Jim Cessford
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jimcessford.bsky.social
Jim Cessford
@jimcessford.bsky.social
430 followers 840 following 83 posts
Likes JSBach, plants and experts. Do not go gentle into that warrior’s armchair.
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Reposted by Jim Cessford
cezanne.bsky.social
A Turn in the Road at La Roche-Guyon, 1885
https://botfrens.com/collections/43/contents/12472
A Turn in the Road at La Roche-Guyon
January 6, 2026 at 7:20 PM
Reposted by Jim Cessford
radiofreetom.bsky.social
For people who'd like to *read* the article, here's a gift link:
www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/...
January 4, 2026 at 4:07 AM
Reposted by Jim Cessford
anneapplebaum.bsky.social
How to see clearly in 2026, from Gillian Tett @financialtimes.com

giftarticle.ft.com/giftarticle/...
Why we should know what we don’t know
Cognitive blind spots are undermining our ability to see the world as it is, rather than as we would like it to be
giftarticle.ft.com
January 2, 2026 at 8:56 AM
Reposted by Jim Cessford
simongerman600.bsky.social
Checks out.
January 1, 2026 at 3:55 PM
Reposted by Jim Cessford
henrymance.ft.com
A quote to end 2025.
December 31, 2025 at 5:28 PM
Reposted by Jim Cessford
adamkeiper.com
A #BlueskyLullaby for tonight: Here's Mitsuko Uchida playing the second movement (Adagio) of the last piano sonata Mozart ever wrote. See you around.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7n-...
Mozart: Piano Sonata No. 18 in D, K.576: 2. Adagio
YouTube video by Mitsuko Uchida - Topic
www.youtube.com
December 31, 2025 at 6:25 AM
Reposted by Jim Cessford
theplanetaryguy.bsky.social
Open up this picture fully.

Then look at the surface of Mars.

Then look up to the top right.

Spot Mars' moon Phobos high in the sky.

Then notice the bright spot beside Phobos.

That's Earth.
A forlorn landscape of layered rocks in the foreground, with hills fading into the background haze. At upper top right, a small crescent moon, and a bright star.
December 30, 2025 at 9:30 PM
Reposted by Jim Cessford
artistschiele.bsky.social
Edge of Town (Krumau Town Crescent), 1918
https://botfrens.com/collections/88/contents/25960
"Edge of Town (Krumau Town Crescent)" by Egon Schiele depicts the tangled and colorful rooftops of Krumau, a town significant to the artist’s life and evocative of his unique expressive style. The painting's dynamic composition and striking use of color reflect Schiele's exploration of form and emotion within urban landscapes.
December 28, 2025 at 2:38 PM
Reposted by Jim Cessford
jowolff.bsky.social
Trouble is, all these US de-regulators grew up in a world where’s there’s a button saying ‘Game Over. Try Again.’
December 26, 2025 at 9:46 AM
Reposted by Jim Cessford
rickhm.bsky.social
youtu.be/mxVo5mjK4eg?...
Tom Waits- Christmas Card from a Hooker in Minneapolis (Studio Version)
YouTube video by MissHonaloochie
youtu.be
December 25, 2025 at 3:24 AM
Reposted by Jim Cessford
artistschiele.bsky.social
Self Portrait with Checkered Shirt, 1917
https://botfrens.com/collections/88/contents/25946
Egon Schiele's "Self Portrait with Checkered Shirt" showcases his distinctive style, characterized by bold lines and an expressive, angular form. The checkered pattern emphasizes the contrast between the subject's introspection and the vivacity of Schiele's energetic brushwork.
December 24, 2025 at 10:15 PM
Reposted by Jim Cessford
dsmitheconomics.bsky.social
My Times piece: If the three wise men have any gifts for the UK economy, a sustained productivity revival, low and stable inflation, and stability for the public finances would be very welcome:

What do you get the troubled UK economy for Christmas?

www.thetimes.com/article/76ef...
What do you get the troubled UK economy for Christmas?
After a tough year made worse by poor management, I’m wishing for three gifts that would give the nation’s finances a much-needed fillip
www.thetimes.com
December 23, 2025 at 5:38 PM
Reposted by Jim Cessford
mrchrisaddison.bsky.social
This one very much for @frankcottrellboyce.bsky.social
mrchrisaddison.bsky.social Chris Addison @mrchrisaddison.bsky.social · 14d
23. The Great O Antiphons are sung, counting down to Christmas Eve. On the 23rd it’s either ‘O Emanuel’ or this one, ‘O Virgo Virginum’. This swoony setting is by the English composer Harry L’Estrange.

