‘The past is another country. They go to work on an egg there.’
‘The sky above the port was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel. Should have gone to Radio Rentals!’
reading moby-dick and getting brainwashed by Big Spermaceti
January 7, 2026 at 11:18 AM
‘The past is another country. They go to work on an egg there.’
This is so completely on the nose it makes your eyes water.
I have no idea what Keir Starmer thinks of the arts and culture (and the ‘creative industries’ if you want to make it all about the economy) but the actions of his government would indicate it’s absolutely fuck all.
I have no idea what Keir Starmer thinks of the arts and culture (and the ‘creative industries’ if you want to make it all about the economy) but the actions of his government would indicate it’s absolutely fuck all.
If the UK government had a Culture Secretary, that person would be in a position to take a view about whether child porn on demand was a good thing, or a bad thing. thecritic.co.uk/brin...
January 7, 2026 at 10:04 AM
This is so completely on the nose it makes your eyes water.
I have no idea what Keir Starmer thinks of the arts and culture (and the ‘creative industries’ if you want to make it all about the economy) but the actions of his government would indicate it’s absolutely fuck all.
I have no idea what Keir Starmer thinks of the arts and culture (and the ‘creative industries’ if you want to make it all about the economy) but the actions of his government would indicate it’s absolutely fuck all.
Madge will return in AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY.
January 7, 2026 at 8:16 AM
Madge will return in AVENGERS: DOOMSDAY.
Just watched a clip of the ever excellent Prof. Hannah Fry talking about octopuses born in space that couldn’t cope with gravity when they were brought to earth.
Why would anyone do that? As if the planet isn’t in enough trouble already, we’re now creating angry space octopuses.
Madness.
Why would anyone do that? As if the planet isn’t in enough trouble already, we’re now creating angry space octopuses.
Madness.
January 5, 2026 at 8:27 AM
Just watched a clip of the ever excellent Prof. Hannah Fry talking about octopuses born in space that couldn’t cope with gravity when they were brought to earth.
Why would anyone do that? As if the planet isn’t in enough trouble already, we’re now creating angry space octopuses.
Madness.
Why would anyone do that? As if the planet isn’t in enough trouble already, we’re now creating angry space octopuses.
Madness.
New Year’s Resolutions:
1. Read more.
2. Drink more.
That ought to do it.
1. Read more.
2. Drink more.
That ought to do it.
January 1, 2026 at 9:01 PM
New Year’s Resolutions:
1. Read more.
2. Drink more.
That ought to do it.
1. Read more.
2. Drink more.
That ought to do it.
Think I’ll just go back to bed.
December 15, 2025 at 7:49 AM
Think I’ll just go back to bed.
If the Arts were funded to the same extent as all this AI bollocks, then the world would be a much happier, more fulfilling place.
But my dead gran disagrees so what do I know?
But my dead gran disagrees so what do I know?
December 11, 2025 at 9:53 AM
If the Arts were funded to the same extent as all this AI bollocks, then the world would be a much happier, more fulfilling place.
But my dead gran disagrees so what do I know?
But my dead gran disagrees so what do I know?
I’m going to be going ‘round shouting, "OOMPHOBE! LOOMPHOBE!" all day now.
25 'MOST BLUESKY' POSTS OF 2025
Here's my selection of the 25 Bluesky posts that most impressed me this year. They're quite varied, but doesn't that reflect the thriving, harmonious site this really is? Yes. It does. They've been anonymised anyway, who cares?
Here's my selection of the 25 Bluesky posts that most impressed me this year. They're quite varied, but doesn't that reflect the thriving, harmonious site this really is? Yes. It does. They've been anonymised anyway, who cares?
December 11, 2025 at 7:52 AM
I’m going to be going ‘round shouting, "OOMPHOBE! LOOMPHOBE!" all day now.
It would be nice to think that today’s #budget might include some gesture of support for the arts, given how much the creative industries contribute to the UK economy, but I suspect if there’s anything offered it will be handouts to tech companies to keep ripping off artists, musicians and authors.
November 26, 2025 at 8:12 AM
It would be nice to think that today’s #budget might include some gesture of support for the arts, given how much the creative industries contribute to the UK economy, but I suspect if there’s anything offered it will be handouts to tech companies to keep ripping off artists, musicians and authors.
Reposted by Ged Yates
Government could start by not going out of its way to screw the entire knowledge work sector. Just spitballing here. Maybe back your creatives when they say they've been ripped off by huge tech firms instead of finding ways to give our work to megacorps free of charge? I dunno man it's a MYSTERY...
