Bill Dobie
@wfdobie.bsky.social
Determined optimist, entrepreneur, long lapsed programmer. Building web servers for email to digitise global trade.
Londoner 🇬🇧 🏳️🌈 by way of 🇨🇦. Just musing here.
https://the.fotoapp.co/wfdobie
Londoner 🇬🇧 🏳️🌈 by way of 🇨🇦. Just musing here.
https://the.fotoapp.co/wfdobie
The cat is making sure I know it’s gotten cold today in London. #catsofbluesky #ukcold
November 17, 2025 at 11:07 PM
The cat is making sure I know it’s gotten cold today in London. #catsofbluesky #ukcold
Reposted by Bill Dobie
How Mira Nair Built the World That Made Zohran Mamdani. “Zohran has been marinated in love, not just from us, his parents, but from intergenerational family life. He’s so secure in knowing who he is.” [harpersbazaar.com]
How Mira Nair Built the World That Made Zohran Mamdani
The legendary director talks with Harper’s Bazaar about becoming an artist and a parent
www.harpersbazaar.com
November 17, 2025 at 10:52 PM
How Mira Nair Built the World That Made Zohran Mamdani. “Zohran has been marinated in love, not just from us, his parents, but from intergenerational family life. He’s so secure in knowing who he is.” [harpersbazaar.com]
Reposted by Bill Dobie
WeRateDogs turns 10 years old today! A very silly idea to numerically objectify dogs has become one of the kindest and most powerful online communities ever. Thank you for joining us over the last decade. I never knew what this could be until you all showed me. Here's to many more good dogs ❤️
November 15, 2025 at 3:42 PM
WeRateDogs turns 10 years old today! A very silly idea to numerically objectify dogs has become one of the kindest and most powerful online communities ever. Thank you for joining us over the last decade. I never knew what this could be until you all showed me. Here's to many more good dogs ❤️
This version of Superman’s battle in Smallville may be one of the best scenes in all the franchise.
a man in a superman costume looks at another man
ALT: a man in a superman costume looks at another man
media.tenor.com
November 15, 2025 at 10:35 AM
This version of Superman’s battle in Smallville may be one of the best scenes in all the franchise.
Reposted by Bill Dobie
This isn’t even the stuff they’re trying to actually stop from getting out.
November 12, 2025 at 10:59 PM
This isn’t even the stuff they’re trying to actually stop from getting out.
Reposted by Bill Dobie
Howe Sound—Yesterday, Today, and Forever
W.P. Weston
1927
W.P. Weston
1927
November 12, 2025 at 10:02 AM
Howe Sound—Yesterday, Today, and Forever
W.P. Weston
1927
W.P. Weston
1927
Reposted by Bill Dobie
This perfectly encapsulates how I feel living in the US. The republican party is an insane death cult, the democratic party is 3 corporations in a trench coat, and the "socialists" are just the completely normal left-wing capitalists you'd find in any of 2 dozen European nations.
Europeans recognize Zohran Mamdani’s supposedly radical policies as ‘normal’
Critics of New York City’s mayor-elect have said his pledges of free bus service and universal childcare are unrealistic, but in Europe it’s a given
www.theguardian.com
November 8, 2025 at 5:18 AM
This perfectly encapsulates how I feel living in the US. The republican party is an insane death cult, the democratic party is 3 corporations in a trench coat, and the "socialists" are just the completely normal left-wing capitalists you'd find in any of 2 dozen European nations.
Reposted by Bill Dobie
what could be a more fundamentally American story:
immigrant son of a city earning its trust
learning its deepest needs
rising to the challenge of its defense
His message borne by every kind of person, a diverse community coming together with a shared voice, a shared purpose
You do not tear up?
immigrant son of a city earning its trust
learning its deepest needs
rising to the challenge of its defense
His message borne by every kind of person, a diverse community coming together with a shared voice, a shared purpose
You do not tear up?
November 5, 2025 at 7:41 AM
what could be a more fundamentally American story:
immigrant son of a city earning its trust
learning its deepest needs
rising to the challenge of its defense
His message borne by every kind of person, a diverse community coming together with a shared voice, a shared purpose
You do not tear up?
immigrant son of a city earning its trust
learning its deepest needs
rising to the challenge of its defense
His message borne by every kind of person, a diverse community coming together with a shared voice, a shared purpose
You do not tear up?
Reposted by Bill Dobie
Victory is the best argument
November 5, 2025 at 7:26 AM
Victory is the best argument
November 1, 2025 at 3:38 PM
The China Syndrome is on TV, forgot how scary this movie is. No wonder we didn’t build nuclear power plants for thirty years.
a man in a suit and tie is sitting at a table with his hands on his chin .
ALT: a man in a suit and tie is sitting at a table with his hands on his chin .
media.tenor.com
November 1, 2025 at 10:06 AM
The China Syndrome is on TV, forgot how scary this movie is. No wonder we didn’t build nuclear power plants for thirty years.
