David Allsopp
@doublehelix.bsky.social
Scientist turned software engineer. He/him
🏹 Field archery 🐀 Rats 😷 COVID cautious 🏃 Parkrun
https://medium.com/@davidallsopp
@[email protected]
@doublehelix on the birdsite
🏹 Field archery 🐀 Rats 😷 COVID cautious 🏃 Parkrun
https://medium.com/@davidallsopp
@[email protected]
@doublehelix on the birdsite
Pinned
David Allsopp
@doublehelix.bsky.social
· Nov 17
“Sex-based rights” are contradictory nonsense
The term is a dog-whistle slogan, coined just to exclude trans people, with multiple meanings — none of which make sense.
medium.com
A short thread of my essays on Medium - mostly debunking anti-trans disinformation and other bigotry
1) "Sex-based rights" are contradictory nonsense
The term is a dog-whistle slogan, coined just to exclude trans people, with multiple meanings — none of which make sense
medium.com/@davidallsop...
1) "Sex-based rights" are contradictory nonsense
The term is a dog-whistle slogan, coined just to exclude trans people, with multiple meanings — none of which make sense
medium.com/@davidallsop...
Reposted by David Allsopp
Matt Walsh whose followers sent repeated bomb threats to multiple children's hospitals has thoughts on violence
The world's richest man is broadcasting eliminationist rhetoric about a tiny, vulnerable minority, and virtually no one is going to treat it as a scandal. It's just normal now.
February 17, 2026 at 2:25 PM
Matt Walsh whose followers sent repeated bomb threats to multiple children's hospitals has thoughts on violence
Reposted by David Allsopp
Reposted by David Allsopp
NEW: ChatGPT and other chatbots are feeding users' fixations on real people, reinforcing users' delusional ideas and obsessions about others as they descend into unwanted harassment, stalking, and/or domestic abuse — traumatizing victims and profoundly altering lives.
futurism.com/artificial-i...
futurism.com/artificial-i...
AI Delusions Are Leading to Domestic Abuse, Harassment, and Stalking
ChatGPT and other AI chatbots are reinforcing users' delusions about other people — fueling fixations linked to stalking and other abuses.
futurism.com
February 17, 2026 at 3:58 PM
NEW: ChatGPT and other chatbots are feeding users' fixations on real people, reinforcing users' delusional ideas and obsessions about others as they descend into unwanted harassment, stalking, and/or domestic abuse — traumatizing victims and profoundly altering lives.
futurism.com/artificial-i...
futurism.com/artificial-i...
Reposted by David Allsopp
Waymo's large and growing data set provisionally shows that their cars are *much* safer than human drivers.
Tesla's small data set shows "Robotaxis" are much *worse* than human drivers . sherwood.news/tech/teslas-...
Tesla's small data set shows "Robotaxis" are much *worse* than human drivers . sherwood.news/tech/teslas-...
Tesla’s 45 Austin Robotaxis now have 14 crashes on the books since launching in June
Tesla submitted five new crash reports in January involving its Austin Robotaxi fleet, Electrek reports....
sherwood.news
February 17, 2026 at 6:07 PM
Waymo's large and growing data set provisionally shows that their cars are *much* safer than human drivers.
Tesla's small data set shows "Robotaxis" are much *worse* than human drivers . sherwood.news/tech/teslas-...
Tesla's small data set shows "Robotaxis" are much *worse* than human drivers . sherwood.news/tech/teslas-...
Reposted by David Allsopp
Trump is suing the WSJ over its story on the president's birthday note to Jeffrey Epstein.
The legal team representing the publication argues that there was no reason for the newspaper to doubt the article’s accuracy “because it was entirely consistent with President Trump’s reputation.”
The legal team representing the publication argues that there was no reason for the newspaper to doubt the article’s accuracy “because it was entirely consistent with President Trump’s reputation.”
Murdoch’s defense in Epstein lawsuit: Trump is lewd
The president is suing the Wall Street Journal over its story on his birthday note to the sex criminal.
www.motherjones.com
February 17, 2026 at 5:58 PM
Trump is suing the WSJ over its story on the president's birthday note to Jeffrey Epstein.
The legal team representing the publication argues that there was no reason for the newspaper to doubt the article’s accuracy “because it was entirely consistent with President Trump’s reputation.”
The legal team representing the publication argues that there was no reason for the newspaper to doubt the article’s accuracy “because it was entirely consistent with President Trump’s reputation.”
