Ian
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chard.org
Ian
@chard.org
110 followers 360 following 140 posts
Musician, IT maestro, and law nerd. Tech manager at a bit of the University of Edinburgh. Opinions are my own; boosts/favourites != endorsement. Occasionally GM7OMZ.

Obligitory hashtags: #Edinburgh #Scotland #UK #LiveMusic #Percussion #Law #HamRadio
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Reposted by Ian
connieschultz.bsky.social
The things we now have to explain.
anneapplebaum.bsky.social Anne Applebaum @anneapplebaum.bsky.social · 15d
The Norwegian Nobel Prize committee has been forced to make a statement, declaring that the prize cannot be transferred.
It's hard even to comprehend how stupid this has become
January 10, 2026 at 1:10 PM
Reposted by Ian
gtconway.bsky.social
This is absolutely what happened.
charlotteclymer.bsky.social Charlotte Clymer @charlotteclymer.bsky.social · 16d
He didn't shoot her in the head at point blank range because he felt like he was in danger. He shot her in the head at point blank range because he was furious that she wasn't afraid of him. He shot her in the head at point blank range because he felt emasculated.
January 10, 2026 at 1:03 PM
Reposted by Ian
carolinejmolloy.bsky.social
This is the key point and I don’t know about you but I don’t find it very reassuring.

(It’s from the House of Commons briefing which has the whole shameful history of how governments have given themselves powers they really should not have)
researchbriefings.files.parliament.uk/documents/SN...
Who cannot be deprived of their citizenship? There is also a cohort of people who cannot be deprived of their citizenship in any circumstances. The law does not permit people who were born British (as opposed to acquiring their citizenship by naturalisation or registration) to be deprived if that would leave them stateless. That means people who have only one nationality (British) have legal protection against deprivation that people with multiple nationalities do not. Some commentators say this gives the appearance of discrimination against people from migrant and ethnic minority backgrounds, who are more likely to have dual nationality than people whose recent ancestors were all born in the UK.S° The government has stressed that "law-abiding people have nothing to fear" from citizenship deprivation merely because they are a dual national. 51
December 30, 2025 at 1:17 PM
chard.org
According to my other half, my most common phrase while working is ‘just fucking work you fucking piece of fucking shit’.

Computers are supposed to be tools. If I bought a screwdriver that worked this badly I’d hurl it into the fucking sea.

#technology #enshittification #computers
December 30, 2025 at 1:04 PM
Reposted by Ian
rotster.net
Fucking hell, that vile ‘caricature’ of Zack Polanski in the Daily Mail (on the same day they’re claiming to care about antisemitism in relation to another story). Revolting.
December 29, 2025 at 9:58 AM
Reposted by Ian
jayhulmepoet.bsky.social
Just watched the new Knives Out and I think it's really important you know that the scene in the Seminary's Gym is filmed in the same place Rick Astley filmed the music video for Never Gonna Give You Up.

