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Jon PENNYCOOK

@jonpsp.bsky.social
29 followers 124 following 60 posts

I drink beer: untappd.com/user/jpennycook Sometimes I buy music: bandcamp.com/jpennycook I even see bands live: www.last.fm/user/jpennycook/events see bsky.app/profile/jonpsp.mstdn.socia…

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Reposted by Jon PENNYCOOK
The British History Podcast @thebritishhistorypodcast.com · 3h
Grab your tallies, because you're being called to account in the newest episode.
thebritishhistorypodcast.com
510 – Exchequers and ExBalancers: Part One | The British History Podcast
We are about to do something a little unusual for the BHP. We’re going to muddy the timeline. Now, normally we stick to the chronological timeline. We live the story as it unfolds. But the birth of th...
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Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · 5h
This is closely linked to why I don't have a billion dollars and never will, but if I had a billion dollars, I would just retire to my modernist mansion and not bother with this nonsense:
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ACARS Drama @acarsdrama.bsky.social · 5h
FollowUpCars Drama: www.tmz.com/2026/10/06/a...
tmz.com
American Airlines Alleged Masturbator Caught On Video Touching Herself
A woman who allegedly got drunk before an American Airlines flight took her induction into the Mile High Club into her own hands ... literally ... because she's on video pleasuring herself, and only T...
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The Economist @economist.com · 4h
In 35 rich countries, a typical 15-year-old now reads no better than a 14-year-old did a decade ago. A slow-motion disaster is under way. We explain what must be done to stop it
bit.ly
Plunging test scores are a slow-moving catastrophe
Machines are getting brighter. Teens are getting dimmer. Schools must act now
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Carl Quintanilla @carlquintanilla.bsky.social · 8h
The ultimate NIMBY. @bloomberg.com www.bloomberg.com/news/article...
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Rob Manuel @robmanuel.b3ta.com · 8h
The Italians won’t tell you this, but this is how you do a truly great carbonara
Secret Italian carbonara sauce
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Starfleet Design 🖍🖖 @starfleetdesign.bsky.social · 05/10/2026
It's kind of maddening that William Gibson and Bruce Sterling are the two people on here who put by far the most Ai slop into my timeline.
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BeijingPalmer @beijingpalmer.bsky.social · 7h
hmmm do we think maybe there's been some cheapening of the framework around genocide here if it can encompass the pro-Palestinian mayor of New York City.
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Chris Sommerfeldt @c-sommerfeldt.bsky.social · 7h
Pro-Palestinian protesters gather outside City Hall to call out Mayor Zohran Mamdani for what they see as his betrayal of the movement. "Mayor Mamdani, you can't hide we charge you with genocide" was a chant that just rang out.
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Lazer Guided @lazerguided.bsky.social · 7h
Just read about the grim word salad that was the Tory leader’s conference speech earlier today. Oh dear. She really should stick to meteorological-monitoring social media: Kemi Badenoch’s Windsock TikTok.
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The Economist @economist.com · 6h
Having survived a brush with political death, Britain’s Conservatives have a shot at retaking their traditional monopoly of the right. Many of their principles are sound. But if they cannot act on them, they will squander their chance
bit.ly
Kemi Badenoch's pitch for power is incoherent
But Britain’s Tories still have a shot at reuniting the right
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Mums for Lungs @mumsforlungs.bsky.social · 29/09/2026
Interesting insights here from @cyclinguk.bsky.social. Good to see that one of their YouGov polls this year revealed that 70% of people support #SchoolStreets - but think that only 49% of others do. Also interesting to see common misperceptions around the popularity of cycle routes and speed limits.
cyclinguk.org
Cycle routes more popular than people think
There’s a common misperception that creating safe space for cycling in our communities is unpopular. Cycling UK’s Policy Manager, Jim Densham, explains the phenomenon and why we have published a new…
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Dr Jo Maher NHS GP @drjomaher.bsky.social · 7h
@ianwalker.bsky.social sounds familiar?
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KJ Charles @kjcharleswriter.com · 06/10/2026
Was sort of hoping for more Jurassic Park tbh
Sign for "Christ park"
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KJ Charles @kjcharleswriter.com · 06/10/2026
If you think I would pass up this opportunity, you don't know me.
Japanese road sign offering "Tomb of Christ" above a Coke vending machine
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Baba Yaga's Hut @babayagashut.bsky.social · 10h
Poster wall at Lex tonight!
