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Frogfall

@frogfall

Now qualify as an old codger. Where did all those decades go? Location: a hidden cave in the Pennine hills. #Engineer. #Fortean

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21.03.2024
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Latest posts by Frogfall @frogfall

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Palm-sized superconducting magnet achieves 42 tesla, rivaling the world's biggest When we think of powerful magnets used in particle accelerators or for NMR (nuclear magnetic resonance), we often envision bulky machines, sometimes the size of buildings. But in an extraordinary brea...

I see New Scientist have deleted their post. Phys.org have a better write-up of the same story. It is the *bore* that is 3.1mm diameter.
phys.org/news/2026-03...

12.03.2026 15:45 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

No, no, no, no, and five times no, wikipedia. What has got into you? Stop this shite at once. I'm not going to donate any more money, while this monstrosity exists.

12.03.2026 11:17 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Horrendous animation forced on us by idiots at wikipedia.

Horrendous animation forced on us by idiots at wikipedia.

@wikipedia.org WTF is this? I cannot read text on a screen when there is animation present (motion/flicker sensitivity). It means I'm going to have to "pause" this damned thing every time I access an article. This is not acceptable. It needs a global switch off option.

12.03.2026 11:09 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 1

The magnet in the article is stated to be "3.1mm in diameter". That is not "palm of the hand" size - it is a "held between finger and thumb" size. New Scientist articles seem to be increasingly sloppy nowadays.

11.03.2026 20:07 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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Harold be thy name A selection of quotes by and about Harold Wilson.

"In the Labour Party we spend all our time talking about getting rid of the leader and never do it."
Harold Wilson was born 110 years ago today.
thelionandunicorn.com/2016/03/11/o...

11.03.2026 08:28 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Detective Sergeant Steve Beels & the 'Revolving Door' The Undercover Research Group investigate Steve Beels, a Met Police spycop turned corporate spy on protest groups

As the #spycops public inquiry continues, we see reminders that the scandal extends beyond the police into the corporate arena - & some people straddle both worlds.This guest post from the Undercover Research Group investigates one of them.

campaignopposingpolicesurveillance.com/2026/03/08/d...

08.03.2026 16:40 πŸ‘ 8 πŸ” 5 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Funky Fanfare
Funky Fanfare YouTube video by Keith Mansfield - Topic

I reckon the 70s Kids TV version didn't have the initial "fanfare", so started more like this (but slower). www.youtube.com/watch?v=936o...

08.03.2026 17:05 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Thanks. I guess its got a good enough "hook" to be an instant earworm. I possibly heard the sport show version on a local radio station in the late 1980s. The early 70s TV kids show may have had different orchestration, and slower tempo, so maybe the same composer reusing the basic melody.

08.03.2026 14:22 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
Funky Fanfare
Funky Fanfare YouTube video by Keith Mansfield - Topic

All these records are terrific. This is a theme I remember from a kids TV show in the early 70s (I think). I wish I could remember what the show was caled It was later used on some radio sports show, I think.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=936o...

07.03.2026 23:53 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Leading up to the AV referendum it was clear that many voters didn't even understand it. Lots of people genuinely thought it was like Eurovision voting. I gave up trying to explain it. Turnout was tiny - as most people were clearly uninterested. I'm glad it failed - as AV is crap. We can do better.

07.03.2026 19:14 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Two scientists walk through a cluttered old-fashioned science laboratory.

The female scientist says 
β€œAnalogue instruments! Paper records! Chalk boards! I thought you'd agreed to modernise the laboratory?”

The male scientist replies
β€œThat's what i'm so excited about: we have moved to cloud-based storage for our data!”

They step out onto a balcony. She says:
β€œPlease tell me you haven't built a library zeppelin” 

This is exactly what he has done. It floats across the sky and he adds
β€œIt's got a fax machine!”

Two scientists walk through a cluttered old-fashioned science laboratory. The female scientist says β€œAnalogue instruments! Paper records! Chalk boards! I thought you'd agreed to modernise the laboratory?” The male scientist replies β€œThat's what i'm so excited about: we have moved to cloud-based storage for our data!” They step out onto a balcony. She says: β€œPlease tell me you haven't built a library zeppelin” This is exactly what he has done. It floats across the sky and he adds β€œIt's got a fax machine!”

My cartoon for this week’s @newscientist.com

07.03.2026 15:07 πŸ‘ 1352 πŸ” 449 πŸ’¬ 19 πŸ“Œ 40
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Emma Walmsley’s pay rose almost 50% to Β£15.6m in final year as GSK boss Bulk of 2025 renumeration came from share bonuses as drug company’s now former CEO benefitted from stock rise

GSK CEO got 50% pay rise to Β£15.6m.

Did you?

Neoliberals moan about rise in minimum wage. Govts preach pay restraint to workers. Silence on profiteering, hikes in exec pay/perks, dividends, share buybacks.

The state devoted to welfare of the super rich.

