I took that very early one morning in an unoccupied flat in Castlefields with a grim past. The builder got us in to replaster some walls (it was sorely neglected) and I saw that light over the shrouded fireplace and took the pic quick whilst everyone else had their coffee and talked about money.
'Sometimes it seems as though each new step towards AI, rather than producing something which everyone agrees is real intelligence, merely reveals what real intelligence is not'
~ Douglas Hofstadter, 'Gödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid'
Just listened to this. It's really lovely and I learned quite a lot more about him in it (I didn't know he and Douglas Adams were so friendly for a start). And @sihart.bsky.social 's tribute is fitting and very moving too. A great episode.
I'm glad. It's the sort of story that's both the absolute best example and the absolute worst example of how good the classic era was. Deeply satisfying if you liked McCoy's era in particular, but it offers nothing for the casual viewer (but, you know, so what?)
You've championed these books more than once on here (and on the Old Place back in the day), Simon. I may have to jump in. Feeling bereft since finishing Gormenghast and so I want to keep reading deep, immersive stuff.
Lovely. I like seeing pictures of sites taken before the hand of commercial tidying-up has had any influence. Like ones of Stone Henge taken before it was partially restored in 1901, when it's all wonky and weedy and muddy. It makes it look more mysterious and chanced upon.
Inspired by a post I just saw in which someone admitted they hadn’t seen a single episode of Friends nor the film Love Actually… what cultural hole do you have that’s a bit weird for your generation?