Martin McGrath
@martinmcgrath.bsky.social
Tries to be funny, often fails. Irish, Labour, LFC, NUJ & CIPR. Has a PhD, isn't afraid to use it. University lecturer in PR, branding & design, also sometime journalist, writer & editor. Will work for karma. "He's not angry, he always sounds like that."
It's important to get your design aesthetic from the classics.
December 1, 2025 at 7:14 PM
It's important to get your design aesthetic from the classics.
Clare Grogan *sigh*
Would still probably run away to join the circus with Claire Grogan (sorry wife)
But there are some proper munters among the blokes. Midge Ure? Gary Numan? Girls you could do so much better!
I mean, Renée from Renée and Renato WAS RIGHT THERE
Would still probably run away to join the circus with Claire Grogan (sorry wife)
But there are some proper munters among the blokes. Midge Ure? Gary Numan? Girls you could do so much better!
I mean, Renée from Renée and Renato WAS RIGHT THERE
November 27, 2025 at 9:27 PM
Clare Grogan *sigh*
Would still probably run away to join the circus with Claire Grogan (sorry wife)
But there are some proper munters among the blokes. Midge Ure? Gary Numan? Girls you could do so much better!
I mean, Renée from Renée and Renato WAS RIGHT THERE
Would still probably run away to join the circus with Claire Grogan (sorry wife)
But there are some proper munters among the blokes. Midge Ure? Gary Numan? Girls you could do so much better!
I mean, Renée from Renée and Renato WAS RIGHT THERE
I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die.
November 24, 2025 at 11:56 AM
I've seen things you people wouldn't believe. Attack ships on fire off the shoulder of Orion. I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhäuser Gate. All those moments will be lost in time, like tears in rain. Time to die.
Is it just me or does this Guardian pic look as though someone just asked:
"How long are you going to jail for, Mr Gill?"
And he's gone...
"Oooh, about this long."
"How long are you going to jail for, Mr Gill?"
And he's gone...
"Oooh, about this long."
November 21, 2025 at 3:06 PM
Is it just me or does this Guardian pic look as though someone just asked:
"How long are you going to jail for, Mr Gill?"
And he's gone...
"Oooh, about this long."
"How long are you going to jail for, Mr Gill?"
And he's gone...
"Oooh, about this long."
You could at least try to look surprised...
November 14, 2025 at 7:28 PM
You could at least try to look surprised...
Separated at birth?
November 2, 2025 at 11:06 PM
Separated at birth?
No lying or making yourself out to be a cool kid.
Post the first record you bought.
If you can remember the shop or circumstances add that too. Local colour appreciated.
From the 5 singles for 50p box in Gene Stewart's in Dungannon. I may have bought the Stray Cats for reasons other than music...
Post the first record you bought.
If you can remember the shop or circumstances add that too. Local colour appreciated.
From the 5 singles for 50p box in Gene Stewart's in Dungannon. I may have bought the Stray Cats for reasons other than music...
November 2, 2025 at 10:57 PM
No lying or making yourself out to be a cool kid.
Post the first record you bought.
If you can remember the shop or circumstances add that too. Local colour appreciated.
From the 5 singles for 50p box in Gene Stewart's in Dungannon. I may have bought the Stray Cats for reasons other than music...
Post the first record you bought.
If you can remember the shop or circumstances add that too. Local colour appreciated.
From the 5 singles for 50p box in Gene Stewart's in Dungannon. I may have bought the Stray Cats for reasons other than music...
That poppy seems extravagantly large.
At what point does the rapid growth of the remembrance poppy overwhelm Britain entirely?
I predict that, at this rate, the entire nation will be buried under a single massive plastic flower by 2027.
At what point does the rapid growth of the remembrance poppy overwhelm Britain entirely?
I predict that, at this rate, the entire nation will be buried under a single massive plastic flower by 2027.
November 1, 2025 at 10:31 PM
That poppy seems extravagantly large.
At what point does the rapid growth of the remembrance poppy overwhelm Britain entirely?
I predict that, at this rate, the entire nation will be buried under a single massive plastic flower by 2027.
At what point does the rapid growth of the remembrance poppy overwhelm Britain entirely?
I predict that, at this rate, the entire nation will be buried under a single massive plastic flower by 2027.
Powerful stuff in this New Scientist piece: solar/wind surpassed coal as leading source of energy this year, solar cost dropped 90% in 15 years, silicon panels cost same as plywood (price falling as efficiency rises), the storability problem is largely solved...
www.newscientist.com/article/2500...
www.newscientist.com/article/2500...
November 1, 2025 at 9:39 PM
Powerful stuff in this New Scientist piece: solar/wind surpassed coal as leading source of energy this year, solar cost dropped 90% in 15 years, silicon panels cost same as plywood (price falling as efficiency rises), the storability problem is largely solved...
www.newscientist.com/article/2500...
www.newscientist.com/article/2500...
October 27, 2025 at 1:51 PM
I stand here as a proud ally of the glorious (even if it is now made by Nestle) Walnut Whip to tell you, on behalf of the wider walnut community, that you are wrong, sir.
Unquestionably, unconscionably, wrong!
Damn your eyes!
Unquestionably, unconscionably, wrong!
Damn your eyes!
October 26, 2025 at 12:04 AM
I stand here as a proud ally of the glorious (even if it is now made by Nestle) Walnut Whip to tell you, on behalf of the wider walnut community, that you are wrong, sir.
