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Ned Raggett

@nedraggett.bsky.social

9.2K followers 1.7K following 17K posts

Hi! I write about music at various spots (@thequietus.com, @thewiremagazine.bsky.social, Shfl and my Patreon, also in the past @allmusic.com, @pitchfork.com, @bandcamp.com etc. etc.). Plus podcasting about #Tolkien with friends at @bythebywater.bsky.social

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Ned Raggett @nedraggett.bsky.social · Nov 14

Well, it's time for some honest to god Bluesky lore.

A year ago, the site was still invite only, and one morning I posted something random and didn't think much about it beyond my own amusement.

This is the story about the #ChristianSkydivingBaby and how it completely took over @bsky.app (1/x)

Ned Raggett @nedraggett.bsky.social · Nov 14

Given the very specific circumstances, I'd either check to see if I'm on drugs or if the baby is on drugs and if the latter find out where I could get some because clearly those are some gooooood drugs.

A supposed Quora question: "Atheists, imagine you're going skydiving with a Christian baby. Suddenly the baby tells you he won't open his parachute until you renounced atheism and accept Jesus as your lord and savior. What would you do?"

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Ned Raggett @nedraggett.bsky.social · 16h

All still entertaining.

Reposted by Ned Raggett

jesse jarnow @bourgwick.bsky.social · 16h

this is a pretty odd/fun john cale show from 1981 with a one-off band & a bunch of not totally finished songs that i don't think were ever played again.

Live Tapes @livetapes.heads.social.ap.brid.gy · 21h

JOHN CALE AND JAMES-HONEYMAN SCOTT AND CHRIS SPEDDING @ NYC 1981-10-11 https://ijwthstd.blogspot.com/2025/10/john-cale-and-james-honeyman-scott-and.html

JOHN CALE AND JAMES-HONEYMAN SCOTT AND CHRIS SPEDDING @ NYC 1981-10-11

Sounds so much better than just "and Friends" LIMITED TIME / LAST TIME https://pixeldrain.com/u/ALziBDCj JOHN CALE & FRIENDS Mudd Club Ne...

ijwthstd.blogspot.com

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Reposted by Ned Raggett

Lynn Becker @cmgiulini.bsky.social · 18h

After spending 43 years in prison for a crime he didn't commit, evidence hidden by the prosecution reversed his conviction. Rather than finally enjoying freedom, ICE abducted him for deportation

Depraved.

www.miamiherald.com/news/local/i...

He was wrongfully imprisoned for 43 years. Moments after being released, ICE took him

Subramanyam “Subu” Vedam now faces deportation.

www.miamiherald.com

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Reposted by Ned Raggett

Strange Days at Blake Hol(e)sey High 👻 🍑 @reactionordinary.bsky.social · 4d

The RIAA was suing teenagers. We had to sit through ⬇️ this shit anytime we wanted to watch a DVD. A whole generation shamed for using Limewire and torrents. Only for these silicone valley assholes to now find copyright infringement a necessary evil they shouldn’t have to answer for

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Jennifer Nuzzo, DrPH, SM @jennifernuzzo.bsky.social · 19h

Some of these people have now been fired and rehired TWICE since January. The current state of dysfunction is mind boggling.

Sheryl Gay Stolberg @sherylnyt.bsky.social · 21h

OOOPS! UPDATE: Two HHS officials tell me that disease detectives, measles response officers, global health officials and the MMWR staff were laid off by mistake and will be reinstated. But Washington office is still RIFed

Sheryl Gay Stolberg @sherylnyt.bsky.social · 1d

BREAKING: Friday night massacre underway at CDC. Doznes of "disease detectives," high-level scientists, entire Washington staff and editors of the MMWR (Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report) have all been RIFed and received the following notice:

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maura johnston @maura.bsky.social · 19h

turns out the answer to “are they malicious or just stupid” — a question often asked about big media boss types — is “yes, but sliiiightly more the former”

Blake Leyh @earlofedgecombe.bsky.social · 1d

If you think you know why US newspapers died, this feature documentary now streaming for free on PBS might surprise you. It wasn't the Internet. Newspapers were specifically targeted by vulture capitalists.

I composed the score for the film, which features electric cello & Crowfoot guitars.

Stripped for Parts: American Journalism on the Brink

A handful of journalists rebel against a hedge fund that is gutting newspapers nationwide.

www.pbs.org

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Reposted by Ned Raggett

Moss Elixir @sorryforlaughing.bsky.social · 19h

Watching Johnnie To's Exiled & I'm already like this 10 minutes in.

The "reaction guys meme" photo of four fellas entranced & cheering at something offscreen.

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Reposted by Ned Raggett

Dave Levitan @davelevitan.bsky.social · 22h

Imagine being this bad at running a government

Lena Sun @lenasun.bsky.social · 22h

BREAKING: Some of the layoffs at CDC are being REVERSED.
Here is my updated story.
www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/...

More than 1,000 CDC staff receive layoff notices during government shutdown

Another round of mass layoffs has struck CDC. The agency had already been cut during a reorganization this year, and more employees are now being shed amid the government shutdown.

www.washingtonpost.com

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Ned Raggett @nedraggett.bsky.social · 21h

Meantime, looking ahead...

Star Trek: Strange New Worlds | Season 4 Clip | Paramount+ (NYCC 2025)

YouTube video by Paramount Plus

www.youtube.com

Ned Raggett @nedraggett.bsky.social · 22h

Anyway, getting in the holiday spirit, namely by playing this banger of a compilation. www.discogs.com/release/4434...

