Dr_Aust_PhD
@draustphd.bsky.social
Grumpy old lab scientist (retd.), Uni teacher & centrist dad. Irked by trendy nonsense, own waistline, hair 📉 etc. NOT a medic - other ½ of NHS doctor. Long-ago 70s punk rock fan/ guitarist. 2 kids & now no dog (RIP). Personal views.
Or alternatively, Zacky-poo & The Greens deliver the seat to Reform by splitting the anti-Reform vote.
Which will likely already be leaking one to two thousand votes to Galloway's lot.
Which will likely already be leaking one to two thousand votes to Galloway's lot.
January 28, 2026 at 1:58 AM
Or alternatively, Zacky-poo & The Greens deliver the seat to Reform by splitting the anti-Reform vote.
Which will likely already be leaking one to two thousand votes to Galloway's lot.
Which will likely already be leaking one to two thousand votes to Galloway's lot.
Saw this from @philosophymatters.bsky.social over on Fb. Apt.
January 26, 2026 at 5:01 PM
Saw this from @philosophymatters.bsky.social over on Fb. Apt.
Right. The dialogue writes itself.
"You want peace? Me too. The peaceliest peace. Bigly. How many wars have I stopped?
And - beautiful little country you have here. So little. So nice.
Be a shame if somethin' were to happen to it. A REAL shame.
If only you had one of my hotels here, y'know?"
"You want peace? Me too. The peaceliest peace. Bigly. How many wars have I stopped?
And - beautiful little country you have here. So little. So nice.
Be a shame if somethin' were to happen to it. A REAL shame.
If only you had one of my hotels here, y'know?"
January 22, 2026 at 3:55 PM
Right. The dialogue writes itself.
"You want peace? Me too. The peaceliest peace. Bigly. How many wars have I stopped?
And - beautiful little country you have here. So little. So nice.
Be a shame if somethin' were to happen to it. A REAL shame.
If only you had one of my hotels here, y'know?"
"You want peace? Me too. The peaceliest peace. Bigly. How many wars have I stopped?
And - beautiful little country you have here. So little. So nice.
Be a shame if somethin' were to happen to it. A REAL shame.
If only you had one of my hotels here, y'know?"
And ICE are Trump's Sturmabteilung Goon Squad, ill-disciplined & trigger-happy far-right racist thugs with federal credentials. Just how much destruction of American society & the rule of law are Congressional Republicans prepared to sit still for? Were they all fascist fellow-travellers all along?
January 8, 2026 at 12:33 AM
And ICE are Trump's Sturmabteilung Goon Squad, ill-disciplined & trigger-happy far-right racist thugs with federal credentials. Just how much destruction of American society & the rule of law are Congressional Republicans prepared to sit still for? Were they all fascist fellow-travellers all along?
Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social lays it out in the Graun on the military-tech-oil-industrial complex.
Donald Trump poses a threat to civilization | Robert Reich www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Donald Trump poses a threat to civilization | Robert Reich www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
January 6, 2026 at 4:04 PM
Robert Reich @rbreich.bsky.social lays it out in the Graun on the military-tech-oil-industrial complex.
Donald Trump poses a threat to civilization | Robert Reich www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Donald Trump poses a threat to civilization | Robert Reich www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
All the evidence shows us that Farage was a strutting racist Nazi-obsessed bully spouting neofascist drivel throughout his high school years.
Where is the evidence that he has changed his views? I don't see any. The racist baiting has just got more coded. It hasn't gone away.
Where is the evidence that he has changed his views? I don't see any. The racist baiting has just got more coded. It hasn't gone away.
December 28, 2025 at 10:42 AM
All the evidence shows us that Farage was a strutting racist Nazi-obsessed bully spouting neofascist drivel throughout his high school years.
Where is the evidence that he has changed his views? I don't see any. The racist baiting has just got more coded. It hasn't gone away.
Where is the evidence that he has changed his views? I don't see any. The racist baiting has just got more coded. It hasn't gone away.
