Rik M
@spetsdad.bsky.social
He/him (for want of anything better). Business Analyst. Ex-programmer. Archer (resting). Knitter. Sometime leathercrafter. Husband and father.
Just saw someone ridiculing an "EMF blocking beanie hat"... I mean, I guess they could run conducting thread through the thing, but doesn't a Faraday cage have to completely surround an object to block EM radiation...? Having an open side where your head goes in would kind of defeat the concept
January 2, 2026 at 12:09 AM
Just saw someone ridiculing an "EMF blocking beanie hat"... I mean, I guess they could run conducting thread through the thing, but doesn't a Faraday cage have to completely surround an object to block EM radiation...? Having an open side where your head goes in would kind of defeat the concept
Reposted by Rik M
Okay, I will preface this with the GIGANTIC disclaimer that I promise I know how this looks, and I *swear* this is not personally motivated: If you have an old #LiveJournal account, and it has things you still care about in it, download it or import it to Dreamwidth SOON. Details:
January 1, 2026 at 11:26 AM
Okay, I will preface this with the GIGANTIC disclaimer that I promise I know how this looks, and I *swear* this is not personally motivated: If you have an old #LiveJournal account, and it has things you still care about in it, download it or import it to Dreamwidth SOON. Details:
Reposted by Rik M
I just sniped a kid in Overwatch and he wrote "ohhh Kirked me" and I just found out they're using that as shorthand for a good snipe HOLY SHIT LOL
December 31, 2025 at 9:42 PM
I just sniped a kid in Overwatch and he wrote "ohhh Kirked me" and I just found out they're using that as shorthand for a good snipe HOLY SHIT LOL
Reposted by Rik M
This set of observations is produced by my scrolling Reddit and otherwise listening to people talk about "how to write."
A) there is no requirement that any of your characters has any sort of "arc" let alone a redemption.
B) there is also no requirement that your fiction has a plot.
A) there is no requirement that any of your characters has any sort of "arc" let alone a redemption.
B) there is also no requirement that your fiction has a plot.
December 31, 2025 at 4:47 PM
This set of observations is produced by my scrolling Reddit and otherwise listening to people talk about "how to write."
A) there is no requirement that any of your characters has any sort of "arc" let alone a redemption.
B) there is also no requirement that your fiction has a plot.
A) there is no requirement that any of your characters has any sort of "arc" let alone a redemption.
B) there is also no requirement that your fiction has a plot.
Finishing the year with a drop of Clydeside malt...
December 31, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Finishing the year with a drop of Clydeside malt...
Reposted by Rik M
‘I’ve seen that look before. You drinking cuz you got bad news?’
‘The worst-just got fired from my #dream job.’
‘That sucks. What was your job?’
‘Technician at a biology lab. I experimented with mixing Cheetah DNA with Crab DNA.’
‘What happened?’
‘Things went sideways really fast.’
#vss365
‘The worst-just got fired from my #dream job.’
‘That sucks. What was your job?’
‘Technician at a biology lab. I experimented with mixing Cheetah DNA with Crab DNA.’
‘What happened?’
‘Things went sideways really fast.’
#vss365
December 31, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Reposted by Rik M
News flash: MIT rediscovers coupling and cohesion and the idea of a well-structured distribution of responsibilities.
This sounds like it meshes very closely with an idea I had about "atomic development", which I keep meaning to write up, as well as possibly this one - news.mit.edu/2025/mit-res...
MIT researchers propose a new model for legible, modular software
A new MIT CSAIL approach breaks software systems into “concepts,” or individual pieces designed to do one job, and “synchronizations,” or explicit rules that describe how those pieces fit together. Th...
news.mit.edu
December 31, 2025 at 3:57 PM
News flash: MIT rediscovers coupling and cohesion and the idea of a well-structured distribution of responsibilities.
Reposted by Rik M
Just like every year, a friendly PSA:
“Feliz ano nuevo” means “happy new anus.”
“Feliz año nuevo” means “happy new year.”
Wishing folks either one is nice, but make sure you’re using the one you mean.
