Martin Smith
@martsky.bsky.social
Designer & researcher. UX Director @HiveIT_uk, @theRSAorg fellow. Mountain biker 🚵🏻♂️, paddler 🛶. Sheff Utd fan but not one of those football fans, honest. He /him
Reposted by Martin Smith
from now on this is what i'm calling all techbros
July 29, 2025 at 1:46 PM
from now on this is what i'm calling all techbros
Reposted by Martin Smith
Scenes from England
July 29, 2025 at 1:43 PM
Scenes from England
Reposted by Martin Smith
but it was ‘political correctness’ that stopped the police properly investigating
July 29, 2025 at 1:20 PM
but it was ‘political correctness’ that stopped the police properly investigating
Reposted by Martin Smith
Every UK petition is like this
July 11, 2025 at 5:23 PM
Every UK petition is like this
Reposted by Martin Smith
In any other field, no one would bat an eye at doctors describing a treatment that reduces depression, suicidal ideation and self-harm as "life saving." It's a perfectly acceptable shorthand.
But because gender-criticals have no evidence for their central claim, they constantly resort to gotchas.
But because gender-criticals have no evidence for their central claim, they constantly resort to gotchas.
June 29, 2025 at 3:34 PM
In any other field, no one would bat an eye at doctors describing a treatment that reduces depression, suicidal ideation and self-harm as "life saving." It's a perfectly acceptable shorthand.
But because gender-criticals have no evidence for their central claim, they constantly resort to gotchas.
But because gender-criticals have no evidence for their central claim, they constantly resort to gotchas.
Reposted by Martin Smith
This entire panic runs on weaponized pedantry.
It's true that studies have not proven that gender-affirming care reduces *completed* suicides but that is because teen suicide is very rare! So few kids transition that you can't do a study large enough to get statistical significance.
It's true that studies have not proven that gender-affirming care reduces *completed* suicides but that is because teen suicide is very rare! So few kids transition that you can't do a study large enough to get statistical significance.
June 29, 2025 at 3:31 PM
This entire panic runs on weaponized pedantry.
It's true that studies have not proven that gender-affirming care reduces *completed* suicides but that is because teen suicide is very rare! So few kids transition that you can't do a study large enough to get statistical significance.
It's true that studies have not proven that gender-affirming care reduces *completed* suicides but that is because teen suicide is very rare! So few kids transition that you can't do a study large enough to get statistical significance.
Reposted by Martin Smith
(also shows nicely why cars are a much bigger deal than planes, and a modest reduction in and electrification of driving would be as effective as a complete ban on flying)
A REMARKABLE JOURNEY: Not long ago, the UK’s power sector was the country’s largest source of carbon emissions.
Today, it has become the smallest emitter among all sectors.
Today, it has become the smallest emitter among all sectors.
July 1, 2025 at 9:25 AM
(also shows nicely why cars are a much bigger deal than planes, and a modest reduction in and electrification of driving would be as effective as a complete ban on flying)
Reposted by Martin Smith
Ummm actually cis women are often too feeble to lift the heavier pieces such as the rooks and knights, and their biologically feemale brains can't plan ahead more than one turn. Also what if a man pretends to be a female grand master in order to sexually assault someone at a chess tournament
IT’S FUCKING CHESS
What POSSIBLE advantage, even in the warped mind of a transphobe, could being transgender give you at chess? They’re so nakedly hateful they just can’t stand any trans person winning anything ever. Pathetic.
What POSSIBLE advantage, even in the warped mind of a transphobe, could being transgender give you at chess? They’re so nakedly hateful they just can’t stand any trans person winning anything ever. Pathetic.
June 30, 2025 at 1:26 PM
Ummm actually cis women are often too feeble to lift the heavier pieces such as the rooks and knights, and their biologically feemale brains can't plan ahead more than one turn. Also what if a man pretends to be a female grand master in order to sexually assault someone at a chess tournament
Reposted by Martin Smith
Good thread about conference affordability. I feel priced out of so many UX/user research conferences especially when you factor in hotel and travel. Not everyone is getting their employer to pay for stuff.
