Ben Taylor
@vox-dei.bsky.social
Sci-fi, gaming, coding, some science (particularly marine/climate and remote sensing). Also random things that my cats or kids have done or grumping about politics, probably.
Reposted by Ben Taylor
There is is something very important to bear in mind when looking at Reform's drop in the polls in Wales.
Yes, their vote share has dropped...BUT... this doesn't mean that fewer people are supporting them...
1/4
Yes, their vote share has dropped...BUT... this doesn't mean that fewer people are supporting them...
1/4
January 19, 2026 at 6:39 PM
There is is something very important to bear in mind when looking at Reform's drop in the polls in Wales.
Yes, their vote share has dropped...BUT... this doesn't mean that fewer people are supporting them...
1/4
Yes, their vote share has dropped...BUT... this doesn't mean that fewer people are supporting them...
1/4
Reposted by Ben Taylor
Sto Lat-ass post
January 19, 2026 at 8:47 AM
Sto Lat-ass post
You think about how high you'd have to be on Earth to get that kind of curvature, and how big that would make those mountains, and you think, those mountains are huge. Or wait, that (dwarf) planet is tiny. Or both.
(I have no idea how big the mountains on Pluto are!)
(I have no idea how big the mountains on Pluto are!)
These are the icy mountains of Pluto. It took 9 years to get these magnificent images… and 4.8 billion kilometers.
January 19, 2026 at 9:14 AM
You think about how high you'd have to be on Earth to get that kind of curvature, and how big that would make those mountains, and you think, those mountains are huge. Or wait, that (dwarf) planet is tiny. Or both.
(I have no idea how big the mountains on Pluto are!)
(I have no idea how big the mountains on Pluto are!)
Bring it on, bitch.
Europe needs to understand that if they keep giving in on tariffs, Trump will keep using them. Because he understands that they work on us, he has said so explicitly.
www.ft.com/content/6055... via @financialtimes.com
Europe needs to understand that if they keep giving in on tariffs, Trump will keep using them. Because he understands that they work on us, he has said so explicitly.
www.ft.com/content/6055... via @financialtimes.com
Trump to hit Europe with 10% tariffs if it opposes Greenland takeover
US president said levies against eight nations would rise to 25% unless they support his acquisition of the island
www.ft.com
January 17, 2026 at 5:01 PM
Bring it on, bitch.
Europe needs to understand that if they keep giving in on tariffs, Trump will keep using them. Because he understands that they work on us, he has said so explicitly.
www.ft.com/content/6055... via @financialtimes.com
Europe needs to understand that if they keep giving in on tariffs, Trump will keep using them. Because he understands that they work on us, he has said so explicitly.
www.ft.com/content/6055... via @financialtimes.com
Scientist outwits authoritarian scum. Feels like a tale for our time. 😆
Okay, here's the story of George de Hevesy vs the Nazis! I really do love telling this story.
First, some background: George de Hevesy was a Hungarian-Jewish chemist, but he spent most of his career post-1920 attached to the Niels Bohr institute at the University of Copenhagen, in Denmark. (1/n)
First, some background: George de Hevesy was a Hungarian-Jewish chemist, but he spent most of his career post-1920 attached to the Niels Bohr institute at the University of Copenhagen, in Denmark. (1/n)
January 16, 2026 at 9:36 AM
Scientist outwits authoritarian scum. Feels like a tale for our time. 😆
You forget that laws in other places are different, sometimes. An old family friend has started the process towards assisted dying in Ontario. She couldn't do that if she lived here in the UK and it has come as a shock.
She bounced me on her knee when I was little. 😢
She bounced me on her knee when I was little. 😢
January 14, 2026 at 8:26 PM
You forget that laws in other places are different, sometimes. An old family friend has started the process towards assisted dying in Ontario. She couldn't do that if she lived here in the UK and it has come as a shock.
She bounced me on her knee when I was little. 😢
She bounced me on her knee when I was little. 😢
Reposted by Ben Taylor
Another magical sunrise over misty, frosty fields
January 14, 2026 at 9:37 AM
Another magical sunrise over misty, frosty fields
Reposted by Ben Taylor
In China, driverless delivery vans have become a total meme, they plow through crumbling roads, fresh concrete, motorcycles, anything.
Nothing stops them. #cdnpoli
Nothing stops them. #cdnpoli
January 12, 2026 at 8:51 AM
In China, driverless delivery vans have become a total meme, they plow through crumbling roads, fresh concrete, motorcycles, anything.
