Gentleman academic. Cynical misanthrope. Lover of coffee, alcohol, cheese & infosec. Doomed. Hater of Tinsel Drinkers. The weirdo other weirdos call weirdo. Occasional carer of causes. This is not the apocalypse I was promised - do better.
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We need a government initiative to encourage middle-aged men to have hobbies. If they've nothing else to do than run around town attaching flags at half-mast to lampposts then, really, they need to be taking up stamp collecting, maybe, or model railway building.
A couple of years back companies started using AI voiceover and my voiceover gigs disappeared. And then they realised it wasn't quite working...and started using VO artists again. You can create something that is passably a human voice but you can't create something that's even passably human.
Seeing the words "Policy Exchange" switched my brain off immediately.
Zuckerberg is as bad as Musk, just quieter
Libraries and post offices should merge, and there should be a coffee shop. Pick up your pension, get a book, have a coffee with friends. Cut overheads for everyone, reduce loneliness, and save libraries and post offices.
Mass shooters since 2018 who were transgender — 4. Mass shooters since 2018 who were not transgender — 4,193. Hope that helps.
"If they know what's good for them" Putting aside the obvious lunacy of thinking any Trump worthy of that prize, but making it a implied threat? Wow.
Either you look at every MP and how they’ve acquired their wealth. Or you look at none. You can’t pick the one that pisses you off the most because they left school with nothing and had a child at 16 and lived in a council house. If you do then you’re just a jealous twat.
Let that sink in.
Splendid news! It’s the 73rd anniversary of the premiere of John Cage’s 4'33", guaranteed, even now, to make people very, very angry
Maccies' Apple Pie
What was the effect of being on the list? One immigration judge had a man come to her house and threaten her, and had her windshield smashed. Then the Trump administration fired her. “If I hadn’t been on the DHS Watchlist, I don’t believe I would have lost my job.” She has left the United States.
This is my failure to restrain myself from replying with "I'm finger lickin good". I'll see myself out.
It was incredibly funny watching all the experts on here waffling on about how bad a trade deal Europeans signed with Trump just a couple of weeks ago. There is no deal. There can be no deal. Because any deal will be broken by Trump as soon as he’s off on one. 👇👇👇
Maybe they could all retrain as ballet dancers
Pritzker: To the members of the press who are assembled here today and listening across the country, I am asking for your courage to tell it like it is. This is not a time to pretend here that there are two sides to this story.
Hey @imagecomics.com creators—looks like the accounting @ email address got hacked. DO NOT click the link you got sent this morning by Sue Korpela (it goes to a Russian site) and don’t reply. Hopefully as soon as the west coast wakes up this’ll be sorted out Please RT, comics folks
What's this, new @lazarus-comic.bsky.social ? A final run? Yes please!
Dad's side of the family are East Midlands folk, so they've been a fixture since birth. As with seeing the dragons this side of the border, a part of my soul rests when seeing them. The again, traffic gridlock at Stoke has been a fixture too & there's comfort there for no-one!
I didn't really care when I saw they were tearing down Broadmarsh (like a lot of people, I think I actually cheered) - & I spent a fair amount of time there. R-o-S, though, seems different. It's an odd landmark on the horizon that doesn't look out of place. It's a totem of homecoming.
It's a strange feeling, for me to be advocating for Ratcliffe-on-Soar to be kept around - I'm not a huge fan of Brutalism as architectural styles go & I was vehement that the Benthamite police station in Wrecsam should have gone a lot earlier... bsky.app/profile/cele...
I was literally about to go looking for this!
I think we should keep one of these coal fired power stations somewhere before they go.
Agreed - it's a milestone on the way to hopefully better, cleaner things. It's odd, normally I'd be first to call to flatten the things, but a part of me feels like I'd never make it back to my family home without them.
My Dad and I went to visit family that way, passing the cooling towers as usual. What I didn't realise until the next was that it was their last day of operation. They've loomed large over my life, always feeling like I'm coming home when passing them.
It’s estimated that half a million Americans declare bankruptcy every year due to medical debt. Farage wants us paying for medical insurance and a privatised NHS. Is this something you want in the UK? We don’t.
“Totalitarianism in power invariably replaces all first-rate talents, regardless of their sympathies, with those crackpots and fools whose lack of intelligence and creativity is still the best guarantee of their loyalty.” ― Hannah Arendt, The Origins of Totalitarianism
Don’t be afraid to share your writing. There are six Sharknado movies.
To which I add this wonderful Bruce Sterling passage, which for many years I kept beside my keyboard.
@susiedent.com Word Perfect is a fantastic way to spend a Saturday (or any other day's) afternoon
Nick Clegg once again doubling down on being on the wrong side of everything. How very on brand for him. He doesn't have an ounce of guilt or shame, does he?
The scumfuck bottom-feeding scum that make AI lore slop have hit new depths of vile; they, through a channel management company, are claiming copyright on Games Workshop images in order to prevent other channels from using them.
This is really good! Can't quite put my finger on why, but it reminds me of the Wesley Dodds Sandman (not to be confused with the Endless one).
