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Jim Bliss

@jimbliss.bsky.social

180 followers 240 following 1.1K posts

Philosopher, psychoanalyst, former industrial engineer. Writes words and code. Near Dublin (Ireland). At the intersection between anarchism, socialism, & despair. GenX, gamer, #COYS and very left wing. He/Him. They is fine too. "Everyone's lost but me."

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Jim Bliss @jimbliss.bsky.social · Nov 18

The road to hell is paved with legitimate concerns.

#RefugeesWelcome

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Jim Bliss @jimbliss.bsky.social · 5m

You're a better man than me. I'm already plotting my revenge.

Jim Bliss @jimbliss.bsky.social · 1h

Saw then about 3 years ago and they were amazing (you'll have a blast).

Looking at the Dublin gig and considering going again, but they really are VERY expensive. Decent tickets are twice the price of Patti Smith, which I'm finding hard to swallow.

Reposted by Jim Bliss

Juno Rylee Schultz @junoryleejournalism.com · 1d

David Simon, creator of ‘The Wire’, being interviewed by Ari Shapiro (NPR)

SHAPIRO: OK, so you've spent your career creating television without Al, and I could imagine today you thinking, boy, I wish I had had that tool to solve those thorny problems...
SIMON: What?
SHAPIRO: ...Or saying...
SIMON: You imagine that?
SHAPIRO: ...Boy, if that had existed, it would have screwed me over.
SIMON: I don't think Al can remotely challenge what writers do at a fundamentally creative level.
SHAPIRO: But if you're trying to transition from scene five to scene six, and you're stuck with that transition, you could imagine plugging that portion of the script into an Al and say, give me 10 ideas for how to transition this.
SIMON: I'd rather put a gun in my mouth.

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Jim Bliss @jimbliss.bsky.social · 14h

In Vince we trust.

Jim Bliss @jimbliss.bsky.social · 23h

Also the first album I ever bought. And it still ranks among my favourites.

(first single I ever bought was Ghostbusters, by Ray Parker Jr... so slightly less cred for that)

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Jim Bliss @jimbliss.bsky.social · 1d

It's over 15 years since I lived in the UK but I never heard "could care less" when I did. And I've never heard it since returning to Ireland. Always "couldn't care less".

I did hear "could care less" when I lived in the States though.

But as milo says, maybe I'm not paying enough attention?

Jim Bliss @jimbliss.bsky.social · 1d

If AI does my job, it can pay my fucking mortgage as well.

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Jim Bliss @jimbliss.bsky.social · 2d

Even Michael Heseltine is sounding like a voice of reason these days. The distance the political mainstream has shifted rightwards for that to be the case can only be measured in astronomical units.

BBC Newsnight @bbcnewsnight.bsky.social · 2d

“You described Reform and other parties across Europe today as among the 'right wing equivalents of the fascists in the 1930s'. Why?”

“Because that’s what they are”

@vicderbyshire.bsky.social asks Lord Heseltine about remarks he made at Conservative Party Conference.

#Newsnight

Jim Bliss @jimbliss.bsky.social · 2d

I have an uncle who assures me the Jim Gavin scandal is the doing of Kerry GAA. Where's *his* Irish Times story? It's just as relevant as anything Maria Steen has to say.

The Irish Times @irishtimes.com · 2d

Maria Steen calls for presidential election to be cancelled over Jim Gavin’s departure

Conservative campaigner missed out on required signatures to make the ballot

www.irishtimes.com

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Jim Bliss @jimbliss.bsky.social · 2d

I absolutely did. Best gig of the last few years.

Jim Bliss @jimbliss.bsky.social · 2d

As a multi-millionaire owner of numerous properties I don't see what the problem is with #budget2026. It looks great to me.

Hang on. I'm not a multi-millionaire owner of numerous properties, am I?

Fuck.

I take that back.

Jim Bliss @jimbliss.bsky.social · 2d

Something that's been going on for a while now. This is Einstein writing in 1949...

monthlyreview.org/articles/why...

Paragraph from Why Socialism? by Albert Einstein. It reads: "This crippling of individuals I consider the worst evil of capitalism. Our whole educational system suffers from this evil. An exaggerated competitive attitude is inculcated into the student, who is trained to worship acquisitive success as a preparation for his future career."

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Jim Bliss @jimbliss.bsky.social · 3d

Actually, because you can see the top of the page despite the paywall I've just noticed it's only a "4-star" review. So no, I don't completely agree with it. If last night doesn't merit 5 stars, then nothing does.

Jim Bliss @jimbliss.bsky.social · 3d

It's no joke. And I suspect a large majority of the country would agree with it.

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Jim Bliss @jimbliss.bsky.social · 3d

It's paywalled (and I don't have access). But based on the snippet quoted here, let me say I completely agree with this review.

The Irish Times @irishtimes.com · 3d

Patti Smith in Dublin: The singer’s voice is peerless in a energetic and gentle performance

Awesomeness of album Horses is beautifully exposed as songs are contextualised with stories of their origins and inspiration

www.irishtimes.com

Jim Bliss @jimbliss.bsky.social · 3d

>> and then some of the "hits". All in all it was a joyous, righteous, defiant and musically stunning night. There's really no one like Patti Smith.

#PattiSmith #Horses #Music #LiveMusic #Dublin

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Jim Bliss @jimbliss.bsky.social · 3d

>> then we got three tracks from Television's seminal album Marquee Moon, an updated version of Allen Ginsberg's "Footnote to Howl" referencing the struggles against totalitarianism in the US and Palestine, then a long spontaneous Free Palestine chant from the audience >>

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Jim Bliss @jimbliss.bsky.social · 3d

>> we were treated to Horses in its entirety, with the expected tears streaming down my face during Birdland, a frankly jaw-dropping version of Land (one of the greatest pieces of music ever recorded), and some wonderful anecdotes along the way >>

Jim Bliss @jimbliss.bsky.social · 3d

First time I saw Patti Smith play live was back in the 90s. Tonight was the 8th time. And it was honestly the best. She may age, but her music and her performances don't. From the opening words... Jesus died for somebody's sins but not mine... to the final exultant chant... People have the power >>

Patti Smith and her band on stage at the 3Arena in Dublin.

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Jim Bliss @jimbliss.bsky.social · 3d

An hour to go...

#PattiSmith #Horses #Music #LiveMusic #Dublin #3Arena

A small crowd stand before a stage. It's set up for Patti Smith who should be out to perform the Horses album in about an hour. A blue light bathes the arena.

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Jim Bliss @jimbliss.bsky.social · 3d

Oh, they do. They're just fucking with you.

Jim Bliss @jimbliss.bsky.social · 4d

Going to see Patti Smith in Dublin tonight! She's performing the entire "Horses" album, which is a top 10 record for me. It's very exciting. 'Birdland' always brings a tear to my eye, so if you see a guy with a grey beard openly weeping in Block C when she's playing that... feel free to say "Hi".

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Jim Bliss @jimbliss.bsky.social · 4d

But can you imagine how smug Bertie is looking!

Jim Bliss @jimbliss.bsky.social · 4d

So Gavin has withdrawn from the race. Apparently he realised he wasn't going to be able to devote enough time to being President of Ireland while still fulfilling his duties as Governor of California.

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Jim Bliss @jimbliss.bsky.social · 4d

You'd have to imagine most of the people who would have voted for Gavin will vote for Heather Humphreys ahead of Catherine Connolly. No guarantees of course, but it's hard not to think this is a good thing for Humphreys.