Succinctly summarised.
Myself I blame the politicians who:
1. Called the Referendum;
2. Designed the absurd franchise rules;
3. Insisted a 52-48 margin represented 'the immutable will of the people', rather than a marginal opinion poll;
4. Ignored all the evidence of cheating & foreign influence.
Myself I blame the politicians who:
1. Called the Referendum;
2. Designed the absurd franchise rules;
3. Insisted a 52-48 margin represented 'the immutable will of the people', rather than a marginal opinion poll;
4. Ignored all the evidence of cheating & foreign influence.
December 27, 2025 at 7:00 PM
Succinctly summarised.
Myself I blame the politicians who:
1. Called the Referendum;
2. Designed the absurd franchise rules;
3. Insisted a 52-48 margin represented 'the immutable will of the people', rather than a marginal opinion poll;
4. Ignored all the evidence of cheating & foreign influence.
Myself I blame the politicians who:
1. Called the Referendum;
2. Designed the absurd franchise rules;
3. Insisted a 52-48 margin represented 'the immutable will of the people', rather than a marginal opinion poll;
4. Ignored all the evidence of cheating & foreign influence.
Dear Lance - F**k. Right. Off.
And then, when you're done with that, please f**k off some more.
Yours, the poor bloody punters.
And then, when you're done with that, please f**k off some more.
Yours, the poor bloody punters.
December 27, 2025 at 2:26 PM
Dear Lance - F**k. Right. Off.
And then, when you're done with that, please f**k off some more.
Yours, the poor bloody punters.
And then, when you're done with that, please f**k off some more.
Yours, the poor bloody punters.
Found on t'Internet. This feeling will be common to all academics. It's especially obvious once you've *stopped* publishing original research and are thus off the treadmill.
December 18, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Found on t'Internet. This feeling will be common to all academics. It's especially obvious once you've *stopped* publishing original research and are thus off the treadmill.
And yet... 77 *MILLION* Americans voted for the lying sack of sh*t.
How much do *lots* of Americans hate the idea of a woman in the top job? 'Bigly', it would appear.
How much do *lots* of Americans hate the idea of a woman in the top job? 'Bigly', it would appear.
December 16, 2025 at 11:02 AM
And yet... 77 *MILLION* Americans voted for the lying sack of sh*t.
How much do *lots* of Americans hate the idea of a woman in the top job? 'Bigly', it would appear.
How much do *lots* of Americans hate the idea of a woman in the top job? 'Bigly', it would appear.
Think this is what you call 'righteous fury'.
December 3, 2025 at 10:11 AM
Think this is what you call 'righteous fury'.
V. much ditto for most of us who work in UK Univs, I suspect.
Recall being asked by one of the bosses why I was such a dissident in the Dept/Faculty. 'Why can't you get w. the programme' etc.
Replied my loyalty belonged to my colleagues & to the *idea* of the Uni. Not to how it was run/managed.
Recall being asked by one of the bosses why I was such a dissident in the Dept/Faculty. 'Why can't you get w. the programme' etc.
Replied my loyalty belonged to my colleagues & to the *idea* of the Uni. Not to how it was run/managed.
November 16, 2025 at 4:27 PM
V. much ditto for most of us who work in UK Univs, I suspect.
Recall being asked by one of the bosses why I was such a dissident in the Dept/Faculty. 'Why can't you get w. the programme' etc.
Replied my loyalty belonged to my colleagues & to the *idea* of the Uni. Not to how it was run/managed.
Recall being asked by one of the bosses why I was such a dissident in the Dept/Faculty. 'Why can't you get w. the programme' etc.
Replied my loyalty belonged to my colleagues & to the *idea* of the Uni. Not to how it was run/managed.
Mrs A was walking our guest dog today, breaking our sad news to fellow dog owners & ...dodging hugs (Mrs A is not a hugger, family excepted). One unusual tribute: she met out old postman (he's changed route) who asked fondly after our (departed) dog. Now...how many dogs are mates w the local postie?
