I've been in Japan for a week and today I found the only Psyduck Pokémon manhole cover in all of Japan. Personal geek travel goal achieved!

Inbox zero'd, out of office on, work phone off. Holiday on its way Maybe i should start packing

I gave a talk this week on the vulnerability of UK institutions to a populist govt and I was told by an audience member that the US and Hungary couldn't happen here. I said it absolutely could and Reform are learning fast. The complacency is scary

🌐 The End of the #NGO Era? “struggling to remain relevant, under pressure from governments that mistrust them, a public that questions their legitimacy, & donors who demand greater efficiency & local ownership” #Democracy #CivilSociety @thegoodlobby.bsky.social thegoodlobby.eu/the-end-of-t...

I woman in the process of a divorce (often the worst time in people’s lives) trying to make provision for a disabled son wasn’t careful enough around a highly complex bit of tax and property law. I kind of have a bit of sympathy here.

And there she goes... Meanwhile Wes Streeting, awash with cash from private healthcare firms, remains... www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

The UK head of the equality commission speaking on radio 4 is either ignorant or wilfully misrepresenting who is covered by the protected characteristic of gender reassignment. By malice or incompetence she shows her bias.

I mean, fine. But I’d like to hear from Streeting on committing to expand CAMHS and mental health support teams for young people to a capacity that is somewhere north of totally inadequate. This is deckchair stuff by comparison.

I genuinely think one thing that trips up folks on the left is that they can't imagine not sharing certain core values. Lemme explain. Here's an intuition pump: Say you're in negotiations with counterparty X. And there are two possible deals on the table ...

LITTLE BUT FIERCE, the child-friendly version of D&D 5E is crowdfunding a fully illustrated hardback release! Follow for updates: www.kickstarter.com/projects/dcb...

"I don't care what anyone says, I LOVE that movie"

In Thailand, nearly half of all new HIV cases are among young people. That’s why we’re stepping into classrooms and youth spaces to teach about healthy relationships, self-esteem, and sexual health. Knowledge is power—and it’s saving lives. #CharityImpact #HIVEducation #YouthEmpowerment #EndHIV

So, that civil service speaking ban... What does the No 10 guidance actually say? I decided to use a freedom of information request to find out. Here's the response I got... gavin-freeguard.medium.com/no-10-bans-c...

1/ Michael Gove reshaped English education more than any minister since 1944. His reforms continue to structure the present despite many changes of Government. A thread.

#RPGaDay2025 Day 18: Sign Inspirisles by @hatchlingdm.itch.io is a Celtic and Arthurian-inspired game which teaches you sign language as you play! Use BSL or ASL to cast spells, solve puzzles and battle monsters. The game is designed to be enjoyed by players of all ages.

I'm stuck on a stupid graphic thing for a new RSE activity and I'm going round in circles so I am hoping someone here might have a flash of inspiration. I am looking for a small icon/symbol to represent "being exclusive" in a romantic relationship. Does anyone have any suggestions?

I'm chasing a Kickstarter pledge that is a full year delayed. And reading their comments. I saw the US company saying they are prioritising US supporters over all international. Not by supporter number or pledge level. Nationality is their highest priority. Business mirroring their politics?

We look forward to welcoming more educators to our Esteem network. Could you be among them?! www.acet-uk.com/training #RSE #RSHE #PSHE #SexEducation

Who could have predicted that harassment of cis women, who do not conform to feminine stereotypes, in public toilets and changing rooms would increase after the Supreme Court ruling? Pretty much everyone who paused to consider it, that’s who.

If the end result of all this wrangaling is wikipedia being censored by the UK I fear that more information and educational sites will soon follow. This could be a really chilling step for open communication in the UK www.bbc.com/news/article...

"Asked to generate intervention plans for struggling students, AI teacher assistants recommended more-punitive measures for hypothetical students with Black-coded names and more supportive approaches for students the platforms perceived as white" www.chalkbeat.org/2025/08/06/a...

The kids aren’t alt-right!

If the USA administration is determined to become the world's petri dish for new infections, I hope the rest of the world will start taking seriously the potential necessity for health checks on travellers coming from this illness exporter.

the itch / Drivethru alternative will be an iterative process. Especially when it comes to marketplace laws. But, I think I have the foundation in place to make a “hub for creators” Website, blog, digital sales, subscription, donations, forms, newsletter, links. how does that sound to y’all?

