Random observations of the day: Greenland has about 1/1000 of the population of the UK. The per-capita GDP of the two countries is almost identical.

I expect Putin would like to buy back Alaska too.

Status-Q: Living without America… continued. statusq.org/archives/202...

open.substack.com/pub/rorycell... Our health service is becoming increasingly dependent on US technology - but can we trust it?

Distressed to see even the Economist using 'inflection point' incorrectly today. Here's a reminder in case you're not quite sure what an inflection point actually *is*. statusq.org/archives/201...

Hey, @opensource.google - does this give you any inspiration?

Status-Q: Living without America statusq.org/archives/202...

Status-Q: New puppy in the house! statusq.org/archives/202...

I know it's Twixmas but I'm frustrated to see this case study from 2023 being regurgitated without any evidence of actual impact. We should expect better. www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

How does Moscow view Donald Trump at the end of 2025? One Russian paper today: “The US leader’s philosophy is closer to the values of Russia’s president, not the politicians of the Old World…he sees Europe as a liberal stronghold to be destroyed…” #ReadingRussia youtu.be/7EwZNk6KgHU

One of my shortest YouTube videos , four years ago, was intended to help people recovering from lockdown 🙂 youtu.be/sHJd9Wq3smk?...

Status-Q: iOS cursor control statusq.org/archives/202...

People, AI is not better search…

Status-Q: Stayin’ Alive in the 16th Century statusq.org/archives/202...

Status-Q: CheatGPT and Alexander Pope statusq.org/archives/202...

We watched Goldfinger last night for the first time in a while. Rather enjoyable. And the opening music also gives you some useful hints on what to do if someone tempts you to enter their web of sin. I’ve probably been getting that wrong in the past.

You'll soon be able to order an HIV testing kit from the NHS app. https://www.gov.uk/government/news/trailblazing-scheme-to-reconnect-thousands-with-hiv-treatment Should hopefully help end HIV transmissions in England by 2030.

Status-Q: Making our home network even more secure? statusq.org/archives/202...

Status-Q: Doesn’t quite fit at the Fitz…. statusq.org/archives/202...

Shakespeare In Love is my favourite film. Arcadia is one of my favourite plays - certainly my favourite modern one. Tom Stoppard, you will be greatly missed.

As we approach the Christmas season, can we all take a moment to remind ourselves that 'gift' is a noun and not a verb?

Status-Q: Fake (AI) News statusq.org/archives/202...

Tomorrow is St Crispin's Day. If you know, you know.

Status-Q: Reverting to the mean statusq.org/archives/202...

iPad owners - there are some nice new features in iPadOS 26, but it's also the buggiest release I've ever installed, so if you haven't upgraded yet, I recommend holding off until a few more patches have been released.

This in FT this morning 👇

Status-Q: Not so grim up north statusq.org/archives/202...

Status-Q: Freedom of the press statusq.org/archives/202...

Status-Q: Where the rubber meets the road… statusq.org/archives/202...

I recently uploaded a batch of new videos to my YouTube channel, and since then, the algorithm has been recommending them to me as possible viewing each morning! Does this mean it’s rubbish, or does it mean it understands my preferences perfectly? :-)

Status-Q: Up North and Down South statusq.org/archives/202...

Read this story and then answer the question below. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article... Are you now humming "Climb every mountain", or "How do you solve a problem like Maria?" ?

Status Q: It's not too late to avoid paying for AI... statusq.org/archives/202...

Status-Q: Misrepresentation statusq.org/archives/202... (@iansollom.bsky.social FYI)

Well, some of my books are in the list here, so off I went to www.anthropiccopyrightsettlement.com and filled in my details. There's been some commentary about how $3k per book is paltry and cheap, which it is for full-time authors. But it's not bad for technical books from a while ago, I think.

The “problem” with vaccines? They so effective at preventing deaths that they create generations of people that question whether disease was a problem in the first place because they have never experienced the horrors of a world without vaccines.

What? How did I go for nearly a year without knowing that a blu-ray collection of Blake's 7 had been released? With restored video, new special effects, lots of extra material? I've ordered it, of course! (Series 2 apparently due for release in a couple of months.)

Status-Q: The success of Django… and when the machines take over. statusq.org/archives/202...

Status-Q: Reversing the Trend… statusq.org/archives/202...

Status-Q: Lesser-known uses of the Apple Watch statusq.org/archives/202...

Status-Q: One man in his time plays many parts… statusq.org/archives/202...

Status-Q: When Ideology Meets Reality statusq.org/archives/202...

My mother just told me about a programme on Channel 5, and I had to admit that I’d forgotten we *had* a channel 5! Wikipedia tells me it’s been around for a while, though… I think it must have launched about the time I stopped watching TV - at least, any TV with ads. Is it any good?

Status-Q: The AI Heat Pump statusq.org/archives/202...

The first planned migration of an entire country due to climate change is happening! Tuvalu, a Pacific island nation, is at risk of being submerged under rising sea level, so it has signed an agreement with Australia to allow 280 Tuvaluans to settle in Australia as permanent residents each year.

Status-Q: A Timely Lesson statusq.org/archives/202...

Status-Q: Everything Broken Everywhere statusq.org/archives/202...

Drove an hour in each direction today to try and work out why my elderly mother’s iPhone wasn’t able to send or receive calls. It turns out that EE have major issues with their network, but they haven’t gone out of their way to advertise it. Like actually telling anyone or anything…

Status-Q: Joie de vivre statusq.org/archives/202...