Bethan
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bethanar.bsky.social
Bethan
@bethanar.bsky.social
180 followers 220 following 110 posts
"Reassuringly normal"
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bethanar.bsky.social
Oh no. What a surprise.
katbrownwrites.com Adam Lay KatBrownden 🎵🌲 @katbrownwrites.com · 1d
David Walliams has been dropped by his publisher following an investigation by The Telegraph into inappropriate behaviour towards young women. www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/12...
David Walliams has been dropped by his publisher following an investigation by The Telegraph into inappropriate behaviour towards young women. Walliams, one of the country’s best-selling children’s authors, faced accusations that he had “harassed” junior female employees at Harper Collins. One woman who raised concerns was given a five-figure payoff by the publisher and left the business. This newspaper began investigating allegations of inappropriate behaviour by Walliams last year. The decision to drop Walliams comes after the sudden departure of the publisher’s former chief executive, Charlie Redmayne, who left in October. Kate Elton succeeded him as interim boss. It is understood that Walliams did not know about the Harper Collins investigation and that its conclusions were not put to him.
December 19, 2025 at 4:44 PM
bethanar.bsky.social
The Ocado app is down, and I have 15 minutes to stop tomorrow's shop being just strawberries and chocolate biscuits 😱
December 15, 2025 at 5:08 PM
Reposted by Bethan
cait.bsky.social
the problem for transphobes is that at this point nearly everyone has met or at least interacted with a trans person and figured out that they're just people trying to live their lives. this is why they want to ban trans people from existing in public at all costs
hleehurley.com Lee Hurley @hleehurley.com · 5d
11% of Britons say they feel 'very negatively' about trans people which just highlights how much this is a top-down hate project with around 95% of the media hating trans people and a high percentage of MPs.
ashleighloeb.bsky.social Ashleigh Loeb (She/Her) @ashleighloeb.bsky.social · 6d
Hello. I’m a “same-sex attracted person” (loathe that description of my sexuality) & I support Trans rights, like the majority of female “same sex attracted people”.

yougov.co.uk/society/arti...
December 15, 2025 at 12:06 PM
Reposted by Bethan
astrokatie.com
Deeply disappointed to hear that the BBC has pushed out one of the most brilliant presenters in all of science communication for speaking with integrity and honor in support of human rights and dignity.
robinince.bsky.social Robin Ince @robinince.bsky.social · 7d
Very sad that I felt I had no choice but to resign from The Infinite Monkey Cage - a victory for the transphobes and other bigots - I did it because so much of the media has chosen to believe the kind and empathetic people are a fiction - they are real and so often unrepresented.
This is the saddest day of my professional life. Today is not only the final recording of the latest series of The Infinite Monkey Cage, it is my last ever Monkey Cage. I never thought that I would have to leave the show. I always imagined going on until | dropped dead under the studio lights due to a brain aneurysm caused by my final attempt to understand notions of quantum gravity or the shock of being told about fly maggot infestations in the sacks of macaque monkeys. I resigned in September, after sixteen years of dedication to the show, A show that I named and helped develop over all those years. Unfortunately, my opinions outside the BBC have been considered problematic for sometime, whether it has been voicing support for the trans community, criticism of Donald Trump, numerous other outlandish opinions, including once gently criticising Stephen Fry. These things were considered to conflict with being a freelance BBC science presenter In a recent meeting where BBC Studio executives again voiced problems with me, I realised my choices. Obedience and being quieter to remain making Monkey Cage, or 'Resign and have the freedom to speak out against what I believe are injustices'. • I chose the latter. It broke my heart. I love this show and I love the audience, and it is because of the audience in particular, that this decision was so difficult to make. I kept thinking about all the extremist voices promoting hate and division. They are being given so many platforms, while voices that represent kindness, open mindedness, empathy seem to be scarcer and scarcer. I felt I couldn't pamper myself with the luxury of silence. One of my many privileges is that I am able to resign and I can speak out even if it is to the detriment of my career. I have thought a lot about my heroes, Sinead O Connor, James Baldwin, Audre Lorde, and so many more. I think of Sinead's words, "the job of an artist is to be themselves at any cost". James Baldwin said prejudice was really