David W. Duffy
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olucaron.bsky.social
David W. Duffy
@olucaron.bsky.social
330 followers 500 following 580 posts
Lv. 42 • He/Him • Database Editor & Quiz Final Boss at TheGamer • Geordie in Seaton Canoe • Teacher in another life • david.d@thegamer.com
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olucaron.bsky.social
And yes, the sky really was that colour.
November 19, 2025 at 4:09 PM
olucaron.bsky.social
It's not the fourth of July, why are the aliens here?
A photograph of some apocalyptic-looking snow clouds out to sea, taken from Seaton Carew, UK. They look similar to the clouds seen when the alien ships arrive in the movie Independence Day.
November 19, 2025 at 4:02 PM
olucaron.bsky.social
Why on earth would I, an ESL teacher for over a decade, ever be interested in promoting an AI language app?

Quickest spam 'delete' ever.
A spam email seeking promotion for an AI language learning app. Text: "Hi David, I’m reaching out because I thought you might be interested in a story about how AI tutors are starting to replace traditional language teachers. A new wave of AI tutors is quietly replacing what used to be language classrooms — not through chatbots, but through voice-based AI conversations that feel almost human. The shift is huge: learners are spending more time talking to AI tutors than using traditional study apps. It’s raising questions about whether “AI teachers” might soon replace private tutors and even reshape the $60 billion language-learning market. We’ve been researching this trend closely at Talkpal AI, which teaches over 6 million users 60 languages with the help of AI. I can share real user data, examples of how people are using AI for pronunciation practice, and insights on what this means for education’s future. Would you be open to a short chat or access to the app?"
November 17, 2025 at 11:33 AM
olucaron.bsky.social
They're just lining him up to reinvent Mario Golf.
Benny Safdie as Frank Manatee and Haley Joel Osment as Billy Jenkins in Happy Gilmore 2.
November 12, 2025 at 4:40 PM
olucaron.bsky.social
They missed a trick not using this wall in the FF set.
Aeris, Cloud, and Yuffie battle the Demon Wall boss in the original Final Fantasy VII.
November 4, 2025 at 10:34 PM
olucaron.bsky.social
Tax. The. Rich.

Every time I get the bus through town to my sister's I see the deprivation, and it's frankly disgusting that we live in a country that allows this to happen while a tiny few hoard wealth.

Ben Houchen is a ghoul.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
A map from the BBC showing the areas with the most deprived neighbourhoods in England. It is incredibly disproportionate towards the north of the country being far more "highly deprived" (darker colours) than the south (with the lightest shade of pink indicating 0% of neighbourhoods being deprived in that area). Hartlepool, where I live, is highlighted as having 42% of neighbourhoods considered "highly deprived", the third highest in the country behind Middlesbrough (just down the road from me, 50%) and Birmingham (43%).
October 30, 2025 at 12:31 PM
olucaron.bsky.social
Fallout 4 Anniversary - am I right in thinking the *only* difference to this bundle is the addition of the Creation Club stuff?

Wonder how much of a premium Bethesda are going to charge... 🙄
October 24, 2025 at 2:56 PM
olucaron.bsky.social
😬😬😬
A screenshot showing that the contents of my Steam account would cost £12,045 if bought at today's prices.
October 17, 2025 at 9:55 AM
olucaron.bsky.social
Did a thing.
A screenshot confirming membership of the UK Green Party.
October 10, 2025 at 11:13 AM
olucaron.bsky.social
Denham is one of the worst IEA plants out there at the moment. Just a constant stream of divisive bullshit. At this point it's generous to call her a 'journalist'.
October 10, 2025 at 8:43 AM
olucaron.bsky.social
Gamespot really did Unlimited SaGa dirty. 🤣
The PlayStation 2 cover art for Unlimited SaGa. GameSpot's review summary for Unlimited SaGa, given a score of 4.3 out of 10. It says: "In the end, Unlimited SaGa is simply the flawed sum of its disparate parts."
September 25, 2025 at 12:45 PM
olucaron.bsky.social
I use an app called JustWatch on my phone, it'll tell you what streaming service a film/TV show is on. Super, super useful in today's age of a million services.
A screenshot of an app called JustWatch, showing where one can watch Hellraiser (2022).
September 13, 2025 at 11:56 AM
olucaron.bsky.social
My goodness, this is one chunky fellow. Too heavy for my coffee scales to measure, which tap out at 2kg. 😅

Looking forward to getting stuck in, @lostincult.co.uk, I think given the theme this will be my favourite one yet! ❤️
A photograph of Lock-On 006, a weighty journal about video games. Artwork of Terra Branford from Final Fantasy VI adorns the cover, by legendary artist Yoshitaka Amano. A poster of the same artwork is beside it, as is a plush toy of puppy-form Torgal from Final Fantasy XVI.
September 4, 2025 at 5:43 PM
olucaron.bsky.social
Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven - A Story In Four Parts.