Nothing stops them. #cdnpoli
Nothing stops them. #cdnpoli
Made a booking with Booking.com three days ago and am receiving phishing attempts via WhatsApp with the correct name, booking reference, dates, hotel and cost. Confirmed with their customer service it's a phish.
Take care booking with them at the moment, looks like their systems are compromised.
Take care booking with them at the moment, looks like their systems are compromised.
booking.com
January 13, 2026 at 11:31 AM
Made a booking with Booking.com three days ago and am receiving phishing attempts via WhatsApp with the correct name, booking reference, dates, hotel and cost. Confirmed with their customer service it's a phish.
Take care booking with them at the moment, looks like their systems are compromised.
Take care booking with them at the moment, looks like their systems are compromised.
Reposted by Ben Taylor
We love to see it!
Community-created harm reduction infrastructure to contest the alarming integration of AI agents into the Windows operating system (which is currently the most reckless deployment environment) ♥️
github.com/zoicware/Rem...
Community-created harm reduction infrastructure to contest the alarming integration of AI agents into the Windows operating system (which is currently the most reckless deployment environment) ♥️
github.com/zoicware/Rem...
GitHub - zoicware/RemoveWindowsAI: Force Remove Copilot, Recall and More in Windows 11
Force Remove Copilot, Recall and More in Windows 11 - zoicware/RemoveWindowsAI
github.com
January 12, 2026 at 6:48 PM
We love to see it!
Community-created harm reduction infrastructure to contest the alarming integration of AI agents into the Windows operating system (which is currently the most reckless deployment environment) ♥️
github.com/zoicware/Rem...
Community-created harm reduction infrastructure to contest the alarming integration of AI agents into the Windows operating system (which is currently the most reckless deployment environment) ♥️
github.com/zoicware/Rem...
This. Enough with the useless obsequiousness. Stand up to the bully or you'll be giving up your lunch money forever.
Europe should embrace the idea of going it alone ft.trib.al/zVWWKZs | opinion
Europe should embrace the idea of going it alone
The more the EU has to pay for ingratiation with Trump, the less convincing its strategic rationale for doing so
ft.trib.al
January 11, 2026 at 4:45 PM
This. Enough with the useless obsequiousness. Stand up to the bully or you'll be giving up your lunch money forever.
Reposted by Ben Taylor
What I have discovered from drifting around the "lesser" parts of the UK is that the country has a surplus of pleasant often historic towns and villages, there is remarkably good food and drink on offer, and there is rather less anger than is often imputed... www.ft.com/content/fc96...
The surprising joys of under-tourism
Avoiding the trials of modern sightseeing is more soothing than you might think
www.ft.com
January 11, 2026 at 11:24 AM
What I have discovered from drifting around the "lesser" parts of the UK is that the country has a surplus of pleasant often historic towns and villages, there is remarkably good food and drink on offer, and there is rather less anger than is often imputed... www.ft.com/content/fc96...
Sorry, "Start-up"? xAI does not become a start-up because Musk spun out a separate division from Twitter to do his AI stuff, @financialtimes.com.
January 9, 2026 at 12:27 PM
Sorry, "Start-up"? xAI does not become a start-up because Musk spun out a separate division from Twitter to do his AI stuff, @financialtimes.com.
Oh FFS. The stochastic parrot does not have trauma. The stochastic parrot is regurgitating the kinds of things people who *do* have trauma say when psychiatrists ask them things.
Researchers who put major AI models through four weeks of psychoanalysis got haunting responses, from "abuse" to "fears of failure"
go.nature.com/49pxLU3
go.nature.com/49pxLU3
AI models were given four weeks of therapy: the results shocked researchers
Chatbots put through psychotherapy report trauma and abuse. Authors say models are doing more than role play, but researchers are sceptical.
go.nature.com
January 9, 2026 at 11:53 AM
Oh FFS. The stochastic parrot does not have trauma. The stochastic parrot is regurgitating the kinds of things people who *do* have trauma say when psychiatrists ask them things.
Reposted by Ben Taylor
The Tor pretending to be a volcano. This one was from a few days ago.
Very grey today so not the most pleasant of walks but I still took my camera just in case 😂
Very grey today so not the most pleasant of walks but I still took my camera just in case 😂
January 9, 2026 at 8:35 AM
The Tor pretending to be a volcano. This one was from a few days ago.
Very grey today so not the most pleasant of walks but I still took my camera just in case 😂
Very grey today so not the most pleasant of walks but I still took my camera just in case 😂
Reposted by Ben Taylor
Let's talk about generative AI, contaminated information, and rhubarb.
