Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 8hWe’re in our local Nepalese restaurant Sano Nepal Gateacre. It’s really phenomenal. Food is delicious, prices are reasonable and they’ve a decent wine list . 010
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 11hThis is how I feel when I'm sat surrounded by glamorous young things in the Uni branch of Costa! 010
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 20hA regular journey for me a decade ago when my Mum lived alone in Grange over Sands. The ride from Liverpool to Arnside was decent, and there was a great fish and chip shop there. 010
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 20hAnd not only the Today programme- extended advert on last night's The One Show (I don't watch this but Mrs H does tend to flop in front of it after work), as well! 100
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 01/10/2026My institution is offering me a session on how to harness generative AI in my academic writing, run by Nature Masterclasses. They really are pushing this stuff at us, aren't they? Maybe I'm a Luddite but I'm not tempted. 010
Reposted by Simon HigginsThe Crusader Project @crusaderproject.bsky.social · 30/09/2026Today’s favourite #warart Dazzle-ships in Drydock at Liverpool, by Edward Wadsworth, 1919 Craig Moore on Facebook @dreadships.bsky.social #navalhistory #maritimehistory 620030
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 30/09/2026From Berichte, 1889, on attempts to isolate thioacetone: '...our attempts in this direction failed due to the fact that the substance possesses a dreadful odour, which spreads in an astonishingly short time and fouls entire districts of the city.' City was Freiburg. #chemsky 092
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 30/09/2026They’ve probably recruited a Director of Institutional Change at a salary of 6 figures, plus an underling for each Faculty, to ‘manage’ this. 110
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 28/09/2026Glut of homegrown tomatoes turned into tomato and roasted red pepper sauce for the freezer. 010
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 27/09/2026That was a fantastic climax to the men’s race - the US team played a blinder tactically, unlike the French and Belgians. Oscar Onley and Tom Pidcock did what they could in that company. 000
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 27/09/2026Oscar Onley is doing too much work. Don't go back into 2nd wheel after a turn in this company! 000
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 27/09/2026Bruno Armirail is a complete monster- he's almost single-handedly destroyed the gap to the break of 8 minutes. And he's still on the front of the bunch in the Men's World Champs road race. 000
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 27/09/2026I have a dilemma. It's the men's World Road Race champs and I have to cook dinner. I guess now is the best time, when the peloton still has 4.5 minutes to make up on the suicidal guys in the break, and there's 150 km to go. 000
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 26/09/2026What an enthralling women's world Championship race that was. I doubt the men's race tomorrow will be better from an entertainment point of view. Congrats to Demi Vollering; commiserations to a gutsy Kasia Niewiadoma-Phinney who did everything she could have done, really. 051
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 25/09/2026Our pricy pub is opposite this fine building which is the HQ of the National Union of Teachers. 010
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 25/09/2026We’re on the way home from Avignon. Big gap between St Pancras arrival and Euston departure so having a drink in a trad London pub where a pint of Spitfire and a single G and T cost £16.80. We’re not in Liverpool any more, Toto. 000
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 23/09/2026Yesterday we drove part way up Ventoux on our coach ride round local Provençal villages. I’m determined to come back and see how long it takes an old git with AF to do the Mont Ventoux climb. Well, I did do it on Zwift once. 010
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 22/09/2026Holiday going pretty well so far. Went to Gordes among other pretty Provençal villages today. 000
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 18/09/2026Stressful start to our holiday- had to beg a lift from daughter on the school run because our taxi didn’t turn up. Caught the train with one minute to spare. Good job as on cheap tickets only valid on this train. 000
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 17/09/2026Oh, and a touch of unwanted excitement when someone put a spade through our water main. A £550 emergency repair job. At least it’s all sorted now. 000
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 17/09/2026Curry night tonight, to use up veggies before holiday. Mushroom and beans, and a lentil daal. The first a total invention. 000
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 14/09/2026Unusual veterinary service being offered on the route of yesterday’s bike ride. 121
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 12/09/2026The last serious climb of the #Vuelta2026 is very unpleasant; about 5 miles with an *average* gradient of about 10%. The race is in bits with the GC group about 8 minutes off the leader, Mikel Landa. Looks like Oscar Onley is in trouble- don't know if he'll hang on to the white jersey. 000
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 12/09/2026Use WriteToThem to pester your MP about this, particularly if they're Labour. I've done this. 011
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 12/09/2026Reform is less a political party, and more a criminal conspiracy. 000
