Roland Karthaus

Making Sense of Iran War Thinking Live conversation with military historian Phillips O'Brien

I spoke with @phillipspobrien.bsky.social about the political implications of Trump's attack on Iran.
snyder.substack.com/p/making-sen...

A cut above everything else you read on planning.

Last night there was a vigil for the first cycling fatality of the year on London's streets. I was there. Here are some thoughts (no paywall).

If this strikes a chord with you, please comment on the post and share.

open.substack.com/pub/nedboult...

Quite happy with Affinity

Alt text: Screenshot of a Substack article on mobile. The post is titled "AI feedback customized for student writers: the updated PAIRR prompts" with the subtitle "Tested AI feedback prompts from the Peer & AI Review + Reflection Project (PAIRR) give supportive, conversational, less overwhelming feedback tailored to your assignment." Published by Anna Mills on January 27, 2026, on annamills.substack.com. A small profile photo of the author appears in the header and beside the byline. Below the article preview, a chalkboard texture image is partially visible.

Excited to share the updated, tested AI feedback prompts from PAIRR @pairrfeedback.bsky.social. Licensed for you to copy and change if you like. There are custom bots where you can test them out, too. Feedback is now more concise and conversational.

annamills.substack.com/p/ai-feedbac...

Some hae meat and canna eat,
And some wad eat that want it,
But we hae meat and we can eat,
Sae let the Lord be Thankit!

#burnsnight

Rode that one a few years ago - when it wasn't raining it was sleeting. Halfway round I emptied a cup of water out of my shoes. You probably made the right choice.

I realise I'm just a freak, but living in a multicultural city is the best thing of all time, it's just the best possible human experience and i can not understand why anyone on earth would be like "weve got to destroy this"

The crisis whisperer: how Adam Tooze makes sense of our bewildering age The long read: Whether it’s the financial crash, the climate emergency or the breakdown of the international order, historian Adam Tooze has become the go-to guide to the radical new world we’ve enter...

www.theguardian.com/business/202...

@bskybeer.bsky.social

Misty sunrise with runner and cityscape silhouette in the background

Misty sunrise, east London

London’s homicide rate drops to lowest in more than a decade Sadiq Khan says ‘public health’ approach has made the capital one of the safest cities in the western world

According to these figures London is safer than many if not all major North American cities. In 2025, there were 1.1 killings for every 100,000 residents of London, compared to 2.8 in New York, 5.6 in Los Angeles, 10.5 in Houston and 12.3 in Philadelphia
www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

The next 80 years of the Design Council (a letter from a friend) The Design Council is selecting its new CEO and as a friend of the organisation (I’ve worked there twice, in 2005 as an intern and in 2022 as an interim Chief Design Officer) here are my thou…

Message in a bottle. www.designswarm.com/blog/2026/01...

So... I've created a starter pack of UK government organisations currently on Bluesky: go.bsky.app/JHsY1Wz

(Currently includes all those listed under ministerial and non-ministerial departments here www.gov.uk/government/o... - let me know any I've missed, or got wrong)

Thanks! Sorry for the errors!

1, 2, 48

1, 2, 45, 48

Cyclist, bike enjoyer, bike tinkerer, randonneur

@labeler.bikesky.social Label

Felt hat with Community Sauna Baths on it

Sunday is Sauna time

An Tobar | An Fenten (The Well): Mull/Cornwall Artist Exchange - Creative Kernow Associates Organised by CAMP, Creative Kernow Associates (CKA), and An Tobar and Mull Theatre

Mull / Cornwall Artist Exchange:
We are inviting applications from artists based in Cornwall (incl. Isles of Scilly) & on the Isle of Mull, Iona, & Ulva to take part in a new cross-regional artist exchange exploring creative practice in rural places.
associates.creativekernow.org.uk/mull-cornwal...

I also recommend the Nightwatchman

My local!

How to AI-proof your job The data suggests soft skills more than quantitative competency equal success in a rapidly changing labour market

‘Contra the narrow focus of policymakers on Stem subjects or coding, now more than ever our economy rewards broad skillsets: team players, problem solvers, good communicators and creative thinkers.’ @jburnmurdoch.ft.com
www.ft.com/content/5e25...

Trump may be the beginning of the end for ‘enshittification’ – this is our chance to make tech good again | Cory Doctorow The US president is weaponising tech, but his tariffs and Brexit provide a surprising opportunity to gain back digital control of our lives, says science fiction author, activist and journalist Cory D...

www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

🍻 #CAMRGB 🍺 #CosAlien👽 #camra 🇬🇧 #GoToThePub👍#SupportOurPubs 🤗 #cask 🍺 #BskyBeer ⛅️

Can't wait!

Kayak in icy water

Kayaks in icy water with frosty boardwalk

Chalkboard with "water temp 0.8" The 8 is a snowman

View across water with sunrise and frosty boardwalk. Towers in the background

Small patch of ice cleared for our swim this morning. 0.8 degrees.

Come and join our team as:

🟢 Researcher - who'll conduct research & analysis in support of projects and workstreams at FGF

🟢 Communications Coordinator - who'll devise & deliver communication campaigns to raise the profile, reputation and reach of FGF

www.futuregovernanceforum.co.uk/vacancies/