Smylers
@smylers.uk
Ilkley Christian geek board-gamer puzzle/quiz/crossword fan and parent
Reposted by Smylers
Spotify wrapped 2025:
Funded research into AI military drones
Allowed AI generated music
Used Ghost artists
Had a dodgy market share based model
Didn’t pay artists adequately
Funded research into AI military drones
Allowed AI generated music
Used Ghost artists
Had a dodgy market share based model
Didn’t pay artists adequately
December 3, 2025 at 6:40 PM
Spotify wrapped 2025:
Funded research into AI military drones
Allowed AI generated music
Used Ghost artists
Had a dodgy market share based model
Didn’t pay artists adequately
Funded research into AI military drones
Allowed AI generated music
Used Ghost artists
Had a dodgy market share based model
Didn’t pay artists adequately
Looks like the BBC's schedule is claiming that the King's speech at 3PM on Christmas Day this year will be a repeat?
www.bbc.co.uk/schedules/p0...
www.bbc.co.uk/schedules/p0...
December 3, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Looks like the BBC's schedule is claiming that the King's speech at 3PM on Christmas Day this year will be a repeat?
www.bbc.co.uk/schedules/p0...
www.bbc.co.uk/schedules/p0...
EBay: How likely are you to recommend this thing?
me: 8 out of 10.
EBay: We're sorry you had a less than optimal experience.
I gave it 8 out of 10! That's a good score!!
me: 8 out of 10.
EBay: We're sorry you had a less than optimal experience.
I gave it 8 out of 10! That's a good score!!
December 3, 2025 at 1:24 PM
EBay: How likely are you to recommend this thing?
me: 8 out of 10.
EBay: We're sorry you had a less than optimal experience.
I gave it 8 out of 10! That's a good score!!
me: 8 out of 10.
EBay: We're sorry you had a less than optimal experience.
I gave it 8 out of 10! That's a good score!!
I can't help but think this email subject from DHL eCommerce UK has too many words in it.
And I bet that when the driver is asked about their job, they don't say “I work for DHL eCommerce UK”.
And I bet that when the driver is asked about their job, they don't say “I work for DHL eCommerce UK”.
December 3, 2025 at 10:01 AM
I can't help but think this email subject from DHL eCommerce UK has too many words in it.
And I bet that when the driver is asked about their job, they don't say “I work for DHL eCommerce UK”.
And I bet that when the driver is asked about their job, they don't say “I work for DHL eCommerce UK”.
Reposted by Smylers
Nigel Farage was a racist bully at school but Rachel Reeves won the wrong chess championship so who can say who is worse?
December 2, 2025 at 9:59 PM
Nigel Farage was a racist bully at school but Rachel Reeves won the wrong chess championship so who can say who is worse?
Crossword blogging meant I didn't get to #AdventOfCode till after work, but I now have a Day 1 solution in #Vim keystrokes:
:%s/\vL(.*)/\1⟨Ctrl+X⟩/|%s/\vR(.*)/\1⟨Ctrl+A⟩⟨Enter⟩
{O50⟨Esc⟩qaqqayypJxD@-zt:redr⟨Enter⟩@aq@add
:v/\v(^|0)0$/d⟨Enter⟩
⟨Ctrl+G⟩
Explanation: www.reddit.com/r/adventofco...
:%s/\vL(.*)/\1⟨Ctrl+X⟩/|%s/\vR(.*)/\1⟨Ctrl+A⟩⟨Enter⟩
{O50⟨Esc⟩qaqqayypJxD@-zt:redr⟨Enter⟩@aq@add
:v/\v(^|0)0$/d⟨Enter⟩
⟨Ctrl+G⟩
Explanation: www.reddit.com/r/adventofco...
From the adventofcode community on Reddit: -❄️- 2025 Day 1 Solutions -❄️-
Explore this post and more from the adventofcode community
www.reddit.com
December 1, 2025 at 8:35 PM
Crossword blogging meant I didn't get to #AdventOfCode till after work, but I now have a Day 1 solution in #Vim keystrokes:
:%s/\vL(.*)/\1⟨Ctrl+X⟩/|%s/\vR(.*)/\1⟨Ctrl+A⟩⟨Enter⟩
{O50⟨Esc⟩qaqqayypJxD@-zt:redr⟨Enter⟩@aq@add
:v/\v(^|0)0$/d⟨Enter⟩
⟨Ctrl+G⟩
Explanation: www.reddit.com/r/adventofco...
