iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Does everyone else get phantom notifications on Bluesky?

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Decided to put some posters up about potential future jobs in the computer labs where undergraduate students will see them but have realised that my poster game needs some work (unless you're standing next to it). Too much 'wall of text'! I will try and improve subsequent posters.

An A4 poster with far too much text on it telling undergraduate students about the various student placements at Airbus. The one I've selected is for people studying computer science and related subjects. Really this one is probably for second year students but I want first years to be aware that this time next year is when they should be thinking about it, so want them to see it now (and today is first teaching day).

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I don't understand how the 2-brains thing suddenly makes it easier to grow a particular set of neurons. I enjoyed the hype though and found it quite believable that bits of the brain might have different progenitors (see also the pancreas).

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Cool. Not the split I'd have assumed.

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Mine was always a slightly open fist indicating that I was holding the middle of the receiver. I remember aged about 15 seeing my friend doing same but involving thumb and pinkie splayed out. Wouldn't have occurred to me to deploy those.

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Joanne Harris @joannechocolat.bsky.social · 21/09/2026

This is a project I'm currently working on (an internal grant). If you're a computing teacher using Semantic Waves to design / reflect on your lessons please let me know :) www.seresearch.qmul.ac.uk/chcc/news/54...

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Reposted by Jo-ho-ho

If so some eason you do choose to work for free (for example, for a charity, or to support a small local enterprise), consider sending them an invoice for your usual fee, and mark it void. That way, they'll know the value of what you're giving them.

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Amazed to discover PPIG - Psychology of Programming Interest Group. A community of practice re: "the psychological aspects of programming and in the computational aspects of psychology". It's been around since 1987! ppig.org/about/ cc @cs4fn.bsky.social (your SW work cited in one of the PhD papers)

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teachinglondoncomputing.org

Free online ⚛️ Quantum Computing ⚛️ events for UK teachers (one for A level students) from October 2026 teachinglondoncomputing.org/2026/09/21/f... (I wonder why the transparent image shows up as black on here, shows up as white on WordPress)

Online quantum computing talks for teachers and students

Three free online schools talks for teachers and students about quantum computing, and other resources for people interested in the topic.

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Jo-ho-ho @jobrodie.bsky.social · 20/09/2026

Optional schmoptional ;) I'm signing up to STFC's 'Science up close' mailing list www.public-engagement.stfc.ac.uk/events/ (they run events for teachers and schoolchildren, some of it relevant for computing which is my wheelhouse).

The field invites me to enter an optional password to protect my subscriber preferences. However there are red asterisks next to the dialogue box (indicative of not being optional) and it won't let me submit the form without giving it a password (confirms it as not being optional).

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Jo-ho-ho @jobrodie.bsky.social · 19/09/2026

Don't rely on it though. I once narrowly averted going flying down stairs at Camden Road station in London after leaning a bit more on a handrail which turned out to be wet from the water dripping on it from above. Drew attention to the station staff who were entirely relaxed about the concept 😬

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Jo-ho-ho @jobrodie.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

Pleasing news "We are going to start by scrapping success profiles...". Hopefully the Civil Service doesn't find some other way to irritate me ;) Actually I hear good things about it, in the abstract. But "Success Profiles" just makes me want to pummel cushions.

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Jo-ho-ho @jobrodie.bsky.social · 17/09/2026

The Cabinet Office / Civil Service has two openings for a Snr Full Stack Software Engineer which can be done in a few UK cities (slightly more moolah if in London). £59,207 - £96,051 National min: £59,207 London min: £65,193 Hideously long link: www.civilservicejobs.service.gov.uk/csr/index.cg...

Senior Full Stack Software Engineer - two roles at the UK Government's Cabinet Office, closing on Sunday 27th September at 11:55pm.

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Jo-ho-ho @jobrodie.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

More on AI being used in grant applications and in reviewing those applications. Article: "AI agents pose existential threat to research funding" researchonresearch.org/ai-agents-po... Video: "LERU Talks - AI and research grants: is the system doomed to collapse?" www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyst...

youtube.com

LERU Talks - AI and research grants: is the system doomed to collapse?

YouTube video by The League of European Research Universities (LERU)

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Reposted by Jo-ho-ho

Margot Finn @eicathomefinn.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

The questions are 'which AI tools' and 'used how'? Presumably UKRI is using (say) CoPilot, secured to UKRI, not feeding applications into commercial training models without applicants' knowledge or consent. And presumably (never presume) the pilots are built with past UKRI EDI failures in mind.

