Phil Smythe
@psmythe.bsky.social
Technical, political, gastronomic, linguistic, historical and Scottish curiosities;fluffy creatures with big eyes. Mefite.
Reposted by Phil Smythe
Worth a read. 👇
No fuel, no tourists, no cash – this was the week the Cuban crisis got real
Diplomats in Havana are preparing for an alternative Trump tactic: the country being starved until people take to the streets and the US can step in
www.theguardian.com
February 15, 2026 at 10:48 AM
Worth a read. 👇
Reposted by Phil Smythe
Tyneside morning, 1950, photo by Harry Morrison.
February 15, 2026 at 8:58 AM
Tyneside morning, 1950, photo by Harry Morrison.
Reposted by Phil Smythe
Strictly regulated curling stones weigh between 38 and 44 pounds, and can last decades. One company handcrafts all the Olympic stones using granite from a single small, uninhabited island: https://cnn.it/4r6fTFq
February 11, 2026 at 11:02 PM
Strictly regulated curling stones weigh between 38 and 44 pounds, and can last decades. One company handcrafts all the Olympic stones using granite from a single small, uninhabited island: https://cnn.it/4r6fTFq
Reposted by Phil Smythe
i don’t know if it’s the jaunty bow tie or what but i cannot stop laughing at this
February 7, 2026 at 6:19 AM
i don’t know if it’s the jaunty bow tie or what but i cannot stop laughing at this
Reposted by Phil Smythe
If Jeff Bezos could afford to spend $75 million on the Melania movie & $500 million for a yacht to sail off to his $55 million wedding to give his wife a $5 million ring, please don't tell me he needed to fire one-third of the Washington Post staff.
Democracy dies in oligarchy.
Democracy dies in oligarchy.
February 5, 2026 at 12:16 AM
If Jeff Bezos could afford to spend $75 million on the Melania movie & $500 million for a yacht to sail off to his $55 million wedding to give his wife a $5 million ring, please don't tell me he needed to fire one-third of the Washington Post staff.
Democracy dies in oligarchy.
Democracy dies in oligarchy.
Reposted by Phil Smythe
I love that Prince Andrew had a codename email address to avoid suspicion and all the emails are like 'Had to spend the weekend at Balmoral, Mother wants me to look after the corgis, my brother's here too - not Edward, but Charles, you know the heir apparent.'
February 1, 2026 at 9:03 AM
I love that Prince Andrew had a codename email address to avoid suspicion and all the emails are like 'Had to spend the weekend at Balmoral, Mother wants me to look after the corgis, my brother's here too - not Edward, but Charles, you know the heir apparent.'
Reposted by Phil Smythe
“As first lady, children will always remain my priority,” she coos, and you can almost picture her coaxing them into her little gingerbread house.”
January 30, 2026 at 10:53 PM
“As first lady, children will always remain my priority,” she coos, and you can almost picture her coaxing them into her little gingerbread house.”
Reposted by Phil Smythe
Lady Gaga has put out a gorgeous anthem for Minneapolis.
youtu.be/e3o5FIXoK84?...
youtu.be/e3o5FIXoK84?...
Won’t You Be My Neighbor? | Lady Gaga Original
YouTube video by Rocket
youtu.be
January 29, 2026 at 7:16 PM
Lady Gaga has put out a gorgeous anthem for Minneapolis.
youtu.be/e3o5FIXoK84?...
youtu.be/e3o5FIXoK84?...
Reposted by Phil Smythe
technically it's a "refined" sketch, the actual sketch looks like so (ignore the others, i originally was just oding pose practice but i got an idea for the pose later)
January 29, 2026 at 9:43 PM
technically it's a "refined" sketch, the actual sketch looks like so (ignore the others, i originally was just oding pose practice but i got an idea for the pose later)
Reposted by Phil Smythe
La Cabina - simple low-key but bloody terrifying short film about a man trapped in a telephone box, and... well it would be a crime to give away the ending, much beloved of BBC2 and Channel 4 and not quite so beloved of viewers who saw it by chance...
timworthington.org/2022/05/23/l...
timworthington.org/2022/05/23/l...
January 25, 2026 at 3:41 PM
La Cabina - simple low-key but bloody terrifying short film about a man trapped in a telephone box, and... well it would be a crime to give away the ending, much beloved of BBC2 and Channel 4 and not quite so beloved of viewers who saw it by chance...
timworthington.org/2022/05/23/l...
timworthington.org/2022/05/23/l...
