Matthew Somerville
@dracos.co.uk
I help people report broken street lights, find out their bin day, plan train travel, manage an orchestra, locate the nearest postbox, research old theatre productions, keep time in a choir, and occasionally play board games | https://dracos.co.uk
On translation, this excerpt from The Discworld Companion on translating those books I always thought was interesting: www.reddit.com/r/discworld/...
And on accountability, this old image :)
And on accountability, this old image :)
January 13, 2026 at 8:26 PM
On translation, this excerpt from The Discworld Companion on translating those books I always thought was interesting: www.reddit.com/r/discworld/...
And on accountability, this old image :)
And on accountability, this old image :)
Cadbury Mini Eggs over the past few years:
2022, 80g: £1
2023, 80g: £1.25
2024, 80g: £1.50
2025, 80g: £1.85
2026, 74g: £2
Dunno why, but this hits my “just won’t bother” threshold. I wonder if I’d be more likely to get a £1 37g bag; probably?
2022, 80g: £1
2023, 80g: £1.25
2024, 80g: £1.50
2025, 80g: £1.85
2026, 74g: £2
Dunno why, but this hits my “just won’t bother” threshold. I wonder if I’d be more likely to get a £1 37g bag; probably?
January 10, 2026 at 2:14 PM
Cadbury Mini Eggs over the past few years:
2022, 80g: £1
2023, 80g: £1.25
2024, 80g: £1.50
2025, 80g: £1.85
2026, 74g: £2
Dunno why, but this hits my “just won’t bother” threshold. I wonder if I’d be more likely to get a £1 37g bag; probably?
2022, 80g: £1
2023, 80g: £1.25
2024, 80g: £1.50
2025, 80g: £1.85
2026, 74g: £2
Dunno why, but this hits my “just won’t bother” threshold. I wonder if I’d be more likely to get a £1 37g bag; probably?
If you need to change trains at New Street, a helpful tip: the B ends of the platforms are all directly joined by walkway (red on this map), whereas the A ends are in two separate ticket-gated halves (1-5 in blue and 6-12 in green) - whoever designed it didn’t realise it’d have ticket gates‽
January 8, 2026 at 1:04 PM
If you need to change trains at New Street, a helpful tip: the B ends of the platforms are all directly joined by walkway (red on this map), whereas the A ends are in two separate ticket-gated halves (1-5 in blue and 6-12 in green) - whoever designed it didn’t realise it’d have ticket gates‽
In fact, the 1978 law had a special section just for corporations, making the officers personally liable as well if they consented, connived, or were neglectful: adlegem.dracos.co.uk/ukpga/1978/3...
January 7, 2026 at 10:47 AM
In fact, the 1978 law had a special section just for corporations, making the officers personally liable as well if they consented, connived, or were neglectful: adlegem.dracos.co.uk/ukpga/1978/3...
I didn’t write tomorrow. My phone added that by itself as some sort of dreadful autocomplete and I didn’t notice? I’m seeing it now!
Screenshot of me trying again, to show it happening. If it was actually clever or in any way useful, it would… see that it’s in my calendar for today!
Screenshot of me trying again, to show it happening. If it was actually clever or in any way useful, it would… see that it’s in my calendar for today!
January 2, 2026 at 2:33 PM
I didn’t write tomorrow. My phone added that by itself as some sort of dreadful autocomplete and I didn’t notice? I’m seeing it now!
Screenshot of me trying again, to show it happening. If it was actually clever or in any way useful, it would… see that it’s in my calendar for today!
Screenshot of me trying again, to show it happening. If it was actually clever or in any way useful, it would… see that it’s in my calendar for today!
The list of music *not* covered by the Amateur Choir Licence (pmll.org.uk/licence-info...) is... eclectic?
December 31, 2025 at 9:19 PM
The list of music *not* covered by the Amateur Choir Licence (pmll.org.uk/licence-info...) is... eclectic?
OTOH, I like the Gift Aid claim service. You download an empty ODS file, fill it in, upload, done. (Okay, the filling in isn’t *that* fun :) ) I’d love to know why they have to have two different ODS files, though (ssh, don’t tell anyone, but Google Sheets works fine).
December 31, 2025 at 1:30 PM
OTOH, I like the Gift Aid claim service. You download an empty ODS file, fill it in, upload, done. (Okay, the filling in isn’t *that* fun :) ) I’d love to know why they have to have two different ODS files, though (ssh, don’t tell anyone, but Google Sheets works fine).
Look, I understand how hard things can be. But making sure the basic navigation items are in the same order and have the same link text on different pages is surely not beyond our ken, in a service well known for phishing.
1: 2 1 4 B S
2: 3 2 1 4 B S (spaced out)
3: 3 1 4 B 2 S
4: 2(bis) 1 4 B S
1: 2 1 4 B S
2: 3 2 1 4 B S (spaced out)
3: 3 1 4 B 2 S
4: 2(bis) 1 4 B S
![The “Companies you follow” page of Companies House, old branding, with navigation:
Your details [goes to Manage account] / Your filings / Companies you follow / Basket (0) / Sign out](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:7bhzt33apansyf24a772y72f/bafkreid6vvhb35gxexw3uvgjfg6oco42ez47mx4rwoz5gtundn7t5ayqh4@jpeg)
December 31, 2025 at 12:35 PM
Look, I understand how hard things can be. But making sure the basic navigation items are in the same order and have the same link text on different pages is surely not beyond our ken, in a service well known for phishing.
1: 2 1 4 B S
2: 3 2 1 4 B S (spaced out)
3: 3 1 4 B 2 S
4: 2(bis) 1 4 B S
1: 2 1 4 B S
2: 3 2 1 4 B S (spaced out)
3: 3 1 4 B 2 S
4: 2(bis) 1 4 B S
Thanks Lloyds. Thoyds.
