Liam Wignall

The Technological Aspects of Sexting - Sex and Psychology Sexting is an increasingly common form of sexual expression. But how is it affecting us? And how is sexting changing as modern technology evolves?

Research on sexting disproportionately focuses on the darker side (e.g., unsolicited nudes, harassment); however, there's a positive side to sexting too, and it can help to strengthen intimate relationships. https://www.sexandpsychology.com/blog/2024/12/18/the-technological-aspects-of-sexting/

This is an 'Arrrgh help! I need more work, there are moths in my wallet!!' post.

I do queer history, build escape rooms, talk about mythology and run museumy workshops and tours!

Get in contact if you want to do something cool. X

Today is a day when arts degrees are worthless, but the product of those degrees is so valuable it would kill an entire industry if they were made to pay for it.

UK universities offered to monitor students’ social media for arms firms, emails show Loughborough, Heriot-Watt and Glasgow corresponded with companies concerned about campus protests Universities in the UK reassured arms companies they would monitor students’ chat groups and social media accounts after firms raised concerns about campus protests, according to internal emails. One university said it would conduct “active monitoring of social media” for any evidence of plans to demonstrate against Rolls-Royce at a careers fair. Continue reading...

UK universities offered to monitor students’ social media for arms firms, emails show

Congrats!!

Why it’s time to rethink the notion of an autism ‘spectrum’ The idea of autism as a single spectrum has shaped thinking for decades. But many autistic people and researchers now argue the metaphor is misleading.

A really interesting read: theconversation.com/why-its-time...

Article reads: Woman named as Archbishop of Canterbury in historic first The 63-year-old archbishop-designate is married to Eamonn Mullally, with whom she has two children. Originally from Woking in Surrey, she was the UK's chief nursing officer from 1999 to 2004.

This article manages to name her husband before it names… her.

Joining the online queue for a product release from the Pokémon website while writing a blog on chastity devices for a kink website. Life is about balance.

Vile.

A graphic with a soft rainbow fan on a white background. Text reads 'Autism, or autism spectrum disorder, appears in early childhood but is often not recognized until much later'

#Autism is a diverse group of brain development conditions.

In 2021, about 1 in 127 people worldwide were estimated to be on the autism spectrum.

Signs may appear in early childhood, but many go undiagnosed for years.

Early understanding and support can make all the difference. 👉 bit.ly/4pGvgnP

To save in-person lectures, unis need to provide lessons worth showing up for In-person lectures have been a staple of university learning for centuries. But they are going out of style in an age of TED Talks and Tiktoks.

Hobbyhorse: at university, lectures remain an incredible format. They introduce & explore a huge amount of content in a short period of time. They scaffold further reading, with a personal twist. Workshops, etc, do their own thing, but don't replace effective lectures:

share.google/AyFxBwYh5BYM...

For an English audience. This is paracetemol.

Totally and completely nuts.

It's going to be an interesting time for the furry community for a bit....

I don’t think it’s hyperbolic to say that every single time you scroll on twitter you are enabling and enriching Musk and his ilk to spread their lies and disinformation. Even if you’re not swayed, you’re allowing it to be viewed by ever more people. Please leave the platform to rot.

Queen

I fear for the immediate and long term future 🥲

Oh 100% - pushing people into their own circles and corners (myself included). But I'm starting to see right-wing propaganda on my timelines (despite the people I follow very much not being part of it).

It feels hard to focus at the moment, seeing such horrors in the world. A genocide. Open racism and hostility in the UK. Martyring somebody in the US who wished I didn't exist. The world on literally fire because of the eagerness to use ai to solve non-existent problems. Eugh.

Channel 4 to mark Trump’s UK visit with ‘longest uninterrupted reel of untruths’ Broadcaster to dedicate Wednesday night schedule to unpicking US president’s false or misleading statements

How British TV is prepping for Trump's visit:
"More than 100 of Donald Trump’s inaccurate statements are to be dissected by Channel 4 to coincide with his state visit, in what it described as 'the longest uninterrupted reel of untruths, falsehoods and distortions ever broadcast on television.'"

Just been for a nice early walk through the woods near me. An old(ish) lady stopped me and asked me the quickest way back to the canal. Dear reader, I told her the longest way because if she'd gone the quickest we'd have walked side by side as that's where I was heading too.

Reading automated transcriptions of interview data. "Divergent people" was transcribed as "dirty virgin people".

When a parrot wanted to connect with a distant friend, a touchscreen showed a selection of other birds available online. The parrots learned to activate the screen, designed specially for them, by touching it gently with their tongues rather than pecking aggressively with their beaks. "We had 26 birds involved," said Hirskyj-Douglas. "They would use the system up to three hours a day, with each call lasting up to five minutes." The interactions ranged from preening and playing with toys to loud vocal exchanges. "When we went through the data, we found that most of these parrots had favourite friends," said Hirskyj-Douglas.

Pet parrots which typically live alone (whilst those in the wild live in large flocks) were given the technology to call each other. They would use it for up to three hours a day, and developed favourite friends 💔
on.ft.com/3K05vhS

This is what I needed today.

NOTHING will prepare you for this 45-second story arc. From "I'm just doing this because I love the flag, it's totally grassroots, and I'm not part of anything political"... to who actually gave him the flags the night before.

Anyone who believes it is an innocent movement needs to see this.

Went to my first music gig in a while yesterday. Alt metal/rock. 90% of People had ear protectors, they sold out of alcohol free beer, and everybody kept a good distance while head banging, and I was in bed by 10.30. Bliss.

The Edinburgh connection to London's tax-evading gift shops Plus: A chat with the Transport for London boss running the tube strike negotiations — and how the "hardworking businessman" putting up flags in south London tried to scam an insurer.

Here's something a bit different. We've been reporting from Edinburgh to try to get to the bottom of a mystery in London. Princes Street is the Scottish capital's most famous shopping street — and it's gaining the *exact same* tatty gift shops as London. www.londoncentric.media/p/edinburgh-...

Final point - we are actively hindering student progress if the job market now expects an understanding of how to use AI in the workplace and we haven’t trained students up in this. They should learn about its benefits and substantial flaws in a critical environment.

The comment of "It's like bringing a forklift to the gym" does not work as an analogy, as there are external factors at play - assignment marks relate to degree classification which relate to job outcome. There is an incentive for using AI if it will help get a higher mark.

I will not be using AI in teaching (environmental impact reasons). We cannot ignore that students will be using AI, especially in assessments, and we need to adapt. We cannot bury our heads in the sand or simply "resist" the forthcoming changes.

The Journal of Sex Research Volume 62, Issue 7 of The Journal of Sex Research

Issue 7 of #JSexResearch is now available online with contributions from @jamesbrooksphd.bsky.social @andraskolto.bsky.social @liamwignall.bsky.social
www.tandfonline.com/toc/hjsr20/6...
@kinseyinstitute.bsky.social @sexsciencesociety.bsky.social