Dr John Plus Dr Mary
@revdrjohn.bsky.social
PhDs in history and theology of Jihad in Islam/Xnty in Syriac and Arabic and other topic, ex-academics, historical wargame designer and retiree. Our identities concealed due to threats and doxxing.
Reposted by Dr John Plus Dr Mary
📰 Archaeologists find ancient face reliefs at a #Roman theatre, including a mask depicting an elderly philosopher, indicating theatres may have gone beyond entertainment, also hosting philosophical lectures or debates 1/2
🏺 #ArchaeologyNews
🏺 #ArchaeologyNews
Archaeologists Were Digging Near an Ancient Theater and Found 5 Uncanny Ancient Faces
Some of the carved masks indicated that the nearby Roman theater hosted much more than just staged dramas.
www.popularmechanics.com
December 10, 2025 at 5:35 PM
📰 Archaeologists find ancient face reliefs at a #Roman theatre, including a mask depicting an elderly philosopher, indicating theatres may have gone beyond entertainment, also hosting philosophical lectures or debates 1/2
🏺 #ArchaeologyNews
🏺 #ArchaeologyNews
Reposted by Dr John Plus Dr Mary
Check out our recent Research Article titled 'Hospital ships of the Royal Navy in World War One: From pre-war planning to the aftermath of Jutland' by Edward J. Wawrzynczak and Jane V.S. Wickenden
doi.org/10.1177/0843...
#maritimehistory #firstworldwarhistory
doi.org/10.1177/0843...
#maritimehistory #firstworldwarhistory
Hospital ships of the Royal Navy in World War One: From pre-war planning to the aftermath of Jutland - Edward J. Wawrzynczak, Jane V.S. Wickenden, 2025
In World War One, naval hospital ships played an essential role, which has been generally underappreciated, in the medical care of seamen. The Admiralty had mad...
doi.org
December 10, 2025 at 5:41 PM
Check out our recent Research Article titled 'Hospital ships of the Royal Navy in World War One: From pre-war planning to the aftermath of Jutland' by Edward J. Wawrzynczak and Jane V.S. Wickenden
doi.org/10.1177/0843...
#maritimehistory #firstworldwarhistory
doi.org/10.1177/0843...
#maritimehistory #firstworldwarhistory
Reposted by Dr John Plus Dr Mary
This is excellent. Kudos to all involved.
“Tech… interventions, especially those offered as one-size-fits-all solutions for educational problems, do not improve student, faculty, institutional, or research outcomes. In many instances, their use harms students as well as faculty members and staff.”
“Tech… interventions, especially those offered as one-size-fits-all solutions for educational problems, do not improve student, faculty, institutional, or research outcomes. In many instances, their use harms students as well as faculty members and staff.”
This is one of the most important documents produced this year.
At a time when many of our professional organizations are punting, @aaup.org has been leading on EdTech, AI, academic freedom & faculty governance.
I'm humbled to be joining the team that authored this report.
At a time when many of our professional organizations are punting, @aaup.org has been leading on EdTech, AI, academic freedom & faculty governance.
I'm humbled to be joining the team that authored this report.
Artificial Intelligence and Academic Professions
Educational technology, or ed-tech, including artificial intelligence (AI), continues to become more integrated into teaching and research in higher education, with minimal oversight. The AAUP’s ad ho...
www.aaup.org
December 10, 2025 at 3:24 PM
This is excellent. Kudos to all involved.
“Tech… interventions, especially those offered as one-size-fits-all solutions for educational problems, do not improve student, faculty, institutional, or research outcomes. In many instances, their use harms students as well as faculty members and staff.”
“Tech… interventions, especially those offered as one-size-fits-all solutions for educational problems, do not improve student, faculty, institutional, or research outcomes. In many instances, their use harms students as well as faculty members and staff.”
Reposted by Dr John Plus Dr Mary
Reposted by Dr John Plus Dr Mary
People who are forced to work with AI (which will have replaced their coworkers) will experience "automation blindness"--they will be required to quality-check for errors that almost never occur, which is something it is almost impossible to do. So the errors will happen and the work will be awful!
December 9, 2025 at 5:40 PM
People who are forced to work with AI (which will have replaced their coworkers) will experience "automation blindness"--they will be required to quality-check for errors that almost never occur, which is something it is almost impossible to do. So the errors will happen and the work will be awful!
