Rob McIvor
@rob-mcivor.bsky.social
Read a lot, write a bit; walk a lot, ride a bit. Happiest at altitude. 2x Page Turner finalist, Exeter and JBA longlisted. Cheshire Novel Prize top 100. New novel, “What Goes on Tour”, published May 2026.
Location: Blackheath, London
www.robmcivor.com
Location: Blackheath, London
www.robmcivor.com
And that’s a wrap on novel no. 3. After one major structural edit and three line by line edits, today I reached the point at which I can do more and typed these two words. Now it’s on its way to my Beta readers. Oh, and I need to come up with a decent title 🙄.
January 30, 2026 at 7:26 PM
And that’s a wrap on novel no. 3. After one major structural edit and three line by line edits, today I reached the point at which I can do more and typed these two words. Now it’s on its way to my Beta readers. Oh, and I need to come up with a decent title 🙄.
Reposted by Rob McIvor
IMAGINE using the phrase 'hamstrung by human rights laws' and expecting people to treat you like a perfectly normal being afterwards.
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 9:53 PM
IMAGINE using the phrase 'hamstrung by human rights laws' and expecting people to treat you like a perfectly normal being afterwards.
Reposted by Rob McIvor
I was always told that one of the central lessons of the Shoah is that legal, juridical regimes can still be immoral. The claim that Anne Frank was in Amsterdam "legally" is false, but more than that, the question "Was Anne Frank an illegal?" is so grossly missing the point of Holocaust remembrance.
To avoid the possibility Holocaust remembrance might lead to empathy for migrants, Trump's antisemitism envoy claims Anne Frank "was in Amsterdam legally."
In reality, Margot Frank received a summons to go to a labor camp on July 5, 1942. After ignoring this call, they were in Amsterdam illegally.
In reality, Margot Frank received a summons to go to a labor camp on July 5, 1942. After ignoring this call, they were in Amsterdam illegally.
January 27, 2026 at 3:37 PM
I was always told that one of the central lessons of the Shoah is that legal, juridical regimes can still be immoral. The claim that Anne Frank was in Amsterdam "legally" is false, but more than that, the question "Was Anne Frank an illegal?" is so grossly missing the point of Holocaust remembrance.
Reposted by Rob McIvor
"in most cases, these videos appear to have been filmed secretly - using Meta smart glasses."
Argh for the love of god BAN. THE. PERVERT GLASSES.
Argh for the love of god BAN. THE. PERVERT GLASSES.
Women filmed in secret for TikTok content - then harassed online
Women filmed in secret for TikTok content - then harassed online
So-called manfluencers wearing smart glasses approach women and then post videos to TikTok.
www.bbc.com
January 24, 2026 at 8:02 AM
"in most cases, these videos appear to have been filmed secretly - using Meta smart glasses."
Argh for the love of god BAN. THE. PERVERT GLASSES.
Argh for the love of god BAN. THE. PERVERT GLASSES.
If you’ve ever wondered the source of Trump’s “weave”, here it is. Except Bononi makes more sense.
Italian voice actor Carlo Bononi was the voice of all of the characters on Pingu. A trained clown by trade, he used a theater technique called grammelot, which consists of "speaking" in a mix of babbled gibberish noises. He improvised all the voices live and unscripted.
January 21, 2026 at 7:05 AM
If you’ve ever wondered the source of Trump’s “weave”, here it is. Except Bononi makes more sense.
Reposted by Rob McIvor
Reposted by Rob McIvor
The Norwegian Nobel Prize committee has been forced to make a statement, declaring that the prize cannot be transferred.
It's hard even to comprehend how stupid this has become
It's hard even to comprehend how stupid this has become
January 10, 2026 at 9:15 AM
The Norwegian Nobel Prize committee has been forced to make a statement, declaring that the prize cannot be transferred.
It's hard even to comprehend how stupid this has become
It's hard even to comprehend how stupid this has become
Reposted by Rob McIvor
'You can only post illegal non-consensual Grok AI sexual imagery and kiddie sex abuse pics now if you pay me.'
Summing up degenerate Elon Musk perfectly in 20 words.
Summing up degenerate Elon Musk perfectly in 20 words.
January 9, 2026 at 1:39 PM
'You can only post illegal non-consensual Grok AI sexual imagery and kiddie sex abuse pics now if you pay me.'
Summing up degenerate Elon Musk perfectly in 20 words.
Summing up degenerate Elon Musk perfectly in 20 words.
Light touch regulation - always a winner
🇨🇭 Swiss local authorities admitted Tuesday they failed to conduct periodic fire and safety inspections over the past five years at a bar where an inferno killed 40 people and injured 116 others.
January 6, 2026 at 11:36 AM
Light touch regulation - always a winner
Seven hours in A&E with my 88yo mother who has fallen and has a suspected fractured hip. Still waiting to be seen by a doctor… ☹️. Still, luckily she arrived in an ambulance so has been prioritised.
January 5, 2026 at 7:02 PM
Seven hours in A&E with my 88yo mother who has fallen and has a suspected fractured hip. Still waiting to be seen by a doctor… ☹️. Still, luckily she arrived in an ambulance so has been prioritised.