“Feliz ano nuevo” means “happy new anus.”
“Feliz año nuevo” means “happy new year.”
Wishing folks either one is nice, but make sure you’re using the one you mean.
December 31, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Just like every year, a friendly PSA:
“Feliz ano nuevo” means “happy new anus.”
“Feliz año nuevo” means “happy new year.”
Wishing folks either one is nice, but make sure you’re using the one you mean.
“Feliz ano nuevo” means “happy new anus.”
“Feliz año nuevo” means “happy new year.”
Wishing folks either one is nice, but make sure you’re using the one you mean.
Reposted by Rik M
Mid-transformation Gollum looks like he's about to sue a charity for providing trans inclusive services
December 31, 2025 at 4:16 PM
Mid-transformation Gollum looks like he's about to sue a charity for providing trans inclusive services
I'm currently contemplating that my lifetime may see the death of both the Tory party and Labour, and in both cases it's entirely self-inflicted... 🤷
December 31, 2025 at 2:09 PM
I'm currently contemplating that my lifetime may see the death of both the Tory party and Labour, and in both cases it's entirely self-inflicted... 🤷
Reposted by Rik M
I'm asking John - and indeed all journalists - as a new year resolution to stop comparisons with a national economy and a household budget.
How many years have to go by until we can have coherent conversations in the media about the economy?
t.co/jIObxTAoeL
How many years have to go by until we can have coherent conversations in the media about the economy?
t.co/jIObxTAoeL
December 31, 2025 at 12:49 PM
I'm asking John - and indeed all journalists - as a new year resolution to stop comparisons with a national economy and a household budget.
How many years have to go by until we can have coherent conversations in the media about the economy?
t.co/jIObxTAoeL
How many years have to go by until we can have coherent conversations in the media about the economy?
t.co/jIObxTAoeL
Reposted by Rik M
You let him get away with this?👇
Did it not occur to you to challenge him?
Or did he only agree to the interview, provided there were no awkward questions?
Did it not occur to you to challenge him?
Or did he only agree to the interview, provided there were no awkward questions?
December 31, 2025 at 10:06 AM
You let him get away with this?👇
Did it not occur to you to challenge him?
Or did he only agree to the interview, provided there were no awkward questions?
Did it not occur to you to challenge him?
Or did he only agree to the interview, provided there were no awkward questions?
Reposted by Rik M
another robot highlight for 2025: man wearing humanoid mocap suit kicks himself in the balls
December 27, 2025 at 5:27 PM
another robot highlight for 2025: man wearing humanoid mocap suit kicks himself in the balls
Reposted by Rik M
Charles Dickens: hey it's Christmas!
Dickens: you know what that means!
Clive Barker: Christmas was last week, man
Dickens: it means
Dickens: what?
Dickens: no no that can't be!
Dickens: you know what that means!
Clive Barker: Christmas was last week, man
Dickens: it means
Dickens: what?
Dickens: no no that can't be!
December 27, 2025 at 7:03 PM
Charles Dickens: hey it's Christmas!
Dickens: you know what that means!
Clive Barker: Christmas was last week, man
Dickens: it means
Dickens: what?
Dickens: no no that can't be!
Dickens: you know what that means!
Clive Barker: Christmas was last week, man
Dickens: it means
Dickens: what?
Dickens: no no that can't be!
Reposted by Rik M
I found this a really interesting read. That letter @hleehurley.com posted has this vibe.
www.issendai.com/psychology/e...
www.issendai.com/psychology/e...
The Missing Missing Reasons | Issendai.com
Members of estranged parents' forums often say their children never gave them any reason for the estrangement, then turn around and reveal that their children did tell them why. But the reasons their ...
www.issendai.com
December 27, 2025 at 1:20 PM
I found this a really interesting read. That letter @hleehurley.com posted has this vibe.
www.issendai.com/psychology/e...
www.issendai.com/psychology/e...
Spiced plum natas... Which I hadn't realised could be a thing...
December 27, 2025 at 4:39 PM
Spiced plum natas... Which I hadn't realised could be a thing...