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A New Social @anew.social · 10h
Bridgy Fed now officially supports Mastodon quote posts! If you see a post bridged from the Atmosphere on the Fediverse, you can quote it using your Mastodon account. Small note: this will work for posts starting this week - older posts are not supported. Happy quoting!
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Michael Warburton @michaelwarburton.bsky.social · 10h
Producer: We can’t afford a train Wes Anderson: No problem THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL (2014) The glamour of filmmaking.
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Alan @gammacounter.bsky.social · 10h
“You never actually own a BMW. You just look after it for the next generation.”
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Alan @gammacounter.bsky.social · 10h
Showing the round BMW emblem on the front of the red hood with some of the restoration visible
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Alan @gammacounter.bsky.social · 10h
Best-ever restoration job on this red BMW parked down the street along North Lincoln Avenue. Those panels below are made from wood.
Photo from the front left side of a red BMW, showing part of the hood, and there has been what looks like a lot of Bondo placement around the front, and something below the bumper that I’m not sure is like meant to be air intake like a jet engine or something, but it is made from primarily wood and possibly some plastic boards and it is also covered with gray colored Bondo
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The Economist @economist.com · 10h
Politicians seem more worried about diesel than gas. That is complacent, for there have been hints in the gas market of an eventual mega-glut. We explain why
bit.ly
The world is facing an almighty LNG crunch
In time it could bring about an equally disruptive glut
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Victoria Strauss @victoriastrauss.com · 10h
Canada is refusing to issue ISBNs to books primarily generated with AI. This illustrates both the urgency of the problem of the growing flood of slop books, and also the toothlessness of addressing it on the honor system without there also being consequences for lying
Use of artificial intelligence
By registering with ISBN Canada, you declare that your book was created by a human author. You may use AI tools only for limited support tasks, such as brainstorming ideas, checking grammar, or formatting your book. You must not use AI to generate the text, create the artwork, or translate the book. ISBN Canada does not issue ISBNs for works whose content is primarily generated by AI. LAC is currently reviewing its policy regarding the use of AI content creation and our guidance is subject to change.
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Classic SF with Andy Johnson @andyjohnson.xyz · 13h
Dinosaur Summer (1998) by Greg Bear ✅ - essentially YA science fiction, this is an unofficial sequel to The Lost World (1912) by Arthur Conan Doyle.
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Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 12h
Badenoch speech: The Tory leader is having an argument with herself and she's losing inews.co.uk/opinion/bade...
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ianVisits @ianvisits.co.uk · 10h
TIL that before electricity, men used to abseil down the outside of St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican, covering it with candles and lighting it up at night on feast days. I'd pay good money to watch that done to St Paul's Cathedral. www.youtube.com/watch?v=6byN...
youtube.com
Tradizioni Romane. Le acrobazie dei Sanpietrini per la posa delle 900 fiaccole e dei 5000
YouTube video by Archivio Luce Cinecittà
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Meredith Rawls @merrdiff.bsky.social · 10h
I see the folks wanting free labor to validate their vibe coded data visualization also scraped your email address 🔭
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ianVisits @ianvisits.co.uk · 9h
Been invited to try out a historic pub that's "stood on a road corner since 1704". Except it's not on a corner, and the new owners have ditched the historic name for something more modern and turned it into a sports bar. Sigh.
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Julianne Dalcanton @dalcantonjd.bsky.social · 11h
Somehow all these models of our future assume that there is some OTHER group of very highly trained, insightful individuals who function as an underclass that will somehow be satisfied with endlessly reviewing the products of the Real Scientists to make all this work out.
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Julianne Dalcanton @dalcantonjd.bsky.social · 11h
The hundreds of papers collaborated into existence with LLMs? The Real Scientists will be leading these, and the magic of peer review will separate the wheat from the chaff. Who, exactly, is supposed to be executing this tedious search for the wheat?
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Julianne Dalcanton @dalcantonjd.bsky.social · 11h
The Real Scientists of the future are envisioned to be those pushing agentic LLMs to the forefront of rapid knowledge discovery. And then that work is supposed to be tediously verified and translated by who exactly?
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Julianne Dalcanton @dalcantonjd.bsky.social · 11h
Like many scientists, I’ve been mulling over the impact of LLMs on our fields. I’ve not yet seen it articulated, but I think there is a largely unspoken “invisible labor underclass” framework at play.
