Phil
@belperambler.bsky.social
Recovering former academic. Mainly here for Derbyshire birding and Scottish islands.
Yet another way in which AI might kill you.
This is a heads-up about fake AI accounts which have proliferated across social media.
The screenshot is from a genuine thread asking for advice on a mountain route; there are plenty of useful, real human replies.
The attempted reply (we stopped it) looks very real - but it is from an AI bot.
The screenshot is from a genuine thread asking for advice on a mountain route; there are plenty of useful, real human replies.
The attempted reply (we stopped it) looks very real - but it is from an AI bot.
December 1, 2025 at 10:35 AM
Yet another way in which AI might kill you.
Reposted by Phil
Getting to Football.... if you want to know how to get to a non league club and I don't mean just SatNav but public transport anywhere then this doc is amazing... it's hard to imagine the work that has gone into this...... www.andyofkent.exofire.net/GTF_202526.pdf
www.andyofkent.exofire.net
November 29, 2025 at 10:23 PM
Getting to Football.... if you want to know how to get to a non league club and I don't mean just SatNav but public transport anywhere then this doc is amazing... it's hard to imagine the work that has gone into this...... www.andyofkent.exofire.net/GTF_202526.pdf
Reposted by Phil
Compare and contrast the Government language.
£3,750 EV grant on a £35k car: ‘helping families’.
Cycle to Work: ‘subsidising leisure’.
And yet cycling delivers TEN TIMES the impact of electric cars for reaching net zero. It’s almost like narrative, not data, is driving policy.
£3,750 EV grant on a £35k car: ‘helping families’.
Cycle to Work: ‘subsidising leisure’.
And yet cycling delivers TEN TIMES the impact of electric cars for reaching net zero. It’s almost like narrative, not data, is driving policy.
November 21, 2025 at 9:45 AM
Compare and contrast the Government language.
£3,750 EV grant on a £35k car: ‘helping families’.
Cycle to Work: ‘subsidising leisure’.
And yet cycling delivers TEN TIMES the impact of electric cars for reaching net zero. It’s almost like narrative, not data, is driving policy.
£3,750 EV grant on a £35k car: ‘helping families’.
Cycle to Work: ‘subsidising leisure’.
And yet cycling delivers TEN TIMES the impact of electric cars for reaching net zero. It’s almost like narrative, not data, is driving policy.
Glad to see there will be direct @eastmidsrailway.bsky.social services from Derwent Valley to Newark/Lincoln/Cleethorpes from December.
October 20, 2025 at 3:23 PM
Glad to see there will be direct @eastmidsrailway.bsky.social services from Derwent Valley to Newark/Lincoln/Cleethorpes from December.
Train travel questionnaire for Belper people. Hint - a regular direct service to Sheffield would be very very nice!
Belper Town Council | Train Travel to and from Belper – User Questionnaire
www.belpertowncouncil.gov.uk
October 20, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Train travel questionnaire for Belper people. Hint - a regular direct service to Sheffield would be very very nice!
Reposted by Phil
🧵🚨
The UK’s independent scientific bodies are highly vulnerable to politicisation - over the past 5 months I've been working with @martinmckee.bsky.social to map out their vulnerabilities and it's not good news.
Today our report is published!
www.ucl.ac.uk/policy-lab/n...
1/11
The UK’s independent scientific bodies are highly vulnerable to politicisation - over the past 5 months I've been working with @martinmckee.bsky.social to map out their vulnerabilities and it's not good news.
Today our report is published!
www.ucl.ac.uk/policy-lab/n...
1/11
UK’s arm’s length public bodies are highly vulnerable to politicisation
Seven in ten Britons say it is important for top scientific institutions to be independent in exclusive new polling.
www.ucl.ac.uk
October 9, 2025 at 3:47 PM
🧵🚨
The UK’s independent scientific bodies are highly vulnerable to politicisation - over the past 5 months I've been working with @martinmckee.bsky.social to map out their vulnerabilities and it's not good news.
Today our report is published!
www.ucl.ac.uk/policy-lab/n...
1/11
The UK’s independent scientific bodies are highly vulnerable to politicisation - over the past 5 months I've been working with @martinmckee.bsky.social to map out their vulnerabilities and it's not good news.
Today our report is published!
www.ucl.ac.uk/policy-lab/n...
1/11
Reposted by Phil
A great thread dismantling the latest 'conservation populism' to be floated in Britain. With funding available for species recovery, this is business for some. We'll see more of this pitching for commercial projects that scientists & species experts think is useless. #ornithology #ukbirding
More ill thought out 'conservation' translocations 🌍
www.theguardian.com/environment/... - so much to unpack here #Ornithology #UKBirding 🧵
www.theguardian.com/environment/... - so much to unpack here #Ornithology #UKBirding 🧵
‘It proves this can be done’: Berlin the blueprint to bring goshawks to UK cities
Conservationist plans release of 15 each of the apex predators sourced as chicks into Chester and London
www.theguardian.com
October 4, 2025 at 8:45 AM
A great thread dismantling the latest 'conservation populism' to be floated in Britain. With funding available for species recovery, this is business for some. We'll see more of this pitching for commercial projects that scientists & species experts think is useless. #ornithology #ukbirding
Reposted by Phil
It's yelling into the void but something tell me it just needs to kept being said: if you are still posting, RTing, or lurking on X, you are helping keep users there and you are helping this guy pull in advertising revenue.
