People often laugh that medieval artists couldn't 'do' cats - but my cat often does that with his tongue. Bang on, as far as I'm concerned.

I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore. So I wrote a blog about ten things you can do *right now* to help defeat Farage, Musk, and rightwing populism. From scrutinising Reform councillors to demanding the UK Govt leave X - get involved: guyshrubsole.substack.com/p/ten-things...

“Rather than getting despondent - which is easy, at the moment - we’ve got to mobilise, we’ve got to get active." — HOPE not hate CEO @nicklowles.bsky.social, speaking to @theguardian.com today.

Bad Wolf is celebrating a decade of producing high-end television in wales with an afternoon of free panels and discussions at Wolf Studios on October 16 for anyone in Wales who is eager to break into television or take the next step in their career. www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/10-years-o...

An entire Clapham Grand full of #DoctorWho nerds for @gallycab.bsky.social Who Knows? Quiz. Can we reach critical mass and create a wormhole powered by our sheer geekery?

Timeline cleanse

Is that the last of the safe routes closed now? www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...

Presumably to deter refugees from coming, which would then lead to their separation from their families, who would be left to fend for themselves. Why would we try to deter genuine refugees from coming? Cruel and neglectful of our duties as a liberal state.

Terror of the Zygons is among my favourite Dr Who stories. Today at 5.45pm (BST) marks the 50th anniversary of the first part going out for the first time. I’ve written a monograph about the story and am publishing a chapter a week, starting today. ko-fi.com/post/Terror-... #DoctorWho

A little reminder for everyone, particularly our friends in the Labour government:

The British media class has gone stark, raving mad. This is fascism. And they’re strolling into it, whistling.

As some of you know, I am an absolute, unapologetic Janeite. She is the master. The worst Austen would do to any adversary would put them in an excruciating 10-page conversation, with a spirited but clumsy younger sister playing on a musical instrument, before a final cutting, devastating silence.

Sometimes your nerdery is brought home to you by an involuntary impulse. In this morning's case I turned on the radio to hear @nataliehaynes.bsky.social say 'today I am standing up for the goddess Hestia' and I went 'ooooooh!'

Sunday protests seem to be < 500 nationwide, maybe < 300, across 4-6 locations Yet ITV news using language of "erupt nationwide" (!) Epping: 100-150 London: 20 Birmingham: 30 Stevenage: 30-50 Norwich: ? anything of any scale Manchester: ? anything of any scale Dudley: ? anything of any scale?

This piece says exactly what I've been thinking about AI

Have you tried not driving into the kerb?

Major air pollution alert across the UK. When air pollution increases, so do hospitalisations for asthma and heart attacks. If you’re able, you can help by avoiding driving or idling your engine and refraining from burning wood or garden waste.

Remember when UK beaches were cleaned-up, and raw sewage wasn't pumped into the sea where we bathed, because of the EUs Bathing Water Directive? That's why we had a record number of blue flag clean beaches in 2016. Not anymore. Good times. #BrexitReality

Don't they realise that the threat to safety that most potential tourists to the US now see comes FROM THE US GOVERNMENT?

“ChatGPT admitted”, “ChatGPT agrees” ChatGPT put a bunch of words in a sentence that makes semantic sense to the reader but has no thought or consciousness behind it. It cannot admit or agree to anything, because it’s just spitting out a string of data.

PS: You may have read this story already. The BBC ran a version of it yesterday We shared our FOI docs with their reporter and press office. Their response? To publish the story - our story - without even notifying us. A £6bn public broadcaster selling out a tiny investigative newsletter. Nice. 😔

🖤🙏🏻 (and yesss, late pledges are still possible, so people can still support Uncanny’s kickstarter!)

An absolute cracker of a newsletter this week.

I prosecute and defend the most serious sexual offences in our courts. The overwhelming majority of offenders are British-born. Overwhelmingly the victim is someone known to them, either a partner or relative. Anybody purporting to care about protecting women might start there.

There are a lot of idiots enraged by this misleading Times headline. The article itself - yes, the exact same one - points out that: A) In any typical year, about 50 independent schools close B) More independent schools opened than shut, so the overall number went up. But that's far too nuanced.

