📣THREAD: It’s surprising to me that so many people were surprised to learn that Signal runs partly on AWS (something we can do because we use encryption to make sure no one but you–not AWS, not Signal, not anyone–can access your comms). It’s also concerning. 1/

It’s POTS awareness day—a blood flow problem common after Covid. POTS can be subtle—I often wonder how many people who feel rundown, anxious or distracted have this treatable condition. Main criteria is heart rate going up >30bpm when going from laying down to standing—smthg you can check at home!

I assume @greenjimll.bsky.social has a copy of this?

Well fucking played, Caerphilly 😂

Remember guys, @pcsunion.bsky.social staff at the BL are on strike for the next two weeks. Please don't cross the picket line to go to reading rooms, attend exhibitions or anything else. They've endured so much on low pay since the cyberattack in 2023 and the least we can do is have their backs now.

"Woke NPC", that famous Sean Lock phrase

#Solidarity is where staff have our greatest strength. Vote Yes-Yes. Give our negotiators tools they need to lead the fight for our collective rights. @ducu.bsky.social @ucu.org.uk

As @ucu.org.uk members begin posting their ballots back, it’s a good time to remind folks of Frederick Douglass’s 1857 speech in which he said that power cedes nothing without demand.

Thank you whoever has been putting these up around Loughborough ❤️

It's #DigitalFriday ! This is my routine appeal to #skystorians and all other academics prepping for teaching to share any software, hardware, online resources (primary, secondary, teaching tools, blogs) tips and tricks that they've found useful this week! #AcademicSky 🗃️(pls boost to relevant feeds

I am an unknown number of Reposts into @rincewind.run's Discworld QOTD and loving them. For as long as I can make my browser window remember my place I'll keep going. Apologies in advance for the Reposts I make of them 😀

Discworld QOTD, from Men at Arms

Discworld QOTD, from I Shall Wear Midnight

Thread

Forced to share pins, left open to fraud! 1 in 5 with mental health conditions risk financial abuse by sharing pins as banks don't offer carers cards, 3rd party notifications or controls. We want to change that. Full info www.moneysavingexpert.com/news/2025/10...

Surely the escalating pace of major cyber attacks shutting production lines down all around the world should tell us we either need to take cyber security much, much more seriously than we currently do, or that we should stop connecting literally everything to the internet.

Looks like we can add "trees" to the list of Things BrewDog's Bosses are Shit at Looking After, alongside "their reputation" and "their employees".

A very special Pints with Pat this afternoon as we've just presented our fantastic brewery founder with his Lifetime Achievement Award tankard! Of course, it was filled with beer immediately (Golden Peaks, if you're wondering). Read all about it here: www.abbeydalebrewery.co.uk/brewers-choi...

He will burn it all, just to be king of the ashes!

UK tomato team - how long are you leaving your toms until the final harvest? I’m thinking solstice will give us a couple more handfuls of ripe ones & a green chutney batch but we’ve had a bit of splitting so I’m wondering if I should cut our losses & chutney the lot 🤔

Sometimes solutions are easy @drjogrady.bsky.social & @ucu.org.uk Let’s sit down and talk without conditions or threats that damage everyone. It’s time to resolve this dispute. Our statement, with support from the following branch committees:

😳

I booked months ago to come down to that there London to see some Theatre (The Producers & Born With Teeth). Realised at the weekend that my comrades in @rmtunion.bsky.social are on strike. Plans adapted and though I'm soaked through I still support their strike action & wish them all the best ✊

There is no trade-off between pay and jobs. Don't let the employers fool you otherwise. This dispute is on three things: 1.Pay uplift = at least RPI+3.5% or £2,500, on all pay points 2.Protection of national agreements on T&C's 3.A national agreement to protect jobs & subjects #WeAreTheUniversity

I have two tickets to the BBC Prom tomorrow night that we can’t use - would anybody be able to go despite the tube strike? Free to a music lover

100% deductions for ASOS is inhumane and destructive. We thought we had the backing of our own national union on this point. To see them implement what is a draconian policy (and not yet fully tested in the courts) against the colleagues who keep our branches running is devastating.

🚨 Third consecutive vote for industrial action 🚨 ✅ strike action: 76% ✅ action short of a strike (ASOS): 80% ✅ turnout: 77% ASOS begins today with @ucu.org.uk threatening staff: "We'll deduct your wages." Double standards and vindictive attacks undermine us all. #ReclaimUCU

I'm looking for a good home for 100+ rugby league programmes in superb condition from the 1940s, 50s and 60s which belonged to a dear friend of mine, now gone. Suggestions and proposals in my replies, please, and RTs appreciated. It is a rather special collection. Thank you.

We are very pleased to announce that we have a new Department Rep in the School of Social Sciences & Humanities. Meet our very first UCU Rep for the new Loughborough Law Department in this article: ucu.lboro.ac.uk/a-new-rep-fo... #LboroUCU #LboroFamily #LboroLaw

Cyber people check this attack out:

I am looking for a parent and fresher to chat to for Money Box Live next Wednesday. In my Ideal Radio Dream World, you’d be willing to audio record yourselves with a phone out shopping for uni stuff at eg supermarket or Ikea. [email protected] is my email - please share if you know someone

Start of term reminder: if you’re using my publications in your teaching then (schedules allowing) I’m happy to zoom in to class or answer questions by email from students! That includes “how/why I wrote this” stuff as well as content-related. 🗃️ #HistSTM

Reform are closing adult education centres in Derbyshire and plan to sell off the buildings. The decision was made behind closed doors with no public allowed in the meeting and without a public consultation. Some of the centres have as much as 60% of students from the most deprived demographics.

Here's a bit from my set at Gardenbury 2025 yesterday evening. Really pleased with the segue between two popular songs - one from 1892, the other from 1976. 84 years apart and both absolute bangers!

Marketing departments showing what they think a university is. We really have to start reminding people that what makes a university is teaching & research, as they seem to use the deprioritisation as a way to make staff low-priority... #UKHE

PLEASE SHARE! Video game music fan??? PASS THIS ON! :-D Every OC ReMix ALBUM in one big RAR! drive.google.com/file/d/1-uic... • 19 GB • 99 albums • 150+ hours of music • 2,300+ tracks • 100% FREE Keep what you like, toss what you don't, but TRY EVERYTHING. Enjoy! :-) MOAR bsky.app/profile/ocre...

Aussie unions don’t beat around the bush.

1. There are many good reasons for using a VPN 2. I have no idea why proving my advanced age keeps a child safe

@ofcom.bsky.social is not fit for purpose. It has lost its way.

@TeamLabourUK.bsky.social adverts on Facebook get even more depressing by the day, appealing to no-one, with many of the comments providing evidence of this.

I think the very fuck not, The Well & Boot: we're not New York, for God's sake

10hrs 135 callcentre staff 10.5k calls 8.5k conversations 435 courses 500 clearing places 1000 offers 1 curry 2 beers 1 happy telecoms guy #clearing2025 #alevelresultsday2025 #ukhe

The UK is about to ban access to Wikipedia, just remember this bill was originally pitched as a means to protect kids from accessing porn.

I often say that reporting on sex testing in sports is like reporting on a really twisted, 100 year game of wack-a-mole where we see the same things happen over and over. This is a great example. (A short thread, if you'll indulge me.)

Solidarity ✊

No.

THIS DAY in 1968, Franklin was introduced to Charlie Brown in #Peanuts', the worlds most popular strip cartoon. Racist American Southerners didn't like it very much.