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Nelson Minar @nelson.tech.lgbt.ap.brid.gy · 21h

Today has been 7 hours on an LNER train from London to Aberdeen. Long ride but comfortable and restful. Lots of pleasant views that are hard to photograph.

A flat landscape somewhere in northern England

Berwick-on-Tweed, a pleasant town with a harbour and bridges

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Nelson Minar @nelson.tech.lgbt.ap.brid.gy · 1d

You can't Quick Share a file from an Android phone to a laptop using that phone as a hotspot. 🤦‍♂️

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Nelson Minar @nelson.tech.lgbt.ap.brid.gy · 1d

Breakfast at my elegant London hotel, listening to the America business bro next to me harangue his captive audience. His company has a best of class agentic AI product at scale. It integrates fully with the Blockchain.

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Nelson Minar @nelson.tech.lgbt.ap.brid.gy · 1d

More from our Greenwich trip: Royal Maritime Museum, a view of the Shard framed in the Tower Bridge.

Carmichael's 'Erebus' and 'Terror' in the Antarctic (1847)

Tower Bridge + Shard from Thames Clipper

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Nelson Minar @nelson.tech.lgbt.ap.brid.gy · 1d

Went out to Greenwich, home of so much timekeeping and navigation research. Didn't love the observatory visit but it's lovely out there.

Unusual sundial: the shadows of the two dolphin tails function as gnomons

Ken at the Prime Meridian (*)
(*) the old one

Me in front of the Greenwich observatory dome

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Nelson Minar @nelson.tech.lgbt.ap.brid.gy · 2d

Selfie with a bust of Lord Admiral Nelson with a feather boa.

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Nelson Minar @nelson.tech.lgbt.ap.brid.gy · 2d

Once again as a tourist in (near) Europe, reminded that Organic Maps and OpenStreetMap is so much better at walking maps than Google.

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Nelson Minar @nelson.tech.lgbt.ap.brid.gy · 2d

@mathowie did you mean ducking design?

Nelson Minar @nelson.tech.lgbt.ap.brid.gy · 2d

More from the African collection. This collection of Benin bronze plaques is phenomenal but a heartbreaking story of British rapaciousness. I was glad the placards were forthright about their provenance.

"The Fraternization of Animals" (Ethiopia)

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Nelson Minar @nelson.tech.lgbt.ap.brid.gy · 2d

Some of the African collection. This room was very exciting to me, much more vibrant and interesting than a bunch of old crumbling statues. A lot of this is contemporary art. Well chosen!

A sort of cloth made of foil from wine bottles

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Nelson Minar @nelson.tech.lgbt.ap.brid.gy · 2d

The Enlightenment room at the British Museum. This is is a favorite, both for the cabinet of curiosities pleasure and also for its detailed explication of historiography and European intellectual culture. These photos don't do it justice.

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Nelson Minar @nelson.tech.lgbt.ap.brid.gy · 2d

British Museum today. First the obligatory Egyptian + Greek stuff.

"Network" mosaic glass bowl from Crete, 200BC

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Nelson Minar @nelson.tech.lgbt.ap.brid.gy · 3d

@jamesog I was wondering about that. Paris has invested enormously in bicycle infrastructure, not yet London. Also the weather here is not always conducive...

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Nelson Minar @nelson.tech.lgbt.ap.brid.gy · 3d

I am liking London a lot. But it sure is hard getting around. Everything I want to see in central London is a 20-30 minute walk: great! But if you don't want to walk, it's also a 20-30 minute cab ride (traffic) our 20-30 minute bus/underground. Bicycles are probably the answer.

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Nelson Minar @nelson.tech.lgbt.ap.brid.gy · 3d

@waldoj his illustrations for Punch are fun and witty, too.

Nelson Minar @nelson.tech.lgbt.ap.brid.gy · 3d

And Sambourne House, a successful 19th c. illustrator. Staunchly middle class but with a lot of taste and personality.

A photo of Linley Sambourne looking very camp

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Nelson Minar @nelson.tech.lgbt.ap.brid.gy · 3d

Leighton house, a successful 19th century artist and bachelor.

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Nelson Minar @nelson.tech.lgbt.ap.brid.gy · 4d

Enjoying London but realizing I really want to spend more time here, like a month in an apartment. What neighborhood would I want to be in? Reasonably central but still a real neighborhood. Gay-friendly would be nice. Comfortable and a little quieter would be welcome.

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Nelson Minar @nelson.tech.lgbt.ap.brid.gy · 4d

Blustery day in London. Went up The Shard to enjoy the view, then took the boat back up the river to Westminster.

Ken and the London Eye. It was very windy.

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Nelson Minar @nelson.tech.lgbt.ap.brid.gy · 5d

Encountering a lot of the scam where I buy something in the UK and it recognizes my US credit card and charges me in dollars instead of pounds. With a currency conversion fee, often 3% or more. I do not have the option to prevent this. Mostly this is at POS […]

[Original post on tech.lgbt]

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Nelson Minar @nelson.tech.lgbt.ap.brid.gy · 5d

ChatGPT is just amazing for tourism. I can ask it random questions like "Tell me about this museum" and it automatically digests all sorts of info on what's there, how to visit most easily, what to do nearby. So, so much better than working through bad tourist websites and guidebooks.

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Nelson Minar @nelson.tech.lgbt.ap.brid.gy · 5d

Rainy first day so we toured underground at the Churchill War Rooms. Which was quite interesting, particularly for its reconstruction of everyday life living in a bunker. Paring back the wartime government to the forty essential personnel. (Including Churchill's wife, "for moral support".)

Some data visualizations from the map room, originals?

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Nelson Minar @nelson.tech.lgbt.ap.brid.gy · 6d

Arrived London! Still pretty wiped out from travel but we managed to get to Covent Garden for a glass of wine and a bite to eat. Rainy day plan tomorrow is the Churchill War Rooms.

Ken with a glass of wine in a festive restaurant

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Nelson Minar @nelson.tech.lgbt.ap.brid.gy · 7d

British Airways A380 has this bizarre business class layout. 4 across and the middle two seats are basically a loveseat. Which is awkward for me and the 12 year old girl next to me.

Nelson Minar @nelson.tech.lgbt.ap.brid.gy · 8d

Grindr introduces "gay I", some privacy invading thing you have to opt out of. This is the same company that once sold their users HIV status to advertisers.

AI for Personalization &
Connection
Grindr may use your personal information for
features powered by generative AI and
machine learning (together, "AI") to help
personalize the user experience and support
more authentic, meaningful connections.
These AI features are integrated across the
Grindr platform to enhance the quality, timing,
and relevance of your interactions. We may
refer to our Al-powered features and our use of
AI as "gAITM" (pronounced "gay I"). You control
whether your personal information is used to
(1) develop and train AI technology or (2)
power AI features in your Privacy Settings.
Even if you opt out of training uses, your
information may still be used for Al-powered
features unless you also opt out of those, and
those are separate, independent controls.
Some features may be limited to premium
subscribers, but all users may benefit through
increased visibility and connection
opportunities. Please review our Privacy Policy
for more details.

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