Reposted by David Allsopp
Reposted by David Allsopp
RFK Jr.: ‘Time In Hot Cars Helps Babies To Sweat Out Toxins’ https://theonion.com/rfk-jr-time-in-hot-cars-helps-babies-to-sweat-out-toxins/
February 17, 2026 at 4:00 PM
RFK Jr.: ‘Time In Hot Cars Helps Babies To Sweat Out Toxins’ https://theonion.com/rfk-jr-time-in-hot-cars-helps-babies-to-sweat-out-toxins/
Reposted by David Allsopp
Trans people were the canary in the coal mine.
Labour gave tacit approval to ripping up the Equality Act by failing to uphold it or legislate for it when it was under attack from often dark money funded fascist lawfare.
www.independent.co.uk/bulletin/new...
Labour gave tacit approval to ripping up the Equality Act by failing to uphold it or legislate for it when it was under attack from often dark money funded fascist lawfare.
www.independent.co.uk/bulletin/new...
Reform plans to scrap up Equality Act – what it would mean for Britain
www.independent.co.uk
February 17, 2026 at 5:34 PM
Trans people were the canary in the coal mine.
Labour gave tacit approval to ripping up the Equality Act by failing to uphold it or legislate for it when it was under attack from often dark money funded fascist lawfare.
www.independent.co.uk/bulletin/new...
Labour gave tacit approval to ripping up the Equality Act by failing to uphold it or legislate for it when it was under attack from often dark money funded fascist lawfare.
www.independent.co.uk/bulletin/new...
Reposted by David Allsopp
Roses are redde
Violettes are blue
Sayinge "thys technologye ys the future"
Ys an ideological move
Violettes are blue
Sayinge "thys technologye ys the future"
Ys an ideological move
February 16, 2026 at 7:30 PM
Roses are redde
Violettes are blue
Sayinge "thys technologye ys the future"
Ys an ideological move
Violettes are blue
Sayinge "thys technologye ys the future"
Ys an ideological move
Reposted by David Allsopp
It’s doubtless just an issue of space and inadvertence, but you may naturally assume that 19.8% of participants in this study reported regrets about hormone therapy.
Which isn’t false—19.8% reported a number above zero on a 0 to 100 scale But the average regret reported by that 19.8% was 19.14/100!
Which isn’t false—19.8% reported a number above zero on a 0 to 100 scale But the average regret reported by that 19.8% was 19.14/100!
Patient-reported outcomes and satisfaction with gender-affirming hormone therapy among transgender and gender-diverse individuals in South Korea: a multicenter prospective study
Knowledge of gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT) among transgender and gender-diverse (TGD) individuals outside Western countries remains limited. This study aimed to investigate GAHT-related e...
www.tandfonline.com
February 17, 2026 at 12:20 AM
It’s doubtless just an issue of space and inadvertence, but you may naturally assume that 19.8% of participants in this study reported regrets about hormone therapy.
Which isn’t false—19.8% reported a number above zero on a 0 to 100 scale But the average regret reported by that 19.8% was 19.14/100!
Which isn’t false—19.8% reported a number above zero on a 0 to 100 scale But the average regret reported by that 19.8% was 19.14/100!
Reposted by David Allsopp
February 13, 2026 at 8:01 AM
Reposted by David Allsopp
Reposted by David Allsopp
Yet Iceland, despite being a smaller country can do this: "They have more patients and about half the staff of the NGS, yet in two years they eliminated their 700 person waiting list. They usually only need 30-45 minutes of assessment, and in their intensive weeks they’d start 30 people on HRT"
Your referral will be old enough to drink by the time the NGS sees you.
the-beacon.ie/2026/02/17/a...
#trans #transHealthcare #SpéirGorm #SpeirGorm
the-beacon.ie/2026/02/17/a...
#trans #transHealthcare #SpéirGorm #SpeirGorm
An eighteen-year wait for trans healthcare with more than 2,500 on waiting list – The Beacon
The waiting list for trans healthcare in Ireland continues to grow, with the wait now approaching two decades.
the-beacon.ie
February 17, 2026 at 10:22 AM
Yet Iceland, despite being a smaller country can do this: "They have more patients and about half the staff of the NGS, yet in two years they eliminated their 700 person waiting list. They usually only need 30-45 minutes of assessment, and in their intensive weeks they’d start 30 people on HRT"
Reposted by David Allsopp
As Nigel Farage makes Robert Jenrick his Shadow Chancellor, here's a quick reminder of the sort of man Reform wants to put in charge of the nation's finances
February 17, 2026 at 12:37 PM
As Nigel Farage makes Robert Jenrick his Shadow Chancellor, here's a quick reminder of the sort of man Reform wants to put in charge of the nation's finances
Reposted by David Allsopp
Also, nobody is holding back when it comes to how much the Trump government is not getting a presumption of regularity.
