James Cummings
@jamescummings.bsky.social
Reader in Digital Textual Studies and Late Medieval Literature at @newcastleuni.bsky.social
jamescummings on former birdsite
Long-term contributor to the Text Encoding Initiative #TEI, interested in digital scholarly editions #DH #medieval #drama #HTR #AI
jamescummings on former birdsite
Long-term contributor to the Text Encoding Initiative #TEI, interested in digital scholarly editions #DH #medieval #drama #HTR #AI
Pinned
James Cummings
@jamescummings.bsky.social
· Nov 13
Having an avalanche of new followers, (probably Twitter dying more and the creation of more Starter Packs), here is a short bio with more detailed interests.
I'm into late #medieval #drama, #digital #scholarly #editions, #TEI, #digitaltext, #HTR, #LLMs, and sensible #AI at #NCL #Newcastle uni.
I'm into late #medieval #drama, #digital #scholarly #editions, #TEI, #digitaltext, #HTR, #LLMs, and sensible #AI at #NCL #Newcastle uni.
Reposted by James Cummings
Academic study of the BBC consistently shows a right-wing bias but it is only ever news when it is accused of left-wing bias…which is very characteristic of the general miserable sordid reactionary British media in general theconversation.com/bbc-question...
BBC Question Time: analysis of guests over nine years suggests an overuse of rightwing voices
The top five most frequent non-politician panellists all write for The Spectator.
theconversation.com
November 10, 2025 at 11:40 AM
Academic study of the BBC consistently shows a right-wing bias but it is only ever news when it is accused of left-wing bias…which is very characteristic of the general miserable sordid reactionary British media in general theconversation.com/bbc-question...
Reposted by James Cummings
I was part of an OCLC RLP working group on 'artificial intelligence to support metadata workflows'.
Four posts summarise this work, looking at primary cataloguing, archives and special collections, institutional repositories, and overall pros and cons hangingtogether.org/tag/aiandmet...
Four posts summarise this work, looking at primary cataloguing, archives and special collections, institutional repositories, and overall pros and cons hangingtogether.org/tag/aiandmet...
AIandMetadataWorkflows Archives - Hanging Together
Hanging Together
hangingtogether.org
November 10, 2025 at 1:26 PM
I was part of an OCLC RLP working group on 'artificial intelligence to support metadata workflows'.
Four posts summarise this work, looking at primary cataloguing, archives and special collections, institutional repositories, and overall pros and cons hangingtogether.org/tag/aiandmet...
Four posts summarise this work, looking at primary cataloguing, archives and special collections, institutional repositories, and overall pros and cons hangingtogether.org/tag/aiandmet...
Reposted by James Cummings
The first Paddington Bear soft toy was created by Shirley and Eddie Clarkson. The welly-wearing, over-stuffed creature is believed to have been the prototype for their son, Jeremy.
#BTNRejects #BTNNB
#BTNRejects #BTNNB
November 8, 2025 at 4:51 PM
The first Paddington Bear soft toy was created by Shirley and Eddie Clarkson. The welly-wearing, over-stuffed creature is believed to have been the prototype for their son, Jeremy.
#BTNRejects #BTNNB
#BTNRejects #BTNNB
Reposted by James Cummings
This year’s John Lewis Christmas ad features a surly teenager giving his father the Christmas gift of some vinyl. ‘How did you know?’ his dad says, as he unwraps his new Crocs.
#BTNRejects #BTNNB
#BTNRejects #BTNNB
November 8, 2025 at 10:37 AM
This year’s John Lewis Christmas ad features a surly teenager giving his father the Christmas gift of some vinyl. ‘How did you know?’ his dad says, as he unwraps his new Crocs.
#BTNRejects #BTNNB
#BTNRejects #BTNNB
Reposted by James Cummings
The first scientific evidence of the Black Death in Edinburgh has been discovered on a 14th Century skeleton. Scientists’ first clue was the plague germs found on its teeth, that and it was clutching a massive placard engraved, “Hoax!”.
#BTNNB #BTNRejects
#BTNNB #BTNRejects
November 8, 2025 at 10:39 AM
The first scientific evidence of the Black Death in Edinburgh has been discovered on a 14th Century skeleton. Scientists’ first clue was the plague germs found on its teeth, that and it was clutching a massive placard engraved, “Hoax!”.
#BTNNB #BTNRejects
#BTNNB #BTNRejects
Reposted by James Cummings
A ban on sending black-bag waste to landfill has been delayed until 2028 due to a lack of capacity. If more incinerators are not built, Scottish households will need to decide whether to put their rubbish in the Blue bin, Grey bin, Purple bin, Brown bin, or England.
