John R Ebdon
@jrebdon.bsky.social
Semi-retired polymer scientist. Interested in science, politics, economics, film, TV drama, motor sport, gardens and gardening.
I suspect a limiting factor might be the thermal conductivity of the rock: once you have removed the heat from a volume of rock how rapidly is that heat replenished from the surrounding rock?
December 23, 2025 at 11:52 PM
I suspect a limiting factor might be the thermal conductivity of the rock: once you have removed the heat from a volume of rock how rapidly is that heat replenished from the surrounding rock?
I doubt it matters to Trump whether he wins or loses. If he wins he gets some more money; if he loses he slaps 100% tariffs on all UK imports and gets some more money.
December 16, 2025 at 12:02 PM
I doubt it matters to Trump whether he wins or loses. If he wins he gets some more money; if he loses he slaps 100% tariffs on all UK imports and gets some more money.
Reading that passage from Leviticus reminds me of when I was very kindly fed and given a bed for the night when travelling in Egypt. By Christians? No, by a member of the Muslim Brethren in his home in Assyut. You don't have to celebrate Christmas to be a good human being.
December 13, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Reading that passage from Leviticus reminds me of when I was very kindly fed and given a bed for the night when travelling in Egypt. By Christians? No, by a member of the Muslim Brethren in his home in Assyut. You don't have to celebrate Christmas to be a good human being.
I fail to see how Christmas can be cancelled: if it means something to you, then celebrate it; if it doesn't then don't. The majority of people are just having a secular, mid-winter party in any case.
December 13, 2025 at 1:57 PM
I fail to see how Christmas can be cancelled: if it means something to you, then celebrate it; if it doesn't then don't. The majority of people are just having a secular, mid-winter party in any case.
Died in the defence of his country while intimidating immigrants with flags - posthumous MBE at least, surely.
December 12, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Died in the defence of his country while intimidating immigrants with flags - posthumous MBE at least, surely.
If Ahmed (or any other so-called"illegal" immigrant) was crossing the channel in a small boat and was picked up and brought ashore in the UK by the RNLI, in what sense was that entry illegal?
December 12, 2025 at 11:50 AM
If Ahmed (or any other so-called"illegal" immigrant) was crossing the channel in a small boat and was picked up and brought ashore in the UK by the RNLI, in what sense was that entry illegal?
Farage with Briatore, the well-known fraudster, how appropriate
December 9, 2025 at 11:10 AM
Farage with Briatore, the well-known fraudster, how appropriate
Are those his tie racks in the background?
December 7, 2025 at 9:17 PM
Are those his tie racks in the background?
But it wasn't always thus in the UK, was it? Brunel built his railways just as quickly as Spain built its high-speed rail network. So it must be more than just the hindrance of a common law system. Some of this arose from absence of planning restrictions and safety rules, etc., but not all.
December 5, 2025 at 4:49 PM
But it wasn't always thus in the UK, was it? Brunel built his railways just as quickly as Spain built its high-speed rail network. So it must be more than just the hindrance of a common law system. Some of this arose from absence of planning restrictions and safety rules, etc., but not all.
Whatever one's views on the pros and cons of MMT (naive or otherwise) it is clear that economic policy in this country over the past ten years has been a disaster. We have had negligible growth and, for all but the richest, incomes have stagnated. So, we have to do things differently in future.
December 5, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Whatever one's views on the pros and cons of MMT (naive or otherwise) it is clear that economic policy in this country over the past ten years has been a disaster. We have had negligible growth and, for all but the richest, incomes have stagnated. So, we have to do things differently in future.
If we chase away good foreign science graduates and postdocs, our science research efforts will rapidly go downhill. There are not enough home-grown candidates; too many are hoovered up by financial services.
December 5, 2025 at 3:49 PM
If we chase away good foreign science graduates and postdocs, our science research efforts will rapidly go downhill. There are not enough home-grown candidates; too many are hoovered up by financial services.
Cryptocurrencies have no intrinsic value and are currencies for mobsters and the gullible. Therefore entirely appropriate that Reform should accept them.
December 4, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Cryptocurrencies have no intrinsic value and are currencies for mobsters and the gullible. Therefore entirely appropriate that Reform should accept them.
You're truly blessed in having a son who thinks a parent can be more useful than ChatGPT! (Or perhaps he's tried that already 😉)
December 3, 2025 at 7:07 PM
You're truly blessed in having a son who thinks a parent can be more useful than ChatGPT! (Or perhaps he's tried that already 😉)
Well, I would certainly have been very happy to have had AI instead of the dreaded Reviewer 2 judging many of my papers in the past!
December 3, 2025 at 11:38 AM
Well, I would certainly have been very happy to have had AI instead of the dreaded Reviewer 2 judging many of my papers in the past!
The rightwing press have seen off Rayner, but failed to see off Reeves. Why not have a go at Cooper next?
December 2, 2025 at 5:44 PM
The rightwing press have seen off Rayner, but failed to see off Reeves. Why not have a go at Cooper next?
And just now on BBC World at One, Sarah Montague discussing the affair with Faisal Islam says, "Well, that's not what it says in the Telegraph"!
December 2, 2025 at 2:06 PM
And just now on BBC World at One, Sarah Montague discussing the affair with Faisal Islam says, "Well, that's not what it says in the Telegraph"!
Sarah Montague on BBC's World at One challenges Faisal Islam's interpretation of the Rachel Reeves "affair" by saying "Well, that's not what it says in the Telegraph"! 🤦
December 2, 2025 at 1:50 PM
Sarah Montague on BBC's World at One challenges Faisal Islam's interpretation of the Rachel Reeves "affair" by saying "Well, that's not what it says in the Telegraph"! 🤦
A non-check of a non-story about a non-event
December 1, 2025 at 2:27 PM
A non-check of a non-story about a non-event
Looks like Your party is now His party and no longer Her party
November 29, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Looks like Your party is now His party and no longer Her party
An elderly person with a £2m house has probably paid off any mortgage. So, use equity release to liberate, say, £25,000 and put it in the bank towards 10 years extra tax, still leaving £1.975m in the value of the house.
November 27, 2025 at 3:17 PM
An elderly person with a £2m house has probably paid off any mortgage. So, use equity release to liberate, say, £25,000 and put it in the bank towards 10 years extra tax, still leaving £1.975m in the value of the house.
Meanwhile, the pay of the average FTSE 100 CEO increased by £520,000 last year from £4.98m to £5.5m. Funny how the well-paid always seem to deserve bigger pay rises than the poorly paid.
November 26, 2025 at 1:17 PM
Meanwhile, the pay of the average FTSE 100 CEO increased by £520,000 last year from £4.98m to £5.5m. Funny how the well-paid always seem to deserve bigger pay rises than the poorly paid.
Ah, but the little old ladies are terrorists; these guys are merely concerned citizens
November 26, 2025 at 12:45 PM
Ah, but the little old ladies are terrorists; these guys are merely concerned citizens
Johnson has quite a record: destroyed the Tory party; destroyed the UK economy (Brexit), and caused the unnecessary deaths of at least 23,000 people (Covid).
November 20, 2025 at 5:48 PM
Johnson has quite a record: destroyed the Tory party; destroyed the UK economy (Brexit), and caused the unnecessary deaths of at least 23,000 people (Covid).