youtu.be/lO-gbNS9IvY?...
O Virgo Virginum
YouTube video by London Voices - Topic
youtu.be
December 23, 2025 at 9:24 AM
Reposted by Jim Cessford
artistschiele.bsky.social
Bare Tree behind a Fence, 1912
https://botfrens.com/collections/88/contents/25204
This painting by Egon Schiele, 'Bare Tree behind a Fence,' captures the stark, expressive lines of a leafless tree against a textured, muted background, illustrating Schiele's characteristic exploration of isolation and desolation. The bold, contrasting brushstrokes highlight the ominous barrier of the fence, adding depth and tension to the barren landscape.
December 23, 2025 at 6:09 AM
Reposted by Jim Cessford
dsmitheconomics.bsky.social
My Sunday Times piece: This has been a pretty disastrous year for fiscal policy, not least because of the government’s flawed fiscal rules, which are crying out to be reformed:

Reeves has bought herself time to write smarter fiscal rules

www.thetimes.com/article/2659...
Reeves has bought herself time to write smarter fiscal rules
The chancellor’s self-imposed restrictions are not good enough and other countries have better models. The moment is right for change
www.thetimes.com
December 20, 2025 at 10:43 PM
Reposted by Jim Cessford
artistschiele.bsky.social
Woman and Girl Embracing, 1918
https://botfrens.com/collections/88/contents/122455
Bequest of Scofield Thayer, 1982
December 21, 2025 at 7:57 AM
Reposted by Jim Cessford
adamkeiper.com
A #BlueskyLullaby for tonight: Since we did "Waltz of the Flowers" a couple of nights ago, here's Duke Ellington's answer to Tchaikovsky: "Dance of the Floreadores." Too upbeat for a true lullaby, but we can all use a bit of a pick-me-up. See you around.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=iu4S...
December 16, 2025 at 5:09 AM
Reposted by Jim Cessford
mrhenrymorris.substack.com
🚨NEW - My latest piece for The New Yorker.

Nigel Farage: Canterbury Pilgrim

mrhenrymorris.substack.com/p/nigel-fara...
Nigel Farage: Canterbury Pilgrim
A New Yorker Profile
mrhenrymorris.substack.com
December 15, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Reposted by Jim Cessford
cezanne.bsky.social
Bottom of the Ravine, 1879
https://botfrens.com/collections/43/contents/12066
Bottom of the Ravine
December 15, 2025 at 1:18 AM
Reposted by Jim Cessford
artistschiele.bsky.social
Stein on the Danube, Seen from the South, 1913
https://botfrens.com/collections/88/contents/25472
In "Stein on the Danube, Seen from the South," Egon Schiele applies his distinctive, expressive line work and bold colors to depict the town's architectural forms against the scenic natural landscape. The painting captures the juxtaposition of human-built structures and the organic contours of the surrounding hills, reflecting Schiele’s fascination with the interplay between civilization and nature.
December 14, 2025 at 1:57 PM
Reposted by Jim Cessford
brianbilston.bsky.social
I got visited by three ghosts last night, who were all experts in English grammar.
Tense Christmas I The Ghost of Christmas Past Perfect Progressive Midnight. Awoken by a ghost. I thought I must be raving. He’d come to me so I could see how badly I’d been behaving. II The Ghost of Christmas Present Perfect Simple Later still, a ghost again: with a much more recent scene. More evidence piling up of how unpleasant I have been. III The Ghost of Christmas Future Unreal Conditional Then, a final ghostly vision – but this one lacked the pain and strife. I saw if I could be a kinder man, I would create a better life. Brian Bilston
December 14, 2025 at 8:05 AM
Reposted by Jim Cessford
richardbarfield.bsky.social
Memorable comparison!

“in his robust defence of #Brexit freedoms, Starmer resembles Alec Guinness’s half-mad colonel in The Bridge on the River Kwai, protecting an edifice he has forgotten was built for the benefit of the other side”

@robertshrimsley.bsky.social
December 11, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Reposted by Jim Cessford
financialtimes.com
Europe must be ready when the AI bubble bursts on.ft.com/4pXnjda | opinion
Europe must be ready when the AI bubble bursts
A market correction will give the EU the chance to offer a trust-based alternative to American tech
on.ft.com
December 11, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Reposted by Jim Cessford
cezanne.bsky.social
Landscape. Study after Nature, 1876
https://botfrens.com/collections/43/contents/11878
Landscape. Study after Nature
December 11, 2025 at 6:15 AM
Reposted by Jim Cessford
artistschiele.bsky.social
Reclining Woman with Red Blouse, 1908
https://botfrens.com/collections/88/contents/24818
"Reclining Woman with Red Blouse" by Egon Schiele showcases the artist's distinctive use of bold colors and expressive lines, capturing an intimate moment with a figure adorned in a striped, patterned blouse. Schiele's work often emphasizes emotive poses and intense psychological insight, reflecting his fascination with human form and character.
December 11, 2025 at 10:49 AM