Once upon a time, Europe was at war.
Food was scarce, and the government of the quote-unquote United Kingdom looked for alternatives. 1/
Once upon a time, Europe was at war.
Food was scarce, and the government of the quote-unquote United Kingdom looked for alternatives. 1/
January 6, 2026 at 3:07 AM
Let's talk about generative AI, contaminated information, and rhubarb.
Once upon a time, Europe was at war.
Food was scarce, and the government of the quote-unquote United Kingdom looked for alternatives. 1/
Once upon a time, Europe was at war.
Food was scarce, and the government of the quote-unquote United Kingdom looked for alternatives. 1/
Reposted by Ben Taylor
Hey Bluesky, send us your best ducks
(Happy #InternationalUnsolicitedDuckPicDay to all who celebrate)
(Happy #InternationalUnsolicitedDuckPicDay to all who celebrate)
January 6, 2026 at 9:56 AM
Hey Bluesky, send us your best ducks
(Happy #InternationalUnsolicitedDuckPicDay to all who celebrate)
(Happy #InternationalUnsolicitedDuckPicDay to all who celebrate)
Reposted by Ben Taylor
Nicolás Maduro Charged With Felony Oil Possession
January 5, 2026 at 7:00 PM
Nicolás Maduro Charged With Felony Oil Possession
Reposted by Ben Taylor
International Law is now Calvinball.
January 4, 2026 at 4:02 PM
International Law is now Calvinball.
Reposted by Ben Taylor
Jump Into 2026
I love the secret feature at Nine Elms London Underground station that reveals itself during a sunny day.
If you arrive at the perfect moment, the roundel logo is beautifully projected onto the floor.
So I took Dancer Andreya with me to interact with the scene.
I love the secret feature at Nine Elms London Underground station that reveals itself during a sunny day.
If you arrive at the perfect moment, the roundel logo is beautifully projected onto the floor.
So I took Dancer Andreya with me to interact with the scene.
January 2, 2026 at 8:03 AM
Jump Into 2026
I love the secret feature at Nine Elms London Underground station that reveals itself during a sunny day.
If you arrive at the perfect moment, the roundel logo is beautifully projected onto the floor.
So I took Dancer Andreya with me to interact with the scene.
I love the secret feature at Nine Elms London Underground station that reveals itself during a sunny day.
If you arrive at the perfect moment, the roundel logo is beautifully projected onto the floor.
So I took Dancer Andreya with me to interact with the scene.
Found this in a second-hand bookstore. Largely a reprint (with modern typefaces and so forth, and with additional introduction) of a book comprising a description and map of every county in England in 1837, and several cities, along with some historical information about England. It's wonderful!
January 3, 2026 at 6:13 PM
Found this in a second-hand bookstore. Largely a reprint (with modern typefaces and so forth, and with additional introduction) of a book comprising a description and map of every county in England in 1837, and several cities, along with some historical information about England. It's wonderful!
Reposted by Ben Taylor
Ice on Lake Ontario on New Year’s Day
January 3, 2026 at 4:40 PM
Ice on Lake Ontario on New Year’s Day
Reposted by Ben Taylor
Today is J.R.R. #tolkien's 134th birthday.
Let's raise a glass to the professor!
#TolkienBirthdayToast
Let's raise a glass to the professor!
#TolkienBirthdayToast
January 3, 2026 at 5:12 PM
Today is J.R.R. #tolkien's 134th birthday.
Let's raise a glass to the professor!
#TolkienBirthdayToast
Let's raise a glass to the professor!
#TolkienBirthdayToast
Reposted by Ben Taylor
I feel like I haven’t even been properly lied to about the purposes of this war
January 3, 2026 at 9:13 AM
I feel like I haven’t even been properly lied to about the purposes of this war
I gather Colombia is calling for a session of the UN security council. Which means that later on we're going to be treated to the spectacle of Russia voting against a resolution condemning US aggression.
(Britain will abstain, because our government are cowards)
#Trump #Venezuela #UN
(Britain will abstain, because our government are cowards)
#Trump #Venezuela #UN
January 3, 2026 at 10:27 AM
I gather Colombia is calling for a session of the UN security council. Which means that later on we're going to be treated to the spectacle of Russia voting against a resolution condemning US aggression.
(Britain will abstain, because our government are cowards)
#Trump #Venezuela #UN
(Britain will abstain, because our government are cowards)
#Trump #Venezuela #UN