True dat

Judge: 'Lock em up and throw away the key!' Tabloids: 'Outrage at sentencing leniency, why o why can't we melt down keys, shape them into bullets, and shoot criminal yobs with them?' Guardian: 'Liberal locksmiths to sue CPS for neglect of historic lock mechanisms'

In a speech later, the leader of Conservative Party will announce further humiliating weakass impersonations of MAGA talking points

Unexpected victory for bald blokes everywhere, good job!

Nice to see The Times carrying hard-hitting, deeply researched coverage of the crisis of the humanities in universities rn

Did graveyard talk in York then entirely randomly stumbled across this on way back

Phew, glad that’s all okay now and that all overt culture war racism has been happily defeated

It’s Friday, it’s 5 o’clock and it’s

The Battle of Bicester Village 2031, when loyalist forces decisively seized the country’s entire reserves of Calvin Klein smalls

Hurray! One of the most interesting writers around!

The new Dean will see you now

Saw Restore out campaigning earlier

You know those public school posh-boys who have just joined private banks in the City who are about 22 yet look simultaneously like giant babies and Boris Johnson after a boozy bender? I’m sitting next to two of those in a hipster caff that is too City-fringe for them to be entirely comfortable

In York this Sunday lunchtime at the Festival of Ideas

Cat won’t come downstairs until I turn the news off

Only a third? With another concerted effort, with everyone pulling together to continue to completely ignore the crisis, we can all surely get this over the 50% line

Coincidentally, I taught Gilman last night and saw this today!

Great list! Needs more Lynch, obvs, and also Frankenheimer’s Seconds, but you can’t have everything #CorridorDread

If only there was some kind of properly funded set of educational institutions distributed across the country for post-18 year-olds where they could explore, mature and develop their knowledge and sense of self and find out they might fit into the world of work, but I just can't think of any

This just out! Quite stoked to be included with an essay on EcoGothic as I’m alongside some seriously proper Victorianists in there

Time for another round of the game ‘Sting or Davros?’

Receiving advice from Tony Blair

Yesterday was so hot I eventually had my skull sawn open so I could pop my brain in the freezer for a bit. Forgot to put it back in overnight and this must be why I woke up this morning finding myself agreeing with all of Tony Blair’s sponsored talking points

Looks like a very camp caped crusader

In celebration of both World Dracula Day and Peter Cushing's birthday. 🧛

Doing this online talk for the Morbid Anatomy folks in September!

Just saw horror film The Passenger. Diverting stuff. Melissa Leo in small role. Question: are there any other Academy Award winners who have had their head pulled off by a demonic force in cinema history?

Is it by joining the space race and firing these numpties into perpetual Low Earth Orbit?

I’m watching John Woo’s Face/Off for the first time since it came out. I’d forgotten that after Travolta-with-Cage’s-face explains the title premise one hoodlum pauses, points after him leaving the room, and says ‘No more drugs for him!’

Officially too hot

Came to Horace Walpole’s house today, where a few Goths are struggling against the summer weather

Spare a thought for those observing #WorldGothDay on the first proper summer heat of the year here in London. There are many Goths anti-heroically stumbling around mournfully in full black garb. They are observant so you don’t have to be.

I am pleased to say that I have resolved my technical issue on my virtual learning interface by shouting ‘Fuck off!’, slamming the screen shut and going to the cinema in a huff. I am a 59 year-old man.

"We have no idea how to evaluate teaching, so to receive tenure, you must accomplish all of the following, plus several additional things we haven’t thought of yet."

Amazing to be in the room for the launch of this beautiful collection of stories by David Rudkin, put out by Strange Attractor press — an intimate setting to hear the great Toby Jones read the folk horror tale ‘The Sentinel’. Think about supporting if you can: small presses are having a tough time.

#CorridorDread ramping up in Italy this summer

I have at least two former PhD students who became professional gardeners and my niece's boyfriend just won a Gold at Chelsea Flower Show. This is clearly what we should all be aiming for these days!

Monday

WE do not pay for the buttons. WE throw the buttons away #nichefilmreferences

“I know, Wes, it is an unusual room for an MP selection panel meeting, isn’t it, but this has all been very last minute. Please, after you”

“I know, Andy, it is an unusual room for an MP selection panel meeting, isn’t it, but this has all been very last minute. Please, after you”

Snooze after a morning of chasing flies and fighting fucking fascists

For the love of god, keep em coming

Andy Burnham would be the first graduate of English Literature to be PM #FridayFactoid

Congrats to Wes for burying the lead today

48 hours to go! https://bit.ly/OhWhistle Reserve your copy of our beautiful annotated facsimile manuscript edition of M.R. James's classic ghost story 'Oh, Whistle, and I'll Come to You, My Lad' Limited signed and numbered editions - last few remaining.

“Ah, yes, Wes, the PM will see you in the new annex — please, after you”

Fascinating interview by Owen Bennett-Jones with Malcolm Turnbull the other day on the World Service on how Turnbull was surprised to find himself discussing Thucydides on the conduct of the Peloponnesian War with Xi Jingpin. 'And do you think Xi will discuss Thucydides with Trump?' he deadpanned.

PM, last seen at Northwood this morning, HQ of Royal Navy Submarine Service, apparently to join a four month tour on HMS Vanguard