Here is how Judge Rufe's decision on Trump's attempt to erase history starts:
Here is how Judge Rufe's decision on Trump's attempt to erase history starts:
February 16, 2026 at 5:44 PM
Also, nobody is holding back when it comes to how much the Trump government is not getting a presumption of regularity.
Here is how Judge Rufe's decision on Trump's attempt to erase history starts:
Here is how Judge Rufe's decision on Trump's attempt to erase history starts:
Reposted by David Allsopp
Patients were forced to go private at great personal cost because NHS assessments for ADHD have waitlists up to 8 years long. And now, despite having those diagnoses, GPs are just refusing to give people meds they need for a diagnosis they have because... fuck you, that's why.
Cool!
Cool!
Henry Shelford, chief executive of charity ADHD UK: it is "hateful and cruel how badly the overall NHS treats people with ADHD”.
ADHD patients stripped of NHS prescriptions under crackdown
GP practices are increasingly withdrawing from shared-care agreements with patients diagnosed by private clinics
giftarticle.ft.com
February 17, 2026 at 8:11 AM
Patients were forced to go private at great personal cost because NHS assessments for ADHD have waitlists up to 8 years long. And now, despite having those diagnoses, GPs are just refusing to give people meds they need for a diagnosis they have because... fuck you, that's why.
Cool!
Cool!
Reposted by David Allsopp
I applied for an ADHD diagnosis before COVID happened and only had my appointment Oct last year. They still won't give me medication for most of a year despite coming to a conclusive decision that I have ADHD. The system is designed to force people out of it and push us out of society.
Patients were forced to go private at great personal cost because NHS assessments for ADHD have waitlists up to 8 years long. And now, despite having those diagnoses, GPs are just refusing to give people meds they need for a diagnosis they have because... fuck you, that's why.
Cool!
Cool!
Henry Shelford, chief executive of charity ADHD UK: it is "hateful and cruel how badly the overall NHS treats people with ADHD”.
February 17, 2026 at 12:39 PM
I applied for an ADHD diagnosis before COVID happened and only had my appointment Oct last year. They still won't give me medication for most of a year despite coming to a conclusive decision that I have ADHD. The system is designed to force people out of it and push us out of society.
Reposted by David Allsopp
This is the interview Donald Trump didn’t want you to see.
His FCC refused to air my interview with Stephen Colbert.
Trump is worried we’re about to flip Texas.
His FCC refused to air my interview with Stephen Colbert.
Trump is worried we’re about to flip Texas.
February 17, 2026 at 7:27 AM
This is the interview Donald Trump didn’t want you to see.
His FCC refused to air my interview with Stephen Colbert.
Trump is worried we’re about to flip Texas.
His FCC refused to air my interview with Stephen Colbert.
Trump is worried we’re about to flip Texas.
Reposted by David Allsopp
We have the same problem in the UK with antivaxxers as in the US since 2020. counterdisinformationproject.substack.com/p/the-emails...
The emails that reveal MPs collaborating with conspiracy theorists & anti-vaxxers
#HARTleaks emails and internal chats provide irrefutable evidence
counterdisinformationproject.substack.com
February 17, 2026 at 12:42 PM
We have the same problem in the UK with antivaxxers as in the US since 2020. counterdisinformationproject.substack.com/p/the-emails...
Reposted by David Allsopp
Henry Shelford, chief executive of charity ADHD UK: it is "hateful and cruel how badly the overall NHS treats people with ADHD”.
ADHD patients stripped of NHS prescriptions under crackdown
GP practices are increasingly withdrawing from shared-care agreements with patients diagnosed by private clinics
giftarticle.ft.com
February 17, 2026 at 6:25 AM
Henry Shelford, chief executive of charity ADHD UK: it is "hateful and cruel how badly the overall NHS treats people with ADHD”.
