Morgan
@duckwhatduck.bsky.social
definitely appropriate to be reading @garethdennis.uk's book in the luggage rack of a delayed CrossCountry train (which is the one after the one we were trying to catch an hour earlier and which was too short to physically contain everyone trying to get onto it)...
November 14, 2025 at 4:01 PM
definitely appropriate to be reading @garethdennis.uk's book in the luggage rack of a delayed CrossCountry train (which is the one after the one we were trying to catch an hour earlier and which was too short to physically contain everyone trying to get onto it)...
it's not a cartel, it's a trade union
the wilful refusal of elected members of the *Labour Party* to understand or acknowledge what a fucking trade union is and what it's fucking for, istg
the wilful refusal of elected members of the *Labour Party* to understand or acknowledge what a fucking trade union is and what it's fucking for, istg
November 12, 2025 at 7:06 PM
it's not a cartel, it's a trade union
the wilful refusal of elected members of the *Labour Party* to understand or acknowledge what a fucking trade union is and what it's fucking for, istg
the wilful refusal of elected members of the *Labour Party* to understand or acknowledge what a fucking trade union is and what it's fucking for, istg
Reposted by Morgan
The Phantom Menace is fine actually but if you disagree you probably aren't a fascist
November 10, 2025 at 8:41 PM
The Phantom Menace is fine actually but if you disagree you probably aren't a fascist
Under the same law that's supposed to protect people from bigotry, and being given at least as much weight.
it's just the most straightforward and blatant paradox of tolerance exploit
it's just the most straightforward and blatant paradox of tolerance exploit
Bigotry is now a protected characteristic under UK law.
The Forstater case broke something fundamentally in our democracy and nobody cared because it was happening to those fucking trannies at the time.
November 9, 2025 at 3:45 PM
Under the same law that's supposed to protect people from bigotry, and being given at least as much weight.
it's just the most straightforward and blatant paradox of tolerance exploit
it's just the most straightforward and blatant paradox of tolerance exploit
Reposted by Morgan
TLDR; The PSF has made the decision to put our community and our shared diversity, equity, and inclusion values ahead of seeking $1.5M in new revenue. Please read and share. pyfound.blogspot.com/2025/10/NSF-...
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The official home of the Python Programming Language
www.python.org
October 27, 2025 at 2:47 PM
TLDR; The PSF has made the decision to put our community and our shared diversity, equity, and inclusion values ahead of seeking $1.5M in new revenue. Please read and share. pyfound.blogspot.com/2025/10/NSF-...
🧵
🧵
Reposted by Morgan
Dick Van Dyke has OUTLIVED Dick Cheney
November 4, 2025 at 12:12 PM
Dick Van Dyke has OUTLIVED Dick Cheney
Reposted by Morgan
My son is on blockers legally from before the ban and we did everything they told us to do and now we are being threatened with social services if we don't allow them to "safely withdraw" medication. They admit that the impact will be "stark" for our kids but they are going to do it anyway.
"Laura fears all will be lost if ICB Sussex forces her child off the medication.
If ICB Sussex get their own way in a matter of weeks and they force detransition, Olive may well take her life."
northwestbylines.co.uk/news/health/...
If ICB Sussex get their own way in a matter of weeks and they force detransition, Olive may well take her life."
northwestbylines.co.uk/news/health/...
NHS threatens GP practice over trans care
A GP practice in Brighton and Hove is currently under investigation for legally providing gender affirming care to trans teens
northwestbylines.co.uk
November 3, 2025 at 3:22 PM
My son is on blockers legally from before the ban and we did everything they told us to do and now we are being threatened with social services if we don't allow them to "safely withdraw" medication. They admit that the impact will be "stark" for our kids but they are going to do it anyway.
Reposted by Morgan
Yeah, what amazes me is that Röhm didn't have the advantage of being able to check a biography of Ernst Röhm out from the library to see what happens next, but these guys do, so what is their excuse?
And, I mean, they're all deeply incurious, arrogant people, that's it, but still.
And, I mean, they're all deeply incurious, arrogant people, that's it, but still.
November 3, 2025 at 9:47 PM
Yeah, what amazes me is that Röhm didn't have the advantage of being able to check a biography of Ernst Röhm out from the library to see what happens next, but these guys do, so what is their excuse?
And, I mean, they're all deeply incurious, arrogant people, that's it, but still.
And, I mean, they're all deeply incurious, arrogant people, that's it, but still.
Reposted by Morgan
lots of people explaining to me (in good faith, tbc) that these companies are afraid that if they give people guidance on what to use/not use these tools for, it shrinks their potential market size, and, yes, i am aware. that's part of the problem i'm complaining about.
one of my frustrations is that very few of the companies building these tools have spent any time or effort trying to explain to consumers what these tools are actually best at accomplishing (and what they're *not* appropriate for) and how to use them effectively.
I'm anti-anti-anti AI I think. It probably could be used in responsible ways for many applications, but it's appropriate that it face stiff headwinds when doing so to keep the people who want to use it honest. The skepticism is healthy.