#BTNRejects #BTNNB
#BTNRejects #BTNNB
November 8, 2025 at 10:40 AM
A ban on sending black-bag waste to landfill has been delayed until 2028 due to a lack of capacity. If more incinerators are not built, Scottish households will need to decide whether to put their rubbish in the Blue bin, Grey bin, Purple bin, Brown bin, or England.
#BTNRejects #BTNNB
#BTNRejects #BTNNB
Reposted by James Cummings
Healthy hedonism means combining fun with well-being, for example: mixing raves and wellness, voguing and yoga, and eating doughnuts with walking to the kitchen to get more doughnuts.
#BTNRejects #BTNNB
#BTNRejects #BTNNB
November 8, 2025 at 10:41 AM
Healthy hedonism means combining fun with well-being, for example: mixing raves and wellness, voguing and yoga, and eating doughnuts with walking to the kitchen to get more doughnuts.
#BTNRejects #BTNNB
#BTNRejects #BTNNB
Reposted by James Cummings
Scientists in Aberdeen have developed a tool which they say can identify the type of meat in shop bought ready meals, down to the breed of animal, and the stable it came from.
#BTNRejects #BTNNB
#BTNRejects #BTNNB
November 8, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Scientists in Aberdeen have developed a tool which they say can identify the type of meat in shop bought ready meals, down to the breed of animal, and the stable it came from.
#BTNRejects #BTNNB
#BTNRejects #BTNNB
Reposted by James Cummings
Today is World Digital Preservation Day #WDPD2025
This year the theme is #WhyPreserve
For us the answer is that without actively preserving our digital records we lose all the evidence and history of our recent (and even not so recent) past and present, and lose the story of what we're doing now.
This year the theme is #WhyPreserve
For us the answer is that without actively preserving our digital records we lose all the evidence and history of our recent (and even not so recent) past and present, and lose the story of what we're doing now.
November 6, 2025 at 11:50 AM
Today is World Digital Preservation Day #WDPD2025
This year the theme is #WhyPreserve
For us the answer is that without actively preserving our digital records we lose all the evidence and history of our recent (and even not so recent) past and present, and lose the story of what we're doing now.
This year the theme is #WhyPreserve
For us the answer is that without actively preserving our digital records we lose all the evidence and history of our recent (and even not so recent) past and present, and lose the story of what we're doing now.
Interesting. ResearchGate has notified me of a citation of an article of mine from a new article of mine which doesn't _yet_ appear on the journal's website. Clearly been ingested somewhere before the release announcement has been posted.
(Yes, I self-cite when reasonable. Bibliometrics, man.)
(Yes, I self-cite when reasonable. Bibliometrics, man.)
November 6, 2025 at 11:49 AM
Interesting. ResearchGate has notified me of a citation of an article of mine from a new article of mine which doesn't _yet_ appear on the journal's website. Clearly been ingested somewhere before the release announcement has been posted.
(Yes, I self-cite when reasonable. Bibliometrics, man.)
(Yes, I self-cite when reasonable. Bibliometrics, man.)
An interesting sounding work! I'd be tempted to skim a few bits of it, read the index, but not sure I could read all of it without at least a sniffle about what we have lost in the ensuing social fragmentation.
À la recherche du temps perdu...
Almost didn't notice because I mute a specific word.
À la recherche du temps perdu...
Almost didn't notice because I mute a specific word.
So I wrote a book about Twitter. Medieval Twitter to be exact---the interconnections between Twitter's textual modes & medieval literary culture(s), plus medievalists' use of Twitter and the #MedievalTwitter hashtag
www.arc-humanities.org/978194240195...
@archumanities.bsky.social #MedievalSky 🗃️
www.arc-humanities.org/978194240195...
@archumanities.bsky.social #MedievalSky 🗃️
November 5, 2025 at 6:31 PM
An interesting sounding work! I'd be tempted to skim a few bits of it, read the index, but not sure I could read all of it without at least a sniffle about what we have lost in the ensuing social fragmentation.
À la recherche du temps perdu...
Almost didn't notice because I mute a specific word.
À la recherche du temps perdu...
Almost didn't notice because I mute a specific word.
I find the concentration on "books" (which itself is a vague catch-all) interesting. What about all the other things they stole? Articles, blog posts, videos, web pages, sourcecode, etc? Those are just as much under copyright as books. Is it just that it is harder to prove economic harm?
OpenAI pirated large numbers of books and used them to train models.
OpenAI then deleted the dataset with the pirated books, and employees sent each other messages about doing so.
A lawsuit could now force the company to pay $150,000 per book, adding up to billions in damages.
OpenAI then deleted the dataset with the pirated books, and employees sent each other messages about doing so.
A lawsuit could now force the company to pay $150,000 per book, adding up to billions in damages.
November 5, 2025 at 12:42 AM
I find the concentration on "books" (which itself is a vague catch-all) interesting. What about all the other things they stole? Articles, blog posts, videos, web pages, sourcecode, etc? Those are just as much under copyright as books. Is it just that it is harder to prove economic harm?
