Philip Purser-Hallard
@purserhallard.com
I write stuff -- most recently Sherlock Holmes: The Monster of the Mere. Posting about writing, TV, SF, Doctor Who, politics, language, crosswords, things I like, things I'm interested in, things. He/him.
Pinned
Philip Purser-Hallard
@purserhallard.com
· Nov 14
Since new followers are arriving literally in their dozens, here's a quick rundown of my books and why, if you're interested in the stuff I post here, you might like to read them. Or vice versa.
Links are to my website, where there are links to buy from various sources.
Links are to my website, where there are links to buy from various sources.
Reposted by Philip Purser-Hallard
As catnip to cats, or Whiffle On The Care of The Pig to Lord Emsworth, is this thread to the righteous.
Have found tumblr user probablyday's #woosterposting series. In shock
January 29, 2026 at 2:35 PM
As catnip to cats, or Whiffle On The Care of The Pig to Lord Emsworth, is this thread to the righteous.
Reposted by Philip Purser-Hallard
This is wild. The built environment shapes women and girls lives.
From avoiding certain areas to not going out at night. From a lack of services that makes journeys longer to housing estates with no public transport trapping women in abusive homes.
From avoiding certain areas to not going out at night. From a lack of services that makes journeys longer to housing estates with no public transport trapping women in abusive homes.
The Guardian has covered the story that there's no mention of women's safety in new planning guidance, despite it being recommended in two major government reports in the last month. But this is what the Dept of Housing, Communities and Local Gov had to say.
Where's my pitchfork...
Where's my pitchfork...
January 29, 2026 at 8:30 AM
This is wild. The built environment shapes women and girls lives.
From avoiding certain areas to not going out at night. From a lack of services that makes journeys longer to housing estates with no public transport trapping women in abusive homes.
From avoiding certain areas to not going out at night. From a lack of services that makes journeys longer to housing estates with no public transport trapping women in abusive homes.
Reposted by Philip Purser-Hallard
Among the many holes in the "LLMs can do anything" claims, this is definitely the biggest. Unless you know what good looks like, they WILL give you bad. Inevitably. And they aren't really improving in this respect; they're mostly just getting more convincing. And convincingly wrong is worse.
How? How do you double-check the accuracy, if you're not already an expert? Ask a different GenAI? Or do you, you know... Have to go and do the research you would have done anyway, pre-AI? Because I'm buggered if I can think of how you do that in a way where the GenAI saved you time.
January 29, 2026 at 10:15 AM
Among the many holes in the "LLMs can do anything" claims, this is definitely the biggest. Unless you know what good looks like, they WILL give you bad. Inevitably. And they aren't really improving in this respect; they're mostly just getting more convincing. And convincingly wrong is worse.
If you want everything you suspected about this moronic government initiative confirmed by an expert, this thread certainly does that.
I think I might take one of these "under 20 minutes" AI skills courses the UK Govt. seems very keen on everyone doing and live-post it here... Maybe we can all learn something together! The press release sends me to aiskillshub.org.uk/aiskillsboost/ - let's go and see!
AI Skills Boost - AI Skills Hub
aiskillshub.org.uk
January 29, 2026 at 8:15 AM
If you want everything you suspected about this moronic government initiative confirmed by an expert, this thread certainly does that.
No inside knowledge of this at all, but the obvious choice would be The Devil's Chord, completing a Goss Gods trilogy.
Coming 22nd October 2026
“Doctor Who Target Oct 3”
By James Goss
Penguin Books are listing a new, as yet unnamed, Target book by James Goss for release in October, indicating another batch of three following those due in March
More news as it comes…
“Doctor Who Target Oct 3”
By James Goss
Penguin Books are listing a new, as yet unnamed, Target book by James Goss for release in October, indicating another batch of three following those due in March
More news as it comes…
January 29, 2026 at 7:52 AM
No inside knowledge of this at all, but the obvious choice would be The Devil's Chord, completing a Goss Gods trilogy.
Reposted by Philip Purser-Hallard
There is money for "education" if and only if that money is being directly funneled to corporations. Anything involving actual learning, however, well there's no magic money tree
BREAKING: Free AI training will be offered to every adult in the UK, with short courses to teach people how to use simple AI tools effectively in the workplace.