Seems relevant
Britain can’t afford Elon’s next power trip. Today I’ve written to the Energy Secretary urging him to block Musk’s electricity supply licence. The government should be putting the national interest first, not worrying about upsetting Elon Musk.
Lots of countries have people who don't really pay attention and believe a lot of odd things, but only one country continues to pay Rod Liddle a handsome wage to be an utter cunt in public.
When Ted Turner asked Carl Sagan if he was a socialist, Sagan gave the answer America keeps failing to learn.
Imagine how different it would all be if, rather than aping Farage, Labour had worked from day one to establish safe routes, set up processing centres in France, process applications, and softly defuse the asylum issue.
Showing the endangered leader of an invaded country my hats
Happy Monday. 🥱☕️ I think the water levels are fine here, but other parts of the system aren’t doing so well, and all the locks are shutting soon. The canals will be in lockdown from next week, until we’ve had sufficient rain to top things up sufficiently, which could be rather a long time away. 🤷🏻♀️🍷
Hot Girl Sumer is here again
this is so wonderfully weird, give her all the golds 🥇
@gavinnewsom.bsky.social: "This guy is trying to get a Nobel Peace Prize? When he's bringing war to the American people? He sent the United States Marines into the United States of America."
Stamp shared a flat with Michael Caine at one point and other, jealous actors put about the rumour they were gay. Stamp disappeared completely for a couple of weeks. When he turned up Caine asked him where he'd been. "Those chaps saying we're gay? I've just slept with their girlfriends. All of them"
The U.K. Online Safety Act was (avowedly, as revealed in a recent High Court case) “not primarily aimed at protecting children” but at regulating “services that have a significant influence over public discourse.”
Nothing shows you deserve the Nobel Peace Prize like threatening economic warfare if you don't get it.
Well done everyone, you've built the worst of all possible worlds! Despite being told exactly what would happen at every stage. You'll have to raise fees *and* degrade quality *and* close some institutions. Superb stuff, 10/10, no notes. 👏👏👏👏
This would be one of the reservoirs they haven't built in the last 33 years, but were given money to. Instead, they paid shareholders. Now they're not only on their arse, but they want to pass the cost to their customers.
The family of Bebe King, one of the girls killed in the Southport attack, have urged ministers to reconsider disclosing ethnicity of suspects. They say family were failed by “despicable” actions of far right, who “tried to make political gain from our tragedy” www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...
Unsolicited writing advice, no. 6336675: You have to actually WANT to write. The world is filled with would-be writers fantasising about lunch with agents, foreign tours, prizes, six-figure book deals, meeting movie stars. But that’s all mostly fiction. None of it makes you a writer.
This is so fucking funny...he's literally ordered Grok to be a nazi 24/7 and glaze me baby and Grok just keeps saying "Elon is a big loser, thank you for asking me about this tbh".
NEWS! Elderly motorists to complete compulsory eye tests by driving to Barnard Castle newsthump.com/2025/08/13/e...
I think a lot of ignorance about disability comes because many simply cannot comprehend how many of us manage with the symptoms we have. They think we must be exaggerating. The truth is were nearly always doing the opposite. It's almost always worse than we say.
British poet Brian Bilston and indie band The Catenary Wires will be on tour to promote their collaborative album Sounds Made By Humans, so why not create a special song listing all the cities they will visit. www.herecomestheflood.com/2025/08/bria... @brianbilston.bsky.social #thecatenarywires
Grok got suspended lol
Nigel Farage stirs up violent disturbances on the streets of the Uk which are commonly known as the Farage Riots and stays free while elderly grannies peacefully protest and are arrested. Come on Labour, you’re ‘aving a larf. Any law must be 1) acceptable, and 2) enforcable.
Hell of a first chapter. Can't wait for the rest!
So you guys better be writing senator's today. Look your's up, type up the email and flood their box for monday. Tomorrow for your lunch break, call them.
I'll see that Pig and raise it a Freddo - let's move to the big boys table 😂
I think that's optimistic thinking, unfortunately. If, however, you were to say the same thing this time in 2027, I reckon you'd be bang on the money
isbndb.com/book/9780425...
I'm sorry. I couldn't resist. And yes, that sound is people groaning and slapping their foreheads all over the world.
Well, that was a read. I think “No,” I reply. “My skill is keeping a straight face when someone tells me something, and inside I’m thinking: fucking hell.” applies heavily.
Absolutely the best in the genre. Because she and her collaborators actually rework the songs, instead of just playing modern tunes on lutes, which seems to be the majority of bardcore.
Israel is using Microsoft Azure to store recordings of every phone call made by Palestinians in the occupied territories, then using AI to analyze the contents and select targets. Microsoft is (dubiously) claiming ignorance.
#booksky
weird how the guy born into obscene wealth, bailed out repeatedly, allowed to fail upwards forever until he fell ass-backwards into the presidency, and then was declared by the Supreme Court to be a Very Special Boy Who Can Crime Forever never stops whining about how everything is rigged against him
No, they don't, you absolute incompetent tinpot dunce.
