Ruth
@ruthbushi.com
Freelance writer in Cumbria. Covers film & fiction at www.thehaughtyculturist.com. Author, 'Decoding The Turn of the Screw.' Bridport Prize winner, 2025!
Pinned
Are there any UK Indians - that aren't politicians - who actually support Reform and don't think it will come back to bite them on the ass? I don't know any, and only hear from others who don't know any. So who are they, and what really is the appeal?
January 26, 2026 at 5:37 PM
Are there any UK Indians - that aren't politicians - who actually support Reform and don't think it will come back to bite them on the ass? I don't know any, and only hear from others who don't know any. So who are they, and what really is the appeal?
Entered a short story in a writing contest; disqualified for going 50 words over the word count.
Entered a short story in a writing contest; missed the deadline by an hour.
I can sometimes write, but perhaps reading is what ails me ...
Entered a short story in a writing contest; missed the deadline by an hour.
I can sometimes write, but perhaps reading is what ails me ...
January 26, 2026 at 11:33 AM
Entered a short story in a writing contest; disqualified for going 50 words over the word count.
Entered a short story in a writing contest; missed the deadline by an hour.
I can sometimes write, but perhaps reading is what ails me ...
Entered a short story in a writing contest; missed the deadline by an hour.
I can sometimes write, but perhaps reading is what ails me ...
Reposted by Ruth
Check out some of Jodie's great Closet Picks on the Criterion Channel! ✨
VISIONS OF EIGHT
THREE FILMS BY MAI ZETTERLING
LA HAINE
LA STRADA
ESSENTIAL FELLINI
WOMAN IN THE DUNES
WINGS OF DESIRE
BERLIN ALEXANDERPLATZ
JOHN CASSAVETES:FIVE FILMS
VISIONS OF EIGHT
THREE FILMS BY MAI ZETTERLING
LA HAINE
LA STRADA
ESSENTIAL FELLINI
WOMAN IN THE DUNES
WINGS OF DESIRE
BERLIN ALEXANDERPLATZ
JOHN CASSAVETES:FIVE FILMS
Jodie Foster’s Closet Picks
YouTube video by CRITERION
youtu.be
January 23, 2026 at 7:20 PM
Check out some of Jodie's great Closet Picks on the Criterion Channel! ✨
VISIONS OF EIGHT
THREE FILMS BY MAI ZETTERLING
LA HAINE
LA STRADA
ESSENTIAL FELLINI
WOMAN IN THE DUNES
WINGS OF DESIRE
BERLIN ALEXANDERPLATZ
JOHN CASSAVETES:FIVE FILMS
VISIONS OF EIGHT
THREE FILMS BY MAI ZETTERLING
LA HAINE
LA STRADA
ESSENTIAL FELLINI
WOMAN IN THE DUNES
WINGS OF DESIRE
BERLIN ALEXANDERPLATZ
JOHN CASSAVETES:FIVE FILMS
Just spotted a Junk folder message announcing that I am the "chosen one," which has cheered me up a bit.
In other news, have won a 225-piece tool kit. I surely am chosen today.
In other news, have won a 225-piece tool kit. I surely am chosen today.
January 22, 2026 at 2:34 PM
Just spotted a Junk folder message announcing that I am the "chosen one," which has cheered me up a bit.
In other news, have won a 225-piece tool kit. I surely am chosen today.
In other news, have won a 225-piece tool kit. I surely am chosen today.
Reposted by Ruth
I am once again reminding you all that the UK government introduced an Online Safety Act that is effectively a porn ban on most adult porn websites, but is dithering over banning a website that is actually creating child porn.
January 13, 2026 at 11:03 AM
I am once again reminding you all that the UK government introduced an Online Safety Act that is effectively a porn ban on most adult porn websites, but is dithering over banning a website that is actually creating child porn.
This is a Linux Mint 22.3 Zena skeet 🐧
January 12, 2026 at 9:14 AM
This is a Linux Mint 22.3 Zena skeet 🐧
Film theory: The protagonist of The Third Man wants to know who killed Harry Lime. The real conflict is whether he can avoid becoming him.
www.thehaughtyculturist.com/films/the-th...
#FilmSky #FilmNoir #NoirAlley
www.thehaughtyculturist.com/films/the-th...
#FilmSky #FilmNoir #NoirAlley
The Third Man (1949): To be or not to be … Harry Lime
This deep-dive essay explores the imagery of The Third Man, and the film’s unspoken conflict: can Holly Martins avoid becoming Harry Lime?
www.thehaughtyculturist.com
January 11, 2026 at 1:07 PM
Film theory: The protagonist of The Third Man wants to know who killed Harry Lime. The real conflict is whether he can avoid becoming him.
www.thehaughtyculturist.com/films/the-th...