Various - Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Halloween

View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 1998 CD release of "Just Can't Get Enough: New Wave Halloween" on Discogs.

www.discogs.com

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Reposted by Ned Raggett

Helen Kennedy @helenkennedy.bsky.social · 1d

It seems they also got rid of the organization that monitors how many Americans die, when, and of what. Convenient.

Pam Herd @pamherd.bsky.social · 1d

RFK fired the CDC official (w/decades of experience) leading the measles outbreak response. It's been decades since we've had such a large outbreak. And just to ensure they they can spread the measles outbreak even farther, they also fired the leadership for the center focused on immunization.

Figure showing the largest measles outbreak in the US in decades. There are over 1500 cases as of October 7 2025

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Ned Raggett @nedraggett.bsky.social · 22h

Meanwhile on #DragRaceUK

In the Drag Race UK werk room, a group of the queens, dressed in boy mode, observe Viola at the right wearing a heavily teased semi-mullet of a wig; one of the other queens says "Go on, David Bowie."

Ned Raggett @nedraggett.bsky.social · 22h

Admittedly I was the one recommending it to him! But when that which is the Zax approves of a thing, that is all the guidance needed.

Ned Raggett @nedraggett.bsky.social · 1d

One of the many problems of this world, that.

Reposted by Ned Raggett

Gabriel Malor @gabrielmalor.bsky.social · 1d

Probably not the right year for a show about an ICE/FBI/DEA task force.

The Hollywood Reporter @thr.com · 1d

Prime Video has canceled a pair of first-year series, Butterfly and Countdown.

‘Butterfly’ and ‘Countdown’ Canceled After Single Seasons at Prime Video

Prime Video has canceled a pair of first-year series, Butterfly and Countdown.

bit.ly

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Ned Raggett @nedraggett.bsky.social · 1d

Erik is of course not only right but on balance we have to really think of Virgil as the precursor to the current plague of rights holders doing soft reboot sequels of IP acquired through conniving means. "Yeah, we bought out Greek management, we can do whatever we like to make more content."

Erik Highter @highter.bsky.social · 1d

Reading the Aeneid for the first time since high school. Aeneas is just empty duty; his lack of character is why I haven’t revisited it in decades while I read the Homeric epics every few years. The only person in the Aeneid is Dido, one of the greatest characters in ancient epic but it’s not enough

Ned Raggett @nedraggett.bsky.social · 1d

I'll add too that this event was part of @litquake.org, which kicked off two days ago; subscribe to @coyotemedia.org for their guide to some choice looking things over the next two weeks!

7 Can’t-Miss Events at Litquake 2025

Here are COYOTE’s picks for the beloved literary festival, which kicks off Oct. 9.

www.coyotemedia.org

Ned Raggett @nedraggett.bsky.social · 1d

So last night's event with @zentronix.bsky.social, @wkamaubell.bsky.social, a chat on Jeff's #WaterMirrorEcho and a subsequent screening of _Fist of Fury_ was a delight and a half, of course. (Read the book or listen to the audiobook, either way you'll be glad.) jeffchang.net/water-mirror...

In front of a projected image of Bruce Lee smashing the mirror room in the climax of _Enter The Dragon_, W. Kamau Bell, on the left, and Jeff Chang on the right are seated and discussing Jeff's excellent book _Water Mirror Echo_ and much more besides.

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Ned Raggett @nedraggett.bsky.social · 1d

I have wondered about that cover image, yeah. But I'd like to think it's more fancy van art style.

Reposted by Ned Raggett

Ned Raggett @nedraggett.bsky.social · 2d

For the weekly music thoughts this time out, a reflection on a certain film and how, in a weird but real way, the new version on Criterion is the final confirmation of how they ARE a band on top of everything else, packaged and sold accordingly. Open to everyone as always.

Some Weekly Music Thoughts #165 -- A Dollop of Tap | Ned Raggett

Get more from Ned Raggett on Patreon

www.patreon.com

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Ned Raggett @nedraggett.bsky.social · 1d

Enjoy!

Reposted by Ned Raggett

Mr. Chimpanzy @cyanescens.bsky.social · 1d

8 hours of new-age/ambient music composed by Vangelis for a series of videos showcasing neurosurgery techniques for trainee neurosurgeons? Sure why not?

Only a few minutes in but very nice so far

Ned Raggett @nedraggett.bsky.social · 1d

A chat with @andyzax.bsky.social reminded me of a real late 1990s artifact, Vangelis's "Tegos Tapes," done for a Greek surgeon as background music for training videos because said surgeon figured just him talking would be boring as shit. 8 hours plus of spacelanes drift!

Vangelis - The Tegos Tapes (1998) : Annum Integrum : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

The Tegos Tapes is an interesting example of an obscure and heretofore unreleased Vangelis soundtrack unknown by many of even his most devoted fans.The...

archive.org

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Reposted by Ned Raggett

Ned Raggett @nedraggett.bsky.social · 1d

Vangelis - The Tegos Tapes (1998) : Annum Integrum : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive

The Tegos Tapes is an interesting example of an obscure and heretofore unreleased Vangelis soundtrack unknown by many of even his most devoted fans.The...

archive.org

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Ned Raggett @nedraggett.bsky.social · 1d

And Bruce watches over us all.

Projection of a still of Bruce Lee breaking the mirrors in _Enter the Dragon_

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Ned Raggett @nedraggett.bsky.social · 1d

When you’re here to see one guy you know give a talk and the marquee is for another guy you know give another talk. @zentronix.bsky.social and @pulmyears.bsky.social action!

Flyer for Jeff Chang’s Liitquake chat and _Fist of Fury_ screening.

Marquee for Paul Myers’s chat and Uncle Buck screening.