John Watts
@wattsgoingon.bsky.social
Reposted by John Watts
Dog-whistle and factually incorrect. Ladies, raise your hand if you were sexually assaulted by a boy at school? I’d wager this or a family member is most women’s first experience of sexual violence
December 18, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Dog-whistle and factually incorrect. Ladies, raise your hand if you were sexually assaulted by a boy at school? I’d wager this or a family member is most women’s first experience of sexual violence
Reposted by John Watts
A third of 16-18 year olds girls say in surveys that they experienced unwanted sexual touching at school. There are several hundred rapes reported in schools every year.
Dog-whistle and factually incorrect. Ladies, raise your hand if you were sexually assaulted by a boy at school? I’d wager this or a family member is most women’s first experience of sexual violence
December 18, 2025 at 4:29 PM
A third of 16-18 year olds girls say in surveys that they experienced unwanted sexual touching at school. There are several hundred rapes reported in schools every year.
Reposted by John Watts
Even by my low expectations for Kemi Badenoch ‘violence against women and girls is something done by immigrants and nobody else’ has shocked me.
Dog-whistle and factually incorrect. Ladies, raise your hand if you were sexually assaulted by a boy at school? I’d wager this or a family member is most women’s first experience of sexual violence
December 18, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Even by my low expectations for Kemi Badenoch ‘violence against women and girls is something done by immigrants and nobody else’ has shocked me.
Reposted by John Watts
You can perhaps tell why there is a particularly strong bond between the UK and Ukraine. I reckon in an all-out, existential war, Britain would also keep the steam railway Santa specials runnng.
🎄 Ahead of the holidays, Ukrainian National Railways “Ukrzaliznytsia” launched a vintage sightseeing train in Kyiv and Lviv.
The train looks magical, as if it’s headed straight to Hogwarts.
The train looks magical, as if it’s headed straight to Hogwarts.
December 17, 2025 at 6:20 PM
You can perhaps tell why there is a particularly strong bond between the UK and Ukraine. I reckon in an all-out, existential war, Britain would also keep the steam railway Santa specials runnng.
Reposted by John Watts
And now I find out that The Salt Path wasn't even published by a real penguin.
December 17, 2025 at 6:37 AM
And now I find out that The Salt Path wasn't even published by a real penguin.
Reposted by John Watts
Help! Banbury Museum has been told that Cherwell District Council is cancelling ALL of its core funding.
There is a very tight deadline - Friday 19th December - to tell the Council what you think.
Please respond to the consultation and share this post
www.banburymuseum.org/news/no-fund...
There is a very tight deadline - Friday 19th December - to tell the Council what you think.
Please respond to the consultation and share this post
www.banburymuseum.org/news/no-fund...
December 16, 2025 at 12:47 PM
Help! Banbury Museum has been told that Cherwell District Council is cancelling ALL of its core funding.
There is a very tight deadline - Friday 19th December - to tell the Council what you think.
Please respond to the consultation and share this post
www.banburymuseum.org/news/no-fund...
There is a very tight deadline - Friday 19th December - to tell the Council what you think.
Please respond to the consultation and share this post
www.banburymuseum.org/news/no-fund...
Reposted by John Watts
Rob Reiner: I'm going to make a coming of age drama, a fantasy adventure story, a romantic comedy, a psychological horror and then a courtroom drama.
Us: Across your entire career?
Reiner: In a 6 year period.
Us: That sounds-
Reiner: -Each one will be arguably the best movie in that genre.
Us: Across your entire career?
Reiner: In a 6 year period.
Us: That sounds-
Reiner: -Each one will be arguably the best movie in that genre.
December 15, 2025 at 8:04 AM
Rob Reiner: I'm going to make a coming of age drama, a fantasy adventure story, a romantic comedy, a psychological horror and then a courtroom drama.
Us: Across your entire career?
Reiner: In a 6 year period.
Us: That sounds-
Reiner: -Each one will be arguably the best movie in that genre.
Us: Across your entire career?
Reiner: In a 6 year period.
Us: That sounds-
Reiner: -Each one will be arguably the best movie in that genre.
Reposted by John Watts
As you may know, I have stopped using Twitter, and have decided to reproduce some of my more memorable threads here for posterity. Here’s one I hold wrote after a particularly engaging swordfighting lesson.
Buckle up, swordfighting fans, because I *have* studied my Agrippa!
[BIG ASS THREAD]
Buckle up, swordfighting fans, because I *have* studied my Agrippa!
[BIG ASS THREAD]
a man reading a book to a young boy
Alt: a man reading a book to a young boy
media.tenor.com
June 5, 2025 at 11:20 AM
As you may know, I have stopped using Twitter, and have decided to reproduce some of my more memorable threads here for posterity. Here’s one I hold wrote after a particularly engaging swordfighting lesson.
Buckle up, swordfighting fans, because I *have* studied my Agrippa!