#FilmSky #FilmNoir #NoirAlley
www.thehaughtyculturist.com/films/the-th...
#FilmSky #FilmNoir #NoirAlley
Reposted by Ruth
"Tomorrow belongs to those who can hear it coming." David Bowie.
Remembering Bowie, who was born on this day, 8th January, 1947.
I thought this song would be a good choice for current times.
youtu.be/LT3cERVRoQo?...
Remembering Bowie, who was born on this day, 8th January, 1947.
I thought this song would be a good choice for current times.
youtu.be/LT3cERVRoQo?...
David Bowie - I'm Afraid of Americans (Official Video) [4K]
YouTube video by David Bowie
youtu.be
January 8, 2026 at 4:59 PM
"Tomorrow belongs to those who can hear it coming." David Bowie.
Remembering Bowie, who was born on this day, 8th January, 1947.
I thought this song would be a good choice for current times.
youtu.be/LT3cERVRoQo?...
Remembering Bowie, who was born on this day, 8th January, 1947.
I thought this song would be a good choice for current times.
youtu.be/LT3cERVRoQo?...
Writers: @penguinrandomhouse.bsky.social's WriteNow scheme closes tomorrow! This year's programme covers children's lit, and seeks writers from Black, Asian, LGBTQ+, working class backgrounds, or those with disabilities. H/T JournoResources.
www.penguin.co.uk/about/social...
www.penguin.co.uk/about/social...
WriteNow
WriteNow is Penguin's award-winning programme to seek out, nurture and publish new writers from communities under-represented on the nation's bookshelves.
www.penguin.co.uk
January 6, 2026 at 8:06 PM
Writers: @penguinrandomhouse.bsky.social's WriteNow scheme closes tomorrow! This year's programme covers children's lit, and seeks writers from Black, Asian, LGBTQ+, working class backgrounds, or those with disabilities. H/T JournoResources.
www.penguin.co.uk/about/social...
www.penguin.co.uk/about/social...
I give you: the Moon (and my very first attempt at astrophotography).
January 5, 2026 at 10:22 PM
I give you: the Moon (and my very first attempt at astrophotography).
I'm hardly Stephen Hawking, but having seen Jupiter with my own eyes, I simply can't believe the world's richest man, with his rockets and satellites, is more interested in white replacement theory than in the beauty of the universe; I can't believe that's a person who has ever looked out there.
January 5, 2026 at 9:51 AM
I'm hardly Stephen Hawking, but having seen Jupiter with my own eyes, I simply can't believe the world's richest man, with his rockets and satellites, is more interested in white replacement theory than in the beauty of the universe; I can't believe that's a person who has ever looked out there.
Another clear night; another opportunity to see Jupiter and its four big moons - clear as a pin, from the universe to my eye.
January 4, 2026 at 8:25 PM
Another clear night; another opportunity to see Jupiter and its four big moons - clear as a pin, from the universe to my eye.
What a show! Bought a super basic telescope, saw the Moon and Jupiter. Saw the bands and the planet rolling across the sky. Incredible! 🔭🌕👩🏾🚀 #astronomy
January 3, 2026 at 7:04 PM
What a show! Bought a super basic telescope, saw the Moon and Jupiter. Saw the bands and the planet rolling across the sky. Incredible! 🔭🌕👩🏾🚀 #astronomy
Reposted by Ruth
Some people may be considering writing a novel this year.
Good idea!
I thought I'd share some practicalities that have worked for me as a very busy person who also writes.
This is me sharing what I have tested and used. This is not advice.
Reread the previous two sentences.
Good idea!
I thought I'd share some practicalities that have worked for me as a very busy person who also writes.
This is me sharing what I have tested and used. This is not advice.
Reread the previous two sentences.
January 3, 2026 at 12:17 PM
Some people may be considering writing a novel this year.
Good idea!
I thought I'd share some practicalities that have worked for me as a very busy person who also writes.
This is me sharing what I have tested and used. This is not advice.
Reread the previous two sentences.
Good idea!
I thought I'd share some practicalities that have worked for me as a very busy person who also writes.
This is me sharing what I have tested and used. This is not advice.
Reread the previous two sentences.
Thanks, America, for carrying the 2025 vibe into 2026. I guess we ain't seen nothing yet.
January 3, 2026 at 8:41 AM
Thanks, America, for carrying the 2025 vibe into 2026. I guess we ain't seen nothing yet.