You are a volunteer worker for a slobbering, drug-addled white supremacist
You are a volunteer worker for a slobbering, drug-addled white supremacist
Elon Musk calls for dissolution of parliament at far-right rally in London
US-based tech boss was addressing the ‘unite the kingdom’ protest organised by Tommy Robinson via video link
www.theguardian.com
September 14, 2025 at 10:13 AM
It's yelling into the void but something tell me it just needs to kept being said: if you are still posting, RTing, or lurking on X, you are helping keep users there and you are helping this guy pull in advertising revenue.
You are a volunteer worker for a slobbering, drug-addled white supremacist
You are a volunteer worker for a slobbering, drug-addled white supremacist
Reposted by Phil
Mary Colwell asks whether it's time to talk about a fox cull. I argue it's time to talk about the absurd annual release of 60 Million non-native gamebirds that undoubtedly supports the over-abundance of foxes & other mesopredators.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
‘A last resort’: is culling foxes the only way to save Britain’s vanishing curlews?
Keeping predator numbers down may be last hope for the ground-nesting birds – but critics say real problem is farming practices
www.theguardian.com
September 12, 2025 at 12:08 PM
Mary Colwell asks whether it's time to talk about a fox cull. I argue it's time to talk about the absurd annual release of 60 Million non-native gamebirds that undoubtedly supports the over-abundance of foxes & other mesopredators.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
www.theguardian.com/environment/...
Good news.
Derbyshire Dales District Council has approved a new order banning #barbecues and open fires from all land in the district with public access 👇
www.derbyshiredales.gov.uk/your-council...
www.derbyshiredales.gov.uk/your-council...
September 12, 2025 at 11:11 AM
Good news.
Main pool at Wyver now reduced to a puddle. Could be a long summer.
June 15, 2025 at 11:10 AM
Main pool at Wyver now reduced to a puddle. Could be a long summer.
Reposted by Phil
When dogs given spot treatments for fleas go swimming, they release levels of pesticides dangerous to aquatic life for at least a month after the treatment
Dogs pollute water with pesticides even weeks after flea treatment
When dogs given spot treatments for fleas go swimming, they release levels of pesticides dangerous to aquatic life for at least a month after the treatment
www.newscientist.com
June 2, 2025 at 2:02 PM
When dogs given spot treatments for fleas go swimming, they release levels of pesticides dangerous to aquatic life for at least a month after the treatment
Reposted by Phil
Dear Mr. Clegg
I have started a business, selling the contents of your house
I knew when I launched I did not have legal access your house
Without this access my company will not be profitable
Others have told me I have a flawed business model, but I disagree
Please advise how I should proceed
I have started a business, selling the contents of your house
I knew when I launched I did not have legal access your house
Without this access my company will not be profitable
Others have told me I have a flawed business model, but I disagree
Please advise how I should proceed
May 24, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Dear Mr. Clegg
I have started a business, selling the contents of your house
I knew when I launched I did not have legal access your house
Without this access my company will not be profitable
Others have told me I have a flawed business model, but I disagree
Please advise how I should proceed
I have started a business, selling the contents of your house
I knew when I launched I did not have legal access your house
Without this access my company will not be profitable
Others have told me I have a flawed business model, but I disagree
Please advise how I should proceed
Quite. Yer alt-metrics are not that important people.
Essential reading for many conservation, research, academic and environmental policy organizations, who still have a large presence on X. "Sitting at a table outside the Nazi bar".
This is excellent, alarming & important.
May 24, 2025 at 11:55 AM
Quite. Yer alt-metrics are not that important people.
Finally @belpertownfc.bsky.social appear to be in a midlands division! Annoying there’s no Matlock game, but still.
May 15, 2025 at 1:44 PM
Finally @belpertownfc.bsky.social appear to be in a midlands division! Annoying there’s no Matlock game, but still.
Weekly Swift count from the Devonshire pub car park, Belper - 9. #derbyshirebirding
May 12, 2025 at 10:51 PM
Weekly Swift count from the Devonshire pub car park, Belper - 9. #derbyshirebirding
Today, 2nd Belper spotfly this year, Longwalls Lane. Hopefully a better year for them.
May 12, 2025 at 10:49 PM
Today, 2nd Belper spotfly this year, Longwalls Lane. Hopefully a better year for them.
