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Kate Griffin @griffinkate.bsky.social · 2h

I genuinely don't understand what the Pharmadoctor website does. It's not passing on any booking requests, so you have to book directly with the pharmacy anyway. It's just adding unnecessary steps and confusion so everything takes a few days longer.

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Kate Griffin @griffinkate.bsky.social · 3h

Requested the appointments via the Pharmadoctor website yesterday. No confirmation.

Rang the pharmacy this morning. No record of the online booking request, but they let me book over the phone.

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Kate Griffin @griffinkate.bsky.social · 3h

We'd already scheduled in the time today for the Covid vaccine appointments that turned out not to exist. So I decided to book us flu jabs at our local pharmacy for the same timeslot, so at least my partner and I can get *some* kind of health win this week.

You can guess the rest.

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Kate Griffin @griffinkate.bsky.social · 3h

It's v useful but when I used to do proofreading I found a lot of people didn't know what it meant. Then it causes holdups 😭 and then they ask "why didn't you just write 'leave this in'?" 😭 You're only safe if you're sure you're operating in the same context!

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Kate Griffin @griffinkate.bsky.social · 3h

This is like saying "they held off going down the mine because they were just too concerned with the welfare of canaries."

Miles King @milesking.bsky.social · 5h

Same story - 2 very different takes.

Reeves claims she unblocked a development being held up by a "microscopic snail or something", while Natural England claim they and the EA negotiated an agreement with Southern Water, to reduce water abstraction from the snail's habitat.

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Kate Griffin @griffinkate.bsky.social · 3h

Ah, that moment when a misspelling becomes an in-joke!

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Kate Griffin @griffinkate.bsky.social · 3h

My experience is that it's a bit patchy who uses "stet" and who doesn't. I like it because it's unambiguous!

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Reposted by Kate Griffin

HTFB @htfb.bsky.social · 18h

A pair of pyjamas includes a pair of pyjama trousers, as well as one pyjama shirt, which actually makes three pyjamas.

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Kate Griffin @griffinkate.bsky.social · 4h

Last night we won the pub quiz and the quizmaster asked us to pose for a photo. It's a work of art, incorporating a bottle of sauce, uneaten chips, many empty glasses and someone from one of the losing teams giving us a sour look in the background.

Not pictured: the trophy.

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Kate Griffin @griffinkate.bsky.social · 4h

When I was at the Oxford Mail one of the writers deliberately used misspellings in the header for a piece about typing on those newfangled smartphones: "All fnigers and thmubs".

He added "ok" to tell the subs "It's a joke, don't correct it." It was duly printed as: "All fingers and thumbs ok"

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Reposted by Kate Griffin

Keith W. Dickinson @keithwdickinson.bsky.social · 1d

Today is a day when arts degrees are worthless, but the product of those degrees is so valuable it would kill an entire industry if they were made to pay for it.

The Verge @theverge.com · May 26

Nick Clegg says asking artists for use permission would ‘kill’ the AI industry

Paul McCartne, Elton John and others signed an open letter.

buff.ly

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Reposted by Kate Griffin

kottke.org @kottke.org · 16h

The Oatmeal’s take on AI art. “When I consume Al art, it also evokes a feeling…until I find out that it’s Al art. Then I feel deflated, grossed out, and maybe a little bit bored. This feeling isn’t a choice.” [theoatmeal.com]

A cartoonist’s review of AI art

This is a comic about AI art.

theoatmeal.com

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Kate Griffin @griffinkate.bsky.social · 15h

She's got a point about nothing being 2D in the real world! Blimey

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Kate Griffin @griffinkate.bsky.social · 23h

The only way to book is via the Tesco Pharmacy website. Which I've just done. The next appointment that's possible for my partner and me is a fortnight and a long drive away but hey, at least it is now BOOKED! 🎉

I never *dreamed* that getting to this point would be this hard.

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Kate Griffin @griffinkate.bsky.social · 23h

As requested, I rang the second pharmacy again (in the nearest Big Tesco). They said there's no booking on their system and the booking site I've been using (Pharmadoctor) no longer lets you book with Tesco pharmacies.