:%s/\vL(.*)/\1⟨Ctrl+X⟩/|%s/\vR(.*)/\1⟨Ctrl+A⟩⟨Enter⟩
{O50⟨Esc⟩qaqqayypJxD@-zt:redr⟨Enter⟩@aq@add
:v/\v(^|0)0$/d⟨Enter⟩
⟨Ctrl+G⟩
Explanation: www.reddit.com/r/adventofco...
Today's Telegraph #CrypticCrossword has some great clues, including:
Silicon Valley disposing of a creep (5)
Field force to meet large alien flier (7)
The hints and explanations include these pictures and 2 hidden songs: bigdave44.com/2025/12/01/d...
Just ask if you want a gift link to the puzzle.
Silicon Valley disposing of a creep (5)
Field force to meet large alien flier (7)
The hints and explanations include these pictures and 2 hidden songs: bigdave44.com/2025/12/01/d...
Just ask if you want a gift link to the puzzle.
December 1, 2025 at 6:02 PM
Today's Telegraph #CrypticCrossword has some great clues, including:
Silicon Valley disposing of a creep (5)
Field force to meet large alien flier (7)
The hints and explanations include these pictures and 2 hidden songs: bigdave44.com/2025/12/01/d...
Just ask if you want a gift link to the puzzle.
Silicon Valley disposing of a creep (5)
Field force to meet large alien flier (7)
The hints and explanations include these pictures and 2 hidden songs: bigdave44.com/2025/12/01/d...
Just ask if you want a gift link to the puzzle.
“It’s like Greenpeace announcing eco-friendly oil rigs.”
Today, Mozilla's announced its decision to make AI a 'bottom line' strategy for its future. A few days ago I wrote about its latest offering in the agentic space - TABS API. #mozilla #ai
TABS API is Mozilla's Latest Bet on the Agentic Web
Mozilla's new TABS API helps developers build AI agents to automate web tasks, as the company continues to bet on AI as its future. Details, pricing, and links inside.
www.omgubuntu.co.uk
November 30, 2025 at 8:15 AM
“It’s like Greenpeace announcing eco-friendly oil rigs.”
Reposted by Smylers
Perfect Tom Stoppard story from DTel obituary:
His response to a letter from Harold Pinter canvassing support for a proposal to have the Comedy Theatre in London rechristened the Pinter Theatre, “Have you thought, instead, of changing your name to Harold Comedy?”
His response to a letter from Harold Pinter canvassing support for a proposal to have the Comedy Theatre in London rechristened the Pinter Theatre, “Have you thought, instead, of changing your name to Harold Comedy?”
November 29, 2025 at 7:09 PM
Perfect Tom Stoppard story from DTel obituary:
His response to a letter from Harold Pinter canvassing support for a proposal to have the Comedy Theatre in London rechristened the Pinter Theatre, “Have you thought, instead, of changing your name to Harold Comedy?”
His response to a letter from Harold Pinter canvassing support for a proposal to have the Comedy Theatre in London rechristened the Pinter Theatre, “Have you thought, instead, of changing your name to Harold Comedy?”
Reposted by Smylers
I don’t know how many ways there are to say “Manchester’s economy is growing, so if we’re not going to do much proactive on infrastructure, can we at least not do stuff that’s actively damaging”
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
Soon-to-be-axed 7am Manchester-London train will still run – but without passengers
Exclusive: Rail regulator pulls Avanti service from timetable from mid-December but it is needed for staff travel
www.theguardian.com
November 29, 2025 at 9:52 AM
I don’t know how many ways there are to say “Manchester’s economy is growing, so if we’re not going to do much proactive on infrastructure, can we at least not do stuff that’s actively damaging”
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
www.theguardian.com/business/202...
It was generous of work to take us out for a Thanksgiving meal, and I'm glad I went.
But that beefburger was not enhanced by having cranberry sauce and stuffing in it.