[BIG ASS THREAD]
Buckle up, swordfighting fans, because I *have* studied my Agrippa!
[BIG ASS THREAD]
Reposted by John Watts
Overheard in the supermarket. Two teenagers.
1: 'Where's Dad?'
2 (with ineffable weariness): 'In the cheese aisle, having the time of his life.'
1: 'Where's Dad?'
2 (with ineffable weariness): 'In the cheese aisle, having the time of his life.'
December 15, 2025 at 11:35 AM
Overheard in the supermarket. Two teenagers.
1: 'Where's Dad?'
2 (with ineffable weariness): 'In the cheese aisle, having the time of his life.'
1: 'Where's Dad?'
2 (with ineffable weariness): 'In the cheese aisle, having the time of his life.'
Reposted by John Watts
There are many things I have never understood about private members' clubs, but one of them is the sheer number of hoops you are expected to jump through before giving someone *your* money.
I can literally think of nothing worse than every word used to describe this new private members club (it’s not even the one you think)
www.ft.com/content/6aad...
www.ft.com/content/6aad...
December 14, 2025 at 10:07 PM
There are many things I have never understood about private members' clubs, but one of them is the sheer number of hoops you are expected to jump through before giving someone *your* money.
Reposted by John Watts
Whenever I see a minister (or backbench Labour MP) give some weak response, I just want to scream the following at them:
YOU ARE THE GOVERNMENT OF THE DAY WITH AN ENTIRE COMMS APPARATUS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS - USE THE BULLY PULPIT TO SAY “RACISM BAD.“ ALL DAY, EVERYDAY, ON EVERY AVAILABLE OUTLET
YOU ARE THE GOVERNMENT OF THE DAY WITH AN ENTIRE COMMS APPARATUS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS - USE THE BULLY PULPIT TO SAY “RACISM BAD.“ ALL DAY, EVERYDAY, ON EVERY AVAILABLE OUTLET
December 14, 2025 at 8:49 PM
Whenever I see a minister (or backbench Labour MP) give some weak response, I just want to scream the following at them:
YOU ARE THE GOVERNMENT OF THE DAY WITH AN ENTIRE COMMS APPARATUS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS - USE THE BULLY PULPIT TO SAY “RACISM BAD.“ ALL DAY, EVERYDAY, ON EVERY AVAILABLE OUTLET
YOU ARE THE GOVERNMENT OF THE DAY WITH AN ENTIRE COMMS APPARATUS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS - USE THE BULLY PULPIT TO SAY “RACISM BAD.“ ALL DAY, EVERYDAY, ON EVERY AVAILABLE OUTLET
Reposted by John Watts
Chinese friend of mine has just asked the question 'what time are off peak train tickets valid?' and has no idea how many subsidiary questions he's just kicked off.
December 12, 2025 at 3:24 PM
Chinese friend of mine has just asked the question 'what time are off peak train tickets valid?' and has no idea how many subsidiary questions he's just kicked off.
Reposted by John Watts
My kids woke up so excited this morning for the first night of Hannukah and now yet again we have a festival where I’m very conflicted about whether it’s safe to take them to synagogue to celebrate. Communities shouldn’t have to live like this.
December 14, 2025 at 12:50 PM
My kids woke up so excited this morning for the first night of Hannukah and now yet again we have a festival where I’m very conflicted about whether it’s safe to take them to synagogue to celebrate. Communities shouldn’t have to live like this.
Reposted by John Watts
I sort of love how much this looks like *a joke* you might see in another movie, right down to the 'modern cover of a pop classic as the trailer music, for some reason'.
December 13, 2025 at 1:44 PM
I sort of love how much this looks like *a joke* you might see in another movie, right down to the 'modern cover of a pop classic as the trailer music, for some reason'.
Reposted by John Watts
This autumn I've given more than 30 talks about my book and the issues that it raises to an amazing range of groups: health professionals, universities, charities, etc.
I've got some lined up in the Spring but am happy to do more if anyone is interested.
Tell me if you'd like to arrange one.
I've got some lined up in the Spring but am happy to do more if anyone is interested.
Tell me if you'd like to arrange one.
December 12, 2025 at 11:36 PM
This autumn I've given more than 30 talks about my book and the issues that it raises to an amazing range of groups: health professionals, universities, charities, etc.
I've got some lined up in the Spring but am happy to do more if anyone is interested.
Tell me if you'd like to arrange one.
I've got some lined up in the Spring but am happy to do more if anyone is interested.
Tell me if you'd like to arrange one.
Reposted by John Watts
It is, in fact, life and death if you do speed. Quite literally.
Its the key determinate of whether someone dies if you hit them.
Its the key determinate of whether someone dies if you hit them.
It's not life and death if I do speed, you're blowing the problem out of proportion to feel artificially safe.
December 13, 2025 at 11:52 AM
It is, in fact, life and death if you do speed. Quite literally.
Its the key determinate of whether someone dies if you hit them.
