Pinned
Reposted by Paul Rhodes
The main conclusion I have come to after learning the teachings of Subud, the Maharishi, Scientology, Gurdjieff, the Nation of Islam, Meher Baba, Aleister Crowley, Timothy Leary, Ram Dass, and Christian Science is that owning a guitar must turn off your brain somehow.
February 4, 2026 at 10:37 AM
The main conclusion I have come to after learning the teachings of Subud, the Maharishi, Scientology, Gurdjieff, the Nation of Islam, Meher Baba, Aleister Crowley, Timothy Leary, Ram Dass, and Christian Science is that owning a guitar must turn off your brain somehow.
Reposted by Paul Rhodes
Hot Take 2: if this is Mandelson's position, there is no reason for him not to issue a statement to this effect. If he has not issued a statement to this effect, the BBC's "understanding" of his actual position may be inaccurate. Stop letting people play this game.
February 4, 2026 at 9:55 AM
Hot Take 2: if this is Mandelson's position, there is no reason for him not to issue a statement to this effect. If he has not issued a statement to this effect, the BBC's "understanding" of his actual position may be inaccurate. Stop letting people play this game.
My postgraduate qualifications.
February 4, 2026 at 12:11 AM
My postgraduate qualifications.
Reposted by Paul Rhodes
Peter Mandelson: a man undone because he just cares too much about other people, and their yachts. My SKETCH.
thecritic.co.uk/no-f...
thecritic.co.uk/no-f...
February 3, 2026 at 9:49 PM
Peter Mandelson: a man undone because he just cares too much about other people, and their yachts. My SKETCH.
thecritic.co.uk/no-f...
thecritic.co.uk/no-f...
Reposted by Paul Rhodes
Ah, 3 February: 389th anniversary of the widely documented day the arse falls out of the out-of-control Dutch tulip market, the country’s economy collapses, and loads of financially ruined people hurl themselves into canals
Well, except for all the bits that aren’t true... 🧵
Well, except for all the bits that aren’t true... 🧵
February 3, 2026 at 9:29 AM
Ah, 3 February: 389th anniversary of the widely documented day the arse falls out of the out-of-control Dutch tulip market, the country’s economy collapses, and loads of financially ruined people hurl themselves into canals
Well, except for all the bits that aren’t true... 🧵
Well, except for all the bits that aren’t true... 🧵
Reposted by Paul Rhodes
Stumbled across video about early 1900s Manchester. All #AI, it's like a fever dream. The absurd narration ("If Manchester sneezes, the global textile market catches a cold") slips between various accents. Most of the visuals are insane: impossible equipment, vanishing objects, plus see Alt texts.
February 3, 2026 at 9:26 AM
Stumbled across video about early 1900s Manchester. All #AI, it's like a fever dream. The absurd narration ("If Manchester sneezes, the global textile market catches a cold") slips between various accents. Most of the visuals are insane: impossible equipment, vanishing objects, plus see Alt texts.
Sadly, this seems to be the only bit of "It's Childsplay" to have escaped onto the internet. No biscuits, but gives the general idea, anyway. youtu.be/vBAwBSLy3q0?...
IT'S CHILDSPLAY 1976 - Hilarious finale Morecambe & Wise with child writer of sketch
YouTube video by PREHISTORICTELEVISION1956
youtu.be
February 2, 2026 at 8:37 PM
Sadly, this seems to be the only bit of "It's Childsplay" to have escaped onto the internet. No biscuits, but gives the general idea, anyway. youtu.be/vBAwBSLy3q0?...
I believe the form is either "reposting for the Monday crowd" or "WHY IS THE MSM NOT REPORTING THIS?" but either way, if you did miss it the first time around you might enjoy it, you never know. Also it's quite long so Bsky hides bits and you have to click on "Read next reply" every so often.
