Alix Mortimer
@alixmortimer.bsky.social
I(i)mpact and engagement for my brilliant colleagues in politics, economics, social sciences @kingscollegelondon.bsky.social. Often I dream of islands.
🚢 ships
🏺archaeology
🏰 medieval history
🇭🇷 učim Hrvatski
🚢 ships
🏺archaeology
🏰 medieval history
🇭🇷 učim Hrvatski
This is an interesting thread because that little wrong-sounding note, *so* many people brush over those, in all kinds of decision-making, and there’s no obvious correlation with intelligence. Doesn’t immediately compute, ignore. And then you’re bought in to whatever grift/horror it is.
What actually happened was that Jennifer was also invited, but when we talked about her participation, we were told "she could go shopping with the other wives." The deep-rooted sexism of the whole enterprise couldn't remain hidden. Jennifer was repulsed, I felt likewise, and we said no.
February 9, 2026 at 5:26 PM
This is an interesting thread because that little wrong-sounding note, *so* many people brush over those, in all kinds of decision-making, and there’s no obvious correlation with intelligence. Doesn’t immediately compute, ignore. And then you’re bought in to whatever grift/horror it is.
Reposted by Alix Mortimer
Two important lessons here:
(i) @mike-rat.bsky.social knows a lot of things
(ii) The LSE beaver is called Felix
The motto comes from Virgil: Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas - happy is he who was able to know the causes of things
(i) @mike-rat.bsky.social knows a lot of things
(ii) The LSE beaver is called Felix
The motto comes from Virgil: Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas - happy is he who was able to know the causes of things
There’s an excellent explanation of how LSE came by its coat of arms and the motto from Virgil in the 1920s. They acknowledge that Sheffield had it first; it had continued in use from Firth College.
blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsehistory/2...
blogs.lse.ac.uk/lsehistory/2...
Devising the LSE coat of arms - LSE History
Find out how and why LSE adopted its coat of arms, motto "rerum cognoscere causas" and Beaver mascot in 1922.
blogs.lse.ac.uk
February 9, 2026 at 10:36 AM
Two important lessons here:
(i) @mike-rat.bsky.social knows a lot of things
(ii) The LSE beaver is called Felix
The motto comes from Virgil: Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas - happy is he who was able to know the causes of things
(i) @mike-rat.bsky.social knows a lot of things
(ii) The LSE beaver is called Felix
The motto comes from Virgil: Felix qui potuit rerum cognoscere causas - happy is he who was able to know the causes of things
Reposted by Alix Mortimer
Just love the absolute hutzpah of sharing this as if it's new information R&D have figured out, that's changed the grand plan - rather than something someone's granddaughter could have mentioned at her space themed 9th birthday party 🎈
February 9, 2026 at 9:14 AM
Just love the absolute hutzpah of sharing this as if it's new information R&D have figured out, that's changed the grand plan - rather than something someone's granddaughter could have mentioned at her space themed 9th birthday party 🎈
Reposted by Alix Mortimer
'Launching in April and running until October, they will each offer researchers the opportunity of between £50,000 and £100,000 funding.' 1/2
ESRC to pilot two new applicant-led calls.
Existing schemes will remain open, says leader of Economic and Social Research Council Stian Westlake.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
Existing schemes will remain open, says leader of Economic and Social Research Council Stian Westlake.
www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-r...
ESRC to pilot two new applicant-led calls - Research Professional News
Existing schemes will remain open, says leader of Economic and Social Research Council
www.researchprofessionalnews.com
February 9, 2026 at 8:01 AM
'Launching in April and running until October, they will each offer researchers the opportunity of between £50,000 and £100,000 funding.' 1/2
The oldest known image of an owl:
More than 30,000 years ago, someone skillfully scratched the figure of a long-eared owl (Asio otus) into the soft outer layer of the walls of Chauvet Cave, France. The owl is looking backward over their wings, head turned 180 degrees
carnegiemnh.org/ancient-owl-...
More than 30,000 years ago, someone skillfully scratched the figure of a long-eared owl (Asio otus) into the soft outer layer of the walls of Chauvet Cave, France. The owl is looking backward over their wings, head turned 180 degrees
carnegiemnh.org/ancient-owl-...
