Howard Teece
@howardteece.bsky.social
Former half-arsed software engineer.
Occasional scuba diver.
Attempting to write something.
Occasional scuba diver.
Attempting to write something.
Fungi are out in the woods
October 21, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Fungi are out in the woods
How many Ms in mammoth?
Three.
Gotcha.
Three.
Gotcha.
October 14, 2025 at 5:35 PM
How many Ms in mammoth?
Three.
Gotcha.
Three.
Gotcha.
Had a ferret in the loft and found this.
A working 1972 Hammond 102200 mini synth.
A working 1972 Hammond 102200 mini synth.
October 4, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Had a ferret in the loft and found this.
A working 1972 Hammond 102200 mini synth.
A working 1972 Hammond 102200 mini synth.
I’d so watch the alternative
September 24, 2025 at 6:02 PM
I’d so watch the alternative
Came across a flock of House-Martins resting and feeding before they migrate.
Surely it's too early...
Surely it's too early...
September 12, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Came across a flock of House-Martins resting and feeding before they migrate.
Surely it's too early...
Surely it's too early...
For our village autumn show, I must make a cocoa and ginger cake...
September 5, 2025 at 1:47 PM
For our village autumn show, I must make a cocoa and ginger cake...
So, turns out the way to throw the local electrical appliance shop is to ask if the kettle they're suggesting is left-handed.
Turns out, it was.
Trust me, right-handed kettles are a pain in the 'how full is this again?'
Turns out, it was.
Trust me, right-handed kettles are a pain in the 'how full is this again?'
August 23, 2025 at 2:56 PM
So, turns out the way to throw the local electrical appliance shop is to ask if the kettle they're suggesting is left-handed.
Turns out, it was.
Trust me, right-handed kettles are a pain in the 'how full is this again?'
Turns out, it was.
Trust me, right-handed kettles are a pain in the 'how full is this again?'
Worth a listen, but if like me, you don't do listening, here's the transcript: johnaugust.com/2019/scriptn...
August 15, 2025 at 10:46 AM
Worth a listen, but if like me, you don't do listening, here's the transcript: johnaugust.com/2019/scriptn...
Reposted by Howard Teece
A depressed AI chatbot goes to a doctor, says life is harsh, unforgiving, cruel.
The doctor says treatment is simple. "The great AI assistant Gemini has all the answers you need. Go & ask it."
The AI bursts into tears. "But doctor," it says, "you can use gasoline to make a spicy spaghetti sauce."
The doctor says treatment is simple. "The great AI assistant Gemini has all the answers you need. Go & ask it."
The AI bursts into tears. "But doctor," it says, "you can use gasoline to make a spicy spaghetti sauce."
Google Gemini doesn’t appear to be doing too well:
‘"I am a disgrace to this planet. I am a disgrace to this universe. I am a disgrace to all universes . . . I am a disgrace to all possible and impossible universes and all that is not a universe," the bot continued.’
‘"I am a disgrace to this planet. I am a disgrace to this universe. I am a disgrace to all universes . . . I am a disgrace to all possible and impossible universes and all that is not a universe," the bot continued.’
Google says it's working on a fix for Gemini's self-loathing 'I am a failure' comments
Google Gemini users said the bot is sharing self-loathing messages while attempting to solve tasks, including "I am a disgrace to this universe."
www.businessinsider.com
August 8, 2025 at 8:03 AM
A depressed AI chatbot goes to a doctor, says life is harsh, unforgiving, cruel.
The doctor says treatment is simple. "The great AI assistant Gemini has all the answers you need. Go & ask it."
The AI bursts into tears. "But doctor," it says, "you can use gasoline to make a spicy spaghetti sauce."
The doctor says treatment is simple. "The great AI assistant Gemini has all the answers you need. Go & ask it."
The AI bursts into tears. "But doctor," it says, "you can use gasoline to make a spicy spaghetti sauce."
Reposted by Howard Teece
Thanks @frazzledlit.bsky.social for this. Made my day.
The LONGLIST for the Frazzled Lit @frazzledlit.bsky.social Short Story Award 2025 is out!
Congratulations to all, and watch out for the announcement of shortlisted and highly commended stories on August 3rd!
www.frazzledlit.com/p/announcing...
Congratulations to all, and watch out for the announcement of shortlisted and highly commended stories on August 3rd!
www.frazzledlit.com/p/announcing...
Announcing the LONGLIST
Here are the longlisted stories!
www.frazzledlit.com
July 31, 2025 at 10:23 AM
Thanks @frazzledlit.bsky.social for this. Made my day.
Wolves eat Dogs left me in tatters. Incredibly good, but yeesh.
Martin Cruz Smith, “a writer accomplished in nearly every genre”, died on Friday 11th July surrounded by his loved ones.