Reposted by James Cummings
Whoa Rebecca Lawrence has resigned as Chief Executive of @britishlibrary.bsky.social. Sorry that this might mean more turmoil at an institution that is a critical part of UK research infrastructure
www.bl.uk/about/press/...
www.bl.uk/about/press/...
British Library Board statement
The British Library Board has announced that Rebecca Lawrence has stepped down as Chief Executive.
www.bl.uk
November 4, 2025 at 2:59 PM
Whoa Rebecca Lawrence has resigned as Chief Executive of @britishlibrary.bsky.social. Sorry that this might mean more turmoil at an institution that is a critical part of UK research infrastructure
www.bl.uk/about/press/...
www.bl.uk/about/press/...
Reposted by James Cummings
📢 Call for Reviewers: #DH2026 Daejeon
Join us in shaping the conference program!
✅ Min. 4 submissions
✅ Double-blind review
✅ ADHO Code of Conduct
Apply: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
#DH2026 #ADHO
Join us in shaping the conference program!
✅ Min. 4 submissions
✅ Double-blind review
✅ ADHO Code of Conduct
Apply: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
#DH2026 #ADHO
Reviewer Nomination for DH2026
Reviewers must meet two or more of the following criteria [please tick the appropriate selection boxes]:
docs.google.com
November 4, 2025 at 12:31 PM
📢 Call for Reviewers: #DH2026 Daejeon
Join us in shaping the conference program!
✅ Min. 4 submissions
✅ Double-blind review
✅ ADHO Code of Conduct
Apply: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
#DH2026 #ADHO
Join us in shaping the conference program!
✅ Min. 4 submissions
✅ Double-blind review
✅ ADHO Code of Conduct
Apply: docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1F...
#DH2026 #ADHO
Depressing indeed. But some of the 'cheating' is like God mode in a video game. It isn't that you want to 'win' the level, but you want to explore the game as a whole. I can get that, but not sure why I'd discuss a book I was reading privately with an LLM... Maybe interpretative reassurance?
The saddest part of this article is the realisation that people are ‘talking’ to ChatGP about a book they’re reading.
That is the most depressing thing I’ve ever read. If you don’t have someone to talk to, at the very least joint a Reddit sub. Fucking hell don’t turn to a predictive text machine!
That is the most depressing thing I’ve ever read. If you don’t have someone to talk to, at the very least joint a Reddit sub. Fucking hell don’t turn to a predictive text machine!
This is a very good article about the real trend of people who use chatGPT for literally everything, and outsource their whole life to it including dating, texts, work emails, hobbies etc etc, and tries to understand why....
www.thecut.com/article/woul...
www.thecut.com/article/woul...
November 4, 2025 at 9:55 AM
Depressing indeed. But some of the 'cheating' is like God mode in a video game. It isn't that you want to 'win' the level, but you want to explore the game as a whole. I can get that, but not sure why I'd discuss a book I was reading privately with an LLM... Maybe interpretative reassurance?
Reposted by James Cummings
Yanyu Li is a PhD student in Speech and Lanugage Sciences at Newcastle University and is one the student convenors of the Phonetics & Phonology Research Group. #linguistics #langsky #phonetics #phonology
November 3, 2025 at 2:03 PM
Yanyu Li is a PhD student in Speech and Lanugage Sciences at Newcastle University and is one the student convenors of the Phonetics & Phonology Research Group. #linguistics #langsky #phonetics #phonology
The 'glazing' or 'affirmation padding' of AI chatbots is obviously annoying. The "That is an excellent question", "What an insightful idea" crap when you've just pointed out that it has misunderstood you is something only complete idiots will find flattering, but it might have deeper consequences.
“Please think about students using chatbots to ‘augment’ their learning and thereby becoming conditioned to expect that their interactions with their educators, whether human or digital, should start from a foundation of obsequiousness.” - @benjaminjriley.bsky.social
Sexbots, students, and schools
AI is warping our understanding of what public education is for
open.substack.com
November 4, 2025 at 9:37 AM
The 'glazing' or 'affirmation padding' of AI chatbots is obviously annoying. The "That is an excellent question", "What an insightful idea" crap when you've just pointed out that it has misunderstood you is something only complete idiots will find flattering, but it might have deeper consequences.
It all comes down to why one uses social media and what one hopes to get out of it.
I don't do engagement on Twitter any more and can't picture what would tempt me back. (I haven't updated the mobile app since He took over so it is still called that and has the bird logo.)
I don't do engagement on Twitter any more and can't picture what would tempt me back. (I haven't updated the mobile app since He took over so it is still called that and has the bird logo.)
