Daniel Stunell
@danielstunell.bsky.social
Researcher, Evaluator, Policy Analyst, Critical Thinker | Environment & Social Science | Mountains & Photos
In the very unlikely event you wish to use any images beyond a BlueSky share or repost, please ask permission.
In the very unlikely event you wish to use any images beyond a BlueSky share or repost, please ask permission.
Huge short term bias pushed elsewhere too. Some products may need long-term use to judge. Online purchases ask for user reviews but with mountaineering kit how would I know how it'll stand up after a winter season, or five, until I've done it? (And I'm still learning the camera I bought in August.)
January 15, 2026 at 6:49 PM
Huge short term bias pushed elsewhere too. Some products may need long-term use to judge. Online purchases ask for user reviews but with mountaineering kit how would I know how it'll stand up after a winter season, or five, until I've done it? (And I'm still learning the camera I bought in August.)
Current global powerhouses are peaking first, which adds a different dimension, and aging will hugely shape population preferences and politics as countries age too. Pensioners want stability over growth; older populations are less likely to bring down governments through actions on the street etc
January 13, 2026 at 11:53 PM
Current global powerhouses are peaking first, which adds a different dimension, and aging will hugely shape population preferences and politics as countries age too. Pensioners want stability over growth; older populations are less likely to bring down governments through actions on the street etc
I like a lot of the 'left wing' solutions (good for society) but I doubt they'll reverse this structural trend. I don't like the 'right wing' solutions, and they wouldn't reverse the trend either. Global population is peaking and it's going to be a new experience after unprecedented rapid growth.
January 13, 2026 at 11:48 PM
I like a lot of the 'left wing' solutions (good for society) but I doubt they'll reverse this structural trend. I don't like the 'right wing' solutions, and they wouldn't reverse the trend either. Global population is peaking and it's going to be a new experience after unprecedented rapid growth.
I found this article long but informative - the second (non-climate) half is more interesting. Fundamentally birthrates fall in affluent societies and this quite a long term trend, and no country that has dropped below replacement rate has (yet) come back up. www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
David Runciman · Are we doomed? The End of the Species
Are we doomed to die out? We find ourselves at the only point in the history of the species when the rate of population...
www.lrb.co.uk
January 13, 2026 at 11:43 PM
I found this article long but informative - the second (non-climate) half is more interesting. Fundamentally birthrates fall in affluent societies and this quite a long term trend, and no country that has dropped below replacement rate has (yet) come back up. www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v4...
Rocks and pebbles atop glacier smoothed bedrock for #RockinTuesday. Barre des Écrins, #France.
#mountains #mountaineering #glaciers #geology #photography #landscape #EastCoastKin
#mountains #mountaineering #glaciers #geology #photography #landscape #EastCoastKin
January 13, 2026 at 6:27 PM
Rocks and pebbles atop glacier smoothed bedrock for #RockinTuesday. Barre des Écrins, #France.
#mountains #mountaineering #glaciers #geology #photography #landscape #EastCoastKin
#mountains #mountaineering #glaciers #geology #photography #landscape #EastCoastKin
Ben Nevis, Highlands, #Scotland, for #MountainMonday. April (I think) a few years ago, *not* current conditions! Taken from Càrn Mòr Dearg.
#mountains #mountaineering #landscape #scape #snow #winter #EastCoastKin
#mountains #mountaineering #landscape #scape #snow #winter #EastCoastKin
January 12, 2026 at 3:52 PM
Ben Nevis, Highlands, #Scotland, for #MountainMonday. April (I think) a few years ago, *not* current conditions! Taken from Càrn Mòr Dearg.
#mountains #mountaineering #landscape #scape #snow #winter #EastCoastKin
#mountains #mountaineering #landscape #scape #snow #winter #EastCoastKin
In the air, above the water, and what could be more natural than that? #BirdOfTheDay #natural
A very dreich day in the Forth esturary, but a first visit to Cambus Pools nature reserve which I would now like to revisit in sunshine...
#birds #wildlife #nature #photography #EastCoastKin
A very dreich day in the Forth esturary, but a first visit to Cambus Pools nature reserve which I would now like to revisit in sunshine...
#birds #wildlife #nature #photography #EastCoastKin
January 11, 2026 at 10:39 PM
In the air, above the water, and what could be more natural than that? #BirdOfTheDay #natural
A very dreich day in the Forth esturary, but a first visit to Cambus Pools nature reserve which I would now like to revisit in sunshine...
#birds #wildlife #nature #photography #EastCoastKin
A very dreich day in the Forth esturary, but a first visit to Cambus Pools nature reserve which I would now like to revisit in sunshine...
#birds #wildlife #nature #photography #EastCoastKin
True to form I read Barrayar first which is definitely not the best entry point but was what came off the shelf in the library at the time - I had no idea it would lead to all the rest! But I still really like these two - and Cordelia as a character - best to this day.
January 11, 2026 at 10:24 PM
True to form I read Barrayar first which is definitely not the best entry point but was what came off the shelf in the library at the time - I had no idea it would lead to all the rest! But I still really like these two - and Cordelia as a character - best to this day.
Very short, but just right for the story being told. Had temporarily forgotten this gem until I saw your post.
January 11, 2026 at 8:37 PM
Very short, but just right for the story being told. Had temporarily forgotten this gem until I saw your post.
Some strong female characters in several of his books.
January 11, 2026 at 8:33 PM
Some strong female characters in several of his books.
