Simon Brackenborough
@sbrackenborough.bsky.social
Londoner and writer on classical music. Interested in the arts, history, nature, reading, coffee, vegetarian food, and active travel infrastructure.
Blog: corymbus.co.uk
Blog: corymbus.co.uk
Canoe parking lot? ancient folk understood active travel infrastructure 💯
Archeologists in Wisconsin found an ancient canoe that is over 5,000 years old!! The discovery was in a canoe “parking lot” along a popular waterway and trail system.
Wisconsin archaeologists identify 16 ancient canoes in a prehistoric lake 'parking lot'
Archaeologists have identified more than a dozen ancient canoes that Indigenous people apparently left behind in a prehistoric parking lot along a Wisconsin lakeshore.
apnews.com
November 26, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Canoe parking lot? ancient folk understood active travel infrastructure 💯
oh no did somebody undermine the grand theatre of the budget reveal
November 26, 2025 at 12:31 PM
oh no did somebody undermine the grand theatre of the budget reveal
attention-seeking little doofus
November 26, 2025 at 12:25 PM
attention-seeking little doofus
Reposted by Simon Brackenborough
It’s budget time already? You’d think somebody would have mentioned it was coming up
November 25, 2025 at 7:38 PM
It’s budget time already? You’d think somebody would have mentioned it was coming up
Reposted by Simon Brackenborough
Salieri’s Falstaff - rehearsals underway for two performances this weekend (to dispel those nasty Amadeus-based prejudices…).
November 26, 2025 at 9:38 AM
Salieri’s Falstaff - rehearsals underway for two performances this weekend (to dispel those nasty Amadeus-based prejudices…).
Reposted by Simon Brackenborough
Brazil's former president, Jair Bolsonaro, ordered by the country's Supreme Court to begin serving a 27-year sentence for overseeing a failed plot to hold onto power. www1.folha.uol.com.br/poder/2...
Moraes decide manter Bolsonaro preso na superintendência da PF em Brasília
Ex-presidente foi levado para a sede regional da PF em Brasília no sábado
www1.folha.uol.com.br
November 25, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Brazil's former president, Jair Bolsonaro, ordered by the country's Supreme Court to begin serving a 27-year sentence for overseeing a failed plot to hold onto power. www1.folha.uol.com.br/poder/2...
It’s budget time already? You’d think somebody would have mentioned it was coming up
November 25, 2025 at 7:38 PM
It’s budget time already? You’d think somebody would have mentioned it was coming up
Jeremiah was lamenting at the charity shop so I brought him home
November 25, 2025 at 2:29 PM
Jeremiah was lamenting at the charity shop so I brought him home
Reposted by Simon Brackenborough
“Immigrants don’t integrate”
*joins village Facebook group*
*group is filled with rants about non-white immigration*
*closes app and eats pulao and patisa instead*
*joins village Facebook group*
*group is filled with rants about non-white immigration*
*closes app and eats pulao and patisa instead*
November 25, 2025 at 12:31 PM
“Immigrants don’t integrate”
*joins village Facebook group*
*group is filled with rants about non-white immigration*
*closes app and eats pulao and patisa instead*
*joins village Facebook group*
*group is filled with rants about non-white immigration*
*closes app and eats pulao and patisa instead*
Ronly Honly Bingle Bells 🎄
![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.](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cyyd366g3hrxp5rynixm2mm3/bafkreid62wy3dekb2kzbisjfdlimlb35j4rlgew5iof7vi32byfszmg26a@jpeg)
![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".](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:cyyd366g3hrxp5rynixm2mm3/bafkreigmfj53q4uy33spga2bxdkllqm3ag5sffovg5g7ddmu3vqzkb6k24@jpeg)
November 25, 2025 at 9:37 AM
Ronly Honly Bingle Bells 🎄
Reposted by Simon Brackenborough
Jean Mallard • Evening Knight • which inevitably makes me think of...1/2
November 24, 2025 at 12:16 AM
Jean Mallard • Evening Knight • which inevitably makes me think of...1/2
now listening to 'Magic Flora of the East Midlands' - trippy English-eerie electronica by Leo Chadburn, courtesy of @purlis.bsky.social purlis.substack.com/p/purposeful...
Purposeful Listening 1
Beginning/continuing, place/language, tree/mobile, bigness/detail
purlis.substack.com
November 23, 2025 at 3:58 PM
now listening to 'Magic Flora of the East Midlands' - trippy English-eerie electronica by Leo Chadburn, courtesy of @purlis.bsky.social purlis.substack.com/p/purposeful...
the side roads of Balham are a great exhibition of #autobesity, a prize collection of nonsensically huge cars
November 23, 2025 at 10:59 AM
the side roads of Balham are a great exhibition of #autobesity, a prize collection of nonsensically huge cars
Reposted by Simon Brackenborough
Can I also just say that this is brilliant reporting by my pal Jude, questioning not only where Westminster's priorities lie but how we consume our news & what that means when things like this get ignored:
I also write about how little the floods have been covered in national newspapers, and how appalled I am that the Prime Minister has said nothing to the people of Monmouthshire directly. Please read and share. www.thenerve.news/p/storm-clau...
Storm Claudia puts Wales under water – why did these record-breaking floods barely make the news?
