Neil+
@mcgrooda.bsky.social
Have been “Sax_R”, “ndp1701”, and “McGrooda” in the Other Places.
I'm just a normal, functioning member of the human race, and there's no way anyone can prove otherwise.
I'm just a normal, functioning member of the human race, and there's no way anyone can prove otherwise.
Pinned
Fandoms are highly political, and politics works a lot like fandoms.
Arbitrary lines people draw in the sand.
Puritanism.
Assumption of complete knowledge of others viewpoints.
Lack of such leading to straw men.
Inability to adopt an out-groups position for objective thought.
Arbitrary lines people draw in the sand.
Puritanism.
Assumption of complete knowledge of others viewpoints.
Lack of such leading to straw men.
Inability to adopt an out-groups position for objective thought.
February 12, 2026 at 5:08 PM
Fandoms are highly political, and politics works a lot like fandoms.
Arbitrary lines people draw in the sand.
Puritanism.
Assumption of complete knowledge of others viewpoints.
Lack of such leading to straw men.
Inability to adopt an out-groups position for objective thought.
Arbitrary lines people draw in the sand.
Puritanism.
Assumption of complete knowledge of others viewpoints.
Lack of such leading to straw men.
Inability to adopt an out-groups position for objective thought.
Forgot that I gave this a go. It was incredible for the first few episodes but then they killed Emma Corrin and I was like ‘no thanks’ and I haven’t watched any more.
I recently found out the Gotham/Batman prequel series “Pennyworth” pivoted in its third and final season to also being a V For Vendetta prequel.
Then I discovered the lead basically just did a Michael Caine impression.
This show couldn’t possibly live up my expectations, could it?
Then I discovered the lead basically just did a Michael Caine impression.
This show couldn’t possibly live up my expectations, could it?
I’m fucking furious. It’s 5th November. I should be able to watch V For Vendetta tonight. But, instead, my crazy off-her-fucking-rocker reactionary right-wing angry-as-fuck mother-in-law is here and she “doesn’t like it”.
I’m having a terrible week off work.
I’m having a terrible week off work.
February 12, 2026 at 4:37 PM
Forgot that I gave this a go. It was incredible for the first few episodes but then they killed Emma Corrin and I was like ‘no thanks’ and I haven’t watched any more.
Let justice be done though the heavens fall.
February 11, 2026 at 5:03 PM
Let justice be done though the heavens fall.
Reposted by Neil+
The whole “AI” artifice is just the Clever Hans Effect, magnified a million fold.
To me the chatbots pose zero interesting questions about the ‘nature of selfhood’ but dozens about the nature of manipulation. Here the Claude team pretends they are programming the robot for ethical responses but they land on one that is false and disingenuous.
February 11, 2026 at 4:36 PM
The whole “AI” artifice is just the Clever Hans Effect, magnified a million fold.
Reposted by Neil+
To me the chatbots pose zero interesting questions about the ‘nature of selfhood’ but dozens about the nature of manipulation. Here the Claude team pretends they are programming the robot for ethical responses but they land on one that is false and disingenuous.
February 11, 2026 at 3:42 PM
To me the chatbots pose zero interesting questions about the ‘nature of selfhood’ but dozens about the nature of manipulation. Here the Claude team pretends they are programming the robot for ethical responses but they land on one that is false and disingenuous.
Hearing Tawny Newsome talk about her and Kerrice Brooks getting a late night phone call from Avery Brooks *might* have brought a tear to my eye.
On today’s #GreatestTrek, @tawnynewsome.bsky.social threads the needle to weave Sisko into the fabric of #StarfleetAcademy.
Listen to the full episode at: gagh.biz/greatesttrek
#StarTrek #StarTrekStarfleetAcademy #fods #friendsofdesoto
@maximumfun.org
Listen to the full episode at: gagh.biz/greatesttrek
#StarTrek #StarTrekStarfleetAcademy #fods #friendsofdesoto
@maximumfun.org
February 6, 2026 at 4:20 PM
Hearing Tawny Newsome talk about her and Kerrice Brooks getting a late night phone call from Avery Brooks *might* have brought a tear to my eye.