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall tells #BBCBreakfast about the scheme
Technology Secretary Liz Kendall tells #BBCBreakfast about the scheme
January 28, 2026 at 9:40 AM
There is money for "education" if and only if that money is being directly funneled to corporations. Anything involving actual learning, however, well there's no magic money tree
Reposted by Philip Purser-Hallard
Government to offer free training to all adults to help them learn to enjoy the smooth smooth taste of Benson and Hedges
January 28, 2026 at 10:18 AM
Government to offer free training to all adults to help them learn to enjoy the smooth smooth taste of Benson and Hedges
Reposted by Philip Purser-Hallard
if they can offer free AI training they could offer free media literacy training too. i know which of those would do more for the public good
January 28, 2026 at 10:19 AM
if they can offer free AI training they could offer free media literacy training too. i know which of those would do more for the public good
Reposted by Philip Purser-Hallard
If Bilbo had Chat GPT
January 27, 2026 at 4:24 PM
If Bilbo had Chat GPT
I had a weird dream which I won't bore you with the details of, but there was a cult in Thailand that believed humanity was descended from brontosauruses.
January 28, 2026 at 7:26 AM
I had a weird dream which I won't bore you with the details of, but there was a cult in Thailand that believed humanity was descended from brontosauruses.
Reposted by Philip Purser-Hallard
Big news, gang: IN YOUR SKIN, a new comic book written by me, drawn by artist Som, coloured by Francesco Segala, starts publication in April from @imagecomics.com, produced by @readtinyonion.bsky.social. @popversesays.bsky.social has the exclusive details: www.thepopverse.com/comics-in-yo...
The Substance meets fandom in In Your Skin, a new Image Comics series from Tiny Onion
The new Image Comics comic from Exquisite Corpses studio Tiny Onion mixes Bollywood and body horror.
www.thepopverse.com
January 27, 2026 at 1:32 PM
Big news, gang: IN YOUR SKIN, a new comic book written by me, drawn by artist Som, coloured by Francesco Segala, starts publication in April from @imagecomics.com, produced by @readtinyonion.bsky.social. @popversesays.bsky.social has the exclusive details: www.thepopverse.com/comics-in-yo...
Ooh. Is there a term for a limerick with an internal rhyme like this?
I remember graffiti from the mens' loos:
As Titian was mixing Rose Madder
His model posed nude on a ladder
Her position, to Titian
Suggested coition
So he climbed up the ladder and had her
Only in Oxford
As Titian was mixing Rose Madder
His model posed nude on a ladder
Her position, to Titian
Suggested coition
So he climbed up the ladder and had her
Only in Oxford
January 28, 2026 at 7:05 AM
Ooh. Is there a term for a limerick with an internal rhyme like this?
Reposted by Philip Purser-Hallard
Facebook, which I barely use anyway, is suddenly refusing to let me in unless I give either Meta £2.99 a month (fuck off) or explicit permission to use my "information" for "ads", which I imagine is a cover for some kind of LLM scraping. So I guess I don't use Facebook at all any more.
January 27, 2026 at 4:42 PM
Facebook, which I barely use anyway, is suddenly refusing to let me in unless I give either Meta £2.99 a month (fuck off) or explicit permission to use my "information" for "ads", which I imagine is a cover for some kind of LLM scraping. So I guess I don't use Facebook at all any more.
Reposted by Philip Purser-Hallard
It’s a reminder of how completely unserious our nation is that we have a live illustration of where this leads in Minnesota and yet everyone pretends a Reform government is just an ok idea.
Suella Braverman, "There is a very strong case to increase the powers of any immigration enforcement officers that we deploy"
"At the moment they're hamstrung by human rights laws, by health and safety laws, by all sorts of needless and obstructive bureaucracy"
"At the moment they're hamstrung by human rights laws, by health and safety laws, by all sorts of needless and obstructive bureaucracy"
January 27, 2026 at 8:02 AM
It’s a reminder of how completely unserious our nation is that we have a live illustration of where this leads in Minnesota and yet everyone pretends a Reform government is just an ok idea.
