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Jamie Dowling [Lactose Free Arc]

@captainblack@hachyderm.io

mastodon 4.6.6

Personal account. Not employers views.

Critical illness survivor. Accessibility, mental health & patient rights advocate. He/Him/His.

Does things with telecoms, UC & tech.

Happy husband & cat daddy, takes a leg stump guard, doesn't put the milk in first.

Digs and nerds out over cats, county cricket (Surrey CCC), retro tech, retro phones, retro telly, classic rock and coffee.

I'm pro-accessibility, pro-LGBTQ+ & anti ableism.

19 Followers

17 Following

23 Posts

Joined August 13, 2025

Website:

https://jamiedowling.uk

Playfair Entry :):

5'7", RM/OB, RHB. HS 51*, BB 5-27

From:

BIrmingham, England

Nickname:

The Birmingham Nightmare

Posts

Jamie Dowling [Lactose Free Arc] @captainblack@hachyderm.io · Aug 07, 2026

Anyone questioning peoples' use of mobility aids is an ableist piece of shit. In addition to the various other pejoratives that person is being labelled with.

Jamie Dowling [Lactose Free Arc] @captainblack@hachyderm.io · Aug 06, 2026

Saw this on the BBC News website and thought "Arrgh! That looks like something from John Carpenter's The Thing!"

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c5y3j3ngevmo

Jamie Dowling [Lactose Free Arc] @captainblack@hachyderm.io · Aug 05, 2026

Glenn Hughes has announced his retirement from touring and that he will undergo heart surgery.

This is why I go and see my favourite bands and artists whenever I can. You never know when life changes and you won't see them perform again.

I've been blessed to see Glenn several times since "From Now On" in 1994.

Usually in Wolverhampton or Birmingham cos Glenn is from the Black Country and his shows always seem to have that little bit extra because it's his home town.

The last time I saw Glenn perform was October 2025 at KK's Steel Mill in Wolverhampton. Cracking show in front of an adoring crowd. And what an incredible voice. Burn still kicks ass 52 years after it was written.

Health must come first, Glenn goes with the love and heartfelt wishes of many many people.

https://ultimateclassicrock.com/glenn-hughes-retirement-heart-surgery/

#GlennHughes #DeepPurpleMk3 #Trapeze #Burn

Jamie Dowling [Lactose Free Arc] @captainblack@hachyderm.io · Aug 03, 2026

Sad to learn of the passing of Tom Chadbon. A fine actor with a lovely voice and definitely part of cult television history,

Appearances included Out Of The Unknown's "The Man In My Head", Blake's 7's "Countdown" as Del Grant, a role he reprised for Big Finish audio stories, and most memorably as Duggan in the Doctor Who story "City Of Death".

Tom's contribution to the extras on the City Of Death DVD are lovely.

Jamie Dowling [Lactose Free Arc] @captainblack@hachyderm.io · Jul 29, 2026

The news that Jodrell Bank is losing its funding is shocking and upsetting to me.

We have slid down the drainpipe and head first into a sewer of foul smelling, knowledge hating popularist philistinism.

Utterly nauseating.

https://www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-research-councils-2026-7-jodrell-bank-telescope-loses-funding-as-stfc-confirms-cuts/

Jamie Dowling [Lactose Free Arc] @captainblack@hachyderm.io · Jul 07, 2026

Missed this over the weekend. David Potter, the man behind Psion Computers has died. When the university computers were crap, I thought "Sod this, I'll use my Series 3 organiser to write my dissertation". And I did. Bloody minded Brummie and all that 😀 Wonderful hardware and software. No bloat, ran for hours on 2 AA batteries and no ads, pop ups or garbage that we have online these days. Rest in peace David. Psion products were the gateway for so many of us into the world of tech. Thank you, Sir. https://www.theregister.com/personal-tech/2026/07/03/david-potter-the-man-who-put-psion-in-the-palm-of-your-hand-logs-off-at-82/5266624 #Psion #Series3 #DavidPotter

Jamie Dowling [Lactose Free Arc] @captainblack@hachyderm.io · May 23, 2026

"If you have a tool, it's stupid not to use it" said the Third Doctor.

