EXACTLY what's needed right now.

Instead of me having to check the news every day, I'd just like a single, easily accessible page that tells me whether or not he's dead yet. "Not dead" or "Dead". That's all I need.

That’ll do.

You two keep your doings to yourselves. #TOTP

Is it listening to Smokie records, lads? #TOTP

Judging from my Bluesky feed, I’m glad I’m at work instead of watching #TOTP tonight.

Looking at a list of 2026 film releases and involuntarily hearing some of it in the voice of Len Martin. "Minons 3, Stenhousemuir 2" "Toy Story 5, Leyton Orient 1"

Well done suggestion algorithm, well done. Mild credit where it's due. youtu.be/wsOHvP1XnRg?...

Immersing myself in the work of Arnaldo Putzu again. He's rightfully famed for his film poster artwork, but as usual I've wandered deep into Look-in territory. Behold the majesty of this Grizzly Adams / Suzi Quatro / The Fonz montage, then quiver at the splendour of his blue Essex. Untouchable.

"You know, I've just thought of the perfect ending to our series" "Oh really?" (hand moves towards lever) "Yes, it's a cover version of "Heroeeeeesaaaaaargh"" (distant splash, sound of sharks moving in for dinner)

A nice tassled piss-catcher is one thing, but what really sets it off is the addition of a shagpile lid cosy.

I'm really not interested in The Traitors, but I can't mute the word or hashtag in case I miss the law catching up with more senior Reform figures or members of the Trump administration.

Oh Christ.

I've been following this guy's YouTube channel for a week or so now, to see if he'll manage to capture the moment an old Cold War bunker falls into the North Sea. It's oddly compelling. youtu.be/fTM36GRhmsM?...

I'm resolved to buying more physical video media this year. As much as they're producing some quality films and series, I've grown quite uncomfortable with the dominance of streamers over the past few years and aside from the redoubtable B.F.I. ...

Saturday. That's when Christmas goes back in the boxes for another year. Just going to shuffle around in tinselled Limbo 'til then.

Twelve hours in to the new year and already feeling a bit Tindersticks. youtu.be/x6oTNgn0qxw?...

Thirty-six somewhat eventful years since Billy Joel released "We Didn't Start the Fire" and we haven't seen so much as a single new verse from him, the lazy fucker.

Pretty sure that before I go to bed, I'm going to eat that jacket potato leftover from yesterday's tea as if it's a raw sheep's leg I've found on the moors after surviving a thermonuclear strike on my home city.

A lot of good people are here now. Maybe it's no bad thing the old platform had to be evacuated because of a massive, rampaging arsehole. I'm saying that from a selfish perspective because I wasn't really there for that place's golden age, but I was here early enough to get a decent seat.

I took this photo sixteen years ago, at the top of our old street in Bristol. It's served me well over the years as a reminder that if something's worth doing, it's worth doing with a proper metal sign affixed firmly to a lamp post.

Twenty-six minutes in and we've already got a contender for best post of 2026.

Hmm. 2026 doesn't feel any different. Fuck's sake, is it even switched on? Did we get another duff one?

This is the New Shmoo content I was waiting for today.

Bots seem busy tonight, Bluesky's clearly on the up.

In case I forget later, I'd like to wish you all a very new year. I mean fuck knows what it'll be like, but based on the last decade, I'm staying in my dugout for the time being.

It changes often but it is never, EVER Queen's "The Invisible Man".

Sim Essex was intended for 8-bit machines but never saw release. This screenshot from the C64 version is believed to be the only remaining record of this lost game.

Enjoyed watching one of the cats charge into the garden and stop halfway, almost in mid-air, at the sudden shock of the cold.

Open up this picture fully. Then look at the surface of Mars. Then look up to the top right. Spot Mars' moon Phobos high in the sky. Then notice the bright spot beside Phobos. That's Earth.

Me to 2025 and 2025 to me...

1/2 It's quite a while since I did these little web promo vignettes for @fabpress.bsky.social's upcoming book, based around author Michael Doyle's correspondence and conversations with John Carpenter over many years.

Would be quite interested to know what everyone's favourite episodes of Looks Unfamiliar, It's Good, Except It Sucks and The Golden Age Of Children's TV have been this year. Cheers!

So fucking good. youtu.be/usZF2467UUw?...

Anyway, must dash - I've just spotted that Johnny Pearson's original soundtrack for All Creatures Great and Small has popped up on Apple Music and I really need to wallow in 1978 for a bit.

God help us we survived the posting wars

You know that thing where you watched a TV series almost religiously for several years, but barely remember a damn thing about its storylines? That's the realisation I just had when I heard the Midnight Caller theme for the first time in decades.

Lovely bit of Atkinson Grimshaw going on over the back fence tonight. It's quite remarkable how much a phone camera can extract from moonlight these days.

I've never forgotten my boss from my first full-time job, a grizzled, wisecracking, ex-RAF Yorkshireman, proclaiming that O.B.E. stands for "Other Bugger's Efforts".

P!nk Floyd

Ruin two bands by combining them: ZZ Toploader

Stan Ogden, sicko

Personally, I think ‘dry January’ is a horrifying concept. I’m not going along with your hair shirt bullshit. Why not make it March? Nobody gives a shit about March.

Four more Lindor balls defeated.

Apple music's "Discovery Station" just went from some unfamiliar hard Trance to Clodagh Rodgers. I'm quite impressed by the speed of its swerve. Mind you it also tried foisting Technohead's execrable "I Wanna Be a Hippy" on me before that, so it can get fucked.

Friends fear, etc...

Fancy being one of the rotters who re-elected Chris Philp though, eh?

This sometimes gets an airing in the car on the trundle to work because it's still outrageously good fun and also because even fifty-two-year-old me still occasionally likes to pretend he's piloting the X-Bomber (within the speed limit of course). youtu.be/5lC54X5Gc1Q?...

Anyway, vegan bacon, sprout, shallot, Stilton and mustard potato gratin for dinner. Brilliant way of using up some of the stuff we over-bought for Christmas.