Roy Lonergan
@roylonergan.bsky.social
Son of immigrants. Not integrated. East, east, east London.
Some photographs: https://t.co/B0HT8DtgRg
Some photographs: https://t.co/B0HT8DtgRg
Stephen Hawking is a 4-2-1
it's probably Natalie Portman, who has a 5-2-2 via a neuroscience paper authored with Abigail Baird, appearing in A Powerful Noise Live with Sarah Michelle Geller (who appeared with Bacon in The Air I Breathe), and who appeared in New York, I Love You, which had a segment co-directed by Ratner.
Has someone figured out who has the lowest Erdos-Bacon-Epstein number and what it means to be that person?
February 1, 2026 at 11:25 PM
Stephen Hawking is a 4-2-1
The Science of Flann O’Brien | NI Science Festival
nisciencefestival.com
January 29, 2026 at 10:47 AM
A regular five or ten year restrospective view would be great. And I'd add a new award for "Dear God did people really vote for that".
Thinking this morning about really striking books that didn't seem to get the attention they should have; one of the things I keep "joking" about at ARB is an award or shortlist for books from more than a year ago that weren't widely recognized.
Great but stealthy books of the last ~5 years?
Great but stealthy books of the last ~5 years?
Fine to have different opinions, but: I think SELF-PORTRAIT WITH NOTHING is one of the most striking debuts in SFF in quite a while, & it's shame it didn't get more attention; I was *specifically* impressed with it on a style & prose level. My review for @chicagorevbooks.bsky.social from back when:
January 28, 2026 at 10:33 AM
A regular five or ten year restrospective view would be great. And I'd add a new award for "Dear God did people really vote for that".
I read Small Things last year. Foster may be even better. Short, but very full. Economical, not sparse. Who is her equal in prose?
I saw a quote from her:
“It takes me a long time to make those stories short."
I saw a quote from her:
“It takes me a long time to make those stories short."
January 25, 2026 at 11:08 AM
I read Small Things last year. Foster may be even better. Short, but very full. Economical, not sparse. Who is her equal in prose?
I saw a quote from her:
“It takes me a long time to make those stories short."
I saw a quote from her:
“It takes me a long time to make those stories short."
I have. This podcast channel is excellent. Just specialists talking to other specialists. No frills because as none are needed.
Have you listened to The Medieval Irish History Podcast's latest episode yet?
In this episode, Dr Niamh Wycherley interviews Dr Sarah Waidler (NYU), a specialist on medieval Irish hagiographies and the various texts that can broadly be understood within the spectrum of holy writings.
In this episode, Dr Niamh Wycherley interviews Dr Sarah Waidler (NYU), a specialist on medieval Irish hagiographies and the various texts that can broadly be understood within the spectrum of holy writings.
Hagiography with Dr Sarah Waidler
open.spotify.com
January 23, 2026 at 12:21 PM
I have. This podcast channel is excellent. Just specialists talking to other specialists. No frills because as none are needed.
Niche complaint.
“Hilbert space” should be in the index.
“Hilbert space” should be in the index.
January 22, 2026 at 2:20 PM
Niche complaint.
“Hilbert space” should be in the index.
“Hilbert space” should be in the index.
Trump is a random walk with a drift.
January 22, 2026 at 9:54 AM
Trump is a random walk with a drift.
Brian Aldiss wrote that “We are suffering from the curse that was Baron Frankenstein’s in Mary Shelly’s novel: by seeking to control too much, we have lost control of ourselves.”
So is this a Frankenstein variation?
1/n
So is this a Frankenstein variation?
1/n
January 21, 2026 at 4:49 PM
Brian Aldiss wrote that “We are suffering from the curse that was Baron Frankenstein’s in Mary Shelly’s novel: by seeking to control too much, we have lost control of ourselves.”
So is this a Frankenstein variation?
1/n
So is this a Frankenstein variation?
1/n
Pick up the nearest book. Turn to page 42, post the 2nd sentence ....
“Go before the syndics of Geneva and declare your error.”
“Go before the syndics of Geneva and declare your error.”
Pick up the nearest book. Turn to page 42, post the 2nd sentence ....
"Good thing I know the road, it is".
"Good thing I know the road, it is".
Pick up the nearest book. Turn to page 42, post the second sentence
‘In accordance with the ferocious aims of this talisman, it was recommended to suffumigate it with either blood, part of the clothing of a man who suffered a violent death or cat or mouse droppings.’