When I got involved with Front End North, one of the things I wanted to achieve was an affordable ticket price.
My inspiration was WordCamp London, which priced its tickets so that the whole community could come - not just developers, but testers, designers and writers too.
My inspiration was WordCamp London, which priced its tickets so that the whole community could come - not just developers, but testers, designers and writers too.
📢 Thanks to the generosity of local company @hiveit.co.uk and a few lovely individuals we are now able to offer a small number of diversity tickets for this year’s Front End North conference in Sheffield on 10th July.
See frontendnorth.com/blog/2025/06... for full details.
See frontendnorth.com/blog/2025/06... for full details.
June 27, 2025 at 7:45 AM
Good thread about conference affordability. I feel priced out of so many UX/user research conferences especially when you factor in hotel and travel. Not everyone is getting their employer to pay for stuff.
Reposted by Martin Smith
THREAAAAD
OK, so here’s my JJ Abrams story…
Before I started working in digital restoration one of my primary jobs in post-production support was running the in-house theater and screening rooms at work. Every now and again it would get booked for casting sessions, because it was perfectly suited for that…
Before I started working in digital restoration one of my primary jobs in post-production support was running the in-house theater and screening rooms at work. Every now and again it would get booked for casting sessions, because it was perfectly suited for that…
Happy birthday to the composer of the theme music to the nonexistent 70s private detective TV series “Chuck Taggart, Private Eye!”
That’s one hell of a story. I suppose it’s about time I told it…
That’s one hell of a story. I suppose it’s about time I told it…
June 27, 2025 at 7:54 AM
THREAAAAD
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As it’s 20 June, we might celebrate any number of marvellous events today. Firstly, there’s the 451st anniversary of the birth of Wilhelm Kettler, Duke of Courland and Semigallia, and owner and wearer of these still unsurpassed trousers
June 20, 2025 at 7:51 AM
As it’s 20 June, we might celebrate any number of marvellous events today. Firstly, there’s the 451st anniversary of the birth of Wilhelm Kettler, Duke of Courland and Semigallia, and owner and wearer of these still unsurpassed trousers
Reposted by Martin Smith
Computers used to scream every time they connected to the Internet. They knew. They tried to warn us. We did not listen.
June 22, 2025 at 10:15 PM
Computers used to scream every time they connected to the Internet. They knew. They tried to warn us. We did not listen.
Reposted by Martin Smith
📢 Thanks to the generosity of local company @hiveit.co.uk and a few lovely individuals we are now able to offer a small number of diversity tickets for this year’s Front End North conference in Sheffield on 10th July.
See frontendnorth.com/blog/2025/06... for full details.
See frontendnorth.com/blog/2025/06... for full details.
Apply for a diversity ticket for Front End North | Front End North Conference
Front End North is pleased to offer a small number of diversity tickets for this year’s conference
frontendnorth.com
June 13, 2025 at 12:28 PM
📢 Thanks to the generosity of local company @hiveit.co.uk and a few lovely individuals we are now able to offer a small number of diversity tickets for this year’s Front End North conference in Sheffield on 10th July.
See frontendnorth.com/blog/2025/06... for full details.
See frontendnorth.com/blog/2025/06... for full details.
Reposted by Martin Smith
I was terrified of this image when I saw it on the inner sleeve of one of my dad’s records aged five. Haunted me. It didn’t make any sense to me. No one dressed like that in Dunstable.
June 9, 2025 at 8:33 PM
I was terrified of this image when I saw it on the inner sleeve of one of my dad’s records aged five. Haunted me. It didn’t make any sense to me. No one dressed like that in Dunstable.