February 8, 2026 at 10:57 PM
Not over this. They are still posting. All the other videos are of children dancing, watching puppet shows, having faces painted etc.
February 8, 2026 at 5:53 PM
Not over this. They are still posting. All the other videos are of children dancing, watching puppet shows, having faces painted etc.
Ah a new instagram reel from the island where I go on holiday! I wonder what beautiful wholesome Dalmacijan things are happ-
February 8, 2026 at 10:43 AM
Ah a new instagram reel from the island where I go on holiday! I wonder what beautiful wholesome Dalmacijan things are happ-
Reposted by Alix Mortimer
In 2010 General Morillon, a devout Catholic, went back to Srebrenica to ask for forgiveness. He was chased away under a hail of insults from the town’s grieving widows.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/w...
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/w...
Philippe Morillon, General Who Made Fateful Protection Promise, Dies at 90
www.nytimes.com
February 7, 2026 at 7:05 PM
In 2010 General Morillon, a devout Catholic, went back to Srebrenica to ask for forgiveness. He was chased away under a hail of insults from the town’s grieving widows.
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/w...
www.nytimes.com/2026/02/06/w...
All this talk of Al Carns who frankly may or may not exist is reminding me I never checked back to see how Albania’s AI minister is getting o- diginto.tech/albanias-ai-...
Albania’s AI Minister ‘pregnant’ with 83 digital assistants - DigInto
Albania’s AI minister, Diella, is “pregnant” with 83 digital assistants who will help parliament members with notes and legislative advice.
diginto.tech
February 7, 2026 at 7:25 PM
All this talk of Al Carns who frankly may or may not exist is reminding me I never checked back to see how Albania’s AI minister is getting o- diginto.tech/albanias-ai-...
Ffs
RIP the hypothetical Al Carns leadership bid
To include "a much tougher stance on immigration"!
1. What is the content of how Labour could be much tougher than Home Sec Shabana Mahmood?
2. How is that viable in a leadership election? Or with Labour voters?
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
To include "a much tougher stance on immigration"!
1. What is the content of how Labour could be much tougher than Home Sec Shabana Mahmood?
2. How is that viable in a leadership election? Or with Labour voters?
www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/poli...
A surprise candidate to replace Starmer could neutralise Farage’s voter appeal
With the prime minister rumoured to be ‘in a dark place’ and considering quitting over the Mandelson scandal, political editor David Maddox looks at the possible replacements, including a rapidly eme...
www.independent.co.uk
February 7, 2026 at 7:02 PM
Ffs
Amazing to think that we have surnames because this is how medieval people managed their phones
I am very glad of my habit of saving tradespeople in my phone as "Firstname JOB THEY DO" rather than "Firstname Surname" because an unexpected phone call from John Smith is much more stressful than an unexpected phone call from John ELECTRICIAN. I know roughly what expect from John ELECTRICIAN.
February 7, 2026 at 1:26 PM
Amazing to think that we have surnames because this is how medieval people managed their phones
A large group of Americans are on this train and they are perfectly nice but good lord you guys really do not have indoor voices do you
February 7, 2026 at 9:50 AM
A large group of Americans are on this train and they are perfectly nice but good lord you guys really do not have indoor voices do you
Reposted by Alix Mortimer
Yeah but he would say that wouldn't he
February 6, 2026 at 11:28 PM
Yeah but he would say that wouldn't he
Ah crap. People whose books you’ve admired.
Are there moral limits to advancing a research career?
"Antonio Damasio..the director of USC’s Brain and Creativity Institute approached Jeffrey Epstein in 2013 and asked the convicted child sex offender to fund robotics neuroscience research"
#AcademicSky
www.uscannenbergmedia.com/2026/02/02/u...
"Antonio Damasio..the director of USC’s Brain and Creativity Institute approached Jeffrey Epstein in 2013 and asked the convicted child sex offender to fund robotics neuroscience research"
#AcademicSky
www.uscannenbergmedia.com/2026/02/02/u...
February 6, 2026 at 11:28 PM
Ah crap. People whose books you’ve admired.
Reposted by Alix Mortimer
welp, this destroyed me first thing upon waking up
February 6, 2026 at 3:13 PM
welp, this destroyed me first thing upon waking up
The long game of the Counter-Reformation enters its final century
"Well, lads, I haven't been able to get hold of any gunpowder, but what I have got is a consultants' report on the cost of restoring the building. If we just wait it out, they'll let the place collapse and/or burn down all on its own."
