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Alom Shaha @alomshaha.bsky.social · 21m

Good for him - he’ll have made another £80 or so writing that article.

Reposted by Alom Shaha

Tauriq Moosa @tauriq.bsky.social · 32m

*supportive noises from South Africa where my parents were not allowed to vote, have certain jobs, allowed into certain areas and had to use separate entrances for much of their lives*

Evette Dionne (Mostly on Threads) @freeblackgirl.bsky.social · 1h

I am Black American. My people were enslaved, segregated, and degraded for hundreds of years. There was a time when it was considered politically untenable to abolish slavery and legally dismantle Jim Crow. It got done. So, yes, a free Palestine is a political possibility. It is inevitable.

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Reposted by Alom Shaha

Gabby @gabliotecaria.bsky.social · 45m

Met so many wonderful people. Some have now become the loveliest, most supportive, trusted friends irl too 💖

And the BOOKS! So many books I wouldn't have read if y'all hadn't posted about them 🥹🥰

I also wouldn't have had the space to discover/admit I was bi 💖💜💙

So, yeah 🤗

Conrad Hackett @conradhackett.bsky.social · 13h

Has anything great happened in your life because of social media?

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Reposted by Alom Shaha

Bill Wilkinson @drwilkinsonsci.bsky.social · 45m

Nice bit of civics on TGT tomorrow. The anniversary of the setting up of The Universal Postal Union. Less so now, perhaps, but for decades we took for granted that we could easily post letters anywhere in the world. That's pretty remarkable when you stop to think about it.
bit.ly/TutorGroupThink

Thursday 9th October
The Universal Postal Union was founded on this date 151 years ago (1874). It is one of the oldest intergovernmental organisations, and is now part of the United Nations. Before the UPU every pair of countries that exchanged post had to negotiate a treaty, or forward via other countries. Negotiations sometimes took years.
The UPU was established by signing the Treaty of Bern, which setup:
There should be a uniform flat rate to mail a letter anywhere in the world
Postal authorities should give equal treatment to foreign and domestic mail
The pictured sculpture in Bern celebrates the UPU. The continents, represented as people, wrap around the earth connecting everyone. Today is also World Post Day.to highlight the importance of post, and celebrate our global connection.
Can you imagine the excitement of receiving a letter from another country at the end of the 1800s or start of 1900s?
Have you ever sent a letter - either within your own country or abroad?
How do you feel about post volumes falling due to e-mail/social media?

Thursday 9th October
The Universal Postal Union (UPU) was founded on this day 1874. It introduced flat fees so mail could be sent easily around the world.
Before the UPU every pair of countries that exchanged post had to negotiate a treaty.
The pictured sculpture in Bern celebrates the UPU and how mail connect people on all continents around the world.
Have you ever sent a letter - either within your own country or abroad?

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Reposted by Alom Shaha

Kevin J. CREATURE @kevinjkircher.com · 1d

Winds tend to blow faster at night and in the winter, which is why wind is pretty great in electrified future scenarios - it aligns well with demand for space heating, the main driver of electricity demand peaks in grids with deep electrification. Also why wind nicely complements solar.

John Kostyack @kostyack.bsky.social · 1d

Nope, Energy Sec'y Wright, offshore winds in fact blow in winter. 1st year of operational data from NY's South Fork Wind project shows a 47% capacity factor in the year ending June 2025, with performance highest in the winter. Coal's avg capacity factor: 42%.

Wright says it’s not windy in winter. Data says otherwise.

Stats from South Fork Wind's first year undermine the Energy secretary's assertions that offshore turbines don't operate well in the winter.

www.eenews.net

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Reposted by Alom Shaha

John Self @john-self.bsky.social · 57m

There’s going to be a novel of this name published within a year, isn’t there?

Einstein’s violin sells for £860k at auction

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Reposted by Alom Shaha

Greg Jenner @gregjenner.bsky.social · 1h

In the recent controversy over Jimmy Kimmel’s cancellation, I was reminded of the epic “I’m fucking Matt Damon” song that Sarah Silverman sang to him.

