Gerhalt
@gregcoyote.bsky.social
Working in research, talking nonsense
Reposted by Gerhalt
Astronomers made a truly mind-boggling discovery using the JWST:
A runaway super-massive black hole, rocketing through space at a staggering 1,000 km/s, leaving a 200,000 light-year-long tail in its wake in which gas is accumulating and triggering star formation.
🧪
www.space.com/astronomy/bl...
A runaway super-massive black hole, rocketing through space at a staggering 1,000 km/s, leaving a 200,000 light-year-long tail in its wake in which gas is accumulating and triggering star formation.
🧪
www.space.com/astronomy/bl...
James Webb Space Telescope confirms 1st 'runaway' supermassive black hole rocketing through home galaxy at 2.2 million mph: 'It boggles the mind!'
"The forces that are needed to dislodge such a massive black hole from its home are enormous."
www.space.com
December 27, 2025 at 1:05 AM
Astronomers made a truly mind-boggling discovery using the JWST:
A runaway super-massive black hole, rocketing through space at a staggering 1,000 km/s, leaving a 200,000 light-year-long tail in its wake in which gas is accumulating and triggering star formation.
🧪
www.space.com/astronomy/bl...
A runaway super-massive black hole, rocketing through space at a staggering 1,000 km/s, leaving a 200,000 light-year-long tail in its wake in which gas is accumulating and triggering star formation.
🧪
www.space.com/astronomy/bl...
Reposted by Gerhalt
Does anyone - anyone at all - have a plan to get us to a future where councils do have money to fix things again?
That old stick about the Roman Empire, and how the actual sign of the collapse was a bridge falling down and nobody coming to fix it.
Replacing collapsed bridge 'nigh on impossible' cost for council
The Spey Viaduct was completed in 1886 but partially collapsed into the Moray river at the weekend.
www.bbc.co.uk
December 17, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Does anyone - anyone at all - have a plan to get us to a future where councils do have money to fix things again?
Reposted by Gerhalt
The movie ends, Rob stands up, and Frank braces himself for the double-barreled shotgun blast. Rob walks up, tears all over his face, and says, quietly, "It's the best film Castle Rock has ever released. Good work." And then he left.
Class. Fucking. Act.
Rob Reiner was a capital-M Mensch. #RIP
Class. Fucking. Act.
Rob Reiner was a capital-M Mensch. #RIP
December 15, 2025 at 7:37 AM
The movie ends, Rob stands up, and Frank braces himself for the double-barreled shotgun blast. Rob walks up, tears all over his face, and says, quietly, "It's the best film Castle Rock has ever released. Good work." And then he left.
Class. Fucking. Act.
Rob Reiner was a capital-M Mensch. #RIP
Class. Fucking. Act.
Rob Reiner was a capital-M Mensch. #RIP
Reposted by Gerhalt
Rob Reiner's first seven films: 1. Spinal Tap. 2. The Sure Thing. 3. Stand By Me. 4. THE PRINCESS BRIDE. 5. WHEN HARRY MET SALLY. 6. Misery 7. A Few Good Men. Good lord. Even Spielberg included 1941 in his first seven.
And that was after playing Michael Stivic. I hope this news isn't true. But...
And that was after playing Michael Stivic. I hope this news isn't true. But...
December 15, 2025 at 3:06 AM
Rob Reiner's first seven films: 1. Spinal Tap. 2. The Sure Thing. 3. Stand By Me. 4. THE PRINCESS BRIDE. 5. WHEN HARRY MET SALLY. 6. Misery 7. A Few Good Men. Good lord. Even Spielberg included 1941 in his first seven.
And that was after playing Michael Stivic. I hope this news isn't true. But...
And that was after playing Michael Stivic. I hope this news isn't true. But...
Reposted by Gerhalt
The European Union has triggered Article 122 to indefinitely immobilise the assets of the Russian Central Bank, worth a whopping €210 billion.
I explain what just happened and why this is such a big deal for Europeans.
🧵 Long thread.
I explain what just happened and why this is such a big deal for Europeans.
🧵 Long thread.
December 11, 2025 at 6:16 PM
The European Union has triggered Article 122 to indefinitely immobilise the assets of the Russian Central Bank, worth a whopping €210 billion.
I explain what just happened and why this is such a big deal for Europeans.
🧵 Long thread.