This. Please just let me have the fact that I hated something that you guys only just now also hate. It’s all I have in this world.
I mean... I'm still gonna let disliking "Harry Potter" from the start make me feel superior? But not "because" JKR turned out to be Girl Hitler - just because I'm a frustrated egomaniac and I don't get lots of opportunities to DO that 🤷♂️
F--- her and Gaiman both either way, regardless 😁👍
F--- her and Gaiman both either way, regardless 😁👍
February 5, 2026 at 9:05 AM
This. Please just let me have the fact that I hated something that you guys only just now also hate. It’s all I have in this world.
My partner spends Monday evenings on FaceTime calls catching up with girlfriends who live far away. It affords me the chance to sit on the sofa, eating German sausage, drinking freezing cold vodka, while watching #Warhammer40K lore videos on YouTube.
Makes Mondays worth looking forward to.
Makes Mondays worth looking forward to.
February 2, 2026 at 8:36 PM
My partner spends Monday evenings on FaceTime calls catching up with girlfriends who live far away. It affords me the chance to sit on the sofa, eating German sausage, drinking freezing cold vodka, while watching #Warhammer40K lore videos on YouTube.
Makes Mondays worth looking forward to.
Makes Mondays worth looking forward to.
👇🏻
Apple should dump Cook.
Tim Cook attends Windsor Castle State Banquet as part of Trump’s visit to the UK
January 27, 2026 at 6:25 PM
👇🏻
Reposted by Neil+
I will go further and say that people using the "r"-word are hoping that bringing it back opens the door to bringing back the "n"-word, and is strongly correlated with the people who want to carve off trans rights as a stepping stone to claw back gay rights in general
I assume anyone who says this word is probably okay with the n-word, too. Or, more charitably, doesn’t understand why they shouldn’t say it just that saying it would get them in a lot of trouble.
January 27, 2026 at 2:35 PM
I will go further and say that people using the "r"-word are hoping that bringing it back opens the door to bringing back the "n"-word, and is strongly correlated with the people who want to carve off trans rights as a stepping stone to claw back gay rights in general
Reposted by Neil+
The UK version of “Project 2025” by the Reform party includes a British ICE, a concentration camp for 24,000 people, mass surveillance and withdrawing from refugee, anti-torture and anti-trafficking conventions.
It’s on their website. That’s how comfortable fascists are in the UK today.
It’s on their website. That’s how comfortable fascists are in the UK today.
January 26, 2026 at 1:22 PM
The UK version of “Project 2025” by the Reform party includes a British ICE, a concentration camp for 24,000 people, mass surveillance and withdrawing from refugee, anti-torture and anti-trafficking conventions.
It’s on their website. That’s how comfortable fascists are in the UK today.
It’s on their website. That’s how comfortable fascists are in the UK today.
Reposted by Neil+
Reposted by Neil+
can you imagine being the federal agent assigned to bluesky, just getting scolded by deep space nine experts while all your buddies get like challenge coins
January 24, 2026 at 10:34 PM
can you imagine being the federal agent assigned to bluesky, just getting scolded by deep space nine experts while all your buddies get like challenge coins
Reposted by Neil+
“Evil begins when you begin to treat people as things.”
- Terry Pratchett, “I Shall Wear Midnight”
- Terry Pratchett, “I Shall Wear Midnight”
January 24, 2026 at 8:55 PM
“Evil begins when you begin to treat people as things.”
- Terry Pratchett, “I Shall Wear Midnight”
- Terry Pratchett, “I Shall Wear Midnight”
Reposted by Neil+
A big problem with The End of History is it’s far too long and has far too much Hegel so most people know the title but not the book and missed the crucial and prophetic caveat at the end. This book should have remained an essay
January 24, 2026 at 10:44 AM
A big problem with The End of History is it’s far too long and has far too much Hegel so most people know the title but not the book and missed the crucial and prophetic caveat at the end. This book should have remained an essay
An inhuman statement.