October 31, 2025 at 7:41 PM
lots of people explaining to me (in good faith, tbc) that these companies are afraid that if they give people guidance on what to use/not use these tools for, it shrinks their potential market size, and, yes, i am aware. that's part of the problem i'm complaining about.
more fuel for my rant about how the scouring of the shire is an essential part of the narrative and leaving it out of the movies was a huge mistake
If you need to explain to an idiot why Tolkien would have despised these goons, I have already grabbed a picture of the relevant passage (and I doubt I was the first):
October 30, 2025 at 12:30 PM
more fuel for my rant about how the scouring of the shire is an essential part of the narrative and leaving it out of the movies was a huge mistake
and yet Palantir have ruled out bidding for contracts on UK digital ID delivery because it's too undemocratic. PALANTIR.
when PALANTIR are like 'hey steady on, government, we're not sure we want in on this round of surveillance state stuff' that's...sure a thing
when PALANTIR are like 'hey steady on, government, we're not sure we want in on this round of surveillance state stuff' that's...sure a thing
October 30, 2025 at 12:12 PM
and yet Palantir have ruled out bidding for contracts on UK digital ID delivery because it's too undemocratic. PALANTIR.
when PALANTIR are like 'hey steady on, government, we're not sure we want in on this round of surveillance state stuff' that's...sure a thing
when PALANTIR are like 'hey steady on, government, we're not sure we want in on this round of surveillance state stuff' that's...sure a thing
Saruman levels off the charts
There is a long interview with Palantir CTO Shyam Sankar by columnist Ross Douthat in the Times today. "We’re explicitly not building Skynet," he reassures Douthat, in a wide ranging conversation that ranges from the company's work with ICE and Israel to Sankar's appetite for pro-American movies.
Opinion | What Palantir Sees
www.nytimes.com
October 30, 2025 at 12:03 PM
Saruman levels off the charts
Reposted by Morgan
the National Trust said it’s an unprecedented year for acorns and I love this for him
October 28, 2025 at 3:52 PM
the National Trust said it’s an unprecedented year for acorns and I love this for him
I keep seeing AI techbros talking about how full automation of work is inevitable and then going to 'so either we can contribute to making that happen or ignore it, these are the only options for what to do about it' and, uh, what?
no, if that's your focus, get on prepping for the consequences?
no, if that's your focus, get on prepping for the consequences?
October 22, 2025 at 9:30 AM
I keep seeing AI techbros talking about how full automation of work is inevitable and then going to 'so either we can contribute to making that happen or ignore it, these are the only options for what to do about it' and, uh, what?
no, if that's your focus, get on prepping for the consequences?
no, if that's your focus, get on prepping for the consequences?
Reposted by Morgan
People treat it like there’s some kind of competition for who’s been victimized the most and not a collaboration to make sure we’re all victimized as little as possible
October 13, 2025 at 12:29 AM
People treat it like there’s some kind of competition for who’s been victimized the most and not a collaboration to make sure we’re all victimized as little as possible
Reposted by Morgan
"Hey Shannon, what's the mood?"
Thinking about how people have managed to coopt feminist language to subtly denigrate men, rather than bring women equality. How men wanting tool-shaped soaps is "fragile masculinity" but women with rose soaps are "enjoying femininity"
Thinking about how people have managed to coopt feminist language to subtly denigrate men, rather than bring women equality. How men wanting tool-shaped soaps is "fragile masculinity" but women with rose soaps are "enjoying femininity"
September 29, 2025 at 1:45 PM
"Hey Shannon, what's the mood?"
Thinking about how people have managed to coopt feminist language to subtly denigrate men, rather than bring women equality. How men wanting tool-shaped soaps is "fragile masculinity" but women with rose soaps are "enjoying femininity"
Thinking about how people have managed to coopt feminist language to subtly denigrate men, rather than bring women equality. How men wanting tool-shaped soaps is "fragile masculinity" but women with rose soaps are "enjoying femininity"
Reposted by Morgan
Absolutely spot on - and also completely in line with their essential purity/taboo ideas of sex. Tale as old as time: this kind of sex is dirty, but I want it, therefore the dirt 'belongs' to the object of desire, who can be sectioned off and disposed of as contaminated, while I remain clean.
One of the reasons why the Right oppress trans people while also consuming vast amounts of porn about us is that they want to keep us poor, marginalised and available for low paid sex work. They hate the idea of our having other options.
September 25, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Absolutely spot on - and also completely in line with their essential purity/taboo ideas of sex. Tale as old as time: this kind of sex is dirty, but I want it, therefore the dirt 'belongs' to the object of desire, who can be sectioned off and disposed of as contaminated, while I remain clean.
mostly it's that we didn't understand how things worked then but also I do believe that to some degree
some of those things felt possible because they *were* possible, or it was possible they might become feasible.
just. possible isn't inevitable.
some of those things felt possible because they *were* possible, or it was possible they might become feasible.
just. possible isn't inevitable.
