Paul Martin
@jo95017.bsky.social
Grouchy exiled Hullensian, unrepentant Wadhamite.
Reposted by Paul Martin
Academics vying for a spot in Epstein‘s world. There are so many. I feel the need to make a thread, so I don’t keep confusing them. 1/
January 31, 2026 at 9:02 PM
Academics vying for a spot in Epstein‘s world. There are so many. I feel the need to make a thread, so I don’t keep confusing them. 1/
Reposted by Paul Martin
AI tools are immensely powerful. The use of AI as a general purpose chat bot that is used like an encyclopaedia is the worst possible use of AI. AI is now, given good instructions from a knowledgeable user, capable of doing absolutely vast amounts of work extremely fast.
lots of people, especially on here, are fastened onto the idea that it's just AI bro marketing or whatever to consider it a fixture of the information landscape. it's easy to think that when everyone in your circles is an ethical AI refuser. but I'm afraid it really has been mass adopted.
January 29, 2026 at 9:09 AM
AI tools are immensely powerful. The use of AI as a general purpose chat bot that is used like an encyclopaedia is the worst possible use of AI. AI is now, given good instructions from a knowledgeable user, capable of doing absolutely vast amounts of work extremely fast.
Reposted by Paul Martin
I wrote about my childhood friend Alexi Pretti. Please read it and share it and remember him as a human being. @theverge.com
I grew up with Alex Pretti
The kind-hearted ICU nurse shot by ICE agents was my childhood best friend.
www.theverge.com
January 27, 2026 at 4:45 PM
I wrote about my childhood friend Alexi Pretti. Please read it and share it and remember him as a human being. @theverge.com
Reposted by Paul Martin
Photo by Pierre Lavie. Yes this is me. And I threw my Leica. It landed on the bass plate with hardly a scratch. Another Photographer grabbed it along with my phone and I was able to track him later. I was held face down tear gas deployed right in front of me and pepper sprayed directly into the eye.
January 17, 2026 at 2:57 PM
Photo by Pierre Lavie. Yes this is me. And I threw my Leica. It landed on the bass plate with hardly a scratch. Another Photographer grabbed it along with my phone and I was able to track him later. I was held face down tear gas deployed right in front of me and pepper sprayed directly into the eye.
Reposted by Paul Martin
Studios are pathologically averse to new material. Disney is the same. It's like watching dogs gobble up their own sick.
The Return of Dog Food
Legends of Carrot Chunk
The Animated Adventures of Bile
Semi-Digested Biscuits 2049
Sick Tales 4: Back Into the Mouth
Vomit Days: A Sick Tales Prequel
The Return of Dog Food
Legends of Carrot Chunk
The Animated Adventures of Bile
Semi-Digested Biscuits 2049
Sick Tales 4: Back Into the Mouth
Vomit Days: A Sick Tales Prequel
August 8, 2025 at 7:56 AM
Studios are pathologically averse to new material. Disney is the same. It's like watching dogs gobble up their own sick.
The Return of Dog Food
Legends of Carrot Chunk
The Animated Adventures of Bile
Semi-Digested Biscuits 2049
Sick Tales 4: Back Into the Mouth
Vomit Days: A Sick Tales Prequel
The Return of Dog Food
Legends of Carrot Chunk
The Animated Adventures of Bile
Semi-Digested Biscuits 2049
Sick Tales 4: Back Into the Mouth
Vomit Days: A Sick Tales Prequel
Reposted by Paul Martin
It really is the best word for this. A nation that defeated fascism during WW2 and won the Cold War, only to be felled by a game show host and parking lot lawyer. Humiliating.
July 22, 2025 at 10:36 PM
It really is the best word for this. A nation that defeated fascism during WW2 and won the Cold War, only to be felled by a game show host and parking lot lawyer. Humiliating.
Reposted by Paul Martin
(walking into an academic's office) wow! have you skimmed all these books?
June 2, 2025 at 11:34 PM
(walking into an academic's office) wow! have you skimmed all these books?