Reposted by Dr John Plus Dr Mary
"This is a reverse centaur, and it's a specific kind of reverse-centaur: it's what Dan Davies calls an 'accountability sink.' The radiologist's job isn't really to oversee the AI's work, it's to take the blame for the AI's mistakes."
December 9, 2025 at 5:37 PM
"This is a reverse centaur, and it's a specific kind of reverse-centaur: it's what Dan Davies calls an 'accountability sink.' The radiologist's job isn't really to oversee the AI's work, it's to take the blame for the AI's mistakes."
Reposted by Dr John Plus Dr Mary
This is a perfect explanation of why 'AI' that exists is nothing like and can never be anything like the 'AI' of science fiction that the grifters want us to believe this 'AI' is.
December 9, 2025 at 3:00 PM
This is a perfect explanation of why 'AI' that exists is nothing like and can never be anything like the 'AI' of science fiction that the grifters want us to believe this 'AI' is.
Reposted by Dr John Plus Dr Mary
'AI' is turning us into "reverse centaurs."
For instance, Amazon drivers: "The driver is a peripheral for a van, and the van drives the driver, at superhuman speed, demanding superhuman endurance. But the driver is human, so the van doesn't just use the driver. The van uses the driver up."
For instance, Amazon drivers: "The driver is a peripheral for a van, and the van drives the driver, at superhuman speed, demanding superhuman endurance. But the driver is human, so the van doesn't just use the driver. The van uses the driver up."
December 9, 2025 at 5:33 PM
'AI' is turning us into "reverse centaurs."
For instance, Amazon drivers: "The driver is a peripheral for a van, and the van drives the driver, at superhuman speed, demanding superhuman endurance. But the driver is human, so the van doesn't just use the driver. The van uses the driver up."
For instance, Amazon drivers: "The driver is a peripheral for a van, and the van drives the driver, at superhuman speed, demanding superhuman endurance. But the driver is human, so the van doesn't just use the driver. The van uses the driver up."
Reposted by Dr John Plus Dr Mary
"AI is the asbestos in the walls of our technological society, stuffed there with wild abandon by a finance sector and tech monopolists run amok. We will be excavating it for a generation or more."
This piece on AI by Cory Doctorow is spectactular.
pluralistic.net/2025/12/05/p...
This piece on AI by Cory Doctorow is spectactular.
pluralistic.net/2025/12/05/p...
December 9, 2025 at 2:58 PM
"AI is the asbestos in the walls of our technological society, stuffed there with wild abandon by a finance sector and tech monopolists run amok. We will be excavating it for a generation or more."
This piece on AI by Cory Doctorow is spectactular.
pluralistic.net/2025/12/05/p...
This piece on AI by Cory Doctorow is spectactular.
pluralistic.net/2025/12/05/p...
Reposted by Dr John Plus Dr Mary
RIP Trappist monk/mystic, one of my favs, Thomas Merton, died today 1968.
"Our job is to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they are worthy. That is not our business."
“Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone - we find it with another.”
"Our job is to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they are worthy. That is not our business."
“Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone - we find it with another.”
December 10, 2025 at 11:08 AM
RIP Trappist monk/mystic, one of my favs, Thomas Merton, died today 1968.
"Our job is to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they are worthy. That is not our business."
“Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone - we find it with another.”
"Our job is to love others without stopping to inquire whether or not they are worthy. That is not our business."
“Love is our true destiny. We do not find the meaning of life by ourselves alone - we find it with another.”
Reposted by Dr John Plus Dr Mary
A new investigation has revealed that grocery delivery service Instacart is using a covert, AI-powered dynamic pricing scheme to charge customers different prices for the same items — potentially costing households over $1,000 more a year.
Instacart Reportedly Using Secret AI-Powered Dynamic Pricing to Jack Up Prices
In an experiment, investigators found that the same grocery basket at a Seattle store cost between $114 and $124.
truthout.org
December 9, 2025 at 9:40 PM
A new investigation has revealed that grocery delivery service Instacart is using a covert, AI-powered dynamic pricing scheme to charge customers different prices for the same items — potentially costing households over $1,000 more a year.
