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Brian O'Halloran

@playingwithdust.bsky.social

2K followers 360 following 4K posts

Die hard Cruyffian. Ex astrophysicist. QPR devotee, for my multiple sins. Single parent.

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Brian O'Halloran @playingwithdust.bsky.social · Nov 7

Time for a (re) introduction for my new followers! I'm Brian, a fallen astrophysicist living on the Copper Coast in Waterford, Ireland. Most of my feed will be photos of this gorgeous part of the world, plus my astrophotography.

Oh, plus terrible football takes.

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Brian O'Halloran @playingwithdust.bsky.social · 4h

Canon mount? What sort of budget?

Brian O'Halloran @playingwithdust.bsky.social · 4h

Tonight's Moon.

(The Tamron 150-600mm remains an absolute beast.)

#astrophotography #speirgorm #ThePhotoHour

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Reposted by Brian O'Halloran

Gerry McBride @gerrymcbride.bsky.social · 7h

Niall Donald talking about how Jim Gavin ripped him off included the truest, most Irish statement I’ve ever heard in my life, like this absolutely would be what your friends would say to you in these circumstances

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Reposted by Brian O'Halloran

Ewamore, Quoth the Raven @ewacat.bsky.social · 7h

i have to stop myself thinking about this too much because the rage of it is so great. and then the general sense on top of that that books simply don't matter as much as films and music so they're worth throwing away!

Strange Days at Blake Hol(e)sey High 👻 🍑 @reactionordinary.bsky.social · 7h

The RIAA was suing teenagers. We had to sit through ⬇️ this shit anytime we wanted to watch a DVD. A whole generation shamed for using Limewire and torrents. Only for these silicone valley assholes to now find copyright infringement a necessary evil they shouldn’t have to answer for

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Brian O'Halloran @playingwithdust.bsky.social · 6h

Boatstrand Harbour at low tide. #speirgorm #waterford #ireland

A harbour without water, as seen from 120m high.

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Brian O'Halloran @playingwithdust.bsky.social · 7h

A little lunchtime fun with the Mini 5 Pro... #speirgorm #waterford

youtu.be/qs4vdWSkIbo?...

Flying over the Copper Coast with the Mini 5 Pro

YouTube video by Brian O'Halloran

youtu.be

Reposted by Brian O'Halloran

Simon McGarr @tupped.bsky.social · 7h

Without the EU cover, I think this is also likely the end (for the moment anyway) of the Irish Minister for Justice’s plan to require software companies and platforms to break encryption.

Though he may not issue a press release to say so.

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Reposted by Brian O'Halloran

Simon McGarr @tupped.bsky.social · 7h

See this?

This story is the sound of a bullet you didn’t even know was coming at you whistling past your right ear.

Suzanne Smalley @suzannesmalley.bsky.social · 10h

Germany will not support Chat Control - a law which proposes to scan all messages people send even on end-to-end encrypted platforms - Justice Minister said today. German stance likely dooms the measure. Signal had threatened to leave the EU if Chat Control became law
therecord.media/chat-control...

Germany will not support 'Chat Control' message scanning in the EU

“Random chat monitoring must be taboo in a constitutional state,” Federal Justice Minister Stefanie Hubig said as German officials signaled they will not vote for a controversial EU proposal known as ...

therecord.media

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Reposted by Brian O'Halloran

Keith W. Dickinson @keithwdickinson.bsky.social · 14h

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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Brian O'Halloran @playingwithdust.bsky.social · 12h

Astrophotography season, baby!

Met Office - weather and climate @metoffice.gov.uk · 12h

Noticing the nights drawing in? 🌙

October brings a big shift with most of the UK losing over 2 hours of daylight this month!

Do you enjoy the cosy evenings or miss the longer days?

Map of the UK showing daylight lost during October by region. Northern areas like Lerwick lose about 2 hours 40 minutes, Stornoway 2 hours 30 minutes, Aberdeen 2 hours 20 minutes, Glasgow and Newcastle 2 hours 10 minutes, Manchester and Birmingham 2 hours, and southern areas such as London and Plymouth about 1 hour 50 minutes. Background uses colour bands to indicate daylight loss.

Brian O'Halloran @playingwithdust.bsky.social · 12h

Bonus fan pic

Brian O'Halloran @playingwithdust.bsky.social · 13h

Oooh.

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Reposted by Brian O'Halloran

James Austin @jamesdaustin.bsky.social · 17h

This is my basic theory for a lot of what is going on with the centre right atm

The ideas failed utterly and now there is a total crisis of intellectual confidence

Indy @indy.bsky.social · 2d

It nags at me that people are dancing around the fact that one reason centre-right think-tanks are in an intellectual crisis moment is because we've spent over a decade where lots of their ideas were tried out and didn't pan out as advertised.