"Nice one. Pub?"
"Pub."
"Nice one. Pub?"
"Pub."
February 6, 2026 at 1:04 PM
The long game of the Counter-Reformation enters its final century
Reposted by Alix Mortimer
5/5 PMs with approval ratings of measles isn't just a feature of failed leadership. It's Brexit Britain. There's no money for anything people want and were promised they would have, and no one can blame the people who got us into this mess because they got 52% of the vote (let alone reverse it).
Starmer's reported condition - incredibly unpopular, shorn of authority, probably un-reelectable and yet will stagger on for want of an alternative - is just the new normal of how Britain is governed. It was also true for two-thirds of May's premiership, half of Johnson's and all of Sunak's.
February 6, 2026 at 12:10 PM
5/5 PMs with approval ratings of measles isn't just a feature of failed leadership. It's Brexit Britain. There's no money for anything people want and were promised they would have, and no one can blame the people who got us into this mess because they got 52% of the vote (let alone reverse it).
You’re joking, I thought I just needed to get onto IT, is this really a thing?! Continuous restarting no matter what I do.
Ironically, they've broken the fix to Win 11 sleep mode not working and, by all accounts, update and shut down not shutting down but restarting instead.
February 6, 2026 at 12:22 PM
You’re joking, I thought I just needed to get onto IT, is this really a thing?! Continuous restarting no matter what I do.
Reposted by Alix Mortimer
This comes up a lot so I do want to let you all know that the option of turning the existing building into a heritage/museum site has been costed out and it is substantially more expensive
How about this - new parliament building and government center in Slough, including Pm residence. Change parliament into a tourist and museum center.
February 6, 2026 at 10:36 AM
This comes up a lot so I do want to let you all know that the option of turning the existing building into a heritage/museum site has been costed out and it is substantially more expensive
Reposted by Alix Mortimer
Bezos burning the Washington post to the ground is as firm a reason for the continued bbc licence as ever there was. Eventually everything that can be owned by a billionaire will be owned by a billionaire and at that point its future will be determined by the whims of a man making 166k per minute.
February 6, 2026 at 9:17 AM
Bezos burning the Washington post to the ground is as firm a reason for the continued bbc licence as ever there was. Eventually everything that can be owned by a billionaire will be owned by a billionaire and at that point its future will be determined by the whims of a man making 166k per minute.
Reposted by Alix Mortimer
This moment is bringing out the best in some of us (like this speaker) and bringing out the worst in others of us. This is a time for choosing to live a life that you're proud of, or not. ❤️
February 5, 2026 at 11:17 PM
This moment is bringing out the best in some of us (like this speaker) and bringing out the worst in others of us. This is a time for choosing to live a life that you're proud of, or not. ❤️
Is it possible she has misunderstood what a moral panic is and thinks the witches were guilty
guess she couldn’t find anybody
February 5, 2026 at 11:32 PM
Is it possible she has misunderstood what a moral panic is and thinks the witches were guilty
Reposted by Alix Mortimer
Anyone who thinks what's happening is the worst political scandal this century, in this country should take a stroll down to the Covid Memorial Wall.
February 5, 2026 at 8:42 PM
Anyone who thinks what's happening is the worst political scandal this century, in this country should take a stroll down to the Covid Memorial Wall.
Reposted by Alix Mortimer
I need everyone to know that on the crochet subreddit the mods made a big post about how they're taking a week off because there was too much fighting/political posts. so there's currently no mods on r/crochet and people are being absolutely insane
February 5, 2026 at 1:46 PM
I need everyone to know that on the crochet subreddit the mods made a big post about how they're taking a week off because there was too much fighting/political posts. so there's currently no mods on r/crochet and people are being absolutely insane
Reposted by Alix Mortimer
We happen to have two words for nationality because of the structure of the country. Most countries don't. So is French supposed to refer to ethnicity or nationality? It's a gibberish argument.
February 5, 2026 at 12:26 PM
We happen to have two words for nationality because of the structure of the country. Most countries don't. So is French supposed to refer to ethnicity or nationality? It's a gibberish argument.