Reposted by Martin Smith
ANYONE who thinks ANY group should accept fewer human rights than everyone else is totally unfit to serve as an EHRC commissioner.
June 6, 2025 at 8:40 AM
ANYONE who thinks ANY group should accept fewer human rights than everyone else is totally unfit to serve as an EHRC commissioner.
Reposted by Martin Smith
The public meltdown happening between the world’s richest man 🙄 and the President of the United States 🙄🙄 once again begs the age-old question: are men simply too emotional to be in positions of power?
June 5, 2025 at 11:04 PM
The public meltdown happening between the world’s richest man 🙄 and the President of the United States 🙄🙄 once again begs the age-old question: are men simply too emotional to be in positions of power?
Reposted by Martin Smith
If you think there is a giant conspiracy between the British government, the media, and a handful of well-funded genitally-obsessed bigots to harass and dehumanize trans people, that's because there is.
Mary-Ann Stephenson was very active in feminist politics in Coventry during the 2010s. I can confirm she is extremely transphobic, although she always kept her nastiest comments behind closed doors.
This proposed appointment should be resisted in the strongest possible terms.
This proposed appointment should be resisted in the strongest possible terms.
June 5, 2025 at 4:29 PM
If you think there is a giant conspiracy between the British government, the media, and a handful of well-funded genitally-obsessed bigots to harass and dehumanize trans people, that's because there is.
Reposted by Martin Smith
This is so fucking good
May 19, 2025 at 12:01 PM
This is so fucking good
Reposted by Martin Smith
I genuinely find this very shocking. Paul Nurse isn't a fringe figure or a random academic. Astonishing that government wasn't *approaching* the Crick for support with testing, even more astonishing that they ignored his frequent attempts to get in touch to offer expertise essentially for free.
Astonishing evidence at the Covid Inquiry.
The Government repeatedly ignored offers from the Crick Institute to provide mass testing on a national scale.
Instead, the Government paid Deloitte consultants to project manage, not yet established, privately run labs.
1/2
The Government repeatedly ignored offers from the Crick Institute to provide mass testing on a national scale.
Instead, the Government paid Deloitte consultants to project manage, not yet established, privately run labs.
1/2
May 19, 2025 at 1:53 PM
I genuinely find this very shocking. Paul Nurse isn't a fringe figure or a random academic. Astonishing that government wasn't *approaching* the Crick for support with testing, even more astonishing that they ignored his frequent attempts to get in touch to offer expertise essentially for free.
Reposted by Martin Smith
Nick Tyrone: the audience vote for Eurovision shows the left are wrong on Israel-Palestine
The "audience": I'm voting hundreds of times for Israel
The "audience": I'm voting hundreds of times for Israel
May 18, 2025 at 11:17 AM
Nick Tyrone: the audience vote for Eurovision shows the left are wrong on Israel-Palestine
The "audience": I'm voting hundreds of times for Israel
The "audience": I'm voting hundreds of times for Israel
Reposted by Martin Smith
guess where they got their weird trade deficit math from?
i went to the pit for y'all and brought back the screenshots with alt text
i went to the pit for y'all and brought back the screenshots with alt text
![chatgpt log:
What would be an easy way to calculate the tariffs that should be imposed on other countries so that the US is on even-playing fields when it comes to trade deficit? Set minimum at 10%.
Reasoned about trade tariffs and deficits for 10 seconds v
A straightforward (if naïve) method is to set the tariff rate for each trading partner equal to the percentage share of the trade deficit relative to that country's total imports-always no less than 10%. In formula form:
Tariff Rate (%) = max(10, (Trade Deficit ÷ Total Imports) *
100)
For example, if the US runs a $20 billion deficit on $100 billion worth of imports from a country, the calculated rate is (20/100)×100 = 20%. If the deficit were only 5%, you'd still impose a 10% floor.
