Nicholas Walmsley
@hulegu.bsky.social
Gentleman at Large | Astana, Tokyo| I do what I enjoy and enjoy what I do | opinions do not represent employer &c. | IG: ngwalmsley
“Some constipated pedant who will take an eternity to get anything done”
“Some constipated pedant who will take an eternity to get anything done”
Pinned
“some constipated pedant who will take an eternity to get anything done”
Robertson Davies describing pretty much every academic who ever lived
Robertson Davies describing pretty much every academic who ever lived
the guy in this story is an absolute moron
lmao rofl and all the rest
lmao rofl and all the rest
I would be so angry if the professor of a course I needed for my future career was doing all his teaching and grant writing and shit with chatgpt. so embarrassing. Jesus Christ. How did you get a phd if you need help writing an email? You're having 'conversations' with a chatbox?
When two years of academic work vanished with a single click
After turning off ChatGPT’s ‘data consent’ option, Marcel Bucher lost the work behind grant applications, teaching materials and publication drafts. Here’s what happened next.
www.nature.com
January 23, 2026 at 12:15 PM
the guy in this story is an absolute moron
lmao rofl and all the rest
lmao rofl and all the rest
diversion into French crime fiction
January 22, 2026 at 5:47 PM
diversion into French crime fiction
this is a well-written and fascinating story
Forty years in the Siberian wilderness: the Old Believers who time forgot - www.theguardian.com/world/2026/j... "None of the Lykov children had ever seen bread. But when the geologists offered them a loaf and some jam, they refused. “We are not allowed that,” they said" bonkers stuff
Forty years in the Siberian wilderness: the Old Believers who time forgot
The long read: In 1978, Soviet scientists stumbled upon a family living in a remote part of Russia. They hadn’t interacted with outsiders for decades. Almost half a century later, one of them is still...
www.theguardian.com
January 22, 2026 at 1:16 PM
this is a well-written and fascinating story
I will be thinking and feeling a lot about Drive My Car in the coming days
January 21, 2026 at 6:46 AM
I will be thinking and feeling a lot about Drive My Car in the coming days
‘“Shakespeare had the mind of a grocer,” said Gunilla.’
Robertson Davies never stops serving aces
Robertson Davies never stops serving aces
January 17, 2026 at 1:03 PM
‘“Shakespeare had the mind of a grocer,” said Gunilla.’
Robertson Davies never stops serving aces
Robertson Davies never stops serving aces
there’s a wonderful neighbourhood record shop in Tokyo I always visit called Pet Sounds which curates the most wonderful monthly and annual playlists and does the very ‘00s thing of burning them to CD and handing them out to customers with insert and everything
www.petsounds.co.jp
www.petsounds.co.jp
PET SOUNDS RECORD
www.petsounds.co.jp
January 17, 2026 at 11:18 AM
there’s a wonderful neighbourhood record shop in Tokyo I always visit called Pet Sounds which curates the most wonderful monthly and annual playlists and does the very ‘00s thing of burning them to CD and handing them out to customers with insert and everything
www.petsounds.co.jp
www.petsounds.co.jp
Reposted by Nicholas Walmsley
Been having a New Year "Let's play all our vinyl and CDs again" moment. Not for ideological reasons (I dislike Spotify much less than a lot of you!) BUT that said I have rediscovered the joy of listening to whole albums, or even better, having a break after Side One. Today - Phoenix's Alphabetical.
January 16, 2026 at 5:54 PM
Been having a New Year "Let's play all our vinyl and CDs again" moment. Not for ideological reasons (I dislike Spotify much less than a lot of you!) BUT that said I have rediscovered the joy of listening to whole albums, or even better, having a break after Side One. Today - Phoenix's Alphabetical.