Reposted by Dr John Plus Dr Mary
My reflections on Patristics in Canada - just out in SR! journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Expanding Patristic perspectives: Thinking with 50 years of the Canadian Society of Patristic Studies/Association Canadienne des Études Patristiques - Annette Yoshiko Reed, 2025
Why would anyone wish to found a new society dedicated to Patristics in the 1970s? In conventional historiographies of Religious Studies, the late 20th century ...
journals.sagepub.com
December 10, 2025 at 12:07 PM
My reflections on Patristics in Canada - just out in SR! journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/...
Reposted by Dr John Plus Dr Mary
McDonald's has taken down a Christmas ad made with AI following online backlash
The company said the moment served as "an important learning" as it explored "the effective use of AI"
The company said the moment served as "an important learning" as it explored "the effective use of AI"
McDonald's pulls AI-generated Christmas advert following backlash
McDonald's said the moment served as "an important learning" as it explored "the effective use of AI".
www.bbc.com
December 10, 2025 at 5:20 PM
McDonald's has taken down a Christmas ad made with AI following online backlash
The company said the moment served as "an important learning" as it explored "the effective use of AI"
The company said the moment served as "an important learning" as it explored "the effective use of AI"
Reposted by Dr John Plus Dr Mary
My buddy Bart has spent a lot of time putting together some awesome videos to accompany the podcasts. Let’s get some views going on them!
Here’s an episode I waited a long time to get to, and it was worth it!
Here’s an episode I waited a long time to get to, and it was worth it!
Meuse-Argonne - A Total D–k Move
YouTube video by Battles of the First World War Podcast
youtu.be
December 10, 2025 at 2:29 AM
My buddy Bart has spent a lot of time putting together some awesome videos to accompany the podcasts. Let’s get some views going on them!
Here’s an episode I waited a long time to get to, and it was worth it!
Here’s an episode I waited a long time to get to, and it was worth it!
Reposted by Dr John Plus Dr Mary
This week’s podcast is a rough overview of the sinking of HMS Repulse and Prince of Wales. Mainly questioning why they were there, the mission they were on and setup for Saturday’s full article on the sinking itself. (1/2)
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/m...
#navalhistory #ww2 #history
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/m...
#navalhistory #ww2 #history
Phillips' folly
Podcast Episode · Maritime History with Chris Sams (live and unplugged) · 10/12/2025 · 33m
podcasts.apple.com
December 10, 2025 at 8:10 AM
This week’s podcast is a rough overview of the sinking of HMS Repulse and Prince of Wales. Mainly questioning why they were there, the mission they were on and setup for Saturday’s full article on the sinking itself. (1/2)
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/m...
#navalhistory #ww2 #history
podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/m...
#navalhistory #ww2 #history
Reposted by Dr John Plus Dr Mary
The fact that the English city of Worcester is pronounced with only 2 syllables may seem odd, but what's really wild is that it comes from an Old English name that had 5 syllables and 15 letters. Watch my video to hear it evolve:
December 9, 2025 at 5:35 PM
The fact that the English city of Worcester is pronounced with only 2 syllables may seem odd, but what's really wild is that it comes from an Old English name that had 5 syllables and 15 letters. Watch my video to hear it evolve:
Reposted by Dr John Plus Dr Mary
Anyone who uses slides on a daily basis has known for decades that sans-serif fonts are much more readable compared to serif fonts when projected.
December 10, 2025 at 8:31 AM
Anyone who uses slides on a daily basis has known for decades that sans-serif fonts are much more readable compared to serif fonts when projected.
Reposted by Dr John Plus Dr Mary
December 10, 2025 at 5:20 AM
Reposted by Dr John Plus Dr Mary
We've had a few enquiries come in after chatbots told researchers that we hold documents we don't actually look after so this is particularly relevant. If you're ever unsure, contact us directly or use our catalogue, linked below.
December 9, 2025 at 10:35 AM
We've had a few enquiries come in after chatbots told researchers that we hold documents we don't actually look after so this is particularly relevant. If you're ever unsure, contact us directly or use our catalogue, linked below.
Reposted by Dr John Plus Dr Mary
“Próspera shuns the ‘network state’ label,” reports the FT.