06.03.2026 08:14 πŸ‘ 287 πŸ” 152 πŸ’¬ 11 πŸ“Œ 8
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Water firms sent bailiffs to tens of thousands of homes for debts under Β£1,000 Most recorded visits are for smaller debts, data from England and Wales suggests, though method of recovery is a postcode lottery

Water firms sent bailiffs to tens of thousands of homes for debts under Β£1,000.

Exorbitant water bills. One-third covers interest & dividend payments

Companies paid over Β£85bn in dividends, borrowed billions to pay. Sewage dumped in rivers, fines waived. No bailiff ever sent. No exec punished

06.03.2026 08:00 πŸ‘ 290 πŸ” 156 πŸ’¬ 10 πŸ“Œ 9

The US kept punching the Viet Cong when they were down.
Just sayin'

04.03.2026 21:01 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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A medical journal says the case reports it has published for 25 years are, in fact, fiction A Canadian journal has issued corrections on 138 case reports it published over the last 25 years to add a disclaimer: The cases described are fictional. Paediatrics & Child Health, the journal…

A Canadian journal has issued corrections on 138 case reports it published over the last 25 years to add a disclaimer:

The cases described are fictional.

03.03.2026 22:00 πŸ‘ 59 πŸ” 26 πŸ’¬ 3 πŸ“Œ 12

With new reporting that self-styled Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and more than a few senior US military commanders are intent on igniting a Christian holy war and triggering Armageddon, it’s time to re-share this disturbing 1984 radio documentary, β€œRonald Reagan and the Prophecy of Armageddon.”

03.03.2026 20:16 πŸ‘ 21 πŸ” 8 πŸ’¬ 2 πŸ“Œ 2

Sloppy writing by the New Scientist. The V1 "doodlebug" was not a "rocket". It was a pulse-jet powered flying bomb.

So yes, a similar concept to the Shahed, but very poor guidance, no propeller, and certainly no rocket.

03.03.2026 13:58 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

I've noticed an insidious rise in trolls and shitposters, recently, on Bluesky. It's feeling a bit more like the Xitter world from which many of us were trying to escape. I'm not surprised if its stopping sensible people from bothering. Masto still feels slightly less threatening, though.

01.03.2026 21:15 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Post image

Of course it's on the App. And reported on the day. Shitposters like you are not helping anyone. Go back to X where you belong.

01.03.2026 21:01 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0
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At least 153 dead after reported strike on school, Iran says Iran has blamed the US and Israel for the strike; the US is looking into reports of the incident, while the IDF says it is

Does the BBC count as "the media"?
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

01.03.2026 20:42 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

The replies to this post look more like X/Twitter than early Bluesky. Unfortunately, it seems the shitposters, trolls, and attack dogs have now migrated.

28.02.2026 11:26 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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God, and other 1980s album titles Friends of Hell and the Mona Lisa’s Sister – ALWYN TURNER’s favourite album titles of the 1980s.

From Let It Bee to Filth Hounds of Hades, the eighty best/worst British album titles of the 1980s.
thelionandunicorn.com/2026/02/28/g...

28.02.2026 08:10 πŸ‘ 2 πŸ” 4 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
Transpennine Route Upgrade public consultation – Standedge to Gledholt | SMART

Colne Valley Railway Modifications consultation. If you missed the Slaithwaite session on Tuesday, there is another, tomorrow, in Marsden. Proposal documents here:
www.smart-rail.co.uk?p=2696
#Huddersfield #Pennines #WestYorkshire #Rail #Railway

25.02.2026 19:40 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

I think I'd take this story a bit more seriously if Jeff Bezos didn't own the Washington Post. Yes, I can see that it would help some people, but it's also a way to encourage the sale of both formats to more customers.

25.02.2026 09:05 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Some sketchbook doodles leading up to the cartoon below. Sadly there was no space for Kate Bush in the final artwork. #wutheringheights

The original art is now here: www.tomgauld.com/art-for-sale

23.02.2026 15:21 πŸ‘ 316 πŸ” 51 πŸ’¬ 9 πŸ“Œ 0

Nice. Includes many reasons why I rarely listen to anybody's damned podcast.

23.02.2026 11:50 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0
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Why I Hate Your Podcast Bill Wyman hates your podcast. Not for one thing it does. Nor for two. But for twenty three reasons.

Every podcaster should read this article regularly.

23.02.2026 10:18 πŸ‘ 3 πŸ” 1 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0

Looks good to me. Just a fusion variant of a filled Yorkshire pudding. Where can I try one?

21.02.2026 13:30 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

Advertise your accent with a gif

19.02.2026 20:45 πŸ‘ 1 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 0 πŸ“Œ 0

The website is a bit OTT. What's wrong with a simple list of documents, and links to illustrations?

17.02.2026 12:06 πŸ‘ 0 πŸ” 0 πŸ’¬ 1 πŸ“Œ 0