The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Mathematics in the Physical Sciences
— Eugene Wigner, 1959, Communications on Pure and Applied Mathematics. 13 (1): 1–14
webhomes.maths.ed.ac.uk/~v1ranick/pa...
As fresh, clear, and brilliant as the day it was written.
#mathematics #physics #philosophy
— Eugene Wigner, 1959, Communications on Pure and Applied Mathematics. 13 (1): 1–14
webhomes.maths.ed.ac.uk/~v1ranick/pa...
As fresh, clear, and brilliant as the day it was written.
#mathematics #physics #philosophy
webhomes.maths.ed.ac.uk
December 13, 2025 at 1:17 PM
The Unreasonable Effectiveness of Mathematics in the Physical Sciences
— Eugene Wigner, 1959, Communications on Pure and Applied Mathematics. 13 (1): 1–14
webhomes.maths.ed.ac.uk/~v1ranick/pa...
As fresh, clear, and brilliant as the day it was written.
#mathematics #physics #philosophy
— Eugene Wigner, 1959, Communications on Pure and Applied Mathematics. 13 (1): 1–14
webhomes.maths.ed.ac.uk/~v1ranick/pa...
As fresh, clear, and brilliant as the day it was written.
#mathematics #physics #philosophy
Pluralistic: The Reverse-Centaur’s Guide to Criticizing AI
By Cory Doctorow
pluralistic.net/2025/12/05/p...
Fantastic, essential piece on #AI #LLM #GenAI #art #work #bullshit #capitalism #bubble
If Cory didn't exist, we'd have to invent him.
(Via www.manton.org/2025/12/10/r...)
By Cory Doctorow
pluralistic.net/2025/12/05/p...
Fantastic, essential piece on #AI #LLM #GenAI #art #work #bullshit #capitalism #bubble
If Cory didn't exist, we'd have to invent him.
(Via www.manton.org/2025/12/10/r...)
Pluralistic: The Reverse-Centaur’s Guide to Criticizing AI (05 Dec 2025) – Pluralistic: Daily links from Cory Doctorow
pluralistic.net
December 11, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Pluralistic: The Reverse-Centaur’s Guide to Criticizing AI
By Cory Doctorow
pluralistic.net/2025/12/05/p...
Fantastic, essential piece on #AI #LLM #GenAI #art #work #bullshit #capitalism #bubble
If Cory didn't exist, we'd have to invent him.
(Via www.manton.org/2025/12/10/r...)
By Cory Doctorow
pluralistic.net/2025/12/05/p...
Fantastic, essential piece on #AI #LLM #GenAI #art #work #bullshit #capitalism #bubble
If Cory didn't exist, we'd have to invent him.
(Via www.manton.org/2025/12/10/r...)
Why AI Isn’t Going to Make Art, by Ted Chiang in the New Yorker
— www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...
(via @ethanhein.bsky.social).
Fantastic piece. I don’t agree with every word, but I agree with of them.
#LLM #GenAI #art
— www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...
(via @ethanhein.bsky.social).
Fantastic piece. I don’t agree with every word, but I agree with of them.
#LLM #GenAI #art
Why A.I. Isn’t Going to Make Art
To create a novel or a painting, an artist makes choices that are fundamentally alien to artificial intelligence.
www.newyorker.com
December 11, 2025 at 11:30 AM
Why AI Isn’t Going to Make Art, by Ted Chiang in the New Yorker
— www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...
(via @ethanhein.bsky.social).
Fantastic piece. I don’t agree with every word, but I agree with of them.
#LLM #GenAI #art
— www.newyorker.com/culture/the-...
(via @ethanhein.bsky.social).
Fantastic piece. I don’t agree with every word, but I agree with of them.
#LLM #GenAI #art
Interesting piece on AI slop in art (esp. music) from @ethanhein.bsky.social.
www.ethanhein.com/wp/2025/ai-s...
‘As it turns out, Velvet Sunset is actual humans. I’m sorry, Velvet Sunset! But you know what? If your music is so easy to mistake for AI, that is on you!’
Ouch!
#music #AI #slop
www.ethanhein.com/wp/2025/ai-s...
