Mike Hall
@mikehall314.bsky.social
Web developer and Doctor Who fan (not in that order). Science, reason, and critical thinking. Skeptical of the Placebo Effect.
Director of Merseyside Skeptics. Co-host of Skeptics with a K. Director of The Skeptic. Director of QED. Autistic. /H(?:e|im)/ui
Director of Merseyside Skeptics. Co-host of Skeptics with a K. Director of The Skeptic. Director of QED. Autistic. /H(?:e|im)/ui
I’m looking forward to playing with this. I love working in CouchDB.
New version! CouchDB 3.5.1 is now available. It is a maintenance release with a lot of bug fixes, but it also includes a number of substantial performance improvements: blog.couchdb.org/2025/11/11/3...
3.5.1
Dear community, Apache CouchDB® 3.5.1 has been released and is available for download. CouchDB 3.5.1 is a maintenance release, and was originally published on 2025-11-11. Pre-built packages for Win…
blog.couchdb.org
November 11, 2025 at 12:01 PM
I’m looking forward to playing with this. I love working in CouchDB.
Reposted by Mike Hall
Private Eye cartoon of mine from early 2024.
November 10, 2025 at 12:33 PM
Private Eye cartoon of mine from early 2024.
Software people! There is a charity looking for volunteers to support their work in improving diversity in young mathematicians. If you fancy helping out, drop me a DM and I’ll give you details. RT for reach too!
November 10, 2025 at 10:42 AM
Software people! There is a charity looking for volunteers to support their work in improving diversity in young mathematicians. If you fancy helping out, drop me a DM and I’ll give you details. RT for reach too!
Reposted by Mike Hall
Once every 20 years or so, the director-general of the BBC is forced to resign for being insufficiently rightwing. Alastair Milne in 1987. Greg Dyke in 2004. Tim Davie in 2025. The great irony is that the BBC was in all cases profoundly biased towards established power. But just not biased enough …
November 10, 2025 at 5:44 AM
Once every 20 years or so, the director-general of the BBC is forced to resign for being insufficiently rightwing. Alastair Milne in 1987. Greg Dyke in 2004. Tim Davie in 2025. The great irony is that the BBC was in all cases profoundly biased towards established power. But just not biased enough …
Watching the Season 13 Blu-ray, and an odd thing occurs to me.
The Doctor mispronouncing Amelia Ducat’s name as “Ducket”, is almost exactly the same joke as the Bucket/Bouqet joke from Keeping Up Appearances, but flipped.
The Doctor mispronouncing Amelia Ducat’s name as “Ducket”, is almost exactly the same joke as the Bucket/Bouqet joke from Keeping Up Appearances, but flipped.
November 8, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Watching the Season 13 Blu-ray, and an odd thing occurs to me.
The Doctor mispronouncing Amelia Ducat’s name as “Ducket”, is almost exactly the same joke as the Bucket/Bouqet joke from Keeping Up Appearances, but flipped.
The Doctor mispronouncing Amelia Ducat’s name as “Ducket”, is almost exactly the same joke as the Bucket/Bouqet joke from Keeping Up Appearances, but flipped.
Reposted by Mike Hall
Last month, #NothingPersonal gave #WhatsApp a 6/10 for privacy 📱
Good news: they’re now adding encrypted chat backups using fingerprint or face ID.
Progress? Yes. Perfect? Not yet.
See what else needs fixing — and how you can protect your data 👇
🔗 mzl.la/43cIoHK
Good news: they’re now adding encrypted chat backups using fingerprint or face ID.
Progress? Yes. Perfect? Not yet.
See what else needs fixing — and how you can protect your data 👇
🔗 mzl.la/43cIoHK
Whatsapp App Review 2025: Privacy, Pros and Cons, Personal Data
Read our privacy expert's review of the messaging app Whatsapp. While WhatsApp can be used relatively safely, there are some privacy pitfalls lurking beneath the surface. Most of them relate to WhatsA...
mzl.la
November 4, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Last month, #NothingPersonal gave #WhatsApp a 6/10 for privacy 📱
Good news: they’re now adding encrypted chat backups using fingerprint or face ID.
Progress? Yes. Perfect? Not yet.
See what else needs fixing — and how you can protect your data 👇
🔗 mzl.la/43cIoHK
Good news: they’re now adding encrypted chat backups using fingerprint or face ID.
Progress? Yes. Perfect? Not yet.
See what else needs fixing — and how you can protect your data 👇
🔗 mzl.la/43cIoHK
Reposted by Mike Hall
I hate fireworks season. All the animals who can’t handle the big booms let alone the people who might be triggered by it. What’s the point?
November 4, 2025 at 6:34 PM
I hate fireworks season. All the animals who can’t handle the big booms let alone the people who might be triggered by it. What’s the point?
Reposted by Mike Hall
The Placebo Effect is N-rays
August 14, 2025 at 1:05 PM
The Placebo Effect is N-rays
Anyone who came to QED now understands why.
Today I will be mostly listening to the Back to the Future soundtrack
November 3, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Anyone who came to QED now understands why.
I am hooting at a comment describing the Phistomefel Ring (a set-theory thing from sudoku) as “the Fist of Meffel” ring.
November 1, 2025 at 7:39 AM
I am hooting at a comment describing the Phistomefel Ring (a set-theory thing from sudoku) as “the Fist of Meffel” ring.