in case you’re wondering the current temperature range in Astana these days is between -25 and -30°c
and that’s without factoring in wind-chill
and that’s without factoring in wind-chill
January 17, 2026 at 11:06 AM
in case you’re wondering the current temperature range in Astana these days is between -25 and -30°c
and that’s without factoring in wind-chill
and that’s without factoring in wind-chill
I recently watched A Very British Coup for the first time and now every time I read or hear an anti-Starmer story I’m like yup yup yup that sounds familiar
January 17, 2026 at 11:02 AM
I recently watched A Very British Coup for the first time and now every time I read or hear an anti-Starmer story I’m like yup yup yup that sounds familiar
currently in the middle of an Ian Richardson minifest
think I’ll watch Porterhouse Blue next
think I’ll watch Porterhouse Blue next
January 16, 2026 at 1:19 PM
currently in the middle of an Ian Richardson minifest
think I’ll watch Porterhouse Blue next
think I’ll watch Porterhouse Blue next
NEWSFLASH
it’s cold in Astana
it’s cold in Astana
January 16, 2026 at 1:03 PM
NEWSFLASH
it’s cold in Astana
it’s cold in Astana
Reposted by Nicholas Walmsley
This Sunday, @ The Vine, Kentish Town, @tpfilmclub.bsky.social are putting on This Ain't No Disco! A concert film all-dayer. Fun for all... etc...
www.tufnellparkfilmclub.com/forthcominga...
www.tufnellparkfilmclub.com/forthcominga...
This Ain't No Disco! - Concert Film All-Dayer — Tufnell Park Film Club
An all-day event consisting great concert films - from all-time classics to seldom-seen rarities. Because of the nature of the event, with people (hopefully!) coming and going throughout the day, ther...
www.tufnellparkfilmclub.com
January 15, 2026 at 1:45 PM
This Sunday, @ The Vine, Kentish Town, @tpfilmclub.bsky.social are putting on This Ain't No Disco! A concert film all-dayer. Fun for all... etc...
www.tufnellparkfilmclub.com/forthcominga...
www.tufnellparkfilmclub.com/forthcominga...
the number of students who compare with Robin Williams in terms of both looks and mannerisms makes me think I’m in the wrong business
January 14, 2026 at 8:26 AM
the number of students who compare with Robin Williams in terms of both looks and mannerisms makes me think I’m in the wrong business
Reposted by Nicholas Walmsley
Bill Watterson is my favorite cartoonist. I adored the relationship btw Calvin and Hobbes as a child. But as I've gotten older, these strips feel even more tender and insightful. My respect for him grew when I learned of his stance against merchandising. Such principles are almost unheard of today.
![Excerpt from Wikipedia reads: "Fight against merchandising his characters
For years, Watterson battled against pressure from publishers to merchandise his work, something that he felt would cheapen his comic through compromising the act of creation or reading.[21][22]
He refused to merchandise his creations on the grounds that displaying Calvin and Hobbes images on commercially sold mugs, stickers, and T-shirts would devalue the characters and their personalities. Watterson said that Universal kept putting pressure on him and that he had signed his contract without fully perusing it because, as a new artist, he was happy just to find a syndicate willing to give him a chance (two other syndicates had previously turned him down). He added that the contract was so one-sided that, if Universal really wanted to, they could license his characters against his will, and could even fire him and continue Calvin and Hobbes with a new artist. Watterson's position eventually won out, and he was able to renegotiate his contract so that he would receive all rights to his work. Later he said that the licensing fight exhausted him and contributed to the need for a nine-month sabbatical in 1991.[23]"](https://cdn.bsky.app/img/feed_thumbnail/plain/did:plc:ks3gpa6ftoyaq7hmf6c4qx4c/bafkreihmgl3sxrmb5t6edpjnixyanj2rvcf43zdv46mbifhl7hdtmz5u6y@jpeg)
January 14, 2026 at 6:18 AM
Bill Watterson is my favorite cartoonist. I adored the relationship btw Calvin and Hobbes as a child. But as I've gotten older, these strips feel even more tender and insightful. My respect for him grew when I learned of his stance against merchandising. Such principles are almost unheard of today.
