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Gordon Anderson @librarygordon.bsky.social · 16h

So, is there a photo of yourself that you feel defines you as a person?

Me: Well, it's not actually a photo of *me*...

White cat next to drinks bottles in close up, looking scared

Gordon Anderson @librarygordon.bsky.social · 1d

Come to this, Cardiff fans of storytelling! ⬇️⬇️

Cathays Library is an old building next to a Victorian cemetery, so the PERFECT goth-by-default place to hear chilling tales on Halloween (for zero pounds). Link below!

Cardiff Hubs & Libraries @cdflibraries.bsky.social · 1d

We’re at Cathays Library this Halloween for Dark Winter Tales – spooky stories for the dark half of the year, featuring Mat Troy and a host of great storytellers.

Book a free ticket today!
➡️ tinyurl.com/3tj86nt2

@mattroy.bsky.social

You are invited to join us for... Dark Winter Tales - Spooky stories for the dark half of the year. Featuring Mat Troy, Rachael Llewellyn, George Sandifer-Smith and Gavin Murray-Miller. Cathays Library, Friday 31 October, 6pm.

Reposted by Gordon Anderson

Waffle 🧇 @wafflecut.bsky.social · 1d

Stravinsky saw Charlie Parker play at Birdland

club of all time by performing for Igor Stravinsky at Birdland. Alfred Appel tells it definitively in his book Jazz Modernism: From Ellington and Armstrong to Matisse and Joyce:
The house was almost full, even before the opening set - Billy Taylor's piano trio - except for the conspicuous empty table to my right, which bore a RESERVED sign, unusual for Birdland.
After the pianist finished his forty-five-minute set, a party of four men and a woman settled in at the table, rather clamorously, three waiters swooping in quickly to take their orders as a ripple of whispers and exclamations ran through Birdland at the sight of one of the men, Igor Stravinsky. He was a celebrity, and an icon to jazz fans because he sanctified modern jazz by composing Ebony Concerto for Woody Herman and his Orchestra (1946) - a Covarrubias
"Impossible Interview" come true.
As Parker's quintet walked onto the bandstand, trumpeter Red Rodney recognized Stravinsky, front and almost center. Rodney leaned over and told Parker, who did not look at Stravinsky.
Parker immediately called the first number for his band, and, forgoing the customary greeting to the crowd, was off like a shot. At the sound of the opening notes, played in unison by trumpet and alto, a chill went up and down the back of my neck.
They were playing "Koko, which, because of its epochal breakneck tempo
- over three hundred beats per minute on the metronome - Parker never assayed before his second set, when he was sufficiently warmed up. Parker's phrases were flying as fluently as ever on this particular daunting "Koko." At the beginning of his second chorus he interpolated the opening of Stravinsky's Firebird Suite as though it had always been there, a perfect fit, and then sailed on with the rest of the number. Stravinsky roared with delight, pounding his glass on the table, the upward arc of the glass sending its liquor and ice cubes onto the people behind him, who threw up their hands or ducked.
Parker didn't just happen to…

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Gordon Anderson @librarygordon.bsky.social · 1d

Well, as a very small palate cleanser, yourself and Mr AM are some of my favourite people on here (and I am, perhaps sadly, real).

A large 'yay' for everyone being civil, funny and intellectually curious, if that's not too wanky a phrase, in the face of bots & bullshit.

Wishing you a good day.

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Gordon Anderson @librarygordon.bsky.social · 1d

I'm sure the content is fabulous (time before first harpsichord appears is __?), but you're kind to overlook the awfulness of the cover. It's like staring at a pub carpet with a bad headache.

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Gordon Anderson @librarygordon.bsky.social · 1d

Consider me as being in the pub car park cheering you on as you wrestle your assailant to the dirty ground and administer a few awkward punches. You will be winded, blowing somewhat, but victorious. Solidarity.

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Gordon Anderson @librarygordon.bsky.social · 1d

In any major party, prior to the last three years (perhaps even one year), Robert Jenrick would have been fired for his racist remarks.

Sacking Jenrick would at least make the spineless would-be boss baby Badenoch look like she had principles, but no. Ever rightward we go, into the abyss.

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Gordon Anderson @librarygordon.bsky.social · 1d

Also from 168 Songs of Hatred and Failure, regarding A Design For Life - and I can say, Max Boyce-ishly, "I was there!".

Well, sort of. I actually missed the Manics' appearance and only caught a bit of the choir.

And five years later, just to be a True Fan, obviously... I worked there.

Text from book describing the band officially opening Cardiff Central Library on 18 June 2005.

Reposted by Gordon Anderson

Alan Beattie @alanbeattie.bsky.social · 2d

Henceforth the red robes will only be worn as an away kit when the Canadian Supreme Court is playing the US one.

Pwnallthethings @pwnallthethings.bsky.social · 2d

Tragic news from Canada where the Canadian Supreme Court has gone from the official dress on the left to the one on the right

Canadian Supreme court. Everyone is dressed in bright red wooly gowns, with a beige trim. It looks sort of like a Santa robe

The Canadian Supreme court. Everyone is dressed in black gowns with a bright white kravat, and two thin red vertical lines on the side of the robe

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Reposted by Gordon Anderson

The Guardian @theguardian.com · 2d

I judged this year’s Welsh music prize – and Don Leisure’s winning album sums up the nation’s eclectic spirit

Desert blues, transcendental electronica and a concept album about a mill powered by music – this year’s shortlisted albums were stunningly diverse, none more so than the crate-digging on the triumphant Tyrchu Sain

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Gordon Anderson

Andy Miller @iammilliam.bsky.social · 2d

If this guy isn’t a murderer in Bromley (8th Jan), he will be by the time he gets to Christchurch (26th Nov).