I saw the window tracery and immediately made my friends pause the film so I could tell them.
A screenshot from Rick Astley's Never Gonna Give you up music video A screenshot from Rick Astley's Never Gonna Give you up music video A screenshot from Rick Astley's Never Gonna Give you up music video A photograph of the seminary gym in knives out. It has the same window.
December 29, 2025 at 1:11 PM
Reposted by Ian
saltymermaidtales.bsky.social
December 26, 2025 at 6:34 PM
chard.org
It’s occurred to me that being upset and anxious about #ReformUK is exactly what they want. They like the thought of tearful and desperate left-wing folk being frightened of them. 1/2
December 20, 2025 at 10:22 AM
chard.org
Not the best place for an animal sanctuary. #catskill #cats
Board Member at Catskill Animal Sanctuary Northampton, Massachusetts, United States
December 18, 2025 at 12:45 PM
chard.org
Now trying #Vivaldi as an alternative to #Firefox. Spent a good 20 minutes in the settings, turned a load of stuff off, and all good so far. And no mention of AI \o/
December 18, 2025 at 10:49 AM
chard.org
#Mozilla could have played an absolute blinder and said ‘sick of #AI in everything? Use #Firefox, we promise no AI ever!’ And *bang*, everyone who hates that nonsense immediately flocks to Firefox. Instead all we have left are some forks with unknown longevity.
December 18, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Reposted by Ian
jamesrball.com
Here’s the full original story in @thenewworldmag.bsky.social from several weeks ago, where we pointed out the issues in Prescott’s dossier:
www.thenewworld.co.uk/james-ball-e...
EXCLUSIVE: Michael Prescott himself doctored Trump quote in his anti-BBC report
A report alleging Panorama broadcast misleading Trump quotes contains misleading quotes itself
www.thenewworld.co.uk
December 16, 2025 at 8:43 AM
chard.org
I know there is a good reason for this but it just halted my sleep-deprived brain. #python
>>> print(bool('False')) True
December 16, 2025 at 8:44 AM
Reposted by Ian
mrjamesob.bsky.social
Excellent thread.
December 16, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Reposted by Ian
stridulate.bsky.social
December 14, 2025 at 10:10 PM
Reposted by Ian
zohrankmamdani.bsky.social
The attack at a Hanukkah celebration in Sydney today was a vile act of antisemitic terror. I mourn those who were murdered and will be keeping their families, the Jewish community, and the Chabad movement in my prayers. May the memories of all those killed be a blessing. While we are still waiting for all the facts to emerge, what we already know is devastating. At least 11 dead, including Rabbi Eli Schlanger, who held deep ties to Crown Heights. At least 29 injured. Another Jewish community plunged into mourning and loss, a holiday of light so painfully reduced to a day of darkness. This attack is merely the latest, most horrifying iteration in a growing pattern of violence targeted at Jewish people across the world. Too many no longer feel safe to be themselves, to express their faith publicly, to worship in their synagogues without armed security stationed outside. What happened at Bondi is what many Jewish people fear will happen in their communities too. On Bondi Beach today, as men with long guns targeted innocents, another man ran towards the gunfire and disarmed a shooter. Tonight, as Jewish New Yorkers light menorahs and usher in a first night of Hanukkah clouded by grief, let us look to his example and confront hatred with the urgency and action it demands. When I am Mayor, I will work every day to keep Jewish New Yorkers safe—on our streets, our subways, at shul, in every moment of every day. Let this be a purpose shared by every New Yorker, and let us banish this horrific violence to the past.
December 14, 2025 at 3:49 PM
chard.org
Well this wasn’t a good day to wake up and read the news.
December 14, 2025 at 9:56 AM
chard.org
Minimum viable product #christmas
A whiteboard with ‘#include <decorations.h>’ written at the top in black market.
December 12, 2025 at 10:50 PM
chard.org
I've decided it's marginally less harmful to convince my Dad not to trust any media, rather than leave him in his current state of trusting *all* media.
December 11, 2025 at 8:53 AM
Reposted by Ian
rufflemuffin.bsky.social
Hey folks - I'm looking for a reasonable cost, preferable nice social enterprise in Cambridge who could do some hot drinks throughout a day at a conference, possibly some bakes/biscuits.

Any ideas?
December 10, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Reposted by Ian
chrisdg.bsky.social
Hear hear
europeanmovement.co.uk European Movement UK @europeanmovement.co.uk · Dec 10
"If we're really concerned about criminals in this country, leaving the ECHR would be exactly like Brexit, in that it would have the opposite effect" - European Movement UK Chair, Dr Mike Galsworthy, on Keir Starmer's calls to reform the ECHR.
December 10, 2025 at 8:12 PM
chard.org
Satire is dead.
phillewis.bsky.social Phil Lewis @phillewis.bsky.social · Dec 10
Marco Rubio ordered diplomats to return to using Times New Roman font in official communications, calling his predecessor's decision to adopt Calibri a “wasteful” diversity move
Rubio Stages Font Coup: Times New Roman Ousts Calibri
The secretary of state called it a "wasteful" diversity move, according to an internal department cable seen by Reuters.
www.huffpost.com
December 10, 2025 at 9:01 AM
chard.org
My hotel room overlooks a busy shipping lane, so of course I’m listening to #Portsmouth VTS and staring out the window. It’s nerd heaven. #shipping #marine
A view out of my hotel window onto the Solent, over the roof of the bleak Southsea Pier complex. In my hand is a cheap radio tuned to marine channels 11 and 14.
December 10, 2025 at 7:40 AM
Reposted by Ian
owenblacker.bsky.social
A useful reminder from a colleague on workslack earlier (with personal details redacted). Not everyone finds Yuletide to be joyful
Hi all. It is December, a little holiday reminder ❤️‍🩹🎄 Christmas can be hard. It can bring up feelings of grief, loss, and all sorts of challenges. [some text here is redacted] It’s a deeply personal and often isolating experience, and I know I’m not alone in finding this season complicated. If you're grieving, please know you’re not alone either. Grief, distance from family, complicated relationships, or just the pressure to be cheerful can make December feel heavier. If someone says they’re keeping it quiet or spending it alone, a bit of warmth goes further than you think. And if you’ve got things that help you get through this time of year like rituals, tiny comforts, ways to make space for yourself, please share. It might be exactly what someone else needs. Let’s look out for each other. This season can be bright and heavy at the same time, and a little kindness makes the whole thing easier to carry.
December 2, 2025 at 2:17 PM
chard.org
‘[The appellant’s appeal submissions] require caution, the appellant having made submissions using ChatGPT, an artificial-intelligence database. … That may explain the generality of the submissions, which largely comprise free-form legal propositions with only limited link to the facts. 1/2
November 30, 2025 at 8:57 PM