Data from the Office of National Statistics shows Londoners are less likely to be violent crime victims (26.4 offences per 1,000 pop) than the rest of England & Wales (31.9 offences). Violent crime has fallen in every London borough in the past year.

i told my landlord they're releasing the amelia earhart files and he lowered my rent 50%. i told my grocer and he gave me a free nectarine. i told my doctor and he said i didn't have to pay for the visit. try it. you never know who out there has been waiting for this moment.

It is really funny that Jimmy Kimmel Live showed more moral fortitude and adherence to a system of values than Columbia University

An audio clip of Sir Keir Starmer supposedly saying that he “hates” Liverpool is re-circulating on social media. However there is absolutely no evidence it’s a real recording and it may have been generated by AI.

Morning walk

This is an incredible opportunity! I won this fellowship and used the time to edit my first novel, You Will Be Safe Here. To meet and learn from writers in Aotearoa New Zaland and to gain valuable teaching experience. Previous holders inc Louise Welsh, Janice Galloway and others. Apply!

🧵

The true question right now is whether you believe in the moral character of the British public. If you do, you'll want to have the fight with Reform. You'll believe that the public will hate the idea of breaking up families, spying on & deporting people who've worked here for years.

we have gone from a world in which we were told not to cite wikipedia because it was unreliable to a world where wikipedia might be the only reliable source left on the internet and we all owe a lot to the pedantic nerds who got us there

Join us today from 10am-4pm in Victoria Park Market, eat some food inspired by @NigelSlater's recipes and get a free copy of the paper with every order. We’ll be serving roast pork with plum chutney, and tomatoes, coconut and sweet sour onions, as well as cheesecake with damsons

Dutch late night TV has its take

Pleased to be reposted by @indexoncensorship.org; really sorry I had to write this piece for @theobserveruk.bsky.social

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Five alarm fire. Goodbye Jimmy Kimmel, @karenattiah.bsky.social — and press freedom. Follow @rbreich.bsky.social if you don’t already to see how all this works. observer.co.uk/news/opinion...

Shall we add to this fantastic list by @naomialderman.bsky.social? With so much to choose from, I’m going for The London Mithraeum. 12 Walbrook. It’s FREE. Just go.

the skewer seems loosening out of the middle of the world

And even if you have read the piece in the paper, this is vital to listen to.

For the record. My posts were not even about Kirk directly, but about America's apathy towards political violence, and the coddling of white male shooters and hate peddlers. I was fired because I mentioned race: white men and violence-- that was my "gross misconduct."

What a gorgeous, enlightening piece!

What a fine gesture from the President of @rsliterature.bsky.social to fund an important new Prize from her own prize money. Bravo Bernie! observer.co.uk/news/nationa...

Elon Musk openly called for violence on our streets yesterday. I hope politicians from all parties come together to condemn his deeply dangerous and irresponsible rhetoric. Britain must stand united against this clear attempt to undermine our democracy.

if you eg do not like Murdoch's politics but really do think that The Times has a very good books section, I am delighted to report that if you call up to cancel they will offer you secret deals of eg £6 for 10 articles a month. Which I'd be happy to pay for @john-self.bsky.social 's writing alone.

read this and now I can electrocute people again

Absolutely !!!insane!!! to me that the UK government, lobby and newspapers litigate at length every minor infraction by the BBC, rival newspapers, or what some random columnist has posted. But all of them just carry on not even commenting about this media owner. He’s not hiding, he’s telling you!

a) this novel is going to be WONDERFUL. A warm-hearted inspiring story in a tough world! b) follow Kate for her enthusiasm for, well, everything! 😊

Here is the New York Times from September 11, 2001, already old news by the time I picked it up from my doorstep. I’ve never been able to open it up or throw it out.

Our #JustOneBook appeal is live. If every follower bought just one book today, you’d help us keep publishing the stories and poems you love. Support us now: www.saltpublishing.com 📚 Every book matters. #BookSky #IndiePress #BookCommunity

…and, a massive thank you to @timadamswrites.bsky.social who I didn’t clock was on here. This piece was hard to write and I’m proud of it — but that’s only because I had a great editor. 🫡

Made some clam chowder from a NYTimes recipe. It always, always gives me joy to read comments from the folks who say things like: "I subbed pistachios for the clams and used liver instead of potatoes and it was FANTASTIC"

St Paul’s Pool on Pitcairn Island. I wrote about my strange visit there for @theobserveruk.bsky.social — observer.co.uk/news/interna... Follow me…

This is a fantastic piece, not that you’ll be surprised to learn that…

Those of us who have listened to the latest @backlisted.bsky.social and loved it, you may be interested in an old episode of Great Lives with Kate Stables (aka This is the Kit): www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/...

Timeline cleanse

This is a deeply lovely book, I was so glad to interview Damian for Harper's Bazaar UK... watch this space! 😍

So I’m listening to this BRILLIANT episode and then blow me, if @iammilliam.bsky.social doesn’t mention an interview I was fortunate enough to do with UKLG… ☺️ Thank you, and hurrah to all —

I am having terrible trouble seeing out of my spectacles because I have put union jacks over the lenses but I guess that is the price you must pay

Seconded. Read the whole thread.

Because everything is shit I would like to report that I just chatted with Nile Rodgers while boarding a flight and he was extremely nice. So let us not lose hope. Also his trousers were amazing.

Please read this beautiful piece — it will brighten your day.

Seen this @girlonthenet.bsky.social

Spot-on from @jonathanfreedland.bsky.social (www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...)

Hey @bsky.app a friend’s account was suspended after *they* were hacked. They are unhappy with support received. We like this place and this surprises us. Anyone else had this experience?

Everything is just holy shit, but sometimes —

Things sure are grim out there. But gosh it cheered me to see @markhamillofficial.bsky.social in #TheLifeOfChuck. What a beautiful, surprising film, what a wonderful, poignant performance. Go along. It will make you cry and cheer you up, all at once. And Walt Whitman, to boot! #IContainMultitudes

What is with those Samsung Gemini ads? They make me so *sad*. A guy asking the AI about what to take camping. Women in a store — full of people! — asking their machine what to buy. It is clear that the shills for this stuff have scorn for much of what is, you know… human. Not a new insight, but.

Why the strange reluctance of Labour to stand up for ethnic minorities is damaging integration policies and weirdly also Labours own prospectives to win another election. This, by @anandmenon.bsky.social is nailing it.

London-based folk; is anyone a decent violin player who'd be willing to be recorded playing an instrument to demonstrate the sound for a remote buyer? Or do you know someone who is? Extra points if they're East London...

‘… social historian David Kynaston, told The Observer he suspects “a serious scandal is unfolding” John Wyver, Ian Greaves, Erica Wagner and others on the growing battle to prevent damaging changes to the BBC’s priceless behind-the-scenes archives:

The people saying that they can write as well as us, by using a plagiarism machine, also told us that their jpeg of a horrible drawing of an ill monkey in a hat was worth hundreds of pounds, i really thought there would be some fallout from when that happened