Last month, I got a commission to write an open-source data project on the recent Radiohead tour for the BBC Verify live page (and plotted a speculative social media video). Yes I was. It didn’t work out… As the year closes, I thought you may like to read it. Merry Christmas. THREAD... 📷Alex Lake

The best David Lean (Zhivago, Lawrence, Kwai, Expectations), the great Ealing Comedies (Ladykillers, KH&C, LHM, White Suit), the good Star Wars, and BBC’s Tinker Tailor. Alec Guinness.

Pretty sure I own this Bolt Thrower album.

They should get rid of the toss in Tests. Coins are boring. In the Ashes, the toss should be replaced with a 50 metre firewalk race between the two captains. This is also why it is good to have large squads on tour.

Please read the below. It was a lot of work, and drawn from ~50 videos for which we confirmed the locations.

QUEEN WORLD CUP #QueenWorldCup FINAL THREAD 1/x OK, here we go. We have had 1,753 votes in this tournament so far and they have sorted all the Queen songs 12 of my friends and I could think of to a last pair. Let's step onto the stage at the Hammersmith Apollo and pretend it's Christmas Eve.

QUEEN WORLD CUP #QueenWorldCup Wake up, babe, we have the other semi-final to do. ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST v BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY I’m not saying we’ve whittled this down to the hits, but this could have been Stone Cold Crazy v More Of That Jazz. Y’know, like we were cool and edgy. Anyway, VOOOTE

QUEEN WORLD CUP #QueenWorldCup Semi-final 1 KILLER QUEEN v UNDER PRESSURE Very late start, apologies, after record-breaking QF yesterday. Get voting: #KQ for laser beams, #UP for Bowie collabs.

QUEEN WORLD CUP #QueenWorldCup The final quarter-final. Couple of titans. Both from the Live Aid set, and the movie with the quick edits. RADIO GA GA v BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY Winner will join Killer Queen, Under Pressure and Another One Bites The Dust in the semis. Reply vote #RG or #BR!

Israel has destroyed more than 1,500 buildings in areas of Gaza that have remained under its control since the ceasefire with Hamas started on 10 October, satellite images reviewed by BBC Verify show. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

QUEEN WORLD CUP #QueenWorldCup RECAP, last night: After two recounts, Under Pressure beat Don’t Stop Me Now by a vote. BBC mates and music pals went Don’t Stop Me Now. Transformers fans edged Under Pressure, but BlueSky was the difference. Today: ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST or SOMEBODY TO LOVE

QUEEN WORLD CUP #QueenWorldCup Killer Queen is through to the semi-finals. Who will join them? UNDER PRESSURE or DON'T STOP ME NOW Little Bowie collab, or another Freddie romp? Last rep of the Hot Space album, or last rep from Jazz? Vanilla Ice or Shaun Of The Dead?

#QueenWorldCup I am counting this extra late vote because (a) lovely reasoning, (b) it doesn’t change the result, and (c) it’s all engagement, bruv. Killer Queen 23-14 I Want To Break Free

QUEEN WORLD CUP #QueenWorldCup It's the first QUARTER FINAL today. KILLER QUEEN has scored heavily, and by wide margins all the way. Walked it, m8. I WANT TO BREAK FREE really squeezed through against White Queen and Bicycle Race. Combative. Vote #Killer or #Break in reply, by 10pm.

QUEEN WORLD CUP #QueenWorldCup With Bohemian Rhapsody's victory this evening, we now know the FINAL EIGHT songs: Killer Queen v I Want To Break Free Under Pressure v Don't Stop Me Now Another One Bites The Dust v Somebody To Love Radio Ga Ga v Bohemian Rhapsody QFs start tomorrow.

QUEEN WORLD CUP #QueenWorldCup Last of the last 16, Mercury v Mercury. Self loathing v self love. BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY, never heard of it V GOOD OLD-FASHIONED LOVER BOY, joyous romp Vote in reply with your favourite, I want to hear some fighting talk. Result at 10pm.