I think what Americans don’t really understand about the Trolley Problem, is that in the UK the word “trolley” means a shopping cart. And so we’re being asked to choose between two people getting their thighs annoyingly pinched by a rubber castor and that’s about it.
October 31, 2025 at 10:25 AM
I think what Americans don’t really understand about the Trolley Problem, is that in the UK the word “trolley” means a shopping cart. And so we’re being asked to choose between two people getting their thighs annoyingly pinched by a rubber castor and that’s about it.
Yes!
Loving the creativity @inesakrap.bsky.social is bringing to her talk on building a sustainable, fast web. #perfnow
October 30, 2025 at 2:22 PM
Yes!
Any software people who follow me know how I can distribute content via Apple News? They used to accept submissions but don’t seem to any more.
October 27, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Any software people who follow me know how I can distribute content via Apple News? They used to accept submissions but don’t seem to any more.
The Shepherd’s Boy is on.
October 26, 2025 at 2:54 PM
The Shepherd’s Boy is on.
@asignia.bsky.social thank you for being such a good sport today for QED.
October 26, 2025 at 12:27 AM
@asignia.bsky.social thank you for being such a good sport today for QED.
Reposted by Mike Hall
I’ve made a public feed for #qedcon - if anyone wants to follow it you can find it here: bsky.app/profile/did:...
October 24, 2025 at 8:17 AM
I’ve made a public feed for #qedcon - if anyone wants to follow it you can find it here: bsky.app/profile/did:...
First event for #qedcon is TONIGHT, when @jonathanjarry.bsky.social will be speaking for GMSS at the English Lounge from 7pm. More at www.gmss.uk/events/mercola
Con Artists or True Believers: The Mercola Tapes
7:00PM Thursday 23 October 2025 at English Lounge
www.gmss.uk
October 23, 2025 at 3:13 PM
First event for #qedcon is TONIGHT, when @jonathanjarry.bsky.social will be speaking for GMSS at the English Lounge from 7pm. More at www.gmss.uk/events/mercola
It’s QED very very soon. I’m excited. And stressed. But excited.
Time to make those tough decisions on which sessions you'll be choosing to attend at this year's QED. The schedule is now live: qedcon.org/schedule
Event Schedule | QED 2025
Timetable of events for the QED science and skepticism conference, 25th-26th October 2025.
qedcon.org
October 21, 2025 at 9:42 PM
It’s QED very very soon. I’m excited. And stressed. But excited.
Feedback on an article about why a conspiracy theory about the Titanic is bullshit.
“Uhh, it’s not a theory, it’s a story”
I fucking hate the Internet.
“Uhh, it’s not a theory, it’s a story”
I fucking hate the Internet.
October 13, 2025 at 12:34 PM
Feedback on an article about why a conspiracy theory about the Titanic is bullshit.
“Uhh, it’s not a theory, it’s a story”
I fucking hate the Internet.
“Uhh, it’s not a theory, it’s a story”
I fucking hate the Internet.
Here is an article I wrote about the conspiracy theory that the sinking of the Titanic was an elaborate insurance job.
October 13, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Here is an article I wrote about the conspiracy theory that the sinking of the Titanic was an elaborate insurance job.
Today I had another meeting with Alice and Bob. I assume it was encrypted.
This is, of course, the same joke I made last time I had a meeting with Alice and Bob. But if it’s going to pop up in my head every time, I don’t see why I should live with that alone.
This is, of course, the same joke I made last time I had a meeting with Alice and Bob. But if it’s going to pop up in my head every time, I don’t see why I should live with that alone.
October 12, 2025 at 3:31 PM
Today I had another meeting with Alice and Bob. I assume it was encrypted.
This is, of course, the same joke I made last time I had a meeting with Alice and Bob. But if it’s going to pop up in my head every time, I don’t see why I should live with that alone.
This is, of course, the same joke I made last time I had a meeting with Alice and Bob. But if it’s going to pop up in my head every time, I don’t see why I should live with that alone.
The Doctor’s conversation with Davros in Remembrance of the Daleks is remarkably concerned with erectile dysfunction.
October 10, 2025 at 6:09 PM
The Doctor’s conversation with Davros in Remembrance of the Daleks is remarkably concerned with erectile dysfunction.
Reposted by Mike Hall
Pleased to share the final full line up for 2025.ffconf.org
It's a day that you'll come away from inspired and full of ideas.
It's a day that you'll come away from inspired and full of ideas.
October 10, 2025 at 10:22 AM
Pleased to share the final full line up for 2025.ffconf.org
It's a day that you'll come away from inspired and full of ideas.
It's a day that you'll come away from inspired and full of ideas.
Reposted by Mike Hall
I won't believe the Doctor Who series 10 soundtrack news until that email from Silva Screen hits my inbox...
October 9, 2025 at 2:51 PM
I won't believe the Doctor Who series 10 soundtrack news until that email from Silva Screen hits my inbox...
Oh dear what a shock I never saw this coming at all.
Discord users suffer the first high-profile age-verification hack – and it's unlikely to be the last
Critics of age verification laws warned this was inevitable
www.tomsguide.com
October 8, 2025 at 8:49 AM
Oh dear what a shock I never saw this coming at all.