But that beefburger was not enhanced by having cranberry sauce and stuffing in it.
November 28, 2025 at 6:34 PM
It was generous of work to take us out for a Thanksgiving meal, and I'm glad I went.
But that beefburger was not enhanced by having cranberry sauce and stuffing in it.
But that beefburger was not enhanced by having cranberry sauce and stuffing in it.
The Proclaimers tickets for Bradford successfully purchased in one tab.
And in another tab @bellowhead.bsky.social tickets *were* in my basket, but now the Harrogate Theatre website is giving a Cloudflare error! Hopefully that means nobody else is buying them either ...
And in another tab @bellowhead.bsky.social tickets *were* in my basket, but now the Harrogate Theatre website is giving a Cloudflare error! Hopefully that means nobody else is buying them either ...
November 28, 2025 at 10:11 AM
The Proclaimers tickets for Bradford successfully purchased in one tab.
And in another tab @bellowhead.bsky.social tickets *were* in my basket, but now the Harrogate Theatre website is giving a Cloudflare error! Hopefully that means nobody else is buying them either ...
And in another tab @bellowhead.bsky.social tickets *were* in my basket, but now the Harrogate Theatre website is giving a Cloudflare error! Hopefully that means nobody else is buying them either ...
Why am I getting more insightful Budget analysis from the person who writes Dennis the Menace and Gnasher for the Beano than from the TV news?
Mansion tax.
Owners of houses worth £2m to £2.5m will pay £2,500 a year.
During that year it is likely that, that house will appreciate by somewhere between £20,000 to £80,000
Owners of houses worth £2m to £2.5m will pay £2,500 a year.
During that year it is likely that, that house will appreciate by somewhere between £20,000 to £80,000
November 28, 2025 at 9:53 AM
Why am I getting more insightful Budget analysis from the person who writes Dennis the Menace and Gnasher for the Beano than from the TV news?
Reposted by Smylers
“Traffic was bad this morning.”
”Yeah, there'smoregasboard roadworks on the high street.”
”Yeah, there'smoregasboard roadworks on the high street.”
Update: just heard on the guardian politics podcast that ‘smörgåsbord is probably the wrong word cause it’s not very Christmassy’ which begs the question WHAT DO BRITISH PEOPLE THINK THIS WORD MEANS???
Everyone in British political punditry has decided to use the word smörgåsbord a lot lately and, given that it’s a word that includes two vowels that don’t exist in the English language, I find it a poor choice.
November 27, 2025 at 12:57 PM
“Traffic was bad this morning.”
”Yeah, there'smoregasboard roadworks on the high street.”
”Yeah, there'smoregasboard roadworks on the high street.”
This page for a Fairphone 5 says in different places it comes with Android 15 and Android 13: broadband.yourcoop.coop/mobile/phone...
So I asked which it is, and the chatbot told me it's … Android 14!
Is it just taking the average‽
So I asked which it is, and the chatbot told me it's … Android 14!
Is it just taking the average‽
![A chat conversation, with me asking “Which version of Android comes on the Fairphone 5?”, the bot's response of “The Fairphone 5 comes pre-installed with Android 14 [in bold] and benefits from extended software support with updates available until 2031, ensuring long-term use and security”, followed by another response of “Was this helpful?”, and my reply of “No”](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:pjz3dytmsnz3oek5bx3cz5c3/bafkreie7oyelnuubqnvcmaymjefhpdytcx76uxhuueq23l2crabn7rir7u@jpeg)
November 27, 2025 at 9:45 AM
This page for a Fairphone 5 says in different places it comes with Android 15 and Android 13: broadband.yourcoop.coop/mobile/phone...
So I asked which it is, and the chatbot told me it's … Android 14!
Is it just taking the average‽
So I asked which it is, and the chatbot told me it's … Android 14!
Is it just taking the average‽
From a forum asking about giving up on watching TV shows — what does Peter think “second chances” means?
November 26, 2025 at 3:15 PM
From a forum asking about giving up on watching TV shows — what does Peter think “second chances” means?
Disappointed that ‘The Guardian’'s interactive budget calculator only has options for cutting overseas aid or leaving it as it currently is, not for reversing previous cuts:
www.theguardian.com/politics/ng-...
www.theguardian.com/politics/ng-...