Watching It’s a Wonderful Life and thinking thank goodness no one has ever attempted à remake. Let’s hope no one ever will.
December 24, 2025 at 8:51 PM
Watching It’s a Wonderful Life and thinking thank goodness no one has ever attempted à remake. Let’s hope no one ever will.
Sad to hear that Chris Rea has died. Saw him a few times in the early 80s and was always taken by what a good guitarist he was. His Shamrock Diaries album is a particular favourite still.
December 22, 2025 at 4:31 PM
Sad to hear that Chris Rea has died. Saw him a few times in the early 80s and was always taken by what a good guitarist he was. His Shamrock Diaries album is a particular favourite still.
Great evening with @blackheathwriters.bsky.social sharing specially-written stories with a festive theme. We’ve been doing this for a few years now and the stories get crazier and funnier every year. Maybe one day we’ll put them all together in an anthology.
Blackheath & Greenwich writers (@blackheathwriters.bsky.social)
A workshop group for confident writers in southeast London, est 2018. www.blackheathwriters.com
blackheathwriters.bsky.social
December 18, 2025 at 11:08 PM
Great evening with @blackheathwriters.bsky.social sharing specially-written stories with a festive theme. We’ve been doing this for a few years now and the stories get crazier and funnier every year. Maybe one day we’ll put them all together in an anthology.
During Covid we set up a neighbourhood WhatsApp, for mutual help and support. It’s still going, of course, and every now and again it offers a beautiful illustration of what life is really like in the war-torn hell hole otherwise known as London:
December 17, 2025 at 7:25 PM
During Covid we set up a neighbourhood WhatsApp, for mutual help and support. It’s still going, of course, and every now and again it offers a beautiful illustration of what life is really like in the war-torn hell hole otherwise known as London:
Good idea, esp if it’s the local congressman or senator. Many in the UK call last year’s street violence the Farage Riots, after the politician whose tweets and broadcasts inspired many of the rioters. He hates that.
Start naming mass shootings after politicians who take money from the NRA.
December 14, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Good idea, esp if it’s the local congressman or senator. Many in the UK call last year’s street violence the Farage Riots, after the politician whose tweets and broadcasts inspired many of the rioters. He hates that.
Reposted by Rob McIvor
Michael C. Rockefeller got shipwrecked in 1963, washed up on an island, and was promptly eaten by cannibals.
December 13, 2025 at 4:26 PM
Michael C. Rockefeller got shipwrecked in 1963, washed up on an island, and was promptly eaten by cannibals.
Reposted by Rob McIvor
WHY ARE YOU ANNOYED THIS IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO HAPPEN
December 13, 2025 at 6:41 PM
WHY ARE YOU ANNOYED THIS IS WHAT YOU WANTED TO HAPPEN
Reposted by Rob McIvor
Please tell your friends who are working on their novel/short story collection that if they want a friendly constructive writing workshop in southeast London we are always open for new members
The group is now not meeting again for a workshop until the new year! But this is a great time to send through your writing sample and introduce yourself to us www.blackheathwriters.com
December 13, 2025 at 2:19 PM
Please tell your friends who are working on their novel/short story collection that if they want a friendly constructive writing workshop in southeast London we are always open for new members
Reposted by Rob McIvor
If handing someone their arse, was a video clip
December 12, 2025 at 8:12 AM
If handing someone their arse, was a video clip
A book club in the US has been kind enough to read the draft of my next novel, set in Blackheath. Among the incredibly helpful feedback is my favourite comment: “I can’t believe how much wine the characters drink”. I guess they’ve never been to Blackheath 😁
December 11, 2025 at 12:41 PM
A book club in the US has been kind enough to read the draft of my next novel, set in Blackheath. Among the incredibly helpful feedback is my favourite comment: “I can’t believe how much wine the characters drink”. I guess they’ve never been to Blackheath 😁
Reposted by Rob McIvor
White House Begins Christmas Season With Ceremonial Lighting Of Cross
December 10, 2025 at 10:00 PM
White House Begins Christmas Season With Ceremonial Lighting Of Cross
So, after 37 years of hard service, this little workhorse has finally succumbed to age and begun distorting lower frequencies 😢.
On the bright side, both Christmas and my birthday are approaching…. 😁
On the bright side, both Christmas and my birthday are approaching…. 😁
November 27, 2025 at 6:38 PM
So, after 37 years of hard service, this little workhorse has finally succumbed to age and begun distorting lower frequencies 😢.
On the bright side, both Christmas and my birthday are approaching…. 😁
On the bright side, both Christmas and my birthday are approaching…. 😁
Shameful
I wish I didn’t have to share this. But the BBC has decided to censor my first Reith Lecture.
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
They deleted the line in which I describe Donald Trump as “the most openly corrupt president in American history.” /1
November 25, 2025 at 11:18 AM
Shameful
Reposted by Rob McIvor
Why don't you Google it, Kevin. The Internet is full of short films demonstrating this.
November 23, 2025 at 2:31 PM
Why don't you Google it, Kevin. The Internet is full of short films demonstrating this.