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brianwhitehead.bsky.social
Brian 😊🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇺🇦🇪🇺
@brianwhitehead.bsky.social
1.5K followers 2.1K following 160 posts
Welsh / Scottish. Retired Engineer / carpenter / #STEM ambassador. #EV ZE50 #FBPE
LFC Newport County Wrexham Cardiff Swansea Livingston
Scarlets Dragons Blues Ospreys Edinburgh Glasgow
And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make😊
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brianwhitehead.bsky.social
Whew - live to tell the tale of a great rescue
A picture of Ming Na Wen who plays the character Melind Mae in agents of S.H.I.E.L.D
June 12, 2025 at 7:44 AM
brianwhitehead.bsky.social
Our world today summed up in this @theguardian.com screenshot.
World leaders and institutions not fit for purpose.
A fortune and speed for Notre Dame, a gravestone swiftly repaired free of charge.
All while 1 million elderly skipping meals amid winter fuel benefit crisis and suffering due to wars
A screenshot from the Guardian newspaper web site. The headlines include the re-opening of Notre Dame, Motion to impeach a president in S.Korea failing, Cambridge Uni asked to apologise for jailing thousands of 'evil women', a railway worker in London dies after being assaulted, 1 million elderly skipping meals amid winter fuel benefit crisis, a gravestone swiftly repaired free of charge, Syrias conflict and Assad being toppled, a Ukrainian newspaper surving during the war.
December 7, 2024 at 9:03 PM
brianwhitehead.bsky.social
Hello and thank you for the interactions👋
Did you know you can get an additional 2000 characters per image in a single post, as well as the 300 post limit?
For example, with your 300 - plus 4 images - that’s over 8000 etc
ALT text is the key
Click the image for an explainer, it really helps people😊
This image contains text which describes the importance and benefits of using ALT text. ALT text - Most importantly, it’s great for the text readers some folk use. They need to hear a description because they cannot see things clearly, so it’s a real boost for their social media experience. It’s also a great way to add more detailed context to your original shorter posts, just by adding an image. The more images you add means another 2000 characters per image. Some folk I follow really use ALT text well, and we get a lot more from them in the ALT text than there is in the post, so well worth reading. Of course, you can create threads as well with the 300 per post, whatever suits your needs. 1 First you need to attach a picture / photograph to your post. This text you are reading now is in a photo I have created from the text I typed into a document, and then took a screenshot of it. Or, of course, you could attach a photo you have taken. 2 Then use the ALT text field that becomes available when you attach the photo. This field allows you to type up to 2000 characters. 3 Start with the main reason for ALT text, a short description of the details in the image, then go to town with the rest and get your novelist flow going! For example: This image contains text which describes the importance and benefits of using ALT text to aid image impaired people and then adding optional context / storytelling. 4 Then add more up to the 2000 character limit and click SAVE Doing it this way as well means I am adding even more text (contained within this image) which does not count towards the character count. You could end up with a short story in one post at this rate. I have set my account up so that I cannot post an image without adding ALT text. I would encourage you to do the same. It really helps those with sight difficulties. Go to ‘Settings’ then ‘Accessibility’. Select ‘Require alt text before posting’ and ‘Display larger alt text badges’ options
November 24, 2024 at 11:33 AM
brianwhitehead.bsky.social
In the film, Field of Dreams, they kept saying 'build it and they will come' It was about a farmer who got obsessed with having to build a baseball field so players would come to it

Bluesky is like that now, they have built it (the devs) and all us 'players' are appearing-Magic #BlueskyOfDreams 😁
Picture of the film Field of Dreams with Kevin Costner standing in front of an image of a baseball field with corn plants and the sky
November 20, 2024 at 5:16 PM
brianwhitehead.bsky.social
I bet this will be worth attending. Can confirm they do. My wife raised and trained guide dog puppies for many years. Each one brought joy to us and their eventual partner. Life changing
#Guidedogs #RNIB #RumaniaRescue
Trainee guide dog puppy Cookie. Sleeping with her nose in her mums slipper after a hard days work training and some fun from a free run. Currently guiding someone in Edinburgh
November 16, 2024 at 8:25 AM
brianwhitehead.bsky.social
Not sure if this will suit, but have a look at this. It's secure and has a free option as well ...