I explain what just happened and why this is such a big deal for Europeans.
🧵 Long thread.
Reposted by Gerhalt
There is such a rich variety of owls, I have tried to depict some of them here (GROWL, PROWL and YOWL not included).
www.worldofmoose.com/products/owl...
www.worldofmoose.com/products/owl...
December 11, 2025 at 11:31 AM
There is such a rich variety of owls, I have tried to depict some of them here (GROWL, PROWL and YOWL not included).
www.worldofmoose.com/products/owl...
www.worldofmoose.com/products/owl...
Reposted by Gerhalt
I can’t help thinking that when, in future, people ask what UK political leaders said as it became undeniable that US saw European liberal democracy as its no1 strategic foe, Starmer and others will regret that the answer is “not much, shuffled awkwardly, looked at their feet”.
December 10, 2025 at 9:38 AM
I can’t help thinking that when, in future, people ask what UK political leaders said as it became undeniable that US saw European liberal democracy as its no1 strategic foe, Starmer and others will regret that the answer is “not much, shuffled awkwardly, looked at their feet”.
Reposted by Gerhalt
Being concerned about supporting the ECHR because of an uptick in fascism, is like not taking the medicine because you want nothing to do with the disease.
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/dec...
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/dec...
Starmer urges Europe’s leaders to curb ECHR to halt rise of far right
Exclusive: PM calls for members of European convention on human rights to allow tougher action to protect borders
www.theguardian.com
December 9, 2025 at 9:21 PM
Being concerned about supporting the ECHR because of an uptick in fascism, is like not taking the medicine because you want nothing to do with the disease.
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/dec...
www.theguardian.com/law/2025/dec...
Reposted by Gerhalt
After much research and development I have made an offline version of ChatGPT.
Now you can save water and electricity while navel-gazing, and carry one of the world's most powerfully annoying AI chatbots in your pocket.
Now you can save water and electricity while navel-gazing, and carry one of the world's most powerfully annoying AI chatbots in your pocket.
December 5, 2025 at 4:03 PM
After much research and development I have made an offline version of ChatGPT.
Now you can save water and electricity while navel-gazing, and carry one of the world's most powerfully annoying AI chatbots in your pocket.
Now you can save water and electricity while navel-gazing, and carry one of the world's most powerfully annoying AI chatbots in your pocket.
Reposted by Gerhalt
When a 100 year old legacy media company that’s generated countless dollars in entertainment and human employment all over the world is valued only marginally more than a failed software product almost nobody even knows exists…
I don’t know the solution. But the money is in the wrong places.
I don’t know the solution. But the money is in the wrong places.
December 5, 2025 at 1:40 PM
When a 100 year old legacy media company that’s generated countless dollars in entertainment and human employment all over the world is valued only marginally more than a failed software product almost nobody even knows exists…
I don’t know the solution. But the money is in the wrong places.
I don’t know the solution. But the money is in the wrong places.
Love coming to Bluesky to learn about all the awful things people I'd not previously heard of have said so I can get cross about it all. Just think, previously I would have remained unaware of all these bad things being said by people!
December 3, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Love coming to Bluesky to learn about all the awful things people I'd not previously heard of have said so I can get cross about it all. Just think, previously I would have remained unaware of all these bad things being said by people!
Reposted by Gerhalt
How AI has made my life better
And why is my experience so different to everyone else?
takes.jamesomalley.co.uk
December 3, 2025 at 2:01 PM
This campus is really one of the only things keeping the high street in Southend alive. This will be a big loss, not just financially, but culturally.
Every sympathy for University of Essex (and pressures facing them) but this is very bad news for Southend.
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... Essex university to cut 400 jobs as overseas student numbers plummet
giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/... Essex university to cut 400 jobs as overseas student numbers plummet
Essex university to cut 400 jobs as overseas student numbers plummet
Roles to be lost are part of wave of redundancy programmes across UK’s higher education sector
giftarticle.ft.com
December 3, 2025 at 9:54 AM
This campus is really one of the only things keeping the high street in Southend alive. This will be a big loss, not just financially, but culturally.
Reposted by Gerhalt
This is actually quite brilliant, up to and including the final sentence 🔥
December 1, 2025 at 11:09 AM
This is actually quite brilliant, up to and including the final sentence 🔥
Reposted by Gerhalt
Nigel Farage has spent £1m taking out adverts in the papers to distract from the Nathan Gill Russian bribe scandal.
