Danny Birchall
@dannybirchall.bsky.social
Capercaillie, lammergeier, cassowary
Reposted by Danny Birchall
Proscribe the Labour Party
New School Guidance announces:
Full bathroom ban.
Full PE ban.
Full school trip accommodation ban.
Trans kids will not go to the bathroom, do PE or go on any school trips. 1/
Full bathroom ban.
Full PE ban.
Full school trip accommodation ban.
Trans kids will not go to the bathroom, do PE or go on any school trips. 1/
February 12, 2026 at 6:28 PM
Proscribe the Labour Party
Reposted by Danny Birchall
Labour has brought back section 28 against trans and non-binary individuals. I lived through section 28 last time. I suffered the harms of it. This will do the same thing. Not even allowing young people to socially transition is plain wrong. It prevents them finding their own identity.
February 12, 2026 at 5:46 PM
Labour has brought back section 28 against trans and non-binary individuals. I lived through section 28 last time. I suffered the harms of it. This will do the same thing. Not even allowing young people to socially transition is plain wrong. It prevents them finding their own identity.
Regardless of specific technologies, the venn overlap between 'useful to bosses' and 'evil' is ... not small
The predominent anti-AI position on bsky is that AI is useless, fake, shit and basically the same as NFTs, destined to collapse in months once everyone sees how poor it is. So anyone who suggests that it could improve or be useful to any boss in any situation in the future must be evil.
February 12, 2026 at 5:02 PM
Regardless of specific technologies, the venn overlap between 'useful to bosses' and 'evil' is ... not small
Reposted by Danny Birchall
In these cases, AI is being used to solder together the libertarian goal of dismantling administrative capacity with the fascist goal of ever present control and enforcement. This mediating function between contrasting desires is at least as important whether it actually works.
“School officials have created a Microsoft Copilot prompt to review course descriptions with an eye toward avoiding ‘advocacy-oriented or prescriptive terms.’”
Terms: “dismantling, decolonizing, interrogating, challenging, centering, combating, liberation, resistance, activism, justice oriented”
Terms: “dismantling, decolonizing, interrogating, challenging, centering, combating, liberation, resistance, activism, justice oriented”
To Root Out Wokeness in the Course Catalog, This Texas University Is Turning to AI
“The AI was upset with my use of the phrase ‘women's rights movement.’”
www.texasmonthly.com
December 6, 2025 at 3:46 PM
In these cases, AI is being used to solder together the libertarian goal of dismantling administrative capacity with the fascist goal of ever present control and enforcement. This mediating function between contrasting desires is at least as important whether it actually works.
Reposted by Danny Birchall
and yet mostly
abhors poetry
apart from the
parochial anecdote
abhors poetry
apart from the
parochial anecdote
this generation rules
the nation with enjambment
and lineation
the nation with enjambment
and lineation
February 12, 2026 at 4:00 PM
and yet mostly
abhors poetry
apart from the
parochial anecdote
abhors poetry
apart from the
parochial anecdote
Reposted by Danny Birchall
this generation rules
the nation with enjambment
and lineation
the nation with enjambment
and lineation
February 12, 2026 at 9:36 AM
this generation rules
the nation with enjambment
and lineation
the nation with enjambment
and lineation
It's telling that for all the talk of sport in this piece, the unbroken & unspoken consensus of government support for Israel is evident in the fact that Hattenstone doesn't ask Nandy a single question about her not insignificant role in the Maccabees fiasco.
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
‘You call it a shitshow – I say it’s unforgivable’: Lisa Nandy on Epstein, Mandelson and Labour’s torrid week
The culture secretary talks about secret briefings, the need for solidarity and why the government must recognise its big moment of reckoning
www.theguardian.com
February 12, 2026 at 1:55 PM
It's telling that for all the talk of sport in this piece, the unbroken & unspoken consensus of government support for Israel is evident in the fact that Hattenstone doesn't ask Nandy a single question about her not insignificant role in the Maccabees fiasco.
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...
Reposted by Danny Birchall
The Street Art Mystery is out today 🎉
A story about creativity, courage, friendship – and how art can hold secrets and make us look closer.