Sometimes I cosplay the Third Doctor. Cos Jon Pertwee rocks. And I'd have him say

"Use the tool for the job it's intended for. Use it for anything else and it becomes a crutch. Use it for everything and that's a huge comment on you. Stinks like this Gorgonzola cheese."

#ThirdDoctorWisdom #AI

Jamie Dowling [Lactose Free Arc] @captainblack@hachyderm.io · May 23, 2026

Reality Television sucks, I deeply dislike it.

The latest allegations are deeply unpleasant and should be the end for the whole genre.

https://jamiedowling.uk/blog/reality_television.html

#RealityTelevision

Jamie Dowling [Lactose Free Arc] @captainblack@hachyderm.io · May 22, 2026

Bill Winters, you've just stained your reputation for all time. A man in your position should know the meaning and power of words.

And should also know the phrase "Ratner moment". Because you've just had a doozie of one.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c98rqld1j3yo

#StandardChartered #BillWinters

Jamie Dowling [Lactose Free Arc] @captainblack@hachyderm.io · May 22, 2026

Black Sabbath (1997 x2, 2017)
Slayer
Deep Purple (several times)
Judas Priest (several times)
Whitesnake (several times)
Thunder (several times)
Iron Maiden (several times, first show I bought a ticket for)
Gary Moore (several times)
Europe
Gillan

#TenBandsIveSeenLive

Jamie Dowling [Lactose Free Arc] @captainblack@hachyderm.io · May 21, 2026

What do you mean it's Thursday???

Jamie Dowling [Lactose Free Arc] @captainblack@hachyderm.io · May 21, 2026

Replying to @captainblack@hachyderm.io

Well now, (as Kerr Avon from Blake's 7 liked to say), Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust has sacked staff for inappropriate access to records of patients from the Nottingham attacks. I've updated my blogpost on this: https://jamiedowling.uk/blog/nhs_university_hospitals_liverpool_group.html #NHS

Jamie Dowling [Lactose Free Arc] @captainblack@hachyderm.io · May 17, 2026

Anyone getting out to Harry Brook's bowling should quit cricket totally. And I'm being polite.

Jamie Dowling [Lactose Free Arc] @captainblack@hachyderm.io · May 16, 2026

Replying to @ghostrunner@hachyderm.io

A lightbulb in the bathroom blew last night.... Hover or focus to reveal Sensitive

@ghostrunner@hachyderm.io The annoying thing is I usually write this stuff down. Grrr. But yay for getting plenty of steps in and getting the light bulbs I needed. And maybe a few ideas about light fittings.

Jamie Dowling [Lactose Free Arc] @captainblack@hachyderm.io · May 16, 2026

Which triggered the fuse board in the closet.

Which was full of clothes and stuff that I had to move.

Which the cat was determined to get into cos it's a giant cupboard she rarely goes in.

Which resulted in some swearing when I dropped the torch while looking at the fuse board.

Which caused me to knock my head off something metal as I bent to look for the torch.

It's always fun at home. You name it, I've banged my head off it.

Found the switch, got the lights back on and contemplated the bathroom light.

"Can't remember changing a bulb in here before".

[narrator: I can't remember what I was doing last week until I've had caffeine of some sort, so this doesn't always mean much]

*Looks in the lightbulbs box. There isn't a replacement bulb of this size and fitting*

"Looks like I'm going out to get some replacement light bulbs tomorrow."

**INCOMING LONG SHOPPING LIST**

"I'm doing the pharmacy, a hardware store and that's it."

Back in my youth there were generally two fittings for domestic lightbulbs - Bayonet and screw. Simples, right?

I get to the hardware store and look at the wall full of shelves of myriad lightbulbs.

**INCOMING MALCOLM TUCKER MOMENT**

**OVERSTIMULATION**

I reach into my backpack to get the dead bulb out.