Lovely morning for a @bbs-birds.bsky.social visit near Belper. Felt bit low on numbers, but grey wagtail the 56th species in this unspectacular but long-running site. Nice to get a bonus Swift year tick right at the end.
May 1, 2025 at 8:43 AM
Lovely morning for a @bbs-birds.bsky.social visit near Belper. Felt bit low on numbers, but grey wagtail the 56th species in this unspectacular but long-running site. Nice to get a bonus Swift year tick right at the end.
No sunrise photo, but an enjoyable @bbs-birds.bsky.social early visit near Belper. 27 species, decent numbers of warblers, inc the 1st lesser whitethroat for the square since 1994(!). 2 brown hares. #Derbyshirebirding
April 24, 2025 at 11:08 AM
No sunrise photo, but an enjoyable @bbs-birds.bsky.social early visit near Belper. 27 species, decent numbers of warblers, inc the 1st lesser whitethroat for the square since 1994(!). 2 brown hares. #Derbyshirebirding
Reposted by Phil
The @wildjustice.bsky.social petition to ban driven grouse shooting has passed 97,000 signatures thanks to you. petition.parliament.uk/petitions/70...
Even I am fairly confident that we'll get 100,000 signatures, triggering a Westminster parliament debate, by 22 May. 22 April would be even better!
Even I am fairly confident that we'll get 100,000 signatures, triggering a Westminster parliament debate, by 22 May. 22 April would be even better!
Petition: Ban driven grouse shooting
Chris Packham, Ruth Tingay and Mark Avery (Wild Justice) believe that driven grouse shooting is bad for people, the environment and wildlife. People; we think grouse shooting is economically insignifi...
petition.parliament.uk
April 18, 2025 at 6:03 AM
The @wildjustice.bsky.social petition to ban driven grouse shooting has passed 97,000 signatures thanks to you. petition.parliament.uk/petitions/70...
Even I am fairly confident that we'll get 100,000 signatures, triggering a Westminster parliament debate, by 22 May. 22 April would be even better!
Even I am fairly confident that we'll get 100,000 signatures, triggering a Westminster parliament debate, by 22 May. 22 April would be even better!
Bit of #birdingbybike , at least 3 wheatear just south of Alport Height. #derbyshirebirding
April 15, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Bit of #birdingbybike , at least 3 wheatear just south of Alport Height. #derbyshirebirding
Wyver Lane: great and little egret, 3 lapwing, and my first willow warbler of the year. #derbyshirebirding
April 7, 2025 at 3:19 PM
Wyver Lane: great and little egret, 3 lapwing, and my first willow warbler of the year. #derbyshirebirding
Was still very much fleece conditions in the breeze this morning at #WyverLaneNR , but two ducklings, a good number of swallows and house martins gave a more April feel #Derbyshirebirds
April 5, 2025 at 10:20 AM
Was still very much fleece conditions in the breeze this morning at #WyverLaneNR , but two ducklings, a good number of swallows and house martins gave a more April feel #Derbyshirebirds
Reposted by Phil
Finally! This is a much needed and sensible policy position 🥳🤩https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-proposals-to-ban-heather-burning-on-peatland-to-protect-air-water-and-wildlife
New proposals to ban heather burning on peatland to protect air, water and wildlife
Extension to ban of burning on deep peat proposed by Government, so that an extra 146,000 hectares are protected
www.gov.uk
March 31, 2025 at 11:04 AM
Finally! This is a much needed and sensible policy position 🥳🤩https://www.gov.uk/government/news/new-proposals-to-ban-heather-burning-on-peatland-to-protect-air-water-and-wildlife
Reposted by Phil
Peatlands occupy just 3% of all land but contain more carbon than all of the world’s forests.
Often overlooked: typically flat, wet, often inaccessible, not always picturesque & all the carbon they hold is hiding below the surface.
80% of the UK bogs are degraded by draining, overgrazing, burning.
Often overlooked: typically flat, wet, often inaccessible, not always picturesque & all the carbon they hold is hiding below the surface.
80% of the UK bogs are degraded by draining, overgrazing, burning.
World’s largely unprotected peatlands are ticking ‘carbon bomb’, warns study
World’s largely unprotected peatlands are ticking ‘carbon bomb’, warns study
Bogs and swamps are a colossal carbon store but their continued destruction would blow climate change targets
The world’s peatlands are “dangerously underprotected” despite the colossal amount of climate-heating carbon dioxide already being emitted due…
www.theguardian.com
February 13, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Peatlands occupy just 3% of all land but contain more carbon than all of the world’s forests.
Often overlooked: typically flat, wet, often inaccessible, not always picturesque & all the carbon they hold is hiding below the surface.
80% of the UK bogs are degraded by draining, overgrazing, burning.
Often overlooked: typically flat, wet, often inaccessible, not always picturesque & all the carbon they hold is hiding below the surface.
80% of the UK bogs are degraded by draining, overgrazing, burning.