Prof Rachel Oliver
@profrachelgan.bsky.social
Materials scientist, mum, mountain-biker.
Reposted by Prof Rachel Oliver
Wonderful news! Congratulations!!
November 18, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Wonderful news! Congratulations!!
Great news! Hope you have a lovely weekend too!
November 7, 2025 at 9:55 PM
Great news! Hope you have a lovely weekend too!
Far right, not fat right. 🤦♀️
November 7, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Far right, not fat right. 🤦♀️
I very much doubt it would work for the last of those these days😢
But I suspect if you want to sell a book eg promoting a fat right conspiracy theory it might "work" pretty well.
But I suspect if you want to sell a book eg promoting a fat right conspiracy theory it might "work" pretty well.
November 7, 2025 at 6:02 PM
I very much doubt it would work for the last of those these days😢
But I suspect if you want to sell a book eg promoting a fat right conspiracy theory it might "work" pretty well.
But I suspect if you want to sell a book eg promoting a fat right conspiracy theory it might "work" pretty well.
I think it depends on how you define "works".
November 7, 2025 at 5:55 PM
I think it depends on how you define "works".
It nearly came to that last night! But I am now nearer my place than your place and moving in the right direction. For now.
November 5, 2025 at 10:16 AM
It nearly came to that last night! But I am now nearer my place than your place and moving in the right direction. For now.
My "quiet part out loud" point was that Prof Leyser and other ex UKRI honchos are making quite a noise criticising UKRI practice that they had the power to change, but did not successfully address. A different approach might be more helpful...
November 5, 2025 at 10:10 AM
My "quiet part out loud" point was that Prof Leyser and other ex UKRI honchos are making quite a noise criticising UKRI practice that they had the power to change, but did not successfully address. A different approach might be more helpful...
Even on your narrow point, I'm not sure I agree. Pressures were certainly brought to bear on individuals at the last REF in terms of sufficiency if their outputs, and the focus on individuals is still playing out in the broader culture.
But your narrow point was not the point I was making...
But your narrow point was not the point I was making...
November 5, 2025 at 10:08 AM
Even on your narrow point, I'm not sure I agree. Pressures were certainly brought to bear on individuals at the last REF in terms of sufficiency if their outputs, and the focus on individuals is still playing out in the broader culture.
But your narrow point was not the point I was making...
But your narrow point was not the point I was making...
I have heard from RP that this was mistranscribed and Prof Leyser did indeed say Balkanisation. Even with that correction and your explanation, I am still unclear what she meant, to be honest. Plus, as you say, it's a term with offensive implications. Oh wells.
November 5, 2025 at 10:05 AM
I have heard from RP that this was mistranscribed and Prof Leyser did indeed say Balkanisation. Even with that correction and your explanation, I am still unclear what she meant, to be honest. Plus, as you say, it's a term with offensive implications. Oh wells.
Absolutely. And noone could possibly want long distance journeys to be workable by train. It would obviously be much better to use cancellations to encourage passengers to switch to the much cheaper option of short hall flights. That's in everyone's best interest! 🤣😭🤦♀️
November 5, 2025 at 6:34 AM
Absolutely. And noone could possibly want long distance journeys to be workable by train. It would obviously be much better to use cancellations to encourage passengers to switch to the much cheaper option of short hall flights. That's in everyone's best interest! 🤣😭🤦♀️
I'll have to investigate whether they are willing to reimburse me. Certainly, no help for stranded travellers was available last night on Newcastle station.
November 5, 2025 at 6:19 AM
I'll have to investigate whether they are willing to reimburse me. Certainly, no help for stranded travellers was available last night on Newcastle station.
Not by much, because of the joys of dynamic pricing and the fact that cancelling multiple trains on the east coast mainline when you've already cancelled all the alternatives trains on the Western side deposits really quite a lot of people in Newcastle looking for hotel rooms.
November 4, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Not by much, because of the joys of dynamic pricing and the fact that cancelling multiple trains on the east coast mainline when you've already cancelled all the alternatives trains on the Western side deposits really quite a lot of people in Newcastle looking for hotel rooms.
Exactly. I have stayed in so many prem inns that I feel entirely at home. This one is almost identical to the one I was in last night in Edinburgh. The only real difference is that I *intended* to spend the night in Edinburgh.
November 4, 2025 at 10:19 PM
Exactly. I have stayed in so many prem inns that I feel entirely at home. This one is almost identical to the one I was in last night in Edinburgh. The only real difference is that I *intended* to spend the night in Edinburgh.
The first one was trundling along very effectively when it announced it had been cancelled. The second one never left the station where I boarded, so that was slightly less weird, but only slightly.
November 4, 2025 at 10:02 PM
The first one was trundling along very effectively when it announced it had been cancelled. The second one never left the station where I boarded, so that was slightly less weird, but only slightly.
Prem Inn for the win.
November 4, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Prem Inn for the win.