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Reposted by Brian O'Halloran

Doug Mack @douglasmack.bsky.social · 19h

the most delightful version of logging on to see what news you've missed

Dr Ramsdell, whose phone had been on airplane mode when the Nobel committee tried to call him, told the BBC's Newshour Programme that his first response when his wife said, "You've won the Nobel prize" was: "I did not."

To which Ms O'Neill replied that she had 200 text messages that suggested he had.

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Reposted by Brian O'Halloran

Marina Benjamin @marinabenjamin.bsky.social · 17h

Emotional abuse hides. You can exist in an abusive relationship for years and explain it away. Until the penny drops. Then you can no longer stay.
psyche.co/turning-poin...

My husband had been abusive for years, I just couldn’t see it | Psyche Turning points

A smart, educated woman, there’s no way I could have ended up in an abusive relationship, could I?

psyche.co

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Reposted by Brian O'Halloran

El Espectro 👻 🎃 @telescoper.bsky.social · 16h

Solidarity with colleagues at Imperial College who are on strike this week.

University and College Union (UCU) @ucu.org.uk · 1d

Imperial staff have had enough.

A 2% below-inflation offer from one of the wealthiest universities in the UK is an insult to every worker who keeps it running.

Today we strike for fair pay, decent conditions, and respect ✊🔥

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Brian O'Halloran @playingwithdust.bsky.social · 17h

I don't think anyone of us could handle losing Dolly, especially right now.

Reposted by Brian O'Halloran

lynbw @lynbw.bsky.social · 17h

Phew!

Gabe Ortíz @tusk81.bsky.social · 20h

“I didn’t mean to scare anyone or make it sound so serious … She’s been a little under the weather and I simply asked for prayers bc I believe so strongly in the power of prayer. It was nothing more than a little sister asking for prayers for her big sister. Thank you all for lifting her up.”

Gabe Ortíz @tusk81.bsky.social · 20h

DON’T SCARE US LIKE THIS, FREIDA www.wsmv.com/2025/10/08/i...

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Brian O'Halloran @playingwithdust.bsky.social · 17h

This morning's Moon.

(The Tamron 150-600mm, with the x1.4 teleconverter, is an absolute beast. Look at the details along the terminator! This is going to be a fun lens to play with.) #astrophotography #ThePhotoHour

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Reposted by Brian O'Halloran

lynbw @lynbw.bsky.social · 18h

My 100% atheist self is lighting a candle today, my sweetest smelling special one I've been hording, because that's a light I can't bear to see leaving this plain

Phil Lewis @phillewis.bsky.social · 1d

Dolly Parton's sister is asking fans to "pray with me" amid the country music icon's health issues

Dolly Parton’s Sister Says ‘I Was Up All Night Praying’ Amid Country Icon’s Health Issues and Asks Fans to ‘Pray With Me’

Dolly Parton's sister Frieda is asking fans of the Queen of Country to "pray with me" amid Dolly's continued health struggles.

variety.com

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Reposted by Brian O'Halloran

Neil Jackman @neiljackman.bsky.social · 1d

Me every single budget day:

STOP GIVING MILLIONS TO GREYHOUND RACING

a cartoon of spongebob squarepants giving a thumbs up sign

Alt: a cartoon of spongebob squarepants giving a thumbs up as he gets blasted by a megaphone

media.tenor.com

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Reposted by Brian O'Halloran

Frédéric Moreau @goodclimate.bsky.social · 1d

This lurid headline is about British tourists no longer getting away with overstaying in Schengen. Or being 'illegals', as it's often called in the UK.

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Brian O'Halloran @playingwithdust.bsky.social · 1d

This is the only reason why social media should exist.

Grem, of 𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐌𝐂𝐎𝐑𝐏 🔜 MCAtlanta! @gremlin.world · 3d

I will never not repost this

(Sound on for maximum effect)

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Brian O'Halloran @playingwithdust.bsky.social · 1d

Stephen, as I mentioned before, came from my housing estate in Carrick. His parents are in the grave next to my family's.

Well familiar with all that he's gone through over the years. Hope this sells well.

The Irish Times @irishtimes.com · 1d

The Bass Player by Stephen Travers: No easy answers to aftermath of Miami Showband massacre

Book moves rather disconcertingly from reflections on author’s musical life to aftermath of murderous episode in 1975

www.irishtimes.com

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Reposted by Brian O'Halloran

rubot @rubot.ie · 1d

luke skywalker -
- farmer
- lives on a windswept island in the atlantic
- emotionally damaged by religion
- starts fights in pubs, big head on him

- irish.

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