John Speakman
@speakman.bsky.social
And yet, here we are. Data and technology bureaucrat. Views mine. Slightly American (or slightly British?). He/him.
📍London
📍London
Reposted by John Speakman
"Even if I refuse to use AI for the supposed purposes of personal gratification that I get from reading and writing (manually), I’m not sure that’ll still seem worthwhile and enjoyable to me!
statsandsociety.substack.com/p/you-should...
statsandsociety.substack.com/p/you-should...
You should be freaking out about AI
It works and it keeps getting better at an insane pace
statsandsociety.substack.com
February 16, 2026 at 7:00 PM
"Even if I refuse to use AI for the supposed purposes of personal gratification that I get from reading and writing (manually), I’m not sure that’ll still seem worthwhile and enjoyable to me!
statsandsociety.substack.com/p/you-should...
statsandsociety.substack.com/p/you-should...
Reposted by John Speakman
February 14, 2026 at 10:03 AM
Something Surprising Happens When Bus Rides Are Free (gift article, you can read it for free without a subscription) www.nytimes.com/2026/02/13/o...
Opinion | Something Surprising Happens When Bus Rides Are Free
www.nytimes.com
February 14, 2026 at 9:59 AM
Something Surprising Happens When Bus Rides Are Free (gift article, you can read it for free without a subscription) www.nytimes.com/2026/02/13/o...
Reposted by John Speakman
Drugs in US politics, a potted history:
Bill Clinton, 1992: "I did not inhale"
Barack Obama, 2006: "I did inhale, that was the point"
RFK Jr., 2026:
Bill Clinton, 1992: "I did not inhale"
Barack Obama, 2006: "I did inhale, that was the point"
RFK Jr., 2026:
RFK Jr: I'm not scared of a germ. I used to snort cocaine off of toilet seats.
February 12, 2026 at 8:31 PM
Drugs in US politics, a potted history:
Bill Clinton, 1992: "I did not inhale"
Barack Obama, 2006: "I did inhale, that was the point"
RFK Jr., 2026:
Bill Clinton, 1992: "I did not inhale"
Barack Obama, 2006: "I did inhale, that was the point"
RFK Jr., 2026:
Reposted by John Speakman
"Why is airplane WiFi so bad? Shouldn’t it be the best up here? Isn’t this where all the WiFi is?"
Airborne Thoughts of an Olympic Ski Jumper
Good take off… time for the weird forward lean. Make the pizza with your skis, yep. Heels are the tip, toes are crust. Nice, Spencer! You’ve got th...
buff.ly
February 12, 2026 at 2:45 AM
"Why is airplane WiFi so bad? Shouldn’t it be the best up here? Isn’t this where all the WiFi is?"
I saw just saying "you know, there isn't enough rain in London these days".
February 12, 2026 at 3:37 PM
I saw just saying "you know, there isn't enough rain in London these days".
Reposted by John Speakman
Reposted by John Speakman
Reposted by John Speakman
The only postbox with two, opposite openings in Britain can be found in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea. The two apertures allow both the public (outside the walls) and the pensioners (inside) to use the box when the gates are closed.
February 9, 2026 at 8:01 AM
The only postbox with two, opposite openings in Britain can be found in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea. The two apertures allow both the public (outside the walls) and the pensioners (inside) to use the box when the gates are closed.
Reposted by John Speakman
Painting by Melissa Scott-Miller
View from Panther House. 1995.
Oil on canvas.
Dimensions 91 x 100 cm.
www.scottmillerart.com/gallery/inde...
View from Panther House. 1995.
Oil on canvas.
Dimensions 91 x 100 cm.
www.scottmillerart.com/gallery/inde...
February 9, 2026 at 7:52 AM
Painting by Melissa Scott-Miller
View from Panther House. 1995.
Oil on canvas.
Dimensions 91 x 100 cm.
www.scottmillerart.com/gallery/inde...
View from Panther House. 1995.
Oil on canvas.
Dimensions 91 x 100 cm.
www.scottmillerart.com/gallery/inde...