Just build more houses man I'm so tired

The headline here should say: "Number of private schools increases by 35 - showing fears of an exodus to be unfounded". (The increase is mentioned way down the article.) www.thetimes.com/article/19ef...

Someone asked me to take this out from behind the pay wall and I - unlike the British housing market - am nothing if not accommodating. So: no, empty homes won't solve the housing crisis

Next time someone says 'but we've got more than enough homes standing empty, there's no need to build more', please direct them to this excellent explanation of why that simply doesn't work.

Go for it. I don't even care any more.

COSIGNED!! LLMs are NOT TOYs. We can't just recycle water. The need to transfer the heat (to cool) always involves an evaporative system that requires water that's being replenished from the evaporation process.

Cannot tell you how much I've enjoyed previous years of this superb short form SF/fantasy writing magazine. Subscribe. You can thank yourself a year from now!

There’s a concept in transport planning called “induced traffic”, which is essentially the evil twin of “if you build it, they will come”. What cars did to your city, AI will do to your brain.

For the love of God, Radio 4, the EU will NOT pay a 15% tax. US consumers will.

We'll be FINE here in Europe. We use these things called BATTERIES. Had to Google this Thiessen guy - he's held some well paid jobs. This clip shows: a) the self confidence a private education buys will get you a long, long way b) the quality of TV news analysis in the US is in the toilet.

Today, we remember and celebrate Janey Godley.

Pivot to video was such a curse. Now everything’s like obviously you’d rather watch a 40 minute video than read a sentence.

Scrutiny, health and safety, transparency, and future controls on chemicals all likely to be torn up in a desperate bid to appease business. I'm lost for words. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

This #buyastrangerabook offer from @catphoto.bsky.social keeps on rolling. No takers last week. No takers so far this week. A free book to anyone who works in the service industry etc, up to £20. Check the offer out and if you'd like a book, do get in touch. UK only

A fundraiser called ‘Ruin Trump's UK visit with this Epstein photo’, is close to raising £20,000 to plaster the image across the country during Trump’s visit. Trump is set to visit his Scotland golf courses this weekend and has his state visit in September...

Manchester people, especially queers, I’m doing a show for Manchester Women’s International Comedy Festival this October: BETH BECOMES HER: THE MUSICAL (NOT A MUSICAL) you can get your tickets here, I need 250 of you and your friends to buy so we can sell out The Frog and Bucket #trans #LGBTQIA

Treat yourself to an Uncanny subscription today if you: - enjoy great SF & fantasy - want to support paid writing - want to support a multi-Hugo award winning endeavour - would love some unexpected and often brilliant short stories shoved under your nose periodically.

The UK Govt has launched a scheme for Irish citizens in the UK to apply for British citizenship more easily. My question is 'why would they want to?' Presumably, there must be some advantages to being a dual citizen but I cannot work out what they are. Anyone know? www.gov.uk/government/n...

“inshallah on the front page” feels illegal to have a legit funny politician

If you were born between 1970-1990 you may not have full MMR protection, even if you had parents who took you for all your jabs. The NHS will give you a free booster. With cases surging, this is a great way to protect yourself & your community. I’m getting mine tomorrow www.nhs.uk/vaccinations...

Sadly, Colin the House Dalek is not the deadliest thing to end up on Worthing beach this year. Let's exterminate water pollution! #DoctorWho @drbeccycoopermp.bsky.social News headline: 'Serious water pollution in England up 60%' www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Just THREE more Backers!!!

Your reminder that you can create your own Bayeux Tapestry at home, using: htck.github.io/bayeux/#!/

A despicable approach to carbon emissions: attempting to destabilise the Green energy market @edmilibandmp.bsky.social we re in your corner. Please share/comment if you agree @mvtfwd.bsky.social @femi-oluwole.bsky.social @philmoorhouse.bsky.social @peterjukes.bsky.social @chrisgpackham.bsky.social

Can’t believe it’s only a month until all our parents find out about the Cheating CEO at the coldplay concert from Facebook