But I had no idea Kimmel then retaliated with his own song full of music & Hollywood royalty

youtu.be/TwIyLHsk2h4?...

F*@#ing Ben Affleck

YouTube video by Jimmy Kimmel Live

youtu.be

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Reposted by Alom Shaha

Scott Santens @scottsantens.com · 3h

Everyone needs to know that Dolly Parton responded to a climate disaster in her community with a temporary universal basic income for everyone who lost their homes.

Here's a short documentary about it:

The Great Equalizer: What Dolly Parton & a Tennessee Wildfire Can Teach About Universal Basic Income

YouTube video by In The Mesh

youtu.be

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Reposted by Alom Shaha

Alom Shaha @alomshaha.bsky.social · 6h

"A billionaire asking her fans to buy several editions of the same exact mediocre album is a little hard to stomach." All your faves are problematic, especially the billionaire ones. Except Dolly Parton.

Saeed Jones @theferocity.bsky.social · 17h

“We don’t have to approach and criticize this album as art, because it isn’t art. The Life of a Showgirl is made of Shein quality rip-offs of other people’s songs that are constructed shoddily and sold in ginormous quantities. Art takes time and care. This is profit. It’s content.”

WHEW.

No Good Art Comes From Greed | Defector

The packages arrived square and thin and carefully wrapped on Saturday afternoon. There were three of them, but only one was mine. If I could have rejected my package, sent it back from whence it came...

defector.com

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Alom Shaha @alomshaha.bsky.social · 4h

Thank you, it is indeed disheartening but I shall plough on…

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Reposted by Alom Shaha

Sam Missingham @samatlounge.bsky.social · 4h

This is as enraging as it is predictable. The industry absolutely does not want to do the work it needs to change structurally (and not just plug on temporary initiatives). www.thebookseller.com/news/report-...

Report reveals 'stark inequalities' and 'precipitous decline' in representation in children's publishing

Literacy charity Inclusive Books for Children has published its annual Excluded Voices report, revealing 'stark inequalities' in UK children’s publishing.

www.thebookseller.com

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Reposted by Alom Shaha

Christopher Mims @mims.bsky.social · 4h

Humans evolved a cognitive 'social proof' system for establishing what's true (if enough of the people around me believe something, I'll go along) and media fragmentation + social media has completely and totally hijacked it

Feels like AI will only make this worse

Lord Businessman II @lordbusinessman.bsky.social · 5h

"no in the future people will cryptographically verify what's true and-" no they will not. People are fucking stupid.

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Reposted by Alom Shaha

Pete Fraser @petefrasermusic.bsky.social · 5h

I think that’s what’s most jarring about all this - I’m sure people are pretty horrified, but at an institutional level, democracy got given up without a shred of resistance.

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Reposted by Alom Shaha

JoBrodie @jobrodie.bsky.social · 5h

I also see this with organisations that host events which fail to woohoo events that a third party has booked the venue for. Genuinely "huh?".

This book business is even MORE baffling as the publisher directly benefits from more ppl hearing about the book so surely want to share stuff about it.

Alom Shaha @alomshaha.bsky.social · 8h

Publishers to authors: you need to be active on social media
Authors to publishers: Sure! Could you help me make some stuff to help promote my book:
Publisher:
Author: please
Publisher:
Author: at least repost this for me?
Publisher:

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Reposted by Alom Shaha

Gareth P Jones @garethpjones.bsky.social · 6h

I'll let you know if she gets back to me with some answers.

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Alom Shaha @alomshaha.bsky.social · 6h

"A billionaire asking her fans to buy several editions of the same exact mediocre album is a little hard to stomach." All your faves are problematic, especially the billionaire ones. Except Dolly Parton.

