December 12, 2025 at 11:53 PM
Reposted by Paul Hopwood
captainhowdy.bsky.social
Nice one, Spidey.
The fawning TIME cover for the "Architects of A.I." showing some of the worst people in the world sitting on a girder above NYC. In this version, Spider-Man has swung by their steel beam and sent them all tumbling in what can best be described as nothing more than an unfortunate accident.
December 12, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Reposted by Paul Hopwood
explaintrade.com
For £600,000 pounds you can instead join my club.

It has a smaller house, no amenities, and no benefits except that I can absolutely guarantee you will never run into Liz Truss there.
December 11, 2025 at 7:27 PM
acousticsinuk.bsky.social
Prepares for the UK to make a strong statement condemning this...
Sorry prepares for Kier the gutless wonder to wipe & swallow the excess dribble from trump off his chin
georgetakei.bsky.social George Takei @georgetakei.bsky.social · 4d
So just to be clear: This military build up and these strikes were never about stopping drugs.
Donald Trump sits at a Cabinet Room table, speaking to reporters, explaining that the U.S. seized a tanker carrying “illegal Iranian oil” and plans to keep the oil. The tweet criticizes the statement as piracy and unhinged foreign policy.
December 11, 2025 at 7:07 PM
Reposted by Paul Hopwood
andrewr.bsky.social
Your back is up against the wall. All looks lost. Who is coming to save you? Film stills only. #FilmSky 🎬
"Ice Cold in Alex" bar scene with (LR) Harry Andrews, Anthony Quayle, Sylvia Sims and Sir John Mills. A tough crew who survived a long trip through the desert in an ambulance.
December 11, 2025 at 6:35 PM