How has nobody bought the IP for AskJeeves.com and used it for an AI chatbot?

📘 New book out: rethinking how diplomacy is learned Diplomatic Training: Histories, Geographies, Politics brings together voices from across the world to examine how diplomatic training shapes international relations, and who it includes. Read more here: academy.unpo.org/diplomatic-t...

Incredible to start something like this and not even get your story straight in advance www.nytimes.com/2026/03/03/w...

Probably not the most important news right now, but I think it is worth passing on that buying a white sweatshirt when you have a three-year-old is a terrible idea

Fantastic blog by my former colleague @alanlester.bsky.social forensically refuting the disgraceful attacks on the University of Sussex by the disgracefully ignorant Nigel Biggar. If you’re interested in protecting academic freedom please do read and share

American ambassadors in the EU are bringing a new style of more abrasive and confrontational diplomacy to the EU. It is not a bug in the system. It is the new system. 🔗 www.politico.eu/article/fran...

“in the modern academic environment professors act more like middle managers than monastics…forces driv[e] us to constantly look at screens..But there’s nobility in pushing back.. universities have..the opportunity [&!] obligation to integrate..sustained concentration into their social mission”

A retired British primary school administrator with a British passport and a valid visa was shackled, chained and detained for six weeks by ICE www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

This was an absolute nail-biter of a match! Bring on Saturday night! www.bbc.co.uk/sport/articl...

Surely we could do with one more season of the Crown www.bloomberg.com/news/article...

important commentary!!! www.timeshighereducation.com/opinion/uk-u...

I was a big fan of Robert Duvall, but was still stunned to read about how many classic movies he was in. The obituary proves its own thesis, that he sank into his own roles so deeply you didn’t see him www.nytimes.com/2026/02/16/m...

One for @alpinkerton.bsky.social

The German curling uniforms look like they have been stolen from Guy Fieri 🇩🇪

Please God yes.

This is a genuinely huge, sweeping victory today for the University of California—or rather, for us, its faculty, acting through our faculty associations, while the UC itself maintained a strict policy of deer-in-headlights silence. The Trump admin has given up its appeal of a powerful injunction:

"He was not simply changing the name. He was actually enacting a different worldview..." Kudos to @derekgeographer.bsky.social for contributing remarks for another national news piece on place renaming! www.usatoday.com/story/news/n...

New hope for academics everywhere!

When infrastructure policy becomes political metaphor

Some colleagues in my old department in Trondheim are recruiting a PhD candidate in Gender Studies and/or STS on the "Imagining Positive Energy Futures" project. 3 years, fully funded. Norway's a good place to do a PhD and Trondheim's a nice place to live!

Nobody tell me what happened - about to watch the curling on catch-up

Would be amazing if Bad Bunny sang Lee Greenwood’s Proud to be an American at halftime

"Sometime I wish you would just hold me in contempt, Your Honor, so that I can have a full 24 hours of sleep," Le told Blackwell, according to a transcript. www.reuters.com/legal/govern...

We've launched our new migration masters @uclgeography.bsky.social – Migration, Politics and Society Full of creative and critical approaches, and taught by really good people. Please pass on to students who might be interested! www.ucl.ac.uk/social-histo...

We're recruiting 2 PhD candidates in human geography here in Uppsala, one position focused on urban/housing issues and one in political ecology. Please spread the word/repost etc. Being a PhD student in Sweden is a good gig.

I have been thinking about this lot lately! Imagine LLMs consuming LLM product. Awful.

This is such a beautiful article by Adam Serwer.

Masked thugs, sneering elites and terrified citizens: a picture of the US today. We used to have a name for this | Marina Hyde

New YouGov poll: Abolish ICE is now at a *record high* level of support in the United States 46% support 41% oppose Independents are +12 on abolishing ICE 19% of Republicans now support abolishing ICE as well

Are you concerned about your privacy and the power abuse by American tech companies? This website helps you switch to European and open-source alternatives. switch-to.eu/en/

A rare chuckle in awful times www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/...

A post-by-post dissection of the Nazi and neo-Nazi tropes used in U.S. government social media accounts. By @alibreland.bsky.social in @theatlantic.com.

The old ways are not coming back

Hi all! New paper out today early online (and open access) on the tunnels of Gibraltar, thinking through value as a bridge between political and economic geographies. I hope it is of use to someone somewhere! #AcademicSky #Geosky journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...

It’s pretty America First to admit you let your personal desire for a Nobel Peace Prize led you to make policy not in America’s interests, right guys? Guys? giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...

Me, for weeks after Xmas: “ahh, another few days with decorations up is no harm.” Me, 5 minutes after taking decorations down: “Who still has their Christmas decorations up? They must be a dissolute family, unable to manage their own affairs properly.”

Stunning photos from Minneapolis, including this one by John Locher for the Associated Press. www.theatlantic.com/photography/...

CfP for the Spatial Humanities conference is open until January 15th. This year it will be at Universidade do Minho, Portugal, in September. spatialhumanities26.com

🚨 BREAKING: EU countries have approved the Mercosur trade deal after 25 years of talks. Read the story: politi.co/4suWWNO

Remarkable that his response to this was to monetise it www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Former special counsel Jack Smith also described President Trump as the "most culpable and most responsible person" in the criminal conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election results, according to a transcript of Smith's closed-door interview with the House Judiciary Committee. n.pr/49cmd6E

Would be much funnier if they went on and were purposefully and ostentatiously terrible

An obvious statement, but Trump’s claim that Russia wants the best for Ukraine is classic abusive husband schtick.

‘Farage said in a letter to Mahmood: "It should go without saying that anyone who possesses racist and anti-British views such as those of Mr el-Fattah should not be allowed into the UK."’ 👀🤫 www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

If you ever want to learn the subtle topography of your neighbourhood, get yourself a toddler with a scooter.

The most BBC of headlines www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Yes. This is important. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...

Having just received an excellent proposal, I am reminded that I should do more to advertise the Bloomsbury book series I co-edit: Geopolitical Worlds, Material Bodies www.bloomsbury.com/ca/series/ge... We would value some more excellent proposals to go with the one I just got! #AcademicSky

I continue to find @davidfrenchjag.bsky.social one of the most interesting commentators of our current conundrum. Strongly recommend this one: www.nytimes.com/2025/12/14/o...