QUEEN WORLD CUP #QueenWorldCup Love Live Laugh? Eat Pray Vote? SOMEBODY TO LOVE vs WHO WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER Can we keep the Mercury dominant? Vote #Love Can we keep a Highlander track in the cup? Vote #Live I’ll try to wrap this up at 10pm.

#QueenWorldCup Some folks are saying the vote below is somehow one-sided or fixing a result. I say to them, BlueSky has gone 100% on Bicycle Race by voting #Yeah. And there is only one vote in it. So vote #IamBoring for I Want To Break Free, if you must.

QUEEN WORLD CUP #QueenWorldCup I Want To Break Free, a standard, slightly hum-drum tune where they dressed up for the video. Or: BICYCLE RACE, one of the greatest songs ever. Vote #IamBoring for I Want To Break Free, or #YEAH for Bicycle Race. That simple. Appease your circus-master.

QUEEN WORLD CUP #QueenWorldCup ICYMI, genuine drama late last night, see quoted post! (TL;DR Richy can’t count.) Today will be simpler, it’s… UNDER PRESSURE v A KIND OF MAGIC Reply with #under or #magic to vote! 10pm cut off!

You’re my best friend is objectively a better song, and I would implore you to demand my friend Rich respects this fact

QUEEN WORLD CUP #QueenWorldCup Finally back to AM kick offs! RADIO GA GA YOU’RE MY BEST FRIEND No time for an opening comment, VOTE (in reply, maybe with your reasoning).

QUEEN WORLD CUP #QueenWorldCup Right, short game today, but no bad thing. Let's call it "compact". F I N A L S C O R E Killer Queen - 21 Crazy Little Thing Called Love - 4 The score was 18-1 this afternoon, so almost a late rally / consolation goal. Killer Queen becomes the third QF'ist.

QUEEN WORLD CUP #QueenWorldCup [Rich runs onto the pitch, clearly pulling clothes over his pyjamas] [Theatrical mumbling] Oh yes, we're still doing this. KILLER QUEEN or CRAZY LITTLE THING CALLED LOVE ???? Go! Vote #Killer or #Crazy by 11pm! Go! Go! Go!

Film composer, conductor, bandleader and trumpeter John Barry was born in York on this day in 1933. He was also a classical fan, choosing Mahler 9 in both of his appearances on Desert Island Discs in 1967 and 1999. You can see his choices and hear the interview here: www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p...

QUEEN WORLD CUP #QueenWorldCup Get triumphant. Yesterday, Don’t Stop Me Now became the first quarter-finalist. What will join it in The Battle Of Contradictory Titles? ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST v THE SHOW MUST GO ON Reply-vote #AOBTD or #TSMGO by 10pm, when the show goes off.

A movie you’ve seen more than seven times with a gif

#RIP #AdamGreenberg Adam was a brilliant cinematographer as well as the best possible collaborator and teacher. Working with him on THE TERMINATOR, ALIEN NATION and T2 made me a better producer. His quiet leadership on set as well as his innovative night photography made such a difference.

QUEEN WORLD CUP #QueenWorldCup Amazing STATISTICS thread, below. Anyway, shut up, Rich. Do the vote. DON'T STOP ME NOW or THESE ARE THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES Do you like it upbeat or not? Vote by replying with your preference, and your thoughts on the matter if you want. Let's go!

QUEEN WORLD CUP #QueenWorldCup We have finished Round 2 and are into the last 16. Time for a stat attack! On the left is the winning margin in the last game for each song. On the right is total votes in the tourney so far.

#QueenWorldCup Simply tell me: Which is better, Bohemian Rhapsody or I Want It All? One song currently has a 2:1 lead. But are we collectively backlashing? Final whistle about 10pm.

QUEEN WORLD CUP #QueenWorldCup It’s the FINAL game of Round 2. But who will make it to the LAST 16? Bohemian Rhapsody, an obscure track you’ve never heard, you casual fan. I Want It All, that one everywhere on commercial radio, 1989-1991. Reply to vote, extra points maybe for well-made reasons.

