Prof Mike Yearworth
@mikeyearworth.bsky.social
Emeritus Professor · Problem Structuring · Problem Formulation · Soft Systems Methodology · Practice of Operational Research · Process Thinking · Facilitation · Group Support Systems · Co-Editor-in-Chief European Journal of Operational Research · CEng
Pinned
My book 'Problem Structuring: Methodology in Practice' has just been published by Wiley! www.grounded.systems/2024/03/prob...
Reposted by Prof Mike Yearworth
OpenAI needs to raise at least $207bn by 2030 so it can continue to lose money, HSBC estimates on.ft.com/4ij0yh8
OpenAI needs to raise at least $207bn by 2030 so it can continue to lose money, HSBC estimates
A burning platform
on.ft.com
November 25, 2025 at 7:42 PM
OpenAI needs to raise at least $207bn by 2030 so it can continue to lose money, HSBC estimates on.ft.com/4ij0yh8
The Radio 4 Reith Lecture by @rutgerbregman.com off to a cracking start
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/a...
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/a...
BBC Radio 4 - The Reith Lectures - BBC Reith Lectures 2025 – Moral Revolution
Historian and author Rutger Bregman announced as BBC Radio 4's Reith lecturer for 2025.
www.bbc.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 9:18 AM
The Radio 4 Reith Lecture by @rutgerbregman.com off to a cracking start
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/a...
www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/a...
Quite a story…
The hidden chemical attack that forced the Northern line’s extraordinary repair
www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/the...
www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/the...
The hidden chemical attack that forced the Northern line’s extraordinary repair
Thirty years ago, an entire section of the Northern line had to be replaced because it was under attack from acid, and hardly anyone noticed that it was happening.
www.ianvisits.co.uk
November 25, 2025 at 8:20 AM
Quite a story…
Reposted by Prof Mike Yearworth
Still reeling from the Stanford report on Brexit. Reduced GDP by up to 8% and investment by as much as 18%. The UK Treasury would have £40 billion more each year if Britain had remained in the EU. Devastating self-immolation.
The Economic Impact of Brexit
Other
siepr.stanford.edu
November 24, 2025 at 11:02 AM
Still reeling from the Stanford report on Brexit. Reduced GDP by up to 8% and investment by as much as 18%. The UK Treasury would have £40 billion more each year if Britain had remained in the EU. Devastating self-immolation.
Reposted by Prof Mike Yearworth
The introduction to our special issue on the (re)production of asymmetries-in-action. It’s been a pleasure working with @cathtam.bsky.social and our contributors in demonstrating EM/CA approaches to various “isms” and some of sociology’s “Big” concerns.
#emca
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
#emca
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
The (Re)Production, Negotiation, and Navigation of Social Asymmetries‐in‐Action: An Introduction to the Special Issue
This article reconsiders, and argues for, the contribution of ethnomethodological and conversation analytic research (EM/CA) to the understanding of social asymmetries in action. As well as highlight....
onlinelibrary.wiley.com
November 24, 2025 at 8:45 AM
The introduction to our special issue on the (re)production of asymmetries-in-action. It’s been a pleasure working with @cathtam.bsky.social and our contributors in demonstrating EM/CA approaches to various “isms” and some of sociology’s “Big” concerns.
#emca
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
#emca
onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...
Reposted by Prof Mike Yearworth
Opinion: “More than ever before, we need British diplomats, spies and soldiers to speak the language of our adversaries. We need universities like Nottingham to be pumping out Russian and Mandarin graduates each year, to work across Whitehall.”
🖊️ Ian Proud
https://ow.ly/N6yw50XwM3X
🖊️ Ian Proud
https://ow.ly/N6yw50XwM3X
November 25, 2025 at 7:30 AM
Opinion: “More than ever before, we need British diplomats, spies and soldiers to speak the language of our adversaries. We need universities like Nottingham to be pumping out Russian and Mandarin graduates each year, to work across Whitehall.”
🖊️ Ian Proud
https://ow.ly/N6yw50XwM3X
🖊️ Ian Proud
https://ow.ly/N6yw50XwM3X
Reposted by Prof Mike Yearworth
'The jobs most at risk are those in occupations such as trades, machine operations and administrative roles, the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) said.'
