Mathew Nicolson

That's nearly all the scaffolding down from Edinburgh's North Bridge - I'd forgotten how pretty it is

I've just reviewed my 52nd Sticky Toffee Pudding. But what did it get out of 10?

Wonderful news! But can't help asking whether the collector knew they were sitting on such sought-after tapes. If so, I suppose that sense of exclusivity only adds to the appeal of the collection.

Collections: Warfare in Dune, Part I: Fighting Faufreluches This week, time for something a bit silly: we’re going to think about the plausibility of the warfare in Frank Herbert’s Dune! In particular, I want to approach the question in two part…

Enjoyed this article on the realism of warfare in the Dune books. I was never quite convinced by how they treat lasers/shields, but I hadn't even considered that the problem could basically be removed - or, well, intensified - with "suicide laser drones" acoup.blog/2026/02/24/c...

Just enough to top up my desk

THIS. If you’re in central Glasgow tonight please close your windows; if you have to be out please wear the best mask you have available. If you can smell it, you’re at risk.

Okay, what is with all the rickshaws in London

Found a stationery shop in London that sells "luxury pens" for £2,800

Obligatory London Pret

Arp 245

AstroBin's Image of the Day: "Arp 245" by Wolfgang Promper

www.astrobin.com/7z4bsm/

#astrophotography

Parts of Dubai, UAE, are burning caused by Iranian missiles.

Peacock on the roof

UK, Gorton and Denton, national parliament by-election:

Final result

Spencer (GPEW-G/EFA): 40.6% (+27.4)
Goodwin (REFORM~NI): 28.7% (+14.6)
Stogia (LAB-S&D): 25.4% (-25.4)
...

+/- vs. 2024 election

GREEN-G/EFA gain from LAB-S&D

➤ https://europeelects.eu/uk

Exoplanet PSR J2322-2650b Orbiting a Pulsar YouTube video by James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)

An amazing NASA animation showing the egg-shaped
exoplanet PSR J2322-2650b orbiting a pulsar, 750 light years away from us www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBf1...

Saying things like "I don't believe in Tourettes" is unhelpful and deeply hurtful to people with disabilities. We've lived our whole lives with people saying, "You're just doing it for attention," or "You don't *really* have a disability." I've had *doctors* tell me I was faking my tics -

As it is en vogue to describe Germany’s political landscape as resembling “Weimar conditions,” its worth taking a closer look at the era’s high levels of political fragility. In just 14 years of existence, the Weimar Republic saw 20 different governments. On average, a cabinet lasted only 244 days.

Designed & Added a Hex Map to the Senedd Nowcast to Display Projected Seat Winners:

electionmaps.uk/nowcast/senedd

I hadn't considered before that this seems like an external form of some kinds of OCD - which can also fixate people's thoughts onto things they find most taboo or personally horrifying, and which is also commonly misunderstood and stigmatised

Western Isles to celebrate 40 years of Gaelic medium education GME in the islands started in Breasclete with just four pupils in 1986.

Western Isles to celebrate 40 years of Gaelic medium education www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Google search AI overview: at the top are pictures of the AT-RT armoured walking machine thing from Star Wars, including fun collector's models. The text underneath says: "Atypical Teratoid/Rhabdoid Tumor (AT/RT) is a rare, highly aggressive Grade 4 cancer of the central nervous system, primarily affecting children aged 3 and younger. It develops in the brain or spinal cord, often causing rapid symptoms like headaches, vomiting, and loss of balance. Treatment is intense, usually combining surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation."

Thanks, AI

First mild night and the frogs have been busy. 21/02/26. #frogspawn #mywildlifepond

BREAKING: Former South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol has been convicted of insurrection for declaring martial law in December 2024, and has been sentenced to life in prison.

Yeah, this is my fundamental issue with all three of the sequel films. Find it hard to even engage with the Discourse over TLJ or TROS because this fatal flaw left me fundamentally bored.

(The Last Jedi did a few interesting things, but its DNA is still fundamentally Empire Strikes Back)

One in five children infected in the recent London measles outbreak were reportedly hospitalised.
Don’t believe the anti-vaxxers when they say “it’s a mild disease” or “it’s better to get immunity naturally”.
It isn’t.

It's easy to be concerned about vaccines when you stop being concerned about viruses. You can only stop being concerned about viruses in a world with vaccines.

Measles is one of those nightmare diseases that, if it hadn't been killing people for hundreds of years, people would ABSOLUTELY be pushing conspiracy theories about right now. It's too nasty in too many different directions to seem natural. But oh, boy, it sure is.

The Bronze Age vs The AI Age
1/ Can archaeology predict the future of Big Tech?

Economists usually look back 50-150 years; archaeologists look back further.
When you look at the Bronze Age Collapse (c. 1200 BCE), are there any parallels to our current AI trajectory?
#AI #TechHistory #Archaeology

Are economies realistic in Civilization? YouTube video by Suede

A fun video about the realism (and lack thereof - though there's a surprising amount) of the economies in the Civilization series www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETwO...

It’s so funny to think about the fact that there’s people out there deferring every life decision to this