Yes - and perfect entry point despite being numbered #2 and #3 here.
January 11, 2026 at 8:30 PM
Yes - and perfect entry point despite being numbered #2 and #3 here.
Yes but Shards of Honor and Barrayar also I think? (And I think two of the absolute best in the sequence).
January 11, 2026 at 8:29 PM
Yes but Shards of Honor and Barrayar also I think? (And I think two of the absolute best in the sequence).
Was looking at the thread to say just this: Shards of Honour & Barrayar. The rest of them have well drawn female characters too, but these two centre on a female protagonist. And are simply all-time greats for *any* space opera list.
January 11, 2026 at 8:25 PM
Was looking at the thread to say just this: Shards of Honour & Barrayar. The rest of them have well drawn female characters too, but these two centre on a female protagonist. And are simply all-time greats for *any* space opera list.
I use P mode a lot!
January 11, 2026 at 6:09 PM
I use P mode a lot!
My OM has a little AEL button. So I move it around the scene until I have the sunset colouration I want in the viewfinder, then press AEL, which seems to lock those colours, and then frame the picture I want. I'm not at all convinced this is the best way as still very much learning!
January 11, 2026 at 1:40 AM
My OM has a little AEL button. So I move it around the scene until I have the sunset colouration I want in the viewfinder, then press AEL, which seems to lock those colours, and then frame the picture I want. I'm not at all convinced this is the best way as still very much learning!
With my compact I frequently used the half press to select for metering, then moved to frame the shot before pressing fully. Still a learner with a more sophisticated camera but I now use AEL a lot for this (and can focus seperately!). Probably not sophisticated, but interesting to explore.
January 11, 2026 at 1:24 AM
With my compact I frequently used the half press to select for metering, then moved to frame the shot before pressing fully. Still a learner with a more sophisticated camera but I now use AEL a lot for this (and can focus seperately!). Probably not sophisticated, but interesting to explore.
Really enjoyed this article - super-informative and very accessible for a non-technical photographer (me!). The question of how to get a scene and the moon in focus had always been a puzzle.
January 10, 2026 at 5:21 PM
Really enjoyed this article - super-informative and very accessible for a non-technical photographer (me!). The question of how to get a scene and the moon in focus had always been a puzzle.
Yep - it was more cloud than snow in my photo to be honest, though blowing a gale. If you can't see your hand, it's survival time not photo time!
January 9, 2026 at 10:06 PM
Yep - it was more cloud than snow in my photo to be honest, though blowing a gale. If you can't see your hand, it's survival time not photo time!
There's seldom time to take a photo in a blizzard but here's one of the times I did - just after making the decision to retreat on Ben Klibreck in the far north of Scotland.
January 9, 2026 at 1:44 PM
There's seldom time to take a photo in a blizzard but here's one of the times I did - just after making the decision to retreat on Ben Klibreck in the far north of Scotland.
Back to early autumn for #ForestFriday by la Dronne, #France.
#trees #water #forest #scape #landscape #photography #EastCoastKin
#trees #water #forest #scape #landscape #photography #EastCoastKin
January 9, 2026 at 12:22 AM
Back to early autumn for #ForestFriday by la Dronne, #France.
#trees #water #forest #scape #landscape #photography #EastCoastKin
#trees #water #forest #scape #landscape #photography #EastCoastKin
In addition to the formal forecast, the (almost) daily blogs for each area are an additional very useful resource both for learning, and for the photo evidence of conditions on the hill (or sometimes road!) which can really help planning whatever the forecast.
January 7, 2026 at 10:43 AM
In addition to the formal forecast, the (almost) daily blogs for each area are an additional very useful resource both for learning, and for the photo evidence of conditions on the hill (or sometimes road!) which can really help planning whatever the forecast.
Alva Glen, Clackmannanshire, #Scotland. #WaterfallWednesday
#waterfall #water #nature #landscape #EastCoastKin
#waterfall #water #nature #landscape #EastCoastKin
January 7, 2026 at 12:22 AM
Alva Glen, Clackmannanshire, #Scotland. #WaterfallWednesday
#waterfall #water #nature #landscape #EastCoastKin
#waterfall #water #nature #landscape #EastCoastKin
Stopped by to say exactly this. And also, for the venues, when my dad got a hearing aid he was shocked how poorly many hearing loop systems actually were, because venue staff don't use them themselves. But as a speaker, you using the microphone is an essential step, even if not always sufficient.
January 6, 2026 at 11:42 PM
Stopped by to say exactly this. And also, for the venues, when my dad got a hearing aid he was shocked how poorly many hearing loop systems actually were, because venue staff don't use them themselves. But as a speaker, you using the microphone is an essential step, even if not always sufficient.
I don't usually, but I have one that fits the bill perfectly: #BirdOfTheDay #BlackAndWhite
#birds #nature #wildlife #photography
#birds #nature #wildlife #photography
January 6, 2026 at 5:52 PM
I don't usually, but I have one that fits the bill perfectly: #BirdOfTheDay #BlackAndWhite
#birds #nature #wildlife #photography
#birds #nature #wildlife #photography
The contrast is even sharper than that. The southern Highlands had blue skies and the merest dusting all weekend, while friends in the Cairngorms were snowed in in the glens.
January 6, 2026 at 5:46 PM
The contrast is even sharper than that. The southern Highlands had blue skies and the merest dusting all weekend, while friends in the Cairngorms were snowed in in the glens.