Excellent time then to degrade university provision and discourage university attendance. 1/3
Excellent time then to degrade university provision and discourage university attendance. 1/3
AI could replace 3m low-skilled jobs in the UK by 2035, research finds
Trades, machine operations and administrative roles are most at-risk, says leading educational research charity
www.theguardian.com
November 25, 2025 at 7:45 AM
'The jobs most at risk are those in occupations such as trades, machine operations and administrative roles, the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) said.'
Excellent time then to degrade university provision and discourage university attendance. 1/3
Excellent time then to degrade university provision and discourage university attendance. 1/3
Reposted by Prof Mike Yearworth
'Ahead of the autumn budget on 26 November, Universities UK (UUK) has calculated that funding per student for teaching in 2025-26 is at 64 per cent of the level it was in 2015-16.' 1/3
University teaching income ‘£6.4 billon less’ than 10 years ago
UUK says shortfall in teaching money is ‘baked in’ to higher education funding system as institutions brace for new tax in upcoming budget
www.timeshighereducation.com
November 24, 2025 at 7:45 AM
'Ahead of the autumn budget on 26 November, Universities UK (UUK) has calculated that funding per student for teaching in 2025-26 is at 64 per cent of the level it was in 2015-16.' 1/3
Reposted by Prof Mike Yearworth
“Those generating their own power may be allowed to jump the queue and hook up to the national grid too, on the understanding that they will barely need to use it.” - and their own power might be gas
www.ft.com/content/0656...
www.ft.com/content/0656...
Queueing is not a virtue when it comes to building data centres
Builders of facilities that power AI are stuck in a snaking queue to connect to the UK grid but stamping out gaming of the system could help
www.ft.com
November 23, 2025 at 8:26 AM
“Those generating their own power may be allowed to jump the queue and hook up to the national grid too, on the understanding that they will barely need to use it.” - and their own power might be gas
www.ft.com/content/0656...
www.ft.com/content/0656...
Reposted by Prof Mike Yearworth
“Insurers increasingly view AI models’ outputs as too unpredictable and opaque to insure, said Dennis Bertram, head of cyber insurance for Europe at Mosaic. “It’s too much of a black box.”
www.ft.com/content/abfe...
www.ft.com/content/abfe...
Insurers retreat from AI cover as risk of multibillion-dollar claims mounts
AIG, Great American and WR Berkley seek permission to limit liability from AI agents and chatbots
www.ft.com
November 23, 2025 at 8:20 AM
“Insurers increasingly view AI models’ outputs as too unpredictable and opaque to insure, said Dennis Bertram, head of cyber insurance for Europe at Mosaic. “It’s too much of a black box.”
www.ft.com/content/abfe...
www.ft.com/content/abfe...
Reposted by Prof Mike Yearworth
The really weird thing here is that they want to keep the debt off their balance sheet in order to preserve the credit rating, but capitalising a finance lease is extremely easy for raising agency analysts to do, who did they really think was going to be fooled?
www.wsj.com/tech/meta-ai...
www.wsj.com/tech/meta-ai...
AI Meets Aggressive Accounting at Meta’s Gigantic New Data Center
Favorable treatment off the balance sheet hinges on some convenient assumptions.
www.wsj.com
November 24, 2025 at 9:32 PM
The really weird thing here is that they want to keep the debt off their balance sheet in order to preserve the credit rating, but capitalising a finance lease is extremely easy for raising agency analysts to do, who did they really think was going to be fooled?
www.wsj.com/tech/meta-ai...
www.wsj.com/tech/meta-ai...
Reposted by Prof Mike Yearworth
Reposted by Prof Mike Yearworth
Also worth noting that “In January, the National Audit Office pointed out the government would not meet its goal of making “critical functions” resilient to attack by this year. It identified gaps in funding, skills and response planning.”
on.ft.com/4pkKyh4
on.ft.com/4pkKyh4
Should we ban ransom payments to cyber attackers?
A legal bar, even for critical infrastructure, could have unintended consequences
on.ft.com
November 24, 2025 at 9:29 AM
Also worth noting that “In January, the National Audit Office pointed out the government would not meet its goal of making “critical functions” resilient to attack by this year. It identified gaps in funding, skills and response planning.”
on.ft.com/4pkKyh4
on.ft.com/4pkKyh4
Reposted by Prof Mike Yearworth
“Fifty years of Soft Operational Research: The contribution of EURO and
EJOR to its foundation and development” by Leroy White
doi.org/10.1016/j.ej...