Reposted by Phil Smythe
Also, if you borrow an author's book from a library in the UK, that author gets more than 12 pence per loan in Public Lending Rights. Any author can earn up to £6,600 per year this way.
For context: I published my 15th book last year. The advance I received for it was considerably less than £6,600.
For context: I published my 15th book last year. The advance I received for it was considerably less than £6,600.
Someone said to me, "I'm sorry but I got your book from a library." Nobody should ever apologise for that. You read my book! That's brilliant! I grew up hanging out in libraries and the idea of a world without them fills me with dread. Without libraries, authors, like readers, will only suffer.
January 20, 2026 at 5:01 PM
Also, if you borrow an author's book from a library in the UK, that author gets more than 12 pence per loan in Public Lending Rights. Any author can earn up to £6,600 per year this way.
For context: I published my 15th book last year. The advance I received for it was considerably less than £6,600.
For context: I published my 15th book last year. The advance I received for it was considerably less than £6,600.
Reposted by Phil Smythe
My four favourite facts about the cockchafer beetle:
1. It's called a cockchafer beetle.
2. It’s also sometimes known as a “billywitch”.
3. It’s unusually loud and clumsy by beetle standards and bangs into lots of things when it flies into your house by mistake.
4. It looks like this, close up.
1. It's called a cockchafer beetle.
2. It’s also sometimes known as a “billywitch”.
3. It’s unusually loud and clumsy by beetle standards and bangs into lots of things when it flies into your house by mistake.
4. It looks like this, close up.
January 20, 2026 at 8:07 AM
My four favourite facts about the cockchafer beetle:
1. It's called a cockchafer beetle.
2. It’s also sometimes known as a “billywitch”.
3. It’s unusually loud and clumsy by beetle standards and bangs into lots of things when it flies into your house by mistake.
4. It looks like this, close up.
1. It's called a cockchafer beetle.
2. It’s also sometimes known as a “billywitch”.
3. It’s unusually loud and clumsy by beetle standards and bangs into lots of things when it flies into your house by mistake.
4. It looks like this, close up.
Reposted by Phil Smythe
Reposted by Phil Smythe
This photo was taken in 1911 using glass plate technology by Herbert Ponting who was part of Scott's Antarctic expedition,
The composition and detail are exquisite with the band of white snow/ice creating a perfect frame around the two people and the ship in the distance
Iconic imo
The composition and detail are exquisite with the band of white snow/ice creating a perfect frame around the two people and the ship in the distance
Iconic imo
January 17, 2026 at 7:12 AM
This photo was taken in 1911 using glass plate technology by Herbert Ponting who was part of Scott's Antarctic expedition,
The composition and detail are exquisite with the band of white snow/ice creating a perfect frame around the two people and the ship in the distance
Iconic imo
The composition and detail are exquisite with the band of white snow/ice creating a perfect frame around the two people and the ship in the distance
Iconic imo
Reposted by Phil Smythe
I love that Wikipedia's edit history is public because it only takes two clicks to get to the very first version of the "ant" article in its entirety from 2001. Happy 25th birthday Wikipedia! You've come so far
January 15, 2026 at 9:17 PM
I love that Wikipedia's edit history is public because it only takes two clicks to get to the very first version of the "ant" article in its entirety from 2001. Happy 25th birthday Wikipedia! You've come so far
Reposted by Phil Smythe
Me to same owl handler: "Owls are super wise, right? They read loads of highbrow Russian literature and stuff, don't they?"
Owl handler: "No, they actually have very tiny brains, due to the hugeness of their eyes. In reality they are one of the thickest animals you could ever meet."
Owl handler: "No, they actually have very tiny brains, due to the hugeness of their eyes. In reality they are one of the thickest animals you could ever meet."
Almost certainly the best thing I was ever told about owls was when I met an owl handler at an owl sanctuary and he told me that the wild owls who lived near the sanctuary worried about the tame show owls there and sometimes stopped by to leave them shrews and mice as presents.
January 15, 2026 at 8:48 PM
Me to same owl handler: "Owls are super wise, right? They read loads of highbrow Russian literature and stuff, don't they?"
Owl handler: "No, they actually have very tiny brains, due to the hugeness of their eyes. In reality they are one of the thickest animals you could ever meet."
