Ian McDowall
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grokezilla.bsky.social
Ian McDowall
@grokezilla.bsky.social
87 followers 370 following 11 posts
Retired software engineer, and history nerd.

I'm also on Mastodon - https://mastodon.social/@imcdowall
Posts Replies Media Videos
Reposted by Ian McDowall
roricomics.bsky.social
Man, I just don't know how anyone gets over the GLARING reason not to use Generative AI for writing & visuals: It's non-consensual training on artists' work, environmentally devastating impact (esp. on poor areas) & it being pushed by the worst people in the world combined w/the pointlessness of it.
November 8, 2025 at 6:41 PM
Reposted by Ian McDowall
howlinggriffon.bsky.social
Just a reminder that there's a #BloodBowl Season 3 tourney in the Essex/Cambridge area on 7th December. We have 17 signed up so far and room for 30 players.
howlinggriffon.bsky.social Howlinggriffon @howlinggriffon.bsky.social · Oct 20
My buddy Mr_Frodo has decided to) run a Season 3 #BloodBowl tourney on 7th December, hoping that the rules will actually come out prior to that date!

If you're in the Essex/Cambridge area, come along and join in. We'll learn the new rules together!

www.talkfantasyfootball.org/viewtopic.ph...
October 26, 2025 at 6:32 PM
Reposted by Ian McDowall
alomshaha.bsky.social
Reading was central to my happiness as a kid. Didn’t grow up in a household with books but had an amazing local library with wonderful librarians, a safe place where I also did arts and crafts and other things I didn’t at home. Libraries should be at heart of any campaign to get more kids reading
louiestowell.bsky.social Louie Stowell @louiestowell.bsky.social · Oct 26
Given that so many of the gatekeepers of books - publishers, librarians, teachers etc - were bookish children themselves, it takes an act of imagination to think about pleasure for those who don't come to it easily. For kids who don't naturally immerse deeply in text. #UKKidLit #KidLitUK
October 26, 2025 at 7:24 AM
Reposted by Ian McDowall
edzitron.com
Here’s this week’s Better Offline monologue. I walk you through why nobody should be afraid of generative video, and how it’s impossible, impractical and expensive to make movies with Sora.
podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/b...
Linktr.ee/betteroffline
Monologue: Don't Be Scared Of Sora
Podcast Episode · Better Offline · 10/24/2025 · Bonus · 13m
podcasts.apple.com
October 24, 2025 at 1:31 PM
Reposted by Ian McDowall
edzitron.com
I was on this shit in march