Reposted by Paul Martin
Tired: interpreting the actions of SCOTUS as emerging from precedent and theories of jurisprudence
Wired: interpreting the actions of SCOTUS as emerging from their status as competitive moves in a high-stakes game of Mornington Crescent
Wired: interpreting the actions of SCOTUS as emerging from their status as competitive moves in a high-stakes game of Mornington Crescent
May 27, 2025 at 12:39 AM
Tired: interpreting the actions of SCOTUS as emerging from precedent and theories of jurisprudence
Wired: interpreting the actions of SCOTUS as emerging from their status as competitive moves in a high-stakes game of Mornington Crescent
Wired: interpreting the actions of SCOTUS as emerging from their status as competitive moves in a high-stakes game of Mornington Crescent
Reposted by Paul Martin
I can at least understand why Trump's army of sporadic low-information voters were nostalgic for 2019, but for six figure pundits to be like "wow, could remember how stressful and chaotic a Trump presidency could be" I dunno
I had forgotten how painful it is to have a root canal without Novocaine.
In @nytopinion.nytimes.com
“I had forgotten how exhausting it is to live in Donald Trump’s world. He’s not only a political figure. He creates a psychological and social atmosphere that suffuses the whole culture — the airwaves, our conversations, our moods,” our columnist David Brooks writes.
“I had forgotten how exhausting it is to live in Donald Trump’s world. He’s not only a political figure. He creates a psychological and social atmosphere that suffuses the whole culture — the airwaves, our conversations, our moods,” our columnist David Brooks writes.
May 1, 2025 at 10:04 PM
I can at least understand why Trump's army of sporadic low-information voters were nostalgic for 2019, but for six figure pundits to be like "wow, could remember how stressful and chaotic a Trump presidency could be" I dunno
Reposted by Paul Martin
We need EVERYONE to see this advert for a Head of Operations at the Palace (£40-45k). Otherwise we might get some kind of numpty in charge.
Please share. If we get 50 shares we'll post a video of #CuratorRob playing a hoover like a didgeridoo.
hr.breathehr.com/recruitment/...
Please share. If we get 50 shares we'll post a video of #CuratorRob playing a hoover like a didgeridoo.
hr.breathehr.com/recruitment/...
Breathe
Effortless people admin
hr.breathehr.com
May 1, 2025 at 10:26 AM
We need EVERYONE to see this advert for a Head of Operations at the Palace (£40-45k). Otherwise we might get some kind of numpty in charge.
Please share. If we get 50 shares we'll post a video of #CuratorRob playing a hoover like a didgeridoo.
hr.breathehr.com/recruitment/...
Please share. If we get 50 shares we'll post a video of #CuratorRob playing a hoover like a didgeridoo.
hr.breathehr.com/recruitment/...
Reposted by Paul Martin
Even accepting the premise that AI produces useful writing (which no one should), using AI in education is like using a forklift at the gym. The weights do not actually need to be moved from place to place. That is not the work. The work is what happens within you.
April 15, 2025 at 2:56 AM
Even accepting the premise that AI produces useful writing (which no one should), using AI in education is like using a forklift at the gym. The weights do not actually need to be moved from place to place. That is not the work. The work is what happens within you.
Reposted by Paul Martin
Dispatches from a country slipping into authoritarianism (if we don't come together to stop it)
April 11, 2025 at 12:14 PM
Dispatches from a country slipping into authoritarianism (if we don't come together to stop it)
Reposted by Paul Martin
Storm has acquired the book, film and television rights to Fall Into You and two other queer romantic comedy novels from fan fiction writer Dylan Morrison. 👇 #BookSky
Storm Publishing makes three-book deal with fan-fiction writer Dylan Morrison
www.thebookseller.com
April 9, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Storm has acquired the book, film and television rights to Fall Into You and two other queer romantic comedy novels from fan fiction writer Dylan Morrison. 👇 #BookSky
Reposted by Paul Martin
The national conversation about masculinity sparked by Adolescence should include paternity leave.
UK one of the worst in Europe, denying families support at a critical time.
We spoke to some brave dads about effect on family finances & mental health.
www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
UK one of the worst in Europe, denying families support at a critical time.
We spoke to some brave dads about effect on family finances & mental health.
www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
April 4, 2025 at 1:20 PM
The national conversation about masculinity sparked by Adolescence should include paternity leave.
UK one of the worst in Europe, denying families support at a critical time.
We spoke to some brave dads about effect on family finances & mental health.
www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
UK one of the worst in Europe, denying families support at a critical time.
We spoke to some brave dads about effect on family finances & mental health.
www.mirror.co.uk/news/politic...
Reposted by Paul Martin
🚨Georgetown University Law Center students are detailing which law firms have caved and which have stood up to the Trump regime. They have created this spreadsheet: docs.google.com/spreadsheets... Please share widely.
