Somhairle Kelly
@eithin.bsky.social
Queer, trans, disabled, he/they. Artist, designer, amateur material culture historian, ex-nanomaterials scientist. Open University environmental everything student. Welsh, living in Scotland by the sea.
Fix your hearts or die.
Fix your hearts or die.
Fatigue makes ADHD worse. This is why I am trying to install and troubleshoot Nextcloud instead of doing anything useful.
January 31, 2026 at 8:27 PM
Fatigue makes ADHD worse. This is why I am trying to install and troubleshoot Nextcloud instead of doing anything useful.
Looks like the forest near me isn't going to be blighted by a substation. I'm fine with electricity infrastructure in my extended back yard, I just don't want them to demolish a large chunk of An Actual Forest to build it. www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/aber...
The key moments as council REJECTS Stonehaven substation plan after 7-hour debate
More than 2,000 letters of objection had been submitted to Aberdeenshire Council asking for the Hurlie substation plan to be thrown out...
www.pressandjournal.co.uk
January 30, 2026 at 7:34 PM
Looks like the forest near me isn't going to be blighted by a substation. I'm fine with electricity infrastructure in my extended back yard, I just don't want them to demolish a large chunk of An Actual Forest to build it. www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/aber...
Reposted by Somhairle Kelly
30th January 1649 Charles 1 was beheaded in Whitehall.
A lost traditional but nonetheless
Happy Beheading King Day!
A lost traditional but nonetheless
Happy Beheading King Day!
January 30, 2026 at 10:20 AM
30th January 1649 Charles 1 was beheaded in Whitehall.
A lost traditional but nonetheless
Happy Beheading King Day!
A lost traditional but nonetheless
Happy Beheading King Day!
Today's beach weather - seafoam and white horses all the way to the horizon.
January 30, 2026 at 11:55 AM
Today's beach weather - seafoam and white horses all the way to the horizon.
Reposted by Somhairle Kelly
People who don't go to college in fact benefit immensely, by some metrics disproportionately, because of the people who do. Education is one of the preeminent examples of a service with massive positive externalities. It is a false assumption that there exist net costs to be distributed at all here.
January 30, 2026 at 4:43 AM
People who don't go to college in fact benefit immensely, by some metrics disproportionately, because of the people who do. Education is one of the preeminent examples of a service with massive positive externalities. It is a false assumption that there exist net costs to be distributed at all here.
Reposted by Somhairle Kelly
Today's the start of #bridgerton season 4, the perfect time to remind you of Natania Barron 's LOVE IN NETHERFORD series!
Regency romance, but with added vampires, werewolves and witches: only £2.99 each in eBook!
https://geni.us/NetherfordH
https://geni.us/viscountstal
Book 3 coming soon!
Regency romance, but with added vampires, werewolves and witches: only £2.99 each in eBook!
https://geni.us/NetherfordH
https://geni.us/viscountstal
Book 3 coming soon!
January 29, 2026 at 5:53 PM
Today's the start of #bridgerton season 4, the perfect time to remind you of Natania Barron 's LOVE IN NETHERFORD series!
Regency romance, but with added vampires, werewolves and witches: only £2.99 each in eBook!
https://geni.us/NetherfordH
https://geni.us/viscountstal
Book 3 coming soon!
Regency romance, but with added vampires, werewolves and witches: only £2.99 each in eBook!
https://geni.us/NetherfordH
https://geni.us/viscountstal
Book 3 coming soon!
Reposted by Somhairle Kelly
"'Come up, O warriors! come up, O brothers!
Tribesmen and herdsmen, maidens and mothers;
The bondman's son and the bondman's daughter,
The hewer of wood and the drawer of water,
He that carries and he that brings,
And set your foot on the neck of kings.'"
Tribesmen and herdsmen, maidens and mothers;
The bondman's son and the bondman's daughter,
The hewer of wood and the drawer of water,
He that carries and he that brings,
And set your foot on the neck of kings.'"
October 18, 2025 at 2:08 PM
"'Come up, O warriors! come up, O brothers!
Tribesmen and herdsmen, maidens and mothers;
The bondman's son and the bondman's daughter,
The hewer of wood and the drawer of water,
He that carries and he that brings,
And set your foot on the neck of kings.'"
Tribesmen and herdsmen, maidens and mothers;
The bondman's son and the bondman's daughter,
The hewer of wood and the drawer of water,
He that carries and he that brings,
And set your foot on the neck of kings.'"