December 31, 2025 at 9:41 AM
Thanks Lloyds. Thoyds.
Just had a fake Evri phishing email, and the link goes to an Amazon S3-hosted static website page (which then redirects on elsewhere). Makes you wonder why they didn’t make it a fake Amazon phishing email
December 31, 2025 at 9:00 AM
Just had a fake Evri phishing email, and the link goes to an Amazon S3-hosted static website page (which then redirects on elsewhere). Makes you wonder why they didn’t make it a fake Amazon phishing email
If you are new, and click “Create new sign in details”, you will get this question. If I am a parent newly applying for tax-free childcare, who is also self-employed, what do I say? Am I the business or the parent at this point? Does it matter? I thought I was signing in to my childcare account?
December 30, 2025 at 10:24 AM
If you are new, and click “Create new sign in details”, you will get this question. If I am a parent newly applying for tax-free childcare, who is also self-employed, what do I say? Am I the business or the parent at this point? Does it matter? I thought I was signing in to my childcare account?
If you click “GOV.UK One Login / Use your GOV.UK One Login email address if you have used this to sign in to HMRC before” (HMRC?) you get asked for your One Login email, but if you use One Login elsewhere (like a DVLA vehicle account, www.gov.uk/driver-vehic...) you can’t use One Login here.
December 30, 2025 at 10:24 AM
If you click “GOV.UK One Login / Use your GOV.UK One Login email address if you have used this to sign in to HMRC before” (HMRC?) you get asked for your One Login email, but if you use One Login elsewhere (like a DVLA vehicle account, www.gov.uk/driver-vehic...) you can’t use One Login here.
Every three months I (and any parent wanting this) have to reconfirm that I am eligible for tax free childcare. It is dull, but at least I have a password manager and my details don’t change.
This quarter the form is slightly different, one page longer, because it now begins with this:
This quarter the form is slightly different, one page longer, because it now begins with this:
December 30, 2025 at 10:24 AM
Every three months I (and any parent wanting this) have to reconfirm that I am eligible for tax free childcare. It is dull, but at least I have a password manager and my details don’t change.
This quarter the form is slightly different, one page longer, because it now begins with this:
This quarter the form is slightly different, one page longer, because it now begins with this:
Pretty sure this card (from Christmas present, Lego’s “Brick Like This”) takes 8 pieces to complete, not 7 (the biggest piece is a 4x1)
December 29, 2025 at 4:53 PM
Pretty sure this card (from Christmas present, Lego’s “Brick Like This”) takes 8 pieces to complete, not 7 (the biggest piece is a 4x1)
Preston Mill, Phantassie Doocot, Tantallon Castle, and plenty of oystercatchers
December 28, 2025 at 3:22 PM
Preston Mill, Phantassie Doocot, Tantallon Castle, and plenty of oystercatchers
Forgot to mention coming across a Lee Child retrospective at New Street while awaiting the train
December 27, 2025 at 3:43 PM
Forgot to mention coming across a Lee Child retrospective at New Street while awaiting the train
On the train to Edinburgh, finishing @dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social’s “Ring the Hill”, a lovely read; we travelled past Brent Knoll every year on our way to see my nana in Glastonbury and be the first to spot the Tor
December 27, 2025 at 2:01 PM
On the train to Edinburgh, finishing @dj-acid-reflux.bsky.social’s “Ring the Hill”, a lovely read; we travelled past Brent Knoll every year on our way to see my nana in Glastonbury and be the first to spot the Tor
Hate it, hate it, hate it
December 26, 2025 at 12:51 PM
Hate it, hate it, hate it
The annual message on traintimes.org.uk is there :-)
December 25, 2025 at 8:00 PM
The annual message on traintimes.org.uk is there :-)
Inflation is hitting the chocolate coins
December 25, 2025 at 11:45 AM
Inflation is hitting the chocolate coins
Found a couple of old pictures of it in use on train journeys :)
December 24, 2025 at 8:58 PM
Found a couple of old pictures of it in use on train journeys :)
✅ Use of precise times to avoid confusion over 00.00 (“midnight” is a perfectly good word though)
❌ Is this just so they can prevent it ever registering as a public footpath? Seems odd to only be Boxing Day.
❌ Is this just so they can prevent it ever registering as a public footpath? Seems odd to only be Boxing Day.
December 24, 2025 at 5:59 PM
✅ Use of precise times to avoid confusion over 00.00 (“midnight” is a perfectly good word though)
❌ Is this just so they can prevent it ever registering as a public footpath? Seems odd to only be Boxing Day.
❌ Is this just so they can prevent it ever registering as a public footpath? Seems odd to only be Boxing Day.
My colleague @juliacushion.bsky.social made a “sunlight optimism” spreadsheet, my colleague @zarino.co.uk said there should be a postcode lookup version, I have the day off, the kid has gone swimming, and so, I present:
The Sunlight Optimism Calculator: dracos.co.uk/made/sunligh...
The Sunlight Optimism Calculator: dracos.co.uk/made/sunligh...
December 24, 2025 at 12:38 PM
My colleague @juliacushion.bsky.social made a “sunlight optimism” spreadsheet, my colleague @zarino.co.uk said there should be a postcode lookup version, I have the day off, the kid has gone swimming, and so, I present:
The Sunlight Optimism Calculator: dracos.co.uk/made/sunligh...
The Sunlight Optimism Calculator: dracos.co.uk/made/sunligh...
Listening to Jethro Tull’s “Solstice Bells” on the train at the moment of the winter solstice, longer days from here!
December 21, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Listening to Jethro Tull’s “Solstice Bells” on the train at the moment of the winter solstice, longer days from here!