www.wheresyoured.at/core-incompe...
Per the S-1, 77% of CoreWeave's revenue comes from two of its customers, the latter of which remains unnamed, and is only referred to as “Customer C” in the document. However, based on reporting from The Information, it’s reasonable to assume it’s NVIDIA, which agreed in 2023 to spend $1.3 billion over four years “to rent its own chips from CoreWeave.”
October 22, 2025 at 8:15 PM
Reposted by Ian McDowall
peggybechko.bsky.social
Gotta love Ursala K. LeGuin Great essays on #writing #ScienceFiction and #fantasy - amzn.to/3KKkrBi
#writingCommunity
#ReadingComunity
#Booksky
October 10, 2025 at 9:19 PM
Reposted by Ian McDowall
jdmccafferty.bsky.social
William Laud, b. #otd 7 Oct 1573 and Charles I, executed 1645 and 1649 respectively, shown with a print of Cranmer, Ridley & Taylor, all executed 1555 on the wall. (British Museum, c. 1660-1699)
October 7, 2025 at 8:47 PM
Reposted by Ian McDowall
beyondshakes.bsky.social
Saturday 25th October we're performing the 1616 text for Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe and his many (occasionally posthumous) friends. Following that is our season panel discussing the Wyrd in the early modern, the plays we're covered and more - but who are these wonderful panellists?
Black background with red slashes across, indistinct image of someone screaming, overlaid with text -Saturday 25th (After Faustus) End of Season Panel Discussion with... Professor Liz Oakley-Brown is Professor in English Literature at Lancaster University. Currently working on Tudor Gothic for Cambridge University Press and teaching Premodern Gothic. Dr Rebekah King graduated from Cambridge with a PhD in English looking at how magicians were depicted on the early modern stage. As well as being a researcher, she is an award-winning writer. Dr Tabitha Stanmore Author of Cunning Folk: Life in the Era of Practical Magic, winner of the Katharine Briggs Award 2024 and Editor’s Pick by the New York Times. Tabitha is a specialist in medieval and early modern English magic and witchcraft.A Week of Devils, Witches, Cunning Folk and Horrorat the White Bear Theatre in Kenningtonwww.beyondshakespeare.org
October 3, 2025 at 10:56 AM
Reposted by Ian McDowall
davekellett.bsky.social
Bluesky pals! I have a sci-fi graphic novel called DRIVE, & it's my favorite thing I've ever done! If you need a long, escapist read at the moment the entire thing is free to read, here: drivecomic.com
(THIS PAGE: Here’s the Plan )
PANEL 1: THE CAPTAIN, NOSH, and ORLA continue their conversation from the previous page. CAPTAIN: OK, then, here’s the plan: We fly in with a nacelle sparking. Say we “caught a pebble en route.” PANEL 2: THE CAPTAIN continues, as ORLA chimes in. CAPTAIN: They won’t want to risk an explosion near the flagship…so they’ll let Cuddow and I SHUTTLE over. ORLA: No ‘Nando? He will want ‘Nando. PANEL 3: In the foreground THE CAPTAIN responds, while in the background NANDO raises his hand, mouth wide. CAPTAIN: DEFINITELY no ‘Nando. We keep that boy as far away from those tesskans as possible. NANDO: Who else LOVES this plan?? PANEL 4: THE CAPTAIN turns around to point at NANDO, looking sheepish. SKITTER floats in his chair next to him, silently. CAPTAIN: Instead, he stays here and keeps the drive spun up. And Skitter stays ready to leap at a moment’s notice. PANEL 5: THE CAPTAIN continues, motioning to CUDDOW, facing away. He raises his eyebrows at the mention of his name. CAPTAIN: All while Cuddow and I shuttle over, report on the Astheet mission, then shuttle back. PANEl 6: THE CAPTAIN leans over to talk directly to a nervous CUDDOW. CUDDOW scrunches his neck down, terrified. CAPTAIN: WE CAN DO THIS, Cuddow. We jsut gotta stay calm, stay collected, and keep our head on our shoulders. CUDDOW: THAT, SPECIFICALLY, IS MY GOAL. ——— Want to read the full story? Join us at Patreon.com/drive for the *FULL* Tales of the Drive archives, art giveaways, fun community, and more! DRIVE copyright Dave Kellett. Colors by Beth Reidmiller
October 2, 2025 at 6:04 PM
Reposted by Ian McDowall
susankayequinn.bsky.social
They've lost the 9yos
JA Westenberg @Daojoan@mastodon.social My 9 year old and his classmates have started using “that’s AI” to mean “I don’t believe you.” Me: we’re having dinosaur meat for dinner Kiddo: that’s AI Sep 24, 2025, 07:36 AM
September 24, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Reposted by Ian McDowall
hellgatenyc.com
Calling all freelance fact-checkers!

We're in need of some fact-checking assistance during the first week of October—hit us up if you're interested in fact-checking a very fun project.

Email Chris (chris@hellgatenyc.com) for more details.
September 23, 2025 at 8:31 PM
Reposted by Ian McDowall
hornedlarkpress.com
We’re looking for some cover artists/designers for a couple of upcoming projects! But you gotta be real.
•No AI
•We have no interest in anime-style work, sorry

We need someone comfortable illustrating plants and animals (especially birds).

Please reply with a way to see your portfolio.
September 22, 2025 at 5:24 PM
Reposted by Ian McDowall
joviellety.bsky.social
💖 Hi~ I've recently been hired as Illustration & Creative Lead at The Story Division, helping publishers with graphic novel projects. I'm currently updating our artist database & looking for a wider range of art styles.

Cartoonists: post sequentials, website, availability below. No DMs/emails plz!
September 22, 2025 at 8:06 PM
Reposted by Ian McDowall
alisonfisk.bsky.social
Spectacular octopus from the floor of the women’s changing room at the Central Baths in ancient Herculaneum.

This magnificent #Roman monochrome mosaic makes quite an impact!

📷 by me

#MosaicMonday
#Archaeology
My photo shows a black and white floor mosaic with a depiction of a very striking octopus in the women’s changing room at the Central Baths in ancient Herculaneum. The octopus with eight writhing arms is composed of small black tesserae (tiles) laid in a white tesserae background
September 22, 2025 at 11:36 AM
Reposted by Ian McDowall
aucointaylor.bsky.social
Delighted to share that my first book The Experience of Work in Early Modern England (co-written with the fantastic @jwhittle.bsky.social, @markhailwood.bsky.social, and Hannah Robb) has been published and is available free and Open Access! doi.org/10.1017/9781...