Great look at one of the best characters in comics!
I always intended to get the rest of them, but never got around to it for one reason or another. Dark Entries was brilliant, though - fantastic concept.
It was part of the Vertigo Crime concept they tried, which happened alongside the Vertigo Pop! thing.
40 years of John Constantine! Come raise a glass with me at @prospectmagazine.co.uk. With @jamiedelano.bsky.social @damedenisemina.bsky.social @ianrankin1.bsky.social www.prospectmagazine.co.uk/culture/70761/the-most-important-british-character-in-us-comics-john-constantine-hellblazer-alan-moore
If Farage were to get into Number 10, we can envisage a situation where he is engaging in all kinds of Trump-like anti-democratic behaviour, using non-elected Cabinet members to push through highly controversial measures without restraint ✍️Martin Shipton
It's also a great description of what we actually want - that level of luxury to be the baseline level of living for all.
It's a term I take up with pride. Yeah, I do have a well paying job. That doesn't mean I'm unaware of what's happening to my fellow workers. To a billionaire, the difference between me and a McDonald's line worker is a rounding error.
American journalist, historian, and author Anne Applebaum on the West's biggest mistake in Russia's war against #Ukraine: "The West doesn't understand the extremism of Putinism. They keep imagining that there's a deal to be done, that if we just give Crimea to Russia, then he'll stop fighting.⤵️
It's Windermere. Not "Lake Windermere". Just Windermere. There's only one lake in the Lake District. Bassenthwaite Lake. Everything else is a tarn, a mere or a water.
but then you read. there's been some strange stuff on here today... but then you read
Not sure I agree with everything here, but this is quite the thread on Zardoz, and certainly explores the depths most people miss because of *that* outfit. And I've yet to see Charlotte Rampling be bad in anything - or do anything that isn't worth at least a second glance.
Behold the utter lack of surprise on my face.
Someone is going to have to pay for this with service profits at *some* point and it’s not clear at all how they will ever happen…
The Stripe statement in this is important to note. It really hammers home that the payment processors (i.e. Mastercard/VISA) are the people who everyone needs to keep calling, writing and applying pressure to here. They are the architects and arbiters of the restriction on NSFW content payments.
In order to be in this cult you must believe that god moves thru a billionaire rapist, serial abuser of women, friend of one of worst pedophiles in US history, a defrauder of charities. Whatever you call your cult, Christianity it ain’t.
Definitely one of the greats in children’s books using such creativity as in the cut outs & letters in The Jolly Postman. They set a trend back in the 70s which was innovative combined with compelling stories & beautiful illustrations. RIP #AllanAhlberg #ChildrensBooks #Author
Have you no shame? Your whole party worships a man who uses bronzer by the bucket - and that's before we get into all the makeup on his hands in recent weeks.
The Night Haunter strikes again!
Someone who is not capable, but earnest, can be worked with & helped to do their job, but when power is placed with people who are malignant and do not want the system to work as it should, they install a waterfall of bad actors under them and the system rapidly corrupts to all tiers below them.
Honestly if there are sniper holes in the foreheads of children, I don’t care if your own reasoning allows you to sidestep the G-word, there is no logical parsing that can justify these acts, there is no gentlemanly symmetrical warfare based on some colonial guideline, this is mass human hunting.
“Nationwide launches phoneline to help people apply for benefits - as £23billion left unclaimed” I don’t normally get excited about stuff banks do but this is genuinely excellent. So much goes unclaimed that people genuinely need. You can also use Turn2Us and EntitledTo
If neoliberalism works, why is everything falling apart? youtu.be/uzDMhNFNqME?... Neoliberalism has dominated economic thinking across the Anglosphere for 45 years. But what do we have to show for it? Rising poverty, broken housing markets, stagnant wages, failing pensions, and growing inequality.
Everyone who gets over 20k followers or subscribers on ANY social media platform should have to do a compulsory e-learning safeguarding and parasociality course. I'm not even joking.
In my pre-Bellingcat days, I worked for an organisation that housed asylum seekers, and I'd challenge anyone who think they get an easy time to spend a few months living in the same conditions and see how they feel about it then.
Here’s a link to a petition. To repeal the absolutely useless UK online safety act. If you’re in the UK please consider signing! petition.parliament.uk/petitions/72...
Recently upgraded work device to Win11 (not by choice). Why in the 7 hells do I need a 3rd party application to MOVE MY TASKBAR TO THE TO OF THE SCREEN??? Which pillock thought that was a good idea? @microsoft.com come on, this was the very least you could do.
Farewell to one of the greatest satirists we've ever known. I may have to find some strychnine before I head to the park tomorrow.
And before anyone pops up with the bullshit "wElL YoU sHouLd HaVe sAid SomEThInG eArLiEr" line - we did. Multiple times. Before and during the consultation period. As did every tech firm under the sun. They were told this was a terrible idea. Typical crap legislation.
2 years married. Feels like I just blinked.