David Stuart Platt, PhD, MLIS
LightNews LightNews
banner
spoilheap.bsky.social
David Stuart Platt, PhD, MLIS
@spoilheap.bsky.social
410 followers 360 following 270 posts
Archivist, archaeologist, librarian, historian. 20th century Brit, 21st century USAian. Manc. "spoilheap"/ "SmallFind" on the Bird site. Former circuit digger. Roman & salvage archaeology, ruins, libraries & book history, archaeological archives. (GPA+VT)
Posts Replies Media Videos
spoilheap.bsky.social
When Luis von Ahn (DuoLingo's founder & CEO) claimed that AI would replace human teachers, I wonder if this is what he had in mind. Jacqueline Saunders reviews & critiques "Paladins: Learn History."
interactivepasts.com/slop-ii-pure...
An apparently AI-generated cartoon of an elder Pompey the Great being struck by 4 very large arrows & looking suitably aghast. It is captioned, "Cleopatra's brother kills Pompey."
September 18, 2025 at 12:42 PM
spoilheap.bsky.social
I rather enjoyed Ashe of Rings, when I read it about a decade ago. (Oh, good grief—was it really that long?)
Copy of the first edition of Ashe of Rings, by Mary Butts. Image yoinked from an online vendor.
July 22, 2025 at 1:26 AM
spoilheap.bsky.social
And a list of museums
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...
Vermont state flag. Again.
December 23, 2024 at 1:53 PM
spoilheap.bsky.social
A useful list of archives in Vermont:
www.familysearch.org/en/wiki/Verm...
The Vermont State flag.
December 23, 2024 at 1:52 PM
spoilheap.bsky.social
I've been boring all my immediate associates by banging on about RSS readers for the last few years but, if you don't believe me, here's Cory Doctorow on the topic. I promise you that almost any RSS reader will improve your experience of the Worldwide Web immensely: pluralistic.net/2024/10/16/k...
Picture of a Cossack soldier (?) standing on a pile of old computers (including ones with reel to reel cassette memory!), holding a rifle in one hand, wearing a furry hat and two bullet bandoliers, and a red sash with the letters RSS on it. Behind all this is a the distinctive RSS logo. There's a burst of light from behind the Cossack. No, I have no idea why he chose this image either.
November 15, 2024 at 5:20 PM