**DIDN'T BRING THE LIGHTBULB**

**EVACUATE EVACUATE**

When I finish my cup of tea I'm heading back and taking the bulb with me.

Although it's gone very dark and my shoulders tell me it's going to rain. Heavily.

There might be another cup of tea.

Jamie Dowling [Lactose Free Arc] @captainblack@hachyderm.io · May 16, 2026

I saw the new Iron Maiden feature Burning Ambition a few days ago and wrote a review - https://jamiedowling.uk/blog/burning_ambition_review.html

While I'm waiting for the new Deep Purple album, Splat, to come out, I'm revisiting the Maiden catalogue.

#IronMaiden #BurningAmbition #UpTheIrons #NWOBHM

Jamie Dowling [Lactose Free Arc] @captainblack@hachyderm.io · May 15, 2026

Replying to @captainblack@hachyderm.io

The scars remain and so do the memories. Whoa, did not expect that rush of memories and emotions. But when I think of my grandfather and stepfather now, I like to think they'd be happy that I fix things for people. Not in the physical DIY sense, but colleagues come to me, rely on me, to fix their telecoms stuff. I'm not helpdesk any more, but my reputation from those days remains. "Jamie, thank Christ it's you come to sort this!" is something I've heard a few times. Which is kind of grounding and reassuring right now. Have a good weekend y'all.

Jamie Dowling [Lactose Free Arc] @captainblack@hachyderm.io · May 15, 2026

Replying to @captainblack@hachyderm.io

Yes, what happened to me and my family was a long time ago. But the scars remain. I'll never forgive the staff involved, the hospital management who fobbed us off and who said "You wouldn't dare go to the press". Because I did dare. And got my pound of flesh, so to speak. And one hell of a raging hangover the next day after hitting my favourite rock bar for a celebratory beverage or two. Were I Klingon, that would have been a victory worthy of song.

Jamie Dowling [Lactose Free Arc] @captainblack@hachyderm.io · May 15, 2026

Some years ago my dying grandfather was mistreated in an NHS hospital. My family's complaint was patronisingly dismissed by the then CEO.

I vowed to do everything in my power to get that specimen removed from his post.

It took a couple of years but the campaigning from clinicians, patients and angry family members like me paid off.

I'll never know if the then CEO, Tom Dean was given an off the record nudge to leave with some degree of dignity.

But he went and there was joy in North Birmingham when that news broke.

Whatever is going on at NHS University Hospitals of Liverpool Group stinks.

It needs sorting, it needs strong action and it needs heads to roll.

Maybe the good people of Liverpool need to get onto their MPs and the Commons Health Committee with requests for action.

And then get on CEO James Sumner's case. Because he has mishandled this so incredibly poorly.

https://jamiedowling.uk/blog/nhs_university_hospitals_liverpool_group.html

#NHS #JamesSumner #ULHG #AintreeUniversityHospital #Aintree

Jamie Dowling [Lactose Free Arc] @captainblack@hachyderm.io · Apr 30, 2026

Replying to @CactuarJoe@retro.pizza

@CactuarJoe I'm owned by a Tortie as well, I know the feeling 😀

Jamie Dowling [Lactose Free Arc] @captainblack@hachyderm.io · Apr 30, 2026

Replying to @CactuarJoe@retro.pizza

@CactuarJoe Beautiful Tortie cat ❤️

Jamie Dowling [Lactose Free Arc] @captainblack@hachyderm.io · Jan 13, 2026

Replying to @dotmeow@hachyderm.io

@dotmeow Congratulations! May I join in with your celebratory zoomies? *zoooom zoooom zoooom*

Jamie Dowling [Lactose Free Arc] @captainblack@hachyderm.io · Dec 12, 2025

Replying to @MastodonEngineering@mastodon.social

@MastodonEngineering@mastodon.social "Recommended accounts" is a big no from me. I like my instance the way it is. Please do not go down the IG and Ex-Twitter route. I should have control over whether my profile any of my posts are added to any "Collection". Opt-in all the way.

Jamie Dowling [Lactose Free Arc]

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