A new study from Anthropic finds that gains in coding efficiency when relying on AI assistance did did not meet statistical significance; AI use noticeably degraded programmers’ understanding of what they were doing. Incredible.

Oh dear. Future shenanigans in the planning. Three trips of varying complexity ahead, including at least one Interrail bash and some micronation action. Now, how do I get a payrise...

I've just read this paper and it is very much worth half hour of your time if you are at all interested in data and the impacts on our trans siblings.

I can almost smell the burnout approaching. Go get a hobby, make some friends. Live some of that life being burnt away.

🗓️ woensdag 28 januari 2026 De laatste dienst van deze maand alweer, met een Leuvense klassieker op het programma, en een fijne collega die voor zijn lijnstudie prima gereden heeft. ‼️ Beelden uiteraard gemaakt in veilige omstandigheden!

I think I might take one of these "under 20 minutes" AI skills courses the UK Govt. seems very keen on everyone doing and live-post it here... Maybe we can all learn something together! The press release sends me to aiskillshub.org.uk/aiskillsboost/ - let's go and see!

1. The thing about science that these jokers don't understand is that science cannot be vibe-coded. Whatever its flaws, the point with vibe coding is that you're trying to quickly make something that sorta works, where you can immediately sorta see if it sorta works and then sorta use it.

I'm not sure if it was IKEA or hippies, but I've picked up a fever and upset sinuses. Bah.

The UK version of “Project 2025” by the Reform party includes a British ICE, a concentration camp for 24,000 people, mass surveillance and withdrawing from refugee, anti-torture and anti-trafficking conventions. It’s on their website. That’s how comfortable fascists are in the UK today.

We make the right decisions in the wrong order. UK transport tends to do this: Project → Timetable → Place. We start with infrastructure (usually to solve a capacity problem), then work out a timetable, and only then notice what it’s done to the place. Today's post explains why we should reverse.

Zack Polanski has said that Britain should expel US forces from the UK if the country seizes Greenland - a proposal 55% of Britons support Support: 55% Oppose: 22% yougov.co.uk/topics/trave...

no comment but

“One notable MIT study found that 95 percent of companies that integrated AI saw zero meaningful growth in revenue. For coding tasks, one of AI’s most widely hyped applications, another study showed that programmers who used AI coding tools actually became slower at their jobs.”

Oh look. Monday. Once more we return to the spreadsheet mines, the Outlook gulag and the Team calls torture chambers. Good luck all.

I wrote about my experiences being sexually exploited as a child, and what we need to do to make sure AI doesn’t make that a reality for millions of children. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Or, and it's just an idea. Shrug, say "ok, your loss" and pivot to Europe. Don't give in to bullies. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j...

typical ai use case

People need to be less breathless with their gotchas that a (far) right-wing person has said or done something today that they had a different position on yesterday. Unless they have had a change of heart (preferably denouncing their extremism); just realise this is what they are like.

“Journeys are safer & smoother when we all work together” Lovely common sense road rules ad from Wokingham Borough Council.

What's this? Could it be? *To the tune of Munamanah* Shenanigans! Do doo do doo do For people who care, 9I14

Just the tip of the iceberg for how we all felt about her.

My fellow bookshelves I am speaking to you today from behind a woman in white who seems to think she was prime minister. As an important piece of furniture, I beg you for you assistance. I would like nice books, read by someone who can read. In a library Can you help?

London looked colourful and quiet this evening as I walked to Waterloo.

Apropos of nothing, perusing the UN Charter... "All Members shall refrain in their international relations from the threat or use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state, or in any other manner inconsistent with the Purposes of the United Nations."

St Giles in the Fields was looking in need of a photo this evening when I walked past.

LeMonde said, not on our watch

“Anatomy of an AI Coup” was the most read story in @techpolicypress.bsky.social this year, and I’m excited to have three in the top thirty, among such great writing and coverage. Was a real delight to be a 2025 writing fellow. www.techpolicy.press/top-30-most-...

What she of course means is she wants to suppress other people's freedom of speech with her hate mongering. Perhaps she ought to consider that bigotry is not a great look. And that freedom of speech is not freedom from consequence. Especially of reply. www.theguardian.com/world/2025/d...

Pantone just updated their Color Of The Year

I’m sorry, but it is disgraceful to be an academic who uses this technology to conduct research. It should be prohibited in all of our scholarly institutions, including universities and journals.

Be more Quaker.

Oh look.

Also, visit literally any equivalent size city or urban area in France and you’ll find a good metro system or tram network. These things are entirely possible, just not in Starmer’s Britain.

Put simply, this is shit - we need net zero buildings to meet climate goals, and this isn’t how we will achieve that

Very sad that I felt I had no choice but to resign from The Infinite Monkey Cage - a victory for the transphobes and other bigots - I did it because so much of the media has chosen to believe the kind and empathetic people are a fiction - they are real and so often unrepresented.

The fact is no presenter has ever had to leave the BBC for expressing conservative views, or even explicitly endorsing a right-wing party. Was never a problem for Jeremy Clarkson. Was never a problem for Andrew Neil. Was never a problem for Alan Sugar

He thinks he's a rat

Minister defends 'pragmatic' U-turn on workers' rights. It was a manifesto pledge Why no 'pragmatic' U-turn' on nationalising water, energy, rail rolling stock companies and freight; ending privatisation of the NHS and social care; taxing the super rich?

I wanted dinner recommendations so I scraped 13,000+ London restaurants and accidentally discovered Google Maps is running a shadow economy. Anyway here's a dashboard and a political economy thesis: open.substack.com/pub/laurenle...

Video clip of Natasha Devon raising concerns about Simon Wessely being involved in the government’s ADHD review. She says it feels like a foregone conclusion because Wessely has already made comments about young people “overdiagnosing” their own mental health.

Wes has always punched down on people. That's his M.O. www.independent.co.uk/voices/wes-s...

So Deutsche Bahn is finally, after all these years waiting, going TO RUN TRAINS FROM GERMANY TO LONDON! #CrossChannelRail

Been asked to review a report that is... Well it's not great. So I am breaking out pedantry brain and going so far as to leave comments on the Latin root of certain words. Yes. I am in that sort of mood.

The NHS: "Health sec, there is too much demand for autism, ADHD and mental health services, the waiting lists are too long, we need investment!" Wes Streeting: "Hearing you loud and clear! Let's have a review into how we can stop people accessing those services to cut the load :3"