🫡

Paris was nice, but the blisters caused by spending an entire day walking it are not nice at all. Ouch.

Made it to the train. Book and music (including first listen to the Angelo Badalamanti/David Lynch jazz project Thought Gang) ready. London, here I come.

Been prepping for this weekend's trip.

If labour had spent the last year on the front foot against farage, banning fracking, cancelled the benefit cap, and not been a bunch of dicks, I would have been impressed.

We can not stress the importance of resisting this. Share and sign this petition: petition.parliament.uk/petitions/73...

Ascension of the Cybermen was the only Chibnall solo episode I had any desire to revisit from Whittaker's first two seasons and while it's a mixed bag overall, the good out-weighs the bad. It's genuinely epic SF with good action sequences and gorgeous design.

Re-watching The Haunting of the Villa Diodati and i'd completely forgotten about the Escher/Castrovalva/impossible house element. Which is odd as it's absolutely my kind of thing.

I hate to say it but Rod Serling's Night Gallery was something of a letdown. Some decent episodes but more poor ones than really good ones - even if you ignore the tedious 'comedy' sketches the producer inserted. I know Serling wasn't happy with it himself and I can see why.

"We keep announcing policies that legitimise Reform and everything they stand for - why are they doing so well?"

He didn't know who he was dealing with

Any recommendations for things to do in London next weekend? I notice the Ridley Scott exhibition at the BFI ends that weekend.

I expect the ID card thing will be dropped within about a week with Labour claiming "It was only ever a suggestion!" but until then, why not register your disapproval (if you disapprove). petition.parliament.uk/petitions/73...

Great movie, creepy as hell, free to watch on YT in full as of now:

First re-watch of Fugutive of the Judoon. It's...fine? I guess? I already knew the big twist the first time I watched it (I got behind). It's basically a pay-off in need of a story, and the story is pretty average. Plus all the Captain Jack scenes are pure padding.

“You’ve got sadness in you, I’ve got sadness in me – and my works of art are places where the two sadnesses can meet, and therefore both of us need to feel less sad.” HBD, Mark Rothko ...

Yet more evidence of how useless AI is when used as a search engine. Going To Headquarters is about a member of the Partisan Army and a suspected spy. There is neither a young boy nor a watering can in it.

Still don't understand why Orphan 55 is so hated. Yes, the 'Benni' stuff is annoying, there's some convenient plotting but apart from that it's solid. I can understand why people don't like the messaging but it doesn't bother me. And in my head-canon it's a stealth sequel to The Curse Of Fenric.

Casemiro you absolute numpty.

A sci-fi that opens with the mystery of meteorites flying in formation. A female scientist is drafted into the investigation while a more specialist scientist is too ill to immediately take part. Now what does that remind me of? Could these meteorites be a spearhead of some kind?

The Advantages of Being a Woman Artist, Guerrilla Girls, 1988 www.brooklynmuseum.org/en-GB/object...

This is a top British sci-fi/horror, well worth your time.

So the first section is a dry-run for Spearhead From Space, and the second is basically RTD's Smith And Jones (minus the Moon).

Watching this because it's based on an idea by Robert Holmes, even though he didn't actually write it. Really bizarrely edited so far - absolutely jarring cuts.

Massively underrated track - including by the band themselves.

My top 10 favourite musicians/bands Manic Street Preachers The The Gene Solomon Burke Bruce Springsteen Joy Division Lou Reed Iggy Pop Algiers Blind Boys of Alabama I've probably missed someone really obvious.

Essential television.

Ruin a song title by adding the word 'literally' to the title. If You Tolerate This Your Children Will Literally Be Next.

I have no idea what this book is about but I need a copy.

Finished! My favourite bits were when they talked about tracks from Know Your Enemy, Postcards From A Young Man and Futurology. One or two tracks I wish had been included but weren't, but overall an essential book for any Manics fan.

Really looking forward to diving into this one.

The term "Luddite" as a pejorative synonym for "technophobe" was a technocrat PR coup; that's not what Luddites were about. They were a labour movement fighting to give workers control over technologies which were advancing w/o oversight and rapidly automating them out of their jobs. Sound familiar?

Fucking Hell. This is outrageous.

Imagine if all 60s Dr Who looked as good as The Seeds Of Death. Wouldn't that be glorious? Part of me wants to see it trimmed a little and colourised but equally it looks gorgeous in black & white.

"TOTAL TERROR from Outer Space..." Trailer for Ray Harryhausen's "Earth vs. the Flying Saucers" (released in the USA on 01/07/56) #scifi #sciencefiction #horror #horrorfam #horrormovie #1950s

Seconded - any book that links Bidmead and Borges is worth a read.

Anyone else going to try to squeeze Logopolis, Castrovalva and Frontios in today?

We Are Cult are very saddened to hear that Christopher H. Bidmead has died; he was responsible for one of the most divisive eras of Doctor Who that is this fan's favourite; please enjoy this beautiful except from an interview CHB gave to doctorwhomagazine as a tribute to his unique vision:

It seems Christopher Hamilton Bidmead (as he wished to be credited) has died. An original voice in Doctor Who who managed to creatively re-imagine the show, his writing mixed bold scientific concepts with funny and poetic dialogue. christopherbidmead.muchloved.com?fbclid=IwdGR...

I doubt anyone who follows me hasn't seen Night Of The Demon, but if you haven't you can put that right tonight. A wonderful British horror. And I think the Demon is wonderful and gives the film a genuinely nightmare feel.

Now there's a cover that makes me wince.

Amazing story: one of the organisers of the group putting Union Flags up around Manchester previously did time for being part of a people smuggling gang. manchestermill.co.uk/manchester-f...

Sick of BBC continuously promoting Reform U.K. and ignoring other parties with far more representation? Please sign the petition petition.parliament.uk/petitions/71...

Tell me you don't want to watch this film, I dare you.

Humblebundle to support World Central Kitchen, and get a bunch of my books from @tordotcom.bsky.social including Murderbot and Witch King! #booksky www.humblebundle.com/books/martha...

"In a summer of anti-migrant rallies, flags & nationalistic rhetoric, observers warn there is a lack of government voices pushing back". The silence from the government is deafening. Just what are they waiting for? Someone to come to serious harm? www.theguardian.com/news/ng-inte...

#OtD 24 Aug 1945 legendary Black LGBTQ activist, sex worker, Stonewall rebellion participant, and co-founder of STAR (a radical org that provided shelter for homeless queer and trans youth) Marsha P. Johnson was born in New Jersey, US. Learn more: workingclasshistory.com/2019/05/13/e...

Val Guest fans - his glossy thriller Assignment K is on @talkingpicturestv.bsky.social at 21.05 tonight. Not available on home media or, as far as I can tell, streaming in the UK.

An excellent no nonsense statement from the Women's Institute.

The streets of #Manchester as it wakens for the day in the 60s! 6:35pm A DAY BEGINS IN MANCHESTER - GLIMPSES. A fascinating glimpse of the past!