“some constipated pedant who will take an eternity to get anything done”
Robertson Davies describing pretty much every academic who ever lived
Robertson Davies describing pretty much every academic who ever lived
January 11, 2026 at 10:02 AM
“some constipated pedant who will take an eternity to get anything done”
Robertson Davies describing pretty much every academic who ever lived
Robertson Davies describing pretty much every academic who ever lived
I tried to make gyoza
January 10, 2026 at 2:49 PM
I tried to make gyoza
Reposted by Nicholas Walmsley
🇰🇿 The promotion of Altai Oskemen to the Kazakhstan Premier League means they will be the easternmost club across UEFA's 55 countries in 2026.
The other geographical extremes are:
🇳🇴 Tromsø (northernmost)
🇵🇹🏝️ Santa Clara (westernmost)
🇮🇱 Hapoel Be'er Sheva (southernmost)
The other geographical extremes are:
🇳🇴 Tromsø (northernmost)
🇵🇹🏝️ Santa Clara (westernmost)
🇮🇱 Hapoel Be'er Sheva (southernmost)
January 10, 2026 at 11:49 AM
🇰🇿 The promotion of Altai Oskemen to the Kazakhstan Premier League means they will be the easternmost club across UEFA's 55 countries in 2026.
The other geographical extremes are:
🇳🇴 Tromsø (northernmost)
🇵🇹🏝️ Santa Clara (westernmost)
🇮🇱 Hapoel Be'er Sheva (southernmost)
The other geographical extremes are:
🇳🇴 Tromsø (northernmost)
🇵🇹🏝️ Santa Clara (westernmost)
🇮🇱 Hapoel Be'er Sheva (southernmost)
there are a lot of serious problems in the world but the only one I feel vaguely competent enough to comment on is the Ashes farrago Down Under
January 8, 2026 at 2:42 PM
there are a lot of serious problems in the world but the only one I feel vaguely competent enough to comment on is the Ashes farrago Down Under
tbh this was not far-off WaPo’s editorial line
Whether it's conservative men with guns shooting Honda-driving women in the head or Honda-driving women making conservative men with guns feel scared, both sides share blame for conservative men with guns shooting Honda-driving women in the head.
January 8, 2026 at 2:00 PM
tbh this was not far-off WaPo’s editorial line
wait, people are still on X?
January 8, 2026 at 12:55 PM
wait, people are still on X?
I’ll never forget the time all those years when our A-level English teacher showed us a video of Adrian Mitchell reciting ‘To Whom it May Concern (Tell Me Lies About Vietnam)’
it blew my mind then and it still does now
youtu.be/HgAQwu1v0eA?...
it blew my mind then and it still does now
youtu.be/HgAQwu1v0eA?...
Adrian Mitchell - To whom it may concern (tell me lies about Vietnam)
YouTube video by Soundboy Magazine
youtu.be
January 8, 2026 at 6:56 AM
I’ll never forget the time all those years when our A-level English teacher showed us a video of Adrian Mitchell reciting ‘To Whom it May Concern (Tell Me Lies About Vietnam)’
it blew my mind then and it still does now
youtu.be/HgAQwu1v0eA?...
it blew my mind then and it still does now
youtu.be/HgAQwu1v0eA?...
it’s a strange timeline indeed we live in when Spiked Online is the Voice of Media Reason viz a viz Venezuela
January 6, 2026 at 3:31 PM
it’s a strange timeline indeed we live in when Spiked Online is the Voice of Media Reason viz a viz Venezuela
that aged well
England still rubbish
Australia boss
England still rubbish
Australia boss
predictions for the Sydney test? both sides already seem checked out
January 6, 2026 at 3:25 PM
that aged well
England still rubbish
Australia boss
England still rubbish
Australia boss
new year same old bs
January 6, 2026 at 3:23 PM
new year same old bs
man every bartender who drops Depeche Mode into their playlist is MVP in my book
you could say they are my …
youtu.be/cNd4eocq2K0?...
you could say they are my …
youtu.be/cNd4eocq2K0?...
Depeche Mode - Personal Jesus (Official Video)
YouTube video by Depeche Mode
youtu.be
January 6, 2026 at 1:35 PM
man every bartender who drops Depeche Mode into their playlist is MVP in my book
you could say they are my …
youtu.be/cNd4eocq2K0?...
you could say they are my …
youtu.be/cNd4eocq2K0?...