*sacred Yorkshire music plays*

I wrote on AI trashing literary life, and spoke to Alex Preston about the NYT book review scandal

Goodwin has the Musk thing where you’re desperate to be welcomed into a clique, and when it won’t let you join, you come to loathe it with an alarming intensity.

At this point whether AI "works" or not is only part of the question. As with Brexit, it's not just about whether or not the car goes, it's about who's in the driving seat.

Morning.

Jaysus Effin' Christ. I hope this leads to a better policy of scrutiny. www.nytimes.com/2026/01/06/b...

Well, Book Reviewer Bluesky just lit up like a Christmas tree.

Golden retriever runs 15 feet after owner mimes throwing tennis ball

Cooking spag bol with a glass of plonk and watching old episodes of Brooklyn 99. I think this is what they call the Life of the Mind.

✊

You didn't ask for it, you might not want it, but you're getting it anyway. DAMS: PART II.

Good morning parents, carers, and anyone else looking after children over the Easter holidays! Here’s my regular reminder of this thread of videos of TOYS you can make at home with scrap materials you probably have lying around

That book you liked is actually bad.

The people who annoy me the most these days fall into two camps: (1) literally running the world and (2) utterly irrelevant outside of their tiny corner of social media. Reactionary centrism happens when (2) bugs you more than (1)

‘Thin Places in Hard Concrete‘ is due very shortly. If you want to review it, or want me talk about it for your blog, publication or podcast, let me know. In the meantime, my two previous collections of short stories are here: 👉 www.amazon.co.uk/Municipal-Go... 👉 www.amazon.co.uk/Intervals-Da...

Mackenzie Crook’s magical suburban folk tale, #SmallProphets published by #PenguinBooks and #PuffinBooks down the years. A 🧵 1/

coming into the weekend like

New episode of Fatal Attractions is out in the wild. And the film is quite a wild ride too. We had fun discussing it.

God grant me the oblivious self-confidence of a former Random House copy-editor.

Morning.

i've been the wild robot for many a year some curious otters rebooted me here but now i've internalised wilderness lore and I never will play the wild robot no more

Today is an exciting day: I have relaunched Inkcap! New website, new branding, lots of in-depth reporting on nature in Britain coming your way. Please share & help me get this thing off the ground. www.inkcap.co.uk/inkcap-is-ba...

You can help Rodney's school for orphans here: gofund.me/b5825cc9

Broke: How did you think of that? Woke: HOW DID YOU MAKE THAT?

I'll keep running if you keep sponsoring. www.justgiving.com/page/richard...

I'll keep running if you keep sponsoring. www.justgiving.com/page/richard...

Out at 5. Thick frost, dawn chorus. Ran up some hills. It's no way to live.

Could you be our next Art Director? We're looking for a talented magazine designer to join our friendly and dedicated team on a freelance basis. Full details here:

I own several proper kitchen knives but this is the most ferocious knife I have ever known. I've only had it since Christmas and it has tasted my blood half a dozen times already. They call it the Victorinox sandwich knife but I call it the Widowmaker.

1973 board game Alaska Pipeline: The Energy Crisis Game was blatant pro-pipeline propaganda that mocked environmental concerns. Pipeline objections are given by a nosy, old woman & countered with "fact" cards. Exxon Valdez oilspill was 37 years ago today. #alaska #alaskahistory

Morning.

Please join us tonight! 5pm US Pacific time, 8pm US Eastern Time. Registration is free

Flowers belong at the center of our creation story. Writing this book transformed how I experience, think about, and feel the world. I hope it will do the same for you. Publishers Weekly: "deep research and lyrical prose…astonishing" www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/775876...

Pagan revivalism, the lovely idea that you have more in common with a Norwegian who's been dead for a thousand years than with your next-door neighbour whose dad was born in Lahore.

This, just now, but in reverse.

Today I am mostly writing about Vikings, Odinists, fauxlore and the Aboriginal English [sic].

Morning.

The Berg. richarddsmyth.com/2020/05/04/s...

Peregrine egg at Lister's Mill!🥚

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you so much for supporting our fundraising this month,we're deeply grateful. Together, we are making a real difference. gofund.me/b5825cc9

Morning.

Can't wait for the local village fete this year. There'll be picnic objects, serrano hams for legs, unusual sandwiches and old-fashioned games of mutants in sacks with sticks.

My sons, Aryann and Grokulus, love to visit local establishments and shoot at the feet of service employees, causing them to "dance." Do you like this. Is this relatable

Enjoyed this interesting @nytimes.com piece on fake AI videos of animals being improbable. But really it isn't a new phenomenon. COME WITH ME BACK TO 1903. 🧵 www.nytimes.com/2026/03/07/m...

Pulled a muscle just thinking about how he got that shot off from that body position.

My favourite Mr T fact is that Mr T was head of security for Leon Spinks right after he became heavyweight champion, and Spinks gave him the slip to go and smoke weed in a shed somewhere.

He calls her, among other things: Tigercubkin My Lovey Kidlet Roosterkin My dear life My Poundlets My grand ciel rose My Kitty-cat My Rollikins Sparrowling Katyusha Dipod Mothling Pupuss Bushms My tenderness Long bird of paradise with the precious tail Skunky My little one Pussykins Mosquittle Vera

This. I'm not worried about my job being in danger from brilliant writing and editing robots, I am worried about my job being in danger from AI hype.