OH GOD YES! Superb!

I use a stick and a recumbent trike as mobility aids. Yesterday I fell while walking with stick and sprained my ankle. But because my trike is setup for reduced mobility - I could still go cycling in the glorious sunshine. And the gentle low impact exercise made my ankle feel much better.

It's important that the majority of us who don't want racism normalised or disabled people locked up under ugly laws understand the risk to everyone's human rights in reactionary reflexes to this kind of event and the ways that it's so easily exploitable to hurt everyone.

This one hits hard.

The Public Accounts Committee seeks about #AccessToWork by 26 Feb. committees.parliament.uk/call-for-evi... Even a v short response with: * Main impairment needs and agreed AtW support * How you found accessing AtW (e.g. how quickly/easily) * Any issues you have ongoing with support is helpful!

Good article here on cycling in the UK and the conflict on "footpaths" www.prowexplorer.com/blog/cycling...

Hard won rights must be protected. Time to remind people of this evergreen masterpiece. m.youtube.com/watch?v=ptfm...

Measles whet through my class in Sri Lanka when I was eight. One after another in quarantine. I had been vaccinated before we left the UK. I remember my mother explaining I was more protected by the jabs (I didn’t catch it). It was a scary time and I remember it every time I have a vaccination.

Feeling a little *too* seen 😂

I’m so glad people are talking about this. I’ve been very uneasy about the growth of third-party “verifiers” of access needs who gather personal data and require payment and extra admin. Especially with growth of AI, this data is all the more valuable!

UK companies breaking Equality Act over use of Nimbus Disability Access Cards What sort of world are we living in when companies force disabled people to carry the Nimbus card to prove they're disabled enough? @wordsbyhg.bsky.social knows... www.thecanary.co/uk/2026/02/1...

DWP slammed by MPs for demonising claimants as 'fraudsters' A committee of MPs has laid into the DWP over its propaganda around benefit fraud - when it's the department that's the problem

Good!

Crikey. AI agent posts a code fix and it's rejected due to human-only policy. The agent then posted a personal takedown slur against the person who banned it on a public website in retaliation 😱 github.com/matplotlib/m...

Ireland has a scheme to give artists a basic weekly income in the hope of reducing their need for alternative work and boosting their creativity, the first of its kind in the world. The pilot recouped more than it cost, and they've made it permanent. Very cool. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/f...

Thursday university of Essex staff will be taking to the picket lines to say no to cuts, no to job losses and no to the closure of the Southend campus. @jeremycorbyn.bsky.social stands with staff, students and @unison.org.uk as we fight together.

“Devastated.” A student describes how it felt hearing the campus is set to close. A large proportion of Essex's Southend students are local. Closing it strips opportunity out of the community.

Ah, 1930. The first “invalid carriage” law passed, eugenics on the rise, routine lifelong institutionalisation of Disabled children and any girl or woman who go pregnant outside marriage while poor… We have equality laws not eugenics laws now. It’s time for new mobility aid laws too.

Very pleased to announce that Regeneration; Environment, Art, Culture / @regenerationeac.bsky.social published by the Open Library of Humanities, has won the 2025 Best New Journal Award from the Council of Editors of Learned Journals (CELJ): www.openlibhums.org/news/922/

Support Queensbury Tunnel Society in opposing the government plan to block up the old railway tunnel. While it is in Yorkshire, the implications of allowing it to be infilled could affect what happens to other useful old railway structures across the UK actionnetwork.org/letters/tell...

I had this discussion with a headmaster during an interview - our difference of opinion was a large part of my decision that I could not work with him and possibly his too in not hiring me. He argued that one should stop trying, even if you were enjoying it, and instead focus on their talents.

Picard artistry tip: Lacking innate talent at a skill doesn't mean you should stop. On the contrary, it means you need to practice.

This is shamefull, yet another admin hoop and financial hoop for disabled people. If my assistance dog behaved inappropriately, I’d take her out, but unless that, it’s reasonable! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Petition to sign, if you so wish: Merlin, who operate theme parks such as Alton Towers, apparently decided that autistic and ADHD people don't count as having real needs, and are no longer eligible for their usual ride passes if they find queues impossible. What?! Please share. c.org/4wjnPYRCPK

I see it as a bit like modern medicine. It is absolutely astounding what we CAN do. Heart transplants. Dialysis. Brain surgery. But what we CAN'T do seems ridiculous. Cure the common cold.