November 15, 2025 at 10:53 PM
Mrs A was walking our guest dog today, breaking our sad news to fellow dog owners & ...dodging hugs (Mrs A is not a hugger, family excepted). One unusual tribute: she met out old postman (he's changed route) who asked fondly after our (departed) dog. Now...how many dogs are mates w the local postie?
We've had a 'guest dog' in the house for the last 7 wks as her owner, a friend, recovers from a broken arm (plus two chihuahuas too last wk, which was .. a bit much). Think having the 'Cairn terrorist' (as she's known) around this week has helped us a lot, as the place doesn't seem so quiet.
November 15, 2025 at 10:14 PM
We've had a 'guest dog' in the house for the last 7 wks as her owner, a friend, recovers from a broken arm (plus two chihuahuas too last wk, which was .. a bit much). Think having the 'Cairn terrorist' (as she's known) around this week has helped us a lot, as the place doesn't seem so quiet.
The words 'cover-up' spring to mind.
Stretches credulity, given Trump & Epstein's lengthy & close association and their similar tastes, that Trump didn't at the least know *way* more than he has admitted.
Which is also an obvious source of 'Kompromat' for certain other... interested parties.
Stretches credulity, given Trump & Epstein's lengthy & close association and their similar tastes, that Trump didn't at the least know *way* more than he has admitted.
Which is also an obvious source of 'Kompromat' for certain other... interested parties.
November 13, 2025 at 9:16 AM
The words 'cover-up' spring to mind.
Stretches credulity, given Trump & Epstein's lengthy & close association and their similar tastes, that Trump didn't at the least know *way* more than he has admitted.
Which is also an obvious source of 'Kompromat' for certain other... interested parties.
Stretches credulity, given Trump & Epstein's lengthy & close association and their similar tastes, that Trump didn't at the least know *way* more than he has admitted.
Which is also an obvious source of 'Kompromat' for certain other... interested parties.
Judging by this from Robert Peston's eX-Twitter feed, the Beeb's lawyers also are of a mind that 'meaningfully damaged' is not going to fly.
Do you think they will actually reply formally at all? Or will it all just be via briefing and counter-briefing to the media, as is the modern way?
Do you think they will actually reply formally at all? Or will it all just be via briefing and counter-briefing to the media, as is the modern way?
November 12, 2025 at 5:13 PM
Judging by this from Robert Peston's eX-Twitter feed, the Beeb's lawyers also are of a mind that 'meaningfully damaged' is not going to fly.
Do you think they will actually reply formally at all? Or will it all just be via briefing and counter-briefing to the media, as is the modern way?
Do you think they will actually reply formally at all? Or will it all just be via briefing and counter-briefing to the media, as is the modern way?
Mood is a bit sombre at Casa Aust as yesterday we had to say goodbye to our family hound, a few wks short of his 13th birthday, after a rapid decline w aggressive B-cell lymphoma. House feels rather empty today. We're going to miss you, mate.
November 11, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Mood is a bit sombre at Casa Aust as yesterday we had to say goodbye to our family hound, a few wks short of his 13th birthday, after a rapid decline w aggressive B-cell lymphoma. House feels rather empty today. We're going to miss you, mate.
Yup. Some good quotable bits in here. The emetic spectacle of multiple Tory Ministers lining up to parrot Trump's criticisms (and kiss the orange... ring...) has been one of the most disturbing aspects of the current furore.
November 11, 2025 at 5:39 PM
Yup. Some good quotable bits in here. The emetic spectacle of multiple Tory Ministers lining up to parrot Trump's criticisms (and kiss the orange... ring...) has been one of the most disturbing aspects of the current furore.