But Prospera is listed as a flagship Network State project on the OFFICIAL Network State dashboard of projects currently in motion...It's funded by Andreessen, Thiel and Pronomos, Balaji's best friends and key Network State figures.
But Prospera is listed as a flagship Network State project on the OFFICIAL Network State dashboard of projects currently in motion...It's funded by Andreessen, Thiel and Pronomos, Balaji's best friends and key Network State figures.
December 7, 2025 at 8:05 PM
“Próspera shuns the ‘network state’ label,” reports the FT.
But Prospera is listed as a flagship Network State project on the OFFICIAL Network State dashboard of projects currently in motion...It's funded by Andreessen, Thiel and Pronomos, Balaji's best friends and key Network State figures.
But Prospera is listed as a flagship Network State project on the OFFICIAL Network State dashboard of projects currently in motion...It's funded by Andreessen, Thiel and Pronomos, Balaji's best friends and key Network State figures.
Reposted by Dr John Plus Dr Mary
"a breakdown of shared governance around implementing AI has implications for the future of teaching, learning and job security."
#HigherED #edtech
#AcademicSky #PhdChat #education
#research #policy #humanities #arts
www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty...
#HigherED #edtech
#AcademicSky #PhdChat #education
#research #policy #humanities #arts
www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty...
Faculty Often Missing From University Decisions on AI
A new survey from the AAUP shows that a breakdown of shared governance around implementing AI has implications for the future of teaching, learning and job security.
www.insidehighered.com
December 7, 2025 at 10:19 AM
"a breakdown of shared governance around implementing AI has implications for the future of teaching, learning and job security."
#HigherED #edtech
#AcademicSky #PhdChat #education
#research #policy #humanities #arts
www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty...
#HigherED #edtech
#AcademicSky #PhdChat #education
#research #policy #humanities #arts
www.insidehighered.com/news/faculty...
Reposted by Dr John Plus Dr Mary
#OTD in 1941. For the first time air power sinks capital ships in open water. Japanese planes sink HMS Repulse (left) and HMS Prince of Wales. (In 2014 it became apparent that both wrecks were being "salvaged" by scrap-metal dealers. Enigszins fronsend gezicht) #WW2 #HISTORY
December 10, 2025 at 7:26 AM
Reposted by Dr John Plus Dr Mary
New study: Despite global linguistic diversity, grammar often shares similar structures
A team of researchers from Saarbrücken and Leipzig has examined around 1,700 languages to identify structures that might occur universally. Of 191 grammatic...
weiterlesen
A team of researchers from Saarbrücken and Leipzig has examined around 1,700 languages to identify structures that might occur universally. Of 191 grammatic...
weiterlesen
December 9, 2025 at 9:04 AM
New study: Despite global linguistic diversity, grammar often shares similar structures
A team of researchers from Saarbrücken and Leipzig has examined around 1,700 languages to identify structures that might occur universally. Of 191 grammatic...
weiterlesen
A team of researchers from Saarbrücken and Leipzig has examined around 1,700 languages to identify structures that might occur universally. Of 191 grammatic...
weiterlesen
Reposted by Dr John Plus Dr Mary
Every language is a love language when you love languages.
December 9, 2025 at 10:58 AM
Every language is a love language when you love languages.
Reposted by Dr John Plus Dr Mary
Will be interesting when this drops.
It's drawing on a variety of sources, from roman accounts to Ogham inscriptions over 800+ years - so one can imagine differences between languages and across time will need to be unpacked - but need to compile everything first
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
It's drawing on a variety of sources, from roman accounts to Ogham inscriptions over 800+ years - so one can imagine differences between languages and across time will need to be unpacked - but need to compile everything first
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
Linguists start compiling first ever complete dictionary of ancient Celtic
More than 1,000 words used as far back as 325BC to be collected for insight into past linguistic landscape
www.theguardian.com
December 9, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Will be interesting when this drops.
It's drawing on a variety of sources, from roman accounts to Ogham inscriptions over 800+ years - so one can imagine differences between languages and across time will need to be unpacked - but need to compile everything first
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...
It's drawing on a variety of sources, from roman accounts to Ogham inscriptions over 800+ years - so one can imagine differences between languages and across time will need to be unpacked - but need to compile everything first
www.theguardian.com/science/2025...