Reposted by Philip Purser-Hallard
The new Black Archive, available in paperback and ebook format for the price of a coffee, is now on the site to pre-order (out in early Feb). Phil Purser-Hallard looks at THE ARK, the First Doctor story which is basically two stories with one set!
obversebooks.co.uk/product/81-t...
obversebooks.co.uk/product/81-t...
81. The Ark – Obverse Books
obversebooks.co.uk
January 27, 2026 at 8:54 AM
The new Black Archive, available in paperback and ebook format for the price of a coffee, is now on the site to pre-order (out in early Feb). Phil Purser-Hallard looks at THE ARK, the First Doctor story which is basically two stories with one set!
obversebooks.co.uk/product/81-t...
obversebooks.co.uk/product/81-t...
Reposted by Philip Purser-Hallard
A larger version of the front cover, and the full front-to-back spread. Magnificent work as ever by @blairbidmead.bsky.social and Cody Schell.
January 26, 2026 at 11:21 PM
A larger version of the front cover, and the full front-to-back spread. Magnificent work as ever by @blairbidmead.bsky.social and Cody Schell.
Reposted by Philip Purser-Hallard
My Black Archive book on The Ark, the 1966 SF parable starring William Hartnell as the first Doctor, is up for sale on the Obverse website. And isn't the cover gorgeous?
81. The Ark – Obverse Books
obversebooks.co.uk
January 26, 2026 at 5:11 PM
My Black Archive book on The Ark, the 1966 SF parable starring William Hartnell as the first Doctor, is up for sale on the Obverse website. And isn't the cover gorgeous?
Reposted by Philip Purser-Hallard
Available to pre-order now - the 81st Black Archive, as @purserhallard.com examines THE ARK.
Famously comprising two virtually distinct stories set hundreds of years apart, THE ARK owes a debt to the more literary end of the science fiction spectrum - and also has the most mysterious author.
Famously comprising two virtually distinct stories set hundreds of years apart, THE ARK owes a debt to the more literary end of the science fiction spectrum - and also has the most mysterious author.
81. The Ark – Obverse Books
obversebooks.co.uk
January 26, 2026 at 9:56 PM
Available to pre-order now - the 81st Black Archive, as @purserhallard.com examines THE ARK.
Famously comprising two virtually distinct stories set hundreds of years apart, THE ARK owes a debt to the more literary end of the science fiction spectrum - and also has the most mysterious author.
Famously comprising two virtually distinct stories set hundreds of years apart, THE ARK owes a debt to the more literary end of the science fiction spectrum - and also has the most mysterious author.
A larger version of the front cover, and the full front-to-back spread. Magnificent work as ever by @blairbidmead.bsky.social and Cody Schell.
January 26, 2026 at 11:21 PM
A larger version of the front cover, and the full front-to-back spread. Magnificent work as ever by @blairbidmead.bsky.social and Cody Schell.
My Black Archive book on The Ark, the 1966 SF parable starring William Hartnell as the first Doctor, is up for sale on the Obverse website. And isn't the cover gorgeous?
81. The Ark – Obverse Books
obversebooks.co.uk
January 26, 2026 at 5:11 PM
My Black Archive book on The Ark, the 1966 SF parable starring William Hartnell as the first Doctor, is up for sale on the Obverse website. And isn't the cover gorgeous?
Just to note, if one of the vile fuckwits still on the absolute sewer that Twitter has become posts some appalling libellous shit to fellate their Nazi idols and further radicalise their braindead followers, you DO NOT NEED to repost it here to make sure we've all sufficiently disapproved of it.
January 25, 2026 at 5:42 PM
Just to note, if one of the vile fuckwits still on the absolute sewer that Twitter has become posts some appalling libellous shit to fellate their Nazi idols and further radicalise their braindead followers, you DO NOT NEED to repost it here to make sure we've all sufficiently disapproved of it.
Reposted by Philip Purser-Hallard
Can anyone think of an equivalent word to "apparition" for unexplained sounds? I feel like there should be one, but I'm having no luck.
January 25, 2026 at 2:34 PM
Can anyone think of an equivalent word to "apparition" for unexplained sounds? I feel like there should be one, but I'm having no luck.
Reposted by Philip Purser-Hallard
absolutely not, why the fuck would I want to do that
January 25, 2026 at 12:40 PM
absolutely not, why the fuck would I want to do that