November 25, 2025 at 10:15 AM
Disappointed that ‘The Guardian’'s interactive budget calculator only has options for cutting overseas aid or leaving it as it currently is, not for reversing previous cuts:
www.theguardian.com/politics/ng-...
www.theguardian.com/politics/ng-...
Reposted by Smylers
Niamh Callaghan, 38, whose sons Lucas and Finley are in Year 3 and Year 5 respectively, was concerned that she seemed to have accidentally become pen pals with an entire school of 500 children and 40 staff.
Autistic mum quits job to devote herself to correspondence from her children’s primary school
An autistic mother-of-two has reportedly resigned from a successful career as an educational psychologist so that she can give her full attention to the stream of e-mails and text messages from the…
thedailytism.com
November 24, 2025 at 10:01 AM
Niamh Callaghan, 38, whose sons Lucas and Finley are in Year 3 and Year 5 respectively, was concerned that she seemed to have accidentally become pen pals with an entire school of 500 children and 40 staff.
13yo has asked for a smartphone, so they can use WhatsApp.
Any suggestions for what we should get, and what security/safety/blocking/tracking measures we should use?
Thanks.
Any suggestions for what we should get, and what security/safety/blocking/tracking measures we should use?
Thanks.
November 24, 2025 at 4:27 PM
13yo has asked for a smartphone, so they can use WhatsApp.
Any suggestions for what we should get, and what security/safety/blocking/tracking measures we should use?
Thanks.
Any suggestions for what we should get, and what security/safety/blocking/tracking measures we should use?
Thanks.
“Open me for £80 of free wine,” demands an envelope in today's post.
The back offers the alternative: “Return to sender if you're anti-wine.”
It's less about being anti-wine, and more that the named recipient is only 11 years old.
The back offers the alternative: “Return to sender if you're anti-wine.”
It's less about being anti-wine, and more that the named recipient is only 11 years old.
November 24, 2025 at 12:42 PM
“Open me for £80 of free wine,” demands an envelope in today's post.
The back offers the alternative: “Return to sender if you're anti-wine.”
It's less about being anti-wine, and more that the named recipient is only 11 years old.
The back offers the alternative: “Return to sender if you're anti-wine.”
It's less about being anti-wine, and more that the named recipient is only 11 years old.
39 points on #PopMaster — my first since Ken Bruce moved from Radio 2 to GHR!
Sonia and ‘… Delight’ were guesses, but everything just fell the right way for once.
Sonia and ‘… Delight’ were guesses, but everything just fell the right way for once.
November 24, 2025 at 10:38 AM
39 points on #PopMaster — my first since Ken Bruce moved from Radio 2 to GHR!
Sonia and ‘… Delight’ were guesses, but everything just fell the right way for once.
Sonia and ‘… Delight’ were guesses, but everything just fell the right way for once.
Apparently @yougov.co.uk's survey designers don't believe in the existence of people who've never bought a car:
November 24, 2025 at 9:35 AM
Apparently @yougov.co.uk's survey designers don't believe in the existence of people who've never bought a car:
Reposted by Smylers
Just had a doctor interrogate the autism diagnosis on my records due to the ‘high levels of emotional empathy’ observed during our consultation. He then suggested that being a writer and autistic was, in his mind, highly unlikely.
Sorry, lads…but am I in the wrong century?
Sorry, lads…but am I in the wrong century?
November 23, 2025 at 5:43 PM
Just had a doctor interrogate the autism diagnosis on my records due to the ‘high levels of emotional empathy’ observed during our consultation. He then suggested that being a writer and autistic was, in his mind, highly unlikely.
Sorry, lads…but am I in the wrong century?
Sorry, lads…but am I in the wrong century?
✔ Yesterday I finished writing and printing the quiz for today's cast and crew post-show party.
✘ I don't actually know all the answers to the questions myself …
✘ I don't actually know all the answers to the questions myself …
November 23, 2025 at 7:46 AM
✔ Yesterday I finished writing and printing the quiz for today's cast and crew post-show party.
✘ I don't actually know all the answers to the questions myself …
✘ I don't actually know all the answers to the questions myself …