Five jobs I've had:
- theatre/festival lighting tech
- costumier's flunkey
- research statistician
- stable mucker-out
- security guard
- theatre/festival lighting tech
- costumier's flunkey
- research statistician
- stable mucker-out
- security guard
Five jobs I’ve had:
- night runner
- investigator
- burger flipper
- interpreter
- copy editor
- night runner
- investigator
- burger flipper
- interpreter
- copy editor
Five jobs I’ve had:
- phone bank operator
- secretary
- front end supervisor
- ESL instructor
- administrative assistant
- phone bank operator
- secretary
- front end supervisor
- ESL instructor
- administrative assistant
January 29, 2026 at 1:58 PM
Five jobs I've had:
- theatre/festival lighting tech
- costumier's flunkey
- research statistician
- stable mucker-out
- security guard
- theatre/festival lighting tech
- costumier's flunkey
- research statistician
- stable mucker-out
- security guard
Reposted by Somhairle Kelly
#fabulamurina (mouse story) 487
terra gelida est, sed Silvius galanthos nivales gemmantes invenit (The ground is frosty, but Silvius finds snowdrops budding).
terra gelida est, sed Silvius galanthos nivales gemmantes invenit (The ground is frosty, but Silvius finds snowdrops budding).
January 29, 2026 at 1:31 PM
#fabulamurina (mouse story) 487
terra gelida est, sed Silvius galanthos nivales gemmantes invenit (The ground is frosty, but Silvius finds snowdrops budding).
terra gelida est, sed Silvius galanthos nivales gemmantes invenit (The ground is frosty, but Silvius finds snowdrops budding).
Apparently these hot water bottle stoppers are tested to 4 Nm of torque. The manufacturer's guidance is "finger tight". So all I can conclude is that my fingers are too mighty.
January 29, 2026 at 11:55 AM
Apparently these hot water bottle stoppers are tested to 4 Nm of torque. The manufacturer's guidance is "finger tight". So all I can conclude is that my fingers are too mighty.
Don't let other people tell you what you don't want to do.
If you’re over 30, quote this with some life advice 🤌🏼
January 29, 2026 at 12:47 AM
Don't let other people tell you what you don't want to do.
Reposted by Somhairle Kelly
Let’s talk about opiates. And let’s talk about addiction while we are about it.
Firstly, no, opiates don’t make you do crazy shit. If you’re in severe pain, they take some of it away. Usually, if you’re in severe enough pain that docs are willing to prescribe opiates, it won’t take all the pain. 1/
Firstly, no, opiates don’t make you do crazy shit. If you’re in severe pain, they take some of it away. Usually, if you’re in severe enough pain that docs are willing to prescribe opiates, it won’t take all the pain. 1/
Hi, I have been on opiates for seven years because a car accident wrecked my spine.
IT DOES NOT MAKE YOU DO THIS SHIT. It’s an ableist narrative that will make accessing pain management very difficult—and may even lead to backlash against people with this injury.
IT DOES NOT MAKE YOU DO THIS SHIT. It’s an ableist narrative that will make accessing pain management very difficult—and may even lead to backlash against people with this injury.
"Kelley said his neighbor has been “heavily medicated” due to a car wreck that affected his spine years ago."
OF FUCKING COURSE
OF FUCKING COURSE
January 28, 2026 at 4:22 PM
Let’s talk about opiates. And let’s talk about addiction while we are about it.
Firstly, no, opiates don’t make you do crazy shit. If you’re in severe pain, they take some of it away. Usually, if you’re in severe enough pain that docs are willing to prescribe opiates, it won’t take all the pain. 1/
Firstly, no, opiates don’t make you do crazy shit. If you’re in severe pain, they take some of it away. Usually, if you’re in severe enough pain that docs are willing to prescribe opiates, it won’t take all the pain. 1/
"At last, we have invented the book destroyer from Vernor Vinge's classic novel 'Rainbow's End, or, don't destroy books!'."
Absolutely damning from @aaronschaffer.com, @willoremus.com, & @nitasha.bsky.social.
To get more data, Anthropic:
* "destructively scanned" millions of books
* downloaded the shadow library LibGen
* hailed another shadow library's arrival as "just in time!!!"
www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
To get more data, Anthropic:
* "destructively scanned" millions of books
* downloaded the shadow library LibGen
* hailed another shadow library's arrival as "just in time!!!"
www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2...
Inside an AI start-up’s plan to scan and dispose of millions of books
Court filings reveal how AI companies raced to obtain more books to feed chatbots, including by buying, scanning and disposing of millions of titles.
www.washingtonpost.com
January 28, 2026 at 9:31 PM
"At last, we have invented the book destroyer from Vernor Vinge's classic novel 'Rainbow's End, or, don't destroy books!'."
Claudeswarm jokes are not funny! Claudes hibernate for up to 17 years until conditions are right, then emerge in a devastatingly predatory swarm. No ape is safe!
January 28, 2026 at 3:14 PM
Claudeswarm jokes are not funny! Claudes hibernate for up to 17 years until conditions are right, then emerge in a devastatingly predatory swarm. No ape is safe!
I am on a bus. This is the second time the driver has had to get out and reboot it.
January 28, 2026 at 11:29 AM
I am on a bus. This is the second time the driver has had to get out and reboot it.
Reposted by Somhairle Kelly
Pleased to announce I've been hired to do the marketing for this campaign
January 28, 2026 at 10:59 AM
Pleased to announce I've been hired to do the marketing for this campaign
Reposted by Somhairle Kelly
The government’s suggestion that rolling out 20 minute courses on writing “AI“ prompts, sponsored by Google, Microsoft and Amazon, is somehow comparable to the founding of the Open University (the Wilson government‘s, & Jennie Lee’s, proudest achievement), is an insult to our human intelligence.