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Jo-ho-ho @jobrodie.bsky.social · 16/09/2026

About 20ys ago a musician pal came round to our flat & chatted about wanting to make music that sounded like a record had been left out in the sunlight. I wasn't convinced yet here I am in 2026 utterly obsessed with this off-kilter loveliness from Angine de Poitrine www.youtube.com/watch?v=38rv...

youtube.com

Angine de Poitrine: Zugzegk | The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

YouTube video by The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon

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Jo-ho-ho @jobrodie.bsky.social · 15/09/2026

I still think there should be a BBC Prom celebrating this music, with a concert and talks about its construction and diffusion into popular culture.

Idea: Pips Bop Prom that's just 90mins of BBC Countdown Music. I'm open to there being an interval. Matinée version for kids, isolating the bits of the orchestra. Talk + Q&A on the music as a cultural phenomenon (Dua Lipa remixes, Bill Bailey, bonkers dancing).
#NotEvenJoking :D

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Reposted by Jo-ho-ho

Eighty-Six Forty-Seven @superjaded8.bsky.social · 14/09/2026

I'm shocked that an industry so well known for protecting the privacy and confidentiality of its users is doing such a thing /s

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This looks interesting for tomorrow morning at 9.30am. Oral evidence session: Machinery of government changes MPs examine Government’s decision to abolish Department for Science, Innovation and Technology parliamentlive.tv/event/index/... committees.parliament.uk/work/9978/ma...

Oral evidence session: Machinery of government changes

MPs examine Government’s decision to abolish Department for Science, Innovation and Technology
Tuesday 15 September, 9:30am, Committee Room 8, Palace of Westminster or online. Watch live or catch-up on parliamentlive.tv

Evidence session

The Science, Innovation and Technology Committee will examine possible implications of the abolition of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) on Tuesday, 15th September at 9:30am.

In July 2026, following Andy Burnham’s confirmation as Prime Minister, it was announced that DSIT would be abolished. Its responsibilities will now be split amongst the Cabinet Office, an expanded Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade and the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

MPs will question witnesses from institutions representing public policy, science, research and start-up communities on what this change could mean for DSIT’s areas of responsibility and the implications of splitting them across multiple Departments.

The impact on the UK’s AI policy, including the creation of a new AI taskforce, will likely be examined, along with the possible ramifications for UKRI.

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sadchairsofacademia.tumblr.com

Sad Chairs of Academia "You think you're having a hard time in academia, but have you ever thought of the chairs? Will no-one think of the chairs?" sadchairsofacademia.tumblr.com Happy new term everyone :)

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@alomshaha.bsky.social Perhaps you could sell the Department of Education some lentil-based recipes :)

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Just had a query abt our 'Introduction to Arduino' short course which surprised me as we've not run it since 2015. The enquirer had been sent to an ancient page on our website by ChatGPT so I've stuck a big red banner on the page in case it does that again. ❓Also: who's running similar in London?

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LHR wee sleekit Terminal 5 mousey entertaining everyone particularly as we had an unusually long wait for the bags to appear.

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I was also in Heathrow today and happy that I encountered lots of different members of security and other staff of various ethnicities while also not encountering a single AB. Could have done w/out 90m wait for my bag though ;)

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Here are some lovely stereoscopic images of Orkney, in two sets. First, for people who are able to view the 3D / depth perception effect by doing 'parallel' or 'wall-eyed' (!) focusing. The second set for those who prefer to do cross-eyed focusing. Same images in each, just L-R swapped around. o^o

One of the stone-built homes from Skara Brae, a neolithic settlement uncovered a couple of hundred years ago when stiff winds de-toupéed the grassy sand dune that was covering it. There are two photos here, a left view and a right view - binocular vision is needed to get the depth-perception effect.

The view walking away from the Skara Brae settlement to Skaill House which has a stone archway leading from a gravel path into the forecourt. The area is right next to the sea and is fairly windswept and dramatic. Other than my own sofa and various London haunts it is my favourite place on Earth (thus far).

A building on Broad Street, Kirkwall in Orkney at around 7pm. You can see the reflection of the clock on St Magnus Cathedral in the window. This was taken while the Kirkwall City Pipe Band were entertaining us with some rousing tunes.

The 16th Century Earl's Palace stone castle in Orkney which is well-preserved and has lots of fiddly bits sticking out. It does look a bit like something out of Harry Potter.

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We (when I worked at Diabetes UK) used to get 'D and DUK mentioned in the news' snippets from Meltwater in early-mid 2000s. Found that they have offices across the globe, inc Farringdon, and make heavy use of AI, so employ AI nerds. The one thing they don't do is say what their salaries are 😬.

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