Russ Swan
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russs.bsky.social
Russ Swan
@russs.bsky.social
180 followers 200 following 690 posts
Recovering journalist, universe/UK/Notts. Geek, nerd, dweeb. Fixer. Author of popular science book. Columnist @ Lab News. Motorcycles. Spaniels. Science. Engineering. Screaming into the void
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russs.bsky.social
Unfortunate line breaks of our time

#rude #funny #dogs
Screenshot of a post on Facebook. The main content is an image of pair of chewed-up sandals, labelled 'The Art' and an image of a cocker spaniel labelled 'The Artist'. The post is from a group presumably called 'Live is better with cocker spaniels', however this has been cropped because of the limitations of phone screens and presents as 'Life is better with cock'.
December 10, 2025 at 6:17 PM
russs.bsky.social
SPOILER ALERT: no, they didn't.

From today's spam folder. Redacted to deny any potential for publicity.
Headline on a press release found today in my email spam: [redacted] Announces Revolutionary Mathematical Proof of God's Existence and a Theory of the Origins of the Universe, Life, and Chemicals
December 4, 2025 at 4:25 PM
russs.bsky.social
Up in the gods, for Jools Holland and Imelda May
A view of the interior of the Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham, from the uppermost tier of seats. The distant stage is set up with instruments and lit in a variety of colours. The structure of the concert hall is quite modern with many tiers and partitions in white, and a prominent white acoustic ceiling over the performance area.
November 20, 2025 at 8:07 PM
russs.bsky.social
#captcha #whippet #greyhound #bicycle
A spoof 'captcha' grid, as used to verify that web visitors are human, in which each of the nine grid squares contains an image of either a bicycle seat or a greyhound or whippet dog's head - highlighting their similarity in shape
November 19, 2025 at 7:28 PM
russs.bsky.social
Pity the Bespoke Shutter Company, with this upstairs neighbour. Pic by me, today, at the bottom of Muswell Hill, London.
A small very rectangular three storey building made of typical London yellow bricks. The ground floor is given over to The Bespoke Shutter Company, with large windows and a prominent black and green sign. Inside the windows are samples of window shutters. The first floor window above is in good condition with double mullioned sash window, but the top floor shows distinct signs of neglect and decay with peeling paint on both masonry and woodwork, uneven and possible broken sashes, and Venetian blinds behind which are clearly broken.
November 16, 2025 at 5:47 PM
russs.bsky.social
It's nearly 50 years since the UK adopted metric measurements. Why do we still have to have these dual units, and could they not at least be accurate conversions? Basic innumeracy in this BBC weather article (and yes I'm postponing travel today, grumble grumble).
Screenshot of a BBC article on travel disruption due to weather. Each mention of rainfall is given in mm and then inches, but the conversions are inaccurate. 50mm is not 2.9 inches as stated, but about two inches, and 60mm is not three inches but about 2 and a quarter.
November 14, 2025 at 11:53 AM
russs.bsky.social
Am writing a thing (not a song) and the cadence of a section means a rhyme would be interesting.

This is what the internet suggests as rhymes for 'national'.

