Hugh Barnard
hughbarnard.bsky.social
Hugh Barnard
@hughbarnard.bsky.social
Ecology, local democracy, FOSS, AI, ethics, radical financial reform/alternative currencies, music:http://tinyurl.com/4btpysvm, miscellaneous mischief.

Pic is Umi&me at the Grand Soleil in Gruissan
@hughbarnard@post.lurk.org and https://hughbarnard.org
Reposted by Hugh Barnard
BrewDog could be broken up as craft beer business put up for sale
BrewDog could be broken up as craft beer business put up for sale
Brewer last month said it was closing its distilling brands, prompting concerns for jobs at its Scottish facility The beer-maker BrewDog could be broken up after consultants were called in to help find new investors. The Scotland-based brewer, which makes craft beer such as Punk IPA and Elvis Juice, has appointed consultants AlixPartners to oversee the sale process. BrewDog last month announced it was closing its distilling brands, prompting concerns for jobs at its facility in Ellon, Aberdeenshire. The company, which was founded in 2007 by friends James Watt and Martin Dickie, said it made the decision to focus on its beer products. No decision has been made in respect of the sale process. A spokesperson for BrewDog said: “As with many businesses operating in a challenging economic climate and facing sustained macro headwinds, we regularly review our options with a focus on the long-term strength and sustainability of the company. “Following a year of decisive action in 2025, which saw a focus on costs and operating efficiencies, we have appointed AlixPartners to support a structured and competitive process to evaluate the next phase of investment for the business. “This is a deliberate and disciplined step with a focus on strengthening the long-term future of the BrewDog brand and its operations.” The spokesperson added: “BrewDog remains a global pioneer in craft beer: a world-class consumer brand, the No 1 independent brewer in the UK and with a highly engaged global community. “We believe that this combination will attract substantial interest, though no final decisions have been made. “Our breweries, bars, and venues continue to operate as normal. We will not comment on any further speculation.” The company announced job cuts across the business in October last year after posting a £37m loss. BrewDog operates 72 bars around the world, as well as four breweries. The firm employs about 1,400 people and has breweries in Ellon, as well as in the US, Australia and Germany. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
February 14, 2026 at 9:34 PM
Reposted by Hugh Barnard
Says the woman who disregarded evidence and medical professionals to "weaponise" children to such an extent she got necessary medical support stripped from trans young people, in a manner shown to have contributed to an increase in deaths.
She needs to sit this out.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Children 'weaponised' in toxic trans debate, Cass says
Clinician Dr Hilary Cass says
www.bbc.co.uk
February 15, 2026 at 8:52 AM
Reposted by Hugh Barnard
In Northern Ireland, where the Equality Act does not apply, the DUP Education Minister has unilaterally banned trans kids in schoools and the UUP Health Minister has unilaterally stopped participation in the puberty blocker trials, both citing legal cases they can't be arsed waiting on.
February 15, 2026 at 8:54 AM
Reposted by Hugh Barnard
There is so much fretting about trust in news these days. Maybe there shouldn’t be. My latest, on how Bezos won my misplaced trust the same way the media often did: by telling me what I wanted to hear. www.nytimes.com/2026/02/14/o...
Opinion | Why Did I Trust Jeff Bezos?
www.nytimes.com
February 14, 2026 at 1:29 PM
Reposted by Hugh Barnard
Women's Institute groups close rather than become trans-exclusive bigot holes.

Transphobia isn't the popular choice.
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
‘Carnage of concern and upset’: Women’s Institute groups close after transgender ban
Members warn NFWI decision has opened up toxic culture that deters younger women from joining
www.theguardian.com
February 14, 2026 at 1:48 PM
Reposted by Hugh Barnard
‘Former Washington Post staff writer Gillian Brockell has been tracking the movements of ICE-contracted aircraft and documenting repeated stopovers in Shannon since last May.’