Legal Industry Responses to Fascist Attacks Tracker (Public)
docs.google.com
April 3, 2025 at 4:41 AM
🚨Georgetown University Law Center students are detailing which law firms have caved and which have stood up to the Trump regime. They have created this spreadsheet: docs.google.com/spreadsheets... Please share widely.
Reposted by Paul Martin
Lost count of number of people who’ve told me a) they won’t travel outside of US for fear of not being allowed back in and b) foreigners canceling plans to visit US. Those in group a) are making plans to become b). In a few short weeks, America’s soft power has been flushed down the toilet.
March 21, 2025 at 1:53 PM
Lost count of number of people who’ve told me a) they won’t travel outside of US for fear of not being allowed back in and b) foreigners canceling plans to visit US. Those in group a) are making plans to become b). In a few short weeks, America’s soft power has been flushed down the toilet.
A 🧵for future reference trying to put forward the pessimistic case for why US elections being state-run does not rule out significant democratic backsliding in the 2026 general election. The argument has been made that state control of elections provides significant reassurance. (1/11)
March 20, 2025 at 12:20 PM
A 🧵for future reference trying to put forward the pessimistic case for why US elections being state-run does not rule out significant democratic backsliding in the 2026 general election. The argument has been made that state control of elections provides significant reassurance. (1/11)
Reposted by Paul Martin
A Polish friend of mine learned the only 2 facts about swans any Brit knows, then confused them and, gloriously, *forgot they were about swans*, so one day she told me:
"Did you know that the Queen is the only person in England allowed to break your arm?"
"Did you know that the Queen is the only person in England allowed to break your arm?"
Q Can a swan break your arm?
1) Yes
2) Also yes
1) Yes
2) Also yes
March 20, 2025 at 7:02 AM
A Polish friend of mine learned the only 2 facts about swans any Brit knows, then confused them and, gloriously, *forgot they were about swans*, so one day she told me:
"Did you know that the Queen is the only person in England allowed to break your arm?"
"Did you know that the Queen is the only person in England allowed to break your arm?"
Reposted by Paul Martin
Obama and Biden may think they are honoring the office of the presidency by keeping quiet at a moment like this — if so that’s just preening vanity — they owe it to the office and to the Republic that until last month it served to speak up loudly and clearly and without relent.
February 28, 2025 at 6:42 PM
Obama and Biden may think they are honoring the office of the presidency by keeping quiet at a moment like this — if so that’s just preening vanity — they owe it to the office and to the Republic that until last month it served to speak up loudly and clearly and without relent.
Reposted by Paul Martin
Macron corrects Trump after he claims "Europe is loaning the money to Ukraine. They get their money back."
February 24, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Macron corrects Trump after he claims "Europe is loaning the money to Ukraine. They get their money back."
Reposted by Paul Martin
The Starmer aide/AI stuff feels a bit canary/coalmine because this isn't letting electoral factors triumph over good governance or sinply doing something I don't like - things every government does - this is falling for a scam. There are people in Nunber 10 who are just idiots.
February 23, 2025 at 10:11 AM
The Starmer aide/AI stuff feels a bit canary/coalmine because this isn't letting electoral factors triumph over good governance or sinply doing something I don't like - things every government does - this is falling for a scam. There are people in Nunber 10 who are just idiots.
Reposted by Paul Martin
Most people are hugely underestimating how bad things are going to get politically and economically in the US in the near to medium-term.
February 11, 2025 at 12:10 AM
Most people are hugely underestimating how bad things are going to get politically and economically in the US in the near to medium-term.
Reposted by Paul Martin
"One of the positive characteristics attributed to presidentialism is accountability and identifiability. The voter in casting his ballot knows whom he or she is voting for and who will govern should this candidate win."
- Linz, The Failure of Presidential Democracy, 1994
nymag.com/intelligence...
- Linz, The Failure of Presidential Democracy, 1994
nymag.com/intelligence...
Elon Musk May Have Your Social Security Number
The billionaire and his DOGE agents were reportedly granted full access to the Treasury’s federal payments system, and nobody knows to what end.
nymag.com
February 3, 2025 at 1:50 AM
"One of the positive characteristics attributed to presidentialism is accountability and identifiability. The voter in casting his ballot knows whom he or she is voting for and who will govern should this candidate win."
- Linz, The Failure of Presidential Democracy, 1994
nymag.com/intelligence...
- Linz, The Failure of Presidential Democracy, 1994
nymag.com/intelligence...