Got to love a forced time skip, just as I was building the party out. 🤣
A girl dances in a tavern in Romancing SaGa 2: Revenge of the Seven. She has green hair and flowing clothes. In the same game, a mermaid sits on a rock in the foreground, with the player character, a male Levante Guard emperor, in the distance looking on. The mermaid and the player character talk, in an underwater scene. She says: "Why, it's...you! Are you here just to see me?" The screen has faded to black, with only the following text visible: "And Emperor Ganryu was never heard from again." This sequence of events forces a time skip in the game.
August 21, 2025 at 11:41 PM
olucaron.bsky.social
And I still haven't finished Dragon Age: Origins...
The first five purchases on my Steam account. They are Dragon Age: Origins Ultimate Edition, Final Fantasy 7, Goat Simulator, Child of Light (and some DLC content for it), Trine Collection, and the Cthulhu Saves the World/Breath of Death VII Double Pack.
August 15, 2025 at 12:01 PM
olucaron.bsky.social
My favourite Doctor and Companion.
Radical Edward (a human girl) and Ein (a Welsh Corgi "data dog") from the anime Cowboy Bebop.
August 9, 2025 at 8:46 AM
olucaron.bsky.social
If you see this, quote with a title screen that's iconic to you.
The title screen for Neo Turf Masters, a 1996 arcade golf game.
August 7, 2025 at 10:15 AM
olucaron.bsky.social
Not a pet, but I took this on my walk. 😊
A photo of a sheep in a field, with a bird sitting on its back.
August 6, 2025 at 8:13 PM
olucaron.bsky.social
This is going to be one of those iconic results isn't it? 😳
Gus Atkinson (right) and Chris Woakes (left), England cricket batsmen in the Fifth Test versus India. England require 10 to win, but Woakes is injured - his arm is in a sling under his sweater after dislocating his shoulder, but came out to bat as last man anyway, due to how close to victory we are.
August 4, 2025 at 10:52 AM
olucaron.bsky.social
Google, the great Umamusume enabler.. 😅
A screenshot of a screen showing that I won 250 Google Play Points in the weekly draw, the equivalent of £2.50 credit that will naturally be spent in Umamusume: Pretty Derby.
August 1, 2025 at 11:00 PM
olucaron.bsky.social
Level up: 42 🎉

Brisk 10k walk up past the duck pond then along the seafront, time to finally step up the stroke recovery and get back to some semblance of both physical and mental health.
A bunch of geese that hang around the local pond. One of those absolutely massive ships designed to install wind turbines in the sea, leaving the Tees estuary. An old and haggard me, post-10km walk. The stats from my walk: 10.28km in 1 hour, 45 minutes.
July 30, 2025 at 7:06 PM
olucaron.bsky.social
Aye, I've heard tapings are quite speedy.

Live right on The Green. Pretty sure I have the best view in town! 😅
A view from my flat in Seaton Carew in north east England. A rainbow divides the sky almost down the middle, separating rain and dry.
July 18, 2025 at 9:13 PM
olucaron.bsky.social
Eerie half-light over Seaton as a thunderstorm rolls by. The rain is very welcome though.
Eerie pink-grey clouds over my flat on the North East seafront as a thunderstorm rolls by.
July 18, 2025 at 9:10 PM
olucaron.bsky.social
Not a single SSR in 140 pulls. Why have you forsaken me, Kitasan?!
The Japanese racehorse, Kitasan Black. An anthropomorphic version appears in Umamusume: Pretty Derby, with its support card just released and highly desirable.
July 16, 2025 at 10:54 PM
olucaron.bsky.social
FINALLY.
Screenshot from Umamusume: Pretty Derby showing the URA Finale trophy, a golden horse-girl in a running pose on a two-tier plinth. Screenshot from Umamusume: Pretty Derby showing the pyramid of fans Gold Ship earned during her winning run, a total of 360,924 - enough to complete the top Legend layer. Screenshot from Umamusume: Pretty Derby showing the final stats and abilities learned by Gold Ship during her victorious run. Screenshot from Umamusume: Pretty Derby showing Gold Ship in victory pose, alongside information about her final rank (8,579 points for a B+ rank), race record (14 wins from 17 races), and major win medals (Senior Autumn Triple Crown, Senior Spring Triple Crown, and Tenno Sweep).
July 15, 2025 at 10:35 PM