Saeed Jones @theferocity.bsky.social · 17h

“We don’t have to approach and criticize this album as art, because it isn’t art. The Life of a Showgirl is made of Shein quality rip-offs of other people’s songs that are constructed shoddily and sold in ginormous quantities. Art takes time and care. This is profit. It’s content.”

WHEW.

No Good Art Comes From Greed | Defector

The packages arrived square and thin and carefully wrapped on Saturday afternoon. There were three of them, but only one was mine. If I could have rejected my package, sent it back from whence it came...

defector.com

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Alom Shaha @alomshaha.bsky.social · 7h

That's very kind of you to say. I appreciate it.

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Reposted by Alom Shaha

Marianne Doherty @mariannedoherty.bsky.social · 7h

My fab colleague Paul and I got to write the autumn children's book reviews for the Scotsman. I think they were in the paper at the weekend but you can read them here online...
www.scotsman.com/arts-and-cul...

#UKKidLit #KidLitUK #KidLit

The best new children's books for autumn 2025

Among the heroes of this autumn’s best kids books are a sleepy bear, a water-loving rabbit and a pair of hyper-competitive turtles. Reviews by Paul Kane and Marianne Doherty

www.scotsman.com

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Alom Shaha @alomshaha.bsky.social · 7h

Congratulations! And this makes me feel better about not being able to go.

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Alom Shaha @alomshaha.bsky.social · 7h

#kidlitUK #UKKidLit Children’ Books People! You might find this report on “Own Voice representation in the creation of UK children’s books” interesting / enraging. HT @clairelinney.bsky.social

Excluded Voices report

Is UK publishing diverse? Read the Excluded Voices report, our latest research into the number of Own Voice authors and illustrators creating children’s books.

www.inclusivebooksforchildren.org

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Alom Shaha @alomshaha.bsky.social · 7h

Never really cared about being in the “good books” of people who don’t put me there in the first place based on my countless good qualities anyway ;)

Reposted by Alom Shaha

Greg Jericho @grogsgamut.bsky.social · 9h

This is such a brilliant article.

Saeed Jones @theferocity.bsky.social · 17h

“We don’t have to approach and criticize this album as art, because it isn’t art. The Life of a Showgirl is made of Shein quality rip-offs of other people’s songs that are constructed shoddily and sold in ginormous quantities. Art takes time and care. This is profit. It’s content.”

WHEW.

No Good Art Comes From Greed | Defector

The packages arrived square and thin and carefully wrapped on Saturday afternoon. There were three of them, but only one was mine. If I could have rejected my package, sent it back from whence it came...

defector.com

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Alom Shaha @alomshaha.bsky.social · 8h

Currently being ghosted by a couple of people who were apparently “excited” about my ideas.

Alom Shaha @alomshaha.bsky.social · 8h

Sometimes feel I’m the only author I know who’s willing to talk openly in public about the many shitty aspects of the publishing industry. Spoke at a book event recently and so many people contacted me afterwards how “refreshing” it was to hear my take. Sigh.

Alom Shaha @alomshaha.bsky.social · 8h

Publishers to authors: you need to be active on social media
Authors to publishers: Sure! Could you help me make some stuff to help promote my book:
Publisher:
Author: please
Publisher:
Author: at least repost this for me?
Publisher:

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Alom Shaha @alomshaha.bsky.social · 8h

Sometimes feel I’m the only author I know who’s willing to talk openly in public about the many shitty aspects of the publishing industry. Spoke at a book event recently and so many people contacted me afterwards how “refreshing” it was to hear my take. Sigh.

Alom Shaha @alomshaha.bsky.social · 8h

Publishers to authors: you need to be active on social media
Authors to publishers: Sure! Could you help me make some stuff to help promote my book:
Publisher:
Author: please
Publisher:
Author: at least repost this for me?
Publisher:

1 2 5

Reposted by Alom Shaha

Don Linn @donlinn.bsky.social · 8h

Sad but all too true in the vast majority of cases.

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