Gupperduck
banner
gupperduck.bsky.social
Gupperduck
@gupperduck.bsky.social
Mostly on Mastodon.
Reposted by Gupperduck
December 24, 2025 at 3:12 PM
Reposted by Gupperduck
NEW: last night, the US govt launched an assault on the ‘global censorship industrial complex’, aka European tech researchers/campaigners.

It’s a deeply chilling move & speaks as to why we need international solidarity more than ever.

open.substack.com/pub/broligar...
A message to America: we are not your enemy
Last night, the US launched an all-out assault on the "global censorship industrial complex", I respond with some deep breaths, solidarity and a vibey video (it's all I have)
open.substack.com
December 24, 2025 at 11:52 AM
Reposted by Gupperduck
If I could say one sentence to cats and make them understand it, it would probably be "If you are going to puke, please do it on a hard surface."
December 23, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Reposted by Gupperduck
"Unser Fahrdienstleiter von Mainz sucht gerade einen Bahnsteig für pünktliche Züge. Wir bleiben jetzt hier so lange stehen, bis wir ausreichende Verspätung haben, dass wir in den Bahnhof einfahren dürfen!" (Sven Dotzauer) #BahnAnsagen
December 23, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Reposted by Gupperduck
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples have cared for Sea Country for tens of thousands of years. Bringing Indigenous Knowledge together with Western marine science strengthens our understanding of marine ecosystems and leads to better, more culturally grounded management.
December 19, 2025 at 5:42 AM
Reposted by Gupperduck
🧵It's almost my 2 year anniversary of posting spotted observations of life in Aotearoa New Zealand, so I thought it would be fun for today's post to be the one that kicked it all off. It might explain why we immediately fell in love with this awesome little city that we now call home.❤️🌺

Here we go:
December 19, 2025 at 12:59 AM
Reposted by Gupperduck
A disgruntled man in a flat cap and a neat shirt and suit trousers (80s?) yells: "YOU BASTARDS DON'T HAVE ANY CHRISTMAS SPIRIT!" to a parking meter. (7)
December 19, 2025 at 12:59 AM
Reposted by Gupperduck
I'm particularly pleased because of what the Queen Elizabeth Prizes represent. They are part of the honours system, but uniquely they reward _teams_ rather than individuals. This is critical, because it is the true nature of modern, team science...
November 26, 2025 at 5:56 PM
Reposted by Gupperduck
Which words have given you happiness this year? I’d love to hear them.

(And if you fancy some distraction over the holidays, do give my word game Two Words a try.

twowords2.page.link/play)
December 18, 2025 at 1:39 PM
Reposted by Gupperduck
A new field experiment conducted on Reddit explains why some people lurk quietly and why others become extremely active in online political discussions.