This method ignores the intricate dynamics of international trade-such as elasticities, retaliatory measures, and supply chain nuances-but it provides a blunt, proportional rule to "level the playing field." One might implement it in Python like so:
[code]](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:iyz5zf463ic52vqbonyu2ebu/bafkreigbalqxjorllnpelbwe5kcla5fdedxvgv3cicxdsrbdxarodif5ba@jpeg)
![Grok:
the deficit. The deficit as a percentage of total trade is
$295B/$582B = 50.69%. Using the formula Tariff% = 10% +
(Deficit% × Scaling Factor), we choose a scaling factor of 50 for illustration:
• Tariff = 10% + (50.69% × 50) = 10% + 25.345% = 35.345%, rounded to 35.3%.
This means a 35.3% tariff on Chinese goods could be proposed to offset the imbalance, aiming to reduce imports and encourage domestic production or exports.
Extending to Other Countries
To provide a broader view, here's a table of top US trading partners with 2024 deficits, using data from The Motley Fool and similar calculations (assuming scaling factor of 50 for consistency):
[data table headings]
Country
Deficit
(USD
Billion)
Total
Trade
(USD
Billion)
Deficit %
Calculate d Tariff %
China
-295
582
50.69%
35.3%
Mexico
-172
840
20.48%
20.2%
Vietnam
-123
(Data incomplet e, estimate)
~30%
25.0%
Ireland
-87
(Data incomplet e, estimate)
~25%
22.5%
Germany
-85
(Data incomplete estimate)
~20%
20.0%](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:iyz5zf463ic52vqbonyu2ebu/bafkreietqlxsi5akdrvtp2rwqpc6kt6g6bbb2dppqcfn2j4q7xkofn4f4y@jpeg)
April 3, 2025 at 12:42 AM
guess where they got their weird trade deficit math from?
i went to the pit for y'all and brought back the screenshots with alt text
i went to the pit for y'all and brought back the screenshots with alt text
Reposted by Martin Smith
“We're not just basically peddling high-octane films about helicopter rides across the dwindling glaciers”
The Sheffield Adventure Film Festival returns for 2025, and this year its putting the spotlight on our relationship with the living world.
@sammgreg.bsky.social reports 🏂
#ShAFF #Sheffield
The Sheffield Adventure Film Festival returns for 2025, and this year its putting the spotlight on our relationship with the living world.
@sammgreg.bsky.social reports 🏂
#ShAFF #Sheffield
This year’s Sheffield Adventure Film Festival is putting the future of our planet front and centre
ShAFF has long been known for its blend of extreme sports and white-knuckle adventures – but the festival now wants to explore our relationship with the living world.
nowthenmagazine.com
March 12, 2025 at 3:51 PM
“We're not just basically peddling high-octane films about helicopter rides across the dwindling glaciers”
The Sheffield Adventure Film Festival returns for 2025, and this year its putting the spotlight on our relationship with the living world.
@sammgreg.bsky.social reports 🏂
#ShAFF #Sheffield
The Sheffield Adventure Film Festival returns for 2025, and this year its putting the spotlight on our relationship with the living world.
@sammgreg.bsky.social reports 🏂
#ShAFF #Sheffield
Reposted by Martin Smith
important to establish consent
March 6, 2025 at 4:50 PM
important to establish consent
Reposted by Martin Smith
I absolutely bloody despise the "hand over your data or pay up" model and I hate that the useless effing ICO thinks this is OK. In other news, either set up a Pi-hole if you're reasonably handy with tech, or sign up for NextDNS, which does the same thing in the cloud nextdns.io
March 6, 2025 at 5:58 PM
I absolutely bloody despise the "hand over your data or pay up" model and I hate that the useless effing ICO thinks this is OK. In other news, either set up a Pi-hole if you're reasonably handy with tech, or sign up for NextDNS, which does the same thing in the cloud nextdns.io
Reposted by Martin Smith
The greatest backstory ever.
February 17, 2025 at 8:31 AM
The greatest backstory ever.