proton.me/blog/docs-pr...
Screenshot of Proton docs article which mentions some features including encryption, collaboration and free to use
November 8, 2024 at 11:52 PM
brianwhitehead.bsky.social
#RosslynChapel near Edinburgh famous for its part in #TheDavinciCode by #DanBrown. Never read the book or seen the film, it is only 20 miles from where we live in #Scotland. I'll be going back more now - it's a terrific place to visit - especially in the autmn sun. Worth catching the guide talk.
Side view of Rosslyn Chapel as you arrive from the visitor centre. The colour you can see in the stain glass window is from the sun shining through from the opposite side of the chapel The other side view of Rosslyn Chapel with the sun shining on it. View from the rear of Rosslyn chapel with the autumn colours of the trees A second view from the rear of Rosslyn chapel with the autumn colours of the trees. The ruins of Rosslyn castle and a holiday home within its grounds are hidden in these.
October 29, 2024 at 4:21 PM
brianwhitehead.bsky.social
My favourite city in the world #Edinburgh
The architecture, the people, the sights, the museums - the list is endless. We are so fortunate that we can get there so easily. If you ever get the chance, go there
Edinburgh castle viewed from Princes street after getting off the tram half way along Edinburgh castle viewed from The Willow tea rooms on Princes street. Amazing view while consuming delicous tea and cakes Edinburgh castle viewed from Castle terrace in the West after walking past the Usher hall on Lothian road Edinburgh castle viewed from Princes street gardens near an extremely stylish fountain
October 23, 2024 at 3:24 PM
brianwhitehead.bsky.social
All my family are avid gamers, whereas I am a very occasional player. The first 'complex' game I played and enjoyed was Waking Mars. I liked the problem solving, easy to use controls and most of all, the storytelling.
Just finished it again, after many years, on my new tablet. Most excellent 😁
The main character from the game Waking Mars. He is wearing a space suit and jet pack
October 21, 2024 at 9:49 PM
brianwhitehead.bsky.social
So happy to be living in #Scotland during my retirement. #Livingston in the central belt is ideal for getting everywhere in quite a short time. Today, 30 minutes in the car gets us to #Falkirk where we visited the #FalkirkWheel then the #Kelpies at the #Helix park. Absolutely awesome - both of them
Looking down on the Falkirk wheel and visitor centre. The tourist barges are waiting to load into the wheel before it rotates them up to the higher canal level. View from outside the visitor centre with model Kelpies in the foreground and the full size Kelpies in the background. They look the same size in this photo, but if you have seen the episode of Father Ted when he is in a caravan looking at cows and trying to explain to Dougal the 'near - far' principle, you know why :-) View of the Kelpies with people looking tiny next to them gives an idea of just how big they are Looking down on the Falkirk wheel and visitor centre. The tourist barges are waiting to load into the wheel before it rotates them up to the higher canal level.
October 21, 2024 at 2:24 PM
brianwhitehead.bsky.social
#Botanic #Garden #Dawyck #Scotland
Every month we visit Dawyck gardens near Stobo in the Scottish borders. They have a mini hydro power station which means we get a free charge for our EV while we have a delicious meal in their café before our walk around the garden. Cleanses the body and soul. 😊
Dawyck botanic gardens in Scotland with autumn colours in the trees and shrubs Every month we visit Dawyck gardens near Stobo in the Scottish borders. Without doubt my favourite, and there are many in Scotland we visit. They have a mini hydro power station which means we get a free charge for our EV while we have a delicious meal in their café before our walk around the garden. Cleanses the body and soul. Dawyck botanic gardens in Scotland with autumn colours in the trees and shrubs Every month we visit Dawyck gardens near Stobo in the Scottish borders. Without doubt my favourite, and there are many in Scotland we visit. They have a mini hydro power station which means we get a free charge for our EV while we have a delicious meal in their café before our walk around the garden. Cleanses the body and soul. Dawyck botanic gardens in Scotland with autumn colours in the trees and shrubs Every month we visit Dawyck gardens near Stobo in the Scottish borders. Without doubt my favourite, and there are many in Scotland we visit. They have a mini hydro power station which means we get a free charge for our EV while we have a delicious meal in their café before our walk around the garden. Cleanses the body and soul. Dawyck botanic gardens in Scotland with autumn colours in the trees and shrubs Every month we visit Dawyck gardens near Stobo in the Scottish borders. Without doubt my favourite, and there are many in Scotland we visit. They have a mini hydro power station which means we get a free charge for our EV while we have a delicious meal in their café before our walk around the garden. Cleanses the body and soul.
