M A Spiers
@maspiers.bsky.social
#Hills and #rivers and #maps and #sewers, not necessarily in that order.
Mostly in Sheffield, except when I'm not.
Mostly in Sheffield, except when I'm not.
Reposted by M A Spiers
“The appetite for jumping into Venezuela right now is pretty low,” one oil industry source told CNN. “The president’s desire is different than the industry’s. And the White House would have known that if they had communicated with the industry prior to the operation.”
www.cnn.com/2026/01/05/b...
www.cnn.com/2026/01/05/b...
Big Oil doesn’t share Trump’s dream of making Venezuelan oil great again | CNN Business
President Donald Trump may have made a major miscalculation about Venezuela’s oil.
www.cnn.com
January 6, 2026 at 11:43 AM
“The appetite for jumping into Venezuela right now is pretty low,” one oil industry source told CNN. “The president’s desire is different than the industry’s. And the White House would have known that if they had communicated with the industry prior to the operation.”
www.cnn.com/2026/01/05/b...
www.cnn.com/2026/01/05/b...
Reposted by M A Spiers
If EU Reach has gathered enough information to ban a chemical, Switzerland tends to follow suit but has the power not to do so if it chooses. By contrast, the UK lags ever farther behind the EU on chemical safety, with an understaffed system & emphasis on a deregulatory approach.
There's increasing discussion of a potential 'Swiss approach' for the UK post-#Brexit.
The #Swiss have a complex relationship with the EU, but here's a report we published two years ago on how they regulate industrial chemicals:
chemtrust.org/is-the-swiss...
The #Swiss have a complex relationship with the EU, but here's a report we published two years ago on how they regulate industrial chemicals:
chemtrust.org/is-the-swiss...
January 6, 2026 at 10:14 AM
If EU Reach has gathered enough information to ban a chemical, Switzerland tends to follow suit but has the power not to do so if it chooses. By contrast, the UK lags ever farther behind the EU on chemical safety, with an understaffed system & emphasis on a deregulatory approach.
Reposted by M A Spiers
By way of background, here is my @prospectmagazine.co.uk post on when is an order an "unlawful command" about that video of the six members of Congress.
bsky.app/profile/davi...
bsky.app/profile/davi...
NEW
When is an order an ‘unlawful command’?
And why has Trump reacted so furiously to six members of Congress correctly stating the law?
By me, at @prospectmagazine.co.uk
(In which I go and look at the actual law and guidance in US and also UK.)
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/law/th...
When is an order an ‘unlawful command’?
And why has Trump reacted so furiously to six members of Congress correctly stating the law?
By me, at @prospectmagazine.co.uk
(In which I go and look at the actual law and guidance in US and also UK.)
www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/ideas/law/th...
January 5, 2026 at 7:12 PM
By way of background, here is my @prospectmagazine.co.uk post on when is an order an "unlawful command" about that video of the six members of Congress.
bsky.app/profile/davi...
bsky.app/profile/davi...
Reposted by M A Spiers
America is a rogue and malevolent state and global bad actor
January 4, 2026 at 5:51 PM
America is a rogue and malevolent state and global bad actor
Reposted by M A Spiers
There’s always a tweet.
January 3, 2026 at 6:18 PM
There’s always a tweet.
Reposted by M A Spiers
Reposted by M A Spiers
I would like to live in precedented times. You know, where the things that keep happening aren’t weird, gobsmacking and terrifying.
January 3, 2026 at 6:14 PM
I would like to live in precedented times. You know, where the things that keep happening aren’t weird, gobsmacking and terrifying.
Reposted by M A Spiers
Great to know there’s a specific app for betting on the end of the world.
This person went on a buying spree over the past 24 hours. Fresh wallet. Only existed since Dec 27th and has only bet on Venezuela-related markets.
polymarket.com/@0x31a56e9E6...
polymarket.com/@0x31a56e9E6...
January 3, 2026 at 3:11 PM
Great to know there’s a specific app for betting on the end of the world.
Reposted by M A Spiers
Prescient thread
Plausible worst case scenario with Venezuela in four steps:
1. Rubio and Venezuelan exiles sell the idea of decapitation strikes against Maduro to Trump as the one big thing that solves Venezuela, cartels and Cuba for the US.
1. Rubio and Venezuelan exiles sell the idea of decapitation strikes against Maduro to Trump as the one big thing that solves Venezuela, cartels and Cuba for the US.