Well worth a read. Especially pertinent:
November 10, 2025 at 8:02 PM
Well worth a read. Especially pertinent:
It's NOT correct at all. It's ideology-driven & lazy virtue signaling. "When the legend become fact, print the legend" etc
"Crick, Watson, Franklin & Wilkins" would be historically accurate, as @matthewcobb.bsky.social & @nccomfort.bsky.social set out in this article.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
"Crick, Watson, Franklin & Wilkins" would be historically accurate, as @matthewcobb.bsky.social & @nccomfort.bsky.social set out in this article.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
November 9, 2025 at 3:22 PM
It's NOT correct at all. It's ideology-driven & lazy virtue signaling. "When the legend become fact, print the legend" etc
"Crick, Watson, Franklin & Wilkins" would be historically accurate, as @matthewcobb.bsky.social & @nccomfort.bsky.social set out in this article.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
"Crick, Watson, Franklin & Wilkins" would be historically accurate, as @matthewcobb.bsky.social & @nccomfort.bsky.social set out in this article.
www.nature.com/articles/d41...
The account Cobb & Comfort set out sounds much more like what I heard from my late father, who joined the King's lab as a grad student a yr later (54), worked there til 1970, & shared a lab bench w Ray Gosling. Dad summarised this 'consensus view' in a letter to the THE after Cricks death in 2004.
November 8, 2025 at 7:07 PM
The account Cobb & Comfort set out sounds much more like what I heard from my late father, who joined the King's lab as a grad student a yr later (54), worked there til 1970, & shared a lab bench w Ray Gosling. Dad summarised this 'consensus view' in a letter to the THE after Cricks death in 2004.
Found this account online.
Can we relate it to what is good & bad about Starmer?
Starmer comes over as punctilous & diligent, keen to be across the detail & to change processes to get stuff done. A solid Minister.
But he lacks the 'public personality', antennae, & quick wit needed of a 2025 PM.
Can we relate it to what is good & bad about Starmer?
Starmer comes over as punctilous & diligent, keen to be across the detail & to change processes to get stuff done. A solid Minister.
But he lacks the 'public personality', antennae, & quick wit needed of a 2025 PM.
November 2, 2025 at 5:25 PM
Found this account online.
Can we relate it to what is good & bad about Starmer?
Starmer comes over as punctilous & diligent, keen to be across the detail & to change processes to get stuff done. A solid Minister.
But he lacks the 'public personality', antennae, & quick wit needed of a 2025 PM.
Can we relate it to what is good & bad about Starmer?
Starmer comes over as punctilous & diligent, keen to be across the detail & to change processes to get stuff done. A solid Minister.
But he lacks the 'public personality', antennae, & quick wit needed of a 2025 PM.
Lest we forget: the esteemed Doktor Joey Goebbels owed his ascent in the Nazi hierarchy to his steering of party & SA efforts in late 1920s Berlin. Dr G encouraged the Sturmabteilung to provoke violent clashes that he & the Nazis could then use for propaganda purposes. Lehren aus der Geschichte usw.
October 9, 2025 at 3:46 PM
Lest we forget: the esteemed Doktor Joey Goebbels owed his ascent in the Nazi hierarchy to his steering of party & SA efforts in late 1920s Berlin. Dr G encouraged the Sturmabteilung to provoke violent clashes that he & the Nazis could then use for propaganda purposes. Lehren aus der Geschichte usw.
Hmm. If anyone ever did try this idiocy without an accompanying c 50% pay rise, one suspects there would be a major shortage of junior hospital doctors in the UK, w UK grads esp leaving in droves.
On the upside, Australia, New Zealand & Canada would all be unable to believe their luck.
On the upside, Australia, New Zealand & Canada would all be unable to believe their luck.
October 9, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Hmm. If anyone ever did try this idiocy without an accompanying c 50% pay rise, one suspects there would be a major shortage of junior hospital doctors in the UK, w UK grads esp leaving in droves.
On the upside, Australia, New Zealand & Canada would all be unable to believe their luck.
On the upside, Australia, New Zealand & Canada would all be unable to believe their luck.