On the frontline of a deluge on the Welsh borders, Jude Rogers heard local stories of devastation and heroism – but incredibly the disaster was hardly referred to in Westminster and the national press
www.thenerve.news
November 23, 2025 at 9:01 AM
Can I also just say that this is brilliant reporting by my pal Jude, questioning not only where Westminster's priorities lie but how we consume our news & what that means when things like this get ignored:
This is a long and horrifying read. Superb reporting
Influencers made millions pushing ‘wild’ births – now the Free Birth Society is linked to baby deaths around the world
Influencers made millions pushing ‘wild’ births – now the Free Birth Society is linked to baby deaths around the world
A year-long investigation reveals how mothers lost children after being radicalised by uplifting podcast tales of births without midwives or doctors
As Esau Lopez was asphyxiated for the first 17 minutes of his life on Earth, the atmosphere in the room remained serene, even ecstatic. Acoustic music crooned from a speaker in a modest two-bedroom apartment in a suburb of Pennsylvania. “You are a queen,” murmured one of three friends in the room.
Only Esau’s mother, Gabrielle Lopez, felt something was wrong. She was pushing hard, but her son would not be born. “Can you help [him] out?” she asked, as Esau crowned. “Baby is coming,” the friend replied. Four minutes later, Lopez asked again, “Can you grab [him]?” Another friend murmured, “Baby is safe.” Six minutes passed. Again, Lopez asked, “Can you grab [him]?” Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
November 22, 2025 at 6:48 PM
This is a long and horrifying read. Superb reporting
Weather’s foul so I’m poaching some quince
November 22, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Weather’s foul so I’m poaching some quince
will never not repost this *incredible* illustration
On this day 22nd November 1859 Cecil Sharp, founder of the English folk-song revival was born. (Here he’s pictured overhearing a gardener singing)
Artist: Martin Aitchison
Artist: Martin Aitchison
November 22, 2025 at 9:03 AM
will never not repost this *incredible* illustration
Reposted by Simon Brackenborough
Terrifying, maddening and utterly heart-breaking. Truly incredible journalism to expose and document this.
Influencers made millions pushing ‘wild’ births – now the Free Birth Society is linked to baby deaths around the world
Influencers made millions pushing ‘wild’ births – now the Free Birth Society is linked to baby deaths around the world
A year-long investigation reveals how mothers lost children after being radicalised by uplifting podcast tales of births without midwives or doctors
As Esau Lopez was asphyxiated for the first 17 minutes of his life on Earth, the atmosphere in the room remained serene, even ecstatic. Acoustic music crooned from a speaker in a modest two-bedroom apartment in a suburb of Pennsylvania. “You are a queen,” murmured one of three friends in the room.
Only Esau’s mother, Gabrielle Lopez, felt something was wrong. She was pushing hard, but her son would not be born. “Can you help [him] out?” she asked, as Esau crowned. “Baby is coming,” the friend replied. Four minutes later, Lopez asked again, “Can you grab [him]?” Another friend murmured, “Baby is safe.” Six minutes passed. Again, Lopez asked, “Can you grab [him]?” Continue reading...
www.theguardian.com
November 22, 2025 at 7:27 AM
Terrifying, maddening and utterly heart-breaking. Truly incredible journalism to expose and document this.
Reposted by Simon Brackenborough
November 21, 2025 at 5:54 PM
A very interesting analysis of the Hammersmith Bridge situation, and how counter-intuitive transport can be
insights from Hammersmith Bridge nickmaini.substack.com/p/hammersmit... (Nick Maini) "closing a major bridge carrying 25,000 daily vehicles should lead to more traffic on other nearby crossings and less economic activity on either side. The evidence shows the exact opposite."
Hammersmith Bridge
Where did 25,000 vehicles go?
nickmaini.substack.com
November 21, 2025 at 9:57 PM
A very interesting analysis of the Hammersmith Bridge situation, and how counter-intuitive transport can be
Reposted by Simon Brackenborough
IT’S HERE IT’S HERE IT’S HERE!!!! The very first album ever dedicated to Avril Coleridge-Taylor. This has been such a labour of love - please do listen to it, her music deserves to be heard @jkaconductor.bsky.social @tomedney.bsky.social open.spotify.com/album/6EroQD...
Avril Coleridge-Taylor: Piano Concerto & Orchestral Works
open.spotify.com
November 21, 2025 at 9:12 AM
IT’S HERE IT’S HERE IT’S HERE!!!! The very first album ever dedicated to Avril Coleridge-Taylor. This has been such a labour of love - please do listen to it, her music deserves to be heard @jkaconductor.bsky.social @tomedney.bsky.social open.spotify.com/album/6EroQD...
Parthenope is a nonsense opera, but there was fabulous singing and lots of entertaining silliness in tonight’s performance at ENO 👏 👏 👏
November 20, 2025 at 11:40 PM
Parthenope is a nonsense opera, but there was fabulous singing and lots of entertaining silliness in tonight’s performance at ENO 👏 👏 👏
Started reading The Old Curiosity Shop, and there’s a character called Mr. Dick Swiveller. Gotta love Dickens…
November 20, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Started reading The Old Curiosity Shop, and there’s a character called Mr. Dick Swiveller. Gotta love Dickens…
In town, hiding in a lovely warm Caffè Nero, ahead of Handel’s Parthenope. I’ve just read the plot summary to try and understand what happens in it and…lol, never mind
November 20, 2025 at 4:08 PM
In town, hiding in a lovely warm Caffè Nero, ahead of Handel’s Parthenope. I’ve just read the plot summary to try and understand what happens in it and…lol, never mind
Please enjoy this orange shed potato I saw this morning
November 20, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Please enjoy this orange shed potato I saw this morning