This is the final outing for the Copseys, and I’m so grateful to everyone who helped bring their journey to life, and to every reader who’s been part of it. 🖤
A story about creativity, courage, friendship – and how art can hold secrets and make us look closer.
This is the final outing for the Copseys, and I’m so grateful to everyone who helped bring their journey to life, and to every reader who’s been part of it. 🖤
February 12, 2026 at 10:42 AM
The Street Art Mystery is out today 🎉
A story about creativity, courage, friendship – and how art can hold secrets and make us look closer.
This is the final outing for the Copseys, and I’m so grateful to everyone who helped bring their journey to life, and to every reader who’s been part of it. 🖤
A story about creativity, courage, friendship – and how art can hold secrets and make us look closer.
This is the final outing for the Copseys, and I’m so grateful to everyone who helped bring their journey to life, and to every reader who’s been part of it. 🖤
Reposted by Danny Birchall
We’re expanding the Oxford RSE group. The deadline for applications is tomorrow.
Any prior experience working with frontend/backend web development, machine learning, or high performance computing would be desirable, as would any experience designing or delivering training courses.
Any prior experience working with frontend/backend web development, machine learning, or high performance computing would be desirable, as would any experience designing or delivering training courses.
Come and work with me! We’re looking for a Research Software Engineer to join the Oxford RSE group. Deadline 13th February.
https://www.rse.ox.ac.uk/vacancies
https://www.rse.ox.ac.uk/vacancies
Vacancies
www.rse.ox.ac.uk
February 12, 2026 at 10:42 AM
We’re expanding the Oxford RSE group. The deadline for applications is tomorrow.
Any prior experience working with frontend/backend web development, machine learning, or high performance computing would be desirable, as would any experience designing or delivering training courses.
Any prior experience working with frontend/backend web development, machine learning, or high performance computing would be desirable, as would any experience designing or delivering training courses.
Reposted by Danny Birchall
weird phenomenon: pubs in decline, but pub bores on the rise
February 12, 2026 at 10:26 AM
weird phenomenon: pubs in decline, but pub bores on the rise
Reposted by Danny Birchall
The Rest Is Actually A Codification of Narrow Attitudes Masquerading As a Broadening of Perspectives
February 12, 2026 at 10:22 AM
The Rest Is Actually A Codification of Narrow Attitudes Masquerading As a Broadening of Perspectives
book podcast hosted by a Torystorian and a former assistant to Princess Michael of Kent, no thanks.
February 12, 2026 at 10:21 AM
book podcast hosted by a Torystorian and a former assistant to Princess Michael of Kent, no thanks.
this generation rules
the nation with enjambment
and lineation
the nation with enjambment
and lineation
February 12, 2026 at 9:36 AM
this generation rules
the nation with enjambment
and lineation
the nation with enjambment
and lineation
Watched I Saw The TV Glow last night, and it was not at all what I expected, and I am also still feeling slightly haunted by it
February 12, 2026 at 8:08 AM
Watched I Saw The TV Glow last night, and it was not at all what I expected, and I am also still feeling slightly haunted by it
Reposted by Danny Birchall
to be fair, the correct conclusion (that infinite amounts of human language can be produced without any human subjectivity) is a lot more existentially terrifying than the incorrect one (computer is alive)
Experiments conducted with the A.I. system Claude are producing fascinating results—and raising questions about the nature of selfhood. Gideon Lewis-Kraus reports from inside the company that designed it, Anthropic. newyorkermag.visitlink.me/rOfXjg
February 11, 2026 at 4:02 PM
to be fair, the correct conclusion (that infinite amounts of human language can be produced without any human subjectivity) is a lot more existentially terrifying than the incorrect one (computer is alive)
The non-dairy beverage of human kindness
Oatly banned from using word ‘milk’ to market plant-based products in UK
Oatly banned from using word ‘milk’ to market plant-based products in UK
Supreme court makes ruling after Swedish firm’s long-running battle with trade association Dairy UK
*
Business live – latest updates
The Swedish-based drinks manufacturer Oatly has been banned from using the word “milk” to market its plant-based products, after a ruling by the UK supreme court.