‘In accordance with the ferocious aims of this talisman, it was recommended to suffumigate it with either blood, part of the clothing of a man who suffered a violent death or cat or mouse droppings.’
January 21, 2026 at 10:17 AM
Pick up the nearest book. Turn to page 42, post the 2nd sentence ....
“Go before the syndics of Geneva and declare your error.”
“Go before the syndics of Geneva and declare your error.”
Reposted by Roy Lonergan
HAPPY 96th BIRTHDAY to Buzz Aldrin!🚀
Walked on the Moon with Neil Armstrong on Apollo 11, here he is during an EVA (spacewalk) on the earlier Gemini XII mission - Nov 13, 1966.
(Digitally remastered from the original flight film for 'Gemini & Mercury Remastered' book):
Walked on the Moon with Neil Armstrong on Apollo 11, here he is during an EVA (spacewalk) on the earlier Gemini XII mission - Nov 13, 1966.
(Digitally remastered from the original flight film for 'Gemini & Mercury Remastered' book):
January 20, 2026 at 6:04 PM
HAPPY 96th BIRTHDAY to Buzz Aldrin!🚀
Walked on the Moon with Neil Armstrong on Apollo 11, here he is during an EVA (spacewalk) on the earlier Gemini XII mission - Nov 13, 1966.
(Digitally remastered from the original flight film for 'Gemini & Mercury Remastered' book):
Walked on the Moon with Neil Armstrong on Apollo 11, here he is during an EVA (spacewalk) on the earlier Gemini XII mission - Nov 13, 1966.
(Digitally remastered from the original flight film for 'Gemini & Mercury Remastered' book):
One great writer in this meme.
January 20, 2026 at 3:37 PM
One great writer in this meme.
Looks like a planet to me.
These are the icy mountains of Pluto. It took 9 years to get these magnificent images… and 4.8 billion kilometers.
January 19, 2026 at 1:23 PM
Looks like a planet to me.
Interesting update. Reading this, it occurs to me that - some - charities probably do need to stay on X given who they want to reach.
ICYMI over the weekend, here's my latest look at charities on X and how this has shifted this month.
Another round of charity X-odus – January 2026
An update into the charity sector’s use of X in January 2026. Use it to help benchmark your use.
madlinblog.wordpress.com
January 19, 2026 at 1:19 PM
Interesting update. Reading this, it occurs to me that - some - charities probably do need to stay on X given who they want to reach.
Not all parasites are on X.
Another one: British Society for Parasitology. We made the decision at our AGM in March 2025 to no longer post on X/Twitter
January 17, 2026 at 12:12 PM
Not all parasites are on X.
@t0nyyates.bsky.social One for your collection.
Last year, we made the decision to step away from X.
The Royal Irish Academy is committed to creating, convening, and sharing knowledge for the public good and as an organisation we value Independence; Integrity; Curiosity; Openness and Rigour.
In our view, X no longer aligns with these values
The Royal Irish Academy is committed to creating, convening, and sharing knowledge for the public good and as an organisation we value Independence; Integrity; Curiosity; Openness and Rigour.
In our view, X no longer aligns with these values
January 17, 2026 at 11:52 AM
@t0nyyates.bsky.social One for your collection.
UK state pension is affordable and the triple-lock still has work to do before it‘s turned off.
The Irish figures are interesting. The effect of the first generations of Irish pensioners that weren’t exported.
The Irish figures are interesting. The effect of the first generations of Irish pensioners that weren’t exported.
Great piece on pressures on European state pension schemes including this chart showing comparative cost now and projection to 2070. UK costs relatively low in comparison to most others www.ft.com/content/9c3c...
January 15, 2026 at 9:45 AM
UK state pension is affordable and the triple-lock still has work to do before it‘s turned off.
The Irish figures are interesting. The effect of the first generations of Irish pensioners that weren’t exported.
The Irish figures are interesting. The effect of the first generations of Irish pensioners that weren’t exported.
The West Midlands police fabricating evidence?
It’s always the ones you least expect.
It’s always the ones you least expect.
West Midlands police chief apologises after AI error used to justify Maccabi Tel Aviv ban
West Midlands police chief apologises after AI error used to justify Maccabi Tel Aviv ban
Craig Guildford says he gave incorrect evidence to MPs and mistake arose from ‘use of Microsoft Copilot’
*
UK politics live – latest updates
The chief of West Midlands police has apologised to MPs for giving them incorrect evidence about the decision to ban Maccabi Tel Aviv fans, saying it had been produced by artificial intelligence (AI).
