Seriously, what is going on with young people’s trousers? Why do they wear trousers the size of fridges? At we they comfortable like that? If so, why are they so short? Do I have to wear trousers like that?

Preparing to attend a wedding. Having spent my teenage years in the cadets I’ve discovered the most ridiculous of all Pavlovian reactions: My mouth waters when I polish shoes.

If you see this, post a bridge

I mean, my main takeaway is: I'm not sure that means what you think it means

Lads, they've got Brion Gysin doing press releases again

"For... interesting holidays". Something about the spookily lit trees in the foreground makes this feel like the kind of poster you'd catch sight of on a mildewed wall in the early minutes of an MR James adaptation. (SMG: collection.sciencemuseumgroup.org.uk/objects/co23...)

This is just to say I have eaten the swans that were in the duck pond and which you were probably saving for the King Forgive me they were delicious so white and so necky

the booker prize judges make a lot of fuss about having to read 153 books. but assuming an average weight of 750g per book, that comes in at 115kg of literature - or just under the weight of a single adult male ostrich

just had to verify my age for this website and my goodness the system is glitchy and takes a long time

I remain obsessed by how much this publicity photo from Spaced looks like every British Xennial's First Houseshare Photo. The poses! The sofa! THE LITTLE BAMBOO TABLE FOR THE LANDLINE WITH SPACE BENEATH FOR THE YELLOW PAGES.

the faces during the applause were quite something

only reposting this from last time because it got one (1) like, and that was a sympathy like from my wife. I feel at least Larkin would have appreciated it.

Bisexuality began In nineteen ninety-five (what a time to be alive) Between the start of the Rushdie ban* And the release of Stayin' Alive** *in India **The N-Trance version ft Ricardo da Force

Burkeism

at least half the time I see a great comedy show I find myself thinking "this is wonderful but how the HELL did they pitch this?" (Something, inter alia, that I rarely think when watching detective shows, no matter how good / dire. But I don't pitch or make shows, so tbf I know nothing about it)

Repost for Irish Film Classifications by Damien Owens, because it's just come up in FB memories and it's still *brilliant*.

What movie do you consider “perfect” #1

What movie do you consider “perfect” #2

Lads, there are only six of you. You can’t have four factions.

Reading in York next Wednesday, where I once worked for the Council. The visit has reminded me of this sign in Museum Gardens which apparently banned cycling while allowing you to injure young and old alike by way of recompense. The good management of municipal facilities is all about give and take.

I just think it's so great that there's now a film called Steve

Japan has a wrestling camp for kids where at the end they have a show match in front of their parents to show off what they learned. Thought you'd enjoy this.

anyone who writes for a living is used to getting upset about non-writers banging on about the passive voice - it has many important uses! You should use it sometimes! - but you can OVERuse it, chaps.

Aside from anything else, I've been humming the tune to 10 Green Bottles* for the last hour and counting *IYKYK

Sometimes it's nice to remember that even Marcus Aurelius was like "you don't have to comment on everything bro"

B because otherwise I wouldn't be allowed to cook. Also B because B.

Someone in this thread posted the classic reply by a film critic who when asked if she’d sleep with Robert Redford for a million bucks answered, “yes, but where would I find the money?”

My favourite Robert Redford story is the one about why he got rejected for the lead role in The Graduate. RIP to a real one.

people who know far more about acting / directing are talking about Redford's amazing abilities there, so I'll do tailoring. Hadn't realised the beautifully subtle, understated herringbone tweed blazer in Spy Game was itself a reference to an even more iconic one in Three Days Of The Condor

Given the OP has *blocked* me for this I'm going to assume a) they didn't recognise it's an old George Bernard Shaw reference and b) I was suggesting it was totally reasonable to suggest women might want to sleep with the ridiculously-good-looking Robert Redford without payment

Very excited about the new all polar bear production of Beckett’s Endgame.

"We have established what you ARE madam, now we are merely haggling over no hang on, I'm confused, what?"

That humourless nerk who thought I'd take 'centrist' as an insult is going to be very upset when he sees the suggestions the rest of the country makes

needs good songs

it is ALWAYS time to buy a gilet. But Autumn is DEFINITELY the time to buy a gilet. Embrace the gilet. You will never look back

I remember writing an impassioned defence of Chamberlain for A Level history, how he was utterly maligned, bought the UK vital time to re-arm, sacrificed his legacy to save his country, all that stuff. Only problem is I can't remember if I actually thought that or was just History-Boys-ing it all.

🎵 I don't care if Monday's grey Tuesday, Wednesday, also grey Thursday's also pretty grey It's Friday I'm a dog

Well, if it’s 15 September, it must be – yes, of course! The 412th anniversary of Sir Thomas Overbury dying in the Tower of London after being poisoned by his ex-boyfriend’s wife because he’d written a poem she didn’t like

Rollock my fussett and griddle my nodes &c

I always remember when Anne Robinson tried to do her school ma’am act on Ricky Hatton on Celebrity Weakest Link. AR: “Ricky - you were the weakest link in that round. Why do you think that is?” RH: “Probably because I get punched in the head for a living, Anne.”

Someone idly mentions ‘half a pony’ in a ramble about film he’s watched and I don’t know if it’s Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels or the Godfather

My 2yo tried fish sticks before she ever tried chicken nuggets, so she calls chicken nuggets “chicken fish sticks.” Today this food product entered our home and does anyone have contact info for Baudrillard

Tom Sharpe! Thou shouldst be living at this hour &c

"It was a bright cold day in April, and the clocks went up to 11." #spinaltapnovels

*the faculty start singing 'Men Of Harlech'*

This had literally never occurred to me as a reason

VC on roof of Magdalen Tower surveying the horizon: “it’s quiet. Too quiet.”

as in "we think the university should have commented* and they haven't" or as in "an expectant hush descends"? *why?

"tooth-in-eye surgery sounds like science fiction" No, "tooth-in-eye surgery" sounds like a line from It's A Right Royal Barrel Of Cockney Monkeys "Yeah, so Tommy Pockets and the Cardinal took 'im rahnd the back of the nuclear for a bit o' the old tooth-in-eye surgery" &c

Samuel Beckett also died in 1989, and I like to think he, too, could have been into the Happy Mondays. And, for that matter, Emperor Hirohito. I think someone should recreate what that would look like (@generalboles.bsky.social)