We can't let him buy himself out of this. We need an investigation into Russian influence in our politics.
We can't let him buy himself out of this. We need an investigation into Russian influence in our politics.
November 27, 2025 at 12:30 PM
Nigel Farage has spent £1m taking out adverts in the papers to distract from the Nathan Gill Russian bribe scandal.
We can't let him buy himself out of this. We need an investigation into Russian influence in our politics.
We can't let him buy himself out of this. We need an investigation into Russian influence in our politics.
Reposted by Gerhalt
Universities are in crisis, and I don’t think it’s helpful to phrase that as “exiting the market”. They’re not mid-range shoe shops, these are educational pillars in society
Chief exec of OfS 'said the OfS believes there are 24 institutions at risk of exiting the market in the next 12 months, seven of which are large providers with more than 3,000 students. There are another 25 or so institutions of various sizes at risk over a two- to three-year period, she added.'
Seven ‘large providers’ at risk of going under in the next year
Skills minister says no higher education institutions are at imminent risk of collapse this year but OfS confirms more than 20 providers are being closely monitored
www.timeshighereducation.com
November 26, 2025 at 10:13 AM
Universities are in crisis, and I don’t think it’s helpful to phrase that as “exiting the market”. They’re not mid-range shoe shops, these are educational pillars in society
Reposted by Gerhalt
This is an insightful but deeply upsetting article about why everyone in the US feels poor, and why the current political situation emerges as a direct result.
www.yesigiveafig.com/p/part-1-my-...
www.yesigiveafig.com/p/part-1-my-...
Part 1: My Life Is a Lie
How a Broken Benchmark Quietly Broke America
www.yesigiveafig.com
November 26, 2025 at 1:42 AM
This is an insightful but deeply upsetting article about why everyone in the US feels poor, and why the current political situation emerges as a direct result.
www.yesigiveafig.com/p/part-1-my-...
www.yesigiveafig.com/p/part-1-my-...
Reposted by Gerhalt
I don't deny that dogs can sometimes be quite lovely but what I will say is I don't trust their opinions. If a cat recommended me an album it had bought, I'd totally check it out. If a dog did the same, I'd promise to listen to the album, out of politeness, with no intention of actually doing so
November 16, 2025 at 5:15 PM
I don't deny that dogs can sometimes be quite lovely but what I will say is I don't trust their opinions. If a cat recommended me an album it had bought, I'd totally check it out. If a dog did the same, I'd promise to listen to the album, out of politeness, with no intention of actually doing so
Reposted by Gerhalt
X has changed their policy and now you can see where the accounts are based.
Here’s an “influencer from Texas”
Here’s an “influencer from Texas”
November 21, 2025 at 6:36 PM
X has changed their policy and now you can see where the accounts are based.
Here’s an “influencer from Texas”
Here’s an “influencer from Texas”
Reposted by Gerhalt
Climate change affects EVERYTHING. It’s mad that the issue has become left-coded when it should be just reality-coded
Climate change is a kitchen table issue. For most people a home is their largest investment, when climate change depresses their property values or makes their home uninsurable, it's a huge economic hit.
Rising Home Insurance Premiums Are Eating Into Home Values in Disaster-Prone Areas
Changes in the insurance market have started to affect home prices in the most disaster-prone areas, new research finds, pushing some homeowners’ finances to the breaking point.
www.nytimes.com
November 19, 2025 at 5:37 PM
Climate change affects EVERYTHING. It’s mad that the issue has become left-coded when it should be just reality-coded
Reposted by Gerhalt
Yep, why not score a goal from your own half in the 98th minute?
November 18, 2025 at 9:49 PM
Yep, why not score a goal from your own half in the 98th minute?
Reposted by Gerhalt
Reposted by Gerhalt
lately i've been thinking about how LLMs must feel really amazing to use if you're a dumbass, but incredibly frustrating if you're just basically competent in life.
Is AI making job recruitment less meritocratic? We're getting some v interesting research studies on this question now, and the news is... not good. @jburnmurdoch.ft.com & I dive in, in the latest edition of our newsletter The AI Shift www.ft.com/content/e5b7...
November 14, 2025 at 12:55 PM
lately i've been thinking about how LLMs must feel really amazing to use if you're a dumbass, but incredibly frustrating if you're just basically competent in life.