just a word for cowardice. Audre Lorde, viewing her life, wrote that her only regrets were her silences. I think of my father as I resign, he brought me up to believe in fairness , justice and kindness. Though my heart is broken, it is also full of fire. I apologise to our incredible listeners for my departure, your love of the show means a great deal. I am so sorry to let you down. I hope that you can understand my reasoning. I have to accept that I am not what the current BBC expects of their freelance presenters. Despite this I should add that I have always worked far more than my contracted hours to try and ensure the show was always the best it could be, as well as making myself accessible and responsive to the audience wherever and whenever I met them. Every night, we have recorded, I have been filled with determination to make the best show possible. This was not "just a job" I hope that with my departure I can be a better ally to the LGBTQ community, to the neurodivergent community, to activists fighting against those who aim to brutalise society, to those currently in prison on hunger strike, and to all those who fight for a more inclusive world. From many conversations, I know there are many Monkey Cage listeners who support these communities and activists too. The strawberry is dead. Long live the strawberry. B
December 13, 2025 at 1:15 PM
Reposted by Bethan
bleary.off-the-records.com
There’s more of gravy than of grave about him
bryanthomasdaly.bsky.social raisin bird @bryanthomasdaly.bsky.social · 12d
The bones of Santa have been leaking liquid for 1,700 years.
December 9, 2025 at 9:58 AM
Reposted by Bethan
depthsofwikipedia.bsky.social
R. H. Bing (October 20, 1914 – April 28, 1986)[1] was an American mathematician who worked mainly in the areas of geometric topology and continuum theory. Bing's father was named Rupert Henry, but Bing's mother thought that "Rupert Henry" was too British for Texas. Thus she compromised by abbreviating it to R. H.[5] Consequently, R. H. does not stand for a first or middle name. When Bing was applying for a visa, he was requested not to use initials. He explained that his name was really "R-only H-only Bing", and ended up receiving a visa made out to "Ronly Honly Bing".
November 24, 2025 at 11:31 PM
bethanar.bsky.social
Last night This morning
Soft evening light. Christmas tree, all decorated and lit up and pretty Harsh morning light. Christmas tree again, lying on the floor, its decorations flung across the room. In the bottom left you can see part of the Labrador who is innocent until proven guilt-tree
November 25, 2025 at 8:11 AM
Reposted by Bethan
paullicino.bsky.social
Almost a year now since I received this absolutely classic burn from the Canadian government.
A cropped screenshot from a Canadian government website with the prompt "What's your occupation?" The answer "Writer" has been provided, generating the red text error response "Please enter a valid occupation."
November 21, 2025 at 9:10 PM
Reposted by Bethan
halduncan.com
whoever selected the photos for this article deserves an award for photo selection, this is peak photo selection, unsurpassable perfection, all other photo selector people can just get their coats and go home because this selection will never be bettered
November 18, 2025 at 5:27 PM
Reposted by Bethan
mattthr.bsky.social
This mural has gone up in Kingston, ostensibly for Christmas but AI has ensured it's actually to celebrate the return of our dark lord Cthulhu
November 18, 2025 at 9:44 AM
Reposted by Bethan
bucksarchives.bsky.social
Let's play Bucks Name or Name Name
November 7, 2025 at 1:01 PM
Reposted by Bethan
kaseygifford.bsky.social
I saw a random reddit comment where someone theorized that Pennywise and Mary Poppins were the same species of primordial psychic entity, but Pennywise feeds on fear while Poppins feeds on joy. both of them eat kid emotions because fear and joy are more intense in kids. This is Canon for me now.
November 10, 2025 at 2:57 AM
Reposted by Bethan
lorennacleary.bsky.social
THIS IS SO GOOD
November 6, 2025 at 4:42 AM
Reposted by Bethan
regretteruane.bsky.social
Philip Larkin’s this be the verse mangled into Ozymandias, the text reads They Oz you up, your mandyias. They may not mean to, but they do. They give you vast and trunkless legs A sunken shattered visage too. But they were Ozzed up in their turn By Mandyias upon the sand Who half the time had wrinkled lips And half in sneering cold command. Oz hands on mandyias to man. Like mighty works atop a shelf Look on them early as you can Ye mighty and despair yourself
October 30, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Reposted by Bethan
fairlibraryjobs.bsky.social
British Library staff are out on strike from Monday 27 October until Sunday 9 November over pay: please do not undermine their action by attending this exhibition (or any other events at the BL) during that time. www.museumsassociation.org/museums-jour...