Learn more in #ScienceAdvances: https://scim.ag/4oOdywQ
Disentangling participation in online political discussions with a collective field experiment
A field experiment examines patterns of online political discussion participation and the challenges of addressing inequality.
scim.ag
December 17, 2025 at 7:11 PM
Reposted by Gupperduck
column in this week's New World on Brigitte Macron calling feminist campaigners "sales connes", and the difficulties of translation: www.thenewworld.co.uk/marie-le-con...
December 16, 2025 at 12:04 PM
Reposted by Gupperduck
The review of the BBC Charter has just been announced. In anticipation of this we have published a review of how 10 countries around the world organise their public service media, and what lessons can be drawn for the renewal of the BBC Charter www.thebritishacademy.ac.uk/publications...
December 16, 2025 at 11:06 AM
Reposted by Gupperduck
* And finally, if you're ever visiting Whakatū Nelson, the Fresh Choice supermarket here is legendary for its music playlist. It's a whole thing and has devoted fans. Today it was opera, metal, Ethiopian jazz and blues all in the 20 minutes it took me to mosey around the aisles.
December 10, 2025 at 11:57 PM
Reposted by Gupperduck
A woman (50s?) spots another (20s?) in the street. Frowning, she says:
"You still sick darl?"
"Yeah. A bit under the weather."
"Got food in the fridge?"
"Was about to do that."
"No you're not. Go home. I'll be round in twenty. Made a big Shepherd's pie last night and you can have half of it." (5)
December 10, 2025 at 11:57 PM
Reposted by Gupperduck
2. We need a strong, functioning statistical system. But it’s quite a boring thing for most people. I have a long-ish thread here watching the topic, but it rarely gets anyone very excited!
bsky.app/profile/heta...
Big piece on how the UK is not getting the data it needs and how this is affecting policymaking. A key issue seems to be that the shift from surveys to admin data has not worked well as govt departments have not allowed the ONS access to the data it needs
on.ft.com/3WSCN6h
How flawed data is leaving the UK in the dark
Trouble at the Office for National Statistics means policymakers cannot rely on key economic numbers, including on employment
on.ft.com
December 13, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Reposted by Gupperduck
This is as good as everyone says. And putting the particular party to one side, I hope it might show there is appetite to read about local government more generally and that newspapers should invest in this. I’d read a weekly column portraying a different council each week…
December 13, 2025 at 6:47 PM
Reposted by Gupperduck
So today I found out that my TED talk ‘This is What a Digital Coup Looks Like’ was TED’s most watched talk of the year.

It’s sort of amazing & terrifying. Because this *is* what a digital coup looks like.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZOo...
This Is What a Digital Coup Looks Like | Carole Cadwalladr | TED
YouTube video by TED
www.youtube.com
December 9, 2025 at 10:29 PM
Reposted by Gupperduck
A young human (3?) has decided the BEST view in the world is from the VERY TOP of a palm tree.
He clambers upwards, expression determined.
Nothing's gonna stop him!
Except...
Dad's now saying that he can have fish and chips if he comes down.
Hmm...
Maybe he doesn't need the view after all. (4)
December 10, 2025 at 12:54 AM
Reposted by Gupperduck
This is a really appalling editorial error on BBC Question Time

"Apparently one in three children don't speak English as a first language, why does this matter?"

Chair says "have English as a second language"

Caption changes the meaning entirely
"Don't speak fluent English"
December 11, 2025 at 11:11 PM
Reposted by Gupperduck
The top 10 people of 2025 @nature.com who shaped science.
Recognizes Dr. Susan Monarez, the CDC Director who was "fired for holding the line on scientific integrity"
www.nature.com/immersive/d4...
December 8, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Reposted by Gupperduck
Breaking: Jeffrey Archer awarded FIFA Prize For Literature
December 6, 2025 at 7:47 PM
Reposted by Gupperduck
Your annual reminder that the most revealing difference between Irish and Scottish Gaelic is definitely in the words for December: Mí na Nollag (Month of Christmas) in Ireland, and An Dubhlachd (the Blackness) in Scotland. So once again may I wish you all a lovely Blackness.
December 1, 2025 at 1:00 PM
Reposted by Gupperduck
Happy Advent to you and your kin! And everyone else's kin too, come to that. As every December so far this decade, I'm going to do an Advent Calendar of beautiful and brilliant carols, with each day's added to a YouTube playlist and also to the ongoing Spotify one, now in its sixth(!) year.

👇👇👇👇👇👇👇
December 1, 2025 at 7:45 AM
Reposted by Gupperduck
📚Hey lovely people, since we're coming into the silly season, I thought it might be an idea to share my go-to cosy/comedy fantasy authors for a good, sanity-inducing laugh. If you're looking for an awesome read, you can't go wrong with the following:
November 30, 2025 at 6:36 AM
Reposted by Gupperduck
Honestly, it is possible to think 'I work hard to earn money; I deserve that money' and *also* 'it would be good if we created a more equal society: I'll help'. Exhausting to see everything presented as a fight to the death between those two ideas, seemingly forever.
November 27, 2025 at 4:15 PM