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Chris Lintott @chrislintott.bsky.social · 9h
This is thoughtful as you might expect. And exactly why I’m worried. 🧪
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ianVisits @ianvisits.co.uk · 9h
Fortnums and Masons (parent company) now owns Boots chemists. So by my reconing, Boots meal deals will now inlcude Scotch Eggs. (Fortnums invented them) www.theguardian.com/business/202...
theguardian.com
Canada’s Weston family buys Boots for $8.9bn
Former Selfridges owners buy UK high street institution from long-term backer Stefano Pessina
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Meredith Rawls @merrdiff.bsky.social · 8h
Seems fine, we should definitely launch more 🛰️
pcmag.com
SpaceX Reveals How Close Other Satellites Get to Its Starlink Constellation
A SpaceX executive says a lack of coordination among rival satellite operators could imperil Starlink, citing the risk of collisions.
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Adam Bienkov @adambienkov.bsky.social · 16h
Kemi Badenoch labels Andy Burnham a 'Paddington Bear Prime Minister'. What is that even supposed to mean?
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Jo Kibble (Political Animal) @politicanimal.bsky.social · 16h
I’ve seen some astonishing things levelled at PMs by leaders of the opposition, but this is surely the first time one has accused the premier of being the reaper of souls.
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Twlldun @twlldun.bsky.social · 15h
Every time I went to Kings Cross in the 90s and early noughties (probably up to about 2008 or 2009), somebody tried to sell me sex or drugs. Occasionally both.
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Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · 15h
Yes, I found the line that "drugs are dealt openly around Kings Cross and Camden" a particular delight. As I say, I get the general appeal of of this messaging, but the attempts to localise it are so funny, it's like having nostalgia for when you dislocated your arm.
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The Economist @economist.com · 15h
Critics argue that effective altruists are at best naive idealists whose contact with the real world often backfires—at worst, sinister utilitarians. Register for free to learn how the debate will determine AI’s future, and perhaps humanity’s bit.ly/4ynrxiQ Illustration: Olivier Heiligers
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Stephen Bush @stephenkb.bsky.social · 15h
Ah, yes, the halcyon days of Kings Cross in the 1990s. We really want to go back there.
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Unearthed @unearthednews.bsky.social · 18h
Also in The I 📰
inews.co.uk
Forever chemical linked to fertility issues found in rivers in England
Data shared exclusively with The i Paper reveals trifluoroacetic acid has been detected in areas that supply drinking water
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Unearthed @unearthednews.bsky.social · 18h
BREAKING: A forever chemical linked to harming fertility and babies in the womb, has been found in rivers and groundwaters across England. Our latest with @watershed-i.bsky.social and @theipaper.com ✍️ @leanahosea.bsky.social and @ellieodonnell.bsky.social
unearthed.greenpeace.org
Toxic ‘forever chemical' found in almost all rivers and groundwaters tested in England
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Tom Joscelyn @tomjoscelyn.bsky.social · 01/01/2026
Curtis Yarvin, JD Vance’s friend & ideological influence, ended 2025 by claiming “only Hitler spoke the truth” about “too many subjects” & “Hitler was a genius.” Extremism isn’t fringe on the right. Once marginal online extremists like Yarvin are influential at the highest levels of government.
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Tom Joscelyn @tomjoscelyn.bsky.social · 06/10/2026
Curtis Yarvin, a major influence on Vice President JD Vance, is openly fantasizing about Hitler again. Extremism isn’t fringe on the right.
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Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 17h
The only reason you would hear this is if you're hanging out with a bunch of Neo-Nazis.
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Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 16h
Did I miss how she said she was going to pay for the inheritance tax cut?
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Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 16h
Speech changes nothing. It's telling that Badenoch aimed it at the hall more than the country. Think she'll have done more than enough to keep Tory membership on side - they'll love all the tax cuts and (contradictory) talk of fiscal rectitude.
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Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 16h
The Britania Shield is the stupidest fucking thing I have ever heard
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Ian Dunt @iandunt.bsky.social · 16h
Insofar as there is an argument, it is that 80s-era Thatcherism -- strict fiscal and social conservatism - still has all the answers. This is... fine? I much prefer it to the kind of Ribena nativism the Tories have flirted with recently. But it is very tired.
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