Idk, man. 200,000 people here could put me on a block list labeled “snot-nosed acne-pocked puppy torturers” and it would not convince me that I need to do my networking on X.
November 4, 2025 at 9:31 AM
It all comes down to why one uses social media and what one hopes to get out of it.
I don't do engagement on Twitter any more and can't picture what would tempt me back. (I haven't updated the mobile app since He took over so it is still called that and has the bird logo.)
I don't do engagement on Twitter any more and can't picture what would tempt me back. (I haven't updated the mobile app since He took over so it is still called that and has the bird logo.)
Reposted by James Cummings
Awesome! Our new paper in #dhq has just been published!
It discusses three measures of #keyness (or #distinctiveness) when applied to #subgenres of the #French #novel.
The twist is that we perform a #qualitative #evaluation of the measures by relating each list […]
[Original post on fedihum.org]
It discusses three measures of #keyness (or #distinctiveness) when applied to #subgenres of the #French #novel.
The twist is that we perform a #qualitative #evaluation of the measures by relating each list […]
[Original post on fedihum.org]
November 4, 2025 at 7:02 AM
Awesome! Our new paper in #dhq has just been published!
It discusses three measures of #keyness (or #distinctiveness) when applied to #subgenres of the #French #novel.
The twist is that we perform a #qualitative #evaluation of the measures by relating each list […]
[Original post on fedihum.org]
It discusses three measures of #keyness (or #distinctiveness) when applied to #subgenres of the #French #novel.
The twist is that we perform a #qualitative #evaluation of the measures by relating each list […]
[Original post on fedihum.org]
An excellent library! Seeing photos of it brings back memories of the last time I was there (doing TEI stuff). @rialibrary.bsky.social is lucky to have you!
Excited to start today in my new role as Collections and Archives Manager at @rialibrary.bsky.social! Looking forward to working with my colleagues and fun projects! 🤗📖🎉
November 3, 2025 at 3:23 PM
An excellent library! Seeing photos of it brings back memories of the last time I was there (doing TEI stuff). @rialibrary.bsky.social is lucky to have you!
Reposted by James Cummings
Academics in Assyria in the 7th c BC complain that admin is preventing them from doing research and teaching
November 3, 2025 at 10:04 AM
Academics in Assyria in the 7th c BC complain that admin is preventing them from doing research and teaching
Some americans do sometimes have difficulty remembering that other countries exist and that their laws may indeed be different. Besides, who would take American advice on keeping people safe?! They have a mass shooting every 3-4 days and Gestapo in the streets disappearing people.
Well-meaning Americans in my mentions: kindly do not recommend extremely illegal actions that could land people in the UK with a ten year prison sentence
November 3, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Some americans do sometimes have difficulty remembering that other countries exist and that their laws may indeed be different. Besides, who would take American advice on keeping people safe?! They have a mass shooting every 3-4 days and Gestapo in the streets disappearing people.
Reposted by James Cummings
What do we even mean by AI? 🤖✨
Dr Stephen McGough breaks down what Artificial Intelligence and what it means for the future of many industries in the first episode of the latest 'From Newcastle' series.
Listen wherever you get your podcasts now 🎧
https://bit.ly/4qDoa3I
#Podcast #WeAreNCL #AI
Dr Stephen McGough breaks down what Artificial Intelligence and what it means for the future of many industries in the first episode of the latest 'From Newcastle' series.
Listen wherever you get your podcasts now 🎧
https://bit.ly/4qDoa3I
#Podcast #WeAreNCL #AI
November 2, 2025 at 5:40 PM
What do we even mean by AI? 🤖✨
Dr Stephen McGough breaks down what Artificial Intelligence and what it means for the future of many industries in the first episode of the latest 'From Newcastle' series.
Listen wherever you get your podcasts now 🎧
https://bit.ly/4qDoa3I
#Podcast #WeAreNCL #AI
Dr Stephen McGough breaks down what Artificial Intelligence and what it means for the future of many industries in the first episode of the latest 'From Newcastle' series.
Listen wherever you get your podcasts now 🎧
https://bit.ly/4qDoa3I
#Podcast #WeAreNCL #AI
Reposted by James Cummings
Wish me luck...
(Prompts were: a circus/neglecting/a peasant)
Good luck to everyone else participating this weekend!
#ScaryStoryChallenge #NYCMidnight
(Prompts were: a circus/neglecting/a peasant)
Good luck to everyone else participating this weekend!
#ScaryStoryChallenge #NYCMidnight
November 2, 2025 at 10:18 PM
Wish me luck...
(Prompts were: a circus/neglecting/a peasant)
Good luck to everyone else participating this weekend!
#ScaryStoryChallenge #NYCMidnight
(Prompts were: a circus/neglecting/a peasant)
Good luck to everyone else participating this weekend!
#ScaryStoryChallenge #NYCMidnight