Reposted by Rik M
Watching a movie about a lonely heart who comes out of their shell to form a found family with an unlikely group of strangers. That’s right, Alien (1979) is a Christmas movie
December 26, 2025 at 3:29 AM
Watching a movie about a lonely heart who comes out of their shell to form a found family with an unlikely group of strangers. That’s right, Alien (1979) is a Christmas movie
Reposted by Rik M
Every time a bowl game takes place in the Dallas Cowboys practice facility, like the Frisco Bowl, I’m reminded that, bafflingly, this iconic fight happened outside that space.
December 24, 2025 at 3:22 AM
Every time a bowl game takes place in the Dallas Cowboys practice facility, like the Frisco Bowl, I’m reminded that, bafflingly, this iconic fight happened outside that space.
December 24, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Reposted by Rik M
What would really be the implications of taking Santa Claus seriously?
It's the time of the year to review the current state of the physics of Santa Claus
1/12
It's the time of the year to review the current state of the physics of Santa Claus
1/12
December 24, 2025 at 8:03 AM
What would really be the implications of taking Santa Claus seriously?
It's the time of the year to review the current state of the physics of Santa Claus
1/12
It's the time of the year to review the current state of the physics of Santa Claus
1/12
Reposted by Rik M
Former BBC employee Jack Murley has posted on Instagram about the repeated homophobic abuse he received while working for the corporation - often from BBC staff. He says the BBC has now formally apologised.
www.instagram.com/p/DSaZBd4DO8F/
www.instagram.com/p/DSaZBd4DO8F/
Jack Murley on Instagram: "Today, I met in-person with senior BBC management to receive a formal, full and unconditional apology for repeated incidents of homophobic and discriminatory abuse that I wa...
740 likes, 59 comments - jack_murley on December 18, 2025: "Today, I met in-person with senior BBC management to receive a formal, full and unconditional apology for repeated incidents of homophobic a...
www.instagram.com
December 20, 2025 at 6:19 PM
Former BBC employee Jack Murley has posted on Instagram about the repeated homophobic abuse he received while working for the corporation - often from BBC staff. He says the BBC has now formally apologised.
www.instagram.com/p/DSaZBd4DO8F/
www.instagram.com/p/DSaZBd4DO8F/
Reposted by Rik M
An English local council innovates, evaluates what it did, finds it works (replicating an earlier study in Scotland) … and all councils are told by the Labour government not to try it. What message does this convey? Another victory for ideology & cowardice
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Councils warned against adopting four-day week
Local Government Secretary Steve Reed has told council leaders to not introduce four-day working weeks.
www.bbc.co.uk
December 23, 2025 at 8:13 AM
An English local council innovates, evaluates what it did, finds it works (replicating an earlier study in Scotland) … and all councils are told by the Labour government not to try it. What message does this convey? Another victory for ideology & cowardice
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Reposted by Rik M
Cruelty is anhedonic. It rarely delivers the euphoria promised because, in the abstract, what feels righteous and joyful inevitably reveals itself to be sordid and small. Then it's "No not like that". "No not enough". "No the real battle, the forever war to make this feel good starts now". Forever.
Note how these awful people are getting exactly the exclusions of children that they demanded and *that still isn’t enough for them*: they demand everyone be delighted about it and kiss their arses for being brilliant.
December 4, 2025 at 10:59 AM
Cruelty is anhedonic. It rarely delivers the euphoria promised because, in the abstract, what feels righteous and joyful inevitably reveals itself to be sordid and small. Then it's "No not like that". "No not enough". "No the real battle, the forever war to make this feel good starts now". Forever.
Reposted by Rik M
"In order to prevent confusion, you must call this person a biological male" - BBC
December 22, 2025 at 7:25 PM
"In order to prevent confusion, you must call this person a biological male" - BBC
Reposted by Rik M
"In order to prevent confusion, you must call this person a biological male" - BBC
December 22, 2025 at 7:20 PM
"In order to prevent confusion, you must call this person a biological male" - BBC