- Colin Sheridan @gbrockell.bsky.social www.irishexaminer.com/opinion/comm...
Shannon Airport and ICE deportation flights raise fresh questions over Irish neutrality
ICE deportation stopovers at Shannon Airport reignite debate about neutrality, accountability and Ireland’s complicity in US removals
www.irishexaminer.com
February 14, 2026 at 6:12 AM
Reposted by Hugh Barnard
It’s so funny to think about the fact that there’s people out there deferring every life decision to this
February 14, 2026 at 9:53 AM
Reposted by Hugh Barnard
Watching pro AI people in Reddit discussions about slop PRs (code edit submissions to open source public software projects) complaining "What's the problem just review the PRs, if they're good merge them" really underlines a lot of the problematic way that AI boosters devalue respect for labour.
February 14, 2026 at 10:23 AM
Reposted by Hugh Barnard
I think if more people had been following @janelleshane.com over the years we wouldn't be in the mess we're in now. Also I miss the days when language models were hilarious
But perhaps we should return to romance, because I’m not entirely cynical, and celebrate @janelleshane.com training a neural network to generate alternative slogans for Love Hearts (or candy hearts if you’re in the US)
February 14, 2026 at 11:05 AM
Reposted by Hugh Barnard
'Oh, that was easy,’ says Man, and for an encore goes on to prove that black is white and gets himself killed on the next zebra crossing.
February 14, 2026 at 6:58 AM
Reposted by Hugh Barnard
Morning.
February 14, 2026 at 6:02 AM
Reposted by Hugh Barnard
This idea that one can discern a technology is fascist and then still conclude "we need to collect data" is nonsense! www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/a...
AI Is Hollowing Out Higher Education
Olivia Guest & Iris van Rooij urge teachers and scholars to reject tools that commodify learning, deskill students, and promote illiteracy.
www.project-syndicate.org
February 1, 2026 at 7:06 AM
Reposted by Hugh Barnard
Yes, we know perfectly well that nothing on earth can shake you out of your vulgar liberal complacency.
February 13, 2026 at 10:10 PM
Reposted by Hugh Barnard
A centuries old tradition is being given a bold new twist this Valentine's Day, as academics and performers in west Wales reimagine the role of the town crier to celebrate women whose voices are often unheard
Town crier tradition reimagined in Aberystwyth for Valentine's Day
Adam Johannes A centuries old tradition is being given a bold new twist this Valentine’s Day, as academics and performers in west Wales reimagine the role of the town crier to celebrate women whose vo...
wp.me
February 14, 2026 at 8:01 AM
Reposted by Hugh Barnard
Everyone knows this is a privatisation stitch-up. A year ago, Streeting had declared to parliament more than £372,000 from private health-linked interests & he's kept raking it in since then. Let's trend #WhyWeHateStarmer
www.theguardian.com/society/2026...
Source:
goodlawproject.org/health-secre...
NHS deal with AI firm Palantir called into question after officials’ concerns revealed
Exclusive: in 2025 briefing to Wes Streeting, officials warned reputation of tech firm behind US ICE operations would hinder rollout of data system in UK
www.theguardian.com
February 13, 2026 at 6:27 AM
ktla.com
February 13, 2026 at 5:49 PM
Reposted by Hugh Barnard
🚨🚨 "Surprise, surprise": The U.S. is reorienting its foreign funding program to export #MAGA ideology to Europe — and a growing set of far-right and conservative think tanks and political groups are lining up to take Washington’s money. 🧵 www.politico.eu/article/maga...
The MAGA-friendly European think tanks Trump wants to fund
The Heritage Foundation identified European groups for U.S. backing.
www.politico.eu
February 13, 2026 at 2:56 PM
Reposted by Hugh Barnard
Used electric vehicle batteries could meet two-thirds of China’s grid storage needs, charging up when renewable energy is plentiful and disbursing it when demand outstrips supply.
February 13, 2026 at 5:10 PM
Reposted by Hugh Barnard
TotalEnergies didn't pay French tax last year due to loss on refining business, CEO says reut.rs/3OFPb8c
TotalEnergies didn't pay French tax last year due to loss on refining business, CEO says
French oil major TotalEnergies did not pay corporate tax in France last year because its operations in the country generated a loss of about 300 million euros ($356.07 million), CEO Patrick Pouyanne said on Friday.
reut.rs
February 13, 2026 at 5:10 PM
Reposted by Hugh Barnard
This is a 5kg solid gold coin. Worth about £600,000. But for it to be legal tender – and this can be used in a shop! – it has to have a denomination. And the Royal Mint has decided its face value is…£5,000.
I discovered this strange fact at The Trial of the Pyx
🧵 1/3
February 13, 2026 at 7:27 AM
Reposted by Hugh Barnard
Oh please do fuck off.

Tell you what, now ask if pathetic far right incel ideology is doing the same, because let's be honest they are far more likely.
February 12, 2026 at 7:55 PM
Reposted by Hugh Barnard
If you want to know what Reform would be like in power, look at how it threatened Bangor University | Gaby Hinsliff
If you want to know what Reform would be like in power, look at how it threatened Bangor University | Gaby Hinsliff
A debating society didn’t want to invite two figures connected to the party to speak. Cue an authoritarian response, says Guardian columnist Gaby Hinsliff
www.theguardian.com
February 13, 2026 at 6:47 AM
Reposted by Hugh Barnard
Reform candidate calls for young girls to be given "biological reality check" www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
Reform candidate calls for ‘young girls’ to be given ‘biological reality’ check
Exclusive: Matt Goodwin argued ‘young girls’ should be explained ‘the biological reality’ that ‘many women in Britain are having children much too late in life’
www.independent.co.uk
February 13, 2026 at 8:05 AM
Reposted by Hugh Barnard
NEWS: Goldman Sachs’ top lawyer Kathryn Ruemmler has RESIGNED after newly released emails exposed a years-long personal relationship with Jeffrey Epstein — including advising him on handling sex crime accusations, media scrutiny, and accusers.
February 13, 2026 at 2:23 AM