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mikehall314.bsky.social
Web developer and Doctor Who fan (not in that order). Science, reason, and critical thinking. Skeptical of the Placebo Effect. Director of Merseyside Skeptics. Co-host of Skeptics with a K. Director of The Skeptic. Director of QED. Autistic. /H(?:e|im)/ui
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Watching 28 Days Later now. Fuck me, Eccleston’s accent!

Watch 28 Years Later today. Mild spoilers. . . . . . . Heartened to learn that the only survivors of the apocalypse are the Geordies. #howaythelads #toontoon #blayonraces #hadawayandshite #broonale

Mornin’! It’s not long now! We’ve published the full schedule for the day: complete with 8 fab speakers, coffee breaks, and lunch recommendations frontendnorth.com/schedule/

I think someone needs to tweak the transform-origin on the Palma de Mallorca Airport website.

I’m looking forward to this. Watch out for the very niche and indirect Doctor Who reference.

A glorious hat-trick of skeptical events coming up in the next ten days. Get along if you can. Bring friends. Spread the word etc. Full details in the usual places.

One definition of “design” is to solve a given problem within a given set of constraints. It’s a definition I like. I once worked with a UI Designer who insisted it was impossible make something both aesthetically pleasing and within WCAG AA guidelines. Make a choice, he said. A11y or pretty.

This is an honest question coming from a (perhaps naive) lack of understanding. Why are senate confirmation hearings held, when nominees just lie to get approved? Why do senators keep falling for this? It’s not like it was a one off? It happens repeatedly. I don’t get it.

bsky.app/profile/matt...

Switch from WhatsApp to Signal. Facebook’s privacy violations, election interference, and Zuckerberg’s alignment with Trump make WhatsApp ethically problematic. Signal offers the same functionality with privacy and operated by a non-profit.

Morning campers. Did you see our websites' 2025 design is live and the start of the speaker and sessions are going up: 2025.ffconf.org First round of tickets released next Thursday morning - set those clocks!

Can’t recommend this event highly enough.

Toot toot! (or bloot bloot!?). Either way, first batch ticket release date is set: 26th June 11am BST. There's limited tickets in that early phase run, but if you miss out, there'll be further batches 👍 Also, CFP is open and @remysharp.com is reading applications: ffconf.org/cfp

Skeptics with a K: Episode #419 Alice looks at the evidence around the harmful effects of non-stick cookware, and Marsh has a run-in with drunk passengers on a plane. Meanwhile, Alice's crema catalana has an unexpected surprise. www.merseysideskeptics.org.uk/podcasts/ske...

Really enjoyed this article from @gorskon.bsky.social from a couple of years ago on placebo nonsense. www.respectfulinsolence.com/2023/10/11/p...

WhatsApp AI gives a random person’s mobile number out in response to a query about a railway helpline. You can’t trust Facebook. www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

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Use Signal. We promise, no AI clutter, and no surveillance ads, whatever the rest of the industry does. <3

Can confirm. I’ve heard people say “Oh, I was gonna go to that gig but it got pulled” and have to restrain myself from saying “If you’d actually bought a damn ticket when you decided you wanted to see it then it might NOT have been pulled.”

The lifeguard at this hotel pool looks like Jay Novella.

Meta to use your Facebook and Instagram data to run ads in your WhatsApp. I can only again repeat: do not trust Facebook. You cannot trust Facebook. They will do everything they can to steal your data and the only way to remove their power is to quit their products. techcrunch.com/2025/06/16/w...