‘As it turns out, Velvet Sunset is actual humans. I’m sorry, Velvet Sunset! But you know what? If your music is so easy to mistake for AI, that is on you!’
Ouch!
#music #AI #slop
AI slop predates AI
One of my back burner writing projects is a book chapter about generative AI in music education and why I think it’s a Bad Thing. In preparation, I reread Ted Chiang’s New Yorker essay about why AI…
www.ethanhein.com
December 11, 2025 at 6:53 AM
Interesting piece on AI slop in art (esp. music) from @ethanhein.bsky.social.
www.ethanhein.com/wp/2025/ai-s...
‘As it turns out, Velvet Sunset is actual humans. I’m sorry, Velvet Sunset! But you know what? If your music is so easy to mistake for AI, that is on you!’
Ouch!
#music #AI #slop
www.ethanhein.com/wp/2025/ai-s...
‘As it turns out, Velvet Sunset is actual humans. I’m sorry, Velvet Sunset! But you know what? If your music is so easy to mistake for AI, that is on you!’
Ouch!
#music #AI #slop
Reposted by Nick Radcliffe
Big new blogpost!
My guide to data visualization, which includes a very long table of contents, tons of charts, and more.
--> Why data visualization matters and how to make charts more effective, clear, transparent, and sometimes, beautiful.
www.scientificdiscovery.dev/p/salonis-gu...
My guide to data visualization, which includes a very long table of contents, tons of charts, and more.
--> Why data visualization matters and how to make charts more effective, clear, transparent, and sometimes, beautiful.
www.scientificdiscovery.dev/p/salonis-gu...
December 9, 2025 at 8:28 PM
Big new blogpost!
My guide to data visualization, which includes a very long table of contents, tons of charts, and more.
--> Why data visualization matters and how to make charts more effective, clear, transparent, and sometimes, beautiful.
www.scientificdiscovery.dev/p/salonis-gu...
My guide to data visualization, which includes a very long table of contents, tons of charts, and more.
--> Why data visualization matters and how to make charts more effective, clear, transparent, and sometimes, beautiful.
www.scientificdiscovery.dev/p/salonis-gu...
Reposted by Nick Radcliffe
Sobering. Relatedly, I watched Attenboroughs 'Ocean' recently and it was the thing that finally pushed me into vegetarianism. Really recommend it if you can access it www.oceanfilm.net/synopsis/
December 5, 2025 at 12:25 PM
Sobering. Relatedly, I watched Attenboroughs 'Ocean' recently and it was the thing that finally pushed me into vegetarianism. Really recommend it if you can access it www.oceanfilm.net/synopsis/
Reposted by Nick Radcliffe
It’s Bandcamp Friday people: go and send 100% of anything you buy direct to the musicians.
e.g. elliegowersmusic.bandcamp.com
katiespencerofficial.bandcamp.com
or even
nickradcliffe.bandcamp.com
(100% of nothing to me!!)
#music #BandcampFriday
e.g. elliegowersmusic.bandcamp.com
katiespencerofficial.bandcamp.com
or even
nickradcliffe.bandcamp.com
(100% of nothing to me!!)
#music #BandcampFriday
You, the Passenger: Extended Edition, by Ellie Gowers
10 track album
elliegowersmusic.bandcamp.com
December 5, 2025 at 8:43 AM
It’s Bandcamp Friday people: go and send 100% of anything you buy direct to the musicians.
e.g. elliegowersmusic.bandcamp.com
katiespencerofficial.bandcamp.com
or even
nickradcliffe.bandcamp.com
(100% of nothing to me!!)
#music #BandcampFriday
e.g. elliegowersmusic.bandcamp.com
katiespencerofficial.bandcamp.com
or even
nickradcliffe.bandcamp.com
(100% of nothing to me!!)
#music #BandcampFriday
Human: 1
LLMs: 0.
(The human proof-reader got the text after the bots’ corrections had been applied. The human found more significant errors.)
LLMs: 0.
(The human proof-reader got the text after the bots’ corrections had been applied. The human found more significant errors.)
December 2, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Human: 1
LLMs: 0.
(The human proof-reader got the text after the bots’ corrections had been applied. The human found more significant errors.)