January 28, 2026 at 8:37 AM
The government’s suggestion that rolling out 20 minute courses on writing “AI“ prompts, sponsored by Google, Microsoft and Amazon, is somehow comparable to the founding of the Open University (the Wilson government‘s, & Jennie Lee’s, proudest achievement), is an insult to our human intelligence.
Not only that, but there's a fun completely undocumented feature where autoforwarding (both standard and rule-based) is silently disabled. Again, the helpdesk have no information beyond "not allowed".
Apparently my university email address "only works with Outlook". Which is some nonsense and a half.
January 27, 2026 at 2:18 PM
Not only that, but there's a fun completely undocumented feature where autoforwarding (both standard and rule-based) is silently disabled. Again, the helpdesk have no information beyond "not allowed".
Reposted by Somhairle Kelly
“London’s fog literally fogged photographs with the yellowish hue of the capital’s notorious “pea-soupers”. This presented difficulties for early “orthochromatic” photographic emulsions, which were insensitive to orange and red.”
theconversation.com/how-romantic...
theconversation.com/how-romantic...
How romanticised images of London fog shaped the way we see polluted air
London’s fog literally fogged photographs with the yellowish hue of the capital’s notorious ‘pea-soupers’.
theconversation.com
January 27, 2026 at 7:30 AM
“London’s fog literally fogged photographs with the yellowish hue of the capital’s notorious “pea-soupers”. This presented difficulties for early “orthochromatic” photographic emulsions, which were insensitive to orange and red.”
theconversation.com/how-romantic...
theconversation.com/how-romantic...
Reposted by Somhairle Kelly
My miniature tree identification pins are finally back in stock and the 2nd edition is better than ever! Please share them around so people can see 💚 canopyrobin.etsy.com/listing/4386...
January 26, 2026 at 2:12 PM
My miniature tree identification pins are finally back in stock and the 2nd edition is better than ever! Please share them around so people can see 💚 canopyrobin.etsy.com/listing/4386...
Reposted by Somhairle Kelly
The estimable @eaterofsun.bsky.social points out that right-leaning voters now have the choice of the Failed Tory Party or the Failed-Tory Party, and I am being genuine and serious when I say that I think they deserve a better choice than that.
January 26, 2026 at 2:11 PM
The estimable @eaterofsun.bsky.social points out that right-leaning voters now have the choice of the Failed Tory Party or the Failed-Tory Party, and I am being genuine and serious when I say that I think they deserve a better choice than that.
Today's annoying Computer Job: set up an actual email client. I haven't done that in at least 15 years, but I feel the need to stop depending on gmail.
January 26, 2026 at 12:38 PM
Today's annoying Computer Job: set up an actual email client. I haven't done that in at least 15 years, but I feel the need to stop depending on gmail.
Reposted by Somhairle Kelly
Ye see yon birkie ca’d a lord,
Wha struts, an’ stares, an’ a’ that,
Tho’ hundreds worship at his word,
He’s but a coof for a’ that.
--- Robert Burns #BurnsNight
www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poem/mans-ma...
Wha struts, an’ stares, an’ a’ that,
Tho’ hundreds worship at his word,
He’s but a coof for a’ that.
--- Robert Burns #BurnsNight
www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poem/mans-ma...
A Man's a Man for a' That
Is there for honest Poverty / That hings his head, an' a' that; / The coward-slave, we pass him by, / We dare be poor for...
www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk
January 25, 2026 at 8:53 AM
Ye see yon birkie ca’d a lord,
Wha struts, an’ stares, an’ a’ that,
Tho’ hundreds worship at his word,
He’s but a coof for a’ that.
--- Robert Burns #BurnsNight
www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poem/mans-ma...
Wha struts, an’ stares, an’ a’ that,
Tho’ hundreds worship at his word,
He’s but a coof for a’ that.
--- Robert Burns #BurnsNight
www.scottishpoetrylibrary.org.uk/poem/mans-ma...
Labour, yet again, would rather lose than be any less right wing. So their strategy is going to be making sure they lose to the right people - their best realistic outcome for the next GE is a Reform govt. Therefore, vote Green if you can't vote Plaid.
I believe that multiple left-of-centre Labour MPs were pinning their hopes for their party on Andy Burnham (for all his flaws) taking over as party leader and PM.
There is now no viable route for Labour to go into the next general election as even a vaguely leftish party.
How long until they jump?
There is now no viable route for Labour to go into the next general election as even a vaguely leftish party.
How long until they jump?
January 25, 2026 at 2:08 PM
Labour, yet again, would rather lose than be any less right wing. So their strategy is going to be making sure they lose to the right people - their best realistic outcome for the next GE is a Reform govt. Therefore, vote Green if you can't vote Plaid.
Reposted by Somhairle Kelly
When i see people i respect starting new substack newsletters it’s just so disappointing.
January 24, 2026 at 12:26 PM
When i see people i respect starting new substack newsletters it’s just so disappointing.