The alt-milk manufacturer has been in a long-running legal battle with the trade association Dairy UK after Oatly trademarked phrases associated with the dairy sector. Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
February 11, 2026 at 2:06 PM
The non-dairy beverage of human kindness
There should be a statute of limitations on literary adaptations: if it's been 25 years since the text was published, or there have been more than 2 previous adaptations, then you can do whatever you like with it and nobody gets to say anything about the 'original' meaning or characters.
February 11, 2026 at 2:00 PM
There should be a statute of limitations on literary adaptations: if it's been 25 years since the text was published, or there have been more than 2 previous adaptations, then you can do whatever you like with it and nobody gets to say anything about the 'original' meaning or characters.
Remind me yet again what everyone's problem with Saltburn was? A lower middle-class pervert exterminates an entire family of aristos and then does a sexy little dance, who could have had a problem with that?
February 11, 2026 at 1:47 PM
Remind me yet again what everyone's problem with Saltburn was? A lower middle-class pervert exterminates an entire family of aristos and then does a sexy little dance, who could have had a problem with that?
Reposted by Danny Birchall
"Citizenship is a privilege" is such a fundamentally racist statement that it's really hard to know where to go from there.
So Labour go to "Simply being allowed to be here is a privilege", just make sure you're getting the message.
80 years of international humanitarian law can go whistle.
So Labour go to "Simply being allowed to be here is a privilege", just make sure you're getting the message.
80 years of international humanitarian law can go whistle.
Imagine being presented with these accounts of stark unfairness and insecurity caused by the earned settlement plans and your response being ‘It is a privilege not a right to settle in the UK and it must be earned’ - the Home Secretary needs to go www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...
Nurses’ families fear being torn apart in UK immigration crackdown, survey says
Exclusive: Most people in charity’s study say they worry about being separated from relatives under Mahmood plans
www.theguardian.com
February 11, 2026 at 11:32 AM
"Citizenship is a privilege" is such a fundamentally racist statement that it's really hard to know where to go from there.
So Labour go to "Simply being allowed to be here is a privilege", just make sure you're getting the message.
80 years of international humanitarian law can go whistle.
So Labour go to "Simply being allowed to be here is a privilege", just make sure you're getting the message.
80 years of international humanitarian law can go whistle.
Reposted by Danny Birchall
I've never wanted something to flop harder than this fucking misbegotten television show for transphobic 42-year-olds
Hasbro and Warner Bros. Discovery have signed a multi-year deal starting in 2027 to produce Harry Potter film and television series dolls, role play, action figures, collectibles, interactive plush, board games, and more to be revealed later this year - bwnews.pr/45UKdKL
February 10, 2026 at 6:19 PM
I've never wanted something to flop harder than this fucking misbegotten television show for transphobic 42-year-olds
Age verification? I used to run a gopher site.
Age verification? I had a Geocities site.
Age verification? My first computer screen was green.
February 10, 2026 at 5:42 PM
Age verification? I used to run a gopher site.
ACAB includes Dean (but not Torvill)
With the Winter Olympics in full swing, it's a good time to re-post this image of Jayne Torvill and Christopher Dean in 1979 before a grant from Nottingham City Council enabled them to give up their day jobs and train fulltime. They won the figure skating gold at Sarajevo in 1984.
February 10, 2026 at 2:41 PM
ACAB includes Dean (but not Torvill)
Reposted by Danny Birchall
HMRC stop sending "Prepare now for Making Tax Digital" emails before you've built free software for MTD Challenge
February 10, 2026 at 2:21 PM
HMRC stop sending "Prepare now for Making Tax Digital" emails before you've built free software for MTD Challenge
Reposted by Danny Birchall
There's something particularly nasty and corrupt about not just that all these academics were begging this rich sociopath for research money, but that they all kept (and some keep) insisting that he was some great genius. And then his actual "intellectual" output reads like this total garbage
February 10, 2026 at 1:41 PM
There's something particularly nasty and corrupt about not just that all these academics were begging this rich sociopath for research money, but that they all kept (and some keep) insisting that he was some great genius. And then his actual "intellectual" output reads like this total garbage