James Ashford
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jrashford.com
James Ashford
@jrashford.com
30, #Christian Saved by Grace, #Husband, #Father, #Cyclist and #Runner.

I'm a Research Associate (postdoc) in the UK studying #SocialMedia activity using #NetworkAnalysis and more. Views my own.

https://linktr.ee/jrashf
Connections
Puzzle #871
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October 29, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Welcome to London! Where the coffee is expensive but the pigeons are friendly.
October 24, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Reposted by James Ashford
Sales of Bibles soared in the weeks after the fatal shooting of conservative political activist and author Charlie Kirk.
Bible Sales Surged Following Killing of Charlie Kirk
A 36% jump in September, compared with a year earlier, indicates a religious revival for some in the U.S.
on.wsj.com
October 20, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Reposted by James Ashford
"This Week in Plasma" brings the news that Plasma improves accessibility for colorblind users, you can set up slideshow wallpapers easier, and enjoy a more modern Add Connection dialog.

Plus tons of other stuff...

blogs.kde.org/2025/09/27/t...
September 27, 2025 at 9:14 AM
Think I’m going to come off all social media for a bit. If there’s one thing I’ve discovered over the past few days is that social media (even Bluesky) can be filed with utterly vile people.
September 12, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Another year another milestone…..
August 7, 2025 at 7:19 PM
Reposted by James Ashford
Really interesting paper by @lucas-wright.bsky.social about recent shifts in trust and safety infrastructure being contracted out to third-party companies. This does an excellent job of putting this shift in context with regulatory compliance and implications for platform ecosystems. 1/
July 23, 2025 at 6:14 PM
If only there was a better, more sustainable way of packaging eggs…
July 17, 2025 at 4:17 PM
Connections
Puzzle #767
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July 17, 2025 at 9:26 AM
I’m assuming it isn’t normal for sunflowers to grow like this?? #Gardening #Sunflower
July 16, 2025 at 6:45 AM
Reposted by James Ashford
Macron: "He's a very clever cat"
Merci monsieur le président x
July 10, 2025 at 7:36 PM
Looking forward to reading this one. #CSLewis #Book.
July 8, 2025 at 5:12 PM
I guess there are some perks to having a child with chickenpox. I would’ve missed these beautiful views whilst working. #Nature
July 3, 2025 at 9:20 AM
Reposted by James Ashford
Nitschke, who invented the pod, which uses gas to assist death, said: "As soon as we know that the final legislation is in place we’ll start enthusiastically pursuing the option of using the device in the UK."

ENTHUSIASTICALLY?!

Lord, have mercy

www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...
Suicide pod will be ready to use in UK, inventor says
Dr Philip Nitschke is hoping that doctors will embrace his Sarco pod, created with a 3D printer, when the assisted dying bill becomes law
www.thetimes.com
June 21, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Reposted by James Ashford
🔍 The NABS+ commissioning call is now open!

We’re funding small, focused research projects that tackle key security and defence challenges using behavioural science. Topics include AI, online harms, and information manipulation. APPLY NOW crestresearch.ac.uk/nabs/commiss...
Commissioning
Thank you for your interest in applying to the NABS+ commissioning call. To ensure your application meets all necessary criteria, please read the guidance documents below carefully before submitting.…
crestresearch.ac.uk
June 19, 2025 at 9:08 AM
Devastating news.

MPs vote to decriminalise abortion for women in England and Wales www.bbc.com/news/article...
MPs vote to decriminalise abortion for women in England and Wales
Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi led the call to decriminalise the 1% of abortions that happen after 24 weeks.
www.bbc.com
June 17, 2025 at 6:52 PM
Reposted by James Ashford
🚨 Call for Abstracts!
I'm excited to announce the 2nd workshop on Directions of Polarization, Social Norms, and Trust in Societies
@ MIT on Dec 5-6
Keynotes from
@bgoldberg.bsky.social & @adamberinsky.bsky.social

🗓️ Deadline to submit: July 14, 2025
🔗 sites.google.com/view/polariz...
June 17, 2025 at 1:54 AM
Reposted by James Ashford
❓ Have you registered yet? ❓

Over 100 participants are already on board — but there’s still room for you to join!

Be there Thursday 19 June at 14:30 CEST for a closer look at governments' legal obligations to tackle disinformation! 👇
us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
Disinformation and free expression often seem at odds – but tackling the former is key to protecting the latter. Join us to explore governments’ legal duties to counter disinfo & uphold free speech.

📅 19 June | 14:30 CEST
🎙️ Tarlach McGonagle, @ivir-uva.bsky.social
🔗 us06web.zoom.us/webinar/regi...
June 17, 2025 at 8:18 AM
Went to my son’s nursery for a Father’s Day event. Seeing this is a neat freak’s worst nightmare.
June 13, 2025 at 6:48 PM
Made #cookies for the first time to do with a little help from #Claude. #AI #Baking #ClaudeSonnet
May 31, 2025 at 4:25 PM
Reposted by James Ashford
This project grew out of a convo I had with @katestarbird.bsky.social in Sept 2018 after a great talk she gave a MIT - only took 6.5 years to finally appear in print! Makes me very glad for working papers...
New paper in PSPB! journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

Well, actually, not "new". We first put this paper online way back Dec 2022... in any case, we think it's really cool!

We find that conspiracy believers tend to be overconfident & really don't seem to realize that most disagree with them
May 30, 2025 at 2:55 PM
Raised bed is coming along nicely. Today I added two acers, marigolds and a nemesia. #gardening
May 24, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Making the most of the nice evening weather by working on my sermon in the garden #writing #garden #Sermon
May 19, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Do all “The North Face” shops face north? #showerthoughts
May 18, 2025 at 8:38 AM