In April 1976, in a café at Cambridge railway station, Douglas Adams bought some biscuits. We know this because he told the story so many times that it somehow opened up a wormhole in the space-time continuum, travelling both forwards and backwards and, intriguingly, sideways in time. (1/some...)
February 2, 2026 at 8:32 PM
I believe the form is either "reposting for the Monday crowd" or "WHY IS THE MSM NOT REPORTING THIS?" but either way, if you did miss it the first time around you might enjoy it, you never know. Also it's quite long so Bsky hides bits and you have to click on "Read next reply" every so often.
Reposted by Paul Rhodes
Another day, another Ipsos survey that uses gender as a lens on public attitudes to science without taking into consideration that 1 in 8 British men think they could win a tennis point against Serena Williams www.britishscienceassociation.org/News/public-...
February 2, 2026 at 8:54 AM
Another day, another Ipsos survey that uses gender as a lens on public attitudes to science without taking into consideration that 1 in 8 British men think they could win a tennis point against Serena Williams www.britishscienceassociation.org/News/public-...
Reposted by Paul Rhodes
This piece of brilliance from @vizcomic.bsky.social is the story of my life
February 1, 2026 at 12:12 PM
This piece of brilliance from @vizcomic.bsky.social is the story of my life
Reposted by Paul Rhodes
A history of one of Britain's best-loved sociopathic toddlers. cwickham.blogspot.com/2026/02/suga...
February 1, 2026 at 9:02 AM
A history of one of Britain's best-loved sociopathic toddlers. cwickham.blogspot.com/2026/02/suga...
In April 1976, in a café at Cambridge railway station, Douglas Adams bought some biscuits. We know this because he told the story so many times that it somehow opened up a wormhole in the space-time continuum, travelling both forwards and backwards and, intriguingly, sideways in time. (1/some...)
January 31, 2026 at 8:55 PM
In April 1976, in a café at Cambridge railway station, Douglas Adams bought some biscuits. We know this because he told the story so many times that it somehow opened up a wormhole in the space-time continuum, travelling both forwards and backwards and, intriguingly, sideways in time. (1/some...)
Reposted by Paul Rhodes
Outside the Level 2 Reading Room in @bodleian.ox.ac.uk there is a wellbeing display. Here are some it's little zines that genuinely made me smile.
January 30, 2026 at 3:40 PM
Outside the Level 2 Reading Room in @bodleian.ox.ac.uk there is a wellbeing display. Here are some it's little zines that genuinely made me smile.
Reposted by Paul Rhodes
What gets me about Reeves' here is why bother to be a member of a social democratic / left of centre political party if you're going to make this argument? Just pack it in and go be a libertarian or something??
Rachel Reeves: "It is not right that people who don't go to university bear the cost for others to." I don't use local leisure centres and I don't drive, so will I be made exempt for taxation that pays for all that stuff? Or is it only education we'll be going after
January 29, 2026 at 10:26 PM
What gets me about Reeves' here is why bother to be a member of a social democratic / left of centre political party if you're going to make this argument? Just pack it in and go be a libertarian or something??
Reposted by Paul Rhodes
I wrote this song on Saturday, recorded it yesterday and released it to you today in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis. It’s dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good.
Stay free
Stay free
Bruce Springsteen - Streets Of Minneapolis (Official Audio)
YouTube video by Bruce Springsteen
youtu.be
January 28, 2026 at 5:02 PM
I wrote this song on Saturday, recorded it yesterday and released it to you today in response to the state terror being visited on the city of Minneapolis. It’s dedicated to the people of Minneapolis, our innocent immigrant neighbors and in memory of Alex Pretti and Renee Good.
Stay free
Stay free
Complex prehistoric tools found in China rewrite story of human evolution.
I've read the story now. In summary it says complex prehistoric tools found in China rewrite the story of human evolution.
Complex prehistoric tools found in China rewrite story of human evolution.
January 28, 2026 at 10:22 AM
Complex prehistoric tools found in China rewrite story of human evolution.