EJOR to its foundation and development” by Leroy White
doi.org/10.1016/j.ej...
November 23, 2025 at 8:20 PM
“Fifty years of Soft Operational Research: The contribution of EURO and
EJOR to its foundation and development” by Leroy White
doi.org/10.1016/j.ej...
EJOR to its foundation and development” by Leroy White
doi.org/10.1016/j.ej...
Reposted by Prof Mike Yearworth
“The report said the UK has excessively risk-averse policies in place, including "overly conservative" rules on radiation exposure levels for workers.” - Really?
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
UK 'world's most expensive place' to develop nuclear power
Experts criticised “overly complex” rules and called for an overhaul of Britain's nuclear strategy.
www.bbc.com
November 24, 2025 at 7:26 AM
“The report said the UK has excessively risk-averse policies in place, including "overly conservative" rules on radiation exposure levels for workers.” - Really?
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
Also worth noting that “In January, the National Audit Office pointed out the government would not meet its goal of making “critical functions” resilient to attack by this year. It identified gaps in funding, skills and response planning.”
on.ft.com/4pkKyh4
on.ft.com/4pkKyh4
Should we ban ransom payments to cyber attackers?
A legal bar, even for critical infrastructure, could have unintended consequences
on.ft.com
November 24, 2025 at 9:29 AM
Also worth noting that “In January, the National Audit Office pointed out the government would not meet its goal of making “critical functions” resilient to attack by this year. It identified gaps in funding, skills and response planning.”
on.ft.com/4pkKyh4
on.ft.com/4pkKyh4
“The report said the UK has excessively risk-averse policies in place, including "overly conservative" rules on radiation exposure levels for workers.” - Really?
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
UK 'world's most expensive place' to develop nuclear power
Experts criticised “overly complex” rules and called for an overhaul of Britain's nuclear strategy.
www.bbc.com
November 24, 2025 at 7:26 AM
“The report said the UK has excessively risk-averse policies in place, including "overly conservative" rules on radiation exposure levels for workers.” - Really?
www.bbc.com/news/article...
www.bbc.com/news/article...
“Fifty years of Soft Operational Research: The contribution of EURO and
EJOR to its foundation and development” by Leroy White
doi.org/10.1016/j.ej...
EJOR to its foundation and development” by Leroy White
doi.org/10.1016/j.ej...
November 23, 2025 at 8:20 PM
“Fifty years of Soft Operational Research: The contribution of EURO and
EJOR to its foundation and development” by Leroy White
doi.org/10.1016/j.ej...
EJOR to its foundation and development” by Leroy White
doi.org/10.1016/j.ej...
“Those generating their own power may be allowed to jump the queue and hook up to the national grid too, on the understanding that they will barely need to use it.” - and their own power might be gas
www.ft.com/content/0656...
www.ft.com/content/0656...
Queueing is not a virtue when it comes to building data centres
Builders of facilities that power AI are stuck in a snaking queue to connect to the UK grid but stamping out gaming of the system could help
www.ft.com
November 23, 2025 at 8:26 AM
“Those generating their own power may be allowed to jump the queue and hook up to the national grid too, on the understanding that they will barely need to use it.” - and their own power might be gas
www.ft.com/content/0656...
www.ft.com/content/0656...
“Insurers increasingly view AI models’ outputs as too unpredictable and opaque to insure, said Dennis Bertram, head of cyber insurance for Europe at Mosaic. “It’s too much of a black box.”
www.ft.com/content/abfe...
www.ft.com/content/abfe...
Insurers retreat from AI cover as risk of multibillion-dollar claims mounts
AIG, Great American and WR Berkley seek permission to limit liability from AI agents and chatbots
www.ft.com
November 23, 2025 at 8:20 AM
“Insurers increasingly view AI models’ outputs as too unpredictable and opaque to insure, said Dennis Bertram, head of cyber insurance for Europe at Mosaic. “It’s too much of a black box.”
www.ft.com/content/abfe...
www.ft.com/content/abfe...
Reposted by Prof Mike Yearworth
Another month of NASA CERES satellite data and it's only getting worse!