#rhyme #songwriting #wtf
Screengrab from a songwriting website, banner says SONGWRITING RHYMES FOR NATIONAL Categories include pop, country, R&B, rap, rock, and something called singer-songwriter. Suggested words to rhyme with national: just, but, one, love, what, someone, come, wanna, from, gonna, some, much, doesn't, done, run, sun, enough, trouble, couple, what's, once, touch, fun, hundred, young, haven't, must, fuck, comes, beautiful.
November 12, 2025 at 5:26 PM
russs.bsky.social
Cartoon by Stephen Collins
A 12-panel cartoon grid which begins with Winston Churchill delivering a critical speech on the BBC in World War 2, and continues with Hitler being given the right to reply for 'editorial balance'. This parodies the current situation on the BBC which continually promotes far right, fascist politicians, notably Nigel Farage.
November 10, 2025 at 10:36 PM
russs.bsky.social
Anybody who has spent any time as an editor will be familiar with The Editors' Curse. That's the thing where any typo, no matter how fleeting, leaps out and demands attention. Tonight I'm watching an old episode of Andromeda, and this is on the opening credits. I'm embarrassed for Eric.
A partial screenshot of a sequence of the TV science fiction serial Andromeda, showing the credit for the editor whose name is Eric Hill. The credit reads 'EDTIED BY ERIC HILL' at lower left of screen. On the right the figure of starship pilot Beka Valentine (actor Lisa Ryder) is in profile, wearing a leather vest and fishnet sleeves. The interior of the spaceship behind includes a trapezoidal archway picked out in yellow and black stripes.
November 3, 2025 at 10:47 PM
russs.bsky.social
I've seen a few miniature railways in my time, and there were several steam engines begging for attention. Never seen a mini ride-on Intercity 125 before. At Nottingham Transport Heritage Centre. #steam #railway #heritage
A yellow and blue scale model of an InterCity 125 railway locomotive, about 2.5m long, is driven by a man facing away from camera and pulls a few seating carriages with passengers. Behind, a red stream powered miniature train set is setting off. At the top of frame a railway sign reads LITTLE RUDDINGTON in white letters on blue. The scene is lit by strong low autumn sun from behind the camera, casting shadows.
November 2, 2025 at 6:08 PM
russs.bsky.social
This looks like the test Trump was boasting about passing last week, used to assess dementia.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Montrea...
November 2, 2025 at 10:05 AM
russs.bsky.social
The poppy, remembering those who died in the wars against fascism. #remembrance #antifa
A standard paper remembrance poppy, red flower petals and green leaves, onto which has been scrawled the words ANTI FASCIST
November 1, 2025 at 10:39 AM
russs.bsky.social
On National Clock Confusion Day, a visit to the meridian line within the Bromley House Library in Nottingham. When the sun, shining through the small hole at upper left of the window, falls on the line, it is noon (local noon, 4 mins 33 sec behind Greenwich). Bit cloudy today though.
A carpeted floor within a Georgian town house has a diagonal line marked by two brass rails enclosing a mirrored glass strip on tidal about 5cm wide. The line leads towards a multi paned Georgian window, in which the uppermost left panel is not glass but a solid pane of wood, and within this pane a circular hole of perhaps 3cm diameter is seen. This is one of only about four meridian lines in the UK, the most famous bedng at Greenwich. On either side of the window are full bookcases, and typical Georgian architectural features can be seen. Bromley House is a membership library in the centre of Nottingham.
October 26, 2025 at 6:01 PM
russs.bsky.social
No ambiguity in this Halloween decoration from Lidl, none at all. Suitable for all houses of ill repute.

Pic by me.