October 25, 2025 at 6:10 PM
bethanar.bsky.social
Lads! Today I get to go in the big spinny tube to get pictures taken of my *actual brain*! Really hope I get to see them afterwards (I'm picturing an Alton Towers type booth in the exit area)
October 21, 2025 at 10:50 AM
bethanar.bsky.social
Chartership now involves toerings
unenthusiast.com Marjorie James Keenan @unenthusiast.com · Oct 12
In honour of spooky month, share a 4 word horror story that only someone in your profession would understand.

rm -rf ~/
hammancheez.bsky.social hammancheez @hammancheez.bsky.social · Oct 12
"The chancellor approved it"
October 12, 2025 at 1:28 PM
bethanar.bsky.social
Just had a filling, and Sweet Caroline on the radio mixed with the dentist's drills felt very Starmer's Britain
October 10, 2025 at 12:55 PM
Reposted by Bethan
itsthebrandi.bsky.social
The LA Public Library research librarian explaining what is going on with Charli and Taylor is outstanding work

www.instagram.com/reel/DPXZIUa...
October 4, 2025 at 1:05 AM
Reposted by Bethan
felicityhannah.bsky.social
This article manages to name her husband before it names… her.
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.
October 3, 2025 at 11:15 AM
bethanar.bsky.social
So my noise-cancelling headphones successfully drowned out the sound of a neighbour's roofer falling off the roof* which I guess is a great advert for them fulfilling their promise but also feels weirdly on point for our current dystopia

*Looks like he's going to be ok!
September 29, 2025 at 10:47 AM
bethanar.bsky.social
We used to be a *profession*
qi.com Quite Interesting @qi.com · Sep 28
In the late 17th century, the librarian of the Vatican wrote a treatise on how Jesus' foreskin ascended to become the rings of Saturn.
September 28, 2025 at 10:55 AM
bethanar.bsky.social
Fern got into a pack of flour and licked so vigorously and so wetly she made face dough
Chocolate lab looking not at all repentant, muzzle and whiskers white A closer shot showing the texture of the white stuff. It is no longer flour. It possesses goop.
September 19, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Reposted by Bethan
silkabelli.bsky.social
Queen
September 16, 2025 at 5:03 PM
Reposted by Bethan
gregk.co.uk
No words.
The lives of those living in Gaza are deemed less important than maintaining relations with Israel and, by proxy, the US. At the personal level, on Labour's doorsteps, this approach plays out in the most callous of ways. Dalloul al-Neder is a Palestinian refugee from Gaza, who was a constituent of the former deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner. He got to know her, meeting several times: she visited his takeaway shop in 2019 and posed for pictures, declaring "Palestine must be free". She took him on a tour of parliament. PHOTO: Dalloul al-Neder, who lives in Manchester, with an image of his late mother - he has lost several family members in Gaza bombings. Photograph: Sean Hansford/MEN Media Within weeks of the genocide beginning, in October 2023, his mother, brother, sister-in-law and two young nieces were killed by an Israeli airstrike. Desperate to evacuate his wife and four-month-old daughter - who had been buried under rubble three times by Israeli attacks - he emailed Rayner twice to seek help evacuating his family. He says received no response. In January 2024, he attended a Labour fundraiser in Stockport addressed by Rayner and her colleague, Jonathan Reynolds, and got to his feet, clutching pictures of his dead mother, begging her to support a ceasefire, emotionally declaring "I lost my family in Gaza". The whole tawdry episode is on camera: he was aggressively ejected from the meeting and on to the street. Rayner did nothing, except to say "thank you, you've made your point". She then unfollowed him on social media. Days later, she was interviewed by Sky News' Beth Rigby, who framed the incident as an example of the threats politicians face, linking it to the murder of the MPs Jo Cox and David Amess. Since then, so many of Neder's relatives have been slaughtered by the Israeli state that their names take up three pages of a notebook.
September 17, 2025 at 6:01 AM