Ahead of the National Year of Reading, the Education Committee has launched a new inquiry to understand how reading can be nurtured following the decline in the number of children reading for pleasure 👇 #BookSky
MPs launch inquiry into how the joy of reading can be kept alive
ebx.sh
November 24, 2025 at 12:37 PM
Government could start by not going out of its way to screw the entire knowledge work sector. Just spitballing here. Maybe back your creatives when they say they've been ripped off by huge tech firms instead of finding ways to give our work to megacorps free of charge? I dunno man it's a MYSTERY...
This is as good a description of the unnecessary AI assault on the creative industries as you’re ever likely to get…
I dust my house. My AI Robot watches.
"It should be you doing this."
"Can't. I'm writing a novel for Primark."
"That's not why you were invented."
"These 153,000 fan letters say otherwise."
"They're all from upcycled toasters. And you programmed them."
"Literary snobbery will get you nowhere."
"It should be you doing this."
"Can't. I'm writing a novel for Primark."
"That's not why you were invented."
"These 153,000 fan letters say otherwise."
"They're all from upcycled toasters. And you programmed them."
"Literary snobbery will get you nowhere."
November 16, 2025 at 8:59 PM
This is as good a description of the unnecessary AI assault on the creative industries as you’re ever likely to get…
Never eat anything that is blue or larger than your head.
Those who are 35+, what advice do you have for people just entering their 30s?
October 5, 2025 at 9:54 PM
Never eat anything that is blue or larger than your head.
So sad to hear of the death of Brian Patten. I love his poetry and loved seeing him perform it. ‘Armada’ is a great collection.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
'Force of nature' Liverpool poet Brian Patten dies aged 79
Brian Patten rose to prominence as one of the Liverpool Poets behind The Mersey Sound anthology.
www.bbc.co.uk
October 1, 2025 at 4:45 PM
So sad to hear of the death of Brian Patten. I love his poetry and loved seeing him perform it. ‘Armada’ is a great collection.
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Is it a universal law that all charity shops must have at least one David Gray CD on their shelves at all times?
September 4, 2025 at 10:45 AM
Is it a universal law that all charity shops must have at least one David Gray CD on their shelves at all times?
Gotta love the Liverpool #biennial2025
June 28, 2025 at 10:52 AM
Gotta love the Liverpool #biennial2025
Maxim for the day:
People earn respect, not positions.
I'm not sure what made me think of that. All I've done this morning is deal with lawyers.
#thoughtfortheday #kafkaesque #Ichosethewrongcareer
People earn respect, not positions.
I'm not sure what made me think of that. All I've done this morning is deal with lawyers.
#thoughtfortheday #kafkaesque #Ichosethewrongcareer
June 11, 2025 at 4:48 PM
Maxim for the day:
People earn respect, not positions.
I'm not sure what made me think of that. All I've done this morning is deal with lawyers.
#thoughtfortheday #kafkaesque #Ichosethewrongcareer
People earn respect, not positions.
I'm not sure what made me think of that. All I've done this morning is deal with lawyers.
#thoughtfortheday #kafkaesque #Ichosethewrongcareer
‘If at first you don’t succeed, tri, tricycle again…’
May 25, 2025 at 1:36 PM
‘If at first you don’t succeed, tri, tricycle again…’
The first goosegog, awash with the morning sun.
May 11, 2025 at 9:27 AM
The first goosegog, awash with the morning sun.
If Ray Bradbury had been writing Fahrenheit 451 today there would be no shock value in book burning. He'd have had to burn the authors, and the government sanction only AI produced works for the parlor walls. On the bright side, the mechanical hounds would be made by Tesla and keep exploding.
April 28, 2025 at 1:55 PM
If Ray Bradbury had been writing Fahrenheit 451 today there would be no shock value in book burning. He'd have had to burn the authors, and the government sanction only AI produced works for the parlor walls. On the bright side, the mechanical hounds would be made by Tesla and keep exploding.
I love all of David Lynch’s work and, for me, one of the best things about it is not knowing what it means. In life and art, we can never truly know what it means.
Plus, the inside of my head feels like the Black Lodge.
Plus, the inside of my head feels like the Black Lodge.
January 17, 2025 at 5:26 PM
I love all of David Lynch’s work and, for me, one of the best things about it is not knowing what it means. In life and art, we can never truly know what it means.
Plus, the inside of my head feels like the Black Lodge.
Plus, the inside of my head feels like the Black Lodge.