The late 90s/early 2000s in my mind is a giant expanse of time where - in my head, to be clear, not as a matter of fact - it felt *more*was possible than now, and I know that’s because I didn’t understand how things worked then and now I do. I just wish I wasn’t so dreadfully disappointed by reality
September 19, 2025 at 6:11 PM
mostly it's that we didn't understand how things worked then but also I do believe that to some degree
some of those things felt possible because they *were* possible, or it was possible they might become feasible.
just. possible isn't inevitable.
some of those things felt possible because they *were* possible, or it was possible they might become feasible.
just. possible isn't inevitable.
Reposted by Morgan
Discworld QOTD, from Going Postal
August 19, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Discworld QOTD, from Going Postal
Reposted by Morgan
A concrete thing every UK person who cares about trans rights can do right now:
1. Email a link of this report to your MP, with highlights from the executive summary in your email. Ask them what it means for your constituency and their party - highlight trans people's legally mandated human rights
1. Email a link of this report to your MP, with highlights from the executive summary in your email. Ask them what it means for your constituency and their party - highlight trans people's legally mandated human rights
TW.
Needs to be widely shared with cisgender people, especially politicians. Utterly horrifying that Britain has come to this- that most of Britain is just looking the other way while a whole community is being eliminated from society because of lies and hatred. transactual.org.uk/wp-content/u...
Needs to be widely shared with cisgender people, especially politicians. Utterly horrifying that Britain has come to this- that most of Britain is just looking the other way while a whole community is being eliminated from society because of lies and hatred. transactual.org.uk/wp-content/u...
August 20, 2025 at 8:33 AM
A concrete thing every UK person who cares about trans rights can do right now:
1. Email a link of this report to your MP, with highlights from the executive summary in your email. Ask them what it means for your constituency and their party - highlight trans people's legally mandated human rights
1. Email a link of this report to your MP, with highlights from the executive summary in your email. Ask them what it means for your constituency and their party - highlight trans people's legally mandated human rights
you shouldn't get to say "we will not tolerate any form of discrimination" while discriminating, actually.
Well. I am cancelling my GymGroup membership because they are happily abiding by the flawed EHRC interim guidance and instituting transphobic policies. Please share this so that other queer members have this info and can make informed choices.
August 20, 2025 at 8:13 AM
you shouldn't get to say "we will not tolerate any form of discrimination" while discriminating, actually.
Reposted by Morgan
The fact that the thing we're calling artificial intelligence *can't do math* and yet we're jamming it into programs that successfully *have done math* for decades, then warning people against using the AI to do math, seems like an excellent summary of where we are.
Good thing no one uses Microsoft Excel for anything related to legal, regulatory or compliance business functions
www.theverge.com/news/761338/...
www.theverge.com/news/761338/...
August 19, 2025 at 6:09 PM
The fact that the thing we're calling artificial intelligence *can't do math* and yet we're jamming it into programs that successfully *have done math* for decades, then warning people against using the AI to do math, seems like an excellent summary of where we are.
Reposted by Morgan
if the rage-bait works too well it might be fake
::clap clap::
if the rage-bait works too well it might be fake
::clap clap::
look, we’ve all been fooled before
when a deep-fake makes us sore
but kindly doublecheck your source, it might be fake
::clap clap::
::clap clap::
if the rage-bait works too well it might be fake
::clap clap::
look, we’ve all been fooled before
when a deep-fake makes us sore
but kindly doublecheck your source, it might be fake
::clap clap::
August 18, 2025 at 3:31 AM
if the rage-bait works too well it might be fake
::clap clap::
if the rage-bait works too well it might be fake
::clap clap::
look, we’ve all been fooled before
when a deep-fake makes us sore
but kindly doublecheck your source, it might be fake
::clap clap::
::clap clap::
if the rage-bait works too well it might be fake
::clap clap::
look, we’ve all been fooled before
when a deep-fake makes us sore
but kindly doublecheck your source, it might be fake
::clap clap::
Reposted by Morgan
Here are the authors who have pulled out of the Queer Polari Prize due to the inclusion of self-identified TERF/Gender Critical author Boyne.
They deserve support & I think it’s worth buying from an independent bookshop or borrowing from a library!
They deserve support & I think it’s worth buying from an independent bookshop or borrowing from a library!
August 13, 2025 at 12:57 PM
Here are the authors who have pulled out of the Queer Polari Prize due to the inclusion of self-identified TERF/Gender Critical author Boyne.
They deserve support & I think it’s worth buying from an independent bookshop or borrowing from a library!
They deserve support & I think it’s worth buying from an independent bookshop or borrowing from a library!
Reposted by Morgan
the initial draft of the syllabus I'm writing describes genAI as "a fascist environmental catastrophe disguised as a plagiarism machine, marketed to people who dislike thinking for themselves"
maybe that's too much for the course policies section but my heart knows what it knows
maybe that's too much for the course policies section but my heart knows what it knows
August 6, 2025 at 9:09 PM
the initial draft of the syllabus I'm writing describes genAI as "a fascist environmental catastrophe disguised as a plagiarism machine, marketed to people who dislike thinking for themselves"
maybe that's too much for the course policies section but my heart knows what it knows
maybe that's too much for the course policies section but my heart knows what it knows