LLMs: 0.
(The human proof-reader got the text after the bots’ corrections had been applied. The human found more significant errors.)
Reposted by Nick Radcliffe
"It makes me so happy. To be at the beginning again, knowing almost nothing....It's the best possible time to be alive, when almost everything you thought you knew is wrong."
Tom Stoppard, on complexity theory, in Arcadia.
One of the world's best playwrights. RIP.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Tom Stoppard, on complexity theory, in Arcadia.
One of the world's best playwrights. RIP.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Playwright Sir Tom Stoppard dies at 88
Sir Tom won an Oscar and a Golden Globe for the screenplay for Shakespeare In Love.
www.bbc.com
November 29, 2025 at 5:53 PM
"It makes me so happy. To be at the beginning again, knowing almost nothing....It's the best possible time to be alive, when almost everything you thought you knew is wrong."
Tom Stoppard, on complexity theory, in Arcadia.
One of the world's best playwrights. RIP.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Tom Stoppard, on complexity theory, in Arcadia.
One of the world's best playwrights. RIP.
www.bbc.com/news/article...
In a slightly surprising turn of events, I put a couple of tunes up on Bandcamp.
Thanks to my brilliant nephew, Gus Stirrat, for recording them at his Solas Sounds studio, and laying down a great bassline on Nick Ridley.
nickradcliffe.bandcamp.com/album/the-da...
Thanks to my brilliant nephew, Gus Stirrat, for recording them at his Solas Sounds studio, and laying down a great bassline on Nick Ridley.
nickradcliffe.bandcamp.com/album/the-da...
The Day that Nicholas Ridley Set His Bed on Fire, by Nick Radcliffe
2 track album
nickradcliffe.bandcamp.com
November 29, 2025 at 1:01 PM
In a slightly surprising turn of events, I put a couple of tunes up on Bandcamp.
Thanks to my brilliant nephew, Gus Stirrat, for recording them at his Solas Sounds studio, and laying down a great bassline on Nick Ridley.
nickradcliffe.bandcamp.com/album/the-da...
Thanks to my brilliant nephew, Gus Stirrat, for recording them at his Solas Sounds studio, and laying down a great bassline on Nick Ridley.
nickradcliffe.bandcamp.com/album/the-da...
Government bans ticket touting to protect fans from rip-off prices
www.gov.uk/government/n...
Three cheers.
Govt. Should be singing this from the rafters.
www.gov.uk/government/n...
Three cheers.
Govt. Should be singing this from the rafters.
Government bans ticket touting to protect fans from rip-off prices
Music and sport fans will no longer be ripped off on the ticket resale market thanks to new measures making it illegal to resell tickets for live events above original cost
www.gov.uk
November 20, 2025 at 7:40 PM
Government bans ticket touting to protect fans from rip-off prices
www.gov.uk/government/n...
Three cheers.
Govt. Should be singing this from the rafters.
www.gov.uk/government/n...
Three cheers.
Govt. Should be singing this from the rafters.
Reposted by Nick Radcliffe
Plans to leave refugees in a state of perpetual uncertainty about where and if they can rebuild their lives are not just performative cruelty, they are counterproductive to integration and the economy. It doesn’t have to be like this - 1/2
November 17, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Plans to leave refugees in a state of perpetual uncertainty about where and if they can rebuild their lives are not just performative cruelty, they are counterproductive to integration and the economy. It doesn’t have to be like this - 1/2
Reposted by Nick Radcliffe
I spent an an intensive month pair-programming with Claude Code, fully expecting to hate it and for it to be a waste of time.
I did hate it, but it was not a waste of time. It worked and I changed my mind.
checkeagle.com/checklists/n...
I did hate it, but it was not a waste of time. It worked and I changed my mind.
checkeagle.com/checklists/n...
November 14, 2025 at 12:35 PM
I spent an an intensive month pair-programming with Claude Code, fully expecting to hate it and for it to be a waste of time.
I did hate it, but it was not a waste of time. It worked and I changed my mind.
checkeagle.com/checklists/n...
I did hate it, but it was not a waste of time. It worked and I changed my mind.
checkeagle.com/checklists/n...