October 17, 2024 at 8:00 PM
brianwhitehead.bsky.social
Finally found out who I am, although I would rather think of myself as an uncle-muon - am I getting this right? 😜😄
A test to find out what kind of particle you are found that I am an anti-muon - who knew!
September 29, 2024 at 2:00 PM
brianwhitehead.bsky.social
If you want honest accurate facts about #covid follow @chrischirp.bsky.social and subscribe to her email list. The latest one has just come out and is the most compelling yet. Her writing is the clearest I have come across and one of the few sources keeping us informed. It's not over
A small section of the email discussing bad decision making by government and how much we owe to our wonderful NHS
September 26, 2024 at 10:43 PM
brianwhitehead.bsky.social
Had to save the best for last 👍

Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers.
#Book20
#BookSky
📚
#Books
#BookChallenge
The Lord of the Rings
This is one of those rarities where I enjoyed Jacksons 3 films as much as Tolkiens books. Granted, the films are not perfect, especially when they left out Tom Bombadil and The Scourge of the Shire, but that’s life I suppose. The books are such favourites of mine, I have lost track of the multiple times I have read them, and I still get something new from them each time. Ditto the films – we tend to watch the extended edition blu rays over the Christmas and new year holidays. Hmmm – time for another read through perhaps ….
September 22, 2024 at 10:05 AM
brianwhitehead.bsky.social
Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers.
#Book19
#BookSky
📚
#Books
#BookChallenge
The Hosts of Rebecca
Another one of Alexander Cordells trilogy about Welsh history. This one is set in West Wales where we used to go for a lot of our holidays. On a warm sunny day the beaches are as good as anywhere and the coastal paths are world class for the cliffs and the views. This story is about the imposition of toll gates by the landowners and the struggle to get rid of them by the locals. I do like the way he includes strong women characters instead of being dominated by the men.
September 21, 2024 at 10:20 AM
brianwhitehead.bsky.social
Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers.
#Book18
#BookSky
📚
#Books
#BookChallenge
Basic Maths for Dummies
Basic Maths for Dummies played a huge part in changing my life forever. I was 30 years old, lived in Wales, wife and 2 sons, working happily as a Carpenter and Joiner. It was a physical job where you were paid for what you built, not for turning up and sitting at a desk or bench. I could see the older guys were really struggling at times with the physical and heavy aspects of the work. I realised I needed to get paid for what I knew rather than just what I physically did. Colour TVs, transistor radios and the first computers were just starting to become popular, and I was curious about how they worked. Speaking to a careers advisor in a job centre (there were no computers or ‘on line’ available back then) he mentioned electronics was the area and that there were government training schemes I could go on – if I passed an entrance exam. This required a good grasp of essential basic maths, but I was pulled out of school aged 14 and made to work for a wage before I learned it properly.
September 20, 2024 at 10:32 AM
brianwhitehead.bsky.social
Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers.
#Book17
#BookSky
📚
#Books
#BookChallenge
Papillon
I think most of us who read books and watch the films or series judge them for which is the best. Sometimes the book is best, sometimes the film or series, sometimes they are equal. Most of the time the book is the best because our imagination does a better job of visualising the story. In this case I saw the film with McQueen and Hoffman first which led me to buy the book when I saw it. Although the film was good and I enjoyed watching it, I found the book was far more superior with its extra detail and no nonsense writing style, which is quite good when you consider the writer was the subject of the story.