Reposted by Bill Dobie
Railway through the Fraser River Valley
John A. Hammond
1873
John A. Hammond
1873
October 26, 2025 at 2:30 PM
Railway through the Fraser River Valley
John A. Hammond
1873
John A. Hammond
1873
We’ve been growing our business in Greece a lot lately (acquisition and organic). There’s so much I appreciate about the relationship based approach to business here and its long term nature. So many positive flows. Huge thanks to the British Ambassodor and his team in #Athens for hosting us. 🇬🇷 🇬🇧
October 24, 2025 at 5:24 PM
We’ve been growing our business in Greece a lot lately (acquisition and organic). There’s so much I appreciate about the relationship based approach to business here and its long term nature. So many positive flows. Huge thanks to the British Ambassodor and his team in #Athens for hosting us. 🇬🇷 🇬🇧
Reposted by Bill Dobie
Something I’m seeing a lot of in news is the merging of product and technology: either CPOs who run technology or explicitly defined joint CTPO roles. These are two distinct (but adjacent) disciplines and there should be a productive tension between them. Hard to do if it’s one person. #npasummit
October 23, 2025 at 3:50 PM
Something I’m seeing a lot of in news is the merging of product and technology: either CPOs who run technology or explicitly defined joint CTPO roles. These are two distinct (but adjacent) disciplines and there should be a productive tension between them. Hard to do if it’s one person. #npasummit
Reposted by Bill Dobie
Again: my perception of the Right at the moment - globally - is if a movement which simply declines to have obligations. Sign a contract, tear it up when payment is due. Sovereign power as the power to welch.
October 22, 2025 at 6:41 AM
Again: my perception of the Right at the moment - globally - is if a movement which simply declines to have obligations. Sign a contract, tear it up when payment is due. Sovereign power as the power to welch.
Reposted by Bill Dobie
It's clear that there's a specific set of artifacts being held in France that are *required* to fix the time machine that will take us back to the prime timeline.
We can only hope they succeed before it's too late.
We can only hope they succeed before it's too late.
October 22, 2025 at 6:14 AM
It's clear that there's a specific set of artifacts being held in France that are *required* to fix the time machine that will take us back to the prime timeline.
We can only hope they succeed before it's too late.
We can only hope they succeed before it's too late.
Reposted by Bill Dobie
Elegantly simple explanation from Richard Feynman about how fire works: it’s stored sunshine. [kottke.org]
Richard Feynman: Fire Is Stored Sunshine
In 1983, the BBC aired a six-part series called Fun to Imagine with a simple premise: put physicist Richard Feynman in front of a camera and have him explain everyday things. In this clip from one of the episodes, Feynma
kottke.org
October 16, 2025 at 1:32 AM
Elegantly simple explanation from Richard Feynman about how fire works: it’s stored sunshine. [kottke.org]
I get sucked into the big hotel chains just due to scale of travel but in Antwerp I always get a lovely respite from that by staying at the truly unique Hotel Julien. 🇧🇪
October 15, 2025 at 8:13 AM
I get sucked into the big hotel chains just due to scale of travel but in Antwerp I always get a lovely respite from that by staying at the truly unique Hotel Julien. 🇧🇪
Reposted by Bill Dobie
# Why did podcasting remain uncentralized?
My theory is that we had..
* An indisputable definition of audio. (MP3.)
* A simple format for programming. (RSS.)
* A popular mobile device for listening. (iPod.)
A million flowers bloomed. (Podcast clients.)
Impossible to siloize. (They tried.)
My theory is that we had..
* An indisputable definition of audio. (MP3.)
* A simple format for programming. (RSS.)
* A popular mobile device for listening. (iPod.)
A million flowers bloomed. (Podcast clients.)
Impossible to siloize. (They tried.)
October 15, 2025 at 7:16 AM
# Why did podcasting remain uncentralized?
My theory is that we had..
* An indisputable definition of audio. (MP3.)
* A simple format for programming. (RSS.)
* A popular mobile device for listening. (iPod.)
A million flowers bloomed. (Podcast clients.)
Impossible to siloize. (They tried.)
My theory is that we had..
* An indisputable definition of audio. (MP3.)
* A simple format for programming. (RSS.)
* A popular mobile device for listening. (iPod.)
A million flowers bloomed. (Podcast clients.)
Impossible to siloize. (They tried.)
Reposted by Bill Dobie
Automne en Gaspésie
Claude Picher
1994
Claude Picher
1994
October 11, 2025 at 11:01 PM
Automne en Gaspésie
Claude Picher
1994
Claude Picher
1994
Reposted by Bill Dobie
Really pleased to see my & @benjaminredding.bsky.social article on the much beloved BBC Shipping Forecast is getting some traction - we loved writing it! Read it @uk.theconversation.com here:
theconversation.com/why-the-bbcs...
theconversation.com/why-the-bbcs...
Why the BBC’s Shipping Forecast still entrances people after 100 years
Designed to ensure safe sailing for those on the sea, a dedicated shipping forecast was first broadcast by the BBC in 1925.
theconversation.com
October 12, 2025 at 2:09 AM
Reposted by Bill Dobie
I have a theory www.theverge.com/policy/79849...
American politics has devolved into shitposting and aura farming
The Frog is owning the president.
www.theverge.com
October 11, 2025 at 5:32 PM
I have a theory www.theverge.com/policy/79849...
Annually a customer invites us to their customer party and it’s in northwestern Germany. It’s a lovely part of the world and I’m appreciative to be included. They throw the party in their own shipyard and they do it up right. #bbcchartering #maritime #shipping #shipyard
October 11, 2025 at 7:50 AM
Annually a customer invites us to their customer party and it’s in northwestern Germany. It’s a lovely part of the world and I’m appreciative to be included. They throw the party in their own shipyard and they do it up right. #bbcchartering #maritime #shipping #shipyard