Didn’t expect such an epic #accidentalpartridge from Janan Ganesh in @ft.com but it doesn’t get much madder than this.
January 24, 2026 at 2:39 PM
An inhuman statement.
Any one who gives an answer other than Ronin, just hasn’t seen Ronin.
What's the single overall best car chase in cinema history? One that almost has everything you would want from a car chase?
It's not a bold or original answer, but I think I have to go with the French Connection
It's not a bold or original answer, but I think I have to go with the French Connection
January 23, 2026 at 9:00 AM
Any one who gives an answer other than Ronin, just hasn’t seen Ronin.
No, no, no. Keep flying it. It’s fine! Honestly. Just keep flying him around on the really old janky faulty airplane. It’s fine.
The “electrical issue” aboard Air Force One Tuesday night that forced President Donald Trump’s Europe-bound plane to turn back is raising troubling questions about the age of the decades-old aircraft flying the president.
Electrical issue that grounded Trump’s flight raises questions about aging Air Force One aircraft | CNN Politics
The “electrical issue” aboard Air Force One Tuesday night that forced President Donald Trump’s Europe-bound plane to turn back is raising troubling questions about the age of the decades-old aircraft ...
www.cnn.com
January 22, 2026 at 12:17 AM
No, no, no. Keep flying it. It’s fine! Honestly. Just keep flying him around on the really old janky faulty airplane. It’s fine.
Reposted by Neil+
Mafia goon: Nice house you got here...it'd be a shame if something happened to it
Media outlets: Mafia goon rules out use of force. Expresses regret at the mere thought of it
Media outlets: Mafia goon rules out use of force. Expresses regret at the mere thought of it
January 21, 2026 at 2:36 PM
Mafia goon: Nice house you got here...it'd be a shame if something happened to it
Media outlets: Mafia goon rules out use of force. Expresses regret at the mere thought of it
Media outlets: Mafia goon rules out use of force. Expresses regret at the mere thought of it
The last 20 years of British politics, all in one sit-com scene from 1977.
"ratio of chinese to Indian restaurants near military bases"
good grief, that's literally a bit from a 1970s BBC sitcom
youtu.be/oJ-9R6NCZ0A?...
good grief, that's literally a bit from a 1970s BBC sitcom
youtu.be/oJ-9R6NCZ0A?...
Jimmy's Secret Army
YouTube video by David Tingley
youtu.be
January 21, 2026 at 1:06 PM
The last 20 years of British politics, all in one sit-com scene from 1977.
More quislings in the making.
I think the Daily Mail is actually verging into sedition and subversion and treason.
January 21, 2026 at 12:55 PM
More quislings in the making.
Reposted by Neil+
“A rupture”
American Brexit. An own goal of epic proportions, strengthening only those who want to see us fall.
American Brexit. An own goal of epic proportions, strengthening only those who want to see us fall.
Carney: "American hegemony in particular helped provide public goods, a stable financial system... this bargain no longer works. Let me be direct. We are in the midst of a rupture, not a transition... recently, great powers have begun using economic integration as a weapon. Tariffs as leverage ... "
January 20, 2026 at 5:27 PM
“A rupture”
American Brexit. An own goal of epic proportions, strengthening only those who want to see us fall.
American Brexit. An own goal of epic proportions, strengthening only those who want to see us fall.
But… but… I bought sticky hook things for the Christmas wreath to go on the front door!
3M forecasts annual profit below estimates amid sluggish consumer demand reut.rs/45QCDRa
3M forecasts annual profit below estimates amid sluggish consumer demand
Industrial giant 3M forecast annual profit slightly below Wall Street's expectation on Tuesday, pointing to a challenging and uneven demand backdrop, even as it tightens costs to shield margins.
reut.rs
January 20, 2026 at 8:03 PM
But… but… I bought sticky hook things for the Christmas wreath to go on the front door!