January 3, 2026 at 10:38 AM
Prescient thread
Reposted by M A Spiers
Unsurprisingly, seeing a whole load of contradictory claims about the Venezuela attack & Maduro on here – which is what happens when (a) it’s chaos & (b) you try to extrapolate back from the facts – as they appear to you – to possible causes. A lot of this is just going to take time to become clear
January 3, 2026 at 10:36 AM
Unsurprisingly, seeing a whole load of contradictory claims about the Venezuela attack & Maduro on here – which is what happens when (a) it’s chaos & (b) you try to extrapolate back from the facts – as they appear to you – to possible causes. A lot of this is just going to take time to become clear
Reposted by M A Spiers
I had no idea that just kidnapping the head of state of another country if they're a criminal and whisking them over to stand trial for their crimes was an option, but since it clearly is, we should crack on because there's LOADS.
January 3, 2026 at 10:53 AM
I had no idea that just kidnapping the head of state of another country if they're a criminal and whisking them over to stand trial for their crimes was an option, but since it clearly is, we should crack on because there's LOADS.
Reposted by M A Spiers
'Mr Tansley said water voles were like "little mini beavers" who "create all of these little micro habitats that other animals can get into".'
These tiny hydrological engineers create homes for wildlife, + porous banks that help slow the flow, reducing flood + drought risk.
These tiny hydrological engineers create homes for wildlife, + porous banks that help slow the flow, reducing flood + drought risk.
A project to protect river animals by eradicating mink has seen the East of England become the only place in Britain where water vole populations are increasing...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
'Explosion' of water vole numbers across the East of England
A project to boost water voles in East Anglia by eliminating mink is proving to be a success.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 3, 2026 at 10:54 AM
'Mr Tansley said water voles were like "little mini beavers" who "create all of these little micro habitats that other animals can get into".'
These tiny hydrological engineers create homes for wildlife, + porous banks that help slow the flow, reducing flood + drought risk.
These tiny hydrological engineers create homes for wildlife, + porous banks that help slow the flow, reducing flood + drought risk.
Reposted by M A Spiers
A defining moment for Europe. If it endorses/fails to condemn this flagrant breach of international law, it will have surrendered its core justification for opposing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
JUST IN: Trump says the U.S. has captured Maduro and his wife and flown them out of the country.
January 3, 2026 at 10:17 AM
A defining moment for Europe. If it endorses/fails to condemn this flagrant breach of international law, it will have surrendered its core justification for opposing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine
Reposted by M A Spiers
They gentrified the tinfoil hat
January 1, 2026 at 8:57 PM
They gentrified the tinfoil hat
Reposted by M A Spiers
This is just such a damned disgrace. A crime against knowledge and humanity itself.
January 1, 2026 at 5:38 AM
This is just such a damned disgrace. A crime against knowledge and humanity itself.
Reposted by M A Spiers
NEW
When should social media posts have legal consequences?
Comparing and contrasting the cases of Lucy Connolly and Alaa Abd El-Fattah
By me, at @newstatesman1913.bsky.social
www.newstatesman.com/politics/soc...
When should social media posts have legal consequences?
Comparing and contrasting the cases of Lucy Connolly and Alaa Abd El-Fattah
By me, at @newstatesman1913.bsky.social
www.newstatesman.com/politics/soc...
December 31, 2025 at 1:32 PM
NEW
When should social media posts have legal consequences?
Comparing and contrasting the cases of Lucy Connolly and Alaa Abd El-Fattah
By me, at @newstatesman1913.bsky.social
www.newstatesman.com/politics/soc...
When should social media posts have legal consequences?
Comparing and contrasting the cases of Lucy Connolly and Alaa Abd El-Fattah
By me, at @newstatesman1913.bsky.social
www.newstatesman.com/politics/soc...
Reposted by M A Spiers
I had a senior highways engineer colleague/boss that only allowed meetings to last until he’d finished a cup of tea and eaten three biscuits.
“Anything more can be sent by email and/or decided by the officer themselves.” 😎
“Anything more can be sent by email and/or decided by the officer themselves.” 😎
I will never forget my old lead designer at Turbine, Chris Clay, who had a rule:
Never spend more time talking about a design in a meeting than it would take to prototype it and see.
I was in plenty of meetings where he suddenly slapped the table and invoked Clay's Law
Never spend more time talking about a design in a meeting than it would take to prototype it and see.
I was in plenty of meetings where he suddenly slapped the table and invoked Clay's Law
I had an hour long meeting today about doing a thing, a thing I would have been doing if I didn’t have an hour long meeting.
December 27, 2025 at 8:26 AM
I had a senior highways engineer colleague/boss that only allowed meetings to last until he’d finished a cup of tea and eaten three biscuits.
“Anything more can be sent by email and/or decided by the officer themselves.” 😎
“Anything more can be sent by email and/or decided by the officer themselves.” 😎
Reposted by M A Spiers
THREAD. A collection of photographs of excellent trees I have met on walks.
You will find the captions to each photo in the alt text.