Its the key determinate of whether someone dies if you hit them.
Reposted by John Watts
The fact you have to say "any compassionate employer" is the point. Not every employer is compassionate!
'Making grief contractual would be the death of common sense. Any compassionate employer would give a worker the time needed to recover from the loss of a close friend or family member' | ✍️ Martin Samuel
Making grief contractual would be the death of common sense
Any compassionate employer would give a worker the time needed to recover from the loss of a close friend or family member
www.thetimes.com
December 12, 2025 at 1:25 PM
The fact you have to say "any compassionate employer" is the point. Not every employer is compassionate!
Reposted by John Watts
oh wow it turns out that you can close a very important building for a period of time to do much needed restoration and renewal rather than constantly dragging it out for decades at much greater expense i wonder if theres a lesson there for someone
www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/bar...
www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/bar...
Barbican Arts Centre to close for a year for a £240m upgrade
A £240 million renovation of the Barbican Arts Centre is set to get started after the City of London granted full planning permission.
www.ianvisits.co.uk
December 12, 2025 at 11:59 AM
oh wow it turns out that you can close a very important building for a period of time to do much needed restoration and renewal rather than constantly dragging it out for decades at much greater expense i wonder if theres a lesson there for someone
www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/bar...
www.ianvisits.co.uk/articles/bar...
Reposted by John Watts
Just finished our unit on learning disability history with y9. Lovely but also sad to think that they now know more about this than almost anyone in Britain.
December 12, 2025 at 9:30 AM
Just finished our unit on learning disability history with y9. Lovely but also sad to think that they now know more about this than almost anyone in Britain.
Reposted by John Watts
$1 million of stolen money on mattresses and luxury bedding, how can he sleep at night.
A Hollywood director was convicted on charges that he scammed Netflix out of $11 million for a show that never materialized, while he instead used the cash for lavish purchases that included several Rolls-Royces, a Ferrari and about $1 million in mattresses and luxury bedding.
Director convicted of scamming $11 million from Netflix and going on lavish spending spree
Carl Erik Rinsch, best known for directing the film “47 Ronin,” was convicted of wire fraud, money laundering and other charges.
nbcnews.to
December 11, 2025 at 10:04 PM
$1 million of stolen money on mattresses and luxury bedding, how can he sleep at night.
Reposted by John Watts
One of the many reasons AI can't produce good writing is it can't hate its own writing. It can't think to itself "Maybe I'm illiterate" during the writing process. And that's essential
December 9, 2025 at 8:45 PM
One of the many reasons AI can't produce good writing is it can't hate its own writing. It can't think to itself "Maybe I'm illiterate" during the writing process. And that's essential
Reposted by John Watts
OH, YES!!
This Christmas on #TPTV Channel Premiere! Classic Spy-Fiction Series begins Sunday 28th December at 4pm! THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. (1964) #TPTVsubtitles Stars #DavidMcCallum #RobertVaughn
December 8, 2025 at 6:46 PM
OH, YES!!
Reposted by John Watts
Newsletter subscriber numbers are wobbling. But YOU CAN SAVE CHRISTMAS - AND THROUGH THIS VERY SPECIAL OFFER, GET A FREE BOOK, TOO!
Subscribe to The Newsletter of (Not Quite) Everything
assorted nerdery from a man who should probably be doing something else. Click to read The Newsletter of (Not Quite) Everything, a Substack publication with tens of thousands of subscribers.
jonn.substack.com
December 8, 2025 at 11:53 AM
Newsletter subscriber numbers are wobbling. But YOU CAN SAVE CHRISTMAS - AND THROUGH THIS VERY SPECIAL OFFER, GET A FREE BOOK, TOO!
Reposted by John Watts
I mean as much as anything else, the problem is the assistance options are 'wheelchair or no wheelchair' so if there is any chance you might be slow, struggle etc. etc. you need to take it. You can't know in advance whether your gate is directly opposite security or 20 minutes away.
A constant blazing terror that somewhere, somebody might be getting a free cheese sandwich. Or indeed brief use of a wheelchair.
December 8, 2025 at 9:36 AM
I mean as much as anything else, the problem is the assistance options are 'wheelchair or no wheelchair' so if there is any chance you might be slow, struggle etc. etc. you need to take it. You can't know in advance whether your gate is directly opposite security or 20 minutes away.
Reposted by John Watts
I’m disgusted that some senior DWP people have learned nothing about the scale of the misery their policies inflicted.
It’s high time the DWP showed some respect to carers and some awareness of their own gross errors.
It’s high time the DWP showed some respect to carers and some awareness of their own gross errors.
December 7, 2025 at 10:17 AM
I’m disgusted that some senior DWP people have learned nothing about the scale of the misery their policies inflicted.
It’s high time the DWP showed some respect to carers and some awareness of their own gross errors.
It’s high time the DWP showed some respect to carers and some awareness of their own gross errors.