Ricardo Autobahn @ricardoautobahn.co.uk · 2d

This is the maddest tour I've ever seen in my life. It seems like he's doing more gigs than there are days in the year.

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Gordon Anderson @librarygordon.bsky.social · 2d

I sometimes mix up the words 'waterboarding' and 'motorboating', which is sometimes frustrating, but did give me great user feedback scores when I worked at Guantanamo Bay.

Reposted by Gordon Anderson

Gordon Anderson @librarygordon.bsky.social · 2d

Well this is the perfect gift for the trainspotter Manics fan in your life (it's me).

Bradfield and Wire give insights into the writing and recording process, Keith Cameron writes deftly, and out via the excellent @whiterabbitbks.bsky.social - probably our finest current music & culture publisher.

Hardback copy of 168 Songs of Hatred and Failure by Keith Cameron

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Gordon Anderson @librarygordon.bsky.social · 2d

Imperious pose from Rosie cat says hold up your whiskers, admit no imperfection, and the rest of ye kin git tae fuck.

Tuxedo cat reclining on sofa throw, looking at camera.

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Gordon Anderson @librarygordon.bsky.social · 2d

Aaaargh. Oh god. This is the worst.

Ok, it's not as bad as all the guns, but it's close.

Gordon Anderson @librarygordon.bsky.social · 2d

Enjoyed the reminder that the band went back into the studio specifically to 'write a single' and came up with Revol - a song which begins:

'Mr Lenin - awaken the boy
Mr Stalin - bisexual epoch
Khrushchev - self-love in his mirrors'

...an act of clear insanity which gave them a no.22 hit.

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Gordon Anderson @librarygordon.bsky.social · 2d

Well this is the perfect gift for the trainspotter Manics fan in your life (it's me).

Bradfield and Wire give insights into the writing and recording process, Keith Cameron writes deftly, and out via the excellent @whiterabbitbks.bsky.social - probably our finest current music & culture publisher.

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Gordon Anderson @librarygordon.bsky.social · 3d

At its core, the conservative/populist's belief about everything is that "it's SIMPLE!! you just do THIS!!".

And lo, here we haveth the Finding Out.

James Ball @jamesrball.com · 3d

*gasp*

“Everyone thought we’d come in and there were going to be these huge costs we could cut away but there just aren’t,” said a third senior Reform cabinet member in Kent.

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Reposted by Gordon Anderson

Frames @oxinabox.bsky.social · 4d

as a girl with a PhD in natural language processing and machine learning it's actually offensive to me when you say "we don't know how LLMs work so they might be conscious"

I didn't spend 10 years in mines of academia to be told ignorance is morally equal knowledge.

We know exactly how LLMs work.

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Gordon Anderson @librarygordon.bsky.social · 3d

I also went Outside (!!) to do a little clap for some of the runners. Where is my medal you cowards.

Side note: within five minutes I saw three pairs of identical twin runners. Did not have *that* on my bingo card...

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Gordon Anderson @librarygordon.bsky.social · 4d

Every 80s American comedy:

RICHARD FISH is a layabout from WATER, Indiana - but he's going to find the true meaning of Christmas when he becomes PRESIDENT! For reasons. In FISH out of WATER!

Starring Charles Grodin and Randy Quaid. In cinemas now!

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Gordon Anderson @librarygordon.bsky.social · 4d

Know what's bad for your partner's block of flats during a named storm? Being completely surrounded by scaffolding, with an UNFINISHED ROOF.

Three ceiling leaks, winds rattling the pipes and boards of the scaffolding all night... real nice.

Reposted by Gordon Anderson

Gordon Anderson @librarygordon.bsky.social · 6d

My phone buzzes twice. I check the message preview, and it's my girlfriend saying 'I really need you right now'.

Oh, hellooo! 9/10! 🔥

I properly open WhatsApp. Two messages.

'There's a spider in my hallway.'
'I really need you right now'.

🕷️🫠

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Gordon Anderson @librarygordon.bsky.social · 5d

A reminder of something very much worth donating to, if you can.

Vajra Chandrasekera @vajra.me · Jul 24

The Gaza Soup Kitchen run by Hani Almadhoun and family is currently feeding 3000 people a day under the monstrous conditions of the engineered famine happening before our eyes. You can help feed at least a few people. Please donate: gofund.me/e37b4bae

Donate to Hot meals 4 Starved Palestinian Kids in north Gaza, organized by Hani Almadhoun

Do you know what it’s like to watch your family starve? I do. My… Hani Almadhoun needs your support for Hot meals 4 Starved Palestinian Kids in north Gaza

gofund.me

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Reposted by Gordon Anderson

Jay Nordlinger @jaynordlinger.bsky.social · 5d

There is a joke told in Turkey. A prisoner goes to the prison library to ask for a particular book. The librarian says, "We don't have the book -- but we have its author."

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