#Halloween #Lidl #brothel
October 16, 2025 at 2:04 PM
russs.bsky.social
Text reads: petition to add this button to literally every app rn (meaning right now). Graphic shows s toggle button with the legend: Exclude AI. Copyright @IFLScience
October 8, 2025 at 6:12 PM
russs.bsky.social
Has anybody ascertained, or even asked the question, of the flavour of the chocolate inside this hilariously-bad bit of political merch? #tories #partyconference #typo
A manicured female had holds a bar of chocolate in a dark blue wrapper, upon which is written the slogan "When Labour negotiates, Britian loses" and the signature of current UK Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch. The misspelling of the word Britain has generated much mirth among political commentators, for seeming to encapsulate the rank amateurishness of what remains of the party after its disastrous years in power.
October 7, 2025 at 5:19 PM
russs.bsky.social
Hello BBC and Louise Lear. Your midnight forecast for the week ahead showed this nice pic of Cullercoats and labelled it Tynemouth. Close, but not correct. To put it in London-centric language you might understand, it's like calling Balham Clapham.
Screen grab of BBC weather forecast has meteorologist Louise Lear on the left, wearing a white sweater, the golden sands of Cullercoats bay in the mid ground, and the old lifeboat station behind. Blue sky and clouds above, with some three and four storey buildings on the horizon. An information banner at bottom right reads: Tynemouth, North Tyneside. Figaro (nickname of the contributor of the photo). It's not Tynemouth, it's Cullercoats which is immediately north of Tynemouth on the north east coast of England.
October 7, 2025 at 12:06 AM
russs.bsky.social
Superabundance of sloes on this (and every other) blackthorn bush this year. Apparently it is a 'mast' year when fruits, berries, and nuts are produced in great numbers like this. Old fables say this precedes a cold winter. Only got stabbed a few times collecting some (thorns!).
Close up of the branch of a blackthorn bush, showing a heavy crop of blue sloes with a distinctive frosted or blush appearance, against a backdrop of green leaves and woody stems.
September 30, 2025 at 4:45 PM
russs.bsky.social
A two-wheeled excursion today to see this new full-size representation of the Avro #Lancaster bomber near the village of Norton Disney in #Lincolnshire. The #sculpture, called On Freedom's Wings, is complete but unhelpfully the car park is not yet open. #motorcycle
My Triumph Trident Sprint motorcycle in the foreground, near a hedge, with the sculpture of the Lancaster bomber on a hillside behind. Two classic examples of British engineering. A closer view of On Freedom's Wings, a full-size sculpture of a Lancaster bomber unveiled this month in Lincolnshire, UK. The sculpture is supported be a number of bracing structures to mimic a flying attitude.
September 27, 2025 at 6:03 PM
russs.bsky.social
Any #cloud experts here? I think these might be #mammatus clouds, seen last week near #Fribourg, #Switzerland but would appreciate either confirmation or refutation. Ta. (Pic by me) #nephology #meteorology
Orange clouds at sunset, displaying a lumpy texture similar to mammatus cloud formations, which they might be. The clouds are framed on left and right by silhouetted trees, and thin power lines cross the top of the image.
September 27, 2025 at 12:48 PM
russs.bsky.social
Some years ago I described Swan's Law of Phenomenal Meteorology, which states that the likelihood of clear skies is inversely proportional to the interest in a given celestial event. Swan's Law has manifest this evening. #eclipse #bloodmoon #lunareclipse
September 7, 2025 at 6:58 PM
russs.bsky.social
Got to love the gentle eccentricity of the English village show, especially the vegetable categories. Special mention to the red cabbage anglerfish, genius in both concept and execution.
A red cabbage (actually purple in colour) has been cleverly sculpted into an anglerfish, with a large gaping maw lined with teeth made of string beans. Lychees form the eyes and the luminous lure, which dangles from a long twig in front of the mouth. A long table in a village hall groans under many assorted vegetables. Nearest are various squashes in shades of orange yellow and red, with onions, beets, and tomatoes further down the table.
September 6, 2025 at 3:47 PM
russs.bsky.social
Snippet from Punch magazine (called Punch or the London Charivari in those days) from July 1913. Gotham man was shorthand for fool, perhaps rather like Florida man today. I mean, who doesn't know what a cran is?

Full explanation in the alt txt, and it is *hilarious*.
Short satirical news item from Punch magazine of 9 July 1913: "Reading that the Lowestoft drifter Lord Wenlock realised £337 for one night's work, her catch being 150 crans, a well-to-do Gotham man asked his fishmonger to obtain a cran for him as he had never tasted one." The gag is that a cran is a unit of measure, being a barrelful of herring. Gotham, pronounced Go-Tam, is a village in Nottinghamshire which held a reputation for being inhabited by fools - the so-called Wise Men of Gotham - after an incident in which they feigned stupidity to avoid a royal visit by King John. This would have required them to make a public highway for him, which they didn't want to do. The visit was avoided but the reputation stuck.
August 28, 2025 at 6:17 PM
russs.bsky.social
Traditional late summer golden hour daddy long legs shot. Might need to view full image for full effect.
My shadow, with exaggeratedly long legs due to the low sun behind me, casting over rolling fields of golden stubble in Nottinghamshire this evening.
August 26, 2025 at 6:33 PM
russs.bsky.social
This is apparently the world's only coal-fired steam-powered Land Rover. Engine from a half scale model of a 1910 Foden Steam Wagon, chain final drive (RWD only), built around 2020 by Frank Rothwell. It's good for about 10mph. Fuel consumption not recorded. #steam #landrover
A red open top Land Rover series 2a with silver chequerplate panels on top of the front wings. The bonnet (hood) had been removed and a steam engine fitted in place of the original petrol engine. A black boiler protrudes slightly at the front and a tall black and gold chimney stack is seen.
August 24, 2025 at 6:51 PM