#earlymodern #economic #history
The Experience of Work in Early Modern England
Cambridge Core - Economic History - The Experience of Work in Early Modern England
doi.org
September 22, 2025 at 1:13 PM
Reposted by Ian McDowall
katiecandraw.bsky.social
Seeing the Bill Watterson originals full of pencil lines of stuff that didn’t work, scuffs the eraser didn’t pick up, white out galore and more was something I needed to see to remind myself that nothing is perfect the first go and tweaks need to be made and you’re allowed to try again.
September 20, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Reposted by Ian McDowall
jdmccafferty.bsky.social
The lavish paraphernalia of 17thC warfare

The Guardhouse, 1640-1650

David Teniers the Younger (Flemish, 1610-1690)

Art Institute Chicago
September 20, 2025 at 7:54 PM
Reposted by Ian McDowall
theguardian.com
Putin views, queen stories and a boss’s birthday bash: Boris Johnson’s £5m worth of paid speeches
Putin views, queen stories and a boss’s birthday bash: Boris Johnson’s £5m worth of paid speeches
Leaked files show former PM made 34 paid appearances in less than two years and reveal details of his disclosures
www.theguardian.com
September 9, 2025 at 8:37 PM
Reposted by Ian McDowall
thrasherxy.bsky.social
So many people don’t clock that regulating porn online automatically gives permission to governments & surveillance capitalism to demand that literally everything else must prove it is NOT porn…ie, permission to probe and violate and regulate EVERYTHING
mikestabile.bsky.social Mike Stabile @mikestabile.bsky.social · Sep 6
You can't legally censor consensual "porn" without simultaneously creating the mechanism for the censorship of books and movies and education and activism and mutual aid.

The access we have to resources today — repro rights, LGBTQ+, sex ed— is directly tied to the legalizing of 'porn'
September 6, 2025 at 9:25 PM
Reposted by Ian McDowall
lorenzofb.bsky.social
NEW: X has started rolling out it's end-to-end encrypted chat for all users.

I was invited to start using it yesterday, so I asked a couple of experts if users should trust it. The answer: no, nobody should trust it at this point.

There are several reasons why, which they explained to me here.
X is now offering me end-to-end encrypted chat. You probably shouldn't trust it yet. | TechCrunch
X's new encrypted messaging feature, XChat, has some red flags.
techcrunch.com
September 5, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Reposted by Ian McDowall
thespaceshipper.com
Semiotic Standard icons designed by Ron Cobb for the USCSS Nostromo in Alien (1979).

They're everywhere in the USCSS Maginot from Alien Earth (2025).
A chart titled "Semiotic Standard" showing a collection of futuristic safety and system symbols designed for spacecraft. Each symbol is inside a square with red, black, white, gray, yellow, blue, or green coloring, and labeled with meanings such as “Pressurized Area,” “Cryogenic Vault,” “Airlock,” “Hazard/Warning,” “Exhaust,” “Radiation Hazard,” “High Radioactivity,” “Refrigeration,” “Direction,” and “Life Support System.” A legend at the bottom explains the color codes: red for visible/solid/alive/abnormal, white and grey for life-supporting conditions, black for vacuum and danger, yellow for harmful atomic/chemical processes, blue for lowered thermal condition, and green for biological substances. The chart is signed “R. Cobb.”
September 5, 2025 at 10:20 AM
Reposted by Ian McDowall
beyondshakes.bsky.social
As this is our early access release for patrons, it may be added to prior to the final release; and of course, you can always use our handy procession route map for civic and royal pageantry at any time. @tracelarkhall.bsky.social
September 3, 2025 at 8:58 AM
Reposted by Ian McDowall
beyondshakes.bsky.social
🌳All hail the dream elm!
🔊Early access patron release!
We were planning on doing a live version of the 1624 Lord Mayor's show last year, but, alas, it fell by the wayside. However, since then we've been pulling this version together around other recording sessions.
www.patreon.com/posts/1624-l...
1624 Lord Mayor's Show (Early Access) | Beyond Shakespeare
Get more from Beyond Shakespeare on Patreon
www.patreon.com
September 3, 2025 at 8:51 AM
Reposted by Ian McDowall
giannameola.bsky.social
It’s a cat silently judging you in the nighttime
August 31, 2025 at 8:06 PM