You will find the captions to each photo in the alt text.
November 19, 2025 at 6:31 PM
THREAD. A collection of photographs of excellent trees I have met on walks.
You will find the captions to each photo in the alt text.
You will find the captions to each photo in the alt text.
Reposted by M A Spiers
Unbelievably, #DuvetKnowItsChristmas generates such good will on social media that over the years we've raised somewhere approaching a quarter of a million quid for homeless charities. If you can spare a bob or two, sling some to Centrepoint, and here's the link: www.gofundme.com/f/duvet-know...
Donate to Duvet Know It's Christmas, 2025, organized by Rhodri Marsden
Unbelievably, it's the 15th year of this thing.
What is it?
Improbably, the nig… Rhodri Marsden needs your support for Duvet Know It's Christmas, 2025
www.gofundme.com
December 24, 2025 at 7:35 PM
Unbelievably, #DuvetKnowItsChristmas generates such good will on social media that over the years we've raised somewhere approaching a quarter of a million quid for homeless charities. If you can spare a bob or two, sling some to Centrepoint, and here's the link: www.gofundme.com/f/duvet-know...
Reposted by M A Spiers
☠️MORTIFYING CHRISTMAS STORY TIME
Ahead of the big day tomorrow, here’s the story of The Worst Thing That Ever Happened At Christmas. A few years ago, the two of us were invited to a communal Xmas dinner at a friend’s house, where all the guests were to bring different Xmas dinner components. 1/
Ahead of the big day tomorrow, here’s the story of The Worst Thing That Ever Happened At Christmas. A few years ago, the two of us were invited to a communal Xmas dinner at a friend’s house, where all the guests were to bring different Xmas dinner components. 1/
a man in a santa suit is standing in front of a store with a sign that says ' ao ' on it
ALT: a man in a santa suit is standing in front of a store with a sign that says ' ao ' on it
media.tenor.com
December 24, 2025 at 8:54 PM
☠️MORTIFYING CHRISTMAS STORY TIME
Ahead of the big day tomorrow, here’s the story of The Worst Thing That Ever Happened At Christmas. A few years ago, the two of us were invited to a communal Xmas dinner at a friend’s house, where all the guests were to bring different Xmas dinner components. 1/
Ahead of the big day tomorrow, here’s the story of The Worst Thing That Ever Happened At Christmas. A few years ago, the two of us were invited to a communal Xmas dinner at a friend’s house, where all the guests were to bring different Xmas dinner components. 1/
Reposted by M A Spiers
for many, it will be the space left by those no longer with us that can be felt most intensely today. Here is a poem for my dad and one for my mum. Hope the ghosts bring happy memories too .
December 25, 2025 at 10:23 AM
for many, it will be the space left by those no longer with us that can be felt most intensely today. Here is a poem for my dad and one for my mum. Hope the ghosts bring happy memories too .
Official Christmas photo
December 24, 2025 at 9:47 PM
Official Christmas photo
Reposted by M A Spiers
The Environment Agency for England has said today that it expects its new national coastal erosion risk map (NCERM) to be updated early next year and then yearly after that www.gov.uk/guidance/upd...
#coastalerosion #opendata
#coastalerosion #opendata
December 22, 2025 at 4:48 PM
The Environment Agency for England has said today that it expects its new national coastal erosion risk map (NCERM) to be updated early next year and then yearly after that www.gov.uk/guidance/upd...
#coastalerosion #opendata
#coastalerosion #opendata
Reposted by M A Spiers
A couple of weekends ago I attempted to get festive by finding out about the history of Sheffield's unique set of Christmas carols.
The carols are different from any others sung in the UK and traditionally sang in rural pubs across the city.
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
The carols are different from any others sung in the UK and traditionally sang in rural pubs across the city.
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Secret South Yorkshire - Sheffield pubs keeping festive tradition alive - BBC Sounds
Jack Hadaway-Weller finds out about the history of Sheffield carols at the Blue Ball Inn.
www.bbc.co.uk
December 24, 2025 at 3:19 PM
A couple of weekends ago I attempted to get festive by finding out about the history of Sheffield's unique set of Christmas carols.
The carols are different from any others sung in the UK and traditionally sang in rural pubs across the city.
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
The carols are different from any others sung in the UK and traditionally sang in rural pubs across the city.
www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...
Reposted by M A Spiers
This is very fine.
For those of you who are partial to a spooky tale at Christmastide, here’s a short film starring @mikewozniak.bsky.social & #WillAdamsdale, written by @quantick.bsky.social youtu.be/xI2q7YSe0ec?...
Sleepyman
YouTube video by John Panton
youtu.be
December 24, 2025 at 3:45 PM
This is very fine.