Reposted by Paul Rhodes
The government’s suggestion that rolling out 20 minute courses on writing “AI“ prompts, sponsored by Google, Microsoft and Amazon, is somehow comparable to the founding of the Open University (the Wilson government‘s, & Jennie Lee’s, proudest achievement), is an insult to our human intelligence.
January 28, 2026 at 8:37 AM
The government’s suggestion that rolling out 20 minute courses on writing “AI“ prompts, sponsored by Google, Microsoft and Amazon, is somehow comparable to the founding of the Open University (the Wilson government‘s, & Jennie Lee’s, proudest achievement), is an insult to our human intelligence.
Reposted by Paul Rhodes
Scientists should invent a Good Day clock that counts down to everything being fine
January 28, 2026 at 2:03 AM
Scientists should invent a Good Day clock that counts down to everything being fine
Reposted by Paul Rhodes
A seventies rock band discovers a wind instrument with an eerie power; watch OLD GREY WHISTLE AND I'LL COME TO YOU, Christmas Eve on BBC 2.
January 28, 2026 at 7:44 AM
A seventies rock band discovers a wind instrument with an eerie power; watch OLD GREY WHISTLE AND I'LL COME TO YOU, Christmas Eve on BBC 2.
"Two weeks later..."!
January 27, 1971
55 years ago today.
A&M Records house photographer Jim McCrary drives out to Laurel Canyon to take some pictures of Carole King for the cover of an album she had recorded this month in five three-hour sessions.
(Continued in comments)
55 years ago today.
A&M Records house photographer Jim McCrary drives out to Laurel Canyon to take some pictures of Carole King for the cover of an album she had recorded this month in five three-hour sessions.
(Continued in comments)
January 27, 2026 at 3:00 PM
"Two weeks later..."!
Reposted by Paul Rhodes
Oooo! What a dramatic scene!
January 26, 2026 at 9:26 AM
Oooo! What a dramatic scene!
Reposted by Paul Rhodes
buttondown.com/cooray_smith... For paid subscribers, but there's always the option to join them in the City of Morphoton: Who really created Doctor Who anyway?
The Keys of Marinus
”Key of E?” “Is there any other?” The original edition of board game Trivial Pursuit (1981) asked the question “Who created Doctor Who?” and gave the answer...
buttondown.com
January 22, 2026 at 6:11 PM
buttondown.com/cooray_smith... For paid subscribers, but there's always the option to join them in the City of Morphoton: Who really created Doctor Who anyway?
OK, maybe there was a point to Penguin Awareness Day after all.
Yesterday it was cows using tools, today its penguins using satellite imagery.
January 21, 2026 at 8:17 AM
OK, maybe there was a point to Penguin Awareness Day after all.
Reposted by Paul Rhodes
Yesterday it was cows using tools, today its penguins using satellite imagery.
January 20, 2026 at 6:44 PM
Yesterday it was cows using tools, today its penguins using satellite imagery.
An advertising classic.
Digital = has numbers on a dial
Flashes = well, the numbers are seen through a window in the watch face, perhaps it's phosphorescent?
"Computer" = unclear, but perhaps describing a general "vibe" with no actual functional significance.
Digital = has numbers on a dial
Flashes = well, the numbers are seen through a window in the watch face, perhaps it's phosphorescent?
"Computer" = unclear, but perhaps describing a general "vibe" with no actual functional significance.
January 20, 2026 at 9:52 PM
An advertising classic.
Digital = has numbers on a dial
Flashes = well, the numbers are seen through a window in the watch face, perhaps it's phosphorescent?
"Computer" = unclear, but perhaps describing a general "vibe" with no actual functional significance.
Digital = has numbers on a dial
Flashes = well, the numbers are seen through a window in the watch face, perhaps it's phosphorescent?
"Computer" = unclear, but perhaps describing a general "vibe" with no actual functional significance.