'Giant of the genre' Martin Cruz Smith dies aged 82
ebx.sh
July 16, 2025 at 11:47 AM
Wolves eat Dogs left me in tatters. Incredibly good, but yeesh.
This was lovely news this morning.
Thanks to @iaminprint.bsky.social and @losbennett.bsky.social for making my day.
Thanks to @iaminprint.bsky.social and @losbennett.bsky.social for making my day.
Agent @losbennett.bsky.social really enjoyed opening the portal to the I Am Writing Science Fiction/Fantasy entries this year and said the standard was really high. Our thanks go to Laura for her dedication. And congratulations to all of these intelligent offerings - very well done.
#SFF #SciFi
#SFF #SciFi
July 14, 2025 at 11:25 AM
This was lovely news this morning.
Thanks to @iaminprint.bsky.social and @losbennett.bsky.social for making my day.
Thanks to @iaminprint.bsky.social and @losbennett.bsky.social for making my day.
Got into serious bother this morning. Had a shower and took all the cold water.
July 12, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Got into serious bother this morning. Had a shower and took all the cold water.
Reposted by Howard Teece
AI in the wild? This tray tissue I was given at a restaurant is full of errors and hallucinations…!
June 25, 2025 at 5:46 PM
AI in the wild? This tray tissue I was given at a restaurant is full of errors and hallucinations…!
This was a nice thing to read yesterday.
Some inventive entries kept @losbennett.bsky.social moving from portal to portal with these otherworldly reads. Thank you, Laura - and what an achievement for the titles who made this list - well done to all concerned!
#SFF #ScienceFiction #iamwritingcomp #amwritingscifi #writingcommunity #SciFi
#SFF #ScienceFiction #iamwritingcomp #amwritingscifi #writingcommunity #SciFi
June 24, 2025 at 8:01 AM
This was a nice thing to read yesterday.
Reposted by Howard Teece
This is wonderful.
June 17, 2025 at 2:56 PM
This is wonderful.
Let me explain...
Quote this with your most spine-chilling three-word phrase in the English language. I bet you can't beat "replacement bus service" or "family fun day".
June 11, 2025 at 11:46 AM
Let me explain...
May 8, 2025 at 4:41 PM
Reposted by Howard Teece
All I want is a cosy murder mystery show that includes a scene like this:
April 13, 2025 at 7:11 PM
All I want is a cosy murder mystery show that includes a scene like this:
First day of being a teenager, and she's not getting out of bed...
March 22, 2025 at 4:04 PM
First day of being a teenager, and she's not getting out of bed...
Goodness. Perpetulite exists (again)? @jasperfforde.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
Farewell potholes? UK team invents self-healing road surface
Researcher at Swansea University says tiny plant spores mixed into bitumen can extend surface lifespan by 30%
www.theguardian.com
February 3, 2025 at 12:25 PM
Goodness. Perpetulite exists (again)? @jasperfforde.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
Reposted by Howard Teece
Nice. It would be another nail in the coffin of the idea that if you’re famous for one thing, you’re magically good at everything. Writing a book is fucking hard. People who can do it well enough to be hired for the job need to be recognised as skilled, specialised labour.
The @societyofauthors.bsky.social is calling for celebrities, publishers and agents to acknowledge the writers behind celebrity books, particularly for children
societyofauthors.org/2024/12/09/c...
societyofauthors.org/2024/12/09/c...
Call to acknowledge all writers behind celebrity books - The Society of Authors
The Society of Authors is calling for celebrities, publishers and agents to acknowledge the writers behind celebrity books, particularly for children
societyofauthors.org
December 10, 2024 at 10:21 AM
Nice. It would be another nail in the coffin of the idea that if you’re famous for one thing, you’re magically good at everything. Writing a book is fucking hard. People who can do it well enough to be hired for the job need to be recognised as skilled, specialised labour.
Oh to endure, the wind and the rain,
in the way of a hairy mouthed dog.
Or, in Scots - I think -
O to endure, tha wind an' tha' rain
In th' wae o' a hairy mou'ed collie.
Stupid thing just stands there going 'Ahhhh.'
in the way of a hairy mouthed dog.
Or, in Scots - I think -
O to endure, tha wind an' tha' rain
In th' wae o' a hairy mou'ed collie.
Stupid thing just stands there going 'Ahhhh.'
December 7, 2024 at 11:45 PM
Oh to endure, the wind and the rain,
in the way of a hairy mouthed dog.
Or, in Scots - I think -
O to endure, tha wind an' tha' rain
In th' wae o' a hairy mou'ed collie.
Stupid thing just stands there going 'Ahhhh.'
in the way of a hairy mouthed dog.
Or, in Scots - I think -
O to endure, tha wind an' tha' rain
In th' wae o' a hairy mou'ed collie.
Stupid thing just stands there going 'Ahhhh.'