Unquestionably, unconscionably, wrong!
Damn your eyes!
Unquestionably, unconscionably, wrong!
Damn your eyes!
It's beyond obscene but this made me laugh.
October 25, 2025 at 6:18 PM
It's beyond obscene but this made me laugh.
This is going to blow Matt Ridley's tiny mind...
October 20, 2025 at 11:05 PM
This is going to blow Matt Ridley's tiny mind...
The Blackburn Sidecar.
"There is no evidence that it ever flew," says Wikipedia, entirely unnecessarily.
"There is no evidence that it ever flew," says Wikipedia, entirely unnecessarily.
October 17, 2025 at 4:03 PM
The Blackburn Sidecar.
"There is no evidence that it ever flew," says Wikipedia, entirely unnecessarily.
"There is no evidence that it ever flew," says Wikipedia, entirely unnecessarily.
Boss's Day Card...
... you have got to be fecking kidding me...
Do they also sell "world's biggest arse licker" badges and "I gave up my self-respect for this job and all I got was this lousy t-shirt" t-shirts?
... you have got to be fecking kidding me...
Do they also sell "world's biggest arse licker" badges and "I gave up my self-respect for this job and all I got was this lousy t-shirt" t-shirts?
October 13, 2025 at 3:20 PM
Boss's Day Card...
... you have got to be fecking kidding me...
Do they also sell "world's biggest arse licker" badges and "I gave up my self-respect for this job and all I got was this lousy t-shirt" t-shirts?
... you have got to be fecking kidding me...
Do they also sell "world's biggest arse licker" badges and "I gave up my self-respect for this job and all I got was this lousy t-shirt" t-shirts?
Someone on LinkedIn posted a word-soup thing about something LinkedIn-ish which was, inexplicably, illustrated with an image of Brunel University lecture theatre
Reassuringly he got no replies to his substantive point (whatever it was) but lots of ex-Brunel students rushed to defend the old monster
Reassuringly he got no replies to his substantive point (whatever it was) but lots of ex-Brunel students rushed to defend the old monster
October 10, 2025 at 9:41 PM
Someone on LinkedIn posted a word-soup thing about something LinkedIn-ish which was, inexplicably, illustrated with an image of Brunel University lecture theatre
Reassuringly he got no replies to his substantive point (whatever it was) but lots of ex-Brunel students rushed to defend the old monster
Reassuringly he got no replies to his substantive point (whatever it was) but lots of ex-Brunel students rushed to defend the old monster
"Gottle of geer!"
You could spend a very long time trying to work out who was the dummy in this ventriloquist act.
You could spend a very long time trying to work out who was the dummy in this ventriloquist act.
October 7, 2025 at 9:04 PM
"Gottle of geer!"
You could spend a very long time trying to work out who was the dummy in this ventriloquist act.
You could spend a very long time trying to work out who was the dummy in this ventriloquist act.
Have they defected or has that big fella eaten them all.
October 7, 2025 at 3:15 PM
Have they defected or has that big fella eaten them all.
I see the NFL is moving Croke Park to Cote D'Ivoire... Wonder what their coddle is like?
September 28, 2025 at 4:18 PM
I see the NFL is moving Croke Park to Cote D'Ivoire... Wonder what their coddle is like?
They could have shown any of a million small, modern, prefab/modular home designs (like those below), but they went with something that immediately undermines the idea.
We should be churning these out by the tens of thousands.
We should be churning these out by the tens of thousands.
September 27, 2025 at 8:50 PM
They could have shown any of a million small, modern, prefab/modular home designs (like those below), but they went with something that immediately undermines the idea.
We should be churning these out by the tens of thousands.
We should be churning these out by the tens of thousands.
Trying to explain to colleagues recently why I think we should be cautious about introducing students to programming through vibe coding and wish I'd had this story (from this month's Fortean Times #463)
September 27, 2025 at 11:15 AM
Trying to explain to colleagues recently why I think we should be cautious about introducing students to programming through vibe coding and wish I'd had this story (from this month's Fortean Times #463)
"I'm a little teapot..."
September 18, 2025 at 9:35 AM
"I'm a little teapot..."
Catching up on tonight's Masterchef...
... Olivia has gone.
I am going to miss her natural exuberance and unfailingly cheerful demeanor.
(Her unironic cry of "Mamma Mia!" when she got through the first round was my highlight of the series.)
... Olivia has gone.
I am going to miss her natural exuberance and unfailingly cheerful demeanor.
(Her unironic cry of "Mamma Mia!" when she got through the first round was my highlight of the series.)
September 17, 2025 at 10:23 PM
Catching up on tonight's Masterchef...
... Olivia has gone.
I am going to miss her natural exuberance and unfailingly cheerful demeanor.
(Her unironic cry of "Mamma Mia!" when she got through the first round was my highlight of the series.)
... Olivia has gone.
I am going to miss her natural exuberance and unfailingly cheerful demeanor.
(Her unironic cry of "Mamma Mia!" when she got through the first round was my highlight of the series.)
PTSD flashbacks...
... there's nothing less united than a United Front.
... there's nothing less united than a United Front.
September 6, 2025 at 12:02 PM
PTSD flashbacks...
... there's nothing less united than a United Front.
... there's nothing less united than a United Front.