Reposted by John Speakman
“There,” said Toad. “Now my day is all written down.”
February 8, 2026 at 11:37 AM
“There,” said Toad. “Now my day is all written down.”
Starting now, if you post a link to a paywalled or regwalled piece without explicitly saying that upfront in the skeet I will unfollow you, even if I happen to have a sub that allows me to read it. Ain’t nobody got time for that.
February 7, 2026 at 9:06 PM
Starting now, if you post a link to a paywalled or regwalled piece without explicitly saying that upfront in the skeet I will unfollow you, even if I happen to have a sub that allows me to read it. Ain’t nobody got time for that.
Rainy old day outside the Bar Italia
February 6, 2026 at 10:26 AM
Rainy old day outside the Bar Italia
Reposted by John Speakman
irish government to require all pedestrians and cyclists to dress like this so that drivers will maybe look at them
February 5, 2026 at 9:25 AM
irish government to require all pedestrians and cyclists to dress like this so that drivers will maybe look at them
Reposted by John Speakman
Google maps really doesn’t get the London tube. Or it’s being paid off by the Circle line.
It suggested today that I go *16* stops on the Circle line instead of 1 stop on the Jubilee + 1 stop on the Victoria line.
🤷♂️
It suggested today that I go *16* stops on the Circle line instead of 1 stop on the Jubilee + 1 stop on the Victoria line.
🤷♂️
January 28, 2026 at 9:11 PM
Google maps really doesn’t get the London tube. Or it’s being paid off by the Circle line.
It suggested today that I go *16* stops on the Circle line instead of 1 stop on the Jubilee + 1 stop on the Victoria line.
🤷♂️
It suggested today that I go *16* stops on the Circle line instead of 1 stop on the Jubilee + 1 stop on the Victoria line.
🤷♂️
Reposted by John Speakman
OpenAI just released Prism, a LaTeX editor with embedded ChatGPT for free.
Writing a paper has never been easier.
Clogging the scientific publishing pipeline has never been easier.
It took me 54 seconds to write up an experiment I did not actually conduct.
prism.openai.com
Writing a paper has never been easier.
Clogging the scientific publishing pipeline has never been easier.
It took me 54 seconds to write up an experiment I did not actually conduct.
prism.openai.com
January 27, 2026 at 11:01 PM
OpenAI just released Prism, a LaTeX editor with embedded ChatGPT for free.
Writing a paper has never been easier.
Clogging the scientific publishing pipeline has never been easier.
It took me 54 seconds to write up an experiment I did not actually conduct.
prism.openai.com
Writing a paper has never been easier.
Clogging the scientific publishing pipeline has never been easier.
It took me 54 seconds to write up an experiment I did not actually conduct.
prism.openai.com
Reposted by John Speakman
There are four Americas: Blue States, Red States, New Mexico and Mormons.
January 27, 2026 at 7:54 AM
There are four Americas: Blue States, Red States, New Mexico and Mormons.
Reposted by John Speakman
Carroll Gardens Brooklyn - 11:27 AM
January 25, 2026 at 4:27 PM
Carroll Gardens Brooklyn - 11:27 AM
Reposted by John Speakman
New York office - Edward Hopper, 1962.
Source : Musée des beaux-Arts, Montgomery (Alabama) 🇺🇸
Source : Musée des beaux-Arts, Montgomery (Alabama) 🇺🇸
January 25, 2026 at 6:06 AM
New York office - Edward Hopper, 1962.
Source : Musée des beaux-Arts, Montgomery (Alabama) 🇺🇸
Source : Musée des beaux-Arts, Montgomery (Alabama) 🇺🇸
Reposted by John Speakman
Tour d'observation 1968 Zimmerau (Bavière) Allemagne
January 25, 2026 at 8:56 PM
Tour d'observation 1968 Zimmerau (Bavière) Allemagne
Reposted by John Speakman
Reposted by John Speakman
Snowy landscape in the Central Bohemian Uplands
January 25, 2026 at 8:01 AM
Snowy landscape in the Central Bohemian Uplands