I think I must have missed something about Pokemon pocket. Why have the released a set with a card missing art?

Every UK petition is like this

A couple of months ago I made a little free game, called "Smuggling Folk - sexual rights" and released it on itch.io. I decided to release it for free because honestly I am still learning. I wonder if I had charged for it, would it have been delisted? blindfishideas.itch.io/smuggling-folk

Today's the perfect day to all go and buy a delightfully smutty little game.

Yo, sure is a lot of bullshit in the world these days, huh? Let's keep hosing down that dumpster fire together. Choose 1: 👍🏻 Go leave 5⭐ on someone's game! 🗣️ Shoutout a TTRPG creator folks should follow here! 💅🏻 Share something that you are creating and are excited about! Go forth; spread mirth!

Asking a slightly different version of the question I asked a week ago: why isn't there an online platform where people can sells PDFs of tabletop games that isn't DriveThruRPG or Itch, and ideally isn't based in the USA either?

Did you watch KPop Demon Hunters and think "I sure wish there was a legally distinct TTRPG vaguely inspired by this!"...? Well hot damn, it's your lucky day. A new rules lite one page RPG for a GM and up to 6 players. *laughs awkwardly in specialist interest* mumblemegs.itch.io/k-pop-crypti...

It's #FreebieFriday! Download our FREE version of the Social Graces activity and help young people explore the elements that make up a person's identity. Visit our shop at: www.acet-uk.com/products #RSE #RSHE #PSHE

This is absolutely remarkable of @theatlantic.com. Most of the factual statements in this piece are either unsupported or straightforwardly false. I had thought that The Atlantic tries to fact-check things, but apparently they are happy publishing total garbage. Some examples 1/n

Had a business coach contact me on LinkedIn giving me compliments on my impact in the field and asking if I could help them with research. Politely asked who the research was was and for, no one, just personal research. Smelling a sales pitch in research clothing I quoted a consultation fee.

Please can I live through less history. Please can I live through less Please can I live through Please can I live Please can I Please can Please

Parliament is making trans people queue outside in the heat with no shade or water to see our MPs as part of the mass lobby with @transsolidarity.bsky.social - there are people here with canes and older people who need to come inside, @ukparliament.parliament.uk this is dangerous!

Are modern day "Ancient Alien" conspiracy folk just Stargate SG1 fans who just took the whole thing way too far!

As a small charity, we rely on the generous gifts of individuals just like you. It's #SmallCharityWeek2025: please show your support by giving to our appeal & your donation will be DOUBLED. Help enable our education work with children with additional needs. www.acet-uk.com/MidsummerGive

Electric fences.

I'm praying that today we don't see another "once in a lifetime event".

For many of us who don't have shares but do have a work based pension, asking your pension fund who they are invested in is the most powerful way to amplify our voice. If you are UK based & are in the Nest pension scheme you can contact them asking how Tesla meets theirs ethical standards

time for my new favorite tumblr post

This week I've been watching loads of documentaries about WW2. In one way they chill me about how fascism may rise. But they also give me hope, fascism can be resisted, fascism can be defeated. Fascism is unnatural and abhorrent.

If you watched Andor, you know what's going on right now in Los Angeles.

Doing the word cloud thing from bskyinsights.com I learnt two things. I don't post anywhere near as much as I used to in the other place. And I like talking about games.

Similar findings echoed in other research and, unsurprisingly linked to worsening wellbeing. Also much more likely to affect minoritised children. BUT key to note that this isn't just about systemic issues schools. It's also about wider external cuts, changes and restrictions to children's lives.

The best protection against measles, which can be a very serious illness, is by being vaccinated. We have a very effective vaccine that the NHS provides free of charge for people of any age.

It's #SelfPromoSaturday time again for the #ttrpgcommunity! This week, I made a new map for War of the Sparks storyline. Share your promo below, tell me what you do, and comment if you can. #dnd #ttrpg #gaming #boardgame #ttrpgfamily #battlemap #mtg #mtgart #Ravnica

I'm recovering from minor abdominal surgery & I have spent a couple of hours this weekend finishing a game project that first started as a simple in world game I created for an RPG campaign. I ended up developing 5 games for the project so far. blindfishideas.itch.io/glyph-weavers #SelfPromoSaturday

Watched the last episode of The Umbrella Academy and felt they did a Lost. Paint themselves into a corner of a story and try to tie it all together with a twist that felt really weak to me.