So is Jimmy Carr "pivoting" or am I being too cynical
January 2, 2026 at 8:47 PM
So is Jimmy Carr "pivoting" or am I being too cynical
Lost count of the times I've been doing interval runs at the gym only for the Matrix treadmill to stop at 20 minutes because I forgot to override the default timer. So I've added a trigger (via the Automate app) to show a reminder when I open my running app. Take that, forgetfulness / Matrix. 🧠💻🏃♀️😊
January 1, 2026 at 6:45 PM
Lost count of the times I've been doing interval runs at the gym only for the Matrix treadmill to stop at 20 minutes because I forgot to override the default timer. So I've added a trigger (via the Automate app) to show a reminder when I open my running app. Take that, forgetfulness / Matrix. 🧠💻🏃♀️😊
Well this is just delightful. To be honest, I wouldn't have known who Mike Oldfield was back then but this little segment just demonstrates his incredible talent.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4lb...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4lb...
Mike Oldfield recording the Blue Peter theme (FULL VERSION) (25.1.79)
YouTube video by OneNoteAndMeanIt
www.youtube.com
January 1, 2026 at 4:24 PM
Well this is just delightful. To be honest, I wouldn't have known who Mike Oldfield was back then but this little segment just demonstrates his incredible talent.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4lb...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4lb...
Reposted by Ruth
🎶Why do bards suddenly appear,
Ev’ry time you are near?
Just like me
They long to be
Or not to be
Close to yooooooou🎶
Ev’ry time you are near?
Just like me
They long to be
Or not to be
Close to yooooooou🎶
December 31, 2025 at 8:13 AM
🎶Why do bards suddenly appear,
Ev’ry time you are near?
Just like me
They long to be
Or not to be
Close to yooooooou🎶
Ev’ry time you are near?
Just like me
They long to be
Or not to be
Close to yooooooou🎶
Ruin two bands by combining them:
TaTu2
TaTu2
Ruin two bands by combining them:
Godspeed you! Half Biscuit
Godspeed you! Half Biscuit
ruin two bands by combining them:
Ned's Atomic Kitten
Ned's Atomic Kitten
December 30, 2025 at 12:06 AM
Ruin two bands by combining them:
TaTu2
TaTu2
I'm sorry - Nigel *Farage* says this? The one who ... ??
"Farage said ... "It should go without saying that anyone who possesses racist and anti-British views such as those of Mr el-Fattah should not be allowed into the UK."
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
"Farage said ... "It should go without saying that anyone who possesses racist and anti-British views such as those of Mr el-Fattah should not be allowed into the UK."
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
Home secretary urged to strip activist of British citizenship
Shabana Mahmood is facing growing calls to revoke the citizenship of British-Egyptian dual national Alaa Abdel Fattah after the emergence of social media posts.
www.bbc.co.uk
December 29, 2025 at 9:11 AM
I'm sorry - Nigel *Farage* says this? The one who ... ??
"Farage said ... "It should go without saying that anyone who possesses racist and anti-British views such as those of Mr el-Fattah should not be allowed into the UK."
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
"Farage said ... "It should go without saying that anyone who possesses racist and anti-British views such as those of Mr el-Fattah should not be allowed into the UK."
www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...
I wonder if "kin" shares a root with German's diminutive "chen"? i.e., Hund (dog) -> Hundchen (puppy).
-kin and -chen look like words that could have been pronounced similarly at some point...
-kin and -chen look like words that could have been pronounced similarly at some point...
The 'kin' of ‘napkin’ means "little."
‘Nap’ comes from ‘nape,' which means “tablecloth.”
So a napkin is a little tablecloth.
10/10, no notes.
‘Nap’ comes from ‘nape,' which means “tablecloth.”
So a napkin is a little tablecloth.
10/10, no notes.
December 28, 2025 at 9:44 PM
I wonder if "kin" shares a root with German's diminutive "chen"? i.e., Hund (dog) -> Hundchen (puppy).
-kin and -chen look like words that could have been pronounced similarly at some point...
-kin and -chen look like words that could have been pronounced similarly at some point...
TIL: the little guy who makes the moonshine is shouting "Down the British!" which makes sense considering it's the 4th of July. But all these years, I thought he was shouting "Down the bread hatch," and assumed it was just something adults / Americans say when they mean "Bottoms up." boxd.it/chxLjf
A review of The Great Escape (1963)
Today I leaned: the little guy who makes the moonshine is shouting "Down the British!" which makes sense considering it's the 4th of July. But all these years, I thought he was shouting "Down the brea...
boxd.it
December 28, 2025 at 1:57 PM
TIL: the little guy who makes the moonshine is shouting "Down the British!" which makes sense considering it's the 4th of July. But all these years, I thought he was shouting "Down the bread hatch," and assumed it was just something adults / Americans say when they mean "Bottoms up." boxd.it/chxLjf