Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Jonathan Sanderson @jjsanderson.bsky.social · 22h

Backstreet blues.

A backstreet scene in Whitley Bay, looking down an alleyway through an arch to blue sea. A brightly-sunlit lifebelt gleams orange, framed by the arch. The top corner of frame sees a slash of crisp blue sky.

iPhone 17 Pro, uncorrected.

Jonathan Sanderson @jjsanderson.bsky.social · 3d

Come to think, I had unconditional acceptances from Cambridge, Imperial and Nottingham… and a rejection from Sheffield. I quite admired them for that. 😂

Jonathan Sanderson @jjsanderson.bsky.social · 3d

That said, occasionally ‘unconditional offers’ are made. Which are precisely what they sound like.

I’m not sure how commonplace they are. ‘Not at all,’ I think. I had some, but (a) that was in 1990, and (b) I was applying after I had my results, for reasons.

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Jonathan Sanderson @jjsanderson.bsky.social · 3d

Sort-of. Prospective students are typically made a ‘conditional offer’: “We’ll take you if you get at least these grades in the exams you’re about to take.”

It’s fairly nuts, but not quite ‘We like the cut of your jib, you’re in’ nuts.

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Jonathan Sanderson @jjsanderson.bsky.social · 4d

This shelving unit isn’t how I’d intended to spend my Saturday, but it’s quite satisfying and will solve several problems I hadn’t quite realised I had. Tomorrow I hope to fit wall mounts for bicycles, off the right of this shot.

A freshly-assembled IKEA Ivar shelving unit in my garage, with assorted not-yet-unpacked boxes and some bicycles visible.

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Jonathan Sanderson @jjsanderson.bsky.social · 4d

Infinity bat! Epic!

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Jonathan Sanderson @jjsanderson.bsky.social · 4d

This epic endeavour deserves wider exposure.

matt sephton @gingerbeardman.com · 4d

Quiz! What early 90s computer and/or video game magazine am I reading? I would guess it’s ST FORMAT. Can we find it? Would be fun to read it again.

Jonathan Sanderson @jjsanderson.bsky.social · 8d

Trying to set up something apparently a bit complex in Apple Home. So far I have Zigbee hardware, Docker on a Raspberry Pi, an MQTT broker, HomeBridge, and now I’m reading about the limitations of stateless switches and HomeBridge virtual devices. All of this for [checks notes] a light switch.

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Jonathan Sanderson @jjsanderson.bsky.social · 8d

The stories of Tim Hunkin's exhibit builds are invariably sparse, charming, and filled with the quiet pain of nothing ever working properly until it does. All the hidden bits of making, laid bare. www.timhunkin.com/a269_making-...

the Secret Life of Machines

www.timhunkin.com

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Jonathan Sanderson @jjsanderson.bsky.social · 9d

Möbnion ring. Not so popular, because there’s only one side to get crispy, and they’re terribly hard to cut in half.

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Reposted by Jonathan Sanderson

Elf M. Sternberg @elfsternberg.bsky.social · 11d

Why are ICE officers so bad at their jobs? This paper gives the reason: they were ALWAYS mediocre, incompetent, or dishonorable cops. Signing on to the secret police, being willing to do the "ugly" jobs, gives them a career advancement path those qualities blocked under more moral systems.

tim frye @timfrye.bsky.social · 11d

So many echoes from this article for US politics....

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Jonathan Sanderson @jjsanderson.bsky.social · 14d

Oh blimey. That sounds… serious. And fascinating. And possibly quite hard. Respect. I hope it’s awesome; I’m sure you will be.

Jonathan Sanderson @jjsanderson.bsky.social · 14d

Yeah, Marathon Plus are lead overshoes in bicycle tyre form. But Efficiencies do feel very different, much more like something you’d want to ride rather than fit and never look at again. 😀

Jonathan Sanderson @jjsanderson.bsky.social · 14d

Brain fart. Had forgotten that Marathon Efficiency is also a Schwalbe tyre.

It’s all so confusing. I can’t cope with there being 19 variations of Marathon. Grumble mutter humbug.

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Jonathan Sanderson @jjsanderson.bsky.social · 14d

Ooh interesting. I put a set of Conti Marathon Efficiencies on my Topstone, and I like but don’t love them. Was wondering if I should have gone with G-One Allrounds. I hadn’t anticipated how much of my new commute would be on gravel, ironically.

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Jonathan Sanderson @jjsanderson.bsky.social · 14d

Much better than I’ve ever managed. Chapeau!

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Jonathan Sanderson @jjsanderson.bsky.social · 14d

OooOOOooooohhh! Whatcha’ doin’?

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Jonathan Sanderson @jjsanderson.bsky.social · 16d

Pleased as I am to see a retrospective of landmark ITV productions, I’m also disappointed there’s no mention of any children’s programmes. A key part of the network’s public service remit … overlooked. www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio...

Hard to believe it happened! 70 unforgettable (and unforgivable) shows from 70 years of ITV

From TV so controversial the Foreign Office tried to ban it … to Emmerdale Farm. As the broadcaster hits 70, we look back on the highlights – and lowlights

www.theguardian.com

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Jonathan Sanderson @jjsanderson.bsky.social · 18d

This should be fun.

Nic Whitton @nicwhitton.bsky.social · 18d

My inaugural lecture for Northumbria University, State of Play: A History of Playful Learning in Ten Video Games, will be on 15 October 2025 online and in-person. All welcome.

Guest appearance by everyone's favourite badger and drinks somewhere afterwards.

www.northumbria.ac.uk/about-us/new...

State of Play: A history of Playful Learning in 10 Video Games

www.northumbria.ac.uk

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Jonathan Sanderson @jjsanderson.bsky.social · 18d

Inventions I would like to see no. 216: the snagless coat hanger.

Bonus points for the smart version which reads an RFID dot sewn into the garment label, and (a) can tell you where that shirt is, (b) pings you when you take items which really don’t go together.

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Reposted by Jonathan Sanderson

Neil Norman And His Cosmic Orchestra @fubsyshabaroon.bsky.social · 19d

🎶 When your eel gets all wack
On a Thames full of gak
That’s a moray 🎶

Cocaine in the River Thames is 'another problem eels don't need', says expert

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Jonathan Sanderson @jjsanderson.bsky.social · 19d

Worst version of Whamageddon ever.

Hope it’s mild for you.

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Jonathan Sanderson @jjsanderson.bsky.social · 20d

@pimoroni.com are brilliant.

That is all.

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Jonathan Sanderson @jjsanderson.bsky.social · 22d

I use my Apple TV as a Thread border router. tvOS 26 appears to have knocked all my Thread devices offline. Users of home automation equipment will not be surprised.

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Jonathan Sanderson @jjsanderson.bsky.social · 22d

Like most scicommers ‘of a certain age,’ I crossed paths - if not swords - with Kenward on a few occasions. He was a character, and he got stuff done. Both of which I find admirable. The sector owes him more than many today will know.

JoBrodie @jobrodie.bsky.social · 22d

Sorry to learn that science journalist Michael Kenward has died (I knew him through the Association of British Science Writers and the psci-com mailing list) www.absw.org.uk/articles/the...

The world of science journalism is poorer without Mike Kenward

"Mike changed my life. Twice." By Peter Wrobel, director of Science Business Publishing and freelance science writer.

www.absw.org.uk

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