0.11 W/m² added to the 4-year average Net-flux increase over the North Pacific.
Absorbed Solar Radiation is almost 5W/m² higher than at the start of the century.
All added greenhouse gases since 1750 cause a 4.1 W/m² forcing
0.11 W/m² added to the 4-year average Net-flux increase over the North Pacific.
Absorbed Solar Radiation is almost 5W/m² higher than at the start of the century.
All added greenhouse gases since 1750 cause a 4.1 W/m² forcing
November 22, 2025 at 4:08 PM
Another month of NASA CERES satellite data and it's only getting worse!
0.11 W/m² added to the 4-year average Net-flux increase over the North Pacific.
Absorbed Solar Radiation is almost 5W/m² higher than at the start of the century.
All added greenhouse gases since 1750 cause a 4.1 W/m² forcing
0.11 W/m² added to the 4-year average Net-flux increase over the North Pacific.
Absorbed Solar Radiation is almost 5W/m² higher than at the start of the century.
All added greenhouse gases since 1750 cause a 4.1 W/m² forcing
Reposted by Prof Mike Yearworth
Here is @richardaljones.bsky.social basically telling us how it is. I’ve been thinking about this since listening to him say this stuff out loud at the @royalsociety.org
on Thursday.
softmachines.org?p=3192
on Thursday.
softmachines.org?p=3192
UK Science in a post-liberal world – Soft Machines, by Richard Jones
softmachines.org
November 22, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Here is @richardaljones.bsky.social basically telling us how it is. I’ve been thinking about this since listening to him say this stuff out loud at the @royalsociety.org
on Thursday.
softmachines.org?p=3192
on Thursday.
softmachines.org?p=3192
Reposted by Prof Mike Yearworth
Gillian Tindall could not walk any street, or visit any house, without sensing the layers beneath. Towns were palimpsests, where the past was never quite scratched away
Gillian Tindall revelled in the past of ordinary lives
The historian of houses and unknown people died on October 1st, aged 87
econ.st
November 22, 2025 at 8:40 AM
Gillian Tindall could not walk any street, or visit any house, without sensing the layers beneath. Towns were palimpsests, where the past was never quite scratched away
Reposted by Prof Mike Yearworth
More powerful evidence of the disaster of #Brexit from @jonathanfreedland.bsky.social. If we’re to avoid yet more austerity, we need to start by rejoining the customs union & single market. Brexit was a reckless waste of money we simply can’t afford @europeanmovement.co.uk
Rachel Reeves is studiously ignoring the cause of Britain’s woes: the Brexit-shaped hole in its roof | Jonathan Freedland
The autumn budget will mop up some damage, but the true source of the economic crisis is clear. The government should now fix it – tragically, it won’t, says Guardian columnist Jonathan Freedland
www.theguardian.com
November 22, 2025 at 8:13 AM
More powerful evidence of the disaster of #Brexit from @jonathanfreedland.bsky.social. If we’re to avoid yet more austerity, we need to start by rejoining the customs union & single market. Brexit was a reckless waste of money we simply can’t afford @europeanmovement.co.uk
Reposted by Prof Mike Yearworth
Our @profdiggity.com on #Google Nest #privacy:
"Proximity signals alone can reveal when someone is home, when they leave and when they sleep... Over time, you get a very clear picture of household routine.”
by @mikaelthalen.bsky.social
san.com/cc/google-is...
"Proximity signals alone can reveal when someone is home, when they leave and when they sleep... Over time, you get a very clear picture of household routine.”
by @mikaelthalen.bsky.social
san.com/cc/google-is...
Google is still collecting data from your old Nest thermostat.
A security researcher discovered that Google is still collecting data from discontinued Nest thermostat models in millions of American homes.
san.com
November 22, 2025 at 7:45 AM
Our @profdiggity.com on #Google Nest #privacy:
"Proximity signals alone can reveal when someone is home, when they leave and when they sleep... Over time, you get a very clear picture of household routine.”
by @mikaelthalen.bsky.social
san.com/cc/google-is...
"Proximity signals alone can reveal when someone is home, when they leave and when they sleep... Over time, you get a very clear picture of household routine.”
by @mikaelthalen.bsky.social
san.com/cc/google-is...