Owl handler: "No, they actually have very tiny brains, due to the hugeness of their eyes. In reality they are one of the thickest animals you could ever meet."
Reposted by Phil Smythe
The latest in my history of home computers is live. Covers the era of Commodore, Atari and Jack Tramiel.
He was a brutal manager. But also an Auschwitz survivor, and that shaped him, and his legit drive to build a better world.
This warning from him hit home, right now.
every.to/the-crazy-on...
He was a brutal manager. But also an Auschwitz survivor, and that shaped him, and his legit drive to build a better world.
This warning from him hit home, right now.
every.to/the-crazy-on...
March 10, 2025 at 4:50 PM
The latest in my history of home computers is live. Covers the era of Commodore, Atari and Jack Tramiel.
He was a brutal manager. But also an Auschwitz survivor, and that shaped him, and his legit drive to build a better world.
This warning from him hit home, right now.
every.to/the-crazy-on...
He was a brutal manager. But also an Auschwitz survivor, and that shaped him, and his legit drive to build a better world.
This warning from him hit home, right now.
every.to/the-crazy-on...
Reposted by Phil Smythe
Early Dilbert could be incredibly on point at times, and it's important to acknowledge that rather than pretend it was always terrible.
Scott Adams getting high on his own hype, emerging from his hate chrysalis, then doubling down on it, was very odd. He poisoned his own legacy well before death.
Scott Adams getting high on his own hype, emerging from his hate chrysalis, then doubling down on it, was very odd. He poisoned his own legacy well before death.
January 14, 2026 at 9:09 AM
Early Dilbert could be incredibly on point at times, and it's important to acknowledge that rather than pretend it was always terrible.
Scott Adams getting high on his own hype, emerging from his hate chrysalis, then doubling down on it, was very odd. He poisoned his own legacy well before death.
Scott Adams getting high on his own hype, emerging from his hate chrysalis, then doubling down on it, was very odd. He poisoned his own legacy well before death.
Reposted by Phil Smythe
I spent shitloads on his little doggie bed. Shitloads. He never goes near it. But you leave one box around.
January 14, 2026 at 10:45 AM
I spent shitloads on his little doggie bed. Shitloads. He never goes near it. But you leave one box around.
Reposted by Phil Smythe
A very important thing for you to know about Icelandic is that the word "rassgat" (butthole) is used as an endearment about cute things. So if you say someone is "algjört rassgat" (a total butthole) it means they are VERY cute. If the cuteness is overwhelming we say "rúsínurassgat" (raisin asshole).
January 13, 2026 at 12:07 PM
A very important thing for you to know about Icelandic is that the word "rassgat" (butthole) is used as an endearment about cute things. So if you say someone is "algjört rassgat" (a total butthole) it means they are VERY cute. If the cuteness is overwhelming we say "rúsínurassgat" (raisin asshole).
Reposted by Phil Smythe
A friend of mine shared this in our Signal group chat. I thought it was worth sharing...
December 23, 2025 at 5:44 PM
A friend of mine shared this in our Signal group chat. I thought it was worth sharing...
Reposted by Phil Smythe
we’re in the vet’s office waiting room and they just called for Agamemnon. we all looked at the Great Dane but it turns out Agamemnon is an orange kitten in a backpack that makes him look like an astronaut cheese puff
January 11, 2026 at 5:27 PM
we’re in the vet’s office waiting room and they just called for Agamemnon. we all looked at the Great Dane but it turns out Agamemnon is an orange kitten in a backpack that makes him look like an astronaut cheese puff
Reposted by Phil Smythe
me to the greenhouse glass: you better not be pulling that rococo shit
the greenhouse glass:
the greenhouse glass:
January 10, 2026 at 8:52 AM
me to the greenhouse glass: you better not be pulling that rococo shit
the greenhouse glass:
the greenhouse glass:
Reposted by Phil Smythe
Feel like he’s breaking the 4th wall bc he realized this is kinda f’d up
January 10, 2026 at 3:21 AM
Feel like he’s breaking the 4th wall bc he realized this is kinda f’d up
Reposted by Phil Smythe
This is absolutely amazing. Hurray for science! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Huntington's disease successfully treated for first time
One of the most devastating diseases finally has a treatment that can slow its progression and transform lives, tearful doctors tell BBC.
www.bbc.co.uk
January 4, 2026 at 1:27 PM
This is absolutely amazing. Hurray for science! www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...