#QueenWorldCup It is tight. Absolutely squeaky. BBC colleagues have gone 100% on Deacon's love song, Transformers pals have gone 100% late Queen, music mates are divided. Here on Bluesky, it's 50-50. Can YOU be the difference? Tell me, which is better: YOU'RE MY BEST FRIEND or INNUENDO?

QUEEN WORLD CUP #QueenWorldCup John Deacon love song v cherished late album title track. Soppy v opera-y. YOU’RE MY BEST FRIEND v INNUENDO Please, reply to vote. Maybe offer your reasoning, might get an extra point.

#QueenWorldCup Old-school, no live commentary, only the result on Ceefax. (It has been a busy day.) Shame, as it was a tight one, and fun. SEVEN SEAS OF RHYE - 10 WHO WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER - 13 Ooh, you lot love Highlander. Also, my mate Westy wrote this: www.bbc.co.uk/historyofthe...

QUEEN WORKD CUP #QueenWorldCup Route one: SEVEN SEAS OF RHYE WHO WANTS TO LIVE FOREVER That fast one off Greatest Hits, or that other one off Highlander? Tell me which is better, by 10pm.

#QueenWorldCup You know what? Closer than could have been predicted. Another One Bites The Dust is second favourite for the whole tournament. Stone Cold Crazy is not. But the early metal fans have woken up. Opening score 5-3, now 7-5. Vote #Dust or #Cold.

QUEEN WORLD CUP #QueenWorldCup Disco v thrash Chic v Metallica The song signalling Queen’s change v one of their first ever tracks ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST v STONE COLD CRAZY Reply-vote #Dust or #Cold by 10pm, please and thank you.

QUEEN WORLD CUP #QueenWorldCup Delayed kick off. We go until midnight. I WANT TO BREAK FREE v SAIL AWAY SWEET SISTER Pre-tournament dark horse up against a fan-favourite Brian May track off The Game. Vote #Free or #Sail in the replies.

In case you missed Episode 2 of The Tax Conundrum on Radio 4 - where I explore what the UK could learn from other countries' tax systems - you can listen back here on BBC Sounds... 🎧👇 www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m...

QUEEN WORLD CUP #QueenWorldCup One of the pre-tournament favourites, UNDER PRESSURE, versus the one-off single TOO MUCH LOVE WILL KILL YOU. Easy enough. Reply vote with #Bowie or #Nowie, by 10pm.

#BBCNews - The 'Heroes of Kharkiv' who saved 48 children from kindergarten hit by Russian drone www.bbc.com/news/article... #UkraineWar

#BBCNews - Rebel group claims capture of key city in #Sudan www.bbc.com/news/article... #ElFasher #rsf

Post a red Transformer.

#QueenWorldCup Final whistle! Ra ra, ooh la la. RADIO GA GA - 22 SAVE ME - 7 Easy win for the Roger Taylor Live Aid anthem. We are right into the end of Round 2. By the end of the week we will be down to 16 songs.

#QueenWorldCup You - thumbing through BlueSky of a Sunday night - have less than two hours to tell me - taking time out of my busy schedule like a hero - whether Radio Ga Ga or Save Me is the better Queen song. Cool? Vote in reply #RG or #SM.

#QueenWorldCup To say Save Me is clawing the score back is not as accurate as saying Radio Ga Ga was 9-1 up at one point, but now it’s only 18-3. The question now is whether the margin of victory will be as emphatic as Somebody To Love earned yesterday. Vote #RG or #SM by 10pm.

QUEEN WORLD CUP #QueenWorldCup Get your Big Game Clogs on. RADIO GA GA v SAVE ME Vote #RG or #SM in replies. No further introduction.

#QueenWorldCup CAN’T ANYBODY FIND ME 22-6 it finishes, an absolute drubbing. Somebody To Love does a lap of the ground on a wheeled grand piano. Brighton Rock leaves quickly on the team moped. More in the morning.

#QueenWorldCup A little under 90 mins to go. Utter dominance from Somebody To Love, cavalier attitude toward victory from Brighton Rock. But what do you have to say about, hey? Reply with #Love or #Rock to tell me.