Reposted by Nick Radcliffe
The Guardian's "how deprived is your area" interactive page is pretty neat, but the best part is this note:
"A technical issue in an earlier version meant localities containing a comma produced incorrect results."
No avoiding the bad data!
Here it is: www.theguardian.com/society/ng-i...
#databs
"A technical issue in an earlier version meant localities containing a comma produced incorrect results."
No avoiding the bad data!
Here it is: www.theguardian.com/society/ng-i...
#databs
How deprived is your area? Look up your postcode as new data for England released
New data ranks every area of England against a set of metrics for deprivation. Find out where yours figures in the statistics
www.theguardian.com
October 30, 2025 at 7:15 PM
The Guardian's "how deprived is your area" interactive page is pretty neat, but the best part is this note:
"A technical issue in an earlier version meant localities containing a comma produced incorrect results."
No avoiding the bad data!
Here it is: www.theguardian.com/society/ng-i...
#databs
"A technical issue in an earlier version meant localities containing a comma produced incorrect results."
No avoiding the bad data!
Here it is: www.theguardian.com/society/ng-i...
#databs
Reposted by Nick Radcliffe
Latest RocknRoll Politics podcast -What happens if Rachel Reeves breaks her pre-election tax pledges:
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/r...
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/r...
What will happen if Rachel Reeves breaks a manifesto pledge on tax?
Podcast Episode · Rock & Roll Politics with Steve Richards · 31/10/2025 · 46m
podcasts.apple.com
October 31, 2025 at 8:38 AM
Latest RocknRoll Politics podcast -What happens if Rachel Reeves breaks her pre-election tax pledges:
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/r...
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/r...
Reposted by Nick Radcliffe
Very excited about this...
✨SPECIAL SHOW NEXT WEEK✨
Monday October 6 @ 1pm (UK time): the first ever LIVE audio/video broadcast of THE KATIE SPENCER RADIO SHOW
As well as spinning favourite tracks, @katiespencermusic.bsky.social will perform some of her own songs. 👌
Tune in via mixcloud.com/vpraudioclub
Unmissable!
Monday October 6 @ 1pm (UK time): the first ever LIVE audio/video broadcast of THE KATIE SPENCER RADIO SHOW
As well as spinning favourite tracks, @katiespencermusic.bsky.social will perform some of her own songs. 👌
Tune in via mixcloud.com/vpraudioclub
Unmissable!
September 29, 2025 at 7:24 PM
Very excited about this...
It’s Bandcamp Friday. 100% revenue to musicians. Why not buy something? Spotify pays them almost nothing.
For example, buy Katie *(@katiespencermusic.bsky.social) Spencer’s new CD, out today.
katiespencerofficial.bandcamp.com/album/what-l...
It’s wonderful.
For example, buy Katie *(@katiespencermusic.bsky.social) Spencer’s new CD, out today.
katiespencerofficial.bandcamp.com/album/what-l...
It’s wonderful.
What Love Is, by Katie Spencer
10 track album
katiespencerofficial.bandcamp.com
October 3, 2025 at 8:45 AM
It’s Bandcamp Friday. 100% revenue to musicians. Why not buy something? Spotify pays them almost nothing.
For example, buy Katie *(@katiespencermusic.bsky.social) Spencer’s new CD, out today.
katiespencerofficial.bandcamp.com/album/what-l...
It’s wonderful.
For example, buy Katie *(@katiespencermusic.bsky.social) Spencer’s new CD, out today.
katiespencerofficial.bandcamp.com/album/what-l...
It’s wonderful.
“Countless experiments show that around 10 per cent of the public don’t understand simple percentages”
— Prof @bobbyduffy.bsky.social, quoted on Peter Kellner’s blog.
kellnerp.substack.com/p/ignorance-...
He could have said one in ten , but I guess Bobby is a take-no-prisoners kind of a guy.
— Prof @bobbyduffy.bsky.social, quoted on Peter Kellner’s blog.
kellnerp.substack.com/p/ignorance-...
He could have said one in ten , but I guess Bobby is a take-no-prisoners kind of a guy.
“Ignorance is Strength”. Was Orwell’s Big Brother right?