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 11/09/2026Eddie Dunbar, what a ride! Smashing the last bit of today's summit finish to win ahead of Buitrago in #Vuelta2026 Stage 20. He raced around Merseyside in his younger days. Remember seeing him in Tour of Britain a few years ago. 110
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 10/09/2026Think Roglic didn't pace that too well- looked like he blew up a bit in the last 10 km, whereas Mas didn't. That was a super defence by Mas. 100
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 10/09/2026Watching the #Vuelta2026 time trial stage. Felix Gall's position looks pretty ropey compared with Enric Mas, but they're both hitting the same intermediate times so far. Roglic looks excellent as usual in TTs and is storming it so far. 000
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 10/09/2026Quite a threatening sky this morning- better take the waterproofs today. 010
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 09/09/2026And again today! People will accuse him of being too greedy soon, like Pogačar. But what a talent - will be interesting to see how he does in the Tour de France next year, which incidentally starts in the UK. 000
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 08/09/2026Yet another sprint stage win for Matthew Brennan, wow. Excellent leadout by van Aert. #Vuelta2026 000
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 08/09/2026Luckily, so far I’ve only had to tick a box confirming I’m not a robot to get a paper. But I suppose it’s only a matter of time. 000
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 08/09/2026Someone in Liverpool has stolen 880 barrels of Guinness. Police say don’t buy barrels of Guinness from a strange man. www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpo...liverpoolecho.co.uk880 barrels of Guinness still missing as trailers found dumpedPolice are appealing for anyone offered the chance to buy Guinness in bulk to get in touch 011
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 06/09/2026Correction: at just before 6 pm in Cordoba, it was still 43 ˚C. Racing in that must be horrible. Good job it's a rest day tomorrow. 000
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 06/09/2026Ineos' light-coloured shorts are not showing up well, watching sweaty Oscar Onley warming down on his turbo in Cordoba (41 ˚C!) on TNT; yeuch! Great breakaway #Vuelta2026 stage, phenomenal win by van Aert again. 000
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 05/09/2026Bit of a dilemma here. The weather's decent, I haven't had a ride today, but the #Vuelta2026 stage is boiling up nicely. Perhaps I'll declare an extra rest day. 010
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 04/09/2026Just got back from weights in time to see Wout van Aert celebrating his stage win. So I've missed a breakaway stage win in #Vuelta2026, damn! 000
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 03/09/2026Remarkable #Vuelta2026 stage there. No surprises a Slovenian won... but a 20-year old called Jakob Omrzel whose brother drives a team bus? Great ride by Enric Mas too. 010
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 03/09/2026'He who would make a pun would pick a pocket'; S. Maturin. But that is quite a good one. 000
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 31/08/2026The trouble with marshalling for 4 h on a roundabout when you’re >60 is: bladder capacity. 000
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 31/08/2026About 30 of the 41 riders on the start list are riding in the WCTTCA 12 hour. It’s a little windy but at least the rain has held off for the last 3 hours, though it’s just started to spit where we are. 000
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 31/08/2026My glamorous location for the next 4 hours. 000
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 31/08/2026Marshalling the WCTTC/LTTC 12 Hour time trial this afternoon. Given the strong winds and occasional heavy showers, I actually don’t envy the riders, for once. 110
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 30/08/2026I met a US engineer on a plane journey once, who told me his job with Boeing involved checking and patching those fuselages because, as they cross the US, rednecks randomly shoot at them. It didn't do my confidence in 737s a lot of good. 110
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 29/08/2026What happened to Pog, there? Nasty crash and he's had to retire from the #Vuelta2026 with shoulder and head wounds; he suddenly moved right, into another rider, for no obvious reason. Unclipped for some reason? Poor guy; never good to see a contender go out like that. 011
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 26/08/2026Great sprint leadout work by Visma lease a bike there at #Vuelta2026 stage 5; Brennan again! 000
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 26/08/2026This is a rather wonderful silly season story, that struck a chord with me because as a PDRA at Oxford, I lived in Bicester because the property was more affordable. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...bbc.co.ukCoin hidden in Bicester in 1971 earns finder free pint of beerFormer electrician David Judd, 92, hid coins in properties, offering finders "one pint best beer". 000
Simon Higgins @simonhiggins60.bsky.social · 25/08/2026Comprehensive-looking review on single molecule junctions by Eric Borguet and team - I shall read this with interest (and it's OA): onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...onlinelibrary.wiley.comFundamentals, Measurement and Regulation of the Conductance of Single Molecule JunctionsThis review highlights of key features in single-molecule conductance including experimental platform, structure-property relationship in molecular electronics, data analysis methods, theory and simu... 020