Did you catch the new Channel 4 show #SecretGenius last night? Alan Carr &Susie Dent teamed up with #Mensa to set puzzles for participants. The show helped to illuminate some of the issues with discrimination/inequality that are surfaced by trying to ‘measure’ intelligence. Some thoughts..

Finally!

This Cheeky Hi-Vis Vest Helped Score a Win for Winter Bike Lanes in this Town. momentummag.com/this-cheeky-...

All it took was a move - I moved between neighbouring counties to look after an elderly relative, and was told there was no transfer process for care at all, I’d have to start again, and that I wasn’t allowed to even ask new county before physically moved in! Still waiting a year on.

We are HIRING! The Open Library of Humanities is seeking a PhD student to assist with editorial, marketing and technical duties. The position is fully funded and open to funded PhD students at CHASE institutions. 📅 31/03: www.openlibhums.org/news/883/

Open Journals Collective is here! 🎉🎉🎉

Exciting news: the official launch of the @ojcollective.bsky.social Open Journals Collective! A global investment campaign to provide libraries an exit from commercial publisher "Deals" drive.google.com/file/d/10Hgf...

So what do we do about any of this? I'd invite senior leaders to spend a few hours with the disability team in their institutions. Whenever people shadow us, they tend to leave with their jaws on the floor because of the workload/expertise/attitudes/rubbish systems.

Early Arthropods xkcd.com/3199/

Last term I tried an experiment: I walked into my Tech and Design Ethics class, admitted that I had *no idea* what to do about ChatGPT - so I would let them figure it out. As in: their first project was to decide and write the ChatGPT policy for the class. Here's what happened:

Well done @universityofessex.bsky.social Glad you’re reconnecting with our rebellious past and finding alternatives.

Current rules about mobility aids are complicated, confusing & don't make much sense. These two resources look at existing rules, the consequences they have for Disabled people, & options for possible changes. wheelsforwellbeing.org.uk/consideratio... wheelsforwellbeing.org.uk/wp-content/u...

I love this article written by a high school student. It should be read by everyone going into teaching. www.theatlantic.com/technology/a...

This is a truly horrifying account of increasingly likely collapse of essential natural systems which would bring mass food shortages, price rises & global disorder. Commissioned from UK intelligence chiefs but scandalously suppressed by Govt, & sneaked out now while attention is elsewhere 👇

Forget the 1.5m at 30mph or 2m above nonsense. Keep it simple. Get all four wheels across the line, or get six points and a fine. Drivers struggle to judge distance, especially at speed. The line is a clear marker.

Please respond to this consultation on powered mobility scooters. Some of the existing regs are hopelessly outbound dated and a mess. An example being that they can't legally use cycle lanes. www.gov.uk/government/n...

To support the DfT’s consultation into modernising the law for powered mobility devices in achieving the best possible outcome for Disabled people, we will be launching explainer information resources, webinars and carrying out consultation sessions.

Poem with a subliminal message.

If I ever end up teaching maths in a classroom again, I'm sticking this up as a poster. xkcd.com/2586/

🎄 Day 9 of #OLH12DaysOfChristmas On the ninth day of Christmas the OLH gave to us the hydra plugin, ate bots a plenty, seven flips upcoming, six journals joining, diamond open access, four new journals, three open access awards, two new colleagues and the launch of the OJC.

Hey 2025 don't let the door hit your ass on the way out. What're you lookin' at 2026? Trying to start something? Come at me, bro.

🎄 Day 8 of #OLH12DaysOfChristmas On the eighth day of Christmas the OLH claimed they ate bots a plenty, seven flips upcoming, six journals joining, diamond open access, four new journals, three open access awards, two new colleagues and the launch of the OJC.

This is everything good in the world

Why didn’t they close part of the road and have the ceremony road-side of the tulips? Cars can cope with single lane traffic, no infrastucture would be blocked and the backdrop would have been cyclists using the lane. 🤦‍♀️