Reposted by David Allsopp
"The withdrawals reflect GPs’ worries about the risks of taking on specialist care"
sick of this excuse - are you physicians who chose a broad specialty or not?
it isn't just adhd, we hear constantly about GPs who won't manage hormones and mine now claims to be unable to manage blood pressure meds
sick of this excuse - are you physicians who chose a broad specialty or not?
it isn't just adhd, we hear constantly about GPs who won't manage hormones and mine now claims to be unable to manage blood pressure meds
Henry Shelford, chief executive of charity ADHD UK: it is "hateful and cruel how badly the overall NHS treats people with ADHD”.
ADHD patients stripped of NHS prescriptions under crackdown
GP practices are increasingly withdrawing from shared-care agreements with patients diagnosed by private clinics
giftarticle.ft.com
February 17, 2026 at 7:25 AM
"The withdrawals reflect GPs’ worries about the risks of taking on specialist care"
sick of this excuse - are you physicians who chose a broad specialty or not?
it isn't just adhd, we hear constantly about GPs who won't manage hormones and mine now claims to be unable to manage blood pressure meds
sick of this excuse - are you physicians who chose a broad specialty or not?
it isn't just adhd, we hear constantly about GPs who won't manage hormones and mine now claims to be unable to manage blood pressure meds
Reposted by David Allsopp
New study: People who had COVID were more likely to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes for at least three years afterward. We need long-term post-COVID care and monitoring.
Risk of type 2 diabetes may be higher up to 3 years after COVID infection in unvaccinated, severely ill
www.cidrap.umn.edu
February 17, 2026 at 8:00 AM
New study: People who had COVID were more likely to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes for at least three years afterward. We need long-term post-COVID care and monitoring.
Reposted by David Allsopp
I live in a rural part of the UK & volunteer at a group for LGBTQ+ young people.
Many have been out of education, mostly because of being bullied or ostracised by their peers. When they make friends at group they swap social media details.
Can't stop thinking about how a ban would devastate them.
Many have been out of education, mostly because of being bullied or ostracised by their peers. When they make friends at group they swap social media details.
Can't stop thinking about how a ban would devastate them.
February 17, 2026 at 8:00 AM
I live in a rural part of the UK & volunteer at a group for LGBTQ+ young people.
Many have been out of education, mostly because of being bullied or ostracised by their peers. When they make friends at group they swap social media details.
Can't stop thinking about how a ban would devastate them.
Many have been out of education, mostly because of being bullied or ostracised by their peers. When they make friends at group they swap social media details.
Can't stop thinking about how a ban would devastate them.
Reposted by David Allsopp
The government has discovered regulating social media is Hard (it's good at passing Tough Laws and then useless at enforcing them), so it's now going for the much easier job of just restricting the freedom of teenagers.
February 16, 2026 at 10:01 AM
The government has discovered regulating social media is Hard (it's good at passing Tough Laws and then useless at enforcing them), so it's now going for the much easier job of just restricting the freedom of teenagers.
"the AI was wrong in unpredictable ways".
AI can help with "write a function that does X" where X is hard to write but immediately testable. Or "rephrase this sentence concisely".
Churning out reams of text, in which *every single detail could be completely made up & wrong* is not actually helpful
AI can help with "write a function that does X" where X is hard to write but immediately testable. Or "rephrase this sentence concisely".
Churning out reams of text, in which *every single detail could be completely made up & wrong* is not actually helpful
We did this experiment at my former job. The highest paid employees (editors) ended up putting hours into editing and fact checking stories because the AI was wrong in unpredictable ways. Between coming up with the story idea, prompting, and editing they were the most expensive stories we did.
“We plan to hire an AI rewrite specialist to ingest the reporting by Hannah and others and use AI to convert it into stories.”
The editor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer said it will use AI to ‘write’ its articles.
www.cleveland.com/news/2025/10...
The editor of the Cleveland Plain Dealer said it will use AI to ‘write’ its articles.
www.cleveland.com/news/2025/10...
February 16, 2026 at 10:45 PM
"the AI was wrong in unpredictable ways".
AI can help with "write a function that does X" where X is hard to write but immediately testable. Or "rephrase this sentence concisely".
Churning out reams of text, in which *every single detail could be completely made up & wrong* is not actually helpful
AI can help with "write a function that does X" where X is hard to write but immediately testable. Or "rephrase this sentence concisely".
Churning out reams of text, in which *every single detail could be completely made up & wrong* is not actually helpful