September 19, 2024 at 8:55 AM
brianwhitehead.bsky.social
Just back from The Hermitage near #Perth in #Scotland.
I kept seeing the signs for it every time I drove up the A9 when heading off to the #Highlands
It was a beautiful sunny September day and as Arnie said 'I'll be back'
September 18, 2024 at 2:27 PM
brianwhitehead.bsky.social
Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers.
#Book16
#BookSky
📚
#Books
#BookChallenge
Longitude
Sometimes you learn about something that comes as a complete surprise. This one was about something in everyday use all over the world – the humble clock. I had no idea of its huge significance and relevance and how it revolutionised our lives – and not in a way you would imagine. It also led me to make a visit to Greenwich observatory and the exhibition there. A truly mind-blowing realisation for me and I cannot recommend it enough.
September 18, 2024 at 2:12 PM
brianwhitehead.bsky.social
Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers.
#Book15
#BookSky
📚
#Books
#BookChallenge
The War of the Worlds
I love Sci Fi, can’t get enough of it. When it’s well written and uses modern day CGI etc, it the bees knees. The Star Wars universe with things like The Mandalorian – wow. So, along with the likes of George Orwell and John Wyndam, HG Wells got me into Sci Fi at a young age. This now has albums, musicals and films – all made from this book.
September 17, 2024 at 10:11 AM
brianwhitehead.bsky.social
Much busier now than when I joined - I'm liking it so far 👍
User number 1,477,447 out of 10 million. Been here for a year
September 16, 2024 at 10:20 PM
brianwhitehead.bsky.social
Post a perfect album from when you were 21:

Paul McCartney, Venus and Mars, 1975
Paul McCartney / Wings album from 1975. One of his best after The Beatles
September 16, 2024 at 7:18 PM
brianwhitehead.bsky.social
Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers.
#Book14
#BookSky
📚
#Books
#BookChallenge
The Famous Five
I was looking through my books and I realised that so far I have focused on my school and adult life. So I present to you one of the most popular authors in the world – Enid Blyton. I forgot how much I used to seek out The Famous Five or The Secret Seven books in the junior sections of the libraries. Some great escapist moments for me when I was a quiet shy nothing as a child when I imagined I was one of them. Now I’m a quiet, shy nothing as an adult, but at least I can get whatever books I want now 😊
September 16, 2024 at 3:00 PM
brianwhitehead.bsky.social
Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers.
#Book13
#BookSky
📚
#Books
#BookChallenge
The Chrysalids
Another author that I read more of due to a school language lesson. After being assigned (and enjoying) The Day of the Triffids to read, I came across The Chrysalids in the library. It was during the cold war crisis when a nuclear war was being threatened by our so called leaders (power mad fools they are with their ‘my dicks bigger than yours’ mentality) Anyway, as I was progressing through the book I began to realise John Wyndam was describing how our future generations could be in a post apocalyptical world, and it really hit home to me how insane nuclear war threats are – no one wins. Luckily, we got through that crisis and are still here – but here we go again…
September 15, 2024 at 9:43 AM
brianwhitehead.bsky.social
Choose 20 books that have stayed with you or influenced you. One book per day for 20 days, in no particular order. No explanations, no reviews, just covers.
#Book12
#BookSky
📚
#Books
#BookChallenge
The Dark Tower
After meeting Mr Kings writing via The Stand I think I have read about 90% of his books now, and am on an unofficial mission to try and get through them all. Don’t get me wrong, there are one or two I have thought not so good, but not many. Anyway, The Dark Tower was the most eagerly anticipated of his and as soon as it was released, I had to get it – and was not disappointed. It’s the seventh book in a series he wrote over many years and at one time I wondered if we would ever see it. You could say it was an 8 book series because he added another one later on, but cleverly wrote it in as a mostly separate side story. The first in the series, The Gunslinger, was hard going and could put you off, but from book 2, The Drawing of the Three, onwards it is absolutely compelling. The kind your read multiple times. Enjoy. PS The Dark Tower film with Idris Elba was not worth it – IMHO don’t bother
September 14, 2024 at 7:06 PM