Craig Guildford told the home affairs select committee on Monday that the inclusion of a fictitious match between Maccabi Tel Aviv and West Ham in police intelligence “arose as a result of a use of Microsoft Copilot”. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
January 14, 2026 at 1:40 PM
The West Midlands police fabricating evidence?
It’s always the ones you least expect.
It’s always the ones you least expect.
It‘s always about power. True of model use as Emily points out but also true of the data that the models train on.
I think that an underreported reason for why "<insert group here> has low AI adoption" is that many people do not have the luxury to be able to trade time for accuracy.
It's hard enough for women and minorities to succeed in STEM careers. We don't have the same luxury to be forgiven for mistakes
It's hard enough for women and minorities to succeed in STEM careers. We don't have the same luxury to be forgiven for mistakes
January 14, 2026 at 1:18 PM
It‘s always about power. True of model use as Emily points out but also true of the data that the models train on.
Reposted by Roy Lonergan
I think that an underreported reason for why "<insert group here> has low AI adoption" is that many people do not have the luxury to be able to trade time for accuracy.
It's hard enough for women and minorities to succeed in STEM careers. We don't have the same luxury to be forgiven for mistakes
It's hard enough for women and minorities to succeed in STEM careers. We don't have the same luxury to be forgiven for mistakes
January 14, 2026 at 7:38 AM
I think that an underreported reason for why "<insert group here> has low AI adoption" is that many people do not have the luxury to be able to trade time for accuracy.
It's hard enough for women and minorities to succeed in STEM careers. We don't have the same luxury to be forgiven for mistakes
It's hard enough for women and minorities to succeed in STEM careers. We don't have the same luxury to be forgiven for mistakes
UKLG’s most direct (simple?) anti-colonial story. Vietnam-era but a universal tale. It‘s very clear about the way in which racism is an essential, enabling companion of colonialism. Depressingly salient.
January 13, 2026 at 1:40 PM
UKLG’s most direct (simple?) anti-colonial story. Vietnam-era but a universal tale. It‘s very clear about the way in which racism is an essential, enabling companion of colonialism. Depressingly salient.
Boyle worked for BBC Northern Ireland so he’s not ignorant.
And he’s had flack over Irish editorial decisions before: with Elephant where he deliberately decontextualised the killings by excluding any security force involvement. His choice, but it would have been a very different film had he so.
And he’s had flack over Irish editorial decisions before: with Elephant where he deliberately decontextualised the killings by excluding any security force involvement. His choice, but it would have been a very different film had he so.
I am joking and being silly and petty BUT I also think the fact that nobody in the room stopped and thought "Hey, should we think about this?" is a problem and is very common in how Britain at large dismisses its own history of empire. I'm just saying.
The biggest issue I take with 28 Years Later is that the island of Ireland is part of the quarantine zone. Literally no reason for that except Brit imperialism.
January 13, 2026 at 9:15 AM
Boyle worked for BBC Northern Ireland so he’s not ignorant.
And he’s had flack over Irish editorial decisions before: with Elephant where he deliberately decontextualised the killings by excluding any security force involvement. His choice, but it would have been a very different film had he so.
And he’s had flack over Irish editorial decisions before: with Elephant where he deliberately decontextualised the killings by excluding any security force involvement. His choice, but it would have been a very different film had he so.
Bluesky is not an echo chamber. It’s just a coincidence that the starter packs are all the fucking same.
Good time to find out how many starter packs I’m not in
January 12, 2026 at 11:36 AM
Bluesky is not an echo chamber. It’s just a coincidence that the starter packs are all the fucking same.
Interesting point. The Soviets had a lot of UK/US materiel in WW2. Perhaps 10-15% of their total equipment. Transport particularly. The Red Army was moved around by Detroit.
However,they have only demonstrated that without the armies of the former Soviet republics, the help of the Western allies, and Lend-Lease, their only capability is to perish in the frozen fields of Donbas, sacrificing hundreds of thousands of soldiers to seize the ruins of villages they themselves
January 11, 2026 at 8:45 PM
Interesting point. The Soviets had a lot of UK/US materiel in WW2. Perhaps 10-15% of their total equipment. Transport particularly. The Red Army was moved around by Detroit.