Yes – for populists. Parties like Reform rely on voters overstating the scale of today’s problems
kellnerp.substack.com
September 23, 2025 at 12:17 PM
“Countless experiments show that around 10 per cent of the public don’t understand simple percentages”
— Prof @bobbyduffy.bsky.social, quoted on Peter Kellner’s blog.
kellnerp.substack.com/p/ignorance-...
He could have said one in ten , but I guess Bobby is a take-no-prisoners kind of a guy.
— Prof @bobbyduffy.bsky.social, quoted on Peter Kellner’s blog.
kellnerp.substack.com/p/ignorance-...
He could have said one in ten , but I guess Bobby is a take-no-prisoners kind of a guy.
Superb episode. Really insightful. Steve at his best.
September 17, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Superb episode. Really insightful. Steve at his best.
This week’s episode of Steve (@steverichards.bsky.social) Richards’s Rock’n’Roll Politics podcast opens with a really insightful analysis of Kier Starmer, making the case that the seeds of present troubles were sown right after the Hartlepool by-election.
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/w...
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/w...
What are the lessons of the Mandelson saga?
Podcast Episode · Rock & Roll Politics with Steve Richards · 16/09/2025 · 41m
podcasts.apple.com
September 17, 2025 at 5:58 AM
This week’s episode of Steve (@steverichards.bsky.social) Richards’s Rock’n’Roll Politics podcast opens with a really insightful analysis of Kier Starmer, making the case that the seeds of present troubles were sown right after the Hartlepool by-election.
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/w...
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/w...
Apertus: A fully open, transparent, multilingual language model
www.swiss-ai.org/apertus
I continue to think LLMs are a dead end, but this initiative looks fantastic, and might be the start of a route towards a more ethical, responsible, and less US-centric family of LLMs.
Bravo.
www.swiss-ai.org/apertus
I continue to think LLMs are a dead end, but this initiative looks fantastic, and might be the start of a route towards a more ethical, responsible, and less US-centric family of LLMs.
Bravo.
Apertus | Swiss AI
www.swiss-ai.org
September 8, 2025 at 7:37 AM
Apertus: A fully open, transparent, multilingual language model
www.swiss-ai.org/apertus
I continue to think LLMs are a dead end, but this initiative looks fantastic, and might be the start of a route towards a more ethical, responsible, and less US-centric family of LLMs.
Bravo.
www.swiss-ai.org/apertus
I continue to think LLMs are a dead end, but this initiative looks fantastic, and might be the start of a route towards a more ethical, responsible, and less US-centric family of LLMs.
Bravo.
Conversations with Claude 1 (The HTML Glossary)
njr.prose.sh/claude-gloss....
Or:
Why is the bullshitting bullshit generator bullshitting me?
njr.prose.sh/claude-gloss....
Or:
Why is the bullshitting bullshit generator bullshitting me?
Conversations with Claude 1 (The HTML Glossary)
njr.prose.sh
August 11, 2025 at 11:48 AM
Conversations with Claude 1 (The HTML Glossary)
njr.prose.sh/claude-gloss....
Or:
Why is the bullshitting bullshit generator bullshitting me?
njr.prose.sh/claude-gloss....
Or:
Why is the bullshitting bullshit generator bullshitting me?
Lothian Buses retired their old bus app recently, and forced people onto the new one.
I find the new app absolutely incomprehensible. It seems to me to be a disaster in terms of app design, usability and functionality.
The old app was really good.
It's a shame.
@lothianbuses.bsky.social
I find the new app absolutely incomprehensible. It seems to me to be a disaster in terms of app design, usability and functionality.
The old app was really good.
It's a shame.
@lothianbuses.bsky.social
August 7, 2025 at 8:09 AM
Lothian Buses retired their old bus app recently, and forced people onto the new one.
I find the new app absolutely incomprehensible. It seems to me to be a disaster in terms of app design, usability and functionality.
The old app was really good.
It's a shame.
@lothianbuses.bsky.social
I find the new app absolutely incomprehensible. It seems to me to be a disaster in terms of app design, usability and functionality.
The old app was really good.
It's a shame.
@lothianbuses.bsky.social