"do Pharmadoctor know that?"
"yes, but they're doing nothing to rectify it."

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Kate Griffin @griffinkate.bsky.social · 1d

Unfortunately the Evri form only allows 300 characters so I'm gonna have to shorten it!

Kate Griffin @griffinkate.bsky.social · 1d

Screenshot of a Notepad file where the text reads:

My main concern when using couriers is their safety and wellbeing. Getting parcels quickly is appreciated, but the most important thing is that the couriers have working conditions allowing them to take breaks so they protect their own health and protect the rest of us by driving safely.

Rather than asking me for feedback on individual drivers, I would prefer you to tell me what safeguards you're putting in place. For example, can you send me a link to your policies on breaks and sick leave?

However, this particular courier did a great job...

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Kate Griffin @griffinkate.bsky.social · 1d

I've written my own version of this and saved it in a notepad file on my computer. From now on when I get companies asking for feedback on individual couriers, I'll paste it in.

EverGemma @evergemma.bsky.social · 3d

Evri seem to be sending out a bunch of feedback forms at the moment.

If you get sent one I'd appreciate it if you'd take a moment to let them know that the working conditions of the couriers is a priority when choosing a courier service. It's especially important in the run up to Christmas.

What can we do to improve your experience with Evri?
My primary concern when using couriers is how the courier themselves are treated by the company. Receiving parcels on time is great, but in the run up to christmas I do worry about how much work the couriers are doing. I would much rather wait longer for my parcel and know the courier is well rested and happy, than receive my parcel on time from a fatigued or stressed courier.
[Submit Survey button]

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Reposted by Kate Griffin

EverGemma @evergemma.bsky.social · 3d

Evri seem to be sending out a bunch of feedback forms at the moment.

If you get sent one I'd appreciate it if you'd take a moment to let them know that the working conditions of the couriers is a priority when choosing a courier service. It's especially important in the run up to Christmas.

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Reposted by Kate Griffin

wormbuxx @wormbuxx.bsky.social · 1d

Now I’m falling asleep and she’s calling a cob

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Reposted by Kate Griffin

glenysmw @glenysmw.bsky.social · 1d

In addition, benches can become informal meeting spaces and they can contribute to the seen community. We see this when we hear people complaining about the youth hanging out by bus stops / shopping squares but it needn't just be 'the youth'; it can be the aged, it can be mums with kids, etc. End/n

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Reposted by Kate Griffin

glenysmw @glenysmw.bsky.social · 1d

Benches in the public domain are massively important; even better if they are comfortable and public art. When we encourage people to participate in active travel, those who are worried about walking because of the potential to become exhausted will do it if they know there are stopping places. 1/n

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Reposted by Kate Griffin

Christina Holland @mortalwombat.info · 1d

We talk a lot about how the mindset of there being two sides and how you're on the good side, can make you vulnerable to hubris if you're too inflexible but I think the mindset of there being two sides that are both wrong and you being in the sensible middle makes you even more vulnerable to hubris

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Reposted by Kate Griffin

Ingrid Birchell Hughes @1ngi.bsky.social · 1d

Hello.
It me.
October 7th is World Trigeminal Neuralgia Awareness Day.
6+ years and counting. It's a life changing illness. There is no cure. Facial pain falls down the cracks between diciplines. It's recognised as one of the worst pains in medicine.
#ShowTN3Fingers #FaceofTN #TrigeminalNeuralgia

A white middle aged woman with auburn hair, wearing a blue dress, holds three fingers up to her cheek.

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Reposted by Kate Griffin

Dan Davies @dsquareddigest.bsky.social · 1d

Among other things the reason is apparently "time spent looking at the CCTV footage", indicating that BTP have *still* not understood the binary chop algorithm despite having it explained to them by numerous angry computer science professors.

Will Yeates @wyeates.bsky.social · 2d

The British Transport Police (BTP) says it will not investigate bike thefts outside stations where the bicycle has been left for more than two hours.

Bike thefts at stations 'decriminalised'

Bike thefts at stations 'decriminalised'

The British Transport Police will not investigate many categories of bicycle theft, the BBC learns.

buff.ly

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